OU Men Host Texas A&M Wednesday

GAME INFORMATION
Oklahoma (16-3 overall, 5-1 Big 12) plays Texas A&M (14-4, 3-4) for the second time this season when the teams meet on Wednesday at 7 p.m. CST in Norman. The game will air on the Sooner Radio Network (flagship KRXO 107.7 FM in Oklahoma City) with Bob Barry, Sr. (play-by-play) and Mike Houck (analyst) calling the action. It will be nationally televised by ESPN2 (Cox Cable 28 in OKC) with Dave Pasch (play-by-play) and Jimmy Dykes (analyst) announcing.

Game Notes in PDF

TICKET INFORMATION
Upper level reserved seats are still available for Wednesday night's game. Tickets cost $20 or $25 depending on location and can be purchased online at SoonerSports.com or at the OU Athletics Ticket Office (800-456-4668). Lloyd Noble Center's north and east box offices will open at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday.

PROJECTED TEXAS A&M STARTERS (Stats averages)
F 21 Antoine Wright (6-7, 210, Jr., 16.9 ppg, 6.2 rpg, 2.1 apg)
F 30 Joseph Jones (6-9, 260, Fr., 12.1 ppg, 7.4 rpg, 0.8 apg)
G 1 Acie Law (6-3, 185, So., 13.8 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 4.9 apg)
G 10 Chris Walker (6-5, 210, Jr., 4.1 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 1.2 apg)
G 22 Dominique Kirk (6-3, 180, Fr., 7.8 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 2.6 apg)

PROJECTED OKLAHOMA STARTERS (Stats averages)
F 21 Taj Gray (6-9, 235, Jr., 15.1 ppg, 8.4 rpg, 1.6 apg)
F 34 Kevin Bookout (6-8, 259, Jr., 13.9 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 0.7 apg)
G 2 Jaison Williams (6-3, 181, Sr., 8.1 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 2.7 apg)
G 3 Drew Lavender (5-7, 153, So., 9.3 ppg, 1.7 rpg, 3.8 apg)
G 20 Terrell Everett (6-4, 185, Jr., 11.2 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 5.1 apg)

OKLAHOMA UPDATE
The Sooners' 10-game winning streak came to an end Saturday as Iowa State posted a 74-66 win in Ames. It was Oklahoma's first defeat since losing to Duke on Dec. 18 and knocked OU out of first place in the Big 12 race. Kelvin Sampson's team shot .410 from the field and committed 18 turnovers, its second most of the year, as it dropped to 3-1 this year in true road games. Taj Gray and Kevin Bookout posted a double-double in the same game for the second time in league play. Gray netted 21 points, pulled down 11 rebounds and blocked four shots while Bookout recorded 12 points and 12 boards (he played all 40 minutes). Lawrence McKenzie was 5-for-6 from 3-point range in the second half and finished with 15 points. Terrell Everett registered a game-high six assists but scored a season-low two points. Similarly, starting point guard Drew Lavender had four assists but just three points. He was 1-for-8 from 3-point range. OU trailed by five at halftime and by 15 in the second half before drawing to within four with 11:49 left thanks to McKenzie's hot hand. But the team's 18 turnovers were too much to overcome as Iowa State scored 22 points off Sooner miscues. The Cyclones also outscored Oklahoma in the paint, 48-28, and in transition, 16-4. Seventy of Iowa State's 74 points came in the paint or at the free throw line.

IOWA STATE LEFTOVERS
Oklahoma's 18 turnovers were its most since committing 22 on Nov. 27 against Minnesota.
The Sooners' 15-point deficit in the second half marked its largest in a game this year.
OU recorded 19 assists on its 25 baskets. Over the last two games, OU has registered assists on 40 of its 54 field goals (74 percent).
Oklahoma lost for the first time this season when outrebounding its opponent (OU had 40 rebounds to Iowa State's 34).
Lawrence McKenzie's five second-half 3-pointers were the most by a Sooner in a half this year. He has made at least three treys in six of the last eight games.
Jaison Williams was 3-for-7 from beyond the 3-point arc and has made five of his last nine attempts after missing his previous 12 tries.

