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OU continues its climb, up to No. 11 in the AP poll

Bob Przybyloby:Bob Przybylo•12/11/23•

BPrzybylo

NCAA Basketball: Providence at Oklahoma
Dec 5, 2023; Norman, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma Sooners head coach Porter Moser high fives fans after defeating Providence Friars at Lloyd Noble Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-USA TODAY Sports

Each week, it feels like you’re learning more and more about OU basketball. Each week is presenting its own type of challenge.

Last week felt like it could be the end of the Sooners’ phenomenal early season start. Instead? All it did was reaffirm even more how good, potentially, this team can be in the third year under Porter Moser.

OU handled two quality foes with little difficulty. It started last Tuesday in Norman against Providence. Then it went up the turnpike to Tulsa and beating Arkansas on Saturday afternoon.

And with that, comes a rise in the rankings. From No. 25 two weeks ago to No. 19 last week to No. 11 with the newest poll released Monday afternoon.

We entered last week with 14 undefeated teams. Now we go into this week with that number cut in half, just seven. Three of them (Baylor, Houston, OU) from the Big 12.

“That’s what we want. We want to be the best,” point guard Javian McCollum said. “We want to beat the best. That’s what you want to ask for. That’s what it takes to win a national championship. You want that target on your back. You want to go out there with knowing that those teams respect you at a high level, because we’re going out there competing at a high level every night.”

It’s not just the AP poll where OU is getting some mad respect now.

OU is No. 9 with Andy Katz in his new Top 36, also earning Team of the Week honors. Porter Moser’s club is No. 11 in the Rothstein 45 from Jon Rothstein. You might say about OU excitement, it spreads. The Sooners are No. 13 in the ESPN Power Rankings, after not making the cut last week.

The Sooners host Green Bay at 8 p.m. Saturday at Lloyd Noble Center.

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