Texas has two straight losses in the Red River Rivalry, but that’s without Rori Harmon.
The SEC is the final power conference to start in-conference games and at 9:00 p.m. ET on Thursday, two teams entering their first seasons in the conference meet-up in Oklahoma. Just because they’re new to the conference doesn’t mean they’re new to each other, with the No. 9 Oklahoma Sooners welcoming the No. 5 Texas Longhorns in the 69th edition of the Red River Rivalry.
Although the football teams started the border battle in 1900, in women’s basketball the two sides began meeting in 1979, with Texas holding a 39-29 advantage all-time.
Even so, the Longhorns travel north with a two-game losing streak against the Sooners, but Thursday night features not only new names in the conference standings but first-time appearances from college stars and the return of Texas’ X-factor who wasn’t available in the current run of defeats.
Here’s what to watch Thursday night when the two teams take to the court in Norman:
Rori Harmon Returns
Last season, an ACL tear for point guard Rori Harmon meant the Longhorns were without a key team leader when Oklahoma and Texas faced off twice in the regular season. Then part of the Big 12, Texas freshman guard Madison Booker scored 55 combined points in the two defeats, but it wasn’t enough to overcome their rivals. When Harmon was healthy and playing Texas won three straight games against Oklahoma.
Although the guard’s scoring is down this season, averaging a career low 9.8 points per game, Harmon’s offense steps up in key moments. On Dec. 5, against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, Harmon and the Longhorns lost in overtime, but without the point guard there wouldn’t have been a chance at the extra period, scoring the final four points for Texas in the fourth quarter, including earning a foul with a couple seconds remaining.
Harmon brings versatility to games for Texas, something they lacked last season. The two-time all-conference selection leads the Longhorns in steals per game (2.7) and both Texas and the SEC in assists (87). Add Harmon alongside Booker and it makes both players better. If one is double-teamed, the other is available and vice versa.
Raegan Beers Avoiding Early Fouls
For the Sooners, Raegan Beers isn’t only making an SEC debut but playing in her first Red River Rivalry. After playing two seasons with Oregon State, Beers joined the Sooners as arguably the most coveted transfer of the 2024 portal.
The hype wasn’t understated, with Beers in the top 10 of the SEC in points, rebounds and blocks per game, plus the second highest shooting percentage in the conference at 69.3 percent. Beers’ presence in the paint is crucial for an Oklahoma program that grabs 51 rebounds per game, the most in the SEC.
A problem for Beers and the Sooners is getting the junior to stay on the court.
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Beers is playing a career low 21.8 minutes per game. In three games against power conference opponents, Beers ran into foul trouble, getting at least four fouls in all three contests.
Against then No. 22 ranked Louisville Cardinals and No. 20 ranked Michigan Wolverines, Beers played eight minutes in each first half for the Sooners. While Oklahoma and Michigan went into halftime tied in the eventual Sooners 72-62 victory, Beers’ three first half points and two first half rebounds against Louisville was part of the reason why Oklahoma needed a 12-point second half comeback.
Oklahoma won both of those games, but those weren’t against a top-five team in the country.
Beers gets into those situations because she’s physical, makes life difficult for opposing bigs and scores efficiently and often. So, Beers’ flexing her skills is a risk that normally tips in the forward’s favor. For Beers to stay in the game, the junior needs to be on the lookout for a Texas side who will try to get her on the bench early. Plus, keeping in mind the extra attention from officiating that normally comes with in-conference play.
Keeping Possessions
Now, it isn’t all on the shoulders of Beers. In the third power conference game for the Sooners, Beers played a season high 31 minutes, scoring 26 points, but it ended with a 109-99 defeat to the then No. 13 Duke Blue Devils. Part of the reason for the Sooners’ lone defeat of the season was turnovers.
Oklahoma facing Texas is a game between one side who gives the ball away in bunches and another that excels in taking possessions away from opponents.
The Sooners sit first in the SEC in turnovers per game with 17.5. Against ranked schools, that number increases to 22 per game. Oklahoma gives up 58 percent of their turnovers in the first half of those ranked matchups, leading to potentially more offensive opportunities for the Longhorns.
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Defensively, Texas is third in the SEC with 12.9 steals per game, with the aforementioned Harmon being fourth in the conference in that category, but extra possessions aren’t only one on turnovers. Texas can also gain an advantage, and more time with the ball by having a strong game on the boards.
While the Sooners grab over 50 rebounds per game, their lone loss of the season, to Duke, shows another way for teams to get the advantage over Oklahoma. In the defeat, the Sooners were kept away from rebounds, which means losing out on second chances with offensive rebounds and giving the ball to the other team when they grab defensive boards.
Duke was effective at keeping Oklahoma down to 34 rebounds, well under the 51 rebounds per game average. Texas has three forwards grabbing at least 6.3 rebounds per game with Booker, Taylor Jones and sixth player Kyla Oldacre. The 6-foot-6 Oldacre plays less than 19 minutes per game but still has 49 offensive rebounds, the fifth highest in the SEC.
Can Oklahoma guard Payton Verhulst maintain possession with Harmon in the backcourt and can the Sooners’ paint presence handle consistent rebounders of the Longhorns?
Thursday night’s game should be a good one.
