Oklahoma Dominates Idaho in March Madness Rout

No. 4 seed Sooners cruise past No. 13 seed Vandals 89-59 in NCAA Tournament opener

Mar. 21, 2026 at 4:33am

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The No. 4 seed Oklahoma Sooners overwhelmed the No. 13 seed Idaho Vandals 89-59 in the first round of the 2026 NCAA Tournament. Senior center Raegan Beers led the way for Oklahoma with 18 points, 10 rebounds, 4 assists, and 4 blocks, while Sahara Williams (17 points, 10 rebounds), Aaliyah Chavez (15 points), and Payton Verhulst (14 points) also contributed to the dominant victory.

Why it matters

This decisive win for the Sooners sets them up for a potential deep run in the NCAA Tournament, as the No. 4 seed continues its quest for a national championship. Meanwhile, the loss ends a strong 18-game winning streak for the Vandals, who were making their first NCAA Tournament appearance in several years.

The details

Oklahoma jumped out to an early lead and never looked back, outscoring Idaho 46-25 in the first half and cruising to the 30-point victory. The Sooners shot 53% from the field and held the Vandals to just 37% shooting on the night.

  • The game was played on Friday, March 21, 2026.

The players

Raegan Beers

A senior center for the Oklahoma Sooners who led the team with 18 points, 10 rebounds, 4 assists, and 4 blocks.

Sahara Williams

An Oklahoma player who scored 17 points and grabbed 10 rebounds in the win.

Aaliyah Chavez

An Oklahoma player who scored 15 points in the dominant victory.

Payton Verhulst

An Oklahoma player who added 14 points to the Sooners' offensive outburst.

Idaho Vandals

The No. 13 seed team that saw its 18-game winning streak come to an end with the lopsided loss to Oklahoma.

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What they’re saying

“We must have been a little nervous at the start, but once we settled in, we really started to click on both ends of the floor.”

— Raegan Beers, Oklahoma Senior Center

What’s next

Oklahoma will advance to face the winner of the game between the No. 5 seed and the No. 12 seed in the next round of the NCAA Tournament.

The takeaway

Oklahoma's dominant performance over Idaho demonstrates the Sooners' potential to make a deep run in the NCAA Tournament, as the No. 4 seed showed its ability to overwhelm an opponent and advance in the Big Dance.