Aaliyah Chavez ignites with 18 points as Oklahoma weathers Auburn's comeback, sealing a crucial road victory with a late offensive surge
AUBURN, Ala. - No. 16 Oklahoma women's basketball team showed resilience and composure on the road, securing a hard-fought 72-65 victory over Auburn at Neville Arena on Sunday, January 25, 2026.
Freshman standout Aaliyah Chavez led the charge with 18 points, including four made three-pointers, helping the Sooners avoid a potential upset against the unranked Tigers and bounce back from their grueling schedule.
Coming off an impressive 94-82 overtime upset win against No. 2 South Carolina just days earlier on Thursday, Oklahoma (now 16-4 overall, 4-3 in SEC play) faced a tough test against a determined Auburn squad (13-8, 2-5 SEC). The game remained competitive throughout, with neither team able to pull away decisively until the closing minutes.
The Sooners built early momentum, closing the first quarter with a strong run to lead 19-12. Auburn fought back in the second quarter, sparked by A'riel Jackson's five quick points to trim the deficit to two.
The Tigers then surged ahead briefly with a 6-0 spurt for a 27-25 lead—their first of the game. However, Chavez responded with consecutive three-pointers to regain control, and Oklahoma took a 35-30 advantage into halftime.
In the third quarter, Auburn's Mya Petticord opened with eight points to keep the Tigers in contention, but the Sooners extended their lead to 47-38. Despite Auburn narrowing it to 53-48 heading into the fourth, the home team couldn't sustain the push.
A'riel Jackson added seven early fourth-quarter points, and Harissoum Coulibaly's layups tied the score at 57-57 with six minutes left, then again at 59-59 with 4:50 remaining. From there, Auburn managed just six more points, while Oklahoma closed with a decisive 13-6 run. A key highlight was Zya Vann's clutch three-pointer with under a minute left, serving as the dagger to seal the win.
Offensively, Oklahoma received balanced contributions beyond Chavez. Sahara Williams and Raegan Beers each poured in 13 points, with Williams shooting efficiently at 62.5% and grabbing nine rebounds, plus three steals. Beers converted 6-of-9 shots and added six boards.
Coming off the bench, Brooklyn Stewart delivered a career-high 12 points, matching her bests with eight rebounds and four assists— a breakout performance that provided crucial depth.
For Auburn, Jackson led with a career-high 19 points off the bench, showcasing her scoring ability. Petticord and Ja'Mia Harris each added 12 points, while Coulibaly contributed 10, including key baskets in the fourth.
Defensively, the Sooners were stellar once again, holding Auburn to 37.7% shooting and just 65 points overall. Oklahoma leads the nation in opponent field goal percentage defense at 32.3% this season and has restricted 17 of 20 opponents below 40%.
The team shot 41.9% from the field, improving to 14-0 when hitting at least 40%, and an even stronger 47% in the second half.
This victory marked Oklahoma's 23rd straight win against unranked opponents and improved their record to 34-1 over the past two seasons in such matchups. It also counts as a Quadrant 2 win in the NET rankings, with the Sooners now 2-0 in Quad 2 games this season and undefeated in them since March 2024.
On the road, under fifth-year head coach Jennie Baranczyk, Oklahoma has won seven of its last eight true road contests and stands at 3-1 away this year.
The Sooners donned their alternate Jordan anthracite uniforms for the game—the first use this season—boosting their record to 12-2 in the dark grey kits since 2021.
UP NEXT: Oklahoma returns home to host Texas A&M on Thursday, January 29, at 6 p.m. CT at Lloyd Noble Center in Norman, with the matchup airing on SEC Network+. The Sooners previously defeated the Aggies 72-50 to open SEC play on January 1, setting up an opportunity to build on their momentum.
This gritty road win underscores Oklahoma's depth, defensive prowess, and ability to close out tight games, even amid a demanding SEC schedule.
With emerging stars like Chavez and reliable performers across the roster, the Sooners continue to position themselves as contenders in the conference and nationally.