Lots of Contributions Lead to Cowgirls 68-64 Win Over Utah
Micah Gray hit a key three-pointer late as part of her total of 18 points to give the No. 24 Oklahoma State Cowgirls the lead for good as they went on to beat Utah 68-64. The win for head coach Jacie Hoyt and her team came just several days after a disappointing result at BYU by the same score of 68-64. The Cowgirls split their Utah swing 1-1. It leaves them in a tie for fourth place with Utah and West Viriginia. All three teams are 11-4 in Big 12 play. Oklahoma State and West Virginia are 21-5 overall on the season while Utah is 20-6.
“I’m so pround of our team for gutting it out and getting a win tonight,” Hoyt said. “I have so much respect for Utah and how they play the game. This is a tough court and they play really well at home. Coming off a loss like we were, a tough loss, that is so tough to come back and win especially on the road against a team like Utah. This was high level basketball played tonight.”
Leading scorer for Oklahoma State on the season, Stailee Heard only scored 4 points, a season low for her as she came in avergaing 16 points a game. Gray had four three pointers and Praise Egharevba had 10 points and 11 rebounds, and Anna Gret Asi added 15 points, eight coming at the free-throw line for Oklahoma State.
Gray’s threes came in the second half with one late in the third quarter to make it 56-50 with Utah leading. The Utes had led throughout the second and third quarters. Gray added two deep shots in the opening three minutes of the fourth to give Oklahoma State its first lead, 59-58, since it was 32-30. Gray added another three with 2:16 remaining to end a four-minute scoring drought and give Oklahoma State a 64-62 lead.
Egharevba grabbed her second offensive rebound of a late possession and was fouled while making a shot with 31.8 seconds left. She made the free throw to extend the Cowgirls' lead to 67-64.
Oklahoma State returns home to play Colorado on Saturday. Utah plays at Cincinnati on Sunday.