OU Basketball: No. 11 Oklahoma Determined to Keep Momentum Rolling Against Green Bay

NORMAN — Saturday is all about focus.

No. 11 Oklahoma (9-0) hasn’t hit the court for a competitive contest since last weekend’s 79-70 win over Arkansas, pausing the non-conference grind for finals week.

Wednesday, the Sooners will be in Charlotte for a potential top 10 matchup with North Carolina, but first OU must funnel all of its efforts toward Green Bay.

The Phoenix (5-6, 1-1 Horizon League) No. 338-nationally in points per game, averaging 63.6 points per game, and allow 66.4 points per game, which is 73rd in the country.

The words North Carolina haven’t been whispered around the facility this week, as Porter Moser’s preparations are honed in exclusively on Green Bay.

“I don’t prepare any different for Kansas than I do Texas State,” Moser said on Friday. “I mean it’s a thorough preparation. It’s a confident respect. We use that term. A confident respect for every single opponent. You respect their strengths.

“… I think the guys will tell you. My demand on the scouting, my demand on the preparation is literally no different from every opponent. And these guys believe that the game in front of us is our marquee game. That game, the next game is our marquee game.”

For the Phoenix, Oklahoma will have to be cognizant of a cohesive defense that looks to slow games down.

“They have a tremendous plug defense,” Moser said. “If you go too far with your dribble you're gonna get turnovers. They do a lot of really good 'ghost screening.' I mean, they try to confuse you. You're gonna see more of what we call 'ghost screens,' where they come into the screen, they slip 'em.

“We're gonna see more of those than we see in any one game all year. Your communication's gotta be great. So they can hurt you if you're not communicating.”

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Throughout the early stages of the season, the spotlight on Oklahoma has grown.

The Sooners were picked to finish 12th in the Big 12 this year, but Moser’s team has rocketed up the rankings.

Still, the guys in the locker room aren’t paying any attention to the outside pressure.

They’re just trying to take the season game-by-game.

“I think our team has one common goal,” OU guard Rivaldo Soares said on Friday. “Nobody on this team, outside of Porter, has ever made the tournament. I think that one common goal is what’s bringing us all together. We all want to make the tournament.”

Oklahoma will try and channel that intensity again on Saturday when the Sooners host Green Bay at the Lloyd Noble Center at 8 p.m., a game that will be broadcast on ESPN+.

“I think we see ourselves as the underdogs,” Soares said. “… We’re still trying to earn our respect, so the rankings—it’s cool, and I’ve been on a ranked team before (at Oregon), but I’m trying to get the guys to stay on track because that ranking really doesn’t mean anything, because you can be gone and out of it for a long time.

“We’re just the underdogs, and that’s how we’re playing it. I think that edge is what’s given us an advantage.”

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