OU basketball rally falls short vs TCU as Sooners lose final Big 12 game

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Down three major contributors Wednesday, OU coach Porter Moser’s group didn’t make any excuses.

With Rivaldo Soares — arguably the Sooners’ best player the last month — John Hugley IV and leading scorer Javian McCollum sidelined, a plethora of role players didn’t bow down to TCU. Despite trailing by as much as 19 with a little over eight minutes remaining in the game, Oklahoma marched back to within seven led by Jalon Moore and Otega Oweh, who both finished with 16 points.

“Very physical game and I thought my guys were warriors battling,” Moser said postgame, “and not having any excuses. It was never like, ‘poor us we have guys down.’ It was like, ‘let’s go, let’s go compete,’ and that’s why I love coaching these guys.”

OU ultimately fell 77-70 to the Horned Frogs in the second round of the Big 12 tournament, but the loss didn’t come without extreme effort on both ends of the floor. The question is, was it enough to convince the committee it deserves to compete in the NCAA tournament?

More: Mussatto: Shorthanded Sooners might hold their breath until NCAA Selection Sunday

The Sooners haven’t been fully healthy for nearly a month. Soares previously missed the loss to Kansas with an injury to the same ankle. McCollum hasn’t been 100% since suffering a shoulder injury during a light practice on March 4. And John Hugley IV underwent surgery a few weeks ago to repair an injury to his meniscus that occurred vs. Oklahoma State on Feb. 10.

McCollum told The Oklahoman postgame he tried to shoot Wednesday morning but his shoulder ultimately wasn’t ready. He said he practiced live and looking back on it he probably should’ve practiced less throughout the week than he did.

Moser said Oklahoma was just days away from having everyone return and his team should be fully healthy in time for the tournament. Injuries are accounted for in the decision making, but the Sooners — expected to be on the bubble but slightly in — should be nervous all the way until Sunday night.

“We were 18-6 at full strength,” said Moser, who has no doubt his team will be among the field of 68. “ … In terms of our body of work, we have zero Quad 2, 3 or 4 losses in the best conference in the country.”

More: Mussatto: Porter Moser to DePaul rumors came at bad time for Oklahoma basketball

‘We had a lot of turnovers’

Even with the dogged grit and staunch belief OU (20-12, 8-10) closed Wednesday’s game with, the same mistakes that have lingered all season were clear as day.

The Sooners turned the ball over 18 times and missed 10 free throws. That can’t happen in March and Moser let his team know that in the locker room following the game.

“I mean, shoot, we had a lot of turnovers,” sophomore guard Milos Uzan told The Oklahoman in OU’s locker room postgame. “18 turnovers and a lot of missed free throws. I feel like as a point guard and a leader on the team, having that many turnovers it's tough to win. I could’ve done a better job leading but mainly I’d say the turnovers and missed free throws shot ourselves in the foot.”

The Horned Frogs took advantage of the various mistakes, scoring 20 points off turnovers.

One sequence that showcased the Sooners’ carelessness with the ball at times this season came with 3.3 seconds remaining in the first half.

Micah Peavy launched a deep cross-court inbound pass, aiming for a last-second shot attempt. The toss was intercepted by Moore, who then quickly lost control and turned it over back to Peavy. Peavy heaved a three-quarter court prayer, drilling a miraculous shot at the buzzer for TCU (21-11, 9-9 Big 12).

OU surrendered a similar play in its loss to Houston back on March 2 when L.J. Cryer made a 3 at the halftime horn. Oklahoma lost that game by one point.

Five of the missed free throws were by Moore, who entered shooting 75.3% from the charity stripe. Although he was a significant reason his team had a chance to win the game, Moore was hard on himself about knocking down easy looks.

“I don't even know what I liked (about my game),” a downtrodden Moore told The Oklahoman postgame in the Sooners’ locker room. “I just know the free throws I missed and that's all I'm worried about right now.”

OU struggled to find a rhythm offensively for most of the game. Without McCollum, who usually has the ball in his hands and is a dangerous threat when driving to the rim, Uzan was forced to take it up on most possessions.

Oweh looked as energetic offensively as he has all season. The sophomore guard was benched for Soares on Feb. 28 after a dip in production, but Moser was impressed with his toughness on Wednesday.

“I thought he had a great bounce in practice,” Moser said. “I thought he was locked in defensively. Offensively he had a bounce, smiling, and he just looked like he was back to old Otega and ready to go, and we said that among our staff, too. So that's a great sign for us. Because he did some good things tonight.”

Despite a strong performance, Oweh committed six of Oklahoma’s 18 turnovers. Even freshman Kaden Cooper, who hasn’t played the role most fans expected him to this season, played 12 minutes and knocked down a 3.

While they wait for Selection Sunday, Moser’s group now has extra time to review the film, practice and try to erase the mistakes that cost them close games throughout the conference calendar.

Execution is correctable and Xs and Os can be adjusted, but effort — something this Sooners group doesn’t lack — cannot.

“I thought these guys 100% battled,” Moser said. “(Their) toughness and their mentality was we were going to win. We didn't play the best, we had 18 turnovers, but in terms of believing and being gritty against a very good TCU team, I’ve got a ton of respect for my guys and I love 'em.”

More: College basketball rankings: Big 12 teams in updated Coaches Poll, AP Top 25 on March 11

Porter Moser: ‘We will be in’ March Madness

Even though OU has won a mere two games in its last eight contests, the Sooners have one of the best resumes among teams on the bubble.

Oklahoma is 4-12 vs. Quad 1 opponents and undefeated in games against teams in the first three quadrants, including eight wins. Moser’s team also has wins against the likes of BYU and Iowa State, both locks to make the tournament.

A few things going against the Sooners’ tournament chances include the losing stretch, eye test and a weak nonconference schedule.

But in the minds of Moser and the players in his locker room, there’s nothing to sweat leading up to Sunday.

“We just went out there and fought shorthanded,” Moore said. “We're gonna be full capacity come the first round of the tourney so shoot we’re ready for that first game of the tourney. We ain't even worried. …. We believe we’re in.”

“We’ve got no doubt in our mind that we're gonna make it,” McCollum told The Oklahoman in the locker room postgame.

“I think we're absolutely in,” Uzan said. “We're down three of our guys and when we're with them, we're 18-6. I feel like this week right we're gonna have a full team back and then, plus, we're in the toughest conference in the country and all of our losses are Quad 1 losses.”

“There’s no doubt about it, we have the pieces,” Rivaldo Soares told The Oklahoman. “ … Once we have everybody back, watch out for Oklahoma.”

While OU will prepare the rest of the week like it’s going to the tournament, only time will tell what the Sooners’ ultimate fate will be. The one-hour 2024 NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship Selection show begins at 5 p.m. Sunday on CBS.

“I feel very confident we will be in,” Moser said. “With our resume, we should be.”

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: OU basketball falls short vs TCU as Sooners lose final Big 12 game