Cowboys Set To Play Host To Wichita State

The Cowboys

The 2021-22 Cowboys will attack the season with a 17-man roster, including five newcomers and four returning starters from last year's squad.
Speaking of new - Oklahoma State welcomes three new assistant coaches (Terrence Rencher, Larry Blunt and David Cason) and a new strength coach (Mark Mitchell).
The Cowboys return four starters from last season's squad that returned OSU to the postseason and have added four key transfers with ambitions of pushing past the NCAA Round of 32. Setting its sights on a deep run in March, Oklahoma State returns 73 percent of its points from a year ago, 94 percent of its offensive rebounds and 74 percent of its assists.
Oklahoma State is set to compete in 17 games against 2021 NCAA Tournament foes.

Facing Wichita State - Here's The Scout

Oklahoma State is set to return home to Gallagher-Iba Arena to play host to Wichita State on Wednesday night. Tip is set for 7 PM on ESPN+ and will also air on the Cowboy Radio Network.
The two foes are familiar with each other, having met 41 times in a series that dates back to 1934. OSU took the first 12 games in the series and has never dropped more than two-consecutive games against the Shockers. More recently, the pair have met four times since 2016 - with both teams earning two victories.
The visiting team has won the past five games in the series since 2002.
WSU is under the leadership of Isaac Brown. Thrust into an interim role just eight days before the start of the 2020-21 season, Brown earned Wichita State's head coaching job on a permanent basis after leading a Shocker team to the NCAA tournament.

Through Seven - Where We're At And Where We're Going

Oklahoma State moved to 6-1 on Friday night with a win over Oral Roberts in Tulsa to push its season-long winning streak to five games.
The Cowboys have punished teams in two main areas - points in the paint (306 thus far) and points off the fast break (159). 56 percent of all of OSU's points this season through seven games have come inside the paint.
OSU now turns its attention to Wichita State in Stillwater. The Cowboys are 15-4 at home in the series all-time, but will look to break a streak of five-straight wins for the visiting team in the series.
WSU is 1-0 on the road this season, with a victory over Missouri on Friday night. The Shockers posted a 5-2 record away from home last year.

Oklahoma - Where The Points Come Sweeping Down The Plain

Oklahoma natives posted a combined 109 points over the past three games in the wins over NC State, Charleston and ORU, which accounts for 52 percent of OSU's points.

Defense First - Because It Wins Games

Oklahoma State has allowed just one opponent to score more than 70 points in a game this year and has held four teams under 60.
A big key, the Cowboys are forcing a turnover on 27.7 percent of their defensive possessions, which according to KenPom ranks eighth in the country.
According to KenPom's adjusted defense, the Cowboys have posted the ninth-best defense thus far, trailing just Houston, Michigan State, Memphis, VCU, Baylor, USC, Wisconsin and Gonzaga.
Another struggle for opposing players? OSU is recording a block on 21.7 percent of its defensive outings, which is good enough for third-best in the country. That of course is when OSU hasn't already taken the ball, as it is recording a steal on 15.7 percent of its defensive possessions (sixth best in the country).

The New Sheriffs In Town

2021 American Athletic Conference Freshman of the Year and former five-star big man Moussa Cisse certainly stands out in this year's group of newcomers. Listed at 7-0 and a springy 225 pounds, Cisse started every game for Memphis as a freshman in 2020-21 and helped lead the Tigers to the NIT Title.
Joining Cisse is 2020 McDonald's All-American and former Kansas standout Bryce Thompson. A unanimous five-star talent, he finished his time at Tulsa's Booker T. Washington High School as the nation's No. 19 recruit according to Rivals. He comes to Stillwater as the seventh-highest rated Cowboy signee in the recruiting rankings era (since 2003).
Former Texas Tech Red Raider and four-star recruit Tyreek Smith will be complementing the duo. The 2021 Academic All-Big 12 Conference selection was the 2018 TAAPS 5A Player of the Year for Trinity Christian High School in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex, where he averaged 17.9 points, 12.3 rebounds and 3.0 blocks per game as a senior.
Rounding out the highly-anticipated class is Woody Newton. A former Rivals four-star recruit out of District Heights, Maryland, Newton is coming off a freshman campaign at Syracuse in which he posted a 46.4 shooting percentage, 38.9 percent clip from 3-point and averages of 3.5 points and 1.8 rebounds per game.

Clutch Cowboys

Oklahoma State was a perfect 4-0 in overtime games last year, started 1-0 this year with the win over ORU and has won eight of its last nine OT games dating back to 2016.
Last year's mark tied for the most overtime games in a season in program history, and the perfect 4-0 record in extra sessions equaled the marks set by the 2006-07, 1982-83 and 1964-65 squads.
Mike Boynton and the Cowboys are 7-1 in OT games during his career.

Oklahoma State University Athletics