Nyeshia Stevenson scores 32 to lift No. 16 Oklahoma over Marist 80-71 in OT

Stevenson scores 32 to lift No. 16 Oklahoma in OT

POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. — Nyeshia Stevenson scored a career-high 32 points and made two of her nine 3-pointers in overtime to lift No. 16 Oklahoma to an 80-71 win over Marist on Wednesday night.

Stevenson made a 3 with 16 seconds left in regulation to tie the game at 68 and then hit two more in the extra period. Her first gave the Sooners (7-2) a two-point lead and her second made it 74-69 with 1:40 left.

“We’re going to carry her all over New York City. She made big plays,” Oklahoma coach Sherri Coale said of Stevenson, who tied a school record for 3s in a game.

Rachele Fitz scored 25 points, including the 2,000th of her career to lead Marist (4-4), which was trying to get its first win over a ranked opponent at home.

Erica Allenspach added 18 for the Red Foxes. Her floater in the lane with less than a minute left was their only basket in overtime.

“It was a great game, great atmosphere. Unfortunately we came up short,” Marist coach Brian Giorgis said. “We played three BCS schools and were right there with all of them. We just can’t get over the hump.”

It was the second straight overtime game for Oklahoma, which beat Arkansas 87-86 on Saturday.

The short-handed Sooners were missing guard Whitney Hand, who is out for the season after tearing her ACL over Thanksgiving in the Virgin Islands at the Paradise Jam.

The Red Foxes led 46-43 early in the second half before going on an 11-4 run capped by Lynzee Johnson’s 3-pointer to make it 57-47.

Oklahoma stormed right back, scoring the next 10 points and holding Marist scoreless for more than five minutes.

Johnson finally broke the drought with a 3-pointer from the corner to put Marist up 60-57.

Danielle Robinson’s layup put Oklahoma up 63-62 for the Sooners’ only lead of the second half. She fouled out on the next trip down the court and Kate Oliver hit both free throws to put the Red Foxes back ahead.

Allenspach hit a floater in the lane to make it a three-point lead but Joanna McFarland hit two free throws with 1:46 left to make it 66-65.

After exchanging empty possessions, Fitz rebounded Allenspach’s missed 3-pointer with 30 seconds left. Oklahoma then fouled Allenspach, who made both free throws to make it 68-65.

Stevenson’s 3-pointer from the corner with 16.3 seconds left tied the game at 68.

Allenspach missed a runner in the lane with 2.9 seconds left and Oklahoma’s shot at the buzzer didn’t hit the rim.