Oklahoma State Open to Postseason Play After Big 12 Tournament Loss
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Oklahoma State lost in the Big 12 Tournament but is hoping the season still has another chapter.
The Cowboys lost in the opening round of the Big 12 Tournament against Cincinnati on Tuesday in a tough game for almost everyone on the team. Losing 87-68, the game was out of hand for the Cowboys for most of the second half.
Considering the underwhelming performance in Kansas City, OSU is still looking for another opportunity to finish the season on a high note. If OSU coach Steve Lutz has his way, the Cowboys will be on the floor again soon.
“If we can play postseason and have an opportunity to continue to fight for a championship, these guys deserve it,” Lutz said. “They've given a lot all year long and have set the culture for the future.”
Although things went against the Cowboys throughout the season, they consistently showed a willingness to fight under Lutz. In his first season, OSU had a better overall and conference record than last season. While those marks were still both under .500, Lutz’s first year has set the stage for the future in Stillwater.
“We weren't perfect, but they've set the tone for people to expect when they come to Gallagher-Iba or when they watch us that we're going to fight, we're going to scrap and play hard,” Lutz said. “Today wasn't the best day, but for the future of our program, they've set the standard. We've got to make the standard even higher, but they've done a good job setting a standard for us.”
That standard was apparent over the final several weeks for the Cowboys. After a 2-7 start in conference play, OSU finished the year 5-6 and showed it can compete when it plays on the home floor, with a win against No. 9 Iowa State in that span.
OSU’s loss to Cincinnati simply eliminated the Cowboys from NCAA Tournament contention, but it could still make a run into another tournament. The Cowboys most recently played in the NIT in 2023 after narrowly missing the big dance. While there are no guarantees the Cowboys would be offered a spot in the NIT this season, Lutz’s eagerness to play more basketball can only help his team’s case.
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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.