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Sooners Accept Invitation to College Basketball Crown
Oklahoma to face Colorado in quarterfinals after missing NCAA Tournament
Mar. 16, 2026 at 10:24pm
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After being left out of the NCAA Tournament, the Oklahoma Sooners have accepted an invitation to compete in the College Basketball Crown tournament in Las Vegas. The Sooners will take on the Colorado Buffaloes in the quarterfinals on April 1, with the winner advancing to face either Baylor or Minnesota in the semifinals. The Crown tournament features a $300,000 NIL prize package for the champion.
Why it matters
The Sooners' decision to continue their season in the Crown tournament comes after they were left out of the NCAA Tournament for the third time in five seasons, despite winning six of their last seven games and eight of their last 11 against SEC opponents. This gives the team another opportunity to compete for a championship and the lucrative NIL prize.
The details
Oklahoma declined an invitation to play in the NIT after missing the NCAA Tournament, but has now accepted a spot in the eight-team College Basketball Crown tournament in Las Vegas. The Sooners will face Colorado in the quarterfinals on April 1, with the winner advancing to the semifinals against either Baylor or Minnesota. The Crown tournament features a $300,000 NIL prize package for the champion, with the runner-up receiving $100,000 and the two semifinal losers each getting $50,000.
- Oklahoma was left out of the NCAA Tournament on Sunday, March 16, 2026.
- The Sooners accepted an invitation to the College Basketball Crown on Monday, March 17, 2026.
- The quarterfinal matchup between Oklahoma and Colorado will take place on Tuesday, April 1, 2026 at 7:00 p.m. CT.
The players
Porter Moser
The head coach of the Oklahoma Sooners men's basketball team.
Colorado Buffaloes
The men's basketball team that will face Oklahoma in the College Basketball Crown quarterfinals.
What they’re saying
“We were obviously extremely disappointed to not be selected for the NCAA Tournament, as we felt we played some of the best basketball in the country down the stretch, winning six of our last seven and eight of our last 11 against SEC teams. Our guys were devastated Sunday night.”
— Porter Moser, Head Coach, Oklahoma Sooners
“We spent time talking about whether to continue our season in another tournament and we decided as a group we wanted to do that. We're not ready for this ride to end and we want to keep competing together.”
— Porter Moser, Head Coach, Oklahoma Sooners
What’s next
The winner of the Oklahoma-Colorado quarterfinal matchup will advance to face the winner of the Baylor-Minnesota game in the semifinals of the College Basketball Crown tournament on April 3.
The takeaway
Despite missing the NCAA Tournament, the Oklahoma Sooners have decided to continue their season by accepting an invitation to the College Basketball Crown tournament in Las Vegas. This gives the team another opportunity to compete for a championship and a lucrative NIL prize package, as they look to end their season on a high note after a disappointing selection Sunday.
