The Best College Basketball Teams With Fewer Than 20 Wins

Oklahoma State Cowboys

Oklahoma State concluded its pre-tournament season with a record of 18-13 overall and 8-10 in the Big 12. Based on our nERD metric, which indicates the expected point differential of a team against an average opponent on a neutral court, the Cowboys are the best team shy of the 20-win plateau.

They lost six of their last seven games, including a 64-49 loss to Oklahoma in the Big 12 Conference tournament. Still, Oklahoma State boasts a nERD of 10.89, which is 30th in the country. Our math also pegs their schedule as the 14th-toughest in the nation, so their underwhelming record is understandable.

Their defense ranks in the 83rd percentile in the country, and they rank inside the top 30 in steals (7.9) and blocks (5.0) in the country. Their offense isn't much to write home about, as it ranks in the 63rd percentile, but Oklahoma State's defense could stymie its way to a win in the big dance.