OU Falls in Final Game of the Decade

The Sooners fell at #22 Gonzaga 83-69 in the final game of 2009. The Sooners were behind for most of the game. The one highlight for the Sooners was an attempted alley-oop in which Tiny Gallon shattered the rim, and drew a loud applause from the Zag crowd and caused a 52 minute delay. Gallon finished with 8 points and 5 boards.

Tiny Gallon and Tommy Mason-Griffin did not start because they missed a practice. Andrew Fitzgerald played well in his first start and finished with 12 points and 5 boards. Willie Warren continued to struggle, netting 19 points but committed 6 turnovers to 0 assists. TMG scored 9 points and dished out 10 assists. OU falls to 8-5 on the season and have dropped 2 straight.

OU struggled defensively throughout the game, especially defending the three point shot as the Bulldogs tallied 11 threes on 11-27 shooting, including 9 in the first half.

OU will play Maryland Eastern Shore on Monday. The young Sooners will try to solve their defensive and experience issues before entering conference play.

Gallon Rips Out Backboard

Tiny Gallon caused a delay in the Gonzaga game after he shattered the backboard on an attempted alley-oop. Gonzaga leads the game 59-41 with 15:34 left in the second.

TMG and Tiny Gallon Not Starting

Freshmen Tommy Mason-Griffin and Tiny Gallon will not be starting tonight's game against Gonzaga because they missed an entire practice. Both had started all previous games for the 8-4 Sooners. Freshman Steven Pledger will most likely replace TMG and Tiny will be replaced by either Ryan Wright or Orlando Allen.

The game will air on ESPN2 at 9:00 CST.

WBB Finish Perfect December

The OU WBB defeated Cal. St. Fullurton 95-76 to cap off a perfect December. The Sooners have won six straight and improved to 10-2 while the Titans fall to 4-8. OU shot a season high 61% and also tallied a season high 25 assists. Both teams had 18 turnovers and 11 steals. The Sooners shot 8-15 from behind the arc. Cal. St. Fullerton shot 41.5% and 35% from three point.

The Titans kept the game close until the final 10 minutes when OU finally broke away. OU led 42-31 at the half to end their three game streak of trailing at the break. Cal. pulled within 64-70 with 9:26 until OU went on a 10-2 run to put the game in the bag.

All five starter scored in double figures. Abi Olajuwan scored a career high 25 points and finished 11-16 from the field. She was 3-3 from the free-throw line and was finally able to keep out of foul trouble. Danielle Robinson finished with 15 points and 5 assists but had a hard time controlling the ball and had 7 turnovers. Nyeshia Stevenson had 18 points and led the Sooners with 4 three pointers. Carlee Roethlisberger continued her strong all-around play and scored 15 points and added 5 rebounds, 6 assists, and 5 steals. Amanda Thompson had one of her best games of the season with 12 points, 9 rebounds, and 7 assists; one of which was an impressive, no-look, behind the back, left hand pass to D-Rob.

OU will head to Knoxville, Tenn. to take on the no. 4 Lady Volunteers on Sunday. The Sooners defeated Tennessee last year in Oklahoma City and will attempt to own a 2 game win streak. The game will be televised on ESPN2 at 6:00 CST.

Taylor Griffin Sent Back to Energy

Former Sooner Taylor Griffin was sent back to the Iowa Energy of the Developmental League. Griffin had been recalled to the Phoenix Sun several weeks back.

WBB Gets Walk-On

Kodi Morrison, a 5-7 guard from Varnum, OK will join the 2010 OU class as a walk-on. She led Varnum to its first Class B championship and finished 30-2. She also ranks as the 6th all time scorer in Oklahoma history with 2,530 career points. OU now has 6 incoming players for the 2010 season.

A Look at OU WBB Incoming Class

Jacqueline Jeffcoat- a 6-2 forward from Plano West H.S., TX. She is ranked by ESPN Hoopgurlz as the #4 post and the #41 overall prospect. As a junior, she averaged team highs in points (7.6) and rebounds (6.5). If she can keep out of foul trouble, she can take advantage of her wide set of skills. Was last year's District 8-5A Defensive POY. Her brother, Jackson, is a top football recruit who is also considering OU.


Alexann Yancey- a 5-8 point guard who is a teammate of Jeffcoat. Won last year's District 8-5A Offensive POY. Speedy hard nose player who is a great hustler.


Aaryn Ellenberg- a 5-7 point guard from Bishop Gorman H.S. in Las Vegas, NV (Gorman was the H.S. over several other Sooners including RB DeMarco Murray and LB Ryan Reynolds). Ranked as the #15 pg and the #49 player overall. Her speed and ability to get to the rim is reminiscent of Danielle Robinson, but she also has a well developed 3 point shot. She is gaining confidence and is a great leader on the floor.


Nicole Griffin- a 6-6 product of Vincent H.S. in Milwaukee, WI. Ranked #80 by Hoopgurlz. Built alot like former Auburn Tiger Dewanna Bonner, and is a great shot blocker with a huge wingspan but also has a soft touch. The senior is playing for her 4th straight WIAA state championship. Averaged 17.8 ppg, 11 rpg, and 7 bpg as a junior.


Morgan Hook- a 5-11 shooting guard from Rogers H.S. , AR. Led the Arkansas 7A-West with 17.8 ppg as a junior and was named the Gatorade Arkansas POY. Is a great three point shooter who had her jersey hung in the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame. Orally committed to the Sooners as a sophomore, and according to Coach Coale is a perfect fit at OU.

Sooners Thumped by UTEP

Willie Warren scored 26 points but it wasn't enough to lift the Sooners as they fell to UTEP 89-74. OU kept the game close until the Miners went on a 14-0 run to take a 47-30 lead at half. The Sooners got within 10 twice, but each time UTEP responded at built their lead.

Tommy Mason-Griffin scored a career high 20 points and Tiny Gallon and Tony Crocker added 13 and 10. All five UTEP starters scored in double figures led by Randy Culpepper's season high 27.

The Sooners were playing for their 7th straight victory. OU falls to 8-4 while UTEP improves to 7-2.

Hopefully, Coach Capel will refocus his young team before their December 31st date with Gonzaga.

Men Take on UTEP

Oklahoma men (8-3) prepare to take on the UTEP Miners on Monday at 5:30 in Oklahoma City. The game will be on ESPN2 and is part of the All-College Classic. OU has won 6 straight including a close 80-79 win over the Northern Colorado Bears at home on Saturday. Cade Davis scored 25 and Tony Crocker had 24 and 10 rebounds.

The Miners are 6-2 and have lost to New Mexico State and Mississippi.

The Sooners lead the Big 12 with a 78% free throw, while UTEP averages 64%. This should be key as the OU has gotten to the line much more than their opponents.

The Sooners will stick to the usual lineup of Tony Crocker, Willie Warren, Tommy Mason-Griffin, Cade Davis, and Tiny Gallon. UTEP will start Arnett Moultrie, Derrick Caracter, Randy Culpepper, Julyan Stone, and Christian Polk. Guard Culpepper should be the biggest scoring threat as he leads the Miners with 17.6 ppg.

Sooners WBB Wins

OU WBB posted a 67-58 win over the Creighton Bluejays Sunday afternoon. The Sooners improve to 9-2 and have won their last 5, including three straight road wins.

