Season Concludes in OKC - 6:29 p.m. Oklahoma's NCAA Tournament run has ended at the Sweet 16 in Oklahoma City with a 74-59 loss to Tennessee at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Thank you for your support of the Sooners and for following along with our coverage throughout the season. Recap | Stats | Notes | Quotes | Photos | Replay |Postgame
Pregame Locker Room - 3:02 p.m. Head coach Sherri Coale goes over updates with the Sooners in the locker room at The Peake. Tip-off is about 30 minutes away. Follow @OUWomensHoops for updates.
Sooners Have Arrived - 2:52 p.m. The Oklahoma Sooners have arrived at Chesapeake Energy Arena for today's Sweet 16 battle with No. 2 seeded Tennessee:
Sooner Send-Off - 10:30 a.m. Oklahoma's final on-court preparation has completed with its morning shootaround at Chesapeake Energy Arena. The next time the Sooners step on the court will be for the Sweet 16. Send-off the Sooners from their team hotel, the Courtyard Marriott at 2 W. Reno (right next to Chesapeake Energy Arena) when they depart for the game at 2:15 p.m.
Easter Egg Hunt - 9:14 a.m. The official host Big 12 Conference and Chesapeake Energy Arena crews had some fun before the Sooners' arrival to morning shootaround, hiding 35 eggs in the locker room. Whitney Hand and Maddie Manning found five each to tie for the most. Here's how the madness began:
It's Game Day! - 8:30 a.m. OU is just seven hours away from tipping off against Tennessee in a Sweet 16 matchup at Chesapeake Enery Arena in Oklahoma City. Sooner Sports TV visits with Sooners' co-captain Whitney Hand about the run through the season and NCAA Tournament.
Sooner Seniors in OKC to Send a Message - 4:42 p.m. OU seniors Lyndsey Cloman, Jasmine Hartman, Whitney Hand and Joanna McFarland have led the Sooners all the way to the Sweet 16, sending a message about the team's character as it has fought adversity for the last year and continued to conquer its goals.
The path has come full circle as the group found Oklahoma City sends the same message. See them all on OU women's basketball's official Instagram feed.
Sooners Focused for Tennessee - 4:21 p.m.
Sooner Sports TV reports from Chesapeake Energy Arena as the Sooners wrap their final practice with tip-off against Tennessee in the Sweet 16 less than 24 hours away.
Oklahoma Practice Pictures - 3:26 p.m. We've updated our weekend photo gallery with around 30 photos from the Sooners' workout at Chesapeake Energy Arena on Saturday. Click here or the photo below to view practice pictures:
Practice Complete at The Peake - 2:41 p.m. Oklahoma has concluded its Saturday practice at Chesapeake Energy Arena and will head back to the team hotel shortly. Stay tuned for photos and a complete report from Sooner Sports TV.
Sooners Draining Shots at Practice - 2:13 p.m. The Sooners have about 25 minutes left of practice here at the home of the Oklahoma City Thunder. Check out this Vine post as the Sooners get comfortable with the hoops at the Peake:
Press Conference Photos - 1:39 p.m. Oklahoma is currently practicing at Chesapeake Energy Arena in preparation for Sunday afternoon's NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 game vs. No. 2 Tennessee. Just prior to the Sooners' workout, head coach Sherri Coale and select players met with the media, while the locker room was open to media members as well. Check out our updated Sweet 16 weekend photo gallery by clicking here or the photo of Coach Coale below:
Press Conference Quotes - 1:18 p.m. Head coach Sherri Coale took the press conference podium this afternoon to represent the Sooners, along with Aaryn Ellenberg, Morgan Hook and Joanna McFarland. For quotes, click the link below: Oklahoma News Conference Quotes | Tennessee Quotes
Preparations at the Peake - 10:38 a.m. The Chesapeake Energy Arena is ready for Saturday's open practices. First, teams will begin by addressing the media in a news conference. Tennessee begins at 10:45 a.m. and Oklahoma follows at 12:25 p.m. Follow along here and with the official OU Women's Basketball Twitter feed: @OUWomensHoops.
On the Floor - 8:33 a.m. All the Oklahoma City Regional teams are in the Sooner state and begin their on-site preparations Saturday. Tennessee kicks off the morning with a news conference and practice followed by Oklahoma. Baylor and Louisville wrap the afternoon.
Senior forward Joanna McFarland has been and will continue to be a large part of the Sooners' success in the tournament.
Win and Go Home - 5:53 p.m. Last weekend, the motto was "Win and go home." The Sooners have arrived in Oklahoma City after their send-off from Norman.
Crimson Classic: OU vs. Tennessee (2009) - 1:59 p.m.
