The Iowa Hawkeye women bid for a third straight trip to the Sweet Sixteen when they play Oklahoma on Monday afternoon. Former Drake coach Jennie Baranczyk (bih-rahn-check) leads the Sooners and was a standout player at Iowa for current Hawkeye head coach Jan Jensen.
The Hawkeyes will have a challenge on defense against a Sooner team that plays at breakneck speed and averages 85 points per game.
The added challenge for the Hawkeyes is the Sooners will have the home court advantage. Iowa senior guard Sydney Affolter.
Senior guard Lucy Olsen says the Hawkeyes are ready for the pace.
Baranczyk coached against Iowa several times during her time at Drake but admits she will be thinking about her former Hawkeye teammate Jamie Cavey-Lang on Monday. Iowa’s former radio analyst died in December after a battle with cancer.
Baranczyk has led the Sooners to the NCAA Tournament three times and is hoping to lead them to the Sweet Sixteen for the first time.