Once again, OU trailed 27-30 going into the half, but a Danielle Robinson putback gave OU a 33-32 lead with 16:37 left. The Sooners led the rest of the way except a 38-37 Bluejay lead. OU was out rebounded 15-20 in the first half, but owned a 24-15 advantage in the second. The Sooners also improved on defense, holding Creighton to 23% shooting in the second half.

The Sooners committed 21 turnovers and 25 fouls; Amanda Thompson and Joanna McFarland fouled out while Carlee Roethlisberger and Abi Olajuwan each had 4. D-Rob and Nyeshia Stevenson each had 7 turnovers, but had 22 and 11 points, respectively. D-Rob also had a season high 7 rebounds.

Roethlisberger had 8 points, 5 boards, 4 steals, 2 assists, and a block. The freshmen McFarland and Lyndsey Cloman combined for 9 points and 11 rebounds and 28 minutes. Lauren Willis also had 7 key points in the second half. Stevenson played 38 minutes and Roethlisberger, who has led the team in minutes since starting, had 37.

The Sooners defended well from behind the arc, holding Creighton to 5-13 on three point attempts, which was 4 off their average. Megan Neuvirth finished with 19 points and 9 rebounds for Creighton.

The Sooners don't play until December 30, when they face Cal St. Fullerton at home.

Whitney Hand did not travel with the team after undergoing successful surgery on Thursday.

Upperclassmen Guide Sooners; Warren MIA

Junior Cade Davis scored a career high 25 points and had a key steal in the final seconds as OU escaped Northern Colorado 80-79. Senior Tony Crocker added 24 points and 10 rebounds for his 4th career double-double. The Bears shut down Willie Warren and held him to only four points. The Sooners only grabbed 28 rebounds compared to UNC's 37. Five Bears scored in double figures, led by Devon Beitzel's 17.

The Sooners fell behind 38-27 with less than 3:00 in the first half until Davis hit a trio of threes in a row and the Sooners finished the half strong, trailing 40-39.

After the half, the Sooners, led by Tony Crocker, quickly took the lead before the Bears roared back from a 10 point deficit in the final two minutes and trailed by one with 10 seconds left. The Sooners missed the first half of three one and one free throws, but Cade Davis made a steal with 2 seconds left to close the game.

Davis had 20 points in the first and was 6-7 from behind the arc, but he didn't score again until the 3:49 mark of the second.

"That's my role on the team. To bring energy to the team," Davis said afterwards.

Crocker had 16 in the second half to carry the Sooners. Tiny Gallon and TMG scored 9 and 8 points, respctively.

Coach Capel was not excited with his team's effort, however.

“I’m frustrated with a lot of stuff tonight. It’s everything. We didn’t deserve to win. I feel bad for this Northern Colorado team because they outplayed us, they deserved the win. They had their guys ready to play. This was a step-backwards. Nothing associated with this game today was progress.” He said.

The Sooners improve to 8-3 and have won 6 straight. UNC falls to 9-3. The Sooners will play UTEP Monday at 5:30 on ESPN2.

OU vs. Creighton Preview

OU WBB (8-2) heads to Omaha, Neb Sunday to take on the Creighton Bluejays. Tip off is scheduled for 2:00 CST. The Bluejays are 5-3 and playing their third straight Big 12 opponent; they lost at Nebraska 69-56 and lost at Kansas 56-77. The Sooners own a 2-0 record between the two teams, but both came from Norman.

Four of OU's starters average double figures: Abi Olajuwan (12.5), Amanda Thompson (10.4), Nyeshia Stevenson (13.8), and Danielle Robinson leads the team with 16.1. Since starting in place of Whitney Hand, Carlee Roethlisberger has averaged 12.0 ppg.

Three point defense will be key as the Sooners are 11th in the Big 12 in that category, and the Bluejays average nearly 9 three pointers a game.

Sooners Back to the Court

The men's basketball team returns at 12:00 on Saturday after a week off for finals. They will be taking on the Northern Colorado Bears who are a surprising 9-2, only losing to Montana St. and Wyoming. The Sooners (7-3) are going for their 6th straight victory and are 5-0 at home.

Since starting out 2-3, the Sooners have clamped down on D their last 5 games, and Senior Tony Crocker has stepped into a leadership role for this young team. Crocker is averaging 17.6 points and 9.4 rebounds over the last five games, when he changed to the power forward position. Sophomore Willie Warren leads the team in scoring (19.6) and assists (5.1).

Warren and freshman Tommy Mason-Griffin lead the Sooners to a 78-73 OT victory at Utah last Saturday. Warren scored 27 points and TMG added a career high 18.

The only other time the Sooners and the Bears met was in Norman in 2004. The Sooners beat the Bears 80-44.

The Bears are lead by 5-9 senior Will Figures who averages 15.6 ppg while shooting almost 40% from three. Fellow senior Yahosh Bonner is shooting 50% from behind the arc.

OU's starters are guard Willie Warren, guard Tommy Mason-Griffin, guard Tony Crocker, guard Cade Davis, and forward Tiny Gallon.

The game can be viewed on SoonerSports.com All-Access or on ESPN360.

A Look at OU Men's 2010 Commits

Commits:

Cameron Clark-rated #18 by ESPN and #30 by Rivals. The 6-6 small forward hails from Sherman, TX, and is most productive when slashing to the rim. Clark also is a good ball handler, can create off the dribble, and shoot the three. Has an impressive arsenal of shots. He has great athleticism and scouts rave about his multiple position defense. As a junior, he averaged 21 points and 7.5 rebounds. Look for him to be the defensive replacement to senior Tony Crocker. My suggestion: Watch this guy's highlights, next year is gonna be good!

T.J. Taylor- is a 6-3 combo guard from Denison, TX. Taylor is ranked #91 by Rivals and #71 by ESPN. The lefty is known for his physicality as well as his leadership and ability to get to the rim.




Others Interested:
Terrence Jones- is a 6-7 power forward/small forward combo from Portland, OR. Ranked number 15 by ESPN and #13 by Rivals. Jones is another lefty, and he averaged 22 points and 10 rebounds his junior season. Jones has inside and outside scoring ability and can defend both the paint and the perimeter. Also considering Oregon, Arizona, Washington, Kentucky, and UCLA.

Ray McCallum- a 6-1 point guard from Detroit, MI. Ranked #36 by ESPN and #60 by Rivals. McCallum is a great ball handler who not only knows how to score, but knows how to lead a team. A high IQ player who can get to the rim. Also considering Detroit, UCLA, Florida, and Arizona.

Trey Zeigler- 6-5 shooting guard from Mount Pleasant, MI. Averaged an impressive 26 points, 9 rebounds, and 5 assists as a junior. Zeigler is ranked #26 by ESPN and #34 by Rivals. He is long and athletic and can play any guard position. Also considering UCLA, Michigan, Arizona, and Arizona St.

Julian Washburn- 6-7 small forward from Elizabeth, NJ. Athletic guard who plays with energy. Ranked #95 by Rivals and unranked by ESPN. Washburn has offers from Oklahoma, Kansas, Memphis, Baylor, and Texas, among others.

Looking Foward to Next Year

Even though we're not half way through the basketball season yet, I have to admit that this has been a hard year to be a Sooner fan and I'm ready for next year. But the good news is that next season is looking bright for Oklahoma.

