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OU Women's Basketball Faces Idaho in March Madness Opener
Fourth-seeded Sooners host No. 13 Vandals in first-round NCAA Tournament game
Mar. 21, 2026 at 12:08am
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The fourth-seeded Oklahoma Sooners women's basketball team is set to face the No. 13-seeded Idaho Vandals in the first round of the 2026 NCAA Women's Tournament on Friday night at Lloyd Noble Center in Norman, Oklahoma. OU is hosting the first and second rounds of the tournament for the second consecutive year.
Why it matters
This matchup represents an opportunity for the Sooners to advance in the tournament and potentially make a deep run, building on their success from the regular season. For Idaho, it's a chance to pull off an upset against a higher-seeded opponent and continue their postseason journey.
The details
The Sooners, led by head coach Jennie Baranczyk, enter the tournament with a strong 25-5 record and are looking to make a statement in front of their home crowd. The Vandals, meanwhile, earned an automatic bid to the Big Dance by winning their conference tournament.
- The first-round game is scheduled for Friday, March 21, 2026 at Lloyd Noble Center in Norman, Oklahoma.
- Tipoff is set for 7:00 p.m. local time.
The players
Jennie Baranczyk
The head coach of the Oklahoma Sooners women's basketball team.
Idaho Vandals
The No. 13 seed in the 2026 NCAA Women's Tournament, who earned an automatic bid by winning their conference tournament.
What they’re saying
“We're excited to be hosting the first and second rounds of the NCAA Tournament again this year. Our team has worked hard to earn this opportunity, and we're looking forward to playing in front of our home crowd.”
— Jennie Baranczyk, Head Coach, Oklahoma Sooners
What’s next
The winner of the OU-Idaho matchup will advance to the second round of the NCAA Tournament, where they will face the winner of the game between the No. 5 seed and the No. 12 seed on Sunday, March 23, 2026.
The takeaway
This first-round matchup between the fourth-seeded Sooners and the No. 13 Vandals represents an exciting start to the 2026 NCAA Women's Tournament, with both teams looking to make their mark and advance in the Big Dance.
