Tag: Oklahoma Basketball

Oklahoma Basketball: Tanner Groves named Big 12 Newcomer of the Week

After averaging 18 points per game in the Sooners’ two wins, Oklahoma senior center Tanner Groves was named Big 12 Newcomer of the Week.

After averaging 18 points per game and 60 percent shooting in the Sooners’ first two games, senior forward and center Tanner Groves was named the Big 12 Newcomer of the Week in the 2021-22 season’s first men’s basketball honors.

Groves finished with 15 points in Oklahoma’s 77-59 season-opening win over Northwestern State and then scored 21 points in a 96-44 OU victory over UTSA.

The Spokane, Wash., product knocked down a pair of 3-pointers in both contests and shot 15-of-25 overall in the two games combined. He also pulled down 14 rebounds in the two games.

“It just felt great to get back out there. It was awesome. I love being a Sooner.  I love putting on the uniform and getting to play in front of these fans. It’s awesome and it felt great to just be back out there and playing basketball again in front of fans,” Groves said after the Oklahoma win over Northwestern State.

Oklahoma head men’s basketball coach Porter Moser liked that Groves was aggressive in the Sooners’ first two games as compared to OU’s exhibition win over Rogers State when he only attempted three shots.

“I thought Tanner had good energy. I thought that he got back to having that confident bounce with him,” Moser said after the win against Northwestern State.

Through their first two games, the Sooners are averaging 86.5 points per game on 56.8 percent field goal shooting. Oklahoma is shooting 39.2 percent from three-point range as a team.

Senior guard Umoja Gibson and junior small forward Jalen Hill are the Sooners’ other two players averaging double-figures in the scoring column thus far. Gibson is averaging 11.5 points per game, while Hill is averaging 10.5.

Oklahoma next plays on Thursday night at 6 p.m. versus East Carolina in the Myrtle Beach Invitational from Conway, S.C.

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Oklahoma Basketball: What are the Sooners adding in the early signing class?

Here’s a look at the three guards Porter Moser and Oklahoma men’s basketball signed during the early signing period.

Oklahoma men’s basketball plays its second game of the Porter Moser era tonight inside the Lloyd Noble Center when the Sooners welcome in an old friend. That would be former OU assistant and now UTSA head coach Steve Henson.

It’s the fifth consecutive season the two teams have squared off. OU holds a 6-0 advantage over UTSA all-time and a 4-0 record against the Roadrunners in Norman.

OU tipped off the Moser era with a 77-59 win over Northwestern State. Junior small forward Jalen Hill led the Sooners’ second-half surge, scoring 12 points after halftime and finishing with a team-high and career high 15 points. Senior center Tanner Groves joined Hill with 15 points himself. Senior guard Umoja Gibson was OU’s other double-figure scorer with 13 points in the season-opener.

Those weren’t the only fireworks of the week, though. With the early signing period getting underway midway through this week, Moser signed three future Sooners: 6-foot-6 guard Otega Oweh out of Blairstown, N.J., 6-foot-4 point guard Milos Uzan from Las Vegas, Nev., and 6-foot-7 wing Benny Schröder via Munich, Germany.

Oweh is rated as a four-star prospect by ESPN, 247Sports and Rivals. He’s a consensus top-100 prospect nationally according to all three services (No. 73 by 247Sports, No. 76 by Rivals and No. 89 by ESPN).

Oweh has appeared in 56 career games for Blair Academy. In the 2019-20 season for Blair Academy, Oweh averaged 14.9 points, 6.5 rebounds, 2.4 steals and 1.9 assists per game.

He also earned the title of Nike EYBL Peach Jam Breakout Player of the Session in helping lead Team Final EYBL (Pa.) to a 17U Peach Jam title. Oweh averaged 14.9 points, 4.9 rebounds, 1.8 steals and 1.3 assists per game with Team Final EYBL (Pa.).

Moser joined the “T-Row in the Morning Show” on Friday with Toby Rowland and TJ Perry to discuss the signings of Oweh, Uzan and Schröder.

“They fit us. They upgrade us. High character guys. Guys that this fan base will love rooting for. All three guys are high energy,” Moser told Rowland.

Moser also broke down Oweh’s attributes with Rowland.