In football, the injuries killed this season. Not one of the eleven offensive players started all twelve games. Its hard to forget the season ending injuries to Sam Bradford, Jermaine Gresham, and Cory Wilson, but DeMarco Murray, Ryan Broyles, Trent Williams, Ben Habern, Brandon Calab, Brody Eldridge, and Matt Clapp were all offensive starters who missed time. On the other side of the ball there was Austin English, DeMarcus Granger, and Tom Wort, just to name a few.

All these injuries led to a more than dissapointing 7-5 record. But we can draw some positive from it: a lot of young, talented guys saw playing time. Landry Jones got a lot of playing time because he was pretty much the only quarterback available. OU's other options were a freshman who they were trying to redshirt, or a walk-on. Wide receivers Dejuan Miller and Cameron Kenny stepped up their games while Broyles and Caleb were injured. And the OU coaches figured out that a tight end can play practically anywhere, so several tight ends played offensive linemen throughout the season.

"Oh, our center is injured."
"Let's put Brody Eldridge in there."
"Trent Williams is out with a concussion. Who should we put in there?"
"Eric Mensik would fit in nicely."

With this playing exposure to many young players, plus the excellent class OU has coming in, the future looks bright for OU.



On to basketball. Let me just say this: Willie Warren is not Blake Griffin, no one will ever be. Although the men haven't had any devastating injuries, they have struggled at points which resulted in a 7-3 record and falling out of the top 25. I accredit this to the lack of experience; OU has four freshmen playing major rolls on this team. Their first year all freshmen struggle to be consistent as they adjust to the speed of the game; these troubles are normal. But after a year, they become sophomores, which means consistency and leadership.

Next year, OU will have four stud sophomores. The last two years, there was Blake Griffin and then Willie Warren. This year, there will be Tiny Gallon, Tommy Mason-Griffin, Steven Pledger, and Andrew Fitzgerald. In these four, you have a post, a point, and two streaky shooters. That's pretty balanced. What would make this team even more formidable is if Warren decides to come back for his junior year. (I'm not saying he should, I think he should do what's best for him and his family, I'm just saying if he did) Like football, next year looks promising.

Our final stop is women's basketball. The injury bug spread from the football team and bit the Lady Sooners. Five games into the season, Whitney Hand tore her ACL. The 9 player squad has adjusted and maintains an 8-2 record and a no. 15 ranking. Next year the Sooners will welcome a top 20 recruiting class. (according to ESPN; some place the Sooners' class at no. 5) That, coupled with Hand's return and Carlee Roethlisberger's emergence, the Sooners look like they will be national contenders once again.

Sometimes this year may be hard to watch, but 2009 is almost over, and barring another rash of injuries, 2010 looks pretty bright. So next September, I'll have my OU shirt on cheering on my team to a typical great year.

What to do About Mizzou

There's rumors floating around that Missouri would entertain the idea of joining the Big 10(11) if invited. That got me thinking about what would happen if they did, and I came up with several hypothetical scenarios:

1. The Tigers join the Big 10(11), and Baylor joins the MWC or C-USA. The Big 12 would change its name to Big 10 and the Big 10(11) would change its name to Big 12.

2. Missouri joins the Big 10(11), and TCU or Houston joins the Big 12 South. I'm thinking TCU because they are better at sports beyond football. OSU moves to the North. One of the two conferences changes their name or the Big 10(11) becomes the Big 10(12).

3. Missouri joins the Big 10(11), and Boise State takes its place. Big 10(11) changes its name, because Big 10(12) is just stupid.

So far, I like the TCU idea because the Frogs are better than the others at sports like basketball, etc. (Their pretty good at football, too) Also, I think Baylor would fit well into another conference, because for the most part (with the exception of women's basketball) they are the whipping boy of the Big 12.

Catching up with Former Sooners

Today was a big day for several former Sooner basketball stars, so I decided to write a little catch-up.

Taylor Griffin, last year's 48th pick in draft by the Phoenix Sun, was sent to the Developmental League a while back, and has been recalled to the Sun. Griffin averaged 13.5 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists, and 4 steals in two games with the Iowa Energy. Congrats to Taylor!




Meanwhile Griffin's little brother, and the draft's 1st pick, Blake Griffin, remains sidelined with a knee injury. Blake should play in his first NBA game by January assuming his CT Scan clears him to go.







On the women's side, Courtney Paris was drafted 4th overall in the dispersal draft of her former team, the Sacramento Monarchs. She will be heading to the Windy City to play for the Sky.

"Every Circumstance Perceived Correctly Becomes an Opportunity"

Six weeks ago was supposed to be the beginning of the Whitney Hand era. She was supposed to lead the Sooners in continued glory after the departure of the legendary Paris sisters.

She had the skills.

She was adored by fans.

The sophomore was already co-captain and the new face of Oklahoma women's basketball. Her picture adorned Oklahoma basketball advertisements and in the Sooners media guide she imitated the Man of Steel and was proclaimed “Super Sophomore.”

This was supposed to be her year.

But Hand's high-flying season crashed and burned after just 5 games. The day after Thanksgiving, while playing against San Diego State in the Virgin Island, Hand went down with a knee injury. An MRI several days later confirmed the worst: an ACL tear. It was over. Her season was finished.

Hand will wait until after finals to undergo surgery this weekend. Hopefully the NCAA will have the decency to give Hand a medical red shirt and so preserve her three years of eligibility. Most likely they will, so Whitney can have another crack at “Super Sophomore”.

Right now she takes her place beside Coach Sherri Coale-on the bench and in street clothes. And though its hard to stand on the sidelines while her teammates play, (she says it will "just suck all year") she does her best to help them along. During timeouts she wanders from teammate to teammate, giving each a pat on the back and a word of encouragement. She warms up with the team and still drains three after three, even with her injury.

Meanwhile, the rest of the Sooners have picked up the pieces and are moving on with their season. Hand's injury has left only nine players on the OU roster. But each of them has stepped up to fill the void left by Hand. Teammate Carlee Roethlisberger said, “No one can replace Whitney. Every one of us has to step out on the floor and do what we can to do our best to fill her spot."

Roethlisberger has stepped up tremendously. The junior was mostly known as a role player, as well as being related to you-know-who. Watching Roethlisberger during her first two years at OU, I always new "it" was there, but she never quite broke out. Carlee's teammates have often bragged about how she lit it up in practice, but that never transferred to a game. But since starting OU's 6th game, Roethlisberger has averaged 12 points per contest, which matches her previous career high. In a 100-67 blowout of UT-Arlington, she reset her career high to 29. Her play even prompted Hand to say "We're not going to miss me that much."

Roethlisberger isn't the only Sooner who has stepped up her game. Senior Nyeshia Stevenson, who was merely a spare part and a warm body her first two seasons, has built on receiving last year's Big 12's co-sixth man of the year award. This season, Stevenson has been averaging 13.8 points, including a 32 point explosion vs. Marist in which she tied the school record with 9 three pointers. Point guard Danielle Robinson has been the on-court leader for this depleted Sooner squad. She averages 16.1 points and 5.4 assists. She set a career high 26 points in a loss to Notre Dame only to score 31 two games later as she willed OU to an overtime victory vs. Arkansas.

But perhaps the most impressive performer has been junior Lauren Willis. The former walk-on who received a scholarship last year, has earned it this season. She hasn't been putting up stunning numbers, but Willis has done all the little things: setting screens, taking charges, playing stellar defense, while being a reliable three point shooter.

