A sense of buoyancy rang through the Lloyd Noble Center Thursday during Oklahoma’s 2022-23 media day.
For the first time since the 2016-17 season, the Sooners were picked to finish third in the Big 12 preseason poll. In just her second season in Norman, head coach Jennie Baranczyk introduced OU as true contenders, providing a spark and sense of belief to her locker room.
“I think with the way we ended the season last year…,” Baranczyk said. “Our returners kind of drew a line and said ‘we’re gonna start working a little bit more, we’re gonna start paying attention a little bit more… we understand how close and how far we are at the same time. Last year we were in a lot of teach-mode during this time, now we’re in a little bit more of compete mode.
“(With) the versatility… of our new players and the versatility that we’ve continued to strengthen and grow with our returners, it’s gonna be a really fun season.”
Oklahoma surprised many with its 24-8 (12-6 Big 12) record last season before falling victim to a 108-64 onslaught from Notre Dame in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
The Sooners tallied a season-high 28 turnovers against the Fighting Irish while surrendering 50 points in the paint. These struggles were all too common for OU, as it led the Big 12 in turnovers and allowed the eighth most points per game nationally.
“It’s hard to defend when you’re throwing constant pick-sixes,” Baranczyk said. “We’ve tried to really work on a lot of those things to clean up.”
Senior guard/forward Madi Williams during the Sooners' game in the second round of the NCAA Tournament against Notre Dame on March 21.
Baranczyk’s optimism stems from the emergence of four-star freshmen Beatrice Culliton and Kiersten Johnson, who provide Oklahoma with much needed size. Culliton stands 6-foot-3 while Johnson measures 6-foot-4.
“The nice thing is they’re gonna get a lot of experience,” Baranczyk said. “There’s not an expectation of the points and the rebound production or what they have to do, but they will get experience. Some games it’s gonna be like ‘Wow’ and in some games it’s gonna be like ‘Oh yeah, they’re freshmen.”
Culliton was ranked the No. 96 overall player in the 2022 recruiting class by ESPN. She also set a Saint Thomas Aquinas High School record with 730 rebounds to go along with 1,227 points.
Despite her impressive high school resume, the versatile center experienced growing pains transitioning to college, particularly due to her trying to fulfill a much needed role for the Sooners.
“She’s a low-block player,” Baranczyk said. “She can stretch a little bit but she wants to get in that paint, I think the summer really helped her probably more than anybody… being able to understand the physicality of the game. A post up in high school, and even in AAU, is a little bit different than what it is in college. And so those reps that she’s gotten in practice… have been really beneficial.”
On the offensive side of the ball, OU returns over 90% of its scoring output that was responsible for the third most points per game nationally last season.
Senior guard Taylor Robertson led the nation in 3-pointers made last season with 124. Despite being just 52 threes away from breaking the all-time NCAA record, Robertson has her sights set elsewhere.
“(I’m) not really thinking about it,” Robertson said. “Right now (I’m) just trying to focus on getting a little bit better everyday and what I can help our team with. I’m more worried about the team and just trying to win games.”
Robertson, forward Madi Williams and guard Ana Llanusa each tallied over 17 points per game during the 2021-22 campaign. The trio enters their fifth season together with the bond between them stronger than ever.
“I think why we’re so good on the court is because of our great relationship off the court,” Robertson said. “We’re all our own unique person and when you mesh them together we just always have a good time and that leads to success on the court.
“We already know what each other are gonna do before we even do it. We could be having me and Madi in a screening action and Ana’s… already throwing it to the spot where she knows whoever is gonna be open. It really makes it easy.”
In addition to a juggernaut offense returning the vast majority of its production, OU has seen improvements in other areas that have lit a fire in the locker room and could see a large step forward for Baranczyks’ Sooners in her second season.
“On my drive here I was just thinking about how hungry we should be,” Llanusa said. “But also, we have a chip on our shoulder. So we have to be able to hold it down as well… and I think we will.”
Red shirt senior guard Ana Llanusa dribbles the ball during the game against ECU on Dec. 7.
