Porter Moser hopes to keep defensive momentum vs. Oklahoma State

The Oklahoma Sooners are fresh off their most impressive win in the season after demolishing the No. 4 team in the nation Alabama in the SEC-Big 12 Challenge. The Sooners are riding high into their next game after defeating the Crimson Tide 93-69. However, head coach Porter Moser knows his team must refocus in time for their next opponent. Moser is hoping his team can keep up this defensive momentum when they take on in-state rival Oklahoma State.

“We hope to, and we need to because they’re playing really well. Their guards are a handful with their speed (and) their shot-making ability,” said Moser on if Oklahoma can maintain their defensive momentum. “Bryce Thompson, with his shot-making ability, makes shots as good as anybody in our league. Avery Anderson, Wright, and Asbury just the way they’re playing, Boone. I mean, they’re just playing really well. So, we have to have a great defensive effort; much better than the second half we had there. I thought the first half. We did some things that we wanted to. But in the second half, (we did a) really poor job. And credit them because they played terrific.

In their previous matchup against the Cowboys, the Sooners got shellacked in the second half losing the period 48-26. Oklahoma was outshot by Oklahoma State from the field, from beyond the ark, and from the free throw line resulting in a 72- 56 loss. But after their win against Alabama, the Sooners appear to have found their groove on defense. Now all that remains to be done is to execute and dominate the Cowboys the same way they did the Crimson Tide.

Moser explains how quickly Oklahoma turned the page after blowing out Alabama

Oklahoma jump-started its season on Saturday, getting a win at the Lloyd Noble Center against then-No. 2 ranked Alabama. Head coach Porter Moser saw his team dominate from start to finish, helping the conference win the Big 12/SEC Challenge. But more importantly for the Sooners, their NCAA Tournament hopes were given a huge boost.

Everything can be taken away from you in an instant though, especially when going up against Big 12 opponents. Oklahoma State is next up for Oklahoma, facing off in a basketball edition of Bedlam. Moser says everyone in Norman has mentally moved on from the Alabama win, prepared to play against the Pokes.

“We took a day off yesterday (Monday) and we came back and talked about some things like we always do,” Moser said. “Recapping the game, what we did well, what we need to do better. Then, we turned the page right away back to Oklahoma State…

“So, no worry about them basking in that victory. It’s just confidence. It was really good for us. It’s in the bank, it’s a resume game, it’s a confidence builder but all our focus turned the page to Oklahoma State.”

Oklahoma State is coming off its own Big 12/SEC Challenge win, defeating Ole Miss at home. Head coach Mike Boynton has now won three out of four games, including a win against Oklahoma in Stillwater. With both teams on the bubble, head-to-head victories could be an important data point for the committee.