BIG 12 CONFERENCE MEN'S BASKETBALL TIPOFF MEDIA DAY

October 19, 2022

Porter Moser

Oklahoma Sooners

Media Day Press Conference

COACH MOSER: Makes a heck of a difference when you have guys that have been through your program. We have five guys back that were with us last year. So I think with the two Groves brothers, Jalen Hill, Bijan Cortez and C.J. Noland, we've got some guys back that makes all the difference in the world when you bring in your newcomers.

I thought these guys had -- we had a great offseason. Went to Europe. But those five guys are definitely -- it helps when you try to get to year two and move forward.

Q. You mentioned that returning core, just from an install standpoint, foundational-wise, how different has this year been for you?

COACH MOSER: It's everything. When you get there, you know, we were in a pandemic. So I was meeting them for the first time in June at the recruiting class. We had to sign everybody through June.

So just the difference of when they get there, just everything from our first practice to having five guys that have a familiarity with what we do and how we do it. And not only do you have guys that did it, it was the who. Jalen Hill and Tanner just really, really good leaders, vocally and with their work ethic.

And I know Coach Tang is going through it right now having to bring in 11 and go through it and just establishing those things that he does. And it's a unique experience this day and age with the transfer portal with having to have so many new guys.

But I couldn't be happier with the five guys, how they embraced and held accountable themselves and the newcomers right when they got to the campus.

Q. I also wanted to ask you about the transfer portal. Just overall what are your thoughts on how it has functioned to this point? And what's your opinion on players transferring within the same conference? I think it was six that transferred within the Big 12 this year.

COACH MOSER: My first thought on the transfer portal, it's a reality. I think you have to balance it with your program. I think for me, I signed some high school guys I really liked, and we added some transfer portal pieces.

It's a reality. It's here. But I think you have to have a balance with it and you still have to try to recruit to who you are and your style, who you are.

Transferring in conference, that also is a reality. It's happening with it. And I guess I don't have too many thoughts against it or for it. If the young man doesn't want to be in a program, you know, then he doesn't want to be in a program.

And I just think that's, whether it's inner conference or not, I think it's a reality. And we're having to just adjust with it and deal with it.

Q. You all had a good end to the regular season, beat Baylor in the Big 12 Tournament. What was going well for you all to finish the campaign?

COACH MOSER: I felt we were getting better. I thought we had an injury with Elijah Harkless and Jacob Groves came in. I thought Jacob played really solid down the stretch. We talked about it a lot in the offseason. I think Jacob has grown. I think he's bigger than his brother, he's at least 6'9".

That confidence boost at the end of the year that he got, I think that's really propelling him this offseason. Just like anything, we were chasing it. We were trying to get better. I thought we were doing some better things offensively towards the end of the year. But I think that's something that I think Jacob really played well in his time with that down the stretch.

Q. What have you just seen from Grant Sherfield so far?

COACH MOSER: You know, this league is, as we all know, is so incredible defensively. Every game they just lock you up. One of the things you found you've got to have some guys that make some shots. You need some shot-makers. And Grant is a very good shot-maker, scoring at all three levels, can get to the rim, elite mid-range and can shoot 3s. He's really good off ball screens. Analytically he's one of the top good off ball screens. Six assists at Nevada. I think he brings a guy that can make shots.

Coaches call them "shot clock guys." The defense takes away what you're trying to do and then you've got to go sometimes create something out of nothing and start the domino in a rotation. And Grant can start that domino. He can knock down a shot at the end of a shot clock.

We struggled in those areas last year. We really did. We struggled at really having a guy just go get one for us at times. I think the really, really good teams all had a shot clock guy. I think he's one of those kind of guys for us.