Tag: Big 12

Duke finishes at No. 9 in final AP poll

Four ACC teams, including Duke, crack final AP poll of the 2023-2024 season.

While the season’s outcome was not what many expected when Duke took the floor to start the season, Jon Scheyer’s team was, in essence, just 12 minutes from a Final Four berth.

NC State made more plays down the stretch and ultimately ended Duke’s season before having their season ended by national runner-up Purdue. Connecticut was always the best team from beginning to end, and they proved it by doing what hadn’t been done since Billy Donovan’s Florida Gators teams in 2006–07: winning a second consecutive national title.

It should come as no surprise that the Huskies end the season as the No. 1 team in the final AP poll for the 2023-2024 season. Purdue was second, while Houston, whom Duke beat in the Sweet 16, tied with Alabama for the third-place spot. Tennessee checked in at number five.

Illinois was next at No. 6, followed by North Carolina, Iowa State, and Duke. NC State rounds out the top 10 despite never joining the poll during the regular season. Clemson, one of four ACC schools to make at least the Sweet 16, finished at No. 14.

The ACC had the same number of teams in the final AP poll as the Big 12, with four each.

Sooners forward John Hugley to enter transfer portal after one season in Norman

Former Pitt transfer John Hugley is back in the portal after just one year in Norman. Hugley was a big member of OU’s bench this season.

Oklahoma is looking down the barrel at another offseason when they must fill multiple holes via the transfer portal.

[autotag]Otega Oweh[/autotag], a former four-star recruit, entered the transfer portal earlier this week after a sophomore season in Norman that saw him second in scoring, averaging 11.4 points per game.

Another member of Oklahoma’s 2023-2024 team is entering the transfer portal, center John Hugley. Hugley averaged 8.4 points and 3.4 rebounds on 54% shooting in 17.6 minutes per game. Hugley and Sam Godwin split duties as the top big men on Oklahoma’s roster this season.

Hugley was a staple of Oklahoma’s bench unit throughout the season and had some bright spots, especially during Big 12 play. However, foul trouble and a meniscus injury were direct reasons Hugley didn’t play more. He finished with three or more fouls in six of 11 contests.

Hugley transferred from Pittsburgh last spring and will now search for a new home.

For Oklahoma, this departure felt expected but still hurts. The Sooners should be a very active team in the transfer portal, with significant minutes needed to play on the wing vacated by Le’Tre Darthard (graduation), Otega Oweh (transfer), and Rivaldo Soares (graduation).

Now, with Hugley into the portal, the Sooners will be looking for another big man capable of usurping Godwin as a starter or providing at least 20 minutes off the bench.

Oklahoma Sooners’ offense shines in sweep of the Baylor Bears

The Sooners offense was firing on all cylinders as the Sooners swept the Baylor Bears.

This past weekend it was all about the offense for the Oklahoma Sooners as they dominated the [autotag]Baylor Bears[/autotag] en route to a sweep. The Sooners outscored the Bears 27-8 over the three games.

The big offensive outburst was in the first game on Saturday. The Sooners entered the bottom of the fifth inning only up 5-3. They went on to score seven runs in the frame, capped off by an [autotag]Ella Parker[/autotag] walk-off grand slam to complete the run rule.

Patty Gasso talked about what impressed her the most on Saturday.

“The offense was explosive throughout the lineup,” Gasso said. “Timely hits all throughout the lineup, all day long. I thought our defense was really good too. I thought we made some big plays. Pitching was good, there were a few hiccups, but overall it was a good solid day against a very good team.”

The Sooners, although still very good, hadn’t seemed like itself earlier in the season. But, like the rest of the team, they’ve caught fire. They are now averaging just over nine runs a game. They are averaging 10.7 runs per game in conference play.

This is great news for Oklahoma. The pitching has been pretty stellar all season long, but the hitting had to pick up, and it has so far. It’s a perfect time to do so, as the Sooners have a big time matchup this week in Lawrence against a surprising Kansas Jayhawks team before traveling to Austin to take on the Texas Longhorns.

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Jaron on Twitter @JaronSpor.

