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OSU men’s BASKETBALL
STILLWATER — First-year Cowboys coach Steve Lutz isn’t downplaying the opportunity waiting for Oklahoma State on Saturday night.
“You can’t ever ignore the fact that this is a big rivalry within your state, and Sooners don’t like Cowboys and vice versa,” Lutz said. “So you don’t ever, you don’t ever ignore it.”
Of course, Saturday night’s Bedlam Oklahoma City showdown in the Paycom Center isn’t just a chance to get back on the right side of an in-state rivalry. This is Oklahoma State’s first chance to secure a signature win.
The No. 13 Sooners (9-0) are the Cowboys’ first ranked opponent and the first Quad 1 game of the season. Oklahoma State is 6-0 this year in Quad 3 and 4 games and 0-2 in Quad 2 games. Making the NCAA Tournament is largely about avoiding losses in the lower two while winning games in the two upper tiers.
“Does it define whether we win the Big 12 or we go to the NCAA tournament,” Lutz said. “No, it does not. Now, with that being said, we talk, you know, I’m honest with them about, like, NET rankings and RPI and those sorts of things, winning this game, that’ll help us in March. But then you’ve still got to go win in the Big 12, and put yourself in a position to need or to have the help there for you in March.”
As of Friday afternoon, Oklahoma was one of six teams with a nine-game winning streak, which is the longest in the nation. The Sooners can also secure their first three-game winning streak in the rivalry since 2020.
This will also be Tulsa native Bryce Thompson’s last chance to impact the in-state rivalry after he missed both meetings last season due to a season-ending injury earlier in conference play. The Cowboys lost by four points on the road and two in overtime at home.
“I think down the line, I think it’ll be something you talk to your kids and stuff about,” Thompson said. “Just, you know, playing Oklahoma, and, you know, whether you won or you lost.”
So far, most of his stories will be about wins, considering the Cowboys are 4-1 in Bedlam games Thompson took part in, with the only loss coming in overtime during his first season in Stillwater.
This neutral site meeting is the only Bedlam game on the schedule this season now that the teams play in different conferences, but it shouldn’t be the last time these teams meet.
“I believe in the rivalries, you know,” Lutz said. “I mean, I’ve been fortunate to be at, you know, Indiana-Purdue and Creighton-Marquette, you know, those are, those are fun games, and they’re good for college basketball. You know, Porter (Moser) and I have already talked about next year, and we’re hoping to continue it. So, I think it’s good for our state. It’s good for it’s good for basketball.”
OSU men’s BASKETBALL
Steve Lutz ready for Bedlam debut as Oklahoma State chases first big win of the season
- Dec 13, 2024 Updated 10 hrs ago
Tyler Waldrep
OSU Sports WriterSTILLWATER — First-year Cowboys coach Steve Lutz isn’t downplaying the opportunity waiting for Oklahoma State on Saturday night.
“You can’t ever ignore the fact that this is a big rivalry within your state, and Sooners don’t like Cowboys and vice versa,” Lutz said. “So you don’t ever, you don’t ever ignore it.”
Of course, Saturday night’s Bedlam Oklahoma City showdown in the Paycom Center isn’t just a chance to get back on the right side of an in-state rivalry. This is Oklahoma State’s first chance to secure a signature win.
The No. 13 Sooners (9-0) are the Cowboys’ first ranked opponent and the first Quad 1 game of the season. Oklahoma State is 6-0 this year in Quad 3 and 4 games and 0-2 in Quad 2 games. Making the NCAA Tournament is largely about avoiding losses in the lower two while winning games in the two upper tiers.
“Does it define whether we win the Big 12 or we go to the NCAA tournament,” Lutz said. “No, it does not. Now, with that being said, we talk, you know, I’m honest with them about, like, NET rankings and RPI and those sorts of things, winning this game, that’ll help us in March. But then you’ve still got to go win in the Big 12, and put yourself in a position to need or to have the help there for you in March.”
As of Friday afternoon, Oklahoma was one of six teams with a nine-game winning streak, which is the longest in the nation. The Sooners can also secure their first three-game winning streak in the rivalry since 2020.
This will also be Tulsa native Bryce Thompson’s last chance to impact the in-state rivalry after he missed both meetings last season due to a season-ending injury earlier in conference play. The Cowboys lost by four points on the road and two in overtime at home.
“I think down the line, I think it’ll be something you talk to your kids and stuff about,” Thompson said. “Just, you know, playing Oklahoma, and, you know, whether you won or you lost.”
So far, most of his stories will be about wins, considering the Cowboys are 4-1 in Bedlam games Thompson took part in, with the only loss coming in overtime during his first season in Stillwater.
This neutral site meeting is the only Bedlam game on the schedule this season now that the teams play in different conferences, but it shouldn’t be the last time these teams meet.
“I believe in the rivalries, you know,” Lutz said. “I mean, I’ve been fortunate to be at, you know, Indiana-Purdue and Creighton-Marquette, you know, those are, those are fun games, and they’re good for college basketball. You know, Porter (Moser) and I have already talked about next year, and we’re hoping to continue it. So, I think it’s good for our state. It’s good for it’s good for basketball.”
