Feb. 12, 2006
Box Score
NORMAN, Okla. (AP) - Courtney Paris had 31 points and 19 rebounds, and hit two key free throws to keep No. 9 Oklahoma ahead in the final minute of an 81-77 overtime win against 12th-ranked Baylor on Sunday.
After three straight lead changes, Leah Rush put Oklahoma ahead 76-75 with a layup set up by Baylor's double-team of Paris. Paris then rebounded Erin Higgins' missed 3-pointer and put it back to give Oklahoma (21-4, 11-0 Big 12) a three-point lead.
Sophia Young responded with a right-handed basket in the lane, then knocked the ball out of bounds off Paris at the other end. However, Young couldn't connect on a jumper in the lane, and Jordan Davis fouled Paris without the ball to send the 53-percent free-throw shooter to the line.
Paris made both her shots with 19.4 seconds left, stopping to let out a yell after the first went down. Chameka Scott missed a potential tying 3-pointer from the left wing, and Britney Brown hit one of two free throws to give Oklahoma a four-point lead. Baylor (17-5, 7-4) didn't get another shot off as the game ended with a scrum on the floor for the ball.
The Sooners huddled and hugged at midcourt, and Oklahoma coach Sherri Coale pointed to the sellout crowd and pumped her fist in the air in celebration.
Young scored a career-high 36 points and added 14 rebounds to set a Big 12 record with her 54th career double-double. She passed Angie Welle, who had 53 for Iowa State from 1999-2002. The defending NCAA champions have lost four Big 12 games by 12 total points.
Rush scored 12 points to become Oklahoma's 19th player to surpass 1,000 in her career. Krista Sanchez and Brown had 11 points apiece, and Paris' sister, Ashley, had 10 rebounds for Oklahoma, which had a 52-38 rebounding edge.
Courtney Paris notched her 17th straight double-double and her 22nd of the season, extending her Big 12 records in both. Oklahoma's start is the best in Big 12 history.
The Sooners drew a record crowd of 12,112 - breaking by 32 the previous high set in 2003 when Tennessee came to town - and gave away white T-shirts to each fan for a "whiteout" effect.
But it was Oklahoma that seemed to come out nervous. A game after committing a season-low six turnovers, the Sooners had eight in the first 8 minutes with only Paris - who scored 15 of the team's first 20 points - steadying the way.
Baylor built on its five-point halftime lead by scoring the first four points of the second half, but Oklahoma closed within one before Courtney Paris went to the bench with four fouls with 13:25 left.
With their top scorer and rebounder out, the Sooners fell behind by eight, but then rallied back within one again by the time she re-entered with 5:14 left.
Courtney Paris scored Oklahoma's next five points and gave the Sooners their first lead of the second half at 63-62 with a three-point play with 2:55 remaining.
The teams traded free throws before Angela Tisdale put Baylor up 66-65 on a right-handed floater in the lane. Rush tied the game by making one of two free throws with 25.6 seconds left, and Tisdale's runner rolled off the back of the rim to send the game to overtime.
Tisdale finished with 10 points for Baylor.
