Austin, Texas – seconds before Kobe Elvis, Jaron Moore and Porter Moser wore red ties and black suits, they entered the post-game interview room at Moody Center, and the OU locker room was a party.
Moser was given a bottled bath from his player who streamed the festival on Instagram live and played loudly as Chief Keeff shook the walls.
It looked like the Sooners had hit bottom after collapse into the LSU team in the final seconds, just three weeks ago, when they collapsed into the LSU team, which was 1-10 in SEC play. Ten days ago, when OU dropped out of most NCAA tournament predictions after falling to Kentucky from home, some were asking for Moser’s job and program reset.
Following these disastrous late matches, it now appears that the Sooners (19-12, 6-12 Sec) are grasping it when they need it most. The victory was Moser’s first for the Longhorns since he took the helm and ended a seven-game losing streak. He’s 3-0 again this season when he’s wearing a suit.
“I talked to (Reid Lovelace) and he’s a guy from Oklahoma on our team,” Elvis said.
Details: What is the schedule for the SEC tournament? Full bracket, game dates, how to watch for Sooner fans
OUs who participated in Saturday night’s contest were largely considered the final team off the field. Currently heading to the SEC tournament in Nashville, Tennessee. Perhaps one of the final teams will need a victory against No. 11 seed Georgia at 8:30pm on Wednesday.
For the second few minutes it felt like the Sooners were heading towards another heartbreaking, slow defeat in the game. OU did not score a field goal for more than five minutes in the half.
Moser spoke about delaying the stop.
“We’re always talking about playing the best basketball,” Moser said after the game. “And these guys, the last five games were 3-2 and the losses were right in the end. We couldn’t stop at Kentucky or All Miss. They’re so resilient throughout everything that I felt great for these guys.”
Texas’s Tre Johnson, the horrors of Jeremiah at OU and the anticipated NBA Draft lottery pick, spent a quiet night by their standards.
The fear ended with 13 points and four assists. The Sooners kept Johnson without field goals on 14 attempts. He finished with seven points.
“We really talked about owning it by property,” Moser said of defending Johnson. “You can’t play with him because he can make you transition… Our guys did a great job, I thought they were really trying.
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The OU’s bench stepped up in the absence of senior Sam Godwin after appearing to have injured his knee against Missouri earlier this week. Alabama Transfer Center/Forward Mo Wague started for the first time at Sooners Jersey, finishing with three points in 13 minutes. Luke Northweather and Glenn Taylor Jr. played with a total of 20 points.
The last time the Sooners scored in double digits against Iowa State was February 12, 2020.
“I call them the second shift. I don’t call them submarines,” Moser said. “How about your second shift tonight? Sam went to this game. He said, ‘Next guy, Luke and Glenn.’ Mo is the man in the second shift and has the game we escaped in the first half so we got the chance to start Kobe so they really leave us.
ESPN expert Joe Lunardi appeared on the SEC network during the game, saying the winners must return to the field and the losers must win one or more games in the conference tournament. He had OU as his final team on Saturday before the chipoff.
I’m sure their names will be called on Sunday’s choice as the Sooners have not yet come out of the water and need a victory over the Bulldogs. However, OU has come a long way in the past three weeks. The OU is trapped as the No. 14 seed in the SEC tournament.
“Today, not only our team, but many teams in the country will start talking about Bubble Watch early,” Moser said. “To be with us and fight hard… these guys are incredibly young guys playing the best basketball of the year.”
As for the suit, did you insist that Wednesday night would not be a match day ritual?
“I’m not superstitious,” Moser said. “That has nothing to do with this victory. Zero.”
More details: OU Basketball survives road finale in Texas for Porter Moser’s first victory and the Longhorns
No. 14 OU vs. No. 11 Georgia
Tip Off: Wednesday at 8:30pm at Briddyguston Arena in Nashville, Tennessee (SEC Network)
This article originally appeared in Oklahoman: OU Basketball Plays “Best Basketball” after winning on the road in Texas
