Cowboys Host Cincinnati for Senior Day; Fans asked to wear white

Saturday, March 8

Stillwater

2:00 PM

Oklahoma State University

Cincinnati

Buy Tickets

Cowboys Host Cincinnati for Senior Day; Fans asked to wear white

March 07, 2025 | Cowboy Basketball

Cowboy Notes (PDF)Cincinnati Notes (PDF)

CINCINNATI (17-13, 7-12) at OKLAHOMA STATE (14-16, 6-13)
Saturday, Mar. 7, 2025 | 2:01 p.m. CT
Stillwater, Okla. | Gallagher-Iba Arena (13,611)

Tickets: okstate.com/tickets
Watch: ESPN+ (James Westling & Bryndon Manzer)
Listen: Cowboy Radio Network (Dave Hunziker & John Holcomb)
Live Stats: okstate.statbroadcast.com
Series: OSU leads 4-2 (2-0 in Stillwater)
Last: Feb. 21, 2024 in Cincinnati, Ohio (OSU, 80-76)

###

Opening Tips:

The Oklahoma State Cowboys close out the regular season Saturday afternoon against the visiting Cincinnati Bearcats.
Fans are encouraged to arrive early for pregame senior day festivities and wear white.
OSU will play a first-round game on Tuesday at the Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship in Kansas City, but Saturday's result will determine the time. A victory puts the Cowboys in the 11:30 a.m. CT game between the Nos. 12 and 13 seeds, while a loss drops them to the No. 14 line for an 8:30 p.m. matchup against the No. 11 seed.
This is the first meeting between the schools in 2024-25 and only the second in UC's two seasons of Big 12 membership. The Cowboys won 80-76 last February at Fifth Third Arena and lead the all-time series 4-2 (2-0 in GIA).
Eddie Sutton had a hand in both of OSU's Stillwater wins -- the first as a senior guard against a 1958 Bearcat team led by Oscar Robertson and the latter as OSU's head coach in the 2001-02 season opener.
The Cowboys squandered double-digit leads in back-to-back road losses at Baylor and UCF but now return to the friendly confines of GIA, where they've won four of their last five, the most recent against No. 9 Iowa State.
OSU has been far better at home (11-3, 6-3 Big 12) than on the road (2-10, 0-10). In conference games, the Pokes are averaging 76.3 points in GIA, compared to 62.1 in enemy territory.
OSU's three home setbacks have all come against NCAA NET top-10 teams.
First-year head coach Steve Lutz brings a fast and physical brand of basketball to Stillwater with a team that relentlessly attacks the rim and feasts on transition opportunities created by a smothering half court defense.
Arturo Dean, the Big 12 steals leader (2.31) leads an OSU defense that ranks second in the league in thefts (8.9) and takeaways (14.8).
OSU has made a living at the line with nearly a quarter of its points coming on free throws (24.3% is sixth-highest nationally). The Cowboys also lead the Big 12 in free throw rate (14^th, 42.4), and rank among the national leaders in makes (12^th, 17.6) and attempts (13^th, 24.3).
UC averages just 13.6 fouls (fewest in the Big 12), and foes attempt a league-low 13.7 free throws.
Graduate guard Bryce Thompson is OSU's top scorer at 12.2 points per game.
Reigning Big 12 Newcomer of the Week Abou Ousmane (12.1 ppg) is its top rebounder (5.3) and shot-blocker (28).
Chi Chi Avery (11.6 ppg) heads up an OSU bench unit that ranks 12^th nationally in points (31.0).

###

Last Time on Cowboy Basketball:
Wednesday in Orlando | UCF 83, OSU 70

UCF guard Darius Johnson went out with a bang on senior night, scoring 27 of his game-high 36 points after halftime to help the Knights rally from a double-digit deficit.
Brandon Newman scored all 13 of his points in the first half for OSU, which led 40-35 at the break and 47-37 near the 18:00-mark.
Johnson scored 15 of his points during a 32-9 UCF run that spanned the next 11 minutes. He made 5-of-8 second-half threes and 7-of-12 for the game.
UCF won the rebounding battle, 50-26 and made 27-of-30 free throws to OSU's 13-of-15.
The Cowboys outscored UCF 25-3 off turnovers, helped by a 19-9 turnover margin.
Arturo Dean added 12 points, seven assists and had four of OSU's steals 12 steals, including the 250^th of his three-year NCAA career.
Jamyron Keller and Abou Ousmane tacked on 11 points each.

