Can Tulsa Loss Spark Another Oklahoma State Turnaround?

STILLWATER, Okla. -  Eric Morris hasn't forgotten what happened against Tulsa. In fact, he still watches the film every week.

The Oklahoma State football coach continues revisiting the Cowboys' disappointing loss to the Golden Hurricane, using it as a reminder of what his team looked like at its worst. That defeat became an early turning point for a program trying to establish its identity under a new coaching staff and a significantly rebuilt roster.

Now, Oklahoma State women's basketball coach Jacie Hoyt has a Tulsa tape of her own. The No. 19 Cowgirls suffered their first loss of the season Thursday night, falling 64-62 in overtime to Tulsa in a game that exposed more than just poor shooting. And listening to Hoyt afterward, the similarities between the two Oklahoma State programs were difficult to ignore.

When Tulsa defeated Oklahoma State football 24-10 earlier this season, Morris was still trying to bring together a roster filled with new faces. The Cowboys struggled to execute, and the loss raised questions about how quickly the program could turn things around.

But Morris and his team responded. Oklahoma State has since become bowl eligible, entered the College Football Playoff rankings and established itself as a contender in the Big 12. Through that turnaround, Morris has continued watching the Tulsa film each week, reminding himself of the version of Oklahoma State he never wants to see again.

Hoyt now finds herself facing a similar challenge. Her Cowgirls entered Thursday's game undefeated and nationally ranked, but Tulsa exposed problems that went well beyond their 33.3% shooting performance.

"Tulsa played really, really well and clearly they came out very motivated," Hoyt said afterward. "We were not as motivated as we needed to be and that starts with me."

Hoyt also acknowledged that her team hasn't fully grasped the expectations that come with being nationally ranked.

"There's a lack of understanding of the target on our back and I need to communicate that better," she said.

It's a striking admission from a coach whose team entered the season with considerable expectations as the favorites in the Big 12. 

Perhaps the most revealing part of Hoyt's postgame comments came when she addressed the Cowgirls' inability to execute in critical moments. Oklahoma State rallied from a seven-point overtime deficit to tie the game at 62, but a late turnover on an inbound pass prevented the Cowgirls from getting a final shot.

"You have to give yourself a chance and we didn't give ourselves that," Hoyt said. "A turnover, that's losing basketball."

She also pointed to the challenge of building chemistry with a roster that has spent relatively little time playing together.

"As talented as we are right now, we're trying to figure out how to win. Figuring out how to play together," Hoyt said.

That sentiment sounds familiar to anyone who followed Oklahoma State football's early-season struggles. Morris inherited a program coming off a difficult season and needed time to establish chemistry, accountability and consistency with a new group.

Hoyt is facing her own version of that process. The Cowgirls have the talent to compete with nationally ranked opponents, but Thursday demonstrated that talent alone won't overcome missed assignments, poor execution and a lack of urgency.

"We got outplayed, outhustled and did not make winning plays," Hoyt said.

She specifically cited failures to box out on free throws and win loose-ball situations. Those are the details that can determine the outcome of a two-point game.

The question now is whether Oklahoma State women's basketball can respond the way its football counterpart did. And the upcoming schedule won't provide many opportunities to ease into that process.

The Cowgirls face challenging road matchups against South Dakota State and South Carolina, along with a Thanksgiving tournament that includes Washington. Those games will provide a clearer indication of how quickly Hoyt's team can address the problems Tulsa exposed.

A victory over a strong opponent could restore confidence. A sustained winning streak could make Thursday's defeat look like an early lesson rather than a warning sign. But there are no guarantees.

Football's turnaround is already established. The women's basketball team still has to demonstrate that it can make similar adjustments. Hoyt understands the urgency.

"All we can do at this point is take a look in the mirror," she said, emphasizing that the coaching staff must improve its preparation while the players develop a better understanding of what winning requires. She also acknowledged that Oklahoma State's path isn't getting any easier.

There's something remarkable about Tulsa handing both Oklahoma State football and women's basketball their first losses of the season. But the more interesting connection isn't the opponent. It's what those losses revealed.

For Morris, Tulsa exposed the worst version of his team and became a reminder that has accompanied the Cowboys throughout their resurgence. For Hoyt, Tulsa exposed a talented roster still learning how to compete together when the stakes rise.

The similarities are there. Whether the results follow the same path remains to be seen. Eric Morris still watches the Tulsa tape to remember the worst version of his team. Jacie Hoyt now has a tape of her own.

What happens next will determine whether it becomes just another disappointing loss or the turning point Oklahoma State needed.