Sooners Survive Florida Scare, But Bigger Tests Loom Ahead
No. 10 Oklahoma women’s basketball (18-6, 6-5 SEC) did what it had to do Thursday night at the Lloyd Noble Center - avoid a costly slip-up. The Sooners held off Florida (15-12, 3-9 SEC) 81-74, a win that won’t necessarily boost their NCAA Tournament résumé, but certainly keeps it from taking a hit.
This wasn’t a statement win. It was a survival win. And at this point in the season, that matters just as much.
Coming off a tough loss to No. 5 Vanderbilt, Oklahoma couldn’t afford to let another opportunity slide - especially not against an unranked opponent.
If the Sooners are going to lock in a top-four seed and keep their chances of hosting a first-round NCAA Tournament game alive, these are the games they simply have to win. And they did, even if it wasn’t pretty.
A Tale of Two Halves
The Sooners came out flat in the first half, shooting just 28% from the field and managing only 26 points. Poor shot selection, rushed possessions, and missed opportunities plagued them early. It’s become something of a trend lately - Oklahoma struggling to find rhythm in the opening 20 minutes before flipping a switch in the second half.
Thursday was no different. After the break, the Sooners looked like a different team, torching the nets at a scorching 70% clip and clawing back from a 13-point deficit. It was the kind of turnaround that shows resilience, yes, but also raises questions about consistency - especially with postseason play looming.
“We’ve had a lot of tale of two halves the last few weeks,” head coach Jennie Baranczyk said. “We’ve got to learn how to be able to put 40 minutes together.”
She’s not wrong. Against top-tier competition - like No.
4 Texas or Vanderbilt - slow starts have proven costly. And with a closing stretch that includes matchups against No.
23 Alabama and No. 22 Tennessee, the margin for error is shrinking fast.
Turnovers and Trouble Inside
Another recurring issue: turnovers. Oklahoma won the turnover battle on paper, forcing 23 while committing 17, but the numbers don’t tell the whole story. Several of those giveaways came on careless entry passes into the paint, particularly when trying to feed senior center Raegan Beers.
Beers, who’s typically a steady presence down low, was held to just nine points and five boards. The Sooners struggled to get her involved in the flow of the offense, and when they did try, the execution wasn’t clean. Against a more disciplined defensive team, those mistakes could be the difference between advancing and packing up early in March.
Defensive Concerns Mount
Defensively, Oklahoma continues to let opposing guards have big nights. Florida’s Liv McGill dropped 29 points, slicing through the Sooners’ defense and hitting timely shots to keep the Gators in it. That marks the third straight game where an opposing guard has gone off - Vanderbilt’s Mikayla Blakes had 34, and Aubrey Galvan added 30 in the game before that.
OU needs to find answers on the perimeter, and fast. Tournament teams often ride hot guard play deep into March. If the Sooners can’t contain those kinds of performances, it could be a short stay in the dance.
Bright Spots and Growing Pains
There were still positives. Sophomore guard Zya Vann stepped up with 18 points, providing much-needed scoring punch. Freshman Aaliyah Chavez had a rough night from the field (2-for-14), but showed maturity by staying aggressive and converting all 10 of her free throws - a small but meaningful silver lining.
That’s the thing about this Oklahoma team. The pieces are there.
The talent is real. But there’s still some polishing to do if they want to make noise in March.
“We’ve got too many areas that we got to get better,” Baranczyk said. “Of course, we want to host.
Of course, we want to win every game that we play. But my focus is more on how do we get this team to be a better team, to keep going forward.”
The Road Ahead
With five games left in the regular season, the path forward is clear - beat the teams you’re supposed to beat, and prove you can hang with the ones that challenge you. The Sooners are a perfect 16-0 against unranked opponents but just 2-6 against ranked teams. That split says a lot.
Next up is a road trip to Tuscaloosa to face No. 23 Alabama - a game that could go a long way in shaping OU’s postseason outlook.
Win that one, and the Sooners start to build a stronger case as a team that can do more than just take care of business. Lose, and the questions about consistency and readiness will only get louder.
Tip-off is set for 3 p.m. Sunday on the SEC Network.
The stakes? High.
The margin for error? Slim.
But the opportunity? Still very much alive.