You’ve probably seen the headlines, but the raw numbers from the latest Oklahoma women's basketball score don't tell the full story of what's happening in Norman. On Sunday, January 11, the No. 5 Sooners walked into Memorial Coliseum in Lexington and walked out with a frustrating 63-57 loss to No. 6 Kentucky. It was a heavyweight bout that felt more like a street fight.
That makes two in a row. Honestly, for a team that looked invincible through December, these back-to-back stumbles against Ole Miss and Kentucky have fans wondering if the wheels are getting a little shaky as they navigate their second year in the SEC.
Breaking Down the Latest Oklahoma Women's Basketball Score
The 63-57 final against Kentucky was ugly. There’s no other way to put it.
Oklahoma actually jumped out to a 13-point lead early on. They were humming. But then the shots just... stopped falling. Kentucky’s defense, led by Tonie Morgan (who finished with 21 points), turned the game into a slog. By halftime, it was tied at 34-34, and the momentum had completely shifted.
If you look at the box score, the red flags are everywhere.
Oklahoma shot a season-low 57 points.
They hit just 35.7% from the field.
They were held scoreless for the final four minutes of the game.
That last stat is the kicker. In winning time, when you expect a top-five team to execute, the Sooners went ice cold. Kentucky finished the game on a 6-point run while Oklahoma missed five straight shots and turned the ball over. It’s rare to see a Jennie Baranczyk-led offense look that disjointed when the pressure is on.
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The Aaliyah Chavez Factor
Even in a loss, freshman phenom Aaliyah Chavez showed why she’s basically the most talked-about player in the country right now. She put up 18 points and played all 40 minutes. She didn't leave the floor once.
She also extended her program record by making a three-pointer in 17 consecutive games to start a season. Think about that. Most veterans can't find that kind of consistency, yet here’s a freshman carrying the scoring load in the toughest environments. However, she did have a rough start with three early turnovers against the Kentucky press, showing that even the best "prospects" have a learning curve when the SEC defenders start hand-checking.
Why the Recent Slump Matters
Before this week, Oklahoma had a 13-game winning streak. They were rolling teams. They beat Mississippi State by nearly 50 points (95-47) just a week ago.
Then came the Ole Miss game on January 8.
That was a 74-69 loss at home.
It snapped the streak.
It was the first sign that physical, defensive-minded SEC teams might have found the blueprint to slow down Oklahoma’s high-octane pace.
The Sooners currently sit at 14-3 overall and 2-2 in the SEC. Being .500 in conference play isn't where this team expected to be, especially after being ranked as high as No. 5. The SEC is a gauntlet, and right now, the Sooners are finding out that life at the top of the rankings comes with a massive target on your back.
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Fouls and Rotations
Raegan Beers is arguably the best post player in the nation, but she was haunted by foul trouble in Lexington. She only played 23 minutes. When Beers is on the bench, Oklahoma is a different team. They lose that interior gravity that opens up shots for Payton Verhulst (who had 13 points and 9 boards) and Sahara Williams.
The rebounding battle was okay—Oklahoma actually held their own there—but the offensive efficiency plummeted without Beers as a release valve. Kentucky’s Clara Strack took advantage, put up 18 points, and blocked three shots. It’s hard to win on the road when your superstar center is watching from the sideline for most of the second half.
Looking Ahead: A Brutal January Schedule
If you think it gets easier from here, you haven't looked at the schedule. The Oklahoma women's basketball score in the next few games will define their season.
- January 18: vs. No. 6 LSU (Home)
- January 22: vs. No. 2 South Carolina (Home)
- January 25: at Auburn (Away)
- January 29: vs. Texas A&M (Home)
Hosting LSU and South Carolina back-to-back is basically a Final Four preview in the middle of January. If Oklahoma can’t fix the scoring droughts that plagued them against Kentucky, those games could get out of hand quickly.
Baranczyk has only lost back-to-back games six times in her five years at OU. This is uncharted territory for this specific group. The chemistry between the veterans like Verhulst and the newcomers like Chavez is still baking. Sometimes it looks like a masterpiece; other times, like the end of the Kentucky game, it looks like they’re still introduced to each other’s favorite spots on the floor.
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Actionable Insights for Fans and Bettors
If you’re following the team closely or looking at the betting lines for the LSU game, keep an eye on the "Points Over/Under." Oklahoma is currently 2nd in the nation in scoring (averaging over 90 points per game), but they’ve failed to hit 70 in their last two outings.
- Watch the First Quarter: Oklahoma tends to start fast. If they aren't up by at least 8 or 10 points at the end of the first, they struggle to win the "grind-out" games in the second half.
- Monitor Raegan Beers' Fouls: This is the most important stat. If she picks up two fouls in the first ten minutes, the Sooners' win probability drops significantly.
- The Home Court Advantage: The Lloyd Noble Center has been a fortress, but the Ole Miss loss showed a crack in the armor. Expect a massive, rowdy crowd for the LSU game as the fans try to help the team break this two-game skid.
The reality is that Oklahoma is still a national title contender. These January losses in the SEC are often just "quality losses" that help a team toughen up for March. But the margin for error is gone. They need a signature win against LSU or South Carolina to prove that the recent Oklahoma women's basketball score trends are just a fluke and not a systemic collapse.
Keep an eye on the injury report for Teonni Key and others across the league, as depth is starting to play a major factor in these high-intensity conference matchups. The road to Greenville for the SEC Tournament is long, and the Sooners are currently in the middle of their toughest stretch of the year.
To stay ahead of the curve, watch how Baranczyk adjusts her rotation in the first five minutes against LSU. If she sticks with a shorter bench to find rhythm, it shows she’s feeling the pressure to stop the bleeding immediately. If she continues to play ten deep, she’s still playing the long game for the NCAA Tournament. Either way, the next few scores will tell us exactly who this team is.