ABOUT TEXAS A&M
Texas A&M was picked to finish 11th in the Big 12 race by league coaches and media but stands in a tie for seventh with a 3-4 record. The Aggies have won two of their last three games since losing to the Sooners in College Station on Jan. 18. They are coming off a 74-62 home win over Baylor on Saturday in which they outrebounded the Bears 43-22. A&M is 13-1 at home this year and 1-3 on the road. It is shooting .490 from the field, .387 from 3-point territory and .658 from the foul line.

Junior guard/forward Antoine Wright is averaging a team-high 16.9 points a game and ranks second with his 6.2 rebounds per outing. He has made a team-high 36 treys and is shooting .429 from beyond the arc. Sophomore point guard Acie Law supplies 13.8 points, 4.2 rebounds and 4.9 assists a game, and has made 20 3-pointers. Freshman forward Joseph Jones is coming off a double-double performance of 21 points and 13 rebounds (seven offensive) against Baylor and averages 12.1 points and 7.4 boards an outing. He has blocked 24 shots and is shooting .596 from the field.

Billy Gillispie is in his first year as Texas A&M's head coach and in his third season as a college head coach. He guided UTEP to a 30-32 record over the last two years and now owns a 44-36 (.550) career record.

SERIES WITH TEXAS A&M
Oklahoma owns a 22-1 all-time record against Texas A&M and has won the series' last 11 meetings. It is 10-0 all-time in games played in Norman. Under Kelvin Sampson, the Sooners are 17-1 against the Aggies and are 8-0 in at Lloyd Noble Center. Texas A&M's lone win against OU came on Feb. 24, 1999 (74-72), in College Station.

EARLIER THIS YEAR VERSUS THE AGGIES
Taj Gray didn't register a single point but it didn't matter as the Sooners' guards propelled the team to a 70-56 win over the AP's 28th-ranked Texas A&M on Jan. 18 in College Station. The win was OU's 11th straight against Texas A&M and snapped the Aggies' 11-game home winning streak. Sophomore point guard Drew Lavender netted a season-high 23 points (his second consecutive season-high performance) and logged three steals while backcourt mates Terrell Everett and Lawrence McKenzie scored 12 points each. Everett added six rebounds and a game-high six assists while McKenzie was 4-of-6 from 3-point range off the bench. Starting guard Jaison Williams added a couple of treys (one was part of a four-point play) and had seven points. OU's guards combined for 56 of the team's 70 points. Kevin Bookout contributed 12 points and seven rebounds while Johnnie Gilbert added four points and four boards in 20 valuable minutes off the bench. Gray played just 18 minutes due to foul trouble and, although he did not score, registered eight rebounds, four blocked shots and three assists. The Sooners shot .532 for the game and .529 from 3-point range (9-for-17). Antoine Wright led Texas A&M with 24 points.

A WIN OVER TEXAS A&M WOULD...
Be OU's 12th straight against the Aggies and improve OU's record in the series to 23-1 overall and 11-0 in Norman. Kelvin Sampson would move to 18-1 against A&M.
Improve OU's league record to 6-1, tying the 1997-98 and 2002-03 teams for the Sooners' best conference start under Sampson.
Extend OU's home winning streak to 14 games (it has won 61 of its last 65).
Tie Sampson with former Kansas coach Roy Williams for most Big 12 regular season victories (94).

GRAY NAMED BIG 12 ROOKIE OF THE WEEK...AGAIN
Taj Gray was named the Phillips 66 Big 12 Rookie of the Week for the fourth time this year on Monday. Gray averaged 21.5 points, 9.5 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 3.0 blocks and 1.5 steals against Oklahoma State and Iowa State. He had 22 points, eight rebounds and a career-high five assists in the 67-57 win over OSU and posted 21 points, 11 rebounds and four blocks in the 74-66 loss at Iowa State. Former Texas A&M guard Clifton Cook holds the league record with five Big 12 Rookie of the Week honors in 1998-99. Gray also won the award on Nov. 22, Dec. 13 and Jan. 17.

