Utah women's basketball team falls to Oklahoma State in blowout loss

Utes' NCAA tournament hopes in jeopardy after fourth loss in six games

Published on Feb. 17, 2026

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The Utah women's basketball team suffered an 18-point loss to Oklahoma State on Monday, with turnover issues and poor shooting plaguing the Utes. Utah had a season-high 24 turnovers, which the Cowgirls converted into 26 points. Oklahoma State's suffocating defense kept Utah's offense out of rhythm, and the Cowgirls blew the game open in the third quarter. With only three games left in the regular season, Utah may need to win out to earn a first-round bye at the Big 12 tournament.

Why it matters

This loss is a significant setback for Utah's NCAA tournament hopes, as the team now sits squarely on the bubble. The Utes need to finish the season strong to secure a spot in the tournament, and this blowout defeat raises concerns about their ability to compete against top teams on the road.

The details

Utah's offense never got on track, as the team scored only 31 points over the first three quarters. The Utes shot 38.6% from the field and 6 of 18 from 3-point range, while Oklahoma State shot 43.1% overall and had a 34-20 edge in points in the paint. The Cowgirls also had 14 more field goal attempts than Utah due to the turnover disparity.

  • The game was played on Monday, February 16, 2026.
  • Utah has only three games left in the regular season before the Big 12 tournament.

The players

Gavin Petersen

The head coach of the Utah women's basketball team.

Micah Gray

A player for the Oklahoma State Cowgirls who scored 17 points in the game.

Haleigh Timmer

A player for the Oklahoma State Cowgirls who scored 15 points, had 7 rebounds, and 4 assists.

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What they’re saying

“There's a level of toughness and focus and intensity that is required to win against good teams like Oklahoma State on the road, good teams like Iowa State at home, and we continue to just be careless with the basketball over penetrating for whatever reason.”

— Gavin Petersen, Utah head coach (ESPN 700 AM)

“Teams are going to try to be physical with us, and we've got to do a better job handling that.”

— Gavin Petersen, Utah head coach (ESPN 700 AM)

“I love Sam because of her willingness to play multiple positions for us, and I keep telling her, it is really about matchups for her to get into the game. Oklahoma State, at times, goes five guards. It's a challenge to guard her there at the four position, so I told Sam, you got to be ready for the five. ...Just proud of the kid, because she has the grit, that grind mentality, she keeps showing up. That's all her.”

— Gavin Petersen, Utah head coach (ESPN 700 AM)

What’s next

With only three games left in the regular season, the Utes may need to win out to earn a first-round bye at the Big 12 tournament next month.

The takeaway

This loss highlights the challenges Utah faces in competing against top teams in the Big 12 and securing a spot in the NCAA tournament. The Utes will need to address their turnover issues and find a way to get their offense back on track if they hope to finish the season strong and make a deep postseason run.