There are some college basketball connections that almost seem too unusual to believe. Oklahoma State and Wisconsin have one of them, and Tuesday's exhibition provides an opportunity to revisit a game that took place more than four decades ago. The Cowboys will travel to Madison to face Wisconsin at the Kohl Center, bringing together two programs that have met only once in official competition. Their previous meeting occurred December 29, 1983, during a holiday tournament in Dayton, Ohio.
Oklahoma State won that game 89-84, overcoming an outstanding individual performance from Wisconsin's Scott Roth. The Cowboys received contributions from several players, including a young guard who would eventually become one of the most recognizable coaches in college basketball history. That player was Bill Self, who was still years away from beginning a coaching career that would take him to Kansas and produce multiple national championships.
Before Kansas made him famous, Bill Self was an Oklahoma State guard
Long before becoming one of the most successful coaches in college basketball history, Self played his college basketball at Oklahoma State. He was a member of the Cowboys from 1981 through 1985, developing his understanding of the game before beginning a coaching career that eventually took him to Oral Roberts, Tulsa, Illinois and Kansas. On December 29, 1983, Self was in Oklahoma State's starting backcourt when the Cowboys faced Wisconsin, and he contributed 12 points and three assists in the 89-84 victory.
Self wasn't the leading scorer for Oklahoma State that afternoon, but his performance helped the Cowboys overcome an outstanding individual effort from Wisconsin's Scott Roth. Joe Atkinson led Oklahoma State with 22 points, while five Cowboys finished in double figures. Roth scored 33 points for the Badgers, but Wisconsin couldn't overcome Oklahoma State's offensive efficiency during a game that featured impressive shooting from both teams.
The Cowboys shot 61.5 percent from the field and converted 25 of their 28 free-throw attempts, numbers that help explain how they survived Roth's remarkable scoring performance. The game also provides an interesting reminder of what college basketball looked like before Self became a nationally recognized coach. He wasn't standing on the sideline directing a championship contender or preparing for another Big 12 showdown. He was simply a college guard helping Oklahoma State win a game against a Big Ten opponent.
Wisconsin has an entirely different team 43 years later
Tuesday's exhibition offers an opportunity to examine a Wisconsin program adjusting to considerable roster changes. The Badgers are replacing an important backcourt combination after losing John Blackwell and Nick Boyd from last season's team, creating opportunities for several new players to establish themselves. Senior center Nolan Winter remains a major piece of the roster after averaging 13.1 points and 8.5 rebounds last season, and he opened exhibition play with 15 points and nine rebounds against Parkside.
However, the most interesting development might be the arrival of Australian point guard Owen Foxwell. Through Wisconsin's first two exhibitions, Foxwell has averaged 16.5 points and six assists, demonstrating an ability to create offense while adjusting to his new surroundings. He scored 21 points, distributed six assists and collected four steals during the Badgers' victory over Green Bay, providing an encouraging glimpse of what Wisconsin's backcourt might become.
Tulsa transfer Braeden Carrington also contributed 20 points off the bench against Green Bay, giving Wisconsin another potential scoring option. Those performances suggest the Badgers have several players capable of producing offensively, but the challenge will be determining how those pieces fit together against increasingly difficult competition. Oklahoma State should provide another valuable test because the Cowboys have already demonstrated their ability to score efficiently and attack opponents through several different players.
Oklahoma State has a player coming off an extraordinary performance
The Cowboys enter Tuesday's exhibition after defeating Tulsa 93-85 on October 23, a victory highlighted by one of the most impressive individual performances of the preseason. Fifth-year guard Kashie Natt finished with 26 points, 12 rebounds, nine assists and five steals, coming within one assist of a triple-double. He led both teams in all four statistical categories, demonstrating the kind of versatility that could make him one of Oklahoma State's most important players throughout the regular season.
Natt wasn't the only contributor in the victory, as Oklahoma State also received 14 points from Latrell Allmond, 12 from Jacob Walker and 10 from freshman Anthony Felesi. The Cowboys shot 63.5 percent from the field and outscored Tulsa 50-18 in the paint, establishing an offensive advantage that proved difficult to overcome. Those numbers suggest Oklahoma State can become a dangerous offensive team when its guards are attacking and its frontcourt is finishing opportunities around the basket.
Tuesday presents a different challenge because Wisconsin possesses an experienced interior presence in Winter and several perimeter contributors who have already demonstrated their scoring potential. The exhibition should provide a useful indication of whether Oklahoma State can reproduce its offensive efficiency against a Big Ten opponent. It will also give the Cowboys another opportunity to evaluate their defensive organization before the regular season begins.
One exhibition cannot change history, but it can create another chapter
Oklahoma State and Wisconsin haven't met in an official game since that December afternoon in 1983, making Tuesday's exhibition an unusual opportunity to connect the sport's past with its present. The contest won't count toward the official series record, meaning the Cowboys will maintain their 1-0 advantage regardless of the result. Still, the meeting offers a reminder that college basketball history contains plenty of fascinating connections that can disappear from memory as the years pass.
Oklahoma State's current players were born decades after Self helped the Cowboys defeat Wisconsin, and many college basketball fans know him exclusively for his coaching accomplishments at Kansas. The sport has experienced conference realignment, the transfer portal, name, image and likeness opportunities and numerous other developments since the teams last shared a court. Yet one name from that original meeting remains among the most recognizable figures in the game.
The Cowboys and Badgers will tip off Tuesday at 7 p.m. ET, with the exhibition available on B1G+. Both programs will use the contest to prepare for the regular season, but the historical connection gives fans something extra to appreciate. Forty-three years after Bill Self helped Oklahoma State defeat Wisconsin, the Cowboys and Badgers are finally sharing the court again.
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