The Oklahoma Sooners are undergoing a bit of an identity shift.
Playing the rest of the year without defensive stalwart Elijah Harkless, the Sooners are back to square one mixing and matching lineups.
OU (14-13 overall, 4-10 in Big 12 play) crashed and burned in the first game without Harkless, falling to the Iowa State Cyclones 75-54 on Saturday.
When, How to Watch
- Oklahoma at No. 9 Texas Tech, Tuesday, 7 p.m., ESPN+
Now, the Sooners will just have to hit the road and upset the No. 9-ranked Texas Tech Red Raiders (21-6, 10-4) for the second time this season.
Harkless’ backcourt running mates, Jordan Goldwire and Umoja Gibson, will have to shine if Porter Moser’s team is to upset the Red Raiders once again.
In the first meeting at the Lloyd Noble Center, Gibson hit a career-high eight 3-pointers en route to a 30-point performance to help lift the Sooners to a victory, but he’s failed to achieve such heights in the following games.
The Waco native was held to no points on the road against Kansas, and then bounced back with a 17-point outing versus Texas before getting held to just four points on Saturday against the Cyclones.
Moser said during a Zoom press conference on Monday that he still wants to see more consistency out of Gibson, though he’s focused on Gibson’s game holistically as the Sooners will need everything they can get out of the guard.
“I guess the consistency is of doing multiple things to help your game and help you win,” Moser said. “If he’s not getting 3’s, it’s not dictating his defense. His defense is still at a high level.
“He’s still such a weapon. If he’s doing some things, like a couple of teams did in just completely taking him out, it opens up driving lanes and let him know that’s good. He got some rebounds last time against Texas Tech. He did some other things other than hit all those 3s. Consistency considers a lot of different things.”
Not only will OU need Gibson at his best, but a plethora of others will have to step up to fill Harkless’ role, especially defensively.
Moser pointed to his trio of freshman guards coming off the bench as candidates to take a bigger role, but a different lineup combination all together could also help Oklahoma throw out a different look.
At times this year, Moser has said how he wishes he could explore a lineup with both Ethan Chargois and Tanner Groves on the floor at the same time. Now, with a shorter bench, Moser may get his wish.
“It's something still we can look at,” Moser said. “I think we're good offensively. Tanner can stretch you, Ethan can pass it.
“… If we can guard with that lineup, we can get away with it. But we've been tinkering with it… You're trying to put your best players out on the floor, it's something we're talking about nonstop.”
The play of Jalen Hill will also be key to any late-season resurgence for the Sooners.
The forward has gotten more chances to go to work offensively in the paint as of late, but his positional versatility is his real asset.
Hill is an accomplished passer, can bring the ball up himself, and can take on multiple assignments defensively.
As Moser and the coaching staff have been mixing and matching different combinations since Iowa State, Hill said it’s essential for the team to continue to look after their bodies as they enter the final stretch of the season.
“The coaches do a great job of adjusting,” Hill said on Monday. “We’re going to adjust as players. We’ve gotta stay fresher and be in tuned with the coaches and mentally not get fatigued because it is a short week, and physically we’ve just gotta stay getting treatment.”
Whatever wrinkles Moser comes up with will be put to the test on Tuesday night, as the Red Raiders have responded nicely to their loss in Norman.
Texas Tech has ripped off three straight wins, including victories over No. 10 Baylor and at No. 20 Texas.
Oklahoma will get their chance for the season sweep at the United Supermarkets Arena, as tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m., and the game will be streamed on ESPN+.
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