A Look Back: 2016-17 Basketball Season

Remember waaaaaaaaaaayy back when before this whirlwind of a season ever started? Phillip Slavin and I decided to be bold and try and predict the entire season.

At the midway point, I looked at the Cowboys record and how our predictions were matching up. We were on track to be correct, as the Cowboys needed to finish the season 5-4 to make our overall record correct, or finish conference play 6-2 to make our conference record correct.

Let’s look and see how the Cowboys did.

Oklahoma State was 14-8 (3-6 Big 12) when they finished the first half of the conference schedule. They then finished the season 7-4 (6-3 Big 12) to finish the season 21-11 overall, with a 9-9 conference record (we included the Pitt State exhibition in the overall).

What did our preseason predictions give the Cowboys? 20-12 (10-8 Big 12)

Now, let’s cut to a live look at Phillip and I.

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For real though, not bad predictions. Much better than my bracket is doing by the way...

We correctly predicted season sweeps against Texas Tech and TCU, but missed the sweep over OU.

While we were good at the overall season preview, I was waaaaaaaaaaaaayy off about Texas.

It’s fair to say I’m more weary of Texas than I am West Virginia. To take down Texas, the Pokes will have to contain the Horns athleticism and get the young core frazzled and force turnovers. Unlike West Virginia, Texas comes to Stillwater in February when school is in session and GIA should be rocking, which could be the tipping point in the matchup in Stillwater.

Granted we both missed the biggest prediction of all, of Brad Underwood bailing on OSU after just one season (NO one could have predicted that!)

That aside, it was a pretty successful season for the Cowboys, including a 3rd place finish in the Maui Invitational, a .500 record in Big 12 play, and a trip the NCAA tournament, despite some real adversity.

It’s defenitely going to be a season we’ll never forget, though for some of the wrong reasons (damn you Underwood). We’re already looking forward to the next one... because by then this coaching drama will be over with!