OU Heads To Tulsa For Hoops

OKLAHOMA (4-1)
VS.
TULSA (4-0)

Tournament: Bertha Teague Classic
Date: Saturday, Dec. 4, 2004
Tipoff: 11:45 a.m.
Location: Tulsa, Okla.
Arena: Mabee Center (ORU's Campus)
Internet/Television: None
Radio: KOKC (1520 AM)
Series: OU leads 21-1.
Tickets: General admission tickets are available for just $5. To order fans may call Tickets.com (800-511-1552) or the ORU box office (918-495-6000). Tickets may also be purchased on line at www.orugoldeneagles.

QUICK TRIP BERTHA TEAGUE CLASSIC
Oklahoma (4-1) vs. Tulsa (4-0) --- 11:45 a.m.
Oklahoma State (2-2) vs. ORU (3-1) --- 2:05 p.m.

After picking up a 60-42 victory over Lamar Thursday night the Oklahoma women's basketball team (4-1) has a quick turn around as the Sooners travel to Tulsa, Okla., to compete in the Quick Trip Bertha Teague Classic Saturday. OU will face Tulsa at 11:45 a.m., followed by host ORU and Oklahoma State at 2:05 p.m. inside the Mabee Center on ORU's campus. All tickets are general admission and are just $5 for both games.

Saturday's game will be carried on the Sooner Sports Radio Network at KOKC-AM (1520). Brian Brinkley and Tara DeGiusti will be calling the action.

Oklahoma has had tremendous success in the Bertha Teague Classic, producing a perfect 10-0 record over the past six years.

In last year's Bertha Teague Classic, OU defeated ORU by 48-points, 90-42, and outrebounded the Golden Eagles by 45 boards, 68-23. That winning margin marked the fourth largest in school history and second best for a season opener.

This matchup with the Golden Hurricane will be OU's three neutral site game. OU faced Akron and Iowa on a neutral court last weekend in the Bahamas. Four of the Sooners six games in December will be on the road. Following Saturday's game, Oklahoma travels to No. 23/22 TCU (Dec. 9) before hosting SMS on Saturday, Dec. 11.

PROBABLE STARTERS
OKLAHOMA (4-1)
24   F   Leah Rush (6-1, So., Amarillo, Texas - 8.6 ppg, 6.2 rpg)
14   F   Beky Preston (6-3, Jr., Albuquerque, N.M. - 5.4 ppg, 4.8 rpg)
34   G   Erin Higgins (5-9, So., Oklahoma City - 8.0 ppg, 3.8 rpg)
35 G   Dionnah Jackson (5-9, Sr., St. Louis, Mo. - 14.8 ppg, 5.6 rpg)
12   G   Lauren Shoush (5-11, Sr., Oklahoma City, Okla. - 8.4 ppg, 4.6 rpg)

TULSA (4-0)
14   F   Jillian Robbins (6-1, So., Spring, Texas -- 10.0 ppg, 8.0 rpg)
54   F   Becky Heidotten (6-3, Sr., Florissant, Mo. - 9.7 ppg, 4.0 rpg)
41   G   Megan Moody (6-2, Jr., Frankston, Australia - 12.3 ppg, 5.0 rpg)
03   G   LeAnn Upshaw, 5-7, Jr-RS, Marked Tree, Ark. - 2.0 ppg, 4.3 rpg)
01   G   Kara Pongonis, 5-5, Jr., Springdale, Ark. - 10.7 ppg, 2.7 rpg)

TULSA (4-0)
For the first time in school history Tulsa is off to a 4-0 start. TU defeated Texas-San Antonio, 80-62, to open the 2004-05 campaign (N22), followed by a four-point win over Southwest Missouri State, 71-67, two days later. Texas-Pan American, 65-49, and city rival ORU, 68-64, also fell victims to the Golden Hurricane last weekend.

Sophomore Jillian Robbins, the 2003-04 WAC Newcomer of the Year, paces three Hurricane in double digits with 14.5 points per game. Robbins also tops the team defensively with 8.5 rebounds per game. The 6-1 forward has nine blocks and is shooting 52.4 percent from the field.

Teammates Megan Moody and Tandem Mays averages 11.5 and 10.0 ppg, respectively. Moody ranks second on the team in rebounds with 5.8 per outing.

As a team, TU is shooting 41.0 percent from the field, 32.8 percent from the arc and 71.8 percent from the free throw line. Tulsa averages 71.0 ppg and owns a 42.2 to 39.0 rebounding edge over its opponents.

Kathy McConnell-Miller is in her sixth season with the program. She has produced two winning seasons and led TU to its first postseason action by participating in the 2004 WNIT. McConnell-Miller is the school's all-time winningest coach with 76 victories.

She's a mother of three that ranges from four years old to four months old (Brice (4), Mackenzie (3) and Macie Nicole (4 months - Aug. 3, 2004).SERIES HISTORY
Oklahoma dominates the all-time series against Tulsa. OU has won 21 straight and 21 of 22 (21-1) overall. The only game OU lost was the very first one in 1975-76 (58-55).

