OU Stops No. 25 Utah, 72-59

SALT LAKE CITY -- Sophomore Erin Higgins led four Sooners in double digits scoring with a team-best 17 points as Oklahoma upset No. 25 Utah, 72-59, Tuesday for its third consecutive win. Senior Dionnah Jackson produced her fourth overall and second-straight double-double of the season with 14 points and 10 rebounds as OU (7-3) concluded its northwest road swing in perfect fashion.

Sophomores Leah Rush and Chelsi Welch each added 11 points as 2,106 fans watch OU snap Utah's (8-3) seven-game winning steak inside the Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City, Utah.

“This is by far the most complete game we have had this year,” said Sooner coach Sherri Coale. “Our offensive I.Q. was outstanding in the first half. We really did some smart things with the basketball. Our defensive communication and our ability to stick with the game plan was outstanding. Utah is not an easy team to guard.

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“We played together. We played smart and with a great deal of energy. A complete performance in all phases of the game.”

OU jumped out to an early 10-4 lead with the assistance of Higgins and Welch's back-to-back three-pointers before the first media timeout. Jackson came out of that timeout and rallied off five straight points of her own as she converted on an old fashion three-point play and a driving lay-up, forcing UU to call its first timeout at the 13 minute mark.

Utah put together a small run over the next four minutes, outscoring the Sooners 11-3 and cutting the deficit to 21-19 with 6:50 to play before half. However, Oklahoma regrouped and within two minutes the Sooners were back on top 31-20.

“Erin Higgins did an unbelievable job not only offensively but defensively on No. 10 (Shona Thorburn),” Coale said. “She (Thorburn) likes to duck her head a lot an go to the rim. She's an excellent 3-point shooter but Erin didn't let up on her all night. She made it very difficult on her.”

OU held a 35-29 advantage at halftime and had hit five of its 10 three pointers. The Sooners shot 40 percent from the field, while Utah hit 28 percent due to OU's tough defense in the first 20 minutes.

Oklahoma opened the second half much like it did the first with suffocating man-to-man defense. The Sooners' advantage grew to 15 points, 44-29, before the Utes could even score. Higgins got the offense going by hitting her first attempted three-pointer just 30 seconds into the half. That was followed by a Welch's lay up and back-to-back jumpers by Rush. That duo scored 10 straight points for the Sooners.

Oklahoma reached its largest lead of 17-points five times in the final stanza with the last being at the 2:39 mark, 72-55.

Kim Smith had 19 points for Utah, but she was unable to help the Utes overcome an early deficit.

The Sooners limited Utah to 32-percent shooting, while making 44 percent of their shots, including 59 percent from 3-point range. Oklahoma also out rebounded a very physical Utah team, 45-31, and claimed 20 assists to its 25 made field goals.

Oklahoma will take five days off to celebrate the holidays with friends and family before hosting Henderson State on Wednesday, Dec. 29, at 7 p.m. inside the Lloyd Noble Center.

“This stretch has been so good for us,” said Coale. “There hasn't been anything easy about this trip. Our guys adjusted and their confidence is really, really solid right now. That's how you want to send them home for Christmas.”

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