4.) Oklahoma Sooners
After starting non-conference play 12-1 with their only loss coming to North Carolina on a neutral site, the Sooners have struggled to find any sort of consistency in Big 12 play, now standing at 19-9 (7-8) on the year with a most recent 58-45 loss to Iowa State on Wednesday night in Ames.
Although the Sooners remain comfortably in the field, hovering near the 8/9 game according to most bracketologists, Oklahoma doesn’t have the widest margin of error considering their NET non-conference SOS ranks in the bottom 25% of college basketball, according to CollegePollTracker.
And on to the fact that the Big 12 remains arguably the most rigorous league in college basketball, Porter Moser’s group will have no time to settle down as they face a daunting matchup against the nation’s best defensive team, the Houston Cougars, on Saturday.
As March enters the picture, Oklahoma’s defense remains strong -- something that will keep them in any game -- but it's their offense that has sputtered in Big 12 play with the Sooners failing to eclipse the 70-point mark in six of their eight Big 12 losses.
Despite inconsistencies in the Big 12, barring anything unforeseen, the Sooners are in a strong position to hear their name called on Selection Sunday for the first time under Porter Moser.
Led by Javian McCollum (13.7 PPG, 3.3 APG) alongside the emergence of Otega Oweh (11.9 PPG, 4.0 RPG) and Jalon Moore (10.6 PPG, 6.4 RPG), the Sooners have a tournament team on paper but need to find consistently on the offensive end of the floor if they wish to go on a run come March.