The last time Oklahoma and Tennessee met in Oklahoma City, Pat Summitt was looking for win No. 1,000 and Courtney Paris' NCAA-record double-double streak was at 112 games. But freshman guard Whitney Hand stole the show. Relive it by clicking here or the picture below to watch the full game:
Lunch Links - 11:51 a.m.
Tennessee's Meighan Simmons referred to OU's Aaryn Ellenberg as the "head of the snake." Can the Lady Vols contain the Sooners' quiet assassin?
Catch up on all the latest from the local news about the Sooners:
Countdown to Tip-Off - 9:00 a.m. Oklahoma had its first look at Tennessee on game film Wednesday and made the focus of Thursday's practice all about the matchup with the Lady Vols.
The Sooners say there are similiarities between Tennessee and UCLA, who OU beat 85-72 in an NCAA Second Round rematch of a regular-season loss, and that confidence is high going into Sunday afternoon's game.
Thursday, March 28
Send Off the Sooners - 12:15 p.m. Sooner fans, send your OU women's basketball team off to the Sweet 16 as it departs for Oklahoma City Friday afternoon.
The University of Oklahoma Athletics Department invites fans to the Lloyd Noble Center on Friday, March 29, to wish the team off well as they leave to compete in the NCAA Women's Basketball Regional Championship this weekend.
The Sooners will depart the LNC from the South tunnel at 4:15 pm. Fans are encouraged arrive early and park in the lots south of the arena.
Oklahoma's band and spirit squads will be on hand.
OU plays 2-seed Tennessee Sunday, March 31, at 3:35 p.m. Central at the Chesapeake Energy Arena. The game will be televised on ESPN2.
Wednesday, March 27
Sweet Shirt - 10:40 a.m. Support the best team in NCAA during this exciting time when you wear this 2013 Women's Basketball Sweet 16 T-shirt. It features a Final Four graphic, "Sweet 16" lettering and has the lucky finalists' logo surrounding a basketball so you can cheer on your favorite team as they strive for an NCAA Championship title!
Morning Links- 9:04 a.m. "Tonight was so fitting because the way they are with one another off the floor was they way they played on the floor," Sherri Coale said. "They want to be together and want to spend time together. We began (Sunday) by talking about having one more week together ... and you could see it bubbling within them that they were going to make that happen."
With the Oklahoma Sooners advancing to the Sweet 16, Oklahoma City All Sports Association executive director Tim Brassfield said upper deck tickets will be sold if demand exceeds the 11,000-seat reconfiguration.
"Hopefully that will be a problem," Brassfield said. "The phones were ringing off the wall (on Tuesday). We'll know more after we begin selling single session tickets."
Tip-Off is 3:35 p.m. Sunday - 10:56 p.m. ESPN has announced that the Oklahoma-Tennessee Sweet 16 matchup Sunday, March 31, will tip off at 3:35 p.m. Central.
Pam Ward (play-by-play), Rebecca Lobo (analyst) and Maria Taylor (reporter) will have the call on ESPN2's broadcast.
All-session tickets are on sale now for the Oklahoma City Regional at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Single-session ticket sales begin Thursday.
In addition to the Sooners and Lady Vols, No. 1 Baylor and Louisville meet in the other NCAA Regional Semifinal game starting at approximately 6 p.m.
The regional championship game will be Tuesday at 8:10 p.m. with the winner advancing to the Final Four in New Orelans, La.
Tickets - 3:36 p.m.
The Sooners' equipment managers "decorated" some of the players' vehicles this afternoon while in a team meeting with Sherri Coale. Hopefully, no one gets a citation for what ornaments may come off while driving.
You can get your tickets for all sessions of the Oklahoma City Regional online now. Single-session sales begin Thursday.
Rise and Shine - 9:06 a.m.
The Sooners arrived back at Will Rogers World Airport shortly before 2 a.m. and were greeted at the base of the stairs by OU Athletic Director Joe Castiglione, who had spent his weekend in Lexington, Ky., as a member of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament Committee.
It will be a rest day for the Sooners. The team will have a meeting in the afternoon to discuss their schedule for the week and begin practices to prepare for a Sweet 16 matchup with Tennessee Wednesday.
Home Sweet Home! - 10:05 p.m.
Come tournament time the motto is "Win or go home." For the Sooners? "Win and go home." Oklahoma defeated No. 3 seed UCLA by 13 on Monday to advance to the Sweet 16 in the Oklahoma City Regional. The Sooners will take on Tennessee on Sunday (time TBA).
Sooner Send-Off - 5:29 p.m. The Sooners and Bruins are in their respective locker rooms at St. John
getting final instructions from head coaches Sherri Coale and Cori Close. Check out the Sooners' send-off from their team headquarters this evening:
Vine: Oklahoma's Hotel Send-Off
Final Tune-Up Complete - 2:57 p.m.
