Game Preview: Cowboys Set for Sunday Matinee Against Arizona State
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Oklahoma State is in need of another win on the home floor.
After a competitive loss in Houston against a national title contender, the Cowboys are set for battle against one of the Big 12’s newest additions. In their first conference battle against Arizona State, OSU will look to continue its winning ways in front of its home fans.
Although the Cowboys are yet to win a Big 12 road game, they hold a 3-2 mark in conference home games. Meanwhile, the Sun Devils have been much more of a wild card, with two of their three Big 12 wins coming away from home, making them a candidate to be the third Big 12 team to win on the road in Gallagher-Iba this season.
Game Information: Oklahoma State (11-11, 3-8 Big 12) vs. Arizona State (12-10, 3-8)
Date/Time: Sunday, Feb. 9 at 1 p.m. CT
Where: Gallagher-Iba Arena - Stillwater, OK
TV/Streaming: ESPN+
Sunday’s matchup could be an odd one for the Cowboys simply because of when they’re playing. With a 1 p.m. tipoff, OSU will take the floor only four and a half hours before the Super Bowl. Considering that the second-closest team to Stillwater is set to compete for another title, attendance in Gallagher-Iba Arena could be lacking, although it might not be easy to notice a decrease in attendance numbers that are already lacking.
Assuming the teams can overcome a potentially sluggish start with the Super Bowl looming, this should be an even matchup. The Cowboys and Sun Devils both boast records that put them at the bottom of the conference standings, and a win could give a much-needed boost to either squad.
Like the Cowboys, Arizona State doesn’t have a go-to scorer and instead relies on a handful of players to be consistent offensively. The Sun Devils have also been reliant on the 3-point shot, which makes up 42% of their total attempts.
If OSU can run Arizona State off the line and play well on the interior, it should be able to come away with another win. Should the Cowboys come out on top, they would match their conference win total from last season, which would be an impressive milestone given the state of the program entering this season.
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Ivan is a sports media student at Oklahoma State University. He has covered OSU athletics since 2022 and also covers the OKC Thunder for Inside The Thunder and Thunderous Intentions.