On Sunday evening, the Oklahoma men’s basketball team found out they would not be part of the NCAA Tournament field. Following this, they made a decision not to accept an invitation to the National Invitation Tournament (NIT).
The Sooners were the first team left out when the 68-team NCAA Tournament lineup was revealed. Despite their NET ranking, which would have automatically qualified them for the NIT, the team, led by Coach Porter Moser, chose to decline the invitation.
Coach Moser expressed his feelings, saying, “I have had an incredible time coaching these young men. They’ve fought hard in every game, showing great resilience, love for each other, and a desire to win. It’s heartbreaking that they won’t be in the NCAA Tournament, especially since their performance this season deserved a spot. I’ll share more thoughts on our achievements and the selection process later.”
He continued, “After discussing with our players, staff, and the administration, we’ve decided to turn down the NIT invitation. This was a tough choice, but we made it with our student-athletes’ best interests in mind.”
Moser also took the opportunity to thank everyone for their support, “I want to thank the OU students, Sooner Nation, and all our fans for the incredible support this season. Your enthusiasm makes the University of Oklahoma truly special.”
Ending his statement, Moser said, “Boomer Sooner.”
This season, Oklahoma ended with a 20-12 record. This is the first time the Sooners have won 20 games before the NCAA Tournament and not been included in the field.