Oklahoma
Oklahoma riding wave of momentum into rematch with Kentucky: “We're a different team”
Two weeks ago, Otega Oweh carried Kentucky to victory against Oklahoma, his former school, scoring a career-high 28 points, 23 in the second half. Coming into tonight’s rematch in the SEC Tournament, the Sooners are surging, winning their last three games, including a 12-point victory over a ranked Missouri team, a four-point win at Texas, and last night’s 81-75 win over Georgia in the first round of the SEC Tournament.
Right now, Oklahoma is on the right side of the NCAA Tournament bubble, one of the four byes in Joe Lunardi’s latest Bracketology. A victory over Kentucky would certainly push the Sooners into safer territory, but Oklahoma coach Porter Moser is confident his team has already done enough to get into the Big Dance.
“We are a part of [the NCAA Tournament field],” Moser said in his postgame press conference. “I mean, I thought we were above the bubble going into this game.”
“For us, we want to just win and advance in this SEC Tournament, then we’re going to get after it. But we are a part of it. No question. With as many Quad 1 wins that we’ve had, with the resiliency we’ve had. People talk about us playing the best basketball down the stretch in our last six games.”
The Sooners certainly had their moments last night, hitting 10 three-pointers in the first half. Freshman Jeremiah Fears had three of them and finished with a game-high 29 points on 8-16 from the field, 4-7 from three-point range, and 9-12 from the free-throw line. Over the last seven games, Fears is averaging 21.9 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 5.1 assists per contest. He had 18 points vs. Kentucky in Norman last month, second only to Jalon Moore, who had 20. Both Sooners are eager for another shot at the Cats after a chippy round one in Norman.
“I think it’s going to be a great game,” Moore said. “When we played them last time, came down to a last shot. We’re a different team when we played them, too. Tomorrow, being able to play them again and getting a W tomorrow, it’s going to be a fun and physical game.”
Moser: Loss to Kentucky was a “gut punch”
Oklahoma’s first season in the SEC has been rough. The Sooners brought a 13-0 record into conference play and were quickly humbled, losing four straight. When Kentucky went to Norman, they had just snapped a five-game losing streak with a win over Mississippi State. Moser is proud of how his team has regrouped.
“We talked about just playing better winning basketball, to win games, to get in the NCAA Tournament. It was like a business mission statement. We wanted to play better winning basketball.
“These last six games…then we had two gut punches. We had a week of just a gut punch losing to Kentucky at home on that under six seconds, then Pedulla hitting that three. We come back, and how did these guys respond? Beat Missouri, won at Texas, beat Georgia. It’s a credit to their resiliency and the culture of our locker room to fight and stay together.”
Obviously, all eyes will be on Otega Oweh tonight after his heroics in Norman. Brandon Garrison also wore his emotions on his sleeve in his return to his home state (and nearly took a beer can to the head on the way out of the arena). Moser knows Kentucky is much more than just one or two players.
“They have so many offensive weapons. Otega, he’s been really consistent every game. They’ve got so many different offensive weapons. It’s not one guy you have to key in on Kentucky. Their offense is so spaced out. They have fives that can pass. Amari [Williams] and Brandon [Garrison] both can pass so well. They got shooters everywhere. They got a veteran Final Four point guard [Lamont Butler].
“It’s going to be a group effort guarding all their motion, their blast actions. We’ll get after it. I know our guys were stung after that game. Both teams played their tail off. Looking forward to a great matchup tomorrow with Kentucky.”
NORMAN — Cord Rager’s return comes at a pivotal time for Skip Johnson’s Oklahoma Sooners. Not only do they get their day three starter back in time for big road matchups against Auburn and Arkansas on the horizon, but the Sooners pitching strength, their rotational depth, is primed and ready for the test.
The freshman lefty finished with eight strikeouts and only gave up one hit in only 65 pitches before his day ended in the sixth.
No. 14 Oklahoma earn its first conference sweep of the season, defeating Missouri 8-4. It was OU’s fourth conference series win.
Oklahoma (27-12, 10-8) put their best foot forward as they turn the page to the meat of their schedule where they will do battle against No. 13, No. 20 and No. 16 over the next three weeks — two of those series’ on the road.
Four runs in five hits in the second got things rolling for the Sooners.
Camden Johnson continued his brilliant play of late with a triple in the second. This came after a Brenden Brock solo home run to put OU up 1-0. Deiten LaChance grounded out to short but scored Johnson. Dasan Harris and and Nolan Stevens each found home before the inning ended.
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OU found fortune from the plate again in the fourth. Four runs off of four hits highlighted by a three-run home run by Johnson put Oklahoma up 8-0. It was Johnson’s seventh home run of the season, second on the team behind Brock’s nine.
