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
Red River Rivalry Renews Sunday
March 07, 2009 | Women's Basketball
March 7, 2009
RED RIVER RIVALRY RENEWS
The regular season ends with one of the Big 12's greatest rivalries -- Oklahoma versus Texas. Adding to the atmosphere is the senior night celebration for four Texas players -- Aubrey Cook, Carla Cortijo, Ashley Lindsey and Earnesia Williams.
Oklahoma looks to finish its time in Texas strong, following a series of lackluster performances on the road. The Sooners needed a late rally to overcome a nine-point deficit at Texas Tech and fell by one point to Texas A&M for its lone Big 12 loss.
BIG 12 CHAMPIONSHIP TICKETS
A limited number of 2009 Women's Basketball Big 12 Championship tickets are also on sale. This year's championships will be held in Oklahoma City at the Cox Convention Center from March 12-15. All-session tickets $90 each and are available by calling the OU Athletics Ticket Office (800) 456-GoOU or (405) 325-2424.
All orders are processed on a first come, first-served basis and tickets are subject to availability.
VOTE PARIS FOR SENIOR CLASS AWARD
Courtney Paris was named one of 10 finalists for the Lowe's Senior CLASS Award. The award honors the attributes of senior student-athletes in four areas: classroom, community, character and competition. Fans can vote for Paris once per day online at www.seniorclassaward.com.
| Game Specifics | |
| Date and Time | Sunday, March 8 at 2:30 p.m. Central | Game Notes |
| Location | Frank Erwin Center (16,755) | Austin, Texas |
| Tickets | TexasBoxOffice.com |
| TV | Fox SportsNet COX 37 in Oklahoma City; COX 27 in Tulsa |
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Radio
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Sooner Sports Radio Network | Live Audio KOKC 1520 AM in Oklahoma City |
| Webcast | None |
| Live Stats | SoonerSports.com CBS GameTracker |
GAME PREVIEW
No. 3 Oklahoma visits No. 15/16 Texas Sunday, March 8, at the Frank Erwin Center in Austin, Texas, for the final regular season game of the Big 12 schedule. The game tips off at 2:30 p.m. Central and will be televised by the Fox SportsNet (COX 37 in Oklahoma City; COX 27 in Tulsa).
• Oklahoma and Texas are meeting for the 36th time. Texas leads the series, 21-14.
• Oklahoma head coach Sherri Coale is 280-130 (.683) in her 13th season.
• Gail Goestenkors is 42-22 (.656) in her second year at UT and 438-121 (.783) in her 17th overall.
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ABOUT THE TEXAS LONGHORNS
Texas (No. 15 Associated Press/No. 16 ESPN/USA Today Coaches') celebrates Senior Night at the Frank Erwin Center Sunday as Aubrey Cook, Carla Cortijo, Ashley Lindsey and Earnesia Williams play their final game in Austin.
The Longhorns, 20-9 overall and 8-7 in the Big 12, are locked into the No. 6 seed for the Big 12 Championship.
Texas has dropped four of its last five games, including three straight versus Big 12 South opponents. UT is 5-4 against ranked opponents this year.
Brittainey Raven leads the team's scoring, averaging 13.6 points. The Longhorns' second and third leading scorers, Kathleen Nash (11.6) and Erika Arriaran (7.9), and leading rebounder, Nash (6.4), come off the bench.
Now in its 32nd year of play in the Frank Erwin Center, Texas has posted an all-time record of 405-71 (.851) in the building. Texas has an all-time 77-50 (.606) mark against AP Top 25 teams at home, and boasts a 5-4 record under second-year head coach Gail Goestenkors.
Goestenkors is 42-22 (.656) in her second year at UT and 438-121 (.783) in her 17th overall.
THE ALL-TIME SERIES
• OU and Texas are meeting for the 36th time. Texas leads the overall series 21-14 with an 11-4 advantage in Austin.
• The two teams met just six times before the formation of the Big 12 Conference. UT captured the first five meetings.
• Since bi-annual play began (also the entire Sherri Coale era), the Longhorns hold a 16-13 edge over the Sooners.
• Oklahoma has captured six of the last eight meetings with Texas.
• UT head coach Gail Goestenkors is 1-3 all-time versus Sherri Coale and the Sooners, a 2002 Final Four loss with Duke in San Antonio preceded her stint with the Longhorns.
