OTD: John Lucas Hits "The Shot" To Send OSU To the Final Four

STILLWATER – While Oklahoma State didn’t make it as far in the Big Dance as they wanted to, it was a still a magical season. Led by freshman sensation Cade Cunningham, the Cowboys posted their best record since the 2012-13 season under Travis Ford, 21-9 overall and 11-7 in conference play.

A year after that 2012-13 season under Ford, Oklahoma State hosted program legends for Bedlam in Stillwater: the 2004 Final Four team.

Every Cowboy fan remembers the historic ride the Cowboys had in making it to the 2004 Final Four in San Antonio, including John Lucas’ incredible 3-pointer to lift the Pokes over St. Joseph’s in the closing seconds of the Elite Eight.

As hard as it is to believe, that happened 17 years ago today in East Rutherford, NJ. However, it’s still just as incredible as it was then.

The 2003-04 season was one of the best in program history. The Pokes finished with a 31-4 overall record, 14-2 in conference play, No. 4 in both the AP and Coaches Polls and Big 12 regular and conference champions.

The Cowboys’ road to the Elite Eight was rather easy as the No. 2 seed. They took care of business against Eastern Washington in the opening round, 75-56, Memphis in the Round of 32, 70-53, then Pittsburgh in the Sweet 16, 63-51.

The Elite Eight game against St. Joe’s was a tight one as the Pokes trailed 62-61 with 20 seconds left. Lucas’ 3-pointer with just seven seconds on the clock put the Pokes on top 64-62 and they were headed to the Final Four, their first in nearly 10 years.

However, we all know how the Final Four went and the Pokes fell to the No. 3 seed out of the St. Louis region, Georgia Tech, 67-65.