Fennelly spoke in the past tense in a post-game press conference Sunday.
"This was a team that we definitely thought could win the Big 12 championship,” Fennelly said.
While the Cowgirls' regular season conference title hopes have not vanished, they are hanging by a thread.
OSU (8-3) must win its remaining conference games, including road games at Oklahoma and Baylor, and hope top ranked Kansas State (10-1) slips up along the way to have a shot at the regular season crown.
It is a daunting task that begins tonight when the Cowgirls tip off against Texas at 7 p.m. at Gallagher-Iba Arena. The Cowgirls will try to avenge a loss in Austin suffered earlier this season.
"It is quite a task,” OSU coach Kurt Budke said. "But our game plan doesn't change. We realize that it is tough to do, but that is what everyone in the Big 12 is up against.”
Budke said finishing in the top four and receiving a first-round bye in the Big 12 tournament, something the Cowgirls have never achieved, is top priority.
"I think the loss on Sunday eliminated any three loss teams from winning the regular season title,” Budke said. "More importantly, though, teams are playing for those top four spots. The chances of winning the tournament without that bye are slim.”
Only one team, the 2003-2004 Oklahoma Sooners, have ever won the Big 12 Tournament after finishing outside the top four in the regular season.
The Sooners won the 2004 Big 12 Tournament after a 9-7 conference record.
Senior Maria Cordero said the Cowgirls are not giving up on their regular season title hopes.
"We still want to win a conference championship,” Cordero said. "But getting that bye is most important. That is what we are playing for. We just have to play every game like we did when we beat Baylor and Oklahoma earlier this year, and you never know what can happen with Kansas State.”
OSU sophomore Andrea Riley said she must improve for the Cowgirls to win the regular season conference race.
"I need to get back to playing like I did in the first half of the season,” Riley said. "I need to get my teammates more involved.”
In her first six Big 12 games, Riley averaged seven points more per game than in her last five.
"I think she will be fine,” Budke said.
"It's just a long season and even great players have their ups and downs. But great players come out of it, and Andrea is going to also.”
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Maria Cordero, left, and her Cowgirl teammates aren't giving up on their hopes of winning the regular-season Big 12 title. By MATT STRASEN, THE OKLAHOMAN
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