Sooners Leap to Lubbock


	Morgan Hook

Oklahoma (18-10, 10-6 Big 12) vs. Texas Tech (17-11, 5-11 Big 12)
Date & Tip Time	Wednesday, Feb. 29, at 7 p.m. CT
Location	United Spirit Arena \| Lubbock, Texas
Tickets	TexasTech.com
TV	Sooner Sports Network via Texas Tech Oklahoma City: KAUT-TV 43 \| Tulsa: COX 3 / 703 HD
Radio	Sooner Sports Network Oklahoma City: KREF 1400 AM
Webcast	None
Live Stats	SoonerSports.com GameTracker
Game Info	Game Notes (PDF)

THE GAME PLAN
Oklahoma looks to end a three-game road losing streak at Lubbock, Texas, when it visits Texas Tech Wednesday, Feb. 29, at 7 p.m. at United Spirit Arena. The television broadcast from the Texas Tech Sports Network will be aired on KAUT TV-43 in Oklahoma City and COX Ch. 3/703 HD in Tulsa. The Sooner Sports Network radio broadcast with Brian Brinkley airs on KREF 1400 AM in Oklahoma City and Norman.

OU Tickets Available
• Season Tickets are available for as low as $114. Tickets may be purchased online at SoonerSports.com or by calling the OU Athletics Ticket Office at 1-800-456-GoOU.
• Single-game tickets went on sale to the general public Nov. 1. Prices are $15 for reserved seating, $8 for general admission adults and $5 for general admission youths and senior citizens. OU students receive free admission when presenting a valid ID.

The Teams
• Texas Tech is 17-11 overall and 5-11 in Big 12 play. The Lady Raiders are ninth in the conference standings.
• Oklahoma is 18-10 and in third place in the Big 12 with a 10-6 record in conference play. OU is not ranked in either poll.
• Oklahoma has won 13 of its last 14 meetings with Texas Tech -- its last loss a 65-61 defeat in Lubbock last year. The Sooners beat the then-No. 10 Lady Raiders 71-68 in Norman on Jan. 11.

The Coaches
• Sherri Coale is 354-165 (.682) in her 16th season at Oklahoma. She has been named the Big 12 Coach of the Year four times.
• Kristy Curry is 105-84 (.556) in her sixth season at Texas Tech and 284-135 (.678) in her 13th overall.

Next Game
• Oklahoma hosts Kansas Sunday, March 4, at 2 p.m for its regular season finale and senior night celebration honoring Jelena Cerina. The game will be televised on the Sooner Sports Network.

Texas Tech Projected Starters
No.	Name	Pos.	Ht.	Year	2011-12 Statistics
23	Monique Smalls	G	5-6	Jr.	8.3 ppg, 4.2 apg
00	Chynna Brown	G	5-9	Jr.	9.3 ppg, 3.4 rpg
15	Casey Morris	G	5-8	Jr.	9.0 ppg, 4.2 rpg
1	Jordan Barncastle	F	6-2	Sr.	5.1 ppg, 3.0 rpg
33	Shauntal Nobles	F	6-3	So.	5.8 ppg, 4.9 rpg

Oklahoma Projected Starters
No.	Name	Pos.	Ht.	Year	2011-12 Statistics
10	Morgan Hook	G	5-10	So.	10.8 ppg, 3.9 apg
3	Aaryn Ellenberg	G	5-7	So.	15.0 ppg, 3.0 rpg
25	Whitney Hand	G	6-1	RS-Jr.	12.9 ppg, 6.8 rpg
42	Kaylon Williams	F	6-3	Fr.	4.2 ppg, 5.3 rpg
4	Nicole Griffin	C	6-6	So.	5.8 ppg, 3.8 rpg

PREVIEWING TEXAS TECH
Oklahoma handed Texas Tech its first loss of the year when it upset the then-No. 10 Lady Raiders 71-68 in Norman on Jan. 11. Since then, things haven't fared well as four straight losses followed as part of a 3-11 record since and leading scorer and rebounding Kierra Mallard (11.5 points, 8.1 rebounds) has missed three games due to injury and suspension.

Sophomore Shauntal Nobles has replaced Mallard in the starting lineup and averages 5.8 points and 4.9 rebounds. However, Nobles has totaled just two points in her last three starts.

