Oklahoma
Women’s Hoops Hosts Bedlam in Norman on Saturday – University of Oklahoma
It’s the final scheduled Bedlam battle between the two rivals who have played annually since 1975 (115 meetings), with tip slated for 1 p.m. CT on FOX with Tim Brando and Meghan McKeown on the call.
FAN INFO
Sooner Nation only has two more chances to see the Sooners at home – Saturday vs. the Cowgirls and next Wednesday (Feb. 28) vs. No. 5 Texas. Fans can purchase the exclusive rivalry pack and secure lower-level seats for both games for $15.
Saturday’s game is OU’s Crimson Out, and fans are encouraged to wear crimson.
Doors to the arena open one hour before tip, and the Lloyd Noble Center’s clear-bag policy is in effect.
THE STARTING FIVE
- The Sooners held strong at No. 23 in the AP Poll this week after splitting their ranked contests last week. The Sooners remained at No. 25 in the WBCA Coaches Poll on Tuesday. OU checked in at No. 28 in the latest NET ranking and is tabbed as a seven seed in the newest bracketology.
- The Sooners have built quite the resume for the NCAA Tournament as we approach March Madness. Oklahoma boasts a league-leading 13-2 record in the Big 12 and has four wins over top 25 teams (No. 12 Ole Miss, No. 10 Texas, No. 2 Kansas State and No. 21 Baylor). The Sooners boast a 13-6 record vs. Quad 1 and 2 teams this season in the NET. OU has played the 10th toughest schedule in the country.
- A win would mark Oklahoma’s 14th win in conference play, which would mark the first time since 2001 and 2002 that Sooners have won 14 Big 12 games in back-to-back years. It would be OU’s 40th regular season conference win under Baranczyk, the most league wins in a three-year stretch since head coach Sherri Coale won 40 from 2006-08.
- Skylar Vann (15.5 PPG, 7.2 RPG) and Payton Verhulst (12.0 PPG, 5.7 RPG, 4.0 APG) have starred for OU as the two have made strong cases for All-Big 12 honors. Vann, the league’s only two-time Sixth Player of the Year, is having a career year and has posted 19 straight games of double-digit points. Verhulst is riding the best stretch of her career as the guard averages 15.0 PPG (40% 3P%), 6.7 RPG, 6.0 APG and 2.0 SPG in February.
- If you want to see one of the fastest and most prolific offenses in the country, then come to Norman, Oklahoma. The Sooners are averaging 77.4 points per game (26th NCAA, 3rd Big 12) this season and have posted 90 points six times (2nd Big 12) this season. Guided by a blistering pace of 76.5 possessions per game (10th NCAA), the Sooners get up and down the floor faster than most.
SERIES HISTORY
Saturday marks the 116th edition of Bedlam. Oklahoma owns a 68-47 series advantage over Oklahoma State, including a 36-15 record in Norman, where OU has won the last two contests. The Sooners have won five straight over the Cowgirls and are 2-0 in Norman under Baranczyk.
OU’s 68 wins over the Cowgirls are the most for Oklahoma vs. a single opponent. After OU won 25 of the 21st century’s first 26 meetings, the series has been hotly contested, with the OU holding a narrow 15-12 advantage over the last 27 contests.
Saturday’s meeting is the final scheduled contest between the two as Oklahoma moves to the Southeastern Conference in 2024.
LAST TIME OUT
Skylar Vann scored 22 points, and Lexy Keys and Sahara Williams each added 17 points to help No. 23 Oklahoma beat Cincinnati 95-87 on Tuesday night. Oklahoma (19-7, 13-2 Big 12) bounced back after losing for the first time since Jan. 10, ending a nine-game winning streak on Saturday against No. 24 West Virginia.
With the win, Oklahoma, who leads the Big 12, has clinched a top-four seed at next month’s Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship, guaranteeing it a double-BYE in the bracket. Oklahoma scored the opening seven points of the game and never trailed against Cincinnati — leading by as many as 22 points with 4:22 left in the third quarter.
UP NEXT
The Sooners stay in Norman for a matchup with No. 5 Texas on Wednesday (Feb. 28) at 6 p.m. OU knocked off the Horns earlier this season, 91-87, in Austin.
The game will showcase two of the league’s top three teams as Texas enters the weekend one game behind the Sooners in the standings.
The Oklahoma Sooners surprised the college football world with their breakthrough 2025 season. The Sooners made the College Football Playoff after a 6-7 season in 2024.
