Oklahoma women's basketball: Joanna McFarland focused on beating Kansas — and then Senior Night

“It was always about, ‘Who can get up first? Who can solve it first?'” Joanna McFarland remembered.

“Later, it became, ‘First one to get up and give him a hug and a kiss.' So we would jump on him, pushing people off to get the first pancake, or the first waffle. That was our tradition.”

The 6-foot-3 forward brought that competitive spirit to Norman. Coale said no matter the game — Monopoly, word games, etc. — McFarland's attitude is “crazy, enthusiastic, cutthroat, ‘I want to win.'”

Hand said McFarland's competitiveness even applies to stretching.

“She wants to win, no matter what,” Hand said. “Literally, we're stretching, she wants to be the first one done stretching. It's just her personality.”

Oklahoma enters Saturday's game having lost four of its last five contests, including an ugly 81-71 loss at Kansas on Feb. 17. The Sooners have been routed in back-to-back games, first at Oklahoma State, then at home to No. 1 Baylor.

Following Saturday's game, Oklahoma travels Monday to Texas Tech for its regular-season finale. The Sooners get a few days off after that before the Big 12 Tournament in Dallas.

First, though, Oklahoma's battle-tested seniors have one more home game.

“I don't think my mind has actually realized that this is my last game on this court,” McFarland said. “I definitely, definitely, want to win this game.”