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OU Basketball: Oklahoma Survives Road Game vs. Ole Miss Thanks To Late Run

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OU Basketball: Oklahoma Survives Road Game vs. Ole Miss Thanks To Late Run


Oklahoma finished Thursday’s game against Ole Miss how it started.

The Sooners beat the Rebels 66-56 on the road, ending the game on a 12-2 run. The surge came after OU blew a15-point lead and allowed Ole Miss to hold a seven-point fourth-quarter lead.

Here are three takeaways from Oklahoma’s win:

After the Sooners stalled during the second and third quarters, they ended the game well.

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OU, trailing by seven in the fourth quarter, went on a 10-0 run in the middle of the period to retake the lead. The Sooners never allowed the Rebels to take the lead back, outscoring them 23-11 altogether in the fourth.

Sooners On SI Podcast, Ep. 282

The Sooners (16-6, 5-5 SEC) dominated Ole Miss in the paint in the fourth quarter, grabbing 13 rebounds to Ole Miss’ seven. OU didn’t allow Ole Miss to score in the final 2:39 of the game, with the Sooners forcing five turnovers in the fourth quarter.

This late-game surge came after Ole Miss (15-7, 6-4) outscored Oklahoma 36-19 in the second and third quarters. OU’s final 10 minutes looked much more similar to its first 10 minutes, when the Sooners went to the first quarter break with a 24-9 lead.

The Sooners were without star center Raegan Beers due to an undisclosed illness, per an OU source.

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Beers — Oklahoma’s leader in points, steals and blocks per game — has reached double figures in all but one game this year, the exception being the Mizzou game in January, when she suffered an injury.

Still, the Sooners saw contributions from a variety of players on Thursday.

Nine Sooners scored against the Rebels, with senior guard Payton Verhulst leading the way with 19 points on 7-of-18 shooting. Sahara Williams and Liz Scott also reached double figures, logging 14 and 10 points, respectively.

Oklahoma assisted on 17 of its 22 field goals.

Even after Thursday’s well-rounded effort, the Sooners will welcome Beers back with open arms. The junior center is averaging 16.9 points, 8.9 rebounds and 1.1 blocks per game.

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The Sooners have six regular-season games remaining in their inaugural SEC campaign. They battle Auburn on Monday, the first of three final games at the Lloyd Noble Center.

Oklahoma moves back to .500 in league play with Thursday’s win, and the Sooners are in sole possession of eighth place in the SEC standings.

OU Basketball: No. 1 Auburn Dominates Oklahoma in Second Half, Sooners Are 3-6 in SEC

Of the Sooners’ six losses, five came against opponents ranked in the top 15. The only exception was OU’s road loss to Mississippi State in January.

OU entered Thursday ranked No. 20 in the NET rankings, used heavily by the NCAA Tournament selection committee to determine which teams are selected for the tourney.

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Oklahoma Running Back Upgraded on Second College Football Playoff Availability Report

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Oklahoma Running Back Upgraded on Second College Football Playoff Availability Report


Oklahoma running back Jovantae Barnes was upgraded on the second College Football Playoff availability report of the week. 

Barnes appeared on Tuesday’s report as probable, but he was left off Wednesday’s report, meaning he will be available for Friday’s contest against Alabama.

Barnes appeared in four games during the regular season, carrying the ball 19 times for 45 yards and a touchdown. He also caught one pass for 16 yards. 

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The senior running back was able to redshirt by only playing in four games. Postseason games, including the College Football Playoff, do not count against eligibility, so Barnes will be able to maintain eligibility in 2026 and still be able to take the field for the Sooners in the CFP. 

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Oklahoma’s main injury concern, center Jake Maikkula, continues to linger. 

Maikkula was listed as questionable on the report for the second straight day.

Maikkula missed OU’s regular-season finale against LSU due to what Brent Venables labeled as an “infection”. He was fully suited up during a brief 15-minute practice viewing window on Monday, but he was working off to the side instead of with Oklahoma’s starting offensive line group. 


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Oklahoma’s best news of the week came on Tuesday. 

Star pass rusher R Mason Thomas was not listed on the week’s first availability report, meaning he’s good to go to take on the Crimson Tide. 

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Thomas earned All-SEC First Team honors in 2025 despite missing a majority of Red November. 

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He appeared in nine regular-season games, totaling 23 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks. Thomas also forced two fumbles, and he scooped up a Joey Aguilar fumble and returned it all the way for a touchdown. He sustained a quad injury on the play, however, which cost him the Alabama, Missouri and LSU games. 

Thomas also missed the first half of OU’s SEC opener against Auburn after he was ejected in the second half of Oklahoma’s win over Temple for targeting.

Defensive backs Gentry Williams, Kendel Dolby and Jeremiah Newcombe were all ruled out for the CFP opener on Tuesday.

