Tag: Jeremiah Fears

Oklahoma Sooners, Jeremiah Fears stun Michigan Wolverines in comeback effort

Led by Jeremiah Fears, the Oklahoma Sooners pulled off an incredible come from behind win over the Michigan Wolverines to improve to 11-0.

The Oklahoma Sooners improved to 11-0 on the 2024-2025 college basketball season with an incredible come-from-behind win over the Michigan Wolverines in the Jumpman Invitational.

Jeremiah Fears dazzled with a career-high 30 points, including the game-tying three with 11 seconds remaining, and after being fouled on the three, put the Sooners ahead for good at the foul line.

The Oklahoma Sooners are 11-0 for just the second time in the last 10 years and are now 2-0 against top-25 opponents this season.

Sooners Battled

Porter Moser’s squad showed incredible toughness in the win over the Wolverines. Michigan boasts two of the better big men in the nation in Vladisl Goldin and Danny Wolf. The two combined for 41 points, including 27 first half points.

But Moser made adjustments, and the Sooners defense battled back in the second half to limit the two to just 14 points. Despite being undersized on the inside, Jalon Moore, Sam Godwin, Luke Northweather, and Glenn Taylor Jr. took the fight to the Wolverines impressive big men.

The Sooners overcame 11-point deficits on two different occasions in the second half to take a four-point lead late in the half. And even after they allowed Michigan to take over and go up three with just over a minute to play, Moser drew up a great play to get Fears just enough space to hit the game-tying three with just 11 seconds to play.

It was a resilient win for the Sooners. Through 11 games, Oklahoma looks like a team ready to make a tournament run.

Phenomenal Freshman

Jeremiah Fears has been impressive throughout the season, but he took his game to another level in the win over Michigan. He was 8 of 12 from the field, 3 of 4 from three, and 11 of 13 from the free throw line to lead the Sooners.

His previous career high came in Oklahoma’s other top 25 win of the season against the Arizona Wildcats. Fears has put together his best performances for Oklahoma’s toughest tests.

In the final five minutes of the Sooners’ comeback win, Fears accounted for seven of Oklahoma’s final nine points to earn the win.

He’s been sensational this season and looks every bit the part of a future NBA Draft Lottery Pick.

Three’s the Difference

The Oklahoma Sooners were outrebounded by six on the offensive glass, but they overcame Michigan’s edge on the boards with a really good night shooting from a distance.

Oklahoma was 12 of 25 from three, while Michigan was just 4 of 28 from downtown. Moore, Fears, and Duke Miles each hit three triples and Taylor added a pair off the bench.

If the Sooners can continue to shoot with consistency from three, they’ll be really tough to beat this season. Especially as Fears and Moore continue to finish in the paint.

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Oklahoma Sooners move up in latest USA TODAY Sports Basketball Coaches Poll

Oklahoma Basketball on the rise in latest USA TODAY Sports Basketball Coaches Poll.

The Oklahoma Sooners are coming off of a big win over Bedlam rival Oklahoma State on Saturday. That’s three wins in a row over the Cowboys and the first as nonconference foes.

In their 15-point win, the Sooners had five players score in double figures, led by Sam Godwin and Jeremiah Fears. With the win, the Sooners are one of three undefeated teams in the USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll. The Sooners moved up two spots to No. 15 in the nation this week.

The poll is led by Tennessee, who earned 22 of the possible 31 first-place votes. The Volunteers are followed by Auburn, who earned nine first-place votes. A total of nine teams from the SEC were featured in this week’s poll.

Oklahoma, Tennessee, and No. 6 Florida are the only unbeaten teams in the top 25 this week. The Sooners will put their undefeated record on the line this Wednesday evening when they take on the No. 21 Michigan Wolverines in Charlotte, North Carolina as part of the Jumpman Invitational.

