Buddy Hield, Isaiah Cousins, Ryan Spangler and Jordan Woodard have started 104 straight games, nine NCAA tournament contests, two Sweet Sixteens and a battle in the Elite Eight together.
"I can't imagine that ever being done, quite frankly, because of whether it be an injury or illness or whatever," OU coach Lon Kruger said. "These four guys all from different backgrounds — very, very special in their own right."
The team has been through it all, the latest challenge being an 80-68 victory over No. 1 Oregon on Saturday.
All for this opportunity to play in Houston, Texas on Saturday.
“It's very exciting,” Hield said. “Just battling with Khadeem for two years, me and Jordan for three years, and Ryan and Isaiah for four years — it's been pretty special. We worked all summer. We had a bad taste in our mouth last spring, and we wanted to work hard.”
With the Sooners' 80-68 win over No. 1 Oregon, OU will see the fruits of its labor pay off as it reaches its final destination point in the Final Four.
"We worked hard for this," Spangler said. "The fans have been waiting for this and we've given it to them.
"We're going to soak this in tonight."
Through the course of 104 games, Hield has developed from an unheralded Bahamian sophomore into a powerhouse figure of college basketball.
Spangler, a Bridge Creek, Oklahoma, native and Gonzaga transfer, evolved from an unknown hustle big into a well-rounded forward with three-point range.
Woodard and Cousins worked tirelessly on becoming better shooters and ball-handlers, and they are now seeing the work pay off.
Most important, the team has spent the years gelling into a cohesive unit.
“We've spent a lot of time on and off the court together and learned a lot about each other,” Spangler said. “The biggest thing is we know where each other's going to be on the court. We know what each other's going to do. We can be accountable for each other, and so it's good.”
The team collectively took its lumps and came back stronger each season. Now the veteran core is seeing its hard work and development pay dividends with a ticket to the Final Four.
“We saw how close we were to getting there with the team we had last year, and then with the people returning, we just set a goal that we could get there,” Hield said. “We just kept practicing and pushing each other each and every day in practice.”
