How Oklahoma Sooners Men's Basketball Stacks Up With The Rest Of The SEC

CBS Sports college basketball insider Jon Rothstein dropped his early SEC Power Rankings and placed Oklahoma at No. 13.

I’ll be honest, that feels a little low to me, but after seeing how stacked and physical the SEC has been the last couple of seasons, it’s not completely shocking.

The conference is absolutely loaded again this year. Still, 13th in this league would probably be good enough to punch a ticket to the expanded March Madness field, so it’s not all doom and gloom.

That being said, this ranking puts the pressure right where it belongs, on head coach Porter Moser and his staff.

Moser is entering a critical year. After last season, the expectations are clear: he has to get this team into the NCAA Tournament and at minimum win a game or two. If Oklahoma finishes around 13th in the SEC and misses the Big Dance again, he’s going to be squarely on the hot seat.

Fair or not, that’s the reality when you’re at a program like Oklahoma with the resources and history they have, with AD Roger Denny committing to making a real investment into the program.

The good news? There is real talent on this roster. The challenge will be getting all the pieces to fit together and play as one unit. New rosters with transfers and freshmen always take time to gel, especially in a physical league like the SEC where chemistry and toughness matter as much as talent.

A few guys have to step up in a major way. Xzayvier Brown and Derrion Reid need to have breakout-type seasons if Oklahoma wants to exceed these expectations. Brown’s speed and scoring ability combined with Reid’s versatility could be the engine that makes this offense go. They’ll be asked to carry a heavy load.

Don’t sleep on Pop Isaacs either. He can flat-out shoot the three. If he gets hot and stays consistent from deep, he could be a difference-maker in Moser’s system. Spacing and shooting will be huge, especially with the size Oklahoma has inside.

Speaking of size, the Sooners have some legitimate length and athleticism up front with Akoldah Gak and Yaak Yaak. That’s not something every team in the league can match. Moser and his staff have to find ways to use that size, whether it’s in drop coverage, switching, or dominating the glass on both ends.

If they can turn those big bodies into an advantage on the boards and defensively, it could cover up some of the growing pains on the perimeter.

Overall, 13th feels a bit pessimistic, but it’s a fair early projection for a team still finding its identity. The talent is there. The question is whether the chemistry develops fast enough and whether the veteran transfers can lead the way in what’s going to be another brutal SEC schedule.

This season feels like a prove-it year for Moser and the program. A 13th-place finish might get you in the tournament, but it probably won’t save anyone’s job if the results don’t show on the court when it matters most.

Oklahoma has the pieces to surprise people. Now it’s about putting it all together.