Oklahoma State University Athletics
Cowgirls Look To Lasso Some Eagles
March 14, 2001 | Cowgirl Basketball
March 14, 2001
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QUICK FACTS
Friday, March 16, 2001 (7 p.m.)
First round of Women's NIT
Gallagher-Iba Arena (13,611)
Stillwater, Okla.
Radio - KGFY (105.5 FM)
COWGIRLS HOST NORTH TEXAS IN FIRST ROUND OF WNIT
Oklahoma State (14-14) will host the North Texas Lady Eagles (19-10) on Friday, March 16, at 7 p.m. in the first round of the Women's National Invitation Tournament. It is the Cowgirls? second appearance in the postseason WNIT, as OSU won the first round of the 1998 WNIT before falling to eventual runnerup Baylor in the second round that year. Oklahoma State is 8-1 all-time vs. the Lady Eagles, winning the last game of the series, 84-59, on December 1, 1993.
COMING UP
The winner of this game will face the winner of the Loyola Marymount vs. UNLV game being played in Los Angeles, Calif., on Thursday night. The second-round game will probably be played on Monday night, and will be at the home of the team with the highest bid for the second round. Should Oklahoma State have a big enough attendance at its first game, there is a possiblity that the Cowgirls would host the second-round contest.
LAST TIME OUT
Oklahoma State shot just 31.1 percent from the floor, compared to 44.6 percent for Kansas, as the Jayhawks defeated the Cowgirls, 66-56, in the first round of the Big 12 Tournament. "I think Kansas did a better job of wanting to win this game," said OSU coach Dick Halterman. "I was a little disappointed with our effort, it wasn't where it should have been." OSU shot just 32 percent in the first half, but trailed the Jayhawks by just two at halftime, 28-26. Kansas shot 41.4 percent, and was a perfect 4-of-4 from the free-throw line. After taking a one-point lead at 29-28 with the 17:14 mark, OSU stalled offensively, going three minutes without scoring. Meanwhile, Kansas went on a 10-0 run to go ahead, 38-29. OSU cut the lead back to four on two occasions, the first on a conventional three-point play by Shelby Hutchens and the second on a layup by Jessica Bates. The only difference in the statistics was KU's 30-18 advantage on points in the paint. "I think their posts were a lot more physical than ours," said OSU freshman center Trisha Skibbe. "If we would have worked harder, then we would've gotten more points." The Jayhawks scored the next six points on free throws, and before Oklahoma State could score again, KU had a 14-point lead at 50-36.
FAULK EARNS HONORABLE MENTION ALL-BIG 12 HONORS
Cowgirl junior Kara Faulk received honorable mention honors on the All-Big 12 list, it was announced Friday by the conference office. The 5-11 forward from Sapulpa, Okla., averaged 11.6 points and 7.9 rebounds per game in the regular season, leading the team in both categories. She also shot 41.4 percent from behind the three-point arc and 82.1 percent from the free-throw line, both team highs.
FOUR NAMED ACADEMIC ALL-BIG 12
Oklahoma State had three players named first-team Academic All-Big 12, including two three-time honorees. Kara Faulk was named first team for the third-consecutive season, while senior Devon Magness was named first-team for the second time in three seasons. Sophomore Shelby Hutchens was named to the first team for the first time, while junior Jessica Spinner was named to the second team for her first academic accolade. It is the sixth-straight year that the Cowgirls have had at least three first-team honorees.
RELEFORD MAKES FIRST APPEARANCE AFTER BATTLE WITH CANCER
Cowgirl senior Toya Releford made her first appearsnce since winning her battle with cancer in the final game of the regular season. Toya played four minutes vs. Nebraska, her first action since the tour of Australia last May. Toya had two major surgeries in August to remove cervical cancer, and followed that up with five weeks of radiation and chemotherapy treatments. She returned to practice in mid-January, and made her first appearance last Wednesday night.
INJURIES SET IN
Oklahoma State has had its share of injuries this season. Currently out is junior guard Mandy Stuber, who torn the anterior cruciate ligament in her left knee in the game at Oklahoma on Feb. 24. She also broke her nose earlier in the same contest. Redshirt freshman Leah Wahlgren is day-to-day after suffering a separated shoulder in the game at Iowa State on Feb. 7. Sophomore Timeka Beason has a sprained thumb, as does junior guard Jessica Spinner. Junior Kara Faulk is playing despite a back injury that she suffered in the Texas A&M game in College Station. Freshman Trisha Skibbe suffered a severe ankle sprain in practice prior to the Texas game in Stillwater and reinjured it prior to the Nebraska game.
TRAGEDY STRIKES
Its been a trying year for the Oklahoma State women?s basketball team. Prior to the start of the season, both Terrisha Osborn and Machell Roberts lost immediate family members as Terrisha?s brother was killed in a car accident as was Machell?s father. Mandy Stuber?s father passed away following the Kansas game in Stillwater on Jan. 17 of complicated due to pneumonia. Ten days later, the entire team was hit hard by the tragic plane crash that killed 10 members of the OSU men?s basketball program.