Trent Collier got the nod in the sixth to relieve Rager.
In the seventh, Missouri finally got on the board for the first time since the ninth inning of Friday night’s Sooner victory. Cam Durnin hit a solo shot — his fourht of the season — to make the score 8-1 in favor of the home team.
The Tigers got their third hit of the game shortly after. From there, Collier’s short day was done. Gavyn Jones came on to relieve
LaChance missed a home run by inches when Tiger center fielder Kaden Peer made a leaping catch, jumping into the fence.
In the eighth, the Tigers continued to chip away. With bases loaded, Blaze Ward hit a basehit to score two Missouri base runners. OU led 8-3 heading into the final inning.
Harris led the Sooners with three hits. His day was accented by an RBI, stolen base and a run.
Oklahoma will travel to Auburn to take on the No. 13 Tigers for a three game series starting on Friday. Before that, they will host Oral Roberts for a midweek game at Kimrey Family Stadium in Norman. The Sooners won 4-0 against ORU earlier this season.
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New Iowa State wrestling coach Brent Metcalf outlines vision for team
New Iowa State wrestling coach Brent Metcalf outlines vision for team
Iowa State wrestling’s first commitment of the Brent Metcalf era will be a transfer portal addition.
The Cyclones added Oklahoma State transfer Brayden Thompson, who announced his commitment on April 18 via Instagram. Thompson is a one-time NCAA qualifier at the 2024 NCAA Championships, doing so as a true freshman. He redshirted in 2024-25, but competed in open tournaments at 184 pounds and was 9-0. He did not wrestle a match in 2025-26 and will have at least two years of eligibility remaining.
Out of high school, Thompson was ranked the No. 3 pound-for-pound wrestler and No. 1 at 182 pounds in the 2023 recruiting class by Flowrestling. He also won Powerade and Ironman titles, two of the more prestigious high school tournaments in the nation. Assuming Thompson returns to 184 pounds where he last wrestled, he should fill in nicely as a potential replacement for Isaac Dean after his graduation.
Thompson is Iowa State’s first transfer portal addition after several departures, including Anthony Echemendia and Christian Castillo, who also entered the portal.
Eli McKown covers high school sports and wrestling for the Des Moines Register. Contact him at Emckown@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @EMcKown23.
NORMAN — The Oklahoma Sooners liked their wide receiver room a year ago. They want 2026 to be even better.
Isaiah Sategna’s return helps that desire. Earning experienced pass catchers Trell Harris and Parker Livingstone via the transfer portal gives you added play makers. But after the Sooners Spring Game on Saturday, an unlikely hero emerged.
When Jahsiear Rogers flipped from Penn State to Oklahoma last December, he drew the usual excitement that comes with a new commitment. But few expected him to climb the depth chart this quickly, even with the injuries that hit Emmett Jones’ room.
Rogers did just that and more on Saturday. He led all pass catchers with five receptions for 70 yards in Oklahoma’s annual Red/White game.
“I knew it was time to showcase,” Rogers said after the game. “It was amazing to see the fans and get used to the OU way. I’m a playmaker. They really want to put the ball in playmakers hands. I pretty much knew I had to lead the white team.”
Rogers got the ball rolling early. On the second offensive play for the white team, backup quarterback Whitt Newbauer rolled to his right wide, then stopped and looked towards the middle of the field where he saw Rogers running open. Newbauer connected with Rogers for a 39-yard gain.
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With Rogers on the white team, he is running against (most of) Oklahoma’s starting defense. As fate would have it, on that 39-yard reception, Rogers beat his favorite teammate to compete against — Reggie Powers.
“He is just a leader, good guy,” Rogers said of Powers. “Me and him go after it every day in practice. Reggie is strong. When I come at him, I have to really come at him.”
Rogers’ big play over Powers was the second-longest catch of the spring game — Sategna’s 50-yard reception that appeared to be a touchdown before coaches pulled it back to set up a red-zone rep. The other four catches weren’t flashy, but they were important in their own way, and Rogers looked like he belonged on the field.
“I love it. As long as I can get the ball, I can be me. I love it,” Rogers said. “When I am on the field, I am ready to go. I am ready to be a playmaker.”
The season is still months away, and Rogers hasn’t earned a spot high on the depth chart yet. A strong spring and an encouraging Red/White Game can only lead to early playing time if he carries that momentum into summer and fall camp.
More experienced players will return from injury and receivers who’ve been in the program for a few years will have an extra leg-up.
But Rogers is taking everything in stride and leaving no stone unturned in his development.
“Just learning from the older guys,” Rogers said. “Manny Choice, Isaiah Sategna, Trell Harris, Mackenzie Alleyne. Really all of them. We lean on each other, learn from each other. That is kind of how our room is.”
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