It Comes Down to This: Regional Finals Preview

It’s spell time, ladies. Finish successful nan apical 2 and beforehand to nan team’s 2nd consecutive Elite 8/National Semifinals. Finish extracurricular of that, and nan play is over; it’s that simple.

When: Sunday, April 5, 2026

Where: Historic Memorial Coliseum | Lexington, KY

Time: 4pm CST

TV: ESPN+

Leo Prediction: The Tigers person worn each 4 caller leotards this season, and since Nightfall has a akin vibe to Friday’s Supernova and Mirage debuted astatine SECs, I’m going pinch “Giant Tiger Head” for my prediction, whose fixed sanction is eluding maine astatine this point, aliases MIZ (the golden gem 1 that will beryllium retired temporarily while it’s remade by nan team’s caller leo provider, GK). Both options SCREAM Mizzou, and that’s what I want to see.

Order of Events: Similar to SECs and nan semifinal round, Mizzou will compete connected Bars —> Beam —> Floor —> Vault | Oklahoma will spell Olympic bid (VLT—>UB—>BB—>FX) | Ohio State will spell BB —>FX—>VLT—>UB | Arkansas goes aforesaid arsenic nan semis: FX—>VLT—>UB—>BB)

Regarding nan choice, which Shannon discussed astatine nan team’s pre-Regionals unfastened practice/intrasquad, “I deliberation that’s been a bully arena for america to commencement on. And we conscionable ended really beardown astatine SEC championships connected vault.”

“I americium conscionable perfectly thrilled. I’ve ne'er wanted it arsenic overmuch for a squad arsenic this team,” caput coach Meredith Paulicivic said aft Friday’s 2nd session, successful which they hit retired seeded squad and meet host, Kentucky, who started beardown but could not flooded a disastrous beam rotation. The meet was perfectly electrical and came down to a conflict betwixt nan Buckeyes and play-in winner, Rutgers.

“We’re really bonded,” Paulicivic said. “We spent 9 days successful Mallorca, Spain together, and I conscionable consciousness for illustration it’s a closeness for illustration nary different squad that I’ve coached has been and they’ve worked truthful difficult and done each azygous point time successful and time retired that I person asked of them. And arsenic a coach, you ever want nan difficult activity to salary off. And connected successful nan backmost of your mind, you’re like, if each this difficult activity doesn’t salary off, will they bargain successful nan adjacent time?”

An absorbing nosy fact: Sunday will beryllium a existent trial of loyalties for Kevin Griffin, Kennedy’s dad, who is tOSU’s Associate Director of Athletics, Business Strategy. Does he deterioration 1 of those location divided shirts that’s half Ohio State colors and half Mizzou colors? Or does he deterioration a Mizzou chapeau and an OSU shirt, aliases vice versa? Guess we’ll person to see. After a wardrobe alteration betwixt sessions connected Friday, he switched retired his MU cogwheel for OSU and is “very excited for Sunday.”

What tin you spot astir nan reigning nationalist champs? They’re um… really good, pinch five-star recruits and All-Americans up and down their lineup. The Sooners, unbeaten successful nan regular play for ninth clip nether caput coach KJ Kindler, are looking for their 15th consecutive location championship, which dates backmost to 2010.

“We ne'er return for granted really difficult this portion of nan process is,” Kindler said aft Friday’s session. “Our starters coming were amazing, conscionable to statement them. Lizzie Blessey connected vault pinch a 9.925, past Lily connected bars pinch a 9.95 arsenic a starter is simply a gigantic score. And past equilibrium beam, a 9.875, from Addison Fatta, and past floor, Ella Murphy, pinch a 9.95. So erstwhile you commencement your lineup pinch those kinds of scores, it gives everybody who comes afterwards a large chance to proceed to build those benignant of scores. So really excited astir that.”

Since nan Tigers and Sooners look inextricably linked erstwhile it comes to nan postseason — they support ending up successful nan aforesaid spot — truthful erstwhile Missouri precocious past twelvemonth to its first Four connected nan Floor, OU enthusiastically shouted alongside them. Hell, their fans shouted emphatically for Helen Hu. (she really brought nan full gymternet together, guys.)

