Sooners Host OSU at 7 p.m. Wednesday

Oklahoma State (5-9, 0-4 Big 12)
At
Oklahoma (9-5, 1-2 Big 12 )

Date: Wednesday, Jan. 19, 2005
Location: Norman, Okla.
Arena: Lloyd Noble Center (12,000)
Tip-Off: 7 p.m.
Tickets: General admission tickets are $8 (adults) and $5 (youth).
Television: Sooner Sports Networks
Area - Station
OKC - KAUT-UPN 43
Tulsa - Cox 3
Lawton - KSWO-7
Woodward - KOMI-24
*Kansas City - Metro Sports- 30 (* Tape Delayed)
Radio: Sooner Sports Network including KOKC (1520 AM)
Series: OU leads the all-time series, 39-34.

Bedlam Hoops Set For Wednesday
Oklahoma (9-5, 1-2 Big 12) will be looking to extend its 11-game winning streak against Oklahoma State (5-9, 0-4 Big 12) Wednesday as the Sooners host the Cowgirls in the first of the two-game Bedlam Series presented by the Bank of Oklahoma and Your Oklahoma Ford Dealers. Tip time is set for 7 p.m. inside the Lloyd Noble Center, where the Sooners are currently 6-0.

Wednesday's game will be televised by the Sooner Sports Network with Mark Rodgers (play-by-play) and Patty Phillips (analyst) calling the action. The Bedlam matchup can also be heard state wide on the Sooner Sports Radio Network including KOKC-AM (1520). The game will be webcast live on the O-Zone at SoonerSports.com with the live audio broadcast also available through Yahoo.

OU fans can purchase single game tickets for just $8 for adult and $5 for youth.

Following Wednesday's game, OU travels to College Station, Texas, for the second of its two-game series against Texas A&M. OU has a 7 p.m. tip against the Aggies on Saturday, Jan. 22.

See how the Sooners stack up against OSU in the Bedlam Series presented by the Bank of Oklahoma and Your Oklahoma Ford Dealers!

BEDLAM SERIES
Oklahoma State currently leads the 2004-05 OU-OSU Bedlam series, 3-2.

PROBABLE STARTERS
OKLAHOMA
24 F Leah Rush (6-1, So., Amarillo, Texas, 14.6 ppg, 6.6 rpg)
34 G Erin Higgins (5-9, So., Oklahoma City, Okla., 7.6 ppg, 3.7 rpg)
35 G Dionnah Jackson (5-9, Sr., St. Louis, Mo., 13.9 ppg, 8.2 rpg)
11 G Laura Andrews (6-0, Jr., Washington, Okla., 3.6 ppg, 2.5 rpg)
00 G Chelsi Welch (5-9, So., Plainview, Texas, 8.1 ppg, 2.6 rpg)

OKLAHOMA STATE
00 G Nina Stone (5-7, Sr., Indianapolis, Ind., 14.9 ppg, 5.2 rpg)
13 F Taleesha Conder (6-0, Fr., Alva, Okla., 10.8 ppg, 5.0 rpg)
50 C Eliz Gomes (6-4, Sr., Sao Paulo, Brazil, 6.5 ppg, 4.4 rpg)
11 G Devry McDonald (5-9, So., Beaver, Okla., 6.4 ppg, 3.9 rpg)
05 F Destanie Sykes (6-0, So., Duncanville, Texas, 4.7 ppg, 4.6 rpg)

OKLAHOMA (9-5, 1-2 BIG 12)
Oklahoma is coming off a hard fought 78-68 loss to No. 2 Baylor in Waco, Texas Sunday. However, the game was much closer then the final score indicates. OU held a 37-36 halftime lead after sophomore Leah Rush scored 16 of her career-high 26 points before intermission. After starting of the game 1-for-5 from the field, Rush ended the game hitting a personal-best 12 field goals on 20 attempts, also a career high.

There were 14 lead changes and 11 ties within 40 minutes of action between these two teams. OU stopped Baylor's two All-American candidates (Sophia Young & Steffanie Blackmon) inside game, but BU's guards got hot in the final two minutes to canned some critical three-pointers. The Lady Bears shot 75 percent (6-of-8) from the arc in the second half and ended the game hitting better than 50 percent (53.8%, 7-of-13).

The Sooners defense has been the key to OU's success this season. Oklahoma has started Big 12 play holding opponents to just 36.6 percent from the field and 27.3 percent from the arc, while the Sooners are shooting 44.4 percent from the field.

In Big 12 games, Rush ranks second in scoring with 22.0 ppg. Nebraska's Kiera Hardy averages a league best 27.0 ppg in conference games. Rush is also solid at the free throw line hitting 12-of-15 foul shots for an 80 percent accuracy. Rush leads the team in overall games with 14.6 ppg.

