Steve Lutz Explains Importance of Cowboy Basketball's Returning Players

Oklahoma State has a number of new faces on the roster, but its returning players are key to the team’s potential success.

Last season, Cowboy basketball entered a new era with head coach Steve Lutz taking over the team for his first year in Stillwater. The Cowboys had a solid start in nonconference play and managed to go 7-3 in Big 12 home games.

However, the Cowboys’ winless record in conference road games and an inability to stay above .500 when Big 12 play rolled around gave OSU little opportunity to have a great season. Still, the Cowboys managed to earn a spot in the NIT and made it to the quarterfinals before falling to North Texas.

Many of the players from that team are gone, with most transferring or running out of eligibility. However, Robert Jennings and Andrija Vukovic will be back in Stillwater for their second season at OSU, and Lutz knows how important those two are for the program.

“Both those guys were fantastic teammates,” Lutz said. “They bought into what we were trying to do. To be honest with you, there's other guys that wanted to stay, and it just didn't work out for one reason or another. This transfer portal was so fluid. It allows them so much freedom.

“They ended up leaving for whatever reason to fulfill their needs and their wants. For those two guys to say, hey, I want to come back and I want to prove to everyone that we can get to the NCAA Tournament, just shows a lot about their character. Andrija came in late and dealt with a back injury. As the year progressed, he saw some more playing time.”

With those two back in the fold for the 2025-26 season, they will play a key role in helping the new Cowboys get ready for the grind of the Big 12 schedule. With so many new faces in Stillwater, it will be key for the returning members of the team to make an impact next season.

OSU brought in plenty of great talent through the transfer portal, and those guys will be the main focus of next season’s success, but it is impossible to overlook Jennings and Vukovic as they return for another year.