Saturday will see a Wild West showdown between the Oklahoma State Cowboys and the unbeaten No. 1 Arizona Wildcats
TUSCON, Arizona — The town of Tucson isn’t big enough for both the unbeaten Arizona Wildcats and the surging Oklahoma State Cowboys.
The Oklahoma State Cowboys (16-6, 4-5 Big 12) will look to channel the spirit of sharpshooter Frank Eaton (otherwise known as mascot Pistol Pete) on Saturday at 3:00PM CST, where they’ll face the number one team in the country, the unbeaten Arizona Wildcats (22-0 9-0 Big 12) at McKale Center in Tucson, Arizona.
How to Watch:
TV: ESPN
Stream: ESPN App or FuboTV.
Radio: Cowboy Radio Network (Dave Hunziker, John Holcomb) or Arizona IMG Sports Network (for Wildcats fans).
This matchup follows OSU’s thrilling 99-92 upset victory over No. 16 BYU on Wednesday, where the game was decided in the second half thanks to Anthony Roy’s 30 points and a stifling second half defense that forced 14 turnovers.
That win provided a much needed spark, but now the Cowboys must confront an Arizona squad that appears utterly unbeatable, riding an unbeaten season at 22-0 and dominating opponents with relative ease.
Under second-year head coach Steve Lutz, OSU has shown some fight and pairs that with offensive flair, but road woes persist.
Arizona, led by fourth-year coach Tommy Lloyd, has built a powerhouse, boasting the nation’s best net efficiency margin and a flawless conference start.
For the Cowboys, this game is another resume boosting opportunity amid a brutal February grind.
With a bubble NET ranking and just two Quad 1 wins (including the BYU triumph), the Cowboys need near-perfection to upset the nation’s top team.
Their schedule intensifies with Arizona State on Feb. 11, home games against TCU on Feb. 14 and No. 19 Kansas on Feb. 18, plus clashes with Colorado, West Virginia, Cincinnati, UCF, and Houston.
A victory here could catapult their tournament odds, but a loss deepens the pressure maybe just a bit. Quality loss, AmIRight?
Oklahoma State’s offense hums at 86.1 points per game (24th nationally) post-BYU, yet defense remains a liability, allowing 79.5 points.
They’re 1-3 on the road in conference play, plagued by turnovers and rebounding deficits (bad only when Fallah isn’t on the floor)
The balanced attack features senior guard Anthony Roy (18.0 points, 44.5% FG, 43.8% 3PT), sophomore guard Vyctorius Miller (13.8 points, with a 32-point outburst recently), and junior guard Kanye Clary (4.9 assists, 8.2 in wins).
Senior forward Parsa Fallah (13.9 points, 6.4 rebounds) dominates inside, while senior guard Christian Coleman adds defensive versatility (1.2 blocks).
Bench depth from Jaylen Curry (1.7 steals) and Isaiah Coleman provides athleticism, though injuries linger with Robert Jennings II being out for the season (hip), and Lefteris Mantzoukas remains banged up.
To compete, the Cowboys must rebound better (+0.5 margin in wins vs. -5.2 in losses) and force turnovers (15.3 in victories).
Arizona looks invincible, averaging 92.4 points per game (3rd nationally) while smothering foes at 64.8 points allowed (5th).
They’re perfect at home, outscoring opponents by 28.6 points there, with elite shooting (50.2% FG, 38.1% 3PT) and rebounding (+12.4 margin, 1st).
Turnovers are minimal (9.8 per game), and they rank top-10 in tempo.
Senior guard Caleb Love leads with 21.2 points and 4.1 assists, excelling in clutch moments.
Junior forward Kylan Boswell adds 14.8 points and 37.9% from deep, while sophomore center Motiejus Krivas grabs 8.2 rebounds and blocks 2.1 shots.
Bench sparks from KJ Lewis (11.4 points) and Jaden Bradley enhance depth. Recent blowouts, like a 98-65 rout of Utah, show their dominance, no close games since December.
Arizona leads the series 5-2. In their last meeting on Jan. 10, 2025, in Stillwater, Arizona won, exploiting OSU’s 18 turnovers. OSU’s biggest series win was 78-70 in 2018.
Betting odds have Arizona favored by 21.5 points (19.5) reflecting their record against spreads under 25 at home.
Oklahoma State will need an extraordinarily perfect game, flawless execution, hot shooting (over 45% FG in upsets), and defensive miracles, to even contemplate upsetting the No. 1 Wildcats in the impenetrable McKale Center.
Cowboy Player to Watch: Anthony Roy (Senior Guard)
Roy’s scoring power (25+ in three straight) and 45% three-point shooting could keep Oklahoma State competitive if he exploits Arizona’s perimeter gaps.