NORMAN — Buddy Hield walked into the Sooner locker room minutes after Oklahoma’s win against Texas on Saturday to share words that would’ve sounded insincere even two weeks ago.
“Y’all in the hunt,” Hield told the team.
The former National Player of the Year who led Oklahoma to the 2016 Final Four was speaking to a squad that had recently recovered from a five-game losing streak — one that included 30-point and 12-point home losses to Baylor and Texas Tech.
Oklahoma was still floating on the NCAA Tournament bubble during the losing streak, but a bubble in which evaporation seemed imminent.