Oklahoma State got what it wanted Friday night in a 93-85 exhibition win over Tulsa at Gallagher-Iba Arena: a better look at where the Cowboys stand, a strong reminder of what Kashie Natt can do, and a clearer picture of what still needs work before the games start counting.
The scrimmage was open to all fans, and with homecoming this weekend, the place drew a bigger crowd than a typical preseason tune-up between in-state rivals. The Cowboys also cleaned up one glaring issue from their first scrimmage against New Mexico.
Head coach Steve Lutz was unhappy with both the defense and the fouls in that one. Against Tulsa, Oklahoma State was called for only 21 fouls.
Natt was the headline performance. One of two Cowboys available on a temporary injunction or temporary restraining order granted by a court in a suit against the NCAA for an extra year of eligibility, he looked like a player Oklahoma State badly needs to keep on the floor. The other is forward Parsa Fallah, who is still recovering from a torn ACL.
Against Tulsa, Natt led both teams with 26 points, 12 rebounds, nine assists, eight made field goals, eight made free throws and five steals. He also drew the start with Kanye Clary still working back from injury, something he mentioned at Big 12 media days. If Clary is healthy, Natt gives the Cowboys another ball handler - and possibly a much-needed answer to a problem they had at times last season.
On the defensive end, there were signs of progress. Oklahoma State held Tulsa to 43% shooting and 42% from the floor, while finishing with seven steals and three blocks. Tulsa had just four steals.
The Cowboys still gave up too many second chances. Even with Oklahoma State winning the rebound battle 34-29, Tulsa grabbed 13 offensive boards.
That was an issue Lutz wanted fixed after the first scrimmage, when New Mexico used offensive rebounds to extend possessions. Oklahoma State’s 63% shooting rate covered for it this time, but that kind of margin won’t be there every night.
Lutz also continued sorting through his rotations. Freshman Anthony Felisi started Friday with Clary out and played 29 minutes.
Latrell Allmond came off the bench for 24 minutes. Allmond scored 14 points, while Felisi added 10.
Both freshmen also logged major minutes in the first scrimmage against New Mexico. Felisi scored 18 points in 28 minutes in that one, while Allmond had four points in 20 minutes.
It’s still too early to lock in exactly how Lutz will use those two once the regular season begins. But he has made it clear he wants to get them on the floor, and their scoring plus their steady minutes suggest they are already part of the conversation.
The bigger test may come later. How Felisi and Allmond handle Texas A&M, Oklahoma State’s third game of the season, should say a lot about how much trust Lutz has in them by mid-November.
In Other News...
Steve Lutz Has An Early Oklahoma State Guard Decision To Make
Steve Lutz has spent the early stretch of preseason trying to figure out how his newest Oklahoma State team will come together, and the guard rotation is one of the first real decisions on his desk. Lutz believes he has his best offensive group yet as he works toward getting the Cowboys back to the NCAA Tournament, but after a pair of scrimmages, he is still sorting out how much responsibility to hand true freshman Anthony Felisi. The young guard has already flashed the kind of defensive energy that can make a coach lean in, while also contributing enough on offense to stay in the conversation.
The bigger question is how Felisi fits once the roster is fully available and the experienced guards settle into their usual roles. Oklahoma State has depth at the position, which makes every minute a little harder to win, and Lutzs choice will depend as much on health as it does on trust and timing. Felisi has given the staff reasons to keep watching closely, and the early read on his role could say a lot about how Lutz wants this team to play once the games count. [Read more 🡒]
Oklahoma State Faces One Last Chance To Answer A Growing Concern
Oklahoma State gets one more preseason test before the games start counting, and it comes in a tough setting against Wisconsin at the Kohl Center. The Cowboys have already worked through two exhibition tuneups, and they have at least seen encouraging production from guard Kashie Natt as they continue sorting out roles and rhythm ahead of the regular season.
Wisconsin brings its own momentum into the matchup after winning both of its preseason exhibitions, though this will be its first chance to see a power-conference opponent this fall. For Oklahoma State, the backdrop is simple enough: another live look at where the roster stands, another chance to sharpen the details, and a final exhibition spotlight that will be easy to follow on B1G+, the Cowboy Radio Network and the Varsity Network app. [Read more 🡒]
Oklahoma State Has New Names Pushing For Bigger Roles After Colorado
Oklahoma States rout of Colorado did more than keep the Cowboys in the Big 12 race, it also gave a few lesser-known names a chance to show where they fit as the season gets late. The win was big enough to strengthen the teams standing for the conference title chase, but the more interesting follow-up has been how the staff can now sort through who earned a larger say in the rotation after that performance.
Braydon Nelsons rise is one of the cleaner examples of that momentum, and William Mason added to it by scoring his first touchdown while carving out more snaps through his special teams work. LaDainian Fields helped the defense with interceptions, Lawson came up with a key play, and the depth chart still has a few questions attached to it, including the status of Ayo Adeyi, making this one of those weeks where the box score only tells part of the story. [Read more 🡒]