###

More UCF Leftovers:

The quintet of Dean, Keller, Thompson, Jennings and Ousmane made its 15^th consecutive start together (and 17^th overall).
In two games vs. UCF, OSU totaled 26 steals and forced 39 turnovers while committing just 16.
The Cowboys outscored UCF 25-3 off turnovers on Wednesday night after posting a similar 26-5 margin in the first meeting. Free throws and rebounds were the difference the second time around.
OSU was +3 on the glass (39-36) two weeks ago Stillwater. In Orlando, the Knights grabbed 50 boards and posted a +24 rebounding margin. The latter was the largest for an OSU opponent in nine years (44-18 at Baylor on Jan. 5, 2016).
The Cowboys were whistled for 21 fouls to UCF's 16, but the Knights had twice as many free throws attempts, knocking down 27-of-30 to OSU's 13-of-15. The Cowboys are just 2-8 this season when outscored at the foul line.
While played at a brisk pace, the game's 75 possessions were 11 fewer than the first encounter when the teams combined for 51 fastbreak points and 199 overall. Wednesday's game featured 18 fastbreak points (153 total).
Bryce Thompson scored a career-high 25 points against UCF in Stillwater but was limited to four points in just 13 minutes in the rematch due to foul trouble. He was whistled for two quick ones in the first three minutes and spent the rest of the first half on the bench.
Likewise, starting forward Robert Jennings lasted just 16 seconds before leaving the game with an injury. He returned briefly in the second half but finished with two points in five minutes.
The Cowboys lost for just the second time this season when leading at halftime (Nov. 21 vs. FAU). They were 13-1 with 10 straight victories coming into the night.
Patrick Suemnick's three steals were a new career-high.
Arturo Dean played a season-high 32:25 and matched two other season bests with seven assists and five field goals.
Over his last 10 games, Dean is averaging 9.5 points, 3.0 steals and 4.2 assists with a 1.91 A:TO ratio.
Dean became the first member of the current junior class (all NCAA Divisions) to reach 250 career steals. He's recorded four-or-more steals on seven occasions this season.
The Cowboys reached double-digit steals for the tenth time this season. It was the 11^th time that they've recorded at least 20 points off opponent turnovers.
If the Cowboys record at least one steal in Sunday's game they'll break a 24-year old school record for highest Big 12 season average. They've put up 8.59 per game over the first 19 contests, which is well ahead of the pace set by the 2003 squad (8.19 in 16 games).
OSU is averaging 8.90 steals overall this season, which would be the third-highest in program history behind the 1988-89 (9.03) and 2002-03 (8.94) teams.

###

Thompson Finishing Strong:

As he nears the end of his four-year Cowboy career, graduate guard Bryce Thompson is playing some of his best all-around basketball.
He's averaging a team-high (and a career-best) 12.3 points, including 13.3 points in Big 12 play.
Thompson is in line to become just the ninth player in OSU history to post double-figure scoring averages in four different seasons.
Thompson's next point will be his 1,400^th in five collegiate seasons.
Thompson has put up 1,308 points in a Cowboy uniform, which is 24^th on the all-time list. He needs just 11 more to match Terell Harris (1,319 from 2005-09) and 12 to catch Corey Williams (1,320 from 1988-92).
Thompson has scored 770 of his OSU points in Big 12 regular season games, which is eighth-most in program history.
Thompson is in line for 109^th OSU start on Saturday, which would tie him for eighth all-time with Desmond Mason (1996-00), and his 144^th overall appearance, which would be No. 33 all-time.
Thompson is also 15^th on OSU's career three-point list with 151 – two shy of Harris (153).

Cowboys Averaging 10+ Points in Four Seasons:
Olus Holder (1974-78) -- 11.1, 10.2, 16.8, 17.0
Matt Clark (1978-79, 80-83) -- 13.3, 17.3, 12.1, 14.1
Ronnie Daniel (1973-77) -- 12.5, 17.5, 15.8, 12.1
Byron Houston (1988-92) -- 13.0, 18.5, 22.7, 20.2
Adrian Peterson (1995-99) -- 11.3, 14.0, 17.7, 17.7
Ivan McFarlin (2001-05) -- 10.8, 10.7, 12.2, 12.5
Le'Bryan Nash (2011-15) -- 13.3, 14.0, 13.9, 17.2
Phil Forte (2012-17) -- 10.2, 13.3, 15.0, 13.3
Bryce Thompson (2021-25) -- 10.6, 11.8, 11.6, 12.3

