Game Preview: Oklahoma State Hosts No. 9 Iowa State Looking for Upset
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Oklahoma State is back in Stillwater to face another top team in the Big 12.
The Cowboys are back from their one-game road trip that featured a 32-point loss to Kansas. The Jayhawks dominated the Cowboys in virtually every area of the game over the weekend and kept OSU winless in Big 12 road games.
While the Cowboys have struggled to win away from home, they have a solid mark in Gallagher-Iba Arena. Sitting at 5-3 in conference home games, the Cowboys might have some hope for a win over a top 10 team.
However, the Cowboys’ three losses at home have come against Houston, Arizona and Texas Tech, which make up the top 3 of the Big 12 standings. With all of those losses coming by double digits, including a Gallagher-Iba record 38-point loss to the Red Raiders, OSU might be in trouble against the conference’s fourth-place squad.
Game Information: Oklahoma State (13-14, 5-11 Big 12) vs. No. 9 Iowa State (21-6, 11-5)
Date/Time: Tuesday, Feb. 25 at 7 p.m. CT
Where: Gallagher-Iba Arena - Stillwater, OK
TV/Streaming: ESPN+
OSU simply needs to forget about what happened in Allen Fieldhouse on Saturday and turn its attention to the next game. That worked well for the Cowboys last week, bouncing back from a 38-point loss to beat UCF and put 104 points on the board. Of course, Iowa State is a much better team than UCF and will give OSU a significant challenge.
For OSU’s defense to find success, it will need to limit the Cyclones’ top players. While Curtis Jones’ 17.2 points per game leads the Cyclones, Iowa State has five players averaging at least 10 points, making the matchup even tougher for the opponent.
Iowa State has the third-best scoring defense in Big 12 play and has the conference’s second-best defensive rating. Considering OSU’s outputs against a Houston team that has a slight edge over the Cyclones in those categories, Iowa State’s defense could be in for a big night.
The Cowboys might need to catch fire from the field in order to win, but simply taking care of the ball could be the key. Iowa State forces a conference-leading 14.1 turnovers per game in Big 12 play and could sink the Cowboys with a typical performance.
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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.