East Washington transfer Tanner Groves, one of the stars of the NCAA tournament, has pledged to Oklahoma to play basketball, sources told ESPN.
Groves, a 6-foot, nine-footer, earned the Big Sky Conference Player of the Year award after averaging 17.2 points and 8.0 rebounds last season. He shot 34.9% from 3-point range and 56% from the field. He added nine doubles doubles, including 14 points and 14 boards in the Big Sky title game against Montana State.
Groves increased his actions dramatically in the NCAA tournament, scoring 35 points and scoring five triples in a first-round loss to Kansas. Eastern Washington won double digits in Kansas in the second half before the Jayhawks returned.
Less than a week later, Portland hired Eagles coach Shantay Legans, and Groves decided to enter the transfer portal.
He had cut his roster in the fourth final of the States of Sooners, Portland, Texas and Washington before Sunday’s decision.
Groves is the first major addition to new Oklahoma coach Porter Moser since arriving in Norman to replace Lon Kruger, who retired after the season. Moser needed a replacement for striker Brady Manek, who moved to North Carolina last week.
Tanner’s brother, Jacob Groves, also entered the transfer portal last month. It is unclear whether he will follow his brother from eastern Washington to Oklahoma.