#11 OU vs #3 UConn 4:30pm 3/29 Sweet Sixteen

UConn scored 18 points off Oklahoma’s 23 turnovers. And we loss by 23.
We could have easily been in the game with UConn but when you turn it over at the rate you do you play yourselves out of games.

4 of the 5 starters had 3 or more turnovers against UConn. Only player to not turn the ball over multiple times was Payton Verhulst which she only had 1 turnover.

Also, we did not play good defense in the 2nd half. And kept fouling even though I felt UConn got away with a lot of fouls on Beers, Sahara and Vann. But that doesn’t even matter.

Im excited for 2025-26 season. Also looking forward to see who Oklahoma goes after in the Transfer portal. I would love for another Big , a big Wing/Forward and a Guard.
 
Some people are forgetting how UConn went to South Carolina and beat them like a rented mule earlier this year. They outscored them in every quarter of that game and limited them to 9 points in the 2nd quarter. When UConn is at their best, they are a beast to deal with. They were at their best against South Carolina and in the 2nd half yesterday. Google Search
 
My overall take on the game: First, we just didn't play as well as we had been playing. Understandable for me. First time that deep in the tourney and playing UConn.

Second, UConn tested the officials to start the 3d quarter and played way outside the rules physically until the referees started calling some obvious fouls, and by then we were cooked. Just smart coaching by an old dog that has been there a million times. Gino knows how officials modify their calling of a game in the tournament.

Third, as the game gets tougher, you need to focus on getting the ball into the hands of your better and tougher players. Immediately seeing how UConn came out in the third, no way you play Vann. Not her fault, she is a freshman. They literally just took the ball from her 3-4 times in a row. I would like to have seen them try and run everything through Peyton. It would have been tough though, they were being very physical with her in the 3d quarter.

Fourth, Paige had a good shooting day. She was in the zone and never came out of it. After re-watching the game, I don't think she took more than one or two guarded shots. Our staff knew how good she was, clearly, but they may have been overconfident in her usual un-selfishness. It certainly didn't look like we game planned her at all. Didn't switch on screens, played off of her outside the line, and didn't trap her in order to force the ball into the hands of their other players. I'm not a big proponent of this, but you see coaches play a box and 1 and other unique things to get someone to having one of those days. We didn't try anything different that I could see. Just let her score 30 points in 20 minutes.

And finally, UConn had a better overall team than we did. We were competitive with them. But, when you watch the game again, the overall talent difference was evident. It was particularly evident when jennie, as she always does (not a complaint) went to her bench. Vann will likely be a very good player in time, she wasn't ready for this game, particularly how it was officiated in the 3d quarter.

All in all, it was a good experience for the kids and coaches, and undoubtedly, this will be a good learning experience that will pay dividends in the future. With Chavez in the boat, it will be interesting who else comes in through the portal. Anyone know how many scholarships we have to give out now?
 
cowboysooner said:
Anyone know how many scholarships we have to give out now?
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6 open spots now.

In the 2025/2026 Roster thread the original post I keep up with the players on the roster as portal ins and outs occur and how many open scholarship spots are available.
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Thread '2025/2026 Roster'

I will update as we have portal activity.

One Year of Eligibility (3):
Beatrice Culliton C 6'3"
Raegan Beers C 6’4”
Payton Verhulst W 6’1”

Two Years of Eligibility (1):
Sahara Williams F 5'10"

Three Years of Eligibility (2):
Caya Smith F 6'1"
Zya Vann CG 5'9"

Four Years of Eligibility (3)
Keziah Lofton CG 5'11"
Brooklyn Stewart 6'3" PF/C
Aaliyah Chavez 5'10" PG

Portal transfer out:
Kiersten Johnson
Reyna Scott
Landry Allen

Portal transfer in:


Total Scholarships Used: 9
Open Scholarships: 6
 
Thanks Soonercuda. Just what I was looking for. I wonder if OU will fill all 6, or wait and just make the 2026 class a little bigger. If we are going to fill them, then you don't have to choose what type or position of player you want, you just get a couple Posts, couple wings and a couple guards.

BTW, what year/class was the tall girl that was Becky Preston's kid coming out and are we still recruiting her? Anyone know. Who knows, with the Sweet 16 run and Chavez happening, maybe there is another 2025 kid left worth taking. I would think losing Bea and Reagan next year, it might be good to try and pick up a center or two with at least a couple years of eligibility. This would keep you from starting over in the frontcourt after next year.

Key might be Williams. If she can learn to control her emotions, not get sped up at times and continue her pretty amazing skill improvement, she could really be a difference maker. I thought she dramatically improved from last year to this year. With maturity and experience, you would think her judgment with the ball would really improve. I think most of her turnovers this year was due to just getting in a hurry when there was no call for it. Easily fixable. I like tough kids and she definitely is tough.
An improved Beers, peyton and Sahara on the wing and Chavez at point. Who is the fifth starter? Will be interesting.
 