The Sooners navigated one of the toughest schedules in college football and still finished the regular season with a 10-2 record. With another offseason of development and the return of several key contributors, expectations are high around Norman heading into 2026. However, that optimism has not carried over to the national conversation.
ESPN’s Football Power Index (FPI) projects the Sooners will finish with a 7-5 record this season. Despite that projection, FPI still ranks Oklahoma as the No. 12 team in the country. That disrespect likely comes from the up-and-down tenure under head coach Brent Venables. So far, he’s had two double-digit-win seasons, while also having two losing seasons. Oklahoma hadn’t had a losing season since 1998 until Venables took over before the 2022 season.
On3’s Ari Wasserman said that Oklahoma has been overlooked nationally on his show with Andy Staples.
Oklahoma has already shown it can compete at the highest level after making the College Football Playoff in its first season as an SEC member. Now, the challenge is proving that last season was not just a one-year breakthrough.
With a talented roster, an elite defense, and key players returning, the Sooners have the opportunity to exceed national expectations and establish themselves as a consistent contender in the SEC.
Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on X (formerly known as Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Jaron on X @jaronspor.
Du Plessis returns to the Octagon for the first time since losing his middleweight title to Khamzat Chimaev last August. Standing across from him is Usman, a former welterweight champion who defended his title five times, with signature wins over Jorge Masvidal and Colby Covington. The pair headline a stacked card filled with rising contenders and can’t-miss prospects.
Where To Watch UFC Oklahoma City
Live results, highlights, fight recaps, post-fight interviews and more will be added throughout the event. Preview each matchup below before the action begins. The main card kicks off Saturday at 8pm ET/5pm PT live on Paramount+ in the United States.
UFC Oklahoma City Main Card Results:
TULSA, Okla. — Tulsa’s U.V. Okies are six-time undefeated Wii bowling champions of the Tulsa Senior Inter-League — and now they’re leveling up.
Nintendo America contacted University Village Retirement Community after the senior bowling team’s story went viral- thanks to their Instagram reels, and features by news outlets like the New York Times and 2 News Oklahoma.
WATCH: POSITIVELY OKLAHOMA: Tulsa Gaming Seniors level up to Nationals:
POSITIVELY OKLAHOMA: Tulsa Gaming Seniors level up to Nationals
Inspired by their story, the company is donating Nintendo Switch 2 systems to each retirement community in the Tulsa league.
Wayne Wall, Life Enrichment Coordinator at University Village, said the outreach came as a surprise.
“I did not expect to hear from Nintendo at all,” Wall said.
GALLERY: “ALWAYS OPTIMISTIC!” Tulsa’s U.V. Okies level up with Nintendo donation
The company reached out to Wall about what the team had come to represent.
“They contacted me and said we’re excited about how Wii bowling is bringing people together at this stage of their life and helping them to have that camaraderie and have fun in this stage of their life and we would like to do something to contribute to that, to be a part of that,” Wall said.
Nintendo donated two Nintendo Switch 2 systems for each retirement community in the league, along with additional gear like extra Joy-Cons, and games. Teams from across Tulsa picked up their gifts at the championship celebration on July 16, 2026, at University Village in Tulsa — and the timing could not have been better. The old equipment had run its course.
“The Wii systems were becoming obsolete and hard to replace,” Wall said.
Come spring 2027, the Tulsa league will make the switch to bowling on the Switch 2. Competing Tulsa teams hope the new systems evens things out.
Fritz Gernandt of the Town Village Strikers had a message for the six-time champions.
“I can only say it once and really loud, look out,” Gernandt said.
The U.V. Okies are not intimidated. Phyllis Wimer, 95 — known on the lanes by nicknames like “The GOAT” and “The Killer” — has already been putting in work on the Switch 2.
KJRH
“I’ve got the new system at home, and I have bowled a 300 on it, and I’m the only one so far that has,” Wimer said.
Dorothy Salen, 101, who led the U.V. Okies in the national league last fall and goes by “Dangerous Dorothy,” is keeping her trademark outlook heading into the new season.
“Always optimistic!” Salen said.
For the U.V. Okies, the game — and the fun — is never over.
The team has one more Wii bowling match planned before their equipment gets retired. They will play the staff at University Village to raise money for Alzheimer’s awareness next week.
2 News Oklahoma was the first to bring you the story of the U.V. Okies success, and we’ve been updating you along the way.
You can learn more about University Village HERE.
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