Great deal of urgency along that path’: Moser, team face challenging road to tournament
Oklahoma senior forward Sam Godwin has been down the senior night road before.
Last year, while still mulling the decision to return for one more year to OU thanks to a bonus year of eligibility, the forward was honored in the Sooners’ final regular season home game. Godwin went through the ceremony and walked away with a framed jersey, as is tradition for the OU basketball seniors.
On Wednesday night when the No. 15 Missouri Tigers (21-8, 10-6) come to town, Godwin will once again be recognized and come away with a second framed jersey.
“Last year my jersey had the Big 12 patch on it,” Godwin said Tuesday afternoon. “This time I’ll get a jersey framed with the SEC patch on it, so that’ll be a cool item for me to have.”
Godwin comes into his second senior night performance playing some of his best basketball in an OU uniform. In his last three games, the senior forward has shot 15 of 16 from the field and has made his last 14 shot attempts. Over that three-game stretch, Godwin is averaging 12 points and 6.3 rebounds.
“It’s been good to get back into a rhythm,” Godwin said. “At this time of year, everyone wants to be playing their best basketball. So I’m glad that I’ve been able to get into this groove recently.”
Godwin is not the lone senior being recognized Wednesday night. Also being recognized is Brycen Goodine, Duke Miles, Kobe Elvis, Glenn Taylor Jr, Yaya Keita, Jake Moser, and, of course, Jalon Moore.
Moore, who could have entered his name into the NBA Draft at the conclusion of last year, decided to come back to Oklahoma for one final go around with the Sooners. In his final season with the Sooners, Moore has averaged a career-best 16.6 points per game on 48.9 percent shooting as well as 5.7 rebounds.
“It will be a little emotional for sure,” Moore said Tuesday afternoon. “But it’ll be great to get the chance to play one final time in front of the fans and leave it all out there.”
“Jalon is one of those guys who is the epitome of why people get into coaching,” head coach Porter Moser said Tuesday. “To see the growth that he has had since he came here two years ago from Georgia Tech to where he is now is just incredible. It’s been a joy to watch.”
It’s without question that Moore has been the leader of this Oklahoma team through this season. And while Wednesday will be another opportunity for Moore to get praise for his role with the Sooners this year and last year, there is still an important task at hand for the Sooners: collecting victories.