Will Lack Of 3-Point Shooting Hurt The Cowboys?

Can OSU continue to compete even without stellar shooting from beyond the arc?

Oklahoma State guard Vyctorius Miller, center, shoots between Oklahoma forward Mohamed Wague, left, and forward Tae Davis (13) 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

Are the Cowboys in a good position for the rest of the season?

Oklahoma State is back in the win column after its 91-79 win over Kansas City on Thursday night. Steve Lutz and his Cowboy squad have now reached 10 wins in just 11 games, which is a night-and-day difference from last season, when it took the Cowboys 17 games to reach double-digit wins. 

OSU has had an exciting team this year, as it's built its identity on playing up-tempo basketball and scoring points in transition. This has led to the Cowboys scoring a majority of their points inside the 3-point line, and they are ranked fifth in the nation in points from two-point shots this season. 

Although Oklahoma State has won games this way, the team's lack of 3-point shooting has made it difficult in some games. 

The Cowboys only average about 22 3-point shots a game, ranking them 218th in the nation, and this has put the Cowboys in closer games than they would want. OSU allowed a 2-10 Kansas City team hang around for longer than wanted, with the Cowboys only shooting 14 threes compared to the Kangaroos' 30. 

This lack of shooting beyond the arc has also made it difficult for the Cowboys to keep up with three-point shooting teams. When the Pokes took on Oklahoma on Dec. 13, they knew they would have their hands full with the Sooner perimeter shooters. This caused Oklahoma State to shoot 29 shots from deep, but the lack of experience hurt the Cowboys as they only made nine. 

OSU is only shooting 32.1% from beyond the three-point line this year, ranking them in the bottom part of the country. This lack of 3-point shooting has not let the Cowboys pull away in games and has halted them from fighting from behind.

The Cowboys' style of play might not be shooting from beyond the arc, but the fact of the matter is, three points will always be greater than two. With OSU’s treacherous Big 12 schedule creeping near, the Cowboys will need to improve their shooting from deep. 

The Cowboys will be playing opponents of a higher caliber than they’ve seen this season, and can not afford to fall behind by too much, or else some games will be over fast. If the Cowboys want to continue to strive towards a historic season, they’ll have to adjust their game so they can help themselves. 

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