Tulsa World’s OSU Beat Writer, Eric Bailey joins the Jones Report to talk Oklahoma State Athletics and gives thoughts on OSU basketball future under Steve Lutz
Tulsa World’s Oklahoma State beat writer, Eric Bailey, joins the Jones Report with OkState RoundTable Publisher, Tyler Jones, to talk about what the future could hold for the Oklahoma State Cowboy Men’s basketball team.
The Oklahoma State Cowboys’ 2025-26 season came to a frustrating close on March 22, as the team suffered a 96-70 defeat to Wichita State in the second round of the National Invitation Tournament at Gallagher-Iba Arena. Wichita State pulled away in the second half with a dominant 52-33 edge after a tight first half, handing OSU its first home loss in the NIT under head coach Steve Lutz.
The Cowboys finished the year at 20-15 overall and 6-12 in the Big 12, marking a little bit of progress in Year 2 of the Lutz era but falling short of the program’s NCAA Tournament goals.
In postgame comments, Lutz was honest about the lopsided result. “We have to look ourselves in the mirror and own it,” he said. “They beat us fair and square.” He acknowledged the sting of the loss in front of the home crowd against a regional rival just a couple hours down the road, calling it “embarrassing” to end the season that way. Yet Lutz quickly pivoted to the future, signaling that it was time to turn the page and begin preparations for next season. His comments echoed the urgency he has expressed throughout the offseason planning process…building a roster capable of competing at the highest level.
The loss also marked the end of the line for several key Cowboys who have maxed out their eligibility. Anthony Roy, Christian Coleman, Parsa Fallah, and Robert Jennings have reached the end of their collegiate careers with the program. Their departures, combined with one additional exit in Lefteris Mantzoukas, leave Lutz facing significant roster turnover heading into the transfer portal window, which opens April 7 and closes April 21.
According to a recent portal primer from Pistols Firing Blog, Lutz is already gearing up for roster decisions as the Cowboys target an NCAA berth in Year 3. He emphasized the need for a more physical, tough, defensive minded group. “We gotta look in the mirror… let’s go get a team that’s gonna get us to the NCAA Tournament and that’s gonna play the right way and be physical and tough and defend and rebound every single night next year,” Lutz stated.
With OSU operating under tighter financial constraints than some Big 12 peers, he noted the team will have to “do more with less” and spend portal resources wisely rather than relying heavily on transfers as they did last offseason.
Only ten players currently remain eligible to return, including Jaylen Curry, Kanye Clary, and others, creating at least two open scholarship spots with potential for more depending on portal activity.
Despite the departures, optimism surrounds Steve Lutz’s incoming freshman class for the 2026-27 season, one of the strongest in recent program history and ranked among the nation’s top 10.
The trio of high profile signees is expected to provide immediate talent and depth as the Cowboys aim to climb the Big 12 standings.
Latrell Allmond, a 6-8, 225-pound power forward from Petersburg High School in Richmond, Virginia, arrives as a consensus four-star prospect and McDonald’s All-American candidate (ranked as high as No. 36 nationally). A four-time Virginia state champion, Allmond earned Class 2 Player of the Year honors and averaged approximately 22 points, 8 rebounds, and 2.4 blocks per game as a senior. His size, rebounding power, and emerging face up skills should help out the frontcourt and address OSU’s need for physicality inside.
Jalen Montonati, a 6-7 wing from nearby Owasso High School, is Oklahoma’s top prospect and a four-star talent (No. 59 nationally). The son of former Cowboy Brian Montonati, he was named Gatorade Oklahoma Player of the Year (twice), MaxPreps Player of the Year, and Oklahoma Super 5 Player of the Year. Montonati averaged 23.3 points and 6.3 rebounds as a junior while leading Owasso to state-title contention. His shooting, scoring ability, high basketball IQ, and in state pedigree make him a ready made perimeter threat who can contribute immediately on both ends.
Parker Robinson, a 6-5 shooting guard from Overtime Elite (originally from Olney, Maryland), rounds out the class as a four-star prospect (No. 96 nationally). Robinson helped the City Reapers win an OTE championship with great playoff shooting (around 45 percent from three) and excelled in the EYBL circuit.
His versatility, elite perimeter shooting, and high-level offensive game will add depth and spacing to the backcourt.
This freshman class gives Lutz a foundation of talent that could accelerate the program’s rebuild. However, Year 3 under Lutz could prove make or break.
With the Cowboys still searching for their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2021, Lutz’s seat may grow noticeably hotter if the team fails to secure a bid next season.
The Big 12 remains one of the deepest and most competitive conferences in college basketball, featuring powerhouses and no margin for error, even for new head coaches. Programs must hit the ground running or risk falling further behind in a league that punishes weaker teams night in and night out.
As the portal opens and Lutz begins finalizing his roster, the focus is clear…turn the page from the NIT exit, integrate the promising freshmen, and construct a squad ready to compete for March Madness in 2026-2027.