by NORMAN, Okla. (AP) — Madi Williams had 23 points and nine rebounds, and No. 18 Oklahoma defeated No. 9 Texas 65-63 on Saturday for its first win over a Top 10 team since 2017.
Taylor Robertson added 17 points and 10 rebounds for the Sooners (18-3, 7-2), who remained tied with Iowa State for the Big 12 lead. True freshman Kelbie Washington (Choctaw) reached double-digit scoring for the sixth time this season by chipping in 10 points.
Oklahoma prefers a fast-paced game. The Sooners entered the day ranked second nationally with 87 points per game. Texas controlled the tempo and turned it into a grueling contest that featured 44 fouls.
“We found a different way to win tonight and I’m proud of that,” she said. “Obviously, this was not our A-game. We didn’t shoot as well as normally do. We turned the ball over … but we still found a way. I’m really, really proud of this group to do that.”
Rori Harmon had 15 points and 11 rebounds and Aliyah Matharu added 10 points for Texas (17-4, 5-3), which saw its four-game win streak snapped.
With the score tied at 63-all, Oklahoma’s Liz Scott was fouled on a made running bank shot with 4.1 seconds left in the fourth quarter. She missed the free throw, and Texas called timeout with 3.6 seconds to play.
Harmon then missed what would have been a game-winning 3-pointer at the buzzer. Texas coach Vic Schaefer said the final shot was not what he wanted.
“We had a specific play that we were going to we’re going to try to run, get a good look,” he said. “We had gotten it twice during the game. For whatever reason, we just didn’t execute.”
The Longhorns made 2 of 10 field goals in the fourth quarter, including 1 of 6 3-pointers.
“I beat my head in the wall all day trying to get our kids to attack and get the ball inside and get the ball in the paint,” he said. “I just — I lost the battle. We really settled a lot for jump shots. I really had a hard time trying to get my team to play the way we practiced for two days.”
Scott’s late basket produced her only points of the game.
“Liz hadn’t made a bucket all night, and she came in and she had the confidence to make her move with the clock counting down,” Williams said. “She got a bucket and she was rewarded for it.”
Early in the second quarter, with Texas leading 18-17, Robertson was fouled on a 3-pointer and Schaefer was called for a technical. Robertson made all five free throws and touched nothing but net on all of them to put Oklahoma ahead 22-18. Oklahoma led 36-33 at halftime behind 14 points each from Robertson and Williams.
Harmon made a deep 3-pointer at the third-quarter buzzer to put Texas ahead 51-48, and the game was close throughout the fourth quarter.
Ultimately, mistakes cost the Longhorns.
“We forced 27 turnovers, but we had 24 of our own,” Schaefer said. “And you can’t win on the road turning the ball over 24 times. It just — it doesn’t work.”
Now, the Sooners must turn their attention to No. 11 Baylor, who they’ll take on in Waco, Texas, on Wednesday at 7 p.m. The game will be streamed on Big 12 Now on ESPN+.