“I person a very young team,” Kindler said. “We person a batch of freshmen and sophomores. This is benignant of their first sensation of postseason and you could spot that location was a small spot of pulling backmost from being aggressive. We want them to loosen up a small spot much for Sunday, beryllium small much free erstwhile they’re competing, benignant of time off nan accent astatine nan hotel.”

Fun Fact: The past clip nan Sooners mislaid nan SEC Championship they won nan nationalist title. They were nan runner up astatine SECs. Does that mean they get different title this year? We’ll find out.

It’s rematch time, ladies and gents. Three different times this season, nan Gymbacks and Tigers person travel face-to-face, and 2 of those times, Mizzou has emerged victorious. It wasn’t until Friday that Arkansas sewage nan precocious hand.

When asked really it felt to sound disconnected nan Tigers, caput coach Jordyn Wieber said, “It feels good. I mean, we’re conscionable focused connected us. We’re successful our ain world, our ain bubble, sloppy of nan different teams retired connected nan level connected nighttime 1 and nighttime two. We conscionable want to beryllium nan champion type of Arkansas that we tin perchance be. That’s what I’m focused on. It ne'er hurts to win. It decidedly feels good.”

“I’m really, really proud of this team,” she said. “I felt for illustration we had occurrence we needed to person today. Step 1 was person a awesome meet coming and get to time two, and we did that. We really focused successful connected consistency, conscionable being normal.”

What is it pinch Missouri having to look each reddish teams? On Friday, Missouri faced a oversea of reddish teams successful Arkansas, NC State, and Maryland. Sunday is different meet pinch each nan shades of reddish pinch Arkansas (cardinal), Oklahoma (crimson) and Ohio State (scarlet).

The Tigers aren’t coming disconnected a awesome meet connected Friday, but it was believe for nan main event, successful my eyes, and they undoubtedly cognize what they request to do to advance. We still haven’t seen their champion gymnastics, truthful there’s nary clip for illustration nan present!!

You tin publication my recap of Friday’s meet here. Lots of quotes and study there.

“Clearly we near immoderate tenths retired location connected nan table,” Shannon said post-meet, “and I deliberation that successful immoderate ways, it’s going to motivate america for Sunday, right? We conscionable request to locomotion successful nan doorway and get into that mode correct away. We don’t person clip to wait, you know, 1 aliases 2 events and past move it on.”

[updated 4th floor plan pinch scores from Friday’s semifinals]

Ohio State

I don’t cognize what was successful nan h2o successful Columbus starring up to Friday’s vault rotation, but I kindly inquire that they stock it pinch nan Tigers. On a Lexington Regional-leading 49.550, they rather virtually vaulted their measurement into nan Sweet 16.

In lawsuit you missed nan Friday nighttime session, that rotation was incredible. After a leadoff 9.80 and a dropped 9.775, they pulled retired 3 consecutive 9.95 scores from Cameron Smith (Y 1.5), Natalie Martin (Y 1.5) and Tory Vetter (YF, 9.95 SV) and a 9.90 from JJ Coleman (YF, 9.95 SV). Four routines, 4 sticks. Best people of nan play by 2/10. And per Road to Nationals data, these were each play highs (JJ’s was a tie).

“We’ve been playing each sorts of sticking games successful nan gym, and it paid off,” Paulicivic said. “Specifically successful nan past 2 weeks, we’ve been doing crazy, crazy The Price is Right games for clone money and each these kinds of things. So it’s really nosy to spot that difficult activity salary off.”

Oklahoma

Oklahoma earned nan 2nd highest vault people of nan nighttime convention pinch a 49.450, led by Elizabeth Blessey’s leadoff 9.925 and Addison Fatta’s anchor 9.90. They besides counted 3 9.875 scores from Keira Wells, Hannah Scheible and Mackenzie Estep successful spots two-four. They dropped Elle Mueller’s 9.85 successful nan five-spot.

For nan season, Fatta has a precocious people of 10, followed by Scheible, Blessey and Mueller’s 9.975 and a 9.95 for Wells. While neither Faith Torrez aliases Lily Pederson competed connected Friday, they clasp precocious scores of 9.925 and 9.90, respectively, truthful they are really (really) bully options.

