Game Preview: Cowgirls Set for Ranked Matchup at West Virginia
The Cowgirls are having one of the best seasons in program history and could get another signature win.
After beating No. 9 TCU last week, Oklahoma State surged back into the top 25, earning the No. 24 spot for the second time in three weeks. While the team lost its first game as a top 25 team, it didn’t have the same issues this week, handily beating Arizona State on Wednesday.
Now, the Cowgirls’ attention turns to an opponent they have already beaten this season. Not only did OSU beat West Virginia in the teams’ first matchup, but that victory catapulted OSU into the AP poll for the first time since 2018. While the first game pushed the Cowgirls into the rankings, the second game could push OSU higher with a win.
Game Information: No. 24 Oklahoma State (18-3, 8-2 Big 12) vs. No. 21 West Virginia (16-4, 6-3)
Date/Time: Saturday, Feb. 1 at 11 a.m. CT
Where: WVU Coliseum - Morgantown, WV
TV/Streaming: ESPN+
OSU’s win against West Virginia earlier in the season was far from an easy win, but the Cowgirls did enough to earn a victory, which they have done in a handful of big games. Of course, the Cowgirls’ two signature wins against West Virginia and TCU have come in Gallagher-Iba Arena, which means this matchup marks the first time OSU will face a ranked opponent away from home this season.
While the game might be in a different place, the basketball should be quite similar and the keys to winning should also stay the same. In the first matchup, OSU had a season-high 23 turnovers but did enough in other areas to ensure a win.
However, the Cowgirls can’t afford to cough up the ball so much when they visit Morgantown. Winning a game with 23 turnovers is difficult, but doing so on the road against a ranked team could be nearly impossible.
Along with taking better care of the ball, OSU will need to continue to play lockdown defense against West Virginia. It held the Mountaineers to 20-of-60 shooting from the field, 7-of-26 from outside and forced 18 turnovers in the first matchup. If the Cowgirls can make the game ugly, it could be in their favor.
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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.