Full USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll

Rank Team Record Points
1 Tennessee 10-0 765 (22)
2 Auburn 9-1 744 (9)
3 Iowa State 9-1 708
4 Kentucky 10-1 664
5 Duke 8-2 638
6 Florida 10-0 610
7 Alabama 8-2 601
8 Kansas 8-2 518
9 Marquette 9-2 496
10 Oregon 10-1 454
11 Texas A&M 9-2 368
12 Houston 6-3 363
13 UConn 8-3 337
14 Gonzaga 7-3 328
15 Oklahoma 10-0 308
16 Ole Miss 9-1 282
17 Purdue 8-3 264
18 UCLA 9-1 263
19 Michigan State 8-2 178
20 Cincinnati 8-1 146
21 Michigan 8-2 113
22 Memphis 8-2 111
23 San Diego State 7-2 110
24 Dayton 9-2 92
25 Mississippi State 9-1 92

Schools Dropped Out

No. 16 Clemson; No. 22 Wisconsin; No. 25 Baylor;

Others Receiving Votes

Clemson 87; Baylor 79; Illinois 50; St. John’s 48; Drake 44; Utah State 40; Arkansas 31; Maryland 29; Georgia 23; Wisconsin 22; Pittsburgh 21; Missouri 18; North Carolina 9; West Virginia 5; Creighton 5; Texas Tech 3; Penn State 2;

No. 21 Oklahoma Sooners dominate second half to beat Georgia Tech 76-61

Jeremiah Fears and the Sooners rebounded from a sluggish start to run away from Georgia Tech in the second half of their 76-61 win over Georgia Tech.

Coming off of their successful week in the Battle 4 Atlantis tournament in the Bahamas, the Oklahoma Sooners got off to a sluggish start against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in the SEC/ACC Challenge.

Georgia Tech took an 11-point lead with just over 12 minutes to play in the first half, but the Sooners began to chip away, scoring 24 points to close the half down just four. They carried that momentum into the second half, outscoring the Yellow Jackets 46-27 to earn a decisive 15-point win and move to 8-0.

Here are three takeaways from the win.

Shot Out of It

The Oklahoma Sooners didn’t shoot well for much of the first half, but they continued to fire away from deep to find some momentum. [autotag]Kobe Elvis[/autotag], who has been one of Oklahoma’s top three scorers, was 3 of 5 from three to lead the Sooners with nine first half points. All of his points came after the 12-minute mark of the first half.

Those three’s were huge to cut into Georgia Tech’s lead and put the Sooners in striking distance to start the second half.

No Fear(s)

One of the catalysts for Oklahoma’s turnaround was true freshman [autotag]Jeremiah Fears[/autotag], who continues to impress in his first season at the collegiate level. After being held to just two points, one assist, and one turnover in the first half, Fears turned in a stellar performance in the second half.

After the break, Fears scored 16 points on 4 of 7 shooting and was 8 of 9 from the free throw line. He also added five rebounds and two assists to help propel the Oklahoma Sooners to the win.

He finished the game with 18 points to lead the Sooners in scoring, but Oklahoma showed off its scoring depth in the win.

Spread the Wealth

The Oklahoma Sooners had five players score in double figures, led by Fears 18 points. [autotag]Jalon Moore[/autotag] had another strong performance, finishing with 15 points and 11 rebounds. Elvis had 12 points, going 4 of 8 from three-point range. Duke Miles had 11 points and Brycen Goodine had 11 points off the bench.

When the Sooners can get depth scoring like they did against the Yellow Jackets on Tuesday night, they’ll be difficult to beat.

Next, the No. 21 Oklahoma Sooners welcome Alcorn State to the Lloyd Noble Center on Dec. 7 before meeting up with Oklahoma State at the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City for the first nonconference Bedlam clash between the two programs.

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Best photos from Oklahoma Sooners week at Battle 4 Atlantis

A look at the best photos from the Oklahoma Sooners week at the Battle 4 Atlantis Tournament.

The Oklahoma Sooners had a successful week in the Bahamas, taking part in the Battle 4 Atlantis Tournament. The Sooners went 3-0 with wins over Providence, No. 24 Arizona, and Louisville to secure the tournament title.

Senior forward Jalon Moore earned Most Outstanding Player after averaging 18 points and 5.3 rebounds per game. Moore had 24 points in wins over Arizona and Louisville, two strong basketball programs.

