3 Keys For A Cowboy First-Round NIT Win

The Cowboys are set to open up tournament play Tuesday night in GIA.

Mar 11, 2026; Kansas City, MO, USA; Oklahoma State Cowboys coach Steve Lutz speaks with Oklahoma State Cowboys guard Jaylen Curry (0) during the first half against the TCU Horned Frogs at T-Mobile Center. Mandatory Credit: William Purnell-Imagn Images | William Purnell-Imagn Images

It might not have been the position it wanted to be in, but Cowboy basketball still has something to play for. 

Oklahoma State is gearing up to hit the court for its first round NIT matchup against Davidson. The Pokes drew the two-seed in the Tulsa Region and will get to open up tournament play with a home game in GIA. 

OSU made a run in the NIT last year and is looking to do the same, only with an even better result. All of this will start against the Wildcats, and with every game having the chance to be the Cowboys’ last, they must leave it all on the floor. 

Here are three keys to a Cowboy win over Davidson. 

1. Aggressive defense

The Wildcats are not used to Big 12 basketball, and the Cowboys must use that to their advantage. Davidson played one Big 12 opponent this year in Kansas, and only put up 61 points in that bout. OSU must make sure that the Wildcats' productivity is limited the same way. 

The Wildcats average 10.4 turnovers per game, but against the Jayhawks, they turned the ball over 16 times. The Pokes must bring their aggressive defense and 7.2 steals per game into this bout and disrupt Davidson from the very start. 

2. Open the game hot

Davidson is used to lower-scoring contests, which works in its favor. On average, it allows opponents to score 31 points in the first half, and uses this to keep the game at its pace. Oklahoma State will have to make sure the exact opposite happens. 

Oklahoma State can get out and run, as it averages 84.3 points per game. If the Pokes can once again showcase their dominant scoring early, then Davidson will have no chance of keeping up.

3. Don’t play down to Davidson’s level

As one of the only power conference schools in the NIT, the Pokes have the advantage of experience. However, OSU can not take this for granted and must treat this game as if they are playing a Big 12 school. 

The Pokes have proven they can do this, as they didn’t lose a game to a school not from the Big 12 or SEC. Now, the Cowboys must continue this and not let their guard down. Realistically, this should be an easy match for the Cowboys, as they are better in almost every aspect on paper. However, it is March, and the Pokes can’t leave anything up to chance.