Oklahoma State University Athletics
Cowgirls Set to Take On Sam Houston State
December 04, 2003 | Cowgirl Basketball
Oklahoma State's women's basketball team (2-3) will look to reach the .500 mark for the first time this season on Friday at 7 p.m. when it takes on Sam Houston State in the first round of the Cowgirl Classic. The Cowgirls are coming off a 62-60 upset win over No. 24 Michigan State on Tuesday night in Stillwater, while the Bearkats come to town in search of their first win after losing to Montana State last Saturday.
SCOUTING THE BEARKATS
Sam Houston State (0-3) is in search of its first win under the direction of first-year head coach James Hatchell. The Bearkats opened the 2003-04 campaign with a 63-55 loss at North Texas before a pair of setbacks in the CenturyTel Bobcat Classic in San Marcos, Texas. Sam Houston State lost its first round matchup against Jackson State, 47-36, before the aforementioned loss to Montana State. All three games between the Cowgirls and Bearkats have taken place in Stillwater with OSU holding a 2-1 advantage. The last meeting between the two squads was a 75-44 Cowgirl victory on Dec. 30, 1997.
WHAT 2 WATCH 4
OSU is 32-2 at home in non-conference home games, dating back to 1995 and including a streak of 29 straight wins entering last season ... OSU is 35-6 all-time in regular-season tournament play inside Gallagher-Iba Arena, having hosted 18 tournaments in the program's history ... a Cowgirl win against Sam Houston State would get them to the .500 mark for the first time under head coach Julie Goodenough ... a win would also be their first back-to-back wins under Goodenough ... OSU's next win will be Goodenough's 199th of her coaching career ... Sam Houston's Jamie Barr was a high school teammate of Cowgirl Destanie Sykes.
LAST TIME OUT
OSU stunned No. 24 Michigan State, 61-60, on Tuesday night in its home opener. The Cowgirls, who led by as many as 15 in the first half, trailed by two with under a minute to play when Nina Stone hit the fourth of her three-point baskets to put the Cowgirls back in front. The Indianapolis, Ind., native finished the contest with 18 points, including a pair of free throws late to ice the outcome. Trisha Skibbe turned in her third consecutive 20-plus point outing, finishing with 20 points on 9-of-12 shooting.
