OU women’s basketball hosts Baylor tonight and the biggest challenge for this Sooner squad is a 6’8” freshman center who can dunk.
Baylor’s Brittany Griner is arguably the strongest freshman in the Big 12 this year and one of coach Kim Mulkey’s most high-profile recruits.
Griner is one of seven women in college basketball who have ever dunked during a game and she has the ability to block almost any shot.
This proved problematic for the Sooners in the last contest with the Lady Bears in Waco where OU never got in an offensive rhythm and struggled to put points on the board.
The task of guarding Griner may come down to senior center Abi Olajuwon. Against Baylor on the road, Olajuwon had a double-double, but all in the second half.
Some people in the conference, such as Texas A&M head coach Gary Blair, say Olajuwon is one of the most improved players this season, and she will need to draw on that to contest Griner who is averaging 19.4 points per game.
Olajuwon is currently averaging 11.1 points per game and over six rebounds a contest.
In the Sooners’ game Saturday against Oklahoma State, OU won the battle on the boards 49-31 and that is a statistic it will need to replicate against Baylor.
OU is currently 15-0 against teams who they out-rebound.
Fouls have also been an issue at times for the Sooners, especially Olajuwon and junior guard Danielle Robinson, and to beat Baylor these players will have to limit needless fouls and stay on the court.
OU fans will see if the Sooners can defend its home court at 7 p.m. in Lloyd Noble Center.
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anthonyperry1vagov 2 years, 3 months ago
Who researches these articles?? Is she growing daily?? Please, you can check Baylor's website to see that she is billed at 6'8" (and has been since she was a high school senior). Losing your readers in the first sentence doesn't make them want to finish perusing your work...