NORMAL — The Illinois State women’s basketball team will face Oklahoma in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, the Redbirds learned today when the 64-team bracket was announced on ESPN. | Photo Gallery | Oklahoma City Region bracket | Women’s tournament page
The Redbirds were seeded 13th in the Oklahoma City Region and will face the 21-8 Sooners in West Lafayette, Ind., on Sunday.
It is ISU’s second NCAA Tournament berth in the past four seasons and the program’s fifth overall.
The Sooners are led by superstar Courtney Paris, who has had 90 straight double-doubles in her career.
She averages 18.7 points, 15.1 rebounds and 3.5 blocks, is the NCAA’s leading rebounder and No. 4 shot blocker.
Robin Pingeton, in her fifth season as head coach at ISU, guided the Redbirds to their last NCAA berth in 2005 after being a No. 8 seed in the conference tournament.
The Redbirds (26-6) earned an automatic berth by winning the Missouri Valley Conference tournament on Sunday with a 70-62 victory over Drake in St. Charles, Mo.
Illinois State’s Kristi Cirone talks to coach Robin Pingeton on Sunday (March 16, 2008) during the second half of the 2008 Missouri Valley Conference Tournament championship game at Family Arena in St. Charles, Mo. Illinois State defeated Drake 70-62. (Pantagraph/CARLOS T. MIRANDA)
Oklahoma’s Courtney Paris, right, goes to the basket while guarded by Texas A&M’s Takia Starks and La Toya Micheaux, back, during the second half of their basketball game Thursday, March 6, 2008, at Reed Arena in College Station, Texas. Texas A&M defeated Oklahoma, 73-59. (AP Photo/Paul Zoeller)
" Congrats to the Birds! We’ll be in W. Lafayette Sunday night rooting for all of you. And yes, the Tournament Committee failed to show you enough respect. You lost 6 games by a total of 25 points. You may have lost, but were never beaten! "
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