Oklahoma HC Porter Moser Ready for ‘Challenging’ SEC Slate, Opener vs. Ole Miss

The Sooners are winners of eight of their last nine contests, and they'll begin conference play on Saturday against Ole Miss.

Oklahoma guard Xzayvier Brown dribbles against MVSU. | Carson Field, Sooners On SI

NORMAN — Starting Saturday, the games will “mean more” for the Sooners.

Oklahoma hosts Ole Miss for its SEC opener, with tipoff scheduled for 2:30 p.m. The Sooners won eight of their final nine non-conference games after they started the year 2-2.

Saturday’s game against Ole Miss will be one of 18 conference contests for the Sooners. 

Last year, Oklahoma went 6-12 in league play and finished tied for 13th in the SEC. Still, the Sooners made their first NCAA Tournament appearance under coach Porter Moser, as the conference saw 14 of its 16 members make it to the tourney.

How does the conference stack up in 2025-26?

State of the conference

Oklahoma forward Derrion Reid attempts a shot against Kansas City. | Carson Field, Sooners On SI

Well, it would be hard for the SEC to be as strong as it was last year.

In addition to the league’s 14 bids to the NCAA Tournament, seven members reached the Sweet Sixteen, four reached the Elite 8, two made the Final Four and Florida won the national championship. LSU and South Carolina are the only two programs that didn’t reach the tourney.

At the top, the conference doesn’t seem as strong.

Through two months of the season, Vanderbilt is the only SEC team in the top 10 of the NET at No. 7, and Alabama (No. 13) is the only other program in the top 20.

The SEC’s depth, though, is similarly impressive to what it was last year.

In addition to Vanderbilt and Alabama, five other SEC teams are in the NET top 30, and another three sit in the top 50. Fourteen of the SEC’s 16 members are in the top 100, and the two schools that aren’t — South Carolina and Mississippi State — are just outside at No. 102 and 106, respectively. 

“This league is always going to be an animal,” guard Nijel Pack said. “Every opponent is going to be different, but we know how challenging this league gets. We're respecting every opponent and taking everybody seriously.”

How competitive will Oklahoma be?

Oklahoma guard Jadon Jones grabs a rebound against MVSU. | Carson Field, Sooners On SI

The Sooners currently stand at No. 50 in the NET rankings, which puts them 10th in the SEC. OU is one of six squads from the conference with a 10-3 record and only three teams — Vanderbilt, Georgia and LSU — have a better record.

Oklahoma played six games against teams from power conferences during the non-conference portion of its schedule and finished those contests with a 3-3 record. The Sooners earned wins against Marquette, Wake Forest and Oklahoma State while they dropped games against Gonzaga, Nebraska and Arizona State.

The last few weeks of the non-conference slate were particularly impressive. 

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Pack and guard Xzayvier Brown have created a one-two punch in the backcourt, and they are averaging 16.3 and 15.4 points per game, respectively. Pack is also shooting 47.5 on 3-pointers. Big men Mohamed Wague, Derrion Reid and Tae Davis have steadily improved, while Kuol Atak, Kai Rogers and Kirill Elatontsev have provided depth in the frontcourt.

“I think this team cares,” Moser said. “It's been one of our biggest strengths. They've been able to take film sessions when we haven't done something well and applied it. So absolutely. I love coaching this group because they do that.”

Because the SEC’s ceiling appears lower this year, it’s very possible that the Sooners finish conference play with a better record than last year. But it’s also worth noting that the SEC’s floor is higher — the bottom of the league has improved, and there likely won’t be any “free wins.”

What about OU’s first opponent?

Dec 6, 2025; New York, New York, USA; Mississippi Rebels guard Ilias Kamardine (6) drives past St. John's Red Storm guard Joson Sanon (3) in the first half at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images | Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

Ole Miss enters Saturday’s game 8-5. The Rebels are ranked No. 88 in the NET, but they hold a much better position (No. 57) in the KenPom ratings.

After winning their first five games, the Rebels lost four games in a row. Ole Miss won three of its last four games of non-conference play.

The Rebels are 0-5 against opponents from power conferences. Four of those defeats were decided by single digits. Their most notable win came against Memphis, which is ranked No. 73 in KenPom.

Ole Miss’ ability to keep up with quality opponents shows that it is a talented team. But the Rebels’ inability to win close games is fairly concerning.

Ultimately, Saturday’s game is very winnable. And a 1-0 start would be much-welcomed in Norman after the Sooners lost their first four games of conference play a year ago.

“You have to have a relentless pursuit of getting better heading into this league,” Moser said. “Every game, you have to pick yourself up, whether you won or lost, and get better. That’s what we’re about to enter into.”