OU Basketball: Fourth Quarter Charge Powers Oklahoma to Bedlam Victory
NORMAN — When Oklahoma needed key Bedlam buckets, Skylar Vann delivered.
The Sooners trailed the Oklahoma State Cowgirls most of the game, working virtually the entire third and fourth quarter to erase an eight-point halftime deficit.
Madi Williams finally gave the Sooners the lead back with 4:44 left, but a pair of free throws on the other end put the Cowgirls back on top.
The ball found Vann in front of the OU bench, and with 4:03 to play, she connected on a 3-pointer after OSU dared her to shoot.
The triple sparked a 9-0 Oklahoma run, which was all the push the No. 15-ranked Sooners would need to top the Cowgirls 97-93 Saturday night at Lloyd Noble Center.
"What an awesome game and an awesome environment,” OU coach Jennie Baranczyk said after the game. “Players made huge plays. But we talked about this before. We knew this was a huge rivalry, two great teams. But what a great game for our state.
“And to have this many people here was absolutely phenomenal. So really proud of the way we fined the game.”
Williams also added a pair of key buckets in the final five minutes to add to her team-leading 26 points on the night, helping free up the OU offense in a 9-of-17 shooting performance from the floor.
The Oklahoma veteran said she relished the chance to play in front of a great crowd at home, propelling her to another strong performance.
“It was just super fun,” Williams said. “… I was in awe of the amount of people that came and how loud they were.
“And also with my team and how we were able to stay composed during that time. I don’t even know if we’ve ever played in a Lloyd Noble Center that was that loud. So that was definitely new for us.”
Baranczyk’s Sooners (16-2 overall, 6-1 Big 12) started the game out nicely, building a 19-15 lead by the end of the first quarter, but OSU caught fire in the second period.
The Cowgirls (13-6, 3-4) connected on 6-of-11 triples in the second quarter, adding another four 3-pointers in the third quarter to stay out in front of Oklahoma’s high-powered offense.
Overall, Oklahoma State shot 14-of-37 from deep, heaping the pressure on OU to come from behind.
Oklahoma ratcheted up the defense in the fourth quarter, however, holding the Cowgirls to just 1-of-10 from 3-point range.
“I thought we did a better job communicating,” Baranczyk said. “But I also think we gave them a few open looks. But honestly they hit some big shots too, so some of it might not have had to do with us. But I do think we did a much better job of being able to guard on-ball in the second half.”
But the Sooners had one last charge.
OU shot 8-of-16 from the floor in the fourth quarter, including 5-of-8 from deep, to erase a seven-point deficit over the final 10 minutes to secure the win and stay in sole possession of first place in the Big 12.
“I think our movement was better,” Baranczyk said about the offensive outburst to close the game. “… I think when we do a great job, we still want to be able to think paint. I thought Madi did a great job of getting in the paint.
“And at the same time it doesn’t mean you will shoot it in the paint, but you still want to get it in the pain and so that’s what really makes us good is when we can go pain first and then out.”
Ana Llanusa finished with 17 points on 6-of-12 shooting, adding four assists, two rebounds and a steal. Taylor Robertson only hit two 3-pointers, sitting two shy of tying the NCAA career record, but added 15 points, five rebounds and two assists, and Liz Scott also scored 11 points and pulled down eight boards.
Oklahoma was out-rebounded by Oklahoma State 39-36, and overcame an 18-9 deficit in second chance points to pull off the home victory.
The Sooners won’t have long to bask in the glow of victory as another rivalry game looms around the corner.
Baranczyk’s team heads south to take on the Texas Longhorns on Wednesday at 7 p.m., and the game will be broadcast on the Longhorn Network.
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