Big 12 team-by-team preview: Texas, Baylor battle for the top

COLLEGE PARK, MD - MARCH 17: West Virginia Mountaineers center Lanay Montgomery (15) with teammates at the start of the Div. 1 NCAA Women's basketball 1st. round game between Elon and West Virginia on March 17, 2017, at Xfinity Center in College Park, Maryland. West Virginia defeated Elon 75-62. (Photo by Tony Quinn/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
COLLEGE PARK, MD - MARCH 17: West Virginia Mountaineers center Lanay Montgomery (15) with teammates at the start of the Div. 1 NCAA Women's basketball 1st. round game between Elon and West Virginia on March 17, 2017, at Xfinity Center in College Park, Maryland. West Virginia defeated Elon 75-62. (Photo by Tony Quinn/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
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07 MAR 2015: Iowa State Cyclones guard Nicole (Kidd) Blaskowsky (15) and Oklahoma State Cowgirls guard Roddricka Patton (23) scramble for a loose ball during the NCAA Big 12 Women’s basketball tournament game between the Iowa State Cyclones and the Oklahoma State Cowgirls at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. Oklahoma State defeats Iowa State 67-58. (Photo by Andrew Dieb/Icon Sportswire/Corbis via Getty Images)
07 MAR 2015: Iowa State Cyclones guard Nicole (Kidd) Blaskowsky (15) and Oklahoma State Cowgirls guard Roddricka Patton (23) scramble for a loose ball during the NCAA Big 12 Women’s basketball tournament game between the Iowa State Cyclones and the Oklahoma State Cowgirls at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. Oklahoma State defeats Iowa State 67-58. (Photo by Andrew Dieb/Icon Sportswire/Corbis via Getty Images)

Oklahoma State

Projected Finish: 5th

Key returners:

Kaylee Jensen 18.7 ppg, 47%, 10.5 rpg, 30 mpg

Mandy Coleman 11.9 ppg, 46%, 7.1 rpg, 1.6 apg, 27 mpg

Karli Wheeler 11.5 ppg, 34%, 2.6 rpg, 1.9 apg, 34 mpg

Biggest losses:

Diana Omozee 7.9 ppg, 39%, 4 rpg, 2.6 apg, 29 mpg

Newcomers:

Abbie Winchester F, 6-1, Oklahoma City, OK, Freshman, Top 60 forward (Hoopgurlz)

Braxtin Miller G, 5-10, Centerville, OH, Freshman, Top 25 guard (Hoopgurlz)

Katarina Adamovic G, 5-8, Cacak, Serbia, Senior

Jaden Hobbs G, 5-8, Alva, OK, Redshirt freshman

Maria Castro G, 6-0, Guanajuato, Mexico, Junior

Loryn Goodwin G, 5-9, Cypress, TX, Senior

Clitan de Sousa G, 6-0, Maputo, Mozambique, Junior

Head coach: Jim Littell’s presence has been felt in Stillwater. He has guided the Cowgirls to 20-win seasons in each of his first five seasons. They ended the 2016-2017 season with a 17-15 record, going 6-12 in conference. The Cowgirls turned some heads by beating the defending Big 12 tournament champion, West Virginia, with a score of 67-63.

Key non-conference games:

Tennessee 11/24

Mississippi State 12/3

UCLA 12/8

Outlook: The Cowgirls have solid talent returning this season. They are led by Kaylee Jensen who received Preseason All-Big 12 team honors. Although they did not finish as well as they have in previous seasons, I believe they have the talent to make some noise this year. The Cowgirls need to have consistent production from multiple players so that the load is not on Jensen night in and night out.