For the Oklahoma State Cowboys basketball team, the season opener is just around the corner.

On Monday, the Cowboys will host the Incarnate Word Cardinals in their season opener and the first of 14 non-conference games.

For the next two months, the Cowboys are in the mode of figuring out what their team will look like in Big 12 play. For now, let’s look at their projected starting lineup and their projected bench rotation. Plus, what’s left to settle?

Starting Five

G Kanye Clary

Let's start with the obvious, assuming Kanye Cleary can play, he'll be in the starting lineup. The holdover point guard from last year averaged 10.6 points and 4.8 assists and he knows Lutz's offensive philosophy and schemes better than anyone. The only question is whether he'll play the opener? Clary has missed the last two games with a groin injury. He’s practicing, but Lutz doesn’t want to rush him back.

But, once he’s healthy, he’s in there.

G Kashie Natt

Whether Clary can or cannot play, Kashie Natt should start. Without Clary, he’s the point guard. With Clary, he’s like a second point guard on the floor with unique skills Clary doesn’t have. Natt averaged 10.8 points, 8.2 rebounds and 2.4 assists last season at Sam Houston. He’s the rare guard at 6-3 that can rebound like a forward. He’s also a capable defender. That skill set will keep him on the floor whether Clary is healthy or not.

G Jacob Walker

From there, based on experienced, Jacob Walker will probably get the third guard role. It's interesting because the Cowboys had given freshman Anthony Felisi a lot of run in the three scrimmages and he's played well. But Walker figures to be the more consistent option early. And he's proven, at least in the short term, to be the better 3-point shooter. Walker averaged 11.5 ppg last year at Sam Houston and shot 36% from the arc.

F Jordan Burks

The frontcourt is a little bit easier to project. Jordan Burks got on the court in the final exhibition game against Wisconsin and figures to be the starter at power forward. You don't bring a player like him in through the portal and not start him if he's healthy. He was a 37.5% 3-point shooter a year ago and he averaged 13.3 points and 4.8 rebounds last year for UCF.

C Julius Halaifonua

The seven-footer is going to be in the pivot from the first game of the season for the Cowboys. He comes to the program after transferring in from Georgetown and averaging 9.5 points and 4.4 rebounds last season. He was OSU’s leading scorer in the Wisconsin scrimmage. The Cowboys hope to see a boost in his rebounding numbers.

Bench

It wouldn't be a surprise to see four or five players off the bench. Here’s a look at what that rotation could look like.

F Andrija Grbovic

Halaifonua Is going to need a break for anywhere from 10 to 15 minutes per game and Grbovic figures to be that primary relief. He's more of a stretch forward who can step out and shoot a basket, even from the three-point line but he can also get inside, grab rebounds and defend. I saw him play against Texas Tech last year and I was impressed. He has more development ahead. He averaged 6.8 points and 2.9 rebounds last season.

G Anthony Felisi

No true freshman has gotten more playing time in the exhibition season than Felisi. He's a talented scorer and rebounder and Lutz clearly believes that he has the goods to be a contributing player early. If Clary can’t play, Felisi could start. The way he rebounds off the perimeter makes him a great compliment for Natt. I could see the two of them flipping in and out of the lineup constantly when the team is healthy.

F Latrell Allmond

Latrell Allmond hasn't gotten as much playing time as Felisi, but you don't bring a four-star player like him to campus and not use him. I think early the Cowboys are going to be judicious with him early. I could see him getting 10 to 15 minutes a game and he could spell Jordan Burks off the bench. Allmond may need a bit more time to acclimiate to college. He figures to be a real shot in the arm In Big 12 play.

G Luka Bogavac

The North Carolina transfer didn't play in the final exhibition game against Wisconsin, but Lutz said he’s trending toward playing in Monday’s opener.  The Cowboys know what he can do. He's a talented shooter who can give them instant offense behind the arc and that's worth 10 to 15 minutes a game. His level of defensive talent will determine how much more playing time he gets beyond being an offensive shot in the arm.

F Mekhi Ragland

Whatever time Halaifonua and Grbovic don’t get will go to Ragland, who is a holdover center from last season and got additional time after Parsa Fallah’s injury.

What’s Left to Answer

When Will Parsa Fallah Return?

The Cowboys center thought his career was over after he tore his ACL in February. But he's eligible through a lawsuit challenging the NCAA’s age-based eligibility rule — at least for now. But he’s not ready to play yet. He’s still rehabbing from the injury. He told me at Big 12 media days in Kansas City that he’s hoping to be back sometime in December, which is right on schedule for his injury.

Can This Group Play Defense?

Lutz considers defense to be the biggest separator between this team being a good team and this team being an NCAA Tournament team. His focus is on getting the Cowboys back to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in five years.

Oklahoma State was one of the worst teams in the conference in scoring defense last year, giving up more than 84 points per game. The averaged went up to 85 points a game in Big 12 games. Lutz has not been happy with the team's overall defense in his three exhibition games, but he believes they have the makings of being a good defensive team.

The thing to track early, especially against the three high-major opponents, is how the Cowboys do defending on ball, defensive rebounding transition defense. They've got to bring some teams back down to earth defensively or all the offense in the world won't matter.