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Oklahoma basketball: Breakaways from tough women’s loss to Baylor

By Chip Rouse

DALLAS, TX - APRIL 02: A general view of the American Airlines Center prior to the game between the South Carolina Gamecocks and the Mississippi State Lady Bulldogs during the championship game of the 2017 NCAA Women's Final Four at American Airlines Center on April 2, 2017 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images)
DALLAS, TX - APRIL 02: A general view of the American Airlines Center prior to the game between the South Carolina Gamecocks and the Mississippi State Lady Bulldogs during the championship game of the 2017 NCAA Women's Final Four at American Airlines Center on April 2, 2017 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images) /
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Unlike their male counterparts, there was not enough Sooner Magic left over on the hardwood at Lloyd Noble Center on Saturday for the women’s Oklahoma basketball team.

Following the men’s thrilling come-from-behind win over Kansas State in the earlier game at LNC, the OU women weren’t quite as fortunate, falling to Baylor, the reigning national champions and preseason Big 12 favorite, 77-56. It was the Big 12 opener for both schools.

Baylor improved its season record to 11-1, winning its 43rd consecutive game against Big 12 opponents and its 37th consecutive conference win on the road. OU’s season record falls to 7-6.

Hot start cools off fast

Oklahoma jumped on the sixth-ranked Bears early, scoring the first seven points in the game and firing out to a 15-4 first-quarter advantage.

In the category of “don’t poke a sleeping bear,” when the Lady Bears finally realized they were in a game, they responded with avengeance and quickly regained control of the game.

With OU up 15-4, Baylor scored the next 13 points to erase the Sooners’ lead and go ahead 17-15 to close out the first quarter. That was hard enough to take, but the Lady Bears kept the momentum going in the second quarter, going on a 16-0 run to widen the lead to 38-23 at the half.

The Sooners never got closer than 12 points in the second half, and trailed by 27 at the 5:41 mark in the fourth quarter.

Taylor Robertson, Madi Williams lead the way for the Sooners

Sophomores Taylor Robertson and Madi Williams led the Sooner attack on the offensive end, Robertson scored a team-high 20 points, with Williams contributing 14. Te’a Cooper of Baylor led all scorers in the game with 32, including four of seven behind the three-point line.

Robertson leads the nation in made three-pointers this season. She has made 67 of 140 (48.8 percent) from long range (She put in four of 12 three balls on Saturday.

Baylor dominated in close to the basket

Baylor did much of its damage in close the basket, scoring 44 of its 77 points in the painted area.

The Lady Bears were also more efficient at the offensive end, shooting 48.5 percent for the game (32 of 66). They shot 60.0 percent in the fourth quarter (9 of 15 field goal attempts).

Oklahoma shot even better than Baylor in the final quarter, shooting 61.4 percent (8 of 13), but were outscored 21-19 in the final period.

What’s next for the Lady Sooners

Oklahoma travels up I-35 on Wednesday to take on in-state rival Oklahoma State (10-3) on Wednesday. The Cowgirls won their Big 12 home opener on Saturday, defeating Kansas 67-49.

The Lady Sooners return to action at Lloyd Noble Center on Saturday, hosting Iowa State (9-3), a 96-66 winner at Texas Tech over the weekend. It was Tech’s first loss of the season after 11 consecutive wins.

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