OU Basketball Ranked in Top 25
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The OU basketball team is currently ranked in the top 25, and fans are hopeful that they’ll be able to make a run in the NCAA tournament Stay up to date on all the latest news and information about the team here.
OU Basketball’s Top 25 Ranking
The OU men’s Basketball team is ranked No. 25 in the Associated Press preseason poll, it was announced Monday. The Sooners earned 377 points in the voting by a panel of 65 media members, good for the final spot in the poll.
It is the sixth time OU has appeared in the preseason AP poll and the first time since 2015-16, when the Sooners were ranked No. 19. Oklahoma is one of seven Big 12 teams in this year’s preseason poll, tied for the most of any conference.
What this means for the team
In the most recent AP Top 25 poll, the OU basketball team is ranked at #24. This is the first time the team has been ranked in the Top 25 since 2013, when they were also ranked at #24.
What this means for the team is that they will now have a higher level of expectations and will be under more scrutiny. They will also have a better chance of making the NCAA Tournament and potentially getting a higher seed.
How they got here
The OU men’s Basketball team is ranked in the top 25 for the first time in three years, coming in at No. 23 in the latest Associated Press poll.
The Sooners are 12-2 on the season and have won eight straight games, including impressive victories over then-No. 10 Wichita State and then-No. 8 Texas Tech
OU’s only losses this season have come against then-No. 2 Duke and then-No. 17 West Virginia both of which were highly ranked at the time and are currently among the top 15 teams in the country.
The Sooners have been led by a balanced attack, with five players averaging in double figures scoring. Senior guard Trae Young is OU’s leading scorer at 28.5 points per game while also averaging 8.7 assists and 2.3 steals per game.
Redshirt junior forward Khadeem Lattin is averaging 11 points and a team-leading 6.7 rebounds per game while junior guard Christian James is adding 11.4 points per contest.
The road ahead
The OU men’s basketball team is ranked in the top 25 for the first time this season and will look to continue their winning ways on the road. The Sooners have a tough road ahead, with games against ranked opponents Kansas, Baylor, and West Virginia They will also face tough tests from unranked but talented teams such as Iowa State TCU, and Oklahoma State
If the Sooners can win some of these tough road games, they will be in good position to make a run at the conference title and possibly even a berth in the NCAA tournament
What the critics are saying
The Sooners are currently ranked No. 17 in the AP Top 25 poll released Monday morning. While some have OU pegged much higher in their own personal rankings, it’s still an impressive feat considering the team’s rocky start to the season.
Here’s a look at what some of the critics are saying about OU’s ranking:
“The Sooners have won eight of their last nine games, with their only loss in that stretch coming to No. 1 Baylor on the road. They’ve been led by senior guard Austin Reaves, who is averaging 17.5 points, 5.0 rebounds and 4.4 assists per game ” – ESPN
“Oklahoma has found its groove and is riding an eight-game Win Streak into this week’s games against Iowa State and TCU. The Sooners are one of the hottest teams in the country right now.” – FOX Sports
“OU is playing its best basketball of the season at just the right time, and a strong finish to the regular season could result in a high seed come March Madness time.” – Bleacher Report
The fans’ reaction
After being unranked in the preseason, the OU basketball team has fought its way into the top 25 rankings. How are the fans reacting?
The fans are ecstatic! They have been waiting for this moment ever since last season ended. The team has worked hard and it has paid off. They are excited to see what the future holds for this young team.
The players’ reaction
The basketball team at OU is ranked in the top 25 for the first time in a while and the players are very excited. They have been working hard and are proud of their accomplishment.
The coach’s reaction
Oklahoma basketball coach Lon Kruger was pleased to see his team ranked in the Top 25 for the first time this season.
“It’s nice to be recognized and ranked by the media,” Kruger said. “Our guys have worked hard and continue to get better each day. We still have a lot of work to do, but this is a good step in the right direction.”
The impact on recruiting
When a college basketball team is ranked in the Top 25, it has a direct impact on recruiting. Coaches can use the ranking as a tool to attract high-caliber players to their program. Being ranked can also help a team’s chances of making the NCAA tournament and potentially advancing to the Final Four. In short, being ranked in the Top 25 is a big deal for college basketball programs.
The bottom line
The Oklahoma Sooners are ranked in the top 25 for the first time this season, coming in at No. 25 in the latest AP poll.
It’s the first time OU has been ranked since the final poll of the 2015-16 season, when the Sooners were No. 25. OU was also ranked in the preseason poll this year, but fell out after an 0-2 start that included losses to Wichita State and Iowa State
The Sooners have won eight of their last nine games, with their only loss in that stretch coming at Kansas. OU’s biggest win during that stretch was a 92-83 victory over then-No. 3 West Virginia on Jan. 16.
