University of Oklahoma Athletics
OU Men vs. Purdue on ESPN at 8 PM
December 06, 2004 | Men's Basketball
GAME INFORMATION
Winner of two straight, Oklahoma (4-1) plays at Purdue (1-4) on Wednesday at 8 p.m. CST inside Mackey Arena. The game will air on the Sooner Radio Network (flagship KOKC 1520 AM in Oklahoma City) with Bob Barry, Sr., (play-by-play) and Mike Houck (analyst) calling the action. It will be televised nationally by ESPN with Brent Musburger (play-by-play), Steve Lavin (analyst) and Erin Andrews (courtside reporter) announcing.
OKLAHOMA UPDATE
Following its third-place finish at the Great Alaska Shootout (it went 2-1), Oklahoma returned home to down Coppin State, 67-44, last Wednesday. The Sooners played without suspended sophomore guards Brandon Foust, Drew Lavender and Lawrence McKenzie, but were carried by two other guards. True freshman David Godbold, who played a combined eight minutes over OU's first four games, started and scored 14 points and grabbed seven rebounds (five offensive). Godbold was 4-for-6 from 3-point territory in 36 minutes of action. Junior guard Terrell Everett played 39 minutes at the point and was solid on both ends of the court. The lefty scored 13 points and registered game and career highs in rebounds (9), assists (6) and steals (4). Everett was 7-for-8 from the foul line. Jaison Williams, another guard, drained three 3-pointers and finished with 11 points, six boards, three assists and three steals. Kevin Bookout and Taj Gray did the damage on the inside as they combined for 20 points and 12 rebounds.
For the first time this season, the Sooners failed to shoot better than .500 from the field. They registered a .404 mark against the Eagles but still own a .507 figure to rank third in the Big 12 Conference. OU leads the league in 3-point field goal percentage defense (.250) and also ranks third in assists (17.8) and blocks (5.4) per game.
PROJECTED OKLAHOMA STARTERS (Stats averages)
F 21 Taj Gray (6-9, 235, Jr., 13.2 ppg, 6.6 rpg, 2.0 apg)
F 34 Kevin Bookout (6-8, 259, Jr., 14.6 ppg, 6.2 rpg, 0.6 apg)
G 2 Jaison Williams (6-3, 181, Sr., 9.0 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 3.0 apg)
G 4 David Godbold (6-5, 212, Fr., 6.0 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 0.0 apg)
G 20 Terrell Everett (6-4, 185, Jr., 12.6 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 4.6 apg)
PROJECTED PURDUE STARTERS (Stats averages)
F 14 Carl Landry (6-7, 235, Jr., 15.6 ppg, 8.8 rpg, 1.8 apg)
F 42 Matt Kiefer (6-10, 225, Jr., 14.4 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 0.4 apg)
G 2 David Teague (6-5, 183, Jr., 8.3 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 1.0 apg)
G 10 Brandon McKnight (6-2, 183, Sr., 15.4 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 3.4 apg)
G 30 Xavier Price (6-3, 200, Fr., 5.2 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 2.0 apg)
COPPIN STATE LEFTOVERS
Oklahoma outrebounded Coppin State by a 42-29 count. The 13-rebound margin was OU's largest since outboarding Jackson State by 16 (46-30) on Dec. 20, 2003 (a span of 28 games).
The Sooners shot .500 from the free throw line in the first half (4-for-8) but posted a .824 mark after the break (14-for-17).
Longar Longar came off the bench to supply six points, three rebounds, an assist and a blocked shot in 16 minutes. He was 3-for-3 from the field (all dunks).
Redshirt freshman Kellen Sampson played a career-high 11 minutes and had three points, two boards and an assist. He hit a buzzer-beater to give OU a 10-point halftime lead.
Kevin Bookout scored in double figures for the fifth straight game. He had 11 points.
ABOUT PURDUE
Purdue enters Wednesday's game with a 1-4 record and has lost three straight. Playing a challenging non-conference schedule, the Boilermakers are coming off losses to Memphis (62-51 at home on Dec. 3), N.C. State (60-53 away on Nov. 29) and Cincinnati (79-59 in Indianapolis on Nov. 27). They also lost at Miami (Ohio) in their season opener (81-71 on Nov. 19). They're lone victory came against Detroit (66-56 at home on Nov. 23). Purdue is getting outscored by 7.6 points a game (67.6-60.0) and is averaging 2.4 fewer rebounds than its opponents (36.4-34.0). It is shooting .384 from the field, .295 from 3-point territory and .656 from the free throw line.
