Undermanned OU looking for resiliency in Big 12 tournament

It feels like when you’re just about ready to count out OU basketball, the Sooners come up with something special.

We’re definitely back in that territory as the Big 12 Tournament gets going Wednesday in Kansas City. OU is going to be without guard Rivaldo Soares and center John Hugley to begin the tournament, said head coach Porter Moser.

It’ll be No. 8 TCU vs. No. 9 OU at 2 p.m. Wednesday.

Hugley is recovering from meniscus surgery, while Soares reaggravated that left ankle injury in the final minutes of OU’s loss at Texas.

“For us, we stayed healthy almost the whole year,” Moser said. “All the sudden seven games ago, it’s been a number of them. We have to fight through it. I really believe everybody is going to be back and healthy within a week for the NCAA Tournament. That’s the good news.

“Right now, we’re banged up for the Big 12 Tournament. It has shown me the resiliency, so much resiliency. I was just thinking the other day. Kansas was full roster and played them here and got us. Rivaldo and John both missed that game. John hasn’t been back. He’s close. John is very close, just won’t be available tomorrow.”

Round 2 vs. the Frogs

It feels like it has been forever and a day since OU and TCU matched up. It was the second conference game of the season.

A lot has changed for both the Sooners and Frogs. But at the heart of everything? TCU and Jamie Dixon are still that hard-nosed, rough team.

“They’re as good a transition team as anyone in the country,” Moser said. “The amount of points they score in transition and then rebounding, they’re so physical. They’re very old, a lot of guys that were in the NCAA Tournament last year.

“Got a ton of pieces. They’re fully healthy… gives them a bunch of guys inside, they keep rotating through. Their guards are terrific. You’ve gotta be ready for their physicality and the pace they play at. Their transition is just unmatched, how fast it goes. And then crash the glass.”

Resume needs help?

You can hear in Moser’s tone. He doesn’t believe for a second that OU is in any danger of missing the NCAA Tournament.

Selection Sunday should be smooth sailing, especially with the 20 wins and eight conference wins.

But, well, another victory wouldn’t hurt, obviously.

“The pressure is like any game. You’re competing to win,” Moser said. “We’re doing that against TCU. We feel great about where we’re at in terms of that, the resume. But we wanna come in here and compete and win a Big 12 Tournament.

“You’ve gotta do that by winning the first, and that’s the guys’ mindset. They’ve been completely locked in. We had a great practice before we left. We had a great practice here in Kansas City. They’ve been giving it everything they’ve got. We’ve been banged up and we know it.

Final word

“Just the pressure on him to keep doing it and win three straight. I went to one of the games there. Winners win – that’s what I talked to him about after the championship. I said just enjoy it. You had to fight the pressure of three-peating and come back. That’s why I’m so excited about having him in our program. He is wired with that winning DNA. That’s why I’m so excited to coach him. We talked about it with him and when he gets here, that winning DNA is in him. It meant so much for him to win. that’s what I loved about him in the recruiting process. That’s why we wanted to have him here at the University of Oklahoma. Happy for him and all the guys there. Just a great feat.” – Moser on OU signee Dayton Forsythe and Dale winning three straight state championships