Verhulst drops 18, Beers grabs nation-leading double-double in the Sooners' competitive red river road loss at Texas
AUSTIN, Tex. - In a highly anticipated Southeastern Conference clash at the Moody Center, the No. 4 Texas Longhorns women's basketball team secured a hard-fought 78-70 victory over the No. 10 Oklahoma Sooners on Sunday, February 1, 2026.
The win not only bolstered Texas' impressive record to 21-2 overall and 6-2 in SEC play but also marked their 38th consecutive home triumph, a streak that dates back with their last home loss coming against these same Sooners in 2024.
Junior forward Madison Booker and sophomore Justice Carlton each poured in 16 points to pace the Longhorns' offense. Booker shot an efficient 7-for-10 from the field while adding five rebounds and five assists, showcasing her all-around game as the reigning SEC Player of the Year.
Carlton complemented her with a solid 6-for-11 performance, grabbing eight rebounds and recording two steals to contribute on both ends of the floor. The Longhorns' depth shone through as well, with guard Jordan Lee chipping in 14 points and freshman Aaliyah Crump providing a spark off the bench with 12 points, including a crucial 10-point outburst in just six minutes during the second quarter.
Texas built a commanding lead early, outscoring Oklahoma 19-10 in the first quarter and extending it to 21 points late in the first half thanks in part to Crump's energy and Oklahoma's struggles from beyond the arc.
The Sooners missed seven of their eight three-point attempts in the second quarter, with their only make coming on a dramatic half-court heave by Payton Verhulst just before the buzzer. Entering halftime trailing 40-24, Oklahoma faced an uphill battle against a Texas team that forced 21 turnovers throughout the game and shot 51% from the field overall—the highest mark allowed by the Sooners' nation-leading field goal percentage defense this season.
Oklahoma mounted a spirited comeback in the third quarter, draining four three-pointers—including two from Verhulst—to trim the deficit. They continued their push in the fourth, with Zya Vann scoring 10 of her 15 points in the period and cutting the lead to seven with 7:15 remaining after a basket by Vann.
However, Texas responded decisively with a quick 9-0 run, featuring a jump shot from Booker and layups by Rori Harmon and Carlton in a 37-second span, effectively sealing the victory.
For Oklahoma (17-5, 5-4 SEC), Payton Verhulst led the way with 18 points, including three three-pointers and a team-high four assists. Center Raegan Beers notched her nation-leading 61st career double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds, continuing her dominance with 16 double-doubles this season and strong performances against ranked opponents.
Despite the effort, the Sooners finished 18 points below their season scoring average, and key contributors like freshman star Aaliyah Chavez struggled under tight defense from Harmon, shooting just 3-for-13 for 11 points—eight below her average.
The game highlighted Texas' resilience against top-tier competition, improving to 7-2 this season against AP Top 25 teams, while all five of Oklahoma's losses have come against ranked squads, four of them top-10 foes.
This Red River Shootout matchup, the 70th all-time between the programs, lived up to its billing with intense moments, but Texas' home-court dominance and balanced scoring proved too much in the end.
UP NEXT: Oklahoma heads to Nashville to face No. 5 Vanderbilt on February 9 at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN2, looking to bounce back on the road.