Oklahoma
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.
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.
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.
NORMAN — Cord Rager’s return comes at a pivotal time for Skip Johnson’s Oklahoma Sooners. Not only do they get their day three starter back in time for big road matchups against Auburn and Arkansas on the horizon, but the Sooners pitching strength, their rotational depth, is primed and ready for the test.
The freshman lefty finished with eight strikeouts and only gave up one hit in only 65 pitches before his day ended in the sixth.
No. 14 Oklahoma earn its first conference sweep of the season, defeating Missouri 8-4. It was OU’s fourth conference series win.
Oklahoma (27-12, 10-8) put their best foot forward as they turn the page to the meat of their schedule where they will do battle against No. 13, No. 20 and No. 16 over the next three weeks — two of those series’ on the road.
Four runs in five hits in the second got things rolling for the Sooners.
Camden Johnson continued his brilliant play of late with a triple in the second. This came after a Brenden Brock solo home run to put OU up 1-0. Deiten LaChance grounded out to short but scored Johnson. Dasan Harris and and Nolan Stevens each found home before the inning ended.
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OU found fortune from the plate again in the fourth. Four runs off of four hits highlighted by a three-run home run by Johnson put Oklahoma up 8-0. It was Johnson’s seventh home run of the season, second on the team behind Brock’s nine.
Trent Collier got the nod in the sixth to relieve Rager.
In the seventh, Missouri finally got on the board for the first time since the ninth inning of Friday night’s Sooner victory. Cam Durnin hit a solo shot — his fourht of the season — to make the score 8-1 in favor of the home team.
The Tigers got their third hit of the game shortly after. From there, Collier’s short day was done. Gavyn Jones came on to relieve
LaChance missed a home run by inches when Tiger center fielder Kaden Peer made a leaping catch, jumping into the fence.
In the eighth, the Tigers continued to chip away. With bases loaded, Blaze Ward hit a basehit to score two Missouri base runners. OU led 8-3 heading into the final inning.
Harris led the Sooners with three hits. His day was accented by an RBI, stolen base and a run.
Oklahoma will travel to Auburn to take on the No. 13 Tigers for a three game series starting on Friday. Before that, they will host Oral Roberts for a midweek game at Kimrey Family Stadium in Norman. The Sooners won 4-0 against ORU earlier this season.
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New Iowa State wrestling coach Brent Metcalf outlines vision for team
New Iowa State wrestling coach Brent Metcalf outlines vision for team
Iowa State wrestling’s first commitment of the Brent Metcalf era will be a transfer portal addition.
The Cyclones added Oklahoma State transfer Brayden Thompson, who announced his commitment on April 18 via Instagram. Thompson is a one-time NCAA qualifier at the 2024 NCAA Championships, doing so as a true freshman. He redshirted in 2024-25, but competed in open tournaments at 184 pounds and was 9-0. He did not wrestle a match in 2025-26 and will have at least two years of eligibility remaining.
Out of high school, Thompson was ranked the No. 3 pound-for-pound wrestler and No. 1 at 182 pounds in the 2023 recruiting class by Flowrestling. He also won Powerade and Ironman titles, two of the more prestigious high school tournaments in the nation. Assuming Thompson returns to 184 pounds where he last wrestled, he should fill in nicely as a potential replacement for Isaac Dean after his graduation.
Thompson is Iowa State’s first transfer portal addition after several departures, including Anthony Echemendia and Christian Castillo, who also entered the portal.
Eli McKown covers high school sports and wrestling for the Des Moines Register. Contact him at Emckown@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @EMcKown23.
NORMAN — The Oklahoma Sooners liked their wide receiver room a year ago. They want 2026 to be even better.
Isaiah Sategna’s return helps that desire. Earning experienced pass catchers Trell Harris and Parker Livingstone via the transfer portal gives you added play makers. But after the Sooners Spring Game on Saturday, an unlikely hero emerged.
When Jahsiear Rogers flipped from Penn State to Oklahoma last December, he drew the usual excitement that comes with a new commitment. But few expected him to climb the depth chart this quickly, even with the injuries that hit Emmett Jones’ room.
Rogers did just that and more on Saturday. He led all pass catchers with five receptions for 70 yards in Oklahoma’s annual Red/White game.
“I knew it was time to showcase,” Rogers said after the game. “It was amazing to see the fans and get used to the OU way. I’m a playmaker. They really want to put the ball in playmakers hands. I pretty much knew I had to lead the white team.”
Rogers got the ball rolling early. On the second offensive play for the white team, backup quarterback Whitt Newbauer rolled to his right wide, then stopped and looked towards the middle of the field where he saw Rogers running open. Newbauer connected with Rogers for a 39-yard gain.
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With Rogers on the white team, he is running against (most of) Oklahoma’s starting defense. As fate would have it, on that 39-yard reception, Rogers beat his favorite teammate to compete against — Reggie Powers.
“He is just a leader, good guy,” Rogers said of Powers. “Me and him go after it every day in practice. Reggie is strong. When I come at him, I have to really come at him.”
Rogers’ big play over Powers was the second-longest catch of the spring game — Sategna’s 50-yard reception that appeared to be a touchdown before coaches pulled it back to set up a red-zone rep. The other four catches weren’t flashy, but they were important in their own way, and Rogers looked like he belonged on the field.
“I love it. As long as I can get the ball, I can be me. I love it,” Rogers said. “When I am on the field, I am ready to go. I am ready to be a playmaker.”
The season is still months away, and Rogers hasn’t earned a spot high on the depth chart yet. A strong spring and an encouraging Red/White Game can only lead to early playing time if he carries that momentum into summer and fall camp.
More experienced players will return from injury and receivers who’ve been in the program for a few years will have an extra leg-up.
But Rogers is taking everything in stride and leaving no stone unturned in his development.
“Just learning from the older guys,” Rogers said. “Manny Choice, Isaiah Sategna, Trell Harris, Mackenzie Alleyne. Really all of them. We lean on each other, learn from each other. That is kind of how our room is.”
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