SPORTS ILLUSTRATED - Oklahoma State is set for its biggest weekend of nonconference action.

On Saturday, OSU will be at the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City for a doubleheader against Oklahoma. Action will begin at noon with the men’s game before a ranked matchup between the women’s teams takes center stage around 3 p.m.

Coming into this season, there’s no doubt that these games were circled on the calendar for a number of reasons, but the way the early season has unfolded for the Cowboys and Cowgirls has only made Saturday even more important.

For Steve Lutz’s crew, Saturday’s matchup will serve as the latest threat to maintaining a perfect record. Entering the matchup against 6-3 Oklahoma at 9-0, OSU is certainly the favorite, but that unbeaten mark is sure to be tested.

After the Cowboys were dominated in Bedlam last season, this could be an opportunity for a bit of redemption for Lutz and the few players who were around for that matchup. Most importantly, it could be the statement win of Lutz’s second season up to this point.

“Bedlam just means so much to so many people,” Lutz said. “It’s funny how our fans and our friends and people that you know and love and are dear to you, they go, ‘Man, it’s great, coach. You guys are 9-0 and No. 27 in the AP Poll. But if you lose this weekend, nobody really cares about all that other stuff.’” OU is 6-3 on the season, but it presents several defensive challenges for OSU. Guard Nijel Pack enters Saturday averaging 17.2 points alongside three additional Sooners scoring more than 11 points per game.

Although the Sooners aren’t exactly some juggernaut, they are an SEC squad sitting on the NCAA Tournament bubble alongside the Cowboys. Along with simply being a quality win, the Cowboys getting a rivalry win could propel them into the final stages of nonconference play and into their Big 12 slate with loads of confidence.

For the Cowgirls, this will be their first matchup against the Sooners since Oklahoma bolted for the SEC, with last season featuring no matchup between the teams. Now, in Jacie Hoyt’s fourth season at the helm, she’s hoping to get a premier nonconference win for her squad, which has been criticized for a weak nonconference schedule up to this point.

With the Sooners being a No. 9 team in the country and a potential national title contender on the slate in Oklahoma City, there won’t be any criticism about a weak schedule if OSU can prevail as the top women’s basketball team in the state. Much like the men’s squad, a win could serve as a true turning point for the Cowgirls.

With Big 12 play looming, already having a win against a top 10 team could be huge for OSU’s confidence. Not to mention the NCAA Tournament resume boost the Cowgirls would receive from a win, it’s hard to overstate the potential importance of Bedlam for both squads wearing orange this weekend.