Jay C. Upchurch
3/8/2006, 11:25 PM
CHAMPIONSHIP INFORMATION
from OU Sports Information Dept.
The recipient of a first-round bye for the eighth time in 10 Phillips 66
Big 12 Championships, Oklahoma (20-7 overall, 11-5 Big 12) is the No. 3
seed in this year's event, to be played at American Airlines Center in
Dallas. The Sooners are ranked No. 22 in this week's AP poll and No. 19
in the ESPN/USA Today version. Texas, Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas A&M
are the top four seeds, respectively, and will not play Thursday. OU
will begin its quest for a fourth Big 12 Tournament title in the last
six years on Friday at 8:20 p.m. CST against the winner of Thursday's
Nebraska (No. 6 seed) versus Missouri (No. 11 seed) contest. If OU wins
on Friday, it will play a semifinal contest Saturday at 3:20 p.m.
Sunday's championship game will start at 2 p.m. CST.
All of OU's Big 12 Championship games will air live on the Sooner
Basketball Radio Network (flagship KOKC 1520 AM in Oklahoma City) with
Bob Barry, Sr. (play-by-play) and Mike Houck (analyst) calling the
action. The Sooners' Friday contest will be televised by ESPN Plus
(KOCB channel 34 in Oklahoma City and KJRH Channel 2 in Tulsa) and ESPNU
(DirecTV channel 609). Saturday's semifinal contests will be televised
by ESPN Plus in Big 12 markets and by ESPN2 outside of the region.
Sunday's championship game will be shown nationally by ESPN.
OKLAHOMA AND THE BIG 12 CHAMPIONSHIP
* Oklahoma has claimed three Big 12 Championship titles, tying Kansas
for the most in league history. OU won in 2001, '02 and '03.
* OU has made five Big 12 Championship title game appearances in the
nine previous events. Kansas has made four, Oklahoma State has made
three while Missouri and Texas have made two each. Iowa State has made
one.
* OU's 17-6 (.739) Big 12 Championship record stands as the league's
best. Kansas is 16-6 (.727), Oklahoma State is 12-7 (.632), Missouri is
12-9 (.571) and Texas is 9-9 (.500).
* Oklahoma is 11-2 over the last five Big 12 Championships. It won a
record-tying 10 straight games before losing to Texas in 2004.
OKLAHOMA PROJECTED STARTERS
F 21 Taj Gray (6-9, 238, Sr., 14.4 ppg, 7.7 rpg, 1.5 bpg)
F 34 Kevin Bookout (6-8, 270, Sr., 11.1 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 0.6 spg)
G 2 Michael Neal (6-3, 191, Jr., 13.0 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 2.0 apg)
G 3 Terrell Everett (6-4, 188, Sr., 12.3 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 6.6 apg)
G 15 David Godbold (6-5, 217, Jr., 5.3 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 1.6 apg)
TOP RESERVES
F 24 Nate Carter (6-6, 220, Jr., 6.4 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 0.6 apg)
F 34 Taylor Griffin (6-7, 232, Fr., 3.2 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 0.5 apg)
G 20 Austin Johnson (6-3, 168, Fr., 2.9 ppg, 2.1 rpg, 1.8 apg)
C 30 Longar Longar (6-11, 225, So., 2.1 ppg, 2.0 rpg, *0.5 bpg)
G 1 Chris Walker (6-3, 188, Jr., 1.2 ppg, 0.8 rpg, 1.2 apg)
OU UPDATE
The Sooners, who entered Sunday's game at Texas riding a four-game
winning streak (all four by one point), sustained their first
double-digit conference loss of the season, 72-48. OU shot .420 from
the field and .267 (4-for-15) from 3-point range while the Longhorns
posted .482 and .375 (9-for-24) figures. Oklahoma outrebounded Texas
28-27, but committed twice as many turnovers (14-7).
