Texas basketball vs. Oklahoma State: Prediction, scouting report for conference clash

For perhaps the last time, Texas and Oklahoma State will engage in an orange-clad battle Saturday in Stillwater (2 p.m., ESPN+, 103.1). Like No. 11 Texas (17-2, 4-2), Oklahoma State (11-6) has won four of its six conference contests.

Here’s what you need to know about the matchup:

Is Texas still a championship contender?

Following a 91-56 loss to UT on Tuesday, Kansas coach Brandon Schneider told reporters that “I thought Texas was Final Four, national championship good with Rori (Harmon). I think they can probably still be that good given the amount of time that they have to make adjustments (after Harmon’s season-ending injury).” When told later about his contemporary’s comments, UT coach Vic Schaefer wasn’t ready to replicate that optimistic outlook.

“I’m not quite there yet,” Schaefer said. “I think we’ve got some work to do. As good as we played tonight, I’m wanting that consistency. That’s what any coach wants. What do we want? We want that every night, right? And it’s not going to happen, we know that. But I do think this team is special. As I told them tonight when we huddled up on the floor, when they are locked in like they were tonight on both ends, they’re a tough out. I told them, they’ve got a chance to be really, really good.”

Will DeYona Gaston play against Oklahoma State?

Schaefer said senior forward DeYona Gaston isn’t expected to play against the Cowgirls. She missed the Kansas game after suffering her second ankle injury of the season near the end of last weekend’s trip to Kansas State.

An all-conference honoree last season, Gaston is averaging 7.1 points and 4.1 rebounds per game.

Schaefer said Gaston recently saw a specialist and is walking around without the assistance of crutches. On Tuesday night, she was spotted with just a boot on her left foot. “I think the doctor’s cautiously optimistic, but being a good doctor, he’s very careful with her,” Schaefer said.

Without Gaston, Texas should still be fine in the paint. Post players Aaliyah Moore and Khadija Faye combined for 31 points in the Kansas game. Last January against Oklahoma State, forward Taylor Jones shot 9-of-10 from the floor.

Texas fans, meet Quincy Noble

A 5-foot-10 guard, Noble is averaging 12.6 points per game in her first season at Oklahoma State. On Wednesday, she scored 30 points in a beatdown of BYU. That was Oklahoma State’s first 30-point game by an individual in three seasons.

This is Noble’s sixth year of college basketball. The McKinney native spent her first year at New Mexico before transferring to North Texas ahead of the 2019-20 season. While playing for former UT assistant coach Jalie Mitchell in Denton, Noble was a three-time all-conference pick. Her 1,316 career points rank eighth in UNT history.

Texas vs. Oklahoma State prediction

Texas. Making predictions based off of the theory of transitive properties is dangerous. But in the past week, Texas has beaten Kansas by 35 points and Oklahoma State has lost to that same Kansas team. Even without Gaston, Texas should win this one comfortably.