Oklahoma Sooners Basketball: Why They Won’t Make it to March Madness
Feb 20, 2013; Lubbock, TX, USA; Oklahoma Sooners forward Romero Osby (24) drives to the basket against Texas Tech Red Raiders forward Dejan Kravic (11) in the second half at the United Spirit Arena. Oklahoma defeated Texas Tech 86-71. Mandatory Credit: Michael C. Johnson-USA TODAY Sports
The Oklahoma Sooners basketball team has enjoyed a tremendous season, winning more game than they have since Blake Griffin roamed the floor. However, in the final game of the season, Oklahoma lost to the TCU Horned Frogs, and all their success might be for nothing as a result.
That one loss to TCU might keep the Oklahoma Sooners from making it to the March Madness college basketball tournament.
Ask Romero Osby what it is like to compete on a team that played strong all season long but finished with a thud. Osby played for Mississippi State before transferring to Oklahoma. In 2009-10, his Mississippi State team finished the regular season with a 23-11 record. They even beat #23 Vanderbilt towards the end of the year. However, they lost three of their last four games, two to ranked teams.
They were not chosen for the NCAA college basketball tournament, and the reason was because they did not finish the year strong.
Oklahoma lost to Stephen F. Austin, a mid-major, early this season. They also lost to the Arkansas Razorbacks, a bubble team. However, they still looked fine heading into Big 12 play. The problem is that, in their last 15 games, the Sooners are 8-7, not the best looking record.
Their first five losses were to Kansas State (twice), Kansas, Oklahoma State and Iowa State – all good teams that should make a strong push for the Big Dance this year. Out of those teams, Iowa State was the only unranked, but is still good enough to qualify as a quality loss.
Then OU split the final four games of the season, with losses to Texas (15-16) and TCU (11-20). The Horned Frogs had only one win in Big 12 play before they beat OU. Sure that win was against Kansas, but TCU is not a good team, and the loss was an embarrassing one for the Sooners. The Oklahoma Sooners trailed the worst team in the Big 12 by 25 points at one point, so that three-point scoring differential isn’t as good as it looks.
Mississippi State went 2-3 in their final five games, two of the losses to ranked teams, and missed the NCAA college basketball tournament despite 23 wins. Oklahoma has 20 wins and lost to two of the worst teams in the Big 12 in their final four games.
Unless the Sooners have a fantastic showing in the Big 12 tournament, that loss to TCU could have just killed their promising season.