OU Looks to Extend Winning Streak vs. Utah

(RV/RV) Oklahoma (9-1, 0-0 Big 12)

Utah (8-2, 0-0 Pac-12)

Dec. 21, 2021 / 6:00 p.m. CT / Lloyd Noble Center / Norman, Okla.

NORMAN – Oklahoma (9-1, 0-0 Big 12) returns to the floor on Tuesday when it hosts Utah (8-2, 0-0 Pac-12) in Norman at 6 p.m. The contest marks the fourth game in a five-game homestand that closes OU's non-conference schedule. The Sooners enter Tuesday night on a six-game winning streak that features wins over four teams inside the NET's top 75. The winning streak is Oklahoma's longest since it won eight consecutive in 2015-16.

The game will be broadcast on Bally Sports Oklahoma with Chad McKee and Dan Hughes on the call and will air on the Sooner Radio Network on KOKC 1520 AM and KREF 99.3 FM/1400 AM.

THE STARTING FIVE

The Sooners are coming off a 99-91 overtime win over then-No. 16 BYU in Norman. The team's 99 points scored are the most in a ranked win since a 105-71 victory over No. 20 DePaul in the 2006-07 season. Madi Williams led the way for Oklahoma (9-1) as the senior notched her third straight double-double by scoring 25 points and securing 14 rebounds. Taylor Robertson added 23 points on 6-of-8 shooting, sinking four 3-pointers in the win.
Tuesday night's game marks the fifth meeting between Oklahoma and Utah, with the Sooners claiming victory in all previous games with an average margin of victory of 10 points. The teams most recently squared off in the Bahamas in 2015 with OU defeating the Utes by 15. The Sooners' streak of four consecutive wins over Utah is tied for the eighth-longest active streak for Oklahoma.
Under head coach Jennie Baranczyk, the Sooners high-powered offense is one of the best in the country and on track to be the best in school history. Baranczyk's team averages 89.7 points, good for second-best in the country and one point better than Tuesday night's opponent, Utah. The team's 20.0 assists per game rank third in the nation as five Sooners dish out at least 2.3 assists per contest. OU's 10.4 3-pointers made per game are the sixth most in Division I as Taylor Robertson's 5.10 makes from deep lead the country.
OU's 9-1 start to the season is its best start since the 2015-16 campaign when the Sooners opened 9-1 and finished the year 23-10, appearing in the NCAA Tournament. The team is off to its best home start (6-0) since it won 12 straight at the Lloyd Noble Center to open the 2014-15 season.
Taylor Robertson enters Tuesday night's game three 3-pointers away from tying Aaryn Ellenberg's school record of 376 career 3-pointers. Robertson has attempted 837 3-pointers in her career for a 44.6% clip compared to Ellenberg's 38.6% clip over 975 career attempts and 376 makes.

SCOUTING THE UTES

The Utes, led by Lynne Roberts, enter Tuesday night with the nation's fifth most prolific scoring offense (86.3 ppg). Jenna Johnson leads the attack with 14.5 points per game but Bryanna Maxwell (13.3) and Gianna Kneepmans (10.0) aid with double-digit point averages. Utah's offense is the most efficient in the nation per possession, scoring 118.9 points per 100 possessions as its effective FG% of 55.1% is fifth best in the country.

Utah's two losses came at the hands of Gonzaga (8-2) and BYU (9-1). The Utes have zero wins vs. teams inside the top-50 of the NET Rankings.

UP NEXT

The Sooners take a eight-day break before they close out the non-conference schedule Dec. 29 at home vs. Wichita State. Oklahoma owns a 13-7 series lead over the Shockers, including a 7-1 record in Norman. WSU did get the best of OU in the series' last meeting as the Shockers knocked off Oklahoma 88-83 in Wichita on Nov. 30, 2019.