OU Basketball Accepts Invite to College Basketball Crown, Will Face Colorado

The Sooners will continue their season in Las Vegas, taking on former Big 12 rival Colorado in the first round.

Mar. 16, 2026 at 10:48pm

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The Oklahoma men's basketball team has accepted an invitation to compete in the eight-team College Basketball Crown tournament in Las Vegas. The Sooners, who missed the NCAA Tournament, will face former Big 12 rival Colorado in the first round on April 1. If OU wins, they will advance to the semifinals on April 4 and potentially the championship game on April 5.

Why it matters

This tournament appearance provides the Sooners an opportunity to extend their season and gain valuable postseason experience, despite falling short of the NCAA Tournament. It also renews a historic rivalry between OU and Colorado, who were conference foes in the Big 12 until Colorado's departure in 2011.

The details

Oklahoma finished the regular season 19-15 overall and 7-11 in SEC play. The Sooners are led by a starting lineup of four first-year players averaging double-figure scoring, including guard Nijel Pack who leads the SEC in 3-point shooting percentage. OU enters the tournament on a strong note, winning six of its last eight games.

  • The College Basketball Crown tournament will take place from April 1-5, 2026.
  • OU will face Colorado in the first round on Wednesday, April 1 at 7 p.m. CT.
  • If the Sooners win, they will play in the semifinals on Saturday, April 4.
  • The championship game is scheduled for Sunday, April 5.

The players

Porter Moser

The head coach of the Oklahoma Sooners men's basketball team, who will be retained for the 2026 season despite failing to make the NCAA Tournament in four of his first five years.

Nijel Pack

A first-year guard for the Sooners who leads the SEC in 3-point shooting percentage and ranks 19th all-time with 426 career 3-pointers.

Xzayvier Brown

A first-year guard for Oklahoma who is averaging 15.3 points per game.

Tae Davis

A first-year forward for the Sooners who is averaging 12.5 points per game.

Derrion Reid

A first-year forward for Oklahoma who is averaging 11.8 points per game.

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What they’re saying

“Our guys were devastated Sunday night. 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.”

— Porter Moser, Head Coach (The Oklahoman)

What’s next

The winner of the OU-Colorado matchup will face the winner of Baylor-Minnesota in the semifinals on April 4.

The takeaway

Despite missing the NCAA Tournament, the Sooners have an opportunity to extend their season and gain valuable postseason experience by competing in the College Basketball Crown. This tournament appearance also renews a historic rivalry between OU and Colorado, providing an intriguing first-round matchup.