Women's Hoops Exhibition Tonight

Roster | Schedule | Gameday Central | Game Notes (PDF)

NORMAN, Okla. -- The University of Oklahoma takes to the court for the first time in anger with an exhibition game against Henderson State Thursday night at the Lloyd Noble Center. The Sooners will look to find their identity after losing six seniors that helped the squad to back-to-back Big 12 regular-season and tournament championships and Sweet 16 appearances.

Tip off is slated for 7 p.m. Central.

Single-game tickets are available for the exhibition and are currently on sale ($8 adults, $5 children). Reserved season tickets are sold out, but general admission season tickets still remain for the low price of $115.

The game will we webcast live via SoonerSports.com All-Access site. Live audio and statistics are also available at the Web site.

SETTING THE SCENE
Date: Thursday, Nov. 1, 2007
Location: Norman, Okla.
Tipoff: 7:08 p.m. Central
Venue: Lloyd Noble Center (12,000)
TV: None
Radio: KOKC (1520 AM)
Radio Talent: Brian Brinkley and Tara DeGiusti
Live Webcast: SoonerSports.com All-Access
Live Statistics: SoonerSports.com / CSTV Gametracker
Tickets: 1-800-456-GoOU / SoonerSports.com

2006-07 Record: 28-5 (13-3 Big 12; Big 12 Season/Tournament Champions)
National Rankings: No. 3 USA Today/ESPN Coaches' Poll

Top Returners:

Player	YR	HT	POS	GP	MIN	PTS	REB	AST	OTHER
Courtney Paris	JR	6-4	C	33	30.3	23.5	15.9	1.7	3.4 blocks
Ashley Paris	JR	6-3	F	33	21.6	7.4	6.8	1.6	1.0 blocks
Amanda Thompson	SO	6-0	F	33	15.9	5.7	5.2	1.6	0.6 steals
Jenna Plumley	SO	5-4	G	32	16.4	5.2	1.6	1.9	91% FT
Nyeshia Stevenson	SO	5-9	F/G	24	8.5	3.3	1.3	0.6	0.3 steals

Oklahoma
Sooners

2006-07 Record: 19-10 (6-8 Gulf South Conference)
National Rankings: Not Ranked in NCAA Division II

Top Returners:

Player	YR	HT	POS	GP	MIN	PTS	REB	AST	OTHER
Jeanna White	JR	6-4	F	29	17.4	6.3	3.9	0.4	0.6 steals
Candy Hall	SR	5-9	G	25	8.6	2.5	2.4	0.4	0.4 steals
*Lesha Jones	JR	6-3	F	31	NA	18.2	10.2	0.7	1.7 steals
*Tiffany Smith	JR	5-10	F/G	29	NA	5.5	3.2	1.8	0.8 steals
*Danyelle Harris	SO	5-8	G	22	7.7	0.9	1.1	0.8	0.4 steals

Henderson State
Lady Reddies

PLAYER TO WATCH
Junior forward Ashley Paris moves into the role of a full-time starter in 2008. The older Paris twin started seven games, six on the road, last season and averaged 26 minutes, 8.7 points, 7.3 rebounds and 1.3 blocks -- all better than her season averages -- in those games.

Despite averaging just over half a game at 21.6 minutes, Ashley Paris is one of the Big 12's top 10 returnees in five categories -- field goal percentage, blocks, rebounding average, offense rebounds and defensive rebounds.

PRESEASON PERFORMANCE
• Oklahoma is 15-0 in exhibition games since 2000.
• OU won both its exhibitions last season -- 88-56 over Lake Truck and 93-55 against Missouri Western State.
• OU's exhibition opener versus Lake Truck in 2007 set an attendance record for an exhibition game with 9,023 fans.

PRE-GAME RITUAL
There are no experimental rules in effect for the 2007-08 exhibition season. However, there will be subtle changes to the pre-game festivities.

Instead of playing the National Anthem at 10 minutes before tip, teams in the Big 12 Conference will now play the anthem with both teams present just before starting lineups are announced.

SEASON TICKET UPDATE
As of Wednesday, Oct. 31, the OU Athletics Ticket Office had sold approximately 6,400 season ticket packages. The number is an increase of 200 at the same point last year and is just shy of the record 6,465 season tickets bought for OU women's basketball last season.

Though reserved level season tickets have sold out, general admission season tickets remain and fans are encouraged to purchase them prior to the start of the season. GA season tickets are available for $115. Group and single game tickets are now available.

Single game tickets for all home games are $8 for adults and $5 for youths (K-12).

The Oklahoma women's basketball team ranked No. 4 in attendance last season, averaging 10,437 fans. That was an increase of 37 percent from the 2005-06 season when Lloyd Noble Center games averaged 7,630.

Fans can purchase season tickets by calling th OU Ticket Office at (800) 456-GoOU or online at SoonerSports.com.

TEAM CAPTAINS
Since Britney Brown, Erin Higgins and Leah Rush -- the captains for the past two seasons -- have departed, new leaders must take control. The 2007-08 captains, as voted by team members, are Ashley Paris, Courtney Paris, Jenna Plumley and Amanda Thompson.

THE NATION'S TOUGHEST START
Oklahoma will play 11 regular-season games, among eight different teams, ranked in the USA Today/ESPN Preseason Coaches' Poll. That is not the toughest schedule in the nation as No. 1 Tennessee will look to earn its way back to the national title game with 12 games among 11 preseason Top 25 teams.

However, OU will face a tougher start than any other team in college basketball with its first three games among teams in the top 12, including No. 1 Tennesee and No. 4 Maryland -- the past two national champions. All three of these games will be played at neutral sites.

PREVIEWING HENDERSON STATE
Henderson State University is a four-year liberal arts university in Arkdelphia, Ark. The Reddies compete at the NCAA Division II and return just two players from last year's squad that finished 19-10.

Five transfers and six freshman make the Reddies very new.

What is a Reddie?
Legend says that the Reddie Spirit was born the night in 1914 that the student body came together under the pine trees of Henderson after fire destroyed the main buildings. The students vowed to stay together and rebuild their school rather than transfer to nearby Ouachita Baptist.

Famous Alumni
HSU's alumni include everything from a Supreme Court Justice to an Olympic shooter to a top NASA physicist. However, the one with the most name recognition remains Billy Bob Thornton, an Academy Award winning actor and screenwriter.

University of Oklahoma Athletics

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