No. 10 Oklahoma women rally past No. 12 Kentucky to reach SEC Tournament semifinals

Despite facing a 31-26 halftime deficit and trailing by as many as 10, No. 10 Oklahoma used a strong inside game and a near-perfect outing from the charity stripe to take down No. 12 Kentucky, 69-65, on Friday.

The Sooners advance to the semifinals of the SEC Tournament to face the top-seeded South Carolina Gamecocks on Saturday.

 

 

Oklahoma only shot 30.6% and went 6-of-27 from three-point range, so a 30-24 edge in the paint was a driving force behind the win.

 

This and-1 from junior Raegan Beers late in the third quarter was a prime example of Oklahoma’s efficiency under the basket and why it overcame a second-half deficit to the Wildcats.

 

 

Beers had a team-high 20 points (7-of-13 FG) and 11 rebounds, good for her 12th double-double. Senior Payton Verhulst (16 points) and sophomore Sahara Williams (13 points) were the other double-digit scorers and combined for five of the team’s six threes.

 

Free throws were a difference in the game as well. Oklahoma (19-of-20 FT) had 12 more points from the line than Kentucky (7-of-8), which speaks to its aggressiveness in getting to the basket throughout the game. Freshman Zya Vann (7-of-7 FT) scored seven of her nine points from the line while Beers was 6-of-7.

 

The Sooners’ defense did its part to ensure the victory, holding Kentucky to 38% shooting and only 4-of-23 from three-point range. Turnovers were the story for the Wildcats. While senior Georgia Amoore (29 points, five rebounds, seven assists) committed zero turnovers, the rest of the team combined for 20.

 

Head coach Kenny Brooks has turned Kentucky (22-7, 11-5) around and done a phenomenal job in year one in Lexington. However, with back-to-back losses before the NCAA Tournament, Kentucky must take better care of the ball and help its star player out to avoid an early exit.

 

Oklahoma (25-6, 11-5) enters the semifinals of the SEC Tournament as dangerous as anyone. If the paint presence remains, Oklahoma may carry its momentum — regardless of its result in the SEC Tournament – into the NCAA Tournament and perhaps to the Final Four.