The 6-1 forward is assisted by senior All-American candidate Dionnah Jackson. Jackson accounts for 11.7 ppg in Big 12 games and 13.9 in all games. She's also the team leader and ranks third in the Big 12 in rebounding with 8.2 boards per game. Jackson's 5.3 assists per game ranks fifth best in the league.

Senior Lauren Shoush, ranks third for the Sooners in Big 12 scoring with 9.0 ppg, followed by sophomore Chelsi Welch (6.7 ppg) and junior Beky Preston (6.3 ppg).

As a team, Oklahoma is averaging 71.6 points and 41.8 rebounds per game. The Sooners are shooting 32.5 percent from the three-point range and 42.5 percent from the field. OU also holds a +4.6 edge on the boards, 41.8-to-37.1.

OKLAHOMA STATE (5-9, 0-4 BIG 12)
Oklahoma State will be looking to snap a four-game Big 12 losing streak that has the Cowgirls in the cellar of the conference. OSU has suffered losses at Texas (63-42), vs. Texas A&M (49-44), vs. Texas Tech (76-38) and at Missouri 67-49). OSU's last win was over Texas Pan-American, 62-48, on Jan. 2.

Senior Nina Stone tops the squad with 14.9 ppg and 5.2 rpg. The 5-7 guard is just one of two players that has started all 14 games for the Cowgirls. She also averages 36.1 minutes per game. Ranking second in scoring and rebounding is Taleesha Conder with 10.8 ppg and 5.0 rpg. Stone and Conder is OSU's one-two punch.

OSU is averaging 58.4 ppg and 36.4 rpg, while shooting 39.8 from the field and 29.6 from the arc.

Oklahoma State returned three starters and eight letterwinners that went 8-20 and 3-13 in the Big 12 Conference last year. The Cowgirls finished league play tied for 11th.

SERIES HISTORY
Wednesday will be the 74th meeting between Oklahoma and Oklahoma State. The Sooners own an all-time series record of 39-34 when facing the Cowgirls.

OU is also 21-11 when playing OSU in Norman. OSU coach Julie Goodenough is 0-4 against OU coach Sherri Coale. Coale is 13-5 all-time when playing Oklahoma State and has won 11 straight and 13 of the last 14 games.

HEAD COACHES
Sherri Coale (Oklahoma Christian, 1987) is in her ninth season as the head coach at Oklahoma. Coale has built an outstanding resume in that time, leading the Sooners to post season action the last six years, as well as one Final Four and three Big 12 regular-season titles. She has posted a 165-100 career record and coached in the national championship game in 2001-02, falling to undefeated Connecticut, 82-70. Since her arrival in 1996, more than 1 million fans have watched an OU women's basketball game. Before taking over the reigns of the OU program, Coale was the head coach at Norman High School from 1990-96, winning two Oklahoma 6A state titles in that time.

OSU is coach by Julie Goodenough (Texas Arlington, 1991). Goodenough is in her third season has the Cowgirls head coach. Prior to OSU, she spent nine seasons Hardin-Simmons University in Abilene, Texas. Goodenough concluded her coaching career at HSU with a 188-54 record, making her the all-time winningest coach.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO . . .
When playing on head coach Sherri Coale's birthday (Jan. 19) the Sooners are 2-0. Both victories have come against arch rival Texas. OU defeated the Longhorns in Austin, 76-73, in 2000 and 89-69 in Norman in 2002.

Looks like Coach Coale enjoys playing the school's top rivals on her birthday (Texas, OSU).

HOME SWEET HOME
The Oklahoma is 6-0 inside the Lloyd Noble Center this season. OU has produced a home court record of 74-14, an 84.1 winning percentage, over the last seven years. The Sooners have had four perfect non-conference home records and have only lost three non-conference games during the past seven years (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. 18 on the unofficial 2004-05 women's basketball home attendance rankings compiled by the University of Wisconsin. The Sooners currently draw 4,936 fans to home games.

JACKSON'S CLIMBING OU'S & BIG 12 RECORD CHARTS
Senior Dionnah Jackson continues to move up in numerous OU career categories. The 5-9 point guard broke into OU's all-time scoring and rebounding charts when she had 16 points and 15 rebounds against TCU (D9). Jackson ranks among OU's greats in nine categories.

She's registered 1,248 points, 689 rebounds, 232 steals and 507 assists to name a few. The St. Louis, Mo., native highest ranking is third in defensive rebounds (537) and assists.

Possible Chart Moves for Jackson vs. Oklahoma State
Needs 1 block for 5th
Needs 8 made free throws for 12th
Needs 6 free throw attempts for 9th

Jackson is also climbing the Big 12 Conference all-time assists and steals charts. She currently ranks seventh and 10th, respectively.