SAMPSON CLIMBING BIG 12 LADDER
Kelvin Sampson needs one win to tie former Kansas head coach Roy Williams for most Big 12 regular season victories. Sampson is 93-41 in league play since the formation of the Big 12 in 1996-97 (Williams was 94-18). The OU head coach already holds the Big 12 record for most combined regular season and conference tournament wins (he is 109-46). Sampson also holds the record for most overall wins by a league coach since the Big 12 was formed. He is 210-73 (.742) since the start of the 1996-97 season.

SEVERAL SOONERS AMONG LEAGUE'S STATISTICAL LEADERS
Taj Gray ranks 10th in the Big 12 in scoring (15.1 ppg), second in rebounding (8.4 rpg), third in field goal percentage (.558), second in blocked shots (2.1 bpg) and second in offensive rebounds a game (3.3). He also leads the league in double-doubles with eight. Kevin Bookout ranks 15th in scoring (13.9 ppg), seventh in rebounding (7.3 rpg) and first in field goal percentage (.639). Terrell Everett ranks second in assists (5.1 apg) and fifth in steals (1.9 spg) while Lawrence McKenzie leads the league in 3-point field goal percentage (.465) and ranks third in 3-pointers per game (2.6).

In Big 12 games, Bookout ranks fourth in scoring (18.5 ppg), first in rebounding (9.8 rpg), first in field goal percentage (.662) and first in offensive rebounds (4.0). Gray ranks fourth in rebounding (8.5 rpg), fourth in field goal percentage (.597) and first in blocked shots (3.0 bpg). Everett ranks second in assists (6.2 apg).

OU HAS WON NEARLY 70 PERCENT OF ITS BIG 12 GAMES
Dating back to the start of Big 12 Conference play during the 1996-97 season, Oklahoma has posted a 93-41 league record for a .694 winning percentage. Only Kansas (113-22; .837) owns a better mark than OU (Texas is tied with OU at 93-41). Oklahoma State is fourth at 89-46 (.659) and Missouri is fifth at 72-64 (.529). Including Big 12 Tournament games, OU owns a 109-46 record (.703), second best in the conference behind Kansas (128-27; .826). The Sooners are 16-5 in the Big 12 Tournament and have won three of the eight tourney titles.

OU'S FIELD GOAL PERCENTAGE SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVED
The Sooners have shot .500 or better from the field in six of the last nine games and have done so in 12 of 19 games on the year. Last season, OU shot .408 from the field its worst mark in 40 years and posted a .500-or-better figure just three times. Among OU's performances this year was a .613 effort against Florida A&M on Dec. 30, its third best mark under 11th-year head coach Kelvin Sampson and best in 234 games. The Sooners are shooting .482 on the season to rank third in the Big 12.

LONG DISTANCE DIALER
Sophomore guard Lawrence McKenzie, who leads the Big 12 in 3-point percentage (.465), has made at least three 3-pointers in six of the last eight games and at least four treys in five of the last eight. The Minneapolis, Minn., native, who has drained 47 treys on the year (two more than he made last season), has made at least two 3-pointers in 14 of his 18 games and at least three in 10 contests. He ranks third in the league in 3-pointers made per game (2.6). Last year, McKenzie made shot .321 from beyond the arc.

OU ON POSITIVE END OF 3-POINT DISPARITY
Oklahoma has made 128 3-pointers this season (an average of 6.7 a game) and is shooting .368 from beyond the arc. Opponents, by comparison, have canned just 58 treys (3.1 a game) and are shooting .258 from long range. OU has made more 3-pointers than its opponent in 16 of 19 games. Lawrence McKenzie is averaging 2.6 makes a game and leads the Big 12 Conference with his .465 season percentage. Jaison Williams, Drew Lavender and Terrell Everett have made 33, 23 and 14 treys this year, respectively.

