Texas basketball vs. Oklahoma: Prediction, scouting report for Red River reunion
Last season, Texas and Oklahoma split the Big 12 championship. One year later, the 10th-ranked Longhorns (18-2, 5-2) and Sooners (11-6, 5-1) find themselves chasing No. 4 Kansas State (19-1, 8-0) in the standings. Both teams need a win at Moody Center on Wednesday evening (6 p.m., ESPNU, 103.1) to keep pace with the Wildcats.
Here's what you need to know about the matchup:
Welcome to the 1,200 Win Club
In its all-time series with Oklahoma, Texas holds a 39-27 lead. Those are 39 of the 1,200 wins that Texas has accumulated in its storied history. This past Saturday, UT beat Oklahoma State for its 1,200th victory.
Only six Division I programs have won 1,200 games. The Longhorns join Tennessee, UConn, Stanford, James Madison and Tennessee Tech in that club.
"To be a part of that is really an honor," said UT coach Vic Schaefer while praising the work of legendary coach Jody Conradt. "It motivates me every day to make sure we hold this place to the standard that it deserves, that it warrants. As I told our kids the other day, women's basketball is really important at the University of Texas. We owe it to the school, to the university, to our administration to give them our very best every day."
Madison Booker honored again by the Big 12
On Monday, the Big 12 honored Texas point guard Madison Booker as its freshman of the week. In wins last week over Kansas and Oklahoma State, Booker averaged 17 points, 5.5 rebounds, 5.5 assists and three steals.
Booker also won this award on Dec. 4. She joins Oklahoma State guard Stailee Heard, BYU guard Kailey Woolston, Kansas guard S'Mya Nichols and Iowa State center Audi Crooks as this season's two-time Big 12 freshmen of the week. Booker and Crooks, though, have also been honored as the Big 12 player of the week once.
Skylar the starter
The Big 12 sixth player of the year, in both 2022 and 2023, Oklahoma senior forward Skylar Vann has adjusted just fine to life as a starter. Vann has started in 16 of the 17 games that she's appeared in this season. She's averaging a team-best 14.6 points and 6.9 rebounds per game.
"Skylar is just so unique," Oklahoma coach Jennie Baranczyk said at the Big 12's media event in October. "I love the way that she plays and how she plays. She's somebody that puts her heart and soul into this program and to the people in the program."
Texas vs. Oklahoma prediction
This battle between the Longhorns and Sooners will have a different look from last season — UT doesn't have Rori Harmon while Taylor Robertson and Madi Williams no longer play for Oklahoma — but the result will be the same. After sweeping the Sooners last season, Texas will win again on Wednesday.
— Danny Davis
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Texas women host rival Oklahoma for key conference basketball game
