The Oklahoma Sooners have only about a 1.3% chance of making a deep run in the NCAA Tournament, but there’s still a glimmer of hope.
Entering March Madness, the Sooners were one of the hottest teams in the country and could have been a popular upset pick, had it not been for a tough draw.
OU was given the challenging 8-9 matchup, which means they would face the region’s top team in the second round, making a Sweet 16 appearance and surviving the first week of the tournament seem nearly impossible. To make matters worse, the Sooners face a more difficult challenge than most 9-seeds.
In the first round, the Sooners will take on the 8-seed UConn Huskies. Though UConn hasn’t lived up to expectations this season, they are still the defending two-time national champions, and underestimating a Dan Hurley-led team in March is never a good idea.
If OU is playing well heading into the tournament, they’ll face even more heat from the Florida Gators. The Gators, a 1-seed, are now a popular pick to win it all after making a run to the SEC Men’s Basketball Tournament championship last weekend.
Despite UConn being a tough matchup, the Sooners, led by Porter Moser, are playing their best basketball right now, and the Huskies have underperformed in a much weaker conference than the SEC. This 8-9 matchup could go either way, making it feel like a coin toss.
However, the Sooners’ biggest obstacle is likely Florida. Historically, 1-seeds dominate 16-seeds in the tournament, and OU would need a near miracle to get past them. The Sooners already faced Florida earlier in the season and were blown out 85-63 in Gainesville. OU’s path in the tournament would be significantly different if the Gators aren’t in their way.
The best-case scenario for OU is that 16-seed Norfolk State manages to upset Florida, but this is a long shot. In the 156 times the 16 vs. 1 matchup has occurred since 1985, 16-seeds have only won twice, giving them a 1.28% chance of pulling off the upset. The last time it happened was in 2018, when UMBC defeated Virginia, and again in 2023, when Fairleigh Dickinson shocked Purdue.
If that unlikely upset occurs, anything is possible in March, even a 16 over a 1. But if the Gators remain in the tournament, 9-seeds have a dismal 8.2% chance of defeating a 1-seed. Historically, 9-seeds are just 6-73 against 1-seeds and have only seen three 9-seeds make it to the Sweet 16 in the last 10 tournaments.
If the Sooners manage a miraculous upset in the first two rounds, their path to the Final Four would become significantly easier, with potential matchups against 2-seed St. John’s, 3-seed Texas Tech, 4-seed Maryland, or another team making an upset run.
If the nearly impossible happens, the Sooners could be on the verge of a historic NCAA Tournament run.
Oklahoma March Madness Schedule: When Do the Sooners Play in the NCAA Tournament?
For the first time since 2021, the Oklahoma men’s basketball team will compete in the NCAA Tournament.
On Selection Sunday, the Sooners were revealed as the 9-seed in the West Region. They will face 8-seed UConn, the reigning two-time national champions, in the first round on Friday.
If Oklahoma manages to beat UConn, they would likely face 1-seed Florida in the second round, unless Norfolk State pulls off a rare 16-over-1 upset. The Gators earned a top-seed consideration after defeating Tennessee 86-77 in the SEC Men’s Tournament final just hours before the bracket was announced.
NCAA Tournament action officially begins Tuesday with the First Four games, but the first-round games won’t start until Thursday. The second round will wrap up on Sunday, marking the end of the first week of March Madness.
Oklahoma’s first-round game against UConn is scheduled for 8:25 p.m. CT on Friday. The Sooners are no strangers to late-night games this season, having played into the early morning hours during the SEC Men’s Basketball Tournament, including their last matchup against Kentucky.
Oklahoma March Madness Ticket Prices: How Much Does It Cost to Attend the First Round of the NCAA Tournament?
It’s been a while since Sooner Nation has had the chance to watch the Oklahoma men’s basketball team in the NCAA Tournament, so many fans are eager to attend in person.
The Sooners, with a 20-13 record, made it into the tournament field of 68 thanks to a late three-game winning streak. This marks their first NCAA appearance since 2021 and the first under head coach Porter Moser.
As the 9-seed in the West Region, OU will face the 8-seed UConn Huskies in the first round on Friday at 8:25 p.m. CT.
UConn, the defending two-time national champions, enters with a 23-10 record this season. If Oklahoma wins, they would likely face SEC champion and 1-seed Florida in the second round.
The first two rounds of the West Region will be held at the Lenovo Center in Raleigh, North Carolina, home of the North Carolina State Wolfpack.
For those interested in attending the game in person at the Lenovo Center instead of watching from home, tickets are already available for purchase.
As of Monday afternoon, the cheapest ticket on OU’s site through Ticketmaster is around $97 for a seat in section 332, the highest section behind the goal. This ticket grants access to all of Session 2, which includes the OU vs. UConn game and the 1-seed Florida vs. 16-seed Norfolk State matchup.
To sit in a section lower than the 300s, the starting price is $134 for a seat in section 109, located at the corner of the arena.
The most expensive
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