Cowgirls Start Season 4-0 With OT Win Over WSU

Oklahoma State's women's basketball team improved to 4-0 on the year after surviving an overtime battle with Washington State, 79-72, on Sunday afternoon inside Beasley Coliseum.

The Cowgirls dominated the paint, getting double-double performances from junior Kaylee Jensen and Mandy Coleman en route to victory. Jensen logged her second double-double of the season, pouring in a career-high 29 points to go with 17 rebounds. Coleman finished with 13 points and 12 boards.

OSU led the entire first quarter, but never by more than five. The Cougars (3-1) reeled off four quick points midway through the second to jump in front, 26-22, before the Cowgirls used a 9-0 run fueled by five points from Jensen to move back in front by five.

After freshman Areanna Combs banked in a 3-pointer with eight seconds left in the quarter, WSU's Chanelle Molina banked in a shot from half court at the buzzer to pull the Cougars within three at 34-31.

The Cowgirls pushed the lead out to nine at 48-39 with 1:39 left in the third on a layup by Coleman, but couldn't shake the Cougars, who got a pair of treys to close out the period and once again cut the margin to three at 49-46.

Sophomore LaTashia Jones' layup with six minutes to go in the contest put OSU in front 58-51, but WSU once again answered with six points in a row to cut the margin to one. Jensen drilled a jumper with under two minutes to go to push the lead back to five, but the Cowgirls would not score again in regulation.
With 15 ticks remaining, the Cougars got a layup to tie the game at 64 apiece and Jensen missed a jumper at the buzzer, forcing overtime.

Jensen and Coleman scored the first four points of the overtime and senior Katelyn Loecker buried a 3-pointer with under two minute to go to push the lead to six at 71-65. Jensen followed with three consecutive free throws to extend the lead to seven with 1:30 to go.

WSU cut the lead to four with 23 seconds left, but Loecker sealed the win with a pair of free throws with 20 seconds remaining.

Senior Diana Omozee added 11 points and seven rebounds, while Jones added five points and 10 boards.

The Cowgirls will be back in action on Wednesday when they host Northern Iowa on Wednesday at 7 p.m.