OU basketball plays with urgency, executes, snaps skid

Desperation can sometimes be used too many times to describe a situation, but OU basketball was a definition of a desperate team Saturday.

The Sooners entered on a five-game losing streak and trailed at halftime against visiting Mississippi State. When they needed it the most, they responded.

Finally, in a positive way.

OU played with the urgency but also executed all second half en route to a 93-87 victory against the 21^st-ranked Bulldogs.

It is the fourth ranked victory for OU this season, with MSU being the top-ranked squad so far.

It was a three-man show for Porter Moser, but what a trio on this day. Freshman Jeremiah Fears and seniors Sam Godwin and Jalon Moore said come along with us.

After OU’s 71-61 lead was chopped to 73-69, the Sooners put it away with a 12-2 run that finally allowed the Lloyd Noble Center to breathe and cheer.

The Sooners had fallen flat on their face so many times that you could almost feel the nervous energy grow and grow throughout the second half.

But every time MSU punched, OU had the answer. And it got tense, tight in the final couple of minutes, but there was no repeat of last Saturday.

It got chippy, literally, after Duke Miles lost some teeth. But that was the only type of effort that was going to get the job done against the Bulldogs.

Had to have it, got it. Need the next one.

Fears 27 points, 10 assists. Moore 18 points and seven rebounds. Godwin 17 points and 10 rebounds.

OU ‘fought through hard’

It has been what Moser has been preaching and preaching. Fighting through hard and changing the narrative.

Look, college basketball is overreaction central. One bad game, and everybody should be fired and scholarships taken away.

A good one, it’s about building on it. But after nearly three weeks of clunkers and being down in the dumps, OU can finally change that narrative.

“It’s faith. You get put in different situations,” Moser told SoonerScoop. “The good Lord Jesus puts you in spots, but you’ve gotta trust. Believe in the people you love. That locker room, that belief, every day they come in there. Should’ve seen it last night. Wasn’t even a hesitation. The whole team went to Dale, Oklahoma. The whole team was courtside. Some guys were in tears watching Dayton get that honor. You don’t like to see your family go through struggles, and they were all going through struggles. I’ve been through it. I’m a big boy, I can handle it. 

“But for them to keep fighting through this — the crazy thing about it is to keep believing. There becomes a narrative, and we’re right there. The NCAA Tournament is right there. That’s the belief you’ve gotta keep telling them. That’s the nugget. It’s just a constant belief, blocking out outside noise. For them, getting them back and getting them better.”

Miles leaves it all on the floor, including his teeth

“Our team dentist was in there when I left to do the radio, so I know his teeth weren’t that pretty right now,” Moser said. “We’ll have Doc do his magic. He was was doing fine when I left. We talked to him. He’s just hustling. He was diving for a ball.”

What does that say about Miles?

“A lot. And he’s just toughness,” Moser told SoonerScoop. “I know his box score won’t say it, but he had some really good, tough plays, with that. But that’s the joy.”

Here's the aftermath of Duke Miles losing his teeth on the floor. Unbelievable effort. Also notable, he returned to the game. pic.twitter.com/fLPh93hTCR

— Eddie Radosevich (@Eddie_Rado) February 22, 2025

Up next

Another chance for momentum, another chance for a big-time resume victory. OU (17-10, 4-10) welcomes Kentucky to the LNC on Wednesday evening. The Wildcats have been battling injuries all month and play at Alabama on Saturday evening. It will mark the first-ever trip for Kentucky to Norman.