Oft-scarred Sooners reached NCAAs with each other's support

All that negativity, yet the Sooners still captured a No. 6 seed in the East Regional of the NCAA Tournament.

And now they're being written off again.

OU players have heard the pundits picking No. 11 seeded St. Joseph's in today's 6:10 p.m. first-round game at the BJCC Arena.

"Everybody says we don't have a chance, and we're here to prove the nation wrong,” freshman guard Cade Davis said.

The game essentially is viewed as a toss-up.

The Sooners are favored by one point, the smallest point spread of any No. 6 seed.

"That just kind of sparks our fire,” OU junior guard Austin Johnson said. "You get a little chip on your shoulder.”

But are the Sooners chippy enough to conquer the sharp-shooting, eagle-eye Hawks from Philadelphia?

"If people are with us, that's great. If not, we're still gonna take care of business,” sophomore guard Tony Crocker said. "We know that when we play, most people have us losing. But that doesn't affect us.”

OU has been scarred this season, both physically and verbally.

It began last summer when health issues prevented Johnson and Crocker from accompanying the team during its trip to Canada over Labor Day weekend.

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