- Today
- Holidays
- Birthdays
- Reminders
- Cities
- Atlanta
- Austin
- Baltimore
- Berwyn
- Beverly Hills
- Birmingham
- Boston
- Brooklyn
- Buffalo
- Charlotte
- Chicago
- Cincinnati
- Cleveland
- Columbus
- Dallas
- Denver
- Detroit
- Fort Worth
- Houston
- Indianapolis
- Knoxville
- Las Vegas
- Los Angeles
- Louisville
- Madison
- Memphis
- Miami
- Milwaukee
- Minneapolis
- Nashville
- New Orleans
- New York
- Omaha
- Orlando
- Philadelphia
- Phoenix
- Pittsburgh
- Portland
- Raleigh
- Richmond
- Rutherford
- Sacramento
- Salt Lake City
- San Antonio
- San Diego
- San Francisco
- San Jose
- Seattle
- Tampa
- Tucson
- Washington
Oklahoma State Faces Tough Tests Against Top-Ranked Opponents
Cowboys take on No. 16 BYU and No. 1 Arizona in critical week for NCAA Tournament hopes
Feb. 2, 2026 at 6:23pm
Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›
Oklahoma State men's basketball team is facing a challenging week ahead, with matchups against No. 16 BYU at home and a road game against undefeated, top-ranked Arizona. The Cowboys are desperate for wins to boost their NCAA Tournament chances after a 3-5 start in Big 12 play. While a sweep of these two ranked opponents would be a major boost, even a split could keep OSU's postseason hopes alive.
Why it matters
Oklahoma State is in a precarious position for making the NCAA Tournament, and these next two games against highly-ranked opponents represent a critical opportunity to pick up signature wins and strengthen their tournament resume. A poor showing this week could all but eliminate the Cowboys from consideration.
The details
After picking up their first Big 12 road win of the season against Utah, the Cowboys now have to deal with arguably their toughest two-game stretch. They host No. 16 BYU on Saturday, then travel to face the nation's top-ranked team, undefeated Arizona, next week. BYU is led by potential NBA lottery pick AJ Dybantsa, while Arizona has been dominant all season long, though they did have a close call against BYU recently.
- On Saturday, February 11, 2026, Oklahoma State hosts No. 16 BYU.
- On February 18, 2026, Oklahoma State travels to face No. 1 Arizona.
The players
AJ Dybantsa
The star player for No. 16 BYU, considered a potential NBA lottery pick.
Steve Lutz
The head coach of the Oklahoma State men's basketball team, in his second season.
What’s next
If Oklahoma State can pull off an upset against either BYU or Arizona, it would be a major boost to their NCAA Tournament hopes. However, even a split of the two games could keep them in the conversation, as long as they can finish strong in Big 12 play.
The takeaway
This week represents a critical juncture in Oklahoma State's season, with two opportunities to pick up signature wins against highly-ranked opponents. While a sweep may be too much to ask, the Cowboys need to at least split these games to keep their NCAA Tournament dreams alive.
