Cowboys at TCU: OSU Seeks First Quad 1 Win Tuesday Night

Saturday was a pivotal moment in Oklahoma State’s season.

Win and hopes of ending a four-year NCAA Tournament drought become all the more salvageable. Lose and risk a sluggish start to conference play derailing the trajectory of its season.

OSU won, scraping past Kansas State 84-83, courtesy of three free throws late from guard Vyctorious Miller. Now, the focus shifts to its next challenge.

The Cowboys (14-4, 2-3 Big 12) face TCU at Schollmaier Arena on Tuesday at 7 p.m.. And from a postseason resume standpoint, this contest might be more vital than Saturday's.

Of the 68 teams that appear in the NCAA Tournament, 31 attain automatic bids while 37 are selected through an at-large basis. OSU is ranked 67th according to Kenpom’s, and 73rd in NET rankings, putting the Cowboys slightly out of range for an at-large bid if the Selection Show was held Tuesday.

Their lack of wins against marquee opponents is the primary reason.

So far, OSU is 5-2 against Quad 2 opponents. That includes, but is not limited to, wins against Texas A&M, Northwestern and UCF.

But its record against Quad 1 foes? An uninspiring 0-2 mark. Both losses have come by a combined 34 points.

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The Cowboys have already displayed substantial improvement in Year 2 under coach Steve Lutz. A win in Fort Worth would not only match its regular season win total from a year ago, but simultaneously clinch its first Quad 1 victory of the season — a vital step of rising in both the Kenpom and NET rankings.

OSU has an abundance of opportunities to clinch a Quad 1 win and bolster its postseason resume, starting Tuesday. And in a talent-heavy Big 12 conference, which OSU coach Steve Lutz has profusely referred to as a “gauntlet,” plenty more await.

“The (Big 12) is so darn good, there’s gonna be carnage along the way,” Lutz said. “And I’m happy that we’re not putting ourselves in that hole. I think last year we started 2-7 in the league and it was really hard to recover from that. So, it was very important that we don’t repeat that performance (this season).”

OSU's Andrija Vukovic elevates for a shot against Kansas State defenders at Gallagher-Iba Arena during the Cowboys' one-point conference win Saturday — Oklahoma State sophomore forward Andrija Vukovic (19) goes up for a shot against Kansas State defenders during the Cowboys' 84-83 victory Saturday at Gallagher-Iba Arena. The 6-foot-11 forward from Serbia brings size and strength to OSU's frontcourt in his second season with the program. – Photo by Bruce Waterfield/OSU Athletics

Lutz came to OSU boasting a pedigree of up-tempo, high-caliber offenses. So far, OSU has been notably more efficient in that area, averaging 88.4 points per game. Defense, however, has been the crux of its woes in big games. Opponents are averaging close to 83 points per game — a Big 12-worst — while shooting 35.1% from 3.

Fixing such issues won’t be any easier against the Horned Frogs (11-7, 1-4 Big 12) who average 80 points per game, only 3 short of OSU’s defensive average.

And it’s worth noting the Cowboys haven’t won in Fort Worth since 2017, having lost their past seven contests. Three of those defeats have come in buzzer-beater fashion. Most recently, last season, when Vasean Allette drained a last-second heave from halfcourt.

“I feel like as a team, it’s just such a long season, and we have more to learn,” OSU guard Anthony Roy said. “But once we understand that concept, it’ll just make our offense better and make our defense better.”

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Can OSU clinch a resume-boosting win? TBD.

If not, Lutz’s team will have to further prolong that hunt as a daunting Big 12 slate awaits. It likely isn't a must-win contest for OSU, but one the Cowboys might reflect on come March should the latter happen.

Concurrently, momentum can dictate a team’s season. And fortunately for the Cowboys, after Saturday’s win, they have plenty of it.

Now, it’s merely a matter of them carrying it over.

“I really think that if we can continue some momentum, especially with the students and the fans and (if) these guys can play a little better defense, we can have a good end to the season,” Lutz said. “So, (we are) excited to be 2-3 in the league.

“We obviously have a lot of work to do if we want to reach the point we want to. But this is a good starting point.”