“Starting with Otega Oweh. 6-5, uber athletic. He had the third-most transition points in the entire Nike EYBL circuit this summer. Really gets out and runs. Can score it, defend it. Two-way player. Just a lot of energy and bounce. Plays way above the rim,” Moser said of Oweh.

Uzan is a long, rangy point guard that ranked No. 52 on the ESPN100. He’s listed as a four-star prospect by ESPN and 247Sports and a three star by Rivals.

Uzan led Desert Pines High School to the 2020 Nevada state championship game. After that, Uzan attended the 2021 Geico Top Flight Invite with Dream City Christian (Ariz.).

He also played for Prolific Prep in the 30-game Grind Session in Arizona and averaged 13 points, 6.0 assists and 5.0 rebounds per game.

“Milos Uzan. He’s a long point guard. One of the most coveted point guards in the country. There’s not a lot of true, true point guards nowadays. He’s a coach’s son. He’s 6-4. He can see over ball screens. He won the Adidas circuit. So, we’ve got the winner of the Nike circuit, the Adidas circuit, so they played on some really good teams,” Moser said.

The final piece of the early signing period for Oklahoma is Schröder from Germany. Schröder was listed as the top international prospect by ESPN.

Schroder, 18, is considered one of the most promising European prospects committing to the college route. He averaged 16.6 points, 5.8 rebounds and 2.4 assists in just 23 minutes per game at the FIBA U18 European Challengers this summer for Germany, finishing second in scoring and third in player efficiency rating (PER) at the event while converting 71% of his field goal attempts. He also led Germany in scoring and was one of the top per-minute scorers at the U16 European Championship in 2019. – Jonathan Givony, ESPN

Schröder plays for Kickz IBAM (International Basketball Academy Munich) and averages 29 points, 6.0 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game. Moser talked about what Schröder adds for the Sooners.

“And then Benny Schröder from Germany who I think the fans are going to love him. He’s uber-athletic. I mean, really gets the ball. He can play-make at 6-7, can shoot it,” Moser said of Schröder.

Moser summarized what he likes the most about this class so far.

“All three guys bring an energy. They can be two-way players, meaning offense and defense. I think they’ve just got an energy about them. That’s what fits me. Those are the kind of guys I like to recruit. Really good start for us to start off in the fall,” Moser said.

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Oklahoma Basketball: 5 Reasons to be excited about the Sooners

The Porter Moser era begins as the Oklahoma Sooners play their lone exhibition contest against Rogers State at 7 p.m.

The Porter Moser era gets underway tonight at 7 p.m. inside the Lloyd Noble Center as Oklahoma welcomes in Rogers State for the Sooners’ lone exhibition contest before officially tipping off the season Tuesday, Nov. 9 against Northwestern State.

Here’s five reasons to be excited about what the 2021-22 men’s college basketball season has in store for Oklahoma.

3 Keys to the game for the Oklahoma Sooners Offense vs. the Kansas Jayhawks

As the Oklahoma Sooners get set to face the Kansas Jayhawks, what must they do offensively to ensure a win?

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Oklahoma’s second trip to Kansas this fall for Big 12 football happens this week as they head to Lawrence, this time to take on the Jayhawks. This trip will be an opportunity for Oklahoma to keep building on the offensive success they’ve had recently. Their last trip to Kansas a few weeks ago to play Kansas State showcased them starting to round into form.

That game was started and completed by Spencer Rattler. Since then, Rattler has been replaced by true freshmen Caleb Williams, and Williams will make the first road start of his Sooners career.

This should be the type of game where Oklahoma gets pretty deep into their offensive depth chart, as the game should be decided by the end of the third quarter.

As the Sooners get set to take on the Jayhawks, here are 3 keys for the Sooners offense to thrive on Saturday.

Keep the Line Pushing

There is absolutely no reason the Sooners offensive line should not continue to have solid performances as they’ve had recently. They hold a distinct advantage in size and athleticism in the trenches.

If this is to be a blowout, the Sooners offensive line will have to be as dominant and physical as they have been.

Anton Harrison left the game on Saturday and was replaced by Erik Swenson. If Anton Harrison cannot go, the Sooners could turn back to Swenson or go with Tennessee transfer Wanya Morris. Regardless of who starts, both should see significant time, even if Harrison can play.

