Coming off back-to-back 20-point wins over Arkansas and UT Arlington, Oklahoma (9-2) turns its attention toward Alcorn State at 7 p.m. Wednesday in Norman.
Senior guard Umoja Gibson led the Sooners against the Mavericks on Dec. 19, scoring 14 points and grabbing eight rebounds. Senior forward Tanner Groves added 13 and junior forward Jalen Hill had 12.
Here’s three takeaways from head coach Porter Moser’s press conference previewing the ASU matchup:
Alcorn State’s resume
Moser made it clear he would not make light of Alcorn State despite its 1-10 record. ASU has yet to play a home game, and its first won’t arrive until Jan. 15. Alcorn State has fallen to three Top 25 teams, including No. 1 Baylor, No. 4 Gonzaga and No. 13 Houston.
“You cannot look at this team’s record,” Moser said. “A lot of teams would have their record (given their schedule). It's very hard to get a good record. I have a lot of respect for what they do. They try to change the speed, they try to press you and then offensively try to run their pace.”
A win over Alcorn State would put the Sooners at the 10-win mark before Jan. 1 for the first time since the 2018-19 season. It would also cement Moser’s best start before New Year’s in his first season as a head coach since his Arkansas Little-Rock team went 7-3 in the first half of the 2000-01 season. Moser’s fifth win that season was an 89-73 win over Alcorn State.
Mike Shepherd
After nine years as Oklahoma’s director of basketball operations, the game against Alcorn State will be Mike Shepherd’s last in that role for the Sooners. He will become the athletic director of Casady School in Oklahoma City beginning Jan. 1.
“The transition that he helped us get through, there's a lot of things at a university this big, whether it's with academics, compliance, travel scheduling,” Moser said. “When I was looking for a director of basketball operations, I knew (Shepard), but I’d never worked with him, but (former OU head coach Lon) Kruger said ‘He’s like a swiss army knife, he can do many different things,’ and he helped that transition.
“I wish him the best. I think he's got a great opportunity ahead of him for him and his family. And I'll always appreciate him (for) getting me through those first five, six months of taking over this job.”
Moser will not fill the now-vacant director of basketball operations position until the end of the season, he said.
Christmas break
The Alcorn State matchup will be Oklahoma’s next to last nonconference game — only a trip to Auburn Jan. 29 for the Big 12-SEC challenge remains — and likely the easiest remaining game on its schedule.
All of the Big 12 schools are in the top 60 of KenPom’s adjusted-defense rankings and in the top 70 of the KenPom overall rankings. ASU is No. 275 in defensive efficiency and No. 316 overall.
OU will also get its longest break of the season — at nine days — between Alcorn State and the start of Big 12 play.
“We are giving them some time off. I really believe in that,” Moser said. “I do believe in kids getting a break to go home and be with (their) families. … Even if it's for 48 hours, or 72 hours or whatever it may be. So, we will do that after the Alcorn game.”
