The curtain has finally closed on the Cowboy basketball 2025-2026 season - Can Steve Lutz rally the 2026-2027 team to the Big Dance?
Will Cowboy Basketball Make The NCAA Tournament Next Season?
STILLWATER, Okla. — The Oklahoma State Cowboys’ postseason journey and season ended in disappointing fashion Sunday night, as they suffered a 96-70 loss to the Wichita State Shockers in the second round of the National Invitation Tournament at Gallagher-Iba Arena.
The Shockers dominated the second half, outscoring the Cowboys 52-33 after a 44-37 halftime edge, turning a competitive contest into a 26 point rout on Oklahoma State’s home floor.
This marks the second consecutive year the two programs have clashed in the NIT, and Oklahoma State basketball has come close in losses against Wichita State in back to back years.
Notably, Anthony Roy, Vyctorius Miller, and Isaiah Coleman returned to the Oklahoma State lineup after serving a suspension handed down by head coach Steve Lutz. The trio sat out the Cowboys’ first-round NIT win over Davidson, forcing Lutz to rely on reserves for an 84-80 victory. Their return was anticipated to provide a boost, but it likely didn’t matter much in the end. The Cowboys were thoroughly outplayed regardless.
Wichita State got stellar performances from several key contributors. Kenyon Giles exploded for a game high 28 points, knocking down eight three pointers and delivering back to back deep shots late to stretch the lead. Emmanuel Okorafor added big dunks as part of a 21 point advantage in the closing minutes.
The Shockers shot 49.3% from the field overall and a scorching 53.8% from beyond the arc, while dominating second-chance points 23-4 despite similar offensive rebound totals. They also forced 11 turnovers that led to 18 points.
For Oklahoma State, Christian Coleman delivered a season high 22 points and 10 rebounds, sparking a 10-2 run to open the second half that briefly gave the Cowboys their only lead of the game at 47-46.
Kanye Clary chipped in 19 points, including a key stretch of seven points during a late first half 12-2 run that got the deficit to three.
However, leading scorer Anthony Roy struggled mightily, finishing with just seven points on 3-of-11 shooting in limited minutes. Vyctorius Miller added eight points.
The Cowboys shot just 41.5% from the field and a trash 30% from three (6-of-20), while leading for a grand total of just 17 seconds all night.
Early struggles were pretty obvious. Oklahoma State started 1-for-14 from the field and fell behind 22-8 midway through the opening half.
Offensively, Oklahoma State enjoyed a strong year overall, averaging 84.3 points per game and ranking among the nation’s better scoring teams. But defensively, the Cowboys suffered greatly all season long. They allowed 82.8 points per game, one of the worst marks in Division I, and posted a defensive rating that ranked near the bottom nationally. Opponents shot efficiently against them, and those lapses proved costly in Big 12 play and the postseason.
The season as a whole played out with promise but ultimately fell short of March Madness. The Cowboys finished 20-15 under Lutz in his second year at the helm. Bright spots included strong non-conference play and offensive strength, but a brutal five-game skid in February essentially wrecked their chance at playing in the NCAA Tournament. That stretch of losses derailed momentum at a critical time, sending them to the NIT instead of the Big Dance.
Looking ahead, Steve Lutz has assembled a terrific incoming recruiting class for the 2026-2027 season, featuring several four-star prospects and ranking among the nation’s top leaderboard.
The future looks bright on paper. However, Lutz will lose key veterans like Anthony Roy (their leading scorer at 17.2 points per game), Parsa Fallah, and Christian Coleman among others. Oklahoma State will need young players, transfers, and returners to step up and fill those voids immediately.
While this season wasn’t a failure by any means, it featured offensive growth, a postseason appearance, and clear progress from the prior year, Lutz has his work cut out for him in his third year as the Cowboys head coach. With such a talented incoming class raising expectations, the possibility exists that Lutz could find himself on the hot seat if Oklahoma State fails to reach the NCAA Tournament next season.
The home NIT loss to Wichita State capped a frustrating end to the campaign for fans who hoped for more. As the program moves forward, defensive improvements and integration of the new talent will determine the future.
Lutz’s ability to address those defensive struggles and maximize the roster’s potential will define the outlook for 2026-2027 and beyond. The Cowboys have the pieces in place for a rebound, but execution will be everything in Stillwater come next season.