The Sooners are back at Team Headquarters after completing their one-hour shootaround at St. John Arena. Check out photos from the workout and tune in tonight at 6:15 p.m. Central on ESPN to watch OU and UCLA meet in the NCAA Second Round from Columbus, Ohio.
Where You Will See OU-UCLA - 10:27 a.m.
ESPN has released it latest coverage map for tonight's NCAA Second Round broadcasts on ESPN2.
Oklahoma and UCLA tip-off at 6:15 p.m. Central. (DirecTV 732/732-1, Dish Channel 147, Dish FullCourt 461). For those not in a market-protected viewing area, watch online at ESPN3.com.
It's Game Day - 8:59 a.m.
The rematch is finally here with the winner moving on to Oklahoma City. Oklahoma and UCLA meet Monday at 6:15 p.m. Central in an NCAA Second Round game in Columbus, Ohio. Check the morning links for the latest on the Sooners and Bruins.
Rebounding is Key - 6:10 p.m.
There was one major focus of the Sooners' day in Columbus: rebounding. Oklahoma survived a poor rebounding effort versus Central Michigan and admitted that the same performance against UCLA would end the Sooners' season.
"We know what we did wrong -- rebounds," OU guard Morgan Hook said. "They had 28 offensive rebounds on us. They outplayed us in
the physical aspects of the game. It's going to be cool to go out there and give them another shot."
"We've been watching that on film. We got whipped on every offensive board. It's not hard to rebound. You just have to want it. That's what we need to have in our mind, that
we want the ball more than they do."
Talking Rematch - 12:11 p.m.
The Bruins came to Norman on Nov. 14. and handed OU and 86-80 loss. The Sooners point to the game as the moment when their season changed and believe they have become a more aggressive team.
Getting a rematch with UCLA has been looked forward to since the bracket announcement. But teams that take the court in Columbus Monday night won't look the same as they did in the second game of the season.
"They play with a great sense of pride and urgency," OU head coach Sherri Coale said. "They're incredibly aggressive. They play with confidence. They're
a little bit different since we faced them at the start of the season. I'm not sure that the matchup will be
similar at all."
Back to Work - 8:28 a.m. While the stakes get higher as the Sooners are just one win away from playing in the Oklahoma City Regional, preparations stay nearly identical with only the opponent changing.
And it's a familiar one. UCLA beat the Sooners in Norman on Nov. 14 86-80 and OU has been relishing an opportunity for the rematch since the tournament bracket was announced.
OU is back at St. John Arena for a news conference and practice Sunday morning. We'll have all the coverage on SoonerSports.com.
Bring on UCLA - 2:59 p.m.
The Sooners will face No. 3 seed UCLA on Monday (time TBA) in Columbus as the Bruins defeated No. 14 seed Stetson, 66-49. The winner will advance to the Sweet 16 in Oklahoma City. OU lost a hard-fought battle to UCLA back in November in Norman, despite 24 points from Aaryn Ellenberg.
UCLA 86, OU 80 (Nov. 14): Recap | Stats | Replay | Quotes
Victory!!! - 1:08 p.m.
Oklahoma captured its eighth straight NCAA First Round win, 78-73 over Central Michigan and now awaits to see its matchup for Monday night. The Sooners are watching UCLA and Stetson play the second game at St. John Arena in Columbus before heading back to Team HQ.
Starting Lineups - 9:46 a.m. No surprises in the official starting lineups for Oklahoma or Central Michigan. Learn more about the starting five for both teams in today's game preview.
On the Court - 9:30 a.m. We're 35 minutes from team introductions at St. John Arena. The Sooners are in the locker room after a short warm-up, getting the final details from head coach Sherri Coale. Central Michigan, wearing gold, is on the court. A good number of fans from both teams are already seated in the arena.
It's Game Day! - 7:18 a.m. The day has begun for the Sooners at Team HQ in Columbus. The team just wrapped a breakfast and will now get ready for its send-off from the hotel scheduled for 8:30 a.m. Central.
A lot of eyes in Columbus will be on Aaryn Ellenberg, who scored 34 points in her last visit in the city when OU played Ohio State her freshman season. But Ellenberg's role has changed much since that breakout game.
"She is clearly the most talented player on the floor for our team," OU head coach Sherri Coale said. "We have pushed her out of her comfort zone and it is happening on a daily basis to get her to be more vocal and to show more energy and emotion towards her teammates because that is an integral part of being the best player.
"I've reminded her repeatedly that the line between good and great is the way you impact the people around you. You're not great unless you make the other four people on the floor with you better players too. Sometimes it's not always giving them the ball where they need it to score, but it's also emotionally lifting them to the best version of themselves."
