Women's Basketball Hosts Free Exhibition on Tuesday Night

Tuesday, October 29

Norman, Okla.

6 PM CT

University of Oklahoma

Oklahoma Christian (EXH)

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Women's Basketball Hosts Free Exhibition on Tuesday Night

October 28, 2024 | Women's Basketball

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By: OU Athletics Communications

NORMAN – Oklahoma women's basketball will host its final tune up before the 2024-25 campaign when it hosts Oklahoma Christian at Lloyd Noble Center in a free exhibition on Tuesday night.

The Sooners return nearly their entire roster from last season's championship team, welcoming back all five starters and 11 letterwinners. The 2024 Big 12 Co-Player of the Year, Skylar Vann (15.1 PPG, 7.0 RPG), along with last year's Big 12 Newcomer of the Year, Payton Verhulst (12.6 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 3.9 APG), highlight the roster that also features the nation's top transfer, 6-4 center All-American Raegan Beers (17.5 PPG, 10.3 RPG) from Oregon State.

Tip is set for 6 p.m. at Lloyd Noble Center and will air on SEC Network+.

FAN INFO

Tuesday is the first chance to see the top-10 Sooners in action this season, and admission to the contest is free.

Doors to the arena open one hour before tip, and the Lloyd Noble Center's clear-bag policy is in effect.

THE STARTING FIVE

Oklahoma was tabbed as the No. 10 team in the preseason AP Poll, the program's highest preseason ranking since 2010-11. The selection placed OU in the AP Top 10 for the first time in any AP poll since November 18, 2013.
Powered by two preseason All-SEC media selections, Oklahoma women's basketball was picked to finish fourth in the Southeastern Conference's preseason media poll, as voted on by a panel of SEC and national media members. In the league's coaches poll, OU was picked fourth, with Beers and Vann reprising their media selections, although Vann did receive one vote for SEC Player of the Year.
In 2023-24, Oklahoma posted a 23-10 record (15-3 Big 12), winning the league crown outright after sweeping Texas to win the crown. The Sooners advanced to the Second Round of the NCAA Tournament, defeating FGCU in the opening round before falling to No. 4 Indiana in Bloomington. Oklahoma's 22 appearances in the NCAA Tournament since 2000 (24 overall) are the fifth most in the country in that time.
Oklahoma was picked to finish fourth in both the SEC media and coaches' preseason polls. Notably, in Coach Baranczyk's three previous seasons at OU, her teams have outperformed their preseason projections. Across her 12-year head coaching career (nine seasons at Drake and three at OU), Baranczyk's teams have met or exceeded preseason expectations in 10 seasons.
The Sooners are 3-0 under Baranczyk in preseason exhibition games, outscoring opponents by an average of 59.3 points. OU posted a 75-point win over West Texas A&M in last season's exhibition.

SERIES HISTORY

Tuesday's exhibition marks the first time that the Sooners and Oklahoma Christian have met in program history.

OU Hall of Fame head coach Sherri Coale played at Oklahoma Christian from 1983-87.

UP NEXT

The Sooners open their season next Monday, Nov. 4 at 5 p.m. when Southern comes to Norman. The game will air on SEC Network+.

The Sooners are 3-0 in season openers under Baranczyk.

Tickets start at $5 and valid for both the men's and women's basketball games that evening. The men's basketball team faces Lindenwood at 8 p.m.