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OU basketball finding the 'value' with Mo Wague in SEC play

Bob Przybyloby:Bob Przybylo•about 14 hours•

BPrzybylo

Mo Wague2
OU center Mo Wague. (Dale Zaline - Imagn Images)

There are three things you know about OU center Mo Wague. He is going to rebound. He is going to block shots. And he’s going to commit fouls.

Two of those three? You embrace. But when those fouls start coming, you cannot keep him on the floor. What Wague has shown for OU since SEC play has started is what an impact he can make.

Look, it’s hard to find a lot of bright spots for the Sooners right now. A 13-0 beginning has turned into 13-3 and 0-3 in conference play.

However, if you’ve unlocked Wague? That might be something you’ll take for the next two months if it meant the last two weeks were tough. That begins with OU hosting rival Texas at 9 p.m. Wednesday as both teams go for their initial conference victory.

“I think with Mo, he’s just great at what he does,” head coach Porter Moser said. “At practice… Mo covers a lot of ground defensively with length and aggression, and I thought that was really good. He had a couple of rolls where he rolled really hard. Would roll, run through one. Even if he doesn’t get it, he’s bringing it to the back-side defense.

“I thought he was moving quick, drawing defense. He’s great at his role, and we need more guys like that. Great at their role. I thought Mo, defensively, completely impacted that game.”

OU was searching far and wide for a big man in the transfer portal. It felt like the Sooners had checked all the necessary boxes with their perimeter guys.

A consistent, legitimate big man is hard to find. They’re at a premium. Wague is well-traveled from West Virginia to Alabama. Because of that, though, he understands what it takes to play at this level. He looks comfortable in what he’s being asked to do.

It’s going to be about consistency. If Wague can go 10 points, three rebounds, two assists and three blocks in 16 minutes like he did in the loss against Georgia, OU will take it.

“I feel like you just have to stay ready,” Wague said. “If they’re going to make the call, then you’re ready and give the team everything you’ve got to help the team win.”

This was just the second time this season where Wague has played more than 15 minutes. Inconsistency has plagued him, a lot of that being the fouls.

OU needs a presence inside, and Wague absolutely provides it in a huge way. That’s something Moser is trying to push on with Wague – the value he brings.

“Just talking to him about his value,” Moser said. “Say this is really valuable, Mo. You rolling as hard as you were rolling to the rim and attacking the rim, that brought value. Whether you got it or not, they’ve gotta bring the backside. Your ability to cover a lot of ground defensively, your presence was felt.

“It’s to keep glorifying that with him. Sometimes having your presence felt defensively isn’t the most glorifying thing right now, especially these days. To let him know, you impacted us. You impacted our team. I thought it was contagious. I thought our guard were better than they’ve been defensively, and I thought it was contagious.”

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