It was the fourth season in a row in which the Sooners have captured a regular season tournament title under Porter Moser. Though OU is just seven games into the season, they’re 7-0 and look like a tougher and deeper team than what Moser’s had in Norman in years past.

Oklahoma’s received contributions from a number of sources in their 7-0 start, with Moore, Jeremiah Fears, and Kobe Elvis scoring in double figures on the season. Each of OU’s dynamic trio had at least one 20-point game during the tournament, with Elvis leading the way in the win over Providence, Fears scoring a game-high 26 points against Arizona, and Moore leading all scorers in the tournament final win over Louisville.

The Sooners will be back in action Tuesday, Dec. 3, at the Lloyd Noble Center when they take on the ACC’s Georgia Tech.

But before OU returns home, let’s take a look at some of the best photos from the Sooners time in the Battle 4 Atlantis tournament.

Where do the Oklahoma Sooners rank in KenPom after Battle 4 Atlantis tournament title?

Where do the Oklahoma Sooners rank in KenPom after securing the Battle 4 Atlantis Tournament Title?

This story was updated because an earlier version included an inaccuracy.

The Oklahoma Sooners are off to a 7-0 start to the 2024-2025 college basketball season after going 3-0 in the Bahamas, securing the Battle 4 Atlantis tournament title.

Along the way, the Sooners picked up their first top-25 win of the season, defeating the Arizona Wildcats, and also earned wins over Providence and Louisville.

The trio of games represented Oklahoma’s most significant tests of the season, and the Sooners passed with flying colors.

The Sooners moved up to No. 40 in the nation in the KenPom rankings put together by college basketball analyst Ken Pomeroy. That puts the Sooners at No. 9 in the SEC in his ranking system. The rankings are meant as a predictive indicator for each basketball team in Division 1.

Offensively, the Sooners rank No. 40 in the nation, according to KenPom. They’re No. 44 in the nation on the defensive side of the ball.

Senior [autotag]Jalon Moore[/autotag], true freshman [autotag]Jeremiah Fears[/autotag], and guard [autotag]Kobe Elvis[/autotag] led the way for Oklahoma over the course of the tournament. Moore and Fears each had a pair of 20-point games during their time in Atlantis.

Moore scored 24 points in both of OU’s wins over Arizona and Louisville and was named Most Outstanding Player of the tournament. Fears led the team in scoring with 26 points in the win over Arizona and scored 20 against Providence to open the tournament. Elvis led OU in scoring in the win over Providence.

Porter Moser and his staff have put together a team with multiple scoring threats and a team that plays with toughness down the stretch.

Oklahoma’s next opportunity to build on their undefeated start to the season comes on December 3 when they host the ACC’s Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets and former guard Javian McCollum.

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Jeremiah Fears stars for the Oklahoma Sooners in first career start

Oklahoma true freshman Jeremiah Fears leads Sooners in scoring in first collegiate start.

The Oklahoma Sooners are 4-0 on the season after their 28-point win over East Texas A&M on Thursday night. The Sooners are relying on a number of transfer portal additions to supplement the play of Jalon Moore and Sam Godwin. The Sooners have had several standout performances to start the season.

The latest came from true freshman Jeremiah Fears, who made his first collegiate start on Thursday. Fears finished as Oklahoma’s leading scorer with 20 points on 7 of 10 shooting. He also added five assists and four rebounds in the win.

Fears is now averaging 15.5 points per game early in his college career.

“He did a lot of really good things,” Porter Moser told the media after the win. “He makes a lot happen with his speed. He can create for others and he makes a ton of good plays. There’s still a learning curve on other plays, situationally for him, but I thought he did a good job.”

Fears has shown a fearless attitude, driving the lane and attacking the basket. His speed has been difficult for opposing teams to handle, and he is a fantastic passer.

So far in his Sooners career, he’s shooting 51.2% from the field, including 64.3% on two-point attempts. He’s gotten thrown into the deep end with 27 minutes a game. Moser has given the former blue-chip prospect a lot of work in the early part of the season ahead of more challenging competition ahead.

