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Instant Reaction: How Sweet (16) it is for OU women's basketball

Bob Przybyloby: Bob Przybylo03/25/25BPrzybylo
Payton Verhulst
OU seniors Payton Verhulst, Lexi Keys. (Doug Hoke - Imagn Images)

That’s one way for OU women’s basketball to not have any nerves. You don’t have to answer the anxious feeling questions when you simply dominate.

That’s exactly what the Sooners did. A strong first half was combined by an all-around second half of pure execution in a 96-62 victory for the Sooners in the second round of the NCAA Tournament on Monday afternoon at the Lloyd Noble Center.

OU, in its fourth season under head coach Jennie Baranczyk, is headed to the Sweet 16. The second week is here for the Sooners.

And the grind of the SEC? Well, that might have helped the team be ready for the Hawkeyes. OU now heads to Spokane to take on No. 2-seeded UConn on Saturday in the Sweet 16.

Instant Reaction: OU 96, Iowa 62

“We’ve seen some things like that in the SEC where they’re just really, really challenging to guard,” Baranczyk said. “And we’ve had to learn. I think we’ve done a nice job.

“I think one of my favorite things — I get asked this a lot with the third quarter and how good the third quarter was — it’s no longer me going in and saying, here’s how we have to adjust. It’s a constant conversation. Not that it always hasn’t been.

“But it’s so much more their input on the game and them playing the game and them reading the game live because we’ve played NCAA Tournament games all season. We’ve played first-time opponents for two months, two and a half months.

“We’re really understanding how you learn the game more and you’re making reads more. That’s why we’re making some of those adjustments because we’re understanding the adjustments, not because I’m telling you to go from point A to B to C.”

Here to break it all down is SoonerScoop’s George Stoia and Eddie Radosevich. The show is not over for Baranczyk and company.

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