ASU vs Oklahoma State Prediction and Preview

Read more for a full ASU vs Oklahoma State prediction and preview.

Arizona State basketball looks to get its third Big 12 road win of the season as it faces Oklahoma State on Super Bowl Sunday. It will be the ninth all-time meeting between the two sides, with the Cowboys leading the all-time series 5-3 and 2-0 in Stillwater. It will also be the first meeting since 1997.

General Information:

Teams: Arizona State (12-10, 3-8 Big 12) and Oklahoma State (11-11, 3-8 Big 12)

Tip Time: 2 p.m. EST

Watch: ESPN+

Listen: Arizona Sports 98.7 FM (KMVP)

Latest on Oklahoma State basketball:

Much like the Sun Devils, the Cowboys are currently second to last in the conference standings, only ahead of Colorado, who has yet to win a conference game this season. While beating Utah 81-72 last Saturday, Sunday’s hosts could not continue the winning energy on the road, losing 72-63 at No. 5 Houston last Tuesday. They have not made the NCAA tournament since 2021.

It has not been the best start for head coach Steve Lutz, who is in his first year with Oklahoma State. But he does have experience with rebuilds in Western Kentucky from 2023-24 and Texas A&M Corpus Christi. He also also spent 11 years as an assistant with Power 5 teams: seven with Creighton and four with Purdue.

Lutz’s side has three players averaging double figures. Fifth-year forward Marchelus Avery, who comes off the bench, leads the team with 12.6 points per game. Avery, who has a “chance to explore NBA waters” according to his coach, came to Stillwater from New Mexico State after starting his career at Northwest Florida State College.

Fellow fifth-year forward Abou Ousmane follows Avery in the points category, coming into Sunday after 16 points in Space City. Graduate guard Bryce Thompson rounds out the double-figure trio as the only player to start every game this season.

The Cowboys also boast the Big 12 leader in steals with junior guard Arturo Dean, who is averaging 2.1 takeaways per game. He also averages 6.8 points per game in 21 appearances and eight starts.

Oklahoma State has struggled as one of the worst Power 5 teams, rated at 109th according to KenPom. It is just holding a Top 100 rating in defense and is ranked 155th with its 108.0 offensive rating.

Latest on Arizona State basketball:

The Maroon and Gold, who have been around the NCAA tournament picture for the past few weeks, were pushed out after Tuesday night’s 71-70 loss to Kansas State. It was their fifth consecutive loss at home.

Arizona State started the game well, with an 18-2 run before the Wildcats closed the half on a 33-17 run. Despite trailing by double digits in the second half, the hosts rallied back. Freshman forward Jayden Quaintance had a chance to tie and possibly win the game from the free-throw line with 4.1 seconds remaining. But he missed both attempts.

“Jayden has had such a great season for us,” Arizona State head coach Bobby Hurley told reporters after the game. “(For) such a young player, it’s a lot to put on his shoulders to make those at that moment. But there were a lot of other things that happened that we would’ve been in a better position to win this game.”

Despite his recent struggles from the line, Quaintance received recognition earlier this week, as he was named to the Naismith Men’s Defensive Player of the Year Watchlist. He is the only player in the nation with at least 60 blocks and 20 steals.

Arizona State will be without senior guard/forward BJ Freeman, who did not make the trip to Stillwater because of “conduct detrimental to the team.” according to the Arizona Republic’s Michelle Gardner. Gardner also reported that redshirt senior guard Adam Miller will be suspended for the game because of his Flagrant 2 foul on Tuesday for fighting Kansas State’s junior guard Dug McDaniel.

ASU vs Oklahoma State prediction: Cowboys by 7 (71-64)

It will be tough for the Sun Devils to keep up with the Cowboys without two of their starting guards. While Miller and Freeman have fallen in technical trouble over the past few games, their on court performances have provided senior leadership to their side.