Top 25 Women's Basketball Teams In Action Wednesday

MEDIA INFORMATION
No. 13 Colorado Buffs
(19-4, 8-3 Big 12)
at
No. 24 Oklahoma Sooners
(16-6, 6-5 Big 12)

Date & Time: Wed., Feb. 18 @ 7 p.m.
Site: Lloyd Noble Center (12,000) - Norman
Series Record: CU leads 33-14
Tickets: Ticket prices range from $5 to $10. To purchase call 405-325-2424.
Radio: Sooner Sports Network - KOMA-AM (1520); Brian Brinkley (play-by-play) & Tara Robinett (analyst). All broadcasts also are available through the OU athletics web site.
TV: Sooner Sports Network; Mark Rodgers (play-by-play) & Patti Phillips (analyst)
Rankings: Colorado is ranked 13th, while OU is ranked 24th in AP poll.
Real-Time Stats: Live in-game statistics are available through OU's athletics web site.
Web Site: Oklahoma (www.SoonerSports.com), Colorado (www.cubuffs.com)

PROBABLE STARTERS
OKLAHOMA (16-6)                                                            PPG         RPG
10   F   Caton Hill (6-1, Sr., Ada, Okla.)                              12.2           6.1
24   F   Leah Rush (6-1, Fr., Amarillo, Texas)                     7.9             4.5
34   G   Erin Higgins (5-9, Fr., Oklahoma City)                     6.8             2.4
35   G   Dionnah Jackson (5-9, Jr., St. Louis, Mo.)             11.4            6.0
05   G   Maria Villarroel (5-9, Sr., Margarita, Venezuela)   14.1            5.3

COLORADO (19-4)                                                            PPG           RPG
02   F   Amber Metoyer (5-10, So., Boulder, Colo.)            6.6              5.6
54   F   Randie Wirt (6-2, Sr., New Prague, Minn.)             9.9              7.7
50   C   Tera Bjorklund (6-5, Sr., St. Peter, Minn.)              19.0             7.6
01   G   Kate Fagan (5-9, Sr., Schenectady, N.Y.)             13.1           3.3
04   G   Emily Waner (5-8, Fr., Highlands Ranch, Colo.)     7.8              1.6

WEDNESDAY PREVIEW
Oklahoma's (16-6, 6-5 Big 12) five remaining games will not be easy as the Sooners are set to face four ranked Big 12 teams as well as go to Oklahoma State for Bedlam.

OU will host Big 12 North foe and 13th-ranked Colorado (19-4, 8-3 Big 12) on Wednesday, Feb. 18, at 7 p.m. inside the Lloyd Noble Center. The game will be carried live on KOMA radio (1520 AM) and broadcast by Sooner Sports Network.

Oklahoma is riding a three-game winning streak while Colorado is coming off a six-point loss to No. 1 Texas in Boulder.

OU is currently tied with Baylor for fifth (6-5) place in the Big 12 Conference standings, while CU is holding down the third spot.

Oklahoma is a well-balanced team as three players average better than 10-points and five rebounds per game. Seniors Maria Villarroel and Caton Hill sports 14.1 and 12.2 points per game, respectively, while junior guard Dionnah Jackson averages 11.4 ppg and team bests of 5.2 assists and 2.6 steals per game. Jackson and Hill also leads OU with 6.1 and 6.0 rebounds, respectively.

Colorado is lead by a pair of seniors in Tera Bjorklund and Kate Fagan. The duo is averaging better than 10-points per game and ranks among the Big 12 leaders in scoring. Bjorklund's 19.0 ppg is second best in the league, while Fagan's 13.1 ppg ranks 14th.

OU-COLORADO SERIES
Even though Colorado sports an all-time series record of 33-14 when playing Oklahoma the last 11 meetings between the two teams have been more balanced.

Since the 1997 campaign (Sherri Coale's first season) the two teams have gone 6-5 in favor of the Sooners.

