NORMAN, Okla. (Interstat) — The Oklahoma Sooners used a dominant inside presence and a game-high 29 points from Aaliyah Chavez to pull away from the Missouri-Kansas City Kangaroos for an 89-61 victory in a nonconference women’s basketball game Wednesday night at Lloyd Noble Center.

A crowd of 4,049 watched the Sooners improve to 2-1 on the young season, while the Kangaroos fell to 1-2.

Oklahoma’s offense was efficient and multifaceted, but its most significant advantage came in the paint, where it outscored UMKC 40-18. The Sooners also capitalized on Kangaroos mistakes, scoring 23 points off turnovers.

The game began at a frantic pace, with both teams trading baskets in a high-scoring first quarter. Missouri-Kansas City’s Elauni Bennett was active early, helping her team keep pace. The period ended with Oklahoma holding a narrow 24-23 lead.

The second quarter proved to be the turning point. The Sooners tightened their defense, holding the Kangaroos to just 10 points in the frame. Meanwhile, the Oklahoma offense continued to hum, putting up 23 points to take a commanding 47-33 lead into halftime. The defensive stand stifled UMKC’s rhythm and allowed the Sooners to build a cushion they would not relinquish.

Any hope of a Kangaroos comeback was extinguished in the third quarter as Oklahoma maintained its offensive pressure, outscoring UMKC 22-21. Chavez, a guard from Lubbock, Texas, was the catalyst throughout, controlling the flow and finding her own shot. She finished her night with 4 assists and 2 blocks to go with her 29 points in 33 minutes of action.

The Sooners put the game fully out of reach in the final period, extending their lead with a 20-point quarter while limiting Missouri-Kansas City to just 7 points.

For Oklahoma, the scoring load was shared. Alongside Chavez, Payton Verhulst contributed 13 points and Sahara Williams added 12 points and 4 assists. Brooklyn Stewart provided a strong interior presence off the bench, scoring 11 points and recording 2 blocks.

Missouri-Kansas City was led by Bennett, who scored 19 points and collected multiple offensive rebounds. Tierra Trotter added 11 points and 4 assists, while Kelby Bannerman also chipped in 11 points.

Oklahoma will look to build on the win when it hosts North Alabama on Friday. Missouri-Kansas City continues its road stretch with a game at Lindenwood on Monday.