Jackson Sparks OU over SE Missouri State, 84-62

NORMAN, Okla. -- Oklahoma turned the ball over and missed free throws more than coach Sherri Coale would've liked, but Coale saw more good than bad in the Sooners' season-opening victory.

Dionnah Jackson scored 23 points and Krista Sanchez added 17 as the Sooners beat Southeast Missouri State 84-62 Friday night.

"We did some really good things with the basketball," Coale said. "We had 25 assists and that's a smart offensive game. I know we turned it over 17 times and that's a few too many.

"With the way they play though, that number's not that bad."

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SE Missouri State (0-1) trailed by as much as nine twice in the first half, but managed to go into half time tied with Oklahoma (1-0) at 38-38. But a 10-0 run, sparked by Leah Rush's jumper at 12:36, put Oklahoma ahead for good.

Coale credited Lauren Shoush, who had eight rebounds, a 3-pointer and three rebounds in the second half.

"She was the difference," Coale said. "Her minutes in the first half were OK, but she didn't impact the game. The play of the game was when she flew in and tipped the offensive board and saved it. Suddenly the crowd got involved in the game and everyone on the floor felt alive."

Shoush finished with 6 points and 10 rebounds.

It was Shoush's 3-point at 15:41 left in the game that put Oklahoma ahead 48-41, and a free throw about a minute later gave the Sooners a 49-42 lead.

After a free throw by Sanchez, Dionnah Jackson fouled and Natalie Purcell hit both free throws to cut the advantage to 50-44. A layup by Tatiana Conceicao, SE Missouri State's leading scorer, narrowed the score to 50-46, but two turnovers and a foul sealed the game.

"Their defense was really intense, but we got a lot of backdoors and really kept our composure," Sanchez said.

"... I think it's just a matter of playing your game as opposed to theirs."

Conceicao led all scorers with 26 points for Southeast Missouri State, and Purcell added 15.

The Sooners faltered in 3-point range, hitting only 7-of-18 (33.3 percent), but went 32-of-65 (49.2 percent) from the field for the game.

Southeast Missouri State shot 44.7 percent from the field.