Oklahoma Sooners Earn NCAA Tournament Berth, Aim to Break Postseason Curse**
The Oklahoma Sooners are back in the NCAA Tournament for the fourth consecutive season under head coach Jennie Baranczyk, securing a No. 3 seed in this year’s bracket. The selection, announced during ESPN’s Selection Show on Sunday, marks another milestone for the program, as the Sooners will host the first two rounds of the tournament for the third time in four years.
Oklahoma (25-7) will open tournament play against No. 14 seed Florida Gulf Coast on Saturday. A victory would set up a second-round matchup against the winner of No. 6 Iowa and No. 11 Murray State on Monday. The Sooners enter the tournament with a strong resume, boasting a 25-7 record, a No. 13 ranking in the NET, and a 7-7 mark in Quad 1 games. They closed the regular season on a seven-game winning streak and added two more victories in the SEC Tournament, defeating Georgia (70-52) and No. 12 Kentucky (69-65) before falling to No. 5 South Carolina.
Despite their recent success, the Sooners are determined to reverse their postseason fortunes. Over the past three seasons, Oklahoma has failed to advance beyond the Round of 32. However, this year’s squad has found its rhythm late in the season, led by standout performances from Reagan Beers, who has scored 20 or more points in five of the last seven games.
Mission Accomplished: Sooners End Tournament Drought
For the Oklahoma men’s basketball team, the 2024 NCAA Tournament selection is a long-awaited achievement. The Sooners (20-13, 7-13 SEC) were named a No. 9 seed and will face No. 8 seed Connecticut (20-13, 14-6 Big East) in the First Round of the West Region on Friday in Raleigh, North Carolina.
This marks Oklahoma’s first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2021, ending a three-year drought. It’s also the first tournament berth for head coach Porter Moser, who is in his fourth season with the program. The Sooners’ selection is a testament to their resilience after being on the bubble in recent years, including narrowly missing the tournament in 2022 and 2023.
Oklahoma’s path to the tournament was far from certain. In February, the team suffered a five-game losing streak in SEC play, dropping to 3-10 in the conference. Most projections had the Sooners on the outside looking in, but they rallied with a strong finish to the regular season. Key wins over then-No. 21 Mississippi State (93-87), then-No. 15 Missouri (96-84), and a crucial road victory at Texas (76-72) bolstered their resume. The win over Texas was particularly significant, as it marked Moser’s first victory against the Longhorns and dealt a blow to Texas’ own tournament hopes.
The Sooners’ late-season surge continued in the SEC Tournament, where they avenged an earlier loss to Georgia with an 81-75 victory in the first round. True freshman Jeremiah Fears has been instrumental in Oklahoma’s resurgence, averaging 22.7 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 5.5 assists over the last seven games. Fears, a highly touted NBA Draft prospect, dropped 29 points in the win over Georgia, showcasing his ability to rise to the occasion.
A Tough Test Ahead
Oklahoma now faces a Connecticut team that has won five of its last six games, presenting a formidable challenge in the First Round. The Sooners will look to carry their late-season momentum into the tournament and make a deep run, something they haven’t accomplished in recent years.
For both the men’s and women’s teams, the NCAA Tournament represents an opportunity to rewrite the narrative and prove they belong among the nation’s elite. With strong performances and a bit of March magic, the Sooners could be poised for a memorable postseason.
Leave a Reply