The Oklahoma women’s basketball team lost to the No. 4 seed Indiana Hoosiers on Monday night, 75-68. The Sooners were eliminated in the second round of the NCAA tournament for the third year in a row. Let’s talk about it.
The Sooners would have to deal with a high-octane offense that the Hoosiers have been deploying all season long. It would be a true defensive test for OU.
In the first quarter, both teams were throwing haymakers. Neither squad was able to string together some stops, resulting in the game being tied 19-19 going into the second quarter.
In the second, it was a completely different story. Much more defensive intensity for both teams, and fewer points. OU would win the second quarter 11-10 and take a lead into halftime.
The Sooners struggled to shoot the three ball against Indiana, which is an area the team usually excels at. OU shot 16% from beyond the arc. It wouldn’t affect the game as much as it could have, because Indiana also shot poorly from three, only shooting 18.8%.
Skylar Vann once again led the way for the crimson and cream. She had 20 points, and eight rebounds, with five of them being on the offense glass, one assist, and one block. She was all over the place for the Sooners all night long. There is no denying Vann’s stardom, and that OU may not have even been in the game against Indiana without the season that she put together. Sooner fans have a lot to be excited about, because Vanns’s little sister Zya Vann will also be joining the Oklahoma program next year.
The Sooners were successful in attacking the lane, once the three-point shots weren’t falling at a consistent rate. OU outscored Indiana in the lane 24-16.
Sahara Williams once again showed she is beyond her years, and turned in a solid performance against Indiana. She had 12 points, six rebounds, one assist and one block. She also went a perfect 4/4 from the free throw line. The Oklahoma program will be in good hands with Williams continuing to grow and mature, and play more minutes in the future.
The bench play in the matchup against the Hoosiers heavily favored OU. Jennie Baranczyk got 25 points off of her bench, compared to Indiana scoring just one point. Leading the way for the Sooner second unit was Aubrey Joens. She stepped up in a big way in this game, scoring 16 points, and grabbed five rebounds. She went a perfect 3/3 from beyond the arc. The remaining nine bench points would come from Reyna Scott with four, Beatrice Culliton with two, Kiersten Johnson also with two and nine rebounds, and Kennady Tucker making a free throw for an extra point off the bench.
OU struggled to guard Mackenzie Holmes throughout the game, but especially in the final moments. She would go on to score 29 points, and secure six rebounds, one assist, and one steal. She also blocked four shots. She was a true matchup nightmare for the Sooners.
Overall, while the Sooners did not get over the hump of making a Sweet Sixteen for the first time since 2013, there are a lot of things to like about the season and where the program is headed. OU fans have a lot to be excited about for the future of women’s basketball in Norman.
Images courtesy of Audrey Quan/OU Daily and Bob Nguyen/OU Daily
