Oklahoma basketball: Sooners barely hanging on at No. 25 in AP poll
By Chip Rouse
The time-worn expression “What goes up must come down” sadly describes the roller coaster ride that has been the national ranking of the men’s Oklahoma basketball team this season.
At the beginning of this season, Oklahoma wasn’t even receiving votes in the two major weekly polls. On, Jan, 25, the Sooners moved into the Associated Press Top 25 for the first time in the 2020-21 season at No. 24. A week later, after wins over No. 5 Texas and No. 9 Alabama, Oklahoma found itself 15 spots higher, all the way up to No. 9.
Two weeks ago, the Sooners were still climbing in the national polls. On Feb. 22, they were the No. 7 team in the country, according to the AP voters.
This week, following four consecutive heartbreaking losses, Oklahoma sits at No. 25 and on the edge of dropping back out of the rankings.
Since Jan. 25th, Oklahoma’s rise and fall in the national rankings, per the Associated Press,.. has gone like this: No. 24…No. 9…No. 12…No. 9…No.7…No. 16…No. 25.
Undefeated Gonzaga (24-0) remains No. 1 for the 16th consecutive week. Baylor, (21-1) out of the Big 12 has moved back into the No. 2 spot in the AP poll this week, followed by Illinois and Michigan.
Curiously, four other Big 12 teams occupy the No. 10 through 13 spots in this week’s AP rankings. West Virginia moves into the No. 10 position, followed by Kansas, Oklahoma State and Texas, in that order.
Texas Tech, at No. 22, down from 20 a week ago, makes seven of 10 Big 12 teams ranked in the nation’s top 25, with the Sooners sitting perilously on the edge of falling out.
A loss to Iowa State in the opening round of the Big 12 Tournament this week not only will find Oklahoma outside of the top-25 rankings come this time next week but also saddled with a much lower seed in the NCAA Tournament than the Sooners had anticipated just two short weeks ago.