No. 10 Oklahoma rallies past Florida after first-half struggles, tightening SEC women’s race in Norman

Oklahoma steadies after halftime to end two-game skid

No. 10 Oklahoma overcame a sluggish opening half Thursday night, outscoring Florida 55-37 after intermission to secure an 81-74 home win at Lloyd Noble Center. The result moved the Sooners to 18-6 overall and 6-5 in Southeastern Conference play, while Florida fell to 15-12 and 3-9 in league games.

The game’s split nature was reflected on the scoreboard: Florida led 37-26 at halftime before Oklahoma responded with 28 points in the third quarter and 27 in the fourth.

Turnovers and foul trouble shaped the early script

Oklahoma’s offense struggled to generate clean looks in the first half, hitting 28% from the field and going 1-for-9 from three-point range. Freshman guard Aaliyah Chavez was held to two points before the break on 0-for-7 shooting.

Inside, Oklahoma center Raegan Beers was limited early after picking up two fouls in the first four minutes, forcing the Sooners to play long stretches without their primary interior option.

Florida, however, did not fully convert its control of the opening half into separation. The Gators committed 23 turnovers for the game, and Oklahoma used those possessions to stay within reach despite the shooting issues.

Zya Vann’s efficiency and Oklahoma’s shot-making swung the finish

The Sooners’ second-half resurgence was driven by a combination of improved spacing, quicker decision-making and perimeter shot-making. Oklahoma shot 46% overall for the game and went 6-for-17 from three, with the decisive stretch coming after halftime.

Sophomore guard Zya Vann led Oklahoma with 18 points on 7-of-10 shooting, including 4-of-5 from beyond the arc. Chavez finished with seven assists, helping Oklahoma generate higher-quality attempts as the pace and ball movement improved.

Florida was led by Liv McGill, who scored 29 points on 11-of-26 shooting and added seven rebounds and seven assists while playing 40 minutes. Florida shot 49% overall and 7-of-19 from three, but the turnover margin and Oklahoma’s late scoring runs proved costly.

What the result means in the SEC picture

Beyond snapping a two-game losing streak, the win kept Oklahoma’s conference record above .500 and reinforced the thin margins that have defined much of the SEC middle tier. Oklahoma also finished with a 38-34 rebounding edge, helping offset Florida’s strong shooting night.

• Final score: Oklahoma 81, Florida 74
• Halftime: Florida 37, Oklahoma 26
• Top scorers: Oklahoma—Zya Vann (18); Florida—Liv McGill (29)
• Turnovers: Florida 23, Oklahoma 17

Oklahoma’s turnaround centered on a third-quarter surge that reduced the deficit and set up a closing stretch in which the Sooners reclaimed the lead and finished with more consistent execution.

Oklahoma’s schedule continues with a road game at Alabama on Sunday, followed by a matchup with Georgia later in the week.