January 18, 2025; Norman, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma Sooners Forward Jalon Moore (14) celebrates after scoring the South Carolina GameCocks during the second half at Lloyd Noble Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images Oklahoma Sooners and Arkansas Razorbacks took similar approaches in practice and got the same result: their first southeastern Conference wins.
The team meets on Saturday in Fayetteville, Ark., Hope their work off the track will put their Sec problems further behind them.
Oklahoma (14-4, 1-4 sec), during his first season in the conference, has not played since he blew out and visited South Carolina 82-62 on January 18.
Arkansas (12-7, 1-5) overcame a 15-point down in the second half and topped Georgia with 68-65 in Fayetteville on Wednesday, and clinched a cord in five games. In Razorback’s first match without prominent beginner Point Guard Boogie Fland, Ado Thiero collected 17 points and 11 returns. Thiero leads the team with 16.4 points per match.
Fland made a successful ligament operation on his right thumb and will miss the rest of the season. He sustained the injury on January 11 against Florida and fought in the following two matches.
Without Fland, Arkansas must replace its 15.1 points and team -leading 5.7 assists per match. To delete the new rotations without Fland, Razorback’s coach John Calipari has done a lot of self -scouting.
“We found out that Boogie needed the operation and had all Sunday on us to prepare,” Calipari said. “We fell a lot on Monday since we had new guys in new places. I am more locked in our team than who we play. We start to get there and find out how we have to play.”
After a 77-73 loss against Texas on January 15 in Red River Rivalry, Oklahoma coach Porter Moser also increased the training intensity.
“We wanted to get that taste out of our mouths,” Moser said. “In a strange way I’m more encouraged right now. We didn’t practice energy or effort. We coached the execution, and the guys answered. We were all miserable. The guys were miserable. It was a really hard low point, it went from that The floor but the guys held together and believed. “
Senior Forward Jalon Moore leads Sooners in points (18.3) and returns (6.3).
— Field Level Media
