Postgame Notes - University of Oklahoma

March 21, 2002

Quotes

Oklahoma 88, Arizona 67
March 21, 2002 - San Jose, Calif.

Arizona finished the season 1-2 against Big 12 Conference teams. Oklahoma is 1-0 against Pacific-10 Conference teams.

Oklahoma improved to 27-20 (.574) all-time in NCAA Championship play. Arizona is now 34-20 (.630) in the Tournament.

Arizona is 4-3 all-time as a No. 3 seed. Arizona's last NCAA Tournament as West Region No. 3 seed: the Wildcats lost to Big 12 opponent Kansas 93-80 in 1996 West Regional semifinal (Denver).

Oklahoma is 8-1 (.889) this season versus 2001-02 Sweet Sixteen teams. The Sooners' 30 wins are their most since the 1988-89 season and the fourth time OU has reached the 30-win plateau.

Arizona's 67 points marked its second-lowest total of the season. The 'Cats scored 60 (60-74) against Michigan State Dec. 20.

Oklahoma extended its winning streak to 11 games and has won 15 of its last 16 games. The Sooners improved to 7-0 on neutral courts while Arizona ended the season 9-1 at neutral sites. Arizona had won six straight games overall prior to tonight.

Oklahoma outscored Arizona 55-30 in the second half, the sixth time this season Oklahoma has outscored an opponent by 25 points in one half. Oklahoma scored 35 points in the final 11:04 of the contest. The Sooners outscored Eastern Illinois 60-26 (34) in the first half of a 109-50 win on Dec. 18.

Oklahoma leads the series with Arizona 4-1 all-time, 3-0 in NCAA Championship play (1988 national semifinal - Kansas City: OU 86, UA 78, 1999 OU 61, UA 60 First Round Midwest Region - Milwaukee).

OU opened the game with an 8-2 run (1:49) before UA went on a 10-0 run to take a 12-8 lead. Oklahoma went 6:49 without scoring, then went on a 10-3 run to take an 18-15 lead. Arizona went on a 13-2 run and held the Sooners without a field goal for 5:21 (9,10 to 3:49) to take a 30-23 lead The first half had three lead changes and two ties. OU's biggest first-half lead was 8-2 (6), UA's biggest first-half lead was 37-28 (9). The Sooners went on an 8-0 run from 4:26 in the second half to 2:08 to build an insurmountable 78-61 lead.

Oklahoma guard Hollis Price scored 17 of his 26 points 15 minutes into the first half. His per game average entering the game was 16.5. Price scored 12 of OU's first 16 points and 17 of the Sooners' first 23. After a opening game dunk by Jabahri Brown, Price scored OU's next nine points. Price is now averaging 18.3 points in the current NCAA Tournament.

Arizona outshot Oklahoma 56.5 (13 of 23) to 36.4 percent (12 of 33) in the first half. OU shot better from three-point range (7 of 18 = 38.9 percent) than overall. Hollis Price shot 60 percent from three-point range (6 for 10) in the first half. Oklahoma limited Arizona to 29.4 percent (10 of 34) shooting in the second half and ended up outshooting the Wildcats 44.3 percent (31 of 70) to 40.4 percent (23 of 57).

OU used an 11-0 run capped by Ebi Ere's three-pointer to erase a four-point deficit and take a 51-44 lead with 11:40 remaining in the second half.

The second half featured three more lead changes for a total of 6 lead changes, and one more tie for a total of 3 ties for the game. Arizona's biggest second half lead was 44-40, Oklahoma's largest lead for the game was 88-65 (23). Arizona's largest lead of the game was 37-28 (9, first half).

Arizona's Jason Gardner scored his 1,500th career point with his first field goal of the game (11:42 in the 1st half). He was the only Wildcat starter to reach double figures in the contest (14). He finished the season with 692 points.

Of the starting 10 players, Oklahoma's Aaron McGhee was the lone senior.

University of Oklahoma Athletics

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