OSU's Season Ends in NIT Blowout — Wichita State Rolls Cowboys 96-70 at Gallagher-Iba

Lutz acknowledges NCAA Tournament standard still unmet as Cowboys finish 20-15 in his second season

Daniel Allen

Mar 23, 2026 - 6 min read

Oklahoma State guard Jaylen Curry (00) defends against Wichita State during the Cowboys' 96-70 NIT second-round loss Sunday at Gallagher-Iba Arena in Stillwater. Curry finished with two points on 2-of-2 free throw shooting in 23 minutes. – Photo Courtesy OSU Athletics

OSU's Season Ends in NIT Blowout — Wichita State Rolls Cowboys 96-70 at Gallagher-Iba — Oklahoma State guard Jaylen Curry (00) defends against Wichita State during the Cowboys' 96-70 NIT second-round loss Sunday at Gallagher-Iba Arena in Stillwater. Curry finished with two points on 2-of-2 free throw shooting in 23 minutes. – Photo Courtesy OSU Athletics

Steve Lutz stared intently toward a piece of paper placed on the table in front of him.

Before addressing reporters shortly after Oklahoma State’s 96-70 loss to Wichita State on Sunday at Gallagher-Iba Arena, the OSU coach took a moment to analyze the stat sheet presented to him. In front of him were familiar numbers. An illustration of recurrent woes that had plagued his team throughout the year. Ones that altered a promising 12-1 start to a fifth-straight season without an NCAA Tournament appearance, and eventually, a second-round exit from the NIT after a loss to the third-seeded Shockers.

This story is free with a quick signup

Sign up free for newsletters and full archive access — upgrade anytime for priority in-depth reporting, exclusive behind-the-news insights, subscriber-only commenting, and more.

Already a member? Sign in