Junior college transfer Carl Landry leads the team in scoring and rebounding with his 15.6 and 8.8 respective averages. The forward is shooting .520 from the field and .694 from the foul line (he is averaging 7.2 free throw attempts a game). Senior guard Brandon McKnight averages 15.4 points and a team-high 3.4 assists an outing. His nine 3-pointers lead the squad. Junior forward Matt Kiefer averages 14.4 points and 4.2 boards a game and is shooting a team-high .529 from the field. Another junior, guard David Teague, missed the team's first two games but is averaging 8.3 points and 5.3 rebounds over the team's last three contests.
Gene Keady is in his 25th and final season as Purdue's head coach. He owns a 506-253 (.667) record at the school. Keady is in his 27th season overall and owns a 544-272 (.667) career mark.
SERIES WITH PURDUE
Oklahoma holds a 4-3 advantage against Purdue in a series that dates back to Dec. 21, 1962. OU is 3-0 in the series in Norman, 1-2 in West Lafayette and 0-1 in neutral site competition. Kelvin Sampson is 2-2 versus the Boilermakers as OU's head coach and is 0-1 in West Lafayette. The Sooners won last year in Norman, 47-45, on a Drew Lavender basket with a second left. Purdue won 66-62 in the 2000 NCAA Tournament second round in Tucson, Ariz. On Dec. 21, 1996, OU beat the three-time defending Big Ten champ Boilers 82-58 in Norman. In the fourth game of the 1995-96 season (Sampson's second year at OU), Purdue posted a 77-63 home win. Oklahoma's other wins in the series came on Dec. 12, 1981 (80-77 in Norman) and Dec. 21, 1962 (80-79 in West Lafayette). Purdue's other victory came on Dec. 11, 1980 (101-86 in West Lafayette).
LAST YEAR VS. PURDUE
Freshman point guard Drew Lavender's 7-foot runner with 1.1 seconds left was the game winner as No. 11 Oklahoma edged No. 16 Purdue, 47-45.
Purdue's David Teague knotted the score at 45-45 on two free throws with nine seconds left.
Lavender (14 points) and Kevin Bookout (12) were the only Sooners in double figures in scoring. Chris Booker scored a team-high 13 for Purdue while Teague netted 11. Booker also had a game-high 13 boards.
The 47 points by OU were its fewest in victory since a 40-39 home win over Air Force in the 1959-60 season (a span of 1,324 games).
Oklahoma shot just .362 from the field but limited Purdue to a .300 mark.
The Boilermakers entered the game as the Big Ten's lone undefeated team (6-0).
OU's win was its second in a row against a Big Ten team (it won at Michigan State 80-77 in OT five days earlier).
FOUST, LAVENDER EXPECTED TO PLAY WEDNESDAY
Sophomores Brandon Foust and Drew Lavender, who were suspended for last Wednesday's game against Coppin State along with fellow sophomore Lawrence McKenzie for violating team rules, are expected to play versus Purdue. McKenzie's status remains up in the air. Lavender had started all 35 of his previous career games at point guard prior to the suspensions. He averages 11.0 points and 4.8 assists a game while Foust averages 3.5 points and 1.3 boards. McKenzie is averaging 8.5 points and 2.0 3-pointers over his four games.
TOYS FOR TOTS (DEC. 11)
The U.S. Marine Corps will be collecting toys for its "Toys for Tots" program at Lloyd Noble Center prior to the Dec. 11 men's basketball game versus Northern Colorado and before the women's basketball game later that day against Southwest Missouri State. All toys collected will be distributed to families in the Oklahoma City area. Fans are encouraged to bring new, unwrapped toys and place them in the collection bins outside the arena entrances.
OFFENSIVE TURNAROUND
The Sooners are averaging 80.0 points a game, up from last year's 66.4 average (ranked 11th in the Big 12). The 1994-95 Sooners scored 81.7 points a contest for the highest average during the Kelvin Sampson era (it was his first year at OU).
SOONERS DISPLAY MUCH IMPROVED SHOOTING
After posting a .408 field goal mark last year its worst in 40 seasons Oklahoma is off to a tremendous shooting start in 2004-05. The Sooners have shot better than .500 from the field in four of their five games and own a .507 season figure to rank third in the Big 12 Conference. OU shot .509 against Cal State Northridge in the season opener, .532 versus High Point, .550 against Washington and .529 versus Minnesota. The 2003-04 Sooners shot .500 or better from the field just three times all season. OU also shot a combined .500 from the field in its two exhibition games this year.
