Tag: Rivaldo Soares

5 takeaways from Oklahoma’s loss to the North Carolina Tar Heels

Oklahoma struggled in a marquee matchup against the UNC Tarheels, falling 81-69.

Wednesday had the chance to be a season-shifting moment for the Oklahoma Sooners. Porter Moser and his program made the long trek from middle America to Charlotte, North Carolina. Awaiting them was a date with one of college basketball’s most iconic programs, the UNC Tar Heels.

What transpired was unlike anything anyone had seen from Oklahoma this season. The Sooners struggled to defend, had too many unforced turnovers, shot poorly, and were outhustled in an 81-69 loss.

Otega Oweh led all OU scorers with 23 points. Javian McCollum shot 6 of 17 for 14 points. In contrast, UNC had four starters in double figures; senior guard RJ Davis led the Tar Heels with 23.

The Sooners have two nonconference games remaining before embarking on their final Big 12 campaign. But first, here are five takeaways from the loss:

Oklahoma Sooners impressive in win over Green Bay, but can still get better per Porter Moser

The Oklahoma Sooners put on a show in their win over Green Bay, but Porter Moser believes they still have room to improve.

The Oklahoma Sooners are 10-0 and one of just four undefeated teams remaining in college basketball. After a pair of lackluster seasons to start the Porter Moser era, the Sooners are off to a blistering start in the 2023-2024 season.

Their 81-47 win over the Green Bay Phoenix on Saturday night was the latest impressive showing on the nonconference schedule.

It was the Sooners’ fourth 30-point win of the season and seventh by 20 or more. And it was a game where their depth continued to show out. Seven players scored eight or more points, with three in double figures.

On the season, the Sooners have three players ([autotag]Otega Oweh[/autotag], [autotag]Javian McCollum[/autotag], and [autotag]John Hugley IV[/autotag]) averaging more than 10 points per game. They also have three more players ([autotag]Milos Uzan[/autotag], [autotag]Jalon Moore[/autotag], and [autotag]Sam Godwin[/autotag] averaging more than eight points per game.

[autotag]Le’Tre Darthard[/autotag] and [autotag]Rivaldo Soares[/autotag] are averaging just under eight points per game, giving the Sooners eight players scoring seven or more points per game this season.

As impressive as the offensive numbers are, the defense is what is turning heads. Oklahoma had 12 steals and four blocks while forcing 20 Green Bay turnovers. On the glass, the Sooners outrebounded the Phoenix 42-26 in the win.

It was another strong statement to the NCAA tournament selection committee. Sure, the opponent isn’t going to move the needle, but the way Oklahoma has dominated teams like Green Bay will certainly make the committee take notice in March.

But according to [autotag]Porter Moser[/autotag], this is a team that can continue to improve.

“I see the gaps of mistakes keep shrinking,” head coach Porter Moser said after the win. “And here’s what’s crazy: I feel like we’ve got a big room to get better, and I think (the players) would say the same thing.”

It was just a one-point game with just under six minutes to play in the first half. But then, the Sooners turned up the defensive pressure, forcing six turnovers in the final six minutes and going on a 15-0 run to close the half.

The Oklahoma Sooners have just three more nonconference games before opening Big 12 play with a date against Iowa State. The biggest test to date comes when they travel to Charlotte, N.C., to take on the UNC Tar Heels in their backyard. The Tar Heels might have three losses on the schedule, but it’s the Tar Heels. They’re one of the blue bloods in college basketball.

Wednesday’s game in the Jumpman Invitational provides Moser and the Sooners an opportunity to put a feather in their cap before the grind of Big 12 play begins. With the way the Sooners are playing, it’s hard to count them out of any contest. They’re simply finding ways to win with their efforts at both ends of the floor.

Oklahoma Sooners remain unbeaten, run away from Green Bay in 81-47 win

Oklahoma used a 15-0 run to close the first half to run away from the Green Bay Phoenix and improve to 10-0 on the season.

It was a one-point game late in the first half, but the Oklahoma Sooners turned up the defensive pressure to pull away from the Green Bay Phoenix in their 81-47 win on Saturday night.

Green Bay went on a 5-0 run to make the score 21-20 with 5:43 left in the first half, but the Sooners took over with defensive pressure and efficient shooting to go on a 15-0 run to close the first half with a 36-20 lead.