Oklahoma’s Bryce Madron named Big 12 Player of the Week

Oklahoma’s Bryce Madron named Big 12 player of the week as he powered Oklahoma to a 4-1 week.

If you’ve been following Oklahoma baseball this season, it’s been an up-and-down roller coaster. Oklahoma is peaking at an extraordinary level and is fresh off its most impressive week of the season.

They went 4-1 and completed a three-game road sweep of a top-25 TCU squad. Oklahoma is hitting, defending, and pitching at a high level right now, and it’s impressive to watch.

Last week, senior leader and outfielder Bryce Madron led the team’s offensive surge. His efforts earned him the Big 12 Player of the Week award. This is the second consecutive week an Oklahoma player has earned player of the week honors. The week before, Easton Carmichael was named Co-Big 12 Player of the Week.

Madron was in a groove, hitting .438 (7-for-16) with a home run and four RBIs. He also showcased elite plate discipline, drawing four walks. When he got on the bases, he was a problem for the opposition, as he stole three bases and came around to score five times.

This is nothing new for Madron, Oklahoma’s best offensive weapon last year, and is undoubtedly trending that way this year. He is hitting .353 on the season with two homers, eight extra-base hits, and 15 RBIs. He leads the team with 26 runs scored, 17 walks drawn, and a .483 on-base percentage. Simply put, he’s the most complete offensive player on the team.

Oklahoma will look to keep the good times rolling when they seek revenge on No.19 Dallas Baptist for a late February loss in a midweek tilt on Tuesday evening.

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Bryant on Twitter @thatmanbryant.

Oklahoma Sooners are being overlooked, per 247Sports’ Josh Pate

Could teams be sleeping on the Oklahoma Sooners in 2024? One national sports show host thinks so.

It is a new era of college football for the Oklahoma Sooners. They are no longer in the [autotag]Big 12[/autotag] conference but instead are off to the [autotag]SEC[/autotag].

That means new teams, new rivalries and some old rivalries will be on Oklahoma’s schedule going forward. After going 10-3 last season, there are still many who think Oklahoma has no clue what it’s getting itself into. The SEC is considered the best conference in football and it’ll definitely be a tougher task week in and week out than what they are used to.

There have even been some predictions that have Oklahoma winning only seven or eight games in Year 1. So, are the Oklahoma Sooners being overlooked heading into next season? 247Sports’ Josh Pate thinks so.

“Everyone pays attention to what you lose in college football and they don’t pay enough attention to what you have,” Pate said. “Oklahoma did lose a lot on the offensive line. Oklahoma did lose a starter at quarterback but they also have the former Elite 11 MVP, Jackson Arnold, who is two years in. He’s not a true freshman. They have recruited at what has them at a top 10 talent roster status. So, it’s not like they are going to put potato sacks out there on the offensive line. You don’t know their names so you automatically think they’re going to be subpar. So do the odds makers. That over/under, 7.5. Is Oklahoma being overlooked? I think they are.”

More: SEC win projections ahead of spring ball

I also think Oklahoma is being overlooked.

Pate brings up a great point. It’s valid to talk about all of the things Oklahoma has lost but why aren’t we talking about what they return? Yes, they lost [autotag]Dillon Gabriel[/autotag], but there were people before the season last year who wanted Arnold to be the starter. We know he’s more talented. He just has to clean up the mental mistakes that plagued him in the bowl game like it would just about any true freshman.

The offensive line is a fair and valid worry. It has work to do. But on the flip side, this is arguably the best and deepest wide receiver room since maybe 2018. At running back, [autotag]Gavin Sawchuk[/autotag] has to stay healthy because when he is healthy, he’s a very good running back.

Then, on defense, this might be the most experienced defense in college football. It’s the best secondary Oklahoma has had in over a decade. It’s the deepest the linebacker room has been in probably over a decade as well. The defensive ends are deep and just need a star to emerge. The interior defensive line is the worry. [autotag]Da’Jon Terry[/autotag] is a very good player but he’s the only proven one in there. So, someone else is going to have to step up.