###

Trending:

OSU is 13-6 when holding opponents to less than 80 (1-10 otherwise, with a 104-95 win over UCF).
OSU is 10-0 when scoring at least 80 (4-16).
OSU is 13-2 with a halftime lead (1-14 when trailing). The Cowboys overcame a six-point deficit to defeat Tarleton State (Dec. 18) but let a 39-34 advantage slip against FAU (Nov. 21) and lost a 40-35 lead at UCF (Mar. 5).
OSU is 8-2 when outshooting opponents (6-14). Losses came at Texas Tech and Houston.
OSU is 9-3 when forcing 16+ turnovers (5-13).
OSU is 8-3 with 20+ points off turnovers (6-13).
OSU is 11-1 this season when scoring 40+ points off of free throws and turnovers (3-15).
The Cowboys have not played an overtime game in over a year (Feb. 24, 2024 against OU) and last won one more than three years ago (Feb. 19, 2022 vs. K-State). They've dropped seven straight in that span.
The Cowboys are 9-6 when coming off a loss (4-10 coming off a win).

###

Odds and Ends:

On a per-40-minute basis, Arturo Dean is averaging a league-best 3.9 steals (4^thnationally), Abou Ousmane (21.5) and Chi Chi Avery (21.0) are seventh and ninth respectively in points, and four Cowboys rank among the top-15 in free throws, led by Robert Jennings (6^th, 5.2).
Avery's 11.6 scoring average is fifth-highest among players who qualify for NCAA leaderboards but have not logged a start.
OSU leads the Big 12 and ranks 12^th nationally in bench points (31.0 ppg). Reserves have done 42.8% of the scoring and clocked a league-best 42.5% of the overall minutes (9^thnationally).
The bench has topped 30 points in 17 different games and reached 40 on five occasions, with a season-high 57 in OSU's 85-78 win over Southern Illinois on Nov. 14.
OSU is among the nation's fastest teams -- 20^th according to KenPom's adjusted tempo rankings, trailing only UCF (15^th).
Roughly one in every five-and-a-half Cowboy points come from fastbreaks, per Genius NCAA LiveStats (13.1 out of 72.6 ppg).
Using different methodology, Synergy Sports estimates that the Cowboys score a league-high 18.3 points per game off transition opportunities (21^st), which account for 21.4% of their offensive possessions (tops in the Big 12 and 13^th nationally).
Dean scored his 1,000^th career point on March 1 at Baylor giving OSU a seventh 1,000-point scorer on the roster. That's tied with Minnesota, Ole Miss, Kansas and Kentucky for the most nationally.

###

The Series with Cincinnati:

OSU leads the all-time series, 4-2.
Last February's 80-76 victory at Cincinnati marked the first meeting between the programs in 21 years and the first time that either side had won on the other's home floor.
The Cowboys are 2-0 in Stillwater, 1-0 on neutral courts and now 1-2 at Cincinnati.
This will be UC's first visit to GIA in 24 years.
Last year's game marked the first time that OSU had faced Cincinnati in a conference men's basketball game but not the other way around. The Bearcats joined the Missouri Valley Conference for the 1957-58 season at the same time OSU was transitioning into what would become the Big Eight, effective in 1958-59 for men's basketball. In the interim, OSU was treated as an independent by the NCAA for postseason purposes but was permitted to play a full MVC schedule. Although OSU was ineligible for a conference title, its games were otherwise counted toward the final standings.
The 1957-58 Bearcats won that MVC title, led by sophomore Oscar Robertson (35.1 ppg, 15.2 rpg). In his first and only visit to Stillwater (Jan. 6, 1958), Robertson scored 29 points, but OSU – led by senior point guard Eddie Sutton -- rallied to deal UC one of just two regular season losses.
When the sides met again six weeks later in Ohio, OSU had risen to No. 6 in the national polls and the Bearcats were No. 3. A very motivated Robertson went for 30 points and 22 rebounds in a 71-59 Cincinnati win.
The teams nearly met a third time when both qualified for the NCAA Midwest Regional. According to Iba's 1980 biography, on the eve of the semifinals, K-State coach Texas Winter asked Iba for tips on slowing the Bearcats. Iba, wishing to help his future Big Eight colleague, offered some tactical advice which placed a heavier defensive burden on Robertson. K-State won 83-80 in overtime and advanced to face OSU in the final. The following day, in a third-place matchup, Robertson went for 56 points as the Bearcats trounced Arkansas, 97-62.
The schools met just three other times in the 76 years before Cincinnati joined the Big 12, beginning with a chance encounter in the 1985 All-College Tournament in Oklahoma City.
Both sides were on the upswing in the early 2000's under coaches Sutton and Bob Huggins when they staged a home-and-home.
No. 18 OSU defeated a 31-win Bearcat squad in the 2001-02 season opener at GIA behind 20 points from Victor Williams. Tipoff was delayed by 17 minutes due to a malfunction that prevented GIA's lights from being turned back on after pregame introductions.
Cincinnati won the rematch the following year, upsetting No. 11 OSU, 61-50.

