Oklahoma State Looks to Snap Five-Game Big 12 Losing Streak With West Virginia

STILLWATER – It’s been a rough month for Oklahoma State men’s basketball as the Pokes are currently on a five-game Big 12 losing streak, with the most recent being an 83-69 loss to Colorado this past Saturday. 

The Cowboys will be looking to snap that losing streak as they play host to West Virginia on Tuesday. The Mountaineers have the exact same record as the Cowboys, 16-11 overall on the season, but are three games better in Big 12 play at 7-7. They’re also 20 spots better in the NET and are less than 10 spots out of the NCAA tournament, according to ESPN’s Joe Lunardi. 

While the Mountaineers are last in the Big 12 in scoring by a mile, just 62 points per game in conference play, they’re just a few points behind Houston by allowing just 66 points per game. 

They’re led by senior guard, Honor Huff, who’s averaging just under 14 points per game on just 31% shooting from the floor. Senior forward Brenen Lorient is second on the team with just under 12 points per game but is shooting 51% per game.

WVU is certainly an enigmatic team, much like the Cowboys. They started the month out by beating a touch Cincinnati team on the road, played a tough Texas Tech to just a seven-point loss, before going and beating UCF in Orlando, 74-67. They lost at home to a bad Utah team 61-56 and on the road to TCU 60-54. 

January was almost just as strange as they beat Cincinnati 62-60 and then-ranked No. 22 Kansas, 86-75. They understandably got crushed by Iowa State, Houston and Arizona. 

Tuesday’s game will tell us a lot about this Oklahoma State team. WVU is a staunch defensive team, no doubt, but the Cowboys are a better offensive team through and through. If the Cowboys who beat BYU show up, they’ll win this game. But if it’s the Cowboys who lost to Arizona, Arizona State, TCU, Kansas and Colorado, it very well could be a long night in GIA. 

Tipoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. and will be on the CBS Sports Network.