KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Sophomore Stailee Heard delivered an outstanding performance, scoring 24 of her 34 total points in the second half, to propel No. 21 Oklahoma State to a thrilling 62-59 win over Texas Tech. This victory occurred in the Big 12 Conference Tournament quarterfinal at T-Mobile Center on Friday night.
The third-seeded Oklahoma State Cowgirls, with a record of 25-5, are now set to face No. 2 seed Baylor in the semifinals on Saturday.
During the fourth quarter, Tenin Magassa ignited a scoring run with a successful three-point play and a layup. Heard contributed by sinking two free throws, and Oklahoma State took control by scoring the first seven points of the quarter, establishing a 46-40 lead that they would maintain. Despite their efforts, the 14th-seeded Lady Raiders, who finished their season 17-17, nearly forced overtime but ultimately fell short as Jada Wynn’s attempt at a last-second 3-pointer missed.
Heard, demonstrating excellence, connected on 7 of 21 shots, including three from beyond the arc, and hit 17 of 20 free throw attempts, equaling her career-high performance. She also contributed defensively with 13 rebounds, marking her 10th double-double of the season, and added four steals to her impressive performance. Magassa contributed significantly as well, securing 10 points and pulling down 12 rebounds, marking her third double-double of the season.
Leading the Lady Raiders was Loghan Johnson, who scored 17 points, while teammates Jasmine Shavers and Bailey Maupin each added 16 points.
The game began with Oklahoma State struggling offensively, missing 10 of 14 shots in the first quarter, while Texas Tech faced similar difficulties, missing 10 of 13 shots, leading to an 8-all tie after the first quarter.
In the second quarter, Johnson came off the bench and played a pivotal role, scoring 12 points on 5-of-6 shooting, including two 3-pointers, helping Texas Tech secure a 28-24 advantage going into halftime.
The closely contested third quarter saw Texas Tech maintain their lead until Heard’s crucial 3-pointer gave Oklahoma State a slim 39-38 edge with just over a minute left. Johnson’s subsequent layup briefly put Texas Tech back in the lead before they entered the final quarter trailing by one point.