It’s already been less than two weeks since Oklahoma fans stormed the floor at the Lloyd Noble Center after a 93-69 win to no. 2 Alabama.
First, it seems like eons ago. Secondly, it feels like one of the most far-fetched hits in all of college basketball this season.
Because of that match coming out, there were different directions this could go for beginners and coaches Porter Moser.
Can OU build on that win, play with confidence, and come up with some winning ways in the Big 12 game? Or could Bama be a self-contained moment, and the helpless might fall on their faces?
In the two games since then, it’s been the last. Two losses (vs. Oklahoma State, at West Virginia) by 42 points.
Let’s stop talking about the NCAA Tournament at this point. OU should look like a functional team again because that wasn’t the case last week. When OU took the first blows from the Cowboys and Mountaineers, there was no fighting involved.
Then this rumor surfaced on Tuesday, regarding Moser and the training venue of Notre Dame.
Since Mike Brie announced he was stepping down from the Irish at the end of this season, it was very easy to connect the dots for Moser. Back in the Midwest, where he has trained and lived for years and understands how to recruit in the area.
It makes sense, but the rumor was loud the first time it was really raised as to whether or not this was Moser’s final games in Norman.
OU is 12-11 overall and a woeful 2-8 in Big 12 play, and if you can push the ND rumors to the side a little, here’s what the Sooners can try to do to get out of that funk.
Even if OU is implemented, it may not matter. OU’s next four games are against teams ranked in the top 15, including heading to No. 14 Baylor on Wednesday night. Then he is home against No. 9 Kansas, No. 12 Kansas State and No. 5 Texas. Whew.
But here’s where you should start soon.
* Be tough physically and mentally
“You should just start out with complete focus, solidity, and consistent effort before trying to apply magic dust and trying to change formations,” Moser said. “We may make some subtle changes, but we are not going to reinvent the wheel. It has to start with consistent, solid and enthusiastic collaboration.
“We did things. We were there in terms of competing and beating some of the best teams. And we haven’t played well, except for one game, in two weeks. We have to get back to why we’re good. We have to get back to grit. Passion. Faith. We have to bounce back.” This is our message, man. Faith. Teamwork. Perseverance. And that’s what I haven’t seen. This is what we’ll come back to.”
Yes, a lot of it has to do with mindset. Mental toughness and flexibility are a must when running, but there are some personnel moves that can help.
* Get your sportsmanship in the game
Admittedly, it’s not much of an OU thing, but the Sooners have some really special athletes in the junior high Otega oh And the guard moved Joe Pamizel.
Ouih has worked his way up to getting more minutes in recent weeks, but Pamezel has been missing in action for nearly all of 2023 before playing the first half minutes of the conference season in Morgantown.
“The message with Joe — and we’re in constant communication with him — is intensity, effort, offensive and defensive efficiency,” Moser said when asked by SoonerScoop.com on Tuesday. “All three of those areas have been better in the last 2-3 weeks. We went into that game knowing Joe would be in the rotation early. And you’ll see him again at Baylor.”
Bamisile’s saga has the media and fans alike scratching their heads. This is the player who scored over 16 points per game at George Washington last season and can’t even sniff out meaningful minutes yet.
how?
Moser has said before that he needs Pamisil to become more interested in offense and defense, especially with his individual defence. And Pamisil may stumble a time or two in this department, but what he can do mathematically can’t be compared.
You’re thinking of getting back in his group against Arkansas or at WVU, no one else on that team can do it. You have to take the good with the bad, but there’s so much good with Pamisil that we never get to see.
*Pick it up, Tanner
Well, maybe Pamizel and Moser didn’t pair up. But how do you even try to explain what happened Tanner Groves?
Not only did he need to be the Sooners’ vocal leader, but a solid second choice every night to go with the point guard Grant Sherfield.
Instead, he was just as inconsistent as everyone else, which is as baffling as it gets. In 11 minutes on Saturday, Groves had two points, five rebounds and five fumbles.
Off.
“That’s exactly the message we talked to him about,” Moser said. “You can’t have strays. If you make a wrong effort, you get a foul. But you can’t have strays. His hands just grabbed a guard with a gash in the back. He just went down[for]an offensive rebound looking at the thing and ran over a guy.” It is very important to us.
“The message has been sent. We talked a lot with them about it. He has to be smarter. You can have some mistakes but you can’t make silly mistakes. That’s the message.”
Against Bama, Groves had 14 points, 12 rebounds and three blocks. In TCU’s blowout before Bama and last week (three games), Groves had 11 points, nine rebounds and two blocks combined.
This won’t get it done. Groves is running out of time. Time is running out for OU and Moser to try to get this back in the right direction.
