Seniors Play Final Home Game Tonight

NORMAN, Okla. -- Oklahoma (15-9, 7-6 Big 12) welcomes 14th-ranked Texas Tech (19-5, 10-3 Big 12) to the Lloyd Noble Center Wednesday at 7 p.m. for its last home game of the 2004-05 season.

In honor of senior appreciation night, OU will hand out for the first time 500 youth replica Dionnah Jackson and Lauren Shoush jerseys.

Wednesday's game will be televised and broadcasted on the Sooner Sports Networks. OU fans can watch live action as Mark Rodgers (play-by-play) and Kenny Mossman (color analyst) call the game on Cox Channel 7 in the Oklahoma City market.

Live Statistics | Live O-Zone | Game Notes (PDF)

The game will also be shown on Cox 3 in Tulsa; KSWO in Lawton; KOMI in Woodward and Metro Sports in Kansas City. Texas Tech fans can also tune to live action on Fox 34 in Lubbock. Brian Brinkley (play-by-play) and Tara DeGiusti (color analyst) will handle the action on KOKC-AM (1520).

A single game youth ticket is just $5 while an adult admission is only $8. Reserved seating is also available for $10.

Dionnah Jackson Photo Gallery | Lauren Shoush Photo Gallery

The two teams opened Big 12 action against each other on Jan. 5 in Lubbock. The Lady Raiders won, 70-64, but OU held a nine-point first half advantage a couple of times. The game featured four lead changes and six ties. Texas Tech, a solid basketball team, ranks in the top five in nine of 14 Big 12 only categories. TTU leads the league in six categories including scoring defense, field goal percentage, field goal percentage defense and three-point field goal percentage defense.

Oklahoma ranks second in conference games in three-point field goal percentage defense. The Sooners also rank second in assists per game and third in three-pointers made per game. Tech ranks 11th in three-pointers made per game.

No. 14 Texas Tech (19-5, 10-3 Big 12) at Oklahoma (15-9, 7-6 Big 12)

Date: Wednesday, Feb. 23, 2005
Location: Norman, Okla.
Arena: Lloyd Noble Center (12,000)
Tip: 7 p.m.
TV: Sooner Sports Network
   Cox 7 Oklahoma City
   Cox 3 Tulsa
   KSWO Lawton
   KOMI Woodward
   Metro Sports Kansas City (tape delayed)
   Fox 34 Lubbock, Texas
Radio: KOKC (1520 AM)
Series: Texas Tech leads the all-time series, 20-10.
Rankings: Texas Tech is ranked No. 14 in the AP and in Coaches polls.
Tickets: Single game tickets are $8 (adult) and $3 (youth).
Promotions: Senior Appreciation Day. The first 500 kids 12 and under will receive an Dionnah Jackson or Lauren Shoush replica jersey.
Up Next: OU plays its last regular season games away from the Lloyd Noble Center. OU travels to Texas Saturday.

PROBABLE STARTERS
OKLAHOMA
24 F Leah Rush (6-1, So., Amarillo, Texas, 14.9 ppg, 6.4 rpg)
35 G Dionnah Jackson (5-9, Sr., St. Louis, Mo., 14.5 ppg, 8.3 rpg)
34 G Erin Higgins (5-9, So., Oklahoma City, Okla., 9.1 ppg, 3.3 rpg)
11 G Laura Andrews (6-0, Jr., Washington, Okla., 5.5 ppg, 3.1 rpg)
12 G Lauren Shoush (5-11, Sr., Oklahoma City, Okla., 5.7 ppg, 2.8 rpg)

TEXAS TECH
41 F LaToya Davis (6-1, Jr., Houston, Texas, 11.4 ppg, 7.1 rpg)
55 F Alesha Robertson (6-0, So., Plainview, Texas, 13.3 ppg, 5.5 rpg)
31 C Cisti Greenwalt (6-5, Sr., Clovis, N.M., 13.3 ppg, 9.6 rpg)
05 G Chesley Dabbs (6-0, Jr., Plano, Texas, 12.8 ppg, 3.6 rpg)
14 G Erin Grant (5-8, Jr., Arlington, Texas, 7.3 ppg, 2.8 rpg)

OKLAHOMA (15-9, 7-6 BIG 12)
The Sooners have been on a roll since losing to Baylor, 73-72, on a last second shot on Feb. 9. OU is currently on a three-game winning streak with wins over then-No. 16 Kansas State (77-61), at Colorado (77-61) and Missouri (73-59).

OU enters Wednesday's game sitting in seventh-place in the Big 12 Conference standings (7-6), one game behind Nebraska. The Sooners have three games remaining, one at home and two on the road. Of OU's final three games two will come against teams ranked among the top 20 in the nation (Texas Tech and at Texas).

