Tag: Tulane Green Wave

ESPN thinks this early season game is key for Oklahoma

The Sooners can’t overlook this opponent early on in their schedule.

College football season is getting closer. One surefire way to tell that the season is almost upon us is the release of the Associated Press Top 25. Even though the AP Top 25 isn’t as useful in the [autotag]College Football Playoff[/autotag] era, it’s something for fans to get excited or upset about in the days before the season kicks off.

The Oklahoma Sooners ranked 16th in the AP Top 25, the same place they landed in the US LBM Coaches Poll. OU has a daunting schedule in 2024, as it enters the SEC. However, ESPN believes a crucial early season, nonconference game could be telling for its chances to make the [autotag]playoff[/autotag] this year.

ESPN went team-by-team through the AP Top 25, giving best-case and worst-case scenarios for each. Then, it highlighted one game early in the season that will be crucial for that team.

OU’s ceiling was placed at an excellent 11-1, which would pleasantly surprise even the staunchest of Oklahoma defenders. However, the Sooners’ floor was placed at 6-6, which would be very disappointing after a 10-3 season last year. The ESPN matchup predictor put the Sooners at 9-3, which would have them on the verge of the playoff.

Head coach [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] improved from 2022 to 2023 and. Despite the program entering the [autotag]SEC[/autotag], the expectation is for it to take another step forward in 2024.

With the brutal SEC schedule on many people’s minds this offseason, a nonconference matchup that isn’t getting a lot of buzz was picked as OU’s key early season game. On Sept. 14, the [autotag]Tulane Green Wave[/autotag] come to town, and ESPN believes the Sooners will need to be at their best that day to win.

Oklahoma’s stiffest pre-SEC tune-up may well come when Tulane visits Norman for the third time since 2017. Oregon quarterback transfer Ty Thompson and running back Makhi Hughes, the reigning [autotag]AAC[/autotag] Rookie of the Year, should test the Sooners’ experienced defense, and a Green Wave defense that held opponents to 20.5 points per game will challenge first-year starter [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag]. A week before Tennessee visits to open SEC play, Oklahoma can’t overlook Tulane — it was only three years ago that the Green Wave nearly upset the Sooners in Norman. – Eli Lederman, ESPN.

The Tulane contest could be seen as a classic trap game before the Volunteers arrive for a highly-anticipated matchup on Sept. 21. The Sooners and Green Wave have met twice in their history, both in Norman.

The first meeting came in 2017, when the Sooners won in decisive fashion, 56-14. Oklahoma was on its way to a third straight [autotag]Big 12[/autotag] title that year during their run of six in a row. The Sooners also made the playoffs for the second time in three years (and the first of three in a row and fourth out of five in total) that year, going 12-1.

The second meeting was far more interesting.

In 2021, the season opener was supposed to be played in New Orleans, but it was moved to Norman due to Hurricane Ida. In the first sign of trouble in [autotag]Lincoln Riley[/autotag]’s final season at OU, the highly-ranked Sooners couldn’t put the Green Wave away, barely hanging on for a 40-35 victory. Oklahoma blew a big lead and nearly suffered a catastrophic loss.

The Sooners failed to live up to expectations in 2021, missing the conference title game. Riley departed for USC hours after the regular season ended, leading to the hire of Venables a week later.

The Sooners would do well to take Tulane seriously. It has been one of the best programs at the Group of Five level the past couple of seasons. With all of the changes and realignment in college football, the Green Wave are looking to make the playoff in the 12-team expansion era. The Group of Five level has been significantly thinned after UCF, Cincinnati, Houston, BYU and SMU joined a Power Four league. After head coach Willie Fritz left to coach the Houston Cougars, who OU will see a week before it plays Tulane, the Green Wave hired former Troy head coach Jon Sumrall. It’s a move that was regarded as an excellent hire in New Orleans.

Additionally, this game likely means more to Tulane than it will Oklahoma. With a win, it could make a huge early statement that it should be the non-Power Four team that gets a shot in the postseason.

In short, the Sooners have to be ready to go when Tulane marches in on Sept. 14. With its incredibly difficult conference schedule, OU can’t afford a loss in the nonconference schedule if it wants to live up to the standard this season. As much fun as the following week’s game against Tennessee will be, the Sooners need to be 3-0 when the Volunteers get to Norman.

That means taking care of business against what could be a very pesky opponent in the Tulane Green Wave.

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Duke basketball transfer Sion James posts about his first days with the Blue Devils

Sion James, who joined the Blue Devils from Tulane this offseason, mentioned his excitement to play for Duke through social media on Wednesday.

Duke basketball fans will come to appreciate [autotag]Sion James[/autotag] very quickly during the 2024-25 basketball season.

