Two of the SEC’s best and most balanced offenses get a national stage Thursday night, with Jennie Baranczyk’s Oklahoma Sooners cast as road underdogs against Kim Mulkey and the LSU Tigers. The Tigers are at +3000 (seventh in the odds) to win the National Championship, while the Sooners are at +10000 (13th). Both teams avenged gnarly losses to South Carolina by winning on Sunday, albeit against inferior opponents. This game carries weight in a competitive and crowded conference.
How to watch No. 13 Oklahoma at No. 7 LSU
Venue: Pete Maravich Assembly Center — Baton Rouge, La.
Time: 7 p.m. ET Thursday
TV: ESPN2
Streaming: Fubo (try for free)
Watching in-person? Get tickets on StubHub.
LSU’s big three can ball with the best of them. Junior Flau’jae Johnson is fifth in the SEC with 19.7 points per game. Senior Aneesah Morrow is a menace, averaging 14 rebounds (best in the nation) and three stocks (steals + blocks). Sophomore Mikaylah Williams averages 15.9 points per game and shoots 90.2 percent from the foul line.
But this electric offense has been temporarily grounded. The Tigers had topped 80 points in 12 of 13 contests before back-to-back struggles last week. They shot just 31.9 percent in Sunday’s win over Texas A&M, while Johnson went 0-for-5 from behind the arc. They were an especially disagreeable 29.9 percent in the South Carolina loss.
LSU could use a get-right game. The same goes for these Sooners. Oklahoma achieved its highest AP ranking (eighth) since 2008-09 but has since gone 4-3, with a loss to rival Texas and a heartbreaker at Mississippi State.
If the Sooners are to pull off the upset, they will need 2024 All-American Raegan Beers at her best. She’s an interior presence but has actually made 4 of 7 treys since the New Year. More confidence on the long ball would really open up this offense. Off the strength of Beers, Oklahoma is third in the country in total rebounding and first in the SEC in 2-point percentage.
The Sooners also have the conference’s highest assist rate, thanks to clever senior guard Payton Verhulst and fifth-year bench spark Nevaeh Tot. The main problem has been their negative turnover differential.
From senior writer Chantel Jennings: “The South Carolina game was the first genuine measuring stick for LSU this season after a non-conference slate that had just one top-25 opponent (then-No. 20 NC State in the SEC-ACC Challenge). Holding South Carolina to 66 points is certainly an impressive feat — the only lower-scoring game for the Gamecocks this season was their loss to UCLA. However, the Tigers couldn’t find enough of an offensive spark and cohesion to match.”
Starting five of alumni in the WNBA
Oklahoma:
G — Danielle Robinson
G — Chelsea Dungee
F — Stacey Dales
F — Abi Olajuwon
C — Courtney Paris
LSU:
G — Temeka Johnson
G — Marie Ferdinand-Harris
F — Seimone Augustus
F — Angel Reese
C — Sylvia Fowles
NCAA Women’s National Championship odds
This article originally appeared in The Athletic.
Oklahoma Sooners, LSU Lady Tigers, Women’s College Basketball, Sports Betting
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The highly anticipated matchup between the Oklahoma Sooners and the LSU Tigers women’s basketball teams is set to take place, and there are plenty of storylines to keep an eye on. One of the most intriguing matchups to watch will be between Oklahoma’s star player Flau’jae Johnson and LSU’s standout Raegan Beers.
Flau’jae Johnson, a dynamic guard for the Sooners, has been a force to be reckoned with on both ends of the court. Known for her scoring ability and tenacious defense, Johnson will be looking to lead her team to victory against the Tigers. On the other side, Raegan Beers, a talented forward for LSU, has been a key player for the Tigers this season. With her scoring prowess and rebounding skills, Beers will be a tough matchup for the Sooners.
In addition to the individual matchup between Johnson and Beers, there are plenty of other storylines to watch in this game. Both teams are looking to make a statement as they head into the heart of conference play, and a win in this matchup could provide a much-needed boost in confidence.
If you’re looking to catch all the action, the game will be televised on [insert channel here] at [insert time here]. Be sure to tune in to see these two talented teams face off in what promises to be an exciting and competitive game. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to see Flau’jae Johnson and Raegan Beers go head-to-head in this can’t-miss matchup.
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