Completed Event: Women's Basketball at #23 Alabama on February 15, 2026 , Win , 79, to, 71
Final
Women's Basketball
79
at #23 Alabama
71
University of Oklahoma Athletics
Sooners Host Tech Wednesday
January 22, 2008 | Women's Basketball
Jan. 22, 2008
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Wednesday's game will broadcast on the Sooner Sports Network (KWTV in Oklahoma City) with Bob Carpenter (play-by-play) and Debbie Antonelli (color) on the call.
On the radio (KOKC 1520 AM in Oklahoma City), Brian Brinkley will call the play-by-play and Tara DeGiusti will provide analysis.
Tip-off is 7:08 p.m. Central.
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Ticket Information |
General Admission - $8 for adults and $5 for youths
Group Tickets - $5 (minimum of 10 people; must order 24 hours in advance)
OU Students - free admission with valid student ID
PREVIEWING TEXAS TECH
Despite holding four straight victories over Texas Tech, No. 11 Oklahoma will have its hands full with the Red Raiders in keeping with the highly competitive games the series has produced recently.
The last four meetings have been decided by six points of less with the Jan. 22, 2007, contest swinging the Sooners way after two overtime periods.
The Red Raiders have a new look in 2007-08 with nine newcomers joining the team since last season. They return just two starters -- sophomore guard Jordan Murphee and senior center Erin Myrick.
Junior forward Dominic Seals leads the team with nearly a double-double average of 14.7 points and 9.3 rebounds per game. Seals has posted eight double-doubles this season, second in the Big 12 only to Courtney Paris' 15.
Myrick averages 11.4 points and 6.6 rebounds.
Texas Tech head coach Kristy Curry is 28-21 in her second season at Texas Tech and 207-72 overall in her ninth year as a head coach. Curry is 0-4 against the Sooners with two losses coming in the regular season last year and the others in the NCAA Tournament while head coach of Purdue.
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THE ALL-TIME SERIES
Oklahoma and Texas Tech will meet for the 36th time Wednesday, Jan. 23. Texas Tech leads the series 21-14, including a 9-7 advantage in Norman.
Oklahoma started 2-16 versus the Red Raiders before establishing some dominance in the 2000 season and is 12-5 since the start of the decade.
Sherri Coale lost six straight to Tech before getting her first win against the Marsha Sharp coached squad in Norman in an 82-76 bout in Norman. Coale is 12-11 all-time versus Texas Tech including a 6-5 record in Norman.
The last four games have been thrillers with a combined margin of victory of just 15 points for the Sooners.
RECORD WATCH
Courtney Paris is the nation's leading rebounder at 15.5 boards per game and is 14 shy of matching former Baylor star Sophia Young's Big 12 career rebounds record.
NATIONAL ATTENDANCE LEADER
Oklahoma set a program record for attendance last season and, if early indications prove true, another record should be set in 2007-08.
After five home games, OU's per game attendance average stands at 9,915, currently No. 3 in the nation for average home game attendance.
Oklahoma was No. 4 in national attendance last season and No. 2 in the Big 12 Conference with an average of 10,437 in the seats for OU's 12 home games.
BENCHMARK GAMES AHEAD
Currently Sherri Coale has 243 victories in her 12th year as the head coach of the Oklahoma Sooners. Coale could reach her 250th victory as soon as Feb. 12, at home, against Texas A&M.
"Think Pink" Week
Fans should come out to support the Sooners in raising breast cancer awareness by coming to the Lloyd Noble Center for "Think Pink Night" as the OU women's basketball team hosts 2007 Big 12 Co-Champions Texas A&M on Tuesday, Feb. 12, at 7 p.m.
1,000th Game in Sooner History
Oklahoma started its women's basketball program for the 1974-75 season and is approaching its 1,000th game. To date, the Sooners are 18 games shy of 1,000 in program history. There are 14 games left in the regular season, which would mean that if OU failed to get a first-round bye for the Big 12 Tournament, the first opportunity to play 1,000 would be in the Championship Game.
50 WEEKS...AND COUNTING
With Oklahoma's placement in the Associated Press and ESPN/USA Today Coaches Polls this week, the Sooners have appeared in both for 50 straight polls (including preseason polls).
