Chavez and Defense Power the Sooners to SEC Win

Thursday, January 1

Reed Arena • College Station, Texas

7 PM

University of Oklahoma

13-1,1-0SEC

Texas A&M

7-3,0-1SEC

Oklahoma

Texas A&M

Photo by: Asia Purnell/University of Oklahoma

Chavez and Defense Power the Sooners to SEC Win

January 01, 2026 | Women's Basketball

Box Score Final Stats Game Book

COLLEGE STATION, Texas (AP) — Freshman Aaliyah Chavez scored 20 points to help No. 8 Oklahoma defeat Texas A&M 72-50 in a Southeastern Conference opener for both teams on Thursday night.

Oklahoma (13-1) leaned on defense to win its 12th straight, which is the second-best streak in program history behind a 20-game run by the 2008-09 Final Four team.

The Sooners, who came in averaging 96.2 points to rank second in the country, were held to their fewest points since a 73-59 loss to then-No. 3 UCLA in the second game of the season, but still won easily.

Oklahoma, which led 28-20 at halftime after shooting 32.4% from the field (12 of 37), picked up the pace in the second half, especially in the last quarter when it hit 10 of 18 shots. The Sooners built a 40-21 lead early in the third quarter on a 12-0 run as A&M missed six shots and had six turnovers. Oklahoma stretched its lead to 28 points late in the third quarter at 51-23, which was matched early in the fourth quarter.

Senior center Raegan Beers added 14 points and junior forward Sahara Williams had 10 for OU.

The Sooners, ranked 19th in the country in rebounding margin at plus 14, had a 63-34 edge on the boards. Beers had 12 rebounds and Payto Verhulst added 10.

Texas A&M (7-3) was led by senior guard Ny'Ceara Pryor's 20 points. Junior Fatmata Janneh added 16 points and 10 rebounds. Texas A&M missed its first 16 3-point shots and finished 1 for 18.

Chavez hit a jumper from the foul line with 9 seconds left in a sloppy first half to give the Sooners a 28-20 lead.

The teams combined for 25 turnovers and made only 2 of 26 3-pointers, with Texas A&M going 0 of 11.

Oklahoma hosts Mississippi State on Sunday, January 4 at 2 p.m.

POSTGAME NOTES

• Oklahoma (13-1, 1-0 SEC) won its 12^th straight game on Thursday night, defeating Texas A&M, 72-50, in College Station to open SEC play. The 12-game winning streak is the program's second longest, trailing only a 20-game run in 2008-09.

• The win also extended OU's road winning streak to six dating back to last season, the fifth-longest active streak in the country.

• OU's defense again showed why it ranks among the nation's elite, holding Texas A&M to 50 points, the lowest opponent total in a conference game for the Sooners since 2020. Oklahoma, which entered the day second nationally in opponent field goal percentage, limited the Aggies to 26% shooting, 15% below their season average.

• Oklahoma held Texas A&M without a made field goal in the third quarter, marking the first time the Sooners accomplished the feat since February 2018 against Kansas.

• Freshman Aaliyah Chavez shined in her SEC debut, scoring a game-high 20 points on 8 of 18 shooting while matching a career high with seven rebounds and adding six assists, two steals and a +20 plus-minus in 34 minutes. Her six games of 20 points or more are the most nationally among all true freshmen.

• Raegan Beers recorded her nation-leading 56th career double-double with 14 points and 12 rebounds, matching a career high with five assists. She now leads the country with 11 double-doubles this season and has four in a row.

• Sahara Williams finished in double figures with 10 points and four rebounds. The junior has scored 10 or more points in 21 of her last 26 games.

• OU's streak of consecutive quarters won ended at 21 as Texas A&M outscored the Sooners by two points in the fourth quarter. Oklahoma had not been outscored in a quarter since the second frame against NC State on Dec. 3.

• Oklahoma's school-record streak of 90-point games ended in College Station. The Sooners scored 28 points in the first half before adding 44 in the second half to finish with 72. OU was won 14 straight and 21 of 22 when reaching 70 points.

• The Sooners return to Norman to host Mississippi State (14-1, 1-0 SEC) on Jan. 4 at Lloyd Noble Center in Norman. Tip is set for 2 p.m. on SEC Network+. Last season, the Bulldogs defeated OU 81-77 in Starkville.

- OU -