How did Cowgirl Basketball Perform Against Potential Quarterfinal Matchups?

OSU is already in the quarterfinals of the conference tournament, and three teams could meet the Cowgirls in Kansas City.

Feb 25, 2026; Ames, Iowa, USA; Oklahoma State Cowboys head coach Jacie Hoyt watches her team play the Iowa State Cyclones in the second half at James H. Hilton Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Reese Strickland-Imagn Images | Reese Strickland-Imagn Images

Oklahoma State has been one of the most interesting teams in the Big 12 this season, and the conference tournament is just around the corner.

On Wednesday, the Big 12 will tip off the women’s basketball tournament, with 16 teams vying for the conference crown. Of course, only one team will end up winning the whole thing, and OSU might be in a solid position to take it all.

While the Cowgirls’ hopes of winning the Big 12 Tournament will almost certainly hinge on beating the top of the top in the conference, such as TCU and Baylor, the Cowgirls’ path to the finish line was made easier by their success in the regular season.

With the conference’s top four teams getting byes for the first two rounds of the Big 12 Tournament, the Cowgirls’ fourth-place regular season finish was good enough to keep them on the sidelines until Friday. In the meantime, a couple of games on Wednesday and Thursday will determine who OSU faces in its first matchup of the postseason.

With three teams potentially facing the Cowgirls in their first matchup in the quarterfinals, let’s break down how OSU fared against those squads this season: 

No. 5 Texas Tech

The fifth-seeded Red Raiders appear to be the likeliest opponent for Jacie Hoyt’s squad to begin the postseason. While both teams finished 12-6 in Big 12 play and Texas Tech is even ranked in the top 25, the Cowgirls secured the double bye thanks to their win over the Red Raiders last month.

In the teams’ only meeting this season, OSU beat Texas Tech 75-65 in Stillwater, with Texas Tech’s 4-of-21 performance from beyond the arc helping the Cowgirls pull the upset.

No. 12 Kansas State

A bit of a long shot to get to the quarterfinals, Kansas State finished the season 8-10 in conference play and would have to get a couple of wins to even face the Cowgirls. However, the Wildcats might have a shot at the semifinals if they can get to OSU, considering they got the best of Hoyt’s squad in the lone matchup, winning 70-61 in Manhattan.

No. 13 Cincinnati

6-12 in conference play this season, the Bearcats are also a long shot to make it to the quarterfinals. Unlike the Wildcats, Cincinnati was unable to get the best of the Cowgirls, falling to OSU 91-63 in the conference opener. So, if the Cowgirls are pulling for anyone in the first two rounds, they’ll be hoping the Bearcats can string together a couple of wins.