by SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Gianna Kneepkens scored 20 points and No. 3 UCLA used a big third quarter to pull away from sixth-ranked Oklahoma for a 73-59 victory Monday night.
Bruins star Lauren Betts had nine points on 4-for-11 shooting, 10 rebounds and four blocked shots while committing seven of her team’s 16 turnovers. The Bruins (3-0) dominated on the boards, 59-43 in a game played at Golden1 Center, home of the NBA’s Sacramento Kings.
Oklahoma’s Raegan Beers finished with seven points and a team-high 14 rebounds.
Zya Vann had 13 points and six rebounds for Oklahoma (1-1) while Payton Verhulst finished with 16. She knocked down a lone 3-pointer to end the third quarter and pull her team within 59-48 going into the fourth.
Angela Dugalic came off the bench to contribute 16 points and 15 rebounds for UCLA, which shot just 8 for 22 from deep but created opportunities with hustle and effort plays such as crashing the offensive glass.
These teams faced off in the second round of the 2023 NCAA Tournament with UCLA winning 82-73 to reach the Sweet 16. The Bruins have now won the last three meetings.
Oklahoma had a week between its 84-67 season-opening win against Belmont on Nov. 3, marking the longest break between the first and second games to start a full season — excluding the COVID-19 year — since 2002-03.
The Sooners return to action on Wednesday night at Lloyd Noble Center in Norman when they host Kansas City at 8 p.m. Tickets are still available and United States government employees receive free admission with a valid ID.
POSTGAME NOTES
• No. 6 Oklahoma fell 73-59 to No. 3 UCLA in Sacramento on Monday night. The Sooners trailed by five at halftime, cut the deficit to one in the third quarter, but the Bruins outscored OU 16-6 down the stretch of the frame to pull away.
• Payton Verhulst led OU with 16 points on 7 of 17 shooting, four assists, matched her career high with four steals and led the team with two blocks.
• Zya Vann finished with 13 points, six rebounds, two assists and two steals. Her 13 points on 5-of-11 shooting were her most since scoring 16 against Vanderbilt on Feb. 20, 2025. She also matched a career high with six rebounds.
• Raegan Beers neared her fifth consecutive double-double but fell just short, finishing with seven points, 14 rebounds and three assists.
• As a team, Oklahoma held UCLA to 39.7% shooting, but the Bruins made eight 3-pointers compared to OU’s four. The Sooners shot 30.7% (23 of 75) – their fifth-lowest field goal percentage of the Baranczyk era – and fell to 1-4 in games shooting 31.0% or worse since 2021.
