NORMAN, Okla. (Interstat) — A compelling second-round NCAA Tournament matchup is set for Sunday when the seed Michigan State Spartans visit the seed Oklahoma Sooners at Lloyd Noble Center.

The Spartans (23-8), fresh off a tense 65-62 first-round win over Colorado State on Friday, face a steep challenge against a formidable Oklahoma squad (25-7) that dominated Idaho 89-59 in its tournament opener.

Michigan State will lean on the scoring of Grace VanSlooten, who paced the team with 18 points in the win over Colorado State. The forward has been a consistent offensive threat, averaging 14.5 points over her last four games. She will need support from Kennedy Blair, who also scored 18 points Friday, and Jalyn Brown to keep pace with Oklahoma’s high-powered attack.

The Sooners present one of the nation’s most efficient offenses, averaging over 82 points per game. Their engine is forward Raegan Beers, a dominant force who recorded a 18-point, 18-rebound performance against Tennessee last month. In Oklahoma’s tournament opener, Beers was ruthlessly efficient, posting 18 points, four assists and four blocks in just 20 minutes of action.

Oklahoma’s season has been marked by explosive wins, including a 100-93 victory over Tennessee and a 45-point rout of Arkansas. Their lone recent stumble was a 112-78 loss at LSU on March 6. Michigan State has shown resilience but inconsistency, with recent losses to Illinois and Ohio State preceding its tournament victory.

The contrast in styles is stark: Oklahoma’s relentless, up-tempo offense against a Michigan State team that grinded out a low-possession win to advance. Containing Beers in the paint will be the primary task for the Spartans, while Oklahoma’s defense must account for VanSlooten’s versatility.

Tip-off is scheduled for Sunday, March 22, with the winner advancing to the Sweet 16. The game will be televised on ESPN.