OU's record for consecutive Top 25 poll appearances is 59 in the AP (from week 11 of the 1999-2000 season to week 11 of the 2002-03 season) and 60 in the Coaches (from week 11 of the 1999-2000 season to week 13 of the 2002-03 season).
Both stints including 26 consecutive weeks being ranked in the Top 10. OU also had a 19-week run in the Top 10 of the AP Poll and 20-week run in the Top 10 of the Coaches Poll over the 2005-06 and 2006-07 seasons.
Last week, Oklahoma has fell out of the Top 10 of the AP Poll for the first time this season. The Sooners fell out of the Top 10 of the Coaches' Poll for the first time since week 3.
RECAPPING BAYLOR
Angela Tisdale scored a career-high 35 points and directed the Bears' decisive run in an 84-73 win against Oklahoma, snapping a six-game losing streak to Oklahoma.
Tisdale helped put some distance between the Bears and Sooners when she scored seven points in an 8-1 run midway through the second half. After sinking a 3-pointer from the top of the key, she scored a basket in transition off Melissa Jones' steal and then hit two free throws that extended Baylor's lead to 66-59 with 8 minutes remaining.
Courtney Paris cut into the lead by rebounding two of her own misses and scoring in close, and then rebounding a miss at the other end to set up Danielle Robinson's driving layup in the open court that made it 70-68.
Tisdale answered with a jumper, and the Sooners went cold from the floor before resorting to fouls down the stretch. Tisdale went 8-for-8 from the line in the final minute to seal the win.
Paris had a season-high 28 points and 13 rebounds for her 76th double-double in a row, and Robinson scored 16 points for Oklahoma. Paris' twin sister, Ashley Paris, also had a double-double with 11 points and 12 rebounds.
Rachel Allison added 17 points, Player scored 14 and Danielle Wilson blocked seven shots -- including several against Courtney Paris, the Sooners' 6-foot-4 center and reigning AP player of the year.
Baylor shot 53 percent overall, the highest percentage allowed by Oklahoma this season, and went 8-for-19 from 3-point range to make up for a 50-34 deficit on the boards.
POSTGAME NOTES
• Oklahoma dominated under the basket early, scoring 10 of its first 12 points in the paint with Courtney Paris supplying eight of those before the first media timeout. OU scored half of its points in the stretch off second chances as it totaled five offensive rebounds to Baylor's three defensive boards.
• Ashley Paris' missed free throw in the first minutes of the second half ended a streak of 23 consecutive free throws made by the Sooners -- the nation's 296th ranked team in free throw percentage entering the weekend.
• Baylor shot 31-of-59 (.525) from the field, snapping a streak of 67 games in which an OU opponent did not shoot 50 percent or better.
• For the second consecutive game the Sooners have held their opponent to less than 10 points off of offensive rebounds. Oklahoma recorded 24 points off the offensive glass, while holding Baylor to seven.
Ashley Paris
• Paris recorded her seventh career double-double and the first of the season ... Paris' eight offensive rebounds were a personal record ... Paris' five made free throws was a single-game best.
Courtney Paris
• Paris matched her season best for points in a half with 16 in the first half. Paris also scored 16 points in the first half against Arkansas State (Dec. 2, 2007) and the second half at Illinois (Dec. 5, 2007) ... Paris' 28 points were a season high. In seven games versus Baylor, Paris has averaged 26.6 points.
Danielle Robinson
• With 16 points, Robinson is averaging 17.5 points in Big 12 play ... Robinson attempted 22 field goals, breaking her previous career high of 16 attempts in a single game, set Jan. 16 against Nebraska.
D-ROB, MOST VAUABLE FRESHMAN
Oklahoma's Danielle Robinson is one of only two freshmen (the other is UNC's Cetera DeGraffenreid) on Top 25 program to lead her team in assists and steals.
Robinson broke out in OU's win against Illinois, scoring eight of her 14 points during a 16-3 run in the second half, lifting the Sooners to a 70-57 lead with 3:36 remaining. Robinson also had back-to-back steals for layups in the stretch. The Sooners won, 77-67, as Robinson recorded a career high seven steals.
