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Bedlam women's basketball: Who are top Cowgirls, Sooners from series in Big 12 era?

scott wright and ryan aber, the oklahoman
·8 min read

NORMAN — The Bedlam women’s basketball series has had plenty of big-time moments, from Courtney Paris’ 41-points, 19-rebound performance in OU’s 2007 win in Norman to Andrea Riley’s incredible 45-point game to snap Oklahoma State’s long losing streak in the series in 2008 in Stillwater.

There have been overtime games and big-time comebacks, and more.

Saturday, Bedlam women’s basketball closes its Big 12 chapter when the teams play at 1 p.m. at the Lloyd Noble Center.

Here’s a look at 10 of the best Bedlam games during the Big 12 era, as well as a starting five for each side based on their Bedlam performances:

More: Big 12 Women's Basketball Power Rankings: Oklahoma, Texas chase title in closing weeks

3/31/02 -- Oklahoma's Stacey Dales (21) cheers as the Sooners make a comeback late in the second half as the Sooners were defeated by the U Conn 82-70 during the NCAA women's basketball championship game at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas on March 31, 2002.
3/31/02 -- Oklahoma's Stacey Dales (21) cheers as the Sooners make a comeback late in the second half as the Sooners were defeated by the U Conn 82-70 during the NCAA women's basketball championship game at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas on March 31, 2002.

The Sooners’ lineup

C Courtney Paris (2005-09): Paris dominated everyone during her career, but she especially rose to the occasion during Bedlam, averaging 20.3 points, 14.9 rebounds and 3.4 blocks in eight career meetings. The Sooners went 7-1 during those meetings. Paris’ biggest game came Feb. 4, 2007, when she had 41 points — third most in program history — along with 19 rebounds in OU’s 78-63 win.

G Taylor Robertson (2019-23): Robertson shot 41.8% from beyond the arc in 11 career Bedlam matchups, hitting 38 3-pointers against the Cowgirls. She averaged 18.8 points. Her best game came Jan. 8, 2020 in Stillwater, where she went 7 for 11 on 3-pointers, scoring 25 in the Sooners’ 77-75 victory.

G Ana Llanusa (2017-23): The Choctaw product definitely came up biggest in Bedlam, averaging 17.8 points and 2.5 steals in eight career meetings with the Cowgirls. She twice scored 26 points against OSU, including Feb. 25, 2019, when she also added a career-high 14 rebounds in the Sooners’ 75-66 win. Llanusa didn’t have more than nine rebounds in any other career game.

G Madi Williams (2018-23): It’s hard to put three players from the same era on the team but their numbers all hold up. Williams averaged 17.1 points and 6.0 rebounds against the Cowgirls in 10 meetings, shooting 47.8%. Williams’ biggest Bedlam moment came in 2020 when she hit a game-winning layup off an inbounds play to give the Sooners a 77-75 upset victory in Stillwater. The next year, Williams had 29 points and nine rebounds in the Sooners’ win in Stillwater.

G Stacey Dales (1997-2002): Dales was a big part of the Sooners’ turnaround early in the Sherri Coale era and nowhere was that more apparent than in Bedlam. Dales faced the Cowgirls 10 times, averaging 17.4 points, including a high of 29 in 2002. During her redshirt freshman season, the Cowgirls extended their winning streak over OU to six. But Dales’ Sooners won nine of their 10 meetings with OSU over the next four seasons, with the lone OSU win coming in the 1999 Big 12 Tournament.

The Cowgirls’ lineup

C Kaylee Jensen (2014-18): The 6-foot-4 Jensen was a force in the paint throughout her career, and had multiple big Bedlam games. Over nine games, she averaged 17.2 points and 8.7 rebounds, shooting 49.1% from the floor. In two wins over OU as a senior, Jensen averaged 28.0 points and 12.0 rebounds.

F Natahsa Mack (2019-21): A junior-college transfer, the lanky 6-foot-4 Mack got just five Bedlam games, but took advantage of her moments. She averaged 20.6 points, 14.0 rebounds and 4.0 blocks in those games, helping OSU to wins in the final four matchups. She had at least 16 points in every Bedlam she played, and at least 14 rebounds in four of them.

F Liz Donohoe (2011-15): The Edmond North High School product averaged 14.2 points and 6.6 rebounds over eight Bedlams, helping the Cowgirls to three victories as part of the program that brought some balance back to the rivalry. The Sooners had won 25 of 26 games before Donohoe helped the Cowgirls to a win in 2012. Since then, OSU has a 12-14 record.

G Vivian Gray (2018-20): Another player who spent just two years at OSU but had a major impact against OU, Gray averaged 24.0 points and 4.0 assists in her four Bedlam games. She had 33 and 24 points in the two victories she was part of, shooting 57.1% from the floor in those games.

G Andrea Riley (2006-10): The Cowgirls’ biggest Bedlam star, Riley had a lot of big games in her career, but none bigger than her 45-point performance in the 2008 OSU victory. Only one OSU player in school history has ever scored more than Riley that night (Donna Ridling with 51 vs. Tulsa in 1978). Over her nine Bedlam games, Riley averaged 25.8 points, 4.8 assists and 2.1 steals. After scoring just 20 points total in her first two Bedlams, she scored at least 25 points in each of the remaining seven.