Junior guard Casey Morris contributes 9.3 points and 3.4 rebounds per game while junior guard Chynna Brown adds 9.0 points and 4.2 rebounds.

Junior point guard Monique Smalls, who was at peak efficiency in the first matchup with the Sooners with seven assists and one turnover, averages 8.3 points and 4.2 assists.

Sooner to Watch

Aaryn Ellenberg | So. | Guard
Ellenberg is 14 points shy of becoming the second Sooner to reach 1,000 career points this season. She and Hand could be just the fourth pair of Sooner teammates to reach the milestone in the same year. Ellenberg would also be just the third Sooner to reach the benchmark by the end of her sophomore season, joining Courtney Paris and Molly McGuire in a group of elite scorers.

OUT OF THEIR LEAGUE
With a win, Oklahoma guarantees at least fourth place in the Big 12 standings. That's where the Sooners were ranked in the Preseason Big 12 Coaches' Poll.

OU has finished at or above its Big 12 preseason rank in each of the past six seasons and 11 of 15 total. (There was no preseason poll in the league's first year, 1996-97).

THE HOOK CURVE
OU point guard Morgan Hook was at her best in getting revenge on Texas A &M with a 64-55 victory on Feb. 21. The sophomore scored 19 points (9-of-10 at the free throw line) and had five assists to zero turnovers while playing all 40 minutes.

Head coach Sherri Coale said Hook looked "like a completely different kid" than the one who faced Texas A&M in College Station. Hook was 0-for-6 for one point and had one assist to two turnovers in the January loss to the Aggies.

It's Hook's first year as point guard after playing exclusively at shooting guard as a freshman (she was a point guard in high school). She's adapted from being a spot-up 3-point shooter to a player that now threatens on all areas of the court.

Hook scores 40 percent of her points in the paint and another 40 percent from 3-point range. Last year, 70 percent of her total scoring came from beyond the arc.

TWO FOR ONE THOUSAND
Hand Crosses Milestone, Ellenberg 14 Away
Oklahoma is playing with one of its best scoring tandems in its history. Whitney Hand became the 26th Sooner to reach 1,000 career points with 11 against Texas A&M on Feb. 21.

Aaryn Ellenberg is scoring at a pace unmatched by a Sooner since last one to wear No. 3 and could become just the third to reach 1,000 points by the end of her sophomore season. By the end of her second year, Courtney Paris (2006-09) had tallied 1,535 points. Molly McGuire (1980-83) totaled 1,109. With 986 points, Ellenberg is 14 points shy of becoming OU's 27th 1,000-point scorer.

The Ellenberg-Hand duo could be just the fourth pair in Sooner history to reach 1,000 career points in the same season.

Multiples Reaching 1,000 Points in Same Year
2010 - Danielle Robinson, Amanda Thompson, Nyeshia Stevenson
2007 - Courtney Paris, Chelsi Welch
1987 - LaTrenda Phillips, Lisa Allison

500 VICTORIES
Sherri Coale recorded her 500th head coaching win, at any level, against Kansas State on Feb. 15. She guided Norman High School to two state championships and a 147-40 record in seven years before becoming the OU's head coach where she has 354 victories in 16 seasons for 501 total.

TREYS AMIGAS
Redshirt-junior Whitney Hand and sophomore Aaryn Ellenberg are closing on Oklahoma's top 10 career 3-point records. Ellenberg is No. 4 all-time with 159 career 3-pointers, trailing No. 3 Nyeshia Stevenson (2007-10) by eight. Hand has 141 career 3's and sits No. 7, three behind Chelsi Welch (2003-07).

CRASHING THE BLOCK PARTY
Sophomore Nicole Griffin is among OU's top 10 in both single-season and career blocks. The 6-6 center has 47 blocks this year (after just 26 her freshman season), which ranks as the ninth best single season behind just two Sooners who own the top eight -- Courtney Paris and LaNae Jones.

Griffin's 73 career blocks also ranks ninth in OU's annals, currently trailing No. 8 Ashley Paris by nine. Griffin's nine blocks versus Texas (Jan. 21) were the most by a Sooner since Courtney Paris had 10 against Texas Tech on March 1, 2006.

University of Oklahoma Athletics

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