#6/#6 Texas (21-4; 12-2) will travel to Stillwater to play #21/#22 Oklahoma State (18-7; 9-5) on Saturday. Texas is on a six-game winning streak over OSU, including an 84-79 win on January 03. That’s the second longest winning streak for Texas in the series, which the Horns lead 33-15. OSU is coming off a 87-45 loss to Baylor that snapped a three game winning streak. The Cowgirls will be trying to rebound from their loss to Baylor and not fall into a tie with Oklahoma for third in the league. Texas has won six straight since an 81-56 January 25 loss at Baylor.
OKLAHOMA STATE COWGIRLS
The Cowgirls have three players scoring 72 percent of their points in league play. Kaylee Jensen (#54, 6-4 Sr. C) averages 21.7 ppg, which is tops in the Big 12. Loryn Goodwin’s (#32, 5-9 Grad. G) 19.6 ppg is second in the league. Braxtin Miller’s (#14, 5-10 Fr. G) 13.3 ppg makes her the top scoring freshman in league play. Jensen tops the trio and the team in FG% at 52.7% (106-201). Goodwin has taken the most shots on the team with 256 FT attempts. She has made 90 for a FG% of 35.2%. Miller joins those two in having reached triple digit FG attempts (67-182; 36.8%). Mandy Coleman (#3, 6-3 Sr. F/C) is fourth in FG attempts at 89 (67 made; 39.3%). Jaden Hobbs (#23, 5-8 RS Fr. G) has the best 3pt % on the team at 41.4% (12-29). Miller has the most 3pters made (29-80; 36.3%). Maria Castro (#30, 6-0 Jr. G) is the third Cowgirl to past double digit treys made (15-43; 34.9%). Jensen is also a threat to hit from BTA, making 8 of 23 (34.8%). Goodwin has slumped in her 3pt shooting since league play. She was hitting 36.4% during out of conference games and is only at 17.3% (9-52) in league play. OSU leads the league in FT% at 77.9%. Jensen (84-104; 80.8%) and Goodwin (85-113; 75.2%) rank in the top 15 in the league in FT%. To illustrate how often they get to the FT line, Jensen’s 104 FT attempts are 23 more than the next closest. Her 84 FTs made are 22 more than the next closest player. And Jensen is second on her team to Goodwin. LaTashia Jones (#20, 6-2 Jr. F) has the best FT% on the team at 90.9% (10-11) while Coleman is second at 85.7% (18-21).
Jensen averages a double double with her 11.6 rpg to go with her scoring. Goodwin (7.0 rpg) and Coleman (5.9 rpg) provide Jensen with support on the boards. Goodwin averages 5.2 apg while Coleman, Jensen and Miller all dish out between 1.3 and 1.9 apg. Goodwin (4.2 spg) and Miller (1.1 spg) handle takeaways for OSU. Jensen is the only significant shot blocker for the Cowgirls at 1.7 bpg. Next is Miller at 0.5 bpg.
Since the first Texas game eleven games ago, OSU has used seven different lineups although the one versus Baylor might have been an attempt to match up with BU’s tall frontcourt. Part of the reason is that Areanna Combs (#11, 5-10 Soph. G), a starter the first 14 games of the season, suffered a season ending injury during the first Texas game. She has undergone what is described as successful surgery for her undisclosed injury and is currently undergoing rehab. Jensen, Goodwin and Miller have started all fourteen league games. Coleman has 13 starts in 14 games. Since Combs injury, Castro, Hobbs and Karli Wheeler (#24, 5-8 Jr. G) have split the starts at that position. Goodwin (37.9 mpg), Miller (36.5 mpg) and Jensen (31.7 mpg) rarely come off the floor. Coleman (27.6 mpg) is the only other player to average over 20 mpg. Castro, Hobbs and Jones all average between 12 and 19 mpg. Jentry Holt (#13, 6-3 Jr. F) and Wheeler also have seen action in at least eleven games.
TEXAS LONGHORNS
Texas is led by three players averaging double digits and a fourth on the cusp of reaching double digits. LaShann (14.7 ppg), Ariel (14.6 ppg), Brooke (12.6 ppg) and Jatarie (9.4 ppg) comprise the quartet. Those four have reached triple digits in FG attempts, led by Brooke’s 175. LaShann has the most FGs made with 79, closely followed by Ariel with 77 made FGs. LaShann (57.2%), Ariel (53.8%), Rellah (55.6%) and Jordan (52.9%) lead the Horns in FG%. I won’t include Audrey-Ann, who was making 50.9%) until she returns to action. Brooke (17-66; 25.8%), Ariel (16-45; 35.6%), Alecia (10-34; 29.4%) and LaShann (10-30; 33.3%) are the top 3pt threats for the Horns. Rellah has taken just over a 3pter per game in the five conference games she has played in (4-7; 57.1%). It was nice to see Chasity hit her first trey in a Big 12 game versus Tech Wednesday. Texas is third in conference in FT% but has the league’s top two FT shooters in Ariel (34-37; 91.9%) and Brooke (32-35; 91.4%). LaShann (38-50; 76.0%) has made and taken the most FTs on the team.
