No. 9 Sooners Open Vegas Trip at UNLV Friday

NORMAN – Fresh off its first road trip of the season, a 30-point win at Wichita State, Oklahoma heads to Las Vegas to take on UNLV on Friday night. The game, set to tip off at 8:30 p.m. CT on the Mountain West Network, opens a three-game stretch in Sin City.

Following the matchup with UNLV, the Sooners will compete in the Ball Dawgs Classic next week, facing DePaul (Nov. 25) and either No. 10 Kansas State or No. 14 Duke (Nov. 27).

UNLV enters the contest with a 4-1 record and is led by former OU women's basketball graduate assistant Lindy La Rocque.

The game will be broadcast on KOKC (1520 AM) with Andrew Himes calling the action.

THE STARTING FIVE

The Sooners will wear their anthracite Jordan uniforms this Friday night, marking their first appearance in the alternate look this season. Since the 2021-22 season, OU has posted a 9-1 record in these fits, which debuted in 2018 against Clemson at the Bahamas Junkanoo Jam.
Oklahoma is off to one of its best starts in program history, excelling on both ends of the court. Defensively, the Sooners have held all four opponents to 30% or less shooting, a feat that hasn't been accomplished in at least 25 seasons by the Sooners. The Sooners rank 2nd nationally in opponent FG% (28.0%). Offensively, OU's 93.0 PPG rank ninth in the country.
OU has won four consecutive games by 30+ points for the first time in program history. A late 3-pointer vs. Wichita State pushed the lead to 30, and OU's final defensive stop helped break the record for 30-point wins, previously set in 1984-85.
The Sooners' starting five features three McDonald's All-Americans (Beers, Verhulst, Williams) while OU's remaining two starters include Skylar Vann, the 2024 Big 12 Player of the Year, and Tot, who is a two-time All-Big 12 honoree.
For the second straight week, Oklahoma is the No. 9 team in the AP Poll. The Sooners' ascension to ninth marked the program's highest placement in the poll since the final poll of the 2009 season. Oklahoma was tabbed in the No. 9 spot in the WBCA Coaches Poll, as well.

LAST TIME OUT

In its first road test of the season, Payton Verhulst scored 16 points, Raegan Beers had 11 points and 10 rebounds, and ninth-ranked Oklahoma pulled away in the second half for a 79-49 victory over Wichita State on Tuesday night. Lexy Keys hit a trio of 3-pointers and added 12 points while Zya Vann had 10 for the Sooners, who have won all four of their games by at least 30 points — something that had never occurred over a four-game stretch in school history.

SERIES HISTORY

Friday's showdown is the fourth between the Sooners and Lady Rebels, and second is as many years. UNLV leads the series 2-1, winning the most recent tilt, 92-76, in Norman last season.

The Sooners' only win in the series came in 1981 in Las Vegas.

OU holds a 6-1 all-time record in Las Vegas vs. all opponents and is making its first trip to the city since 2016. Notably, Aaryn Ellenberg, OU's second all-time leader in 3-pointers, hails from Nevada and played high school basketball at Bishop Gorman in Las Vegas.

UP NEXT

The Sooners stay in Las Vegas for the Ball Dawgs Classic, which opens Monday at Lee's Family Forum when OU takes on DePaul at 4:30 p.m. CT on FloHoops.

Oklahoma then preps for a Wednesday (Nov. 27) matchup in the tournament against either No. 10 Kansas State or No. 14 Duke.

FOLLOW OKLAHOMA BASKETBALL
For updates, follow @OU_WBBall on Twitter and Instagram, or like Oklahoma W omen's Basketball on Facebook.