More: Oklahoma State women's basketball rolls past UCF ahead of Bedlam showdown

Vivian Gray, left, spent just two years at OSU but had a major impact against OU.
Vivian Gray, left, spent just two years at OSU but had a major impact against OU.

Top games

Jan. 8, 2020: OU 77, OSU 75: The closest final margin of any Big 12-era Bedlam game, the Sooners trailed 74-61 with 2:18 to play — and no, that is not a typo. Taylor Robertson, OU’s 3-point wizard, hit a pair from deep to spark the rally. Then with the game tied at 75 and 3.6 seconds on the clock, OU executed a perfect inbounds pass from near halfcourt, hitting an open Madi Williams in the paint for the game-winner.

Feb. 24, 2001: OU 88, OSU 83, OT: The early Big 12 games in the Bedlam series were mostly lopsided. While each team won five of the first 10, none were decided by fewer than eight points, and only two were closer than 14. But the series lived up to its name on this day. OSU’s Chantoya Hawkins had 26 points and Trisha Skibbe hit a short jumper at the second-half buzzer to force overtime. Four Sooners had at least 14 points, led by Rosalind Ross and LaNeishea Caufield with 16 each.

Jan. 12, 2008: OSU 82, OU 63: Behind a career-high 45 points from Andrea Riley — 37 in the second half — the Cowgirls snapped a 17-game losing streak to the Sooners in front of an OSU women’s basketball record crowd of 13,611. OU came into the game ranked sixth and had reigning Associated Press Player of the Year Courtney Paris, but Riley was the star of the show.

More: OU women's basketball bounces back with win at Cincinnati, stays atop Big 12 Conference

OSU's Andrea Riley (10) looks to pass the ball away from Danielle Robinson (13) of OU during the first half of the Bedlam women's college basketball game between the University of Oklahoma Sooners and the Oklahoma State University Cowgirls at Gallagher-Iba Arena in Stillwater, Okla., Saturday, Feb. 6, 2010. Photo by Nate Billings, The Oklahoman ORG XMIT: KOD

March 12, 2021: OSU 89, OU 80, OT: They needed overtime to do it, but the Cowgirls spoiled OU coach Sherri Coale’s final game in a thriller at the Big 12 Tournament in Kansas City. Despite making just nine of 29 field goals, OSU point guard Ja’Mee Asberry had 28 points, and 6-foot-4 forward Natasha Mack had 20 points and 16 rebounds. OU led by double-figures in the fourth quarter, but OSU rallied for the tie, then got 10 points from Asberry in overtime.

March 4, 2023: OU 80, OSU 71: While it wasn’t the closest of Bedlam matchups, this game between two 20-win teams seemed to breathe a rejuvenated life into the rivalry. The Cowgirls had to watch OU celebrate a Big 12 regular-season title on Eddie Sutton Court. Four Sooners scored in double-figures, as were three Cowgirls, but the game’s impact on the emotion of Bedlam was bigger than the game itself.

Feb. 1, 2014: OU 81, OSU 74: The Cowgirls came to Lloyd Noble Center with a record of 18-2, while the Sooners were 13-8. Yet it was OU’s Sharane Campbell-Olds who had 28 points and eight rebounds to power the upset. Campbell-Olds, who is now the head coach of her alma mater, Star Spencer High School, was 11-of-11 at the free throw line.

Jan. 14, 2012: OSU 66, OU 63: OSU freshman Liz Donohoe blocked OU’s potential game-tying 3-pointer in the closing seconds as the Cowgirls hung on to win Jim Littell’s first Bedlam as head coach. The trio of Donohoe, Toni Young and Tiffany Bias combined for 40 points.

Feb. 3, 2016: OSU 71, OU 69: Though OU had five scorers with at least 10 points, OSU’s power tandem of Brittney Martin and Kaylee Jensen each had double-doubles. Jensen (24-11) had a late 3-pointer that broke a 65-65 deadlock and Martin (18-10) made a tough layup with 13 seconds left to put OSU ahead for good.

March 13, 2010: OU 74, OSU 69: Playing for the third time in the season, just six days after OU had thumped the Cowgirls by 33 points, the teams went to the wire in the Big 12 Tournament semifinals in Kansas City, Missouri. OU’s Danielle Robinson had 19 points and Amanda Thompson hit two late free throws that clinched the win, despite 32 points from Riley.

March 2, 2022: OU 79, OSU 76: After routing the Cowgirls earlier in the season, OU had to work for the season sweep, pulling out a tight win in Stillwater. Taylor Robertson had 19 points and 11 boards, while Skylar Vann had 19 and seven off the bench. OSU was limping to the end of a nine-win season that brought an end to coach Jim Littell’s tenure, but played inspired basketball in the coach’s final Bedlam. And though she has since changed sides of the rivalry, Lexy Keys had 20 against her future team.

OSU at No. 23 OU

TIPOFF: 1 p.m. Saturday at Lloyd Noble Center in Norman (Fox)

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Bedlam women's basketball top OSU Cowgirls, OU Sooners in Big 12 era