ESPN Analyst Predicts Early Exit for Cowgirls in NCAA Tournament

Oklahoma State will have to prove the doubters wrong this weekend.

Oklahoma State coach Jacie Hoyt talks woth an official during a women's college basketball game between the Oklahoma State Cowgirls (OSU) and the Houston Cougars at Gallagher-Iba Arena in Stillwater, Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026. Oklahoma State won 83-52. | BRYAN TERRY/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Oklahoma State is set for NCAA Tournament action, but it must be ready for battle.

On Saturday, OSU will play its first game of the 2026 NCAA Tournament and look to make a surprise run. As the No. 8 seed in the UCLA region, the Cowgirls will have their hands full early, with a matchup against No. 9 Princeton to tip things off.

Viewed as one of the best matchups of the first round, OSU and Princeton could be in a dogfight on Saturday as both teams look to advance to face UCLA in the second round. Virtually a tossup, the Cowgirls aren’t getting the benefit of the doubt from the national media.

While ESPN analyst Charlie Creme basically nailed the Cowgirls’ spot in the tournament, he isn’t taking the Cowgirls to go any further than their first game. In his prediction for every game of the NCAA Tournament, Creme picked Princeton to beat OSU 77-74. 

Although Creme picked against the Cowgirls, it’s clear that one of the top Bracketologists in the country expects OSU to put up a great fight in this first-round battle. In Jacie Hoyt’s fourth season in Stillwater, this will be her third appearance in the NCAA Tournament, and a win over Princeton would be her first NCAA Tournament win with the Cowgirls.

Ultimately, it seems nearly impossible for OSU to make it to the second weekend of the tournament. With a national title contender and No. 1 seed in UCLA awaiting the winner of OSU’s first-round game, there won’t be much pointing in the Cowgirls’ favor in that potential matchup.

Of course, there’s a reason why the games are played on the court and not on paper. OSU is a team with a highly capable offense and a gritty defense, both things that the Cowgirls must use to their advantage against Princeton and beyond. 

While this season hasn’t exactly gone according to plan for OSU, which expected to be at least a dark horse contender in the Big 12, there is still a chance to change how this season is remembered. With plenty of time to digest a crushing loss to Kansas State in the Big 12 Tournament, the Cowgirls should be more than ready to compete against a solid Princeton squad. 

The Cowgirls are far from done this season, but it will be up to them to keep their season alive on Sunday and beyond.