Perfect! Sooners Run Big 12 Table

LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) - Marsha Sharp's regular-season finale had the feel of a tournament game with Courtney Paris and No. 9 Oklahoma playing in front of a noisy near-sellout crowd.

``This atmosphere and this environment was the best possible preparation we could have for the NCAA tournament,'' Sooners coach Sherri Coale said.

Paris had the seventh triple-double in Big 12 history and set an NCAA freshman rebounding record as Oklahoma denied Sharp a farewell victory at home with a 60-59 victory Wednesday night.

Paris scored 18 points, grabbed 13 rebounds and blocked 10 shots for the Sooners (26-4, 16-0), who became the first team to go undefeated in the Big 12 since the league began in 1996.

Stats | Photos | Notes | Gameday Central

``There's nothing easy about being good, and to be good for 16 straight games is a pretty amazing thing,'' Coale said.

Paris got her record-breaking 444th rebound of the season late in the game and became the first Big 12 player to have a triple-double that included blocks.

Last week, Sharp announced she was resigning at the end of the season, her 24th at Tech. Her record is 571-188.

After the game, an emotional Sharp spoke to fans, telling them she's been honored to be the ``caretaker'' of the program.''

``It has been the most incredible ride you can imagine,'' she said to loud cheers in United Spirit Arena, known to many in Lubbock as ``The House that Marsha Built.'' A freeway under construction will bear her name and will be the only one in Texas named after a woman.

LaToya Davis scored 27 points and had 10 rebounds to lead the Lady Raiders (14-13, 9-7).

Down by 17 points early in the second half, Tech used runs of 16-4 and 7-0 to come back. The Lady Raiders got within 56-55 on a 3-pointer by Brooke Baughman as the shot clock expired with 3:21 remaining. She shot from about 27 feet away and it went in and out and bounced into the basket off the glass.

``You don't wanna keep it close because you know where the gods will be flying,'' she said. ``And when Brooke Baughmann hit that 90-foot 3, I was like 'here we go.'''

After that, Paris turned the ball over and Tech went up 57-56 on a layup by Davis with 2:32 remaining. But Oklahoma answered with two free throws by Paris and a bucket by Leah Rush with 1:36 to go that put the game out of reach.

``I felt like we just got a lot more aggressive,'' Sharp said about the comeback. ``We dug ourselves a hole, but there wasn't any quit in (our team).''

Britney Brown scored 12 points and Chelsi Welch added 11 for the Sooners.

During practice before the game, Tech players donned shirts that read, ``Thanks, Marsha. From the Lady Raider Nation,'' with all of her accomplishments listed on the back. The Sooners, as a show of respect, came out just before the tip wearing the same shirts.

``They're a classy team, and they're well coached,'' Sharp said. ``How classy is it when you come out and they've got that T-shirt on?''

Sharp could get another shot to coach at home if Texas Tech doesn't get an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament and hosts a Women's NIT game.

``The absence of Marsha on the Texas Tech sideline is a blow to the university, it's a blow to our conference and it's a blow to women's basketball,'' Coale said. ``It has been an honor and a privilege to coach against Marsha for the past years.''

During 24 seasons in Lubbock, Sharp has taken Tech to 16 straight NCAA appearances - 18 overall - reaching the regional finals four times and the regional semis seven times. The Lady Raiders won the national title in 1993.

University of Oklahoma Athletics

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