Oklahoma State coach Steve Lutz had a simple message for his team after an 80-65 loss Saturday night to then-No. 13 Oklahoma in the Bedlam Series — one that he’s probably repeated leading up to Wednesday night’s nonconference home game with Tarleton State in Stillwater, Okla.

“We’ve got to be better,” Lutz said.

Odds are that the Cowboys (6-3) will probably be better, largely because the Texans (3-9) appear to be a very good matchup for them in a key area. Oklahoma State’s identity under its first-year coach is playing fast and using its defense to force turnovers.

In Tarleton State, the Cowboys get an opponent that turns the ball over at a frightening rate of 20.7 per game, the worst in Division I. Oklahoma State’s full-court pressure should be able to create havoc and force enough mistakes to create open-floor chances.

Lutz is certainly looking for that after seeing the Sooners carve up his team’s defense for 49.2 percent shooting.

“We didn’t have the effort that we needed to and we didn’t have the defensive tenacity that we needed to,” he said.

Marchelus Avery is the Cowboys’ leading scorer at 12.9 points per game.

Meanwhile, the Texans are coming off a 67-62 loss on Monday night at UTEP. It was a bittersweet return to El Paso for coach Billy Gillispie, who once guided the Miners’ program and nearly pulled off what would have been his team’s best win of a tough nonconference schedule.

“I love coming to El Paso,” he said. “The people in El Paso are the best.”

Bubu Benjamin has been Tarleton State’s top source of offense this season, averaging 17.3 ppg on 55 percent shooting from the field. He scored 18 points on Monday night, playing the full 40 minutes for the third time this year. The product of Medicine Hat, Alberta is second in the Western Athletic Conference in scoring and minutes per game (35.02).

This will be the first matchup between the Texans and Oklahoma State.

–Field Level Media