Senior Day Showdown: No. 13 Oklahoma Hosts No. 20 Alabama

NORMAN – No. 13 Oklahoma (22-6, 10-5 SEC) looks win its seventh straight game and secure the No. 5 seed in the SEC Tournament on Sunday as it hosts No. 20 Alabama (23-6, 10-5 SEC) at Lloyd Noble Center in a top-20 showdown.

Oklahoma's path is straightforward: win and secure the No. 5 seed in the SEC Tournament, or lose and drop to No. 6. The Sooners and Crimson Tide are currently tied for fifth in the conference standings, making Sunday's matchup the decisive factor. Beyond SEC seeding, Sunday's game could significantly impact Oklahoma's NCAA Tournament positioning, as the Sooners were ranked No. 13 in the selection committee's latest Top 16 Reveal on Thursday.

The Sooners will honor their departing senior class of Aubrey Joens, Lexy Keys, Liz Scott, Nevaeh Tot and Skylar Vann before tip. The senior ceremony is slated to start at around 1:10 p.m. CT at Lloyd Noble Center.

Beginning at noon, Hall of Fame coach Sherri Coale will sign copies of her new book, The Compost File, for fans on the south concourse. Books will be available for purchase.

Tipoff is set for 1:30 p.m. CT on SEC Network Plus, with Chad McKee (play-by-play) and Latricia Trammell (analyst) on the call from Lloyd Noble Center. Brian Brinkley (play-by-play) and Kevin Henry (analyst) will call the action on the Sooner Sports Radio Network (107.7 FM The Franchise; Varsity Radio App).

No. 13 Oklahoma vs. No. 20 Alabama
Date: Sunday, March 2
Tip Time: 1:30 p.m. CT
Location: Norman, Okla.
Arena: Lloyd Noble Center

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Game Notes

FAN INFO

• Sunday's game marks Senior Day, as the Sooners honor their senior class of Aubrey Joens, Lexy Keys, Liz Scott, Nevaeh Tot and Skylar Vann before tipoff. All five have already earned their bachelor's degrees and are currently pursuing master's degrees at OU. On the court, they have played a pivotal role in the program's success, contributing to two conference championships and three consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances, with a fourth likely on the way.

• For each of OU's remaining home games, fans can enjoy $2 beer, soda and popcorn inside Lloyd Noble Center.

• Former head coach Sherri Coale will sign copies of her new book, The Compost File, from 12-1:10 p.m. CT on the south concourse. Fans can purchase the book at the arena.

NOTES TO KNOW

• The Sooners head into Sunday ranked 13th in the AP poll and WBCA Coaches poll but 14th in the NET ranking. Oklahoma has appeared in every AP poll this season, opening at No. 10 and climbing as high as No. 8. The team is currently on a 25-week streak appearing in the AP poll – the fourth longest in program history and the longest since a 40-week run from 2015 to 2017.

• Oklahoma has tackled the 28th-toughest schedule in the nation this season, taking on eight top-25 opponents and three additional teams receiving votes in the AP poll. The Sooners have earned six Quad 1 wins – fifth most in the country – with Sunday's game serving as their final Quad 1 test of the regular season.

• Teams that compete for titles are often at their best as March approaches, and the Sooners are looking to do just that. Riding a season-long six-game winning streak into Sunday afternoon, Oklahoma has a chance to extend its run to seven with a win over the Crimson Tide, which would mark its longest streak of the season and best since a nine-game surge in conference play last year. During the stretch, the Sooners have been dominant, outscoring opponents by an average of 18.7 points and winning three straight by 20 or more. Offensively, OU has found its stride, averaging 84.2 points per game while shooting 46.4% from the field over its last six.

• The Sooners will honor five seniors — Skylar Vann, Nevaeh Tot, Liz Scott, Lexy Keys, and Aubrey Joens — prior to Sunday's game in recognition of their contributions to the program. The senior class will leave Oklahoma as one of the most accomplished in program history, securing two conference championships, making three consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances — with a fourth likely — and helping establish winning basketball back at Oklahoma, notching four straight 20-win seasons to open the Baranczyk era.

• Oklahoma's 86.5 points per game in 2024-25 rank fifth nationally and the Sooners' FG% of 47.1% is the 15th highest in Division I. Additionally, OU's 21.9 assists per game lead the country. OU's program record for PPG in a season is 84.5 PPG in 1984-85.

A WIN WOULD...

• Secure Baranczyk's 15th top-25 win in four seasons, and OU's fourth ranked win of the year.

• Mark Oklahoma's first seven-game winning streak in SEC play and the longest since OU won nine straight last season.

• Mark OU's seventh Quad 1 win of the season, which would be the fourth most in the country.

• Give Oklahoma the No. 5 seed at next week's SEC Tournament.

LAST TIME OUT

• Payton Verhulst scored 17 points, Raegan Beers added 16 points on 7-of-9 shooting and No. 13 Oklahoma beat Florida 89-65 on Thursday night for its sixth win in a row. Skylar Vann scored 13 points, Sahara Williams had 11 points with nine rebounds and Liz Scott also scored 11 points for Oklahoma (22-6, 10-5 SEC).

SERIES HISTORY

• Sunday is just the second meeting between Oklahoma and Alabama, with the Crimson Tide winning a 71-62 result in Nassau in 1995.

• Baranczyk and Alabama HC Kristy Curry met once when Baranczyk was an assistant at Colorado and Curry the head coach at Texas Tech, with TTU beating the Buffs 72-44 in Boulder.

UP NEXT

• The Sooners head to Greenville, S.C., for the 2025 SEC Tournament. OU is locked into the No. 5 or 6 seed and will player on Thursday in the second round.