Junior guard Michael Neal, OUs leading scorer in Big 12 games (14.8
ppg), is averaging 15.7 points over the last 13 games on 53-for-105
(.505) 3-point shooting and was named the Big 12 Newcomer of the Year on
Monday. He has made at least four treys in eight of those 13 outings
and has netted 32 triples over the past seven games. Usually OU's sixth
man, Neal has started the last six games in place of Austin Johnson
(injured right ankle) and is averaging 17.2 points and 4.3 treys over
those six outings. Included in those six games were a 26-point
performance at Colorado (seven treys) and a career-high 29-point effort
against Iowa State (eight treys). Neal, who missed OU's first two
league games with a strained groin (the Sooners lost both by a combined
three points), led the Big 12 in conference play with his .495 3-point
percentage and 3.9 treys per game.
Senior guard Terrell Everett, who leads the Big 12 and ranks sixth in
the nation with his 6.6 assists average, scored in double figures in 14
of OU's 16 conference games. In league play, Everett averaged 13.7
points, 3.9 boards, a Big 12-best 6.9 assists and 1.9 steals. He has
led OU in assists in 22 of 27 games this season and was named a
second-team All-Big 12 selection on Monday.
Taj Gray, a senior forward who also earned second-team All-Big 12 honors
and was named to the league's all-defensive team, leads Oklahoma in both
scoring and rebounding this year with his 14.4 and 7.7 averages. He is
shooting .572 from the field to rank third in the Big 12 and has shot
.500 or better from the field in 22 of the team's 27 games this year.
Kevin Bookout, another senior forward, has played the last 12 games with
a fractured navicular bone in his left wrist (he sustained the injury
Jan. 21 against Texas Tech) and has averaged 9.8 points and 5.6 boards
during the stretch. An honorable mention All-Big 12 pick, Bookout ranks
fourth on the squad in scoring and second in rebounding with his 11.1
and 6.8 season averages. Owner of OU's second-best career field goal
percentage (.574), he is shooting .561 this year. Bookout was also
named an ESPN The Magazine third-team Academic All-American on March 1.
He became the fourth men's basketball Academic All-American in OU
history.
OU'S CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY
The Sooners are 40-22 (.645) in conference postseason action (17-6 in
nine seasons of the Big 12 format). Oklahoma has participated in 12
tournament championship games, including five of the last eight, and has
won seven crowns. OU's 2003 title was its third in a row. The Sooners
also earned titles in 1979, 1985, 1988 and 1990. Head coach Kelvin
Sampson is 18-8 in 11 previous tournament appearances (he was 1-2 in the
Big Eight Tourney) and has guided five squads to championship games
(1998, 2000, 2001, 2002 and 2003). For more information on Oklahoma's
Big Eight/Big 12 Championship history, consult pages 132-134 of the
media guide.
A WIN ON FRIDAY WOULD...
* Give Oklahoma 12 victories in its last 14 conference tournament games
and 14 in its last 17.
* Mark the eighth straight season that OU has won its opening Big 12
Championship contest.
* Improve OU to 5-0 in Big 12 Championship quarterfinals play as the No.
3 seed.
* Give the Sooners their seventh straight win in the Big 12 Championship
as the No. 3 seed.
* Improve OU's all-time record at American Airlines Center to 7-1 (the
Sooners went 2-0 in the 2002 NCAA Tournament, 3-0 in the 2003 Big 12
Championship and 1-1 in the 2004 Big 12 Championship).
SERIES WITH NEBRASKA
Oklahoma holds a 102-79 series lead against Nebraska and is 3-3 in
conference tournament play. Kelvin Sampson is 11-4 against the Huskers
as OU's head coach. The Sooners won the only meeting in Big 12
Championship play, a 63-59 decision in the 2004 quarterfinals in Dallas.
OU has won seven of the last eight overall meetings, with the lone loss
coming earlier this season in Lincoln, 59-58, on Jan. 7.
SERIES WITH MISSOURI
Oklahoma holds a 110-92 series lead against Missouri and is 9-5 in
conference tournament play. Kelvin Sampson is 13-9 against the Tigers
as OU's head coach and is 6-2 in the league championship event (the
Sooners won 83-79 in last year's Big 12 quarterfinals in Kansas City).
OU has won 11 of the last 15 overall meetings, but the Tigers have won
each of the last four regular season matchups.
