Oklahoma State is seeking a trip to the quarterfinal round of the NIT for the second consecutive year.

But its hopes for victory could hinge on who is on the court for the second-seeded Cowboys (20-14) Sunday night against third-seeded Wichita State (23-11) in Stillwater, Okla.

Three players, including leading scorer Anthony Roy (17.2 points per game), were suspended for Oklahoma State’s 84-80 opening round win over Davidson.

Vyctorius Miller, as well as Isaiah Coleman, also didn’t play due to their suspensions, which were for a violation of team rules. It’s uncertain if those two, or Roy, will be available against the Shockers.

“I haven’t decided yet. We’re still working through the process,” head coach Steve Lutz told reporters. “They’ve got to meet the standards and the expectations of the program. And they’re working towards that right now.”

The Shockers are coming off a 74-70 win over Wyoming in the opening round thanks to a 17-point, 14-rebound effort from TJ Williams, who is averaging 8.5 points and 4.8 rebounds per game and takes pressure off Kenyon Giles.

“We put the ball in his hands there and let him operate,” head coach Paul Mills said. “We needed a second playmaker. His assertiveness at the rim was terrific.”

Giles scored 15 in Tuesday’s win despite shooting only 5 of 17 from the floor and is averaging 19.1 points per outing.

Giles agreed that Williams is someone the Shockers can count on.

“You can trust this guy down the stretch,” Giles said.

Oklahoma State had only eight active players in its first round win due to the suspensions and injuries but showed it has others it can count on as well, including Kanye Clary, who poured in 20 points.

Daniel Guetta finished with 11 and became the 12th player this season to score in double figures in a game. He had played for a total of 18 minutes since New Year’s.

The Cowboys and Shockers are meeting in the NIT for the second straight year. Oklahoma State won 89-79 last season at home in the first round.

–Field Level Media

Lauren Betts led five UCLA players in double figures as the top-seeded Bruins ran away with a 96-43 win over No. 16 seed Cal Baptist with a dominating second half in Sacramento Region 2 first-round action Saturday in Los Angeles.

The Bruins (32-1) led just 44-34 at halftime before outscoring the Lancers 52-9 over the final 20 minutes. Sisters Lauren Betts (22 points, 10 rebounds) and Sienna Betts (10 points, game-high 12 boards) each finished with a double-double, as did Angela Dugalic with 10 points and 11 rebounds.

UCLA utterly dominated the interior with its superior size, outrebounding Cal Baptist 62-21, turning 21 offensive boards into 30 second-chance points and a 54-14 edge in points in the paint. The Bruins shot 50% from the floor and made 21 of 25 free throws (84%).

UCLA next takes on eighth-seeded Oklahoma State on Monday for a spot in the Sweet 16.

The Lancers (23-11), making their second NCAA Tournament appearance in eight seasons as a Division I team, were led by 11 points off the bench from Chance Bucher. Cal Baptist’s five starters were a combined 11 of 45 (24.4%), in line with the team’s 25% shooting from the floor and 20% from 3-point range.

No. 8 Oklahoma State 82, No. 9 Princeton 68

Achol Akot poured in a season-high 28 points on 12-for-15 shooting and grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds as the Cowgirls rolled past the Tigers at Los Angeles.

Oklahoma State (24-9) will face UCLA in Monday’s second round after shooting 52.5% from the field in the opening round.

Jaydn Wooten came off the bench for 18 points, Micah Gray posted 16 points and Haleigh Timmer added 10 points for the Cowgirls, who led 48-33 at halftime.

Madison St. Rose had 17 points and Ashley Chea and Skye Belker both had 14 points for ninth-seeded Princeton (26-4). Olivia Hutcherson added 10 points, but the Tigers didn’t have enough strength in the lane to contend with the Cowgirls.

Princeton got within 61-53 by the end of the third quarter and Belker’s 3-pointer supplied the first points of the fourth quarter. Wooten responded with two baskets to ignite a 9-0 run that helped Oklahoma State take its edge to 72-58.

A 35-26 rebounding edge for Oklahoma State included 11 offensive boards.

Akot entered the game averaging less than 12 points per game.

–Field Level Media

Nikita Kucherov scored twice in a four-point performance to lead the visiting Tampa Bay Lightning to a 5-2 victory over the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday.

Anthony Cirelli scored twice, Jake Guentzel added a single and Brandon Hagel collected a pair of assists for the Lightning (43-21-4, 90 points), who have won three straight to maintain a hold on the second spot in the Atlantic Division.

Goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy made 25 saves.

Kucherov, who recorded his fifth consecutive road game with three or more points, has collected six goals and six assists in the past three outings. He moved to the top of the NHL’s scoring race with 118 points.

Tampa Bay has won 12 of 14 games this season against Pacific Division clubs.

Connor McDavid and Josh Samanski replied for the Oilers (34-28-9, 77 points), who remain in second place in the Pacific Division despite losing two straight.

Goalie Connor Ingram stopped 22 shots for Edmonton, which opened the scoring but was done in by a trio of second-period goals by the Lightning.

Cirelli evened the score 97 seconds into the middle frame, burying a loose puck during a scramble.

Guentzel’s power-play goal put the Lightning ahead. Upon gaining the puck at the side of the net, he went to the front and sent a shot inside the far post at 12:13.

Right after the Oilers came within a whisker of tying the clash during a 5-on-3 power play, Kucherov made it a 3-1 game by converting a short-handed breakaway upon leaving the penalty box. It is his first career short-handed marker.

Samanski was credited with his first career goal on a crazy play to make it a one-goal game at 7:16 of the third period. During a scrum at the side boards, Tampa Bay’s Oliver Bjordstrand chipped the puck toward his own net. It ricocheted off the stick of Lightning defenseman Emil Lilleberg and eluded Vasilevskiy.

However, Kucherov quashed those comeback hopes with his second of the game, a quick one-timer from the bottom of the right circle set up by Hagel with 4:28 remaining in regulation.

Cirelli’s empty-net goal sealed the game.

McDavid opened the scoring with 23 seconds remaining in the first period by deflecting Evan Bouchard’s point shot.

–Field Level Media