NORMAN, Okla. (AP) — Raegan Beers had 18 points and 10 rebounds, and No. 4 seed Oklahoma overwhelmed No. 13 seed Idaho 89-59 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Friday night.
Beers, a senior center, also had four assists and four blocks. Sahara Williams had 17 points and 10 rebounds, Aaliyah Chavez scored 15 points and Payton Verhulst added 14 for the Sooners (25-7), who stopped Idaho's win streak at 18 games. The Vandals hadn’t lost since
Jan. 10.
Oklahoma will play No. 5 seed Michigan State in the second round on Sunday. The Spartans outlasted No. 12 Colorado State 65-62 in the early game on Friday.
Kyra Gardner scored 19 points and Hope Hassmann added 12 for Idaho (29-6).
Oklahoma played one of its most efficient halves of the season to go up 57-35 at the break. The Sooners shot 59.5% from the field and committed just four turnovers. The Sooners held Idaho to 25.5% shooting. Williams had 13 points and Verhulst had 12 at the break.
The Sooners opened the second half on an 8-1 run, including six points from Beers, to go up 65-36.
Williams drained a shot from beyond halfcourt at the end of the third quarter, but she released it just a bit too late to count. The Sooners took a 76-38 lead into the fourth.
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AP March Madness bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-womens-bracket and coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness
