LeeLee Bell didn’t need much time to announce herself in an Oklahoma uniform.
Less than a minute into Monday’s matchup in Paris, the 6-foot-3 newcomer buried a 3-pointer, and she never really let up from there. In No.
21 Oklahoma’s 91-79 win over No. 12 North Carolina, Bell finished with a game-high 25 points, plus eight rebounds and four assists.
That kind of all-court production is exactly what drew her to the Sooners in the first place. Bell said the fit came down to Oklahoma’s style and the freedom Jennie Baranczyk gives her players.
“I think the main thing was the playing style,” Bell said. “It’s run and gun, it’s get up and down.
We want to be the best we can. I like that because Jennie (Baranczyk) doesn’t see anyone as a one or a two, everyone could play every position.
That’s what I grew up as.”
Bell’s path to this point started in Minot, N.D., where she grew up about an hour south of the Canadian border. She said she came up as a guard before her height changed the way she played.
“I grew up when I was little playing like a guard because I was smaller and then when I grew up and got to my height, that’s when I knew I’d grown into a post,” Bell said. “I’m very versatile. You have to be versatile to play with this team.”
Her debut showed that versatility in full. Even though Bell works on the interior, only two of her points came in the paint. She hit from deep, scored in different spots and gave Oklahoma another weapon in a frontcourt that won’t be asked to look exactly like Raegan Beers’ role.
Baranczyk said Bell’s game gives the Sooners plenty of options.
“She’s just really versatile and she’s really hungry,” Baranczyk said. “She can really shoot the ball.
She really can. She can shoot it from three.
She can shoot it from 15. She can score inside.
You’ll see her physically continue to get better and you’ll see her chemistry with Aaliyah (Chavez) continue to get better. She can handle a little bit more in the full court too.”
Sahara Williams, who added 22 points in the win, saw the same thing up close and described Bell as “sneaky quiet.”
“When you talk to her, it’s like, ‘Do you say words?” Williams said.
“But then when she goes out on the court, you’re like, ‘Oh God.’ …
“The girl can play. The girl can hoop.
She’s a sponge to the game. I think that’s what makes her so special - her willingness to get better, her willingness to be coached, her willingness to do the extra rep.
I just think she’s been all around so much fun to play with.”
Oklahoma is back in action Sunday at 2 p.m. against Morgan State at Lloyd Noble Center.
In Other News...
OUs Offensive Reset Now Hinges On One Huge Brent Venables Decision
Oklahomas offensive reset has already taken one major turn, with Ben Arbuckle out as offensive coordinator and Jason Witten now handling play-calling duties after the Sooners 4-4 start. The move signals how much urgency has built around an offense that has not found its footing, and it puts the spotlight squarely on Brent Venables as he tries to steady a season that has drifted off course.
The quarterback situation is part of the same conversation, with John Mateer coming off a rough stretch and Whitt Newbauer potentially in line for an opportunity, even though no official change has been announced. Beyond the immediate shuffle, the bigger question is where Oklahoma goes next on offense and who Venables ultimately trusts to help define that direction. [Read more 🡒]
Oklahoma Just Landed A Texas Legacy Fans Will Love
Oklahoma added an eye-catching name to its 2028 recruiting class when Logan Lokey, a four-star defensive lineman from Denton Guyer High School, announced his commitment. The son of former Texas defensive lineman Derek Lokey, he arrives with plenty of pedigree and plenty of attention, especially as an in-state recruit who had several major offers on the table.
What makes the decision stand out for Sooners fans is the school he passed over. Lokey is ranked No. 29 among defensive linemen in his class and has already made a strong impression at Denton Guyer, but Oklahoma beat out Texas and others to land him. For a program always looking to win key battles on the trail, getting a legacy recruit with Texas ties is the kind of early victory that tends to resonate. [Read more 🡒]
Oklahoma Faces Another Offensive Reset Under Brent Venables
Another offensive reset is underway in Norman, with Brent Venables moving on from Ben Arbuckle during his second season running the Oklahoma program. The change leaves the Sooners searching again for stability on that side of the ball, and it adds another layer to a coaching tenure that has already seen plenty of turnover.
Jason Witten has been named interim offensive coordinator, giving Oklahoma a temporary answer while Venables sorts out the longer-term plan. The next hire will be especially significant, because it will be the fourth full-time offensive coordinator of Venables six-year run with the Sooners, a sign of how hard it has been to find continuity on offense. [Read more 🡒]