Oklahoma Travels to Cincinnati for Big 12 Contest

NORMAN – Big 12 leader Oklahoma (18-7, 12-2 Big 12) will look to rebound after dropping its first game in 38 days when it travels to Cincinnati to take on the Bearcats (12-13, 4-10 Big 12) on Tuesday.

The Sooners, who fell 70-66 at No. 24 WVU on Saturday, had won nine straight and taken hold of the league's top spot. OU remains one game up in the Big 12 on K-State, Texas and WVU entering the week.

Tip is set for 5 p.m. CT at Fifth Third Arena in Cincinnati.

THE STARTING FIVE

With four games remaining on the docket, Oklahoma (12-2) holds a one-game advantage on Kansas State, Texas and West Virginia in the league standings. The Sooners split with the Wildcats, fell to WVU and have a win over Texas, who they'll face in Norman on Feb. 28. The Sooners shared the Big 12 title last season with Texas, OU's first conference title since 2009. A conference crown in 2023-24 would mark Oklahoma's first back-to-back league titles since it won the Big 12 in 2006 and 2007.
OU has found various ways to win in the league, sometimes winning defensive grinds and other times scoring in the 80s or 90s. The Sooners have held eight teams to under 70 points and on the other end of the floor the OU offense has scored 75+ six times. In league action, Oklahoma ranks second in scoring offense (73.4 PPG) and fifth in scoring defense (65.9 PPG) and the team's margin of +7.6 ranks fourth in the conference.
Skylar Vann (15.3 PPG, 7.2 RPG) and Payton Verhulst (12.3 PPG, 5.9 RPG) have starred for OU as the two have both made strong cases for All-Big 12 honors. Vann is the league's only two-time Sixth Player of the Year (2022, 2023) and is posting career-highs as a starter. Verhulst is riding the best stretch of her career as the guard is averaging 17.0 PPG, 7.8 RPG and 6.0 APG in the month of February.
The Sooners have built quite the resume for the NCAA Tournament as we approach March. Oklahoma boasts a league-leading 12-2 record in conference play and has four wins over top 25 teams (No. 12 Ole Miss, No. 10 Texas, No. 2 Kansas State and No. 21 Baylor).
A win would mark Oklahoma's 13th win in conference play, which would be the first time since 2006 and 2007 that the Sooners have won 13+ in the league in back-to-back years as OU won 14 last season. It would be OU's 39th regular season conference win under Baranczyk, which would be the most league wins in a three-year stretch since head coach Sherri Coale won 39 from 2007-09.

SERIES HISTORY

Wednesday's meeting between OU and UC is the second all-time with the first coming in Norman earlier this year. Oklahoma knocked off the Bearcats 77-64 on Jan. 6, 2024.

Baranczyk is 4-0 vs. the league's new members this season.

LAST TIME OUT

Ja'Naiya Quinerly scored 18 points, and No. 24 West Virginia edged No. 22 Oklahoma 70-66 on Saturday, ending the Sooners' nine-game winning streak. The Mountaineers won despite almost losing a seven-point lead in the final 30 seconds and missing two free throws with 6.5 seconds left. After Jordan Harrison made 1 of 2 free throws with 28.5 seconds remaining for a 68-61 lead.

Nevaeh Tot quickly made a layup, and then a turnover became a Tot 3-pointer with 7.6 seconds to go. Oklahoma fouled reserve Tavy Diggs at 6.5 seconds and the 65% free throw shooter missed both. Tot was fouled on the drive with a second left. A 72% foul shooter, Tot missed the first and had a lane violation on the second. Harrison made both foul shots with .3 to go end it.

UP NEXT

The Sooners return to Norman on Saturday (Feb. 24) for the second round of Bedlam vs. Oklahoma State. The game is the final regular season Bedlam between the two as conference foes and marks the 116th all-time meeting. OU owns a 68-47 series advantage and has won five straight (4-0 under Baranczyk).

The tilt marks history as it will be Oklahoma women's basketball's first game ever aired nationally on FOX. Tip is set for 1 p.m. CT.

Fans can purchase a rivalry ticket package which will get Sooner fans lower-level tickets to each of OU's final two games for just $15.