Oklahoma State Needs Big Nonconference Finale to Gain Confidence

The Cowboys are looking for a big win on Monday night.

Dec 13, 2025; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma State Cowboys head coach Steve Lutz watches his team play against the Oklahoma Sooners during the second half at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images | Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

Oklahoma State is looking to make a statement going into conference play, but it might not be easy.

Over the past few years, OSU has been hoping to make it back to the NCAA Tournament, but failures of varying magnitudes have made that a difficult task. Looking to make it back to the big dance for the first time since 2021, Steve Lutz’s team looks poised to enter Big 12 play with only one loss.

Of course, that would mean taking care of business against Bethune on Monday night. While OSU is clearly the better team on paper, actually getting a dominant win would be a clear step in the right direction after the Pokes’ near missteps in recent contests.

The Wildcats are 3-9 this season and haven’t been able to keep up with some of the other solid opponents on their schedule. While a win is a win for the Cowboys, getting out some of their frustration from games that have been far too close for comfort over the past few weeks could be the difference between confidently rolling into conference play and limping into a big matchup on Saturday.

Going into this season, Lutz and the Cowboys were expected to be in the mix for an NCAA Tournament bid. With an 11-1 record that will likely become 12-1 going into conference play, those hopes of making it back to the postseason have only gotten stronger.

Still, there have been some real issues that OSU will need to address against Big 12 opponents if it wants to realize those dreams of getting back to the big dance. While the Cowboys have been able to win against clearly inferior teams throughout nonconference play, the problems that plagued OSU against Oklahoma and nearly plagued it against other solid squads will likely show up time after time in Big 12 play.

While there’s always a chance that the Cowboys will find ways to win as it has in games against teams like Northwestern or South Florida, consistency will be key to actually breaking into the NCAA Tournament field. With some better defense and a more balanced offensive attack, the Cowboys might be ready to take the next step.

Of course, there are still nearly three months left to play, and OSU will have plenty of time to make adjustments even after the start of conference play. And if OSU can truly make the moves it needs to make over these next few weeks, this nonconference finale could prove to be the first step in getting back to the postseason.

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