Oklahoma Men's & Women's Basketball To Face Syracuse In SEC/ACC Challenge

Oklahoma men’s and women’s basketball officially know their opponents for this year’s SEC/ACC Challenge, and fittingly enough, both teams drew Syracuse.

For the men, Oklahoma will welcome Syracuse to Norman on December 1st in what immediately becomes the biggest home non-conference game on the schedule.

Let’s be honest, the Sooners’ non-conference slate isn’t exactly loaded with marquee home games, which makes this one stand out even more. Fans have been waiting for a legitimate Power conference matchup inside Lloyd Noble Center, and now they’ve got one.

Syracuse becomes Oklahoma’s fifth Power conference opponent currently on the schedule, joining Oklahoma State, Arizona State, Purdue, and Pitt.

There’s also some history here.

The last meeting came back in 2009 when Oklahoma knocked off Syracuse in the NCAA Tournament, but most fans will immediately think back to 2003. That was the year Carmelo Anthony and Syracuse ended OU’s Final Four hopes in the Elite Eight before eventually winning the national championship.

On the women’s side, Oklahoma heads to Syracuse on December 3rd for what should be a quality early-season road test.

These programs have only played once before, with the Sooners winning that matchup back in 2011. Unlike the men, this matchup doesn’t come with much history attached to it, but it does give OU a chance to face a solid opponent away from home early in the season.

This marks year three of the SEC/ACC Challenge, and so far Oklahoma has been pretty successful in the event.

Both the men’s and women’s programs are 2-0 entering this season.

Last year, the men went on the road and handled Wake Forest without much trouble, cruising to an 86-68 win. The women had significantly more drama, surviving a wild overtime battle against NC State, winning 103-98.

For Porter Moser and the men’s program, getting Syracuse at home feels important.

With a relatively light home schedule outside of conference play, this gives fans something legitimate to get excited about before SEC action ramps up.

The Syracuse men's team isn’t the powerhouse fans remember from years past under Jim Boeheim.

The Orange struggled last season, finishing 15-17 overall and just 6-12 in ACC play. There’s also a new era beginning with Gerry McNamara taking over as head coach, which creates an interesting full-circle moment considering McNamara played on that 2003 Syracuse team that knocked Oklahoma out of the tournament.

On the other side, the women's matchup could result in a quality resume-building win.

Syracuse finished 24-9 last season, went 12-6 in ACC play, and reached the NCAA Tournament before being eliminated in the second round. Going on the road to face a team like that should provide a strong measuring stick early in the season.

Overall, this feels like a good draw for both programs.

The men get a respectable, winnable home matchup against a recognizable brand, while the women get a quality road challenge that should prepare them for what’s ahead.

For the men especially, a strong performance at home against Syracuse could create some real momentum heading into conference play and give fans another reason to believe this team is trending in the right direction.

These instantly become two of the more interesting non-conference dates on Oklahoma’s basketball calendar.