No. 18 Oklahoma State suffered its first loss of the season Wednesday night, falling 74–67 to St. John’s after struggling to match the Red Storm’s offensive efficiency and pace. The Cowgirls entered the game 5–0 and averaging more than 100 points per game, but were limited to 16 3-point attempts and four makes — far below their national-leading averages.
Oklahoma State shot just 30% in the first half and trailed 35–25 at the break. Despite hitting six of their first nine attempts in the third quarter to briefly take a 41–40 lead, the Cowgirls could not sustain momentum. St. John’s regained control behind a key stretch early in the fourth, starting with Janeya Grant’s 3-pointer that pushed the lead to 58–51. A 3-point play by Beautiful Waheed and a layup from Brooke Moore extended the margin to 63–52 with under four minutes remaining.
Oklahoma State coach Jacie Hoyt said the team’s difficulties stemmed from breakdowns on both ends of the floor.
“We didn’t do the things that you have to do to win on the road,” Hoyt said after the game, as reported by Robert Allen of the Pokes Report. “We have a long way to go. We were never able to get into transition and when we did we weren’t able to execute.”
She added that the Cowgirls “didn’t do a very good job of containing them and when we did we fouled too much,” citing trouble with handling St. John’s athleticism.
St. John’s (4–1) was led by Moore with 13 points, while Kylie Lavelle and Sa’Mya Wyatt scored 12 each. The Red Storm shot 67% in the first quarter and 58% in the first half. The win marked their first over a ranked opponent since defeating UConn in 2023.
Oklahoma State (5–1) was led by Stailee Heard with 15 points and Achol Akot with 13. Up next, St. John’s hosts Central Connecticut on Monday, while the Cowgirls return home to face Texas A&M–Corpus Christi.
Information from the Associated Press contributed to this article.
