Mountaineers’ tough defense aggravated Oklahoma State all afternoon leading to the Cowgirls worst shooting performance of the season
MORGANTOWN, WV — In a lopsided Big 12 matchup on Saturday afternoon in Morgantown, the Oklahoma State Cowgirls suffered a blowout 72-40 defeat at the hands of the No. 19 West Virginia Mountaineers.
The loss dropped the Cowgirls to 21-8 overall and 10-6 in conference play, adding to their ongoing struggles away from home despite a relatively successful season that has positioned them as a likely NCAA Tournament team.
The Cowgirls, who entered the game with a potent offense averaging over 83 points per contest, were stifled by West Virginia’s aggressive defense from the opening tip.
Oklahoma State shot a dismal 23% from the field (15-of-65) and just 19% from beyond the arc (5-of-26), marking their worst shooting performance of the season.
Their inefficiency was evident across the board. Leading scorer Stailee Heard managed 13 points but went 4-of-14 from the field and 2-of-7 from three, while grabbing a team-high eight rebounds.
Micah Gray, typically a reliable shooter, struggled mightily with just three points on 1-of-14 shooting, including 1-of-9 from deep.
Haleigh Timmer added seven points (2-of-9 FG, 1-of-5 3PT), Amari Whiting contributed six points and eight rebounds (3-of-9 FG), and Achol Akot chipped in six points (3-of-10 FG).
Lena Girardi rounded out the scoring with five points off the bench (2-of-8 FG). The team managed only six assists against 16 turnovers, underscoring their disjointed play under pressure.
West Virginia, improving to 22-6 and 12-4 in the Big 12, dominated on both ends, shooting 51% from the field (29-of-57) and 43% from three (12-of-28). The Mountaineers outrebounded Oklahoma State 46-37 and dished out 21 assists while forcing 16 turnovers that led to 17 points.
Gia Cooke led all scorers with 21 points, knocking down 5-of-10 threes on 7-of-15 shooting overall, adding three rebounds and two assists.
Kierra Wheeler posted a double-double with 18 points (9-of-14 FG) and 10 rebounds, plus four assists. Jordan Harrison contributed 12 points (5-of-8 FG, 2-of-5 3PT), seven assists, and five steals, showcasing her all-around impact. Sydney Shaw added nine points (3-of-5 FG, 3-of-4 3PT) before exiting with a head injury in the third quarter.
Carter McCray grabbed eight rebounds to go with four points and four assists.
The game unfolded as a defensive masterclass for the Mountaineers, who jumped out to an 8-0 lead and never relinquished control.
They shot 20-of-30 (67%) in the first half, including 9-of-16 from three, building a 49-23 halftime advantage with a 12-0 run to close the second quarter.
Oklahoma State, missing injured guard Jadyn Wooten (averaging 12.1 points and 5.1 assists), couldn’t find rhythm against WVU’s press, committing nine first-half turnovers and shooting 9-of-30 (30%).
The third quarter was particularly brutal for the Cowgirls, who scored just five points on 2-of-17 shooting as West Virginia extended the lead to 62-28.
The Mountaineers coasted in the fourth, securing a win that clinched them a top-four seed in the Big 12 Tournament.
This setback isn’t new and is poor road performances are persistent issue for Oklahoma State and head coach Jacie Hoyt.
Despite a strong 21-8 record and top-five standing in the Big 12, the Cowgirls have gone just 4-6 away from Gallagher-Iba Arena this season, with losses in environments like Morgantown, noting that being a tough out on the road isn’t a Cowgirl strong suit.
If the Cowgirls aspire to make a deep NCAA Tournament push, potentially their first Sweet 16 appearance since 2018, they’ll need to address these road woes to perform better outside the friendly confines of Gallagher-Iba Arena.
Looking ahead, Oklahoma State will aim to rebound on Wednesday, February 25, when they travel to Ames to face Iowa State.
Meanwhile, West Virginia heads south for their next contest, taking on UCF in Orlando on the same day.
Both games carry implications for tournament seeding as the regular season winds down.