OSU Basketball: How Will 20-Game Big 12 Slate Impact Cowboys?
Oklahoma State will play 20 conference games next season, but it might not be a bad thing.
Over the past few weeks, OSU and new coach Steve Lutz have learned more about what the first season of this new era will look like. Among the changes for next season is a 20-game Big 12 slate, an increase from the normal 18 games.
With 20 Big 12 games, OSU will play five opponents exclusively at home, five exclusively on the road and five home and away. Considering the Cowboys’ play in one of the toughest conferences in the country, that could be a problem. However, Lutz has set the Cowboys up with a team that is equipped to be competitive in the Big 12 next season.
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After firing Mike Boynton in March, the Cowboys are looking to rebuild and retool their team. Following the 12-20 campaign last season, OSU lost more than half of its roster, mostly to the transfer portal.
OSU’s leading scorer Javon Small, star freshmen Brandon Garrison and Eric Dailey Jr., plus glue guy Quion Williams marked four departures to the portal from regular starters last season. Since being hired, Lutz has reshaped the roster to fit his style and help the Cowboys head into next season with an abundance of college basketball experience.
Many of the incoming transfers have not played at the level of the Big 12. Still, if they can get their chemistry and roles in place by the time conference play begins, the Cowboys could get off to a much-needed hot start in conference play. Carrying that for 20 games will be nearly impossible given the grind of the Big 12, but OSU is in a much better position to take on 20 Big 12 matchups than it has been in recent seasons.
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IVAN WHITE
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.