BajaOklahoma
2/8/2007, 05:44 PM
I am shocked that none of the Dallas Crew beat me to this! I haven't laughed so hard in a long time. Times must be tough in Stillwater.
Fortunately, I copied it from the website before the writer corrected it. It was in my copy of the DMN this morning.
See who catches the error first.
OU grabs needed win from OSU
01:37 AM CST on Thursday, February 8, 2007
By BRIAN DAVIS / The Dallas Morning News
[email protected]
NORMAN, Okla. - Jeff Capel's Sooners are building momentum with each
passing day, but they've lacked one component - a quality win.
No team can sneak into the NCAA Tournament without legitimate
victories. OU finally got one Wednesday night by beating No. 17 Oklahoma
State, 67-60, at the sold-out Lloyd Noble Center.
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It was the Sooners' first win over a top-25 team in six tries and
Capel's first Cowboy conquest in the ****** Series. OU (14-8, 5-4 Big
12) is still 0-5 on the road. But at least a postseason berth sounds
plausible.
"This was a big one that we needed," OU guard Michael Neal of Mesquite
Poteet said. "Now we just have to continue to win the games we're
supposed to win. We need our first road win Saturday."
Oklahoma State (18-5, 4-4) is No. 21 in the RPI ratings, while OU is
way down the list at No. 80. A win like this should lift the Sooners.
They could skyrocket with home victories against Texas A&M, Texas and
Kansas before February is over.
First, OU has to win away from home. Saturday's test at Baylor will be
difficult, as will next Tuesday's trip to Iowa State.
"I said from the beginning of the year, our goal was to get better each
day," Capel said. "Really in the past two-and-a-half to three weeks, I
think we've gotten a lot better. I still think there's room to grow."
OU lost by only five in Stillwater on Jan. 22. The Sooners controlled
this one from the start and had a nine-point lead with 4:31 remaining.
But OSU's JamesOn Curry hit a layup, Mario Boggan converted a missed
free throw into another bucket, and David Monds scored on a follow.
OSU threatened to pull within one when Terrel Harris got two free
throws with 2:47 showing. But he missed both, and the Cowboys seemed
deflated. OU's Nate Carter penetrated and spun through traffic for a
layup, and OU had a 61-56 lead.
Just as he's done all season, Carter hit two clutch free throws with
53.6 seconds remaining. He also was there to collect Austin Johnson's
blocked shot and score with 29 seconds left to ice it.
"Coach said the last five minutes was winning time," said Carter, who
had 18 points. "He said we've been in this situation before, and we
needed to start winning games."
OSU coach Mike Gundy had the team travel to Norman from Stillwater
hours before the game instead of arriving Tuesday night and staying in a
hotel, which is standard. Perhaps that led to the Cowboys' lethargic
start.
The Sooners got out to a 14-4 lead early. OSU climbed within three with
four minutes remaining in the first half. But Neal hit a 3-pointer and
Tony Crocker and Carter hooked up for a fast break jam in the final
minute as OU took a 10-point lead at the break.
Fortunately, I copied it from the website before the writer corrected it. It was in my copy of the DMN this morning.
See who catches the error first.
OU grabs needed win from OSU
01:37 AM CST on Thursday, February 8, 2007
By BRIAN DAVIS / The Dallas Morning News
[email protected]
NORMAN, Okla. - Jeff Capel's Sooners are building momentum with each
passing day, but they've lacked one component - a quality win.
No team can sneak into the NCAA Tournament without legitimate
victories. OU finally got one Wednesday night by beating No. 17 Oklahoma
State, 67-60, at the sold-out Lloyd Noble Center.
[an error occurred while processing this directive]
It was the Sooners' first win over a top-25 team in six tries and
Capel's first Cowboy conquest in the ****** Series. OU (14-8, 5-4 Big
12) is still 0-5 on the road. But at least a postseason berth sounds
plausible.
"This was a big one that we needed," OU guard Michael Neal of Mesquite
Poteet said. "Now we just have to continue to win the games we're
supposed to win. We need our first road win Saturday."
Oklahoma State (18-5, 4-4) is No. 21 in the RPI ratings, while OU is
way down the list at No. 80. A win like this should lift the Sooners.
They could skyrocket with home victories against Texas A&M, Texas and
Kansas before February is over.
First, OU has to win away from home. Saturday's test at Baylor will be
difficult, as will next Tuesday's trip to Iowa State.
"I said from the beginning of the year, our goal was to get better each
day," Capel said. "Really in the past two-and-a-half to three weeks, I
think we've gotten a lot better. I still think there's room to grow."
OU lost by only five in Stillwater on Jan. 22. The Sooners controlled
this one from the start and had a nine-point lead with 4:31 remaining.
But OSU's JamesOn Curry hit a layup, Mario Boggan converted a missed
free throw into another bucket, and David Monds scored on a follow.
OSU threatened to pull within one when Terrel Harris got two free
throws with 2:47 showing. But he missed both, and the Cowboys seemed
deflated. OU's Nate Carter penetrated and spun through traffic for a
layup, and OU had a 61-56 lead.
Just as he's done all season, Carter hit two clutch free throws with
53.6 seconds remaining. He also was there to collect Austin Johnson's
blocked shot and score with 29 seconds left to ice it.
"Coach said the last five minutes was winning time," said Carter, who
had 18 points. "He said we've been in this situation before, and we
needed to start winning games."
OSU coach Mike Gundy had the team travel to Norman from Stillwater
hours before the game instead of arriving Tuesday night and staying in a
hotel, which is standard. Perhaps that led to the Cowboys' lethargic
start.
The Sooners got out to a 14-4 lead early. OSU climbed within three with
four minutes remaining in the first half. But Neal hit a 3-pointer and
Tony Crocker and Carter hooked up for a fast break jam in the final
minute as OU took a 10-point lead at the break.