KANSAS CITY, Mo.—The most successful season in UK women’s basketball history is over.

The Cats (28-8) were denied their first trip to the Final Four in their second Elite Eight appearance after falling to the Oklahoma Sooners (27-10) 88-68 on Tuesday night at the Sprint Center.

In their 11th straight appearance in the NCAA Tournament, the Sooners were paced by senior Nyeshia Robinson’s 31 points on their way to their second consecutive Final Four. UK’s defense, its bread and butter, gave up its worst shooting percentage all season on the biggest stage.

Entering the game, OU’s halfcourt execution concerned UK head coach Matthew Mitchell, while OU head coach Sherri Coale believed her team, led by third team All-America point guard Danielle Robinson, were equipped to handle the defensive intensity of the Cats.

“We’ve played guards that quick before… we just turned the ball over too much,” junior guard Amber Smith said.

The first five minutes of the first half demonstrated anything but OU’s poise, as the Cats jumped all over the Sooners with a 13-2 run to open the game.

The Sooners did not make a field goal in the first 6:14 of the game as they began a paltry 1-for-8 from the field.

However, the Cats’ quick start was their saving grace in the first half because they trailed 43-39 at the break once OU found its offensive rhythm.

“They fought back from an early deficit and really took control of the game,” Mitchell said. “Oklahoma really absorbed our initial blow.”

Following the slow start, the Sooners started to find their shooting touch, converting 17 of their next 20 shots, as Robinson and OU senior forward Nyeshia Stevenson seemingly drove to the basket at will, combining for 27 of the Sooners’ 43 points at the break.

The start of the second half was a continuation of the Sooners’ potent offensive performance. OU went on 15-4 run following halftime. Robinson and Stevenson combined for 11 of the 15 points.

UK answered with a 6-0 run to cut the lead to eight, but OU countered with an 11-0 run of its own to stretch the margin to 19 points with 6:23 left in the game.

“At the end (of the game) we just weren’t ourselves, we weren’t the same defensive team that we’ve usually been,” Dunlap said.

Overshadowed by Robinson and Stevenson, who sported matching red hair-dos, was UK junior Victoria Dunlap’s 31 points — two shy of tying her career high.

OU, champions of the Kansas City Regional, will meet the one-loss Stanford Cardinal (35-1) in the National Semifinal on April 4. The overall No.1 seed Connecticut and fourth-seeded Baylor will clash in the other National Semifinal.

Still, Mitchell believes this season is a stepping stone to greater things for his team, which loses only two players —Amani Franklin and Lydia Watkins — to graduation.

“I don’t think there’ any question that when we reflect back on this season, we’ll know this was a special basketball team,” a choked up Mitchell said. It’s not even about not going to the Final Four tonight, it’s about being in that locker room with a bunch kids that pushed it to the limit. I told them back there I wouldn’t trade places with coach Coale.”