The Cowgirls' Slow Start Cripples Any Chance Of An Upset

Oklahoma State's season comes to a close after a blowout loss to UCLA.

Mar 23, 2026; Los Angeles, CA, USA; UCLA Bruins guard Kiki Rice (1) is defended by Oklahoma State Cowboys guard Amari Whiting (1) and forward Achol Akot (11) in the second half at Pauley Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

The Cowgirls could not slay their second-round giant. 

The Oklahoma State Cowgirls took on the No. 1 seed UCLA Bruins in the second round of the NCAA Tournament on Monday night, and it didn’t end well. The Pokes knew it would be an uphill battle, as UCLA had only lost one game all year, and OSU went into the game as a 30-point underdog. 

Although it wasn’t as bad a blowout as expected, the Cowgirls were still run out of the gym, losing 87-68. The Pokes weren’t necessarily outplayed the whole game, but Oklahoma State’s slow start made it impossible to fight its way back. 

UCLA was hot from the opening tip, scoring 21 points in the opening quarter; the Cowgirls, on the other hand, were the exact opposite. OSU only scored six points in the first quarter, and shot a rough 2-14 from the field. 

OSU couldn’t seem to take care of the ball early either, as six of its 11 turnovers came in the opening quarter. Both of these factors caused the Bruins to jump out to an early 15-point lead, a lead they would never surrender. 

The Cowgirls stepped up for the rest of the game, as UCLA would only outscore the Pokes by a total of four points in quarters two through four. Alcohol Akot would lead this surge, scoring a team-high 23 points, as well as Jadyn Wooten, who added 18 for the Cowgirls. 

This, however, would not be enough to surpass the Bruins' explosive offense, led by center Lauren Betts, who scored a career high of 35 points on 78.9% shooting. UCLA couldn’t seem to miss, shooting 52% from the floor and 41% from three. 

The Bruins made their living down low, as they took it to the Cowgirls, scoring 50 points in the paint. This would help UCLA to continuously overpower OSU and would ultimately lead to all hopes of an upset being shattered. 

This loss closes the book on the Cowgirls' fourth season in the Jaycie Hoyt era, but it was sure one to remember. Oklahoma State has made the tournament three times in the past four years and now has another milestone under its belt. 

This year’s Cowgirl squad was the first to win a tournament game since the 2020-21 season, and with only two Cowgirls being seniors, the Pokes look to build on the success in the following year.