by STILLWATER, Okla. – Oklahoma trailed for most of the game, but an overpowering second half guided the Sooners past Oklahoma State, 81-74, in Stillwater on Saturday afternoon.
The win pushed Oklahoma (15-6, 9-1 Big 12) into a tie atop the Big 12 standings with No. 2 Kansas State, and third-year head coach Jennie Baranczyk is now 5-0 vs. the Cowgirls (11-11, 4-7 Big 12).
The Sooners trailed early as the Cowgirls used home-court advantage to jump out to an early 12-7 lead in the first quarter. OU got within two, but OSU’s Hannah Gusters was effective inside as OSU took a 24-16 lead into the second. Oklahoma outscored OSU 17-16 to cut into the deficit but trailed by seven at the break.
Lexy Keys and Sahara Williams lit the spark and powered an 8-0 Oklahoma run to open the second half and take a lead, and that’s when the two teams started to exchange blows. The game featured 11 lead changes, but it was a fourth quarter run guided by Skylar Vann and Nevaeh Tot that was able to push the Sooners past Oklahoma State and into first place.
Vann finished with a game-high 22 points, eclipsing 20 points for the third straight game. The senior from Edmond, Okla., added seven rebounds, three assists, and two blocks in the win. Payton Verhulst notched a double-double with 10 points and a career-high 10 assists. Lexy Keys, who transferred to Oklahoma from OSU in the offseason, buried four of her five 3-pointers to score a critical 12 points to send the Sooners across the finish line
