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Buddy Hield: West Virginia Is The Toughest Team We Faced All Year

Buddy Hield and the Oklahoma Sooners are playing tonight for a spot in the national championship, but Hield says West Virginia was OU's toughest opponent all season.

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Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

Buddy Hield is the best player in college basketball, and his Oklahoma Sooners will take on Villanova tonight for a spot in Monday's national championship.

But of all the teams the Sooners have faced this season, Hield says West Virginia was the toughest.

From USA Today:

When a reporter asked Buddy Hield if Villanova would be the toughest team Oklahoma has faced this season, he resisted rolling his eyes. Oklahoma beat Villanova 78-55 in December.

"Nah, they’re not the toughest,’’ Hield said Thursday. "West Virginia is the toughest team we’ve faced all year.

In three games against the Mountaineers, Hield averaged 17.3 PPG on 37.5% shooting.

The game that likely sticks out the most to Hield, though, is Big 12 Tournament semifinal. West Virginia contained Hield and held him to only six points (though he was 0.1 seconds from having 9) on 1-8 shooting.

Obviously West Virginia's season ended way sooner than anyone wanted, but it's pretty cool to know they gained the respect of the nation's best player.