Fears have rewarded Moser’s trust with good decision-making and aggressiveness to help supplement what Oklahoma’s getting from veterans like Moore, Godwin, Kobe Elvis, and Duke Miles.

The Sooners will take part in the Battle 4 Atlantis starting on Nov. 27 when they take on the Providence Friars.

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Takeaways from Oklahoma’s win over Northwestern State

Oklahoma got off to a sluggish start in the first half but turned it around after the break to beat Northwestern State 73-57.

The Oklahoma Sooners moved to 2-0 on the season with a 73-67 win over Northwestern State. It didn’t go as easy as expected as the Sooners trailed by six at halftime.

Northwestern State’s length gave them trouble in the paint but ultimately the Sooners talent came through down the stretch. It was a two-point game at 46-44 with just over 11 minutes remaining in the contest. From that point on, OU outscored the Demons 27 to 13 to close the game and earn the decisive victory.

Here are the biggest takeaways from the game.

1. Jalon Moore season

Oklahoma Sooners Jalon Moore had a fantastic game. He was 7 of 14 from the field, 2 of 5 from three and hit 7 of 8 free throws while pulling down seven rebounds and recording a pair of assists. 19 of his 23 points came in the second half of the game after the Sooners trailed Northwestern State.

After shooting just 2 of 7 from the field in the first half, Moore turned it around and took over the ball game to lead the Sooners in scoring.

Moore has a chance to become a household name this season and is showing an expanded element to his game with his expanded range from three. Moore was 2 of 5 from three, with both makes coming after halftime.

If Moore can play like he did in the second half for a full 40 minutes, the Sooners will be hard to beat this year.

2. Start the True Freshman

Through two games in 2024-2025, Jeremiah Fears has played in a reserve role for the Sooners. But through two games, it’s clear he’s got a lot of talent.

He led the Sooners in +/- with a plus-22 and finished second on the evening in scoring with 15.

Though he had six turnovers in the game, he’s showing off his ability to be a playmaker for the Sooners offense. He was on the floor a lot in the final ten minutes, showing Moser’s trust in the true freshman point guard.

3. Second Half Turnaround

The Sooners went into halftime trailing Northwestern State by six. They proceeded to outscore their opponent by 22 points in the second half. Whatever Moser and his assistants said at halftime got the team going and they ran away with the win.

You never want to shoot under 40% for a half like they did in the first, but Oklahoma came back in the second half and shot far better at 53% in the second. They also made four more trips to the free throw line after halftime.

The Oklahoma Sooners can’t afford to have sluggish starts like they did Monday night. They’ll face much better teams down the road, and getting off to a slow start like that could bury them before halftime.

Still, the Sooners are 2-0 on the season with a pair of double-digit wins. They’ll face Stetson on Saturday at the Lloyd Noble Center. Tip off is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. CT.

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Oklahoma Sooners roll Lindenwood in season opener 93-60

Takeaways from the Oklahoma Sooners 36-point win over Lindenwood in the 2024-2025 season opener.

Basketball season is officially underway in Norman as Porter Moser and the Oklahoma Sooners started their first season as SEC members with a dominant 93-60 win over Lindenwood.

Oklahoma has been searching for that elusive return to the NCAA tournament, and while they narrowly missed it last year, the Sooners have almost a completely new look.

The Sooners hit the transfer portal and recruiting trail hard for the second straight year and revamped their roster. Monday night, we saw the fruits of the coaching staff’s recruiting efforts.

Oklahoma never trailed in this game and finished with five different players tallying double-digit points. As a team, the Sooners shot over 40 percent from three and just a tick under 65 percent from the field.

Jalon Moore, the team’s best returning player from last year, was dynamic and led all scorers with 22 points on 8 of 13 shooting from the field.

Here are our takeaways from the Sooners win.

Jalon Moore is the guy

For all the talk about Oklahoma and their prospects as a team this year, one thing repeatedly is mentioned: Jalon Moore needs to be a big part of whatever the Sooners plan to do. After Monday night’s performance, it’s hard to disagree.

