Oklahoma State would need a miraculous run to win a national championship, but it isn’t a typical 7 seed.
The Cowgirls have shown throughout this season that they are among the top teams in the Big 12 and can compete with some of the top teams in the country. Their road to the NCAA Tournament has been a roller coaster as they’ve earned some of the best wins and worst losses in the Big 12.
OSU coach Jacie Hoyt has led a remarkable turnaround after her team’s season was decimated by injuries in 2024. With a revamped and mostly healthy roster this season, OSU was able to showcase itself as one of the premier teams in college basketball.
The Cowgirls narrowly lost to Baylor in the semifinals of the Big 12 Tournament to solidify their spot as a No. 7 seed. While Hoyt has voiced her issues with the Cowgirls’ placement, they simply have to be ready to take on a hot South Dakota State team that hasn’t lost in months.
According to ESPN Bet, the Cowgirls’ hopes of a Cinderella run to a national championship are much better than a typical team in their spot on the bracket. At odds of +20000 to win, the Cowgirls are tied with a handful of other teams for 15th-best odds, which is roughly on par with the Cowgirls’ No. 17 ranking in the AP poll.
Should the Cowgirls get past South Dakota State in the first round, their path ahead only gets tougher. With OSU’s first two rounds in Storrs, the Cowgirls would essentially have a road game in the second round and face UConn, which has been a women’s basketball powerhouse for years.
As a No. 2 seed this season, UConn has the second-best odds to win it all at +260 behind only South Carolina (+240). OSU’s chances of making any spectacular run might be on display in its matchup against South Dakota State on Saturday. Still, in a survive-and-advance format, any win is a good win and would give OSU a chance to knock off a national title favorite.
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