It appears for the seventh time in the last eight years, Oklahoma is going to be dancing.
Heading into Saturday, the Sooners were a loss on the road at TCU away from being squarely on the bubble and a bad showing at the Big 12 Tournament away from maybe being out of the NCAA Tournament.
Oklahoma boasts a 5-9 record in the ever important quadrant I games against teams inside the RPI top-30 for home games, RPI top-50 for neutral site games and in the RPI top-75 for road games. The Horned Frogs (RPI No. 88) provided an opportunity for another quality win against a quadrant II team, but potential for an average or bad loss.
The Sooners got behind by 20 in the first-half on Saturday, then 17 in the second-half. Oklahoma clawed and scratched its way all the way back before an Austin Reaves game-winning shot with half a second left in the game all but secured the Sooners spot in the NCAA Tournament.
Austin Reaves may have saved Oklahoma’s NCAA tourney chances. Former Wichita State Shocker just hit the game-winner with 0.5 seconds left and finished with 41 points in the victory over TCU.
— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanHoops) March 8, 2020
Oklahoma comes from behind to beat TCU on the road 78-76. Austin Reaves had 41 points to lead the Sooners. Oklahoma is heading to the NCAA Tournament.
— Jonathon Warriner (@Bracketologist3) March 8, 2020
Oklahoma last made the NCAA Tournament a year ago as the Sooners won a game against Ole Miss before losing to eventual NCAA Champion Virginia. The Sooners have made the NCAA Tournament in seven of the last eight seasons under Lon Kruger.
The Big 12 Tournament begins on Thursday, where Oklahoma climbed up to being a 3-seed. The Sooners will play 6-seed West Virginia at the Sprint Center in Kansas City at 8 p.m. CT. Selection Sunday for the NCAA Tournament is on March 15.
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