Game Preview: No. 24 Cowgirls Back at Home for Matchup vs. Colorado
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The Cowgirls are back home following a two-game trip to Utah.
Over the past week, Oklahoma State has had a rollercoaster of a swing. After falling to BYU in a tight contest on Saturday, OSU responded with a win against a Utah team that is neck and neck with the Cowgirls in the standings.
The 1-1 trip to Utah was less than ideal for OSU, but avoiding an 0-2 mark was enough to keep the Cowgirls afloat for a bye in the first two rounds of the Big 12 Tournament. Of course, to get there, OSU will need to continue to take care of business against some solid opponents in the final weeks.
Game Information: No. 24 Oklahoma State (21-5, 11-4 Big 12) vs. Colorado (17-9, 8-7)
Date/Time: Saturday, Feb. 21 at 2 p.m. CT
Where: Gallagher-Iba Arena - Stillwater, OK
TV/Streaming: ESPN+
The Cowgirls have been a surprise team in the Big 12 this season and have proven themselves to be a conference contender. Meanwhile, Colorado’s first season back in the conference has been up and down, but the Buffaloes are still in the mix to make another trip to the NCAA Tournament.
While Colorado has had a solid season, it has struggled to replicate its performance in 2023-24. At one point, the Buffaloes held a top-five ranking and started the season 20-3. Including an early season win over the Cowgirls in Boulder, the Buffaloes’ impressive season ended with a Sweet 16 loss to Caitlin Clark’s Iowa team.
As Colorado sits in the middle of the pack in the Big 12, it is looking to get a signature win to boost its NCAA Tournament resume, and a road win against a ranked team could be its ticket in. Of course, the Cowgirls still have plenty of goals to reach this season, and another home win is the next step in that journey.
Among other goals, getting Stailee Heard back in rhythm is key for the Cowgirls. After combining for nine points on 12 shots and nine turnovers in two games against BYU and Utah, the Cowgirls’ leading scorer could be in for a bounce-back performance. If she can get back on track, OSU should be able to begin building a win streak as the regular season winds down.
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Ivan is a sports media student at Oklahoma State University. He has covered OSU athletics since 2022 and also covers the OKC Thunder for Inside The Thunder and Thunderous Intentions.