Former Cowboy Critical in Helping Blue Blood Advance in March Madness

One of OSU's former bright young stars helped Kentucky get out of the first round.

Mar 20, 2026; St. Louis, MO, USA; Kentucky Wildcats forward Brandon Garrison (10) reacts after dunking the ball against the Santa Clara Broncos during the overtime period of a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Enterprise Center. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

Oklahoma State might not be in March Madness, but one former Cowboys made his presence felt in the first round.

On Friday, the first round of the NCAA Tournament continued with the second day of action providing some more fun matchups. To tip off the day, Kentucky and Santa Clara faced off in perhaps the most memorable first-round game of the tournament.

After Santa Clara hit a three to take the lead with just two seconds to go, Kentucky’s Otega Oweh nailed a game-tying three from nearly halfcourt as time expired to send the game into overtime. While the former Sooner was the hero for getting the Wildcats another five minutes to keep their season alive, a former Cowboy made some of the biggest plays once the extra session was underway.

Off the bench, former OSU big man Brandon Garrison registered 25 minutes and made a clear impact all day. He finished the game with 10 points, seven rebounds and six blocks to help his team advance, and he made his biggest plays of the day to seal the win in overtime.

In the final minute of overtime with a two-point lead, Garrison blocked a Santa Clara 3-point shot before running out in transition for an emphatic dunk to push Kentucky’s lead to four. With the game still in the balance on the following Santa Clara possession, Garrison blocked another 3-point shot to stifle the upset-minded Broncos once again, effectively sealing the game with those critical stops.

Garrison was one of a few players who looked ready to help the Cowboys have a bright future when he broke onto the scene as a freshman in the 2023-24 season. Of course, Mike Boynton’s firing was the first of many dominos to fall that led to the departure of Garrison and several other key members of that team.

While Garrison’s lone year in Stillwater is typically only remembered as Boynton’s final season and for the 12-20 record, there were always signs that Garrison would help a team win at a high level in the future. Unfortunately for the Cowboys, they have to watch Garrison make critical plays down the stretch for Kentucky as they prepare for yet another NIT game.

While it’s hard to say whether Garrison would’ve stayed in Stillwater if Boynton was still around, it’s clear that the Cowboys missed out on an electric defensive stud. As Garrison looks to help Kentucky continue its run, OSU will again have to wonder what might’ve been.