Best Photos from another disappointing loss for Oklahoma Basketball

Best Photos from Oklahoma Basketball vs. the Texas Longhorns

The Oklahoma Sooners dropped to 0-4 in SEC play in their 77-73 loss to the Texas Longhorns. In the loss, Porter Moser fell to 0-7 against OU’s Red River Rivals.

The good vibes the Sooners felt after their 13-0 start to the season have evaporated. In a deep SEC, Oklahoma’s going to be hard-pressed to find much success and earn an NCAA Tournament berth.

Oklahoma’s latest disappointment resulted from a first half that led to a 23-point deficit. Sure, the Sooners rallied to pull within a couple of possessions, but the NCAA tournament selection committee and the SEC aren’t going to be handing out any moral victory points for a close loss at home to an unranked team.

This was another missed opportunity in SEC play for the Sooners and there’s no light at the end of the tunnel. The tunnel has collapsed and the Sooners have to fight and claw their way out.

They have the talent to be competitive but they haven’t proven capable of playing a complete 40-minute game in conference play.

Here’s a look at the best photos from the Oklahoma Sooners loss to Texas.

Oklahoma Sooners can’t overcome huge first half deficit in 77-73 loss to Texas

The Oklahoma Sooners couldn’t overcome a 23-point deficit and fall to 0-4 in the SEC in their 77-73 loss to the Texas Longhorns.

The Oklahoma Sooners got down as many as 23 points to the Texas Longhorns, and the huge deficit proved insurmountable in the 77-73 Red River Rivalry loss. The Sooners fell to 13-4 and 0-4 in SEC play with their fourth straight loss.

Though the Sooners made a spirited comeback in the second half, poor shooting in the first 20 minutes dug them too big a hole to overcome. The Sooners shot just 37.9% from the field, 12.5% from three, and were just 50% from the free throw line. Oklahoma shot 70% from the field in the second half but were just 14 of 18 from the free throw line after the break.

Free throws were an issue for Oklahoma, hitting just 18 of 26 from the free throw line in a game they lost by four points. OU also had 18 turnovers in the game, with 10 coming in the second.

Another game and more Oklahoma struggles in the simple things. In their first few games in SEC play, it was rebounding, but the Sooners actually won the battle on the glass. their poor first half and poor performance from the foul line cost them in the end.

[autotag]Jalon Moore[/autotag] was the catalyst in the turnaround after halftime, scoring 26 of his game-high 29 points in the second half. [autotag]Jeremiah Fears[/autotag] had 20 points in the game.

It’s another disappointing loss for the Sooners, a theme that’s become all too common under Porter Moser. They’ve had both poor starts and poor finishes in conference play and even on a night where they weren’t overwhelmed in the paint, the Sooners couldn’t find a way to get going early on. Down the stretch, Texas proved to be the better closing team as well as the Sooners dropped their eighth game in a row to the Longhorns and fell to 0-7 to their Red River Rivals in the [autotag]Porter Moser[/autotag] era.

The Sooners now get set to host a 10-7 South Carolina team that’s also lost four straight to open SEC play. Oklahoma vs. South Carolina will be Saturday at 3:00 p.m. on ESPNU.

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Oklahoma Sooners basketball loses third straight to open SEC play

Oklahoma Sooners fall to 0-3 in SEC play with 72-62 loss to Georgia Bulldogs.

The Oklahoma Sooners men’s basketball team looked to get their first win in [autotag]SEC[/autotag] play on the road on Saturday against the Georgia Bulldogs. After winning their nonconference games, head coach [autotag]Porter Moser[/autotag]’s team has hit a skid in the new year, with losses to Alabama, Texas A&M, and Georgia.

The Bulldogs had the lead in the early stages of the game, jumping out to a 17-7 advantage at one point. But the Sooners clawed back into the game over the rest of the first half, taking a 36-33 lead into the locker room.

Oklahoma actually had a 50-49 lead with 10:49 left in the game, but OU was outscored 23-12 from that point on, losing by a final score of 72-62.

Georgia was led in scoring by R.J. Godfrey and Dakota Leffew, who both had 15 points. [autotag]Jalon Moore[/autotag] led Oklahoma’s offense with a game-high 17 points. [autotag]Jeremiah Fears[/autotag] was held to just two points on the evening and only made one shot in the entire game.

Oklahoma fell to 0-3 in the Southeastern Conference, watching a solid start to the season quickly disappear once they got into league play. Moser and the Sooners will still be looking for that first conference win when they host the Texas Longhorns on Wednesday night.

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Oklahoma Sooners defeat Prairie View A&M 89-67, move to 13-0

Oklahoma Sooners move to 13-0 for the first time since 1987-88 with a 89-67 win over Prairie View A&M. .

The Oklahoma Sooners moved to 13-0 for the first time since the 1987-88 season with an 89-67 win over Prairie View A&M.

The Panthers took a 5-2 lead early in the game, but that was the only lead they’d hold as the Sooners controlled the game for the 22-point win. Prairie View A&M kept the game within 10 points for much of the first half. After the Panthers cut the Sooners’ lead to four, OU ended the half on a 9-2 run to go into the break up 11.

In the second half, OU never let the Panthers closer than nine points but the game was still within 10 points with just under seven minutes to play. But that’s when Oklahoma began to pull away. The Sooners outscored the Panthers 19-7 over the final 6:54 of game time to earn the blowout win.