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PREVIEWING THE OKLAHOMA SOONERS
Oklahoma begins the season with high expectations and high rankings -- No. 4 in the Preseason AP Poll and No. 7 in the Coaches' Poll. Returning for Oklahoma are 11 players, including four starters and three-time consensus All-American Courtney Paris. Big 12 Freshman of the Year Danielle Robinson will run the offense as a sophomore and teammates and coaches are raving about the prospects of Preseason Big 12 Freshman of the Year Whitney Hand.
Oklahoma again plays one of the toughest schedules in the nation with consensus No. 1 Connecticut, and top-ranked Tennessee and California as well as ranked Big 12 teams Texas A&M, Texas, Oklahoma State and Baylor on the slate.
2009 SENIORS AMONG BIG 12'S WINNINGEST
Oklahoma seniors Ashley and Courtney Paris and Carolyn Winchester have led the Sooners to one of the best four-year spans in Big 12 history. Oklahoma has compiled a 106-22 (.828) record over the past four seasons, the best four-year record by an OU team and sixth best in the league's history.
Oklahoma is five wins shy of the record. Five consecutive wins by Oklahoma would encompass its final two regular-season games and its three possible games of the Big 12 Championship.
Most Wins by Big 12 Teams Over Four-Year Spans
111, Baylor, 2004-07
110, Baylor, 2005-08
110, Baylor, 2002-05
109, Texas Tech, 1998-2001
109, Baylor, 2003-06
107, Oklahoma, 2006-09
ASHLEY PARIS JOINING MILLENNIUM CLUB
Ashley Paris needs 12 rebounds to become the fourth Sooner to reach both 1,000 points and 1,000 rebounds in a career. The others are Courtney Paris (2,608 points and 1,935 rebounds), Molly McGuire (2,147 points and 1,071 rebounds) and Caton Hill (1,653 points and 1,044 rebounds).
COURTNEY PARIS STARTS OWN CLUB
Courtney Paris is 65 rebounds shy of becoming the first college basketball player -- any gender, any membership, any division -- to collect 2,500 points and 2,000 rebounds in a career.
Only five players previously had reached both 2,000 points and 2,000 rebounds -- Tom Gola of La Salle (1952-55), Joe Holup of George Washington (1953-56), Jim Smith of Steubenville (1955-58) and, the only woman, Sheila Ford of North Carolina-Asheville (1980-84).
Fordham's Anne Gregory (1977-80), who scored 2,548 points, ended her career one rebound shy of 2,000.
RESERVATIONS FOR SIX
Jenny Vining was just the sixth OU reserve, not missing a start due to a senior night, in the past four years to score at least 15 points in a game. The feat has been accomplished 18 times in the past 129 games, twice by Vining and 10 times by Nyeshia Stevenson.
THE STREAK ENDS AT 112 CONSECUTIVE DOUBLE-DOUBLES
Courtney Paris' streak of consecutive games with a double-double ended Monday, Feb. 2, 2009, against Tennessee at 120 games. Paris' streak began with a 22-point, 24-rebound effort versus UCLA on Dec. 5, 2005, and lasted 1,159 days. Courtney Paris has collected 122 double-doubles in 128 career games.
OFFICIALLY A RECORD
It has long been thought that Courtney Paris' double-double numbers were NCAA records. Beginning with the 2008-09 season, those statements are now factual.
The NCAA has made single-season and career double-doubles as well as single-season and career consecutive double-doubles new records for women's basketball.
| Single-Season Double-Doubles 33 - Courtney Paris, Oklahoma, 2006 33 - Courtney Paris, Oklahoma, 2007 32 - Anne Donovan, Old Dominion, 1983 31 - Courtney Paris, Oklahoma, 2008 30 - Cheryl Taylor, Tennessee Tech, 1986 |
Single-Season Consecutive Double-Doubles 33 - Courtney Paris, Oklahoma, Nov. 12, 2006-March 25, 2007 31 - Courtney Paris, Oklahoma, Nov. 11, 2007-March 25, 2008 28 - Courtney Paris, Oklahoma, Dec. 5, 2005-March 25, 2006 20 - Courtney Paris, Oklahoma, Nov. 15, 2008-Jan. 31, 2009 18 - Cheryl Miller, Southern Cal, Nov. 28, 1984-Feb. 14, 1985 |
| Career Double-Doubles 123 - Courtney Paris, Oklahoma, 2006-Active 90 - Cheryl Taylor, Tennessee Tech, 1984-87 78 - Janet Harris, Georgia, 1982-85 75 - Sylvia Fowles, LSU, 2005-08 |
Career Consecutive Double-Doubles 112 - Courtney Paris, Oklahoma, Dec. 5, 2005-Jan. 31, 2009 19 - Anne Donovan, Old Dominion, Jan. 29, 1982-Dec. 29, 1983 18 - Cheryl Miller, Southern Cal, Nov. 28, 1994-Feb. 14, 1985 |
POSTGAME LEFTOVERS
Six Sooners Named to Academic All-Big 12 Team
Six OU players, including all three seniors, were named to the Academic All-Big 12 Team. Rose Hammond (human relations), Ashley Paris (advertising), Danielle Robinson (sociology), Amanda Thompson (communication) and Carolyn Winchester (mathematics education) were all first-team honorees. Courtney Paris (journalism) was named to the second team.