And the second half wasn’t much different. The Sooners’ defense was too much for the Phoenix. After the break, Oklahoma outscored Green Bay 45-27.

[autotag]Otega Oweh[/autotag] led the way for the Sooners with 12 points, but it was his work at the defensive end that sparked Oklahoma’s huge win. He had seven steals in just 24 minutes of action.

On the evening, Oklahoma shot 52% from the field. Even though they continued to struggle from three, it didn’t matter as their defensive pressure provided extra possessions and they remain incredibly efficient from inside the three-point arch.

The Sooners turned 20 Green Bay turnovers into 27 points and Oklahoma had 44 points in the paint on the evening.

In addition to Oweh’s big game, [autotag]John Hugley[/autotag] (11) and [autotag]Rivaldo Soares[/autotag] (13) scored in double-figures off the bench.

For the first time since the second game of the season, [autotag]Javian McCollum[/autotag] failed to reach double-digit points. He scored nine points on 3 of 8 shooting and was 1 of 3 from three. Though he didn’t have a lot of points, he was incredibly effective as a passer, recording eight assists.

Now at 10-0, the Oklahoma Sooners are one of just four unbeaten teams remaining in Division I.

Porter Moser has his team playing great basketball at both ends of the floor because of their athleticism and tenacity. Their aggressiveness helps the Sooners get to the rim to get high-percentage shots and on defense to be able to create turnovers.

The 34-point win is the second-largest margin of victory for the Sooners this season. They beat Mississippi Valley State by 39 in the second game of the season.

They’re next big test comes when they travel to Charlotte to take on the UNC Tar Heels in the Jumpman Invitational. The Tar Heels are coming off of a four-point loss to Kentucky on Saturday and sit at 7-3 on the season.

UNC serves as the Sooners’ last big nonconference test with three games remaining before Big 12 play begins.

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‘I just think that’s been a key for us’: Sooners’ defense plays huge role in undefeated start

While the Sooners have gone more uptempo offensively, defensively continues to be the key to their hot start.

The Oklahoma Sooners continued their winning ways with a 79-70 win in Tulsa, Okla. against the Arkansas Razorbacks. This concluded their three-game series at the BOK Center, with the Sooners winning two of the three games.

The Sooners were able to ride a strong first-half performance to get the win. They were up 12 at the break.

The Razorbacks fought the whole second half, but the Sooners continued to answer their runs and finally closed it out with a [autotag]Rivaldo Soares[/autotag] three that put them up 17 with 1:24 left in the game.

The Sooners were once again led by [autotag]Javian McCollum[/autotag], who had 20 points, five rebounds, and four assists. But it was the Sooners defense, especially in the first half that stole the show.

Porter Moser talked about the rhythm they are starting to get into defensively. “We are trying to play more uptempo, score more points, and get more possessions,” Moser said. “But the biggest thing we’re saying ‘is you don’t want to do it at the expense of your defense.’ I thought the guys were playing hard on defense. I just think that’s been a key for us. We’ve got some pieces that can guard. Otega (Oweh), Rivaldo, Tre (Le’Tre Darthard), they can really guard.”

The Sooners held the Razorbacks to 40% from the field and 22.2% from three. They also outrebounded the athletic Arkansas team.

The Sooners will be back in action on Saturday and look to be on the verge of breaking into the top 15.

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Oklahoma moves to 9-0 on the season after dispatching Arkansas 79-70

Oklahoma continues to stack wins as they earn they move to 9-0 after defeating future SEC foe Arkansas in Tulsa, Oklahoma on Saturday 79-70.

Oklahoma is currently wrecking their competition. Everything is working for the Sooners.

Saturday was another example of that, moving to 9-0 after roasting the Arkansas Razorbacks 79-70 at the BOK Center in Tulsa, Okla., late Saturday afternoon.

Do not be fooled. The nine-point final score is hardly indicative of what took place from the last quarter of the first half onward. Some garbage time baskets shouldn’t take away from how much better Oklahoma looked than Arkansas.

Oklahoma set the tone from the beginning, as their defense set the tone for the entire game in the first half. The Sooners were elite defending the perimeter, holding Arkansas under 30 percent from distance in the first half.

The game went back and forth for much of the first 20 minutes, with no one having more than a five-point lead.

