The Cowboys Need A Bounce-Back Performance To Kickstart Their Final Push

OSU desperately needs a win against Arizona State on Tuesday to keep its postseason hopes alive.

Feb 7, 2026; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Oklahoma State Cowboys guard Anthony Roy makes a three pointer over Arizona Wildcats guard Jaden Bradley (0) during the second half of the game at McKale Memorial Center. Mandatory Credit: Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images | Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images

The Cowboys need to bounce back for one final push. 

Oklahoma State is coming off its worst loss of the season, as it was blown out on Saturday by Arizona, 84-47. This game is something the Pokes want to move on from, and they will have that opportunity on Tuesday. 

OSU is staying in the desert as the Cowboys will be taking on Arizona State on Tuesday in Tempe. The Sun Devils are 3-8 in Big 12 play and are coming off a loss of their own to Colorado. Oklahoma State will be searching for its fifth conference win in this bout and is looking to get back on track as the season is coming to a close. 

The Pokes only have eight games remaining in their season, and are still looking to secure a spot in the NCAA Tournament come March. Their bad loss to the No.1 Wildcats set them back, but it's not the end of the world. 

Oklahoma State now must concentrate all of its effort on its next matchup against ASU to guarantee the Cowboys don’t slip to a place they can’t return from. Even with the Sun Devils sitting as one of the worst teams in the Big 12, winning this game won’t be easy. 

Arizona State is led by Maurice Odum, who is averaging 17.2 points and 6.2 assists per game for the Sun Devils. Odum can also get the job done on the defensive end as he leads ASU in steals, averaging 1.5 per game. 

OSU will need a completely different performance than its last outing if it wants to get its season back on track. The Pokes displayed one of the worst shooting performances of the year, as they shot 25% from the field, 21% from three and even 48% from the free throw line. 

Nobody could find their rhythm, as Anthony Roy led the squad in scoring with only 10 points. This can not be the case for the Cowboys’ next game, and it can’t be the case for the remainder of the season. 

With only eight games remaining, every game is practically a must-win situation for the Pokes. OSU will have to get back to its old self on Tuesday and stay like that for the remainder of the season. 

A dominant win in Arizona against the Sun Devils could be enough to spark the Cowboys’ confidence for the rest of the season, and hopefully it takes them all the way to the big dance in March.

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