Freshman Aaliyah Chavez is powering Oklahoma’s return to national relevance
Oklahoma defeated South Carolina with its stunning overtime win on Jan. 22 at Lloyd Noble Center.
At the center of it all was freshman Aaliyah Chavez, who took over when the game mattered most and pushed the Sooners back into the national spotlight.
Chavez scored 15 of Oklahoma’s 19 points in overtime and controlled the pace against one of the sport’s biggest programs. The performance, paired with an emotional postgame moment from coach Jennie Baranczyk, made it obvious that Oklahoma is no longer just rebuilding.
“She got the ball where it needed to go, and she just played,” Baranczyk said after the win.
Oklahoma’s season has followed a simple pattern. When Chavez plays well, the Sooners win. When she doesn’t, they struggle. Oklahoma is unbeaten at 12-0 when Chavez shoots 32 percent or better from the floor. That includes overtime wins against South Carolina and N.C. State and a neutral-site victory over rival Oklahoma State. When she shoots below that mark, the Sooners are just 4-4, with all four losses coming against ranked teams.
Even in defeat, Chavez has been central to Oklahoma’s chances. The Sooners have lost only once when she scored more than 20 points, a five-point loss to Ole Miss, where she finished with 26. Their worst outings of the season came in games where Chavez had her lowest shooting nights, including losses to UCLA and LSU.
The obvious strategy is to slow Chavez down, but that has not been easy. South Carolina tried and failed as the freshman guard finished with 26 points and eight assists, guiding Oklahoma to one of the biggest wins in program history.
“She was great, she ran her team and took big shots,” South Carolina coach Dawn Staley said. “She’s having a great freshman year.”
Chavez has quickly joined an elite company. She is one of only six freshmen since 2009 to average at least 19 points, four assists, and 3.5 rebounds per game, a list that includes names like Caitlin Clark and Paige Bueckers. Her rise has been backed by trust from her coach and teammates, who have handed her control of the offense from day one.
Highly ranked out of high school and loaded with accolades, Chavez chose Oklahoma over several powerhouse programs. That decision is already paying off. While the Sooners have strong veterans and talented pieces around her, this team clearly runs through its freshman star.
For better or worse, Oklahoma’s season belongs to Aaliyah Chavez. How far the Sooners go will depend on how far she can carry them.