Oklahoma State Cowgirls Get in as No. 8 Seed Heading to Indiana for March Madness

STILLWATER – A few weeks ago when the bracketology started in college basketball the Oklahoma State Cowgirls were projected in from almost the begininng. That is the start of bracketology. Back in October the Big 12 coaches poll had the Cowgirls and first-year head coach Jacie Hoyt ninth in the conference. At the start of bracketology ESPN’s Charlie Creme had OSU heading to Columbia, SC as a nine seed where a win would run them into the overal top No. 1 seed South Carolina. Now, 21-11, 10-8 in the Big 12 Conference and 11-3 in non conference games and a semifinalist in the recently completed Big 12 Tournament, the Cowgirls are a No. 8 seed and heading to Bloomington, Ind. and a much more manageable, but still difficult track that would include No. 1 seed Indiana.

Hoyt and the Cowgirls gathered inside Gallagher-Iba Arena with friends, family, fans, and some media to listen to the announcement that put the Cowgirls in Bloomington to face Miami, Fla. in the first round. 

Miami, Fla. finished the season with a 19-12 overall record and reached the ACC Tournament quarterfinals for the fifth time in the last eight seasons. Miami defeated a trio of top-25 opponents earlier this year in No. 9/10 Virginia Tech, No. 19/24 Florida State and No. 22/18 North Carolina.

Here is a brief look at the match-up between the Cowgirls and the Hurricanes that will come off on March 18.

Miami Athletics

Haley Cavinder (14 and Hanna (15)

Yes, Oklahoma State will be facing the social media and influencer sensations the Cavinder twins in leading scorer Haley and her sister, Hanna. The transfers from Fresno State are pretty famous without a basketball in their hand. 

Miami had best get the most out of the twins as their financial relationship with a donor recently put the Miami program on NCAA probation, albeit a light penalty that the NCAA backed up by writing in the decision that future transgressions may not be punished as lightly.

Oklahoma State’s team is all about the grind and looking up and down both the game results and the stats from both squads, I’d have to put the Cowgirls in the favorites role to beat Miami, Fla. and likely play top seed Indiana in the second round game.