OU Basketball To Join UNC, Duke, Kentucky In 2017 Nike Tourney

OU basketball has committed to playing in what might be the highest-profile early-season tournament in college basketball history.

Michigan State athletic director Mark Hollis told ESPN.com that he secured commitments from 16 of the top Nike schools in the country to play in a 2017 tournament to celebrate Nike co-founder Phil Knight's 80th birthday.

Joining the Sooners in the 16-team field are perennial basketball powers UNC, Duke, Kentucky, Michigan State, Georgetown, UConn, Ohio State, Xavier, Gonzaga and Florida. Texas, Butler, Oregon, Stanford and Portland have also committed.

ESPN's Andy Katz reports that the tournament will be broken into two eight-team fields, and it will likely take place during a four-day period in November, 2017.