OKLAHOMA
Toughest: Arkansas (Dec. 10), at Cincinnati (Dec. 29)
Next-toughest: 76 Classic (Nov. 24-27)
The rest: Idaho State (Nov. 11), Coppin State (Nov. 18), Sacramento State (Dec. 2), Oral Roberts (Dec. 8), vs. Houston in Oklahoma City (Dec. 17), South Carolina State (Dec. 21), Northwestern State (Dec. 31)
Toughness scale (1-10): 4 -- The trip to Cincinnati will be the toughest game by far. The Bearcats are a legit top-25 team. Arkansas at home will be dicey, too. The 76 Classic is a weak field, but that’s OK for a rebuilding team under first-year coach Lon Kruger. The Sooners draw beatable Washington State in the first round, then could get a crack at MWC co-favorite New Mexico on the second day. The top part of the bracket has Villanova. But even if Saint Louis were to end up being an OU opponent, that would help too. The reality is the Sooners don’t have a postseason team, so this schedule will do them fine.
