Sooners Host NCAA First Round Saturday Against FGCU

NORMAN – No. 11 Oklahoma (25-7, 11-5 SEC) is making its 25th NCAA Tournament appearance and is the No. 3 seed in the Spokane 4 Region of the 2025 NCAA Women's Basketball Championship. The Sooners will host first- and second-round games at Lloyd Noble Center, opening against No. 14 seed Florida Gulf Coast (30-3, 18-0 ASUN) on Saturday at 1:30 p.m. CT.

It's a rematch of last year's first-round thriller, which OU won 73-70. The winner advances to Monday's second round to face either No. 6 seed Iowa or No. 11 seed Murray State, who tip at 11 a.m. CT on Saturday in Norman.

Winners of nine of its last 10, Oklahoma is the No. 3 seed in the Spokane 4 Region and will host first- and second-round games at Lloyd Noble Center in Norman. This marks the Sooners' eighth time hosting and their second under head coach Jennie Baranczyk (2022). The No. 3 seed is OU's highest since its Final Four run in 2010. Historically, the Sooners are 20-7 when seeded third or higher and 5-2 as a No. 3 seed.

Tipoff is set for 1:30 p.m. CT on ESPNU, with Kevin Fitzgerald (play-by-play) and Kim Adams (analyst) on the call from Lloyd Noble Center. Brian Brinkley (play-by-play) and Tyler Neal (analyst) will call the action on the Sooner Sports Radio Network (107.7 FM The Franchise; Varsity Radio App).

No. 11 Oklahoma vs. FGCU
Date: Saturday, March 22
Tip Time: 1:30 p.m. CT
Location: Norman, Okla.
Arena: Lloyd Noble Center

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Game Notes

FAN INFO

• Tickets are on sale now for the NCAA Tournament in Norman, and doors will open at 10 a.m. CT for the first game of the day between Iowa and Murray State. The Sooners tip at approximately 1:30 p.m. CT.

• A "Know Before You Go" page has more information for fans.

NOTES TO KNOW

• Oklahoma is dancing for the fourth straight season under head coach Jennie Baranczyk. In their first year in the SEC, the Sooners went 25-7 overall and 11-5 in conference play, advancing to the SEC Tournament semifinals to earn an at-large bid to the dance. Winners of nine of its last 10, OU is hosting tournament games for the eighth time in program history and second under Baranczyk (2022). OU's No. 3 seed is its highest since its Final Four run in 2010. Historically, the Sooners are 20-7 when seeded third or higher and 5-2 as a No. 3 seed.

• OU has navigated the nation's 25th-toughest schedule and ranks 10th nationally in Quad 1 wins with seven. The Sooners are 14-6 against top-100 teams, the 15th-most top-100 wins in the country, and remain unbeaten in Quad 2-4 games (18-0) – one of just 13 teams with a perfect record in those matchups. OU has dominated Quad 2-4 opponents, winning those games by an average of 30.1 PPG. Saturday's game against FGCU is a Quad 3 matchup.

• Oklahoma junior center Raegan Beers earned All-America honorable mentions from the AP and USBWA after becoming the first player in at least 25 years of women's college basketball to average 17.5 PPG and 8.5 RPG, shoot 65.0% or better and play less than 23.0 MPG. OU has now produced an All-American in each of Jennie Baranczyk's first four seasons. Beers also earned All-SEC First Team honors, while Payton Verhulst was named to the All-SEC Second Team, as voted by the league's 16 coaches.

• If you're looking for high-powered offenses, Norman is the place to be this weekend. The Norman Regional is the highest-scoring, four-team pod in the bracket, with the four teams averaging a combined 79.6 points per game. The Sooners rank fourth nationally in scoring offense (85.2 PPG) and face FGCU, who ranks 75th at 72.1 PPG. In the other first-round matchup, the nation's top-scoring team, Murray State (87.8 PPG), takes on Iowa, who sits at 50th with 74.3 PPG. The pod also leads the field in 3-point makes per game, with three teams ranked in the top 25 nationally in threes made per game – Murray State (2nd, 10.2), FGCU (21st, 8.6) and Oklahoma (23rd, 8.5).

A WIN WOULD...

• Advance the Sooners to the second round of the NCAA Tournament for the fourth consecutive season.

• Secure Oklahoma's 10th win in 11 games.

• Give Head Coach Jennie Baranczyk her 100th victory at Oklahoma, making her the fastest Sooner coach to reach the milestone. She would achieve it in just 133 games – 20 games quicker than the previous record set by Maura McHugh at 153 games.

• Move OU to 19-0 in Quad 2-4 games in 2024-25. OU has beaten Quad 2-4 teams by an average of 30.1 PPG.

LAST TIME OUT

•Joyce Edwards scored 21 points, and No. 5 South Carolina advanced to the Southeastern Conference Tournament championship game with a 93-75 win over 10th-ranked Oklahoma on Saturday. MiLaysia Fulwiley scored 19 points to provide a huge boost off the bench for South Carolina (29-3), and Sania Feagin added 14. Sahara Williams had 17 points and Payton Verhulst added 15 points and nine assists for Oklahoma (25-7), which looked fatigued playing its third game in three days.

SERIES HISTORY

• Saturday is the second matchup all-time between Oklahoma and FGCU, with the first coming in last year's NCAA First Round where Oklahoma won 73-70 in Bloomington.

•Oklahoma is 19-4 in the first round of the NCAA Championship, and 31-8 overall vs. lower-seeded teams. The Sooners have never lost in the first round when seeded seventh or better.

UP NEXT

• With a win, Oklahoma would advance to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. It would play the winner of No. 6 Iowa and No. 11 Murray State game on Monday at Lloyd Noble Center at a time to be determined.