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The Oklahoma State Cowboys men's basketball team ended their season with a narrow 61-59 loss to North Texas in the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) quarterfinals on Tuesday night at Gallagher-Iba Arena in Stillwater, Oklahoma. The Cowboys finished the season with a record of 17-18.
The game was a nail-biter, with OSU staging a frantic comeback in the final moments. Brandon Newman had a chance to win the game with a last-second three-pointer, but it bounced off the rim. Coach Steve Lutz called a timeout with 0.7 seconds left, but the play drawn up did not result in a successful shot. "In hindsight, I probably should’ve called it with three seconds," Lutz said.
Newman and Bryce Thompson each scored 17 points for OSU, while Arturo Dean added 12 points and seven rebounds. Despite their efforts, the Cowboys struggled with shooting, hitting only 41.8% from the field and missing crucial free throws in the final minutes. The loss marks the second time in three years that OSU has been eliminated by North Texas in the NIT quarterfinals.
For North Texas, Atin Wright led the scoring with 15 points, and the team maintained a lead throughout most of the game, including a 27-22 advantage at halftime. The Mean Green's victory advances them further in the NIT.
The loss concludes OSU's season and marks the end of the college careers for nine seniors on the team, including Thompson, who moved into the top 20 in program history with 1,485 career points. Coach Lutz expressed pride in his team's character and resolve, stating, "It made me proud to be their coach."