Guarding Oklahoma is a ‘10’ in degree of difficulty, according to Jan Jensen

NORMAN, Okla. — You’ve got your metrics, like the one in which Oklahoma’s pace of play is the fastest in the nation, according to some analytics guru.

Then, you’ve got subjectivity from Iowa Coach Jan Jensen, whose eye test means more.

“The degree of difficulty in guarding Oklahoma ... like grading a diver or whatever ... it’s a 10,” Jensen said Sunday.

“It will be a tough challenge. I’m just glad we’ve got a shot.”

The Hawkeyes (23-10) tangle with No. 11 Oklahoma (26-7) in an NCAA women’s basketball second-round game Monday.

Tipoff is 3 p.m. at Lloyd Noble Center (ESPN).

Oklahoma is a 4 1/2-point favorite, and according to ESPN analytics, has a 72.7-percent chance to prevail.

“They’re so explosive,” Jensen said of the Sooners. “They’re explosive, with size.”

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Monday’s victor advances to the Sweet 16 next weekend at Spokane, Wash.; the likely regional-semifinal foe is No. 3 Connecticut.

If Iowa wins, it would be the Hawkeyes’ fifth Sweet 16 appearance in the last six tournaments. Of course, they went so far beyond that in 2023 and 2024.

Oklahoma, meanwhile, is chasing its first trip to the second weekend since 2013.

“This is what we’ve worked for all year,” OU post Raegan Beers said. “Iowa is really fast. They’ll be a tough team to face.”

A 6-foot-4 junior, Beers compiled 25 points and 18 rebounds in the Sooners’ first-round win over Florida Gulf Coast on Saturday.

Beers was a third-team All-American after leading Oregon State to the 2024 Elite Eight, then transferred to Norman after the Pac-12 collapse.

She averages 17.7 points and 9.2 rebounds per game, and shoots 65 percent from the floor.

“We’ve just got to try to limit her touches,” Jensen said. “When she gets (in the lane), she’s money. Her size, her skill level ... she’s lights-out.”

Iowa will counter OU’s post size with its post speed. Hannah Stuelke and Ava Heiden both give the Hawkeyes ample quickness out of their 5’s.

“It will be an important part, get up and down the floor, push really hard in transition,” Stuelke said.

Stuelke got into early foul trouble (two personals in less than 2 minutes) in the first-round win over Murray State, but Heiden came off the bench and flourished.

The freshman scored 13 points in the first half and finished with a team-high 15.

In the last four games, Heiden has logged 49 minutes and scored 42 points.

“One of my jobs is to be efficient and have a high field-goal percentage,” said Heiden, who is 18 of 25 from the floor in the recent, potent stretch.

Stuelke, Heiden and everybody else will try to neutralize Oklahoma’s prowess on the boards. The Sooners are No. 2 in the nation in rebounding margin at plus-12.4.

“You’ve got to get your butt onto somebody,” said Sydney Affolter, Iowa’s leading rebounder and 7.8 per game.

“It doesn’t matter if we’re shorter or smaller, you’ve got to hit somebody.”

Affolter is one of four Iowa seniors who are in their final go-round. Heiden and Taylor Stremlow are two of the rookies.

“It’s definitely exciting,” Stremlow said. “All of the emotions ... at the end of the day, I’m playing the game I love with the people I love.”

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com