Two years into the Porter Moser era, it hasn’t ended with the type of tournament run that put his name on the national scene. Poor shooting and, at times, a lack of athleticism plagued Moser’s Sooners in Big 12 play.
Armed with another retooling, the Sooners are hoping to get back into the NCAA tournament in Moser’s third season.
Ahead of the 2023-2024 season, The Athletic ranked each head coach (Subscription Required) in college basketball into tiers. Porter Moser was included in the fourth tier.
It wasn’t long ago both (Moser and Michigan coach Juwan Howard) were being hailed as rising stocks anyone would buy. Moser was mentioned for every opening in college basketball after vaulting Loyola Chicago to national prominence.
Now? Moser is 34–33 in two years at Oklahoma, trying to find upward momentum in college basketball’s most brutal league. A 5-13 Big 12 mark in Year 2 of his six-year deal means a lot is riding on Year 3.
Now, there are signs of success. The Sooners knocked off a No. 3 Alabama squad last season, which seemed to be a turning point for the program. However, Oklahoma went just 3-7 over their final 10 games. The three wins came against ranked opponents, and they lost a heartbreaker in overtime to Texas.
But they struggled to put together consistency night in and night out. Moser’s been able to attract talent to Norman. He’s brought in seven new players, five of which came via the transfer portal.
If Oklahoma can shoot the ball more consistently in 2023-2024, they’ll be a tough team to beat. They’re already more athletic than they were a year ago and that will give them a better chance to keep pace with the top half of the Big 12.
The Oklahoma Sooners hold the Crimson and Cream exhibition on November 1 at the Lloyd Noble Center before hosting Central Michigan on Monday Nov. 6.
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