Patty Gasso: Oklahoma 'definitely needed' Big 12 Tournament performance

Head coach Patty Gasso and the Oklahoma Sooners are looking to win a fourth straight Women’s College World Series. This comes following a second straight Big 12 Tournament win.

Ahead of the Norman Regional, Gasso met with the media. There, she emphasized how much Oklahoma needed that performance during the Big 12 Tournament to get things figured out before that NCAA Tournament run began.

“I think we definitely needed to feel that,” Patty Gasso said. “I think we’re over some of those bumps. Now, we’re getting to a place where your season could be over from this point on. Your season could be over on any weekend. So, how badly do you want to keep playing? How badly do you want to toe the line with your girls and where do you want to go?”

To this point in the season, Oklahoma is an impressive 46-6. However, after losing just eight total games in three seasons, it can feel like a lot more losing than Patty Gasso and the Sooners are used to. In particular, the five Big 12 losses after losing just two conference games in the previous three seasons hurt.

Now, however, with the pressure turned up, Oklahoma was able to respond and make the run through the Big 12 Tournament.

“It’s hot. It’s humid. There’s just no excuses now, for anybody. You can’t make excuses. You have to own it. You’ve got to find solutions to things that aren’t working and find the solution fast,” Gasso said.

“So, that’s where we’re at. I think they all know it, and we’re going to put our best out there.”

The Oklahoma Sooners will begin their NCAA Tournament run by hosting the Norman Regional. There, the Sooners will compete alongside Cleveland State, Boston University, and Oregon with games beginning on Friday, May 17th. The winner will advance to compete in the Super Regional against the winner of the Tallahassee Regional. That Regional is highlighted by the Florida State Seminoles.

This is Oklahoma’s 30th trip to the NCAA Tournament. With the exception of the COVID-19-impacted season, Oklahoma has never missed the NCAA Tournament under Patty Gasso.

Patty Gasso on final Big 12 game

In 1996, under Patty Gasso, Oklahoma played its first season in the Big 12. Now, with the Big 12 Tournament in the rearview mirror, it looks like the Sooners have played their last Big 12 game. However, for the time being, she says she can’t be caught up in that.

“They look like they’re fighting, whether it’s on the mound or their at-bats. The way they answered that run was big time. So I love their energy and I love what they’re doing,” Gasso said.

“I’m all about the game. I’ve said it — the Big 12, Big 8 is where I started. So I’ve been in this conference for 30 years. I will feel it when it’s over, but I can’t get caught up in that stuff right now.”