Women's Basketball Road Trip Wraps Up Tuesday at Arkansas State

JONESBORO, Ark. – In another rematch from last year's schedule, Oklahoma (4-1) and Arkansas State (2-2) are set to meet in another pre-Thanksgiving clash on Tuesday night. The two will meet at First National Bank in Jonesboro, Ark., at 7:30 p.m. CT as the Sooners play their third true road game of the season. The game will be available via stream on ESPN+ with Brad Bobo and Carol Halford on the call. Brian Brinkley will call the action on the Sooner Radio Network live on 1520 KOKC in Oklahoma.

Tuesday's game wraps up the Sooners' four-game road swing that saw the Sooners knock off a pair of 2022 NCAA Tournament teams, as OU defeated BYU 77-66 on Nov. 15 and UT Arlington 89-80 on Nov. 20.

THE STARTING FIVE

Oklahoma is looking to start 5-1 for the second consecutive season under second-year head coach Jennie Baranczyk. The high-powered OU offense is led by Madi Williams (18.0 PPG) and Big 12 3-point queen Taylor Robertson (12.0 PPG). Six other Sooners average at least five points per game, with defending Big 12 Sixth Player of the Year Skylar Vann pouring in 12.0 points per contest.
Under the leadership of second-year head coach Jennie Baranczyk, Oklahoma was picked third in the preseason Big 12 poll and returns over 90% of its scoring, rebounding and assists from last year's 25-win NCAA Tournament team. The Sooners received the most votes among teams not inside the latest AP Top 25 in the Nov. 21 poll.
Once playing against each other, lethal 3-point shooters Taylor Robertson and Aubrey Joens have joined forces this season in Norman after Joens transferred to Oklahoma from Iowa State. The two have combined for 563 career treys, with Robertson sinking 460 and Joens hitting 103. Last season, the two sunk a combined 186 3-pointers, which was more than 234 Division I teams tallied as a whole. In 2022, the two have buried 21 combined 3-pointers, which is more than 121 teams.
Freshman forward Kiersten Johnson became the second Sooner freshman in more than a decade to post four blocks in a single game, doing so vs. UTA. The Duncanville, Texas, product is the only Power Five freshman to average over 2.0 blocks per game this season. Her four blocks were the most for a Sooner since Ijeoma Odimgbe at TCU in 2019.
Oklahoma is undefeated (12-0) under Baranczyk when holding opponents under 70 points. On the flip side, the Sooners are 21-2 under her when scoring 80 points or more. Oklahoma's 17-1 record when winning the turnover battle is another key to victory.

SERIES HISTORY

Tuesday night's matchup is the seventh all-time between the Sooners and Red Wolves. Oklahoma holds a 5-1 series advantage, winning the last four contests and the only loss coming in a 1992 defeat in Jonesboro. The Sooners have won the last three meetings by an average of 33 points. The two teams met last year in Norman with OU winning 101-89 in Jennie Baranczyk's home debut.

LAST TIME OUT

Five Sooners scored in double figures as No. 16 Oklahoma overpowered UT Arlington 89-80 at the Maggie Dixon Classic on Sunday night. The Sooners jumped out to a big first-half lead, grabbing a 19-point advantage with 4:35 left in the half, but the Lady Mavs (2-2), who won the Sun Belt last season, battled back. UTA outscored Oklahoma 33-21 in the third and half of the fourth quarter to tie the game at 69. With the game on the line, Robertson, Fort Worth native Madi Williams and Skylar Vann combined for 15 of the Sooners' final 18 points to pull away and secure the win.

UP NEXT

The Sooners return to the Lloyd Noble Center Nov. 30 for a matchup with Northwestern State at 6 p.m. It will mark Oklahoma's first night game in Norman this season. The game opens a four-game home stand that features contests NW State (11/30), Ole Miss (12/4), Robert Morris (12/11) and Southern (12/18).