The Sooners’ dynamic trio of scorers [autotag]Jalon Moore[/autotag], [autotag]Jeremiah Fears[/autotag], and [autotag]Duke Miles[/autotag] led the way once again.

Moore led the way with 22 points on 7 of 10 shooting. Fears was 7 of 11 from the field for 19 points and Miles added 17 points on 4 of 6 shooting. Miles was the only Sooner to make multiple threes in the contest.

On the day, Oklahoma shot a remarkable 60.5% from the field despite shooting just 29.4% (5 of 17) from three.

Oklahoma’s bench contributed 20 points, with Brycen Goodine and Glen Taylor Jr. chipping in nine points a piece to the winning effort.

Oklahoma closed out the nonconference portion of their schedule undefeated, including a pair of top 25 wins.

Now, the Sooners get ready for their first SEC road trip when they travel to take on the No. 5 Alabama Crimson Tide next Saturday.

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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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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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Big 12 was a grind but SEC Men’s Basketball is deep

Oklahoma Men’s Basketball team faces stiff challenge in deep SEC.

Oklahoma Men’s Basketball will open the season on Nov. 4. With less than two weeks to the start of the 2024-2025 men’s basketball season, the USA TODAY Sports Preseason Men’s Coaches Poll was released on Wednesday.

The Oklahoma Sooners weren’t ranked after missing the tournament for the third time in three seasons under Porter Moser. One would think after leaving the Big 12 that they’d get a reprieve from the tough schedules they’ve had to endure. But that won’t be the case in the SEC.

In the preseason Men’s Basketball Coaches Poll, nine SEC teams were featured compared to just five in the Big 12.

College Sports Wire’s Andy Patton discussed that depth in and several more takeaways in reaction to the release of the preseason Coaches Poll.

The conference is now arguably the deepest and most talented in the entire sport, and could conceivably get as many as ten teams in the NCAA Tournament, with other programs like South Carolina, Oklahoma, and Mississippi State (who received 2 votes) in the mix as well. – Patton, College Sports Wire

The Sooners have an upward climb on their hands and Moser and his staff are hoping this year’s collection of portal additions and incoming freshmen can help Jalon Moore push this team into the NCAA tournament for the first time since the 2020-2021 season.

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Sooners absent from preseason AP Top 25, nine SEC teams featured

Oklahoma Sooners absent from preseason men’s basketball AP Top 25 poll.

Much of the dialogue surrounding Oklahoma and Texas’ move to the SEC centered on each school’s football program and the benefits it would receive. Oklahoma boasts a deep and well-rounded athletic program that would fit in with any conference landscape. OU men’s basketball will also get a bump as it enters the SEC.

Oklahoma’s move to the nation’s premiere basketball conference is set to begin in less than a month. The excitement for the season will soon reach a fever pitch.

On Monday, the preseason AP Top 25 debuted, and unsurprisingly, Porter Moser’s squad was left off.

The Sooners bring back a few players from last year’s team that just missed the NCAA Tournament. The Sooners retooled via the portal in a big way but still have a lot to prove on the hardwood.

Their new conference mates make up 36 percent of the top 25 as nine SEC teams made the poll.

The Sooners will take on eight of those nine schools at some point in their first year in the SEC. The only one they won’t play is the Tennessee Volunteers.

The Oklahoma Sooners will have an incredible challenge ahead of them as they attempt to brave the grind of the SEC schedule. Porter Moser is looking for his first trip to the NCAA tournament since arriving in 2021.

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Oklahoma favored to land consensus four-star center Kai Rogers

Oklahoma Sooners favored to land four-star center Kai Rogers.

Porter Moser and the Oklahoma Sooners had one heck of a summer. The Sooners landed not one but two recruits.

Ultra-talented wing playmaker Alec Blair was the first to come aboard; the top 50 prospect pledged to the Sooners in July. Hailing from Denmark with a skill set that closely resembles many modern big men, Andreas Holst committed in mid-September.

As the calendar turns to October, recruiting for the class of 2025 is heating up. Senior seasons are approaching and the early signing period is right around the corner.

Oklahoma is not done for 2025. That was made abundantly clear on Sunday when national recruiting analyst Jamie Shaw of On3 dropped a prediction favoring the Sooners to land 6-foot-10 big man Kai Rogers.

Rogers is a bit of a throwback player in today’s modern basketball world: He wins and dominates from the post. He’s not a stretch four or a stretch five but a true center who scores frequently with his back to the basket, using soft hands and hooks to score over defenders. He’s also unafraid of turning and facing defenses to attack them off the dribble. He can afford to continue to get stronger and play with more intensity more consistently. He has a high ceiling that can be reached with more experience and finding a collegiate team with which he can grow.

Oklahoma hosted Rogers and his family on an official visit over the summer, and the Sooners have made him a priority since. The only competition Oklahoma has to worry about is former Big 12 foe Iowa State. The Cyclones have a history of landing basketball talent from Wisconsin.

Oklahoma nor Iowa State will not have to wait much longer as the consensus four-star recruit plans to announce his decision on Nov. 6. As it stands, the Sooners are gaining momentum. Landing Rogers would vault the Sooners from the No. 44 recruiting class in the country into the top 20 at No. 16.

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