Through her ordeal, Hand has remained positive. The day she found out that her season was through, she wrote on her Twitter page: “Every circumstance perceived correctly becomes an opportunity. God is good all the time.” And despite her devastating injury, Hand hasn't lost her smile. The girlish grin that captured the heart of women's basketball fans last March and made her the darling of Oklahoma is still there.

Hand's optimism must be very encouraging to her Sooner team, because right now they are playing inspired basketball, even though they obviously miss her on the floor. By blowouts, overtime thrillers, and guard dog defense, the Sooners are 4-1 since losing Hand. Their one loss came at the hands of top 5 team Notre Dame only 24 hours after Hand's injury. But through it all, the Sooners have displayed one trait: they never quit. And this intangible cannot be coached.

If OU continues to use Whitney's injury as inspiration and an opportunity but not a handicap, this team has incredible potential.

Sooners Use Overtime to Get Win

The Sooners got a much needed road win over the Utah Utes in 78-73 OT victory today and improved to 7-3. They came back from an 11 point deficit late in the first by riding Willie Warren's 27 points and Tommy Mason-Griffin's career best 18. Both Warren and Mason-Griffin played all but one minute. OU only got 3 points from their bench, courtesy of Ryan Wright, who had to play the majority of the game after starter Tiny Gallon fouled out in 10 minutes.

Willie Warren struggled in the first half, shooting a dismal 1-11 from the field. He warmed up in the 2nd and finished 7-21, and 11-12 on free throws.

OU will take this week off for finals and face the Northern Colorado Bears on Saturday at 12:00 CST at Lloyd Noble Center.

OU vs. Utah Preview

The 6-3 Sooners travel to Utah to take on the Utes (5-4) on Saturday at 3:00 CST. OU will be trying to win its fifth straight after three home games. OU has won all of its home games but is 1-3 on the road. The Sooner are 2-1 against Utah after a 70-52 victory in Norman.

Tony Crocker is coming off a 33 point, 13 rebound effort in a victory against Centenary in which he personally outscored the Gents 29-25 in the first half.

The projected starters are Tiny Gallon, Willie Warren, Tony Crocker, Tommy Mason-Griffin, and Cade Davis.

Sooners Use Defense to Beat Army

OU overcame a 6 point deficit going into the half to beat Army and their own sloppy play. OU committed 20 turnovers and shot 2-15 from behind the arc but still won 59-46. The Sooners trailed 29-23 at the break but tightened up on D to outscore the Black Knights 36 -17. OU finished its two game, two day trip to New York with two W's.

Nyeshia Stevenson scored 17 to lead the Sooners to their fourth straight victory. Abi Olajuwan scored 16 points and grabbed 13 rebounds. D-Rob had 15 points but also committed 5 turnovers to 1 assist.

OU returns home for finals then travels to Creighton, Neb. on December 20th.

Cincy's Kelly to Notre Dame

Cincinnati head coach Brian Kelly signed a five year deal with Notre Dame. Kelly won't coach the Bearcats in the Sugar Bowl vs. Florida.

Franks: "I'm Coming Back"

Redshirt junior cornerback Dominique Franks says he's not interested in leaving early for the NFL.

"I'm not worried about the NFL or worried about where people have got me projected or things like that," he said. "There's just a lot of things that I need to work on."

Franks joins defensive tackle Adrian Taylor as Sooners who might have made the jump but have decided to remain in Norman. Defensive end Jeremy Beal, running back DeMarco Murray, and linebacker Travis Lewis are considering their options of going pro. Defensive tackle Gerald McCoy, a projected high first-round pick, has already said he's leaving.

Crocker Paces Sooners Past Centenary

Tony Crocker scored 33 points and pulled down 13 boards to lead the Sooners past the Centenary Gents 86-62. He scored OU's first 16 points and had 29 at the half, which set the Big 12 record. Freshman Tiny Gallon was the only other Sooner to score in double figures, with 16. Tiny also grabbed 15 rebounds to record his fourth double-double. The two also combined for 6 blocks

Willie Warren struggled and scored only 9 while shooting 4-13 including 0-6 from behind the arc. However, he did have 3 steals and 4 assists. But the Sooners didn't need him badly as they jumped out to a 13-0 lead and never looked back.

The Sooners have gone 3-0 in the trio of home games. The Sooners improved to 6-3 and the Gents dropped to 4-4. OU heads to Utah and plays on Saturday at 3:00.

Sooners Score Another OT Victory

Nyeshia Stevenson scored a career high 32 points as OU beats Marist on the road in overtime 80-71. This was the 2nd consecutive OT game the Sooners have played; they won both. The Sooners once again came back from a second half deficit to force the extra period. But this time it was all OU, who outscored the Red Foxes 12-3 in the extra five.

This was also the fourth consecutive game that a Sooner has set a new career high: Danielle Robinson scored 26 vs. Notre Dame, Carlee Roethlisberger scored 29 vs. UT-Arlington, D-Rob scored 31 against Arkansas, and Stevenson scored 32 vs. Marist. Stevenson hit a school record tying 9 treys in the game including the game tying one with 16 seconds left. She also grabbed 7 rebounds a dished out 4 assists. "We're going to carry her all over New York City. She made big plays," Coach Coale said of Stevenson's heroics. Roethlisberger almost tallied a double-double with 12 points and 9 rebounds. Robinson scored 9 points and had 5 assists with no turnovers.

The Sooners trailed 57-47 early in the second half before the Sooners went on a 10-0 run of their own. The game went back and forth until Stevenson forced OT with her 3 pointer. In the extra period she drained 2 threes as OU held the Red Foxes to a single field goal. Marist was led by Rachele Fitz 25 points and Erica Allenspach's 18. The Sooners travel to West Point to take on the Army Knights tomorrow night at 7:30.

Don't Be Fooled by Stanford's Bad Luck

The Sooners learned recently that Stanford's starting quarterback, freshman Andrew Luck, will be out due to a finger injury. At first thought, it seams that OU has finally received some good news in a dismal season of their own injuries. But don't breathe easy yet.

Luck's replacement will be senior Tavita Pritchard, who lead the Cardinal to an upset over #2 USC in 2007. The Trojans were a 41 point favorite. Besides that, Stanford's offense doesn't even run through the quarterback; it runs through running back Toby Gerhart. Gerhart has rushed for 1736 yards and 26 touchdowns while Luck has passed for only 13 TDs. Oh yeah, Gerhart is a finalist for the Heisman trophy. All the quarterback has to do is make sure he doesn't make a really stupid mistake, and Gerhart will take care of the rest.

There are about three weeks of practice between now and the Sun Bowl. That's plenty of time for a quarterback, especially a senior, to get into the rhythm. OU better not come to party or they will be in for a rude awakening. My point is, the Sooners better not take Pritchard, Gerhart, and the Cardinal too lightly.

Sooners take on Centenary

Men's basketball (5-3) will return to action Wednesday night as they host the Centenary Gents (4-3) at 7:07 CST. The Sooners look to extend their win streak to four games. OU is 4-0 all-time against Centenary and have won three at home. Sophomore guard David Perez leads the Gents with 22.0 ppg. Oklahoma's Willie Warren leads the Sooners with 20.0 ppg. The projected starters for OU are: Willie Warren, Tiny Gallon, Tommy Mason-Griffin, Tony Crocker, and Cade Davis. OU travels to play Utah next Saturday.