LAST YEAR IN KANSAS CITY
Seeded No. 1 in last year's Big 12 Tournament played at Kemper Arena in
Kansas City, the Sooners outlasted No. 8 seed Missouri in the
quarterfinals, 83-79, before falling to No. 4 seed Texas Tech in the
semis, 69-63. Against the Tigers, OU led by 17 in the first half and by
as many as 15 in the second before MU took four one-point leads in the
last five minutes. Missouri stayed close by making 33-of-36 free throws
on the day while OU was 28-for-33. Terrell Everett led five Sooners in
double figures with his 18 points while Kevin Bookout had a
double-double with 10 points and 11 boards. Linas Kleiza scored a
game-high 33 for the Tigers. The loss to Texas Tech snapped a
seven-game winning streak. Ronald Ross (28) and Jarrius Jackson (22)
combined for 50 of the Red Raiders' 69 points.
QUICK TIPS
* The No. 3 seed in the Big 12 Championship has won four of the nine
titles (tied for most with the No. 1 seed), including three of the last
five.
* This marks the fifth time in the 10 years of the Big 12 Championship
that Oklahoma is the No. 3 seed. OU is 10-2 in the tournament as the
No. 3 seed and has advanced to the title game each of the four previous
occasions. The Sooners won the 2001 and 2003 titles from the third
spot.
* Three of OU's five conference losses came by a combined four points.
* The Sooners have held leads of at least seven points in six of their
seven losses (10 points at Villanova, nine vs. West Virginia, 10 at
Nebraska, seven against Missouri, 16 at Kansas and eight at Colorado).
* OU is 14-0 this year when committing the same number of or fewer
turnovers than its opponents. It is 6-7 when it commits more turnovers.
* Terrell Everett ranked No. 3 nationally in assists (6.8 apg) in last
week's NCAA statistics report. He has led OU in assists in 22 of 27
outings this year and in 46 of his 60 career games.
* Michael Neal has made at least two treys in 21 of his 25 games. In
Big 12 play, he led the conference with his 3.9 treys per game and his
.495 3-point percentage.
* Over the last seven outings, Neal is averaging 17.3 points and 4.6
treys.
* Opponents are shooting .395 from 3-point range (OU ranks last in the
Big 12 in the category). Last year, OU set a school record by allowing
foes to shoot just .292 from beyond the arc.
* OU has registered double-digit offensive boards in 25 of 27 games
while foes have done it 12 times.
* OU posted a 3.14 team grade point average during the fall semester, a
record for the Sooners under 12th-year head coach Kelvin Sampson. Eight
team members posted at least a 3.0 GPA and all 12 registered at least a
2.5.
* The Sooners have won 30 of their last 32 home games and 78 of their
last 84.
GOOD POINT
Seven of Oklahoma's games this year (all in Big 12 play) have been
decided by one point and the Sooners are 5-2 in those contests. Prior
to Sunday's game at Texas, OU played four straight one-point games and
won each of them. Based on polling of the nation's men's basketball
media relations directors, it is believed to be the first time that any
Division I school ever won four consecutive games by one point each.
Here are more notes about OU's one-point games this season...
* OU participated in seven of the nine Big 12 league contests that were
decided by one point.
* The seven one-point decisions are the most in single-season school
history, as are the five victories. Oklahoma played five one-point
games in 1955-56 and 1979-80 and won three one-point decisions in five
different seasons (1944-45, 1961-62, 1969-70, 1997-98 and 1998-99).
* This is just the second time a current Big 12 program has had four
straight games decided by one point. In 1925-26, Oklahoma State played
four consecutive one-point games (it won the first three and lost the
fourth).
* The record for one-point games in a season by a current Big 12 school
is eight by Texas A&M in 1968-69 (it finished with a 6-2 record).
* Kelvin Sampson is 16-4 at Oklahoma in one-point games.
NINE STRAIGHT 20-WIN SEASONS
With its win over Oklahoma State on Feb. 27, Kelvin Sampson has now
coached OU to nine consecutive 20-win seasons. Including this season,
only two other coaches have posted 20 victories each of the last nine
years: Mike Krzyzewski (10) and Jim Calhoun (9). As of Monday, Jim
Boeheim (eight years) and Tubby Smith (12 years) need one more win to
extend their streaks, while Lute Olson needs two more to extend his
streak of 15 straight 20-win campaigns.
