Oklahoma State Desperate for Good Basketball Season After Football Struggles
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Oklahoma State has had a rough season on the field, but the teams on the court could play a huge role in keeping the OSU fanbase engaged.
Over the past couple of seasons, OSU football has been an absolute disaster. In 2024, OSU went 3-9 after entering the year as a Big 12 favorite, and a year later, the Cowboys made it only three games into the season before firing Mike Gundy.
While the Cowboys still have three games left in their 1-8 season, there isn’t much hope that a win will be coming any time soon. However, OSU fans might still have plenty to cheer about.
Over the past week, OSU men’s and women’s basketball tipped off the 2025-26 season and gave fans some encouraging signs of what’s to come this season. The Cowgirls tipped off the year first and have already played three games.
As Jacie Hoyt begins her fourth season as OSU’s head coach, things have gone exactly according to plan thus far. In three games, OSU has outscored its opponents 311-142, stringing together dominant efforts in each matchup.
Of course, there was never really any doubt about how well the Cowgirls would be this season. After making the NCAA Tournament last season, OSU entered this season ranked No. 22 with expectations of competing for a Big 12 title and making another trip to the big dance.
On the other hand, Cowboy basketball is a bit more of a wild card. After putting together a near-.500 season to begin Steve Lutz’s tenure in Stillwater, he rebuilt the roster through the transfer portal and has clearly inserted some juice into the program for this season.
To tip off the year, the Cowboys beat Oral Roberts 95-71, using a dominant second half to cruise to victory. With more offense and more pace, the Cowboys are still working out some issues on the defensive end, but they certainly have the potential to put things together and become a tournament team as early as this season.
In any case, there should be some hope for a rowdy crowd in Gallagher-Iba Arena, regardless of whether it’s the Cowboys or Cowgirls on the court. Perhaps most importantly, OSU fans should be able to see a winning program when they’re in Gallagher-Iba Arena.
After watching a losing and lifeless program in Boone Pickens Stadium all season again, fans need basketball to be back more than ever.
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.