OSU Basketball: Western Kentucky's Steve Lutz a "Serious Candidate" for Cowboys
Oklahoma State might have its next head coach.
According to Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports, Western Kentucky’s Steve Lutz has emerged as a serious candidate for the Cowboys. This development is not surprising considering the recent moves in college basketball.
With some of OSU’s other potential candidates, such as Darian DeVries and Danny Sprinkle, taking jobs elsewhere, OSU’s search was narrowed. It appears athletic director Chad Weiberg has landed on Lutz.
After firing Mike Boynton earlier this month following a 12-20 season, the Cowboys coaching search has not been as productive as many others around the country. The search had even been described as “a mess” only a few days ago.
However, after seven seasons with Boynton, the Cowboys might be headed in the right direction if they hire Lutz. Compared to some of the other head coaching candidates the Cowboys have sought, Lutz’s resume as a head coach is somewhat barron. He has only three seasons of experience in that position, but his results are not something to take lightly.
In his first season at Western Kentucky last season, he helped the Hilltoppers win their conference tournament and make the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2013. Leading his team to a 22-12 record, the 15-seeded Hilltoppers gave national championship contender Marquette all it could handle in the first round.
Before that, Lutz made a couple of NCAA Tournament appearances while at Texas A&M Corpus Christi. With the Islanders, he helped them to an 18-win improvement in year one. At 23-12, Lutz led the Islanders to only their second NCAA Tournament appearance in program history and their first since 2007. He followed that season with another tournament appearance, winning a First Four game before falling to Alabama.
Before becoming a head coach, Lutz spent 26 years as an assistant coach or recruiting coordinator at various schools. It’s unknown if he will be the perfect fit in Stillwater, but it seems worth a try.
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IVAN WHITE
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.