The Sooners’ midseason slide hit a new low Saturday afternoon in Norman, as Oklahoma dropped its eighth straight game - this one a 79-69 loss to Texas at Lloyd Noble Center.
After a promising start that saw OU build a 14-point lead in the first half and take a three-point edge into the break, the wheels came off late - again. Texas closed the game on a 19-8 run over the final seven minutes, leaving Oklahoma searching for answers and still stuck in a freefall that’s now matched the program’s longest losing streak since the 2010-11 season.
Oklahoma now sits at 11-11 overall and 1-8 in SEC play. Their last win came nearly a month ago, on Jan. 3 against Mississippi. Since then, it’s been a string of close calls and second-half fades, and Saturday was no different.
Moser: “I’ll take that on me”
After the game, head coach Porter Moser didn’t deflect. He stepped to the podium and owned the result.
“I’ll take that on me,” Moser said. “I gotta demand being better than that.”
That accountability has been a constant from Moser throughout this stretch, but the Sooners continue to struggle with closing games. It’s been a recurring theme - they’ve shown flashes of strong play in the first half, only to fade late.
We’ve seen it against ranked opponents like Alabama, Missouri, and Arkansas. Saturday, it was Texas who capitalized on OU’s late-game breakdowns.
The crowd showed up. The team didn’t finish.
The energy inside Lloyd Noble Center was there - at least early on. Moser gave credit to the crowd postgame, acknowledging the fans brought the noise. But he also admitted the team didn’t do its part to keep them engaged.
“I thought they were great,” he said. “We didn’t give them enough to cheer about the last eight or nine minutes … it was us, not them, getting them something to cheer about the last five minutes.”
That frustration boiled over late in the game, when chants of “Fire Moser” rang out from the student section. It was a stark reminder of just how far expectations have fallen - and how much pressure is mounting.
Working with new leadership
Moser remains focused on righting the ship, and he’s not doing it alone. He referenced his ongoing conversations with new athletic director Roger Denny, describing him as “competitive as hell” and committed to turning things around.
“You’re not fixing it in February,” Moser said. “We’ve got to do everything we can to prepare (for) each game. Right now, this is our team, and this is the league … I want to be in a different spot in the standings.”
That urgency is real - and necessary. The Sooners are running out of time to rewrite the narrative of their season.
Pack heating up, but help is inconsistent
If there’s one bright spot in OU’s recent struggles, it’s been the play of senior guard Nijel Pack. He poured in 23 points against Texas, continuing a scoring surge that’s seen him average just over 23 points per game over his last three outings. That’s a major jump from the 12.7 points he was averaging earlier in conference play.
Pack’s offensive spark kept the Sooners in the game well into the second half, and he got some help from sophomore forward Derrion Reid and junior guard Xzayvier Brown, who each added 15 points.
But beyond that trio, production was scarce. Senior forward Tae Davis and senior forward/center Mohamed Wague combined for just two points - both free throws from Davis - along with five rebounds and a single assist between them. For a team struggling to close games, that kind of inconsistency from the frontcourt is hard to overcome.
Next up: A tough road trip to Lexington
Oklahoma won’t have long to regroup. The Sooners head to Rupp Arena on Wednesday night for a matchup with Kentucky (14-7, 5-3 SEC), where they’ll face former OU guard Otega Oweh and a Wildcats team that’s finding its stride in conference play. Tip-off is set for 8 p.m. on ESPN2.
With the season slipping away, this trip to Lexington isn’t just another game - it’s a gut check. The Sooners need more than just a strong start. They need a full 40 minutes.