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OU women's basketball wins seventh in a row, beat No. 20 Alabama

headshotby:George Stoia•about 19 hours•

GeorgeStoia

OU Verhulst
Oklahoma guard Payton Verhulst (12) shoots a 3-pointer in the third quarter during an NCAA women’s basketball game between Oklahoma and Vanderbilt at Lloyd Noble Center in Norman, Okla., on Thursday, Feb. 20, 2025.

Jennie Baranczyk’s Sooners are playing their basketball heading into the postseason. No. 13 OU won its seventh in a row on Sunday, beating No. 20 Alabama 91-84 at the Lloyd Noble Center.

Oklahoma was led by guard Payton Verhulst also scored 22 points, hitting four 3-pointers and making five straight free throws down the stretch to close out the game in the final minute. Center Raegan Beers was also dominant for the Sooners, scoring 22 points and grabbing 11 rebounds. Sahara Williams added 15 points in the win.

“I just think that it said a lot about my team, that they have the confidence in me,” said Verhulst. “We’ve been in games like this, close at the end, and we’ve lost some, we’ve won some. I think I’m just trying to do whatever it takes to win.”

As a team, OU shot 46% from the field compared to Alabama’s 40%. The Sooners made nine 3-pointers, five of which came in the first quarter. But the Crimson Tide made 13 3s, which largely kept them in the game. Though OU dominated on bench points, 22-3, and points in the paint, 36-28.

Next up for the Sooners is the SEC Tournament, which will take place March 5-9 in Greenville, South Carolina. With Sunday’s win, the Sooners claimed the No. 5 seed in the tournament. OU also likely secured a top 16 seed in the NCAA Tournament, meaning the Sooners could host a regional at the LNC. Selection Sunday will take place on March 16.

“There’s no question this team deserves it,” Baranczyk said of hosting. “Obviously we have to go and play really well. … It’s important, especially the last couple of years, we’ve been knocking on the door. And the year before that, we weren’t ready for it. Now we want it. We really want to host. We need people to keep coming.”

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