Norman, Okla. - The Nebraska women's basketball team allowed its second-highest point total of the season, as No. 22 Oklahoma's offense fired on all cylinders in a 91-69 win over the Huskers in front of 3,031 fans at the Lloyd Noble Center in Norman, Okla., on Saturday.
With the loss, Nebraska dropped to 11-9 overall and 5-4 in Big 12 Conference play, while the Sooners improved to 19-3 and 9-0 in league action. Oklahoma became the first team in the four-year history of the Big 12 to start the season with a perfect 9-0 mark.
Oklahoma's LaNeishea Caufield and Phylesha Whaley scored 26 points to pace the Sooners. Caufield scored 20 points in the first half to set the tone for Oklahoma, who shot 55.6 percent (35-63) from the field, 35.7 percent (5-14) from 3-point range and 88.9 percent (16-18) from the free throw line. The Sooners' longest scoring drought was just two minutes and 15 seconds, as the Husker defense was unable to slow the Big 12's top-ranked offense.
Nebraska Coach Paul Sanderford gave credit to the Sooners after the game.
"It was a rough day. You just have to give credit to Oklahoma," Sanderford said. "They did a nice job of using Whaley and Caufield together. They both scored at will today, and Oklahoma is definitely playing well. At the same, we just didn't guard. We were a step slow, and we looked a little bit disjointed all day."
The Huskers matched the Sooners basket-for-basket through the first 17 minutes of the game, after Casey Leonhardt's layup cut Oklahoma's lead to 36-34 with 3:00 remaining in the first half. But Oklahoma closed the first half with a 9-2 run, including five points from Caufield, to take a 45-36 lead into the locker room at halftime.
Senior guard Brooke Schwartz led the Huskers offensively, scoring 18 of her team-high 24 points in the first half to keep Nebraska within striking distance.
The Huskers cut Oklahoma's lead to five points at 55-50 with 13:46 remaining in the contest, but then the Sooners caught fire, reeling off a 10-2 run to build the lead to 13 points at 65-52 after a Whaley 3-pointer with 11:28 left in the game.
The Sooners maintained the lead at 72-58 with 8:49 remaining, before going on a 9-0 run capped by Whaley's layup with 5:45 left to put the game out of reach at 81-58.
Along with the Sooners' hot shooting, Oklahoma dominated the game on the boards, outrebounding the Huskers, 35-28. Oklahoma's rebounding advantage helped the Sooners outscore the Huskers, 48-26, in the paint.
Sanderford said Nebraska's inability to stop Oklahoma inside was a key to the game.
"I think mentally we were not ready to play today," Sanderford said. "Physically, I was shocked at the way they beat us up inside. They were so impressive. They got position, moved us out of the way, and then scored every time down the court."
The Sooners forced 24 Nebraska turnovers, while committing just 16 turnovers of their own. Oklahoma also distributed 21 assists, the second-best total by a Husker opponent this season, trailing only Brigham Young's 22 assists in an 81-57 win over Nebraska on Dec. 9.
Oklahoma's win snapped a five-game losing streak to the Huskers and marked the first win against Nebraska for fourth-year Sooner Coach Sherri Coale.