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OU Basketball: Oklahoma Dominates Florida for Sixth Straight Win

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OU Basketball: Oklahoma Dominates Florida for Sixth Straight Win


Balanced scoring, frenzied defense and dominant rebounding fueled No. 13 Oklahoma to an 89-65 victory over Florida on Thursday night in Gainesville.

“We started the fourth quarter on a pretty big run,” OU coach Jennie Baranczyk said on the postgame radio show. “Really proud of that, because that’s where you want to be playing your best. But I love the balance that we have right now, and I love the fun that we’re having.”

Six Sooners scored in double figures, led by Payton Verhulst’s 17 and Raegan Beers’ 16. Sahara Williams had 11 points and nine rebounds, Skylar Vann had 13 points and four steals, Liz Scott had 11 points, seven rebounds and three assists, and Zya Vann had 10 points, three assists, two steals and a block.

Verhulst also had seven rebounds, three assists and three steals to pace the Sooners’ efforts.

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Zaya Vann hit a 3 to give OU a 64-49 lead at the end the third quarter, and the Sooners went on a 21-7 run that was fueled by 3-pointers by Skylar Vann, Scott, Liz Allen and Lexi Keys.

OU won its sixth game in a row to improve to 22-6 overall and 10-5 in Southeastern Conference play, while the Gators fell to 14-15 and 5-10.

Nevaeh Tot played in her 151st career game on Thursday, breaking Taylor Robertson’s school record for career games played. The Columbus, OH, product has won 107 games at Oklahoma, tied with Skylar Vann for the fifth most in program history.

It was OU’s third straight 20-point victory and 13th of the season. 

“It’s one of those games that I just love the depth that we have,” Baranczyk said. “That’s, again, the nice thing is that everybody got in, everybody contributed everybody, you know, played really hard — but everyone practiced this hard every day, so when we do that, it’s really nice to be able to get those game minutes.”

Oklahoma came into Thursday ranked No. 5 in the nation in scoring offense and has surpassed 80 points in four consecutive games. OU is now 67-5 under coach Jennie Baranczyk when scoring 80 or more, and 20-0 this season when holding their opponent under 80. 

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Florida led by a point late in the first quarter, but the Sooners pulled away to a 44-32 lead at halftime and then outscored the Gators 45-33 in the second half. OU led by as many as 30 in the fourth quarter thanks to a 36-24 advantage in the paint, a 21-7 edge in fast-break points and a 13-4 lead on second-chance points.

Earlier Thursday, Oklahoma was tabbed as the NCAA Selection Committee’s No. 13 overall team in its final reveal before Selection Sunday. As the top No. 4 seed, Oklahoma would host first- and second-round games of the NCAA Tournament if selections were made today.

OU hosts No. 20 Alabama (22-6, 9-5 SEC) at Lloyd Noble Center on Sunday at 1:30 p.m. in a critical matchup for seeding at the SEC Tournament. Oklahoma, due to Kentucky’s win over Tennessee on Thursday, is locked into seeds Nos. 5-8 as the Wildcats are guaranteed a top-four spot in Greenville.



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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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“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.”

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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.

Latest stories

— 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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