Up Next: More Offensive Keys to the Game

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Where does Austin Reaves land in the Rookie Wire’s latest mock draft?

With the NBA Draft just weeks away, The Rookie Wire projected both rounds. Where does Oklahoma’s Austin Reaves land?

Austin Reaves had a breakout year in the 2020-2021 basketball season for the Oklahoma Sooners. After transferring in from Wichita State, the spot-shooter showed off a well-rounded game, helping the Oklahoma Sooners make it to the round of 32 in the NCAA Tournament.

For the Sooners last year, Reaves averaged  18.3 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 4.6 assists per game while shooting 44% from the field.

Reaves showed an adept ability to get into the paint and finish around the basket. When he couldn’t finish, he did an excellent job of drawing contact and getting to the free-throw line.

He was a strong pick and roll player with Sooners big men and at the end of this month could find himself playing with one of the best bigs in the NBA if the latest mock draft from The Rookie Wire holds true.

In The Rookie Wire’s latest NBA mock draft, Cody Taylor had Austin Reaves going number 53 overall to the New Orleans Pelicans.

The Pelicans are led at the point guard position by Lonzo Ball and have Eric Bledsoe at shooting guard.

Reaves may not project as a starter in the NBA right away, but with his size, ball-handling, and shooting abilities, he should be able to work into a rotation at some point in his career.

Though he’s being projected as a late second round pick, it’s certainly possible that he could be taken higher. Though he isn’t the same level of player, Reaves reminds of a Luka Doncic type.

A good ball handler who understands how to use his body and ball-handling ability to get into the paint. Reaves isn’t quite the passer that Doncic is and doesn’t have the same size, but neither is gifted athletically. Instead they use their high basketball I.Q. to fond ways to score and get their teammates involved.

A team that is willing to look past some of his athletic deficiencies, they’ll get a nice player in Austin Reaves.

Jaden Shackelford narrows down transfer destinations to 3 programs

Jaden Shackelford narrows it down to three.

Alabama guard Jaden Shackelford will soon be entering his junior season. He has been a consistent playmaker and a fan favorite for the Crimson Tide faithful.

Recently, Shackelford entered his name in the draft, but has since decided to return to college basketball. Along with withdrawing his name from the draft, he entered his name into the transfer portal.

In his two seasons at Alabama, Shackelford averaged over 14 points per game, averaged 41% from the field and around four rebounds per game.

Stadium basketball analyst Jeff Goodman reported earlier today that Shackelford has narrowed down his possible transfer destinations to three schools: Ohio State, Oklahoma and Texas Tech. However, he is also open to returning to Alabama.

Roll Tide Wire will continue to track Shackelford through his journey in the NCAA Transfer Portal.

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Supreme Court rules against NCAA in antitrust case in unanimous decision

The Supreme Court ruled against the NCAA in a landmark antitrust case on Monday that will have a massive impact on college sports.

College sports will likely be changing as we know them in the near future as the Supreme Court ruled against the NCAA in a landmark antitrust case on Monday that specifically pertains to the NCAA’s ability to limit the benefits of college athletes.

USA TODAY’s Steve Berkowitz did a fantastic deep dive into what exactly this court case means and how it will impact collegiate sports soon:

The ruling will end the association’s nationwide limits on education-related benefits athletes can receive for playing college sports.

Athletes playing Division I men’s or women’s basketball or Bowl Subdivision football will be able to receive benefits from their schools that include cash or cash-equivalent awards based on academics or graduation.

Among the other benefits that schools also can offer are scholarships to complete undergraduate or graduate degrees at any school and paid internships after athletes have completed their collegiate sports eligibility.

Schools will not be required to provide these types of benefits, and conferences can impose prohibitions on certain benefits if their member schools so choose. However, conferences cannot act in concert. So, if a conference chooses to limit or prevent certain benefits, it risks giving a competitive advantage to other conferences.

The ruling was unanimous.

Obviously, there is a lot to digest there. But the thing that perhaps is the most eye-catching is that athletes may be permitted to receive benefits that include case or cash-equivalent awards based on academics or graduation. Schools don’t have to do that, but one would have to think the ones that do will automatically have a pretty solid recruiting advantage over the ones that don’t.

