Untitled Article

November 21, 2012 | Record: 2-1 (0-0 Big 12) | Gameday Central | Stats

Sooners Visit Pearl Harbor Memorials

Sherri Coale is not one to pass up a chance at giving her pupils a history lesson. The Sooners' head coach took her team to Pearl Harbor, where they visited the USS Arizona and USS Oklahoma Memorials Tuesday afternoon. "For all of us, it's one thing to read about all the events of 1941 in a history book and another thing entirely to be here and see it," Coale said. "For this generation...they think they have an idea of what it is and, yet, when they get here, it makes it very real and almost personal. They won't ever forget it."

A horrendous number of deaths occurred Dec. 7, 1941, as the Japanese surprise attack aimed to cripple the U.S. Pacific Fleet stationed at Pearl Harbor. A bomb ripped through the forward section of the USS Arizona and ignited its ammunition stores, causing a massive explosion that almost instantly killed 1,177 of its crew, many of whom are still interred in the ship underneath the shallow harbor waters. Another 429 were killed when the USS Oklahoma was struck by torpedoes and capsized. Once the ship was salvaged and its crew buried, it was sold for scrap at the end of World War II. However, while being towed to the mainland United States, it was sunk yet again during a storm. The USS Missouri is now moored where the Oklahoma was sunk at Pearl Harbor.

Replicating the Postseason

The Sooners spent their first day on the ground in Hawaii getting into the practice routine they will carry throughout their time in the Aloha State. After a day of travel that included a nine-hour flight from Dallas to Honolulu on Monday, the Sooners adjusted to their new surroundings at the Punahou School in Honolulu with a two-hour practice. They'll be back at a Punahou Wednesday before getting their first look at the Stan Sheriff Center, the site of the Rainbow Wahine Showdown, at Thursday's practice. In addition to the four-hour difference in time, the Sooners will have to adjust to altitude, humidity and, of course, the many distractions that can steal focus when in a tropical location.

Playing the Hawaiian tournament isn't just an excuse to get to a warm climate for Thanksgiving weekend. If Oklahoma hopes to win a fifth Big 12 Conference Tournament title, it will need to master playing three games in three days as it mimics the Big 12 Championship schedule it will face later in March. "Basically, just get a much rest as possible and stay off your feet," Portia Durrett said will be the keys to success. Oklahoma begins the Rainbow Wahine Showdown Friday with a 6 p.m. Central matchup against Arkansas. The game will be webcast live at SoonerSports.tv and the radio broadcast will be on KEBC 1560 AM in the Oklahoma City metro area.

Aloha, Sooners

Capturing the spirit of the Hawaiian culture is simple. Understanding Hawaiian language? Not as easy.

The Polynesian derivative can join strings of dipthongs that run from O'ahu to Kaho'olawe and back.

Sure, aloha means hello and goodbye, but how will the Sooners respond to this vocabulary test?

UP NEXT
The Sooners play three games in three days at the Rainbow Wahine Showdown in Honolulu, Hawaii, this weekend:

Date	Opponent	Time
11/23	vs. Arkansas	6 p.m.
11/24	vs. Oregon	6 p.m.
11/25	vs. Hawai'i	6:30 p.m.

SoonerSports.tv | Full Schedule

MOST RECENTLY
Oklahoma played record-setting defense by matching the fewest points the Sooners have ever allowed in a half (10) when it defeated Saint Louis 68-33 on Sunday to rebound from its earlier loss to UCLA:

Opponent	W/L	Score
UCLA	L	86-80
Saint Louis	W	68-33

BEHIND THE LENS
Check out the link below to view behind-the-scenes photos of Oklahoma's journey to Hawaii:

Sooners in Hawaii Photo Gallery

QUOTABLE
Head Coach Sherri Coale
"I was pleased with our attitude and approach to the game, but I've never not been pleased with it. I feel like last Wednesday night we kind of got punched and then we couldn't keep up, but their attitude was really good. The second half (Sunday) we're trying so hard, we're tackling each other. We're just trying to get it right."

Junior C Nicole Griffin
"We worked a lot over the summer, especially when we do guard-post breakdown and we work specifically on your favorite move and stuff like that with the post players. I've gotten a lot better and a lot more comfortable, so when I have more pressure, more pushing, a lot of those shots fall when they normally wouldn't."
TEAM NOTES

OU scored the first 19 points in its game versus Saint Louis and didn't allow the Billikens to make a second field goal until 17 1/2 minutes passed. The Sooners matched the program record for fewest points allowed in a half when it went to the locker room up 40-10.

Aaryn Ellenberg's 6-for-6 3-point performance in the first half against UCLA set a shooting proficiency record for the Sooners. It also moved Ellenberg into second all-time in career 3-point shooting at Oklahoma. The junior has 181 total and trails record-holder Erin (Higgins) Allen by 87.

Oklahoma is 7-6 all-time in Honolulu, Hawaii, but 5-3 under Sherri Coale and in the Stan Sheriff Center, which opened in 1994.

2012-13 Game Notes

INDIVIDUAL NOTES
Junior C Nicole Griffin
Griffin blocked one shot against Saint Louis to increase her career total to 85 and take sole possession of sixth on OU's all-time blocks list, passing Jacquetta Hurley (1983-86) and Lisa Allison (1984-87).

Junior G Aaryn Ellenberg
Ellenberg is second all-time at OU for 3-pointers made behind No. 1. Erin (Higgins) Allen who hit 268. At her current pace, Ellenberg could take over first before the completion of her senior year. Ellenberg averages more than 2.5 3-pointers per game and is 12-of-21 (.571) from beyond the arc this season.