OU men's basketball needs to get 'locked in' to earn first win at Kansas since 1993

NORMAN — Porter Moser got an offer he couldn't refuse.

The OU men's basketball head coach was an assistant at Texas A&M in 1997 when the team traveled for a road game against Kansas.

Moser and the rest of the Aggies' staff were at the team hotel the night before the game when a Kansas manager arrived. He invited them to join the Jayhawks' then-head coach, Roy Williams, at the best Italian restaurant in Lawrence, Kansas, later that night.

It was too good of an offer to pass up, so Moser and Co. finished reviewing film before heading out for the impromptu dinner.

It might not have been for the best. Kansas dominated Texas A&M the following day at Allen Fieldhouse to the tune of an 89-60 win.

"They had all this pasta for us and everything, and then they proceeded to beat us by like 30," Moser said. "Coach Williams just softened everybody up."

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The Sooners haven't had much luck at Allen Fieldhouse since then either.

OU hasn't earned a road win over Kansas since 1993. The Sooners hope to snap that drought when they face the No. 2-ranked Jayhawks in Lawrence at 8 p.m. Tuesday.

It'll be a hostile environment for OU, which is fresh off a 68-63 overtime win over Texas Tech in Lubbock, Texas, on Saturday.

"It gave us a great confidence boost," senior forward Jalen Hill said of the Texas Tech win. "Especially since we’re going into an environment that's very loud and has a lot of energy on Tuesday. So it gives us a lot of confidence, and I think we can do it again."

Hill was on OU's roster last season when the team nearly defeated Kansas at Allen Fieldhouse.

The Sooners suffered a 71-69 loss on Feb. 12 after a potential game-tying shot by Jordan Goldwire rimmed out in the closing seconds. It was a heartbreaking defeat, but Hill believes this season's OU team can get over the hump.

"I think we can go to any place, not just Kansas, and win," Hill said. "But if we can get it done in Kansas I think it would give us confidence that we could go beat any team in the country anywhere, anytime."

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Regardless of the location, defeating Kansas is no easy task.

Despite losing key contributors such as Christian Braun and Ochai Agbaji this past offseason, the Jayhawks (14-1, 3-0 Big 12) remain the top team in the Big 12.

Kansas is now led by redshirt junior forward Jalen Wilson, who's averaging a conference-high 20.2 points to go along with 8.8 rebounds per game this season. He racked up 22 points and nine rebounds in last season's home win over OU and is sure to play a large role once again Tuesday.

"He just looks like a whole other level, like it's his team," Moser said of Wilson. "He scores from three. He scores at the rim. He's got a terrific mid-range game. He's a three-level scorer. He just looks so confident, and he just poses problems."

The Sooners will have little room for mistakes Tuesday, which is a lesson they've learned this season.

OU began conference play with a pair of one-possession losses to then-No. 6 Texas and then-No. 25 Iowa State. Meanwhile, Kansas is 2-0 in one-possession games during conference play.

"Every possession matters," Hill said. "You might have a couple of possessions early in a game that might not seem like a lot. But at the end of the day those matter just as much as the possessions at the end of a game."

If OU does find itself in another close game Tuesday, it can expect an environment that's as hostile as any in the country.

Both the Jayhawks and their fans won't make it easy for the Sooners, who are looking to snap a drought that has stuck with them for the past 30 years.

"The only thing we’re really going to be talking about is communicating," Moser said. "Communication is key in these environments... You have to get locked in when that crowd gets loud. It’s massive how many people are there, and the decibel level is really high. ... It's a special place."

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C.J. Noland's new role with Sooners

C.J. Noland didn't lack confidence.

OU held a 33-27 lead in the second half of a road game against Texas Tech on Saturday when the sophomore guard got open in the corner and called for the ball. Hill obliged by swinging a pass to him, and Noland splashed a 3-pointer before putting his index finger to his mouth and hushing the crowd.

Noland's confidence has been growing throughout the past few games.

After losing his starting spot to freshman guard Milos Uzan prior to a game against then-No. 9 Arkansas on Dec. 10, Noland has strung together some solid performances off the bench.

In OU's last two games, Noland is averaging 5.5 points and one assist in 19.5 minutes. He's shooting 3 for 7 (42.9%) from deep during that stretch.

Uzan is thriving as a starter, which means Noland will likely remain a backup for the foreseeable future. Still, the former Big 12 All-Freshman Team honoree is a 3-and-D player who can provide some much-needed production off the bench.

"I love that C.J. is playing the best basketball this season for him," Moser said. "And I see that snowballing, which only helps us. I've been talking about, 'Hey, we've got one of these other guys to step up.' C.J. is doing it. ... And it couldn't have been a better time in league play."

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OU basketball's facilitating guards

OU ranks 10th in the nation in effective field-goal percentage (56.3%) thanks in part to the looks created by its facilitators.

The Sooners boast three guards who are capable of creating for others. Senior Grant Sherfield, sophomore Bijan Cortes and Uzan have all displayed excellent passing vision.

The trio is averaging a combined 8.3 assists per game in conference play.

"I think the impact they have is unmatched," Hill said of the trio. "They make plays that go unseen to most people. They get people open. They draw so much attention that it just makes our life easier. ... I don’t think they get enough credit for that."

More:What makes Milos Uzan OU's X-Factor for Big 12 play? 'He's making other people better'

How to watch OU vs. Kansas basketball

TIPOFF: 8 p.m. Tuesday at Allen Fieldhouse in Lawrence, Kansas (ESPN2)

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: OU men's basketball: Sooners search for first win at Kansas since 1993