▁since ▁ 1 9 5 1 . ▁Oklahoma ▁State ▁lost ▁to ▁event ual ▁national ▁champion ▁U CLA ▁ 7 4 – 6 1 ▁in ▁the ▁semif inals , ▁despite ▁R uther ford ' s ▁ 1 5 ▁points . ▁He ▁aver aged ▁ 1 8 . 2 ▁points ▁in ▁five ▁NCAA ▁Tournament ▁games . ▁In ▁ 9 9 ▁colleg iate ▁games ▁over ▁his ▁three - year ▁career , ▁R uther ford ▁aver aged ▁ 1 5 . 6 ▁points , ▁ 5 . 9 ▁reb ounds , ▁ 2 . 4 ▁ass ists ▁and ▁ 1 . 2 ▁ste als ▁per ▁game . ▁ ▁Professional ▁career ▁A ▁lack ▁of ▁height ▁and ▁poor ▁performances ▁in ▁numerous ▁NBA ▁draft ▁cam ps , ▁combined ▁with ▁a ▁court ▁appearance ▁in ▁May ▁ 1 9 9 5 , ▁led ▁to ▁R uther ford ▁dro pping ▁to ▁second - round ▁pick ▁cont ention ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 5 ▁NBA ▁draft . ▁He ▁ultimately ▁went ▁und raft ed ▁and ▁was ▁picked ▁up ▁by ▁the ▁Oklahoma ▁City ▁Caval ry ▁in ▁the ▁third ▁round ▁of ▁the ▁C BA ▁draft ▁in ▁September ▁ 1 9 9 5 . ▁He ▁did ▁not ▁join ▁the ▁Caval ry ▁however , ▁dec iding ▁instead ▁to ▁return ▁to ▁OS U ▁to ▁complete ▁his ▁degree . ▁ ▁In ▁October ▁ 1 9 9 6 , ▁R uther ford ▁signed ▁with ▁the ▁Oklahoma ▁City ▁Caval ry . ▁He ▁began ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 6 – 9 7 ▁season ▁with ▁the ▁Caval ry , ▁but ▁left ▁the ▁team