Oklahoma

As Oklahoma State basketball continues Big 12 play, what have we learned about Cowgirls?

Published

3 months ago

December 30, 2024

As Oklahoma State basketball continues Big 12 play, what have we learned about Cowgirls?

STILLWATER — The Oklahoma State women’s basketball team opened Big 12 play with an upset of Iowa State before the holiday break.

Now, after 10 days off, OSU will try to recapture that momentum with a road trip to face Baylor at 3 p.m. Wednesday in Waco, Texas.

As the Cowgirls embark on 2025, let’s take a look back at how they got here, with an 11-1 record and a 1-0 start in Big 12 play.

Here are three things we learned about the Cowgirls prior to the new year:

Bombs away from 3-point range

Entering the week, OSU was second nationally in 3-point percentage at 40.3%, and only two teams in the top 15 have attempted more than OSU’s 310 shots from 3-point range.

Micah Gray made 10 3-pointers in one game earlier this season, setting the OSU record.

At one point, Stailee Heard made 13 consecutive 3s over a three-game span, which set the OSU and Big 12 record, coming up one shy of matching the NCAA mark.

In a 76-point win over Alabama State, OSU made 20 3-pointers, which tied the Big 12 record as well.

And this effort isn’t led by one or two players. OSU has six players averaging at least one 3-point attempt per game, and five of them are hitting at least 38.5% or better.

Under third-year coach Jacie Hoyt, the Cowgirls have stressed up-tempo offense and a strong attack from 3-point range, but this team has taken that up a notch. They set the program record for points in a game with 113, then broke it soon after with 125.

Multiple scoring options

On Dec. 6, Heard scored 32 points in the win over Alabama State. With that she became the fourth Cowgirl to score 30 points in a game this season — in the 10th game of the year.

Macey Huard opened the season with a 31-point effort, setting the record for points in a Cowgirl debut. Anna Gret Asi had a 33-point game and Gray dropped 36 in the aforementioned game with her 10 3-pointers.

But the Cowgirls’ scoring prowess goes beyond that. Six players are averaging at least eight points a game and two more are not far behind.

Gray leads the way at 17.4 per game, with Asi at 13.8 and Heard at 13.4.

Depth inside and out

Hoyt has grown tired of referencing back to the injury battles her team faced last year, when her team was basically playing with six mostly healthy bodies by the end of the season.

The Cowgirls can almost double that right now, with 10 players averaging at least 10 minutes a game.

While the roster is loaded with gifted perimeter players, the most important development has been the addition of some athletic bigs to play in the middle.

Tenin Magassa, a 6-foot-6 super-senior, is averaging 8.4 points and 5.6 rebounds per game, while 6-3 Praise Egharevba and 6-1 Stacie Jones each provide valuable minutes in the frontcourt.

Freshman Maria Anais Rodriguez, who is 6-1, continues to grow her role as well, having played some impactful minutes at times.

And the Cowgirls have size on the perimeter as well, with Huard, who is 6-2 and the 5-11 Heard, who leads the team in rebounding at 8.0 per game.

Oklahoma State at Baylor

TIPOFF: 3 p.m. Wednesday at Foster Pavilion, Waco, Texas (ESPN+)

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Oklahoma

Oklahoma City Thunder Make NBA History vs Chicago Bulls

Published

6 hours ago

April 1, 2025

Press Room

Oklahoma City Thunder Make NBA History vs Chicago Bulls

The Chicago Bulls have been one of the hottest teams in the NBA recently, winning nine of their last 12 games heading into Monday night, but unfortunately ran into a brick wall.

The Bulls were matched up against the league’s top team, the Oklahoma City Thunder, and were certainly outmatched. Oklahoma City jumped out to a 33-point lead at halftime and even led by as many as 43, finishing with a dominant 145-117 home win.

The Thunder are now 63-12 on the season, an incredible mark for such a young team.

Mar 29, 2025; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) gestures after scoring against the Indiana Pacers during the second half at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images / Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

On top of having a league-best 63 wins on the season, the Thunder are also an absurd 34-5 at home, and now have a historic record against Eastern Conference opponents.

With Monday’s win over the Bulls, the Thunder have clinched the best single-season record by a West team against the East in NBA history at 28-1.

