OU Basketball: Oklahoma's Turnovers Prove Costly in Sweet 16 Loss to UConn

Oklahoma needed to play its best game to notch the program’s first-ever win over UConn and return to the Elite Eight.

But turnovers did the Sooners in.

Jennie Baranczyk’s team coughed the ball up 23 times on Saturday, eight of which came in the third quarter, which gave the Huskies too many chances.

OU’s four-point halftime lead evaporated over the course of its sloppy third-quarter performance. Connecticut outscored the Sooners by 17 in the third, and fueled by an NCAA Tournament program record 40 points and a second-half takeover from All-American Paige Bueckers, it was Geno Auriemma’s team that refused to surrender the advantage.

Oklahoma’s season came to an end with a 82-59 defeat in Spokane, WA.

"(Bueckers) was on fire, and I think that we just didn't respond very well either," Baranczyk said after the game. "... But when we turned it over a few too many times and gave 'em a few open looks... That's something that's kind of been (an Achilles' heel) for us."

The Sooners finished the year 27-8 overall and returned tot the Sweet Sixteen for the first time since 2013, while UConn (34-3) advanced to the Elite Eight on Monday.

Turnovers plagued OU throughout the year, as the Sooners led the country with 18.7 turnovers per game.

Oklahoma started the game on an 8-0 run, but it probably should have extended the lead even further.

UConn missed its first four attempts from the floor and turned the ball over three times in the opening four minutes.

Once the Huskies dialed in, however, Bueckers made the Sooners pay.

UConn responded with a 10-0 run of its own, and took a 17-12 lead into the second quarter.

That’s when Payton Verhulst decided to take over.

She got herself going with a catch-and-shoot 3 right in front of Auriemma and the UConn bench, then the senior guard started to show off.

She pulled up from the edge of the logo at halfcourt and drained a long 3 to put OU back in front 24-23.

Verhulst then hit a jumper from inside the arc and added another 3 to put Oklahoma up 29-23 and close out a solo 8-0 run.

Despite losing the turnover battle 13-9 in the first half, the Sooners took a 36-32 lead into the break.

"She sparked us in the second quarter to really give us some life," Baranczyk said of Verhulst. "... I love her versatility and she just does such a great job when she doesn't have the ball in her hands, and her movement and her offense."

Auriemma’s defense asserted itself out of halftime.

Oklahoma turned the ball over three times in the first five minutes of the third quarter, allowing the Huskies to run in transition.

Bueckers took advantage of the chaos, scoring 10 quick points to lead UConn on a 13-2 run and take a 48-40 lead midway through the third.

A Baranczyk timeout couldn’t stop the bleeding.

The run reached 20-2 run until Raegan Beers’ finish through contact sent her to the line. After sinking the free throw, the Sooners had 12:26 left on the clock to try and dig out of a 55-43 hole.

"We've done really well actually coming out at halftime, so that actually surprised me that we didn't," Baranczyk said.

Verhulst cooled off from the floor, however, and Skylar Vann and Beers were unable to take control in the second half amidst the turnovers.

Vann’s Oklahoma career ended with a six-point, three-rebound performance, and Beers ended the game with 10 points and 10 boards.

"Geno's a great coach," Beers said. "Lots of good girls on there. Did a really good job of kind of sending two a lot of the time when we were in the paint, not just me, but anybody down there kind of packing it in there a lot.

"So a lot of shots didn't fall on the outside when we kicked it out, things like that."

Verhulst scored 16 points on 6-of-17 shooting, but Bueckers led all scorers with a career-high 40.

The Sooners dropped to 0-14 all-time against UConn with the loss and 0-3 in NCAA Tournament contests.