Oklahoma 90, Missouri 70

[YCN]

The Sooners clinched an outright Big 12 championship, their second straight, with a 90-70 win today at Columbia.

After a hard-fought 37-all first half where OU and Missouri played to a dead-even draw, the Sooners were too much for their opponent in an inspired second half.

In the first half the Tigers were outstanding on the offensive boards, and held a large advantage in free throws, as OU had players in foul trouble early. Later in the first half OU was using as many as 4 reserves at once on the floor, while "icing" the seniors to allow them to play more minutes in the second half. Stacy Dales was outstanding in the first half, with 16 points, while Roz Ross had 12 on four triples.

The second half started much the way the first half ended, but at 47-all the Sooners went "en fuego" on the Tigers, and totally dominated the rest of the game.

Outscoring Mizzou 43-23 the rest of the way, Caton Hill broke out of her 5-half scoring drought with some baskets, Laneisha Caufield and freshman point guard Dionnah Jackson had good contributions, and Stacey Dales was out of this world.

Dales finished with a career high of 30 points (I think) with at least 5 steals and 5 assists. (no doubt her Hoopla score was through the roof - he he!)

Any thoughts of a Sooner slump were banished in the positives of one of the best halves of basketball the Sooners have had this season.

The Sooner reserves had great minutes in this game, which can be nothing but a big advantage as we approach the postseason.

All in all, an "A" for the Sooners, and especially Dales and Rosalind Ross, who canned 6 treys. I think the Sooners will be quite in form for the competition ahead, and are looking much fresher at the end of this season than last.

Hopefully they can make their coach, their fans and their university even prouder before this season ends.

What a group of seniors the Sooners have! It will be interesting to see how well they compete next year, with a very young team - but one thing is sure: Dionnah Jackson is going to own this team next year. With the return of Antoinette Wadsworth and the arrival of a bevy of top-flight recruits arriving on campus soon, the Sooners will be hot in the hunt again soon, although a fourth straight conference title looks to be almost impossible to achieve.

Boomer Sooner!


[This message has been edited by YCN (edited 02-23-2002).]

[YCN]

Is that the silence of the lambs that I am seeing here?

I thought that someone might want to congratulate the Sooners for their third straight championship, but apparently I was very wrong.

Sorry.

[schooner2]

I'll congratulate them! Actually I'm sure everyone is busy going to games and doing other things. It was such a nice day here in Norman my family went out to the park for while.

Congrats Stacey. It's good to see her peaking (career-wise) in one of the last regular season games of her career.

Now OU doesn't have to go through the emotional filled game Wednesday with the added pressure of trying to win the regular season title.

I still need to get out and by those Kleenex boxes. Maybe OU will give away some free small packages of kleenexes at the door Wednesday night.

[swok34]

I watched Sherri Coale's TV show this morning and she said she felt she didn't do enough subbing in the Texas game early enough and having some players have to play beyond 40 minutes wore them out. I wasn't surprised to see what she was doing, though I think it affected their offensive "flow" the first half......

I didn't think OU played very smart defensively the first half picking up the number of fouls and they were all valid fouls, IMO. Missouri was shooting lights out for them, I think. I know they've had some offensive woes and I don't believe they have ever reached 70 in the Big 12.

Give it to Stacey Dales, she truly showed what she means to this team today. I'm really, really glad Stacey had such a great game, it was on TV. It seems she doesn't always have her best performance on TV. I just think her leadership of this team and her ability to take over games are immeasureable.

Rosalind Ross had a great game, shooting 6 of 8 three balls, I think......I know she hit 6 shots from beyond the arc....and bummed her knee. Sure do admire what she goes through to give OU her best.
Caton Hill, I saw her cringe one time when the whistle blew....
I really think she was so paranoid about fouling the first half that she wasn't playing her game. She seemed to relax a bit and there was her game in the second half.
Congrats to the Sooners for back to back to back Big XII Championships.

http://hoopscoop.net/ubb/ou.gif

[swok34]

schooner......I heard they were giving out screensavers to the first 2500. http://hoopscoop.net/ubb/smile.gif I'm bringing my own Kleenex, just in case.

What a bittersweet night, to cut down the nets as you celebrate this team's 3rd Big 12 Championship and say goodbye to the young women that made it all happen http://hoopscoop.net/ubb/smile.gif http://hoopscoop.net/ubb/frown.gif

[carolann]

Hi YCN - Sorry to be slow with the congratulations. I just came home from the Texas/Texas A&M game followed by an early supper.

