Men's March Madness: OU returns to NCAA Tournament set to face defending champion UCONN

For the first time since 2021, the OU men's basketball team is headed to the NCAA Tournament for March Madness.

The ninth-seeded Sooners will play eighth-seeded back-to-back defending Champions, UCONN, on Friday in North Carolina.

Jeremiah Fears has been a key player for the Sooners, particularly over the last four games, and his performance could be critical against UCONN. The true freshman guard has been on a hot streak, but the challenge will be how he handles UConn’s defense, which has struggled at times in one-on-one matchups against quick guards.

Senior forward Jalon Moore is also set up to play a pivotal role. Moore’s influence extends beyond his stats, as he's provided leadership in the locker room throughout the season.

"I'll always think of Jalon of fighting through hard because he wanted it so bad this year, and there was a moment this year where it was easy for everyone to quit getting gut-punched, and we just, life lesson staying with it, persistence, faith, resiliency, of fighting through heart and to get these wins down the stretch and play your best basketball," said OU Head Coach Porter Moser. "Jalon Moore has been the heart and soul of our team."

Oklahoma could also get a boost from senior center Sam Godwin, who missed the SEC tournament because of a knee injury. Godwin said Thursday he was feeling good after working out earlier in the day and planned to test his knee again Friday. Coach Moser, however, expressed some uncertainty about Godwin’s availability. If he does play, the 6-foot-10 veteran could give the Sooners a much-needed presence inside.