Oklahoma Looking For Seventh Straight Win

Dec 17, 2001

NORMAN, Okla. - Oklahoma has won six consecutive games and has scored at least 100 points in its last two.

But as he prepares his 22nd-ranked team to face Eastern Illinois on Tuesday, Sooners coach Kelvin Sampson sees a lot of room for improvement.

"This team scored 100 points again - that's never rung my bell," said Sampson, whose team beat Bethune-Cookman 102-65 on Sunday night. "I'm a stickler for details. Sometimes, I might look at Miss America and find a bunion. Tonight, I didn't like the way we lost our intensity once we got up by 30."

The win over Bethune-Cookman was the second straight blowout for Oklahoma (7-1), which breezed to a 107-63 win over High Point a night earlier.

Sampson may not have been pleased with the Sooners' intensity on Sunday, but there was not much else for him to complain about. Oklahoma outrebounded Bethune-Cookman 40-19 and had five players in double figures, led by 20 points from senior forward Aaron McGhee.

"The shots were just falling tonight," said McGhee, who is averaging 13.6 points. "They are basically the same shots I always get, so I should make them."

Jabahri Brown, a transfer from Florida International who was playing just his second game for Oklahoma, led the Sooners with 10 rebounds. Sampson said the 6-foot-10 sophomore center will have an increased role as the season wears on.

"He'll continue to develop. His effort has been outstanding in these first two games," Sampson said. "Tonight he had 10 rebounds and nine points in only 21 minutes. I wanted to use him in our zone defense because he has never played in one. It was good to get him that kind of experience."

Junior guard Hollis Price leads the Sooners with 18.1 points per game. McGhee leads the squad with 6.2 rebounds per game but did not have any in the win over Bethune-Cookman.

The Sooners have not lost since a 67-55 setback to then-No. 13 Michigan State on Nov. 14, but they will not be the only hot team entering this matchup.

Eastern Illinois (7-3) is riding a six-game winning streak and has not lost since a 77-60 defeat to Penn on Nov. 23.

On Saturday, junior guard Henry Domercant scored a career-high 40 points, leading the Panthers to a 94-78 win over Loyola-Chicago. Domercant has led the Panthers in scoring in all but one game and is averaging a team-high 24.7 points.

Oklahoma and Eastern Illinois have never met.

University of Oklahoma Athletics

Oklahoma Looking For Seventh Straight Win

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