3 Keys To An OSU Upset Win Over Arizona

The Pokes are looking to upset another juggernaut, as they head to Arizona to take on the Wildcats.

Oklahoma State Cowboys guard Vyctorius Miller (5) celebrates during a BIG 12 men's college basketball game between the Oklahoma State Cowboys (OSU) and the BYU Cougars at Gallagher-Iba Arena in Stillwater, Okla., Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2026. | BRYAN TERRY/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Oklahoma State has the opportunity to shock the world. 

The Pokes are traveling to Arizona to play the No.1 Wildcats on Saturday afternoon, and are hoping to pull off their second upset win in a row. Arizona is one of the two teams in the nation that has yet to suffer a loss, meaning a win by the Cowboys would be the best resume builder possible. 

This will be OSU’s toughest challenge of the season and will be the true marker of how close, or how far away, the Cowboys are to the best of the best. 

If there is any chance for Oklahoma State to walk out of Arizona with a win, they will have to play an almost perfect game.

Here are three keys to an Oklahoma State upset over Arizona. 

1. Defense is key

The Cowboys have to find a way to limit Arizona’s electric offense. The Wildcats have five different players who average double-digit points, which ultimately leads the team to average almost 90 points per game.

Arizona scores efficiently as well, as the team shoots 51.6% from the field on average. This is a game where the Cowboys of the new must show up and not the OSU defense that has found themselves out of position in the past. 

Slowing Arizona’s offense down will be essential to the Cowboys staying in this game, because if they can’t, it could get ugly quickly.

2. Anthony Roy

Anthony Roy was a big reason the Pokes pulled off their upset win against BYU, and he’ll have to be a part of the reason they take down Arizona as well. Roy scored 30 points in the team's previous bout as he made five threes. 

Roy has continued to be OSU’s main offensive weapon, and he’ll have to be unleashed for the Cowboys to win. The Wildcats only allow opponents to score 68.5 points per game on average, and if they do this to the Pokes, it will be a long night in Arizona. 

3. Play like there’s nothing to lose

Oklahoma State’s greatest weapon might be that they’re supposed to lose. The Pokes have shown that they can hang with big teams in their upset of BYU, and now they know there’s a chance. But, they’re playing with no expectations.

A Poke’s team that has nothing to lose is bound to be dangerous with its sparkplug players like Roy, Christian Coleman and Parsa Fallah. If OSU comes out and plays with intensity and plays freely, we might see the Pokes second upset in a row.

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