On Tuesday afternoon in Kansas City, Missouri, two Big 12 teams clashed in a game that quickly got out of hand.
Wes Miller and the Cincinnati Bearcats faced off against Steve Lutz and the Oklahoma State Cowboys for the second time in the last four days in the opening match of the Big 12 Tournament. The game favored Cincinnati early on, with Oklahoma State coming apart at the seams. In the end, the Bearcats got their revenge from the season finale game and will move on to face Iowa State on Wednesday.
With that, here are the top three takeaways from Cincinnati’s 87-68 win over the Cowboys.
Unlikely Stars
While Big 12 fans have grown accustomed to seeing big days from Jizzle James and Day Day Thomas, on Tuesday, they weren’t left searching for impact from fellow teammates.
The two-man wrecking crew of Dillon Mitchell and Josh Reed showed up in a massive way against Oklahoma State, combining for 37 points in Cincinnati’s offensive explosion. For Mitchell specifically, he added an unreal stat line of an 18-point, 15-rebound double-double.
In total, the Bearcats finished with four athletes in double figures, including Day Day Thomas (21), Josh Reed (19), Dillon Mitchell (18), and Dan Skillings Jr. (13).
Abou’s Poor Showing
Man… What in the world happened to Abou Ousmane?
He had one of his worst games of the year in the biggest moment of the season and was nearly thrown out, receiving his fifth four on a technical for arguing with the referee.
He played just three minutes in the first half, recording two early fouls. He then picked up his third and begged Steve Lutz to stay on the court. Lutz obliged, which resulted in Ousmane recording his fourth foul on a defensive shove, followed by his fifth and final as a technical.
He finished the day off with four points, one assist, and one rebound. What a way to end a collegiate career.
Take Two
Well, Oklahoma State fans can finally rest upon the conclusion of a brutal start to the Steve Lutz era in Stillwater. The Cowboys finished the year at 15-17 overall and 7-13 in conference play. Of their seven conference wins, just one came against a team expected to reach the big dance, a 74-68 win over No. 9 Iowa State, which will go down as the highlight of the season.
Lutz and his coaching staff should have more time to put together a competitive roster for the 2025-26 season, as he was one of the last hires in the coaching carousel last summer. Hopefully, Oklahoma State fans’ patience will be rewarded in the near future.
