Oklahoma State Squanders 17-Point Lead to Lose to TCU 74-69

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The Cowboys will go at least another four days without a Big 12 win.

Oklahoma State lost to TCU 74-69 on Tuesday night in Gallagher-Iba Arena to extend its losing streak to six and leave the Cowboys still in search of their first conference win of the season as they dropped to 8-11. At 0-6, this is OSU’s worst start to league play since losing its first eight in the 2019-20 season. TCU, meanwhile, put the breaks on a streak after losing two straight last week.

That first Big 12 win was on the mind of everyone at GIA, though, when the Cowboys led by as many as 17 in the first half. Tied at six, OSU came out of a timeout scoring 12 unanswered and continued to build on that lead. Then things got uncomfortable. The Cowboys went as cold as the outside air, failing to make a field goal for the last 5:57 of the half and went to the locker room with only a 37-33 lead.

Then, just as OSU did to begin the game, TCU started the second half just as hot on a 9-2 run, and within 2:36, Mike Boynton was calling a timeout with his team down three after a 3-pointer from Emanuel Miller.

However, John-Michael Wright did come out of the timeout with back-to-back makes from beyond the arc for OSU’s first field goals since the 5:57 mark in the first half and gave his team the lead back. Wright’s 3s were part of an 8-0 run for OSU before TCU answered with a 7-0 run of its own as the two went back and forth like teams desperate to get back into the win column.

It wasn’t until there was 7:49 left in the game before a team obtained a lead it wouldn’t lose after TCU had a 7-0 run that was capped by a pair of free throws from Micah Peavy that gave his team a 61-59 lead. The Horned Frogs’ final five-point advantage was their largest lead of the game.

OSU was never out of it, but also could never really get back into it, as, just like the first half, the Cowboys once again didn’t hit a field goal the last 5:57 of the second half.

Wright’s 3-pointer was the Cowboys’ last field goal of the game before they only made five free throws the rest of the way. Making his second straight start, Wright led OSU with 16 points, going 3-for-6 from 3-point range. Javon Small was the only other OSU starter to reach double digits with 15. Eric Dailey Jr. and Jarius Hicklen came off the bench to score 13 and 12, respectively.

Former OSU guard Avery Anderson put up a season-high 15 in his return to GIA. Emanuel Miller led the Horned Frogs, though, with a 21-point, 11-rebound double-double.

The Cowboys will stay in Stillwater to host West Virginia at 1 p.m. Saturday. At 7-12, the Mountaineers are the only other team in the Big 12 with a losing record. Although, WVU does have a pair of conference wins.