For a pre-NCAA Tournament On the Beat, the Tribune caught up with The Oklahoman's Ryan Aber, who has covered the Sooners for the past eight years.
Aber details the similar seasons for Missouri and Oklahoma as well as what factors could decide which team advances to Monday's second-round game.
The full conversation with Aber and Tribune Mizzou athletics beat reporter Eric Blum can be heard on this week's episode of the Columbia Daily Tribune's Mizzou Sports Podcast.
The following excerpts have been slightly edited for clarity and length.