Blake Griffin Possibly Out till January

Former OU standout Blake Griffin could be sidelined until Jan. 1, Clippers coach Mike Dunleavy said. Last year's number 1 draft pick injured his left knee cap in a preseason game and has not played. Dunleavy said Griffin's return to basketball activities would be determined by a CT scan.

Lady Sooners Prep for Tough Road Tests

The Sooners (6-2) head to Poughkeepsie, N.Y. to face the mid-major powerhouse Marist Red Foxes (4-3) on Wednesday. Tip-off is at 6:30 P.M. CST. Marist is lead by senior forward Rachele Fitz who is averaging 21.7 ppg and 8.4 rebounds. The Sooners own a 2-0 advantage over the Red Foxes with OU defeating Marist last year 83-57, in Norman. OU will look to take advantage of their height as Marist starts no player taller than 6-0. Sherri Coale will be coaching for her 292 win, and point guard Danielle Robinson needs six more points to reach a career 1,000. The projected starters are: Danielle Robinson, Nyeshia Stevenson, Carlee Roethlisberger, Amanda Thompson, and Abi Olajuwon.

The next day OU will face Army at West Point at 7:30 P.M. CST. This is the first meeting between the two teams. The projected starters are: Danielle Robinson, Nyeshia Stevenson, Carlee Roethlisberger, Amanda Thompson, and Abi Olajuwon.

Women Hop up 2 Spots in AP; Men Still Unranked

Oklahoma WBB (6-2) moved from number 18 to number 16 in the AP poll after going 2-0 this week. The Sooners beat UT-Arlington 100-67 and Arkansas 87-86 in an OT thriller. For complete rankings, click here.
The men (5-3) also went 2-0 this week by beating Arkansas 67-47 and Arizona 79-62. However, they received no votes for top 25. For complete rankings, click here.

Sooners top Wildcats

Associated Press

NORMAN, Okla. -- Willie Warren scored 25 points, and Oklahoma relied on strong 3-point shooting to build an early lead on its way to a 79-62 victory against Arizona on Sunday night.

Tiny Gallon added 14 points and Tony Crocker scored 13 as Oklahoma (5-3) opened a double-digit lead in the first 8 minutes and never trailed.

Nic Wise scored 15 points and Jamelle Horne had 13 points for the Wildcats (3-4) in their third straight loss. Arizona committed 17 turnovers in its first true road game under first-year coach Sean Miller.

The Sooners attempted 12 of their first 19 shots from 3-point range and made five to build a controlling 27-11 lead.

Who's Your Heisman?

Its about time to hand out the bronze man to the nation's best college football player. Here's my top five:


1. Mark Ingram, SO RB, Alabama- Ran all over Florida in the SEC Championship game after a hiccup vs. Auburn. His Crimson Tide are undefeated, which gives him the advantage over Toby Gerhart.





2. Toby Gerhart, SR RB, Stanford- His team's 8-4 record keeps him from being the leader. But when it comes to stats, nobody compares: Gerhart has 1736 yards rushing and 26 touchdowns. That's 1 less than Colt McCoy has passing.






3. Colt McCoy, SR QB, Texas- His 3 int., 0 TD game vs. the Huskers was not Heisman like. But the Longhorns are undefeated and likely headed to the National Championship. Plus, you really have to take into account all of McCoy's extraordinary career.





4. Kellen Moore, SO QB, Boise St.- Has the best stats of any quarterback in the race, but the 11 cupcakes the Broncos munched on all season keep him from being in serious contention.




5. Any one of the following- C.J. Spiller, Ndamukong Suh, Case Keenum, or Jeremiah Masoli

Ohio St.'s Turner Out 8 Weeks

Ohio State's triple-double machine Evan Turner is out 2 months after breaking his back on a dunk attempt early in the Buckeye's 116- 60 blowout of Eastern Michigan. Turner was fouled as he went up for a dunk and directly on his back. He lay there for several minutes before walking to the locker room with help. Early X-rays indicated no serious injuries, but later tests showed transverse process fractures of the second and third lumbar vertebra of Turner's spine. The junior swingman was arguably the best player in college basketball averaging 20.6 points and 12.9 rebounds.

Sooners prep for PAC-10 Opponent

OU basketball (4-3) will hit the court again Sunday as they take on Arizona (3-3) as part of the Big 12/ PAC 10 Hardwood Series. The game tips off at 6:00 CST at Lloyd Noble Center. The Sooners have won their last two after dropping three in a row, while the Wildcats have lost two in a row. Members of the OU football team will be signing autographs before the game. The projected starters for OU are: Tiny Gallon, Tony Crocker, Tommy Mason-Griffin, Willie Warren, and Cade Davis.

Lady Sooners Win Dogfight

Danielle Robinson could hardly stand up due to cramps, Whitney Hand was stuck on the bench, and the Sooners had not led since the 9:39 mark in the first half in their game against the Arkansas Razorbacks. But they never quit. A resilient, gutsy effort, lead by Robinson's career high 31 points, finally ended in a 687-86 overtime victory. The Sooners battled back from a 16 point, second half deficit to tie the game up at 79 on a last second layup by Robinson. Two missed crucial free throws by Arkansas in the final 18 seconds allowed an exhausted OU squad to live for another 5 minutes.
Overtime went back and forth until Amanda Thompson, who had missed a wide open, game-winning layup in regulation, earned redemption by connecting on the game- winning baseline layup. Amanda Thompson got her first double-double of the season and finished with 16 points and 14 rebounds to go along with 5 assist, 2 steals, and 3 key blocks. Nyeshia Stevenson, who played all but two of the game's 45 minutes, scored 12 points. The Sooners (6-2) will return to action December 9, when they play at Marist.

A Normal Persons Take on AD's Speeding

When I first heard that former Sooner Adrian Peterson was ticketed for going 109 mph in a 55 mph zone, I thought "Wow, I didn't know AD was that fast!" Then I thought about it and I realized that he was driving. I was kind of bummed that Peterson was speeding that badly, but his response miffed me even more. Peterson said he was speeding, but not going that fast. Really? Don't the cops have speed trackers for that kind of thing? Even if he wasn't going that fast, HE WAS STILL SPEEDING! And he got away with a little slap on the wrist, don't do it again kind of thing. Ahh, I wish I was a celebrity.

OU Commit Blake Bell Earns Gatorade Kansas POY

Bishop Carroll senior quarterback Blake Bell got his second Kansas Player of the Year Award. The Oklahoma commit completed 237 of 356 passes (66.57 percent) for 2,752 yards with 32 touchdowns. He also had 839 rushing yards and 22 touchdowns. Bell lead his team to a 12-1 record and the 5A semifinals.

Hand-less Sooners Handle Mavericks

Norman- Nobody told Carlee Roethlisberger the Sooners were supposed to struggle after losing standout sophomore and co-captain Whitney Hand to a season ending injury. The junior, who was starting just her second game in place of Hand, scored a career high 29 points in a blowout of UT- Arlington. She also grabbed 7 boards as OU out rebounded UT- Arlington 51-29. Said Coach Coale of Roethlisberger: "I thought that she did a great job of filling in for Whitney Hand. I thought that she really played for Whitney and played inspired as teammates should." Even though Roethlisberger knows that no one can replace Hand, she admitted that she was excited to finally get her chance. "I have been waiting, I've been practicing hard," She said, "Coach (Coale) has been giving me the go ahead." The Sooners are going to need the best from Carlee as they enter a tough stretch in their schedule that includes Arkansas, Marist, and Tennessee. Nyeshia Stevenson added 21 points, 2 off a career high, and Amanda Thompson and Abi Olajuwan grabbed 10 and 8 rebounds, respectively. OU struggled in the first half, leading by only one at the break. But the Sooners broke out in the second, out scoring the Mavericks 58- 26.