Moore entered his name into the NBA Draft this past summer to get feedback, and on Monday, he showcased the work he put into his game. What stood out the most was his shooting. Moore went 3 of 5 from long range.

Sure, the opponent wasn’t the best but he shot every jumper with much more confidence than he did a season ago.

It’ll be fun to see how much his offseason work is displayed in the nonconference schedule.

Jeremiah Fears is the real deal

It wouldn’t be right to talk about OU basketball and not mention the play of Oklahoma’s highest-rated recruit since Trae Young. Jeremiah Fears, a true combo guard, is a dynamic player with the ball in his hands. His upside is tremendous, and at Oklahoma, he should have the floor to play his game.

On Monday, he showcased a few of the traits that make him a potential pro. His quickness showed in the half court and in transition. His vision led him to six assists, with his first coming on a beautiful set play that led to an alley-oop to Jalon Moore.

Fears made the game easier for his teammates with his ability to score (16 points), but also by finding guys in their spots and making crisp passes and the right decisions.

If he continues playing like this, there’s no reason he shouldn’t be starting by January at this rate.

Oklahoma’s transfers looked solid

The bulk of Oklahoma’s scoring had to be replaced via the transfer portal, so the Sooners went out and added names like Duke Miles, Brycen Goodine, Mohamed Wague, and Kobe Elvis.

On Monday they combined for 36 points and 12 assists to just 2 turnovers. The early returns on the new veterans were extremely positive.

Oklahoma starts the season 1-0 and will be back in action next Monday night at the Lloyd Noble Center when they take on Northwestern State.

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OU Men’s Basketball included in top 9 for four-star forward

The Oklahoma Sooners were included in the top 9 schools for 2025 small forward out of Oregon.

The Oklahoma Sooners men’s basketball team have had a strong offseason on the recruiting trail. In addition to their transfer portal additions, [autotag]Porter Moser[/autotag] has picked up commitments from 2025 top-100 small forward [autotag]Alec Blair[/autotag] and 2024 top-100 point guard [autotag]Jeremiah Fears[/autotag]. The Sooners are in pursuit of another top-100 prospect, this time 2025 four-star small forward [autotag]Winters Grady[/autotag].

Grady is the No. 66 player in the On3 Industry Ranking and the No. 15 small forward in the 2025 recruiting class. The Lake Oswego, Oregon native included the Oklahoma Sooners in his top nine along with Oregon, New Mexico, Michigan, Arizona State, Colorado, Creighton, Iowa and USC.

“I really like Coach (Porter) Moser. My dad and I both really like him,” Winters told On3’s Joe Tipton. “He’s a basketball mind. We sat on our last Zoom call for about 30 minutes after it ended just talking basketball. That was a great thing to see because I’m a basketball junkie too. I just love watching it and playing it, it’s kind of my whole life. So seeing someone else like that, knowing they are as invested as I am and do things like I do, is good to see.

“Coach Moser sees me as a three-level scorer and that my game is really translatable to college and beyond. He thinks I fit well in their freestyle type of system.”

The Oklahoma Sooners are still looking for their first tournament berth in the Porter Moser era, but he’s proven to be successful at previous stops. As he continues to build the roster, adding top-100 players like Grady will give him a better shot to take Oklahoma deep into the NCAA tournament.

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MSU target, four-star CG Jeremiah Fears commits to Oklahoma

The brother of a Spartans guard has committed to Oklahoma

The brother of a Spartans guard has committed to Oklahoma.

Four-star combo guard Jeremiah Fears committed to Oklahoma on Saturday. He is the brother of Spartans point guard Jeremy Fears.

Fears is ranked as the No. 6 combo guard in 247Sports’ composite rankings for the 2025 class. He’s also listed as the No. 32 overall prospect in the class.

Fears held an offer from the Spartans along with a number of other big-name programs.

Fears was previously committed to Illinois but recently decommitted and also reclassified to the 2025 class instead of 2026. After he reopened up his recruitment, some thought he may join his brother in East Lansing, Mich. but that will not be the case.

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