Oklahoma Sooners Seeking NCAA Tournament Spot

As March Madness quickly approaches, the Sooners have steadily built their Big Dance resume. And their recent win over Texas A&M gives Oklahoma a decisive victory—one that couldn't have come closer to the wire. With their 19-10 record, the Sooners appear to be one win away from securing a top bubble spot that would shuffle them into the NCAA tournament.   

They seem to have the stats on paper to prove it too, with an RPI rating of #27 and the eighth-strongest schedule in the country. It's hard to push out a team that has played a very tough schedule, with impressive key wins over top 50 RPI teams like West Virginia, Gonzaga, Arkansas, Baylor (twice)—and until recently, Texas Tech. Although a home loss to Stephen F. Austin is staring them in the face, it is hard to ignore their key wins.  So where does this put the Sooners in the eyes of the tournament committee?

Well, for one, Joe Lunardi, ESPN columnist and writer of Bracketology, has OU currently sitting at a ninth seed. In his latest formulation, the Sooners would be slated to play the eighth-seeded UNLV Rebels in Little Rock, Arkansas. If this prediction holds true, it may be an advantage for traveling fans to have a game so close to home. And with the lack of depth this year with their big men, the Sooners could use all the help that they can get.

The only bad thing to come from this would be the second round game. Playing the #1 seed would be the biggest obstacle to the Sooners making the Sweet Sixteen.  According to Lunardi's prediction, Oklahoma would face a very tall and talented Memphis Tigers team AGAIN, which would be close to impossible for them to pull off. Unlike last time these teams met, the Sooners are without back-up big man Keith Clark, who was dismissed earlier from the team due to grades. 

In an ideal world, in an ideal scenario, the Sooners would be slated as a #10 seed. Why drop them so low? Well we all know when it comes to bracket time that the tenth seed is a fan favorite, and usually can swing an upset. Not to mention, facing a #2 seed is a lot better matchup than a #1 seed.

Another interesting fact is who that #2 seed could possibly be—did someone say Duke? Talk about storylines and backdrops for television. Coach Jeff Capel, the Sooners' head coach, is a former player and point guard for Coach Mike Krzyzewski. Not only that, but last year's tournament hopes for Duke ended early in the second round by none other than Virginia Commonwealth, Jeff Capel's former team. That is the closest that any former assistant or player has come to beating the famous Coach K. Although he was not coaching the team at the time, his players were playing with his style and passion.

So, where does this leave the Sooners? One game away from filling out a ticket to the big dance. However, this may be a little tougher than expected. The Sooners' star player, Blake Griffin, is out until post-season play following a knee injury that he suffered during the OU/Texas A&M game. This leaves Oklahoma with only Longar Longar and his brother Taylor to step up and play the big man role, without relief.

With Oklahoma State and Missouri on the horizon, two toss-up games, it appears as though the Sooners have a few rough patches ahead of them—but it is nothing that they cannot overcome. They still have the Big 12 tournament to look forward to, where they could find that last win that they're looking for.

Let's just hope, for the Sooners' sake, that beating their in-state rivals can show the committee that this team deserves a shot. One thing is for sure though—the Sooners have not given up hope for March Madness.