THE REAL DEAL
Michael Neal, nicknamed "Real Deal," missed OU's first two Big 12 games
with a strained groin (the Sooners lost both contests by a combined
three points). Neal has returned to play in each of the last 14 games,
11 of them wins. In Big 12 outings, Neal averaged a team-high 14.8
points and shot a league-best .495 from beyond the 3-point arc
(54-for-109). He set a conference record by averaging 3.9 treys per
league contest. Here are more notes on OU's sharpshooter...
* Neal has made 32 treys over the last seven games.
* Neal canned 26 3-pointers over a four-game span (6.5 average) from mid
to late February.
* Neal is averaging 17.2 points and 4.5 treys over the last six games
(all starts). Included was a 26-point game at Colorado (seven treys)
and a career-high 29-point effort versus Iowa State (eight triples).
* Neal has scored in double figures in 11 of the last 13 outings.
* Neal has made at least one 3-pointer in all 25 of his games, at least
two in 21 contests, at least four in 11 outings and at least five in six
games.
* In Big 12 games, Neal led the league in 3-point percentage (.495) and
3-pointers per game (3.9).
* Neal has made at least four 3-pointers in eight of the last 13 games
(he made two treys in three of the other games and three in another).
RETURNED TO FORM
Over the second half of the season, senior guard Terrell Everett has
looked like the player that Kelvin Sampson labeled as OU's MVP last
year. Everett is averaging 14.1 points, 3.5 rebounds, 6.7 assists and
1.9 steals over the last 14 outings (OU is 11-3). Everett's recent
performances are reminiscent of his efforts late last season when he
averaged 15.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, 5.5 assists and 1.7 steals over OU's
final six regular season games to help claim a Big 12 regular season
title (the Sooners were 6-0 in those contests).
ROCK SOLID BOOKOUT
Senior forward Kevin Bookout has, yet again, overcome multiple injuries
and has put together a more-than-solid senior season. A two-time
All-American in the shot put, Bookout averaged 9.9 points and 6.1
rebounds a game while shooting .578 from the field over his first three
years (he missed more than half of his sophomore season with a shoulder
injury). This season, he is averaging 11.1 points and 6.8 rebounds
while shooting .561 from the field. He ranks eighth in the Big 12 in
rebounding with 6.8 per game, despite playing the last 12 contests with
a broken bone in his left wrist. The wrist and his thumb are heavily
taped, limiting his ability to catch and handle the basketball.
MORE BOOKOUT
Against Kansas on Feb. 5, Kevin Bookout became the 34th player in school
history to score 1,000 career points. He now has 1,084 points to rank
29th all-time at OU. Bookout also ranks No. 2 all-time in field goal
percentage (.574) and ranks 14th with 666 career rebounds.
DIME DROPPER
Although he was not recruited to OU as a point guard, senior Terrell
Everett leads the Big 12 and ranks sixth in the nation with his 6.6
assists per game. Over the last seven games he is averaging 8.6
assists. The slender 6-4 lefty, a natural wing who played some point
last year, has led the Sooners in assists 46 times in his 60 career
games, including 22 times in 27 outings this year. He had a career-high
15 assists against Baylor on Feb. 11, 11 against Iowa State on Feb. 18
and 10 more Feb. 25 versus Kansas State.
BIG 12 KING
Kelvin Sampson has amassed 111 regular season Big 12 victories, most in
league history. He is 111-49 (.694) in conference play since the
formation of the Big 12 in 1996-97. Sampson also holds the Big 12
record for most combined regular season and conference tournament wins
(he is 128-55) and holds the mark for most overall wins by a conference
coach since the Big 12 was formed (he is 238-84).
PREACHING PROTECTION
Dating back to the start of the 2003-04 season, Oklahoma has committed
more turnovers than its opponent just 28 times in 91 games (31 percent
of the time). OU finished 20-2 last year when committing fewer (or the
same number of) turnovers than its foe and is 14-0 this year under the
circumstance.
OU BOASTS NATION'S LONGEST POSTSEASON STREAK
Oklahoma has made 24 consecutive postseason appearances (19 NCAA and
five NIT), good for the longest current streak among Division I
programs. The last time OU did not compete in the postseason was in
1980-81. The Sooners have competed in the NCAA Tournament 10 times in
the last 11 seasons.
from OU Sports Information Dept.
