The Oklahoma Sooners' Bedlam win over Oklahoma State two weeks ago has proven to be the difference maker in OU's NCAA Tournament chances as SEC play looms.
ESPN's Joe Lunardi had Okahoma as the last team to sneak into the NCAA Tournament in his latest Bracketology on Tuesday, while OSU was the last team left out with its only loss so far coming to the Sooners, 85-76 on Dec. 23 at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City.
ESPN's Joe Lunardi lists Oklahoma as last team in NCAA Tournament
After a shake start to the season at 9-3 with one nonconference game left on the schedule, the Sooners have been on the bubble all season, but have usually been on the outside looking in. However, that Bedlam victory was one of the Sooners' best results yet as a Quad 2 win. OU also has a Quad 1 win over Wake Forest.
Meanwhile, OSU is 4-1 against Quad 2 opponents, with the only loss coming to the Sooners. The Cowboys, though, have yet to face a Quad 1 foe compared to OU's 1-3 Quad 1 record. The Sooners' willingness to face more challenges and that win in Bedlam were ultimately the deciding factors in Lunardi deciding which Bedlam team to put in his NCAA Tournament field.
The win over the Cowboys prompted a three-game winning streak for OU that should turn into four with a victory against Mississippi Valley State on Monday before SEC play tips off against Ole Miss on Saturday, Jan.3.
The start of SEC play will really decide the Sooners' NCAA Tournament fate, but they do have some ground to make up after a lackluster nonconference showing going 2-3 in games that were considered Quad 1 or Quad 2 matchups. After the first of the year, though, Quad 1 and 2 challenges will basically be all that's ahead for the Sooners the rest of the way.
Ole Miss has struggled at 7-5 and will be one of just two Quad 3 games on the Sooners' conference slate as of Saturday. At home against Missouri on March 3 is the only other, but a lot will surely change by then. However, even though it's the Sooners' SEC opener and still in January, a loss to Ole Miss could end up being detrimental.