Rivaldo Soares led the way with nine points and four rebounds in the first half. Porter Moser’s club was also quicker and more dominant on the boards, holding a 19-11 edge.

The Sooners did a terrific job guarding Trevon Brazile, Arkansas’ all-SEC caliber player and a potential first-rounder. He was held to zero points. A 14-2 run to end a first half where Oklahoma shot 58 percent from the field and had 26 points that put the Sooners up 12 at halftime.

Oklahoma would come right out of the half and deliver another flurry to the Arkansas Razorbacks. Arkansas’s head coach, Eric Musselman, was ejected around the 15-minute mark after a disagreement with an official. From there, the wheels came off for the Hogs as Oklahoma pushed out to a 19-point lead before assistant coach Keith Smart of Arkansas was forced to call a timeout.

Javian McCollum continued his ascent as one of college basketball’s best players, pouring in 20 points, five rebounds, and four assists. Otega Oweh chipped in 14 points on 6/7 shooting(2/2 from three) from the field.

Razorbacks guard Tramon Mark came into the game as the Hogs’ leading scorer, yet he was held to just 10 points. Khalif Battle, another scoring guard for Arkansas, was just 2/10 from the field and amassed 13 points, with eight coming via the free-throw line.

The Sooners will now focus on a home game versus the Green Bay Phoenix next Saturday.

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Oregon transfer guard Rivaldo Soares commits to the Oklahoma Sooners

The Oklahoma Sooners added another backcourt piece, earning the commitment of Oregon transfer Rivaldo Soares.

Rivaldo Soares entered the transfer portal looking for a fresh start after two seasons with the Ducks. The guard started 33 games for Oregon this past season. He averaged 7 points, 4 rebounds and 2 assists while shooting 25% from 3-point range and 47% from the field.

Soares started his career at South Plains College in Texas. He was there for two seasons before heading to Oregon out of the junior college ranks.

Soares joins [autotag]John Hugley[/autotag] and [autotag]Javian McCollum[/autotag]as members of Oklahoma’s transfer class. He’ll add valuable Power Five experience as a depth option in Porter Moser’s guard rotation, joining McCollum, Milos Uzan and Otega Oweh.

Porter Moser has brought in a decent transfer class so far, and he’s likely not done. With the portal window open for another month and the needs the Sooners have up and down the roster, Moser isn’t anywhere close to rounding out the Oklahoma Sooners for 2023-2024.

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Rivaldo Soares says goodbye to Oregon as he enters the portal

Oregon guard Rivaldo Soares has announced via Twitter that he will be entering the transfer portal and play as a grad transfer elsewhere.

The Oregon Ducks men’s basketball team just lost another player to the transfer portal as guard Rivaldo Soares tweets out a goodbye to Oregon.

“Oregon will always be my home away from home,” Soares said in his tweet. “I can always say that I graduated from Oregon. With that being said, I will enter the transfer portal as a grad student to continue my journey.”

Soares came to the Ducks out of the junior college ranks where he was one the top scorers in the country. Although that quite didn’t translate to the Division I level, Soares was still able to play tough defense, which only got better in his two years in Eugene.

He’ll always be remembered for two late baskets, including a three-pointer in the corner to defeat the Beavers in Corvallis this past season.

In his two years as a Duck, Soares averaged six points a game and 3.1 rebounds. He also started 32 of the 35 games this season and played 23 minutes per outing.

With Soares departing, it opens up one more scholarship spot on the roster and Duck fans are hoping that spot could be for Bronny James, one of the top recruits in the Class of 2023 and the son of NBA great LeBron James.

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Oregon Ducks guard Rivaldo Soares set to return next season

The Oregon Ducks are getting back reserve guard Rivaldo Soares, who announced on Twitter his intention to return to Eugene for the upcoming season.

Oregon Ducks guard Rivaldo Soares indicated on Twitter Monday afternoon he plans to return to Eugene for another season. His return gives Dana Altman another key piece as this team looks to return to the NCAA Tournament after falling short in 2021-2022.

Soares initially joined the Ducks after a standout two-year career at South Plains Junior College. The Boston native played a key role off the bench for Oregon last year, appearing in 35 games and averaging 4.7 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 0.7 assists across 18.2 minutes. He shot 60.3% on two pointers but struggled from beyond the arc, averaging just 26.8% from deep.

