A year ago, Oklahoma State was a heavy favorite to win the Big 12 in basketball. As the story goes, OSU did not quite live up to the hype and lost to Kansas in the Big 12 tournament, followed by a loss to Gonzaga during the first round of March Madness.

The 2014 season for Oklahoma State basketball has been labeled as a rebuilding year. Their team is young and inexperienced, losing Marcus Smart and Markel Brown to the NBA draft. Outside of Stillwater, there is not much faith in this squad. According to Christien Sager, that’s all they need.

“People may have their doubts about this season, but I really like the layout of this team, its cohesiveness,” said Sager, a senior studying Electrical Engineering. 

Originally a walk-on, Sagerearned a scholarship and has played quality minutes for the Cowboys the last two years. “This year I want work hard in practice, increase my playing time and make every chance on defense I get,” he said 

The Oklahoma State coaches contacted him toward the end of his senior year and asked if he would like to be preferred walk-on. They were in need of a solid defender with a good motor. That’s exactly what they got.

“I want to make all the defensive hustle plays,” said Sager.    

Like Sager, there are several unproven players with talent. Aside Phil Forte, Le’Bryan Nash, and Michael Cobbins, there are no clear-cut starters. “We lost Marcus and Markel,” Sager said, “but losing those guys forces us to play more as a team which will be really good for us.”   

Despite those personnel losses and doubts surrounding the team, Sager and his teammates believe they can win the Big 12. “Our goal is to win the Big 12 and make the NCAA tournament.” Christien continued, saying Coach Ford is one of the hardest workers he has ever met. “He has done a good job of bringing this team together.”

They've become a close group and welcome a few practical jokes. “The other day at lunch, one of the guys popped Phil (Forte) in the face with his napkin," Sager recalled. "That guy came home to find minnows in his bathtub.”    

The team is light-hearted and young, but still determined as the season approaches. “It has definitely picked up this week," Sager said. "The workouts are getting harder, but we are working very hard.” 

Christien also highlighted a few teams they circled on their schedule. “We are looking forward to playing Kansas State,” Sager continues, “They returned all their players. Kansas is always a big one and Texas should be a great game.”    

Sager is a tutor at Oklahoma State, along with his busy schedule of a tough major and basketball practice. When asked about players he is excited to play in the Big 12, he rattled off names such as Texas freshman Miles Turner, Kansas State's Marcus Foster and Iowa State's Georges Niang. His knowledge of competitors was impressive considering extremely busy schedule, expressing the dedication to film and this basketball team.    

Christien Sager is a perfect example of a hard-working player on this new-look, confident OSU basketball team with the potential to shock everyone this year. Well, everyone outside of Stillwater.