Let's Dance: Oklahoma Selected as Host Seed for NCAA Tournament

NORMAN – For the 25th time in program history, Oklahoma is headed to the NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Championship. The Sooners earned the No. 3 seed in the Spokane 4 Region and will host first- and second-round games at Lloyd Noble Center in Norman.

The No. 3 seed is Oklahoma's highest since reaching the Final Four in 2010. The 2025 championship marks the seventh time the Sooners will host NCAA Tournament games and the first since head coach Jennie Baranczyk's debut season in 2021-22.

Oklahoma will open against No. 14 seed Florida Gulf Coast on Saturday at 1:30 p.m. CT in a rematch of last year's first-round battle, which OU won 73-70. The winner will advance to face either No. 6 seed Iowa or No. 11 seed Murray State in Monday's second round.

The Sooners (25-7, 11-5 SEC) enter the tournament ranked No. 11 in the AP poll and aim to reach the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2013. Under Baranczyk, Oklahoma has secured a No. 5 seed or better in each of her four seasons — only the second time in program history (2006-10) the Sooners have achieved that feat in four consecutive years.

A consistent presence in the NCAA postseason, Oklahoma has now made 25 tournament appearances, including 23 since 2000. The Sooners have reached three Final Fours (2002, 2009, 2010) and 10 Sweet 16s, most recently in 2013. Under Baranczyk, OU has advanced to the second round in each of the past three seasons.

The 2025 championship will be the fourth to feature a 68-team field. First Four games will take place on Wednesday, March 19, and Thursday, March 20, at four of the top-16 host sites. First- and second-round games will be held from Friday, March 21, through Monday, March 24, on the campuses of the top-16 seeds.

The championship will continue with a two-site regional format in 2025. Eight teams will compete at Legacy Arena in Birmingham, Alabama, and eight at Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena in Spokane, Washington. Regional play runs from March 28-31, with each site hosting two regional semifinal games on March 28 and two more on March 29. Regional championship games will follow on March 30 and March 31.

The 2025 Women's Final Four is set for April 4 and 6 at Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida.

Tickets for games at Lloyd Noble Center are available for purchase through the Oklahoma Ticket Office.

University of Oklahoma Athletics

Let's Dance: Oklahoma Selected as Host Seed for NCAA Tournament

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