Happy Tuesday, friends and fans!

On Monday, former Oklahoma Sooners forward Victor Iwuakor officially transferred to and signed with the UNLV Runnin’ Rebels where he’ll join Kevin Kruger (Lon Kruger’s son) in his first season as a head coach. He also follows Carlin Hartman, who has joined the UNLV staff.

In his two seasons at OU, Iwuakor showed flashes of his high motor and elite athleticism in a limited role. In 49 total contests, the 6’7 Nigeria native averaged 2.7 points and 2.5 rebounds per game. His career-best scoring output came against Maryland-Eastern Shore in 2019, when he logged 13 points on 4-6 shooting from the field and 5-6 from the line. Meanwhile, his best day as a rebounder happened this past season when he secured 10 boards against Texas Tech.

With this past campaign not counting against student-athletes’ eligibility, Iwuakor still has three seasons remaining to play once he arrives at UNLV. He will also be immediately eligible to compete this fall.

Including Iwuakor, Oklahoma will likely enter the 2021-22 college basketball season without at least six players from last season’s roster. Guard Trey Phipps has transferred to Oral Roberts, forwards Brady Manek and Anyang Garang are in the transfer portal, and guards Austin Reaves and De’Vion Harmon have both declared for the 2021 NBA Draft. Not to mention the turnover on the coaching staff with Porter Moser checking in in place of Lon Kruger. The next 12 months are going to be quite interesting for Sooner Hoops.

Now onto today’s Hot Links! OU makes a few minor adjustments to GFOMS, another day, another softball accolade, the Bears bury the Bulldogs in Indy and more!

OU Links

• On Wednesday, a press conference will take place to formally introduce Porter Moser as the next head coach for Oklahoma men’s basketball. The event is set to begin at 10 a.m. CT and will be streamed live online at SoonerSportsTV.

• Speaking of which, the big man landed in Norman today.

• On Thursday, OU’s all-time conference championship and bowl win totals displayed outside Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium were updated. The Sooners won their 50th conference title over the Iowa State Cyclones at the end of the 2020 season and followed it up with their 30th postseason victory against the Florida Gators in the Cotton Bowl.

• Creed Humphrey is arguably the most gifted center in the 2021 NFL Draft class, but can he buck the trend and become a rare first-round pick from his position? The Tulsa World’s Guerin Emig explores that question.
• For the third time this season, freshman Tiare Jennings has been named Big 12 Player of the Week. Over the weekend, the young slugger went six for nine at the plate, recorded a home run and logged a total of six RBI in a series sweep over the Kansas Jayhawks.

• Speaking of standout Sooners, today is National Student Athlete Day! In the many decades of this university’s existence, there have been some all-time phenoms who excelled both in the classroom and on the field of play. Take some time to remember those incredible individuals and all that they accomplished at Oklahoma. Boomer!

Around the Sports World

• Scott Drew and his Baylor Bears are the 2021 National Champions after dismantling the previously unbeaten Gonzaga Bulldogs on Monday, 86-70. This is the first national title in BU’s program history.

• Former Wisconsin Badgers head coach and long time UW Athletic Director Barry Alvarez is set to retire at the end of June.
• Travis Goff — former Deputy Director of Athletics at Northwestern — has reportedly agreed to return to his alma mater and become the next Kansas Jayhawks AD. KU’s former AD, Jeff Long, stepped down shortly after the school dismissed head football coach Les Miles following a conduct investigation from his time at LSU.
• On Monday, the Carolina Panthers acquired QB Sam Darnold from the New York Jets in exchange for three draft picks.
• The Los Angeles Clippers have signed veteran center DeMarcus Cousins to a 10-day contract. The Clips are currently third in the Western Conference standings with over five weeks remaining in the NBA regular season.

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