Mens Basketball Team Will Host LSU in NIT on Wednesday

NORMAN, Okla. University of Oklahoma men's basketball coach Kelvin Sampson announced Sunday evening that his team has accepted a bid to participate in the National Invitation Tournament, giving the Sooners the nation's longest postseason streak (23 seasons). OU will host LSU on Wednesday at 8:30 p.m. in an ESPN nationally televised game.

The Sooners are 19-10 overall and finished in seventh place in the Big 12 with an 8-8 league record. LSU owns an 18-10 overall record and tied for second in the SEC Western Division with an 8-8 conference mark. If OU beats LSU it will play the winner of Michigan and Missouri in a second-round game.

Commented Sampson about not making the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 10 years, “The (NCAA) committee does a great job of selecting teams that earn their way in. We didn't earn our way in. We were disappointed, but it's not like we were devastated.

2004 National Invitation Tournament | Printable Bracket

“It's been a tough year in some ways, but the fact that we went down swinging and fighting to the last second of the (Texas) game the other night, I'm proud of this team. We're not walking around with our heads down or feeling sorry for ourselves. We've got a lot to be proud of and we've got a great program. We hit a little bump on the road this year, but we play LSU on Wednesday night. We'll come back to practice tomorrow, get excited and be appreciative that we're still getting to play some basketball this year.”

Sampson continued, “It's not like, Well, we've had a disappointing year and are going to the NIT.' It's not like that at all. Of the 10 teams I've had at Oklahoma, this team may have maximized its ability as much as any of them.

“LSU will be a good test for us. I think the fact that we're playing such a great program from such a great conference will get our kids excited.”

This marks Oklahoma's seventh postseason NIT appearance. The Sooners own a 9-6 NIT record with previous showings in 1970, 1971, 1982, 1991, 1993 and 1994. OU advanced to the semifinals in 1982 (lost to Bradley) and reached the 1991 championship game (lost to Stanford).

The Sooners had played in the previous nine NCAA Tournaments. It was the nation's seventh longest NCAA Tournament streak heading into the year.

Indiana held the nation's longest postseason streak (NCAA and NIT) at 26 years, but finished the season with a 14-15 record and did not qualify for postseason play, giving the Sooners the longest current streak.

Tickets for Wednesday's game against LSU will go on sale Monday at 8 a.m. at the OU Athletics Ticket Office, over the phone at 405-325-2424 or 800-456-4668, and online at SoonerSports.com.

Order Tickets Online | OU Athletics Ticket Office

Tickets cost $10 for adults, $5 for high school students and younger, and $5 for OU students. Select lower-level seating will be available for season ticket holders and for OU students until 5 p.m. on Monday.

University of Oklahoma Athletics

Mens Basketball Team Will Host LSU in NIT on Wednesday

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