Sampson, Bookout Preview Villanova

PHILADELPHIA -- The Oklahoma men's basketball team faces its highest-ranked opponent in two years when it plays at Villanova Saturday at 4 p.m. CST. The contest will feature the highest combined ranking by two teams so far this season as OU enters the game in the No. 5 spot in the AP and ESPN/USA Today polls while the Wildcats sport a No. 4 ranking in both polls.

Kelvin Sampson's Sooners are 4-0 for the sixth time in his 12 seasons as head coach while Villanova is off to its best start since 1998-99 with a 3-0 record.

The game will be televised by ESPN with Dan Shulman, Dick Vitale and Doris Burke announcing.

Sampson and senior forward Kevin Bookout spoke about Saturday's game following Friday's practice at The Pavilion on the Villanova campus.

Game Notes | Schedule | Stats | Gameday Central

Head Coach Kelvin Sampson
On what a game like this means for the players, the programs and the fans:
"One of the things that has helped us nationally is playing games like this. I remember how significant it was when we beat Connecticut in Hartford and when we beat Maryland at our place during our Final Four season in 2002. Just playing these games helps you. It puts you in front of the Eastern media, it gives us a chance to showcase our university and our basketball program.

"It's enough that you play a high-profile team like Villanova that's in a great conference like the Big East, but the fact that both teams are highly ranked adds to the intrigue. That both programs are willing to play each other is great for both universities, but it's really good for fans of college basketball because the game will have a lot of excitement."

On what he expects to see Saturday:
"It's two different styles. They present some problems for us and I think we present some problems for them. The biggest thing for us is when we play man-to-man (defense) we have to take one of our bigs and have him play unconventionally. If they start guards (Mike) Nardi, (Randy) Foye, (Allan) Ray and (Kyle) Lowry, well, we've got three guys like that. But then who does Taj (Gray) guard or who does Kevin (Bookout) guard? We're going to have to be creative. We haven't played much zone this year but we're probably going to have to play some (Saturday), just so we can match up. We've been working on things and getting ready for this game, but it's a tough matchup for us.

"They're not a tricky team, they're not hard to figure out. They're just difficult to guard. Whatever motion they're running, it's almost false motion because they want to get it to the penetrate-and-kick. If you can't keep them out of the lane then you're not going to keep them from shooting 3s. The thing I told our kids is contain them as well as we can, and really challenge their shots."

On if he approaches a high-profile game like this differently than other games:
"I think you have to be careful how you approach games because there are so many of them. The next game is always the most important one. I think with a game like this, you don't have to hype it too much with the players, because they know. Our assistant coaches do such a great job with the scouting report. There is so much attention for a game like this. When our kids find out a guy like Dick Vitale is announcing the game, automatically they know it's a big one.

"A kid like Kevin Bookout, you don't have to say much to him. A kid like Nate Carter, though, someone who hasn't been in an environment like this, you really want to make sure they keep an even keel. You don't want them to get too high where they won't be able to perform."

Kevin Bookout
On the game:
"I'm really excited to play this game. It's No. 5 versus No. 4 -- it doesn't get too much better than that. Games like this are one of the reasons I decided to come to OU. I remember watching these big-time games when I was being recruited in high school. Now I'm here living it."

On playing inside The Pavilion:
"I expect it to be loud. The gym only seats about 6,500, so it's going to be loud and it's going to be fun. It's what college basketball is all about.

"We practiced there (Friday night) and I like it. It's compact, the crowd will be on top of the court and we'll be able to feel the intensity of the fans. That'll get our adrenaline running and we'll feed off that. You don't get many chances to play in a small, but big-time, atmosphere like this. It's going to be fun."

On how the crowd can impact a visiting team:
"It makes you come together as a team more. If you don't stick together, things can get out of hand. We'll stick together."

University of Oklahoma Athletics

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