The impact this could potentially have on athletes’ ability to profit off of their own name, image and likeness will also be fascinating to watch play out. For the NCAA to keep the status quo, they have to find a way to legitimately argue that they have their rules as a way to keep competitive balance and they will lose that without them.

The ruling seemed likely to have at least an indirect impact on the NCAA’s attempts to work through a range of other issues, including athletes’ ability to make money from non-university entities off their name, image and likeness (NIL).

In a concurring opinion, Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh wrote: ” … there are serious questions whether the NCAA’s remaining compensation rules can pass muster under ordinary” antitrust legal analysis. Kavanaugh added that the NCAA  “must supply a legally valid” justification that “its remaining compensation rules” have sufficient value to promoting competitive balance that the benefits outweigh the harm being done to the athletes.

“As I see it, however, the NCAA may lack such a justification,” Kavanaugh wrote.

NIL activities have already been trending toward a point of far more flexibility for athletes with some states and schools already passing laws and rules that will allow the players to profit off of their NIL in the near future. This ruling is potentially forcing the issue in that department even more, as well.

At the end of the day, this comes down to the simple notion that it is being viewed as unconstitutional of the NCAA to be able to restrict the ability of the athletes to monetize themselves while they have that chance. Essentially, therein lies the rub and why these changes may be coming in a a major way very soon.

Sooners Wire and USA TODAY will continue to provide updates on this massive story as more updates become available.

When, where, how to watch former Oklahoma star Trae Young in Game 7 against the Philadelphia 76ers

Everything you need to know before former Oklahoma star Trae Young and his Atlanta Hawks battle the Philadelphia 76ers in Game 7 on Sunday.

Former Oklahoma star Trae Young and his Atlanta Hawks are preparing to battle the Philadelphia 76ers in a massive Game 7 in the Eastern Conference Semifinals on Sunday night. Continue reading “When, where, how to watch former Oklahoma star Trae Young in Game 7 against the Philadelphia 76ers”

Eastern Illinois transfer guard Marvin Johnson commits to Oklahoma

Eastern Illinois transfer guard Marvin Johnson announced he is committing to Oklahoma on Sunday evening.

The final roster spot for new Oklahoma head coach Porter Moser’s first team has been filled, as Eastern Illinois transfer guard Marvin Johnson announced on Sunday evening that he would be taking his talents to Norman to join the Sooners.

A local product originally from Ardmore, Oklahoma who went on to attend Edmond North High School, Johnson looks to be another very solid addition to the roster in what has been an offseason filled with quality transfer additions for Moser and the Sooners.

Last season in 26 games with Eastern Illinois, Johnson averaged 15.3 points, 5.2 assists and 4.7 rebounds per game. Certainly a quality stat line in a solid basketball league in the Ohio Valley Conference.

It will be interesting to see where Johnson fits into the rotation with Oklahoma along with the other guards, but he looks to have the potential to be a legitimate addition to the roster. Moser’s highly successful first offseason in Norman rolls on with the team now having every spot filled as the summer months approach.

Tanner Groves among the top transfers in the country

One Oklahoma Sooners forward ranked among the top transfers in the country.

The Oklahoma Sooners lost their fair share of players to the NBA draft and the transfer portal following the retirement of head coach Lon Kruger. The Sooners’ brass had to move quickly as they secured Porter Moser as the new man in charge.

One of the first steps for the new head coach was trying to field a competitive team through the transfer portal. One of his top targets came from Eastern Washington with Tanner Groves. The 6’9″ forward saw his most playing time this past season with an average of 27 minutes per game. He can be the replacement for Brady Manek, who decided to move on from Oklahoma after four seasons in Norman.

According to ESPN, Groves is the No. 39 transfer on their top 100 list (subscription required).

The Big Sky Player of the Year, Groves put up 35 points against Kansas in the first round of the NCAA tournament. He averaged 17.2 points and 8.0 rebounds this season and had a host of big-time programs pursuing him before settling on Porter Moser and the Sooners.

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Tanner will join his brother Jacob on the Oklahoma roster after both transferred from Eastern Washington. The expectations for the team will likely be low to begin the 2021-22 season but Moser could have a trick up his sleeve to return OU to their former glory on the hardwood.

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