AnniePokely
03-15-2008, 11:43 AM
Cowgirls’ turnaround not surprising to everybody
Ryan Steele - NewsPress
KANSAS CITY — Two years ago, Oklahoma State was the Big 12’s cellar-dweller.
On Saturday night, the Cowgirls could become Big 12 champions.
Their astonishing turnaround continued Thursday as they qualified for the conference’s tournament title contest for the first time in school history. During Kurt Budke’s first year in 2005-06, OSU finished 6-22 with an 0-16 mark in league play.
In just a 24-month span, that win total has quadrupled and Budke’s club is headed for its second straight appearance in the NCAA Tournament. Is Budke surprised at how fast the Cowgirls have progressed? Not really.
“We’ve never put a ceiling on this team,” the third-year boss added. “We went out and recruited winners, we recruited some kids that other people in this league didn’t want. We are not the most talented team in this country or even in the Big 12 but we play together and have great chemistry.”
OSU’s ship began turning in the right direction a year ago after the coaching staff landed a stellar recruiting class which included Andrea Riley — who almost signed with Miami — as well as former Central Arizona College standouts Danielle Green and Maria Cordero.
The Cowgirls went 20-11 — their first winning season since 2001-02 — last season and advanced to the NCAA tourney for the first time since 1996. O-State was recognized by the NCAA for having the nation’s best turnaround at the Division-I level.
Riley was named Big 12 Freshman of the Year last season, and this year she leads the Big 12 in scoring (22.8 ppg) and steals (2.74 spg). Juniors Taylor Hardeman and Shaunté Smith — who were part of Julie Goodenough’s final recruiting class — have also become solid contributors.
Hardeman is one of the club’s top defenders and Smith entered the Big 12 tourney as the Cowgirls’ best rebounder (8.4 rpg). During the 2007-08 regular season, OSU led the conference in scoring (76.5 ppg).
“We’ve had a couple of games where five or six people have been in double figures and we’ve been very successful with that,” Riley said. “If we keep doing that, I think we’ll continue to be successful because that means we’re playing together.
“That’s what makes our team so dangerous because we have a lot of weapons and we keep the focus and intensity.”
For the Cowgirls to earn their first Big 12 championship, they have one more obstacle to clear ... Texas A&M. This will be the third meeting between the squads this year — OSU edged the Aggies, 61-58, in College Station on Jan. 19 when Riley hit the game-winning three-pointer from beyond NBA range with 6.6 seconds left.
A&M rebounded with a 63-57 victory in Gallagher-Iba Arena on Feb. 27.
“I doubt there’s two teams in America that have played each other tougher or closer in the last two years than us and A&M,” Budke said. “I think A&M is the best team in this conference right now. We seem to find a way to battle them and we’ll find a way Saturday.”
Ryan Steele - NewsPress
KANSAS CITY — Two years ago, Oklahoma State was the Big 12’s cellar-dweller.
On Saturday night, the Cowgirls could become Big 12 champions.
Their astonishing turnaround continued Thursday as they qualified for the conference’s tournament title contest for the first time in school history. During Kurt Budke’s first year in 2005-06, OSU finished 6-22 with an 0-16 mark in league play.
In just a 24-month span, that win total has quadrupled and Budke’s club is headed for its second straight appearance in the NCAA Tournament. Is Budke surprised at how fast the Cowgirls have progressed? Not really.
“We’ve never put a ceiling on this team,” the third-year boss added. “We went out and recruited winners, we recruited some kids that other people in this league didn’t want. We are not the most talented team in this country or even in the Big 12 but we play together and have great chemistry.”
OSU’s ship began turning in the right direction a year ago after the coaching staff landed a stellar recruiting class which included Andrea Riley — who almost signed with Miami — as well as former Central Arizona College standouts Danielle Green and Maria Cordero.
The Cowgirls went 20-11 — their first winning season since 2001-02 — last season and advanced to the NCAA tourney for the first time since 1996. O-State was recognized by the NCAA for having the nation’s best turnaround at the Division-I level.
Riley was named Big 12 Freshman of the Year last season, and this year she leads the Big 12 in scoring (22.8 ppg) and steals (2.74 spg). Juniors Taylor Hardeman and Shaunté Smith — who were part of Julie Goodenough’s final recruiting class — have also become solid contributors.
Hardeman is one of the club’s top defenders and Smith entered the Big 12 tourney as the Cowgirls’ best rebounder (8.4 rpg). During the 2007-08 regular season, OSU led the conference in scoring (76.5 ppg).
“We’ve had a couple of games where five or six people have been in double figures and we’ve been very successful with that,” Riley said. “If we keep doing that, I think we’ll continue to be successful because that means we’re playing together.
“That’s what makes our team so dangerous because we have a lot of weapons and we keep the focus and intensity.”
For the Cowgirls to earn their first Big 12 championship, they have one more obstacle to clear ... Texas A&M. This will be the third meeting between the squads this year — OSU edged the Aggies, 61-58, in College Station on Jan. 19 when Riley hit the game-winning three-pointer from beyond NBA range with 6.6 seconds left.
A&M rebounded with a 63-57 victory in Gallagher-Iba Arena on Feb. 27.
“I doubt there’s two teams in America that have played each other tougher or closer in the last two years than us and A&M,” Budke said. “I think A&M is the best team in this conference right now. We seem to find a way to battle them and we’ll find a way Saturday.”