Skylar Vann, Payton Verhulst help No. 16 Oklahoma women hold off Auburn 73-71
Vann had five points and four assists in the first quarter to help the Sooners (18-6, 6-5 Southeastern Conference) jump in front 12-2 before settling for a 21-17 lead. Oklahoma took a 44-35 lead into halftime and led 58-48 after three quarters.
DeYona Gaston had a three-point play and scored the first nine points of the final quarter to get the Tigers (12-12 3-8) within 58-57 with 8:28 remaining. Vann answered with a three-point play for the Sooners, but Gaston hit a jumper and Mar'shaun Bostic followed with a layup to give the Tigers their first lead at 66-65 with 3:30 left.
Verhulst made 1 of 2 at the line to put Oklahoma ahead by a point and Gaston made the second of two free throws to tie it at 71 with 24 seconds remaining. Verhulst was fouled with four seconds to go and made two for the victory after Gaston missed the game's final shot.
Gaston finished with 24 points and Bostic added 16 points, six rebounds and five assists.
Auburn had never played a game in the state of Oklahoma and was looking for its first road win over a ranked SEC team since beating Georgia in 2011. The two schools met just once prior when Auburn beat the visiting Sooners 95-79 in 2018 in the SEC/Big 12 Challenge.
Auburn plays at No. 15 Tennessee on Thursday. Oklahoma plays at Missouri on Sunday.
___
Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP women's college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-womens-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/womens-college-basketball
The Associated Press
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Former Auburn receiver Seth Williams signs with the Las Vegas Raiders
Former Auburn wide receiver Seth Williams is returning to the National Football League. Multiple sources reported on Tuesday that Williams will sign with the Las Vegas Raiders just as teams are opening training camps. It will be his first time back in the NFL since 2024 when he was part of the Dallas Cowboys practice squad. The team released Williams in the summer before the 2025 season. Williams was a mid-season addition in May to the DC Defenders of the United Football League. In two regular season games, he caught eight passes for 63 yards and one touchdown. He saved his best for the 2025 UFL Playoffs. In the two games, he caught three passes for 107 yards and one touchdown. In the XFL Conference Championship, he caught two passes for 61 yards and a touchdown. In the UFL Championship, Williams just caught one pass for 46 yards in the Defenders 58-34 win. Williams ranks fourth all-time at Auburn with 2.124 receiving yards during his three seasons on the plains from 2018 to 2020. He is also fourth all-time in receiving touchdowns with 17. His best season for the Tigers was his sophomore season in 2019. That season he caught 59 yards for 830 yards and eight touchdowns. His production dropped during his final season in 2020, but that season also had less games. Williams would be drafted by Denver Broncos in the sixth round of the 2021 NFL Draft. He only played two games for the Broncos in 2021. He caught one pass for 34 yards. He then would spend time on the Jacksonville Jaguars practice squad for 2022 and 2023. Time will tell if his time in the UFL with the DC Defenders will translate to better production and a longer stay in the NFL this time around. This article originally appeared on Auburn Wire: Raiders signs Auburn's fourth all-time leading receiver Seth Williams
USA Today
2 hours ago
- USA Today
Which NFL Team has the most Auburn players on its 2025 preseason roster?
