A sea of crimson filled the Lloyd Noble Center as fans prepared to watch an exciting matchup between the Oklahoma State women’s basketball team and the rival Texas Longhorns.
8,039 fans packed LNC to cheer on the Sooners in their Southeastern Conference debut. This was the second-largest home attendance of the season, behind the 16,058 fans who showed up for Oklahoma’s 72-62 victory over No. 24 Michigan on Dec. 17.
“The crowd was great,” head coach Jenny Baranczyk said. “I was really proud of the people that came out…I knew they were with us. I wish we could have played better and brought it back to them. I think so.”
The enthusiasm of Oklahoma’s fan base was evident Thursday. The crowd stood cheering for the Sooners during the 12-minute play review. When the call didn’t go as OU expected, the crowd loudly showed their displeasure with the review results.
Oklahoma’s loss to Texas ended its home game winning streak, which had lasted at 16 since December 30, 2023, against the University of Central Florida.
“I’m really disappointed with the way the game ended,” Baranczyk said. “Obviously, I like how we started. Even in the second quarter, I felt like we had some good results, but there were times when we didn’t get in or didn’t get in, but that’s still part of the process. I don’t like the way the game ended.”
During the first half break, Oklahoma honored former guard Daniel Robinson. Robinson played under former head coach Shelley Cole from 2007 to 2011, leading the team to back-to-back Final Four appearances in 2009 and 2010.
In 2011, Robinson entered the WNBA draft and signed with the San Antonio Stars. She finished her professional career with the Atlanta Dream and announced her retirement on Wednesday. On Thursday, the Los Angeles Sparks announced Robinson as their new manager of basketball integration and scouting support.
“You love watching her,” Baranczyk said. “The door is always open. We want her to come as much as possible. She’s so supportive of everything. This show is special.”
To this day, Robinson remains one of the program’s all-time greats. She ranks seventh in points, second in assists and fourth in games played.
Next, the Sooners will take on No. 15 Tennessee (12-0) at Thompson-Boling Arena in Knoxville on Sunday at 2 p.m. on ESPN in a Top 25 showdown.
This article was edited by Josh McDaniel.
