How to Watch No. 11 Oklahoma vs. No. 7 Vanderbilt – Sports Illustrated

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The Sooners needed to make the most of their week off. 
Oklahoma’s last outing was a 78-70 loss to Texas in Austin, a game that was virtually over by halftime due to OU’s careless handling of the basketball. 
The road ahead doesn’t get any easier for the No. 11 Sooners, which is why the week was spent self-scouting to make necessary improvements ahead of the sprint to the end of the regular season. 
“We watched a lot of film, and we watched it individually and we watched it collectively, and I think their demeanor has been really good in being able to adjust,” OU coach Jennie Baranczyk said on Friday.” And what’s really nice, too, you don’t focus on somebody else for a few days. You really do focus on just yourself and it forces you to look in the mirror and see what you have to do better and different. 
“So I think it’s essential, especially this time of year, especially where we’re at, I think it’s been really good.”
Oklahoma (17-5, 5-4 SEC) will know immediately if any breakthroughs were made. 
The Sooners travel to Nashville on Monday night to take on No. 7 Vanderbilt  (22-2, 8-2).
The Commodores have one of the nation’s best scorers in Mikayla Blakes, but they also can turn on up the heat on the defensive end of the floor. 
Vanderbilt ranks 21st in the country in steals per game, swiping the ball 11.9 times per game on average, and it ranks ninth in turnover margin. Meanwhile, the Sooners turn the ball over 15.8 times per contest. 
“You’ve got to take care of the basketball,” Baranczyk said. “They’re turning people over and converting to points as much as Texas is turning people over and converting to points; it just looks different. So either way, we’ve got to learn how to take care of the basketball a lot better.”
Much of the stress will be put on freshman guard Aaliayah Chavez and sophomore Zya Vann.
Both are experiencing their first conference road games as primary ball handlers, and must do a better job of taking care of the basketball between dynamic offensive possessions.
While limiting turnovers will be the first task on Monday night, slowing down Blakes will be equally as difficult. 
The Vanderbilt sophomore averages 25.6 points, 3.8 rebounds, 4.6 assista and 3.1 steals per contest while shooting 45.5 percent from the floor and 33.1 percent from deep. 
Around her, Vanderbilt has Justine Pissot, who shoots 43.6 percent from deep and Aga Makurat, who knocks down 44.7 percent of her attempts from beyond the arc. 
“Mikayla Blakes is as good as anybody offensively in the entire country, night in and night out,” Baranczyk said. “They have a freshman point guard that can really stretch you. 
“… They space you and they make you make desicions and you have to change up your game plan throughout the game because Blakes is just that elite. And so you can’tjust so the same things over and over.”
Oklahoma doesn’t have any bad losses on its schedule, but all five of OU’s defeats have come against the Top 25. 
The Sooners are running out of opportunities against the nation’s best to add big victories to their tournament résumé, but a win in Nashville will resonate on Selection Sunday. 
Tip-off between Oklahoma and Vanderbilt is scheduled for 8 p.m., and the game will be broadcast on ESPN2.
Ryan is co-publisher at Sooners On SI and covers a number of sports in and around Norman and Oklahoma City. Working both as a journalist and a sports talk radio host, Ryan has covered the Oklahoma Sooners, the Oklahoma City Thunder, the United States Men’s National Soccer Team, the Oklahoma City Energy and more. Since 2019, Ryan has simultaneously pursued a career as both a writer and a sports talk radio host, working for the Flagship for Oklahoma sports, 107.7 The Franchise, as well as AllSooners.com. Ryan serves as a contributor to The Franchise’s website, TheFranchiseOK.com, which was recognized as having the “Best Website” in 2022 by the Oklahoma Association of Broadcasters. Ryan holds an associate’s degree in Journalism from Oklahoma City Community College in Oklahoma City, OK. 
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