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March 21, 2008

Cowgirls' guard: We’re going to win some games

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — When the NCAA Women’s Tournament starts today, the New Orleans Regional matchups feature two teams, third-seeded Oklahoma State (25-7) and sixth-seeded Ohio State (22-8), looking to bounce back from heartbreaking first-round losses in 2007.

Oklahoma State, which will face 14th-seeded East Tennessee State (21-11), at 7:12 p.m., blew a 14-point lead and lost to Bowling Green, 70-66, last March. But coach Kurt Budke says the Cowgirls took the “next step” this season, citing Oklahoma State’s 6-2 record in Big 12 road games and its appearance in the conference tournament title game.

“Last year at this time, maybe we were happy to be in the NCAA tournament,” Budke said. “This year’s team is different. This year’s team proved it all year long.”

This year’s team also has a star in sophomore guard Andrea Riley, who blossomed into one of the nation’s top players. Riley averaged 22.9 points a game and became the first Cowgirl to earn first-team All-Big 12 honors.

“We’ve done a lot this year, but we’re not done,” Riley said. “We’re not going to settle for less. We’re going to win some games.”

The Buckeyes, who won the Big Ten regular-season title for the fourth straight time, were upset by 13th-seeded Marist in 2007. But Ohio State should be bolstered by the return of junior forward Star Allen, who missed the final 18 games of the season because of academics. Allen was a second-team All-Big Ten pick by the media in 2006-07.

Ohio State will face 11th-seeded Florida State (18-13). The Seminoles reached the NCAA tournament for the fourth straight season.

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