Hand Earns Fourth Big 12 Freshman of the Week Honor
Freshman guard Whitney Hand was named Big 12 Freshman of the Week for a four time this season on Feb. 9 following OU's wins against Tennessee and Oklahoma State. Hand also earned the honor on Dec. 1, Jan. 12 and Jan. 26.
Courtney Paris Sets Big 12 Scoring, Field Goals Records
The second-ranked Sooners never trailed on the road against Oklahoma State, winning 93-75. Courtney Paris scored 17 points on eight field goals and passed Sophia Young of Baylor (2003-06) as the Big 12's career scoring and field goals leader.
Paris Takes NCAA Career Rebounding Record
Courtney Paris had her second straight game without a double-double, but still managed to set an NCAA record. With eight rebounds, Paris passed Wanda Ford of Drake (1983-86) as NCAA Division I's all-time rebounding leader.
What a Start!
Oklahoma's 23-2 start to the season was the best in the program's history over the first 25 games of the season. The 2002 team also opened the season 22-2 before losing its 25th game. OU's 20-game winning streak is the program's all-time longest and is currently the third longest active streak in NCAA Division I.
Triple Double-Double
Double-doubles by Ashley and Courtney Paris and Amanda Thompson against North Carolina on Nov. 23, 2008, marked the first time three Sooners recorded double-doubles in the same game. It's happened twice more since then as the Parises and Danielle Robinson each tallied a double-double against Tulsa (Dec. 21) and Texas A&M (Jan. 18).
Oklahoma Sets Comeback Record
Oklahoma's comeback win against Cal set the largest deficit overcome in regulation to win a game. The Sooners trailed the Bears by 26 points with 19:01 remaining in the second half and won 86-75.
New Turnover Low
Oklahoma's eight turnovers against UConn and 10 versus Creighton set a record low in back-to-back games for Sherri Coale-coached teams. Previously, no Sooner team coached by Coale had consecutive games with fewer than 20 combined turnovers.
Offensive Output
Lost in the struggle from a 106-78 defeat to No. 1 UConn was the efficiency of OU's offense. The Sooners ripped off 85 field goal attempts while turning the ball over just eight times, matching a three-year season low. OU also connected on 56 percent of its 3-point attempts,then its best mark since the fourth game of the 2007-08 season.
Lucky Number Seven
Whitney Hand became just the seventh true freshman under OU head coach Sherri Coale to start in her first collegiate game, joining LaNeisha Caufield, Stacey Dales, Caton Hill, Courtney Paris, Chelsi Welch and Phylesha Whaley.
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The Greatest Comeback in NCAA History
Led by Nyeshia Stevenson's 21 second-half points, Oklahoma engineered the greatest comeback win in regulation in NCAA history against then-No. 9 California in the final game of the Basketball by the Bay Classic in San Jose, Calif., on Dec. 13. Oklahoma trailed 52-26 at the half and began a 10-0 run in the second half with 19:00 remaining. The Sooners also reeled a 28-0 run from 9:00 to 0:42 in which OU made 6-of-12 field goals and Cal missed 11 consecutive. Eleven of Stevenson's 21 points came during this run, including the tying, go-ahead and, eventually, winning field goals. OU outscored Cal in points off turnovers, 20-0, in the final period.
The only team to win from a greater deficit was Texas State, which trailed UT-San Antonio 40-8 (32 points) with 2:18 remaining in the first half and won 73-71 in overtime on Feb. 18, 2006. Texas State's halftime deficit in that game was 27 points.
