Fueled by the March Madness snub, the Oklahoma Sooners aim to silence doubters in the College Basketball Crown, showcasing a hot offense and determined veteran leadership as they face the Colorado Buffaloes
LAS VEGAS, Nev. — The College Basketball Crown isn’t the NCAA Tournament, but for a motivated Oklahoma squad, it might as well be.
Fresh off being the first team left out of March Madness, the Sooners (19-15) open the second-annual tournament Wednesday night against Colorado (17-15) in the quarterfinals at MGM Grand Garden Arena. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. CT on FS1.
Porter Moser isn’t letting the selection committee’s decision linger. The fifth-year Oklahoma head coach sent his players a pointed message the night the bracket dropped: prove them wrong.
“I wrote (the team) a long note that night and said, ‘Obviously, you can be upset and point the finger of reasons why we got left out… or we can prove to them why they made a mistake,’” Moser said. “These guys love each other, love the game and want to keep competing for that.”
That message has resonated.
While some eliminated teams scattered for spring break, Oklahoma’s players stayed locked in Norman, practicing daily and sharpening their edge. “I can’t tell you enough about the positive dynamic of being able to practice with your guys, keep working with them,” Moser added.
Senior guard Nijel Pack echoed the sentiment, admitting the snub “sucked” but embracing one final ride. “It’s just another opportunity, I know I’m grateful for it,” Pack said.
“Being a senior, this is our last opportunity to go out and play. For us to be able to go out with a bang, that just makes me even more excited.”
Oklahoma enters with serious momentum.
The Sooners have won eight of their last 11 games, including back-to-back blowouts in the SEC Tournament which included an 86-74 win over South Carolina and an 83-63 victory over Texas A&M, before a narrow 82-79 quarterfinal loss to Arkansas.
In those eight recent victories, OU led for nearly 286 of 365 minutes and shot a scorching 52% from the field and 45% from three-point range (84-of-188). Over the last 10 games, they’re even hotter from deep at 42%.
The Sooners led the SEC in three-point percentage (39%) during league play and rank among the nation’s best at 9.7 threes per game. That perimeter firepower is anchored by Pack, who leads active Division I players with 426 career triples and sits third nationally among active scorers with 2,307 points.
The sixth-year transfer from Miami is shooting .452 from beyond the arc this season (fourth nationally) and has dropped 20-plus points in five of the last seven games. Over his past 10 outings, he’s 37-of-71 (52%) from long range.
Supporting him is an experienced starting five that has been together every single game, one of just three Division I teams to do so. Guards Xzayvier Brown (15.3 ppg, 88% FT) and Pack are joined by forwards Tae Davis (12.5 ppg) and Derrion Reid (11.8 ppg), plus center Mohamed Wague (7.1 ppg).
Wague has been a revelation lately, posting 10.3 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 2.0 blocks over the last eight games while shooting 75% from the line. Brown, meanwhile, has averaged 14.5 points over the last six contests after a mid-season surge.
Defensively, Oklahoma has flipped a switch.
The Sooners have outshot their last seven opponents (50%-42% combined) and held each of their last eight foes under 50% shooting. They’ve also been stingy with the ball, averaging just 9.9 turnovers per game, the fewest in at least 40 years.
Colorado, under 16th-year coach Tad Boyle (329-219 record), brings a 7-11 Big 12 mark and a 17-15 overall record. The Buffaloes started 10-1 but cooled off, losing in the first round of their conference tournament.
Oklahoma owns the all-time series 88-49 and has dominated recently, winning 46 of the last 53 meetings since 1981-82. The teams last met in 2011, with OU victorious 67-60 in Norman.
They’ve also clashed once before in the postseason: Oklahoma rallied from a 14-point deficit to beat Colorado 88-78 in the 1991 NIT semifinals.
The Sooners will play without sophomore guard Dayton Forsythe, who underwent successful right ankle surgery on March 25. But the rest of the rotation is healthy and hungry.
Oklahoma has scored 85-plus points in 16 games this season, their most in 33 years, and led for 74% of the minutes in 12 of their last 15 contests.
For Moser and his players, the College Basketball Crown isn’t consolation. It’s a stage.
“We can prove to them why they made a mistake,” the coach said.
Wednesday night in Las Vegas is step one, and with $500,000 in NIL on the line, there is plenty to play for.
UP NEXT: If the Sooners beats Colorado, they will play the Baylor-Minnesota winner in Saturday's 12:30 p.m. CT semifinal at T-Mobile Arena (televised by FOX).