Colorado snapped OU's five game winning streak last season with a 61-57 victory in Boulder, followed by a 73-68 win in the second round of the 2003 Big 12 Tournament in Dallas. In those two games, CU's center, Tera Bjorklund, averaged 21 points and 6.5 rebounds. She hit 16 of her attempted 31 field goals for a 51.6 field goal percentage.

Oklahoma's Caton Hill averages a double double (15.8 points and 11.0 rebounds) when playing Colorado. Hill's personal best of 25 points was established against CU in Boulder on Jan. 3, 2001. She also scored 23 against them in the Big 12 Tournament that same year. Hill has produced three double double in five tries vs. the Buffs. (see page 5 for stats)

Colorado was one of two teams Oklahoma had to eliminate from the 2002 NCAA West Regional in order to advance to the Final Four. OU defeated the Buffs in the Elite Eight game by 34 points, 94-60. OU also handed CU a nine point loss, 102-93, in the semifinals of the Big 12 Tournament that same year.

The OU-Colorado series is the second oldest for the Sooners in Big 12 play. Wednesday will be the 48th meeting between the two teams. Only the OU-OSU rival has been going on longer, 72 games.

OKLAHOMA (16-6, 6-5 BIG 12)
Oklahoma looks to be on the upward swing of things, riding a three-game winning streak and back in the AP Top 25 poll, but the Sooners must become more consistent at shooting the basketball and controlling turnovers.

OU sports an overall record of 16-6 and a Big 12 Conference mark of 6-5. The Sooners are lead by junior sensation Dionnah Jackson. Jackson ranks among the league's best in seven different categories when facing Big 12 teams. She's the team leader in rebounds (6.5), assists (5.3), steals (2.8), defensive rebounds (5.2) and block shots (0.8) per game vs. conference opponents. In overall games, Jackson averages 11.4 points, 6.0 rebounds, 5.2 assists and 2.6 steals per game.

Leading the Sooners in overall scoring are seniors Maria Villarroel (14.1 ppg) and Caton Hill (12.2 ppg). Villarroel also owns the team's best field goal percentage mark of 57.0 percent (of players making more than 10 shots). Hill's 6.1 rebounds per game leads the team.

Redshirt-freshman Erin Higgins has been more consistent as a scoring threat for opponents as she's averaging 2.45 three-pointers against Big 12 teams. Higgins also has hit 27 of her 40 3s in the last 10 games.

As a team, Oklahoma is averaging 74.0 points and 42.0 rebounds per game, compared to its opponents 59.9 ppg and 35.0 rpg.

COLORADO (19-4, 8-3 BIG 12)
Colorado (19-4, 8-3 Big 12) is sitting in third-place in the Big 12 Conference race with five games to play (OU, OSU, Kansas, at Texas Tech, at Nebraska). The Buffs are 7-3 over the last 10 games and currently on a one game losing skid (lost to No. 1/2 Texas, 51-45, Saturday). CU also owns a 3-4 record when playing top 25 teams this season.

In the loss to Texas, senior Tera Bjorklund battle foul trouble the entire game. She concluded the day playing just 22 minutes, producing five points and five rebounds. Scoring 10 points each for CU was senior Randie Wirt and freshman Anna Nedovic. Wirt produced her fifth double double of the season by grabbing 12 rebounds. Colorado shot 31.8 percent from the field compare to Texas' 25.9 percent. However, CU turned the ball over 18 times and was outrebounded, 43-38. The Buffs also watched UT hit 20-of-28 from the stripe.

Bjorklund has been steady for Colorado the entire season. She averages 19.0 ppg and 7.6 rpg while shooting 62.6 percent from the field and 72.6 percent from the free throw line. Wirt also contributes 13.1 ppg and a team-best 7.7 rpg. She has hit 66-of-77 free throws attempted (87%). Kate Fagan and Emily Waner aren't shy about shooting the three as Fagan has connected on 61-of-138 (44.2%) treys, followed by Waner's 46-of-99 (46.5%).

As a team, CU is scoring 72.1 points and averaging 35.3 rebounds per game. The Buffs are shooting 44.7 percent from the field, 37.6 percent from the arc and 74.3 percent from the free throw line.

