WOMEN'S BB: Second-round preview

Oklahoma will be at the Ford Center for the OKC Regional next week. The question is, will it be to participate or to watch? That will be answered Tuesday when the Sooners take on Notre Dame in the second round of the women's tournament.

Oklahoma will be looking to advance to the Sweet 16 for a third consecutive year on Tuesday when it faces Notre Dame in the second round of the NCAA Women’s Basketball Championship.

The fourth-seeded Sooners (22-8) and fifth-seeded Irish (24-8) tipoff at 7 p.m. at the Mackey Arena in West Lafayette, Ind.

The game will be carried on ESPN2 and will also be available online at ESPN360.com. Dave O'Brien, Krista Blunk and Kim Anthony have the call.

Brian Brinkley and Tara Pogue will call the game for the Sooner Sports Network (KOKC 1520 AM in Oklahoma City) broadcast.

Oklahoma is coming of a 69-61 win over Illinois State in Sunday’s first round. That win snapped a three-game losing skid by the Sooners.

In the win, Courtney Paris picked up her 91st consecutive double-double (12 points, 12 rebounds) and 96th in 99 games, but she was heavily guarded by ISU. That allowed Ashley Paris (13 points), Danielle Robinson (12) and Rose Hammond (12) to help pick up the slack.

Oklahoma led by two at the half, but had a strong start to the second half to build a 17-point lead. The Sooners had to hang on, however, as ISU cut that lead to as little as three points (61-58) with just over two minutes to play.

Jenna Plumley made four consecutive free throws in the final minute to keep OU on top.

Notre Dame had considerably less trouble in beating Southern Methodist 75-62 on Sunday.

The Irish are guard heavy, led by Charel Allen, who tops the team with 14.4 points a game. They also feature guard Ashley Barlow, Tulyah Gaines and Lindsay Schrader as well as 6-foot-4 center Erica Williamson.

The Irish have the nation’s eighth-best scoring offense.

Muffet McGraw is in her 21st season as the Fighting Irish head coach. McGraw has guided Notre Dame to 15 NCAA Tournament appearances that include six Sweet 16s, two Final Fours and the 2001 national championship. Notes:

- Oklahoma is 17-10 all-time in the NCAA Tournament with a 8-2 record in the first round. The Sooners have a 6-1 record in the second round.

- The Sooners have been to six Sweet 16s, including advancing the round round the past two seasons, and were national runners-up in 2002.

- OU is 1-0 against Notre Dame and 3-0 in West Lafayette, Ind. -- first and second round victories in the 2000 NCAA Tournament and a first round victory in 2008.

- The Sooners last played Notre Dame on Dec. 30, 1986, in Seattle, Washington and won 57-54.