After four years with the Tulane Green Wave, James transferred to the Blue Devils this offseason for his final year of eligibility. On Wednesday, the team social media account shared a short highlight reel from James’ first practice and the newest Duke player responded with a short, positive message about his new home.

“Glad to be part of such a special team,” James wrote on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter.

On a Duke basketball team with 10 new faces for this coming season, James might be the most exciting non-freshman. The slashing athlete complements returning guards Tyrese Proctor and Caleb Foster really well, and Cameron Crazies can also see his ability to reach the rim in the brief highlight reel. The former Green Wave worked through some contact drills, dunking and throwing up layups through coaches holding pads.

James also knocked down a few jump shots in the video. After shooting 28.0% from 3-point range as a freshman, he knocked down 38.1% of his distance looks last season. He averaged 14.0 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 2.7 assists in 2023-24.

Oklahoma Sooners 2024 football schedule

With game times announced, here’s a look at the Oklahoma Sooners full 2024 football schedule.

The Oklahoma Sooners’ full 2024 schedule has been released by the [autotag]SEC[/autotag], which means its time to make those travel arrangements for a full slate of destination games in OU’s first season in the SEC.

In a welcome change from what had been a glaring issue in their final years in the Big 12, the Oklahoma Sooners have only two games scheduled for the early television window. Their home game against South Carolina on Oct. 19 and their road trip to The Grove to face Ole Miss both fall in the early television window with kickoff times slated for 11 a.m. CT or noon. The other 10 games will be late afternoon or prime-time starts for the Sooners.

The SEC and their broadcast partners will utilize flex scheduling for games against Tennessee, Missouri, Alabama and LSU. When the Volunteers return to Norman, it’ll mark the return of national championship-winning quarterback and former offensive coordinator [autotag]Josh Heupel[/autotag]. It will also be Oklahoma’s first SEC conference tilt.

Late-season games against Missouri, Alabama and LSU could have implications for the SEC title game and the College Football Playoff. Each has the potential to be a top-15 matchup.

There’s a potential for Oklahoma to play as many as six night games. Their first two weeks against Temple and Houston are already slated to kick off in the evening.

Oklahoma Sooners 2024 football schedule

Date Opponent TV Time
Aug. 30 Temple ESPN 6 p.m. CT
Sept. 7 Houston SEC Network 6:45 p.m. CT
Sept. 14 Tulane ESPN or ESPN2 2:30 p.m. CT
Sept. 21 Tennessee TBA 2:30-3:30 or 5-7 p.m.
Sept. 28 at Auburn TBA 2:30-3:30 p.m. CT
Oct. 5 BYE WEEK —
Oct. 12 vs. Texas (Dallas) ABC or ESPN 2:30 p.m. CT
Oct. 19 South Carolina TBA 11-Noon CT
Oct. 26 at Ole Miss TBA 11-Noon CT
Nov. 2 Maine ESPN+/SECN+ 1:30 p.m. CT
Nov. 9 at Missouri TBA 2:30-3:30 or 5-7 p.m.
Nov. 16 BYE WEEK —
Nov. 23 Alabama TBA 2:30-3:30 or 5-7 p.m.
Nov. 30 at LSU TBA 2:30-3:30 or 5-7 p.m.
Dec. 7 SEC Championship TBA TBA

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2024 Red River Rivalry and more Sooners kickoff times announced

Several kickoff times were revealed for the Oklahoma Sooners for their first season in the SEC>

As we close out the month of May, we inch closer and closer to the start of the 2024 college football season. Oklahoma has completed its roster, and the team has begun summer workouts ahead of fall camp.

Oklahoma’s arrival to the SEC is official on July 1, when the Division I calendar for the 2024-25 academic season officially starts.

With the season just a few months away, we’ve learned several kickoff times for the fall. The most notable is the change in kickoff time of the Red River Rivalry game. Oklahoma will play the Texas Longhorns at 2:30 p.m. CT this October as opposed to what has traditionally been an 11 a.m. kick.

In many ways, the later kickoff makes a lot of sense. While it’s likely not a popular choice among fans on both sides, it allows the SEC to put the two new members in a marquee SEC time slot. After all, it was an afternoon kick for 23 straight years (1950-1972) per Ross Lovelace of AllSooners on SI.com. It will remain on ABC for the fourth consecutive year.

According to Greg Sankey, both Oklahoma and Texas wanted the game at 2:30 p.m. CT.