The recipient of a first-round bye for the eighth time in 10 Phillips 66
Big 12 Championships, Oklahoma (20-7 overall, 11-5 Big 12) is the No. 3
seed in this year's event, to be played at American Airlines Center in
Dallas. The Sooners are ranked No. 22 in this week's AP poll and No. 19
in the ESPN/USA Today version. Texas, Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas A&M
are the top four seeds, respectively, and will not play Thursday. OU
will begin its quest for a fourth Big 12 Tournament title in the last
six years on Friday at 8:20 p.m. CST against the winner of Thursday's
Nebraska (No. 6 seed) versus Missouri (No. 11 seed) contest. If OU wins
on Friday, it will play a semifinal contest Saturday at 3:20 p.m.
Sunday's championship game will start at 2 p.m. CST.
All of OU's Big 12 Championship games will air live on the Sooner
Basketball Radio Network (flagship KOKC 1520 AM in Oklahoma City) with
Bob Barry, Sr. (play-by-play) and Mike Houck (analyst) calling the
action. The Sooners' Friday contest will be televised by ESPN Plus
(KOCB channel 34 in Oklahoma City and KJRH Channel 2 in Tulsa) and ESPNU
(DirecTV channel 609). Saturday's semifinal contests will be televised
by ESPN Plus in Big 12 markets and by ESPN2 outside of the region.
Sunday's championship game will be shown nationally by ESPN.
OKLAHOMA AND THE BIG 12 CHAMPIONSHIP
* Oklahoma has claimed three Big 12 Championship titles, tying Kansas
for the most in league history. OU won in 2001, '02 and '03.
* OU has made five Big 12 Championship title game appearances in the
nine previous events. Kansas has made four, Oklahoma State has made
three while Missouri and Texas have made two each. Iowa State has made
one.
* OU's 17-6 (.739) Big 12 Championship record stands as the league's
best. Kansas is 16-6 (.727), Oklahoma State is 12-7 (.632), Missouri is
12-9 (.571) and Texas is 9-9 (.500).
* Oklahoma is 11-2 over the last five Big 12 Championships. It won a
record-tying 10 straight games before losing to Texas in 2004.
OKLAHOMA PROJECTED STARTERS
F 21 Taj Gray (6-9, 238, Sr., 14.4 ppg, 7.7 rpg, 1.5 bpg)
F 34 Kevin Bookout (6-8, 270, Sr., 11.1 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 0.6 spg)
G 2 Michael Neal (6-3, 191, Jr., 13.0 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 2.0 apg)
G 3 Terrell Everett (6-4, 188, Sr., 12.3 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 6.6 apg)
G 15 David Godbold (6-5, 217, Jr., 5.3 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 1.6 apg)
TOP RESERVES
F 24 Nate Carter (6-6, 220, Jr., 6.4 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 0.6 apg)
F 34 Taylor Griffin (6-7, 232, Fr., 3.2 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 0.5 apg)
G 20 Austin Johnson (6-3, 168, Fr., 2.9 ppg, 2.1 rpg, 1.8 apg)
C 30 Longar Longar (6-11, 225, So., 2.1 ppg, 2.0 rpg, *0.5 bpg)
G 1 Chris Walker (6-3, 188, Jr., 1.2 ppg, 0.8 rpg, 1.2 apg)
OU UPDATE
The Sooners, who entered Sunday's game at Texas riding a four-game
winning streak (all four by one point), sustained their first
double-digit conference loss of the season, 72-48. OU shot .420 from
the field and .267 (4-for-15) from 3-point range while the Longhorns
posted .482 and .375 (9-for-24) figures. Oklahoma outrebounded Texas
28-27, but committed twice as many turnovers (14-7).
Junior guard Michael Neal, OUs leading scorer in Big 12 games (14.8
ppg), is averaging 15.7 points over the last 13 games on 53-for-105
(.505) 3-point shooting and was named the Big 12 Newcomer of the Year on
Monday. He has made at least four treys in eight of those 13 outings
and has netted 32 triples over the past seven games. Usually OU's sixth
man, Neal has started the last six games in place of Austin Johnson
(injured right ankle) and is averaging 17.2 points and 4.3 treys over
those six outings. Included in those six games were a 26-point
performance at Colorado (seven treys) and a career-high 29-point effort
against Iowa State (eight treys). Neal, who missed OU's first two
league games with a strained groin (the Sooners lost both by a combined
three points), led the Big 12 in conference play with his .495 3-point
percentage and 3.9 treys per game.
