The University of Oklahoma released its full 2025-26 men’s basketball schedule on Thursday, and it’s a slate that blends traditional home-court advantage with marquee non-conference matchups and a bruising second year in the Southeastern Conference. Vice President and Director of Athletics Joe Castiglione and head coach Porter Moser rolled out the plan for a 31-game regular season that signals the Sooners’ intent to play—and win—on the sport’s biggest stages.
NBA Arenas, National Audiences
Before the regular season tips off, Oklahoma will get a taste of the big time with an Oct. 24 exhibition at Wisconsin’s Fiserv Forum—the home of the Milwaukee Bucks. That matchup marks the first of three games the Sooners will play in NBA arenas this year. They’ll also face Arizona State on Dec. 6 at PHX Arena, home of the Phoenix Suns, and renew Bedlam against Oklahoma State on Dec. 13 at the Oklahoma City Thunder’s Paycom Center.
For a roster featuring several new transfer additions, the exposure to NBA venues is more than just a travel perk. It’s a recruiting and branding tool. Young players see themselves under the same lights as the pros, and the Sooners hope those environments sharpen them for SEC play.
A Friendly Start at Lloyd Noble
Oklahoma’s regular season begins Nov. 3 in Norman against Saint Francis, the first of 16 home dates in 2025-26. That opener starts a month-long stretch in which OU plays six of its first eight games inside the state of Oklahoma, giving Moser’s group an opportunity to establish rhythm before the league grind begins.
One of the most intriguing early contests is Nov. 11 against Arkansas-Pine Bluff at historic McCasland Field House. Marketed as a student-only game, the night will not be part of the standard season-ticket package—a nod to the program’s effort to create a rowdy, intimate atmosphere reminiscent of college basketball’s past.
Other non-conference home games include Oral Roberts (Nov. 20), Alcorn State (Nov. 23), Kansas City (Dec. 16), Stetson (Dec. 22), and Mississippi Valley State (Dec. 29). Each matchup gives OU a chance to build depth and test lineups before diving into its SEC schedule.
Testing the Road Mettle
The second game of the season will quickly push the Sooners out of their comfort zone. OU travels to Spokane Arena on Nov. 8 to take on Gonzaga, one of the sport’s perennial powers. Later, the Sooners head to Winston-Salem for a Dec. 2 clash with Wake Forest as part of the ACC/SEC Challenge. Last season the SEC dominated that event with a 14-2 record, and Oklahoma will be eager to keep that momentum going.
Neutral-site non-conference games also provide major-program feel. The Sooners meet Nebraska on Nov. 15 at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, S.D., and Marquette on Nov. 28 in Chicago’s Credit Union 1 Arena. Both games pit OU against high-level competition in regions rich with recruiting ties.
A Brutal SEC Gauntlet
While the non-conference portion of the schedule is robust, the heart of OU’s season will be its second campaign in the SEC. Every league team plays the other 15 at least once, with three programs facing a home-and-home. For the second consecutive year, Oklahoma draws Missouri, Texas, and Texas A&M twice—a challenging trio given all three reached postseason play last spring.
Oklahoma’s SEC slate begins Jan. 3 at home against Ole Miss, a Sweet 16 participant in 2025. From there, the Sooners will host nine conference foes at Lloyd Noble Center—all of whom qualified for last year’s NCAA Tournament. Five of those—Florida (national champion), Auburn (Final Four), Alabama (Elite Eight), Arkansas (Sweet 16), and Ole Miss—advanced at least as far as the Sweet 16.
The marquee Saturday home dates include Jan. 3 vs. Ole Miss, Jan. 17 vs. Alabama, Jan. 31 vs. Texas, Feb. 14 vs. Georgia, and Feb. 21 vs. Texas A&M. Four midweek home games are also on tap, highlighted by matchups with Florida, Arkansas, Auburn, and Missouri.
On the road, the Sooners will be equally tested. Saturday SEC games take them to Texas A&M (Jan. 10), Missouri (Jan. 24), Vanderbilt (Feb. 7), LSU (Feb. 28), and Texas (March 7). Midweek trips include Mississippi State, South Carolina, Kentucky, and Tennessee—two of which (Kentucky and Tennessee) reached at least the Sweet 16 a season ago.
The conference will finalize many midweek dates and all television designations closer to the season, but the outline is already clear: Oklahoma faces one of the toughest schedules in the nation.
The SEC’s Rising Tide
If 2025 taught fans anything, it’s that the SEC has become college basketball’s deepest league. Teams won a record 88.9% of their non-conference games last season and placed 14 programs in the NCAA Tournament—a new benchmark. Florida’s national title snapped the conference’s championship drought dating to 2012, while Auburn, Alabama, Arkansas, Ole Miss, Kentucky, and Tennessee all advanced deep into March.
That means no nights off. For the Sooners, the grind of January and February will demand both depth and experience—two areas Porter Moser’s staff addressed aggressively in the offseason.
New Faces, High Expectations
According to On3’s Team Transfer Portal Index, Oklahoma ranks No. 6 nationally. 247Sports lists three of the Sooners’ incoming transfers among the SEC’s top 11: Xzayvier Brown (No. 8), Derrion Reid (No. 9), and Nijel Pack (No. 11), with Tae Davis also checking in at No. 19. These additions should give OU a blend of scoring punch, defensive versatility, and veteran leadership necessary to navigate the SEC’s physical style.
Combined with a returning core eager to prove it can win in the league’s second year, the Sooners have the makings of a balanced roster capable of making noise in March.
Fan Experience and Ticketing
Season tickets for the 2025-26 campaign start at just $199, a price point designed to keep Lloyd Noble Center full as the Sooners welcome elite competition. New courtside seats along the south baseline are also being added, enhancing the atmosphere for home games. Fans interested can contact the OU Athletics Ticket Office or the Sooner Club for more information.
Eyes on Nashville
The SEC Tournament returns to Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena March 11-15, 2026, marking the fourth straight year Music City has hosted the event. For Oklahoma, the goal will be to enter that week battle-tested and peaking at the right time—something its non-conference gauntlet and conference double-ups are built to achieve.
Building a National Brand
Taken together, Oklahoma’s 2025-26 schedule is a roadmap for where the program wants to go. Playing in NBA arenas, challenging itself in neutral-site games, and embracing the SEC’s depth all point to a staff determined to grow the brand beyond regional confines. For recruits, it’s a sign they’ll be showcased on national stages. For fans, it’s a chance to see blue-blood opponents in Norman and across the country.
Porter Moser has often spoken about making the Sooners a “national” program. This schedule is his strongest evidence yet. From October in Milwaukee to March in Nashville, Oklahoma will measure itself against some of the game’s biggest names—exactly the test a program needs if it wants to become one of them.
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