OSU Is Gearing Up For A Battle Against A Projected NBA Lottery Pick

Will the Cowboys be able to compete with next-level talent?

This is the question that will be answered on Wednesday night as No. 16 BYU comes to Stillwater to take on the Pokes in GIA. The Cougars are led by future projected lottery pick AJ Dybantsa. Dybantsa has been one of the top players in college basketball all year and is projected as a top-3 pick in multiple NBA mock drafts.

Dybantsa is third in the nation in points per game, averaging 23.3, and is a dangerous all-around player, averaging 6.4 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.2 steals as well. He’ll be the best overall player the Pokes have played up to date, and Steve Lutz’s squad must come ready to play.

The player who will most likely see the most of Dybantsa is Christian Coleman. Coleman’s stellar athletic ability will give him the best shot to contain the 6-foot-9 Dybantsa, and the Cowboys will be relying on him heavily to keep them in the game.

Don’t be surprised if Parsa Fallah gets involved when Dybantsa goes down low, as Fallah’s 6-foot-10 frame could cause the BYU star some discomfort. OSU’s main objective has to be to stop Dybantsa from taking over the game, or else the Cowboys could be in for a long night.

Oklahoma State will also need its own star power to shine bright to keep up in this bout. Anthony Roy is coming off a 26-point performance against Utah and will need to continue this hot streak for the Cowboys to have the best chance of success.

The three-point sharpshooter is 40.4% this season from beyond the arc and will have his work cut out for him against the Cougars. BYU only allows opponents to make eight three pointers a game, which doesn’t help the fact that OSU only makes 7.8 shots from deep per game itself.

Therefore, it will take the entirety of Lutz’s roster to get the job done on Wednesday night, and they’re ultimately playing for more than just a win. Oklahoma State still has more to prove if it wants to be playing in the NCAA Tournament come March, and a ranked win against BYU is the perfect way to start.

It will be an uphill battle as the Pokes only have a 23.3% chance to take down Dybantsa and the Cougars, according to ESPN, but if the Pokes can play their electric brand of basketball, there is certainly a chance.