Oklahoma State looks to reverse fortunes under new coach Steve Lutz
Oklahoma State (12-20, 4-14 Big 12)
This will be Oklahoma State’s first season under Steve Lutz, who replaces Mike Boynton. Lutz took the last three teams he coached -- two at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi and last season at Western Kentucky – to the NCAA Tournament. It’ll be tough to make it four in a row. There has been a near complete roster overhaul. The team has 11 newcomers -- a lot, even in the transfer portal era. Big 12 coaches picked the Cowboys to finish 14th in the 16-team conference.
Players to watch
Bryce Thompson (senior, SG, 11.6 ppg.). Thompson is the top holdover from the Boynton era. He will bring experience and versatility to the squad. He shot 34.4% from 3-point range last season. He only played 18 games last season after suffering a season-ending shoulder injury against Kansas last season, but he should be ready to go at the start of the season.
Davonte Davis (senior, G, 5.9 ppg. at Arkansas). Davis made the SEC All-Defense team in 2023 and can score the ball too. He scored 1,118 points for the Razorbacks and is ninth in school history with 314 assists. He played in eight NCAA Tournament wins.
Khalil Brantley (senior, G, 15.0 ppg. at LaSalle). Brantley led LaSalle in scoring last season and added 5.3 rebounds per contest. He made 47 3-pointers last season, had 137 assists and led the team with 50 steals.
Departures and arrivals
Javon Small, last year’s leader with 15.1 points per game, is at West Virginia. Brandon Garrison, a talented 6-foot-10, 250-pound big man, transferred to Kentucky. Quion Williams is at Abilene Christian after starting 28 games last year. Brandon Newman, who played on NCAA Tournament teams at Purdue and Western Kentucky, could be a key newcomer. The steady guard came to Oklahoma State with Lutz.
Top games
The Cowboys will open the season Nov. 4 at home against Green Bay. They will visit in-state rival Tulsa on Dec. 4. They will play Oklahoma on Dec. 14 in Oklahoma City. They open Big 12 play on Dec. 30, at home against No. 4 Houston.
Facts and figures
Only three letterwinners return, and 10 were lost. … Lutz has a 69-35 career record. … Boynton went 119-109 in seven seasons. The Cowboys reached just one NCAA Tournament on his watch as he dealt with the fallout from an NCAA investigation. … The Cowboys haven’t played in the postseason since 2021, when Cade Cunningham led them to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
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