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No. 16 Oklahoma turned a rough week into a signature moment for its program, stunning No. 2 South Carolina 94–82 in overtime on January 22, 2026, at Lloyd Noble Center in Norman. Behind a spectacular overtime performance from freshman guard Aaliyah Chavez, the Sooners erased a seven-point halftime deficit and handed the Gamecocks just their second loss of the season in a game that could reshape the SEC race and the national conversation heading toward March.
For recruits, parents, and coaches watching across the country, this was more than a single upset. It was a showcase of how The University of Oklahoma women’s basketball program can respond to adversity, unlock star potential on a big stage, and outplay one of the sport’s giants when it matters most.
Coming into the matchup, the Sooners were at a crossroads. After climbing as high as No. 5 in the AP Top 25 earlier in January, Oklahoma had dropped three straight games, all to ranked SEC opponents Ole Miss, Kentucky, and LSU. What looked like a potential SEC title run suddenly felt fragile.
Oklahoma entered the night at 14–4 overall and 2–3 in league play, needing a stabilizing result to prove its early-season surge was no fluke. Across the floor, South Carolina arrived in Norman as one of the sport’s ultimate measuring sticks: 19–1 overall, 5–0 in the SEC, riding a 12-game winning streak, and once again fielding one of the most physical frontcourts and stingiest defenses in the nation.
According to established national coverage from outlets like FOX Sports and NCAA.com, South Carolina has set the standard for defensive efficiency and rebounding in women’s college basketball in recent years. That is what made what happened in Norman so striking: Oklahoma beat the Gamecocks at their own game.
The opening 20 minutes followed the script most analysts expected. South Carolina methodically imposed its will, pressuring ball handlers, forcing late-clock decisions, and punishing Oklahoma for turnovers and defensive lapses.
The Gamecocks edged ahead 20–17 after the first quarter and extended the margin to 43–36 by halftime. The final sequence of the half was particularly deflating for the Sooners: with 0.4 seconds left, Oklahoma guard Kaya Smith was whistled for a foul on a three-point attempt by South Carolina guard Ta’Niya Latson. Latson calmly sank all three free throws, pushing the Gamecocks’ advantage to seven and quieting a crowd that had come hungry for an upset.
Freshman guard Aaliyah Chavez, who would later steal the show, struggled to find her rhythm in regulation. Through the first 40 minutes, Chavez was just 4-for-14 from the field, an ordinary line that gave little hint of what she was about to do in overtime.
The game turned sharply after halftime. Oklahoma came out of the locker room with noticeably sharper energy and purpose, immediately seizing control of the third quarter.
The Sooners opened the period on an 8–0 run, fueled in part by Chavez, who buried a three-pointer and converted a three-point play during the surge. In less than three minutes, Oklahoma had erased the seven-point deficit and seized a 44–43 lead, igniting the Lloyd Noble Center crowd and putting South Carolina on its heels for the first time all night.
That burst set the tone for a dominant third quarter. Oklahoma outscored South Carolina 25–16 in the frame, tightening its defense, controlling the glass, and attacking more decisively at the rim. The Sooners started to win the physical battles that are usually South Carolina’s calling card, turning long rebounds into transition chances and forcing the Gamecocks into tougher, more contested jumpers.
By the end of the third, Oklahoma had flipped the game entirely, taking a 61–59 lead into the fourth and sending a clear message: this was not going to be another routine South Carolina road win.
The final 10 minutes of regulation delivered all the drama expected from a top-20 showdown. Oklahoma continued to build its momentum, stretching the lead to 73–67 with just under four minutes remaining. The Sooners appeared poised to finish the job in regulation.
But South Carolina responded like a veteran, championship-tested group. The Gamecocks answered with a 6–0 run that quickly erased the deficit and reset the game in the final minutes, reasserting their poise in winning time.
With 42 seconds left, star forward Joyce Edwards, who entered the night averaging more than 20 points per game, drew a foul and buried two pressure-packed free throws to give South Carolina a 75–73 advantage. It was exactly the kind of late-game moment where the Gamecocks have so often closed the door on opponents over the past several seasons.
Oklahoma’s response may end up as one of the defining images of its 2025–26 season. On the ensuing possession, forward Sahara Williams attacked the rim but could not finish. Instead of South Carolina securing the miss and running down the clock, center Raegan Beers muscled her way into position, grabbed the offensive rebound, and powered in a putback with 18.4 seconds remaining to tie the game at 75–75.
The Sooners then got one more stop, forcing South Carolina into an empty final possession and sending the game to overtime. For a team that had lost three straight and could easily have folded after Edwards’ free throws, that sequence showcased a different kind of toughness and resilience.
Overtime belonged to Chavez. After battling inconsistency for much of regulation, the freshman guard turned the extra five minutes into a personal highlight reel and a national coming-out party.
Chavez opened overtime by drilling a three-pointer, signaling a shift in control. On the next key sequence, she teamed with veteran guard Payton Verhulst on a short jumper that helped Oklahoma grab the first five points of the extra period. South Carolina briefly answered, but the Sooners had unlocked a matchup they liked and a rhythm they were determined to ride.
From there, Chavez was nearly unstoppable. She hit three more three-pointers in overtime, repeatedly attacking off the dribble and making confident reads against one of the country’s most respected defenses. By the time South Carolina finally slowed the barrage, Oklahoma had surged to a 90–77 lead, its largest margin of the night.
Chavez scored 15 points in overtime alone, finishing with 26 points and a game-high eight assists. From a recruiting and development standpoint, that combination of scoring explosion and playmaking feel against an elite opponent is exactly what college coaches dream of cultivating in a lead guard.
