Oklahoma Sooners suffered a historic 68-64 loss to East Texas A&M in their season opener on Monday, a result that ranks as the second-largest point-spread upset in the last 30 years according to ESPN Research. The Lions, a 28.5-point underdog, paid out at just over 58-to-1 odds for an outright win.
Game Summary
East Texas A&M, picked to finish last in the Southland Conference, earned its first victory over a high-major program. Oklahoma missed 15 free throws, finishing 17-for-32 (53%) from the line. Returning players Derrion Reid and BJ Edwards, who each shot over 76% last season, combined to go 6-for-15. The Sooners also committed 15 turnovers. Power-conference teams went 53-1 against mid-major or low-major opponents on opening night, with Oklahoma providing the lone loss.
The defeat drops Oklahoma to -0.98 Wins Above Bubble (WAB), a metric used by the NCAA Tournament seeding committee. The Sooners face Mississippi Valley State on Friday with a 99% win probability, but a victory would only raise their WAB to -0.97.
Coach Reaction
Head coach Porter Moser apologized to the fanbase, saying, "The things you do in a game like this in basketball that gets you beat, we did." Moser, who entered the season on the hot seat after only one NCAA Tournament appearance in five years, fell to 31-1 in Quad 4 games at Oklahoma. Star point guard Xzayvier Brown missed the game with a leg injury, but Moser refused to use that as an excuse.
East Texas A&M Performance
The Lions led by 16 points in the second half. Hutchinson Community College transfer Bo Aldridge scored a game-high 22 points with five assists. French freshman forward Mohamed Diakite added 15 points, seven rebounds, two assists, three steals, and the game-sealing dunk. Coach Jaret Von Rosenberg praised his team's composure.
About East Texas A&M
Located in Commerce, Texas, about 66 miles northeast of Dallas, East Texas A&M is part of the Texas A&M University System. As of 2023, the school enrolled 11,500 students, with just over 8,000 undergraduates. The program won the 2017 NCAA Division II football national championship. Current West Virginia coach Ross Hodge played there from 2001-03 when it was known as Texas A&M-Commerce. The university has had six names since its founding as East Texas Normal College in 1889.