MORE SHOOTING NOTES
Oklahoma's leader in field goal percentage his first two seasons, junior forward Kevin Bookout is shooting a gaudy .738 from the field this season (31-for-42). The 6-8, 259-pounder has showcased a reliable mid-range jumper and made nine of his 10 field goal attempts against then-No. 22 Washington on Nov. 26. Bookout shot .587 as a freshman to lead the Big 12 Conference and posted a .516 mark last year in 13 games.
Six OU regulars are shooting .500 or better through five games. Last year, Bookout (.516) and Johnnie Gilbert (.512) were the only Sooners who finished above .500.
BETTER TO GIVE THAN RECEIVE
The Sooners have registered 89 assists through five contests for an average of 17.8 a game (ranks third in Big 12). An assist has been credited on 63 percent of OU's field goals. Last year's team averaged 12.1 assists a game and 53 percent of its baskets were assisted.
NOT AFRAID OF REJECTION
Junior forward Taj Gray (6-9) and freshman center Longar Longar (6-11) have been intimidating in the paint with their shot-blocking ability. Gray has registered two games of four rejections while Longar has blocked three shots in two of OU's other three games. Gray is averaging 2.2 swats an outing. Longar is averaging 1.8 blocks in 11.0 minutes a game. The Sooners are averaging 5.4 blocks a contest as a team (the school record is 5.8 per game in 1988-89). Senior Johnnie Gilbert, who has two blocked shots this year, ranks fifth on OU's career list with 113. His next rejection will tie him with Ryan Humphrey (1997-97 and 1998-99) for fourth place.
TURNOVERS UP, BUT...
Partially because of OU's up-tempo style of play this season, the team's turnover average has increased fairly significantly from last year. The Sooners are averaging 16.4 offensive miscues a game compared to 13.1 per contest last season. However, Oklahoma has committed fewer turnovers than four of its five opponents this year. Foes are averaging 18.6 turnovers a game.
GREAT ALASKA SHOOTOUT LEFTOVERS
In their second appearance in the event, the Sooners finished in third place for the second time (they also visited Anchorage in 1983). OU beat High Point (93-65), lost to eventual champion Washington (96-91) and beat Minnesota (67-54).
OU's .538 tournament field goal percentage ranks as the ninth best in Great Alaska Shootout history.
Oklahoma's 91 points against Washington in the semifinals were its most in a losing effort since Feb. 5, 1994, when it lost a 104-94 game to Missouri in Norman. It was Billy Tubbs' final year as head coach.
The Sooners led the tournament in assists (20.0 per game), blocked shots (6.3) and field goal percentage (.538) and ranked second in scoring (83.7 ppg) and steals (8.3).
Juniors Kevin Bookout (16.7 ppg, 6.0 rpg, .724 FG percentage) and Terrell Everett (14.0 ppg, 4.0 apg, 2.0 spg) were named to the all-tournament team.
GRAY, EVERETT EARN EARLY BIG 12 HONORS
Terrell Everett became the second Sooner this season named Big 12 Rookie of the Week when he was announced as co-winner with Nebraska freshman guard Joe McCray on Nov. 29 (Taj Gray was honored Nov. 22). A 6-4, 185-pound junior guard, Everett averaged 14.0 points, 3.7 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 2.0 steals in three games at the Great Alaska Shootout. He shot .556 from the field and .667 (6-for-9) from the experimental (nine inches deeper) 3-point line in games against High Point, Washington and Minnesota. Everett was 3-for-6 from beyond the arc against Washington and scored a career-high 19 points. Gray was honored after producing 29 points, 14, rebounds, four assists and four blocked shots in OU's season-opening win over Cal State Northridge.
PRESEASON AP TOP 25: SOONERS MISSING
For the first time since the 1999-2000 season, Oklahoma was not ranked in the AP poll's preseason top 25. The Sooners debuted 33rd in the preseason AP poll and 30th in the ESPN/USA Today coaches poll. OU finished No. 3 in the final 2001-02 and 2002-03 AP polls.
OKLAHOMA TIP INS
The Sooners have won 53 of their last 57 home games (.930).
OU shot .500 or better from the field three times all of last season. It has shot better than .500 in four of its five games this season. The Sooners shot .408 last year but own a .507 mark this year.
Junior forward Kevin Bookout went 5-for-5 from the field against Cal State Northridge and 9-for-10 against Washington. He ranks second in the Big 12 with his .738 season field goal percentage.
