Cowgirls Pick Up Postseason Awards from Big 12 Coaches, Littel Coach of the Year
IRVING, Texas – Oklahoma State’s women’s basketball team collected an impressive haul of All-Big 12 hardware with the announcement of the league’s all-conference honors on Wednesday. In addition to head coach Jim Littell, four players received recognition from the league’s head coaches.
In addition to Littell, senior Natasha Mack, junior Ja’Mee Asberry as well as freshmen Taylen Collins and Lexy Keys were all recognized for their work on the hardwood.
For the second time in his 10 seasons at the helm, Littell was named the Big 12’s coach of the year. After being picked to finish eighth in the league’s preseason poll, Littell guided the Cowgirls to a share of second place and a program-best 13 league wins. Overall, OSU sports a 17-7 mark entering this week’s Big 12 Championship.
Littell also claimed the honor in 2016 to become the first Cowgirl head coach to receive the distinction.
Senior Natasha Mack was named the league’s top defensive player, marking the second time in program history a Cowgirl has earned the honor. Additionally, Mack was named a unanimous first-team All-Big 12 pick. Her selection marks the ninth time since 2013 OSU has had a player named to the team unanimously.
Mack joins Brittney Martin (2016) as Cowgirl recipients of the league’s top defensive honor. Additionally, she was named unanimously to the league’s all-defensive team, making her just the second player in program history to be named to the team multiple times. She joins Martin, who was honored in 2015 and 2016.
Named a second-team All-American by Sports Illustrated earlier this week, Mack’s recognition adds to a bevy of honors which includes a spot on the Wooden Award National Ballot, as well as being named a finalist for the Katrina McClain Award, a semifinalist for the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year Award, appearing on the Naismith Award Midseason Team and the Wade Trophy Watch List.
The Lufkin, Texas native is currently tops in the league in rebounding (12.3 rpg) and blocks (4.0 bpg), third in field-goal percentage (.524), fourth in steals (2.0 spg) and seventh in scoring (19.8 ppg).
Asberry was honored for the first time in her career, earning second-team status. The junior from Tulsa, Okla., finished the regular season as the league’s top 3-point shooter at 45 percent, including a 52 percent clip in league play. Asberry also ranked in the top 10 in scoring (17.1 ppg), assists (3.9 apg) and assist-turnover ratio (1.84).
A pair of Cowgirls were named to the league’s all-freshman squad with Taylen Collins and Lexy Keys both receiving the distinction. The selection marks the first time in program history OSU has had a pair of freshmen named to the squad in the same season.
Collins ranks as one of the league’s top 20 rebounders at 5.0 boards per game and is sixth with her 2.0 steals per contest. The Muldrow, Okla., native is averaging 6.7 points per contest while shooting 55 percent from the floor.
Keys was named the league’s freshman of the week on two occasions this season. The Tahlequah, Okla., native is averaging 7.3 points per outing and 2.6 assists per game.