###

Last Time against the Bearcats:
Feb. 21, 2024 in Cincinnati, Ohio | OSU, 80-76

Javon Small scored 19 points and OSU converted both ends of three different 1-and-1 opportunities in the final 20 seconds to secure its first road win.
Jamyron Keller (15 points), Brandon Garrison (14), Quion Williams (12) and John-Michael Wright (11) also scored in double-figures for the Cowboys. Williams grabbed eight rebounds and handed out eight of OSU's 20 assists.
The Cowboys shot 55.6% from the field and sank 7-of-17 threes. They were 13-of-14 from the foul line with 11 straight makes in the final 4:00.
Simas Lukosius scored 17 for UC, which hit 50% of its shots but just 5-of-17 from deep.
OSU trailed by five with 5:00 to play before rallying to take the lead on Eric Dailey Jr.'s three-pointer with 3:00 left.
Small drained both ends of a 1-and-1 with 19 seconds left to push the Cowboy lead to three. Following a Bearcat basket, he did it again with 7 seconds remaining to make it 78-75.
OSU fouled to deny a game-tying three. UC made the first free throw and intentionally missed the second, but Keller was there for the rebound and two more game-icing free throws.

###

Scouting the Bearcats:

Wes Miller has steadily rebuilt a Cincinnati program that reached the NCAA tournament in nine straight years from 2011-19.
The Bearcats returned 70% of the scoring from last year's team, which won 22 games in its Big 12 debut and reached the NIT quarterfinals.
CIncinnati climbed as high as No. 14 in the AP Poll during a 10-1 non-conference slate but has been up and down since.
The Bearcats are 21^st in defensive efficiency, per KenPom, limiting opponents to 64.9 points (20^th nationally) on 42.4% shooting.
Sophomore guard Jizzle James (son of former three-time All-Pro running back Edgerrin James) is averaging team-highs 12.7 points and 3.8 assists while sporting a 2.17 A:TO ratio.
Four others average between 9 and 11 points: 6-8 guard Simas Lukosius (10.9 ppg) has hit a team-best 59 threes. Dillion Mitchell (9.7 ppg) is the team's top rebounder at 6.5 per game, and guards Day Day Thomas and Dan Skillings Jr. have put up 9.3 and 9.0 points respectively.
Cincinnati also has one of the league's best rim protectors in 7-footer Aziz Bandaogo, a 2024 Honorable Mention All-Big 12 pick who ranks fifth on the league leaderboard at 1.43 blocks.

###

A Cowboy win would...

Give them the No. 12 or No. 13 seed in the Big 12 Championship with a first-round date with Utah, UCF or Cincinnati (Tuesday, 11:30 a.m. CT).
Make them 12-3 (.800) at GIA this season (7-3 Big 12) -- their highest home winning percentage since the 2013-14 season (13-3).
Up their overall record to 15-16 (7-13 Big 12) -- both three wins ahead of last season's pace.
Make them 5-6 since Feb. 1 on the heels of a 2-7 start to conference play.
Snap a six-game March losing streak going back to the 2023 NIT.
Make them 5-2 all-time against Cincinnati (3-0 in Stillwater), including 2-0 in the Big 12 era.
Up their all-time GIA record to 872-267 in 87 seasons (304-93 since its 2000 renovation).

A Cowboy loss would...

Give them the No. 14 seed in next week's Big 12 Championship with a first-round game against Kansas State, Utah, Cincinnati or TCU (Tuesday, 8:30 p.m. CT).
Narrow their all-time series lead over CIncinnati to 4-3 (2-1 in Stillwater).
Be just their fourth home loss this season (11-4, 6-4 Big 12).