UConn to Face Oklahoma in NCAA Tournament West Region
UConn men’s basketball (23-10) earned an eight seed in the NCAA Tournament’s West Region. The Huskies will take on No. 9 Oklahoma in Raleigh, North Carolina, in the First Round on Friday. Full Bracket
Oklahoma ended the season with a 20-13 record, finishing 13th in the SEC and landing 38th in KenPom after losing to Kentucky in the second round of the conference tournament. Their head coach Porter Moser is in his fourth season leading the Sooners after a successful run at Loyola (Chicago). They were competing in the Big 12 over the last three seasons before completing their first year in the SEC in 2025.
UConn is 1-3 against Oklahoma all-time, meeting in the regular season four years in a row from 2002-2005 with the Huskies’ lone victory coming in 2004 at Gampel Pavilion. KenPom suggests this matchup a toss-up on a neutral court, projecting a 76-75 UConn win.
With a win, UConn would most likely face top-seeded Florida in the second round. The Gators were 30-4 and finished 2nd overall in KenPom.
The Huskies ended a five-game winning streak with a loss to Creighton in the Big East Tournament semifinals on Friday night. Their first-round matchup will pit strength against strength as UConn is ranked 35th in KenPom and much stronger offensively, sitting 14th overall. The Sooners are 21st offensively and 70th defensively.
This is the Huskies’ fifth consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance, the third time the program has reached that mark in its history. The previous stretches matching that feat were 2002-2006 under Jim Calhoun and 1956-1960 under Hugh Greer.
Dan Hurley will have a chance to set a program record with another appearance next season. The Huskies missed the tourney in his first season (2018-2019) and went 19-12 in 2020 when the tournament was canceled due to the pandemic. They’ve been in the dance every year since, with two championships in Hurley’s fifth and sixth seasons at the helm. He currently holds a 14-4 NCAA Tournament record.
Storrs Central will have more from Hurley and the players after their interviews today.