In the history of the Big 12, there’s no program that can compare to Kansas, but the Oklahoma State Cowboys are close. OSU basketball was a powerhouse in the 1940s and 50s and had a resurgence in the 1990s and early 2000s, leading to a shortage of cheap Oklahoma State basketball tickets. Outside of Kansas, no Big 12 program can claim as many Final Four appearances or national championships as the Cowboys. That proud history has led to a loyal fanbase that is always eager to snatch up last-minute Oklahoma State Basketball tickets.

Mr. Iba’s House of Horrors

Oklahoma State’s home arena is sometimes known as Mr. Iba’s House of Horrors in honor of longtime coach Henry Iba. After taking over as head coach in 1934 when the school was known as Oklahoma A&M, Iba is responsible for making the Cowboys a prominent basketball program. In Iba’s first 20 years, the Cowboys won the Missouri Valley Conference championship 14 times. That stretch also included the program’s two national championships in 1945 and 1946, with the Cowboys going 58-6 over those two seasons. Iba remained the Oklahoma State head coach until 1970, coaching for 36 seasons and leading the Cowboys into the Big Eight Conference.

Another Legend

In 1990, Oklahoma State welcomed another legendary head coach to Stillwater when Eddie Sutton took over the program. Sutton took over a sluggish program but immediately led the Cowboys to the Sweet 16 three times in his first five seasons, including a Final Four appearance in 1995. Sutton ended up taking Oklahoma State to the NCAA Tournament 13 times in his 16 seasons, including a second Final Four appearance during OSU’s magical 31-4 campaign in 2003-04.

Finding the Next One

Replacing Sutton hasn’t been easy for Oklahoma State. Travis Ford managed to get the Cowboys to the Big Dance five times in his eight seasons, although OSU fell into the middle of the pack in the Big 12. However, there is renewed optimism under head coach Mike Boynton, who took over the program in 2017 and is one of the bright, young coaches in college basketball who’s poised to lead Oklahoma State back to greatness.