CU's head coach Ceal Barry will be going for her 499th career victory Wednesday.

UP NEXT
Oklahoma will face 19th-ranked Baylor on Sat., Feb. 21, at 7 p.m. at the Ferrell Center (10,284) in Waco, Texas. The Sooners suffered a seven-point loss to the Lady Bears in Norman on Jan. 17.

OU VS. RANKED TEAMS
Oklahoma is 1-2 against teams ranked in the top 10 and 2-4 vs. teams in the top 25 this season.

Under Sherri Coale, the Sooners are 27-41 vs. top 25 programs; 5-25 vs. top 10; and 1-11 vs. top 5 teams.

The last time OU upset a top-10 team was earlier this season when the Sooners handed then No. 7 Texas Tech a 68-62 loss in Lubbock. It also marked the first time OU had defeated a top 10 team on its home court since beating then-10th ranked Baylor, 65-60, in Waco, Texas, on Feb. 5, 2002.

HIGGINS NAMED BIG 12 ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Redshirt-freshman Erin Higgins was named the Big 12 Women's Basketball Rookie of the Week for games from Feb. 9-15, the conference office announced Monday.

Higgins had a solid week with averages of 10.5 points, 3.0 threes, 1.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 2.5 steals per game.

The 5-9 guard launched a career-high and school record 14 treys en route to matching personal bests of 18 points and six 3s, which assisted OU to a 24-point victory over Kansas Saturday. She also had two rebounds, a career-high four assists and a personal-best four steals in 33 minutes of play.

Higgins played 37 minutes of solid defense in OU's 68-62 upset win over then-No. 7 Texas Tech in Lubbock on Feb. 10. She added a blocked shot, a steal, a rebound and two points to her stats line against the Lady Raiders.

The Oklahoma City native contributes 6.8 points and 2.4 rebounds per game while averaging 2.0 three-pointers per outing. Of Higgins' 45 field goals made, 40 have been 3s. In Big 12 play, she increases her averages to 7.9 ppg, 2.8 rpg and 2.5 threes per game.

HOME SWEET HOME
Oklahoma has been pretty impressive inside the Lloyd Noble Center since the 1999-2000 season. At one point, OU owned a 25-game home winning streak the stretch over three seasons (1-10-01 to 12-5-02). The Sooners also went through the 2001-02 campaign with a flawless 14-0 record.

Oklahoma ranks 15th in the nation with a per game home attendance average of 5,911.

COALE WORKING TOWARD ANOTHER MILESTONE
Sooner Coach Sherri Coale looks to surpass another milestone in her coaching career this season. The eighth-year head coach has 148 career victories and looks to collect her 150th before season ends.

THE RECORD TO WATCH - LOOKING TO BE ELITE
Senior Caton Hill surpassed the 1,500 point milestone (1,516) at Texas Tech on Feb. 10. She needs just 19 rebounds to reach 1,000 and three steals for 200. If she reaches the 1,000 rebound and the 200 steal marks she will become the ONLY Sooner in school history to score 1,500 points, collect 1,000 rebounds and pocket 200 steals in her career.

Molly McGuire is the only Sooner to hold the honor of being a 1,500 and 1,000 club member. She scored 2,187 points and grabbed 1,071 rebounds from 1980-1983.

JACKSON MOVES UP TO NO. 3 ON ASSISTS LIST
Junior guard Dionnah Jackson (St. Louis, Mo.) distributed a game-high seven assists against Kansas Saturday to move up to No. 3 on Oklahoma's all-time assists list. She now has 382 career assists and 114 on the season, 11 shy of breaking into the single season top 25.

In Big 12 play she's averaging 5.3 assists per game, third best in the league. She also ranks third in overall games with 5.2 apg. Texas A&M's Toccara Williams leads the Big 12 with 7.5, followed by Texas Tech's Erin Grant's 7.45 apg. Jackson, a 5-9 point guard, has dished out four or more assists in 17 different games and has had more assists than turnovers 18 times this season.

