Big 12 Women’s Basketball Tournament TCU vs. Oklahoma Preview
Game 8: No. 9 TCU (20-10) vs. No. 1 Oklahoma (21-8, 15-3)
Time, TV: 1:30 p.m. CT Friday, Big 12 Now/ESPN+
Location: T-Mobile Center, Kansas City, MO
Season series (Oklahoma 1-0): Oklahoma def. TCU, 72-55.
Winner: Advances to the Big 12 semifinals on Monday at 1:30 p.m.
Here is the full Big 12 women’s tournament schedule and results.
Projected starting lineups
TCU: C Sedona Prince, F Aaliyah Robinson, G Una Jovanovic, G Madison Conner, G Agnes Emma-Nnopu.
Oklahoma: F Sahara Williams, F Skylar Vann, G Lexy Keys, G Nevaeh Tot, G Payton Verhulst.
Players to watch
TCU
G Una Jovanovic: The Horned Frogs are more than just Sedona Prince and Madison Conner. Jovanovic was one of the deciding factors in TCU’s two-point win over Oklahoma State on Friday, as she scored 22 points and hit four 3-pointers in the victory. She picked the perfect time to hit her season high, as she was averaging fewer than seven points per game going into the postseason.
Oklahoma
F Skylar Vann: For two years Vann waited behind the ‘Big Three’ super-seniors at Oklahoma and was still named the Big 12 Sixth Player of the Year. This season she finally got her turn to start and was named the Big 12 Co-Player of the Year along with Texas’ Madison Booker. Vann’s blend of size and guard skills plays well in any offensive set, as she averaged 15 points, 7.2 rebounds and 2.5 assist per game in her senior season. Since she started her career in 2020-21, she does have a COVID waiver to use. But, right now, OU is focused winning the Big 12 Tournament title.
Key storylines
TCU
TCU went undefeated in non-conference behind Sedona Prince, Madison Conner and Agnes Emma-Nnopu. Then Big 12 play started and the injuries hit. It got so bad that TCU had to forfeit two games when it didn’t have enough players to play (and as we learned later, the Horned Frogs definitely didn’t have enough to play). The Horned Frogs have now won five of their last six games and with 20 wins on the season, the NCAA Tournament committee has to pay them at least some attention.
Oklahoma
The departures of Taylor Robertson, Madi Williams and Ana Llanusa left big holes in this lineup. So did the early-season loss of forward Liz Scott to injury. The Sooners leaned on Vann while freshmen like Williams, along with transfers like Verhulst and Keys got used to playing in coach Jennie Baranzcyk’s system. Entering Big 12 play OU was a game over .500 and coming off a loss to Southern. Since then OU has gone 15-3 and won a Big 12 regular season crown.
Prediction
Oklahoma 77, TCU 68. This TCU team was beat up the last time Oklahoma played the Horned Frogs. Expect a closer game but expect OU to advance. Then the question becomes whether TCU has a Cinderella path to March Madness.
You can find Matthew Postins on Twitter @PostinsPostcard.
