There are some college basketball connections that almost seem too unusual to believe. Oklahoma State and Wisconsin have one of them, and Tuesday’s exhibition provides an opportunity to revisit a game that took place more than four decades ago. The Cowboys will travel to Madison to face Wisconsin at the Kohl Center, bringing together two programs that have met only once in official competition. Their previous meeting occurred December 29, 1983, during a holiday tournament in Dayton, Ohio.
Oklahoma State won that game 89-84, overcoming an outstanding individual performance from Wisconsin’s Scott Roth. The Cowboys received contributions from several players, including a young guard who would eventually become one of the most recognizable coaches in college basketball history. That player was Bill Self, who was still years away from beginning a coaching career that would take him to Kansas and produce multiple national championships.
Before Kansas made him famous, Bill Self was an Oklahoma State guard
Long before becoming one of the most successful coaches in college basketball history, Self played his college basketball at Oklahoma State. He was a member of the Cowboys from 1981 through 1985, developing his understanding of the game before beginning a coaching career that eventually took him to Oral Roberts, Tulsa, Illinois and Kansas. On December 29, 1983, Self was in Oklahoma State’s starting backcourt when the Cowboys faced Wisconsin, and he contributed 12 points and three assists in the 89-84 victory.
Self wasn’t the leading scorer for Oklahoma State that afternoon, but his performance helped the Cowboys overcome an outstanding individual effort from Wisconsin’s Scott Roth. Joe Atkinson led Oklahoma State with 22 points, while five Cowboys finished in double figures. Roth scored 33 points for the Badgers, but Wisconsin couldn’t overcome Oklahoma State’s offensive efficiency during a game that featured impressive shooting from both teams…