Ariel (6.3 rpg) and Joyner (6.0 rpg) continue to lead the team in rebounding. Jatarie (5.6 rpg) and Brooke (4.5 rpg) help on the boards. Texas has five players that help spread the ball: Brooke (4.3 apg), Ariel (3.1 apg), LaShann (2.4 apg) and Alecia (2.0 apg). The Horns have four players that average at least one steal per game: Ariel (2.7 spg), LaShann (1.9 spg), Brooke (1.6 spg) and Alecia (1.1 spg). Texas has lost their top shot blocker indefinitely. Without Audrey-Ann playing, the top post shot blockers Jatarie and Joyner, each at 0.4 bpg. Ariel is the main shot blocker on the team with 12 (0.9 bpg). Among other reasons, Texas is going to miss Audrey-Ann’s ability to block shots as she had 29 of the team’s 63.
The starting lineup looks to be LaShann, Ariel, Brooke, Jatarie and Joyner. The first four have started all the league games to date. Joyner has one start but has played in all fourteen Big 12 games. Texas’ rotation is down to eight but most likely either Rellah or Jordan will play increased minutes. Mide is also a candidate to pick some of Audrey-Ann’s 22 minutes per game. Chasity had a nice game versus Tech. Hopefully, that will lead to some minutes against OSU. Eight players average between 32 and ten mpg. Brooke tops the list at 32.0 mpg.
LINEUPS
Projected starting lineups are based on the last game played.
OSU’s big three (Goodwin, Miller & Jensen) were responsible for 63 of OSU’s 79 pts. Texas’ top trio (LaShann, Ariel & Brooke) scored 59 of the Horns’ 84 pts. Texas’ depth paid off as the bench provided 15 pts compared to OSU’s two bench points. Jatarie and Joyner will be tasked with at least matching Jensen’s output if they can’t slow her down.
The two backcourts had trouble slowing each other down. Ariel was slowed but she has been playing much better since then. The difference may come down to which bench is able to provide better support.
STATS COMPARISON
Team stats are for Big 12 games only.
OSU is 5-2 at home. Texas is 5-2 on the road. Horns played poorly in the two away games they lost. They will need to be focused on this game and not on Baylor on Monday.
These two are close in most stat categories. Both are going to run and this game should showcase that. Got to wonder if OSU will tire that last quarter. They kept a four point edge over Texas for three quarters before the Horns pulled away in the fourth. Four of the OSU starters played over 34 minutes and the fifth was the only other that played more than eight minutes. Alecia provided a sixth player for Texas that played at least 20 minutes. The bench for both teams will be important. Texas is a bit deeper in the backcourt with Alecia. The frontcourt should be a wash although both Joyner and Rellah could give the Horns the edge there.
This game will be a tossup on which team will emerge with the win. I am still expecting Texas to come home with the win.
A watch party for out of town games usually is held at the The Local Post Pub (former Dallas Nightclub), 7113 Burnet Rd., Austin, TX 78757. Look for the post by ajoetxwbb to confirm this.
Game time will be 2:00 PM and the game will be on Fox Sports Oklahoma. Okay, that’s weird. Fox Sports OK is usually one, if not all three, of Spectrum Fox Sports Plus 318, 319 & Fox College Sports-Pacific 374 in Austin. Channel listings for Saturday at 2 pm show KSU at TCU on 54, 318 and 373. Baylor is on 319 and 374 from 1-3 PM. No Texas game so far, except for a one hour slot on 319 starting at 3 pm. Hopefully, the Texas game will be on one of the three channels currently showing KSU at TCU. Can’t imagine that game is more important nationally than the top 25 matchup of Texas at OSU.
The game will be available online from FoxSports: https://www.foxsportsgo.com/program/337229/womens-college-basketball-texas-at-oklahoma-state
You will need to sign on. It’s free same as WatchESPN.
http://texassports.com/news/2018/2/16/no-6-womens-basketball-preview-no-21-oklahoma-state.aspx
http://okstate.com/news/2018/2/16/womens-basketball-no-21-cowgirls-look-to-rebound-against-no-6-texas.aspx
https://www.dailytexanonline.com/2018/02/16/joyner-holmes-searches-for-solid-role-as-starter
More reasons why we will miss Audrey-Ann until she gets back, but Joyner does bring a set of formidable offensive skills and I disagree that neither player has an outside game. Jatarie has displayed a nice shooting touch from 10 feet out to the top of the circle the past few weeks.:
Just a “nothing to do with the game” bit of info: San Marcos based Golden Chick has opened up a store in Stillwater near the campus.
http://www.ocolly.com/news/golden-chick-adds-to-stillwater-s-chicken-empire/article_6cc66480-0f8f-11e8-b196-bbc08aa2089d.html
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Last edited: Feb 16, 2018
