Oklahoma men's basketball: Breaking down Sooners' roster entering 2022-23 season
NORMAN — Porter Moser is back for his second season as OU's head coach.
The Sooners went 19-16 (7-11 Big 12) last season and missed out on the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2017, but they hope to go dancing this time around with a roster that includes eight newcomers.
Here is a look at the Sooners' roster entering Monday’s regular season opener against Sam Houston at 7 p.m. at Lloyd Noble Center:
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Guards
Joe Bamisile, 6-4, Jr.: Bamisile averaged 16.3 points and five rebounds per game last season at George Washington. He has good size at the two and isn't afraid to crash the glass, which is a welcomed sight for an OU team that averaged a conference-low 31.8 rebounds per game last season. The Sooners need a go-to scorer following the departure of Umoja Gibson, and Bamisile is a three-level scorer who should fill that role.
Bijan Cortes, 6-3, So.: The Kingfisher native and former four-star prospect showed flashes as a freshman last season. Cortes averaged 2 points and 1.4 assists in 11.5 minutes per game, although his defensive struggles led to him falling out of the rotation during postseason play. Still, Cortes is an excellent passer and the top floor general for OU's second unit.
Jake Moser, 6-3, So.: The son of Porter Moser, Jake Moser appeared in seven games last season. He averaged 0.7 points and 0.1 rebounds in 1.4 minutes per contest.
C.J. Noland, 6-2, So.: Noland averaged 3.9 points and 1.5 rebounds in 12.6 minutes per game last season, which earned him a spot on the Big All-Freshman Team. The Waxahachie, Texas, native shot a blistering 43.6 percent from deep last season, but he's expected to be a bigger threat off the dribble this time around and use his strength to get to the rim.
Otega Oweh, 6-5, Fr.: Adjusting to the physicality of the Big 12 is often a problem for freshmen, but that shouldn't be an issue for Oweh. The four-star prospect has plenty of size and strength at the two, which he uses to get to the rim on offense and lock up opponents on defense. Moser didn't shy away from playing freshmen last season, so Oweh should be able to carve out a role right away.
Benny Schroder, 6-7, Fr.: The Munich, Germany, native is one of OU's most intriguing prospects. Schroder has elite size in the backcourt and is an efficient scorer with good handles. He averaged 16.6 points and 5.8 rebounds in 23 minutes per game at the FIBA U18 European Challengers. Schroder is still playing catchup after missing part of the offseason due to a meniscus injury, but he'll be someone to watch as the season rolls on.
Blake Seacat, 6-4, Sr.: Seacat enters his fourth season as a walk-on for the Sooners. The Tulsa native is a former Oklahoma All-State honorable mention from his days at Jenks. He has appeared in 13 collegiate games.
Grant Sherfield, 6-2, Sr.*: Sherfield averaged 19.1 points and 6.4 assists per game last season at Nevada and tested the NBA waters before transferring to OU. The veteran guard is at his best in the pick and roll, where he has a strong mid-range jumper and good passing vision in his arsenal. Jordan Goldwire held down the fort as OU's main floor general last season, but Sherfield brings another element with his ability to create for himself.
Milos Uzan, 6-4, Fr.: Uzan is another true freshman who should immediately have an impact off the bench for the Sooners. The former four-star prospect is a good-sized guard who boasts excellent court vision and is capable of scoring at all three levels. He also has active hands on defense and is a threat to get into passing lanes. OU is in need of ball handlers off the bench, and Uzan fits that mold.
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Forwards
Sam Godwin, 6-10, Jr.: Godwin averaged 6.3 points and 3.1 rebounds in 13.9 minutes per game at Wofford last season before joining OU as a walk-on. The Ada native and former Southmoore standout is an efficient scorer and a capable shot blocker, although he struggles with foul management. The Sooners don't have many frontcourt options off the bench, so Godwin should have a bigger role than the typical walk-on.
Jacob Groves, 6-9, Sr.: After struggling to carve out a role in the early going of last season, Groves finished the campaign as a starter. He averaged 4.6 points and 2.9 rebounds in 17.3 minutes per game. Groves creates mismatches due to his size and shooting ability from deep, although he struggles at time on defense against more physical opponents.
Jalen Hill, 6-6, Sr.: Hill's lack of size doesn't prevent him from having a presence down low. The Las Vegas native averaged career-highs of 9.1 points and 5.9 rebounds per game last season while shooting 57.9 percent from the floor. Hill is OU's best defender, and he'll surely be asked to guard positions 3-5.
Yaya Keita, 6-9, So.: Keita averaged 1.2 points in 6.8 minutes per game last season at Missouri but got sidelined by a left knee injury that required surgery in February. This marked the second major injury for Keita, who missed time as a senior in high school due to a torn ACL in his right knee. Keita is a pick-and-roll weapon and a solid interior defender when healthy.
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Centers
Tanner Groves, 6-10, Sr.*: Groves averaged 11.6 points and 5.8 rebounds per game last season, which helped him earn an All-Big 12 honorable mention. He's a skilled big man who shot 38.1 percent from deep, and he gained 14 pounds this past offseason to help him match the physicality of the Big 12. OU ranked ninth in the Big 12 in blocks per game (1.89), but Groves' added weight some help him hold his own in the paint.
Luke Northweather, 6-11, Fr.: Northweather is the tallest player on OU's roster, but he does more than sit in the paint. The former three-star prospect stuffed the stat sheet during his senior season in high school with averages of 29.2 points, 11.4 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 2.4 blocks and 2 steals per game. He also shot 38.8 percent from deep. Northweather missed OU's exhibition game against Oklahoma City University on Oct. 25 but is expected to be available for the season opener.
*-Super senior
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Three non-conference games to watch
KenPom ranked OU's schedule last season as the seventh-most difficult schedule in the nation.
The Sooners didn't shy away from facing stiff competition, and that was the case once again when they put together their 2022-23 schedule.
Here's a look a three key non-conference games to watch in November and December:
Dec. 3 at No. 16 Villanova, 11 a.m.: Kyle Neptune now coaches the Wildcats following the retirement of longtime head coach Jay Wright. Villanova is led by a guard duo of Justin Moore and Caleb Daniels. Moore averaged 14.8 points and 4.8 rebounds last season, while Daniels averaged 10.3 points on 37.3% shooting from deep. The two guards should provide the first real test for OU's new backcourt duo of Sherfield and Bamisile.
Dec. 10 vs. No. 10 Arkansas in Tulsa, noon: Arkansas saw success in both the transfer portal and the recruiting trail this past offseason. It brought in Wichita State transfer guard Ricky Council IV, Arizona State transfer forward Jalen Graham and Makhel and Makhi Mitchell from Rhode Island. The Razorbacks also added three five-star recruits in Nick Smith Jr., Jordan Walsh and Anthony Black. Arkansas has a talent overload, and it'll be looking for revenge after losing to OU in Tulsa last season.
Jan. 28 vs. No. 20 Alabama in Norman, 1 p.m.: Alabama is the third and final team on OU's non-conference schedule that made last season's NCAA Tournament. The Crimson Tide is led by Jahvon Quinerly, a 6-1 senior who averaged 13.8 points and a team-high 4.2 assists per game last season. Alabama also added St. Bonaventure transfer Dominick Welch, who helped the Bonnies bounce OU from the NIT last season.
More: Breaking down the 2022-23 OU men's basketball's full nonconference schedule
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Oklahoma Sooners men's basketball roster breakdown 2022-23 season
