OU Falls To Arkansas In Big 12/SEC Challenge

Playing in the SEC/Big 12 Challenge in North Little Rock, Ark., the Oklahoma women's basketball team dropped a 71-64 decision to Arkansas Sunday at the Verizon Arena. The setback was the third-straight for the Sooners, who fell to 5-5 on the season. The Razorbacks improved to 9-2 with the victory.

Oklahoma started three freshmen and a fourth – McKenna Treece – came off the bench to lead the Sooner charge with 11 points. The center scored nine of her team-tying high 11 points in the second stanza.

OU had a balanced attack all afternoon, as nine of the 10 that saw action scored at least two points and each grabbed a board. Junior Nicole Kornet added 11 points, seven coming from the charity stripe.

Arkansas led by six at halftime after a see-saw battle between the Razorbacks and Sooners that saw seven lead changes, seven tie-games and each team's largest lead at six.

It was a late run by Arkansas that turned a two-point Oklahoma advantage with 1:57 remaining in the opening 20 minutes into its six-point - 37-31 - intermission advantage. Four Razorbacks scored in the final two minutes, including a dagger of a 3-pointer by McKinley Bostad.

The Sooners were held without a field goal in the final 4:21 of the first half and their final three points came from the free throw line. Oklahoma ended the half hitting 11-of-15 from the charity stripe.

Oklahoma charged back in the second stanza and forced a tie ballgame on three different occasions, the last coming with 7:31 to play when Treece made a layup to knot the contest at 52 apiece.

The Sooners never could take back the lead and the Razorbacks used the charity stripe – hitting 15-of-26 in the final stanza –to hold on for the seven-point victory.

Arkansas was led by Kelsey Brooks and Jessica Jackson. Brooks tallied a game-high 24 points, while Jackson chipped in 23.

Oklahoma is finally back at the Lloyd Noble Center Dec. 30 after seven games on the road. The Sooners host Yale in their final non-conference contest of the season at 7 p.m.