Oklahoma

Keys to the Game and Scouting Look: Texas

Published

12 months ago

March 7, 2025

Press Room

Keys to the Game and Scouting Look: Texas

Saturday at 7:00 PM on SEC Network, Porter Moser will coach the biggest game of his Oklahoma career to date.

After a crucial 96-84 victory over No. 15 Missouri, led by Jeremiah Fears’ career-high 31 points, the Sooners (18-12, 5-12) still have work to do. That work? Securing a win in Austin against Texas — something Moser has never done in his four-year tenure at Oklahoma.

This game is not just a rivalry clash; it features two head coaches fighting for their jobs, two bubble teams both in desperate need of a win, and two lottery picks in Fears vs. Texas’ leading scorer, Tre Johnson. Plus, there’s the added factor of Moser being winless in the Red River Rivalry.

If the Sooners can pull off the win, their tournament chances will be in a strong position heading into conference tournament week. If they lose, they’ll need to win two games in Nashville next week, a tall order.

Take a look at Rodney Terry’s Longhorns, who are coming off an overtime victory over Mississippi State (87-82), which kept their tournament hopes alive, and what Oklahoma must do to secure the biggest win of the season.

Scouting Texas

Last time these two teams faced, Texas won 77-73. They outscored Oklahoma 43-27 in the first half, but the Sooners outscored them 46-34 in the second half. Unfortunatley for Oklahoma, the 29 points from Jalon Moore, 20 from Fears, and the spark provided by Dayton Forsythe wasnt enough to overcome the deficit they put themselves in.

The Longhorns are led by their true freshman star Johnson, who, like Fears, is projected to be a lottery pick. He averages 20.6 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 2.7 assists. In their most recent game against No., 25 Mississippu Stae on the road, Johnson scored 23 points on an impressive 6-9 shooting frombehind the arc.

It was Tramon Mark who led the team in scoring, though. Mark totaled 24 points on an impressive 4-6 shooting from deep. Part of the reason Texas secured that win was because of their hot shooting ffrom downtown, 11-23 (47.8%), and Johnson and Mark accounted for 10 of those 11 makes.

On the season, Mark averages just 9.9 points and 3.6 rebounds, but Tuesday night’s game against the Bulldogs proves he can get hot. Another scorer that can get hot is Jordan Pope, who averages 10.6 points. It was Pope who led the way for Texas in Janurary when they played Oklahoma.

Pope scored 27 points on 9-17 shootiung from the field in that game, which took place on January 15th. Since then, he has scored in double figures just twice. Arthur Kaluma is another scorer to watch, he averages 12.7 points and 8.0 rebounds. Another name of note will be Kadin Shedrick, the 6’11 big who averages 8.5 points and 6.1 rebounds.

Here’s a look at where the Lonhorns rank nationally across various statistical categories.

Keys to the Game

Battle of the Freshmen: Fears vs. Johnson

It’s pretty simple: Oklahoma goes as Fears goes. And fortunately for the Sooners, he’s been going strong lately. Over his last five games, Fears has averaged 22.2 points, six assists, and 5.4 rebounds while shooting 47.2% from the field. Four of those games have come against top-25 opponents.

He’s been scoring at a high level, but just as important, he’s managed the game exceptionally well, which is something Oklahoma will need on Saturday. On Wednesday night, he committed just one turnover, and the Sooners had only nine as a team. If he can control the game as effectively as he did then, it’ll go a long way in helping Oklahoma navigate this road test.

Both teams rely heavily on their true freshman, future lottery picks, and the battle between Fears and Johnson will be a must-watch. It could be the deciding factor in who comes out on top.

Find Production in the Frontcourt

Without Sam Godwin, who went down with a knee injury in the first half against Missouri, the Sooners will need a few players to step up in the frontcourt. That starts with Mohamed Wague, who totaled 12 points and five rebounds in a season-high 18 minutes on Wednesday night. He shot 4-for-4 from the field and 4-for-4 from the free-throw line.

It’s not just Wague — Oklahoma will also need Luke Northweather to step up. He hit a big step-back three-pointer against Missouri but hasn’t played double-digit minutes since February 8. The Sooners could use the production they got from him in the non-conference slate.

Beyond those two, expect to see a small-ball look with Jalon Moore at the five and Glenn Taylor Jr. at the four, which should lead to increased minutes for Taylor. The Sooners will need Wague, who averages over eight fouls per 40 minutes, and Moore, likely their two primary options at center, to stay out of foul trouble.

Continued Success From Deep

The Sooners have been red-hot from deep, shooting 38-for-90 (42.2%) over their last four games. A key contributor to that surge has been Kobe Elvis, who is averaging 8.5 points during that stretch. After a rough spell, he has started to find his rhythm off the bench.

Elvis has been especially sharp from behind the arc, hitting 9 of his last 14 attempts (64.2%). Pair that with Brycen Goodine — one of the best shooters in the SEC — and the Sooners have two guards in great form from deep, along with several others.

