In a triumphant display, Payton Verhulst scored 17 points leading the No. 13 Oklahoma women’s basketball team to an 89-65 victory over Florida, marking their sixth consecutive win. Raegan Beers significantly contributed by scoring 16 points with an impressive shooting performance of 7-of-9 from the field. Skylar Vann added to their success with 13 points, Sahara Williams nearly secured a double-double with 11 points and nine rebounds, and Liz Scott also contributed 11 points for a well-rounded team effort.
The Sooners established dominance early, jumping to a 16-4 lead with the help of two 3-pointers from Verhulst. Zya Vann, finishing with ten points, set the pace early with crucial free throws late in the first quarter. Florida responded aggressively with a 15-2 run initiated by a 3-pointer from Laila Reynolds, momentarily taking a lead. However, Oklahoma’s Reyna Scott quickly reclaimed the momentum with a three-point play, ensuring her team maintained the advantage for the remainder of the game.
For Florida, Liv McGill stood out as she led her team with 14 points. Ra Shaya Kyle and Alexia Dizeko both contributed 11 points each, with Kyle also grabbing nine rebounds. Nevertheless, Oklahoma dominated statistically, shooting 44% (31 of 71) from the field, easily outperforming Florida’s 31% (22 of 70). The Sooners also capitalized in the rebound battle, outmatching their opponents 52-39 and outscoring them in second-chance points 13-4.
This victory comes during Oklahoma’s inaugural season as a member of the SEC, where they are tied with No. 20 Alabama and Mississippi for fifth place in conference standings, closely trailing No. 12 Kentucky. Securing a top-four seed is crucial, as it would grant them a double-bye into the SEC Tournament quarterfinals, beginning March 5 in Greenville, South Carolina.
Oklahoma will conclude its regular season by hosting Alabama this Sunday, while Florida will face a challenging matchup against No. 1 Texas in their final game.