I’m not saying Oklahoma is going to win 11 games and compete for a championship in Year 1. I get that’s the standard but that’s unrealistic going into next year. I’m just saying as soon as I saw the over/under at 7.5 wins, I would have happily and quickly bet the over.

More: SEC quarterback rankings ahead of the 2024 season

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Jaron on Twitter @JaronSpor.

March Madness: NCAA Tournament South Region odds, picks and predictions

Looking at March Madness futures odds to win the 2024 NCAA Tournament South Region, with expert picks, predictions and best bets.

[gambcom-standard rankid=”3011″ ]

March Madness is upon us, and the South Region bracket features an interesting mix of former national No. 1s, blueblood programs and big-conference contenders that did not win league titles last week.

Below, we look at FanDuel Sportsbook’s NCAA Tournament South Region futures odds and and make our expert college basketball picks and predictions.

The Houston Cougars (30-4) and Marquette Golden Eagles (25-9) have the No. 1 and No. 2 seeds, respectively, in the South. Both have some injury and/or return-from-injury continuity issues to overcome, so the betting value in this region may come from further down the ballot.

THE BRACKETS ARE BACK! The USA TODAY Sports Bracket Challenge is back! $1 MILLION grand prize for a perfect bracket, $25,000 prize for top bracket. Free to enter, 21+. Terms apply, void where prohibited by law. See Official Rules. Play now!

South Region futures odds

Provided by FanDuel Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated Monday at 2 p.m. ET.

1 seed: Houston +140 (bet $100 to win $140)

2 seed: Marquette +500 (bet $100 to win $500)

3 seed: Kentucky +700 (bet $100 to win $700)

4 seed: Duke +650 (bet $100 to win $550)

5 seed: Wisconsin +1200 (bet $100 to win $1,200)

6 seed: Texas Tech +1400 (bet $100 to win $1,400)

7 seed: Florida +1400 (bet $100 to win $1,400)

8 seed: Nebraska +2900 (bet $100 to win $2,900)

Can you survive? USA TODAY Sports’ Men and Women’s Basketball Tournament Survivor Pools are here with a $2,500 prize for each contest! Free to enter, 21+. Terms apply, void where prohibited by law. See Official Rules. Play now!

9 seed: Texas A&M +3400 (bet $100 to win $3,400)

10 seed-*: Boise State +6000 (bet $100 to win $6,000)

10 seed-*: Colorado +3400 (bet $100 to win $3,400)

11 seed: NC State +4200 (bet $100 to win $4,200)

12 seed: James Madison +7000 (bet $100 to win $7,000)

13 seed: Vermont +23000 (bet $100 to win $23,000)

14 seed: Oakland +25000 (bet $100 to win $25,000)

15 seed: Western Kentucky +25000 (bet $100 to win $25,000)

16 seed: Longwood +25000 (bet $100 to win $25,000)

*-Play in a Wednesday First Four matchup

[gambcom-standard rankid=”3012″ ]

Stream select live college basketball games and full replays: Get ESPN+

South Region expert pick and prediction

Houston Cougars (+140)

Houston got blown out 69-41 by Iowa State in Saturday’s Big 12 championship game. But the Cougars had previously been 6-0 with impressive defensive analytics in neutral-site contests.

UH won 11 in a row before Saturday, and its ball-hawking, shot-swatting defense should travel well just about anywhere in the brackets. Coach Kelvin Sampson’s Cougar teams have made 3 straight Sweet 16s, and Houston gets a fair return here (although consider holding off to see if the Cougars drift up toward +160 or so).

Top 25: USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll

South Region contenders

Kentucky Wildcats (+700)

UK (23-9) had an early exit in the SEC Tournament, but the Wildcats won 7 of 8 games from Feb. 13-March 9, beating a trio of KenPom top-15 squads along the way.

Appropriately enough, Kentucky is the speedy colt in this South Region field. The Wildcats play an up-tempo, high-scoring brand of basketball. They are a relatively young team that appears to have grown since an off-kilter mid-winter stretch that saw the team lose 5 times between Jan. 13-Feb. 10. If UK can be responsible in defending the 3 and keep making improvements on the offensive glass, it will be a value at +500, let alone the current figure.

