Game Preview: Cowboys Tip Off Big 12 Tournament Against Cincinnati
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Oklahoma State is set for what could be its final game of the season.
Survive and advance is the situation OSU finds itself in for the rest of its 2024-25 season. After going under .500 in the regular season, including a 7-13 mark in Big 12 play, the Cowboys are facing their final stretch of basketball.
The Big 12 Tournament is always an interesting time for the Cowboys. After making their way to the championship game in 2021, the Cowboys have found little to no success in Kansas City. That 2021 season also featured the Cowboys’ most recent trip to the NCAA Tournament, and to get back there this season, OSU will have to win the conference.
While it’s easy to start looking ahead and worrying about the big picture for the Cowboys this week, they can’t afford to go any faster than one game at a time. Any loss will end their season, and they have to focus on beating an opponent it just found success against over the weekend.
Game Information: Oklahoma State (15-16, 7-13 Big 12) vs. Cincinnati (17-14, 7-13)
Date/Time: Tuesday, March 11 at 11:30 a.m. CT
Where: T-Mobile Center - Kansas City, MO
TV/Streaming: ESPN+
The Cowboys won their only meeting against Cincinnati this season by a 78-67 margin in the regular season finale. While the Bearcats have been hanging around the bubble, their loss to OSU on Saturday puts them in a dire situation if they want to find a way in.
For OSU to once again play spoiler against Cincinnati and end its quest for a spot in the big dance, the Cowboys will need another big game from Abou Ousmane. Against the Bearcats, Ousmane had 24 points and eight rebounds while shooting 9-of-18 from the floor. Bryce Thompson also had a nice outing with a 16-point afternoon.
Considering OSU’s veterans are simply looking to extend their college careers by one more game, there should be a sense of urgency from the Cowboys on Tuesday. After limiting Cincinnati to 40.6% from the floor and 25% from three, OSU understands that its defensive performance will define the game.
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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.