Steve Lutz Is Looking To Continue To Improve Oklahoma State’s Non-Conference NET Ranking
STILLWATER – Oklahoma State is currently 1-0 on the season and looking to host a totally new-look Texas A&M team this coming Sunday.
The Aggies are now led by one of the best up-and-coming coaches, certainly one of the most sought-after coaches during this last cycle in Bucky McMillan.
The Aggies are coming off a rather impressive 2024-25 season in which they went 23-11 overall, 11-7 in SEC play, but the people in charge wanted better.
In year two of the Steve Lutz era in Stillwater, things are more controlled and more streamlined than last season as there was more time to put everything together. Everything from the roster to the schedule. So, while Big 12 play is always a gauntlet and the conference composes that schedule, Lutz and Co. put together a non-conference slate of games that will do two things: ensure the Pokes are challenged going in the conference play but will always have mostly all wins. But the first of those challenges begins this weekend as they play A&M, a Quad 1 team, and a type of team and challenge Lutz and Co. will look to continue to add in the future.
“Absolutely, kind of like we’ve talked about before, you’ve got to figure out a way to schedule some Quad 1 and Quad 2 home and home [series],” said head coach Steve Lutz. “I always believed in trying to schedule like-opponents, and what I mean by that is I’m in my second year, [Bucky McMillan] is in his first year. Obviously, them being in the SEC and having the support that they do, I don’t know if our resources entirely match up, but I usually try to get a little closer there. But both of us play fast and I just felt like it would be a good opportunity. And to be quite frank, they were able to start on the road this year, so that really helps. Next year I need to find somebody who allows us to come back here again.
“So, next year we’ll go to A&M, and we need to find another Quad 1 or 2 opportunity here at home. We’ll obviously have the return of Grand Canyon and we’ll have Northwestern, but that’ll be a neutral site game in either Tulsa or Oklahoma City.”
The other challenges on the Pokes’ non-conference slate will be Northwestern up in Chicago on Thanksgiving, Grand Canyon in Phoenix, AZ, and Oklahoma in Oklahoma City at Paycom Center. It’s certainly possible USF could give the Pokes a challenge in Stillwater.
We’ll be looking at each of the Pokes’ opponents throughout the season, especially in non-conference play to see if the Cowboys can do enough to make it into the NCAA tournament this season. We’ll keep track of how each team is doing in a running article to keep everyone up to date on the Pokes’ NET ranking and odds on making the Big Dance.
