Oklahoma State’s Big 12 schedule is set for a highly anticipated season. The Cowgirls open league play Dec. 20 at Kansas, while two matchups with Iowa State stand out as star transfer Audi Crooks prepares to face her former team, including a Jan. 9 return to Ames.
STILLWATER — One of the most anticipated seasons in recent Oklahoma State women's basketball history now has its Big 12 roadmap.
The conference released its 2026-27 schedule Thursday, completing an 18-game league slate for Jacie Hoyt and the Cowgirls that begins Dec. 20 at Kansas and concludes Feb. 27 against Iowa State at Gallagher-Iba Arena.
Oklahoma State will play home-and-home series against Kansas, Colorado and Iowa State while facing each of the Big 12's other 12 programs once.
And among all those matchups, the two meetings with Iowa State immediately stand out. Star center Audi Crooks will face her former team twice during her first season in Stillwater after spending the first three years of her college career with the Cyclones.
Audi Crooks Gets Two Games Against Former Team
Oklahoma State travels to Ames on Jan. 9 before welcoming Iowa State to Gallagher-Iba Arena for the regular-season finale on Feb. 27. Both games will feature Crooks facing the program where she developed into one of the most dominant players in college basketball.
Crooks scored 2,256 points during three seasons at Iowa State, finishing second in program history, while her 22.8 points per game rank first in Cyclone history. She was a three-time unanimous First-Team All-Big 12 selection and earned All-America recognition in all three seasons.
Her final season in Ames was her best statistically. Crooks averaged 25.8 points and 7.7 rebounds per game while shooting 64.9% from the field, finishing second nationally in both scoring and field-goal percentage.
She then entered the transfer portal and made the move within the Big 12 to Oklahoma State, where she became the centerpiece of the nation's unanimous No. 1 transfer class.
That makes the Jan. 9 trip to Ames one of the most intriguing games on OSU's schedule. Crooks will return to Hilton Coliseum for the first time as an opponent before getting another shot at the Cyclones when Iowa State comes to Stillwater for the regular-season finale.
Early Homestand Highlights Conference Opening
Before that first Iowa State matchup, OSU will begin Big 12 play Dec. 20 at Kansas. The Cowgirls then receive a nine-day holiday break before beginning a three-game homestand against Arizona on Dec. 30, West Virginia on Jan. 3 and Colorado on Jan. 6.
After traveling to Iowa State, OSU returns home to face Kansas on Jan. 13 before heading west for consecutive road games against BYU on Jan. 16 and Utah on Jan. 19.
The middle portion of the schedule includes home dates with Cincinnati and TCU followed by road games at Houston and UCF. Arizona State visits Gallagher-Iba Arena on Feb. 7 before OSU travels to Colorado on Feb. 10.
Challenging Finish Awaits Cowgirls
The final weeks of the regular season could prove important as Oklahoma State attempts to position itself for the postseason. Kansas State visits Stillwater on Feb. 15 before the Cowgirls embark on their final road trip.
OSU visits Baylor on Feb. 21 and Texas Tech on Feb. 24 before returning home for that Feb. 27 finale against Iowa State.
The Big 12 Tournament follows March 3-7/8 in Kansas City. A spot where the Cowgirls could find themselves playing for a conference title.
Expectations Continue to Build
The conference schedule arrives with expectations continuing to rise around Hoyt's program. OSU finished 24-10 and 12-6 in Big 12 play last season, securing its third top-five conference finish in Hoyt's four seasons. The Cowgirls also reached their third NCAA Tournament under Hoyt and earned the program's first NCAA Tournament victory since 2021.
Then came an offseason roster overhaul. Crooks headlines a transfer class that was unanimously ranked No. 1 nationally. OSU also added All-American guard Liv McGill, along with Ellie Brueggemann, Yuting Deng, Nene Ndiaye, Talexa Weeter, LA Sneed and Zoe Canfield.
Three-time All-Big 12 performer Stailee Heard also returns. That combination has made Oklahoma State one of the country's most anticipated teams entering 2026-27.
Now the Cowgirls know their path through the Big 12. And two dates in particular — Jan. 9 in Ames and Feb. 27 in Stillwater — will come with an added storyline as Crooks goes up against the program she starred for before becoming a Cowgirl.