Missouri

On Friday, nan Tigers earned nan 3rd highest people of nan advancing teams pinch a 49.275. They were led by 9.90s from some Hannah and Kimarra successful nan four-five spots, to spell on pinch a 9.85 from Railey successful nan two-spot, a 9.825 connected a amazingly downgraded Yurchenko Full from nan anchor, Elise— her Y1.5 has looked truthful bully recently— and a 9.80 from Kennedy successful nan 3rd spot. They dropped Kaia’s leadoff 9.70. Ki sewage nan only instrumentality of nan rotation — I deliberation it was a stick, anyhow — but nan remainder of nan landings (aside from Kaia) were controlled and minimal successful position of deductions.

This season, nan Tigers person 4 9.90 aliases higher vaulters successful their lineup, led by Hannah’s 9.975 she earned astatine Nebraska. Railey has maxed retired astatine a 9.95, which is still singular fixed really her vaults looked past year; she simply could not cleanly onshore that 1.5! Two Tigers, Kimarra (9.95 SV) and Elise, person some scored 9.90 this season. Kaia and Kennedy person earned a 9.875 and 9.85, respectively.

Arkansas

On Friday, Arkansas, contempt being classed sixth nationally, earned conscionable a 49.250 connected vault, which was nan lowest of nan past teams standing. Their champion people came courtesy of Morgan Price’s 9.95 people successful nan 5th spot, to spell on pinch a 9.90 from leadoff Leah Smith, who tied her play high. They besides counted a 9.825 from Allison Cucci successful nan anchor spot, a 9.80 from Hailey Klien successful nan three-spot and a 9.775 from Lauren Williams successful nan four-spot. They dropped Joscelyn Roberson’s 9.70 successful nan two-spot.

The Gymbacks, of course, are led by Morgan Price’s 10 this season, nan first 10 successful programme history, and they’ve besides sewage a brace of 9.975 precocious scores from Williams and Klein. Weaver and Cucci some person earned 9.925 scores, Smith has a 9.90 and Roberson’s champion connected nan hardest NCAA vault is simply a 9.85. This vault squad has monolithic potential; they conscionable person to put it together astatine a later day (NOT Sunday).

Oklahoma

Kindler was particularly impressed pinch her bars lineup connected Friday evening, saying, “I thought bars was 1 of our champion of nan twelvemonth to beryllium honorable pinch you, I mean that you had to gain each people connected that event, I judge 5 retired of six landings that is spot on, and thing we’re going to want to effort to emulate arsenic we move forward.” Their 49.525 led nan regional, and was led by a powerful 1-2 punch from Lily Pederson (who won nan arena connected her birthday!) and Ella Murphy, who each earned a 9.95 successful nan first 2 slots. Both scores tied their play highs. They besides counted a 9.90 from Hannah Scheible successful nan 5 spot, a 9.875 from nan anchor, Faith Torrez, and 9.85s (one of which was dropped) by Mackenzie Estep and Addison Fatta.

On nan season, nan Sooners person yet to get a cleanable 10, which really shocks me, but they do person play precocious 9.95 scores from an astonishing FIVE group successful their lineup— Torrez, Fatta, Pederson, Estep, and Murphy. Scheible’s precocious this play is simply a 9.925.

Arkansas

Arkansas had a bully bars rotation connected Friday, earning a 49.375 which was led by co-event winner, Morgan Price’s 9.925. Hailey Klein and Leah Smith put together back-to-back 9.875 scores successful nan 2nd and 3rd spots, while some Avalon Campbell successful nan 4th spot and leadoff Joscelyn Roberson earned 9.85s. They dropped Allison Cucci’s 9.80 successful nan 5th spot.

On nan season, M. Price leads nan squad pinch a 9.975, and is followed by 4 athletes pinch 9.90 highs this season— Smith, Roberson, Campbell, and Cucci. Klein has a 9.875 this season, which she tied connected Friday.

Missouri

The Tigers earned a 49.200 to commencement nan meet and really what was missing was sticks! They had conscionable 2 of them, courtesy of their highest people recipients, Hannah (9.925) and Maiya (9.90). Olivia and Kimarra earned 9.80 scores successful nan 3rd and anchor spots, while Makayla and Lauren some earned 9.775 scores successful nan first 2 spots. They person to commencement stronger connected Sunday. I judge successful them, arsenic some person profession 9.90+ scores.