For Oklahoma, maintaining this recent three-point success will be crucial. Knocking down shots from deep is a great way to build a lead on the road and quiet the opposing crowd. If players like Elvis and Goodine stay hot, the Sooners have a strong chance of keeping their shooting momentum going.

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Oklahoma

Where Does Oklahoma Stand After 5-1 Performance at Mary Nutter?

Published

9 hours ago

February 24, 2026

Press Room

Where Does Oklahoma Stand After 5-1 Performance at Mary Nutter?

NORMAN — Oklahoma dropped one spot to No. 6 in the NFCA/GoRout Division I softball poll released Tuesday.

The Sooners went 5-1 last week, beating Duke and Washington, the top two teams they faced in the event, in run-rule fashion but falling 6-4 to Long Beach State on Saturday.

OU also beat Cal State Fullerton, San Diego State and Cal.

The Sooners (13-2) were leapfrogged by Alabama, who swept through their weekend including a pair of wins over then-No. 6 Florida State.

The top four in the poll remained unchanged, with Tennessee remaining No. 1, followed by Texas Tech, Texas and Florida.

Arkansas comes in at No. 7, giving the SEC six of the top seven spots in the poll.

UCLA, Nebraska and Florida State round out the top 10.

Other SEC teams in the poll include No. 12 Mississippi State, No. 13 Texas A&M, No. 15 Georgia, No. 17 LSU, and No. 19 South Carolina.

Ole Miss and Auburn received votes.

Other OU opponents in the poll include No. 14 Arizona, No. 21 Oklahoma State, No. 23 Duke and No. 24 Arizona State.

Gov. Stitt issues emergency order to speed wildfire aid deliveries to Oklahoma ranchers

Published

21 hours ago

February 24, 2026

Press Room

Gov. Stitt issues emergency order to speed wildfire aid deliveries to Oklahoma ranchers

OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. (KOKH) — Governor Kevin Stitt issued an emergency order to support Oklahoma Ranches and communities impacted by the wildfires.

Stitt signed an executive order temporarily easing some transportation rules to speed up deliveries of water, hay, and livestock feed.

The order suspends certain registration and permitting requirements for commercial vehicles hauling feed into or through Oklahoma. It also allows oversize and overweight loads of agricultural feed products without the usual permits during the emergency.

“The damage caused by these wildfires places a heavy burden on communities across the panhandle, especially our farmers and ranchers,” said Governor Stitt. “Oklahomans always step up for one another, and this order helps us get critical feed and water where it is needed so our producers can begin to recover.”

All federal safety, licensing, and insurance requirements will remain in effect under the order. Motor carriers currently under an Out-of-Service Order are not eligible for regulatory relief.

The order only applies to the transportation of agricultural feed products, providing direct assistance in response to this wildfire emergency, and does not extend to any other goods, according to Stitt’s office.

The executive order was filed on Feb. 22 and will remain in effect for 14 days.

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Oklahoma

Tulsa Health Department shares raw milk risks as Oklahoma bills advance

Published

1 day ago

February 23, 2026

Press Room

Tulsa Health Department shares raw milk risks as Oklahoma bills advance

Raw milk is back in the spotlight at the Oklahoma Capitol as lawmakers consider a proposal that would expand where unpasteurized milk can be sold directly to consumers, even as public health officials warn about the potential risks.

Raw milk, which has not been pasteurized to remove harmful bacteria, is currently legal to buy directly from farms in Oklahoma. A bill by state Rep. David Hardin would expand where it can be sold through direct sales, after passing the House Agriculture Committee on a 4-2 vote and moving to the next step.

Hardin said the proposal is aimed at consumer choice. “This is strictly, if you want to buy unpasteurized milk, this will allow you to do that. There is no tracking. I’m doing the very best I can to keep the government out of our business,” Hardin said in a phone interview.

Health officials, however, say consumers should understand the risks. The Tulsa Health Department said raw milk can contain bacteria that are eliminated through pasteurization.

“Raw milk can carry bacteria like Listeria, Salmonella, Campylobacter, and Shiga toxin-producing E. coli. The largest risk that we see is associated with pregnant women. It’s very important to only consume pasteurized dairy products and to only give little ones pasteurized dairy products as well,” said Madison Brillhart, an epidemiologist with the Tulsa Health Department.

Mary McGonigle-Martin of the nonprofit Stop Foodborne Illness said her son became critically ill as a toddler during a confirmed raw-milk outbreak in 2006, an experience she said changed her family’s perspective and led her to advocate for food safety.

“It was a near-death experience that toxin kills people — especially children. My son really is a miracle that he lived,” McGonigle-Martin said.

She said some families may hear about claimed health benefits without fully understanding the potential dangers. “Parents hear it’s healthier, the benefits are overemphasized, and the risks are not,” she said.

Supporters of expanded access argue the decision should be left to consumers. Kirt Thacker, a farm owner in Enola, said, “I think the consumer should have the choice. I drink raw milk, and I want that choice.”

Raw milk is still not currently sold in Oklahoma grocery stores, and any expansion under the bill would apply to direct sales from producers. The bill now heads to the House Oversight Committee before it can advance further.

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