STILLWATER, Okla. – 

The Cowboys opened up their season, in Stillwater, on Tuesday night, and came away “Vyctorius” over the Oral Roberts Golden Eagles, 95-71. 

In a tale of two halves, the Oklahoma State Cowboys overcame a scrappy first-period challenge from the Oral Roberts Golden Eagles to deliver a dominant 95-71 victory in front over 6,200 attendees, on Tuesday evening, in Gallagher-Iba Arena. Sophomore, Vyctorious Miller scored a game high 21 points for the Pokes, showcasing the kind of offensive talent that has Cowboy fans excited about how far this Steve Lutz led team can go. 

Oklahoma State built an early 10-point lead, but Oral Roberts was not going to go away that quickly. The Golden Eagles clawed their way back and even briefly took the lead with just minutes left to go in the first half. The Cowboys would close the half on an 11-to-5 run and led 50-46 at the break. 

The second half was all Oklahoma State, as Lutz made the necessary changes and the Cowboys stifled Oral Roberts defensively. The Golden Eagles, who shot 43% from the field in the first 20 minutes, were held to a sorry 22% in the second period.

 Oklahoma State shot 44.4% from the field overall and 32% (8-for-25) from beyond the arc, while limiting ORU to 34.8% and 21.1% from three.  Turnovers were close (15-16 in favor of ORU), but the Cowboys’ defensive intensity and rebounding prowess proved the difference. 

Miller’s 21 points came on efficient shooting, including a four-point play in the second half that ignited a 9-0 surge.  “Vyctoriushas got a real unique offensive game,” Lutz said postgame. “Obviously he can shoot the basketball.”  Reserve big man Christian Coleman notched a double-double with 15 points and 11 boards, while Parsa Fallah added 15 points on strong interior work.  Curry finished with 13, and fellow bench contributor Andrija Vukovic chipped in 11.  The Cowboys’ centers, Fallah and Vukovic, combined for 26 points and 12 rebounds on 56% shooting, bullying their way inside against a undersized ORU frontcourt.

The win marks a solid start for Lutz’s Cowboys, who were without key pieces like Anthony Roy (groin injury), Isaiah Coleman (team rules violation), and Lefteris Mantzoukas (personal reasons).  OSU next hosts Green Bay on Saturday, while Oral Roberts looks to rebound at home against John Brown on Thursday. If this opener is any indication, the Cowboys’ blend of youth, size, and defensive grit could make for an exciting campaign in the Big 12.