Oklahoma State Defense Dominates at Tulsa for First Road Win

The Cowboys earned their first road win of the season thanks to a solid defensive performance.

Oklahoma State beat Tulsa 76-55 at the Reynolds Center in Tulsa on Wednesday night to secure its fifth win of the season. OSU’s win marks its third straight over the in-state rival and first win at Tulsa since the 2016-17 season. With the Cowboys winning their first road game this season, they have already matched their road win total from last season.

After OSU came out of halftime with a 13-point advantage, its lead didn’t move much in either direction throughout the beginning of the second half. After passing the midway point of the second half, the Cowboys began to seize full control.

Six quick points, including a couple of fastbreak finishes, helped the Cowboys extend their lead to 19. Tulsa struggled to score throughout the game, with OSU getting a season-high 16 steals.

Trailing by two with seven minutes left in the half, OSU used a 9-0 run to take a 24-17 lead, its largest, as the half progressed. Dwon Odom’s transition dunk in the final minutes of the half got the Tulsa crowd engaged, but it didn’t amount to much on the scoreboard.

Keaston Willis’ four-point play a couple of minutes later, however, helped spark a quick Tulsa spurt. In both cases, OSU had a response. With a couple of steals leading to Bryce Thompson layups in the final minute, OSU opened up a 39-26 lead going into halftime.

Much like last season’s matchup, OSU and Tulsa struggled to hold onto the ball. Through eight minutes of action, the teams combined for 15 points on 20 shots with nine turnovers.

OSU will have a quick turnaround, with its next game coming on Sunday afternoon at Seton Hall.

Want to join the discussion? Like Oklahoma State Cowboys on SI on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to stay up to date on all the latest Cowboys news. You can also meet the team behind the coverage.