In a potential hot seat year for Porter Moser, Oklahoma basketball looks to make it back to the tournament for the first time since 2021.
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When Oklahoma hired Moser in 2021, there was a lot of excitement in the air, as the former Loyola Chicago coach made quite a name for himself. However, things haven’t gone as expected. Oklahoma has not made the tournament since Moser’s arrival and hadn’t finished better than 7th in the Big 12. The pressure is starting to grow, and with the move to the SEC, this might be the make-or-break point.
He’ll have to do it with a very different roster than the previous season. Jalon Moore is the only one of the top six scorers from last season remaining on this roster, and they have zero returning guards expected to play key minutes next season. Perhaps that’s a good thing though, as Moser hit the portal hard and brought in a variety of new players.
This starts with Duke Miles, who was a star at High Point last season and shot the ball extremely efficiently for a guard. He’ll be joined by Kobe Elvis, who carries a lot of experience and is a big-time shotmaker. They’ll be joined by two other double-digit point scorers from last year Jadon Jones and Brycen Goodine.
The big question will be the transition to the SEC. The Big 12 is undoubtedly the best conference in college basketball, but the SEC isn’t far behind with potential top-25 teams in Alabama, Auburn, Tennessee, Florida, and Kentucky to name a few. If Oklahoma basketball can assert themselves amongst those top 7 teams, then they have a chance at a tournament bid, but they’ll need their guys to build chemistry and do so quickly.
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Head coach:Â Porter Moser (21st season overall, 4th at Oklahoma)
2023-24 record:Â 20-12 (8-10)
2024 postseason finish:Â No Tournament Appearance
Notable departures:Â
- Javian McCollum (13.3 PPG, 3.4 APG, 2.6 RPG)
- Otega Oweh (11.4 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 1.0 APG)
- Milos Uzan (9.0 PPG, 4.4 APG, 3.4 RPG)
- Rivaldo Soares (9.4 PPG, 4.9 RPG, 1.4 APG)
- LeTre Darthard (6.7 PPG, 1.8 RPG, 0.7 APG)
- John Hugley IV (8.4 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 1.2 APG)
Notable non-conference games:Â
- Battle 4 Atlantis (November 27-29)
- vs. Georgia Tech (Dec. 3)
- vs. Michigan (Dec. 18)
Projected Rotation
PG: Duke Miles (6-2, 186, Sr.)
2023-24 stats: 17.5 PPG, 3.6 APG, 2.4 RPG, 1.3 SPG, 52.8 FG%, 36.1 3P%, 80.1 FT% (High Point)
SG: Kobe Elvis (6-1, 177, Gr.-Sr.)
2023-24 stats: 9.4 PPG, 3.5 APG, 2.4 RPG, 37.0 3P%, 84.7 FT% (Dayton)
SF: Jadon Jones (6-4, 181, Gr.-Sr.)
2023-24 stats: 12.1 PPG, 3.3 RPG, 1.6 APG, 1.8 SPG, 1.0 BPG, 37.7 3P%, 85.2 FT% (Long Beach State)
PF: Jalon Moore (6-7, 208, Sr.)
2023-24 stats: 11.2 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 0.5 APG, 1.0 BPG, 51.7 FG%, 41.0 3P%
C: Sam Godwin (6-10, 238, Gr.-Sr.)
2023-24 stats: 6.7 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 0.7 APG, 59.5 FG%
6: Brycen Goodine (6-4, 185, Gr.-Sr.)
2023-24 stats: 13.9 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 1.4 APG, 49.8 FG%, 46.7 3P% (Fairfield)
7: Mohamed Wague (6-10, 225, Gr.-Sr.)
2023-24 stats: 3.1 PPG, 2.5 RPG, 0.5 APG, 62.7 FG% (Alabama)
8: Luke Northweather (6-11, 238, So.)
2023-24 stats: 2.0 PPG, 1.5 RPG, 0.4 APG, 81.8 FT%
9: Glenn Taylor (6-6, 205, Sr.)
2023-24 stats: 4.4 PPG, 2.2 RPG, 1.2 APG, 42.4 3P% (St. Johns)
10: Jeremiah Fears (6-3, 175, Fr.)
247Sports Composite #64 ranked recruit
Oklahoma Basketball team MVP: Jalon Moore
Jalon Moore played as a fourth option last year, and that was a big mistake. When he got the ball, he was efficient, shooting 51.7% from the field and 41% from three. Now, he’ll be forced into a bigger role, and he’ll be sure to capitalize. Barttorvik projects 15.8 PPG and 8 RPG from Moore, and while that might be a little generous, it is certainly doable for the talented forward.
Despite being just 6’7, Moore led the team in rebounds and blocks per game, showing his athleticism and determination on the floor. The way not only himself but his team can succeed at a high level is if he is more selfish because when he has the ball in his hands, good things happen.
Oklahoma Basketball make-or-break player: Duke Miles
With Javian McCollum gone, Oklahoma needs a high-level scoring guard to help Moore. Miles fits that description. Miles averaged 17.5 a game last year on 52.8% field goal percentage. EvanMiya ranked Miles as the 92nd best offensive player in the country last year, ahead of guys like Oumar Ballo, Jeremy Roach, and Bruce Thornton. He is confident and very rarely has an off-game, which makes him a player that any team wishes they had.
The question like always is will it translate? No disrespect to the Big South, but the SEC is a whole different beast. Miles played one game last season against an SEC program, Georgia, and played his worst game of the season, shooting 5-17 from the field and 1-8 from three. That was a Georgia team that finished 11th in the SEC, so you can only imagine what it’s going to be like when he faces a hardnosed defensive team like Tennessee.
If he can’t adjust, Oklahoma basketball is in big trouble, because they don’t really have a guard who can pick up that scoring task except potentially Kobe Elvis. However, Miles is a terrific player, and while it may take a few games to adjust, there is no doubt he’ll be making crucial plays late in the season for Oklahoma basketball.
Key analytic: Adjusted defense
Every team that finished in both the Top 50 in AdjO (offensive efficiency) and AdjD (defensive efficiency) made the tournament last year except two teams, Pittsburgh, and Oklahoma. One aspect of Porter Moser’s coaching style is he will always bring a fiery defense. In all three years at Oklahoma, Moser has finished top 50 in the KenPom category and has finished in the top 100 every year since 2017.
Otega Oweh was their star defender last year, so they’ll need someone to fill that void. Mohamed Wague can fill that void, as he is a terrific rim protector and was used in key defensive situations for Alabama last year. Regardless, Moser will make adjustments throughout the game to make sure that if they lose, it’s not for a lack of defense.
Oklahoma Basketball 2024-25 projections
Projected conference finish: 16th in the SEC
Projected postseason ceiling: NCAA Tournament Round of 64 Appearance
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