In addition, Oklahoma won’t have any 11 a.m. kickoffs to start the season. Their first three games are either night games or afternoon kickoffs. The Sooners will open the season on Friday night against Temple at 6:00 p.m. CT in week one. In week two, the Sooners get another primetime kick against Houston. at 6:45 p.m. CT. Then in week three, they’ll host Tulane for a 2:30 p.m. CT kickoff.

Much of the ire with the Big 12 was fueled by the games being so early, and in short order, the SEC helped rectify that. The Sooners start the season with two non-conference night games and an afternoon kickoff at home versus Tulane. And it’s likely those aren’t the only afternoon or primetime kickoffs on the schedule for the Sooners this fall.

The remainder of the schedule, including TV details, will be released later this summer.

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Sion James transfers to Duke after withdrawing from 2024 NBA draft

Former Tulane guard Sion James has reportedly withdrawn from the 2024 NBA draft and will transfer to Duke.

Former Tulane guard Sion James has reportedly withdrawn from the 2024 NBA draft and will transfer to Duke, according to Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports.

James declared for the draft on April 9 while maintaining his final year of college eligibility. He participated in predraft workouts with the Detroit Pistons and Memphis Grizzlies before pulling his name from consideration.

The four-star prospect also entered the transfer portal last month after four years with the Green Wave. He was the No. 65 overall player and 11th-ranked shooting guard on the market, according to 247Sports. He signed with the Blue Devils on May 13.

James averaged 14 points, 5.4 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.6 steals on 38.1% shooting from 3-point range. He registered six 20-point games, including a season-high 28 points and 10 rebounds on March 14 in a loss to North Texas in the American Athletic Conference Tournament.

The 21-year-old emerged as a vocal leader and a workhorse on the court, ranking 13th in the country in minutes per game (36.7). He will provide the Blue Devils with veteran experience and leadership, traits that were commended by head coach Jon Scheyer.

The Blue Devils have the top-ranked class in 2024, led by top-25 prospects Cooper Flagg (No. 1), Khaman Maluach (No. 4) and Isaiah Evans (No. 13). They also add Cameron Sheffield (Rice), Mason Gillis (Purdue) and Maliq Brown (Syracuse) via the transfer portal.

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Sooners offseason overhaul is complete with No. 2 rated JUCO prospect Jeff Nwankwo transferring to OU

Oklahoma lands the number two rated JUCO prospect in Jeff Nwankwo.

Oklahoma has finished its offseason overhaul. It comes with a bang, as the Sooners just received a commitment from Jeff Nwankwo, a former Oklahoma preps player.

Nwankwo played high school basketball and football at Putnam City North. In football, he helped lead the team to an 8-2 record, a conference title, a district title, and an appearance in the state playoff in 2020 as a wide receiver.

He was also accomplished on the basketball court, but his upside as a football player earned him an offer from Tulane, which he accepted.

He signed with Tulane and didn’t appear in the 2021 season. He would give up playing football and head to junior college to play basketball. He ended up at Cowley College in Arkansas City, Kansas.

There, his true athletic calling began to reveal itself. He started 16 of 19 games in 2022, averaging 10. 7 PPG on about 25 minutes of playing time per game. He shot 35 percent from distance.

He initially committed to Marist University but returned to Cowley for one more go last year. There, he would put together an incredible campaign.

Nwankwo averaged 18.6 points and 7.6 rebounds and shot 37 percent on 3-pointers to earn first-team NJCAA All-America honors this season.

The talented wing committed to Mark Madsen and the Cal Bears on April 13 before reopening his recruitment on Tuesday. Twenty-four hours later, he committed to Porter Moser and the Oklahoma Sooners.

With his commitment, Oklahoma adds more shooting and athleticism to a team that has become loaded with shooters and versatile wing defenders.

At 6-foot-6, Nwankwo can catch and shoot, shoot off the dribble, and showcase the ability to put the ball on the floor, get to the cup, or find open teammates when collapsing a defense. He has two years of eligibility and could factor into Oklahoma’s rotation this upcoming season off his athleticism alone.

With his commitment, Oklahoma is done with the portal additions. The only decision to wait is to see if Jalon Moore, Oklahoma’s presumptive leader for this upcoming season and the most impactful returner from last year’s team, decides to return or if he will stay in the 2024 NBA Draft.

Moore has until May 29 to make his decision and withdraw his name.

Either way, Oklahoma seems set on all fronts to attack 2024 with the group assembled. This team is set to play the school’s first season in the SEC and hope to make the NCAA Tournament for the first time under Porter Moser.

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Duke transfer Sion James shares social media message about officially signing on

Sion James, who officially signed with the Blue Devils on Monday morning, had a national title on his mind after the announcement.

Duke transfer Sion James from Tulane officially signed on with the program on Monday morning, and based on his social media activity, he’s already got March on his mind.

