Sooners Dominate Aggies Again, Keep Momentum Rolling Ahead of Texas Showdown
Oklahoma women's basketball is heating up at just the right time. With an 85-58 win over Texas A&M, the Sooners not only completed a season sweep of the Aggies, but also extended their current win streak to three games. Under head coach Jennie Baranczyk, OU has now rattled off 25 straight wins against unranked opponents - a testament to this program's consistency when it’s supposed to take care of business.
And while the final score makes this one look like a wire-to-wire blowout, the Sooners had to shake off a slow start before finding their rhythm.
Early Jitters, Then a Takeover
The first quarter wasn’t Oklahoma’s cleanest stretch of basketball. There were some early misfires, a few defensive lapses, and a general sense that the team was trying to find its footing. But that didn’t last long.
Enter Caya Smith. The sophomore guard gave OU the spark it needed, knocking down a pair of threes and adding a block and a rebound - all in the opening quarter.
Her early six points helped steady the ship, and she didn’t stop there. Smith finished with 11 points on the night, along with two rebounds, three assists, a block, and two steals - a well-rounded performance that showcased her growing confidence and two-way impact.
Sahara Williams was another key piece in the Sooners’ first-quarter turnaround. Her stat line in just the opening 10 minutes - four points, four rebounds, and four assists - tells you everything about her versatility.
She was everywhere, doing a little bit of everything to help Oklahoma settle in. By the end of the night, Williams had posted 12 points, nine rebounds, five assists, a block, and a steal - just shy of a double-double and every bit the tone-setter OU needed.
Fueled by their energy, the Sooners closed the first quarter on a 9-0 run - and from that point on, they were in full control.
Defense Sets the Tone - Again
Oklahoma’s defense has quietly become one of the most reliable units in the country, and this game was another example of why. The Sooners held Texas A&M to just nine points in the second quarter and limited the Aggies to under 40 percent shooting for the game - the 16th time this season they’ve done that to an opponent.
The defensive pressure was relentless. Oklahoma forced turnovers, closed out on shooters, and turned defense into offense - racking up 23 points off A&M’s mistakes.
The Sooners’ ability to flip the switch on both ends of the floor is what makes them so dangerous. When they lock in defensively, the offense usually follows - and that’s exactly what happened here.
Verhulst Catches Fire from Deep
Payton Verhulst has been a steady presence for Oklahoma all season, but on this night, she was flat-out electric from beyond the arc. The senior guard went 5-for-7 from three-point range, accounting for all of her field goals made. She led all scorers with 16 points, including a free throw after being fouled on a three-point attempt.
Beyond the scoring, Verhulst added two rebounds, four assists, and a steal - but it was her shooting that broke the game open. Every time A&M tried to inch back into it, Verhulst was there to knock down a dagger from deep. Her shooting kept the Aggies at arm’s length and gave Oklahoma the cushion it needed to cruise in the second half.
The Road Ahead: Red River Rivalry
Next up? A trip to Austin for one of the most anticipated matchups on the schedule - a showdown with No.
4 Texas in the Red River Rivalry. This will be the only meeting between the two this season, and it’s shaping up to be a big one.
Tipoff is set for Sunday, February 1 at 3 p.m. ET/2 p.m.
CT inside the Moody Center, with national coverage on ABC.
With the Sooners riding high and the Longhorns sitting near the top of the rankings, this rivalry clash has all the makings of a statement game. If Oklahoma brings the same defensive intensity and balanced scoring attack we saw against Texas A&M, they’ll have a real shot to shake things up in Austin.