KTUL.com - Tulsa's Channel 8 - News, Weather & SportsFast Start, Furious Finish For Cowboys In Loss To Va. Tech

Oklahoma State exploded out of the gate with eight straight points, but couldn't hold the lead as Virginia Tech rallied for a 59-57 win Friday afternoon in the NIT Season-Tip Off consolation game at Madison Square Garden.

After Jean-Paul Olukemi scored 23 seconds into the game, Markel Brown followed with a 3-pointer and a traditional three-point play to give the Pokes an 8-0 lead at the 16:20 mark.

But, the Hokies (4-1) responded with a 19-3 run to lead 21-12 on Tyrone Garland's jumper with less than seven minutes to play in the first half.

Virginia Tech would lead by as many as 11 points before taking a 32-23 lead into the locker room at halftime.

The Cowboys kept the Hokies within reach in the second half. After falling behind by eleven 36 seconds into the second half, the Pokes got back-to-back dunks by Olukemi and Brown to trim the deficit to seven.

The lead would continue to gradually dwindle in the second half, first to four, then to three and finally to two on a Olukemi lay-up with 3:40 remaining. But, the shots wouldn't fall down the stretch and the Hokies were able to pull out the win.

Brown led the way for Oklahoma State with a career-high 19 points to go with ten rebounds, two steals, two assists and a blocked shot. Olukemi added 13 and Keiton Page scored 11.

Le'Bryan Nash, who came into the game averaging 13 points, was held scoreless.

Erick Green scored 18 points to pace Virginia Tech. Dorian Finney-Smith had 10 points and 14 rebounds.

The Cowboys are now 3-and-2 and will return to action Wednesday at home against the University of Tulsa.