For the first time as Oklahoma's men's basketball coach, Porter Moser is getting a bonus for something his team accomplished on the court.
The Sooners made the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2021 and first time in four seasons under Moser. OU got the 9-seed in the West Region and will play the 8-seed UConn Huskies in the first round on Friday night.
Moser leapt out of his chair when Oklahoma was announced on Selection Sunday. It wasn't a guarantee his team would get in after a late three-game winning streak got OU from the outside looking in to into the field of 68.
The Sooners' name getting announced and punching their ticket to the NCAA Tournament earned Moser a $50,000 bonus, according to sportcasting.com.
There are still more bonuses on the table for Moser if the Sooners make a run. It's a long shot for OU, though, since it has the two-time defending national champions in the first round, then likely the SEC champions and 1-seed Florida Gators waiting in the second round.
But Moser has defied odds in March Madness before, which is why OU hired him. Loyola Chicago made a Cinderella run to the Final Four in 2018 with Moser at the helm.
If the Sooners get past UConn and Florida to the Sweet 16, Moser will get another bonus of $100,000. OU getting to the Final Four gets Moser $250,000, and he gets paid $500,000 for a national championship.
Even that $500,000 bonus would save OU money, though, considering the direction the Sooners were headed. Moser likely saved his job with the Sooners' late run and NCAA Tournament berth.
Firing Moser after this season would have cost OU about $7.65 million. And that doesn't include the price tag to lure in its next coach and the talent he needs to succeed.
The cost of winning is still a lot cheaper than the price of losing.