WBB | Sooners beat KU 64-61, win second straight

With Aaryn Ellenberg out for the second straight game, the Oklahoma Sooners needed a team effort to take down the Kansas Jayhawks. They used a pretty nice 17-5 run in the second half to grab the lead and never looked back.

Sharane Campbell scored 22 points on 7-of-14 shooting to lead Oklahoma (17-11, 8-7 Big 12) over the Jayhawks (12-15, 5-10 Big 12) 64-61. Campbell became only the 30th Sooner in school history to amass at least 1,000 points in a career.

Oklahoma used the first 7:36 of the second half to go on a 17-5 run. During that time, Campbell had six of the 17 points, helping Oklahoma to their first lead since 7:35 mark in the first half.

While the shots didn't fall for the Sooners, it was the second chance opportunities that ended up being beneficial for the them. Nicole Griffin had eight offensive rebounds for Oklahoma, and the team compiled 24 offensive boards. OU finished with 23 second chance points on 24 opportunities to really counteract their poor three-point shooting.

In the first half, Oklahoma couldn't hit water from inside of a boat. They were just 10-of-35 (28.6 percent) and 0-of-7 from three-point range. However, after missing two of their first four free throws, Oklahoma did hit their next six from the charity stripe in the first half.

"Anytime you shoot it as poorly as we did. and you find a way to win the game," Coale said. "That means you are doing the little things right."

Oklahoma would finish 0-of-11 from three-point range for the game.

Campbell euro-stepped into the lane for a lay up with 2:00 remaining and Morgan Hook grabbed the rebound on the ensuing Kansas possession. After the charge on Campbell, Kansas scored quickly, cutting it to a one possession game with 53 seconds remaining.

Hook would hit a wild prayer as the shot clock was dwindling with 26 seconds remaining, pushing Oklahoma's lead to 62-58. It's the second consecutive game for Hook to hit a shot for the Sooners in the final minute of regulation.

"I was just trying to get the the rim and she cut me off," hook said about the final shot. "I knew we needed one more basket to seal the deal. I just stuck my feet and focused."

Griffin snagged her fourth double-double of the season with 13 points and 14 rebounds. It was also her career fifth double-double. Six of Griffin's 13 points game off second chance opportunities.

Gioya Carter contributed eight points for the Sooners, Nicole Kornet with four and Kaylon Williams had a pretty up and under bucket to finish with two points.

It's the first time since January January 21-25 that the Sooners were able to win back-to-back games. This also puts Oklahoma into a tie for fourth place at 8-7 in the conference with Texas (17-10, 8-7 Big 12) with just under two weeks remaining in the Big 12 Conference regular season.

Check out Rock Chalk Talk for any possible update on this game from a Kansas perspective.

The Oklahoma Sooners will next travel to Baylor to take on the sixth ranked Baylor Bears on Monday night. That game can be seen on Fox Sports 1. The Sooners fell to Baylor in the previous meeting in Norman on February 3rd, 81-67.

Notes:

• Aaryn Ellenberg will be evaluated in the next estimated 36 hours to see if she is stable. Currently coach Coale said she is not experiencing any dizziness or any headaches. Could possibly play Monday night vs. Baylor.
• It's the first time since January 12, 2011 vs. Kansas State, also a Sooner victory, Oklahoma has gone 0-for from behind the three-point line.
• The Sooners limited the Big 12's double-double leader, Chelsea Gardner to 12 points, eight rebounds. She currently leads the Big 12 wih 11 on the season.
  
• After scoring just a total combined of 12 points against West Virginia Mountaineers and Oklahoma St. Cowboys, Morgan Hook is averaging 15.0 points per game over her last two games.
• When Sharane Campbell broke the 1,000 point barrier for her career, she became the fourth active Sooner to do so. (Ellenberg, Hook, Griffin)
• Head Coach Sherri Coale won her 398th game. She is two wins away from the elusive 400th win club. That would put her 48th on the active list of most wins.
• Oklahoma has dominated Kansas lately, this is their 18th win in the last 20 games versus the Jayhawks. The last Kansas win came was last season in Lawrence.