Women’s NCAA Tournament: Oklahoma Sooners beat Quinnipiac with big offensive day

The Oklahoma Sooners (21-11) set the NCAA on notice as they pummeled the Quinnipiac Bobcats (31-1) in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Saturday afternoon. Oklahoma set a season high and a team NCAA record for points in a game, outscoring the Bobcats 111-84 to move on.

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Gabby Ortiz scored 16 points on 5-of-7 shooting to lead the Sooners in scoring. She was one of six Sooners to score in double figures.

With the victory, Oklahoma moves onto the second round. They’ll play either No. 4 Stanford or No. 13 Cal. State-Northridge on Monday evening.

The Sooners didn’t waste anytime in their march to the second round. They came out and were up 6-0 on the Bobcats before anyone was able to take seat. By the first media timeout, they had built a 19-5 lead and left the Bobcats dazed and confused.

It didn’t stop there. Oklahoma built a 20-point lead quickly before Quinnipiac finally started making the competitive. The Bobcats cut the Sooners lead to 45-33 with 5:33 before halftime, but the inside out game of Kaylon Williams and Ortiz just proved to be too overwhelming for Quinnipiac.

The Sooners led 57-40 at the break on 60 percent shooting.

Oklahoma made 13-of-29 3-pointers on the afternoon and every time the Bobcats made a run, the Sooners found a way to blitz them with the long ball. Quinnipiac cut the Sooners lead to 11 off a 7-0 run with 13:12 remaining in the contest, cutting Oklahoma’s lead to 67-56. However, back-to-back 3-pointers from Ortiz and Maddie Manning gave Oklahoma some breathing room.

Over the next four minutes, an assault of offensive proportions put the Bobcats away from good. Oklahoma pushed the lead out to 64-62 with just over nine minutes to go.

Before Sherri Coale pulled her starters, the long tenured coach watched her starters put a 100-spot on the Bobcats with 3:40 to go.

After the way the Big 12 Tournament ended, unable to really score points against Texas, it was a sight for sore eyes to see the Sooners get some offense so easily. They’ll need another offensive outburst if they’re going to advance to the Sweet 16. The Sooners are aiming for their fifth Sweet 16 appearance in seven seasons.