Are we recruiting Dunn? If so, how is that looking? Also, besides being tall, is she supposed to be pretty good? Thanks.
 
cowboysooner said:
Are we recruiting Dunn? If so, how is that looking? Also, besides being tall, is she supposed to be pretty good? Thanks.
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She came for an unofficial visit last summer and we gave her an offer. She is one of the top 2 or 3 posts in the 2027 class…rated #22 by espn and #11 by Jr AllStar in the class.

Here is a recent article on her…going to USA Basketball tryouts this summer…mentions going to an elite basketball camp in Oklahoma…my guess is that would be Jennie’s camp. Also noticed she is with the MOKAN AAU team and I think that is the KC based team Payton Verhulst’s dad is involved with.

 
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Small victory, we were the only team to have a halftime lead. Looking back the last time they trailed at half before that was their loss to USC in Dec.

Also, UConn only lost 3 quarters in the tournament. One meaningless 4th Quarter to S Dakota St, the 3rd Q with USC and our 2nd Q. I know they had some early season losses and their conference isn't the strongest, but how did they end up as a 2 seed?

How they dominated this tournament, I just hope this isn't a start of another UConn run. I've enjoyed seeing other teams win championships the last few years.
 
lmg088 said:
Small victory, we were the only team to have a halftime lead. Looking back the last time they trailed at half before that was their loss to USC in Dec.

Also, UConn only lost 3 quarters in the tournament. One meaningless 4th Quarter to S Dakota St, the 3rd Q with USC and our 2nd Q. I know they had some early season losses and their conference isn't the strongest, but how did they end up as a 2 seed?

How they dominated this tournament, I just hope this isn't a start of another UConn run. I've enjoyed seeing other teams win championships the last few years.
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Geno is 71 years old. I suspect he won't coach for many more years. I know people get tired of UConn's dominance but I love his teams' style of play.
 
i think they were a #2 seed because the non-conf games they had that were tough they lost, which exception to South Carolina. But lets be honest, they were very deserving of a #1 seed, and obviously used that snub as major motivation and played the best i've seen UConn play in a long time. It seems Strong was the missing piece to compliment their talented guards, and she looked way beyond her years yesterday, and all games prior to that tbh. I hope Chavez is somewhere close to Strong's ability, as another #1 overall recruit, because if she is then we are in for a real treat next season, and she could very well be the missing piece we were lacking this season. We were THIS close to making it to that next level and only lacked a truly good PG, in my opinion. I'm more excited about this next season than I've been since the Paris sister's senior season! Can't wait to see what other pieces JB brings in from the portal, hoping they are skilled and productive!
 
ESPN #1 recruits in college this year:
2024 - Sarah Strong
2023 - JuJu Watkins
2022 - Lauren Betts
2021 - Azzi Fudd
2020 - Paige Bueckers

So if you have the skill and athleticism to be the #1 recruit you are likely to be a difference maker. Lots of reason for optimism for next year.
 
Soonercuda said:
ESPN #1 recruits in college this year:
2024 - Sarah Strong
2023 - JuJu Watkins
2022 - Lauren Betts
2021 - Azzi Fudd
2020 - Paige Bueckers

So if you have the skill and athleticism to be the #1 recruit you are likely to be a difference maker. Lots of reason for optimism for next year.
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Not only that but Aaliyah will already come in with pretty good talent around her to start her career here.

Payton Verhulst
Zya Vann
Raegan Beers
Sahara Williams

Brooklyn is pretty good and so is Keziah.

I would love to see Caya Smith take the next step and be better. I think she can be very good for us if she puts the extra work in this offseason. She’s 6’1 frame that is very athletic, can jump like crazy and she’s fast.
 
After watching the tournament after our loss to UConn, I think we may have been the second best team in the Tournament. UConn was clearly better than we were, but I'm not sure about any of the other teams.

Alright, somebody has to know something about portal kids we are looking at, who are they? Soonercuda you been in a coma for the last week?
 
cowboysooner said:
After watching the tournament after our loss to UConn, I think we may have been the second best team in the Tournament. UConn was clearly better than we were, but I'm not sure about any of the other teams.

Alright, somebody has to know something about portal kids we are looking at, who are they? Soonercuda you been in a coma for the last week?
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Agreed, watching how we somewhat hung with them compared to other teams makes me think that if we'd been in ANY other region we might have perhaps made the Elite 8.
 
cowboysooner said:
After watching the tournament after our loss to UConn, I think we may have been the second best team in the Tournament. UConn was clearly better than we were, but I'm not sure about any of the other teams.

Alright, somebody has to know something about portal kids we are looking at, who are they? Soonercuda you been in a coma for the last week?
Click to expand...
I have no inside sources…I just see what I can find from Twitter or instagram. So far nothing that I can find. Unfortunately none of the OU websites has a reporter that follows WBB recruiting closely…all their focus is on football and MBB.
 
Soonercuda said:
I have no inside sources…I just see what I can find from Twitter or instagram. So far nothing that I can find. Unfortunately none of the OU websites has a reporter that follows WBB recruiting closely…all their focus is on football and MBB.
Click to expand...
On3 does not list KJ as in the portal.
 
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