Several former Tigers are working to make a splash in the NFL this season. NFL training camp is underway, and many former Auburn Tigers are looking to make a splash. Some aim to continue their stellar careers, while others are looking to break through as first-year professional players. One of those looking to make his way onto the depth chart is former Auburn running back Jarquez Hunter, who was drafted by the Los Angeles Rams in the fourth round of the 2025 NFL draft. Hunter logged 1,201 yards last season in year two of being the Tigers' premier back, and is looking to showcase his talents in the NFL during his rookie campaign. Earlier this month, during OTAs, Rams running backs coach Ron Gould pointed out that Hunter can make opposing defenses pay in two ways. "His superpower is his speed, he's really fast," Gould said in an interview with "And then the second thing is, if you get the pads on you, he's a heavier guy, he's a guy who can go north and south, and he's a guy who's gonna be able to come out of a lot of tackles." Hunter, however, is the lone former Tiger currently on the Rams' roster. Which team has the most former Tigers? Here's a breakdown as the NFL preseason gets underway. Minnesota Vikings If you are looking for an NFL team to support this season, the Minnesota Vikings are a worthy candidate as four former Tigers are on their training camp roster. All four players were on Auburn's 2024 roster, with linebackers Dorian Mausi and Austin Keys headlining the charge. Punter Oscar Chapman and wide receiver Robert Lewis are also going through preseason work with the Vikings. Jacksonville Jaguars Former Auburn EDGE rusher Jalen McLeod joins veterans Daniel Thomas and Tank Bigsby in Jacksonville for training camp. McLeod was drafted in the sixth round of the 2025 NFL draft by the Jaguars and is paving the way for Keldric Faulk to be the next EDGE that Auburn will send to the league. Las Vegas Raiders The Raiders currently house three former Tigers: Daniel Carlson, Shedrick Jackson, and Seth Williams. Williams recently signed with the Raiders after a successful stint in the UFL with the DC Defenders. He was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the 2021 NFL draft, and he also spent time with the Jacksonville Jaguars before moving to the UFL. Seattle Seahawks Derrick Hall is back with Seattle after posting 64 tackles and eight sacks in two seasons with the Seahawks. Hall broke out last season by making 35 tackles and eight sacks in 17 games. He will be joined by cornerback Nehemiah Pritchett and defensive lineman Justin Rogers for training camp in the Pacific Northwest. Tennessee Titans A pair of 2024 defensive linemen joined the Titans roster to give Auburn more "local" representation. Philip Blidi and Isaiah Raikes are going through preseason workouts in Tennessee this year, joining former Auburn cornerback Roger McCreary, who was Auburn's lone draft pick in 2022. Teams with two Tigers There are a few teams that have two former Auburn players this preseason: Los Angeles Chargers, New England Patriots, New York Jets, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Washington Commanders. Several notable players in this category include Noah Igbinoghene with the Commanders, Jamel Dean with the Buccaneers, and Carlton Davis with the Patriots. Teams with one Tiger Auburn's representation in the NFL is widespread thanks to teams having at least one former player on their rosters. Arizona Cardinals, Atlanta Falcons, Baltimore Ravens, Buffalo Bills, Carolina Panthers, Cincinnati Bengals, Dallas Cowboys, Denver Broncos, Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, Indianapolis Colts, Los Angeles Rams, Miami Dolphins, New York Giants, and Pittsburgh Steelers fit in this category. Several players of note that fit in this are Panthers' defensive tackle Derrick Brown, Broncos quarterback Jarrett Stidham, Colts offensive lineman Braden Smith, and Rams running back Jarquez Hunter. Contact/Follow us @TheAuburnWire on X (Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Auburn news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Taylor on Twitter @TaylorJones__
USA Today
4 hours ago
- USA Today
Nick Saban weighs in on President Donald Trump's executive order for college sports
The educational model that President Donald Trump is aiming for is a great step for college sports, says the former Alabama head coach. Questions regarding the regulation of Name, Image, and Likeness, transfer portal, and the split of resources between sports, have been a hot topic surrounding college athletics over recent years, which has sparked the debate of whether or not college athletics have turned into a professional model rather than an amateur one. This week, President Donald Trump signed an executive order that will "protect student-athletes and collegiate athletic scholarships and opportunities, including in Olympic and non-revenue programs, and the unique American institution of college sports." In the fact sheet released by The White House, the executive order aims to expand scholarship opportunities for women's sports and non-revenue sports, prohibits third-party pay-for-play payments, and to preserve non-revenue sports and the irreplaceable educational and developmental opportunities that college sports provide. After the executive order was signed and released, former Alabama head coach Nick Saban shared his opinion on the matter on the show Fox and Friends on FOX News, where he said that Trump's order aligns with what he thinks college sports should be, which promotes an educational model for student-athletes during their time as a student, as well as their time as a college graduate. "The executive order provides a huge step in providing the educational model that has always been what we've sort of tried to promote to create opportunities for players, male and female alike, revenue and non-revenue, so that they can have development as people, students and develop careers and develop professionally if that's what they choose to do." Saban also mentioned that this order will soon answer the question of a university wanting to promote and educational model compared to a professional one. The topic of revenue sharing has made its way to Auburn, as head football coach Hugh Freeze and athletic director John Cohen have publicly stated that they are eager to learn more information about the new model and how it affects recruiting. Auburn football has seen a dip in recruiting, which Freeze and Cohen feel is the result of the uncertainty of the penalties established with breaking rules. "We at Auburn are going to take that very seriously. But we're still going to win recruiting battles. We're going to do it the right way," Cohen said earlier this month. "I can't speak for the rest of the recruiting world, but I can tell you this, Auburn is going to do it the right way." The new order will present new opportunities for collegiate athletes everywhere, and it will be interesting to see how it affects Auburn athletes in the future. Contact/Follow us @TheAuburnWire on X (Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Auburn news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Taylor on Twitter @TaylorJones__
