STILLWATER -- This time, Oklahoma made the other team wilt. This time, the Sooner women answered every challenge. And if they didn't play well for 40 minutes, they were still engaged for the duration.
It is the difference between so many narrow victories and defeats this season and what happened Saturday afternoon at Gallagher-Iba Arena.
Taking nary a possession off, the Sooners never allowed the Cowgirls to take flight. And when Oklahoma State point guard Andrea Riley, the Big 12's leading scorer, managed to get something going after the half, OU point guard Danielle Robinson responded with even more.
The Sooners walked out with a 77-66 victory that might have been a little tighter, but not much. Because when the time came win or lose, it was all Sooners.
"I feel like it was effort," OU team captain Amanda Thompson said. "The Texas game we had no effort, no fight, nobody looked like they wanted to win. Today, I saw it in everybody's eyes that we wanted to win and we knew that we would do whatever it took."
A clich?, but nonetheless true, that meant outhustling the Cowgirls. OU went to the free throw line 25 times to OSU's 18, hitting 23 to OSU's 15, and owned an amazing 49 to 31 rebounding advantage, much of it built upon 20 offensive boards.
"You just cannot win in this league and give up 20 offensive rebounds," OSU coach Kurt Budke said.
But for the 6,264 watching inside the arena, the difference was Robinson. Budke said the thought the contest matched up the nation's two best point guards. Whether or not he's right, Robinson dominated.
She finished with 36 points, six assists and a Big 12 single-game record for perfect foul shooting, making all 16 of her tries. She just missed making half her shots from the field, canning 10 of 22, yet that was a whole lot better than Riley, who netted 30 points on 11 of 34 shooting that included four 3-pointers and 4 of 5 free throws.
The postgame press conference seemingly over, OU coach Sherri Coale had a last word without being asked.
"I don't know that I've seen a finer individual performance from a point guard than what you saw from Danielle today," she said.
Coale added it wasn't about the points but leadership, the way Robinson guided the team on the floor. That was exemplified by Robinson's single turnover.
Riley had five.
Of the Sooners last 26 points, scored over the game's final 7:51, Robinson scored 20 of them and assisted on the Sooners two other field goals over the span.
"She's a great player," Riley said. "She's one who makes plays and she made plays today."
The remaining points during the Sooners 26-16 stretch run belonged to Abi Olajuwon at the free-throw line, part of her 14-point second-half outburst.
Also for the Sooners, Nyeshia Stevenson added 12 points and Amanda Thompson netted six to go with her game-high 10 rebounds.
Tegan Cunningham scored 16 for the Cowgirls, but after she and Riley, Megan Byford was next with seven.
Robinson didn't want all the credit.
"It was a team effort," she said.
Maybe the best one of the season.
Clay Horning 366-3526 cfhorning@normantranscript.com
OU Sports
Sooners come back strong in Bedlam
- OU Sports
-
-
It’s a recipe for success
Oklahoma softball coach Patty Gasso was answering questions Saturday after her Sooners clinched another return to the Women’s College World Series when, without really meaning to, she began to make it clear her job has, sort of, become ...
-
Tigers deny Sooners’ Big 12 title hopes
OKLAHOMA CITY — Oklahoma wanted to win its first Big 12 tournament in 16 years on Sunday. Missouri needed to win it to get in the NCAA Tournament. Need topped desire at Bricktown Ballpark....
-
Sooners make winning look easy
As Oklahoma’s players locked arms around the pitching circle, coming together for what passed as a celebration following Saturday’s 7-1 NCAA Super Regional-clinching victory over Arizona, three gloves remained near second base....
-
There are no easy outs in the lineup
Looking for a gameplan to stop Oklahoma? Well, one may or may not be available, but walking two of the first three Sooners you face certainly isn’t part of it. Just ask Arizona’s Kenzie Fowler....
-
Sooners will play for Big 12 championship
OKLAHOMA CITY, — It’s been 16 years since Oklahoma won the Big 12 tournament. It’s closer now than its ever been to ending the streak. The Sooners rolled through Baylor, 7-2, on Saturday at Bricktown Ballpark to advance to the tournament’s ...
-
Sooners send five more to nationals
AUSTIN, Texas — Oklahoma track and field teams had five more individuals qualify for the NCAA Championship on Saturday evening at the NCAA West Preliminary. The men’s 4x100-meter relay team also advanced to the national semifinals....
-
OU sophomore Jao-Javanil wins NCAA golf title
FRANKLIN, Tenn. — Oklahoma’s Chirapat Jao-Javanil made Oklahoma golf history Friday, becoming the first Sooner, man or woman, to win an individual NCAA national championship....
-
Pitching staff is exactly where Golloway wants it to be
When the Big 12 tournament began, Oklahoma felt like it had the pitching staff to make a deep run. Dillon Overton, Jordan John, Jonathan Gray and Damien Magnifico gave them four quality starters and a closer — Steven Okert — capable of ...
-
Sooners shut out Wildcats, need one more win for WCWS entry
Oklahoma might have scored more runs, not committed an error and starting pitcher Keilani Ricketts could have been just a little more efficient along the way....
-
Sooners send 4 more to NCAAs
AUSTIN, Texas – Oklahoma’s track and field teams added four individuals to the list of Sooners advancing to the NCAA championship Friday at the NCAA West Preliminary. In addition to the four new qualifiers, Brittany Borman advanced to the ...
- More OU Sports Headlines
-
It’s a recipe for success