Freshman guard David Godbold, who played a combined eight minutes off the bench in OU's first four games, started and played 36 minutes last Wednesday against Coppin State. He scored a game-high 14 points, pulled down seven rebounds (five offensive) and was 4-for-6 from 3-point range.
Freshman center Longar Longar is 6-for-6 from the field this season. All six field goals have been dunks.
Drew Lavender, a .782 free throw shooter a year ago, is 13-for-14 (.929) from the charity stripe this season.
A career .527 free throw shooter, Bookout is off to an 11-for-14 start this year (.786).
In his first game since Feb. 5 season-ending shoulder surgery, Bookout played all 40 minutes against Cal State Northridge in the season opener.
OU averaged 2.3 dunks a game last year. Through five games this season it is averaging 4.2 a contest.
Six players are averaging at least 8.5 points a game. Four average 11.0 or more.
SAMPSON SIGNS THREE
Kelvin Sampson announced the signing of three players to national letters of intent Thursday, Nov. 11. Joining the OU program next year will be junior college All-American Mike Neal and high school standouts Taylor Griffin and Austin Johnson. From Mesquite, Texas, the 6-4 Neal was a second-team juco All-American at Lon Morris College last year when he averaged 21.1 points, 4.2 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 2.1 steals a game. The guard shot .398 from 3-point range and is regarded by recruiting analyst Van Coleman as the nation's No. 2 junior college player. A 6-7, 225-pounder, Griffin attends Oklahoma Christian School in Edmond and averaged 15.8 points, 11.8 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game as a junior. The first-team All-State performer shot .612 from the field and led his team to the 3A state title. Johnson, at 6-3 and 170 pounds, is rated as the nation's 45th-best high school senior and the 12th-best shooting guard in the country. From Amarillo, Texas, Johnson averaged 27.2 points, 7.7 rebounds, 5.1 assists and 3.9 steals a game last year for Palo Duro High School. He registered 46- and 44-point games as a junior and earned first-team All-State recognition.
“We're ecstatic about this class,” said Sampson. “This was a little bit of a tricky recruiting class because we're going to have five starters back next year. We had to plug holes where we think we're going to need players. On top of their ability as basketball players, Mike, Austin and Taylor are excellent students. They're great character kids. We're excited. We feel like we've made Sooner Basketball better.”
BOOKOUT ON PRESEASON WATCH LISTS
Junior forward Kevin Bookout is on preseason top-50 watch lists for college basketball's two most coveted individual player awards the John R. Wooden Award and the Naismith Trophy. Both awards will be presented in April. Bookout is one of six Big 12 representatives in contention for the Wooden Award (Kansas' Keith Langford and Wayne Simien, Oklahoma State's Joey Graham and John Lucas, and Texas' P.J. Tucker are the others), and one of five up for the Naismith Trophy (Graham, Langford, Lucas and Simien).
GRAY UNANIMOUS BIG 12 PRESEASON NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR
One of the most recruited junior college players in the nation last year, junior forward Taj Gray was the unanimous choice as Preseason Big 12 Newcomer of the Year by the league's coaches and media. The 6-9, 235-pound Gray was the runner-up in national junior college player of the year voting last season when he averaged 18.1 points, 10.8 rebounds and 3.3 blocked shots for Redlands Community College in El Reno, Okla. Gray also shot .672 from the field as he led Redlands to the National Junior College Athletic Association title game.
SOONERS GOING FOR EIGHTH STRAIGHT 20-WIN SEASON
Oklahoma finished 20-11 last year to post its seventh consecutive 20-win campaign. The Sooners have won 175 games over the last seven seasons for an average of 25 per year. Over the last five seasons, OU is averaging 26 wins. The school record for consecutive 20-win seasons is 12 (1981-82 through 1992-93 under Billy Tubbs).
UNDER KELVIN SAMPSON...
OU has made 10 straight postseason showings (nine NCAA and one NIT).
OU has advanced to the NCAA Tournament's Sweet 16 (1999), Final Four (2002) and Elite Eight (2003).
OU has posted an 88-40 (.688) regular season Big 12 Conference record.
OU has recorded a 135-20 (.871) record at Lloyd Noble Center and has won 53 of its last 57 home games.
OU has won at least 20 games each of the last seven years.
OU has averaged 26 victories over the past five seasons.
OU has won three of the past four Big 12 Tournaments and has made five title game appearances in the last seven events.
