OU basketball coach Porter Moser 'really appreciated' vote of confidence from Roger Denny

NORMAN — Less than 24 hours after Oklahoma’s loss to Arkansas in the quarterfinals of the SEC Tournament, newly hired athletic director Roger Denny informed Porter Moser he’d be retained.

Denny had made the decision days prior before the Sooners ever tipped off a game in the tournament in Nashville. His reason: OU was not resourced at the level he felt necessary for Moser to succeed relative to the expectations.

Moser, who has only made one NCAA Tournament appearance in five seasons with the Sooners and has caught his fair share of criticism, will get a sixth year. But this time, Denny plans to align resources, expectations and performance.

“It’s been a great partnership right from the jump,” Moser said Monday before his team heads to Las Vegas for the College Basketball Crown. “He made it really clear about the vision of where we want to go. He’s made it really clear that we have to up the resources put into men’s basketball and I really appreciated that. I know he comes from Illinois, and that program — basketball program —the investment made.”

Denny was involved with the Fighting Illini’s hiring of Brad Underwood, which has resulted in three conference titles, an Elite Eight appearance and now, a Final Four appearance this season.

More: OU basketball accepts invite to College Basketball Crown, will play Colorado

He knows what it takes to invest in and compete at the highest level in men’s basketball.

“It used to be hire a great coach and build great facilities and if you build it they will come,” Denny said during his introductory news conference. “That’s not the way it works any more. Each sport and each program deserves a strategy of its own.”

Moser’s job was thought to be in serious jeopardy earlier this season.

OU lost nine consecutive conference games and was on its way to the worst season under Moser. However, Denny told The Oklahoman there were never any conversations between him and Moser about his job status.

For Moser, it was hard to constantly hear his name in the news as a potential firing candidate this cycle. But he stuck to his faith and willed his team with constant belief.

“I didn’t let it overwhelm me. Is that hard? Yes, it is hard,” Moser said. “Nobody loves having people say certain things about you. Anybody who knows me knows how hard I have driven for this program for five years in a transitional period. A complete industry disruption that has gone on. Men's basketball has felt a huge industry disruption.

“To have someone come out and to say the resources have not met the expectations, I appreciate that so much. My expectations, when I took this job, are still the same. Nobody is going to work harder to drive in that direction than me.”

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Following a nine-game losing streak, OU led an incredible turnaround, winning eight of its last 11 games and six straight before falling to the Razorbacks. The Sooners were the final team omitted from the NCAA Tournament field — a remarkable feat given where the team was just over a month prior.

It remains to be seen what the resource level will look like for Moser to build his roster beginning next week when the transfer portal opens.

But thus far, Moser is excited about the possibilities under Denny.

“What I love about the partnership is how competitive he is right now, wanting not just men’s basketball but all the sports (to succeed),” Moser said. “Our conversations, our partnership we had the last couple weeks has been really competitive about evening the playing field in terms of what we all have and he wants to win.

“He wants to win and I love that. I love that.”

Colton Sulley covers the  Oklahoma Sooners  for The Oklahoman. Have a story idea for Colton? He can be reached at csulley@oklahoman.com or on X/Twitter at @colton_sulley. Support Colton's work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at subscribe.oklahoman.com.

OU vs. Colorado

TIPOFF:7 p.m. Wednesday at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas (FS1)

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Porter Moser 'really appreciated' vote of confidence from Roger Denny