Mark Mangino Retires

Kansas head coach Mangino agrees to buyout and steps down.

Video profile of OU's Steven Pledger

OU's Trent Williams earns All-American

OU's Hand Out With Torn ACL

Norman- Oklahoma women's basketball took a major hit Friday, when sophomore guard Whitney Hand tore her ACL during the team's victory over then 23rd ranked San Diego St. during the Virgin Island Tournament. Hand left the game with 1:42 left in the 1st half and did not return. An MRI on Monday confirmed the tear. Oklahoma coach Sherri Coale said the university would pursue a medical hardship redshirt to maintain her 3 years of eligibility. Hand was the team's second leading scoring at 13.4 points per game and was averaging 4.4 rebounds. She will most likely be replaced in the starting line up by junior Carlee Roethlisberger.

Cade Davis Shuts Down Clarke; Sooners top Arkansas

From the Oklahoman

NORMAN — The kid from small-town Oklahoma stole the show.

Don’t worry. That was good news for the Sooners.

Junior Cade Davis, the guitar-pickin’, country-talkin’, Stetson-wearin’ swingman from Elk City, put a clamp on Arkansas sharpshooter Rotnei Clarke. Which is how the OU basketball team blasted the Razorbacks 67-47 on Wednesday night at Lloyd Noble Center.

"I’m exhausted,” Davis said.

Think how Clarke must feel. He ran ragged all night, trying to ditch Davis and find an open shot, but they were rare.

Clarke, the Verdigris flash who is one of the greatest players in Oklahoma high school history, entered the game averaging 26.7 points and shooting 57.4 percent from 3-point range.

But Clarke managed just 11 points on 5-of-13 shooting. He made just one of six 3-pointers.

"We knew we always had to have a guy on him,” Sooner coach Jeff Capel said. "We knew we had to have a guy with urgency to guard him.”

Capel figured it came down to Davis or Willie Warren, Clarke’s former AAU teammate and former close friend before a spat.

Capel chose Davis. Capel chose correctly.

"To guard him, you have to be tough,” Capel said. "Not just physically, but mentally. You have to be incredibly disciplined.”

That was Davis. You guard Clarke by gluing yourself to him.

Davis shadowed Clarke relentlessly, never giving the Razorback sophomore breathing room. Davis often turned his back to the ball and/or the basket. Anything to keep Clarke smothered.

"Straight denial,” Davis called it. Don’t let Clarke catch the ball. Chase him all over the floor. Don’t go under screens. Don’t get screened.

Such pressure will wear out a defender. But it also can wear out the shooter, too, and if the rest of the defense plays tough and can guard basically 4-on-4, it works wonders.

Capel called it OU’s best defense of year, which admittedly isn’t saying much.

"Certainly all the problems aren’t fixed,” Capel said. "Cade, primarily, was tremendous. He had great help from the rest of the guys.”

When Capel entered the post-game locker room, he was surprised to hear his players talking about their defense.

"They were proud of their performance,” Capel said. "On the bench, the guys said, ‘they average 86 and they’ve scored 47.’ That’s a step for us, just knowing they average 86.”

Clarke, who grew up an OU fan and is named for former Sooner fullback Rotnei Anderson, admitted this homecoming was a special game for him.

But the Sooner defense ruined it.

Late in the game, Clarke had eight points and nary a 3-pointer.

Capel told Davis, "Don’t let him get 10 points.” On Arkansas’ next possession, Clarke tossed in his only 3-pointer, from way past the line.

"Jinxed myself,” Capel said.

No matter. It remained a fabulous defensive effort. Davis also chipped in 11 points and three steals.

Maybe it was an Oklahoma pride thing. Davis, a year older than Clarke, is like most every other high school player in the state from recent years. They played in the shadow of Clarke and Pawnee’s Keiton Page, now at Oklahoma State. Clarke and Page staged a state scoring-record derby.

Clarke, who scored 51 points against Alcorn State earlier this season, is proving he’s the real deal.

But for one night, Davis was the star. Davis played 38 minutes, and when Capel subbed him out in the final minute, the Lloyd Noble crowd gave Davis a much-deserved ovation.

A defensive star was born.

Read more: http://newsok.com/ous-cade-davis-shuts-down-razorback-scoring-whiz-rotnei-clarke/article/3422194?custom_click=lead_story_comments#comments#ixzz0YfKQhnaY

Bob Stoops on Home Opener

Opening Statement:
"Addressing the game from last week, again, it's very disappointing to make as many mistakes as we did. I fully credit BYU, Coach Mendenhall and their staff and team. They played a hard-fought game and won, they made plays down the stretch that made a difference in the game. Credit to them, but when you have 12 offensive penalties, you really put yourself behind the eight ball. I felt there was a lack of execution. Poise and discipline to play with fewer penalties and to take care of the football were major factors in us not being able to give ourselves an opportunity to win. In the end, those mistakes cost us in a big way. We weren't able to overcome them."

On Sam Bradford's injury status:
"Sam Bradford, his situation hasn't changed today and it won't change tomorrow, all indications are that people who sustain an injury of this type takes about two-to-four weeks to be back on the field. The rest of the joint, rotator cuff and everything else look fine. It just depends on soreness and how he heals. As everyone knows everyone heals differently and all injuries are different. So we just have to see as time goes, how that will heal and how that will improve. He has talked to a number of other quarterbacks who have had this injury that have come back and have been fine once they came back. He has talked to, and we know of many, NFL guys that have dealt with this. He personally spoke to Eli Manning who told him he was throwing the ball in 10 days and played two weeks later. That was the year they went on to win the Super Bowl, so we will just see how it goes."

On Jermaine Gresham's injury status:
"Jermaine Gresham, who didn't even enter the game due to a cartilage injury from the week before the game, is going to have orthoscopic surgery this afternoon. It has yet to be determined because the MRI doesn't show any damage. The scope is going to tell us what is making his knee lock. It could be a loose body in there that can be removed and he can resume playing, but sometimes the cartilage needs to be stitched together. Until they know that we won't know. If there is something they can remove he will be able to resume playing in a couple of weeks but if they have to stitch it and repair the cartilage that is a five-month recovery. That would mean he would be out for the season, but his long-term health would be fine. All his ligaments look fine, it would just be stitching that cartilage back together. The outcome of that won't be known until this afternoon, and once we know we will have a release on what they found. It's pure speculation right now because none of that shows right now through three different MRIs. Until they are in there, they won't be able to tell."

On facing Idaho State without Bradford and Gresham:
"We will move on going onto this week against Idaho State with Landry Jones and Drew Allen at quarterback. I thought Landry really did a nice job in the game the other day, he needed to be supported in a better way by the guys around him. I thought as far as his execution, his demeanor and the way he handled the situation, he was as good as you could expect and even better. Our focus is moving forward with the guys we have. We need to push forward and get ready to play this week, continue to improve and hopefully eliminate the things that are hurting us that we hurt ourselves with; Penalties, foolish penalties, busted assignments. Hopefully we can prepare ourselves to have the poise, to not have penalties and to execute better when we have the opportunity. That's what we're trying to do with practice."

