OSU Cowboys show resilience in loss to Houston Cougars

OSU’s Steve Lutz says he’ll never settle for moral victories, but the Cowboys’ effort at 5th-ranked Houston on Tuesday was an encouraging sign.

It might have been OSU’s best 40 minutes of the season, with a toughness and intensity previously shown occasionally but not consistently.

It was far from perfect, the Cougars stretched a six-point halftime lead to 17 in the second half but in terms of things you can control, Lutz’s team fought back, getting as close as five points down late before Houston finished off a 72-63 win at the free throw line.

Is this a sign the Cowboys are getting better? Are the older players realizing their college careers are close to an end and they’re finding another level of focus? The answer is probably yes to both questions.

Will that be enough to help OSU extend its season beyond the Big 12 Tournament next month? There’s a lot of work left for that to happen, but the good news is there are plenty of opportunities ahead.