Oklahoma overwhelms TCU women with red-hot start

Oklahoma connected on 15 of its first 20 shots and the TCU women never recovered in losing 77-54 on Saturday afternoon.

Oklahoma (16-8, 10-3 Big 12) led 35-12 with 7:54 left in the first half and completed a season sweep of TCU.

Senior guard Natalie Ventress led the Horned Frogs (14-10, 6-7) with 14 points, scoring in double figures for the fifth straight game.

The Frogs cut their deficit to 39-24 with just over three minutes remaining in the opening half on a 12-4 run, but the Sooners closed strong for a 45-26 lead at halftime.

TCU has lost three of its last four, with the losses all coming on the road.

“They have one of the most potent offenses in the conference right now,” TCU coach Raegan Pebley said of Oklahoma’s opening salvo. “They have a lot of scoring threats that they start the game with. We have not been taking care of the beginning of games very well.”

Frogs freshman AJ Alix opened the second half with a steal and breakaway layup, and the TCU defense, employing some zone, tightened, holding the Sooners scoreless for over four minutes. But the Frogs couldn’t take advantage on the offensive end.

The Frogs shot just 37 percent (21 of 57) from the field and managed just three 3-pointers on 18 attempts after entering the contest with the second-most 3-pointers in the Big 12.

TCU held Oklahoma to a 36 percent (11 of 31) effort from the field in the final 20 minutes while forcing 19 turnovers with 14 steals.

Oklahoma’s Peyton Little led the Sooners with 21 points, while Kaylon Williams registered a double-double with 14 points and 11 boards.

The Frogs play host to Kansas at 7 p.m. Tuesday in the annual “Frogs for the Cure” Pink Out game.

This story was originally published February 14, 2015 at 9:40 PM with the headline "Oklahoma overwhelms TCU women with red-hot start."