Sooners win Big 12 opener as Baranczyk wins 250th game as a head coach
Oklahoma used its depth and a stout defensive performance to erase an early 11-point deficit and knock off UCF 69-52 in the team’s Big 12 opener in Norman on Saturday.
The win secured head coach Jennie Baranczyk’s 250th career win and marked Oklahoma’s (7-5, 1-0 Big 12) third consecutive conference-opening victory under the head coach. The Sooners held UCF (9-2, 0-1 Big 12) to 52 points, the lowest for an OU conference opponent in nearly four years.
“Overall, I’m really proud of our team for how they responded,” Baranczyk said. “UCF came out really strong and put us on our heels, which is something that they have done all year because they’re a very good team. But more than anything, I’m proud of how we answered because it has been a really challenging December for us. When your back is against the wall, you’ve got a couple of different choices and this team really went after it today.”
Iowa State opens Big 12 play with road win over Cowgirls
During the early part of the season, the Iowa State women’s basketball team has relied heavily on several different freshmen scorers including Addy Brown, Audi Crooks and Kelsey Joens.
But a new contributor emerged Saturday.
Iowa State freshman Arianna Jackson contributed a career-high 14 points as the Cyclones opened up Big 12 Conference play with a 76-68 victory over Oklahoma State at Gallagher-Iba Arena in Stillwater.
Crooks added 21 points and seven rebounds for the Cyclones.
Dart leads No. 11 Ole Miss to 38-25 Peach Bowl rout of No. 10 Penn State’s proud defense
Lane Kiffin wants Mississippi’s dominant win over Penn State to be seen as just the start of more success to come for his Rebels.
Jaxson Dart passed for 379 yards and three touchdowns, including two to tight end Caden Prieskorn, and ran for a score as No. 11 Ole Miss bullied No. 10 Penn State’s proud defense 38-25 in the Peach Bowl on Saturday.
“I really do believe we’re just getting started,” Kiffin said. “I think that we’re doing something. We’re on our way to something really special.”
Ole Miss (11-2) gained 540 yards against Penn State (10-3), which led the nation with its average of 223 yards allowed. The victory gave Kiffin’s Rebels their first 11-win season.
MUSIC CITY BOWL: Billy Edwards Jr. ran for a touchdown and threw for a score as Maryland routed Auburn 31-13 Saturday at the Music City Bowl and the Terrapins won a program-record third straight bowl.
COTTON BOWL: All-America running back Cody Schrader ran for 128 yards and bulled into the end zone for a 7-yard touchdown to open the fourth quarter with Missouri’s first score, and the ninth-ranked Tigers capped an 11win season with a 14-3 win over No. 7 Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl on Friday night in Arlington, Texas.
—Staff and wire reports