Dolby announced that he intends to enter the transfer portal on Wednesday. 

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When asked about the defensive back after Dolby’s announcement on Wednesday, Venables was short. 

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“I’m not going to talk about anybody that’s not here,” he said. 

Alabama tight ends Josh Cuevas and Danny Lewis Jr. were both upgraded to probable after the tight end duo was listed as questionable on the week’s first availability report. 

The Sooners and the Crimson Tide will battle at 7 p.m. on Friday, and the game will air on ABC and ESPN.



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Six bridges damaged by semi truck hauling ‘illegally over-height’ load, Oklahoma Turnpike Authority says

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Six bridges damaged by semi truck hauling ‘illegally over-height’ load, Oklahoma Turnpike Authority says


Oklahoma authorities are investigating multiple bridge strikes that occurred along the I-44/Will Rogers Turnpike on Tuesday afternoon.

On December 16, 2025, “an illegally over-height commercial motor vehicle drove this afternoon from Tulsa to near Miami,” causing damage to “multiple county bridges above the I-44/Will Rogers Turnpike,” according to the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority (OTA).

The OTA notes that “it is illegal for trucks taller than 14 feet to travel the state highway system without permits and approved routes. The bridges damaged today range from 14 feet and 11 inches to 15 feet and 4 inches in vertical clearance, well above the legal limit.”

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OTA

“We are continuing to see damage to our state transportation infrastructure from illegal, over-height semi-trucks. This is a critical issue that puts the traveling public at risk and is unacceptable. We are extremely grateful no one was injured in this incident,” OTA Executive Director Joe Echelle said. “We implore truck drivers to follow all Oklahoma laws and work with the state’s Size and Weights permitting office to ensure that all travelers are safe on our roadways and that our infrastructure remains undamaged by these careless acts.”

OTA

Officials say that the following bridges were struck:

  • E. 530 Rd. – closed between S. 4130 Rd. and Lakeway Rd.
  • S. 4220 Rd. – closed between E. 460 Rd. and E. 470 Rd. east of Claremore
  • N. 429 Rd. – closed between E. 390 Rd. and SH-28
  • N. 4300 Rd. – closed between E. 380 Rd. and W. 390 Rd.
  • N. 4310 Rd. – open
  • W. 370 Rd. – open

The Will Rogers Turnpike is open, but drivers should expect temporary delays as crews continue to inspect the damaged bridges.

“OTA is working closely with officials from Rogers County, City of Claremore, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol and ODOT in response to this incident,” the agency said.



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How to watch Oklahoma-Alabama in the College Football Playoff: TV/streaming info and more

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How to watch Oklahoma-Alabama in the College Football Playoff: TV/streaming info and more


For the second time this year, we’ll see Oklahoma and Alabama face off in a pivotal showdown.

The Sooners (10-2) will host the Crimson Tide (10-3) for a College Football Playoff showdown Friday at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman, Oklahoma. The last time these teams faced off, Oklahoma came away with a 23-21 win over Alabama on the road.

Will Oklahoma once again topple Alabama? Here’s everything fans should know about Oklahoma-Alabama in the CFP:

How to watch Oklahoma-Alabama in the CFP

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When: 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 19

Where: Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium (Norman, Oklahoma)

TV: ABC/ESPN Streaming: ESPN app

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A prime-time showdown

None of the four first-round College Football Playoff games overlap, but Alabama-Oklahoma really takes center stage.

With the other three games on Saturday, including Texas A&M-Miami, this game is the only one on Friday night and doesn’t overlap with any of Saturday’s NFL action like Tulane-Ole Miss and James Madison-Oregon do.

It shouldn’t be as cold as it has been lately in Norman, Okla., as early forecasts are expecting temperatures in the lower-50s and upper-40s on Friday. Combine that with a 7 p.m. kickoff that gives Oklahoma fans plenty of time to tailgate and get riled up for the game, and “The Palace on the Prairie” should be a sight to behold as it hosts its first CFP game.

Oklahoma-Alabama head-to-head

Oklahoma and Alabama have faced off eight times in the past. The Sooners lead the all-time series 5-2-1. As we mentioned above, Oklahoma won the latest matchup in the 2025 regular season.

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— Can Oklahoma beat Alabama again in the CFP? History isn’t on its side

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— Five storylines for Oklahoma-Alabama: A shot at revenge, turnover battle and more

— 10 things to know about Oklahoma head coach Brent Venables as Sooners head to CFP

— Brent Venables’ aggressive defense gives Oklahoma different look than past CFP teams

— Final College Football Playoff bracket: See where Texas Tech, A&M and Oklahoma landed

Find more Oklahoma coverage from The Dallas Morning News here.

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