Idaho women know it will take heroic effort to knock off Oklahoma on home court

The Basketball Power Index gives 13th-seeded Idaho a 1.9% chance to advance to the round of 32 against fourth-seeded Oklahoma on the Sooners’ home court Friday.

One point nine percent.

It is certainly true that based on the seeding the Vandals are only potential Cinderellas in the NCAA Tournament. But the BPI calculation is akin to Cinderella’s slipper being sealed in amber. Advancing to the second round, while visible, is virtually untouchable.

However, UI coach Arthur Moreira said there are two ways to approach this game, and he covered both of them with the team before it left Moscow. The Vandals could play conservatively, limit possessions and play for a respectable 15-point defeat.

“We were very honest in our prep,” he said.

Or they could go for the upset.

Guess what the Vandals are planning.

“The kids love it,” he said. “The kids realize it is so hard to make the tournament. Now they want to swing for the fences.

If we lose by 40, we lose by 40. We did not go all the way to Oklahoma to play close.”

Oklahoma (24-7, 11-5 SEC), like Idaho, wants to play fast with deadly perimeter shooting and a dominant inside game. The Sooners have the team to play this way. Raegan Beers, a 6-4 All-American senior center, is a finalist for the John Wooden Award, honoring the best women’s basketball player, and the Lisa Leslie Award, given to the most dominant center. She is averaging 15.7 points per game and 10 rebounds. Freshman Aaliyah Chavez is the Sooners’ leading scorer, averaging 18.4 ppg, 4.2 assists, 3.8 rebounds and 1.5 steals. The 5-10 guard is the SEC Freshman of the Year.

But the Sooners are not always attentive to playing defense, Moreira noted. In their last game, a loss to LSU in the SEC Tournament, the Sooners gave up 112 points in a 34-point defeat, Moreira points out.

“It could be an issue for them if we get hot,” he said. “In the first quarter, if we are up 20, there might be a little doubt in their minds. We can take advantage of that.”

Idaho certainly has the talent to benefit from such a lapse. Leading scorer Hope Hassmann, the MVP of the Big Sky Conference Tournament, is averaging 14.2 ppg. Guard Kyra Gardner, a senior transfer from Washington State, is right behind her at 12.8 points ppg, and she is grabbing 6.9 rebounds. The Vandals have two other double-digit scorers in senior post player Debora dos Santos (11.3 ppg, 8.4 rpg) and guard Ana Pinheiro (10.6 ppg). The 6-foot sophomore from Portugal is also a staunch defender and she will be challenged to slow Chavez.

Playing with pace has been a signature for Idaho this season, and March Madness only puts a spotlight on that. Idaho will do everything and play everyone to make the game fast.

“If you are available to play and are healthy, be ready,” Moreira told his team. “The last two months, we have played a rotation of eight. But if we need to, we can use everybody on the bench.”

Idaho broke the school record for wins this year in compiling a 29-5 season, 17-1 in the Big Sky Conference, and the Vandals come into March Madness on an 18-game winning streak. They have not lost since falling to Montana State 99-66 in Bozeman on Jan. 10, and they recovered from that embarrassment by taking down the Bobcats 73-70 in Moscow in overtime, and they beat MSU 60-57 in the Big Sky championship game.

“I feel like we are battle-tested,” Moreira said. Oklahoma lost its last game, not Idaho, and the Vandals are coming into the tournament with a load of momentum. They are prepared to do their utmost to match Oklahoma at its own game, regardless of the outcome.

“We are all in,” Moreira said. “Once we had our plan, everybody stands by it.”

One hundred percent, not 1.9.