Oklahoma men’s basketball misses 2026 NCAA Tournament after late surge and SEC tournament run

Oklahoma left out on Selection Sunday

The University of Oklahoma’s men’s basketball team did not receive an at-large bid to the 2026 NCAA Division I men’s basketball tournament when the field was announced on Sunday, March 15, ending a late-season push that had put the Sooners back into postseason contention.

Oklahoma’s omission came after a season marked by dramatic swings. The Sooners endured a nine-game losing streak earlier in the year, then followed it with a six-game winning streak that kept them in the conversation approaching Selection Sunday.

Record and SEC context

Oklahoma entered the SEC tournament with an 18-14 overall record and a 7-11 mark in conference play. That finish placed the Sooners in the lower half of the SEC standings and left their NCAA profile dependent on a strong showing in Nashville and the selection committee’s evaluation of their overall résumé.

The men’s NCAA tournament is a 68-team field, with 31 automatic bids awarded to conference tournament champions and the remaining 37 spots filled by at-large selections made on Selection Sunday.

SEC tournament results: a pair of wins before a quarterfinal exit

Oklahoma produced a notable run in the SEC tournament to strengthen its case. In the first round on March 11, the Sooners defeated South Carolina 86-74 at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville. Oklahoma erased a 13-point first-half deficit, shot 60% from the field, and committed eight turnovers. Guard Nijel Pack led with 24 points, including five 3-pointers; Derrion Reid scored 20 and Tae Davis added 18.

The win improved Oklahoma to 18-14 and was part of a stretch in which the Sooners had won seven of nine games.

• March 11, 2026: Oklahoma 86, South Carolina 74 (SEC tournament first round)

• March 12, 2026: Oklahoma advanced and faced No. 6 seed Texas A&M (SEC tournament second round)

• March 13, 2026: Oklahoma reached the SEC quarterfinals against Arkansas

What the decision means

Missing the NCAA tournament closes the book on Oklahoma’s attempt to turn late momentum into an at-large invitation. The selection process weighs the full season, including conference performance and results away from home, leaving teams with uneven stretches needing both quality wins and consistency across the schedule.

The NCAA tournament begins with First Four games on March 17–18, 2026, following the bracket reveal on March 15.