RALEIGH, N.C. – The eight-seed UConn men's basketball team (23-10) opens NCAA Tournament play on Friday night with a late-night showdown against nine-seed Oklahoma (20-13). The contest will tip some time after 9:25 p.m. and air on TNT with the Final Four crew of Ian Eagle, Bill Raftery, Grant Hill and Tracy Wolfson on the call.

The Huskies are playing in their 38^th tournament in program history and fifth-straight – tied for their longest tournament streak all-time. UConn is the defending back-to-back national champions and is riding a 12-game NCAA Tournament game winning streak, one shy of the modern era record. It is the first time UConn has played as an eight seed since the NCAA Tournament began seeding in 1979.

UConn has won six national titles, winning as the No. 1overall seed last and with as high a seed as seven as in 2014. Four of UConn's titles have come out of the West region, including most recently the 2023 crown.

The match-up with Oklahoma is the fifth all-time between the BIG EAST and SEC members and first since 2005. The squads played home-and-home series from 2002-05 with Oklahoma holding a 3-1 record. It is the first meeting in the NCAA Tournament or on a neutral floor.

Dan Hurley is 14-4 in the NCAA Tournament, making his seventh appearance over the last eight tournaments held. As a program the Huskies are 71-32 with a total of 19 Sweet 16 appearances, 13 Elite Eights and seven Final Fours to go with their six titles.

The Huskies have been led this year by a potent offense which ranks top-15 nationally in every major metric. Solo Ball leads UConn with 14.6 points per game and is one of the most lethal 3-point shooters in the country hitting 2.88 per game at a 42.2 percent clip.

Liam McNeeley, the BIG EAST Freshman of the Year, adds 14.6 points and 6.1 rebounds per game which are both second on the squad. Alex Karaban is the third Husky over 14 a game, with the captain averaging 14.4 points, 5.2 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game. Hassan Diarra is UConn's top assist man and ranks top-25 nationally with 5.8 per game.

The Huskies have seen tremendous success at the rim this season and lead the country with 6.4 blocked shots per game. The center tandem of Samson Johnson and Tarris Reed Jr. combine for over three blocks per game and Karaban swats 1.6 per night. UConn has dominated the glass in recent weeks and has surged into the top-20 nationally with a +6.3 rebounding margin. Reed Jr. leads the Huskies with 7.3 caroms per game and the BIG EAST Sixth Man of the year grades out as one of the most efficient rebounders in the nation.

Oklahoma enters the First Round with a 20-13 overall record after a 6-12 campaign in the vaunted SEC. Freshman phenom Jeremiah Fears leads Oklahoma with 17.0 points per game along with 4.1 assists and 4.1 rebounds. Jalon Moore is the second Sooner in double-figures with 16.0 per game and a team-high 5.8 rebounds. OU has a top-25 offense, per Kenpom, and ranks top-10 nationally with a 79.4 percent mark from the free throw line.

The winner of Friday night's contest will square off with the winner of top-seed Florida and 16-seed Norfolk State, who meet earlier on Friday.