The move to the SEC raised the stakes for the entire Oklahoma Athletic Department. While much of the focus has been on the increase in competition for the football program, other teams will be seeing a step up in competition and intensity as well.
The SEC boasts arguably the best women’s basketball conference in the country. South Carolina has become a dominant force in recent years under head coach Dawn Staley. The Gamecocks went undefeated in 2023-2024 to capture their second national championship in the last three years. The one that South Carolina didn’t win in 2022-2023 was taken home by Kim Mulkey and the LSU Tigers, led by superstar forward Angel Reese.
Then there’s the women’s hoops blue blood Tennessee. They’ve been a tournament team, but haven’t found the same level of success they enjoyed under the legendary Pat Summitt.
And that’s what the Sooners will have to contend with when they enter the SEC, and Oklahoma women’s basketball head coach [autotag]Jennie Baranczyk[/autotag] is aware of the challenge facing her squad.
“I think you’re looking forward to playing everybody,” Baranczyk shared with SEC Now on Monday. “Because, honestly, I think every night it’s a dogfight every night, you know, and it’s new. It’s new to us. I mean, I know we’re new to everybody, but there’s no familiarity and so that’s going to be really fun in itself, especially that first year or two.”
Every night is a new test. @SoonersCoachJB x @SECNetwork pic.twitter.com/tgD7aK3l6o
— Oklahoma Basketball (@OU_WBBall) July 2, 2024
Eight SEC programs made the Women’s NCAA tournament last season. Five of the eight made it to the round of 32 and the Gamecocks and LSU made it to the elite eight.
As tough as the conference will be for the Sooners, Oklahoma brings in a talented and experienced team. Under Baranczyk, they’ve made the round of 32 each season and were a few possessions away from beating Indiana and reaching the Sweet 16.
The Sooners made a splash in the transfer portal by adding forward [autotag]Raegan Beers[/autotag] to their Big 12 championship squad from a year ago. And as important as the talent on the floor, the Sooners have the right woman at the helm to guide this team on a deep tournament run.
Baranczyk has done a fantastic job with the Oklahoma women’s basketball program and has them positioned to be a force when they enter the SEC.
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