Keys' 3-pointer with 4 seconds left pushes No. 20 Oklahoma past No. 3 Texas, clinches Big 12 title

Updated Feb. 28, 2024 10:55 p.m. ET

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NORMAN, Okla. (AP) — Oklahoma senior Lexy Keys missed two 3-pointers in the final minute.

Fortunately for the Sooners, she kept shooting. She hit the go-ahead 3-pointer with 4 seconds left to help No. 20 Oklahoma beat third-ranked Texas 71-70 on Wednesday night and clinch the outright Big 12 title.

After a flurry of action, Oklahoma got possession trailing 70-68 with 13.4 seconds remaining. Skylar Vann missed, but scrambled and saved the ball to Keys, who drained the shot to push her game total to 16 points.

“Honestly, I think it ended up in the right place, the right time getting there," Keys said.

Texas called timeout after Keys' basket. Madison Booker drove for a game-winner but couldn't get a shot off against solid defense by Keys and Vann.

There was contact on the play.

“Did I get fouled?” Booker said. “I really don’t know.”

Texas coach Vic Schaefer called that a good answer, and added that the play just didn't go the Longhorns' way.

“She just got down in there a little too tight, a little too far," Schaefer said. "But that’s who we wanted taking the shot. No doubt about it.”

Payton Verhulst scored 18 points for Oklahoma (21-7, 15-2 Big 12), which split the conference regular-season title with Texas last season.

Oklahoma entered the night with a one-game lead and two games remaining for both teams. The Sooners now have won 12 of 13.

It was Oklahoma's third Top 10 win this season. The Sooners beat then-No. 10 Texas on the road on Jan. 24 and returned home to beat then-No. 2 Kansas State a week later.

Oklahoma won this one despite Verhulst making just 6 of 20 shots and Vann, the team’s leading scorer for the season, finishing with six points on 2-for-10 shooting.

“What a game,” Oklahoma coach Jennie Baranczyk said. “And looking at a stat sheet, we shouldn’t have won it, obviously. And Texas is so talented. And yet we just had this never say die attitude, and we just kept going and kept going and kept going.”

Booker, a freshman, had 26 points, eight rebounds and seven assists for the Longhorns (26-4, 13-4), who had won eight straight since losing at home to Oklahoma last month.

Texas led for most of the game, and the Longhorns were up 60-54 heading into the fourth. Texas' Aaliyah Moore fouled out with 6:33 remaining and the Longhorns up 64-58. Oklahoma chipped away and finally took the lead on a baseline jumper by Keys that put the Sooners up 67-66 with 3:20 remaining.

Verhulst fouled out with 49.6 seconds remaining and Texas up 68-67. Booker made the free throws to put the Longhorns up 70-67, setting up the final sequence.

BIG PICTURE

Texas: The Longhorns did a lot of things right, but were outscored 21-10 in the fourth quarter. The loss might cost Texas a No. 1 seed.

Oklahoma: The Sooners showed resilience. Texas held them to 2-for-18 shooting in the first quarter to take a 21-10 lead. It could have been worse — Booker banked in a deep desperation 3-pointer as the quarter expired, but the basket was disallowed upon review.

UP NEXT

Texas: Hosts BYU in regular-season finale on Saturday.

Oklahoma: Visits Kansas in regular-season finale on Saturday.

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