Williams’ Bucket won the 2OT thriller

NORMAN – Taylor Robertson sent the game to overtime and Madi Williams hit the game in second overtime as the 18th-ranked Oklahoma women’s basketball team won from behind in West Virginia’s 101-99 double overtime on Saturday afternoon at Norman.

Oklahoma (20-3, 9-2) is still ranked No. 1 in the Big 12 and has now achieved 20 wins faster than all but two teams in program history. The Mountaineers (11-9, 4-6) led by 12 points in the third quarter before the sixth-digit return of the Sooners season forced the game into extra time, with the OU finding a way to win.

“It’s great to be on this side again in a tight game,” head coach Jennie Baranczyk said after the victory. “This is our third game in a row to be this close. Lifting the hat to West Virginia because I think they were amazing and shot the ball really well. I’m really proud of the response we got in the third quarter and the way we answered the call.”

The Sooners dug themselves into the half-time hole, as they did against the WVU in Morgantown, and got rid of 37-31. The mountaineers took control of the game in the third quarter from lap 11-2 and took the 48-36 lead with a 6:16 mark. The Sooners rushed back 21-11 and ended the season a Kelbie Washington The remaining 11 seconds of the fourth layup leveled the game to 59.

Oklahoma was 77-70 with less than three minutes left. Madi Williams set it for two and Taylor Robertson then sank one of his seven three-pointers to cut the deficit to two. Then with three points to drop with 18 seconds left, Robertson lined up to take a three-point equalizer and made a mistake. The senior, who is the country’s active leader in free throw rates in 92.9 percent of his career, immediately sank all three attempts to get the game tied. A’riana Gray failed in the triangle when time ran out and the Sooners moved on to overtime for the second time this season.

The WVU opened the 86-81 lead for the first OT period at 2:34 before Sooners grabbed the game behind free throws again. Liz Scott and Nevaeh Tot. West Virginia’s Jayla Hemingway threw a 3-pointer with 44 seconds left, and Robertson called in the sixth-third of the night to force another free basketball.

In the second overtime, Sooners took the lead with a Tot cut for nine seconds into the frame and never looked back. OU’s lead increased to five after Robertson and Williams ’tricks before the WVU leveled the game with 32 seconds left. In the fading seconds of the race, when the game was exactly 99, Madi Williams drove the lane, fought through contact, and brought Oklahoma the winner of the game for the third consecutive game. Kennady Tucker hit the ball free for West Virginia’s final possession, giving Oklahoma 20th victory on the ice, 101-99.

The OU’s 101 points are the second highest ever in the Big 12, and it is only 102 points behind the match against Colorado in 2001. This is the second time this season that Oklahoma has reached the top three in the Big 12, making 100 points in the TCU against. in January. Sooners ’20-3 start is the best since the 2008-09 Final Four team started 24-2. The 2001-02 Final Four, recognized at the Lloyd Noble Center on February 26, opened on February 22nd. These two teams are the only teams in the program’s history to have achieved 20 victories faster than the 2022 Sooners. Oklahoma now has 20 wins for the 22nd time in the program’s history and for the first time since the 2016-2017 season.

Oklahoma forced 20 innings with 33 moves in West Virginia and hit 20 innings for the first time since it was 21 against UAPB on December 29, 2010. Sooners hit 13 three-pointer with 28 attempts, exceeding the double-digit number. Treys Big 12-best 12th time this year.

Saturday’s double-over was OU’s first game since it knocked down the Mountaineers 90-87 in Norman on February 7, 2017 at 2OT. The win pushes Sooners to 9-2 in the conference game, its best start since the 2014-15 season, as the team stays on top of the league with Iowa State (20-3, 9-2). Oklahoma has won their last three matches, two vs. Top-10 opponents, by a total of five points.

Robertson set a game record of 26 points in an 8/17 shootout with seven three-pointers. Williams scored 20 points and grabbed nine rebounds. Kelbie Washingtonthe reigning Big 12 freshman of the week, increased his career record by 17 points, split seven assists and baited Fourth. The rinses won increased 14 points by 50%, helping OU run in the third quarter.

The Sooners will be away until Feb. 12, when they head to Austin for a rematch with rival Texas at the Frank Erwin Center. The tip is scheduled for 7pm on the Longhorn Network. Oklahoma defeated Texas 65-63 in Norman on Jan. 29, their second consecutive victory over UT.