NORMAN -- After dismantling Murray State, 92-57 on Saturday, the six-seed Iowa women will matchup with third-seeded Oklahoma on Monday at 3 pm CT.
Don't expect it to be another blowout.
Not only are the Sooners coached by former Hawkeye star and one of the top young coaches in the game, Jennie Baranczyk, OU's roster is loaded with talent. Three of Oklahoma's starters are averaging double-figures at this point in the season, including former five-star prospect out of Waterloo West, Sahara Williams (10.5 ppg) and Payton Verhulst (14.9 ppg). Verhulst is also the team leader in assists (4 per game) and steals (1.5 per game).
Then there's Raegan Beers.
The 6'4" post has dominated the interior this season for the Sooners, as she has nearly averages a double-double to lead her team in scoring and on the boards, putting up 17.7 points and 9.2 rebounds per game. She also led OU in blocks at just over one per game.
"She's just so strong, and big, and just such a nice, soft touch," Jan Jensen said at Sunday's NCAA Tournament availability. "We've just got to try to limit her touches, and that's the thing, because if she touches it anywhere in the middle of the paint, into the old charred circle, I mean, she's money."
She's so money that Jensen and Iowa "tried like crazy" to recruit her out of high school and out of the portal when she transferred from Oregon State.
"With her size, and her skill level, her touch, it usually lights out when she gets it low," Jensen added. "[Oklahoma] has got one of the quintessential post players, and it makes it really, really hard."
"She's tremendous," Iowa assistant Randi Henderson added. "Super physical and mobile. She's strong. She times her seals extremely well. They pass it to her extremely well. She can shoot it a little bit. She's a tough matchup, I think, for anybody, which is why she's been so successful. We've just got to give it our best."
The main plan defensively is to keep the ball out of Beers' hands with different types of coverages and involvement from the entire defense.
"I think you've just got to use different methods," Jensen added. "You definitely have to make sure that you're battling, because she just has a way to get you behind. It doesn't matter if you're fronting, side, trying to be behind and push her out. She's just too strong. ... Everybody needs to be in gaps, everybody needs to be pressuring the ball, that's supposed to be pressuring the ball -- it all starts and ends with that high-low game."
With three posts in Iowa's rotation, they'll have a myriad of ways to defend Beers.
"I think we're going to try a couple different things, throwing them at her," starting center Hannah Stuelke said. "[We'll be] trying to keep her on her toes.
"I'd like to use all of our centers," Jensen continued. "I think when you're guarding someone like that, it's very likely you could have some foul trouble, because even if you think you're in a position, 50-50 charge block, you're going to lose some of those, and usually they, unfortunately, they go to size a lot of times."
Over the last 48 hours, the Hawkeyes have done their best to emulate what Beers brings to the table in practice.
"We've got Tanner, he's one of our practice guys," freshman post Ava Heiden said. "He's a brick wall. Playing against him has been very good. ... I think playing against Audi Crooks -- she's also a very strong player to play against -- playing against her earlier in the season has helped me out, too."
For Heiden, who matches Beers' height and is the tallest player on the Iowa roster, one may expect her to see the floor more than her average of nine minutes per game this season. Matching her career high in minutes played (17) on Saturday along with scoring a career high 15 points, she may exceed 20 minutes on the court come Monday.
Whatever transpires, Heiden is prepared to do what's best for the Hawkeyes in sharing those minutes with Stuelke and senior center, Addison O'Grady.
"I don't know what to expect -- anything can happen," Heiden said. "People can get fouls, someone else could be producing that night. Everyone is ready for their name and number to be called, and I'll be ready, too."
The freshman standout has a plan of attack when matching up against one of the more talented posts in the country. If the Hawkeyes will have a chance at keeping Beers relatively in check, chances are, it will be thanks to the effort of Heiden.
"I'll be using my strength's against her," Heiden said. "I've got more quickness and touch, but I'll also be strong and physical on her defensively. I'll be going back and forth between the defensive physicality and offensive finesse. It's about finding that balance for me."
Heiden, Stuelke and O'Grady have earned the belief of the staff and their teammates, and that goes into tomorrow too, no matter the opponent.
"We have great posts all around," Sydney Affolter said. "Whether it's Hannah, Addi or Ava, we have all the confidence in the world in them. Obviously, Raegan is a great post. She's going to score, but we just want to make it tough on her."