Senior guard Terrell Everett, who leads the Big 12 and ranks sixth in
the nation with his 6.6 assists average, scored in double figures in 14
of OU's 16 conference games. In league play, Everett averaged 13.7
points, 3.9 boards, a Big 12-best 6.9 assists and 1.9 steals. He has
led OU in assists in 22 of 27 games this season and was named a
second-team All-Big 12 selection on Monday.
Taj Gray, a senior forward who also earned second-team All-Big 12 honors
and was named to the league's all-defensive team, leads Oklahoma in both
scoring and rebounding this year with his 14.4 and 7.7 averages. He is
shooting .572 from the field to rank third in the Big 12 and has shot
.500 or better from the field in 22 of the team's 27 games this year.
Kevin Bookout, another senior forward, has played the last 12 games with
a fractured navicular bone in his left wrist (he sustained the injury
Jan. 21 against Texas Tech) and has averaged 9.8 points and 5.6 boards
during the stretch. An honorable mention All-Big 12 pick, Bookout ranks
fourth on the squad in scoring and second in rebounding with his 11.1
and 6.8 season averages. Owner of OU's second-best career field goal
percentage (.574), he is shooting .561 this year. Bookout was also
named an ESPN The Magazine third-team Academic All-American on March 1.
He became the fourth men's basketball Academic All-American in OU
history.
OU'S CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY
The Sooners are 40-22 (.645) in conference postseason action (17-6 in
nine seasons of the Big 12 format). Oklahoma has participated in 12
tournament championship games, including five of the last eight, and has
won seven crowns. OU's 2003 title was its third in a row. The Sooners
also earned titles in 1979, 1985, 1988 and 1990. Head coach Kelvin
Sampson is 18-8 in 11 previous tournament appearances (he was 1-2 in the
Big Eight Tourney) and has guided five squads to championship games
(1998, 2000, 2001, 2002 and 2003). For more information on Oklahoma's
Big Eight/Big 12 Championship history, consult pages 132-134 of the
media guide.
A WIN ON FRIDAY WOULD...
* Give Oklahoma 12 victories in its last 14 conference tournament games
and 14 in its last 17.
* Mark the eighth straight season that OU has won its opening Big 12
Championship contest.
* Improve OU to 5-0 in Big 12 Championship quarterfinals play as the No.
3 seed.
* Give the Sooners their seventh straight win in the Big 12 Championship
as the No. 3 seed.
* Improve OU's all-time record at American Airlines Center to 7-1 (the
Sooners went 2-0 in the 2002 NCAA Tournament, 3-0 in the 2003 Big 12
Championship and 1-1 in the 2004 Big 12 Championship).
SERIES WITH NEBRASKA
Oklahoma holds a 102-79 series lead against Nebraska and is 3-3 in
conference tournament play. Kelvin Sampson is 11-4 against the Huskers
as OU's head coach. The Sooners won the only meeting in Big 12
Championship play, a 63-59 decision in the 2004 quarterfinals in Dallas.
OU has won seven of the last eight overall meetings, with the lone loss
coming earlier this season in Lincoln, 59-58, on Jan. 7.
SERIES WITH MISSOURI
Oklahoma holds a 110-92 series lead against Missouri and is 9-5 in
conference tournament play. Kelvin Sampson is 13-9 against the Tigers
as OU's head coach and is 6-2 in the league championship event (the
Sooners won 83-79 in last year's Big 12 quarterfinals in Kansas City).
OU has won 11 of the last 15 overall meetings, but the Tigers have won
each of the last four regular season matchups.
