Porter Moser didn’t take a question for 14 minutes on Tuesday.
The Oklahoma coach, still bewildered by the Sooners’ exclusion from the NCAA Tournament 42 hours, was left "dumbfounded" by the Selection Committee’s process.
“I feel such hurt for the young guys who put so much into it, that they don’t have answers,” Moser said. “Why they were left out, when every single day, the response I’m getting from people, in the media, other coaches, we had you in.
“I can’t get an answer from anybody to tell me why. And I think that’s where the flaw comes in, of the process.”
OU learned its uncomfortable fate on Sunday. After five bids to the Big Dance were stolen in conference title games on Saturday, the Sooners were left as the first team out of this year’s 68-team field.
Standing up in front of his team, trying to pick up the pieces, Moser had no clue where to start on Sunday.
“The raw emotion in that room was so real,” Moser said. “These unbelievable young men—the tears, hugging each other, the disbelief, the anger, the range of emotions was raw. Trying to find the words to explain to them, I had none. I couldn’t—I don’t know why the metrics, why we weren’t included.”
Oklahoma finished the year 20-12 overall and 8-10 in regular season Big 12 play.
The Sooners went 4-12 in Quad 1 games, including 2-11 against squads that are in the tournament, but finished 16-0 in Quad 2, 3 and 4 contests.
Moser refused to name any other teams, but Colorado State and Virginia were the lowest seeded at-large bids once the committee released the official seed list.
The official reasons why those two teams got the nod over OU will never be known.
“There's not a formal process on feedback,” he said. “Now, you get bits and pieces. And 'here's things.' And that's, I think, where the complaint of the coaches is. There's no transparency and there's such generalities.
“And for every team, a why they got in or they didn't get in is a different reason. 'Over here, you're NET.' 'You're number of Quad 1 opportunities.' I've been told that. So what would you rather have? More Quad 1 opportunities, which is harder, or 16 or 17 Quad 3 or 4 games?
“… Here's the other thing that I think is telling, and I've had so many coaches tell me this: We were undefeated against Quad 2, 3 and 4. We were undefeated. There's only five teams that did that. Purdue, No. 1 seed. Houston, No. 1 seed. Auburn, No. 2 seed. UCONN, a No. 1 seed. And Oklahoma. If it was so easy to do that, why are the only other teams to do that the best of the best?”
Oklahoma’s shock at missing the tournament left little time to consider the NIT.
As the first team left out, the Sooners would have been the top-overall seed if they elected to play.
Instead, OU declined the invitation.
“(I was) trying to find words in those 10 or 15 minutes (after the selection show),” Moser said, “and then all of a sudden to have to say to them, ‘Do you want to play in the NIT?’ It never was a thought, and it’s absolutely not to disparage the NIT.
“… I told my guys, I will coach, I will develop, I will teach, I will compete for this school to the last bounce. So, nobody can infer what it is. It was an incredible, raw emotion that these kids had to make a decision in 15 minutes after heartbreaking news with some of the guys that will never have a chance to play in the NCAA Tournament again… That’s the fact, is that we didn’t feel we had enough guys to field a team—more than five guys, six guys to field to play in it.”
The hurt in the wake of Selection Sunday must now fuel Oklahoma.
A crucial offseason lies ahead, as OU transitions to the Southeastern Conference.
Only Le’Tre Darthard, Rivaldo Soares and Maks Klanjscek cannot return, as the trio graduates out.
But everyone else is able to work with Moser to rebound in 2025, or hit the transfer portal.
Regardless, this season’s heartbreak won’t allow anyone to linger for too long.
“We're hurting for the players and their families more than any of us, the coaches,” Moser said. “But my parents taught me, character is how you respond when things don't go your way. And how we're gonna respond (from) getting gutted and devastated by this news.
“… There's gonna be no less acceleration on our efforts for Oklahoma basketball.”
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