OSU Hoops: Cowboys Returning to Charleston Classic

The Cowboys are headed back to Charleston. Well, sort of.

Oklahoma State will take part in the 2026 Shriners Children’s Charleston Classic this November.

This is the second time in three years that the Cowboys have taken place in the inter-conference exhibition with Steve Lutz taking his first Cowboys squad there in 2024-25. But none of those Cowboys are on this roster.

This will mark the third time the Pokes have taken part in the tournament. OSU went 1-2 on that most recent trip to Charleston, with an 80-74 win over Miami (Fl.) sandwiched by losses to Florida Atlantic and Nevada. This year the field consists of Dayton, Minnesota, Northwestern, Utah and Virginia Tech.

The Cowboys are 0-2 against Dayton all-time, but the two teams haven’t met since 1983. Both were road games. The Flyers have posted five consecutive 20-win seasons and are coming off a quarterfinal finish in the NIT last season.

OSU is 3-5 against Minnesota having dropped the last two outings to the Gophers in 2018 and 2019.

The Pokes defeated Northwestern 86-81 in the Thanksgiving Classic last November in the two programs’ only meeting. Five Cowboys scored in double digits led by Jaylen Curry’s 18.

The Cowboys are 6-2 all-time against the Utes and 2-1 since they joined the Big 12 to start the 2024-25 season. OSU swept Utah last season.

OSU is 0-5 against Virginia Tech with all of those games occurring since 2010. The Cowboys and Hokies most recently met in Brooklyn in 2022 with a 70-65 decision Virginia Tech’s way.

Entering its 18th year, the Shriners Children’s Charleston Classic moved to a two-game format in 2025. The teams will play Friday, Nov. 20 and Sunday, Nov. 22. Specific matchups and times are to be determined.