OU Women’s Basketball to Host NCAA Tournament Games, Faces Idaho in First Round

NORMAN – The Oklahoma Sooners women’s basketball team will host NCAA Tournament games for the second consecutive season. As a No. 4 seed, OU will open March Madness against 13-seeded Idaho at Lloyd Noble Center on Friday.

Tournament Details

The Sooners earned their bid as a top-four seed, as announced on Saturday. This marks the program’s 26th overall appearance in the NCAA Tournament and the fifth straight under head coach Jennie Baranczyk .

First Round Matchup

Oklahoma will face Idaho in the first round, with the game taking place at Lloyd Noble Center. The matchup is part of the Regional 4 – Sacramento bracket .

Tournament Schedule and Locations

The 2026 NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament begins with the First Four games on March 18, and 19. First and second-round games will be played from March 20-23 on the campuses of the top-16 seeds. The Sweet 16 and Elite Eight will be held in Fort Worth, Texas, and Sacramento, California. The Final Four and National Championship Game are scheduled for April 3 and 5 at the Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix, Arizona .

Oklahoma’s Tournament History

Oklahoma has a strong history in the NCAA Tournament, with 26 appearances including 24 since 2000. The Sooners have reached three Final Fours (2002, 2009, 2010) and 11 Sweet 16s, most recently in 2025 .

Key Players

The Sooners are led by All-SEC selections Raegan Beers and Aaliyah Chavez, with Chavez recently named ESPN’s National Freshman of the Year .