The Longhorns traveled to Norman, Oklahoma to face the Sooners in a game that held Texas’ hopes to win back-to-back Big 12 regular season titles. For the second time this season, this game came down to the wire as every possession mattered down the stretch.
Texas led for most of the game until three minutes left in the fourth quarter. At this point, the Longhorns ran the court without some key players as both sophomore forward Amina Muhammad and junior forward Aaliyah Moore fouled out of the game.
With 50 seconds left, senior forward Taylor Jones forced a steal and managed to pass it to freshman forward Madison Booker who drew a foul, sending her to the free throw line to make it 70-67 with the Longhorns up three.
After a made free throw from Oklahoma’s senior forward Skylar Vann the lead was cut down to two. The Longhorns held off attack after attack from the Sooners after not being able to extend the lead on the offensive side of the ball. Texas kept deflecting the ball out of bounds slowly draining the clock down to five seconds left to play.
The game seemed in hand for the Longhorns as the ball once again looked to be headed out of bounds, this time at the fault of the Sooners. Yet a save by Vann found senior guard Lexy Keys who drained a three to put Oklahoma up one.
Texas had one last chance at keeping back-to-back Big 12 regular season titles a possibility. The ball was in Booker’s hands but all she could muster with time running out was an awkward shot attempt that couldn’t find the bottom of the net. The game ended 71-70 with Oklahoma winning the Big 12 title outright.
For most of the game, the Longhorns played a stifling defense that frustrated the Sooners. In the first quarter, Oklahoma went three minutes without scoring a basket. Jones recorded her 45th block of the season and the Sooners went 2-18 from the field in the first quarter.
Texas scored 26 points off 21 forced turnovers and led by as much as 15 points at one point. The Sooners simply made the right plays at the right time and Keys, who put the dagger into the Longhorns at the Moody Center earlier this year, was in the right place.
Booker continued to build her case for National Freshman of the Year scoring 26 points with seven assists and eight rebounds. However, only two other Longhorns scored in double figures as Jones and graduate guard Shaylee Gonzales ended the night with 10 points each.
Texas finishes the regular season against BYU at the Moody Center Saturday night before heading to the Big 12 conference tournament.
