Lutz named OSU's 21st men's basketball coach

Oklahoma State University hired Steve Lutz as the school's 21st men's basketball coach on April1.  "Coach Lutz is known as one of the hardest-working coaches in the business," OSU Athletic Director Chad Weiberg said. "He has worked at all levels of college basketball and has deep ties to this part of the country, especially Texas. The work he has put into his career has resulted in success as a head coach and why I believe he is the right person to be the leader of Cowboy basketball."  A rising star under Creighton's Greg McDermott and a fifth-generation member of Henry Iba's coaching tree (via Purdue's Matt Painter), Lutz is off to a successful start to his own head coaching career with NCAA tournament appearances in each of his first three seasons.  In rapid rebuilds at Western Kentucky (2023-24) and Texas A&M Corpus Christi (2021-23), the 51-year-old has posted a combined 69-35 record, including a perfect 8-0 mark in conference tournament play.  The Hilltoppers finished 22-13 and punched their first NCAA tournament ticket since 2013 after winning their first ever CUSA tournament title.  Lutz worked similar magic in Corpus Christi with back-to-back bids, ending what had been a 15-year March Madness drought and a run of four straight losing seasons.  Originally from San Antonio, Lutz played collegiately at Texas Lutheran University, serving as team captain during his senior season while completing a bachelor's degree in kinesiology with a minor in secondary education/business administration. He added a master's in physical education from Incarnate Word in 1997. Lutz replaced Mike Boynton Jr., who OSU parted ways with in March after seven years.