Porter Moser compares games with Arkansas to an NCAA regional game

Oklahoma head coach Porter Moser compared games against Arkansas to games in the NCAA Tournament, specifically a regional final (Elite Eight).

Oklahoma remained undefeated (10-0) on the season with the 79-70 win. Arkansas fell to 6-5 on the year under Eric Musselman, but it feels like this game could happen again in March.

If Moser has a say, maybe it will in a few months.

“I’ve had it for three years in a row, it feels like an NCAA regional,” Moser said. “You know, you’re driving the bus here, you see everybody out in front. You see the bands, you see this, both teams, all the colors. You walk into the beautiful arena and you see all this, so I thought it had an NCAA regional feel the last three years. I thought Tulsa’s done a great job with the event.”

The Sooners held a 12-point lead at halftime but the Razorbacks stormed back. However, it wasn’t enough in the final 20 minutes.

Javion McCollum led the way for Oklahoma, scoring 20 points, grabbing five rebounds and dishing four assists. Otega Oweh added 14 points to finish second on the team in scoring.

Porter Moser won’t comment on Eric Musselman ejection

Speaking of this game being like an NCAA Tournament atmosphere, it might as well have been since Musselman was ejected.

Musselman exploded after Arkansas was called for four fouls in the first four minutes of the second half. The calls boosted Oklahoma to an 11-2 run to stretch their lead to 48-33. Musselman had seen enough.

The 59-year-old coach ran on the court and had to be restrained by his fellow coaches. After the game, Moser wasn’t interested in discussing Musselman’s outburst.

“I’m not gonna comment on it. He’s a competitor. I’ll stand and coach, and it is what it is,” Moser said. “All I’ve got are positive comments.”

Musselman was similarly short-breathed about his ejection.

“I have no comments about the refs at all,” Musselman said.

Musselman has only been ejected three times in his 146 games as Arkansas’ head coach. Two of those games were against Oklahoma at the BOK Center. There’s something about those Sooners.

Of course, referees weren’t the sole reason behind Oklahoma’s impressive victory. In the win, the Sooners shot 51% from the field and 38.9% from beyond the arc. Oklahoma also dominated down low, scoring 10 more paint points than the Razorbacks.

Grant Grubbs contributed to this report