LeeLee Bell wasted no time making her presence felt in Oklahoma’s season opener.
The freshman forward scored 25 points and powered the No. 21 Sooners to a 91-79 win over No.
12 North Carolina on Monday in Paris, giving Oklahoma an emphatic start to the year. Bell’s debut headlined a night in which the Sooners took control with a huge third quarter and never really gave it back.
That middle stretch was the difference. Oklahoma rolled through the third 31-14, and the Sooners did it by getting downhill and living at the line. They went 10 of 13 on free throws in the quarter, while North Carolina managed just 1 of 2.
Bell wasn’t the only Sooners player who came through in a big way. Sahara Williams, Oklahoma’s most experienced player, scored 13 of her 22 points in the third and knocked down a pair of 3-pointers. By the time the period ended, Oklahoma had built an 18-point cushion heading into the final 10 minutes.
North Carolina made a late push, but the hole was too deep. The Tar Heels started finding some rhythm only after a string of early-clock misses from Oklahoma opened the door.
They trimmed the margin to 10 with a little more than a minute left, but then missed four straight shots. Aaliyah Chavez buried a 3-pointer with 20 seconds remaining to put the finishing touch on the win.
Chavez’s night had its own twists. In the opening seconds of the second quarter, she picked up her third foul while guarding a North Carolina ballhandler, ending her first half right there.
Oklahoma was down 19-18 when she went out, and the Tar Heels quickly pushed the lead to six. But the Sooners answered with a 20-7 run and took a 39-38 lead into halftime.
Bell scored nine points in the second quarter and added two assists.
Chavez finished with 14 points on 4-of-12 shooting, including 1 of 5 from 3-point range.
For North Carolina, freshman Kate Harpring led the way with 21 points, though she needed 26 shots to get there, finishing 9 of 26 from the field. The Tar Heels also struggled in the decisive third quarter, hitting just 6 of 20 shots overall and 1 of 8 from deep.
In Other News...
Oklahomas Offensive Coordinator Search Just Got More Intriguing
Oklahomas offensive coordinator search has quickly become one of the more interesting subplots around the program after the Sooners moved on from Ben Arbuckle and turned to Jason Witten as interim offensive coordinator. The list of names being discussed brings a different kind of weight to the process, with several NFL coaches who also have college play-calling experience now in the mix as Oklahoma looks for the right fit.
Kliff Kingsbury, David Shaw and Doug Nussmeier are among the candidates being considered, each bringing a background that would give the Sooners a very different profile on offense. Their ties to college football and, in some cases, to the Oklahoma program add another layer to the search, but for now the situation remains exactly that - a search, with no hire confirmed yet. [Read more 🡒]
Oklahoma Just Landed A Texas Legacy Fans Will Love
Oklahoma added an intriguing piece to its 2028 recruiting class with the commitment of Logan Lokey, a four-star defensive lineman out of Denton Guyer High School. Lokey has already built a reputation as one of the better young linemen in his class, and his rise has come with the kind of attention that usually follows top in-state prospects with multiple major offers.
What makes this one stand out is the family connection. Lokey is the son of former Texas defensive lineman Derek Lokey, and he had options that included the Longhorns, but he still chose Oklahoma. For Sooners fans, it is the sort of early recruiting win that can resonate well beyond one commitment, especially when a player with local ties and a strong profile decides Norman is the place he wants to be. [Read more 🡒]
LeeLee Bell Already Looks Like A Problem In Oklahomas Offense
LeeLee Bell did not waste any time making an impression in her first game for Oklahoma. In the No. 21 Sooners 91-79 win over North Carolina, the versatile newcomer scored a game-high 25 points and added eight rebounds and four assists, the kind of all-around debut that immediately shows why the staff was so eager to bring her in.
Bells fit in this offense was part of the appeal from the start, since she picked Oklahoma for its playing style and the freedom it offers on the court. After the opener, coach Jennie Baranczyk and teammate Sahara Williams both pointed to Bells skill set and work ethic, and if this first outing is any indication, the Sooners may have found another player who can make defenses uncomfortable in a hurry. [Read more 🡒]