Senior forward Tanner Groves, freshman guard Bijan Cortes and junior forward Jacob Groves are unavailable for Saturday night’s Big 12 opener vs. Kansas State due to health and safety protocols, per an OU release.
The announcement comes one day after Oklahoma coach Porter Moser expressed frustration with the Center for Disease Control’s COVID-19 adjustments to contact tracing in its Dec. 27 guidance update. At the time, Moser was asked about potentially missing players on Saturday night due to COVID but did not answer the question.
“Next man up,” Moser said in a pregame radio interview with SportsTalk 1400’s Toby Rowland. “We’re not shut down, I know we’re missing some key pieces… our approach has been next man up.”
Tanner Groves leads the Sooners in scoring, averaging 14.3 points per game while also averaging six rebounds per game. Jacob Groves and Cortes average 3.5 points and 1.6 points per game, respectively, off the bench.
“(Redshirt sophomore center Rick Issanza) is going to have to get some minutes,” Moser said. “(Redshirt senior forward Ethan Chargois) is going to have to play more minutes than he’s ever played before, he’s got to stay out of foul trouble.”
“(Freshman guard Alston Mason), (redshirt senior forward Marvin Johnson), those guys are going to have to get the opportunity and really make the most of it tonight.”
Wildcats junior guard Markquis Nowell is also out for Saturday night’s game due to health and safety protocols. Nowell has started five games this season and averages 12.8 points per game.
OU tips off against KSU at 7 p.m. in Norman on ESPNU.
