OSU Hoops Battles UCF in Big 12 Showdown

The Oklahoma State Cowboys are set to take on the UCF Knights in a first-round matchup of the Big 12 Tournament in Kansas City today. The game tips off at 11:30 am CT from the T-Mobile Center.

Both teams enter the tournament on the back of disappointing regular seasons. Oklahoma State finished 13th in the Big 12 with a 4-14 conference record and 12-19 overall mark. UCF wasn’t much better at 7-11 in conference play and 16-14 on the year as the 12th seed.

Despite their struggles, Oklahoma State and UCF will be looking to get hot at the right time and make some noise in the conference tournament. A run could even put them in the conversation for an NCAA Tournament bid, although that remains a long shot.

The Cowboys are led by senior guard John-Michael Wright, who has provided a spark by averaging 15.3 points, 3.3 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game. Wright had to deal with the tragic loss of his stepfather earlier this year but has leaned on his Oklahoma State family to help get through it.

“The coaches and teammates have really been there for me during this difficult time,” said Wright. “Basketball has been an outlet to temporarily take my mind off things. I’m playing for him now.”

On the other side, UCF is powered by 7-foot center Ibrahima Diallo. The big man leads the Knights in both scoring (13.9 ppg) and rebounding (7.4 rpg). He’ll pose a tough matchup problem for the smaller Oklahoma State frontcourt.

The Cowboys will need to work hard on the glass to limit Diallo’s impact. They rank last in the Big 12 in rebounding margin at -4.5 per game. UCF grabbed 14 offensive boards against OSU in their first meeting, leading to 17 second-chance points.

Oklahoma State is a decided underdog according to oddsmakers. UCF is a 4.5 point favorite with the over/under set at 136.5 points. The moneyline has the Knights at -200 and Cowboys at +165.

In a matchup of two squads desperate to keep their seasons alive, expect a closely contested battle. UCF’s size and rebounding ability could be the difference though. Look for the Knights to edge out the Cowboys and advance to the next round.

Prediction: UCF 74, Oklahoma State 68