Oklahoma men's basketball added its biggest missing piece on Aug. 19, when head coach Porter Moser signed Duke Brennan, a 6-foot-10, 250-pound center who averaged a double-double at Villanova last season and brings four consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances to a program that has largely been shut out of March Madness.

Brennan, a fifth-year transfer from Chandler, Ariz., posted 12.4 points, 10.3 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game in 2025-26 while shooting 65.8% from the field, earning Third Team All-Big East honors. He recorded 14 double-doubles, ranked 11th nationally in rebounding and was one of just two players in the country to average a double-double while shooting above 60%.

"Duke brings a combination of size, toughness, skill and a competitive edge that will enable him to make an immediate impact," Moser said in OU's announcement. "He's one of the best rebounders in the country and a proven winner who plays with tremendous passion and physicality."

The signing addresses OU's most glaring need. The Sooners finished 19-15 overall and 7-11 in the SEC in 2025-26, missing the NCAA Tournament for the fourth time in five seasons under Moser, according to Sooners Wire. Moser has yet to win a March Madness game at Oklahoma since being hired in 2021.

Brennan chose the Sooners over Ole Miss and USC, On3's Joe Tipton reported. His fifth season of eligibility came through a federal court injunction related to the NCAA's new 5-in-5 rule, which grants athletes five seasons to participate.

He is the second fifth-year transfer OU has signed this offseason, joining guard B.J. Edwards, who averaged 12.7 points, 5.9 rebounds and 4.9 assists at SMU last season. When OU announced Edwards on Aug. 14, Moser called the guard "a really good fit for our program, both from a culture and basketball standpoint," according to the Norman Transcript. Both rank in the top 10 of On3's fifth-year transfer rankings, making Oklahoma the only program to land two top-10 fifth-year transfers.

Brennan's career has spanned Arizona State (2022-23), Grand Canyon (2023-25) and Villanova (2025-26). He enters his final college season with 1,040 career points and 919 career rebounds over 133 games. At Grand Canyon he earned All-WAC and WAC All-Defensive Team honors, averaging 10.4 points and 9.2 rebounds.

There's a local connection, too. Brennan was a high school teammate of Oklahoma City Thunder guard Jalen Williams at Perry High School in Chandler during the 2018-19 season.

At Villanova, Brennan became the first Wildcat to average 10-plus rebounds per game since Harold Pressley in 1985-86. His season high was 24 points on 8-of-8 shooting in a win over Pitt, and he grabbed 20 rebounds in a game against Queens.

The additions come after athletic director Roger Denny told The Oklahoman in April that OU basketball was "not resourced at the level that we need to be resourced," as reported by Sooners Wire.

Oklahoma's 2026-27 roster also includes returning guard Xzayvier Brown, who hit 62 three-pointers and averaged 15.6 points per game last season, and preseason All-SEC candidate Derrion Reid. The Sooners have added nine newcomers total, including 6-foot-11 centers Akoldah Gak from the NBA G League and Yaak Yaak from Oregon State. The 2026-27 schedule has not yet been released.