3 Keys To A Second-Round Cowboy Victory

OSU is set to take on Wichita State in the second round of the NIT on Sunday night.

Oklahoma State Cowboys guard Daniel Guetta (8) puts up a shot beside Davidson Wildcats guard Nick Coval (3) during a first-round basketball game in the National Invitational between the Oklahoma State Cowboys and the Davidson Wildcats at Gallagher-Iba Arena in Stillwater, Okla., Tuesday, March 17, 2026. | BRYAN TERRY/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Cowboy basketball hopes to keep its season alive at least one game longer. 

The Pokes are preparing for their second-round matchup of the NIT on Sunday night against Wichita State. OSU is looking to get back to the elite eight of the NIT, as it did last year, but the Shockers are a formidable opponent standing in the way. 

The fates of Anthony Roy, Vyctorius Miller and Isaiah Coleman are still up in the air after the players were suspended last game, so the Cowboys aren’t able to rely on them. 

The Pokes enter this game as the favorite, but must play their best basketball, or they could end up as another upset in March. 

Here are three keys to a Cowboy victory over Wichita State.

1. Limit second chance points

The Shockers might be from the American Conference and might have ended up in the NIT, but that doesn’t mean they shouldn’t be taken seriously. Wichita State is third in the nation in offensive rebounds per game, averaging 12.9. This is not a great situation for the short-handed Cowboy squad to be in, considering their troubles with allowing offensive boards in the past. 

In the Pokes' loss in the Big 12 Tournament, they allowed 19 offensive rebounds by TCU, which would ultimately help the Horned Frogs defeat the Cowboys. This can not be the case on Sunday night, or else Oklahoma State will be sent home earlier than expected. 

2. Reserve help

With three of OSU’s key players still not guaranteed to play, the Pokes will need help from the reserves just like last game. Multiple Cowboys like Benjamin Ahmed, Daniel Guetta and Kirk Cole stepped up, and Oklahoma State will need more of the same. 

Ahmed started for the Pokes against Davidson and had 16 points on 60% shooting. The freshman center will likely be a big part of the Cowboys' game again and will be expected to produce. Freshman guard Ryan Crotty also got the start in the last game, but shot 0-4 from the field. OSU will need Crotty to find his rhythm, or else they might not be as lucky as they were in their last bout. 

3. Stop Kenyon Giles

The senior guard is the heart of the Shockers' offense and is one of the best scorers in the nation. Giles is averaging 19.1 points per game, which ranks him top-50 in the nation for points scored. 

Giles has the ability to take over games, as he’s scored over 30 multiple times this year. The Pokes' defense has its hands full in the last game, with Davidson scoring 50 points in the first half. If Oklahoma State plays the same way against the Shockers, Giles will make them regret it, and quickly.