Cowboys turn back Wichita State in NIT opener

Tuesday, March 18

Stillwater

8:00 PM

Oklahoma State University

16-17,7-13Big 12

Wichita State

19-15,8-10AAC

Wichita St.

Oklahoma St.

Photo by: OSU Athletics

March 18, 2025 | Cowboy Basketball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)Postgame Notes (PDF)

STILLWATER -- Bryce Thompson tallied 23 points and five steals to lead Oklahoma State to an 89-79 win over Wichita State in the first round of the National Invitation Tournament at Gallagher-Iba Arena.

The Cowboys (16-17) will play again Saturday or Sunday against the winner of SMU and Northern Iowa at a location to be determined.

Abou Ousmane added 13 points, Khalil Brantley and Jamyron Keller each had a dozen, and Brandon Newman logged a double-double with 10 points and 12 rebounds.

The Cowboy reserves were difference-makers, outscoring their Shocker counterparts 31-10 and accounting for all the points in a 15-2 run that snapped a 52-all tie with 13:00 to play.

Brantley had eight points on two three-pointers in that stretch, Andrija Vukovic added four and Conner Dow capped it with a three-point play to give the hosts a 67-54 lead with just over 9:00 remaining. OSU maintained at least a three-possession lead the rest of the way.

Keller made all four of his three-point attempts for OSU, which shot 9-of-21 from deep (.429) and 44.3% overall.

Thompson scored the first 10 Cowboy points of the night and had 19 before halftime.

OSU used a 27-6 run to go up by as many as 15 with 5:00 to play in the first half.

WSU closed the period on a 13-3 push to get within 40-35 at the intermission, then scored the first seven points of the second half to move in front.

Xavier Bell scored a game-high 24 points for the Shockers (19-15). Corey Washington (21 points, 11 rebounds) and Quincy Ballard (19 points, 15 rebounds) each had double-doubles, and Bijan Cortes handed out nine assists.