OU men's basketball opens season Monday with revamped wing depth

Oklahoma men's basketball opens its 2026-27 season Monday, Nov. 2, against East Texas A&M at Lloyd Noble Center, and head coach Porter Moser is not setting tournament expectations.

At media day Tuesday, Oct. 27, Moser declined to name specific goals for the season, according to the OU Daily. He said he does not want to put a ceiling on the team by focusing on a March Madness bid.

"There's no finish line with this team," Moser said, per the OU Daily.

The Sooners have reason to believe the potential is real. After a nine-game losing streak last season, OU won eight of its final 11 games, the OU Daily reported.

Roster depth and versatility

Moser loaded the roster with versatile wings this offseason. Transfers Duke Brennan and Pop Isaacs join returning junior Derrion Reid among the roster’s key contributors.

Duke Brennan, a transfer from Villanova, averaged 12.4 points and 10.3 rebounds per game last season. Derrion Reid, a returning forward, put up 11.7 points and 4.4 rebounds per game. Pop Isaacs, a transfer from Texas A&M, averaged 9.8 points and 2.6 assists per game last season.

Reid told the OU Daily the Sooners have plenty of wings and two-way players who can contribute on both ends of the floor.

Isaacs pointed to the physical demands of SEC play as the reason wing depth matters. "Knowing how physical the league is, you want those bigger wings," Isaacs said, per the OU Daily.

Brennan said SEC basketball demands a physical, hard-nosed approach built around rebounding and scoring at the rim, the OU Daily reported.

Replacing Nijel Pack

Former guard Nijel Pack's departure leaves a shot-creating hole. Freshman guard Quincy Wadley said the backcourt is ready to share that load, naming Xzayvier Brown, Isaacs, Dayton Forsythe, himself and Tyler Hendricks among the shooters who can fill it, per the OU Daily.

Isaacs agreed the scoring will come by committee. He said he does not think one person has to replace Pack and that the guards play well together, though he stopped short of guaranteeing results, the OU Daily reported.

Davis still sidelined

Tae Davis has been added to the official 2026-27 roster, but he is not yet medically cleared after breaking his foot during pre-draft workouts last season, the OU Daily reported. Once cleared, The OU Daily reported that Davis would need to pursue a lawsuit seeking fifth-year eligibility. He would then need to wait for a ruling.