AUSTIN (KXAN) — Texas forced 23 turnovers and shot nearly 50% from the field to blow out No. 14 Oklahoma 78-58 on Wednesday at Moody Center.
The Longhorns scored 26 points off the Sooners’ turnovers and four players scored in double figures led by DeYona Gaston’s 19 points. Gaston shot 7-of-11 from the field and 5-for-6 from the foul line in 23 minutes before fouling out. Taylor Jones came off the bench to pour in 16 points and six rebounds while Shaylee Gonzales scored 12 points and seven assists. Rori Harmon chipped in 10 points and six assists and played all 40 minutes.
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“We took them out of a lot things they like to do,” Longhorns coach Vic Schaefer said. “They played their guts out, and it’s a great win for us.”
Texas jumped out to a 12-2 lead in the first quarter after connecting on its first six shots, but the Sooners quickly closed the early deficit and tied the game 20-20 at the first-quarter buzzer with a 3-pointer by Kennady Tucker.
The Longhorns used a huge third quarter to separate themselves from the Sooners. Texas held the Sooners to 1-for-17 shooting in the frame and outscored them 21-6. Oklahoma shot 22% in the second half, going 7-for-32.
Texas committed 13 turnovers, more than three below their average of 16.2 per game this season, and had 36 points in the paint to Oklahoma’s 26. The Sooners managed to outrebound the Longhorns 41-36 including 14-9 on the offensive glass.
Skylar Vann scored 13 points for Oklahoma and was the only Sooner to score in double figures. The Sooners came into the game shooting almost 35% from 3-point range, but the Longhorns held the sharpshooting squad to 5-of-17 from long range. Taylor Robertson hit a pair of 3-pointers for Oklahoma in the first quarter to tie the NCAA career mark for 3-pointers made with 497. She needs just one more 3-pointer to overtake Ohio State’s Kelsey Mitchell for the all-time record.
The Longhorns now move into a tie for first place in the conference with the Sooners and Iowa State.
Texas (15-6, 6-2 Big 12 Conference) hosts Oklahoma State at 7 p.m. Saturday. Oklahoma (16-3, 6-2) is on the road Saturday at No. 18 Iowa State.
