SOUTHEASTERN CONFERENCE MEN'S BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT

March 12, 2025

Porter Moser

Jeremiah Fears

Jalon Moore

Bridgestone Arena

Oklahoma Sooners

Postgame Press Conference

Oklahoma 81, Georgia 75

THE MODERATOR: We're joined by Oklahoma. We'll ask coach for some general comments on the game, then take questions.

PORTER MOSER: I thought our guys were resilient. We went on a 16-0 run the second half. Up at half, they turned it. We got up six. That's the resiliency of these guys, staying together and keep believing and keep coming back.

We've been down the last two games. Mo Wague stepped up and had career nights, so impactful. These two guys, just the belief they had in each other. I talked to Jeremiah on TV out there, talked about really at halftime settling down. Zero turnovers the whole second half. It was a huge play when he drove to the left and got doubled and kicked it out to J. Moore, and J. Moore knocked down the three.

Just a lot of big plays by a lot of different guys.

THE MODERATOR: Questions for the student-athletes.

Q. Jeremiah, 26 points. How extra special was it for you to have a game like that against Georgia?

JEREMIAH FEARS: It was really special just coming out on top. I think my teammates did a great job of trusting me, putting my trust in them as well. We did everything we could do to come out on top.

Q. Jeremiah, you guys sort of took that game over with a 14-0 run late. What was working? What did you feel like allowed you to take that over and have that stretch?

JEREMIAH FEARS: Coach did a great job of calling out some amazing sets. I think we executed to a T. We got all the shots we wanted. Made all of 'em. I think we did a great job with that as well.

PORTER MOSER: Let me be clear, players make plays. It was not the sets. We started dropping some screens. But these guys made great plays.

Q. What is it like for you to go amongst the trees and be able to finish the way you did, especially in the second half?

JEREMIAH FEARS: We preached in practice all week playing out two feet. Coach got on me at halftime about playing off two feet. I tried to play more off of two feet in the second half, and I think I did a great job of that.

Q. Tough one-point loss to Kentucky at your place. How much are you looking forward to playing them again on Thursday?

JALON MOORE: I think it's going to be a great game. When we played them last time, came down to a last shot. We're a different team when we played them, too.

Tomorrow, being able to play them again and getting a W tomorrow, it's going to be a fun and physical game.

Q. As far as the NCAA tournament, how did you approach this game? There's been a lot of bubble talk.

JEREMIAH FEARS: Just approach it with the same mindset, coming out trying to get a win, just try to put ourself in the best position possible and control what's in our control.

JALON MOORE: Piggyback off of that, I agree. Continuing to come in every day with a businesslike mindset, continue to be connected with your team, that's how we approach the game.

THE MODERATOR: Thank you, gentlemen. We will take questions for coach.

Q. Have you had a first half as far as three-point shooting like tonight? What did you feel like was working?

PORTER MOSER: Well, we've shot the ball well. From the very beginning we got the ball in the middle, kicked it one more. I thought we spaced it very well. We call them paint touch threes to where we're getting to the paint. One of you just talked about how much they protect the rim. We call them paint touch threes. When you get to the paint, we kick out one more.

We were moving it and sharing it. 10 threes in the first half. A lot of them were assisted. I don't know how many we had. We got the ball in the middle to Mo. We made plays. I thought we had great spacing and sharing the ball.

We had a lot of turnovers in the first half I think just getting sped up a little bit. It seemed like some of those turnovers turned into baskets. That was something that we talked about at halftime, is continue to space it.

We had one possession with, like, three minutes left. It was constantly had them in scramble, downhill, downhill. We finally got it with a second left. I think the guys were doing a good job of spacing it and sharing it.

Q. Asa Newell is a guy that does a lot of things. What is the approach when you face a versatile big like that?

PORTER MOSER: Especially when he's hitting threes. He came out and knocked down that three on that pick and pop. We were trying to double Silas. When we doubled him, he can pick and pop. He can knock down that -- I think he had two of 'em tonight.

Even I was joking with -- J. Moore and I were talking about it on that free throw. Who was supposed to pinch with Asa? Then they started talking. We were in a small lineup. They had the two guards over there. All right, Jalon, you have Asa by yourself, we're going to pinch the other one because we've got two small guards.

Asa kept going up and up and up on that free throw. He's so long, if it's straight up, he's hard to block out like that.

I said it before, he does so many things. He can put on the deck. He can rebound. Now he's picking. He can hit that three. He just is a hard matchup with his length and versatility.

Q. Ever since that Florida game, I think you're 4-2. What has been the difference in these last six games?

PORTER MOSER: It's more of these guys being resilient. We've talked about our faith, fighting through hard in life. It was really hard, some of the losses we had.

We just talked about the narrative in our own locker room. There can be all these narratives outside. You're at Alabama, at Florida, at Auburn, at Missouri. We kept on believing in each other and staying resilient and believing in our locker room.

We talked about just playing better winning basketball, to win games, to get in the NCAA tournament. It was like a business mission statement. We wanted to play better winning basketball.

These last six games... Then we had two gut punches. We had a week of just a gut punch losing to Kentucky at home on that under six seconds, then Pedulla hitting that three. We come back, and how did these guys respond? Beat Missouri, win at Texas, beat Georgia. It's a credit to their resiliency and the culture of our locker room to fight and stay together.

Q. You mentioned Mohamed in your opening statement. Did a lot of the little things. Six offensive rebounds. What kind of impact do those little things do in a game like tonight?

PORTER MOSER: I have so much respect for him with his faith, with going through Ramadan and honoring that. He was cramping, getting fluids. To fight through, to have the game that he had.

He came up with an unbelievable offensive rebound, too, kicked it out on a late-game possession. That was a big one. It just extended it. I think we got fouled and went to the foul line.

His defense, his presence, especially with Sam out, to have that kind of presence. Honest to God, he had a couple career highs tonight. He had a career high, I swear to God, I don't know this, but it has to be in minutes for 27. He has had a propensity to foul and get in foul trouble the last two years at Alabama and here.

For him to play 27 minutes as hard as he did, disciplined, getting his length, I'm telling you. He's cramping and everything. Just so much respect for him to come out here and fight.

Press conference, he's getting his fluids back. What a performance for him. He's just an A-plus human being.

Q. Obviously everyone knows the game that Otega had. Outside of him not going off again, what's the key to tomorrow's game for you guys?

PORTER MOSER: They have so many offensive weapons. Otega, he's been really consistent every game. They got so many different offensive weapons. It's not one guy you have to key in on Kentucky. Their offense is so spaced out. They have fives that can pass. Amari and Brandon both can pass so well. They got shooters everywhere. They got veteran Final Four point guard.

It's going to be a group effort guarding all their motion, their blast actions. We'll get after it. I know our guys were stung after that game. Both teams played their tail off. Looking forward to a great matchup tomorrow with Kentucky.

Q. Obviously the SEC is on the verge of breaking the record for most teams in the NCAA tournament. How much value are you placing on this game against Kentucky tomorrow to ensure you're comfortable in the field?

PORTER MOSER: We are a part of it. I mean, I thought we were above the bubble going into this game. What the conference is, it's unprecedented. It's unprecedented of what this league is, what you have to do night in and night out.

For us, we want to just win and advance in this SEC tournament, then we're going to get after it. But we are a part of it. No question. With as many quad one wins that we've had, with the resiliency we've had. People talk about us playing the best basketball down the stretch in our last six games.

We are part of it. We're excited to be part of it. We're also excited to advance in this tournament.