OU basketball welcoming Texas, rivalry challenge

OU basketball head coach Porter Moser is known for taking it one game at a time. Like he doesn’t care that he’s 0-4 against Texas, but the fans know it.

It has been a tremendous start to this season for the 11^th-ranked Sooners. Now? It’s time to beat some of those rivals.

How to watch

Texas (13-5, 2-3) at No. 11 OU (15-3, 3-2)
When: 6 p.m. Tuesday
TV: ESPN.

UT has walked into Norman the last two seasons and squeezed ones out. A two-point overtime victory two seasons ago. A one-point win at the Lloyd Noble Center last season.

And Tuesday night has all the makings of another great one. Too early to call anything a season-saver, but the Longhorns had a version of that with Tyrese Hunter at the buzzer against Baylor on Saturday.

OU earned its first road victory, pulling it out at Cincinnati. Enjoy the moment, onto the next. But the key is to actually enjoy the moment.

“I told them after the game: The grind, the prep, all that — the fun is right here, investing in that,” Moser said. “I want them to have that joy. We had to turn right around and not get too high. Yesterday had to be all about Texas. We’ve got a tremendous respect. They have an unbelievable backcourt in Max (Abmas) and Tyrese (Hunter). Tyrese, what a game he had against Baylor. Then I think they’ve got one of the more difficult centers in the country to guard. He’s a three-level scorer. He can score from the block. He can score from 3, and then he’s got a nice shot fake and he can put it on the deck and get to the rim. 

“I think they’ve got a phenomenal, first-round-draft-pick-type athlete in Dillon Mitchell, who’s finding a way to get double figures through cutting, rebounding, transition. Brock Cunningham’s one of the best glue guys. So you’ve gotta be on top of putting it in the bank and being on your next prep, because every game you better be ready.”

Bench bringing intelligence

Moser has been thrilled with the bench production all season. But something changed in the last week. A couple of veterans snapped out of their little funk, and it meant big things for OU.

For whatever reason, Rivaldo Soares and Le’Tre Darthard had begun to just chunk up one three-pointer after another. Last week? That trend changed. They started driving to the basket, getting contact, getting to the foul line.

In fact, their four free throws at UC were the final four points of the game for OU. They sealed the deal in a tough environment.

“Huge. Le’Tre got himself going with a drive, body-up finish to the basket,” Moser said. “Think about the free throws those guys made. I don’t know if you could tell on TV, but it was 13,000 and you couldn’t hear anything. They both went up there and knocked down the free throws.

“Waldo made two free throws. They ran a nice little play and scored. We got it in. Then Le’Tre made two free throws. It’s that analytics thing. You Foul and don’t give them a chance. With that said, you have to make the free throws. Those two made really clutch free throws.”

Moser and Terry now 30 years later

Unique paths for both, but now Moser and Texas head coach Rodney Terry in the thick of the Red River Rivalry.

A 30-year relationship with each guy leading the charge for two schools joined at the hip. With its rivalry and with their entrance in the SEC next season.

“One thing I love about Rodney is Rodney is the same guy,” Moser said. “He’s the same guy 30 years later. He’s the same guy as he was at UTEP. The same guy as he was an assistant at North Carolina-Wilmington as he is the head coach at Texas. We’ve known each other probably, shoot, since the mid-90’s. Thirty years. And I’ve always thought — we both were assistants hustling, trying to recruit some of the same players.

“Just been someone who I really respect his energy. Who he is as a man. His personality. He’s always been an extremely hard worker. And I love guys that get shots. He surpassed everybody’s expectations in a hard situation last year and got the chance, well deserved. For a guy that I’ve known 30 years, he hasn’t changed. He’s always been a hard working, hustling, recruiter.”

Final word

“I know for us we’re excited about this game tomorrow. I know it’s a part of it for both fan bases. Let’s just say what it is. They get it here, we get it there. I’ve been at the Red River Rivalry where it’s half and half and walking around the fairgrounds. I mean, it’s… Both sides are giving it to each other. What you hope for is it stays safe, that it stays a great rivalry and no one crosses the line in that great rivalry. That’s what you hope for. You don’t want everybody to sit there like this in the rivalry. It’s awesome. I’ve been at Red River the last couple years. It’s awesome. I’ve been there in their new arena last year. Awesome.” – Moser on ‘Horns Down’