OU Opens Big 12 Play With Win, 87-67

AMES, Iowa (AP) -- Chelsi Welch matched her career high with 23 points, and twins Courtney and Ashley Paris each had a double-double, leading No. 18 Oklahoma to an 87-67 victory over Iowa State on Wednesday night.

Courtney Paris scored 15 points and grabbed 13 rebounds despite playing only 18 minutes in the Big 12 opener. It was the 11th double-double in 14 games for the 6-foot-4 freshman.

Ashley Paris added 10 points and 13 rebounds to help the Sooners (11-3) win at Iowa State (9-3) for the first time since 1994 and snap the Cyclones' 21-game winning streak at home.

Statistics | Game Notes | Sooner Basketball Central

Oklahoma coach Sherri Coale beat Iowa State for just the second time in 11 tries.

Welch followed a 20-point performance in a victory at No. 20 New Mexico last week with an even better game in this one. She made all but two of her 10 shots and was 4-for-5 from 3-point range. Welch had been 4-for-18 on 3s coming in.

With Iowa State collapsing its 2-3 zone to try to stop the Paris twins, Oklahoma had open shots on the perimeter and capitalized, making a season-high 13 3-pointers in 28 attempts.

Iowa State shot only 26.5 percent (9-for-34) in falling behind 50-29 at halftime and never recovered. Freshman Nicky Wieben led Iowa State with 19 points, Brittany Wilkins had 13 points and 12 rebounds and Lyndsey Medders scored 12.

Oklahoma scored the first seven points and led the rest of the way. The Cyclones trailed just 17-11 after Medders' 3-pointer, but Oklahoma took control with a 17-2 run.

Welch scored the first eight points of that burst, hitting a 3-pointer, converting a three-point play off a leaner in the lane and driving the baseline for a bucket.

Courtney Paris then showed some nifty footwork on a baseline drive, dribbling in from the right side, sliding under the basket and then coming up on the other side to score. She sat out the final 7:44 of the half after getting her second foul, but her absence didn't slow the Sooners in the slightest. She picked up two quick fouls early in the second half and fouled out with 6:38 to play.

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