Cowboy Basketball Needs to Overcome Big 12 Hurdle Next Season

Oklahoma State is still looking to make a leap in the Big 12, and next season could finally be the year.

Over the past decade, OSU men’s basketball has mostly been in a rough spot. Throughout these past 10 seasons, OSU has made only two NCAA Tournament appearances.

With a current four-year drought, the Cowboys will look to avoid having a fifth straight season without a trip to the big dance. Of course, that is easier said than done.

Although the Cowboys made some moves this offseason and are only set to return two players from last season’s team, there is no way of knowing how the team will gel until this fall. Even then, OSU’s performance in nonconference matchups doesn’t always mean much.

Just last season, the Cowboys began the year 8-3 and were riding some momentum as they tipped off Big 12 play. From there, things began to go downhill, with the Cowboys going a somewhat respectable 7-13 in conference play.

While their 7-3 mark in conference home games should give OSU optimism, a winless mark in conference road games made for a sour season. That clearly has to change next season for the Cowboys to have any chance of reaching their goals.

In the past 15 seasons, OSU has had a winning record in Big 12 play twice. Those winning Big 12 seasons came in 2013 and 2021, with those teams led by freshmen Marcus Smart and Cade Cunningham, respectively.

OSU doesn’t have a Smart or Cunningham going into next season. In fact, its roster has quite a few players who have been counted out as some point in their college careers and are looking ot prove a point.

Considering how tough the Big 12 is, finishing with a winning record in conference play will be a tall task. However, OSU has a runway to potentially turn things around next season.

With a roster full of players Lutz believes fit into his style of play and the hunger of OSU to become a basketball school again, there is no denying that 2025-26 could be the start of something special in Stillwater.