Porter Moser seemed like the perfect hire for OU basketball. Time to try again. | Mussatto

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NORMAN — Porter Moser seemed like a tremendous hire for OU men’s basketball in the spring of 2021. He was a program-builder. A coach who could do more with less. A culture guy (aren’t they all) who oozed with energy. An astute basketball mind, by all accounts, who was willing to put in the work.

Having authored two Cinderella runs at Loyola Chicago — a Final Four in 2018 and a Sweet 16 in 2021 — Moser was among the hottest names in the coaching industry when OU convinced him to swap his glass slippers for a pair of crimson and cream Jordans. To leave Sister Jean and the Ramblers and succeed Lon Kruger as head coach of the Sooners.

It was a step up for Moser. A splashy hire by OU athletic director Joe Castiglione. An exciting time to be a Sooner hoops fan.

Seems like eons ago, huh?

Three years without an NCAA Tournament bid later, and amid a free fall of a fourth season, Moser’s OU tenure reached its nadir Saturday night in a loss to LSU — a game in which the Sooners were outscored 8-0 in the final 20 seconds to fall to an LSU team that was 1-10 in SEC play.

A must-win for the Sooners (16-9, 3-9 SEC) devolved into an unforgivable loss.

More: OU basketball’s loss to LSU dims NCAA Tournament chances, Porter Moser’s future

Feb 15, 2025; Norman, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma Sooners head coach Porter Moser walks off the court after a loss to the LSU Tigers at Lloyd Noble Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

Though still on the NCAA Tournament bubble by virtue of going undefeated in the nonconference — including marquee wins over Arizona, Louisville and Michigan — the home loss to LSU was debilitating. You can’t blow a gimme like that.

OU’s closing schedule looks like this: at Florida, vs. Mississippi State, vs. Kentucky, at Ole Miss, vs. Missouri, at Texas. The Sooners might be favored in one of those games. OU needs to win at least two of those games, and probably three, to remain in the NCAA Tournament conversation heading into the conference…

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Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/porter-moser-seemed-perfect-hire-110953176.html

Author : The Oklahoman

Publish date : 2025-02-17 11:09:00

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