by STILLWATER – Oklahoma State’s women’s basketball team used a big fourth quarter to get a win over New Orleans, 74-66, and improve to 2-0 on the young season.
The Cowgirls outscored the Privateers 19-11 in the final period while holding their opponent to 4-11 shooting and forcing them into six turnovers in the final quarter.
Oklahoma State once again got a balanced scoring effort, with freshman Stailee Heard leading the way with 15 points in 28 minutes. Rylee Langerman finished with 14, and Anna Gret Asi and Chandler Prater had 12 each to round out the Cowgirls in double figures.
Both teams struggled to score early, leading to a 6-5 score at the first media timeout in favor of the Privateers. New Orleans would close the quarter leading 17-13, with OSU failing to make a three-pointer in the period.
The teams traded baskets to open the second before Oklahoma State went on an 11-0 run spanning over two minutes. Prater score twice in the lane while Langerman scored five points during the stretch, including a triple to cap it off. New Orleans answered, however, as the teams drew even heading to the halftime locker room at 41 apiece.
In the third, the Cowgirls put together another big run, this time scoring nine straight. Heard was responsible for the first seven, including converting an and-one, and Langerman had a fast-break layup to finish off the run. The Privateers immediately answered with a 10-0 run of their own, and the teams remained in a stalemate, heading to the final quarter tied at 55.
The final quarter began with the teams going back and forth until OSU scored eight-straight points midway through the period. The Cowgirls fended off a New Orleans run to hang on for a 74-66 win.
Prater led the team with seven rebounds to go along with four assists and five steals. Langerman grabbed six rebounds and posted three steals to go with her 14 points.
Oklahoma State shot 47% from the field and 16-21 (76%) from the free-throw line. The Cowgirls also forced their opponents into 18 turnovers, converting them into 21 points, while outscoring New Orleans 42-22 in the paint.
