College Basketball Region Power Rankings: SMU Upsets No. 21 UConn

Feb 22, 2014; Norman, OK, USA; Oklahoma Sooners guard

(10) handles the ball against Kansas State Wildcats guard

(23) during the second half at Lloyd Noble Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports

2. Oklahoma Sooners (20-8, 9-6 Big 12)

The Longhorns might be ranked higher in the polls, but the Sooners are playing better right now than their Red River rival. Both teams played at Kansas in their last games. Texas lost 85-54 while Oklahoma actually competed in an 83-75 loss. The dynamic duo of Buddy Hield (16 points) and Cameron Clark (18 points) pressured the Jayhawks all night with their tough shooting. Unfortunately, the Sooners couldn’t get stops when they needed to in the second half to keep the upset bid alive. Their inabilty to defend the three-point shot is a little concerning, too. According to kenpom.com, Oklahoma allows Big 12 opponents to shoot 38.1 percent from beyond the arc, which is last in the conference. Lon Kruger’s team can score with just about anybody in the country (12th in the nation with 82.5 PPG), but must tighten up defensively to make a real run in March.

Up Next: 3/1 vs. Texas, 3/5 vs. West Virginia