OSU Women Compete in Holiday Tournament

We talk a lot about men’s basketball around here. However, more attention should be paid to the more successful and consistent women’s team.

So far, Head Coach Jim Littell and the Cowgirls are 8-0 this season, but remain unranked (though receiving votes in both polls) because they haven’t beaten a ranked team. That could change this week.

The Cowgirls are in Las Vegas to take part in the inaugural Play4Kay Shootout. The eight-team tournament runs Monday through Wednesday and was created to raise awareness for the Kay Yow Cancer Fund, an organization that supports funding for women’s cancer research. (Kay Yow was the head coach at North Carolina State)

OSU opens against Santa Clara at 7:30 p.m. tonight. The Broncos are 4-4 entering the tournament but return all five starters from a team that went 23-9 last season.

After that, the Cowgirls will face the winner of Long Beach State and South Florida. No. 19/22 South Florida is 7-0 so far this season and coming off a second round exit in the 2016 NCAA tournament. Long Beach State returns all five starters from last season’s 24-9 team.

On the other side of the bracket are (No. 15/RV) Oregon State, UNLV, New Mexico State, and Quinnipiac. That’s a quality line-up with four teams that won 20 or more games last season, and two that made the NCAA tournament field; including the Lady Beavers who went 32-5 and reached the Final Four.

You can find the full Play4Kay Shootout bracket here.

The Cowgirls remains undefeated thanks to consistent play under Littell's guidance and have a prime opportunity to notch a few more quality wins heading into conference play. While there are always plenty of good wins to be had in the Big 12 (it’s just as stacked on the Women’s side as the Men’s), it’s always good to get a few in non-conference play.