Payton Verhulst's sharpshooting ignited a dominant offensive explosion, overwhelming Texas A&M and securing another commanding win for the Oklahoma Sooners
NORMAN, Okla. - The No. 10 Oklahoma Sooners delivered a commanding performance on Thursday night, dismantling Texas A&M 85-58 at Lloyd Noble Center to secure their third consecutive victory and reinforce their dominance in Southeastern Conference play.
Payton Verhulst led the charge with a game-high 16 points, including a season-best five 3-pointers, while adding four assists, two rebounds, and a steal in 28 minutes of action. Her sharp shooting from beyond the arc was instrumental in Oklahoma's offensive explosion.
Aaliyah Chavez contributed 14 points, and Raegan Beers and Sahara Williams each chipped in 12. Off the bench, Caya Smith provided a spark with 11 points, helping the Sooners' reserves outscore Texas A&M's bench 25-4—the largest such margin in SEC play this season.
Oklahoma's balanced attack was on full display, as five players reached double figures, a feat that improved the team to 9-0 this year when at least five Sooners score 10 or more points. The Sooners dished out 25 assists on 30 made field goals, showcasing their unselfish play and ranking them among the nation's top teams in assists per game (21.0 nationally).
From deep, they connected on 12 of 23 attempts (52.2%), marking the first time since February 17, 2024, that Oklahoma made at least 12 threes while shooting 50% or better from long range.
Defensively, the Sooners were suffocating. They limited Texas A&M (8-9, 1-7 SEC) to just 58 points on 35.6% shooting overall and a dismal 21.0% from 3-point range. Oklahoma has now won 70 straight games when holding opponents under 60 points, including a perfect 9-0 mark this season.
The Aggies struggled throughout, particularly after an early 5-0 lead and a brief 12-8 advantage; Oklahoma responded with a punishing 33-8 run over nearly 13 minutes to seize control.The game turned decisively in the second quarter when Verhulst drained a 3-pointer and drew a foul, completing the four-point play to ignite a 19-0 Sooners surge.
Texas A&M went scoreless for over seven minutes, and Oklahoma built a 46-27 halftime lead. The margin ballooned to 31 points in the third quarter, forcing an Aggie timeout as the Sooners pulled away for their second-largest SEC victory margin this year.
This win extended Oklahoma's remarkable streak to 24 consecutive victories against unranked opponents. It also avenged—no, built on—their earlier 72-50 road triumph over Texas A&M on January 1.
During an early timeout, new Oklahoma athletic director Roger Denny addressed the enthusiastic crowd, urging fans to continue packing the arena and "throw gasoline on the fire" ignited by head coach Jennie Baranczyk's program.
The energy in Lloyd Noble Center was palpable, reflecting the growing excitement around the Sooners' resurgence.
UP NEXT: Looking ahead, Oklahoma (17-4, 5-3 SEC) faces a major test on Sunday with a road matchup against No. 4 Texas in Austin at 2 p.m. CT.
The game will air nationally on ABC, with ESPN's Women's Basketball College GameDay providing live pregame coverage starting at 11 a.m. CT.
This top-10 clash promises high stakes as the Sooners aim to keep their momentum rolling in a competitive conference.