For nan season, location are 7 Tigers who person earned 9.90 scores aliases higher if you’re counting Addi Lawrence, who didn’t compete bars connected Friday. Hannah and Kimarra clasp nan highest scores pinch a 9.95 connected nan season, followed by Maiya’s 9.925, and past a slew of 9.90s from Olivia, Makayla, and Lauren. I consciousness for illustration it should beryllium mentioned that this rotation only returns 2 of past year’s rotation pinch H2 and Liv. Ki and Maiya are freshmen, Mak is simply a transfer, and LMac was retired pinch wounded past season.

Ohio State

The Buckeyes’ bars lineup has potential, arsenic they person 3 9.90 precocious scores connected nan play from Vetter, Berry and Coleman. Rader and Payton Harris, who did not compete connected bars connected Friday, some person been 9.875, while Jackson has a 9.85 and Ponager has a career-high 9.825. They did not really showcase that imaginable to its afloat grade connected Friday, earning conscionable a 48.850. tOSU was led by JJ Coleman’s anchor 9.85, and they besides counted 2 9.80 scores from Vetter and Jackson successful nan 4th and 5th spots, to spell on pinch 9.70 scores from leadoff Jaylyn Ponager and Maisyn Rader successful nan 3rd spot. Sadie Jane Berry took a tumble successful nan 2nd slot, earning conscionable an 8.45 that would beryllium dropped.

Oklahoma

The Sooners were nan only squad connected Friday pinch a genuinely bully beam rotation, earning a 49.425. While they did person a autumn from anchor Faith Torrez that was dropped, they had a rotation-high 9.925 from Ella Murphy successful nan 3rd spot, to spell on pinch a 9.90 from Lily Pederson successful nan 4th slot, 2 9.875 scores from nan first 2 group successful nan lineup, Addison Fatta and Keira Wells, and a 9.85 from Elle Mueller successful nan 5th spot.

On nan season, this is simply a superior beam team, pinch a season-high 10 from Torrez, to spell on pinch a 9.975 precocious people from Murphy, a 9.95 from Scheible, Fatta, Mueller and Wells, and a 9.925 from Pederson.

Arkansas

Friday’s early convention featured a batch of equilibrium beam situations, we’ll telephone them, and Arkansas, usually a beam team, had their ain adjacent stock of issues, though they still managed to unafraid a 49.150. While Joscelyn Roberson clinched nan team’s triumph pinch a stellar 9.95 successful nan anchor spot, nan remainder of nan scores were sub-par by Arkansas’ standards, pinch a 9.85 from leadoff Priscilla Park, 2 9.80 scores from Morgan Price and Hailey Klein successful nan 5th and 2nd spots, and a 9.75 from Allison Cucci successful nan 4th spot. They dropped Cami Weaver’s 9.65 successful nan 3rd spot.

“We’re 1 of nan champion successful nan country,” Wieber said connected Friday. “Definitely, immoderate areas we tin sharpen up conscionable a small bit, conscionable beryllium a small much trusting of nan landings, a small much trusting of nan vanished positions. But I looked successful their eyes, and they cognize it too. So we’re gonna return that into time 2 and conscionable beryllium confident, beryllium normal, and do what we do each time successful practice, thing different.”

On nan season, Roberson leads nan squad pinch a 9.975 precocious score, on pinch 9.925s from M. Price and Cucci, and 9.90s from Weaver, Klein and Park.

Ohio State

The Buckeyes started their meet connected Friday evening connected beam, earning a 48.975, led by 3 9.85 scores from anchor Courtney McCann, Tory Vetter successful nan five-spot, and leadoff Rylee Guevara. They besides counted Natalie Martin’s 9.75 and a 9.675 from Cameron Smith successful nan 4th and 3rd spots. They dropped Ava Jackson’s 8.900 successful nan 2nd spot.

On nan season, Ohio State is overmuch amended connected beam than what they showcased successful nan semifinals, pinch McCann earning a 9.975 precocious people this season. Four Buckeyes athletes person 9.925 scores this play successful Vetter, Martin, Guevara and Jackson. Smith has earned a 9.875.

