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OU basketball resiliency personified, earns road win at Texas, Porter Moser's first win vs. UT

Bob Przybyloby:Bob Przybylo•about 19 hours•

BPrzybylo

Porter Moser43
OU HC Porter Moser. (Scott Wachter - Imagn Images)

It’s one thing for OU basketball to know it needed the win. On the road. Against your rival. Without your starting center.

That’s one thing. But then for the Sooners to put forth the effort that they did? That’s what March basketball is all about. That’s what making the NCAA Tournament is all about.

Still some shaky moments late, but OU did it. The Sooners went into Austin and defeated Texas for the first time in four seasons with a 76-72 victory at the Moody Center on Saturday night.

OU led 75-72 with 6 seconds left when Jeremiah Fears was almost stripped in the backcourt. Duke Miles recovered it and was fouled. However, he missed both free throws with 2 seconds left.

Texas called timeout. Its long pass attempt was intercepted by Brycen Goodine with just over 1 second left. He was fouled, missed the first and hit the second.

Game over. Porter Moser has win No. 1 against the Longhorns in his tenure.

“They just stayed together,” Moser told SEC Network after the game. “Blessed with the culture of our guys. Our guys were gritty as hell tonight.

“For our guys to come in here and this road dub, that was huge.”

Moser stressed resiliency and togetherness.

There was no singular star. Each guy seemingly took a turn doing their part. OU had to figure out a way to navigate the paint without Sam Godwin. The senior is out with an MCL sprain, and it’s unknown as to what his status will be the rest of the way.

Guys like Luke Northweather and Glenn Taylor both came off the bench with 10 points. Jalon Moore battled for 10 as well to go with seven rebounds.

Down the stretch, though, it was Fears, Miles and Goodine. Fears finished with 13 points and four assists. None bigger than a beautiful pass to Goodine for a 3-pointer to make it 73-67. That’s how close it was throughout as that was OU’s largest lead of the game.

The Sooners locked up one of the best scorers in the country. Texas freshman star Tre Johnson went 0-for-14 shooting, just seven points at the free throw line.

It had to be a desperate team, and it was. But a team that executed this week. Banked two more Quad 1 victories and now 6-12 in the SEC and 19-12 overall.

OU is still the No. 14 seed in the SEC Tournament. The Sooners will play No. 11-seeded Georgia in the final game Wednesday night in Nashville.

Moser kept preaching about the team staying together. But it really did. And results, finally, have paid off. OU was either among the Last Four In or First Four Out entering the weekend. The Sooners are in a good spot but can still do a whole lot more for themselves coming up.

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