Oklahoma Goes Down to the Wire Against Auburn but 16th-ranked Sooners Come out on top

Finally through their toughest stretch of the season, things didn't get much easier for the Sooners.

Oklahoma Sooners guard Aaliyah Chavez | SARAH PHIPPS/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

If 16th-ranked Oklahoma was hoping for something easy coming off a brutal stretch of the schedule that featured four consecutive games against ranked opponents, it didn't get it Sunday.

Auburn pushed the Sooners to the brink before OU closed strong to beat the Tigers 72-65 on the road Sunday.

Oklahoma led by 10 in the third quarter, but Auburn pushed back to tie it twice in the fourth.

The deciding stretch came late, when Sahara Williams' layup kicked off a six consecutive points from the Sooners to help gain some separation in the final two minutes.

Since dropping three consecutive games, Oklahoma has won back-to-back games — including Thursday's upset of No. 2 South Carolina — to improve to 16-4 overall and 4-3 in SEC play.

Aaliyah Chavez led the Sooners with 18 points, while Williams and Raegan Beers added 13 each and Brooklyn Stewart 12.

Here are three takeaways from the Sooners' win:

Brooklyn Stewart Continues to Show Growth

Chavez entered the season with plenty of hype, but Stewart was also a highly touted recruit and a big piece of Jennie Baranczyk's recruiting class.

Stewart has come off the bench all season, but lately her role as slowly expanded.

Baranczyk used Stewart and Beers on the court together at times Sunday, with the duo of bigs having plenty of success on both ends of the floor.

Stewart was 5 of 9 from the floor, finishing with a season-high 12 points. She tied her season high in rebounds with eight and assists with four.

Oklahoma State guard Stailee Heard (32) goes to the basket against Oklahoma forward Brooklyn Stewart (21) during the first half of a Bedlam women's college basketball game between the OSU Cowgirls and OU Sooners at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025. | NATE BILLINGS/FOR THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Sahara Williams Struggles With Foul Trouble, Comes up big

Less than four minutes into the third quarter, Sahara Williams picked up her third foul.

Jennie Baranczyk elected to stick with Williams, but it didn't take long to both pay off and for Williams to wind up on the bench.

Less than 30 seconds after that foul, WIlliams took a feed in the lane, turned and drained a fadeaway jumper.

Williams blew a kiss toward the bucket as the ball went through, drawing a technical foul and sending Williams to the bench.

Williams didn't return until more than three minutes into the fourth quarter.

Her earlier jumper had put the Sooners up by 10, but the lead was just five when Williams reentered.

Williams made several critical plays down the stretch on both ends of the floor, finishing with nine rebounds, three assists and three steals.

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Read More Oklahoma Women's Basketball

• Aaliyah Chavez Caught Fire in OT to Deliver Oklahoma a Signature Win
• Oklahoma Takes Down No. 2 South Carolina in Overtime Thriller
• Sooners Still Have Plenty Ahead of Them

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Sooners Jump Out to Quick Lead

Oklahoma wasn't exactly hot from the field to start the game,

The Sooners hit just three of their first 10 shots, but Auburn was even worse from the field early, and OU forced six first-quarter turnovers.

OU scored the final five points of the opening quarter to give the Sooners a 19-12 lead.

But instead of keeping their foot on the gas, Oklahoma allowed the Tigers to get back into the game quickly in the second quarter.

It took back-to-back layups by Williams in the final minute to give the Sooners a 35-30 lead at halftime.