Oklahoma Routs Akron in Bahamas

FREEPORT, Bahamas -- Head coach Sherri Coale cleared her bench for the second consecutive game as the 21st-ranked Oklahoma women's basketball (3-0) team cruised to an impressive 88-40 victory over Akron (0-3) Friday in the Junkanoo Jam at St. George's High School in Freeport, Grand Bahama, Bahamas.

“I was absolutely thriller with our effort,” Coale said after the game. “We played really, really hard regardless of the position, score and who was in the game. We competed and I'm extremely pleased with that.”

With the win, OU advances to face Iowa (3-0) in the title game Saturday of the Lucaya Division at 2:30 p.m. CST. The Hawkeyes defeated Florida (0-2), 65-62, to tip off tournament action. Akron and Florida will play for third-place at 12 p.m.

Box Score | Sooner Gameday Central

Friday's 48-point victory ties for fourth-best in Sooner history for largest road or neutral site win. It's also marks the second largest road win in Coale's era. Coale defeated ORU by 57 points during the 2001-02 season.

Four Sooners ended the game with 10-plus points. Sophomore Chelsi Welch scored all of her game-high 13 points before intermission, while senior Lauren Shoush came off the bench to register eight of her 13 after the half. Sophomore Leah Rush added 11 points and junior Laura Andrews contributed 10.

Junior Antoinette Wadsworth registered a game- and career-high 12 rebounds in 17 minutes of play. Wadsworth also added five points and a personal-best three steals to her totals.

“Antoinette Wadsworth gave us some good minutes,” said Coale. “She was absolutely all over the glass every time.

“Kendra Moore was outstanding, defending the basketball and pushing it in the open floor. We got a chance to play a lot of people and that's important when we have to turn around and play tomorrow afternoon.”

After senior All-American candidate Dionnah Jackson got into foul trouble, Moore, a sophomore guard, filled the role beautifully. Moore controlled the team and dished out a career-best seven assists, while hitting her first trey of the season. The Oklahoma native also established personal bests in points (7) and minutes played (17).

“I'm so proud of Kendra,” said Jackson. “She showed signs of what she's capable of doing tonight. Kendra is a great passer and one of the quickest players I've gone up against.”

OU found success from beyond the arc as the Sooners nailed a season-high 12 three-pointers, the most since OU hit a dozen against Colorado last year (Feb. 18).

Sophomore Erin Higgins got things going on the perimeter as she canned a deep trey 20 seconds into the game. With that momentum and defensive intensity, OU jumped out to a 9-0 lead at the 14:47 mark. The Sooners would see their lead grow to as much as 25 points in the first half. Welch was a large reason for the advantage as she hit back-to-back 3s and ended the period scoring 11 of OU's final 16 points.

Oklahoma was able to hold Akron to just 17 points in the second half, while scoring 42. The Sooners' defense held the Zips to just five points for the first eight minutes and forced them to shoot a poor 20 percent from the field after halftime, including a 1-of-9 performance from the arc. Wadsworth grabbed nine of her 12 rebounds during this period.

OU won the battle of the boards by 20 (47-27) and forced the Zips into 24 turnovers and just a 30.0 field goal percentage, an opponent low for Oklahoma.

Oklahoma shot the basketball well, hitting 47.5 percent from the field (28-of-59) and 37.5 percent from the arc (12-of-32). However, OU had 21 turnovers but dished out 22 assists with its 28 made field goals.

Courtney Stewart had nine points in a reserve role to lead the Zips.

The Sooners established a tournament record with 22 assists and matched tournament bests of 88 points and five blocked shots.