Diamond Head Classic Bracket Released

NORMAN — The Oklahoma men's basketball team will open the 2015 Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic by playing Washington State on Tuesday, Dec. 22, in Honolulu, Hawai'i. The bracket for the eight-team Christmas week tournament was announced today by ESPN.

The OU-Washington State matchup will start at 10 p.m. CT at the Stan Sheriff Center and will be televised by ESPNU. The Cougars, coached by Ernie Kent, went 13-18 last year. In the only meeting between the two men's basketball programs, Oklahoma posted a 74-59 opening-round win in the 76 Classic, in Anaheim, Calif., during the 2012-13 season, head coach Lon Kruger's first year with the Sooners.

The winner of the OU-Washington State game will play the winner of the first-round contest between Northern Iowa and host Hawai'i at 8 p.m. CT on Dec. 23 (ESPN2). The first-round losers will meet at 10:30 p.m. CT (ESPNU). Northern Iowa went 31-4 last season and advanced to the NCAA Round of 32, while Hawai'i finished the year at 22-13.

The other side of the bracket has Auburn (15-20) meeting New Mexico (15-16) and BYU (25-10; NCAA First Four) facing Harvard (22-8; NCAA Round of 64) in the opening round. The championship game is set for Christmas Day at 7:30 p.m. CT (ESPN2).

All 2015 Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic games will be aired live on ESPN2, ESPNU or ESPN3.

The Sooners return four starters, 75 percent of their scoring, 74 percent of their rebounding and 83 percent of their assists from the 2014-15 squad that went 24-11 and finished in a tie for second place in the Big 12. OU went to its third straight NCAA Tournament and advanced to the Sweet 16 for the first time under Kruger.

For more information, please visit the Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic's website.

University of Oklahoma Athletics

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