The two-teams have faced each other in the Bertha Teague Classic three of past four years with OU earning a +20.3 winning margin. Tulsa battle OU to a four-point game in 2002-03, the last time these two teams faced each other. OU won, 65-61, on Tulsa's home court.

SERIES HISTORY
Oklahoma dominates the all-time series against Tulsa. OU has won 21 straight and 21 of 22 (21-1) overall. The only game OU lost was the very first one in 1975-76 (58-55).

The two-teams have faced each other in the Bertha Teague Classic three of past four years with OU earning a +20.3 winning margin. Tulsa battle OU to a four-point game in 2002-03, the last time these two teams faced each other. OU won, 65-61, on Tulsa's home court.

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL SINGLE GAME & HOLIDAY FAMILY PACKS
Women's Basketball Holiday Family Packs are now on sale! Holiday Family Packs include your game ticket, a regular hotdog, a small Coke and an OU t-shirt (redeemable at OU Authentic) all for just $10 (minimum order of four packages required). To purchase the Holiday Family Packs visit www.SoonerSports.com.

IN SEARCH OF 500TH PROGRAM WIN
Oklahoma is 16 wins shy of reaching its 500 career victory. The 31-year old women's basketball program has 484 wins.

HOME SWEET HOME
Oklahoma returned to the Lloyd Noble Center to pick up a 60-42 victory over Lamar Thursday night. The Sooners are 3-0 inside the Lloyd Noble Center this season.

Oklahoma has produced a home court record of 71-14, an 82.9 winning percentage, over the last seven years. The Sooners have only lost three non-conference games during this period (Connecticut 2000 (84-68), SMU 2003 (71-68) and Tennessee 2004 (71-55)).

OU STILL AMONG NATION'S ELITE IN HOME ATTENDANCE
OU currently ranks No. 12 on the unofficial 2004-05 women's basketball home attendance rankings compiled by the University of Wisconsin. The Sooners currently draw 4,605 fans to home games (fourth best in the Big 12 Conference).

IMPROVED SHOT BLOCKERS
Oklahoma has already registered 22 blocked shots this season, compared to five this time last year. OU's Dionnah Jackson leads the team with eight after establishing a personal-best four blocks against Lamar Thursday. She also led the team last year with 22 blocked shots. The 5-9 point guard moved up to No. 8 on OU's all time career list for most blocked shot with 47. She seven shy of the top 5.

Sophomore Leah Rush ranks second with five blocks and all but three Sooners have blocked a shot this season.

As a team, OU ranks eighth (4.40 per game) in the Big 12 Conference in this category. For the past two years, the Sooners have been 12th.

SOONERS' SIXTH MAN
Senior Lauren Shoush appeared in the starting lineup for the 11th time in her career Thursday against Lamar. The Oklahoma City native has earned this opportunity by averaging 8.4 points, third best on the team, and 4.6 rebounds, fourth best on the team, per game over five games. She's also shooting 44.4 percent from the field and 81.3 percent from the foul line.

JACKSON IS ON THE MOVE
With five games under her belt, senior Dionnah Jackson is climbing OU's career charts. Jackson now ranks among the top five in defensive rebounds and steals. The St. Louis, Mo., native is fifth in career defensive rebounds (463) and steals (220). She pocketed 20 steals, including a personal-best nine against Iowa, and 20 defensive boards for the moves.

MCGHEE SIDELINED
Freshman Stephanie McGhee is expected back on the court before OU's game at TCU on Dec. 9. She has missed a handful of games due to a stress fracture in her right fibula. McGhee was named the Preseason Big 12 and Media Freshman of the Year. She played in both of OU's exhibition games and averaged 8.5 points. Three of her five field goals made were 3s.

McGhee is the state's all-time leading scorer with 3,376 points, a mark that broke the previous record by more than 600 points.

MIXING-AN-MATCHING
Head coach Sherri Coale is still searching for the right combination on the court. Coale has had the luxury of playing 10 of her 13 eligible players in four of the five games. Against Texas State, Akron and Lamar all 13 Sooners that suited up played.

In addition, 11 of Coale's 13 players are averaging double digits in minutes played per game.

JACKSON AND RUSH NAMED TO ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
Senior Dionnah Jackson and sophomore Leah Rush were named to the 2004 Junkanoo Jam All-Tournament team after guiding the Sooners to a second-place finish. Both players averaged nine points per game and were solid at the free throw line. Rush was a perfect 7-of-7 from the foul line while Jackson hit six of 10 shots. Jackson shot 50 percent from the field (6-of-12) as well. For the tournament, Rush ranked second on the team in rebounds with 6.5 per game. Junior Antoinette Wadsworth topped the team with 8.0 rpg.

University of Oklahoma Athletics

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