On the performance of the wide receivers against BYU:
"Brandon Caleb had a good game and played competitively. Ryan Broyles played at a pretty good level. Outside of that, that was about it. I'm not going to sit here and address changes. We'll give other guys opportunities and make it more competitive. We'll see who is going to show up and make plays, same with the offensive line."

On Brody Eldridge:
"Brody Eldridge will play more at tight end and we will prepare him more that way definitely with Jermaine out and with time to prepare for the week. Again, a lot of that depends on making sure that Ben (Habern) is still in good shape at center. He played pretty well the other night, so that's a dilemma that we will continue to have to work through. Brody was mentioned as one of our players of the game, he had a really good game even at center. He's a valuable piece wherever we play him, it just depends on where we need him."

On if playing a challenging non-conference schedule is a disadvantage:
"It's easy to second-guess now in the end. I said last week though, it's only advantageous if you win and if you don't then you're in this position. We will deal with it, we will move forward. I'm not second-guessing it. At least you find out in these situations the areas you need to address and what needs to happen."

On Landry Jones' performance against BYU:
"We need to support him better. The players around him need to play like they are capable of and with some discipline to play by the rules. That would be a starter. From there, we feel that with Landry our offensive style doesn't change. Again, it would be a guess with limited experience to be careful with how much we do. But, we'll be able to do enough to hopefully keep people off balance and execute. Obviously what Sam is able to handle mentally and through the series of repetition over three and four years is further along. We'll just have to be smarter about what we're asking him to do."

On the defense's performance against BYU:
"Gerald McCoy had an excellent game and played great in there and Ryan Reynolds, those were the two guys who were our players of the game. Travis Lewis had a really good game, Keenan Clayton, a bunch of guys did. We had four turnovers and played strong for a good part of the day but it isn't good enough. We gave up a deep pass at the end of the half and we missed a couple of tackles that led to a long run at the end of the half, I felt like it wasn't necessary. It's simple, if there are two guys that make the tackle and miss and let the guy run all the way down to the goal line it isn't good enough. We also had a 16-play drive at the end of the game that we needed to come up with a play and didn't get it. Sometimes you have to win low-scoring tight games or high-scoring games. You have to do what is necessary to win and that is to come up with a stop."

On the delay of game call in the fourth quarter
"Once the whistles blew, the BYU defender picked up the ball and starts running down the field as if it were a fumble, so the 40-second clock stops as they're on the pile once the whistle blows so that ate up part of the clock. When they set the ball down the umpire was still standing over the ball with 17 seconds, he leaves with 16 seconds and the referee is signaling to pump the clock, but it never gets pumped. Ultimately that's our fault. Their standard procedure is that if the ball is being spotted with 20 seconds or less they re-pump it. It was still at 16 seconds, that's what caught us off guard, we were at the line and no one substituted and we were ready to go. We thought we had plenty of time, there wasn't a huddle, there wasn't a substitution, but we didn't have the clock, we had 16 seconds. That's the way it goes, ultimately we should have caught it."

On his mindset coming off the loss to BYU:
"It's improving, we need to improve what we have control over. That's playing by the rules, playing with some efficiency, executing, taking care of the football, not having mental breakdowns and that kind of thing. That is pushing us to play better and to improve, regardless of who we are playing. Everyone loves to get to the end of the year before it's ever started, and that's just never been my way. To me, it's all about earning your way and we're starting in a tough spot. That's how it is, to me you have to fight your way out of it and as cliché as it may be, we need to take one game at a time and work for improvement. That's what we need to do."

On Ryan Reynolds' performance against BYU:
"I was really proud of Ryan to be back on the field. He just plays so well, he finds the ball. He put himself in good position, made a big interception and he had a lot of tackles. He just played consistently well."

On similarities between quarterbacks Sam Bradford and Landry Jones:
"All of those guys, even Drew (Allen), when you watch them walk around they are very similar people. They are bright guys. They are competitive guys without jumping up and down and letting everyone know it, but the players see it. They have a calm demeanor about them. They are all similar that way, I don't want to say they are just like each other but (Landry) is similar to (Sam) in that way."

On the kicking game:
"I thought the one plus overall through the entire day was our entire kicking game. Tress Way averaged 44 yards a kick, had three of them around the 10 yard line with one that they fumbled. Matt Moreland's kickoffs were really good and Jimmy Stevens' field goals were all solid. Demontre Hurst, on our kickoff team, showed why we have talked about him a lot through camp and his ability to make plays. He, along with the whole team, put himself in a good position."

On not overlooking Idaho State:
"Our team can't overlook anybody, if we can't play correctly and play smart. It is painfully obvious to them after what happened last week. We have to play better. We have to play more responsibly and more disciplined to have a chance to beat anyone."

From Soonersports.com

Gresham Out for Year

NORMAN, Okla. - Oklahoma tight end Jermaine Gresham, a preseason All-American, will miss the 2009 season after undergoing knee surgery, Tuesday. The senior led OU in touchdown receptions last season with 14.

"We feel badly for Jermaine," said OU Head Coach Bob Stoops. "He worked very hard and very selflessly to get himself ready for the season. We share in the disappointment he is experiencing now and will do everything we can to help him in his rehab efforts.

"The good news is that he is expected to heal fully. Many athletes have had this procedure and bounced back at 100 percent. We expect that to be the case for Jermaine."

Gresham missed the season opener against BYU, then underwent additional evaluation before athroscopic surgery on Tuesday.

Gresham, from Ardmore, Okla., entered the 2008 campaign with 26 career touchdown receptions, just seven shy of the NCAA record for tight ends

From soonersports.com

22 Days until Kickoff!

Meet the Sooners Day

Date: August 7, 2009 | Time: 10 a.m. - Noon | Location: OU Rugby Fields

Meet the Sooners DayOne of the most popular traditions surrounding the Oklahoma football program is Meet the Sooners Day. The annual event kicks off preseason practice and gives the Sooner Nation a unique opportunity to interact with the Sooner players and coaches.

The 2009 Meet the Sooners Day is slated for Friday, Aug. 7 at the rugby practice fields west of Lloyd Noble Center. Gates will open at approximately 10 a.m. for OG&E Sooner Kids Club members and at approximately 10:30 a.m. for the general public. Fans are permitted to bring ONE autograph item per person - no exceptions.

Admission to Meet the Sooners Day is free and open to the public.



From SoonerSports.com

Cotton Bowl Quarterback Competition

Sam Bradford and Colt McCoy met Saturday at the Cotton Bowl for an interview segment with ESPN's Wendy Nix. The footage will be part of ESPN's coverage leading up to this year's OU-Texas game.

Sooner Have Eight Preseason All-Big 12 Picks

Dominique Franks was one of 8 Sooners selected
to the Preseason All-Big 12



Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford was selected as the Preseason Offensive Player of the Year and Quarterback. Jermaine Gresham, DeMarco Murray, and Trent Williams were also selected on offense. Gerald McCoy, Jeremy Beal, Travis Lewis, and Dominique Franks represent on defense.

