Four Things to Know Before Oklahoma State Heads to Houston

Fresh off a big win over Utah, the Cowboys are headed to Houston, right into a Cougars den. Unfortunately for OSU, Houston is coming off a rare defeat, after losing 82-81 to No. 22 Texas Tech in overtime, and will be ready to bounce back.

The Cowboys played the Cougars tough in Stillwater in both teams’ Big 12 opener, but they will need more than toughness to come out of H-town with a win. Here are three things to know about the matchup before Tuesday night.

1. The Pokes Hung with Houston (Briefly)

We can start with that meeting in GIA on Dec. 30.

The Cowboys were criminally negligent in the shooting department, missing point-blank layup attempts early and often.

They were held to a season-low 25.9% shooting in that first meeting, but they did hold Houston to what is still a season-low scoring output of 60. And for a few minutes they looked ready to compete with the Cougs on both sides.

Despite starting just 1-for-8 from the field, Oklahoma State was able to build a 17-11 lead by the midway point of the first half. Unfortunately, they followed up a 5-of-11 shooting burst by missing 14 straight shots, nine of them being layup attempts. They also awarded Houston 16 points off of 14 turnovers. That’s a lot of missed opportunities when you are otherwise hanging with one of the top teams in the country.

That being said …

2. Houston: Elite Defense, Efficient Offense

The Cowboys might have been held to a season low in shooting, but they were facing the top scoring defense in the country. Houston ranks first in points allowed per game (56.6), fourth in FG% allowed (36.7%) and second in KenPom’s defensive rating. Missed bunnies are missed bunnies, but few teams go off on Houston.

The Cougars aren’t necessarily running teams out of the gym. They rank eighth in the league scoring at 76.2 points per game, but they are efficient and don’t commit turnovers. Houston is ranked eighth in KenPom’s adjusted offensive rating, the highest among Big 12 teams.

Houston and Oklahoma State are tied for second in the Big 12, each forcing 14.6 turnovers per game, but the Cougars only commit a league-best 9.1 on average, compared to the 13.6 the Cowboys cough up.

Despite a home loss to No. 22 Texas Tech, AP voters actually moved the Cougars up one spot to No. 6 in this week’s ranking. That should tell you just how tough a team Houston is.

3. Houston’s Coming Off a Rare Loss

Houston fell at Texas Tech in overtime Saturday night, meaning the Cougars will be ready to turn the page and the Cowboys, unfortunately, are next up on their slate.

It’s hard to accurately predict how the Cougars react to a loss, just because it’s been over two months since they’ve had to. That overtime thriller in Lubbock was just Houston’s fourth loss all year. The previous two were also overtime games during the Players Era Festival to No. 3 Alabama and San Diego State back on Thanksgiving weekend. Their only other loss this season was by five to current No. 1 Auburn back in early November.

So, three of Houston’s four losses were in overtime and the other was a two-possession game against the current No. 1 team in the country.

4. OSU’s Coming Off its Most Complete Game

The knock on the Cowboys for most of this year, chiefly by their head coach, has been a lack of consistency.

The last time these teams met, the Cowboys showed that, at least in spurts, they have the ability to hang with the Cougars.

“You went toe-to-toe with the No. 13 team in the country for a good 12 minutes in the first half, you have a lead,” Lutz said after that game. “You shot yourself in the foot by missing layups and turning the ball over, but if you can do it for 12, why can’t you do it for 40?”

That’s been the issue all year, but the Pokes are coming off probably their most complete game of the season, a wire-to-wire win over the Utes. If they can replicate that consistent effort and build off of it, it would go a long way toward the Cowboys being more competitive on Tuesday night.

The Cowboys and Cougars tip off at 7 p.m. Tuesday inside Fertitta Center in Houston.