Of her 204 points scored this season, 60 (29 percent) have come by way of the fast break, including 10 of her 18 against Arizona State, six of 12 at Michigan State, eight of 20 versus South Carolina and six of 16 against Baylor.
The following is a look at the production of the nation's top freshmen guards (through Monday, Jan. 21).
| Production by the Nation's Top Freshmen | |||||
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Player |
Team |
GP |
Points |
Assists |
Steals |
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Angie Bjorklund |
Tennessee |
17 |
9.5 |
1.6 |
1.2 |
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Sydney Colson |
Texas A&M |
18 |
3.8 |
1.7 |
1.6 |
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Cetera DeGraffenreid |
North Carolina |
19 |
11.5 |
3.4 |
2.6 |
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Maya Moore |
Connecticut |
18 |
16.8 |
3.7 |
1.8 |
| Angela Puleo | Georgia |
18 |
8.6 |
2.9 |
1.4 |
| Danielle Robinson | Oklahoma |
15 |
13.6 |
4.1 |
2.4 |
| Alli Smalley | Auburn |
18 |
10.8 |
2.8 |
1.4 |
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Marah Strickland |
Maryland |
23 |
9.4 |
1.0 |
0.6 |
NO SOPHOMORE SLUMP FOR STEVENSON
Nyeshia Stevenson may not be starting, but she is one of the Sooners most important contributors.
After shooting 18.2 percent (2-of-11) from beyond the arc all last season, Stevenson is the Big 12 Conference leader in 3-point field goal percentage at 46 percent (17-of-37).
Stevenson broke out with a 4-for-4 3-point effort to spark the Sooners in a victory against Mississippi State and hasn't looked back since.
The Little Rock, Ark., native averages 8.3 points per game, fifth best on the team and most by a reserve. After starting the season opener, she has the OU's leading off-the-bench scorer in 12 of the last 14 games.
NO. 3's COMPANY
Courtney Paris scored a season high 28 points in a losing effort to Baylor, but the scenario of Paris as OU's leading scorer is becoming less common as the talent around her and the double- and triple-teaming defenses increase.
Danielle Robinson's 20 points against South Carolina (Dec. 30) marked the fourth consecutive game in which a different Sooner was the team leader in points scored (Courtney Paris, 17 at Tulsa; Amanda Thompson, 14 at Michigan State; and Jenny Vining, 20 vs. Central Arkansas). This came after Ashley and Courtney Paris spent the first eight games of the season splitting games as the team's leading scorer with Ashley getting the honor three times and Courtney five.
Danielle Robinson was OU's leading scorer against Iowa State (23) and Nebraska (22) and Amanda Thompson led at OSU with 18.
Until this season, Courtney never missed two games without being her team's leading scorer until Ashley posted the high number in OU's two games in Cancun against Arizona State and Mississippi State.
Last season, Courtney Paris was OU's leading scorer in all but five games. Jenna Plumley, Leah Rush and Chelsi Welch were the others that scored. During her freshman season, C. Paris led in all but five games with Rush, Welch and Erin Higgins also getting leading scoring honors during the year.
The last time four different Sooners were the leading point scorers in consecutive games was during the 2003-04 season when it happened in games 3 through 6.
CHAIRWOMAN OF THE BOARD
As a freshman, Courtney Paris set the NCAA single-season record with 539 rebounds and neared the mark as a sophomore with 526.
As a junior, Paris is averaging 15.8 boards, better than her 15.0 rate as a freshman.
Paris has owned OU's offensive rebounds record since last season and took over as the No. 1 rebounder in the Sooners' season opener. She passed Caton Hill for No. 1 on OU's defensive rebounding list with seven defensive boards versus Mississippi State (Nov. 27).
Paris currently has 1,302 career rebounds with 442 coming off the offensive glass and 860 defensively.
Baylor's Sophia Young (2002-06) currently holds the Big 12 Conference record for total rebounds with 1,316. Young also owns the career offensive rebounds (489) record.
Paris claimed Young's Big 12 career record for defensive rebounds (827) with 10 in the game at Iowa State on Jan. 9.
No other Sooner in history has recorded 400 or more total rebounds in a single season.
