Big 12 Basketball: Ranking all 16 programs after adding Arizona, ASU, Colorado and Utah
By Joey Loose
11. Oklahoma State
Oklahoma State won a pair of national titles in the 1940’s and remained a basketball power for over a decade. The Cowboys were in great shape in the 90’s under Eddie Sutton and made a Final Four as recently as 2004, but where do they factor into this new-look league?
Three years ago, top-recruit Cade Cunningham helped put Oklahoma State back on the map with a terrific season, leading the Cowboys to a 4-seed in the 2021 NCAA Tournament and their first victory in over a decade. However, that remains current coach Mike Boynton’s only trip to the Big Dance since taking over the program in 2017.
That was also the Cowboys’ only finish above .500 in conference play during Boynton’s tenure, and you just have to wonder if things will get better with future changes in the league. They lose rival Oklahoma, but gain significant challenges with programs like Arizona and Houston entering the league. The Cowboys may no longer be fighting any in-state rivals for Big 12 recruits, but the recent history doesn’t exactly have you excited.
There’s history here for Oklahoma State and certainly a path to success, but if you need the #1 recruit in the nation in order to even make the Dance, then there’s other problems. Stillwater has hosted elite basketball in the past and might do so again in the future, but Boynton’s regime has had ups and downs and we don’t exactly foresee Oklahoma State having consistent elite play, though there’s no reason to count this program out as a potential NCAA Tournament contender in the years ahead.