Jay C. Upchurch
2/24/2006, 12:59 PM
Oklahoma vs. Kansas State
GAME INFORMATION
Ranked No. 22 in this week's AP poll and No. 20 in the ESPN/USA Today
version, Oklahoma (18-6, 9-4) plays host to Kansas State (14-10, 5-8) on
Saturday at 3 p.m. CST inside Lloyd Noble Center. The game will air on
the Sooner Radio Network (flagship KOKC 1520 AM in Oklahoma City) with
Bob Barry Sr. (play-by-play) and Mike Houck (analyst) calling the
action. The contest will be televised by ESPN Plus (KOCB 34/Cox 11 in
OKC and KWBT 19/Cox 12 in Tulsa) with Bob Carpenter (play-by-play) and
Paul Splittorff (analyst) announcing.
REPLICA JERSEY PROMOTION
The first 200 OU students to the CrimZone student section areas on
Saturday will receive a free OU replica jersey of Kevin Bookout, Terrell
Everett or Taj Gray. Doors open at 1 p.m. for OU students.
TICKET INFORMATION
A limited number of reserved seat tickets for Saturday's game are
available for $20 and can be purchased online at SoonerSports.com and
from the OU Athletics Ticket Office (800-456-4668 or 405-325-2424). If
reserved tickets sell out, $20 restricted admission tickets will be
available Saturday at Lloyd Noble Center's north and east windows
beginning at 1:30 p.m.
SENIOR NIGHT PLANS
Monday's home finale against Oklahoma State will mark the last home game for seniors Kevin Bookout, Terrell Everett and Taj Gray. The three will be honored prior to the game (at approximately 7:45 p.m.) and will also address the crowd following the game. Reserved seat tickets for the
Bedlam contest are sold out, but $20 restricted admission tickets will
be sold Monday beginning at 6:30 p.m. at Lloyd Noble's north and east
windows.
NOTEWORTHY
OU has won seven straight against Kansas State and four consecutive in
Norman ... Michael Neal has made 26 3-pointers over the last four games
(6.5 average) ... Terrell Everett ranks third in the nation in assists
(6.7 per game) ... OU is tied with UConn for the nation's best average
rebounding margin (+10.9) ... Oklahoma has won 29 of its last 31 home
games and 77 of its last 83.
OKLAHOMA PROJECTED STARTERS
F 21 Taj Gray (6-9, 238, Sr., 14.0 ppg, 8.1 rpg, 1.4 bpg)
F 34 Kevin Bookout (6-8, 270, Sr., 11.3 ppg, 7.1 rpg, 0.6 spg)
G 2 Michael Neal (6-3, 191, Jr., 13.4 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 1.8 apg)
G 3 Terrell Everett (6-4, 188, Sr., 12.6 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 6.7 apg)
G 15 David Godbold (6-5, 217, Jr., 5.6 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 1.5 apg)
KANSAS STATE PROJECTED STARTERS
F 21 Dramane Diarra (6-8, 245, Sr., 4.9 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 1.6 bpg)
G 15 David Hoskins (6-5, 225, So., 12.6 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 2.1 apg)
G 20 Cartier Martin (6-7, 220, Jr., 18.1 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 1.9 apg)
G 22 Mario Taybron (6-2, 195, Jr., 4.7 ppg, 1.4 rpg, 2.5 apg)
G 34 Akeem Wright (6-6, 190, Jr., 5.8 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 2.6 apg)
OU UPDATE
Kevin Bookout's tip-in with 4.5 seconds left at Texas Tech Monday night
gave the Sooners their fourth win in the last five games and their ninth
in the last 11 outings. Oklahoma had to weather a last-second miss by
Tech's Jarrius Jackson before it could celebrate the 71-70 triumph.
Michael Neal continued his torrid stretch of 3-point shooting as he was
5-for-8 from 3-point range and finished with a team-high 18 points. It
marked the fourth straight game he made at least five treys and the
fourth consecutive contest he paced OU in scoring. Taj Gray notched his
fifth double-double of the year with 13 points and 13 boards while
Bookout finished with 12 points. Terrell Everett added 10 points and a
game-high eight assists. The Sooners dominated the Red Raiders on the
boards, 45-24, and posted a 17-5 advantage on the offensive glass.
Neal is averaging 17.4 points over the last 10 games on 47-for-86 (.547)
3-point shooting. He has made at least four treys in eight of those 10
outings and has netted 26 triples over the past four games. Usually
OU's sixth man, Neal has started the last three games in place of Austin
Johnson (injured right ankle) and is averaging 24.3 points and 6.7 treys
over the three outings. He was 7-for-14 from 3-point range at Colorado
Feb. 15 and scored a then-career-high 26 points before netting eight
more treys on 12 attempts en route to 29 points versus Iowa State last
Saturday. Neal, who missed OU's first two league games with a strained
groin (the Sooners lost both by a combined three points), is averaging
13.4 points on the year and leads the Big 12 with 3.5 treys per game and
a .443 3-point percentage.