Wisconsin Badgers (+1200)

UW (22-13) made it to the Big Ten title game before being ousted by Illinois. But the Badgers led that championship game by 9 inside the 15-minute mark before failing to close against an Illini 5 that went 26-of-30 at the foul line.

Wisconsin beat No. 3-ranked Purdue in a Saturday Big Ten semifinal, and the Badgers had played the Boilermakers tough in an earlier loss.

South Region long shots

NC State Wolfpack (+4200)

NC State (22-14) has the hot hand. The Wolfpack beat both Duke and North Carolina en route to winning the ACC Tournament. And that tourney run came after NCSU had lost 4 straight games from Feb. 27-March 9.

North Carolina State has a slew of veteran players and is putting together better defensive performances of late. The Wolfpack are certainly not odds-on favorites but are worth a flier at this level of return.

Colorado Buffaloes (+3400)

Colorado (24-10) is a bit of a live wire. The Buffs will have to earn the 10-seed in a First Four contest (against Boise State) in Dayton, but they have some NBA-type talent and present some value at this number.

The Buffaloes are 8-1 in their last 9 games, and their defense has been considerably improved over that stretch. CU presents a tough at-the-rim and beyond-the-arc challenge for defenses. If Marquette or Kentucky were to falter in Colorado’s section of the South bracket, the Buffs could very well be the team there to pick up the pieces.

[gambcom-standard rankid=”5″ ]

For more sports betting picks and tips, check out SportsbookWire.com and BetFTW. Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter/X and like us on Facebook.

College sports coverage from USA TODAY Sports Media Group:
Alabama / Arkansas / Auburn / Clemson / Colorado / Florida / Georgia / Iowa / LSU / Michigan / Michigan State / Nebraska / North Carolina / Notre Dame / Ohio State / Oklahoma / Oregon / Penn State / Rutgers / Tennessee / Texas / Texas A&M / USC / Wisconsin /
College Sports Wire: Men’s hoops / Women’s hoops / High School

[lawrence-newsletter]

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1667]

March Madness: NCAA Tournament East Region odds, picks and predictions

Looking at March Madness futures odds to win the 2024 NCAA Tournament East Region, with expert picks, predictions and best bets.

[gambcom-standard rankid=”3011″ ]

March Madness tips off Thursday, and the East Region bracket is absolutely loaded.

Below, we look at FanDuel Sportsbook’s NCAA Tournament East Region futures odds and and make our expert college basketball picks and predictions.

The East includes last year’s champs, the UConn Huskies (31-3); they’re the No. 1 seed. For Connecticut to get through this region, it will have to get past this season’s title teams from the Big 12, Big Ten, and SEC in Iowa State (27-7), Illinois (26-8), and Auburn (27-7), respectively. The Huskies (KenPom No. 1), Tigers (No. 4) and Cyclones (No. 5) represent 3/5ths of the top 5 on KenPom’s rankings.

THE BRACKETS ARE BACK! The USA TODAY Sports Bracket Challenge is back! $1 MILLION grand prize for a perfect bracket, $25,000 prize for top bracket. Free to enter, 21+. Terms apply, void where prohibited by law. See Official Rules. Play now!

East Region futures odds

Provided by FanDuel Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated Monday at 1:25 p.m. ET.

1 seed: UConn +110 (bet $100 to win $110)

2 seed: Iowa State +440 (bet $100 to win $440)

3 seed: Illinois +800 (bet $100 to win $800)

4 seed: Auburn +500 (bet $100 to win $500)

5 seed: San Diego State +2100 (bet $100 to win $2,100)

6 seed: BYU +1400 (bet $100 to win $1,400)

7 seed: Washington State +3400 (bet $100 to win $3,400)

8 seed: FAU +2900 (bet $100 to win $2,900)

Can you survive? USA TODAY Sports’ Men and Women’s Basketball Tournament Survivor Pools are here with a $2,500 prize for each contest! Free to enter, 21+. Terms apply, void where prohibited by law. See Official Rules. Play now!

