Porter Moser gives inspiring postgame speech as OU fights for NCAA Tournament spot

Although most, if not all, of Oklahoma's fan base lost hope for this men's college basketball season a long time ago, head coach Porter Moser, even on the hot seat, took Journey's advice and never stopped believing, and it might actually pay off.

Moser was fired up Tuesday night after the Sooners beat Missouri 80-64 on Senior Night at Lloyd Noble Center for OU's third win a row. The Sooners still have a long ways to go in little time at 16-14 and 6-11 in SEC play, but Moser during an inspiring postgame speech that OU shared made it clear that he still believes the Sooners can make a run to the NCAA Tournament.

Sooners have March Madness hope again under Porter Moser

"Man, what pride you guys have, man," Moser told his team in the locker room on video. "What pride you guys have. I'm just telling you. I mean, what pride you guys have. You're playing your best basketball.

"You believe in a path when no one else believes there's a path. Why not Oklahoma, man? I'm telling you, we got opportunities, and you just knocked down another one right in front of you."

A coach of a team with a losing conference record might sound crazy shouting this, but he has proven reasons to believe after the Sooners just snuck into the NCAA Tournament last year despite a losing record in SEC play. The Sooners used a late winning streak then to propel into the NCAA Tournament a year ago, and although it's an even longer shot this time, it's still at least possible after the Sooners' recent surge.

Moser and his team got some confirmation that their March Madness dreams could actually be a reality when ESPN Bracketologist Joe Lunardi shortly after OU's win all of a sudden listed the Sooners on the NCAA Tournament bubble. It was the first time since January that OU was included on Lunardi's bracket projections.

If anything, even for those who desperately want Moser gone, he and this team at least deserve respect from fans for their fight and never giving up, even after a nine-game losing streak with a head coach certainly on his way out.

The Sooners will finish the regular season with a trip to Texas on Saturday before next week's SEC Men's Basketball Tournament.