42 Days to Kickoff!

Football season is almost here! The Sooners will kick off the season against the Brigham Young Cougars at 6 pm Central time on September 5. The game will be held at Arlington, Texas. Oklahoma is #5 on the AP Top 25, behind Texas, USC, Utah and Florida.

Five of last season's Sooners have moved on to the NFL. OT Phil Loadholt went to Minnesota in the 2^nd round. Juaquin Iglesias was drafted by Chicago in the 3^rd round. Nic Harris and Duke Robinson both went in the 5^th round: Harris to Buffalo and Robinson to Carolina. Finally, in the 7^th round Manual Johnson went to the Dallas Cowboys.

Only five of last season's offensive starters are returning for another season with the Sooners, but among them are Jermaine Gresham, DeMarco Murray, Chris Brown, Trent Williams and last year's Heisman winner, Sam Bradford. Eight defenders are returning to OU: Jeremy Beal, Gerald McCoy, Travis Lewis, Keenan Clayton, Dominique Franks, Brian Jackson, Auston English and Adrian Taylor.

We have an exciting season to look forward to! Boomer Sooner!

Willie Warren: OU's next superstar

Sharp-shooting freshman Steve Pledger participates in a summer Q&A.

- Oklahoma men's basketball fans know that you don't have to be a McDonald's High School All-American to excel on the collegiate level. Sooner standouts such as Tim McCalister, Darryl "Choo" Kennedy, Stacey King, Ryan Minor, Hollis Price and Eduardo Najera all rank among OU's career scoring leaders, but none of them played in the most prestigious of the annual high school All-America games.

Steve Pledger could be the next player to join that group of Sooner stars. An incoming freshman from Chesapeake, Va., Pledger was regarded as a borderline top-100 national prospect last year at Atlantic Shores Christian School and has flown under the recruiting radar for much of his life. The 6-4, 220-pound guard hopes he's a pleasant surprise this year to OU fans who don't know much about him.

Pledger, who earned first-team National Christian School Athletic Association All-American honors last year when he averaged 22.0 points, 7.1 rebounds and 4.4 assists per game for his 32-2 Seahawks, is a noted 3-point shooter. But he says he's recently added other elements to his game that have made him a more complete player and ready to contribute from the get go in 2009-10.

The does-a-little-bit-of-everything guard talked with SoonerSports.com this week about a variety of topics, including summer school, music, his hoops ability and why he picked Oklahoma.

---

Q: How are you adapting to Norman and OU?
A: "The adaptation process is getting better. I'm getting used to waking up early and lifting weights and things like that. It's a cool place, a little quiet right now. I'm adapting fine."

Q: What do you like the most about Oklahoma so far?
A: "The players. We're all tight. Everybody's cool and nobody goes and does their own thing. Everybody stays together. I really like the camaraderie."

Q: What summer school classes are you taking?
A: "I took History of Jazz and right now am taking Leadership, which is a military class in the Armory."

Q: Wayman Tisdale is regarded as the best basketball player in OU history and he was also a noted jazz musician. Did you learn about him?
A: "No, we learned more about the history of it -- going back, nothing really recent. But we did have listening assignments every day where we had to listen to at least four songs by an artist and one day I did Wayman Tisdale. It was good. I already knew about him a little. My dad listens to jazz back home and a couple times I was listening to XM and Wayman came on. I had to listen because I was going to OU."

Q: Have you picked a major yet?
A: "Either criminal justice or human relations."

Q: Have you mapped out any plans for life after basketball or is it too early for that?
A: "When basketball is over for me -- and I know that time will come -- if I'm not doing something within my major I'll probably become a coach somewhere. Start out and work my way up."

Q: What do you like to do away from the classroom and the gym?
A: "Listen to music, talk on the phone to my girlfriend, just chill and hang out -- regular things like that."

Q: What music do you listen to?
A: "Rap and R&B. A lot of R&B. (On game days) I'll listen to rap almost all the way up to the game, and then right before we go out it'll be some R&B to cool me down."

Q: How would you describe yourself as a basketball player?
A: "Most of the time when you hear my name, it goes with 'shooter.' That's what I started out doing and I'll always do that. But now I can also take people off the dribble, dribble up court, get the team started. I'm a scorer, that's what I do. But I can also rebound and play D. If I'm going to compare my game to anyone it would be to Brandon Roy (Portland Trail Blazers) or Joe Johnson (Atlanta Hawks) -- calm, cool, score when you have to."

Q: What's your favorite aspect of the game of basketball? Is it shooting?
A: "No, it's not shooting. It's getting teammates in the game and making everybody around me better. If that means assists, it means assists. If that means rebounding and defending, it means rebounding and defending. Just getting everybody in the game -- that's what I like to do."

Q: Have you always been a good shooter or is it something that started to develop the past few years?
A: "I used to be a short, chubby shooter and that's it. As I got older I started to get to the basket a little bit. When I started playing AAU, though, it was shoot, shoot, shoot. I got on Boo Williams' younger (AAU) team and I was the shooter. I started at the two and we had a play called 'Wet Bird,' because 'Bird' was my nickname. I used to stand in the middle of the lane and there'd be a screen on one side and two screens on the other. I'd pick a side and just run off screens and shoot. I think it was when I was playing 12-and-under that I led the (AAU) national tournament in scoring with 31.5 points a game."

Q: How'd you get the nickname "Bird?"
A: "It started off as a joke when I was playing 12-and-under. We were on our way to Memphis for nationals and a teammate and I were joking in the back of the bus. He said I looked like a bird and everybody started laughing. It was one of those things that just stuck."

Q: What's your career high for 3-pointers in a game?
A: "During my last two years of high school, I probably only shot two or three 3's a game. I was 6-foot-4 and at a Christian school so I had to play down low. My coach was smart enough to know, though, that when it counted to give me the ball and let me bring it up the floor. But most 3's in a game? I think I might have hit seven 3's in the state playoffs my junior year when I scored 40 against Roanoke Catholic. That was the most points I ever scored in high school."

Q: Besides your shooting, in what do you pride yourself?
A: "I pride myself in trying to be a stronger defender. When I was in ninth and 10th grade, I didn't really play much defense -- I just tried to stay in front of my man. My thought process was mostly about how I was going to shoot it (on the other end of the floor). When I got to 11th grade at Atlantic Shores I tried to switch it up a little bit. I wanted to guard the best player on the other team. My father and I started working out and doing lateral footwork (drills). The season came, I told my coach to put me on the best player and I'd try to lock him down. I did that. I pride myself in my defense."

Q: What attracted you to OU?
A: "Coach Capel. He used to be at VCU. He and (assistant) coach (Mark) Cline were recruiting me back then. We started from there. They ended up going to Oklahoma and they kept talking to me. That was really the only big school that was talking to me at the time. Then I did really well in an AAU tournament and everybody started offering. But Oklahoma was the consistent one. They were there when I wasn't anybody. That's why I made my choice."

Q: What do you like about Coach Capel?
A: "He's down to earth. He could be sitting around you and you wouldn't even know it was (the head coach). He'll talk to you about rap, he'll talk to you about basketball or whatever. He's a cool guy, a cool coach -- a players' coach."

Q: What are your impressions of some of the other players from workouts and playing pickup games?
A: "I love the makeup of the team. Last September when I came on my official visit, Ray Willis was different from what he is now. Now's he's really laid back, cool, more confident -- does his own thing on the court. Tony Crocker's real cool, too. Everybody is."

From http://soonersports.com