Soares returns to a backcourt that lost Jacob Young (graduation) and Eric Williams (transfer portal), but returns De’Vion Harmon and adds five-star freshman Dior Johnson.

The Ducks could potentially have star point guard Will Richardson back in the mix as well, if he opts to take  his COVID year of eligibility instead of pursuing a professional career.

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How it happened: Ducks’ big second half allows them to advance in the NIT

Oregon advances to the second round of the NIT with an 83-72 win over Utah State.

Oregon liked playing the Aggies so much it’s going to try it again.

The Ducks went on the road and defeated Utah State 83-72 and will travel to another team called the Aggies, Texas A&M, for the second round of the NIT. Oregon’s victory was Dana Altman’s 300th win as the Duck head coach and it also marked his 12th consecutive 20-win season in Eugene.

Utah State was up 37-33 at the halftime break, but it was a completely different story in the second half as the Ducks used their superior athletic ability on the Aggies. Oregon continually went to the basket, more specifically, Jacob Young, and the Ducks dominated the Mountain West squad.

Young scored 13 of his 17 points in the second half and De’Vion Harmon kept the Ducks in the game with his 16 first half points.

Oregon Ducks predicted to be Pac-12’s second-best team in early 2021 basketball rankings

A flurry of offseason moves has Oregon basketball on the map, with many believing they can vie for a Pac-12 title and deep tournament run.

Five years ago, saying that your team was one of the best in the Pac-12 was a lot like bragging about your kid’s third-place finish in the elementary school talent show. Great job, but what are we really doing here?

The past decade for the conference has left a lot to be desired, with a lack of national champions and a select few deep tournament runs marring the Pac-12 as a whole and shedding doubt over the quality of teams. However, a resurgence in March of 2021 has things on the upswing. Impressive showings in the NCAA Tournament from Oregon, USC, UCLA, Oregon State have the conference registering a pulse for the first time in a while, and there seems to be light at the end of the tunnel.

For the first time in years, there is a belief that some teams out west can actually make noise on the national landscape, and a formidable opponent in March might be coming into form.

Among those teams to be a potential late-season darling is the Oregon Ducks, who are currently riding a high of landing numerous top-ranked transfers, and look to be as talented as any team that coach Dana Altman has ever had.

In his most recent conference rankings, The Athletic‘s Eamonn Brennan picked the Ducks to finish second in the conference, ranked only behind Johnny Juzang and the UCLA Bruins. Here is what Brennan had to say about Oregon:

And, yes, this roster looks unfamiliar. Will Richardson is the most important returner, and he was typically Oregon’s fourth or fifth offensive option; the losses of Chris Duarte (who is going to be a really good pro, just you wait) and Eugene Omoruyi especially will give this group a completely different feel from last season’s. But there will be similarities: With perimeter transfers De’Vion Harmon (Oklahoma), Jacob Young (Rutgers) and Quincy Guerrier (Syracuse), it’s not hard to imagine Oregon’s outside-in offense and matchup zone looks functioning in more or less the same way. The Ducks at their best were a matchup nightmare, a team of four fast 6-foot-5-ish shooters who could smell blood in the water. (Just ask Iowa.) This group will look a bit different in the specifics, but Altman’s ability to trim his team’s weaknesses and accentuate its strengths is a fixture of the Pac-12 men’s game each and every year. He’ll get them humming eventually.

The projected starters of Will Richardson, De’Vion Harmon, Jacob Young, Quincy Guerrier, and Franck Kepnang are impressive, but what the Ducks are bringing off the bench could be even more enthralling.

Rivaldo Soares, a JUCO All-American in 2020, will be joining 5-star prospects N’Faly Dante and Nathan Bittle. Oregon will also have Eric Williams Jr. returning, as well as a potentially dangerous Lok Wur in the paint.

With an impressive mix of size in the middle and speedy shooters on the perimeter, this really is shaping up to be one of the most talented teams that have come through Oregon in quite some time. The pieces may need a little bit of time to fit together in a perfect fashion, but Altman is a master artist who fans should have complete confidence in.

Getting picked to finish second in the Pac-12 is surely encouraging this far ahead of the season, but a deep tournament run seems to be in the cards for Oregon once again.

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