Third-Seeded Sooners Want Packed House

The Sooners are urging fans to show up and be loud, as they host the first two rounds at the Lloyd Noble Center, including their game against South Dakota State Sunday.

Thursday, May 26th 2011, 11:34 am

By: News On 6

Originally Published: Mar 18, 2010 12:25 PM CDT

Stephany Speck
Oklahoma Sports Staff Writer

NORMAN, Oklahoma -- The third-seeded Oklahoma Sooners are playing host to the first two rounds of the NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball.

In their 11th-consecutive appearance, the Sooners will face the South Dakota State Jackrabbits around 8:30 p.m. OU begins the tournament with a 23-10 record, having completed one of the hardest schedules in the country.

“It’s been a tough road, the Big 12 Conference, the premier conference in women’s basketball,” Coale said. “We did it the hard way, but we earned our right to be here.”

The Sooners had a strong performance in the Big 12 Conference tournament, but finished with a disappointing loss to Texas A&M. Coale said her team may have lost the conference championship game, but her squad is ready for the Big Dance.

“I think we are playing our best basketball of the year,” Coale said. “I think our team really has figured out who we are, what our identity is and what we have to do to win basketball games.”

Games at Lloyd Noble Center:

March 21 6:16 p.m.
Georgia Tech
Arkansas-Little Rock

March 21 8:30 p.m.
No. 3 Oklahoma
No. 14 South Dakota St.

March 23 8:30 p.m.
Round 2 Winners

“Hopefully we’ll pack that Llyod Noble Center,” Coale said. “We’d love to have a sell-out capacity crowd to help us beat the jackrabbits.”