The 2024-25 season has been nothing short of a rollercoaster ride for head coach Dennis Gates and his Mizzou team. They've experienced some of the highest highs of the past decade, while also facing moments that are a reminder of last season.
They've made an incredible 180-degree turnaround from a season in which they won just eight games, including a winless run in the SEC. In contrast, this year, they've already won 10 games in the conference alone, which has easily been the best in the country this season.
Despite some great wins and consistent movements in the top 25 this year, the Tigers have struggled as of late. They’ll be looking for a big win this week to kick them into the right gear as they head further into March.
Their last two losses have been nearly identical. Both came in the past two weekends against far inferior SEC opponents, with Mizzou having dominated earlier at home. However, both losses occurred on the road, where the Tigers have struggled immensely this season.
First, they couldn’t keep up with Arkansas, and then they couldn’t find a way to close out against Vanderbilt, giving up nearly 100 points. They've fallen due to old habits in these past two contests, and hopefully, they are more prepared for this one.
Head coach Porter Moser, who has been a part of multiple programs but is most notably known for leading the No. 11-seeded Loyola-Chicago Ramblers to a Final Four appearance during the 2017-18 season, has had an alright season with the Sooners over the past few years.
This year, Oklahoma has been serviceable with a 17-12 overall record, including 11 victories at home. However, they are just 4-12 in conference play, meaning all of their losses have come within the Big 12. They currently sit 14th in the conference out of 16 teams.
The Sooners are 1-4 since last facing Mizzou in mid-February, but some of their losses have been extremely close. They lost by three points to LSU at home, then to No. 17 Kentucky and a once-ranked Ole Miss team by a combined four points.
In addition, their one win during this stretch was a six-point victory over No. 24 Mississippi State. Oklahoma can hang with anyone, and some of their best wins have come in second matchups against teams, particularly at home, much like this upcoming game.
Despite a high AP Top-25 ranking of No. 12 overall in late December, Oklahoma has since fallen off and hasn't been in the official rankings since the first week of January. They also haven't reached the NCAA Tournament during Moser's tenure, though they have made 14 appearances since the start of the century.
Similar to the last matchup between these teams, the offense is dominated by a pair of Sooners: Jalon Moore and Jeremiah Fears. They are the only two players who average over 30 minutes a night, and each leads Oklahoma in multiple statistical categories.
Moore, a senior in his second season with the Sooners after playing the previous two at Georgia Tech, averages 17 points per game and 6 rebounds on impressive efficiency, shooting nearly 50% from the field.
He leads the team in shots per night and adds a respectable 37% from beyond the arc, excelling in clutch moments. While he doesn't turn the ball over often, his defense is a weak spot, which is disappointing given his six-foot-seven, 215-pound frame.
HUGE THREE FROM JALON MOORE 3️⃣
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) January 16, 2025
(via @espn)
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On the other side is true freshman Fears. The Illinois native has been a pleasant surprise for Oklahoma, contributing across the stat sheet. His 16 points per game are impressive, but he also adds 4 rebounds and dishes out as many assists.
He shoots 44% from the field but only 27% from beyond the arc, something he'd likely want to improve as the primary ball handler for this offense. His team-leading 2 steals per game are worth noting, although they are sometimes offset by the 4 turnovers he commits each game.
The team is not great defensively, as they allow some of the most points per game in the SEC. They also don't have a single player averaging over a block per night.
Mizzou is hoping to avoid a repeat of their past two losses as the regular season begins to close. This game looms large for both teams, as the Sooners aim to break into the NCAA Tournament conversation, while the Tigers look to improve their seed.
The game tips off from Norman, Oklahoma, at 7 p.m. on Wednesday night.