No. 5 Oklahoma Struggles Offensively in Loss to Kentucky

Raegan Beers fought through foul trouble and the Sooners dropped their second consecutive game

Oklahoma Sooners guard Payton Verhulst (12) passes the ball beside NC State Wolfpack guard Qadence Samuels (2) during a women's college basketball game between the University of Oklahoma Sooners (OU) and the NC State Wolfpack at Lloyd Noble Center in Norman, Okla., on Dec. 3. | BRYAN TERRY/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Oklahoma had controlled the glass much of the game.

But with time dwindling down, Kentucky rose up on the offensive boards, bringing down three consecutive offensive rebounds late to extend their possession to longer than a minute, helping the No. 6 Wildcats to a 63-57 win over the fifth-ranked Sooners on Sunday in Lexington, Kentucky.

The Sooners did get the ball back — finally — after Raegan Beers swatted Tonie Morgan's shot, but OU soon turned the ball over and Jennie Baranczyk's team never could make a run at taking the lead.

Oklahoma outrebounded Kentucky 45-41, but the Wildcats held the edge 14-10 in the fourth quarter.

The loss was the second consecutive for the Sooners (14-3, 2-2 SEC) after winning their previous 13 games before Thursday's home loss to Ole Miss.

Aaliyah Chavez led the Sooners with 18 points while Beers added 14 and Payton Verhulst 13.

Oklahoma shot just 35.8% from the field, their third-lowest shooting total of the season. Each of the Sooners' three worst shooting performances have come in their losses.

Here are three quick takeaways from the Sooners' loss at Kentucky:

Offense Disappears in Second Half

The Sooners have been one of the best offensive teams in the country this season, but looked far from it for much of Sunday's game.

Oklahoma managed just 23 points in the second half, and went 5 of 17 from the floor in the fourth quarter.

The Sooners scored their final bucket from the field with 4:49 remaining and didn't score at all for the final 4:18.

OU missed its last six shots.

The Sooners went more than five minutes without a field goal early in the second half after hitting their first three shots coming out of the break. Oklahoma missed nine consecutive shots, though Kentucky managed just seven points during the stretch.

Sahara Williams finished with just two points, tying her season low, though she did have a team-high six assists.

Sooners Struggle From Distance Once Again

The Sooners were 33.4% from beyond the 3-point line during non-conference play.

But since SEC play began, Oklahoma has struggled to convert much from beyond the arc.

Those struggles continued against the Wildcats, as the Sooners went just 2 of 19 on 3-pointers.

In four SEC games, the Sooners are just 16 of 86 (18.6%) from beyond the arc.

Chavez was 1 for 8 from distance.

The Sooners missed their first four 3-point tries Sunday, then after Verhulst connected on one just more than four minutes into the game, they missed their next nine.

Oklahoma didn't connect again on a 3-pointer until Chavez's three just more than three minutes into the fourth quarter.

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Read More Oklahoma Women's Basketball

• No. 5 Oklahoma Must 'Grow Fast' to Get Back on Track at No. 6 Kentucky
• Three Takeaways From No. 5 Oklahoma's Loss to No. 18 Ole Miss
• Oklahoma Begins Four-Game Gauntlet Against 'Tough' Ole Miss Rebels
• Oklahoma Climbs Into AP Top Five for First Time in 17 Years

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Raegan Beers Battles through Foul Trouble

Just 30 seconds into the game, Beers was called for an offensive foul.

Beers flirted with foul trouble for the rest of the game, picking up her fourth less than two minutes into the fourth quarter.

Beers went to the bench after being called for that fourth foul — also an offensive foul — and didn't return until just 3:36 remained.

Beers finished with 14 points, nine rebounds and three blocks.

Freshman Brooklyn Stewart also had four fouls.