Oklahoma State has not made the top 25 in several years, but this season provides another opportunity.
On Tuesday, the AP released its preseason top 25 for women’s basketball. The Big 12 earned four spots on the list, featuring No. 8 Iowa State, No. 12 Baylor, No. 13 Kansas State and No. 16 West Virginia. TCU and Utah narrowly missed the cut but were among the top three in receiving votes.
For the 10th straight season, OSU will enter its first game unranked. While the Cowgirls most recently began a season in the top 25 in 2014-15, it has not been ranked at any point in the season since 2017-18.
Jim Littell helped the Cowgirls to a top-25 ranking in five of his first six full seasons, and his teams made the NCAA Tournament six times throughout his tenure. As Jacie Hoyt enters her third season in Stillwater, she will look to repeat the success of her first.
In 2022-23, the Cowgirls never managed a spot in the top 25 but went 21-12 before falling to Miami in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. While injuries derailed OSU’s hopes last season, its tough schedule also caused issues. Of OSU’s 30 games, nine came against ranked opponents.
Of OSU’s 30 games on the 2024-25 slate, only five will be against teams ranked in the preseason AP poll. That includes zero ranked matchups in the nonconference schedule.
Considering OSU’s opponents, it could potentially enter conference play at 12-0. However, the Big 12 slate starts with a bang. The Cowgirls will face Iowa State at home and Baylor on the road in their first two matchups, along with hosting West Virginia in their fifth conference game.
If OSU can play well throughout the nonconference and carry some momentum into conference play, it could find itself in the top 25 by mid-January. Although it won’t be easy, the Cowgirls could cement themselves as a dark horse in the Big 12 and exceed expectations next season.
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