Five of OU's six Big 12 losses have been to ranked teams and three of the Sooners' other four losses have come to teams who were ranked in the top 25 at some point during the season, including setbacks to Iowa and TCU. Oklahoma's only losses to unranked foes have been to Tulsa (Dec. 4) and Nebraska (Feb. 6).

The Sooners have been led all season by either senior Dionnah Jackson or sophomore Leah Rush in scoring. This week, Rush holds top honors with 14.9 points per game. Jackson ranks second with 14.5 ppg and team bests of 8.3 rebounds, 6.0 assists and 2.1 steals per game. Jackson is a finalist for the John R. Wooden National and Naismith Player of the Year Awards as well as one of 10 finalists for the Nancy Lieberman Point Guard of the Year honor.

Rush also shots a solid 84.4 percent from the free throw line, fourth best in the Big 12, and 45.5 percent from the field. She averages 6.3 rpg as well.

Erin Higgins, a 5-9 sophomore guard, has joined Rush and Jackson in the starting lineup for all 24 games this season, adding 9.1 points and 3.3 rebounds per game. Higgins has been OU's top shooter from long range, hitting 57 of 148 three-pointers (38.7 percent); including 14 of 28 over the past four games (50.0 percent).

As a team, Oklahoma has averaged 70.1 points per game, while surrendering 60.8 ppg. The Sooners are shooting 42.7 percent from the field, and out rebounding their opponents by a slim +3.7 boards per game.

NO. 14 TEXAS TECH (19-5, 10-3 BIG 12)
Texas Tech has always been a traditional power house in women's basketball, winning the national title in 1992-93. The Lady Raiders have been ranked among the top 25 in both the AP and USA Today/ESPN Coaches Polls all season and currently stands at No. 14 in each poll.

TTU enters Wednesday's game with a 19-5 overall and 10-3 Big 12 records. Tech is tied with Texas for second-place in the Big 12 standings. The Lady Raiders are on a two-game winning streak with recent wins over Kansas (66-53) and Texas A&M (56-53).

The squad is lead by 6-5 senior Cisti Greenwalt and 6-0 sophomore Alesha Robertson who each averages 13.3 points per game. Greenwalt also tops the club with 9.6 rebounds per game, while Robertson averages 5.5 rpg. Juniors Chesley Dabbs (12.8) and LaToya Davis (11.4) also average better than 10 points per game.

The Lady Raiders have four players that lead the league in six categories. Davis tops the Big 12 in field goal percentage (61.5%, 110-of-179), Robertson is the Big 12 leader for best free throw percentage (85.5%, 59-of-69) and junior guard Erin Grant is the Big 12 best in assists per game (7.04) and assists/turnover ratio (3.38).

Greenwalt, who's produced 10 double-doubles, leads the league in blocks (4.2) per game and ranks second in rebounding.

As a team, Tech leads the conference in nine categories; scoring defense (52.4), scoring margin (+20.5), field goal percentage defense (.331), rebounding offense (43.6), rebounding margin (+7.9), blocked shots (7.71), assist/turnover ratio (1.29) and defensive rebounds (30.13).

SERIES HISTORY
Wednesday will be the 31st meeting between Oklahoma and Texas Tech. The Lady Raiders hold a 20-10 all-time series advantage over the Sooners but OU has gone 7-3 over last 10 games, including sweeping the 2001, 2002 and 2004 two-game series.

Texas Tech holds a slim 7-6 advantage over the Sooners when playing in Norman.

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 171-104 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.

Texas Tech is coach by Marsha Sharp (Wayland Baptist, 1974). Sharp, one of the most well respected women's basketball coaches in the country, is a Hall of Famer with an overall record of 552-172 in 23 years. She had led Texas Tech to 17 NCAA Tournaments, 10 Sweet 16s, four Elite Eights and the 1993 NCAA National title.

Sharp was named the national coach of the year in 1993 and 1994 as well as being inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in May, 2003.

HOME SWEET HOME
Oklahoma is 9-3 inside the Lloyd Noble Center this season. OU has produced a home court record of 77-17, an 81.9 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. 16 on the unofficial 2004-05 women's basketball home attendance rankings compiled by the University of Wisconsin. The Sooners currently draw 5,730 fans to home games.

SENIOR NIGHT PERFORMANCES
Oklahoma is 4-4 in its last regular season home game. The Sooners have won four of the last five but suffered a tough 57-54 loss to Texas last year. OU defeated Texas Tech, 75-56, in 2002 to win the Big 12 regular season title.

