Anthony Roy Ignites Oklahoma State in Statement Win Over BYU, Cowboys Surge in Big 12 Rankings
When Anthony Roy caught the pass just left of the Oklahoma State logo at center court, there was no hesitation-just rhythm, confidence, and the kind of swagger that comes from a player who knows he’s in the zone. The shot rattled in, and from there, Roy didn’t look back. He kept firing, kept hitting, and kept the crowd at Gallagher-Iba Arena on its feet.
By the end of the night, Roy had dropped 30 points, knocking down five of his 10 attempts from beyond the arc in Oklahoma State’s 99-92 upset win over BYU. It wasn’t just a scoring outburst-it was a statement. A sixth-year senior stepping into the spotlight on a night when all eyes were supposed to be on a freshman phenom.
“I feel like everybody is confident,” Roy said after the game. “Everybody trusts me with the ball and everybody knows I can score.”
That trust is clearly mutual. His teammates believe in him-and not just in the typical postgame praise sort of way. Freshman guard Jaylen Curry took it a step further, comparing the team’s shooting confidence to one of the greatest collections of shooters in NBA history.
“You ever watch the 2017 Warriors with KD, Klay, and Steph?” Curry said.
“That’s how I feel when [Roy] hits all these 3s. Vyctorius [Miller], all of our shooters hit.
I feel like we can be that good.”
That might sound lofty, but on this night, it didn’t feel all that far-fetched. Roy’s performance wasn’t just about the numbers-it was the energy, the leadership, and the fun he brought to the floor. He was the engine behind a win that could very well reshape the Cowboys’ postseason outlook.
BYU head coach Kevin Young had nothing but praise for Roy after the game.
“He's a big-time player,” Young said. “You always gotta know where he's at.
That’s a great recruitment by Steve [Lutz] and their coaching staff. He’s really, really impressive.”
With the win, Oklahoma State now finds itself just one game out of seventh place in the Big 12 standings. More importantly, it’s a resume-boosting Quad 1 win that could carry serious weight come Selection Sunday.
That’s why Oklahoma State is this week’s biggest climber in the Big 12 power rankings. Here’s how the rest of the conference stacks up:
Big 12 Power Rankings (Feb. 6)
1. Arizona
This week: vs. Oklahoma State (Saturday); at Kansas (Monday)
The Wildcats are rolling. Their 22-0 start is not just the best in school history-it’s a Big 12 record.
The last time Arizona won 22 straight? You’d have to go back over a century, between 1914 and 1917.
This team is built for March.
2. Houston
This week: at BYU (Saturday); at Utah (Tuesday)
Another season, another 20-win campaign for Kelvin Sampson’s Cougars.
That’s 11 straight years of 20+ wins, and they’re doing it with trademark consistency and toughness.
3. Iowa State
This week: vs. Baylor (Saturday); at TCU (Tuesday)
After back-to-back losses to Kansas and Cincinnati, the Cyclones have flipped the switch. They’ve won four straight by an average of 26.8 points, including three blowouts of 30+.
4. Kansas
This week: vs. Utah (Saturday); vs.
Arizona (Monday)
The Jayhawks are trending upward with wins over BYU and Texas Tech.
When Darryn Peterson is healthy and on the court, Kansas looks like a completely different team.
5. Texas Tech
This week: at West Virginia (Sunday); vs. Colorado (Wednesday)
The Red Raiders are still reeling from the unexpected absence of Christian Anderson. Whether it’s illness or injury, his presence was missed in the loss to Kansas.
Even so, they were in it until the end.
6. UCF
This week: at Cincinnati (Sunday)
The Knights picked up a big win over Texas Tech but couldn’t keep the momentum going against Houston.
Still, they’ve got one of the best resumes among the unranked teams in the league.
7. Oklahoma State
This week: at Arizona (Saturday); at Arizona State (Tuesday)
The Cowboys are surging after their first Quad 1 win of the season.
The victory over BYU was a major step forward, though it was marred by a group of fans chanting offensive remarks toward BYU’s faith. Coach Kevin Young put it best: “We've got enough problems in the world to be coming for each other's beliefs.”
8. BYU
This week: vs. Houston (Saturday); at Baylor (Tuesday)
Three straight losses have BYU sliding, despite strong performances from freshman AJ Dybantsa. Their best Big 12 win so far?
A home victory over TCU. Not exactly a tournament-clinching résumé.
9. TCU
This week: vs. Kansas State (Saturday); vs.
Iowa State (Tuesday)
A blowout loss to Colorado didn’t help the Horned Frogs’ tournament hopes.
But with the softest remaining schedule in the conference, there’s still a path forward-if they can capitalize.
10. West Virginia
This week: vs. Texas Tech (Sunday)
The Mountaineers are running out of time and opportunities. They’re outside the NCAA bubble and don’t have many ranked teams left on the schedule.
They’ll likely need a deep Big 12 Tournament run to make noise.
11. Cincinnati
This week: vs. UCF (Sunday); at Kansas State (Wednesday)
Injuries and illness have taken their toll, and it shows in the Bearcats’ 1-8 record in Quad 1 games. They’re fighting to stay relevant in the postseason conversation.
12. Baylor
This week: at Iowa State (Saturday); vs. BYU (Tuesday)
The Bears have finally strung together a couple of wins in Big 12 play, but beating West Virginia and Colorado won’t be enough to pull them out of the tournament danger zone.
13. Colorado
This week: vs. Arizona State (Saturday); at Texas Tech (Wednesday)
The Buffs are in a tailspin, having dropped 7 of their last 8 games. The road ahead doesn’t get any easier with matchups against BYU, Houston, and Arizona still to come.
14. Arizona State
This week: at Colorado (Saturday); vs. Oklahoma State (Tuesday)
Wins over Kansas State, Cincinnati, and Utah are the only bright spots in conference play. That’s not the kind of track record that keeps a coach off the hot seat-something Bobby Hurley is undoubtedly feeling.
15. Kansas State
This week: at TCU (Saturday); vs. Cincinnati (Wednesday)
Jerome Tang’s seat is getting warmer after a 34-point loss to Iowa State. The problem?
His buyout is a whopping $18.7 million. That’s a tough pill to swallow for any athletic department.
16. Utah
This week: at Kansas (Saturday); vs. Houston (Tuesday)
The Utes are in the middle of their second four-game losing streak in Big 12 play. And with Kansas and Houston up next, the road doesn’t get any smoother.
Oklahoma State’s rise is one of the more compelling storylines in a Big 12 season packed with parity, power, and unpredictability. With Anthony Roy leading the charge, the Cowboys aren’t just fighting for relevance-they’re making a real push to be part of the March conversation. And if Roy keeps shooting like this, they might just stay there.