Gonzaga coach Lisa Fortier may not have immediately known much about sixth-seeded Oklahoma when the pairings were announced Monday, but she is aware of a potential home-court advantage and history on her side.
Fortier knows the Sooners (22-9) are physical with a balanced scoring lineup going up against her 11th-seeded team.
Despite having a lower seed, Gonzaga (26-6) will play Oklahoma in nearby Seattle on Saturday. The winner will advance to possibly play third-seeded Washington, which opens against No. 14 seed Montana State.
As the No. 11 seed, the Bulldogs have a good history. Two years ago in Fortier's first year as coach, Gonzaga beat George Washington and Oregon State to reach the Sweet 16.