The Cowboys' Late Night Bout Against Kansas State Is A Must-Win Situation

After back-to-back losses, the Cowboys need to get back in the win column.

Jan 6, 2026; Stillwater, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma State Cowboys guard Vyctorius Miller (5) reacts after a play during the second half against the UCF Knights at Gallagher-Iba Arena. Mandatory Credit: William Purnell-Imagn Images | William Purnell-Imagn Images

Cowboy basketball is in dire need of a Big 12 win. 

Oklahoma State is coming off back-to-back losses, putting them at 1-3 in conference play. The Pokes' last matchup was a 15-point home loss to the Baylor Bears, in a contest where OSU allowed 94 points. 

Now with the Cowboys falling behind in the Big 12 standings, the Pokes need a win to stop the bleeding. OSU will get its chance Saturday night when the Kansas State Wildcats make a trip to GIA for a 9 p.m. matchup in Stillwater. 

Kansas State is coming into this matchup with a 9-8 overall record and has yet to win a Big 12 game, as it has lost its first four. The Wildcats rely heavily on the scoring of P.J. Haggerty to keep up with opponents, but their last couple of bouts have proved he can’t do it all by himself. 

Oklahoma State has struggled on the defensive end lately, but looks to turn that around against a Kansas State team that has only averaged 76.5 points a game in Big 12 matchups. If the Cowboys are able to take care of Haggerty, then the fast-paced Cowboy offense should be too much for the role players of Kansas State to keep up with. 

OSU has seen tremendous strides from Parsa Fallah in its first couple of Big 12 contests. Fallah has led the Cowboys in scoring in three of the four games and is averaging 20.8 points per game against conference opponents. The Poke’s big man has been scoring efficiently as well, as Fallah is shooting 62.5% from the floor this season. OSU will need a big game from the 6-foot-10 senior to secure its second Big 12 win this season. 

The late-night atmosphere in Stillwater should prove to be in the Pokes' favor, and the Cowboys will take every advantage they can get to start climbing the college basketball ranks once again. After its past couple of losses, OSU no longer sees itself in ESPN’s NCAA Tournament predictions. The best way for Oklahoma State to prove it belongs in the 64-team pool is for them to prove they can hang with one of the best basketball conferences in the nation. 

Even though this is just another game in OSU’s long season, every bout is turning into a must-win game if the Pokes want to make this season special and be back in the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2021. 

---