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OU Basketball: Meet Oklahoma's Opponents in the NCAA Tournament Regional

The Sooners will face off against Florida Gulf Coast in the first round again, and Iowa and Murray State are also headed to Norman.

Ryan Chapman

Oklahoma Sooners guard Payton Verhulst
Oklahoma Sooners guard Payton Verhulst / Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images
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NORMAN — For the second time since arriving at Oklahoma, Jennie Baranczyk has her Sooners hosting the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament. 

OU learned its fate on Selection Sunday, where the tournament committee deemed the Sooners had earned a 3-seed in the 2025 field. 

Baranczyk’s team hosted the first two rounds as a 4-seed in 2022, but the team has yet to break through and reach the Sweet 16 in her tenure. 

This year, Oklahoma could potentially have to go through Baranczyk’s alma mater, Iowa, to make it to the second weekend. 

The winner of Saturday’s contest between OU and 14-seeded Florida Gulf Coast will meet the winner of the 6-seeded Hawkeyes and 11-seeded Murray State on Monday. 

Meet the teams headed to Norman for the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament:

14-seeded Florida Gulf Coast Eagles

The Florida Gulf Coast Eagles won the ASUN Tournament.
The Florida Gulf Coast Eagles won the ASUN Tournament. / Jonah Hinebaugh/The News-Press/USA Today Network-Florida / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Record: 30-3 (ASUN Champions)

Coach: Chelsea Lyles

Key Wins: Georgetown, Cincinnati, Central Arkansas in the ASUN Championship

Leading Scorer: Guard Emani Jefferson leads the way with 14.4 points per game. She also adds 5.8 rebounds and 3.4 assists per contest, and she’s shooting 35.8 percent from 3-point range this year.

Of Note: This won’t the first battle between OU and Florida Gulf Coast. Last year, the Sooners dumped FGCU out of the tournament in the first round, but Oklahoma narrowly edged out the Eagles 73-70.

6-seeded Iowa Hawkeyes

Iowa Hawkeyes guard Lucy Olsen
Iowa Hawkeyes guard Lucy Olsen / Grace Smith/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Record: 22-10

Coach: Jan Jensen

Key Wins: USC, Iowa State, Michigan State, Nebraska, Virginia Tech

Leading Scorer: Guard Lucy Olsen paces the Hawkeyes with 18.0 points per game. She also leads the team with 4.9 assists per game, and chips in 3.6 rebounds per game. Iowa’s second-leading scorer, Hannah Stuelke (12.8 points per game), pulls down 7.9 boards per game. 

Of Note: OU coach Jennie Baranczyk starred for the Hawkeyes from 2000-2004. She graduated as the only player in program history to rank in the top 10 of points, rebounds, assists, steals and blocks for Iowa. She played in the NCAA Tournament three times for the Hawkeyes, and helped win the 2001 Big Ten Tournament title.

11-seeded Murray State Racers

Murray State coach Recehlle Turner
Murray State coach Recehlle Turner / Gary Cosby Jr. / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Record: 25-7 (MVC Champions)

Coach: Rechelle Turner 

Key Wins: Memphis, Drake, Belmont 

Leading Scorer: Forward Katelyn Young averages 22.2 points per game for the Racers on 55.6 percent shooting from the field and 37.4 percent shooting from deep.

Of Note: Murray State is dancing for the first time since 2008 and the second time ever. The Racers secured their bid by knocking off Belmont in the Missouri Valley Conference title game behind a 34-point performance by Young. 

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Ryan Chapman
RYAN CHAPMAN

Ryan is managing editor at Sooners On SI and covers a number of sports in and around Norman and Oklahoma City. Working both as a journalist and a sports talk radio host, Ryan has covered the Oklahoma Sooners, the Oklahoma City Thunder, the United States Men’s National Soccer Team, the Oklahoma City Energy and more. Since 2019, Ryan has simultaneously pursued a career as both a writer and a sports talk radio host, working for the Flagship for Oklahoma sports, 107.7 The Franchise, as well as AllSooners.com. Ryan serves as a contributor to The Franchise’s website, TheFranchiseOK.com, which was recognized as having the “Best Website” in 2022 by the Oklahoma Association of Broadcasters. Ryan holds an associate’s degree in Journalism from Oklahoma City Community College in Oklahoma City, OK. 

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