What Bracketologists are saying about 2013′s first Bedlam basketball game

Oklahoma's Buddy Hield (3) celebrates with Cameron Clark (21) during an NCAA college basketball game between the University of Oklahoma (OU) and Ohio at the Lloyd Noble Center in Norman, Saturday, Dec. 29, 2012. Oklahoma won 74-63. Photo by Bryan Terry, The Oklahoman

NCAA Tournament talk for Oklahoma has started in January. NCAA Tournament Bracketologists like CBS Sports’ Jerry Palm and ESPN’s Joe Lunardi ranked Oklahoma as a No. 10 and No. 11 seed, respectively in their bracketology reports.

The Oklahoman  caught up with Palm and Lunardi to get their thoughts on the implications this weekend’s Bedlam game could have on Oklahoma.

 Lunardi on where OU needs to end up this season: “I would say 11-7 would most certainly do it so if they can get off to a 3-1 start in the league. Then you’re talking about basically .500 and winning you’re home games. That’s the way to be an 11 seed. That’s the path.”

Palm on if Sooners fans should be excited or weary that Oklahoma is included in tournament talk so early: “Considering Oklahoma’s recent history, yeah I’d be excited about that because they haven’t been to the tournament in a while. It’s been a bit of a dry spell.

“I’d get excited about the fact that it’s January and we’re talking about them as a potential tournament team. I wouldn’t start buying tickets yet. They’ve got some work to do. It is a long way from over for Oklahoma but hey we’re talking about them.”