Oklahoma State Narrowly Avoids Last Place in Big 12 Preseason Poll
Oklahoma State is set for a rough season in the Big 12.
On Thursday, the Big 12 announced the results of its men’s basketball preseason coaches poll, with OSU finishing 14th out of 16 teams, ahead of only Colorado and Utah. Kansas narrowly edged Houston for first, while Iowa State, Baylor and Arizona round out the top 5.
The OFFICIAL 2024-25 #Big12MBB Preseason Coaches Poll 📊 pic.twitter.com/wdbPnhNPNh
— Big 12 Conference (@Big12Conference) October 10, 2024
The Cowboys’ placement is unsurprising, given that they finished 13th in a 14-team league last year and had to rebuild almost their entire roster this offseason.
With Mike Boynton getting fired after a 12-20 campaign, which included a 4-14 Big 12 mark, the Cowboys lost most of their contributors. The Cowboys hired Steve Lutz from Western Kentucky with hopes that he could turn the program around.
Lutz helped rebuild the depleted roster through the transfer portal, and he will look to establish an identity in Stillwater next season. Known for his up-tempo offense, Lutz also stressed the importance of defense once arriving at OSU.
While OSU’s path to contending in the Big 12 will be a multi-year process, any signs of growth within the program will be significant next season. The program grew stale in Boynton’s final seasons as offense often bogged down in his system.
Meanwhile, Lutz coached one of the fastest teams in the country last season, and a fast-paced approach could help OSU get easier opportunities against stout Big 12 defenses. Regardless of the approach, OSU is destined to struggle when conference play arrives, considering the league is filled with national championship hopefuls.
OSU has finished with a winning record in Big 12 play only once in the past 11 seasons. Coupled with nonconference gaffes in recent years, OSU has struggled to make runs to the NCAA Tournament. While 2024-25 is unlikely to see the Cowboys back in the big dance, there is at least some optimism surrounding the program after big moves in the offseason.
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Ivan is a sports media student at Oklahoma State University. He has covered OSU athletics since 2022 and also covers the OKC Thunder for Inside The Thunder and Thunderous Intentions.