The Big Eight, as we knew it, came into being for the 1958-59 season. From the 1958-59 season to 2008-09:
OSU
Total win/loss record: 802-640, .554
NCAA tournament appearances: 16
Final 4 appearances: 2
Title game appearances: 0
NIT appearances: 5
Conference titles: 2 Big 8 (1 shared), 1 Big 12
Conference tournament titles: 2 Big 8, 2 Big 12
OU
Total win/loss record: 933-543, .630
NCAA tournament appearances: 24
Final 4 appearances: 2
Title game appearances: 1
NIT appearances: 7
Conference titles: 5 Big 8, 1 Big 12 (shared)
Conference tournament titles: 4 Big 8, 3 Big 12
Overall head to head since 58-59: OU 66, OSU 47
“In the 51 seasons since OSU joined the Big Eight, OU has a better conference record 36 times, OSU 11.
Since the inception of the Big 12 conference, OSU has only finished ahead of OU in the conferences standings one time.
So, you want to go back all-time?
Overall record: OU 1,468-936 (.611) OSU 1452-1018 (.588).
Bedlam Wins: OU 126, OSU 89
Winning coaches: OU 10, OSU 6
All-Americans: OU 22, OSU 17
Conference titles: OU 22, OSU 17
1,000-point scorers: OU 35, OSU 30
Draft selections: OU 42, OSU 32
NCAA appearances: OU 26, OSU 23
Home-court win streak: OU 51, OSU 46
“OU has spent more weeks in the AP poll than OSU. OU has had more winning seasons than OSU. OU has a better all time home winning percentage than OSU. OU has made it to 4 Final Fours (two championship games).
OSU has won two national championships (’45 and ‘46) in basketball. This is a stat that simply cannot be ignored, and really the main reason why the Cowboys are even in the ballpark with Oklahoma in terms of basketball program comparisons. I will not take anything away from their accomplishments but consider this:
1. These championships happened 62 and 63 years ago. Most of us on this board were not even born when the Cowboys won the championship. Before you bombard me with the 50’s football championships, at least we have won one in the new millennium (2000), and, this is about basketball, not football.
2. The road to winning the championship was a lot less meddlesome back in the old A&M days. The Aggies only had to win three (3) games to be crowned the champion unlike the grueling six games of the modern era. That is certainly not the Cowboy’s fault, but should at least be mentioned. Four of OSU’s six Final Fours were obtained via this three-game system. Two of Oklahoma’s 4 were also obtained this way. Eight of Oklahoma State’s 11 Elite 8 appearances were accomplished by only having to win two games in the tournament. Three of OU’s eight Elite 8 appearances were won in this fashion.
3. The good old NIT was still a major player during this time. It was an era in which the NCAA was battling for dominance. While it is debatable which tournament ran supreme during these championships, one thing is for sure, not all the good teams were playing in the NCAA tournament. Could that of impacted OSU’s two victories? Who knows? But again, worth mentioning.
4. All-American Bob Kurland was a game-changing center for the Pokes. There was no goal tending back then, so the big 7-footer could just sit back and guard the goal until the cows came home. It was certainly within the rules of the day, but it obviously gave the Cowboys a big advantage that they wouldn’t have had a few years later (because of Kurland).
