The opening day of the Big 12 tournament served as a survival test for bubble teams.
Oklahoma State and Texas made it out of the first round, while Oklahoma fell to its in-state rival.
Thursday's quarterfinal slate provides the Cowboys and Longhorns with an opportunity to improve their respective resumes against the Big 12's top teams.
The other two quarterfinal matchups are intriguing, as they could go either way at the Sprint Center in Kansas City, Missouri.
Big 12 Quarterfinals Schedule (All Times ET)
No. 4 Kansas State vs. No. 5 TCU (12:30 p.