Oklahoma State Set for Fierce Big 12 Competition on Tournament Bubble

The Cowboys will need to get things to swing their way.

Oklahoma State guard Anthony Roy (9) chases the ball in front of Oklahoma guard Jadon Jones during the first half of a Bedlam men's college basketball game between the OSU Cowboys and OU Sooners at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025. | NATE BILLINGS/FOR THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Oklahoma State is looking to maintain its spot on the bubble and get back to the big dance.

Over the first nine games of the season, OSU went unbeaten, marking one of the best starts in school history and the best in nearly two decades. In just Steve Lutz’s second season at the helm, he had made a great impression in the early stages of this breakout year.

While the Cowboys’ record finally added a blemish when they lost to Oklahoma on Saturday, it was far from a crushing defeat for the Pokes, at least aside from those hoping for a top 25 ranking and an undefeated record going into conference play. Still, OSU is in a great spot as it enters its final stretch of nonconference action against some of the worst teams on its entire schedule.

Of course, competition will ramp up immediately when Big 12 play begins, with Texas Tech waiting on the Cowboys in the conference opener in Lubbock. While the Pokes will have to play much better in conference play than they have in years past to reach their goal, a trip to the NCAA Tournament is well within reach as the Big 12 schedule approaches.

In Joe Lunardi’s most recent Bracketology on ESPN, he has the Cowboys as the final team to receive a bye. With the Sooners, who just beat the Cowboys, as one of the first four out, it’s clear that OSU might not have much room for error when Big 12 play begins.

With another three Big 12 teams in UCF, Baylor and Arizona State among the last four in, the bubble in the Big 12 should be one of the most fascinating storylines of the college basketball season. Whether it be for better or for worse, OSU will be right in the middle of all of it.

Aside from the four bubble teams, including OSU, the Big 12 has another six teams projected to make the tournament. While it isn’t exactly news at this point that the Big 12 is arguably the toughest conference in the nation, it has a couple of projected No. 1 seeds in Iowa State and Arizona, with BYU not far behind as a No. 2 seed.

Competition in the Big 12 will be tough as usual, and the Cowboys will need to get some breaks to go their way in conference play. Yet, the Pokes are still in a great position and certainly control their own destiny after suffering their first loss.

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