SHOUSH AS A STARTER
Senior Lauren Shoush has started six games for the Sooners this season. In those six outings, she's averaged 6.5 points and 4.3 rebounds per game. She's also hit 42.4 percent of her shots from the field and has made countless “effort” plays to spark a Sooner run.

With Shoush in the starting linuep, OU is 4-2 this season.

BROWN PLAYS BIG FOR JACKSON
After senior All-America candidate Dionnah Jackson left the game Saturday, sophomore Britney Brown stepped in to produce career high figures in rebounds and assists. Brown grabbed six defensive rebounds and dished out four assists to assist the Sooners in Jackson absence.

IN SEARCH OF 500TH PROGRAM WIN
Oklahoma is FIVE wins shy of reaching its 500 career victory. The 31-year old women's basketball program has 495 wins.

WHAT HAVE U DONE 4 ME LATELY?
The Sooners are playing better transition basketball and more aggressive defense over the last four games. During this time, OU has averaged 74.8 points and 32.2 rebounds per game. Oklahoma has also regained its shooting touch, hitting 7.5 three-pointers per game, and hitting 48.5 percent from the field and 43.5 percent from the three-point line.

Also, during this time frame, the Sooners have had four players to average double digits scoring led by senior guard Dionnah Jackson's 16.5 points per game. Sophomores Leah Rush and Erin Higgins have contributed 15.8 and 11.5 ppg, respectively, while junior Laura Andrews has added 10.5 ppg. Jackson has also led the team in rebounding (6.3) and assists (5.5) per game.

Head coach Sherri Coale said earlier in the season in order for OU to be successful, the Sooners would have to have a third and fourth person contributing offensively, well, right now they do.

OU VS RANKED TEAMS
Oklahoma is 2-6 vs top 25 teams this season. Under Sherri Coale, the Sooners are 34-50 vs. top 25 programs; 8-29 vs. top 10; and 3-13 vs. top 5 teams.

RPI RANKINGS
In this week's WBCA/Summerville RPI Rankings, Oklahoma moved to No. 36 in the RPI Rankings and the Sooners' strength of schedule dropped to 16th best in the country.

SHARP SHOOTER IS BACK
Junior Laura Andrews had been struggling from three-point range until the last couple of games (3). The 6-0 guard has connected on 6-of-11 attempted three-pointers (54.5%), shot 57.1 percent from the field (16-of-28) and averaged 10.5 points per game. Prior to this, Andrews was averaging 4.6 ppg, shooting 25.4 percent from the arc and 34.0 percent from the field.

SOONERS SHUFFLE
Head coach Sherri Coale has used seven different lineup this season. Coale has played all available 13 players in several games and 10 players are averaging better than 10 minutes per game.

Only Dionnah Jackson, Leah Rush and Erin Higgins have started all 24 games and average better than 20 minutes per game.

HIGGINS BOMBING AWAY
Sophomore guard Erin Higgins broke into OU's all-time record book 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 57 treys. She ranks ninth on OU's most career threes made chart with 124, 50 shy of top honors.

HIGGINS LONG DISTANCE CONNECTIONS
For the first eight games of the season, sophomore Erin Higgins was only able to connect on 11 of 49 three-pointers, 22.4 percent. But, since having a breakout game on FSN against Louisiana Tech (D18), she's hit 46.5 percent of her three-pointers, 46-for-99.

Against LaTech Higgins went 5-for-7 beyond the arc (71.4%) and the following game at Utah she canned 5-of-8 threes (62.5%). She's had seven games with four or more threes made and she has hit at least one three-pointer in all but four games this season. In Big 12 play, she's been responsible for 45.3 percent of OU's threes made (34 of the team's 75).

With 57 made 3s, Higgins now ranks sixth on OU's single season chart. Higgins also hit 59 treys as a freshmen to rank fifth best on the list.

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 a career-best 15 rebounds against TCU (D9). Jackson ranks among OU's greats in nine categories.

With a career-high 30 points against Baylor in Norman, Jackson moved into OU's all-time top 10 scoring list. She also ranks No. 2 on OU's all-time defensive rebounds list, surpassing Phylesha Whaley. Caton Hill holds the record with 745.

Possible Chart Moves for Jackson vs. Texas Tech
Career:
Needs 14 rebounds for 6th
Needs 6 made free throws for 8th
Needs 7 attempted free throws for 8th
Needs 36 minutes for 4th

Single Season:
Needs 1, 2, 6 defensive rebounds for 14th, 13th and 12th
Needs 6 assists to tie for 9th
Needs 1 block to tie for 13th

University of Oklahoma Athletics

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