Missouri

The Tigers’ beam connected Friday was their 2nd week successful a statement of earning subpar scores, pursuing nan team’s 49.000 astatine SEC Championships. It besides was nan lowest Friday people of nan 4 teams competing connected Sunday. This clip around, they earned conscionable a 48.950, pinch nan team’s highest scores coming from Olivia successful nan 4th spot and Railey (in leadoff successful spot of Amy, who went second) earning 9.85 scores. Kaia earned nan adjacent highest score, a 9.775 successful nan 3rd spot, followed by Lauren’s 9.75 successful nan 5th spot and Amy’s 9.725. Addi’s unfortunate autumn successful nan anchor spot was dropped (she past fell astatine Kentucky during nan regular season).

On nan season, nan Tigers person 3 times earned 49.400 scores, truthful we cognize nan imaginable is there. The trio of Addi, Lauren and Railey person each topped retired astatine 9.95 this season, to spell on pinch Olivia and Amy’s 9.90 scores. Kaia has been arsenic precocious arsenic 9.875 this season.

Oklahoma

OU earned a Lexington Regional starring 49.475 connected Friday, but I conscionable don’t find their level to beryllium astir arsenic nosy arsenic say, nan Tigers aliases moreover nan Razorbacks. It’s just… there. The Sooners earned 4 9.90 scores connected Friday, led by leadoff Ella Murphy, Elle Mueller successful nan five-spot and Mackenzie Estep, nan second of whom was crazily overscored (seriously) arsenic nan anchor. They besides counted a 9.875 from Keira Wells successful nan 4th — I really really for illustration her regular and philharmonic accompaniment — and dropped Addison Fatta’s 9.75 successful nan 2 spot (she went retired of bounds).

On nan season, nan Sooners person earned countless scores successful nan 9.90+ range, including a 9.975 from Fatta — I for illustration her regular arsenic good —to spell on pinch 4 9.95 play highs from Wells, Mueller, Pawlak (didn’t compete Friday) and Estep. Murphy and Lily Pederson, who didn’t compete level connected Friday, person besides earned 9.925 scores this season.

Missouri

The Fab Floor has an full lineup of 9.925+ scores this season, led by Hannah’s 9.95, while Kennedy, Kaia, Elise, Railey and Ayla person each deed 9.925 scores to spell on pinch a play precocious 49.575. While they didn’t scope that people connected Friday, they did person a very coagulated 49.450, which was nan 2nd highest scoring squad rotation of nan regional. Hannah earned a stock of nan level title pinch her 9.925 anchor leg, and nan Tigers besides sewage awesome contributions from Kaia and Kennedy, some of whom scored 9.90s successful nan 4 and five-spots, a 9.875 from Elise successful nan 2nd spot, and a 9.85 from Railey successful nan leadoff spot. They dropped Ayla’s 9.825 successful nan three-spot.

Arkansas

On Friday, nan Razorbacks was led successful scoring by Joscelyn Roberson’s 9.925 successful nan anchor spot. The Price sisters, Morgan and Frankie, performing back-to-back 4th and fifth, earned 9.90 and 9.875 scores, respectively, while leadoff Hailey Klein and Leah Smith successful nan 3rd spot earned 9.85 scores. Allison Cucci’s 9.825 was dropped successful nan two-spot.

Morgan’s 9.90 was a play precocious for her, while Roberson has earned a 9.975 precocious people this season. Three Gymbacks person 9.95 precocious scores— Smith, Lauren Williams (not successful Friday’s level lineup) and Cucci. Frankie’s precocious people is simply a 9.925, and Klein has a 9.90.

Ohio State

The Buckeyes earned a 49.150 connected level successful Friday’s session, pinch 2 coagulated 9.90 scores by leadoff Rylie Guevara and Tory Vetter successful nan 5th spot. Anchor JJ Coleman earned a 9.85, followed by a 9.825 from Kaitlyn Grimes successful nan 4th spot. Cameron Smith earned a 9.700 successful nan 3rd spot, and they dropped Baylie Belman’s autumn successful nan 2nd spot.

On nan season, Coleman has been cleanable pinch a 10, while Grimes and Belman clasp precocious scores of 9.925. Vetter and Smith person earned 9.90. Guevara surpassed her erstwhile play high, 9.875, connected Friday.

Again, nan nonsubjective is clear. Make judge you hit astatine slightest 2 of nan remaining 3 teams to unafraid your spot successful astatine Nationals successful Fort Worth. Should nan Tigers advance, this would beryllium their 4th travel to nan nationalist championships overall, and their first back-to-back appearance. It’s spell time. M-I-Z.