3 Keys For A Cowboy Win Over West Virginia

Oklahoma State is gearing up for a home bout against the Mountaineers and looks to snap a five-game losing streak.

Feb 21, 2026; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Oklahoma State Cowboys center Parsa Fallah (22) huddles his teammates in the second half against the Colorado Buffaloes at the CU Events Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Oklahoma State is in the middle of a poorly timed dry spell. 

The Cowboys are currently on a five-game losing streak and have played poorly at the wrong time of the season. There seems to be no feasible way for OSU to make the NCAA Tournament without winning the Big 12 Tournament. However, this game could get the Pokes back on track and could begin a much-needed spark in this Cowboy team. 

This task won’t be easy, as West Virginia is still searching for a tournament spot itself. The Mountaineers will be looking to prove they deserve to be one of the 64 teams selected come March, as they are on the outside looking in, sitting in the next four out category of ESPN’s latest Bracketology. 

The Pokes will have to get back to playing their best basketball if they want to snag a home win on Tuesday night, and to do so, they’ll have to do the little things right. 

Here are three keys to a Cowboy win over West Virginia. 

1. Get out and score

West Virginia is fourth in the nation in opponent points per game, as teams only score 63.5 points per game against the Mountaineers. This is something the Cowboys must push through, as OSU is 0-10 in games where they have scored less than 81 points. 

The Pokes can not go on cold stretches in this bout, or else West Virginia will be in control of gameplay they are all too familiar with. Anthony Roy will have to find his rhythm from behind the arc early tonight, assisted by Parsa Fallah down low.

2. Turnovers are key

With West Virginia having such a slow style of play, turnovers turned into points will be essential for the Cowboys. The Mountaineers turn the ball over 11.2 times per game, which means OSU will need to force more than usual, or the Pokes must take advantage of every single one. 

This will be one of the best defenses Oklahoma State plays all year, which means points will be scarce. Points off turnovers could be a big reason the Pokes win this game, and they must take advantage of every chance they are given. 

3. Have faith for the future

There might not be a good shot for the Cowboys to secure an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament, but that doesn’t mean their season is over. OSU still has a shot to run the table in the Big 12 Tournament, and they will need all the confidence possible going into it. 

This starts with the Cowboys’ bout on Tuesday night against the Mountaineers, and beating a team still hunting for a tournament slot could give Oklahoma State the confidence it needs for the rest of the year.