Steve Lutz Raises Defensive Concerns as Oklahoma State's 57-Game Home Exhibition Win Streak Ends

Oklahoma State's first men's basketball exhibition of the season brought an end to a decades-long winning streak and renewed concerns about the Cowboys' defensive performance.

New Mexico defeated Oklahoma State 99-89 on Sunday at Gallagher-Iba Arena, snapping the Cowboys' 57-game home exhibition winning streak and handing the program its first such loss since Nov. 22, 1988, against the Soviet National Team.

But for head coach Steve Lutz, the most troubling aspect wasn't necessarily the result. It was the defensive performance.

Lutz described the Cowboys' defense as inexcusable and acknowledged that the same issues that plagued Oklahoma State last season remain a concern.

"We've talked ad nauseam about last year's difficulties defensively and if we didn't fix those that we weren't able to get where we wanted this year," Lutz said following the loss.

Those concerns were evident throughout a contest that featured 63 personal fouls, 82 free-throw attempts and 27 combined turnovers.

New Mexico shot 49.1% from the field, connected on nine 3-pointers and scored 99 points despite Oklahoma State holding a 45-35 rebounding advantage.

The Cowboys committed 33 personal fouls, including 22 in the second half, allowing the Lobos to capitalize at the free-throw line.

New Mexico made 36 of 48 free throws, including 29 of 35 after halftime, while Oklahoma State converted 26 of 34.

Despite the disappointing defensive performance, freshman Anthony Felesi provided an encouraging individual showing, leading five Cowboys in double figures with 18 points on 8-of-13 shooting.

Junior center Julius Halaifonua added 16 points, while Luka Bogavac and Benjamin Ahmed scored 13 apiece.

However, the Cowboys had no answer for Mountain West preseason player of the year Jake Hall, who scored 31 points and connected on six 3-pointers to lead New Mexico.

Oklahoma State trailed 42-38 at halftime but came out aggressively to begin the second half. The Cowboys opened with a 14-6 run, highlighted by a three-point play and a 3-pointer from Halaifonua. Felesi capped the surge with a layup, giving Oklahoma State a 52-48 advantage with 16:13 remaining.

However, the momentum quickly shifted. New Mexico responded with 12 unanswered points, holding the Cowboys scoreless for nearly four minutes.

The Lobos eventually extended their lead to 76-60 with 9:38 remaining, putting Oklahoma State in a difficult position.

The Cowboys answered with nine consecutive points, including a Halaifonua 3-pointer and two Jacob Walker free throws, trimming the deficit to 76-69 with 7:40 left.

But Oklahoma State never got closer. The difference ultimately came at the free-throw line.

Both teams scored exactly 63 points from the field, but New Mexico converted 36 of 48 free-throw attempts compared to Oklahoma State's 26-of-34 performance.

The Lobos were particularly effective in the second half, making 29 of 35 attempts from the stripe.

Oklahoma State committed 22 fouls after halftime and 33 overall, with Halaifonua, Latrell Allmond and Walker all fouling out.

Despite the loss, Oklahoma State received several encouraging individual performances. Felesi led the Cowboys with 18 points and six rebounds, making eight of his 13 field-goal attempts. The freshman also helped spark an early 13-0 Oklahoma State run after Hall scored New Mexico's first eight points.

Ahmed provided another productive performance inside, finishing with 13 points and a team-high seven rebounds. Five of Ahmed's rebounds came on the offensive glass, and he connected on five of six field-goal attempts.

Oklahoma State outrebounded New Mexico 45-35, including a commanding 22-11 advantage in offensive rebounds. That translated into a 27-12 edge in second-chance points, demonstrating the Cowboys' ability to generate additional scoring opportunities.

The bench also provided significant production. Oklahoma State received 59 points from its reserves, including 13 from North Carolina transfer Bogavac, who made three 3-pointers. Sam Houston transfer Kashie Natt added 10 points after overcoming early foul trouble. Eleven Cowboys saw action, with 10 playing at least 12 minutes.

New Mexico's Hall, the Mountain West preseason player of the year, immediately made his presence felt. He scored the Lobos' first eight points and had 20 within the opening 10 minutes.

Hall finished the first half with 21 points on perfect 6-of-6 shooting, including four 3-pointers. He ultimately finished with 31 points and six made 3-pointers, while Fynn Lastring added 16 for New Mexico.

The Lobos shot 49.1% from the field and connected on 9 of 21 attempts from beyond the arc. Oklahoma State, meanwhile, shot 40% overall and struggled from long range, making just 7 of 27 3-point attempts.

The shooting disparity, combined with New Mexico's advantage at the free-throw line, proved too much for the Cowboys to overcome.

The Cowboys also entered the exhibition without several frontcourt contributors. Parsa Fallah, Jordan Burks and Mekhi Ragland were unavailable because of various ailments, limiting Oklahoma State's options inside. Starting point guard Kanye Clary recorded four assists in the first half before an injury sidelined him for the entire second half.

Those absences gave Lutz an opportunity to evaluate different combinations and distribute significant playing time throughout the roster. However, the injuries and foul trouble also highlighted the challenges Oklahoma State could face if its depth is tested during the regular season.

While Sunday's result ended a lengthy home exhibition winning streak, Oklahoma State still has time to make adjustments before the games begin counting toward its regular-season record.

The first 56 victories in the streak came against a mixture of all-star teams and small-college opponents, making Sunday's matchup against the Mountain West preseason favorite a particularly demanding early test.

The contest also began a two-year exhibition series between Oklahoma State and New Mexico, with the Cowboys scheduled to travel to Albuquerque next fall.

Oklahoma State will return to Gallagher-Iba Arena on Friday, Oct. 23, to face Tulsa at 2:30 p.m. as part of Homecoming festivities. Admission will again be free. The Cowboys will then travel to Wisconsin on Tuesday, Oct. 27, for their final preseason exhibition. Oklahoma State officially opens the regular season Nov. 2 against Incarnate Word.

For Lutz and the Cowboys, Sunday's exhibition offered a reminder that while there is promising talent on the roster, improving defensive discipline, limiting fouls and finding greater offensive consistency will be important before the regular season begins.