Congratulations Sooners! OU is losing a great senior class -- Talbert, Ross, Cunningham, Dales, and Caufield. Dales and Ross have both shown great heart, playing through illness and injury. Cunningham was felled by the dreaded knee injuries but has stayed with the team. I agree that Jackson looks ready to take over the point guard position next year. Having a strong point guard can make a big difference when playing a young team as OU will probably do next year.

[horntooter]

Congratulations OU! When we arrived for the UT/TAMA game, someone said that your game was tied at halftime; I just arrived home to see the final score. Glad they came back in the second half - you all have represented the Big 12 with class. Thanks.

[YCN]

Let's hear it for the seniors!
If I'm missing any one, please let me know!


Baylor Seniors
Nicole Collins, Houston, Texas (Dobie)
Sheila Lambert, Seattle, Washington (Grayson Community College)
Danielle Crockrum, Houston, Texas (North Shore)
Brooke McCormack, Melbourne, Australia (Grayson Community College)


Colorado Seniors
Eisha Bowman, Oceanside, California (Rancho Buena Vista)
Virginie Delepine, Loeuilly, France (Margaritte de Navarre/Reims)
Britt Hartshorne, Lamar, Colorado (Lamar)
Mandy Nightingale, Sapulpa, Oklahoma (Sapulpa)
Jenny Roulier, Englewood, Colorado (Cherry Creek)


Iowa State Seniors
Ashley Homeyer, Oakbrook, Illinois (Hinsdale Central)
Tracey Gahan, McKinney, Texas (McKinney)
Angie Welle, Fargo, North Dakota (Shanley)
Kelly Cizek, Omaha, Nebraska (Millard South)


Kansas Seniors
Kristin Geoffroy, Los Alamitos, California (Los Alamitos)
K C Hilgencamp, Arlington, Nebraska (Hutchinson Junior College)
Katie Hannon, Rochester, New York (Gates Chili)
Selena Scott, Austin, Texas (St. Michael's Academy)
Nikki White, Memphis, Tennessee (Harding Academy)


Kansas State Seniors
Shalondra Booker, Detroit, Michigan (Coffeyville Community College)
Kristin Rethman, Corning, Kansas (Centralia)


Missouri Seniors
Natalie Bright, West Des Moines, Iowa (Iowa/Dowling)


Nebraska Seniors
Amanda Cleveland, Lancaster, Texas (Lancaster)


Oklahoma Seniors
LaNeishea Caufield, (you stole WHAT) Ada, Oklahoma (Ada)
Jen Cunningham, (we love you baby) Kingston, Ontario, Canada (Frontenac Secondary School)
Stacey Dales, (you are Sooner Basketball) Brockville, Ontario, Canada (Thousand Islands Secondary School)
Rosalind Ross, (hey Roz, dream hasn't arrived yet!) Milwaukee, Wisconsin (Northeastern Oklahoma A&M)
Shannon Selmon, (you ARE a Sooner, and second-gen to boot!) Norman, Oklahoma (Norman)
Jamie Talbert, (Jamie, some people might forget but I never will. Your rock-hard 20% could be counted on game after game throughout your career. You are one of the pivotal players of OUr team. God bless you.) Elkhart, Kansas (Elkhart/Seward County Junior College)


Oklahoma State Seniors
Terrisha Osborn, Moore, Oklahoma (Seminole State)
Tari Cummings, Pocola, Oklahoma (Westark Community College)
Jessica Bates, Owasso, Oklahoma (Owasso)
Kara Faulk, Sapulpa, Oklahoma (Sapulpa)
Nikki Lawrence, Montreal, Canada, (Blinn College)


Texas Seniors
Kenya Larkin, Duncanville, Texas (Trinity Valley Community College)
Tracy Cook, Cedar Hill, Texas (Cedar Hill)
Asha Hill, Austin, Texas (Del Valle)
Dana Godfrey, Duncanville, Texas (Duncanville)


Texas A&M Seniors
LaToya Rose, Magnolia, Arkansas (Walker)
Celeria Washington, Karnack, Texas (High)


Texas Tech Seniors
Candi White, Canyon, Texas (Seward County Community College)
Amber Tarr, Ozona, Texas (Ozona)
Tanisha Ellison, Houston, Texas (Elsik)


So where do we go from here?


[This message has been edited by YCN (edited 02-23-2002).]

[KSUron]

Kudos Oklahoma! Keep firing. Make us proud in the big dance!

[KSUron]

YCN, Where do we go from here? I think first things first, and so from here we go to KC and play a quality Big XII tourney. Then we go tear em up in the NCAA and WNIT tourneys. GO BIG XII.

After that we get to look forward to another great year of WBB in this league. We will lose a lot but many of the teams who are losing a lot like OU are getting a LOT to in what looks to be some very fine new players coming in. This is, and will be, a first rate conference.

