INDIANAPOLIS — No matter what unfolded in Saturday’s Oklahoma-Missouri first-round matchup in the NCAA Tournament, the winner would face staggering odds to make an extended stay in the Hoosier State.
As expected, OU’s reward for outlasting the Tigers is Monday’s showdown with No. 1 overall seed Gonzaga, the undefeated and rarely challenged Goliath of the bracket. Gonzaga is a 14-point favorite over the Sooners in the second-round matchup.
That will come as no consolation for a Mizzou program still starved for postseason glory. Instead, after a 16-10 season, the Tigers step into an uncertain spring with a roster positioned for plenty of offseason churn.