Oklahoma State Ready for Challenge of Big 12 Tournament

The Cowboys know how tough their road ahead will be in Kansas City.

Feb 21, 2026; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Oklahoma State Cowboys head coach Steve Lutz calls out in the second half against the Colorado Buffaloes at the CU Events Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Oklahoma State has a tough road ahead to get to the NCAA Tournament, but it’s ready to take on the challenge.

On Saturday, OSU couldn’t hang onto the lead it held most of the day against No. 7 Houston. Falling 82-75 in the regular season finale, OSU is now set for a Big 12 Tournament battle against Colorado in the first round in Kansas City on Tuesday. 

Potentially needing to win the entire thing to get to the NCAA Tournament, the Cowboys know that a deep run in Kansas City is the only way to reach their preseason goals. While it can be easy to look too far ahead and see the big picture, OSU coach Steve Lutz also understands that needing to stay present is nothing new for his team, but blocking out the distractions that come with the conference tournament isn’t always easy.

“The difference is that, obviously, you’re in a hotel for four or five days, and Kansas City has thousands and thousands of people running around downtown, and the atmosphere is great, and it’s buzzing with excitement, those sorts of things,” Lutz said. “So, we’ll stick with the same plan, the same process and just keep plugging away.”

Finding a way to stay true to their identity will be critical for the Cowboys in Kansas City. While Parsa Fallah’s injury took the wind out of OSU’s sails initially, the team has been resilient in his absence and could be poised to make some noise this week. 

While blocking out the noise in Kansas City is a challenge in itself, the structure of the Big 12 Tournament also makes OSU’s path incredibly tough. Beyond simply having to win games in the deepest conference in the country, OSU will also have to navigate the obstacle of playing so many games in a short period of time if it’s able to make a run.

“I mean, the biggest challenge is just this league is so physical,” Lutz said. “And you’re asking guys to do it four and five days in a row against, depending on who you draw, arguably, if you get to Thursday, you’re going to play top 10 teams the rest of the way; teams that can win a national title.

“And that’s no easy task, but again, we played well on Tuesday, we played well tonight. You’ve showed that you can compete with other NCAA Tournament teams, so now you just gotta go do it while you’re in Kansas City.”