Btw thanks a lot for your post. We really have some great seniors in the league.

[This message has been edited by KSUron (edited 02-23-2002).]

[Jennifer]

Stacy is firmly carrying this team on her back. I love the way she is playing now.

D Jackson is such a tough player--and she looks like such a little kid out there!!

The game Wednesday is at 7:30, not 7, right? I'm leaving work early (in Dallas) and heading up there. Anyone know what time the Sr. stuff will be done?

[YCN]

Jennifer, Wednesday night's game is at 7:30, as you suggested, and is being shown nationally on Fox - the one network that seems to understand what this game means.

[metromaniac]

Although I congratulated the Sooner Women after the KSU win, It is now official. Senior night, then KC for the tournament. Then the real fun starts.

Congtatulations to http://hoopscoop.net/ubb/ou.gif and especially all the seniors!!!!

[YCN]

KSUron, I'm sort of overwhelmed right now by my thoughts about this great, great OU team.

I don't want them to leave, but next year is our future. People just haven't grasped what the significance of this senior class has been, but by almost any measure, it is immeasurable.

I was a long lost OU fan, and it was this group of Sooners that really rekindled my interest in the game. We will miss them, for sure.

And another thought crossed my mind just yesterday, that watching Big 12 basketball this year has been like episodic viewing of various allstar teams, it really has been that good this year.

I'm so proud that our conference has been at the forefront of bringing great women's basketball into the public consciousness, and expect that this will continue until this becomes the huge sport that it deserves.

Excellence is excellence, no matter how you slice it.

[elfdenmom]

Heartfelt congratulations to OU! A wonderful year for your seniors and coaches. I truly wish you good luck for the rest of the season (except for next Wednesday, of course), and a berth in the Final Four.

[swok34]

Jennifer, the game is at 7:30 Wednesday night and "there will be no celebrating" until the clocks hits 0:00.

Oklahoma started 3 years ago holding off their senior night celebrating until AFTER the final game. There's a lot, in addition to the 6 seniors, they will be cutting down the nets and receiving the Big XII trophy.........hmmmmmm, wonder if Caton Hill gets her 1000 point ball Wednesday night? She's never received it since hitting the mark in the Kansas game.

[KSUron]

Originally posted by YCN:
KSUron, I'm sort of overwhelmed right now by my thoughts about this great, great OU team.

I don't want them to leave, but next year is our future. People just haven't grasped what the significance of this senior class has been, but by almost any measure, it is immeasurable.

I understand what your saying YCN. Its hard for me to deal with the idea that Nicole's playing days are almost half over at KSU and she still has two years left. Then there is the freshman crew and no matter that they fall from time to time, I am really going to miss this bunch when their playing days are over. I can appreciate how you are feeling. OU has a great deal to look forward to however. OU is a "Program" now and it won't die with these seniors. They helped build something you will get to enjoy for a while. BOOMER SOONER!

[two cents]

Originally posted by YCN:
Is that the silence of the lambs that I am seeing here?

I thought that someone might want to congratulate the Sooners for their third straight championship, but apparently I was very wrong.

Sorry.

Silence of the lambs is about right. I'm sure more than one team felt like a lamb being led to slaughter when playing the Sooners this year.

Congratulations to Oklahoma on another outstanding year. I have enjoyed watching this team blossom over the last 3 years (haven't enjoyed 3 straight defeats at their hands), but I have not forgotten Phylesha Whaley for beginning the quest these seniors are fulfilling. What a gamer she was!

I've enjoyed seeing Dionnah Jackson perform this year and look forward to some more outstanding play from her and Caton Hill. Way back at the beginning of the year, I remember Oklahoma playing Purdue with Dales and Caufield having foul plagued sub-par games. Not only did Jackson shine, but freshman Shoush showed a little sumthin'. I don't think she has played a ton since then, how's her progress?

Sure, the team loses alot and will struggle at times next year, but there will still be talent available and good recruits coming in. Notre Dame has rebounded nicely late this season after losing some serious talent last year.

[swok34]

Shoush is doing okay, I've heard Sherri Coale mention that she needs to adapt to the more physical rigors of Division I...I think that is pretty common among most freshmen. And I think that is perhaps what has made Kansas State so special.

We, OU fans, got the opportunity to see Antoinette Wadsworth play early in the exhibition games before tearing her ACL and I think she is going to be great.

I've heard Sherri Coale mention that next year it will the the Jackson/Hill show....don't know that she put it that way. It will be interesting to see how Jackson improves over the summer. I've been really surprised by how that girl can jump.

[This message has been edited by swok34 (edited 02-25-2002).]