Oklahoma Sooners moving up in latest bracketology from ESPN’s Joe Lunardi
The Oklahoma Sooners are off to a fantastic start on the hardwood in the 2023-2024 season. They’re 9-0 and have had some significant, resume-building wins as Oklahoma searches for their first NCAA tournament bid in the Porter Moser era.
They’ve made significant headway toward that goal through nonconference play. With Big 12 play looming, it was imperative for the Sooners to perform well in the nonconference slate, and they’ve done just that. Notable wins over Iowa, USC, Providence, and Arkansas have Moser and the Sooners on the right track with four games remaining before Big 12 play opens against Iowa State.
They’ll face a significant test when they go to Charlotte, North Carolina, to take on the No. 9 Tar Heels in the Jumpman Invitational. But they’ve put the work in this season and look like one of the better teams in the country this season.
Oklahoma’s recent wins over Providence and Arkansas gave them a big bump in the latest USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll. That jump to No. 12 in the nation was followed by another significant bump in the latest bracketology from ESPN’s Joe Lunardi.
Here’s where the Big 12 landed in Lunardi’s latest projections for the NCAA tournament.
1. Kansas Jayhawks (9-1)
Notable Wins: No. 17 Kentucky, No. 7 Tennessee, No. 4 UConn, Missouri
Notable Losses: No. 4 Marquette
Up Next: Indiana, Yale, Wichita State
2. Houston Cougars (10-0)
Notable Wins: Utah, Dayton, Xavier
Notable Losses: None
Up Next: Texas A&M, Texas State, Penn
2. Baylor Bears (9-0)
Notable Wins: Auburn, Oregon State, Florida, Seton Hall,
Notable Losses: None
Up Next: Michigan State, Duke, Mississippi Valley State
4. Oklahoma Sooners (9-0)
Notable Wins: Iowa, No. 23 USC, Providence, Arkansas
Notable Losses: None
Up Next: Green Bay, North Carolina (Charlotte), Central Arkansas
4. BYU Cougars (8-1)
Notable Wins: No. 17 San Diego State, NC State, Arizona State
Notable Losses: Utah
Up Next: Denver, Georgia State, Bellarmine
8. Texas Longhorns (7-2)
Notable Wins: Louisville
Notable Losses: No. 5 UConn, No. 8 Marquette
Up Next: LSU, Texas A&M – Corpus Christie, UNC Greensboro
9. Iowa State Cyclones (8-2)
Notable Wins: Iowa
Notable Losses: Virginia Tech, No. 12 Texas A&M
Up Next: Florida A&M, Eastern Illinois, New Hampshire
Kansas State Wildcats (8-2)
Notable Wins: Providence, Villanova, at LSU
Notable Losses: No. 21 USC, No. 12 Miami
Up Next: vs. Nebraska, Chicago State, UCF Knights
11. Cincinnati Bearcats (7-1)
Notable Wins: None
Notable Losses: to Xavier, 84-79
Up Next: vs. Bryant, Dayton, Merrimack
Next 4 Out: TCU Horned Frogs (7-1)
Notable Wins: Georgetown 84-83
Notable Losses: to No. 11 Clemson, 74-66
Up Next: vs. Arizona State, Old Dominion, Texas A&M Commerce