James shared a short message about his signing on Monday morning shortly after the team announcement.

“Can’t wait to head up to Durham and get number 6!!” James wrote on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter.

Six, of course, referring to what would be Duke’s sixth national title. The Blue Devils cut down the nets in 1991, 1992, 2001, 2010, and 2015, all won with head coach Mike Krzyzewski.

The NCAA Tournament for the 2024-25 season will mark one decade since Duke’s last national title, the first decade-long drought since the first title in 1991.

The program came close recently, however. The Blue Devils made the Final Four in 2022, Coach K’s last season with the team, and the Elite Eight last season with new coach Jon Scheyer.

The 2024-25 roster will mark one of the team’s best chances at the national title, however. Scheyer brought in the No. 1 recruiting class in the country with six top-50 freshmen, including the top recruit in the country in Cooper Flagg. James also leads a top-20 transfer class that also welcomes Purdue’s Mason Gillis and Syracuse’s Maliq Brown.

Duke fans will need to wait until this fall to see if the 2024-25 squad can end the decade-long drought.

Tulane transfer Sion James officially signs with Duke Blue Devils

Duke’s third transfer of the offseason, Tulane’s Sion James, made it official on Monday morning when he signed with the Blue Devils.

Days after his commitment, Duke transfer Sion James made his Blue Devils status official on Monday morning.

The men’s basketball team announced that James officially signed on to the program at the start of the week.

James, a four-year member of the Tulane Green Wave, finished the 2023-24 season with 14.0 points, 5.4 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 1.6 steals. He’s averaged at least 2.5 assists in each of his last three seasons, and he averaged at least one steal in all four seasons.

The newest Duke guard also compliments new teammates Tyrese Proctor and Caleb Foster well. The 6-foot-6, 220-pound James earned the most praise for his ability as a slasher, with roughly half of his attempts coming around the rim last season.

James becomes the third player to join head coach Jon Scheyer’s program as a transfer this offseason. 3-point specialist Mason Gillis from Purdue and efficient big man Maliq Brown from Syracuse both committed in April.

James becomes one of 11 scholarship players in Durham for the 2023-24 season, and he’ll almost assuredly start for the Blue Devils next season.

Tulane play-by-play announcer raves about Duke transfer Sion James

Jack Benjamin, who watched more than three dozen Tulane games while Sion James took the court, couldn’t be higher on the newest Blue Devil.

Duke transfer [autotag]Sion James[/autotag] made a few fans before he left Tulane.

The newest Blue Devil announced his commitment on Friday morning, and one play-by-play announcer from his old school sounded particularly impressed.

Jack Benjamin, who spent close to 40 games on the microphone watching James play with the Green Wave, said the Blue Devils “struck gold” with their newest transfer.

“He got better every year,” Benjamin wrote on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter. “He’s one of the most explosive athletes I’ve ever seen.”

Benjamin also praised James’ work ethic. In a report from insider Jeff Goodman, an anonymous coach expressed a similar sentiment about the former Tulane guard, saying his improvement from 3-point range emphasized his dedication. As a freshman in 2020-21, James shot 28% from beyond the arc, but he made more than 38% of his attempts last season.

“Somehow, he’s a better human being,” Benjamin added at the end of his praise.

Duke fans will see James in Blue Devils attire for the first time this fall.

One coach says Duke ‘got a steal’ with Tulane transfer Sion James, per report

Field of 68’s Jeff Goodman, a longtime college basketball insider, shared insight from one coach who sounded like a Sion James fan on Friday.

New Duke guard Sion James, who committed to transfer to Durham on Friday morning, isn’t just popular among Blue Devils fans.

According to a report from longtime college basketball insider Jeff Goodman, one coach thinks that head coach Jon Scheyer found the perfect player.

“I think Duke got a steal,” the coach said, according to Goodman’s post on X (the social media platform formerly known as Twitter).

The coach said James, who measures in at 6-foot-6 and 220 pounds, can play any position on the court. They praised James’ basketball intelligence and pointed to how he improved as a 3-point shooter during his time with the Green Wave.

As a freshman in 2020-21, James took 1.1 3-pointers per game and made just 28.0% of his looks. As a junior last season, he averaged 3.6 attempts per game and connected on 38.1% of them.

“That speaks for his work ethic itself,” the coach added.

Goodman’s report also raved about James’ defensive ability, as the Tulane guard averaged 1.6 steals and 0.6 blocks per game for his career.

“If you could go into a machine and make a stereotype old school Duke players, that’s Sion,” the coach concluded.

James became the third transfer to commit to head coach Jon Scheyer after Mason Gillis from Purdue and Maliq Brown from Syracuse.