Gallagher-Iba Arena used to be the scariest place in the country to play. The white maple floor practically shook when the "Rowdy Curtains" got going. But honestly, for the last few years, that magic felt like it was gathering dust. The Eddie Sutton era is a long time ago now, and the Cade Cunningham blip was over before most fans could even finish their popcorn.
But things are shifting. Fast.
If you haven’t been paying attention to oklahoma state basketball men's lately, you've missed a massive personality transplant. When Steve Lutz took the job, people knew he was a winner—the guy had literally never missed the NCAA tournament as a head coach—but nobody expected the Cowboys to start playing like they were shot out of a cannon.
The Steve Lutz Effect: Speed and Chaos
Lutz doesn't just want to win; he wants to run you into the ground. It’s a total departure from the grind-it-out, defensive-slugfest identity that Oklahoma State clung to for a decade. Basically, if the shot clock gets below 20, Lutz probably thinks his team is being too slow.
It works. You've seen the results in the 2025-26 season already.
By mid-January 2026, the Cowboys are sitting at a solid 13-4 record. They opened the season with a 5-0 tear, the best start this program has seen since 2020. They aren't just beating teams; they are hanging 100 points on people. They dropped 103 on South Florida and Bethune-Cookman. That’s not a typo.
"Coach Lutz is known as one of the hardest-working coaches in the business," OSU Director of Athletics Chad Weiberg said when he made the hire.
That work ethic is showing up in the "never-quit" DNA of this specific roster. In late 2025, they trailed by 13 points against a tough opponent and looked dead in the water. In years past, that’s a 20-point blowout loss. This team? They ripped off a 13-1 run before the half and ended up stealing the game. It's a kind of resilience that’s been missing in Stillwater for a while.
Breaking Down the 2025-26 Roster
The roster is a weird, beautiful mix of "I’ve never heard of that guy" and "Oh, he’s a problem." Because Lutz is a maniacal recruiter, he didn't just lean on the portal; he went global and grabbed high-major talent that was stuck on benches elsewhere.
Look at Kanye Clary. The guy came over from Mississippi State and has been an absolute spark plug. Then you've got Anthony Roy, a graduate student from Green Bay who plays with the kind of "old man at the YMCA" savvy that frustrates the life out of younger guards.
The frontcourt is where things get interesting. Parsa Fallah, a 6'10" monster from Iran by way of Oregon State, provides the size they desperately needed. He’s not just a big body; he’s got touch. Alongside him, you have international flare like Lefteris Mantzoukas from Greece and Daniel Guetta from Israel. It’s like a FIBA roster moved to North-Central Oklahoma.
But it's not all imports. Kray Rogers from Ft. Cobb and Walker Kennedy from Weatherford keep that homegrown Oklahoma spirit alive in the locker room.
Recent 2025-26 Season Highlights:
- Nov 4: Hammered Oral Roberts 95-71.
- Nov 9: Dominant 87-63 win over Texas A&M.
- Nov 27: A signature 86-81 win over Northwestern in Chicago.
- Jan 6: Took care of business against UCF, 87-76, to steady the ship after a rough Lubbock trip.
The Big 12 is a meat grinder. It’s the hardest conference in the world, period. Losses to Texas Tech and Iowa State earlier this January proved that the Cowboys aren't invincible, but they are finally competitive again.
The 2026 Recruiting Class: Why the Future is Top 10
If you think this year is fun, wait until the 2026 class hits campus. For the first time in a generation, Oklahoma State is winning the recruiting wars against the blue bloods.
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ESPN currently has the Cowboys’ 2026 class ranked No. 7 in the nation. That is absurd.
They landed Latrell Allmond, a top-40 power forward who had offers from basically everyone. He’s a physical force that Lutz will love. Then there’s Jalen Montonati. This was the big one. Keeping the best player in the state of Oklahoma at home is something OSU used to struggle with. Montonati is a 4-star wing from Owasso who can flat-out shoot the lights out.
Rounding it out is Parker Robinson, an Overtime Elite guard. This trio shows that Lutz isn't just looking for "his guys"—he’s looking for the best guys.
The strategy is clear:
- Use the portal for immediate veteran depth (Clary, Roy).
- Go international for unique skill sets (Fallah, Mantzoukas).
- Lock down the borders to keep Oklahoma talent in Stillwater (Montonati).
What Most People Get Wrong About Gallagher-Iba
There’s this myth that the "magic" of Oklahoma State basketball died with the old stadium renovations or the move to the modern Big 12. Honestly, that's just a lazy excuse for bad basketball.
Fans in Stillwater are smart. They don't show up just because the lights are on; they show up when the product matches the history. Under Lutz, the "Rowdy Curtains" are actually starting to close again. Home court advantage isn't about the building; it's about the fear the visiting team feels when they can't hear their own coach over the noise.
Last season (2024-25), they went 13-4 at home. This year, they are keeping that pace. Winning in Stillwater is becoming a requirement again, not a suggestion.
Actionable Insights for Fans
If you're looking to follow the Pokes through the rest of this 2026 gauntlet, here’s how to stay ahead of the curve:
Watch the "Seven Seconds" Metric
Keep an eye on how many shots OSU takes within the first seven seconds of the shot clock. When that number is high, they win. When they get bogged down in half-court sets, they struggle.
The Rotation Watch
Lutz plays a lot of guys. If you see the bench scoring more than 25 points, it’s usually a blowout win for the Cowboys. Their depth is their greatest weapon in a league where everyone else is playing their starters 38 minutes a night.
Upcoming "Must-Watch" Games
The February schedule is brutal but vital. The home stand against BYU (Feb 4) and Kansas (Feb 18) will determine if this team is a dark horse for a deep March run or just a "happy to be here" NIT contender.
The era of moral victories in Stillwater is over. With a top-10 recruiting class coming in and a coach who doesn't know how to miss the tournament, the Cowboys are finally acting like a powerhouse again. It's about time.
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To stay updated on the latest roster shifts or to snag tickets for the upcoming home stand against Kansas, check the official Oklahoma State Athletics portal or follow the beat writers at Pokes Report for the most granular practice updates.