All five Oklahoma starters reached double figures in the 94–82 win, underscoring just how complete a team effort it was, even as Chavez’s overtime heroics rightly captured national attention.
The box score tells a story that is almost as striking as the final score. On a night when turnovers could have doomed Oklahoma, the Sooners used superior shooting and rebounding to flip the script on a South Carolina team usually defined by defense and physicality.
Inside, Beers delivered a critical double-double with 18 points and 14 rebounds, giving Oklahoma a stabilizing force in the paint. Verhulst added 19 points as a steady perimeter scorer, complementing Chavez’s shot creation and keeping South Carolina’s defense from keying entirely on the freshman guard.
Perhaps most significantly, Oklahoma outscored South Carolina in the paint and handed the Gamecocks their highest points allowed in a game since 2019. For a program that has built its identity on elite defense and rebounding, that number is jarring and highlights just how effective Oklahoma’s offensive game plan and execution were.
South Carolina’s stars were never fully in rhythm. Edwards finished with 12 points on 3-for-12 shooting, far below her usual efficiency. Guards Tessa Johnson (19 points) and Raven Johnson (16 points) were the Gamecocks’ most consistent offensive threats, but Latson managed just 1-for-10 from the field, and South Carolina never found the overwhelming run that typically demoralizes opponents.
The magnitude of this win for The University of Oklahoma women’s basketball program goes well beyond what it means in the standings.
The victory ties Oklahoma’s best-ever result against a top-ranked opponent, matching a 2024 home win over then-No. 2 Kansas State. It also snapped South Carolina’s 12-game winning streak and marked the Gamecocks’ first overtime loss since Missouri beat them in December 2021.
Additionally, this was South Carolina’s first loss to a team ranked outside the top 10 since Kentucky upset the Gamecocks in the 2022 SEC tournament. For context, that kind of consistency against ranked competition is almost unheard of at the high-major level and underscores just how rare it is to catch South Carolina vulnerable, especially in crunch time.
With the win, Oklahoma moved to 15–4 overall and 3–3 in SEC play, halting a skid that had raised questions about whether the Sooners were true contenders or early-season overachievers. By knocking off a title favorite, they reasserted themselves as a legitimate threat in both the SEC and the national picture.
From a broader SEC standpoint, Oklahoma’s 94–82 overtime win reshapes how the conference race is perceived. South Carolina, now 19–2 and 5–1 in league play, is still very much in control of its own destiny, but this loss serves as a stark reminder of the depth and volatility of the conference.
The Gamecocks now turn their attention to hosting undefeated Vanderbilt, another test in a league where the separation between top contenders and the next tier has narrowed. For Oklahoma, a road test at Auburn looms, but the Sooners will travel with renewed confidence and a season-defining win already on their résumé.
Selection committees and national analysts will remember this game in March. Road losses are rarely held too harshly against top-two teams, but the way Oklahoma controlled key statistical categories and closed the game in overtime will bolster the Sooners’ profile in metrics-based evaluations such as NET and strength of schedule tracking, which organizations like the NCAA emphasize heavily for seeding and at-large bids.
For recruits watching SEC basketball as a potential landing spot, this game is another data point showing that dominance at the top is not guaranteed. Multiple programs can credibly talk about competing for Final Four-level success, and Oklahoma has now backed that up with on-court proof.
For high school athletes and club coaches, games like this provide a clear window into program identity, player development, and opportunity. Several themes stand out from Oklahoma’s upset of South Carolina:
For prospects trying to understand how different programs stack up, tools like the Pathley College Directory can help put performances like this into a broader context by letting you compare schools, conferences, and opportunities side by side.
While most of the spotlight justifiably lands on Oklahoma after a win of this magnitude, South Carolina’s response will be just as important from a long-term perspective. The Gamecocks have been here before: a rare regular-season setback, questions about vulnerability, and then a measured, methodical response that refocuses the roster.
This loss highlighted a few issues that opposing coaches and recruits will watch closely:
Programs like South Carolina often use these moments as teaching opportunities that resonate through March. For athletes considering the SEC, seeing how the Gamecocks adjust tactically and mentally in the weeks after this loss will be just as valuable as the game itself.
For The University of Oklahoma, the challenge now is to transform a statement win into a sustained run. The Sooners have already shown they can play with anyone, but the SEC schedule always tests consistency and depth.
As they head into a road test at Auburn and a grueling stretch of conference games, several key storylines will shape Oklahoma’s trajectory:
From a recruiting perspective, this is exactly the kind of game coaching staffs reference in living room conversations and on campus visits. It is tangible proof that the program can beat elite opponents, showcase stars, and create high-energy environments in front of home fans.
If you are an athlete, parent, or coach inspired by Oklahoma’s 94–82 overtime win and want to understand where the Sooners fit in your broader college search, you do not have to navigate that process alone.
You can start by exploring Oklahoma’s profile and other schools in the Pathley College Directory, where you will find basic details, locations, and a starting point for building a target list.
For more personalized guidance, Pathley Chat acts as your AI recruiting assistant, helping you match with colleges, organize a recruiting plan, and better understand where your academic and athletic profile might fit best.
When you are ready to take the next step, you can create a free Pathley profile to unlock AI-powered college matching, resume tools, and tailored recruiting insights that connect performances you see on national TV with real options in your own journey.
Oklahoma’s upset of South Carolina is a reminder that programs are always evolving and opportunities are constantly shifting. With the right tools, you can stay ahead of those changes and find the college basketball path that fits you best.
