What the BPI Matchup Predictor Says About WVU's Chances vs. Oklahoma

Most of the time, you have no idea when the end of the season is going to be. It could be in the conference tournament, the first round of a postseason event, or after a long, promising run before ultimately falling short.

Today, we know that it will be the last time we see West Virginia in year one of the Ross Hodge era as they will do battle with former Big 12 foe, the Oklahoma Sooners, in the College Basketball Crown championship.

With Saturday's win over Creighton, Hodge secured a 20-win season. Can he grab No. 21 and end the year on a positive note?

What the BPI says

According to the ESPN Basketball Power Index (BPI), the Mountaineers have just a 42% chance to take home the trophy, while Oklahoma has a 58% chance.

Considering how well the Sooners have played since the start of February, it's no surprise to see them having a slight edge. They are 8-1 in their last nine games dating back to the regular season, with the majority of those wins coming by double digits. Quite the turnaround they've had after dropping nine straight early in SEC action.

West Virginia's semifinal matchup

The Mountaineers led wire to wire over Creighton, and to be honest, had a pretty comfortable lead for much of the day. Even when the Bluejays made a few runs to chip away at the deficit, it never felt sustainable because West Virginia's offense surprisingly was clicking on all cylinders. DJ Thomas had arguably one of the best offensive games of his career, notching 20 points on 9/14 shooting. As a team, WVU connected on 53% of its field goal attempts, including 40% from three-point land.

Oklahoma's semifinal matchup

The Sooners shot the ball well in their win over Baylor, but their defense was really the storyline of the day. The Bears were held to just 39% shooting overall and went a dreadful 6/30 (20%) from three. Oklahoma also forced 12 turnovers, which resulted in 21 points. Four of Oklahoma's five starters finished the game in double figures, three of whom knocked down multiple three balls. Xzayvier Brown led OU with 21 points on a 7/15 night.

The Mountaineers and Sooners will throw the ball up in the air at approximately 5:30 p.m. ET. You can watch the game live on FOX or tune into Tony Caridi's call on MSN Radio.