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January 31, 2013 | Record: 16-4 (6-2 Big 12) | Gameday Central | Stats

The Total Package

For sharpshooter Aaryn Ellenberg, a season-high 33 points against the nation's No. 1 team was shrugged off as just another day at the office. Asked about her one block against the Lady Bears and she gives a smile as wide as one you might find from a kid in a candy store.

The facial expression is just one clue into how much pride the junior takes in the improvement in her all-around game.

Ellenberg is known for being OU's leading scorer, and she's improved on her strengths, too. The Sooner ranks No. 2 nationally in 3-pointers made per game (3.7) and fifth in 3-point percentage (.461). Both lead among all Big 12 players, of which she is among the leading scorers.

Ellenberg is also a crafty defender who often draws the toughest matchup, and with 126 career steals has proven she can hang tough in a one-on-one assignment. But she's raised her defensive skill set further, collecting six blocks in the last seven games. By comparison, she had just three through the previous 82 games of her career.

"Pretty much just growing into a new role," Ellenberg stated. "We've lost a few people this year and everybody has to step up and be a little bit better. I think just getting comfortable and growing into what our team looks like right know, you know, just going with it."

Despite knowing from where the points are coming, opposing teams have yet to find a way to slow her down.

"When she runs in transition," OU head coach Sherri Coale said, "that's a really difficult thing, no matter who you are, to match up and find shooters and stop the ball. Part of it is her coming off ball screens, lift-faking and changing direction, getting people in the air -- so that's the kind of stuff that you really can't teach.

"That stuff, where she's got the ball in her hand and is just pulling the chain of the defender, that's natural and that's all Aaryn Ellenberg."

Déjà Vu

Oklahoma is hitting the stretch of its schedule when it begins to replay Big 12 opponents it faced earlier in the year. So how does that affect the players' preparation? The Sooners never lose focus on what changes may be needed in the game plan.

"We really try to take the first 10 to 15 minutes of the next day, after we've played an opponent," Coale said, "to talk about what worked, what didn't work, what will be successful next time and what won't be. And we take notes."

In the nation's toughest conference, coming away with a winning record in those rematches makes or breaks a season. Last year, OU was 5-4 in its Big 12 rematches, which allowed it to tie for second in the league and earn a No. 6 seed in the NCAA tournament.

The Sooners got the sweep in rematches against Texas and TCU, and two of their next four games involved teams that they have already seen this season. Sunday, OU meets West Virginia, whom they beat, 71-68, on Jan. 2. Down the line, it seeks revenge on Iowa State, who hammered OU, 82-61, in Ames.

"Everybody should be more confident because you have a familiarity with it; you've been able to be on the floor," Coale said. "If you're a mature team and a team that is learning, then you should feel confident and your performance a second time around should be better."

SIDS Awareness is Campbell's Mission

In the preseason, guided by The Energy Bus author Jon Gordon, the Sooners each picked one word that would guide them for the year. The word chosen was supposed to give meaning and focus to their lives. For sophomore Sharane Campbell, the selection was simple. Kuron.

"He was just an amazing baby," Campbell said."It was unrealistic how happy he was all the time. It was a blessing just being around him with what little time we had him. He changed lives."

Kuron, born May 19, 2011, to Sharane's sister Renee, tragically died of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) at six months old.

Since then, Sharane has been building forums for SIDS Awareness. She operates a Facebook and Twitter page and has sponsored a SIDS Awareness Walk and is currently planning for future events.

"I don't want anybody to feel like my sister or my family felt," Campbell said. "I felt like I should do this for Kuron and any other family that's lost their kid."

UP NEXT
OU starts a two-game road swing with a contest at West Virginia on Saturday before facing Kansas State on Wednesday evening:

Date	Opponent	Time
2/3	at WVU	Noon
2/6	at Kansas St.	7 p.m.

Tickets | Full Schedule
MOST RECENTLY
The Sooners bounced back from just their fourth loss of the season with a 74-53 win Wednesday over TCU:

Opponent	W/L	Score
TCU	W	74-53
Baylor	L	82-65

QUOTABLE
Head Coach Sherri Coale
"I just continue to be proud and impressed with these ladies that are on my basketball team. They move ahead unfazed. I keep saying this, but, these guys are fun to coach. No matter what happens they believe that they can win games."

Senior F Joanna McFarland
"We need everybody to be on their A-game every night for us to do what we want to do. Everybody has to chip in and be completely committed."

Junior G Aaryn Ellenberg
"I think you have to go back and look at the way you played them before and the way they played you. Obviously, they're going to be more used to what you do. It's more about execution and fixing those things you did last time to improve."

Senior F Joanna McFarland
"We're really happy for (Aaryn Ellenberg) because we see her fight every day. Just the fact that she's so confident and can go in and put up big points on the number one team, that's someone to be really proud of and to hold up as the face of our program. We have complete confidence in her."
TEAM NOTES

Though OU has not lost consecutive January games since the 2004-05 season, the Sooners have struggled in recent Februarys, managing an 8-9 record over the past two seasons and 12-13 in through the last three.

Early advantages have been important for OU, which is 12-0 when leading at halftime and 4-4 when trailing.

Oklahoma's win against TCU, after falling behind 11-0 at the start, was its largest rally of the season. OU had previously overcome 9-point deficits on two separate occasions.

2012-13 Game Notes

INDIVIDUAL NOTES
Junior G Morgan Hook
Despite tougher competition, point guard Morgan Hook has become increased her efficiency. Hook's assist-to-turnover ratio (2.0) has improved since the beginning of Big 12 play. She averages 6.6 assists to just 3.2 turnovers in Big 12 games.

Senior F Joanna McFarland
McFarland leads the Big 12 with four double-doubles collected in conference games. She averages 12.0 points and 10.1 rebounds in league play.

Junior G Aaryn Ellenberg
With 40 in her last two games, Ellenberg passed Etta Maytubby (1993-96) for 12th on OU's career scoring list. Ellenberg needs 17 to pass Dionnah Jackson (2002-05) for 11th and 37 to reach the top 10.

SOCIAL MEDIA
Stay connected with the OU women's basketball team by following our feeds on Twitter and Instagram:

Twitter: @OUWomensHoops
Instagram: @ou_wbasketball
WRITE SPACE AND TIME
Follow along with OU women's basketball from the desk of head coach Sherri Coale via her blog on SoonerSports.com:

Write Space and Time Blog
HISTORY AND TRADITION
While this Sooner Report gives an in-depth idea of where the team is and where it's going, don't forget where we've been, either:

OU WBB History & Tradition