Nijel Pack Makes Highly-Anticipated Return to Rupp Arena

When you think of SEC basketball star power, the first player that comes to mind is Nijel Pack. He’s clearly one of the most gifted players in the league and has a long track record to back it up.

Okay, I may be completely full of it. A few weeks back, I was stunned to hear Pack’s name during an SEC Now highlight package. I took that bit of information to the KSR Happy Hour and now it’s the one fact I can share about the Oklahoma Sooners. That’s because it feels like a decade ago when Pack created the first big stink for college basketball in the NIL and transfer portal era.

After averaging more than 17 points per game during his second year at Kansas State, he transferred to Miami ahead of the 2022-23 season. John Ruiz from LifeWallet arranged a lucrative deal worth $800,000. When that figure became public, it nearly drove away Miami star Isaiah Wong, who threatened to leave the program if he did not receive more NIL money.

Ultimately, Ruiz ponied up to keep Wong at The U. The investment worked. Miami went to its first-ever Final Four in 2023.

After their run to the Final Four, Miami drew Kentucky in the ACC/SEC Challenge. The Canes were undefeated and the No. 8 team in the country. Kentucky blew the Canes off the court, setting the tone for what would be a disappointing season.

It was a five-point game at halftime. That’s when the Cats hit a different gear. Reed Sheppard scored 13 of his 21 points after intermission as Kentucky shot 67% from the field in the second half. Kentucky led by 24 points at the 14-minute mark, cruising to a 95-73 win. Pack was just 1-6 from the field, finishing with two points and three turnovers.

Nijel Pack, who leads the Oklahoma Sooners in scoring, will make his return to Rupp Arena tomorrow.

The last time he was in town, he dropped 2 points for Miami in a 95-73 loss to the Cats. Rob, Reed, and Reeves combined for 41 points on 8-14 3PT shooting. pic.twitter.com/jSqeTtbhYH

— WT – Mo D Enthusiast (@WildcatsTongue) February 3, 2026

Nijel Pack at Oklahoma

The following year, Jim Larranaga retired in the middle of the season. The abrupt decision happened just after Pack suffered a season-ending injury. He opted to apply for a medical hardship and transferred to Oklahoma this offseason.

Now at his third school in six years, Pack is shooting 42.8% from three-point land, the fourth-highest mark in the SEC. The 5-10 point guard leads the Sooners in scoring with 16.3 points per game. He’s scored 20+ points in three straight games, but they’ve all been losses. Earlier in SEC play, they had a chance to secure a signature win at Alabama, but Pack’s potential game-winning three in the final seconds fell off the rim.

If Oklahoma wants to turn its season around and snap an 8-game losing streak, the Sooners need a big night from Nijel Pack. If history repeats itself and he has another 2-point performance at Rupp, Big Blue Nation could enjoy a runaway victory.