WHY DON'T WE STEAL AWAY
OU recorded a season-high 16 steals against Florida A&M on Dec. 30 and now leads the Big 12 with its 8.9 steals a game. The Sooners have recorded more steals than their opponents in 12 of the last 15 games.

GRAY, EVERETT SUPPLY IMMEDIATE IMPACT
Junior college transfers Taj Gray and Terrell Everett have quickly become two of OU's top producers this season. Gray, a 6-9, 235-pounder, leads OU in scoring (15.1 ppg), rebounding (8.4 rpg) and blocked shots (2.1 bpg). The unanimous Big 12 Preseason Newcomer of the Year has won four Big 12 Rookie-of-the-Week honors (he is the reigning honoree) and leads the Big 12 lead with eight double-doubles this year.

Everett, a 6-4, 185-pound left-handed guard, has been steady at the wing and point guard spots. He is averaging 11.2 points (ranks third on team), 4.5 rebounds (ranks third) and a team-high 5.1 assists a game, and is shooting .359 from beyond the 3-point arc. Everett has led OU (or tied for the team lead) in assists in 11 of the last 13 games. He is averaging 6.7 assists over the last six outings and ranks second in the Big 12 (league games) with 6.2 assists a game.

BOOKOUT LEADS BIG 12 IN FIELD GOAL PERCENTAGE
Oklahoma's leader in field goal percentage his first two seasons, junior forward Kevin Bookout is shooting a remarkable .639 from the field this season (108-for-169) to lead the Big 12 Conference. The 6-8, 259-pound Bookout has shot .500 or better in 17 of his 18 games this year and owns a .662 mark in conference play. Last week's Big 12 Rookie of the Week has earned the honor twice this year the first time on Jan. 10 after a 13-for-14 field goal performance against Colorado in which he scored 27 points. He also made nine of his 10 field goal attempts against then-No. 22 Washington on Nov. 26, was 5-for-5 against Cal State Northridge in the season opener and was 6-for-6 in the second half at Purdue on Dec. 8. He shot .587 as a freshman to lead the Big 12 and posted a .516 mark last year in 13 games.

SOONERS SHOWCASING MORE SCORING BALANCE IN 2004-05
Oklahoma's guards accounted for 68 percent of the team's points last season. That figure is down this year, however, as the Sooners have showcased a potent inside attack. OU's guards have scored 792 of the squad's 1,436 points, or 55 percent this season. Junior forwards Taj Gray (15.1 ppg) and Kevin Bookout (13.9 ppg) are the main reasons OU's frontcourt production has increased from 32 percent of the team's points last year to 45 percent this year. Gray and Bookout rank first and second on the squad in scoring.

GUARDS TIGHTEN DEFENSIVE SCREWS
Oklahoma's guards have done a solid job of defending the 3-point line this season as the team leads the Big 12 in 3-point field goal percentage defense (.258). Only one opponent (Baylor) has made more than five 3-pointers against OU this year. Conversely, the Sooners have made at least five treys in 17 of 19 games.

BETTER TO GIVE THAN RECEIVE
The Sooners have registered 321 assists through 19 contests for an average of 16.9 a game. An assist has been credited on 60 percent of OU's field goals. Last year's team averaged 12.1 assists and 53 percent of its baskets were assisted. OU leads the Big 12 (league games) with its 17.6 assists per game.

NOT AFRAID OF REJECTION
Junior forward Taj Gray (6-9) has been intimidating in the paint with his shot-blocking ability. Gray has registered seven games of three-or-more rejections and is averaging 2.1 swats an outing to rank second in the Big 12 (he leads the league with his 3.0 blocks per conference game). The Sooners are averaging 4.4 blocks a contest as a team. Freshman Longar Longar has 15 blocked shots in his 15 games. Senior Johnnie Gilbert, who has nine blocked shots this year, ranks fourth on OU's career list with 118.

