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Oklahoma State Basketball: Cowboys have huge day in front of them

By Andrew Miller

Mar 9, 2017; Kansas City, MO, USA; Oklahoma State Cowboys guard Jawun Evans (1) shoots as Iowa State Cyclones guard Nazareth Mitrou-Long (15) looks on in the first half during the Big 12 Championship Tournament at Sprint Center. Iowa State won 92-83. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 9, 2017; Kansas City, MO, USA; Oklahoma State Cowboys guard Jawun Evans (1) shoots as Iowa State Cyclones guard Nazareth Mitrou-Long (15) looks on in the first half during the Big 12 Championship Tournament at Sprint Center. Iowa State won 92-83. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Oklahoma State basketball team has a huge day tomorrow where they figure out where they find in the NCAA Tournament on Selection Sunday.

The Oklahoma State basketball team did not anticipate entering the NCAA Tournament on a three-game losing streak after putting together one of the best runs in the country before the losing streak. However, those three losses did not come against easy competition.

OK State’s first and third losses in the current losing streak came against the no. 23 ranked, and even Big 12 Tournament Champion Iowa State Cyclones. Their other loss came against the no. 1 ranked Kansas Jayhawks in the regular season finale on March 4 in Stillwater.

The March 9 defeat to ISU came by the largest margin during the three-game losing streak, which could present a problem for head coach Brad Underwood and the Cowboys. Yet, they look to land likely a seven seed in the NCAA Tournament. That places them with a 10 seed that isn’t as tough of an opponent as KU or ISU.

Quality of competition is always high in the Big 12 which bodes well for the conference when it sends a number of talented teams to the Big Dance. OK State could potentially play the role of spoiler for a team that’s a two seed, if the Cowboys face a two seed in the Round of 32.

Tomorrow, the entire country gets to start filling out their brackets on Selection Sunday. OK State fans likely get to see where the Pokes fall in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2015.

It would be nice to see the Cowboys face an opponent with a high-tempo offense so the matchup will be entertaining, if nothing else.

There’s actually a watch party at the OSU Alumni Center at 4 p.m. CT for the NCAA Tournament Selection Show to see where the Pokes land.

OK State has not made it out of the first round of the NCAA Tournament in their last four tournament appearances. They actually have not registered an NCAA Tournament win since they defeated the Tennessee Volunteers as an eight seed back in 2009.

Yet, Underwood proved that he knows how to succeed in the NCAA Tournament in his time with Stephen F. Austin. Underwood took the Lumberjacks to the Round of 32 on two different occasions, where they were massive underdogs both times.

Next: Cowboy Baseball postponed against South Dakota State

However, tomorrow Cowboy basketball fans get to find out the road that OK State faces on their quest for the first National Title since 1946.

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