Oklahoma State Basketball Needed Its Big Weekend
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Oklahoma State had a big weekend on the hardwood, and it could mean huge things for the rest of the season.
Over the weekend, OSU men’s and women’s basketball each secured wins inside Gallagher-Iba Arena. Some big-time wins early in conference play, Steve Lutz and Jacie Hoyt both saw their teams put together some much-needed performances to get back on track after some early hiccups in conference play.
For the Cowboys, a win against Kansas State, thanks to some Vyctorius Miller free throws in the final seconds, meant that OSU was able to avoid a 1-4 start to conference play. After dropping a home game to unranked Baylor just a few days earlier, it was clear that the Pokes couldn’t afford another loss to a team outside the top half of the Big 12, particularly on their home floor.
While a one-point win over a 9-9 Kansas State team that hasn’t even won a conference game yet is far from a sign of progress for the Pokes, a loss easily could have been a sign that OSU isn’t built for the moment after such an encouraging start in nonconference play. Simply put, OSU needed a win and got it.
Meanwhile, the Cowgirls’ win against No. 19 Iowa State was a statement win for a number of reasons. Of course, the 28-point margin of victory against a ranked team was a statement in itself, but simply showing that they can compete against some of the Big 12’s top teams was seemingly a point of emphasis for the Cowgirls.
WIth that win moving OSU to 4-2 in conference play and marking the third-straight Big 12 win, it might not seem like the Cowgirls had too much to prove beyond being a good team. However, OSU’s two losses had come against the only two ranked teams it had played in conference play up to this point, a nine-point defeat vs. then-No. 22 Baylor and an eight-point loss at then-No. 13 TCU.
Stailee Heard also looked more like her star self in the win after some struggles early in the season. She finished with 18 points, 17 rebounds and 10 assists, marking just the third triple-double in program history.
With that type of performance, the Cowgirls clearly have something they can build on, and finding ways to win against teams like Iowa State and others will be massive for their hopes of having the best year in program history.
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.