Cowgirl Basketball's Dominant Season Opener Could be Sign of Things to Come

Oklahoma State made a clear statement in its season opener.

After having one of the best seasons in program history, Jacie Hoyt and the Cowgirls entered this season with some of the highest expectations OSU has ever seen. Coming into the year No. 22 in the preseason AP poll, the Cowgirls have some respect in the national college basketball picture as well.

Given everything that the Cowgirls are hoping to accomplish on the hardwood this season, it’s no surprise how well OSU played in its first matchup. Tipping off the season on Monday night against New Orleans in Gallagher-Iba Arena, OSU won 109-48.

The Cowgirls dominated this one from start to finish, beginning the game on a 15-2 run and never looking back. In just about every facet, OSU dominated against New Orleans, but a few areas stood out.

For starters, the Cowgirls had 21 turnovers. While that is a number far higher than OSU would like, it also forced 24 and, most importantly, still found a way to win by 61 points even after throwing away 21 possessions.

Of course, that type of performance won’t work out when conference play begins. Still, finding a way to dominate on opening night when the offense is turning it over like that is an encouraging sign.

Another intriguing piece of this game was OSU’s shot diet. While 40 3-point attempts isn’t necessarily a foreign concept for Hoyt’s squad, only getting 12 free-throw attempts could be a concern if that’s a lasting trend. In any case, OSU’s blistering marks from deep (43%) and the field (55%) don’t leave many real concerns about the offense.

If the Cowgirls can continue to put up points and win games in this fashion against inferior opponents, this season could be just as special as this opening performance.

Last season, the Cowgirls went 25-7 and were arguably the biggest surprise in the Big 12 and one of the biggest surprises in the country. While the Cowgirls were bounced in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, there was a clear foundation laid for the future of OSU women’s basketball, and part of that foundation is on display tonight.

To put OSU’s 109-point outing in perspective, the Cowgirls only managed to hit the 100-point mark twice in 32 games last season. While the team was still well short of last season’s high, a 125-point night against Alabama State, having a game like this to begin the year is a big accomplishment.