Sooners Dominate Sun Devils, 69-57

Nov. 22, 2007

CANCUN, Mexico (AP) -- Courtney Paris had 16 points and 19 rebounds, and sister Ashley scored a career high 21 points to help Oklahoma (No. 11 ESPN/USA Today, No. 10 AP) win for the first time this season, 69-57 over Arizona State (No. 13 ESPN/USA Today, No. 14 AP) on Thursday in the Caribbean Challenge.

"I think people pay a lot of attention to Courtney and when that happens," OU head coach Sherri Coale said, "then Ashley (Paris) draws the lesser of the two defenders.

She took that as a challenge tonight and took it right at them. I think (Arizona State) had to redraw their game plan on the interior. A lot of the credit goes to our guards for getting the basketball to the right place at the right time."

Courtney Paris had her 69th double-double in 72 career games.

Danielle Robinson added a career high 18 points for Oklahoma (1-2), which opened the season with losses to No. 3 Maryland and No. 1 Tennessee.

"It was great to finally get a win," Paris said. "The entire team was really focused and stuck to the game plan, offensively and defensively, the best we have all season. Our guards were terrific at getting the ball moved to the right position and they were able to open holes in the defense.

"Ashley had a monster game. She really commanded the floor every time she got the ball. I think everybody we play from now on will really have to game plan around her just as much as they do for me."

Briann January and Dymond Simon scored 16 points each for Arizona State (2-2).

Oklahoma shot 60.6 percent from the floor and took a 40-18 lead with 2:58 left in the first half on Courtney Paris' basket, and held the Sun Devils without a field goal for nine minutes until Sybil Dosty scored with 1:34 remaining.

Ashley Paris scored OU's first two field goals and had 15 total by the half as the Sooners led for all but 22 seconds of the game.

"I wouldn't say I had a career day," Ashley Paris said. "I can play a lot better. There were too many missed rebounds and turnovers for me to call it a career game."

Arizona State closed the first 20 minutes on a 8-4 run to left the score 44-24.

The Sun Devils continued their strong defense in the second half and held Oklahoma without a field goal for nearly 4 minutes to close to 67-54. Robinson scored to end the drought and Oklahoma held on for the 69-57 win.

"I loved the first half," Coale said. "I was not as riled about the second half. I thought we got a little complacent, tried to hurry up and let (Arizona State) dictate the tempo in the second half.

"Every phase of our game was solid in the first half and we knocked them on their heels. They came back swinging in the second half and we didn't respond as well as I hoped."

Oklahoma faces Mississippi State (3-1) in Cancun at 1 p.m. Central Friday.