Oklahoma stifled Texas A&M's offense, dominating the boards and forcing turnovers in a decisive SEC opening rout.
Texas A&M's first step into SEC play came with a harsh reality check Thursday night, as No. 8 Oklahoma rolled past the Aggies 72-50 in College Station, using defense, rebounding, and a decisive second-half surge to pull away.
The Aggies struggled to find any offensive rhythm, especially from the perimeter.
Texas A&M missed its first 16 attempts from beyond the arc and finished just 1-for-18 from 3-point range, a shooting drought that made it nearly impossible to keep pace with one of the nation's most balanced teams.
Freshman Aaliyah Chavez led the way for the Sooners with 20 points, pacing an Oklahoma squad that didn't rely on its usual offensive fireworks. Entering the game averaging over 96 points per contest, Oklahoma instead leaned on defense and physicality to control the game from start to finish.
Despite shooting just 32.4 percent in the first half, Oklahoma carried a 28-20 lead into the break.
The game swung decisively early in the third quarter when the Sooners opened with a 12-0 run, capitalizing on six Texas A&M turnovers and six missed shots to push the margin to 40-21. From there, the Aggies never recovered.
Oklahoma's dominance on the glass told much of the story.
The Sooners outrebounded Texas A&M 63-34, consistently extending possessions and limiting second chances. Senior center Raegan Beers posted a double-double with 14 points and 12 rebounds, while Payton Verhulst added 10 boards to fuel Oklahoma's interior control.
For Texas A&M, senior guard Ny'Ceara Pryor provided most of the offense, scoring 20 points. Junior Fatmata Janneh chipped in a double-double of her own with 16 points and 10 rebounds, but the Aggies lacked consistent scoring beyond that duo.
Texas A&M also struggled with ball security, committing 13 turnovers in a sloppy first half as both teams combined for 25 turnovers on the night.
The Aggies' shooting woes were especially glaring given Oklahoma's own struggles from deep. The teams combined to hit just two 3-pointers on 26 attempts, yet Oklahoma still managed to stretch the lead to as many as 28 points behind improved second-half efficiency.
Texas A&M now looks to regroup quickly as conference play continues. The Aggies travel to Georgia on Sunday searching for offensive answers, while Oklahoma hosts Mississippi State riding a 12-game winning streak and early SEC momentum.