No. 10 Oklahoma routs Texas A&M

NORMAN, Okla. (AP) — Payton Verhulst scored 16 points and Aaliyah Chavez added 14 to help No. 10 Oklahoma defeat Texas A&M 85-58 on Thursday night.

Raegan Beers and Sahara Williams each added 12 points for the Sooners (17-4, 5-3 Southeastern Conference), who made 12 of 23 3-pointers and had assists on 25 of their 30 field goals.

It was Oklahoma's third straight victory, a streak that started last Thursday with an overtime win over then-No. 2 South Carolina. The Sooners visit No. 4 Texas on Sunday.

Lauren Ware had 15 points and Ny'Ceara Pryor added 12 for Texas A&M (8-9, 1-7). The Aggies have lost five straight, with four of them by at least 25 points to top-10 opponents Vanderbilt, Texas, LSU and Oklahoma.

Oklahoma won the previous meeting with the Aggies 72-50 on the road on Jan. 1.

New Oklahoma athletic director Roger Denny addressed the crowd during an early timeout, telling the fans to keep showing up to help throw "gasoline on the fire" coach Jennie Baranczyk has started.

Texas A&M scored the game's first five points and was competitive early, but Oklahoma rallied to lead 23-18 at the end of the first quarter.

In the second, Verhulst made a 3-pointer and was fouled. Her free throw gave the Sooners a 44-20 lead and closed out a 19-0 run. The Aggies went more than seven minutes without scoring.

Oklahoma led 46-27 at halftime. The Sooners forced nine turnovers in the second quarter while holding the Aggies to 3-of-9 shooting.

Oklahoma pushed its advantage to 31 points in the third quarter.

Up next

Texas A&M: Hosts No. 3 South Carolina on Monday.

Oklahoma: The Sooners get their only crack at the Longhorns this season Sunday.