Porter Moser and the No. 14-ranked Oklahoma Sooners improved to 11-0 on the season with a thrilling 87-86 comeback victory over Michigan on Wednesday night in the Jumpman Invitational. The Sooners trailed for most of the game but mounted a late 9-0 run to take the lead in the second half. Freshman Jeremiah Fears sealed the win in dramatic fashion, delivering a game-winning four-point play in the final seconds.

With the win, Oklahoma moved up two spots in the KenPom rankings, landing at No. 36. KenPom, a forecasting platform known for its in-depth ratings and advanced analytics, also saw Michigan drop 3 spots to No. 25

Fears stole the show for the Sooners, turning in a career night with 30 points on 8-12 shooting from the field and 3-4 from behind the arc. Fears, who ranks in the top 10 nationally in usage rate, once again led Oklahoma in that category with a usage rate of 36%. In addition to his scoring, he dished out four assists. His offensive rating — which measures points scored per 100 possessions — came in at an impressive 138, tying Duke Miles, who finished with 17 points, 15 of which came in the second half.

Glenn Taylor quietly played a critical role as well, logging 29 minutes — second only to Fears — and leading the team in offensive rating at 169. Taylor filled the stat sheet with 9 points, 5 rebounds, 3 steals, and 2 blocks. While Fears, Miles, and Jalon Moore (16 points) carried the scoring load for Oklahoma, Michigan’s Vlad Goldin earned game MVP honors despite the loss. Goldin was a problem for Oklahoma all night, finishing with 26 points and 10 rebounds.

Fears, Miles, and Sam Godwin continue to rank among the nation’s best in various statistical categories following the win. Fears is 10th in usage rate, 56th in assist rate, 50th in steal percentage, and 59th in fouls drawn per 40 minutes — something he showcased against Michigan by going 11-13 from the free throw line. Miles ranks 65th in steal percentage, and Godwin sits at 10th in offensive rebound percentage.

Oklahoma’s win over Michigan boosted its strength of schedule ranking from 314th nationally to 258th. The Sooners’ offensive rating of 118.1 now places them 24th in the country, while their defensive rating of 100.4 is 65th. Their faster pace of play this season has been noticeable as well, with Oklahoma now averaging 67.8 possessions per game, ranking 208th nationally.

Looking ahead, KenPom projects the Sooners to finish the season 21-10 with an 8-10 record in conference play. Oklahoma is heavily favored to win its next matchup against Central Arkansas, ranked 342nd in KenPom, with an anticipated score of 86-59. That game is set for Sunday, December 22nd, at 12:00 p.m.

Now, let’s dive into the analytics:

AP: 14th

NET: 39th

KenPom: 36th

BartTorvik: 45th

EvanMiya: 31st

Scoring offense: 81.5 (65th)

Scoring defense: 65.9 (62nd)

Field goal percentage: 47.8% (71st)

3-point percentage: 36.3% (85th)

Free throw percentage: 78.9% (19th)

Assists per game: 14.9 (127th)

Rebounds per game: 33.6 (295th)

Blocks per game: 1.9 (333rd)

Steals per game: 10.2 (15th)

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