Everett, who ranks third in the nation with his 6.7 assists average, has
scored in double figures in 12 of OU's 13 conference games. In league
play, the senior guard is averaging 14.5 points, 4.5 boards, a
league-best 7.1 assists and 1.8 steals. He has led OU in assists in 21
of 24 games this season.
Gray, a senior forward, leads Oklahoma in both scoring and rebounding
this year with his 14.0 and 8.1 averages. He is shooting .566 from the
field to rank third in the Big 12 and has shot .500 or better from the
field in 19 of the team's 24 games this year. Bookout, another senior
forward, has played the last nine games with a fractured navicular bone
in his left wrist (he sustained the injury Jan. 21 in OU's first game
against Texas Tech) and has averaged 9.9 points and 6.0 boards during
the stretch. Bookout ranks fourth on the squad in scoring and second in
rebounding with his 11.3 and 7.1 season averages. Owner of OU's
second-best career field goal percentage (.575), he is shooting .563
this year. Bookout was also recently named an ESPN The Magazine
First-Team Academic All-District selection, making him eligible for
Academic All-America acclaim.
MONDAY'S LEFTOVERS
* OU was 7-for-14 from 3-point range, marking the eighth time in the
last nine games it shot at least .400 from deep.
* Michael Neal was 5-for-8 on 3-pointers and ran his streak of shooting
.500 or better from long range to five games.
* The Sooners posted a 45-24 rebounding advantage and have outboarded 21 of their 24 opponents this year.
* OU led by 10 (62-52) with 7:35 left before Tech used an 18-6 run to go
up by two (70-68) with 1:08 remaining.
* The Sooners swept the regular season series with the Red Raiders for
the fourth time in 10 Big 12 seasons.
* Oklahoma's bench outscored Texas Tech's, 14-4. Nate Carter had seven
points, Longar Longar four and Austin Johnson three.
ABOUT KANSAS STATE
After a 4-5 conference start that featured a 59-55 win at Kansas on Jan.
14, Kansas State has dropped three of its last four games. The
Wildcats, who are coming off a 65-64 home loss to No. 7 Texas on
Wednesday, are 13-3 at home this season and 1-7 on the road. They are
1-5 in Big 12 road games. K-State ranks third in the conference (league
games) in field goal percentage defense (.399) and fourth in rebounding
margin (+3.2). Only two opponents this season have shot .500 or better
from the floor.
OU Sports Information Dept.
GAME INFORMATION
Ranked No. 22 in this week's AP poll and No. 20 in the ESPN/USA Today
version, Oklahoma (18-6, 9-4) plays host to Kansas State (14-10, 5-8) on
Saturday at 3 p.m. CST inside Lloyd Noble Center. The game will air on
the Sooner Radio Network (flagship KOKC 1520 AM in Oklahoma City) with
Bob Barry Sr. (play-by-play) and Mike Houck (analyst) calling the
action. The contest will be televised by ESPN Plus (KOCB 34/Cox 11 in
OKC and KWBT 19/Cox 12 in Tulsa) with Bob Carpenter (play-by-play) and
Paul Splittorff (analyst) announcing.
REPLICA JERSEY PROMOTION
The first 200 OU students to the CrimZone student section areas on
Saturday will receive a free OU replica jersey of Kevin Bookout, Terrell
Everett or Taj Gray. Doors open at 1 p.m. for OU students.
TICKET INFORMATION
A limited number of reserved seat tickets for Saturday's game are
available for $20 and can be purchased online at SoonerSports.com and
from the OU Athletics Ticket Office (800-456-4668 or 405-325-2424). If
reserved tickets sell out, $20 restricted admission tickets will be
available Saturday at Lloyd Noble Center's north and east windows
beginning at 1:30 p.m.
SENIOR NIGHT PLANS
Monday's home finale against Oklahoma State will mark the last home game for seniors Kevin Bookout, Terrell Everett and Taj Gray. The three will be honored prior to the game (at approximately 7:45 p.m.) and will also address the crowd following the game. Reserved seat tickets for the
Bedlam contest are sold out, but $20 restricted admission tickets will
be sold Monday beginning at 6:30 p.m. at Lloyd Noble's north and east
windows.
NOTEWORTHY
OU has won seven straight against Kansas State and four consecutive in
Norman ... Michael Neal has made 26 3-pointers over the last four games
(6.5 average) ... Terrell Everett ranks third in the nation in assists
(6.7 per game) ... OU is tied with UConn for the nation's best average
rebounding margin (+10.9) ... Oklahoma has won 29 of its last 31 home
games and 77 of its last 83.
