Cowboy Basketball Can't Settle For Round One Performance

OSU might've beaten Davidson, but the way they played in that game won't get them much farther.

Oklahoma State Cowboys forward Christian Coleman (4) gathers the ball beside Davidson Wildcats guard Roberts Blums (45) 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 must continue to step up.

Oklahoma State is gearing up for its second-round matchup against the Wichita State Shockers in the NIT. The three-seeded Shockers took care of business against Wyoming, in a bout they won 74-70. 

The two-seeded Cowboys were able to take care of business in round one as well, but it was closer than the Pokes would’ve liked. OSU had to crawl back from a 14-point deficit and squeaked out an 84-80 win against the Wildcats. 

Luckily, the Pokes were able to get themselves out of the hole they dug in their last bout, but if they play this way again, they might not be so lucky. 

Wichita State is no pushover, as they finished the year 23-11, and claimed second in the American Conference Tournament. The Shockers are led by senior guard Kenyon Giles, who averages 19.1 points on 41.3% shooting, putting him as a top-50 scorer in the country. 

This explosive Wichita State team will come ready to play, and if OSU shows up as they did in round one, it could be a long night. The Cowboys were nowhere to be seen on defense in the first half, as the Wildcats hung 50 on them going into the break. 

The Wildcats also capitalized on the Pokes' mistakes, as they had 15 points off turnovers compared to OSU’s six. 

Thankfully, Kanye Clary’s 20 points and Christian Coleman’s double-double of 15 points and 13 rebounds were enough to eventually propel OSU in the end. 

The problem for Oklahoma State might not have been how they played, but who didn’t play. It was announced before tip-off that Anthony Roy, Vyctorius Miller and Isaiah Coleman would not be playing due to suspension. This decision meant the Pokes’ three leading scorers would not be present, paired with the fact that Parsa Fallah is still unavailable due to injury. 

It’s unknown if the three Cowboys will be allowed to play come Sunday, but if not, the Pokes must step up in a big way. 

OSU will need players like Coleman and Clary to step up once again, and will need help from its reserves once again. Guard Ryan Crotty will need to produce more, as in his 23 minutes, he scored zero points and went 0-4. Jaylen Curry put up 11 points in the last bout, but will need to be more efficient, as he only shot 3-9 from the floor. 

In the win-or-go-home tournament, all that matters is that the Pokes emerge victorious. However, the Pokes will need to step up in round two, or the Shockers will be sending OSU to the offseason.