No. 24 Oklahoma State's Comeback Falls Short in Upset Loss at Houston
The Cowgirls earned a spot in the top 25 and threw it away in their first game as a ranked team.
On Tuesday, No. 24 Oklahoma State lost to Houston 79-76 at the Fertitta Center in Houston. The Cowgirls had been on a roll as of late but couldn’t keep it going against one of the worst teams in the conference.
Entering the matchup, OSU was 14-2 and looking like a serious Big 12 and NCAA Tournament contender. Meanwhile, Houston was 4-12 and yet to win a conference game. Yet, as their paths crossed, it looked to be the opposite.
In the first half, OSU came out flat. After drawing even through the first 10 minutes, the Cowgirls began to lose their edge a bit in the second quarter. The Cowgirls shot only 3-of-11 in the second quarter and managed only 10 points while turning the ball over seven times.
Those turnovers and easy buckets for Houston helped the Cougars take an 11-point lead into halftime. The Cowgirls lost full control in the third quarter.
Riding their good second quarter and looking to win a Big 12 game for the first time, the Cougars opened up a 58-32 lead near the end of the third quarter. However, the Cowgirls would still battle back.
After cutting their deficit to 20 entering the fourth quarter, OSU steadily climbed back into the game and had it within 10 for much of the final couple of minutes.
Still trailing by a few possessions, OSU made a push in the final minute. With 15 seconds left, Stailee Heard’s 3-pointer cut the lead down to three. Choosing not to foul, OSU opted to try and force a turnover and did. Heard’s steal with five seconds left gave the Cowgirls a chance, but her 3-point shot at the buzzer wouldn’t drop to secure the victory for Houston.
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