Oklahoma State in Great Position to Bounce Back After First Loss of Season
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Oklahoma State suffered its first loss, but it should have no problem bouncing back before conference play.
On Saturday, OSU lost 85-76 to Oklahoma in Oklahoma City in a neutral-site Bedlam matchup. For the second straight year, the rivalry was renewed at Paycom Center and saw the same result, with the Cowboys now 0-2 against their in-state rival since the Sooners moved to the SEC.
The matchup was close throughout, and the Cowboys had their opportunities in the closing minutes to come away with a victory but couldn’t find the same late-game success they’d seen throughout the season. Now sitting at 9-1, OSU missed out on an opportunity for a premier nonconference win, but it shouldn’t have any issues getting back on track before the grueling 18-game Big 12 slate begins.
OSU is set to open conference play on Jan. 3 in Lubbock against a ranked Texas Tech squad. While there aren’t many tougher matchups OSU could’ve been given to start its Big 12 journey, the Pokes’ final three nonconference games should be a breeze, especially with all of them coming in Gallagher-Iba Arena.
Following Saturday’s loss at Paycom Center, Steve Lutz’s crew will be on the floor next on Thursday for a matchup against 1-9 Kansas City. While that matchup probably won’t help the Cowboys any more than a practice would, 5-7 Cal State Fullerton on Dec. 21 could at least be a solid game for the Pokes to get into form as nonconference play winds down.
Finally, OSU will take on Bethune-Cookman on Dec. 29, just a few days before the Big 12 opener. The 3-6 Wildcats might also struggle to give the Cowboys a competitive game, but as the nonconference finale, the Pokes will still need to treat it as an important game.
Over these final weeks of nonconference play, the Cowboys should be in a position to get some easy wins and refine some of the issues they’ve seen throughout the early portion of the season. Of course, nothing has been more troubling for the Cowboys early than their defense, so that should be a top priority for Lutz and company as they prepare for the start of Big 12 play.
Still, the Pokes can’t simply overlook these games. While the games shouldn’t be all that competitive, using them as a means of getting better and ramping up for some of the nation’s toughest competition will be critical.
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.