The Thunder have clinched the best single-season record by a West team vs. the East in NBA history:
2024-25 Thunder: 28-1
2015-16 Warriors: 27-3
2006-07 Mavs: 27-3
1999-00 Lakers: 27-3
— Underdog NBA (@UnderdogNBA) April 1, 2025

Oklahoma City has been historically impressive this season, and setting a new benchmark for best record against Eastern Conference opponents as a West team is very impressive. Of course, the East is in somewhat of a down year outside of the Cleveland Cavaliers and Boston Celtics, but it stands as an impressive feat.

The Bulls suffering a 28-point loss amid a hot streak is certainly crushing, but nobody expected them to take on the powerhouse Thunder, and it resulted in a historic night for Oklahoma City.

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Oklahoma

Trae Young named new assistant GM for Oklahoma men's basketball

Published

18 hours ago

March 31, 2025

Press Room

Trae Young named new assistant GM for Oklahoma men's basketball

A former Oklahoma basketball player has taken on a big role within the Sooners’ athletic department.

Trae Young has been named as assistant general manager for the men’s basketball program, he announced on ESPN’s NBA Today on Monday. He also announced that he’s made a $1 million donation to the program.

“As someone who grew up in Norman and played at the University of Oklahoma, stepping into the role of assistant GM for OU Basketball is a huge honor,” Young said in a statement. “This program has such a rich history, which I am fortunate to have been and continue to be a part of.

“In my new role, my focus is on helping contribute to OU’s winning culture, working alongside the coaching staff and front office to bring in the right players to help us compete and succeed at the highest level.”

Young, a Norman native, spent one season as a Sooner in 2017-2018, averaging 27.8 points and 8.7 rebounds per game while leading the Sooners to the NCAA Tournament. Young led the country in points and assists, and was drafted with the fifth pick in the NBA Draft.

As assistant GM, Young will “lend support in OU player personnel and strategic roster management planning, and will serve a critical role in helping build student-athletes’ brands and maximizing their potential,” according to a press release.

He’ll also assist with the evaluation of high school and transfer portal prospects, as well as helping negotiate player contracts and will also assist with university fundraising initiatives to help grow support for OU’s men’s basketball program.

“This is a really big day and incredibly exciting,” OU coach Porter Moser said. “First, just a huge thank-you to Trae for the $1 million gift to our program. What an unbelievably gracious offering. It will be put to effective use as we continue on our path toward sustained high-level success. We are extraordinarily grateful for the generous contribution.

“Second, Trae’s addition as assistant general manager is going to pay significant dividends for our program on multiple levels. He is a basketball junkie in so many ways. He’s obviously one of the biggest and most recognizable on-court talents in the world, so he brings immediate credibility with younger players. But I can tell you that Trae also pays close attention to the national basketball landscape and is dialed in to all levels of the sport. His knowledge, coupled with his desire for our program to be the best it can be, will absolutely move us forward.”

Young becomes the program’s new assistant general manager just a few days after the Sooners’ season ended in the NCAA Tournament, where they lost 66-59 to Connecticut in the Round of 64. This season marked the Sooners’ first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2021.

This move also comes just a few weeks after Golden State Warriors point guard Stephen Curry announced he had accepted a similar role with Davidson, his alma mater, to become the first active NBA player to take on a college administrative role.

“”Trae is a son of Norman, Oklahoma, and he’s given so much to our city and its people,” OU athletic director Joe Castiglione said. “He has a strong affinity for this place and his commitment to ensuring our community is a thriving one is truly unmatched. He’s also an OU legend who, in his time here and since, continues to achieve excellence both on and off the court.

“With this appointment, we’re taking his commitment to Norman and to OU to the next level, dedicating our mutual support together to the success of our men’s basketball program.”

The Sooners finished the season with a 20-14 overall record and a 6-12 conference record in their debut SEC season. They head into another pivotal offseason that will likely include significant roster turnover. Key players like Jalon Moore, Sam Godwin and Kobe Elvis can graduate, while Jeremiah Fears is expected to declare for the NBA Draft.

“I think obviously today, the game has changed,” Young said. “With NIL and college basketball, the way it’s changed, I think it’s the perfect time for guys to be more involved with the schools that helped them (become) who they were. I know for someone like Steph and me, we represent our schools off the court and in the locker room.

“Now to be able to represent it even more is going to be even more special.”

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