STILLWATER, Okla. -- After a dominant outing by quarterback Mason Rudolph in Oklahoma States dramatic win over Pittsburgh, its clear his play will be key to the Cowboys success this season.Rudolph is coming off a game in which he threw for a school-record 540 yards, hitting on nine passes of 20-plus yards, in a 45-38 victory on Saturday.Now, as Oklahoma State (2-1) opens its Big 12 conference schedule next week at No. 16 Baylor (3-0) -- the site of Rudolphs first collegiate start in Nov. 2013 -- the junior will once again be the center of attention for the Cowboys offense.He had a great game for us last Saturday, Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy said. Oklahoma State, traditionally, goes as their quarterback goes. He plays pretty good, we usually do pretty well, and if they play average, then were usually pretty average. So it really hasnt changed. Most teams are that way. But hes matured and understands. I thought he missed three, maybe four, throws last week, but overall, his reads and where he was at with the football, were pretty high percentage.Rudolphs ability to connect on the deep ball was crucial to the Cowboys victory over Pittsburgh, as he had five passes of 35 or more, with two additional long passes causing pass interference penalties. That includes the 91-yard touchdown pass to James Washington on the games first play from scrimmage and the 86-yard pass to Jhajuan Seales that set up the game-winning touchdown with 1:28 remaining.I think when youve got weapons like James and Seales and (Chris) Lacy and (Austin) Hays, its fun to go to work every day at practice and get those practice reps in and get comfortable with those certain routes, said the 6-5, 235-pound Rudolph, who now ranks seventh in the nation with 1,017 passing yards. Thats what we did all week and thats what weve done as long as Ive been here. Weve prided ourselves on being able to blow the top off of the offense and be accurate down the field.Just as Rudolph was quick to praise his receivers for being able to come down with the ball in those 1-on-1 situations, OSU offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich took it a step further, detailing all the factors that go into a successful long pass.You cant throw deep balls against soft coverage, Yurcich pointed out. So you have to take what the defense is giving you. Secondly, you need good pass protection, third you need fast (receivers), and fourth, you need guys that can catch it. If you have all those things, then you have deep balls. Its everything.But it all starts with Rudolph being able to make the throw. He has demonstrated significant growth since the last time he stepped onto the field at McLane Stadium in Waco, Texas, developing from a nervous freshman into a respected team leader. Since then, he is 14-4 as a starter.Masons growth has been pretty consistent, Yurcich said. Theres not really one area where he had to dramatically improve, he was a pretty well-rounded quarterback when he got here. Hes a mature guy, has a lot of confidence in himself. I think his poise and his demeanor set himself up to be a successful quarterback, because he doesnt get too high and he doesnt get too low. He stays somewhere in the middle, and I think thats where the key to his success has been.Specifically, Yurcich noted several subtle areas of improvement for Rudolph, pointing out how his summer camp stint with former Oklahoma State quarterback Zac Robinson helped his fundamentals, among other things. Mostly, though, he noted Rudolphs overall desire to be better.Hes really done a great job improving himself from a physical standpoint, Yurcich said. He knows theres still room to improve, so hes never going to think hes arrived, theres always a way to get better. Hes better in the film room, hes better at recognizing defenses, so overall, hes gotten better from just about every angle.Hes done a hell of a job and deserves a lot of credit for that, because a lot of that stuff is outside of the time that we have him -- its in the summer, its in the offseason, its on his own. Any quarterback that wants to be great has that in him, and thats great to see. Hes a great example and a great leader for everybody else to follow.---Online: www.collegefootball.ap.org Evan Engram Giants Jersey . Anthony Davis had 31 points and 17 rebounds in his seventh straight game with more than 20 points, but that was only enough to keep the Pelicans competitive into the final minutes. Andrew Bogut had 10 points and 15 rebounds for Golden State, which rebounded from a loss a night earlier in Oklahoma City and snapped a two-game skid. Oshane Ximines Giants Jersey . -- Ken Appleby made 32 saves for his first shutout of the season to lead the Oshawa Generals to a 2-0 win over the Belleville Bulls on Wednesday in Ontario Hockey League action. http://www.giantsrookiestore.com/Giants-Deandre-Baker-Jersey/ . Brett Kulak and Jackson Houck of the Vancouver Giants were each charged with assault causing bodily harm on Aug. 18, according to the B.C. court services. Phil McConkey Youth Jersey . As the crowd erupted, Davis knocked the ball off the glass and back into his hands. With 1:14 to go in overtime, Davis sixth block also became his 17th rebound. That, along with his 32 points -- which tied a career high -- proved too much for Denver to overcome, and the Pelicans held on for their third straight victory, 111-107 on Sunday night. Mark Bavaro Womens Jersey .B. -- The Baie-Comeau Drakkar took over sole possession of first place atop the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League on Thursday with their sixth straight win. BOSTON -- Set. Baseball. To. Stun.William Shatner is throwing out the first pitch at Fenway Park.Shatner, reprising his Star Trek role as Capt. James Tiberius Kirk, is in town for this weekends Boston Comic Con. His Friday evening appearance as the Red Sox take on the Arizona Diamondbacks is one of a series of events marking the 50th anniversary of the airing of the first Star Trek episode in 1966.The Boston edition of the popular entertainment and comic arts festival runs through Sunday at the Seaport World Trade Center.Besides Shatner, this years celebrity guests include Gillian Anderson of The X-Files, Elizabeth Henstridge of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Vic Mignogna of Staar Trek Continues, Caity Lotz of Arrow and Legends of Tomorrow, among others.ddddddddddddFans lined up Friday to see Frank Miller, the writer and creator of the Batman saga The Dark Knight.Costumed role players brandishing light sabers got an early start by visiting young patients to cheer them up Thursday at Spaulding Rehabilitation Centers Pediatric Unit.Organizers say the three-day gathering is expected to draw 45,000 people, many dressed as Batman, Hello Kitty, Sailor Moon and a host of other characters.---Online: http://bostoncomiccon.com/ ' ' '