Cowgirl Basketball Set for Quarterfinal Matchup Against Kansas State

OSU will be looking to begin its Big 12 Tournament run on a high note.

Mar 22, 2025; Storrs, Connecticut, USA; Oklahoma State Cowgirls head coach Jacie Hoyt watches from the sideline as they take on the South Dakota State Jackrabbits at Harry A. Gampel Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images | David Butler II-Imagn Images

The Cowgirls’ first matchup of the postseason is set.

Over the past couple of days, the Big 12 Tournament has been in full swing, with the first rounds featuring some exciting games and intriguing results. That is sure to continue on Friday, with Oklahoma State tipping things off with an 11 a.m. matchup against Kansas State.

The 12th-seeded Wildcats weren’t exactly the favorite to make their way into the quarterfinals, but a couple of solid performances has given Kansas State a date with OSU. Of the three teams OSU possibly could have faced in the quarterfinals, the Wildcats were the only ones to beat OSU in the regular season, winning the teams’ lone matchup in Manhattan.

Of course, the postseason is a different animal. While Kansas State managed to upset Texas Tech on Thursday, OSU will be the favorite for Friday’s matchup as it enters the game more rested and likely ready to avenge its previous loss.

Whoever wins this matchup on Friday will be set for a Saturday semifinal matchup against the winner of TCU and BYU. With the 12th-seeded Wildcats already helping clear a path for the Cowgirls, a deep run in the conference tournament could be well within reach for OSU.

Entering the Big 12 Tournament, OSU has a clear opportunity to put some finishing touches on an up-and-down season and carry some momentum into the NCAA Tournament. With the big dance looming again for Jacie Hoyt’s team, the end of this week into the weekend could have a significant impact on where the Cowgirls land in that discussion.

Currently projected to be somewhere around the 8 seed line by most, the Cowgirls could be in the mix to move up and get some more favorable matchups in the first round and beyond. In Hoyt’s fourth season at OSU, she will be looking to get her first NCAA Tournament win after a couple of tight first-round exits in her previous appearances in 2023 and 2025. 

With up to three games remaining before awaiting their fate on Selection Sunday, the Cowgirls will look to put together a run that shows they can compete with some of the best in the nation. Regardless of whether a deep run in the conference tournament is enough to move them up in the seeding, simply gaining some confidence could be the key to not only winning a game in the NCAA Tournament but potentially fighting their way out of the first weekend.