9 seed: Northwestern +5500 (bet $100 to win $5,500)

10 seed: Drake +4200 (bet $100 to win $4,200)

11 seed: Duquesne +13000 (bet $100 to win $13,000)

12 seed: UAB +13000 (bet $100 to win $13,000)

13 seed: Yale +11000 (bet $100 to win $11,000)

14 seed: Morehead State +25000 (bet $100 to win $25,000)

15 seed: South Dakota State +25000 (bet $100 to win $25,000)

16 seed: Stetson +25000 (bet $100 to win $25,000)

[gambcom-standard rankid=”3012″ ]

Stream select live college basketball games and full replays: Get ESPN+

East Region expert pick and prediction

Iowa State (+440)

Putting all the key betting factors together and weighing in the prices, the Cyclones come out with a lot of value. The champions of this year’s toughest league are elite at the defensive end and usually maintain key edges in turnovers, rebounding and free-throw frequency.

The analysis of the East includes some slight fading of No. 1 UConn, heavier fading of No. 3 Illinois and a bit of extra potential for an upset in No. 4 Auburn’s path.

Top 25: USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll

East Region contenders

AUBURN (+500)

The Tigers rank in KenPom’s top 10 in both offensive (10th) and defensive (4th) efficiency. The defense (including what AU does along the perimeter) and overall court skills should help Auburn avoid a misstep in what could be an interesting 1st-round game against Yale.

If the bracket plays out with AU playing UConn or Iowa State, consider that coach Bruce Pearl owns an 8-4 record against the spread when lined as an underdog.

San Diego State (+2100)

The Aztecs (24-10) are just 6-4 over their last 10 games, but they have the defense (39% field-goal accuracy allowed over those 10 games) and court skills to make for profit leverage at this price point. San Diego State sports a veteran lineup, and it gets its 1st 2 potential games in its own time zone (games in Spokane).

The futures market had shorter overall futures odds on SDSU a couple weeks ago. The Aztecs’ Jaedon LeDee is a power forward with possible late 1st-round NBA talent, and he’s a likely match-up problem for most teams San Diego State would play.

East Region long shots

Drake (+4200)

The Bulldogs (28-6) come out of the Missouri Valley Conference, a league that has often done damage from underdog slots in recent years’ brackets. Drake won the MVC Tournament and is 10-1 in its last 11 games.

DU hits from distance (36.5% from 3-point range) and takes great care of the ball. The Bulldogs are a top-notch defensive rebounding team. They have a 6-1 record in neutral-site games, and that includes a Dec. 9 rout of West No. 10 seed Nevada.

Morehead State (+25000)

Morehead State is a slow-tempo squad trending the right way at the defensive end, and that’s a dangerous combination. The Eagles often win the 3-point shooting battle, and they should be considered a live wire against 1st-round opponent Illinois and either team they might play in the 2nd round (BYU, Duquesne).

Both Drake and Morehead State are in the bottom half of the East Region bracket. Making the plays in tandem has merit.

[gambcom-standard rankid=”5″ ]

For more sports betting picks and tips, check out SportsbookWire.com and BetFTW. Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter/X and like us on Facebook.

College sports coverage from USA TODAY Sports Media Group:
Alabama / Arkansas / Auburn / Clemson / Colorado / Florida / Georgia / Iowa / LSU / Michigan / Michigan State / Nebraska / North Carolina / Notre Dame / Ohio State / Oklahoma / Oregon / Penn State / Rutgers / Tennessee / Texas / Texas A&M / USC / Wisconsin /
College Sports Wire: Men’s hoops / Women’s hoops / High School

[lawrence-newsletter]

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1667]

After massive sweep of No. 18 TCU, OU baseball lands in D1Baseball’s top 25 at No. 17

Oklahoma lands in D1Baseball’s Top 25 for the first time this season after sweeping No.18 TCU.

This OU baseball team has been playing some inspired baseball recently. The Sooners have now reeled off back-to-back conference sweeps to start the 2024 conference schedule.

