Sports
OU women hold off late rally to record 69-61 win in first round
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (AP) — Fourth-seeded Oklahoma started the second half with a 13-0 run, then held off a late rally to beat No. 13 seed Illinois State 69-61 in the first round of the Oklahoma City regional Sunday.
Courtney Paris had 12 points and 12 rebounds for the Sooners to extend her double-double streak to 91 consecutive games. Ashley Paris scored 13 points for Oklahoma, which escaped the upset bid to snap a three-game losing streak.
Kristi Cirone led Illinois State (26-7) with 22 points. The Redbirds had won four straight, including three to win the Missouri Valley Conference tournament.
Oklahoma (22-8) advanced to play Notre Dame on Tuesday.
Illinois State dropped to 1-5 in NCAA tournament play.
The Redbirds led for much of the first half, but Oklahoma’s Amanda Thompson hit a long 2-point jumper in the closing seconds to give the Sooners a 31-29 lead at the break.
The Sooners shot just 38 percent in the first half, but forced 13 turnovers to stay in the game. There were five ties and eight lead changes in the first 20 minutes.
The Paris twins each scored a basket early in the second half to give the Sooners a 35-29 lead and force the Redbirds to call timeout.
Courtney Paris scored again, then Thompson blocked a 3-pointer, got the rebound and went in for a layup that gave Oklahoma a 39-29 lead. A layup by Danielle Robinson made it a 12-point advantage and forced another Illinois State timeout.
Shala Jackson’s layup with 15:26 to play accounted for Illinois State’s first points of the second half.
Illinois State rallied late. A 3-point play by Tiffany Hudson made it 61-57 with 2:43 to go, and Hudson made the second of two free throws to make it 61-58 with just over two minutes left.
Oklahoma guard Jenna Plumley hit 4 of 4 free throws in the final minute to keep Oklahoma in control.
- Sports
-
-
2 OU basketball players cited for shoplifting
Oklahoma basketball players Steven Pledger and Andrew Fitzgerald were cited for petty larceny Saturday night at the Dillard’s department store in Sooner Mall.
-
Griffin to reunite with Sooners
After becoming the first Oklahoma player to be the No. 1 overall pick in the NBA draft, the start of Blake Griffin’s professional career has been delayed by injuries.
-
Drummond, Pioneer test win streaks tonight
-
NOC Enid's game changer changes his game
- Canton rugby team boots Memorial
- Today's radio, TV
-
Morgan setting the bar high in pole vault
For two-time defending Class 2A state pole vault champion Dillon Morgan, of Hennessey, Saturday’s Oklahoma Track Coaches Association indoor meet was a new experience.
- Robinson’s 36 points pace No. 13 Sooners
- Radio/TV 2-7-10
-
Glasgow makes big leap at indoor games
- More Sports Headlines
-
2 OU basketball players cited for shoplifting