LAST YEAR IN KANSAS CITY
Seeded No. 1 in last year's Big 12 Tournament played at Kemper Arena in
Kansas City, the Sooners outlasted No. 8 seed Missouri in the
quarterfinals, 83-79, before falling to No. 4 seed Texas Tech in the
semis, 69-63. Against the Tigers, OU led by 17 in the first half and by
as many as 15 in the second before MU took four one-point leads in the
last five minutes. Missouri stayed close by making 33-of-36 free throws
on the day while OU was 28-for-33. Terrell Everett led five Sooners in
double figures with his 18 points while Kevin Bookout had a
double-double with 10 points and 11 boards. Linas Kleiza scored a
game-high 33 for the Tigers. The loss to Texas Tech snapped a
seven-game winning streak. Ronald Ross (28) and Jarrius Jackson (22)
combined for 50 of the Red Raiders' 69 points.
QUICK TIPS
* The No. 3 seed in the Big 12 Championship has won four of the nine
titles (tied for most with the No. 1 seed), including three of the last
five.
* This marks the fifth time in the 10 years of the Big 12 Championship
that Oklahoma is the No. 3 seed. OU is 10-2 in the tournament as the
No. 3 seed and has advanced to the title game each of the four previous
occasions. The Sooners won the 2001 and 2003 titles from the third
spot.
* Three of OU's five conference losses came by a combined four points.
* The Sooners have held leads of at least seven points in six of their
seven losses (10 points at Villanova, nine vs. West Virginia, 10 at
Nebraska, seven against Missouri, 16 at Kansas and eight at Colorado).
* OU is 14-0 this year when committing the same number of or fewer
turnovers than its opponents. It is 6-7 when it commits more turnovers.
* Terrell Everett ranked No. 3 nationally in assists (6.8 apg) in last
week's NCAA statistics report. He has led OU in assists in 22 of 27
outings this year and in 46 of his 60 career games.
* Michael Neal has made at least two treys in 21 of his 25 games. In
Big 12 play, he led the conference with his 3.9 treys per game and his
.495 3-point percentage.
* Over the last seven outings, Neal is averaging 17.3 points and 4.6
treys.
* Opponents are shooting .395 from 3-point range (OU ranks last in the
Big 12 in the category). Last year, OU set a school record by allowing
foes to shoot just .292 from beyond the arc.
* OU has registered double-digit offensive boards in 25 of 27 games
while foes have done it 12 times.
* OU posted a 3.14 team grade point average during the fall semester, a
record for the Sooners under 12th-year head coach Kelvin Sampson. Eight
team members posted at least a 3.0 GPA and all 12 registered at least a
2.5.
* The Sooners have won 30 of their last 32 home games and 78 of their
last 84.
GOOD POINT
Seven of Oklahoma's games this year (all in Big 12 play) have been
decided by one point and the Sooners are 5-2 in those contests. Prior
to Sunday's game at Texas, OU played four straight one-point games and
won each of them. Based on polling of the nation's men's basketball
media relations directors, it is believed to be the first time that any
Division I school ever won four consecutive games by one point each.
Here are more notes about OU's one-point games this season...
* OU participated in seven of the nine Big 12 league contests that were
decided by one point.
* The seven one-point decisions are the most in single-season school
history, as are the five victories. Oklahoma played five one-point
games in 1955-56 and 1979-80 and won three one-point decisions in five
different seasons (1944-45, 1961-62, 1969-70, 1997-98 and 1998-99).
* This is just the second time a current Big 12 program has had four
straight games decided by one point. In 1925-26, Oklahoma State played
four consecutive one-point games (it won the first three and lost the
fourth).
* The record for one-point games in a season by a current Big 12 school
is eight by Texas A&M in 1968-69 (it finished with a 6-2 record).
* Kelvin Sampson is 16-4 at Oklahoma in one-point games.
NINE STRAIGHT 20-WIN SEASONS
With its win over Oklahoma State on Feb. 27, Kelvin Sampson has now
coached OU to nine consecutive 20-win seasons. Including this season,
only two other coaches have posted 20 victories each of the last nine
years: Mike Krzyzewski (10) and Jim Calhoun (9). As of Monday, Jim
Boeheim (eight years) and Tubby Smith (12 years) need one more win to
extend their streaks, while Lute Olson needs two more to extend his
streak of 15 straight 20-win campaigns.
