No. 4-seeded Oklahoma (25-8) defeated No. 13-seeded Indiana University-Purdue University-Indianapolis (24-7) 78-72 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Saturday night.
The victory was OU’s first tournament win since 2017 and the first for Jennie Baranczyk as a head coach. Saturday’s contest was also the first NCAA Tournament game in Norman since 2010.
Senior guard Taylor Robertson led the Sooners with 22 points while senior forward Madi Williams added 21 points. The Sooners shot 43 percent from the field and 35 percent from 3-point range, recording 42 rebounds and 16 assists while committing a season-low 10 turnovers. On defense, OU held IUPUI to 36 percent shooting, forcing nine turnovers.
In the first quarter, sophomore forward Skylar Vann came off the bench to score seven points alongside Williams. The Sooners allowed the Jaguars to shoot 47 percent from the field in the first, but a late basket from Vann put OU on top 18-17 at the end of the quarter. The basket came after a steal from sophomore guard Kennady Tucker.
The Sooners committed just two turnovers in the first quarter and shot 41 percent from the field. OU failed to make a 3-point basket on five attempts in the first, with junior forward Liz Scott missing two 3-pointers.
The Sooners shot better from 3-point range in the second quarter, going 3-for-3. Sophomore guard Nevaeh Tot led OU players in the second with six points. Both of her baskets were 3-pointers.
The Sooners shot 53 percent from the field in the second quarter, committing just three turnovers and holding IUPUI to 33 percent shooting. OU went into halftime with a 41-37 lead, with its largest lead in the first half being eight points.
OU came out of halftime hot, starting the third quarter with a 12-2 run to go up by 14 points. The Jaguars started the third 0-for-12 from the field as the Sooners held IUPUI to 26 percent shooting in the quarter. OU held a 59-49 lead heading into the fourth quarter, with Williams and senior guard Taylor Robertson both scoring six points.
Senior forward Nydia Lampkin earned a moment in the third quarter, draining her second 3-pointer of the season with 4:12 on the clock to send the Lloyd Noble Center crowd to its feet.
DEE FOR 𝙏𝙃𝙍𝙀𝙀𝙀𝙀𝙀𝙀OU 53, IUPUI 39 | 4:12 3Q#Sooners x https://t.co/vDx3wt196i pic.twitter.com/SiVUdKCZ1A
— Oklahoma Basketball (@OU_WBBall) March 20, 2022
The Sooners shot just 28 percent from the field in the fourth quarter but maintained their lead until the finish. Scott fouled out with 7:54 left in the game, marking the second straight contest she has fouled out of.
Next, OU will play No. 6-seeded Notre Dame (23-8) in the second round at 5 p.m. on Monday, March 21 in Norman (ESPN 2).