Bench Support
Oklahoma's depth has taken a hit with a finger injury keeping freshman guard Whitney Hand out of the starting lineup for the next few games. Nyeshia Stevenson, the conference's top scoring reserve and shoo-in for Sixth Man of the Year, has taken her place. Stevenson accounted for 49 percent of OU's total bench points before taking the starting role.
In OU's loss to Texas A&M, the Sooner bench was outscored 19-0 by A&M's reserves. The tables flipped in OU's win versus Oklahoma State as the Sooners, led by 15 points from Jenny Vining, outscored the Cowgirls' reserves 19-11.
In Oklahoma's 26 wins, the Sooner bench has outscored the opponent's bench 536-309, or an average of 21-12. In three losses, OU's bench has been outscored 83-10, or 28 to 3 per game.
Stevenson...Beyond the Arc
Junior forward Nyeshia Stevenson set an OU record by making nine consecutive 3-point field goals. Stevenson was a perfect 4-for-4 in the second half versus California and 2-for-2 in the game against Tulsa and 3-for-3 at Saint Louis for a total of nine consecutive 3-pointers made.
Stevenson's streak of nine straight games with at least one 3-pointer ended as she was held scoreless Jan. 18 versus Texas A&M. However, Stevenson still leads the Big 12 Conference in 3-point field goal percentage (.419) and is 17th nationally.
As a freshman, Stevenson made just 2-of-11 (.182) 3-pointers. As a sophomore, she improved to 28-of-82 (.341). Already in 2008-09, the junior has made 44 of 105 (.419).
Simply the Best
Only one NCAA Division I program have their football and men's and women's basketball teams ranked in the Top 25 of the AP poll -- Oklahoma. Oklahoma's football team finished No. 5, while its men's basketball team is No. 4 and women's team is No. 3.
Oklahoma became the first Big 12 institution to have its men's and women's basketball teams each start 6-0 in league play in the same season. The Sooner men are currently 13-3 in the Big 12 and the OU women are 14-1.
High Percentage
Oklahoma's .484 field goal percentage trails only Connecticut (.507) in the NCAA national team ranking. The Sooners have shot 50 percent or better from the field in 16 of 29 games this season after doing so only seven times last year. Of course, the high field goal percentages has Oklahoma scoring on more chances, which is why OU's scoring offense (77.3 points per game) is eighth nationally.
Point of Order
Danielle Robinson's improved efficiency at point guard as a sophomore is incredible considering she was, statistically, the top freshman point guard in the nation last season, leading her to Big 12 Freshman of the Year honors. Robinson has 173 assists to 120 turnovers in 2008-09, a 1.4 assist-to-turnover ratio, and leads the team with 63 steals.
Robinson has also been spreading the ball around well, counting assists to nine teammates. Her only exceptions, reserve forward/center Carolyn Winchester and reserve point guards Rose Hammond and Jasmine Hartman.
Robinson...From the Charity Stripe
Sophomore guard Danielle Robinson leads the Big 12 Conference in free throw percentage (.927, 89-of-96) and is second nationally.
The statistic is just one example of the point guard's remarkable improvement from her freshman season when she made just 68 of 99 (.687) free throws.
Robinson's 9-for-9 free throw shooting against Texas A&M (Jan. 18) was the best by a Sooner since Maria Villaroel made 11-of-11 versus Missouri on Feb. 26, 2003.
Robinson set an OU record by making 30 consecutive free throws, ending with her third attempt against Texas (Jan. 25). LaNeisha Caufield (2002) held the Oklahoma record for consecutive free throws at 29.
Electric Defense
Sophomore point guard Danielle Robinson, last year's only rookie on the Big 12's All-Defensive Team, has taken 23 charges in 29 games.
Runaways
Oklahoma has put away opponents early by opening with large runs. The Sooners took a 13-0 lead on North Carolina Central (Jan. 4) and then a 15-0 lead on Nebraska (Jan. 10).
Those are just two of the 36 scoring runs of 10 or more points the Sooners have had this season. Oklahoma's last was a 10-0 run lasting from 18:52 to 15:07 remaining the second half verssu Texas Tech that pushed a 28-30 deficit to a 38-30 lead.
OU's comeback versus California featured a 28-0 run that last from 9:00 remaining to the final 30 seconds of that game.
The Sooners quickest 10-0 run lasted 2:11 over both sides of the break against No. 1 Connecticut. Oklahoma has even had three double-digit runs in one game, doing so with 12-point first half, 13-point over-the-break, and 13-point second half runs against Creighton.
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