Big 12 All-Time Assists Chart
1. 764 Stacey Dales, OU, 1998-02
2. 724 Toccara Williams, TAM, 2001-04
3. 603 Melinda Schumcker, TTU, 1997-00
4. 589 Lindsey Wilson, ISU, 2000-03
5. 563 Nicole Kubik, NU, 1997-00
6. 517 Edwina Brown, TU, 1997-00
7. 507 Dionnah Jackson, OU, 2002-Present ... needs 10 to tie for 6th

Big 12 All-Time Steals Chart
1. 452 Toccara Williams, TAM, 2001-04
2. 418 Nicole Kubik, NU, 1997-00
3. 402 LaNeishea Caufield, OU, 1999-02
4. 279 Lynn Pride, KU, 1997-00
5. 269 Katrisa O'Neal, TTU, 1999-02

9. 242 Kerensa Barr, MU, 12000-03
10 232 Dionnah Jackson, OU, 2002-Present ... needs 10 to tie for 9th

IN SEARCH OF 500TH PROGRAM WIN
Oklahoma is 11 wins shy of reaching its 500 career victory. The 31-year old women's basketball program has 489 wins.

TAKING CARE OF THE ROCK
OU has continued to take better care of the basketball as the Sooners had a season-low nine turnovers at Baylor Sunday. OU's nine turnovers matches its lowest since recording the same figure against Oklahoma State on Feb. 28, 2004 in Stillwater. OU's previous low was 14 against four different teams. The Sooners are averaging 14.6 turnovers over the last seven games. OU averaged 19.8 turnovers in its first five games.

HIGGINS ASSISTING OTHERS
Sophomore Erin Higgins dished out a career-high seven assists at Baylor Sunday. Higgins now ranks eighth in Big 12 games in assists per game with 4.00. The 5-10 guard also ranks second for best assist/turnover ratio with an impressive +4.00 (12 assist to 3 turnover in three Big 12 games).

JACKSON AMONG BIG 12 ELITE
Senior Dionnah Jackson is just one of two players since the Big 12 Conference was formed to produce more than 1,000 points, 600 rebounds, 400 assists and 200 steals during a career. She currently has 1248 points, 689 rebounds, 507 assists and 232 steals.

Former OU All-American Stacey Dales-Schuman was the other Big 12 player to achieve these figures with 1,920 points, 721 rebounds, 764 assists and 250 steals.

Prior to the Big 12 establishment (1996-97), two other conference universities had players to achieve this stat line. Lynette Woodard (1978-81) of Kansas ended her career with 3,649 points, 1,734 rebounds, 432 assists and 522 steals, while Colorado's Bridget Turner (1985-89) produced 1,599 points, 725 rebounds, 617 assists and 284 steals.

SHOUSH STEPPING UP FOR BIG PLAYS
Senior Lauren Shoush is making her final season her best as she leads the Big 12 Conference in field goal percentage and three-point field goal percentage. The 5-11 guard is shooting 68.8 percent from the field, hitting 11-of-16 shots as well as nailing 4-of-5 threes for an 80 percent accuracy.

Shoush has had four games with 10-or-more points including a 13 point performance (second best in her career) against Akron in the Bahamas this season. She also had a career-best 10 rebounds in the season opener against Southeast Missouri State.

She has played in all 14 games this season and 88 in four-plus years. The Oklahoma City native has improved numbers in every category this season including points and rebounds per game.

ONE FOR ALL, ALL FOR ONE
Oklahoma leads the Big 12 Conference in assists to field goals made ratio. OU has 253 assists to its 359 field goals made, meaning 70 percent of all of OU's field goals made are being assisted.

This percentage is a clear reflection on how well OU's transition game and offensive execution is working this season. OU is the ONLY team in the Big 12 that has at least 70 percent of its field goals assisted.

Nine OU players have dished out at least 10 or more assists, lead by Dionnah Jackson's 74.

HIGGINS BOMBING AWAY
Sophomore guard Erin Higgins broke into OU's all-time record books when she hit her first three-pointer against Southeast Missouri State in the opening game of the season.

Since then, the 5-9 Oklahoman has nailed 27 treys this season to rank ninth on OU's most career threes made chart. She's connected on 94 threes and is 80 shy of top honors.

RUSH CARRYING INSIDE LOAD
Sophomore Leah Rush is carrying most of the load for the Sooners at the post position. The 6-1 forward accounts for 36.8 percent of OU's rebounding and 51.1 percent of its scoring from OU's post players (six). Overall, Rush is good for 20 percent of OU's points and 16 percent of its rebounds. The remaining five post players are responsible for 19% of the Sooners scoring and 21% of their rebounds.

Rush has scored in double digits in 10 of 14 games, including four 20-plus performances, and has had eight or more rebounds in six games.

TAKE THAT
Dionnah Jackson is currently the shortest player listed on OU's all-time blocked shot chart. Jackson stands at 5-foot 9-inches tall and ranks No. 6 on the list. Former Sooner Marla Duncan, who is No. 9 on the chart with 29 blocks, stood 5-10. The players ranked higher then Jackson are at least 6-foot tall.

Jackson is also the ONLY player shorter than 5-10 to rank among the Big 12's top-10 in blocks per game.

University of Oklahoma Athletics

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