OU Women Get By ISU

Rose Hammond sparked Oklahoma with a career-high 12 points to help lead the Sooners past Illinois State Sunday in the first round of the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament.

There was nothing easy about it, but Oklahoma advanced Sunday with a first-round win in the Women’s NCAA Basketball Tournament.

Rose Hammond sparked the Sooners with a career-high 12 points as No. 4 seed Oklahoma escaped No. 13 seed Illinois State 69-61 at Mackey Arena in West Lafayette, Ind.

Oklahoma (22-8) advances to play the SMU-Notre Dame winner on Tuesday for the right to advance to the Sweet 16.

Illinois State used a 7-0 run late in the first half to take a 29-27 lead on the Sooners, but Hammond quickly tied the game with a bucket. Amanda Thompson gave Oklahoma a two-point halftime lead with a 17-footer just before the buzzer.

Oklahoma then managed to outscore ISU 38-32 in the second half despite shooting 8.3 percent (1-for-12) from 3-point range.

Ashely Paris led the Sooners with 13 points. She added five rebounds. Twin sister Courtney Paris racked up another double-double with 12 points and 13 boards.

Danielle Robinson also scored 12 points.

The win snapped a three-game losing skid by Oklahoma.