Chavez scores 18 points and No. 16 Oklahoma women finish strong to hold off Auburn 72-65

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AUBURN, Ala. (AP) — Aaliyah Chavez scored 18 points and No. 16 Oklahoma avoided a big upset, defeating Auburn 72-65 on Sunday.

The Sooners, coming off a 94-82 overtime win over No. 2 South Carolina on Thursday, were locked in a battle with the unranked Tigers until finishing the game with a 13-6 run over the final minutes.

Auburn's A’riel Jackson scored seven points early in the fourth quarter and Harissoum Coulibaly's layup tied the score at 57-all with six minutes remaining. Another Coulibaly layup made it 59-59 with 4:50 remaining but the Tigers managed only six points the rest of the game.

Sahara Williams and Raegan Beers scored 13 points each for Oklahoma (16-4, 4-3 SEC) and Brooklyn Stewart added 12 off the bench.

Jackson scored 19 points off the bench, Mya Petticord and Ja’Mia Harris 12 each, and Coulibaly 10 for Auburn (13-8, 2-5).

Oklahoma scored the last seven points of the first quarter to take a 19-12 lead. Jackson scored the first five points of the second quarter to get the Tigers within two points. Later in the quarter, a 6-0 run gave the Tigers their first lead of the game, 27-25.

Consecutive 3-pointers by a Chavez got the Sooners going again and they went on to lead 35-30 at halftime.

Petticord scored Auburn's first eight points of the third quarter, but it wasn't enough to keep the Sooners from extending their lead to 47-38. The Sooners' lead was 51-41 with 4 1/2 minutes left in the quarter but Auburn closed to within 53-48 entering the fourth.

Oklahoma: The Sooners host Texas A&M on Thursday

Auburn: The Tigers host South Carolina on Thursday ___

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