Ben Whitehead
STILLWATER — If the Oklahoma State Cowgirls are going to advance deep in the NCAA Tournament, they are going to need their post player, Megan Byford, to step up and lead the way.
Byford, a senior on this year’s squad and former Bray-Doyle Lady Donkey, has been here before. In fact, two years ago the Cowgirls advanced to the Sweet 16.
With this being her final year, Byford said she’s ready to make a run in the Big Dance.
“There’s nothing like the NCAA Tournament,” Byford said. “You’re playing the best teams in the nation, flying across the country. It’s first-class all the way.
“This is what you work for all year. It’s the Big Dance, the national spotlight, playing on ESPN, having your name up in lights. It’s definitely the most exciting time of the year for us.”
Oklahoma State is the No. 4 seed in the Sacramento Region and will take on Chattanooga in the first round Saturday in Tempe, Ariz. Byford said she doesn’t know what to expect from the atmosphere but will appreciate the warm Arizona weather. She does know that she will have her work cut out for her on the floor.
“Chattanooga’s got a bunch of good shooters and their best player is their post player,” she said. “That’s going to be a challenge for me. I have to make sure I’m ready when she moves. Boxing out and rebounding are going to be big and just doing the little things that coach has told me all year long.”
With her college career winding to a close, Byford reflected on this season saying it has been a fun year, especially being one of the leaders on the team.
“This team is more talented than the one that made the Sweet 16 two years ago, but we’re really young with only four seniors,” said Byford. “People counted us out, but we knew that we’d come in, work hard and develop our young players and try to prove everyone wrong. It’s been a fun year and the team chemistry has been great on and off the floor.”
Byford and her younger brother, Corbin, who plays basketball at Bray-Doyle, have a sibling rivalry, one which she says she has the upper hand.
“He’s [Corbin] my biggest fan and I’m his biggest fan,” Byford said. “We play against each other in the summers when I’m home and we always talk trash to each other. It’s all in good fun, but I always say, ‘I play D-1 basketball,’ and he’ll say, ‘I’m going to.’”
Byford also said that her family has been big supporters of her and without them, she wouldn’t be where she is today.
“Our parents have opened opportunities for us, playing in summer leagues all over the place and giving us that hard-nosed work ethic. It really is a tribute to them for what they’ve done for me and my brothers.”
Byford has one more chance to shine on the biggest stage in her sport and she is eager to take advantage of that.
“I feel so blessed being a small-town kid from Bray, Oklahoma, in the middle of no where and to get this chance is just a really awesome feeling,” said Byford. “I was sitting in front of the TV in junior high and high school watching them and now I’m doing it. It’s just a dream come true.”
— Ben Whitehead is a sports writer for The Duncan Banner. He can be reached at 255-5354, Ext. 165, or via e-mail at ben.whitehead@duncanbanner.com.
