Women's Basketball Set For Thanksgiving Throwdown With Princeton

FORT MYERS, Fla. – A perfect 5-0 start for the first time since 2016-17 has No. 22 Oklahoma ranked inside the top 25 as the Sooners head to Fort Myers, Fla., for a pair of showdowns at the Fort Myers Women's Tip-Off. The Sooners open the event Thursday with a matchup against (RV) Princeton at 2 p.m. CT at Suncoast Credit Union Arena, followed by a Saturday meeting with No. 19 Tennessee.

Thursday's game will be streamed on FSWBucs.com and fans can listen to the Sooner Radio Network as Brian Brinkley calls the action.

THE STARTING FIVE

OU's 2023-24 season marks the 50th in program history as Oklahoma launched its women's basketball program in the 1974-75 year. Since its inception, Oklahoma has won a total of 12 conference championships and appeared in three Final Fours. The Sooners' 23 appearances in the NCAA Tournament are the second most in the Big 12 and 23rd most in the country.
Oklahoma's offensive attack is highlighted by its balance, as five different Sooners score in double figures. The Sooners are one of nine Power 6 teams nationally to boast five or more scorers that average 10.0 PPG. Payton Verhulst (15.6), Skylar Vann (14.8), Aubrey Joens (12.8), Sahara Williams (11.0) and Lexy Keys (10.4) all score over 10.0 PPG for the Sooners.
Oklahoma's bench is one of the most productive in the country yet again. Baranczyk relies on 11 players in nearly every game and that bench is producing 34 points per game (11th NCAA).
A win on Thursday would mark the first 6-0 start under Baranczyk. It would be the first 6-0 start for the Sooners since the 2010-11 team opened 7-0.
The Sooners rose to No. 22 in the latest AP poll after opening the season without receiving votes in the preseason poll. OU was tabbed at No. 20 in the WBCA Coaches Poll. The Sooners have appeared in 17 of the last 18 editions of the AP poll.

SERIES HISTORY

Thursday's meeting with Princeton will be OU's first as the two teams have never met. The Sooners are 1-0 all-time vs. teams from the Ivy League, defeating Yale in 2014.

LAST TIME OUT

Five Sooners scored in double figures as No. 25/21 Oklahoma dispatched Virginia in Charlottesville, Va., 82-67, on Sunday afternoon. The Sooners are undefeated through five games for the first time in the Jennie Baranczyk era and have won all their games by double digits. Oklahoma sunk a season-best 13 3-pointers on the day, outpacing the Cavaliers, who shot just 1-of-23 from deep.

UP NEXT

No. 22 Oklahoma readies for its second top-25 bout of the season when it takes on No. 19 Tennessee on Saturday in Fort Myers. The game will air on the Women's Sports Network at 12:30 p.m. CT.