Bedlam: The rivalry and the revelry
With rankings, Big 12 title chase and NCAA positioning at stake, today's game could be the biggest in series history
Bedlam: The rivalry and the revelry

NORMAN – When Kurt Budke took over as Cowgirls coach nearly three years ago, his "To Do List” for restoring the program had to include beating Oklahoma.

If not initially, soon enough.

"I don't think there's any question, when you have a rivalry like this in the same state, it means a lot to the alumni and the fans,” Budke said. "So if it wasn't that high on the ‘To Do List' when I first took the job, after about a week here it was very high on the list.

"I figured that out real quick.”

After 17 straight Bedlam defeats – including four under Budke's watch – Oklahoma State delivered another check mark to the list in January, rolling the Sooners 82-63 in Stillwater.

The Cowgirls delivered some needed oomph to the series, too.

The Sooners weren't just winning all those games in a row; they were walloping OSU, simply padding their impressive records annually.

Now, when the two teams collide today, it could be the biggest Bedlam women's game in history.

Never before have they both ranked so high simultaneously – OU No. 11, OSU No. 16. The winner stays alive in the Big 12 title chase. And better yet, the victor may claim an inside track to securing a path to downtown Oklahoma City in late March, when the NCAA Tournament hits the Ford Center for the Sweet 16.

"Probably the best Bedlam in my tenure here,” said Sooners coach Sherri Coale. "I think it's the best both programs have been at the same time.”

It was up to the Cowgirls to elevate the series.

But that was just part of Budke's plan to elevate the program.

"One was make sure I hire a great staff, which I did,” Budke said. "Two was slowly but surely start to increase the talent. And three was hope you get lucky and get a superstar. And we got lucky with Andrea Riley.

"Then after that, you can start talking about Bedlam, which would be the next thing.

"We're kind of the reason Bedlam is back. They've been doing their thing. It was up to us to bring Bedlam back.”

Coale played a part too, saying before the January meeting that she expected to see more crimson than orange inside Gallagher-Iba Arena.

Her words, spoken during a postgame radio interview at Iowa State, made their way to Stillwater. And before the Bedlam women's game that night, Coale's comments were posted on the video board during the men's game earlier that day, part of a plea to students to show up and support the Cowgirls.

The result: An overflow crowd in excess of the official sellout number of 13,611 – the largest crowd to ever see a women's game in Stillwater.

OSU athletic director Mike Holder later cracked that he'd like to thank Coale for the assist.

Coale said it's not the first time her Sooners have been a marquee road attraction.

"I consider it an honor the way not just Oklahoma State, but a lot of teams approach playing us,” Coale said.

Still, Coale had to play bystander to a wild celebration that night at Gallagher-Iba.

Seated just a few feet from the court where students hoisted Norman native Taylor Hardeman upon their shoulders and an energized Budke praised the crowd and Riley – "the best player in the conference” – Coale sat stoic while speeding through her radio show.

The crowd, OSU's first ever over 7,200, had to be a sore spot, too. The Sooners have built a strong fan base under Coale, currently ranking third nationally in attendance behind powerhouse programs Tennessee and Connecticut.

"Just one of those things,” Coale said. "Part of the gig.”

Sense some Bedlam brewing?

"I wanted to leave OSU beating OU at least once,” said Cowgirls junior Shaunte Smith. "But now, you know, I want to beat them three more times.”

The Sooners will be waiting.

"They got us at their place,” said Courtney Paris. "We'll have a lot of fans and high energy. After they sold out their place and set a record, I know it's going to be a heated environment.

"More than just us and them, we both need this for our seasons. We need this for the postseason and placements and momentum. This is a game that both teams really need to win.”

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