The rumors of Oklahoma's basketball season being over? Not so fast.
The Sooners are back in action, ready to face off against the Colorado Buffaloes in the College Basketball Crown quarterfinals in Las Vegas. This showdown tips off at 7 p.m.
CT, with FS1 bringing the action live.
These teams are no strangers, having clashed 132 times, mostly during their Big Eight and Big 12 days. Oklahoma holds a solid 88-48 lead in the series, although they haven't met since the 2010-11 season.
Oklahoma enters the game nearly at full strength, with all five starters ready to go. Meanwhile, Colorado is facing a tougher challenge, missing three of their top four scorers due to transfer announcements. The Sooners have been averaging 82.7 points per game this season, while the Buffaloes, averaging 80.0, will need to dig deep to compensate for the loss of their leading scorer, Isaiah Johnson.
The Sooners have turned things around after a tough February, winning six of their last seven games and outshooting their opponents consistently. Their late-season momentum has been impressive, with Oklahoma trailing for just over 40 minutes out of their last 235.
If Oklahoma triumphs over Colorado, they'll face the winner of Baylor vs. Minnesota in the semifinals on Saturday, with the championship set for Sunday at T-Mobile Arena.
Missing out on the NCAA Tournament was a tough pill to swallow for Oklahoma fans, marking the third time in four years they were the first team out. Declining an NIT invitation, the Sooners opted for the College Basketball Crown, a tournament offering a $500,000 NIL prize pool and a guaranteed $300,000 for the winners, a compelling alternative to the NIT.
Joining Oklahoma and Colorado in this eight-team tournament are Baylor, West Virginia, Minnesota, Stanford, Creighton, and Rutgers. With Colorado undermanned and Oklahoma being an 8.5-point favorite, the Sooners are poised to advance to the semifinals.