Porter Moser poses a big question for OU basketball. 'How are we going to stop Alabama?'

NORMAN — The Sooners are about to get a brief break from Big 12 play.

But it's far from a vacation.

Riding a three-game losing streak in the nation's most competitive conference, OU is now set to host second-ranked Alabama at 1 p.m. Saturday as a part of the Big 12/SEC Challenge.

It's yet another hurdle for the battle-tested Sooners (11-9, 2-6 Big 12), who faced then-No. 1 Auburn in last season's edition of the cross-conference series.

"We’ve had a nice draw," OU head coach Porter Moser said. "I think that's been a heck of a draw for us... How are we going to stop Alabama? That’s all I’ve been thinking about the last 48 hours."

A win over Alabama would do wonders for OU's NCAA Tournament hopes, which have taken a hit as of late.

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The Sooners are on a three-game skid, and they hit a new low during a 79-52 road loss to 11th-ranked TCU on Tuesday. ESPN's Joe Lunardi now projects OU to be the sixth team to miss the cut for the NCAA Tournament.

But Saturday's game against Alabama is an opportunity to get back into the postseason picture, and that isn't lost on OU's players.

"I think we can win this game, and I know we can win this game," senior forward Jalen Hill said. "I feel like if we win this game, it'll give our team a big boost confidence-wise."

Pulling off the upset against Alabama is easier said than done.

The Crimson Tide is on a nine-game winning streak, and it's led by freshman Brandon Miller. A projected top 5 pick in the upcoming NBA Draft, the 6-foot-9 forward is averaging 19.5 points and 8.2 rebounds per game this season.

Miller is a three-level scorer who can also do damage on the glass, making him the top priority on OU's defensive game plan.

"We’ve played against a lot of people we’ve talked about that are going to be in the lottery and first round," Moser said. "I don’t know if anyone is going to go higher than Brandon Miller. He’s a Kevin Durant-type player to me. I think he’s elite. He lets the game come to him.

"As a freshman, he doesn’t force a lot. He makes the extra pass and then he can score at all levels. I think he’s really, really good."

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The Sooners' best matchup option against Miller is none other than Hill.

A 6-foot-6 forward, Hill is an in-betweener who can defend both on the perimeter and around the rim. He also has good athleticism and strength, which will come in handy against the taller Miller.

It's a lot to ask of Hill, but Moser is confident in leaning on the fourth-year Sooner.

"Everybody has to follow Jalen's lead," Moser said. "Jalen has been the most consistent guy day in and day out... He's been our glue and our most consistent player."

Alabama's pace also presents a problem for OU.

The Crimson tide boasts an average possession length of 15.2 seconds, which is the fourth-lowest time in the nation.

OU failed to stop TCU's fast-paced offense Tuesday. The Horned Frogs rank 36th in the nation in average possession length (16 seconds), and they torched the Sooners for 25 fastbreak points.

"We have to establish our transition defense," Moser said. "(Alabama) is fully loaded, a high-octane offense. We have to establish it from the jump that we’re going to get back."

Lastly, the Sooners need to get Grant Sherfield going.

The senior guard is averaging a team-high 16.4 points per game this season, but he has gone scoreless in the second halves of OU's last three contests.

There isn't a more lethal scoring option than Sherfield on OU's roster, so he must produce if OU wants to have a chance of upsetting Alabama.

“My message to (Sherfield) is to stay positive, stay believing," Moser said. "He wants to win so bad that he gets frustrated. He’s got to get past that."

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OU basketball's top two players this season

Hill: The Las Vegas native has become the heart and soul of OU this season, and his impact isn't limited to the box score. In addition to averaging 9.8 points and 5.6 rebounds per game, Hill has been a vocal leader during OU's recent struggles.

Sherfield: Despite his scoring struggles as of late, Sherfield remains the engine to OU's offense. The Sooners need him to return to his usual level of production if they want to get back on track.

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OU basketball's player of the week

Hill: Hill averaged 12.5 points and 5.5 rebounds on 57.9% shooting from the floor in OU's two losses to Baylor and TCU. The veteran forward impacted the game on both ends of the floor and gave consistent production, which was a rare sight during the Sooners' blowout loss to the Horned Frogs.

OU basketball's player on the rise

Freshman guard Otega Oweh: The Sooner found a spark plug in Oweh. After playing a combined 13 minutes in his first three Big 12 games, the former four-star recruit saw an expanded role during OU's games against Baylor and TCU. Oweh averaged 4.5 points, 2 rebounds and 2.5 steals in 12 minutes per contest. While his offensive game needs polishing, Oweh proved he's capable of having an impact on defense in conference play.

More:How Otega Oweh is starting to steal the show in limited minutes for OU men's basketball

Stat to know for Sooners

OU must find a way to get to the free throw line against an elite Alabama defense.

The Crimson Tide is holding opponents to 42.4% shooting from inside the arc and 25.9% shooting from deep, both of which rank third in the nation. But there's a hole in the armor.

Opponents have scored 20.6% of their points against Alabama from the free throw line. It's the easiest way to put points on the board against a defense that doesn't surrender much else.

But OU struggles to get to the line. The team only scores 15.2% of its points from the charity stripe, which makes sense when looking at its top scoring options.

Sherfield is a sharpshooter who also enjoys pulling up for mid-range jumpers, while both Tanner and Jacob Groves are stretch bigs. Even Hill, a player who used to exclusively score from close range, has developed a serviceable 3-point shot and can often be found waiting for a kick-out pass in the corner.

That translates to the Sooners not attempting a ton of free throws, but they'll need all the freebies they can get Saturday.

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OU basketball's updated NCAA Tournament projection

The Sooners have played themselves out of the NCAA Tournament picture during their three-game skid.

ESPN's Joe Lunardi projects OU to be the sixth team to miss the cut for the tournament. The Sooners were one of the final four teams to make the cut prior to their losing streak.

OU also boasted a NET ranking of 44 prior to its losing streak. The team now has a ranking of 65, which is the second-lowest ranking among the 10 Big 12 teams.

Tip-ins

Moser on OU being an underdog against Alabama: “Always, you feel like that. For us, it’s what we believe in our own locker room. We know that TCU game was our worst performance. We’ve got to put that aside. And why not Oklahoma? Why not us?"

Moser on if he plans to change the starting lineup: "I'm looking at it, but right now it's just more of why. Is changing the starting lineup going to be the magical answer? No. I don't suspect that yet. But if there's a need to be a change, I'm going to make a change."

Hill on his play as of late: "I think I just need to do whatever the team needs me to do. If that's scoring, I think I can do that. Or if that's rebounding, assists or playing defense, just whatever the team needs and Coach (Moser) needs."

OU vs. No. 2 Alabama

TIPOFF: 1 p.m. Saturday at Lloyd Noble Center in Norman (ESPN)

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Oklahoma Sooners basketball eye upset win against Alabama Crimson Tide