Sooners Battle to the End Against DePaul

^RV/23DePaul

Oklahoma

Stat Comparison
Category	OU	DPU
Points	79	90
FGM-A	25-61	30-58
FG%	.410	.517
3 FGM-A	4-19	12-24
3 FG%	.211	.500
FTM-A	25-33	18-25
FT%	.758	.710
Rebounds	33	41
Assists	15	26
Turnovers	12	15
Blocks	2	3
Steals	9	6

Individual Leaders
Category	DPU	OU
Points	Two Players - 17	Pierre-Louis - 21
Rebounds	Alen - 8	Manning - 8
Assists	Stonewall - 6	Penzo - 10
Steals	Stonewall - 2	Llanusa - 4
Blocks	Three Players - 1	Two Players - 1

COLLEGE STATION, Texas (AP) – Amarah Coleman and Kelly Campbell each scored 17 points and sixth-seeded DePaul held off a second-half comeback by Oklahoma for a 90-79 win on Friday in the opening round of the women's NCAA Tournament.

Ashton Millender and Mart'e Grays both added 16 for the Blue Demons (27-7), which used 3-pointers to jump to an early lead that it never lost.

DePaul's first four baskets came on 3-pointers, building a 15-7 led with Coleman hitting fallaway shots to open and close the run.

In the second half, DePaul held a 52-36 advantage but Maddie Manning cut the Blue Demons' lead to 65-58, hitting a reverse layup, set up by Gileysa Penzo's looping pass.

Guard Gabbi Ortiz sparked the Sooners' comeback. She was the only Oklahoma player to hit a 3-pointer, making four of seven from behind the line, but it provided a boost for the Sooners, who picked up their defensive play.

Ortiz scored 18. Center Vionise Pierre-Louis led Oklahoma (16-15) with 21.

The Sooners pulled off an impressive play to close the first quarter when Manning hit Shaina Pellington with a deep pass for a layup with a second remaining.

The outside shooting opened up paths to the basket. The Blue Demons took advantage with some crisp passing.

The Sooners got as close as 27-24 in the second quarter when Ortiz hit consecutive 3s but a personal 7-0 run from Millender and a 3 from Tanita Allen forced an Oklahoma timeout when DePaul moved up, 36-24.

The Blue Demons, who did not shoot a first-half free throw, connected on 10 of 17 3-pointers in the opening half. The fast pace of the half forced Pierre-Louis to the bench. She was the Sooners' go-to player in her 16 minutes on the floor in the opening half.

For more information on Oklahoma women's basketball, follow the Sooners on Twitter (@OU_WBBall) or like Oklahoma Sooners Women's Basketball on Facebook.

NOTES & NUGGETS

• In its 19th consecutive NCAA Tournament, OU fell to 16-4 all-time in first round games.

• Friday's game marked the 50th game under Sherri Coale in the NCAA Tournament.

• Vionise Pierre-Louis finished her OU career with 1,301 points, whichranks 19th all-time in program history. Pierre-Louis also ranks third at OU with 221 career blocks.

• Gabbi Ortiz hit four treys in the loss and finished the season with 84 made 3-pointers, good enough for seventh on OUs single-season list. The senior finished her career with 215 career triples.

• Ortiz finished the season with 1,131 minutes played, the 10th most in program history for a single season.

• Maddie Manning closed out her OU career with seven points, eight rebounds and two assists against DePaul. Manning ranks 21st all-time at OU with 1,231 career points.

• Gileysa Penzo's 10 assists were the most by a Sooner in a NCAA Tournament game since Danielle Robinson had 11 assists against Miami in 2011. Penzo's 10 assists are tied for the fourth most in a NCAA Tournament game by an OU player.

• OU's 25 made free throws are tied for the third most by the Sooners in a NCAA Tournament game in program history. The 34 free throw attempts by OU are tied for fourth.

• Ana Llanusa's 11 made free throws set a career high and are tied for the most by a Sooner in a NCAA Tournament game in school history (Danielle Robinson, 2009, LaNeisha Caufield, twice). Llanusa scored 13 points, her 22nd game in double figures.

• Shaina Pellington finished the season with 13.1 points per game, the 10th-best scoring average by an OU freshman in school history.