Tournament Preview: Cowgirls Face South Dakota State in First-Round Battle
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The Cowgirls are back in action in the NCAA Tournament.
For the second time in Jacie Hoyt’s three seasons at OSU, the Cowgirls will be in the NCAA Tournament. In 2023, the Cowgirls suffered a heartbreaking loss to Miami in the first round and will soon look to get their first win in the big dance since 2021.
OSU has established itself as one of the top teams in the Big 12 and the entire country this season. At 25-6, this team has a case to be the best in program history. While an NCAA Tournament run would solidify those beliefs, getting out of the first round will be no easy task.
Game Information: No. 7 Oklahoma State (25-6) vs. No. 10 South Dakota State (29-3)
Date/Time: Saturday, March 22 at 2:30 p.m. CT
Where: Gampel Pavillion - Storrs, CT
TV/Streaming: ESPN2
Spread: Oklahoma State -5.5
Total Points: Over/Under 139.5 points
Moneyline: Oklahoma State -260, South Dakota State +200
All betting odds via ESPN Bet
While OSU’s season has been defined by signature wins and bad losses, the Jackrabbits haven’t done much losing at all. Sitting at 29-3, the Summit League champions went unbeaten in conference play and are riding a 19-game winning streak.
With plenty of talent throughout the rotation, SDSU is a popular pick to pull the first-round upset. With Brooklyn Meyer’s dominant inside play producing 17.4 points per game and a variety of good shooters surrounding her, the Jackrabbits are a dangerous team.
However, OSU has plenty of talent on its side as well. Stailee Heard has shown her ability to step up in big moments, putting up 59 points and 25 rebounds across two Big 12 Tournament contests. Alongside Heard, the Cowgirls have Anna Gret Asi and Micah Gray as reliable scoring options. With Tenin Magassa holding down the middle, her play against the Jackrabbits’ inside attack will be critical.
With so much firepower on both sides and an abundance of team success, this would have been a highly touted matchup, even in the regular season. Now, as the stakes are at their highest, these talented teams will battle it out in what should be one of the best games of the opening weekend.
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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.