Oklahoma Sooners freshman Aaliyah Chavez will once again take on Dawn Staley’s South Carolina Gamecocks with stakes much higher than before, when she was able to strike a win. The floor is set for the Sweet 16 encounter between two quality teams.
During her appearance on SportsCenter, Chavez was pretty straightforward in her answer about the mindset in the Oklahoma locker room coming into this game.
“Really just come out, play Oklahoma basketball,” Chavez said. “I mean, that’s all we can do. I mean, you know, we’re going to put up a challenge. They’re a great team, but you know, we know how to play our type of basketball and we’re just going to come out and do that.”
Chavez also recalled how Oklahoma managed to win the last time. On Jan. 22, Chavez led from the front in the 94-82 win, scoring a game-high 26 points, with 15 of them coming in overtime. At the time, Oklahoma was ranked No. 16, South Carolina No. 2. This was one of the biggest upsets of the women’s college basketball season.
Drawing inspiration from that game, Chavez highlighted what needs to be done if Oklahoma wants to take down South Carolina.
“I definitely think just obviously we have Reagan Beers in the paint,” Chavez added. “She’s huge for us. We’re going to feed her early and then she’s going to make the best plays when she needs to kick it out and we’re going to be ready to get some shots. And obviously our defense has to be on point like it was the last time and be in our gaps, communicate and just celebrate each other. Have fun with it. It’s just basketball at the end of the day.”
In that said game, Chavez struggled early on, shooting only 4 of 14 in the regulation. However, she made a complete turnaround in overtime, converting all five field goals to help Oklahoma snap South Carolina’s 12-game winning streak.
How Aaliyah Chavez Has Performed in NCAA Tournament
In the first round win against Idaho, Aaliyah Chavez had 15 points, six rebounds and five assists. She was among the four starters in double figures as Oklahoma dominated 89-59.
Meanwhile, in the second-round win against Michigan State, the Sooners’ freshman had 18 points, five rebounds, and six assists.
It remains to be seen how she performs against South Carolina.
Read More News:
Hannah Hidalgo Plaudits Mikayla Blakes With Caitlin Clark Comparison
Azzi Fudd Jokingly Calls Out “Nosy” Journalist; Reveals 1 Thing UConn Needs to Win the NCAA Title
College Sports Network has you covered with the latest news, analysis, insights, and trending stories in baseball, tennis, college football, men’s college basketball, women’s college basketball, and college baseball!
