Stormin in Norman
Fansided

Oklahoma Women’s Basketball on a Different Trend Line Than the Men

By Chip Rouse

Jan 29, 2017; Waco, TX, USA; Baylor Bears guard Kristy Wallace (4) drives against Oklahoma Sooners center Vionise Pierre-Louis (0) at the Ferrell Center. Baylor won 92-58. Mandatory Credit: Erich Schlegel-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 29, 2017; Waco, TX, USA; Baylor Bears guard Kristy Wallace (4) drives against Oklahoma Sooners center Vionise Pierre-Louis (0) at the Ferrell Center. Baylor won 92-58. Mandatory Credit: Erich Schlegel-USA TODAY Sports /
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While the Sooner men are finding wins extremely tough to come by, Oklahoma women’s basketball finds itself just one game shy of another 20-win season.

Feb 25, 2015; Norman, OK, USA; Oklahoma Sooners guard Peyton Little (10) and Oklahoma Sooners guard Gabbi Ortiz (21) react to a play against the Baylor Bears in the first half at Lloyd Noble Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 25, 2015; Norman, OK, USA; Oklahoma Sooners guard Peyton Little (10) and Oklahoma Sooners guard Gabbi Ortiz (21) react to a play against the Baylor Bears in the first half at Lloyd Noble Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports /

The OU women got by West Virginia in double overtime Tuesday night, 90-87, to record their seventh win in the last 10 games. And the way they accomplished it was highly reminiscent of the way the Oklahoma men achieved the same result at West Virginia last month.

The Mountaineers brought both their women’s and men’s squads to Norman this week for games against the Sooners on successive nights.

On Tuesday night at Lloyd Noble Center, Sherri Coale’s Oklahoma women’s squad mounted a spectacular comeback from 15-points down midway through the third quarter to forge a tie at 67-all at the end of regulation, almost win it in the first extra session and then finish off the home win over the Mountaineers in the second overtime.

Like Jordan Woodard did when the Oklahoma men defeated West Virginia in double overtime in Morgantown, junior center Vionise Pierre-Louis scored all but two of her team-high 35 points in the second half and in overtime on Tuesday night. Woodard scored 18 of his 20 points in the second half in the win by the OU men at West Virginia.

Between the mid-point in the third quarter into the fourth quarter, Pierre-Louis made eight straight shots.

The win was the ninth straight a home by the Oklahoma women this season and marked the largest comeback victory in program history.

Mar 6, 2016; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Oklahoma Sooners guard Gioya Carter (25) and Oklahoma Sooners forward Kaylon Williams (42) reach for a rebound in front of Baylor Bears guard Niya Johnson (2) and Baylor Bears guard Alexis Prince (12) in fourth quarter during the women
Mar 6, 2016; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Oklahoma Sooners guard Gioya Carter (25) and Oklahoma Sooners forward Kaylon Williams (42) reach for a rebound in front of Baylor Bears guard Niya Johnson (2) and Baylor Bears guard Alexis Prince (12) in fourth quarter during the women /

Some notable numbers from OU’s 19th win of the season, as compiled by the Oklahoma athletic department:

11:35 – Time in minutes and seconds by which OU held West Virginia scoreless, from the 9:35 mark in the fourth quarter into the first overtime.

13 – Number of wins out of 14 games by Oklahoma women’s basketball at the Lloyd Noble Center this season.

15 – Number of lead changes in the game.

24 – Number of points by which Oklahoma outscored West Virginia in the paint on Tuesday night (44-20).

29 – Points scored by Oklahoma off of 21 West Virginia turnovers.

42 – Points scored by the Sooner reserves in the win over West Virginia.

48 – Playing time by OU’s Gabbi Ortiz out of 50 minutes total, the most in her career.

50 – Senior Peyton Little set an Oklahoma school record by playing all 50 minutes in the game.

68 – Oklahoma’s record (68-3) playing at home against unranked Big 12 opponents.

90 – Most points scored by Oklahoma in a Big 12 game this season.