COLLEGE BASKETBALL / PRESEASON NIT : Oklahoma State Rips Evansville, 86-57

Cornell Hatcher and freshman Bryant Reeves provided surprising front-court scoring Thursday night in leading No. 13 Oklahoma State to an 86-57 victory over Evansville in the first round of the Big Apple NIT at Stillwater, Okla.

The Cowboys will play Purdue at home in a second-round game Saturday night. Purdue beat Ball State, 56-48, on Thursday.

Hatcher, perhaps the Cowboys’ best defender, came off the bench and scored all of his career-high 10 points in the first half. Reeves, the first Cowboy freshman since 1978 to start a season opener, had 10 of his 16 in the first half.

Byron Houston, Big Eight co-player of the year last season, scored three points in the first half but finished with 16 points.

Purdue 56, Ball State 48--Freshman Matt Waddell scored 12 points and Woody Austin 11 at West Lafayette, Ind., as the Boilermakers won their season opener for the 20th time in 21 years.