After Oklahoma fans had to stay up late Friday night to witness the women's basketball team get a blowout win in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, the Sooners were gifted the ideal TV slot on America's flagship sports channel with a spot in the Sweet 16 on the line.
The No. 4 seed Sooners will take on No. 5 Michigan State in the second round of the NCAA Tournament in primetime at 7 p.m. CT Sunday on ESPN. Even better, the Sooners will stay home at Lloyd Noble Center for the last time this season, so there's no excuse for any OU fan to miss Sunday night's game.
Sooners given ESPN primetime vs Michigan State
In a game that was the very last slated for the first day of NCAA Tournament action and didn't tip off until after 9 p.m. CT in Norman, the Sooners on Friday hammered No. 13 Idaho 89-59 in the first-round matchup. Despite the late-night tip that led head coach Jennie Baranczyk to buy 100 fans a cup of coffee beforehand, 6,345 fans flooded the LNC, and those at home got to head to bed early if they wanted with the game in control early.
Before the Sooners took their own court, Michigan State just barely escaped No. 12 Colorado State 65-62 to be waiting for OU in the second round. The winner of that matchup will head to Sacramento, California, for the Sweet 16, likely against No. 1 South Carolina, which OU upset 94-82 in overtime earlier this season in Norman.
That Sweet 16 clash will be on Saturday at Golden 1 Center. In a matchup hopefully between two dominant women's basketball brands in OU and South Carolina, plus the Gamecocks' East Coast presence, the Sooners should avoid another late-late tip despite playing on the West Coast, but fans should still take advantage of Sunday evening's primetime matchup.
How to watch Oklahoma vs. Michigan State in NCAA Tournament
When: 7 p..m. CT Sunday
Where: Lloyd Noble Center in Norman
Watch: ESPN (use fuboTV free trial)