OKLAHOMA PROJECTED STARTERS
F 21 Taj Gray (6-9, 238, Sr., 14.0 ppg, 8.1 rpg, 1.4 bpg)
F 34 Kevin Bookout (6-8, 270, Sr., 11.3 ppg, 7.1 rpg, 0.6 spg)
G 2 Michael Neal (6-3, 191, Jr., 13.4 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 1.8 apg)
G 3 Terrell Everett (6-4, 188, Sr., 12.6 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 6.7 apg)
G 15 David Godbold (6-5, 217, Jr., 5.6 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 1.5 apg)
KANSAS STATE PROJECTED STARTERS
F 21 Dramane Diarra (6-8, 245, Sr., 4.9 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 1.6 bpg)
G 15 David Hoskins (6-5, 225, So., 12.6 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 2.1 apg)
G 20 Cartier Martin (6-7, 220, Jr., 18.1 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 1.9 apg)
G 22 Mario Taybron (6-2, 195, Jr., 4.7 ppg, 1.4 rpg, 2.5 apg)
G 34 Akeem Wright (6-6, 190, Jr., 5.8 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 2.6 apg)
OU UPDATE
Kevin Bookout's tip-in with 4.5 seconds left at Texas Tech Monday night
gave the Sooners their fourth win in the last five games and their ninth
in the last 11 outings. Oklahoma had to weather a last-second miss by
Tech's Jarrius Jackson before it could celebrate the 71-70 triumph.
Michael Neal continued his torrid stretch of 3-point shooting as he was
5-for-8 from 3-point range and finished with a team-high 18 points. It
marked the fourth straight game he made at least five treys and the
fourth consecutive contest he paced OU in scoring. Taj Gray notched his
fifth double-double of the year with 13 points and 13 boards while
Bookout finished with 12 points. Terrell Everett added 10 points and a
game-high eight assists. The Sooners dominated the Red Raiders on the
boards, 45-24, and posted a 17-5 advantage on the offensive glass.
Neal is averaging 17.4 points over the last 10 games on 47-for-86 (.547)
3-point shooting. He has made at least four treys in eight of those 10
outings and has netted 26 triples over the past four games. Usually
OU's sixth man, Neal has started the last three games in place of Austin
Johnson (injured right ankle) and is averaging 24.3 points and 6.7 treys
over the three outings. He was 7-for-14 from 3-point range at Colorado
Feb. 15 and scored a then-career-high 26 points before netting eight
more treys on 12 attempts en route to 29 points versus Iowa State last
Saturday. Neal, who missed OU's first two league games with a strained
groin (the Sooners lost both by a combined three points), is averaging
13.4 points on the year and leads the Big 12 with 3.5 treys per game and
a .443 3-point percentage.
Everett, who ranks third in the nation with his 6.7 assists average, has
scored in double figures in 12 of OU's 13 conference games. In league
play, the senior guard is averaging 14.5 points, 4.5 boards, a
league-best 7.1 assists and 1.8 steals. He has led OU in assists in 21
of 24 games this season.
Gray, a senior forward, leads Oklahoma in both scoring and rebounding
this year with his 14.0 and 8.1 averages. He is shooting .566 from the
field to rank third in the Big 12 and has shot .500 or better from the
field in 19 of the team's 24 games this year. Bookout, another senior
forward, has played the last nine games with a fractured navicular bone
in his left wrist (he sustained the injury Jan. 21 in OU's first game
against Texas Tech) and has averaged 9.9 points and 6.0 boards during
the stretch. Bookout ranks fourth on the squad in scoring and second in
rebounding with his 11.3 and 7.1 season averages. Owner of OU's
second-best career field goal percentage (.575), he is shooting .563
this year. Bookout was also recently named an ESPN The Magazine
First-Team Academic All-District selection, making him eligible for
Academic All-America acclaim.
MONDAY'S LEFTOVERS
* OU was 7-for-14 from 3-point range, marking the eighth time in the
last nine games it shot at least .400 from deep.
* Michael Neal was 5-for-8 on 3-pointers and ran his streak of shooting
.500 or better from long range to five games.
* The Sooners posted a 45-24 rebounding advantage and have outboarded 21 of their 24 opponents this year.
* OU led by 10 (62-52) with 7:35 left before Tech used an 18-6 run to go
up by two (70-68) with 1:08 remaining.
* The Sooners swept the regular season series with the Red Raiders for
the fourth time in 10 Big 12 seasons.
* Oklahoma's bench outscored Texas Tech's, 14-4. Nate Carter had seven
points, Longar Longar four and Austin Johnson three.
ABOUT KANSAS STATE
After a 4-5 conference start that featured a 59-55 win at Kansas on Jan.
14, Kansas State has dropped three of its last four games. The
Wildcats, who are coming off a 65-64 home loss to No. 7 Texas on
Wednesday, are 13-3 at home this season and 1-7 on the road. They are
1-5 in Big 12 road games. K-State ranks third in the conference (league
games) in field goal percentage defense (.399) and fourth in rebounding
margin (+3.2). Only two opponents this season have shot .500 or better
from the floor.
OU Sports Information Dept.