THE REAL DEAL
Michael Neal, nicknamed "Real Deal," missed OU's first two Big 12 games
with a strained groin (the Sooners lost both contests by a combined
three points). Neal has returned to play in each of the last 14 games,
11 of them wins. In Big 12 outings, Neal averaged a team-high 14.8
points and shot a league-best .495 from beyond the 3-point arc
(54-for-109). He set a conference record by averaging 3.9 treys per
league contest. Here are more notes on OU's sharpshooter...
* Neal has made 32 treys over the last seven games.
* Neal canned 26 3-pointers over a four-game span (6.5 average) from mid
to late February.
* Neal is averaging 17.2 points and 4.5 treys over the last six games
(all starts). Included was a 26-point game at Colorado (seven treys)
and a career-high 29-point effort versus Iowa State (eight triples).
* Neal has scored in double figures in 11 of the last 13 outings.
* Neal has made at least one 3-pointer in all 25 of his games, at least
two in 21 contests, at least four in 11 outings and at least five in six
games.
* In Big 12 games, Neal led the league in 3-point percentage (.495) and
3-pointers per game (3.9).
* Neal has made at least four 3-pointers in eight of the last 13 games
(he made two treys in three of the other games and three in another).
RETURNED TO FORM
Over the second half of the season, senior guard Terrell Everett has
looked like the player that Kelvin Sampson labeled as OU's MVP last
year. Everett is averaging 14.1 points, 3.5 rebounds, 6.7 assists and
1.9 steals over the last 14 outings (OU is 11-3). Everett's recent
performances are reminiscent of his efforts late last season when he
averaged 15.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, 5.5 assists and 1.7 steals over OU's
final six regular season games to help claim a Big 12 regular season
title (the Sooners were 6-0 in those contests).
ROCK SOLID BOOKOUT
Senior forward Kevin Bookout has, yet again, overcome multiple injuries
and has put together a more-than-solid senior season. A two-time
All-American in the shot put, Bookout averaged 9.9 points and 6.1
rebounds a game while shooting .578 from the field over his first three
years (he missed more than half of his sophomore season with a shoulder
injury). This season, he is averaging 11.1 points and 6.8 rebounds
while shooting .561 from the field. He ranks eighth in the Big 12 in
rebounding with 6.8 per game, despite playing the last 12 contests with
a broken bone in his left wrist. The wrist and his thumb are heavily
taped, limiting his ability to catch and handle the basketball.
MORE BOOKOUT
Against Kansas on Feb. 5, Kevin Bookout became the 34th player in school
history to score 1,000 career points. He now has 1,084 points to rank
29th all-time at OU. Bookout also ranks No. 2 all-time in field goal
percentage (.574) and ranks 14th with 666 career rebounds.
DIME DROPPER
Although he was not recruited to OU as a point guard, senior Terrell
Everett leads the Big 12 and ranks sixth in the nation with his 6.6
assists per game. Over the last seven games he is averaging 8.6
assists. The slender 6-4 lefty, a natural wing who played some point
last year, has led the Sooners in assists 46 times in his 60 career
games, including 22 times in 27 outings this year. He had a career-high
15 assists against Baylor on Feb. 11, 11 against Iowa State on Feb. 18
and 10 more Feb. 25 versus Kansas State.
BIG 12 KING
Kelvin Sampson has amassed 111 regular season Big 12 victories, most in
league history. He is 111-49 (.694) in conference play since the
formation of the Big 12 in 1996-97. Sampson also holds the Big 12
record for most combined regular season and conference tournament wins
(he is 128-55) and holds the mark for most overall wins by a conference
coach since the Big 12 was formed (he is 238-84).
PREACHING PROTECTION
Dating back to the start of the 2003-04 season, Oklahoma has committed
more turnovers than its opponent just 28 times in 91 games (31 percent
of the time). OU finished 20-2 last year when committing fewer (or the
same number of) turnovers than its foe and is 14-0 this year under the
circumstance.
OU BOASTS NATION'S LONGEST POSTSEASON STREAK
Oklahoma has made 24 consecutive postseason appearances (19 NCAA and
five NIT), good for the longest current streak among Division I
programs. The last time OU did not compete in the postseason was in
1980-81. The Sooners have competed in the NCAA Tournament 10 times in
the last 11 seasons.