Why Oklahoma basketball is poised to outperform its No. 12 SEC preseason ranking
On Monday, the SEC Preseason Media Poll was released, and Porter Moser’s Sooners checked in at No. 12, ranked above only Texas A&M, Georgia, LSU, and South Carolina. The Preseason AP Poll was also announced, with Oklahoma receiving a single vote.
It’s worth noting that we’ll find out a lot about this team fast. The Sooners will travel to Spokane to face No. 21 Gonzaga on November 8, their second regular season game of the year. Before that, they’ll play an exhibition against No. 24 Wisconsin on October 24 at 7 p.m. CT on Big Ten Network+.
This is likely Moser’s best team since arriving in Norman. Still, the Sooners slot in at No. 12 in the preseason poll. On paper, that placement makes sense. Oklahoma finished 14th in the SEC last season and returned only two rotation players.
But games aren’t played on paper, and finishing 12th in the SEC would be a disappointment for this group.
I’ll dive into three reasons why Oklahoma is built to outperform that ranking, but one thought immediately came to mind when looking at the schedule: it’s very favorable. Most of the Sooners’ toughest matchups — aside from trips to Knoxville and Lexington — are at home. The reason I can’t list that as one of the three reasons is simple: when’s the last time Oklahoma truly had a home-court advantage inside the Lloyd Noble Center?
So, here are three other reasons why the Sooners are primed to surprise.
Proven scorers: Nijel Pack and Tae Davis
It starts with these two: Nijel Pack and Tae Davis.
Two proven scorers who have done it at the high-major level before. That was on full display during Oklahoma’s closed-door scrimmage win over No. 10 Texas Tech, where both Pack and Davis topped the 20-point mark. For more stats and insight from that scrimmage, OUInsider.com has you covered.
Pack, who transferred in from Miami after three seasons in Coral Gables, has been a consistent producer everywhere he’s played. He averaged over 13 points per game each season and helped lead the Hurricanes to the Final Four in 2022–23. Last year, he appeared in just nine games due to injury, which granted him a medical redshirt. Even in limited action, he averaged 13.9 points and 4.3 assists.
What Oklahoma gains in Pack is one of the best shooters in college basketball. He’s a career 40.3 percent three-point shooter on 6.4 attempts per game — efficient volume that immediately raises the Sooners’ offensive ceiling. He’s capable of putting up 20-plus points on any given night when he gets rolling from deep, though there may be the occasional quiet night. Either way, he’s a proven scorer who’s shown he can carry that load at both Kansas State and Miami.
Davis, meanwhile, looks poised to be this team’s leading scorer. The Notre Dame transfer averaged 15.1 points and 5.3 rebounds last season, scoring 20 or more in eight different games. That marked a significant jump from his sophomore campaign, when he posted 9.2 points and 5.1 boards.
He now steps into a system that feels tailor-made for his game. Davis projects as the offensive focal point at the four spot for Oklahoma, much like Jalon Moore was last season. His size and skill give Oklahoma lineup flexibility that last year’s group didn’t fully have. At 6-foot-9, Davis provides the Sooners a chance to go smaller without actually getting much smaller. You’ll see stretches where he plays the five, making him a significant mismatch for opposing centers. He’ll fill a role similar to Jalon Moore’s from last season, but with two extra inches of height and a much more polished offensive game.
The addition of Derrion Reid
Pack and Davis certainly headline an impressive transfer portal class for Porter Moser and the Sooners. But beyond their proven production, Oklahoma also landed a player who could change its trajectory.
Derrion Reid spent one season at Alabama before entering the portal. A former five-star and McDonald’s All-American, he ranked No. 15 nationally in the 2024 class and was regarded as one of the most versatile forwards in the country. Simply put, there isn’t a player on Oklahoma’s roster with a higher ceiling.
His numbers in Tuscaloosa — 6.0 points and 2.8 rebounds in 14.1 minutes per game — don’t immediately jump off the page. But context matters. Reid was a true freshman on a loaded Alabama team and played much of the year while dealing with an injury.
Now healthy, he’s poised for a major role in Norman. The 6-foot-8 wing will start at the three for Oklahoma — notable when you consider the Sooners’ starting four man in each of the past two seasons was only 6-foot-7. That size upgrade alone gives Moser’s lineup far more length and athleticism across the floor.
Reid isn’t the type of player who will necessarily lead the Sooners in scoring, though he did post 15 points in the closed-door scrimmage against Texas Tech. What Oklahoma gets with him is an athletic, two-way wing who thrives in transition, defends multiple positions, and raises the team’s ceiling on both ends.
Offensively, something in the range of 10–14 points per game feels realistic. What makes him special, though, is his trajectory. Reid is the kind of player who should look noticeably better each month as he adjusts to a bigger role. If he develops as those inside the Griffin Center expect, he’ll not only anchor the wing for Oklahoma but also start drawing NBA attention by March.
Balanced roster construction
One player who hasn’t been mentioned yet is St. Joe’s transfer Xzayvier Brown, who Oklahoma viewed as the best available transfer point guard in the portal. As a sophomore last season, Brown averaged 17.6 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 4.3 assists per game. His addition was a major win for Porter Moser, but it’s worth noting that he’ll need to adjust from the Atlantic 10 to the SEC.
That adjustment is part of what makes Oklahoma’s overall roster construction so intriguing. Brown steps in as the Sooners’ new floor general — and he’ll have something Jeremiah Fears didn’t last season: a proven high-major scorer next to him in the backcourt.
The pairing of Brown and Pack gives Moser one of the most balanced guard duos in the league. Their styles complement each other well, and Pack’s experience at the high-major level should make Brown’s transition smoother. If Brown adapts quickly, that backcourt could be one of the SEC’s best.
Behind them, Oklahoma also has Dayton Forsythe, who provided a major spark off the bench last year — including a 25-point outburst on the road at Ole Miss. He’s expected to take another step forward this season, giving the Sooners three guards capable of playing 20-plus minutes a night.
Off the bench, Jeff Nwankwo returns from a season-ending injury that kept him sidelined last year. Before that setback, he was on track to start. Nwankwo adds athleticism, toughness, and another scoring option to a rotation already filled with versatile defenders in Reid and Davis.
At the five, Mohamed Wague returns after showing late-season flashes of consistency. The Sooners don’t need him to be a focal point offensively — just a steady presence who rebounds, defends, and stays out of foul trouble. Surrounded by proven scorers and capable passers like Pack, Brown, and Davis, Wague will find himself in a position to contribute efficiently without being overextended.
From top to bottom, this roster is the most complete group Moser has had in Norman. It’s deeper, more athletic, and far more balanced than the preseason projections suggest. Between the backcourt scoring, the length on the wing, and the defensive upside across the lineup, Oklahoma has the pieces to make serious noise in its second SEC season.