Story by
The Norman Transcript, Okla.
Sooners open season in Paris with expected sophomore leap from Aaliyah Chavez
- Story byThe Norman Transcript, Okla.
- Sooners open season in Paris with expected sophomore leap from Aaliyah Chavez
Neutral-site, high-profile nonconference matchups are the new norm in college basketball — and the Sooners begin their season with one nearly 5,000 miles away.
No. 21 Oklahoma women's basketball opens the season Monday at 1:30 on ESPN2 against No. 12 North Carolina in the Oui-Play season-opener in Paris, France.
Advertisement
It's one of OU's five neutral-site games this season and most of those nonconference games away from campus are for boosting NIL and also playing some high-powered opponents.
OU coach Jennie Baranczyk said at OU's local media day two weeks ago that the Sooners are falling in-line with the new normal in college basketball.
"I would love to play Michigan here. And I would love to play North Carolina here, and I would love to play UCLA here, and I would love to play all of those games here," Baranczyk said. "Do I think it's fair for the fans? No, because we want to grow this place… I don't know if there's a good answer for it. I think we're all trying to figure it out and we're all trying to find ways for (more) NIL and to find ways to play really good teams in the nonconference."
The Sooners enter Year 2 with star guard Aaliyah Chavez running point for Baranczyk.
Advertisement
Chavez started in all 34 games for the Sooners last season, scoring 18.4 points per game — the most points for a freshman last year.
She enters her second season in college with plenty to improve on, including her field-goal percentage and getting her teammates involved more.
That starts with the game slowing down. She operated well last season, but there were times when she'd falter in moments when the Sooners needed her. With her second season beginning in the SEC, Baranczyk feels a massive leap is in store for Chavez.
"I've seen the most growth from most players from their freshman year to their sophomore year in a way, (with her) it's no different," Baranczyk said about Chavez. "I think her biggest goal, her biggest improvement so far, is putting other people in really good positions… They're game-planning for you as a freshman, and so you're trying to manage that. And now she knows what to expect. She knows what it feels like in February to play in the SEC. She knows what a year feels like. She knows what every day is. And so those things are now just routine to her."
Advertisement
Chavez is not only one of the leaders for the Sooners, but also the face of the young core in Norman.
The Sooners enter the season with 10 underclassmen (seven sophomores and three freshmen), making OU one of the youngest squads in the country.
Among those 10 underclassmen, six are expected to start or have a big role off the bench, setting up a season of growing pains and lessons for such a young group.
The Sooners brought in two seniors to offset some of that inexperience with forward Isimenme Ozzy-Momodu and Sa'Myah Smith. However, the Sooners are led by fourth-year senior Sahara Williams, who has quickly become the longest-tenured Sooner on the roster.
Advertisement
Williams is one of the main leaders, but will be assisted by some of those underclassmen — Chavez, sophomore Brooklyn Stewart and freshman LeeLee Ball — in leadership.
Baranczyk made an appearance at SEC Media Days Oct. 14 and continued to be asked about her experienced players, but she kept getting confused because they were referencing her second-year players that will be a key part in the Sooners' success this year.
"They kept referencing the veterans that we have and I'm like, "You mean the sophomores?"" Baranczyk said. "They're the ones that have experience… That class is really a fun class. We've kind of had these waves of groups grow and then they stay and they've graduated. So we're just at the beginning stage of this next wave to see where we can really go. And it's fun to be able to watch them right now, kind of navigate that leadership and that experience and still, as a sophomore, try to manage everyday life."
