Short-Handed Cowboys Rally Past Davidson In NIT Despite Suspensions

STILLWATER, Okla. —

Oklahoma State’s men’s basketball team demonstrated their depth and “never say die” attitude on Tuesday night, defeating the Davidson Wildcats 84-80 in the opening round of the National Invitation Tournament at Gallagher-Iba Arena.

The Cowboys entered the contest shorthanded, missing three key players in Anthony Roy, their leading scorer; Vyctorious Miller; and Isaiah Coleman, due to suspensions handed down by head coach Steve Lutz. Despite being without these top contributors, Oklahoma State managed to overcome a significant first-half deficit and secure the victory, advancing to the second round.

The Cowboys trailed by as many as 14 points early and entered halftime down 50-40 after Davidson built an early lead. Yet OSU rallied in the second half, outscoring the Wildcats 44-30 to claim the 84-80 win and improve to 20-14 on the season.

Unlikely heroes emerged from the reserves in a game that tested the Cowboys’ bench depth. Kanye Clary poured in a team-high 20 points, including 17 after intermission, shooting 6-of-14 from the field, 3-of-5 from three-point range and 5-of-7 from the free-throw line. He sealed the victory with two clutch free throws in the final seven seconds.

Freshman Benjamin Ahmed chipped in 16 points and six rebounds, scoring nine in the first half to help spark a comeback. Christian Coleman recorded a double-double with 15 points and 13 rebounds.

Daniel Guetta, who had logged just 78 minutes all season prior, delivered 11 points in 21 minutes off the bench. He drilled a three-pointer to give the Cowboys a two-point lead with four minutes left, stole the ball from Davidson’s Parker Friedrichsen on a potential fast break and knocked down two free throws to push the advantage to four points with 1:42 remaining.

Mekhi Ragland added five points, three steals and an and-one layup that tied the game in the first half, while Kirk Cole hit a pair of threes and Jaylen Curry contributed 11 points.

Davidson was led by Roberts Blums with a game-high 22 points. Parker Friedrichsen, a former OSU commit, finished with 16 points and three steals, and Josh Scovens added 10 points, six rebounds and five assists. The Wildcats shot 42.9 percent from the field, while OSU connected at a 50 percent clip and held a 39-32 rebounding edge.

Following the win, Lutz offered extensive post-game comments on the suspensions, emphasizing accountability while expressing belief in his players’ character. “We’re still working through the process,” Lutz said. “They’ve got to meet the standards and the expectations of the program, and they’re working towards that right now. So they just, you know, they made a mistake and as I said, I mean, I believe in humankind. I believe that they’re good people. But when I was 18 to 22 in college, I made some mistakes too, guys. But the fact of the matter is, is that when you make a mistake, you have to be held accountable, and we are doing so.”

Lutz added that he has not yet decided whether the suspended players will return this season, noting the ongoing process of meeting program standards.

Lutz also praised the opportunity the NIT provides for player development and program growth. “It’s an unbelievable honor to wear the Oklahoma State jersey and represent Oklahoma State,” he said. “And so anytime that you get an opportunity to play basketball and represent our university and our brand… you should be jumping at the opportunity to do so, and the guys were. … Let’s not kid each other. We want to be in the NCAA tournament, but we’re not. So let’s put our best foot forward in the NIT, and let’s continue to grow the players, and let’s continue to grow the program. And that’s what this is about. It’s also about winning, we want to win this thing.”

With the win secured thanks to the collective effort of reserves, the No. 2-seeded Cowboys will face No. 3 seed Wichita State in the second round of the NIT on Sunday at Gallagher-Iba Arena, with game time yet to be determined. The win really nailed the great character and depth of Lutz’s squad, proving that even in adversity, this Cowboys team can rise to the occasion.