Jacie Hoyt and the Oklahoma State Cowgirls cap off a great February with a senior night win against the Jayhawks — now poised for deep Big 12 tourney run
STILLWATER, Okla. — The Oklahoma State Cowgirls closed out their regular season in fitting fashion on Saturday evening, defeating the Kansas Jayhawks 70-56 in front of an energetic crowd at Gallagher-Iba Arena.
The victory on Senior Night not only honored the team’s departing players but also solidified OSU’s strong momentum heading into postseason play. With the win, the Cowgirls finished the year at 23-8 overall and 12-6 in Big 12 action, while Kansas concluded at 18-12 and 8-10 in the conference.
The game started competitively, with both teams trading baskets early in the first quarter. However, OSU pulled away with a decisive 14-5 run in the latter half, sparked by a three-pointer from Amari Whiting and capped by free throws from Jadyn Wooten.
The Cowgirls led 20-13 at the end of the period. Kansas mounted a push in the second quarter via interior scoring, but Wooten’s timely buckets kept the Jayhawks at bay.
OSU entered halftime up 40-28, with Wooten leading all scorers with 12 points and pacing the team in assists.
The third quarter saw Kansas narrow the gap to single digits multiple times, but forward Achol Akot dominated inside, scoring 12 of her points in the paint to restore double-digit leads. The Cowgirls extended their advantage to 62-46 heading into the final frame.
The fourth quarter was a defensive slog, with the teams combining for just 18 points as OSU controlled possession and limited Kansas’ opportunities. A late free throw by the Jayhawks set the final margin.
This performance capped an impressive February for the Cowgirls, who went 6-3 during the month. OSU kicked off February with an 88-69 rout of Arizona on the 1st, followed by a narrow 74-69 loss to Arizona State on the 4th.
They bounced back with convincing wins over UCF (81-58 on the 7th), Texas Tech (75-65 on the 14th), and Utah (73-55 on the 16th). A 70-61 setback against Kansas State on the 10th and a loss against West Virginia were their only blemishes. but they closed strong with an 88-77 road victory at Iowa State on the 25th before Saturday’s triumph.
This hot streak helped OSU climb to fourth place in the Big 12 standings, behind TCU (14-3), West Virginia (13-4), and Baylor (13-4), while surpassing teams like Texas Tech and Colorado.
The surge has significantly boosted their NCAA Tournament prospects, with projections now placing them as a 7- or 8-seed, a marked improvement from earlier in the season when they hovered in the 7-9 range with a NET ranking around 29.
Their 16-1 home record this year, including a staggering 33-2 mark over the past two seasons, shows just how Gallagher-Iba has become an orange fortress.
For OSU, Akot and Wooten led the charge with 18 points each. Akot was efficient at 9-of-12 from the field, adding nine rebounds (two offensive), two assists, two steals, and a block in 31 minutes.
Wooten shot 8-of-13, dishing out a game-high seven assists alongside four rebounds and a steal in 34 minutes.
Guard Stailee Heard contributed 16 points on 6-of-12 shooting, including 3-of-8 from beyond the arc, with five rebounds, two assists, and four steals in a team-high 39 minutes.
Whiting rounded out the double-digit scorers with 10 points, four rebounds, four assists, and three steals.
The Cowgirls shot 48% from the field (30-of-62), 24% from three (7-of-29), and 60% from the line (3-of-5), while forcing 17 Kansas turnovers into 11 steals and holding a 30-30 rebounding edge.
Kansas’ offense was powered by forward Jaliya Davis, who poured in a game-high 24 points on 10-of-14 shooting and 4-of-4 free throws, adding four rebounds, two assists, three steals, and two blocks in 31 minutes.
Guard S’Mya Nichols added 12 points on 5-of-7 shooting, including 2-of-4 from three, with three rebounds and two assists.
Regan Williams chipped in nine points, four rebounds, and three assists. The Jayhawks matched OSU’s 48% field goal shooting (24-of-50) but struggled from deep at 13% (2-of-16) and committed 17 turnovers against just six steals.
With the regular season now complete, the Cowgirls shift focus to the Big 12 Tournament in Kansas City, set for March 5-10.
As the fourth seed, OSU could leverage their February form for a deep run, potentially facing lower-seeded opponents early and building confidence.
A strong showing, perhaps advancing to the semifinals or beyond, could elevate their NCAA seeding further, positioning them for a favorable first-round matchup and a shot at advancing past last year’s early exit.
Under coach Jacie Hoyt, this squad has shown the toughness and balance to make noise in March, combining veteran experience with emerging talent for what could be a memorable postseason. Here’s hoping.