Despite a midweek loss to their Bedlam rivals Oklahoma State, the Sooners went 4-1 last week. Their conquest of the TCU Horned Frogs in Fort Worth raised plenty of eyebrows and was more than enough for the Sooners to go from unranked to No. 17 in the latest D1Baseball Top 25.

TCU was No. 12 in the country when the Sooners played this weekend, and now they are 18th, directly behind the Sooners. With Oklahoma’s inclusion into the mix, the Big 12 has two teams in the top 25. Texas and Texas Tech both fell out in this latest update after each team lost two games last week.

At the top, Arkansas remains the nation’s number-one team. Oregon State is behind them, followed by perennial powerhouse Vanderbilt at three—Clemson, LSU, and Florida slot in at four, five, and six. Texas A&M, Tennessee, Duke, and ECU round out the top 10.

The Sooners also were ranked 14th by Baseball America and 18th by Perfect Game USA.

After four straight wins against teams from the state of Texas, Oklahoma will look to keep it going on Tuesday at L. Dale Mitchell Park for a midweek matchup vs. No. 15 Dallas Baptist on Tuesday night. Dallas Baptist beat Oklahoma earlier this season, 11-7, when the two met in Dallas for a midweek affair.

 

Oklahoma snubbed from NCAA Tournament for third straight year; dubbed first team out

Oklahoma is the first team out in this year’s NCAA Tournament, narrowly missing the cut.

[autotag]Porter Moser[/autotag] and the Oklahoma Sooners will not be participating in this year’s NCAA Tournament, as the Sooners found out on Sunday when the brackets were unveiled to the world.

The Sooners will remain in an NCAA Tournament drought for yet another year as the Sooners found out their fate.

Despite winning twenty games and finishing with zero losses to teams in Quad 2-4, the Sooners narrowly missed the cut and were ranked as the first team out, meaning the Sooners finished 69th instead of 68th.

Oklahoma sputtered to the end of the season, losing four of its last five games due to injuries, rigid scheduling, and lackluster play. However, Porter Moser and bracketologists like Joe Lunardi stood firm that Oklahoma would be good enough to make the cut narrowly.

The Virginia Cavaliers are the most surprising team to make it over the Sooners. The Cavaliers played in a weaker conference and had a lower NET rating than the Sooners.

All told, when Oklahoma was fully healthy, they were 18-6 and worthy of an NCAA Tournament spot. Oklahoma was victim over an unprecedented conference tournament weekend as teams like Oregon stole bids from right under the nose of Oklahoma. Oregon upset Colorado to win the final Pac-12 tournament. The Ducks were dead in the water before their conference tournament started, and they had only one hope: Win their conference tournament. They did that and punched their ticket.

The Sooners missing this year’s NCAA Tournament brings their tournament drought to three years.

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow John on Twitter @john9williams.

Catcher Easton Carmichael named Co-Big 12 Player of the Week

Sophomore catcher Easton Carmichael named Big 12 Co-Player of the Week after an incredible four game performance.

It was an electric week for sophomore catcher Easton Carmichael. His production at the plate earned Carmichael Big 12 Co-Player of the Week honors.

Oklahoma went undefeated last week, and Carmichael was pivotal in the Sooners efforts. He hit .615 with four extra-base hits, including two home runs and eight RBIs.

The sophomore went 8-for-13, scoring eight runs, drawing three walks, and even stealing a base for good measure. He also struck out only one time during that impressive run.

On Sunday, he went yard to put the run rule into effect and end the Sooners’ sweep of new Big 12 foe UCF early in the seventh inning.

He’ll split this award with Texas designated hitter Max Belyeu.

Carmichael is the first Oklahoma Sooner to win a Player of the Week award since his brother, Braden, did it last season as Pitcher of the Week.

Carmichael has recorded a multi-hit game for the Sooners in four of the last six games. He’s now batting .472, good for second in the Big 12, while slugging .755, good for fifth. Carmichael is fifth in OPS, fourth in doubles, and tenth in runs batted in.

Carmichael will look to continue his hot campaign this week as Oklahoma plays Oklahoma State and Texas-Arlington and has a weekend series in Fort Worth against a ranked TCU squad.

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Bryant on Twitter @thatmanbryant.