Oklahoma Men’s Basketball Closes Nonconference Play with Momentum, Eyes Grueling SEC Gauntlet
Oklahoma has one more tune-up before the real grind begins. With a 9-3 record heading into their final nonconference matchup, the Sooners are one win away from hitting double-digit victories before diving headfirst into the unforgiving waters of SEC play.
Their most recent outing? A statement.
Oklahoma throttled Stetson 107-54, lighting up the scoreboard in a performance that was as dominant as it was efficient. The Sooners didn’t just win-they rewrote the record books.
They shot a scorching 67.8% from the field, the best single-game mark in program history. Six players, including all five starters, finished in double figures.
That kind of balanced scoring and offensive rhythm is exactly what head coach Porter Moser wants to see as his team prepares for the battles ahead.
Before SEC play begins, OU will wrap up 2025 with a home game against Mississippi Valley State at the Lloyd Noble Center. A win there would give Moser his fourth season with at least 10 nonconference wins in his five years at the helm.
It would also mark the second straight year the Sooners hit that milestone. Last season, they sprinted out to a 13-0 start before hitting the SEC wall.
And make no mistake: that wall is looming again.
The Road Ahead: SEC Play Brings No Breathers
Oklahoma's numbers suggest a team still finding its national footing. They sit at No. 43 in ESPN’s Basketball Power Index, 54th in KenPom, and 61st in the NCAA NET rankings.
Solid, but not safe. According to ESPN’s bracketologist Joe Lunardi, nine SEC teams are projected to make the 2026 NCAA Tournament-and Oklahoma isn’t one of them.
In fact, they’re currently slotted among the “first four out,” grouped with Villanova, Boise State, and Virginia Tech.
That’s a clear message: there’s work to do.
The Sooners were a No. 9 seed last March but bowed out early, falling to No. 8 UConn in the opening round. Now, they’re staring down a January slate that could define their season.
It starts January 3rd with a home date against Ole Miss, followed by a road trip to Mississippi State. From there, it only gets tougher.
The rest of OU’s January opponents-Texas A&M, Florida, Alabama, South Carolina, Missouri, and Arkansas-combined for a 188-95 record last season. South Carolina was the only one of those teams with a losing record in 2024-25.
That’s not a schedule-it’s a gauntlet.
And if that sounds familiar, it should.
Last season, Oklahoma’s inaugural run through the SEC didn’t go well. They dropped their first four conference games and limped through January with a 2-5 mark.
The struggles continued, and they finished 6-12 in league play. That kind of start in this year’s SEC, which looks even deeper and more dangerous, could be a knockout blow to their tournament hopes.
A New-Look Roster, A New Opportunity
But there’s a twist this time. Eight new players dot the Sooners’ roster-fresh faces who weren’t around for last season’s SEC stumble.
That kind of turnover brings questions, sure, but also possibilities. New chemistry, new energy, and perhaps, a different outcome.
Oklahoma will face every SEC team at least once this season, with home-and-home series against Texas, Texas A&M, and Missouri. And here’s the kicker: every SEC team visiting Norman this season played in last year’s NCAA Tournament. That includes Auburn, a Final Four squad, and Florida, the reigning national champion.
The message is clear-if you want to dance in March, you’ve got to survive the SEC in January and February.
So, while the Sooners wrap up their nonconference slate with one more winnable game, all eyes are on what’s coming next. The SEC is loaded.
The road is tough. But for a team still trying to prove it belongs on the national stage, the opportunity is right in front of them.
Now it’s up to Oklahoma to take it.