Former Sooner Sharee Mitchum ranks second with 601 assists and Sooner great Stacey Dales-Schuman holds the school record with 764 assists.

CHARITY STRIPE REWARDS
Oklahoma is the only team in the Big 12 Conference that has three players ranked among the league's top 15 in free throw percentage.

Senior Caton Hill (.828), junior Dionnah Jackson (.812) and freshman Leah Rush (.803) ranks seventh, eighth and ninth, respectively, in Big 12 overall games.

Colorado, Texas Tech and Oklahoma State each have two players ranked among the top 15. CU sports the two best free throw shooters in the league in Kate Fagan (.883/1st) and Randie Wirt (.870/2nd).

TERRIFIC TWOSOME COMES ALIVE
After struggling over a four game span, Oklahoma seniors Maria Villarroel and Caton Hill are back on track offensively and defensively.

Over the past three games, Villarroel has averaged 20.3 points, 7.7 rebounds, 3.0 steals and 1.3 block shot per game, while shooting .576 percent from the field and an impressive .808 from the stripe. Hill has averaged 12.3 points and 8.3 rebounds per game. She has also connected on 40.6 percent of the field (13-for-32) and hit all six foul shots.

Villarroel scored 16 of her game-high 19 points in the first half, marking the most points she has scored since recording 21 against the Aggies in College Station on Jan. 14. She also pocketed a career-best five steals. Villarroel topped that performance with a game-high tying 20 points in OU's upset win at Texas Tech on Feb. 10. She also had two blocked shots and hit five of seven free throws.

The terrific twosome continues to lead the Sooners in scoring with 14.1 (Villarroel) and 12.2 (Hill) points per game. Villarroel also tops the team with a 57.0 field goal percentage, while Hill leads the team in rebounding (6.1) and ranks second in assists (1.8) per game.

THINGS THAT HAVE HAPPENED....
Maria Villarroel currently ranks No. 7 on OU's single season field goal percentage chart, shooting 57.0 percent.
Erin Higgins is just three 3s short of ranking 15th on OU's single season chart from most three-pointers. She has 40 on the year. Higgins is also eight shy of ranking 15th on OU's single season chart from most attempted 3s. She has shot 110 treys.
Dionnah Jackson currently ranks 11th on OU's single season chart for best free throw percentage, shooting 81.3 percent. Leah Rush ranks No. 15 with a 80.3 free throw accuracy. Jackson is 11 steals shy of breaking into the top 15 on the single season list. She has 57.

SINGLE GAME RECORD CHANGES...
Maria Villarroel currently holds the school record for most points per game of players that have only played two seasons for OU. Villarroel has scored 790 points in 54 games for a per game average of 14.6 ppg. The previous record of 13.0 ppg held by Vickie Green (1985, 1986).
Erin Higgins tied the school record for most attempted three-pointers in a single game when she launched 14 against Kansas Saturday. Higgins matched two other Sooners.

IT'S RAINING THREES
Redshirt-freshman Erin Higgins moved up to No. 2 on the Big 12 Conference list for 3-pointer field goals made per game with 2.45 vs. league opponents.

The Oklahoma City native nailed a career-best six 3s against Kansas (Feb. 14) and Baylor (Jan. 24). Higgins also attempted a career-high and school record 14 treys vs. KU Saturday, which also ties for first in the Big 12.

For the season, she's contributing 6.8 points and 2.4 rebounds per game plus of her 45 field goals made, 40 have been threes.

SOONERS STRONG WHEN...
Oklahoma has hit 50 percent or better from the field in seven games, producing a perfect 7-0 record. The Sooners are also undefeated, 14-0, when collecting more rebounds than their opponents.

RPI RATINGS
Oklahoma moved up to No. 28 in the most recent (Feb. 16) WBCA-Summerville RPI Rankings. The Sooners strength of schedule ranks 60th.

University of Oklahoma Athletics

Top 25 Women's Basketball Teams In Action Wednesday

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