PREACHING PROTECTION
Dating back to the start of the 2003-04 season, OU has committed more turnovers than its foe just nine times in its last 50 games (18 percent of its games).

BREAKING 80
The Sooners have been tough to beat under Kelvin Sampson when they score at least 80 points in a game. Since Sampson arrived in Norman prior to the 1994-95 season, OU is 120-12 (.909) when reaching 80 points. The Sooners have won 37 of their last 39 and 53 of their last 56 when scoring 80 or more.

TOUGH SLATE
Oklahoma will play five games this year against teams in the Jan. 24 AP poll's top 10 and will play eight games against teams in the top 19. OU has already faced No. 2 Duke (lost), No. 9 Oklahoma State (won), No. 10 Washington (lost), No. 16 Texas (won) and No. 19 Connecticut (won). It will play once against No. 6 Kansas and once more each against Oklahoma State and Texas.

NEBRASKA GAME TIME CHANGED
Because ESPN2 has picked up OU's Feb. 16 game against Nebraska, the contest will now start at 8 p.m. CST. The game will be blacked out in Oklahoma on ESPN2 and air on the Sooner Sports Network.

OKLAHOMA TIP INS
Seven of OU's remaining 10 regular season games will be televised by national networks.
OU's two losses have come to teams who own a combined 31-4 record (Duke is 15-1 and Washington is 16-3).
Over the last five games, 6-8, 259-pound Kevin Bookout has averaged 38.8 minutes (has played 194 out of 200).
Oklahoma has outrebounded its opponent in 14 of 19 games this year and is 13-1 in those contests.
In Big 12 games, OU leads the league in scoring defense (60.2 ppg), assists (17.8 apg), assist-to-turnover ratio (1.43) and 3-point field goal percentage defense (.253), and second in scoring margin (+9.3), field goal percentage (.470) and rebounding margin (+5.8).
Oklahoma has made more 3-pointers than its opponent in 16 of its 19 games. OU leads the Big 12 by giving up just 3.1 treys per game (the next lowest figure is 5.4 surrendered per contest by Oklahoma State).
Lawrence McKenzie has made at least three 3-pointers in six of the last eight games and at least four treys in five of the last eight. He has made multiple 3-pointers in 14 of his 18 games this year, including 12 of the last 14.
The Sooners have made 70 more 3-pointers than their opponents this season (average of 3.7 a game).
Junior Terrell Everett has led the team in assists in 11 of the last 13 games. He is averaging 5.1 assists per game on the year. Tyrone Foster (5.6 in 1995-96) is the last Sooner to average as many assists over a season.
Everett has made 21 of his last 23 free throw attempts (.913) after starting the year 32-for-47 (.681).
OU shot .500 or better from the field three times all of last season, but has done it in 12 of its 19 games this year. The Sooners shot .408 last year but own a .482 mark this season.
Junior forward Kevin Bookout went 13-for-14 from the field against Colorado Jan. 8 (Big 12's best field goal percentage game this season) and has shot .500 or better in 17 of his 18 games (he leads the Big 12 with a .639 season figure). His 9-for-10 shooting performance against Washington ranks as the league's second best this year in terms of field goal percentage.
In conference games, Bookout ranks first in the Big 12 in field goal percentage (.662), second in rebounding (9.8 rpg) and third in scoring (18.5 ppg). He has four double-doubles in six league contests.
OU's starting frontcourt of Bookout (.662) and Taj Gray (.597) is shooting a combined .632 from the field in Big 12 play.
Freshman center Longar Longar is 21-for-26 from the field this season (.808). His first six field goals were dunks and he has 12 slams on the year.
OU has won 61 of its last 65 home games (.937).

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 a 93-41 (.694) regular season Big 12 Conference record.
OU has recorded a 143-20 (.877) record at Lloyd Noble Center and has won 61 of its last 65 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.

University of Oklahoma Athletics

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