NORMAN — There is, at least, hope.
After Saturday’s 80-71 victory over Oklahoma State at Lloyd Noble Center, Oklahoma has reason for confidence heading into tonight’s game at No. 1 Baylor.
It is not because the Sooners were dominant against the Cowgirls, nor because leading scorer Aaryn Ellenberg emerged from a shooting slump that now includes 10-of-48 field accuracy over her last four games. Indeed, it is not because the Sooners have been spectacular against any of their three opponents since falling 89-58 at home to the Lady Bears.
Instead, it is because OU has won all three of those games without hitting on all cylinders.
“The most critical stat going into Baylor is 21 assists, eight turnovers,” Sooner coach Sherri Coale said, repeating two of the numbers from the Bedlam victory. “You can’t give Baylor 19 extra possessions.”
The first time around, OU (15-6, 7-3 Big 12) gave the Lady Bears exactly 19 extra possessions. At Bedlam, OU took care of the ball better than it had all season long. And if OU had shot better than 50 percent instead of 43.3 percent, the assist total might have reached beyond 25, while the Sooners approached scoring 100 points.
Additionally, OU’s three-game winning streak over Missouri, Kansas State and OSU has been a study in the coming of age of its youth and depth.
Freshman forward Kaylon Williams has started each of the wins in the absence of Joanna McFarland, averaging seven points and 9.3 rebounds. Freshman Sharane Campbell has come off the bench to score 43 points against Kansas State and OSU, while reserve senior post Jelena Cerina has scored 24 points against the Wildcats and Cowgirls.
Not that it’s enough to challenge the still-perfect Lady Bears (23-0, 10-0).
“That’s a different beast to handle,” said OSU coach Jim Littell, whose squad meets Baylor Feb. 15.
“They’re talented in every position, and you’re looking at (Brittney) Griner, who, obviously, in my opinion, is the best player in the country and maybe the best player in the world right now in the way she affects the game … I’m not saying that no one’s going to beat them, but they better be on their ‘A’ game and Baylor better be a little off.”
What OU has going for it is its ‘A’ game would appear to be better now than it was the first time the Sooners met the Lady Bears, when a six-point game early in the second half became a 31-point game by the time it was over.
“I think we’ve learned a lot in the last few days,” junior guard and team captain Whitney Hand said. “We are growing up, and I think that shows in the way we finished (Saturday).”
Now, if the Sooners can just put it all together.
If the freshmen play as well as ever, and Cerina continues to improve, and Ellenberg makes more shots than she misses, and McFarland returns for spot duty without missing a beat and the Sooners take care of the ball … anyway, it shouldn’t be another 31-point crushing.
It might even be close.
Clay Horning 366-3526 cfhorning@normantranscript.com
