The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
Oklahoma
No. 9/10 Women’s Basketball preview: at No. 18/21 Oklahoma
01.28.2022 | Women's Basketball
The Longhorns travel to Norman for a Red River Rivalry matchup with the Sooners (2:00 p.m. CT, Bally Sports Oklahoma)
Game 19: #9/10 Texas (15-3, 5-2 Big 12) vs #18/21 Oklahoma (17-3, 6-2 Big 12)
Saturday, Jan. 29, 2022 – 2:00 p.m. Central
Lloyd Noble Center (11,562) – Norman, Okla.
GameDay Quick Facts:
• TELEVISION: The game will be televised nationally on Bally Sports Oklahoma. Chad McKee (pxp) and Dan Hughes (analyst) will call the action.
• RADIO: 105.3 The Bat broadcasts every UT game on the statewide network. Roger Wallace (pxp) and Kathy Harston (analyst) will call the action. Check TexasSports.com for a listing of affiliates carrying the game.
• SERIES: Texas leads, 36-26. Last meeting: Oklahoma 68-63 OT (Feb, 27, 2021; Austin, Texas).
Notables:
OPENING TIP: The No. 9/10 Texas Women's Basketball team will look to capture its fifth-straight Big 12 victory Saturday afternoon (2 p.m. CT) as they travel to Norman to take on No. 18/21 Oklahoma in a Red River Rivalry tilt inside the Sooners' Lloyd Noble Center. The Longhorns are coming off an impressive 66-48 home win over No. 25/RV Kansas State on Wednesday and will be seeking their fifth win over a ranked opponent this season.
THE SERIES: Texas and OU will meet for the 63rd time overall on Saturday. The Longhorns own a 36-26 advantage over the Sooners in the all-time series and have won eight of the last nine meetings. The Longhorns and Sooner split the season series last year.
TOP 16 REVEALED: The NCAA Division I Women's Basketball selection committee released its first projections for the top 16 seeds in the 2022 NCAA Championships with Texas being projected as the No. 7 overall seed in the tournament.
The Longhorns were paired in the Spokane Region as the No. 2 seed along with No. 1 Stanford, No. 3 UCONN and No.4 Georgia. South Carolina earned the top overall seed with N.C. State and Tennessee holding the other regional No.1 seed spots.
ROAD WARRIORS: Throughout the first half of the 2021-22 season, Texas has found a way to play some of their best basketball on the road. The Longhorns are 6-1 on the road this season with 4-of-6 wins coming against ranked opponents. Texas defeated No.3 Stanford (Nov. 14) and No. 17 Texas A&M (Dec. 5) and No. 7 Iowa State. Their only road defeat of the season was a 74-70 overtime loss at No.16 Tennessee (Nov. 21).
THE SCHAEFER FORMULA: Longhorn head coach Vic Schaefer makes no secret in the way his teams have found success over the years. Relentless full court defensive pressure, attention to detail, and limiting turnovers and mistakes have been built in to the identity of his programs. The 2021-22 Longhorns are no different ranking among the best in the country in several defensive categories. UT currently ranks No. 1 in the Big 12 and No. 21 in the NCAA holding opponents to just 54.8 points per game. They also lead the league and rank No. 9 nationally in turnovers forced at 23.6 per contest.
SCOUTING THE SOONERS: The Longhorns will have their hands full against a Sooners squad that owns the No. 2 scoring offense in the country at 87 points per game. OU also ranks No. 6 in the NCAA in three-point field goals per game at 9.0. The Sooners are coming off an 84-58 home victory over Oklahoma State in their last outing and are 10-1 when playing on their home floor this season.
Oklahoma has three players currently averaging 15-plus points per game led by Madi Williams who ranks No.4 in the Big 12 in scoring at 18.1 points per game. Taylor Robertson ranks No. 7 in the league at 17. 9 points per game and Ana Llanusa is averaging 17.3. Williams also lead the team on the glass bringing down 7.9 rebounds per contest.
NEXT: Following Saturday's matchup, the Longhorns will head to Waco to take on No. 11/14 Baylor next Friday, Feb. 4 (7 p.m.) before hosting the Bears inside the Erwin Center on Sunday, Feb. 6 (3 p.m. CT). Both games are set to air nationally on ESPN 2.
