OU Basketball: Oklahoma Included in AP Top 25; Where are the Sooners Ranked?

After a 7-0 start in non-conference play, the Sooners are ranked in the Associated Press Top 25.

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Oklahoma has gained national recognition for its undefeated start.

The Sooners are ranked No. 21 in the latest AP Poll, released on Monday. OU is 7-0 and recently won the Battle 4 Atlantis tournament in the Bahamas.

Oklahoma beat four mid-major programs to begin the 2024-25 season. The Sooners beat Lindenwood, Northwestern State, Stetson and East Texas A&M — all by double digits — to start the season 4-0.

The Sooners’ most impressive stretch came last week.

Oklahoma played in the Battle 4 Atlantis — an early-season tournament held in the Bahamas — and faced a handful of quality opponents.

The Sooners opened the tournament with a 79-77 win over Providence, a regular contender in the Big East Conference. Then, OU beat No. 24 Arizona 82-77 to reach the tournament championship game.

Oklahoma capped off its midseason tournament with a 69-64 win against Louisville to win the Battle 4 Atlantis.

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The Sooners were unranked in last week’s AP Poll and did not receive a vote in the rankings.

Oklahoma is in its fourth season under head coach Porter Moser, who came to Norman after several years coaching at Loyola Chicago. Under Moser, the Sooners have compiled a 61-45 record.

The Sooners have yet to reach the NCAA Tournament under Moser. OU reached the National Invitational Tournament in Moser’s first year, 2021-22. The Sooners likely would’ve reached the NIT last year, but they declined to play in the NIT after the failed to gain a bid for the NCAA Tournament.

Oklahoma hasn’t reached the NCAA Tournament since the 2020-21 campaign, when the Sooners were a No. 8 seed. OU beat Missouri in the first round of that Tournament before losing 87-71 to No. 1 Gonzaga in the second round.

Oklahoma is one of six programs to make its debut in the AP Poll for the 2024-25 season, along with Oregon (No. 12), Memphis (No. 16), Pittsburgh (No. 18), Illinois (No. 19) and San Diego State (No. 24).

The Sooners have six non-conference games remaining before they kick off their first conference season in the SEC. OU’s next game is a home contest against Georgia Tech (4-3) in the ACC-SEC Challenge.

OU Basketball: Oklahoma Beats Louisville to Win it All in Atlantis

Oklahoma is one of eight SEC teams ranked in the AP Top 25, along with Auburn (No. 2), Tennessee (No. 3), Kentucky (No. 4), Alabama (No. 10), Florida (No. 13), Texas A&M (No. 22) and Ole Miss (No. 23).

The Sooners begin their first year of SEC conference play on Saturday, Jan. 4, when OU hosts No. 10 Alabama at the Lloyd Noble Center.