3 Sooners Record Double-Doubles in Win Over A&M

Danielle Robinson had 19 points and 10 assists and two other Sooners also had double-doubles as No. 3 Oklahoma led all the way in a 71-59 win over No. 8 Texas A&M on Sunday.

Freshman guard Whitney Hand had a career-high five 3-pointers in six attempts and scored 17 points for Oklahoma (13-2, 3-0 Big 12), which won its ninth straight game overall and its second straight over a ranked conference foe, having also beaten No. 17 Kansas State on Wednesday.

The Sooners moved into a tie with Baylor atop the Big 12 standings.

Texas A&M (14-2, 2-1) had been off to the best start in school history and won three of its last four games against Oklahoma. Takia Starks scored 19 points and Oklahoma City native Danielle Gant added 18 for the Aggies.

Oklahoma center Courtney Paris had 11 points and 14 rebounds to extend her NCAA-record streak of consecutive double-doubles to 108 games, but didn't reach double digits in points until 1:01 remained.

Her twin sister, Ashley Paris, had 16 points and 10 rebounds for her 12th double-double of the season. It's the third time in school history three Oklahoma players have recorded double-doubles in the same game. The Sooners also recorded that feat this season against North Carolina and Tulsa.

About the only negative for the Sooners: 22 turnovers, which prevented a lopsided score from being even more so. Oklahoma shot 47 percent from the field and dominated on the boards, outrebounding the Aggies 43-27.

Texas A&M shot 39 percent from the field and had 17 turnovers.

The Aggies cut a 19-point deficit early in the second half to 12 points at 41-29 on a three-point play by Starks with 15:58 left.

Hand started a 14-0 Oklahoma run with a put-back, followed by a 3-pointer, and another 3-pointer by Carlee Roethlisberger gave the Sooners a 55-29 bulge with 11:54 left.

Texas A&M, whose only previous loss had come to Florida State, rallied within 60-51 on a three-point play by Starks with 3:23 left, but after that, Robinson went 4-of-4 from the free-throw line and assisted on two baskets by Courtney Paris to keep the Sooners comfortably ahead.

It won't be any easier for the Aggies during the next 10 days, as their next three games are at No. 5 Baylor, at home against No. 22 Oklahoma State and at No. 16 Texas.

Oklahoma committed 13 first-half turnovers but still led 35-22 at halftime, thanks in good part to 4-of-4 3-point shooting by Hand and a 23-11 rebounding advantage.

The Aggies missed their first four shots as Oklahoma sprinted to a 7-0 lead, prompting a quick timeout by Texas A&M coach Gary Blair. The Aggies pulled within 9-7, but Ashley Paris had three baskets in an 11-0 Oklahoma run, including a 19-foot jumper that made it 20-7 and led to another Texas A&M timeout.

But despite 10 first-half points by Gant, the Aggies proved unable to significantly cut their deficit, as Oklahoma extended its lead to 35-20 before Tyra White's layup two seconds before halftime. The Aggies shot 38 percent from the field in the half and had 12 turnovers, four coming on offensive fouls.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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