Oklahoma State Needs Rowdy Gallagher-Iba Arena to Pull Upset vs. No. 16 BYU
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Oklahoma State is set for a big matchup on its home floor, and it needs a vintage crowd to pull the upset.
On Wednesday night, OSU will host No. 16 BYU in one of the most important games of the season. After beating Utah on Saturday, the Cowboys are looking to climb back into the NCAA Tournament discussion.
Needing any wins they can get, the Cowboys have a real shot at getting a signature win against one of the best teams in college basketball. Sitting at 3-5 in conference play, OSU is looking for all the wins it can get to be in a position for the big dance when March rolls around.
Against No. 16 BYU, the Cowboys will be a clear underdog, but they should have an opportunity to get a win if they can play some of their best basketball. While the offense should be fine, even against a top 20 team, the defense will be a question mark as it has been all season.
However, there’s one obvious way that OSU could get some better production on that end of the floor. While Gallagher-Iba Arena certainly hasn’t been the rowdiest arena in the country anytime in recent history, it once was one of the most feared places for opponents to play.
Of course, the teams that helped make Stillwater a dreaded place for away teams were defensive-minded under Eddie Sutton. When Steve Lutz first arrived in Stillwater, he noted that he wanted to have a defense-first approach and get OSU back to those days when Sutton was on the sidelines.
Although it’s still quite early in his OSU tenure, he hasn’t come close to delivering on those promises. Yet, with a top 20 team coming into Stillwater on Wednesday, a rowdy home crowd could give a glimpse into what the future might hold.
On paper, OSU is clearly outmatched, but the game won’t be played on paper. The game will be played in Stillwater.
Ultimately, it will be up to OSU and its fans to ensure that provides enough of a boost to overcome the talent gap on the floor. OSU can still have some rowdy crowds, and it needs to deliver with one on Wednesday night.
College basketball is special because of the atmospheres around the country, and Stillwater needs to be near the top of that list again in the near future. While winning solves everything, it’s a lot easier to win at home if entering Gallagher-Iba is a fear for opponents again.
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.