Oklahoma favored to break men’s gymnastics title drought

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) – Oklahoma will try to break through and win the team title at the NCAA men’s gymnastics championships.

The Sooners, 16-0 and ranked No. 1 in the nation, have been runners up the past four years. The freshmen who competed when Oklahoma hosted the national meet in 2012 are now seniors with one last chance in front of the home crowd in Norman.

Oklahoma has broken the NCAA record for team score twice this season. Though favored to win their ninth national title, Sooners coach Mark Williams expects challenges from Stanford and Penn State.

The individual championships are Saturday. Oklahoma’s Alec Robin is back after claiming national titles last year in the floor and the vault, and Michael Squires is a two-time defending champion on the rings.