A PERFECT '10'
Courtney Paris' 10 points against South Carolina (Dec. 30) was a career low, meaning she has never scored outside of double figures in her career. Only two other NCAA Division I players - LaToya Thomas, Mississippi State (1998-2002) and Chandi Jones, Houston (2000-04) - have finished their careers scoring in double figures in every game.
The most double-figure scoring games was accomplished by Sophia Young of Baylor (2003-06), who scored 10 or more points in 130 of her 139 career games.
Paris' 10 points were 10.5 percent of OU's total 95 against South Carolina, marking her lowest percent contribution since her career began. However, Paris did manage to grasp 24 rebounds, two from her personal best and the second most in a single game by a Division I player this season.
Paris' second lowest percentage contribution came one game before against Central Arkansas, when she provided 14 of the team's program record 121. Paris played only 22 minutes in the game.
Most Consecutive Double-Figure Scoring Games
125, LaToya Thomas, Mississippi State (1998-2002, 125 games)
Most Double-Figure Scoring Games
130, Sophia Young, Baylor (2003-06, 139 games)
Scored in Double Figures Every Game of Career
*130, Denise Curry, UCLA (1977-81)
125, LaToya Thomas, Mississippi State (1998-2002)
114, Chandi Jones, Houston (2000-04)
*Pre-NCAA record.
FRESHMAN FACTS
After losing six seniors, the OU women's basketball team should be expected to look and play much differently this season than past Sherri Coale-coached teams have played. However, while these freshmen are very talented and will make their names known quickly, they do draw comparisons to some familiar faces.
Danielle Robinson | 5-9 | G | San Jose, Calif.
Robinson was the Sooners' surprise pickup of the 2007 recruiting class. After acknowledging OU was off her radar until her official visit, Robinson made the decision to be a Sooner before she checked her bags for the return flight home. The speedy guard will see time both on and off the point and draws comparisons to Dionnah Jackson.
Carlee Roethlisberger | 6-1 | F | Findlay, Ohio
Having the third most recognizable surname speaks to the star power on the Sooners' roster. Yes, Carlee is the sister of Pittsburgh Steelers' quarterback Ben, but she may the family's best athlete. Roethlisberger is leanest Sooner and the one with the greatest ceiling in terms of untapped basketball potential. Her play resembles another lean forward in former Sooner Leah Rush.
Jenny Vining | 5-9 | G | Marshall, Ark.
This Arkansas high school star will remind fans of former Sooner Erin Higgins because of her 3-point range and accuracy, although Vining's may prove to be better in both cases. Head coach Sherri Coale says that Vining might be the best freshman she has ever coached because of her ability to quickly learn from mistakes and make correct adjustments in practice.
Lauren Willis | 5-11 | G | Overland Park, Kan.
Willis was an all-stater in Kansas and walked-on to the OU program. She has been a stellar defender in practice as was quite the spark in OU's preseason intrasquad scrimmage as she went 3-for-3 from beyond the arc in limited action. Willis is the daughter of Steve Willis, a placekicker on Kansas State football's first ever bowl team, and the former Lois Groen, an All-American and Big Eight Conference track and field champion at Iowa State.
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SOONERS PICKED TO FINISH SECOND IN BIG 12 Texas A&M, the 2006-07 Big 12 co-champions with Oklahoma, received seven of 12 first-place votes to edge the Sooners, who received five first-place votes, in a split decision between the two teams. Coaches were not permitted to vote for their own team. PARIS PRESEASON BIG 12 PLAYER OF THE YEAR The 6-4 center, who averaged 23.5 points and 15.9 rebounds, was last season's Big 12 Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year after leading the Sooners to title defenses of the conference's regular season and tournament championships. Ashley Paris was an honorable mention for the All-Big 12 team. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
SOONERSPORTS.COM BLOG
Courtney has braces? Find out what prompted her sudden dental work by reading the OU Women's Basketball Blog on SoonerSports.com.
OU head coach Sherri Coale submits regular postings and this season several OU players will enter the cyberspace realm with their own unique contributions.
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Friday, March 27
WBB Highlights: OU 77, Michigan State 71
Sunday, March 22
Jennie Baranczyk, Raegan Beers, and Payton Verhulst Postgame vs Michigan State
Sunday, March 22
