The Oklahoma women's basketball team had no problem with Missouri on Thursday, thanks to Payton Verhulst.
The No. 13 Sooners handled Missouri 80-63 at Lloyd Noble Center. It's the first time this season OU has won back-to-back SEC games, improving to 3-2 in conference play and 15-3 overall.
In the win, Verhulst put up a career-high 38 points. It's the most points a Sooner has scored in a game this season.
Verhulst did most of her damage from beyond the arc, draining six 3-pointers while shooting nine. She made 13 of 19 field-goal attempts and was 6-for-6 from the free-throw line. She also added three rebounds, a steal and a block.
The outing upped Verhulst's season scoring average to 15.2.
Someone had to step up for the Sooners with center and leading scorer Raegan Beers banged up. Beers came out of OU's last game early after injuring her shoulder on Sunday and hadn't practiced since.
Beers still started despite the injury but played 10 minutes. She scored five points and pulled in three rebounds during that short time.
No one else other than Verhulst scored double digits Thursday night.
The blowout letting Beers get extra rest and opening an opportunity for Verhulst to get going could end up benefitting the Sooners, though, and they need all the help they can get for what's ahead.
The Sooners travel to No. 2 South Carolina on Sunday. The Gamecocks are the defending national champions after a perfect 38-0 season last year. They're 17-1 so far this season and are on a 12-game winning streak.
Beers will have to be fully healthy and ready to go for the Sooners to have a chance against South Carolina. Beers will also need help, so maybe Verhulst's performance Thursday will get her going as the sidekick that Beers needs.