While the middle of the Big 12 standings remain in play, with as many as five teams still capable of claiming second place, Oklahoma State is more interested in the bottom.
Avoiding the bottom.
In the nine-team Big 12, eight teams qualify for the conference tournament, which is set to open Wednesday at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark.
One team stays home.
The Cowboys, of course, prefer to play, despite the rash of injuries that have compromised their roster and this season. No knock on Kansas State, but missing the tournament plays very differently for OSU, a proud program less than 12 months removed from a College World Series run and a local presence expected and needed in Bricktown.