Friday, March 22
Let's Go Sooners! - 8:48 p.m. The Sooners are on the top floor on Team HQ watching the OU men's first-round game against San Diego State in Philadelphia. Earlier, Oklahoma completed its final film prep of Saturday morning's opponent, Central Michigan (ESPN2, 10:10 a.m. CT).
Sherri Coale reminded her team that they had practiced all week at 10 a.m. because of Spring Break, so their bodies should be adapted to playing at that early time.
News Conference and Practice - 1:37 p.m. Oklahoma was first on the court for official practice at St. John Arena in Columbus, Ohio, Friday morning. The Sooners also met with the media before the 90-minute workout to discuss their upcoming game with Central Michigan.
The storyline of the Sooners has been their seeding, which gives them a chance at a potential rematch with UCLA for a trip back to Oklahoma City.
"Our team understands if we don't show up and present the best version of ourselves, we are in trouble
no matter who we face," OU head coach Sherri Coale said. "Central Michigan can score. They are a tough matchup for us. They're big on the
perimeter and there are mismatches all over the place. There is nobody who is looking beyond Saturday
morning at 11 a.m. (Eastern.)"
Thursday, March 21
OU Has Arrived - 5:04 p.m. The Sooners landed in Columbus just before 12 p.m. Central and quickly watched game film at its Team Headquarters before heading to Capital College for practice. Click the link below to view photos of the day's activities in this updating gallery.
The Sooners will meet for a team dinner this evening before the work weekend begins with news conferences and an official practice on site at St. John Arena Friday morning.
Coale Readying for Double Duty - 3:46 p.m.
Sherri Coale
will be leading the Sooners this weekend as the NCAA Tournament begins, but she'll also be keeping an eye out for her summer job as head coach of the USA's World University Games team that will compete this summer in Russia.
Training camp begins in May and there's no better time to get a look at potential invitees that during March Madness.
Sooners Off to Columbus- 7:58 a.m.
Thank you to the fans who braved the early morning cold to wish the Sooners well on their NCAA Tournament departure from the Lloyd Noble Center Thursday morning.
Oklahoma is off to Columbus for its first-round game at St. John Arena at the Ohio State University. OU will face Central Michigan Saturday, March 23, at 10:10 a.m.
The game will be televised on ESPN2 and webcast on ESPN3.com.
Wednesday, March 20
Sooners Sets Sights on Central Michigan - 1:30 p.m.
OU plays 11-seed Central Michigan Saturday, March 23, at 10:10 a.m. CT at St. John Arena. The game will be televised on ESPN2 and webcast on ESPN3.com.
Sherri Coale and the Sooners talk about their upcoming first-round game and what awaits if Oklahoma takes care of business in Columbus.
Ellenberg Among Nation's Elite - 11:16 a.m.
Oklahoma's Aaryn Ellenberg was named among the regional nominees for the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) Division I All-America Team, the organization announced Tuesday.
Ellenberg was the Sooners' leading scorer for a second straight season, averaging 18.5 points, and a unanimous selection to the All-Big 12 Coaches' First Team.
The junior guard was the Big 12's top perimeter shooter and set Oklahoma's season (103) and career records (272) for 3-pointers made. Entering the NCAA Tournament, Ellenberg has connected on more 3-pointers in 2012-13 than 54 Division I teams.
A selection committee will choose the 10-member WBCA Division I Coaches' All-America Team from 52 candidates across eight regions.
Ellenberg joined Baylor's Britney Griner and Odyssey Sims, Iowa State's Hallie Christofferson, Kansas' Angel Goodrich, Kansas State's Brittany Chambers and Oklahoma State's Toni Young as WBCA All-Region 5 members.
The 2013 WBCA Division I Coaches' All-America Team will be announced at 1:10 p.m. CT Saturday, April 6, during NCAA Women's Final Four festivities in New Orleans Arena.
Scouting Central Michigan - 9:01 a.m.
The Sooners will travel to Columbus, Ohio, Thursday morning for the first and second rounds of the NCAA Tournament. Check back later for more information on how you can send the team off and wish them well. For now, read up on Oklahoma's first-round opponent, Central Michigan via Clay Horning of The Norman Transcript.
Opponent Has Caught Fire at Right Time - Norman Transcript
Tournament
Coverage
SoonerSports.com is your official NCAA Tournament source with daily updates direct from team headquarters in Columbus. We will post daily reports, video, photo galleries and features from team headquarters in Columbus.
No. 6 seed Oklahoma (22-10) meets No. 11 seed Central Michigan (21-11) of the Mid-American Conference in the first round of the NCAA Tournament Oklahoma City Regional in Columbus, Ohio, on Saturday, March 23 (10:10 a.m. CT, ESPN2). It marks OU's 14th consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance and 16th overall.
