Oklahoma will host UC Riverside at the Lloyd Noble Center in the first round of the tournament Saturday, Nov. 15 at 2 p.m. Central. The game falls on a bye week for OU football.

“Our participation in the Preseason WNIT affords our fans the opportunity to experience competitive women’s basketball at the highest level,” OU head women’s basketball coach Sherri Coale said.

“From a team development standpoint this tournament allows us a tremendous competitive advantage in that we will be tested by some of the strongest teams in the nation in November. And the November piece of that is important because of what we will learn about our team so early in the season.”

Oklahoma and North Carolina are the featured programs in a field that includes 12 teams that played in last year’s postseason: Arizona State, Cleveland State, Illinois State, Indiana, Liberty, Middle Tennessee, Robert Morris, Virginia Commonwealth, Western Carolina and Xavier. Also in the mix are Ball State, Lafayette (Pa.), Tulane and UC Riverside. The 16 teams are represent 16 different conferences.

First-round games begin Friday, Nov. 14, and Saturday, Nov. 15. The second round will be played Nov. 16-19; semifinals will be Nov. 19-21 and the championship game is slated for Sunday, Nov. 23. All games are played on home campuses, which are announced after each round.

The WNIT format, introduced for last year’s tournament, guarantees each team to at least three games. Teams that lose in the first two rounds will play consolation games on the Nov. 21-23 weekend.

Maryland defeated LSU to claim the 2007 Preseason WNIT. The Terrapins finished the season ranked No. 7 in both the AP and Coaches polls with a 33-4 record. LSU won the Southeastern Conference title and advanced to the Final Four.

The appearance will be Oklahoma’s third in the preseason WNIT. The Sooners lost in the tournament’s first round to begin the 1994-95 season and played in the championship game in the 2005-06 season.

The Preseason WNIT will be one of the just three major women’s college basketball tournaments to be played in the Oklahoma City area in the upcoming season. The Big 12 Tournament and NCAA Women’s Tournament Regional Semifinals and Finals return to the Ford Center in 2009.

Ashley Paris was a first team member for the second year and Courtney Paris was named to the second team, her first appearance on the academic team. They were among 37 women’s basketball players from the conference to make the squad.

To qualify student-athletes must maintain a 3.00 GPA or higher either cumulative or the two previous semesters and must have participated in 60 percent of her team’s scheduled contests. Freshmen and transfers are not eligible in their first year of academic residence. Senior student-athletes who have participated for a minimum of two years and meet all the criteria except percent of participation are also eligible.

OU junior Carolyn Winchester met the academic criteria, but did not meet the participation rule after breaking her foot in January.

The 2008 Phillips 66 Big 12 Women’s Basketball Championship returns to Kansas City’s Municipal Auditorium on March 11-13 & 15 for the eighth time in conference history. Kansas City hosted the first six women’s postseason events from 1997-2002, in addition to the 2005 championship.

The injury to her right knee is believed to be a partial ACL tear but X-rays could not confirm the diagnosis. Stevenson’s status will be reevaluated Friday following the results of an MRI.

The Little Rock, Ark., native was the Sooners’ key reserve, averaging 7.3 points and shooting 34 percent from 3-point range. Stevenson was OU’s leading off-the-bench scorer in 20 of her 26 games as a non-starter.

Stevenson injured the knee in practice Wednesday in Norman, Okla., when another player stepped on her right leg during a rebounding drill.

Stevenson did not participate in the team’s Thursday morning shootaround at Reed Arena.

No. 11/10 Oklahoma (19-5, 9-3 Big 12) seeks revenge in the Bedlam rematch with No. 16/17 Oklahoma State (21-4, 9-3 Big 12) at the Lloyd Noble Center Saturday, Feb. 23.

The game will broadcast on Fox Sports Net with Kevin Eschenfelder on play-by-play and Brenda Van Lengen on color analysis. Listen on the radio (KOKC 1520 AM in Oklahoma City) as Brian Brinkley and Tara Pogue have the call.

Tip-off is 1:05 p.m. Central.

PREVIEWING OKLAHOMA STATE No. 11/10 Oklahoma (19-5, 9-3) hosts No. 16/17 Oklahoma State (21-4, 9-3) for round two of the Bedlam Series at the Lloyd Noble Center in Norman, Okla.

The game will be played with both teams ranked in the Top 25 for just the second time in series history. The first was the Jan. 12, 2008, meeting in Stillwater when OU was ranked No. 6 in both polls and OSU was No. 25 in the AP and No. 24 in the Coaches’.

The game features the Big 12’s top two scorers — Oklahoma State’s Andrea Riley (22.5) and Oklahoma’s Courtney Paris (18.0) — and top two scoring offenses — Oklahoma State (77.8) and Oklahoma (74.8).

Conference championship implications are paramount with the winner remaining third place in the Big 12 standings.

The Cowgirls ended the Sooners’ 17-game winning streak in Stillwater in January. A state record crowd for women’s basketball of 13,611 watched OSU defeat OU, 82-63.

In the January Bedlam game, OSU’s Andrea Riley scored 45 points, the most ever by an individual against Oklahoma.

Oklahoma State Projected Starters
G 10 Andrea Riley 5-5 So. 22.5 ppg, 4.2 apg, 3.0 steals
G 31 Danielle Green 5-8 Sr. 13.2 ppg, 7.0 rpg, 2.8 apg
C 24 Maria Cordero 6-3 Sr. 10.1 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 78.7 FT%
F 32 Shaunte Smith 6-0 Jr. 8.5 ppg, 8.0 rpg, 49.4 FG%
G 13 Taylor Hardeman 5-10 Jr. 7.2 ppg, 1.6 apg, 38.5 3FG%

Oklahoma Projected Starters
C 3 Courtney Paris 6-4 Jr. 18.0 ppg, 14.8 rpg, 3.2 blocks
F 5 Ashley Paris 6-3 Jr. 12.2 ppg, 7.9 rpg, 58.0 FG%
F 21 Amanda Thompson 6-0 So. 8.7 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 2.2 apg.
G 11 Jenna Plumley 5-4 So. 7.3 ppg, 3.4 apg, 90.5 FT%
G 13 Danielle Robinson 5-9 Fr. 12.7 ppg, 4.2 apg, 2.4 steals

BEDLAM SOLD OUT The second edition of Oklahoma vs. Oklahoma women’s basketball has sold out 30 days in advance. The game, scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 23, at the Lloyd Noble Center in Norman, Okla. should provide another 12,000-plus crowd for a game televised by Fox Sports Net.
Only restricted admission tickets remain. Restricted admission tickets are $8 and go on sale when doors open at 11:30 a.m. The ticket provides entry but does not guarantee a seat.
The matchup in Stillwater was attended by 13,611 — the most to watch a women’s basketball game in the state of Oklahoma.

THE ALL-TIME SERIES Oklahoma leads the series with Oklahoma State 45-35. The last time the Sooners and Cowgirls met was Jan. 12, 2008, in Stillwater, an 82-63 decision for Oklahoma State.
In Norman, the Sooners reign supreme with 24 victories to 11 for the Cowgirls. Under Sherri Coale, OU lost its first four meetings against Oklahoma State, but since have fallen just twice in the last 20 meetings.
Coale, who has coached the Sooners since the inception of the Big 12 Conference, is 18-6 against Oklahoma State. Her first win against OSU came Jan. 13, 1999, in her third season.
This, the 81st meeting between the two teams marks just the second time both have played each other when ranked in the Top 25.

PARIS WONDERFUL IN FEBRUARYTournament time must be near because the Paris twins have turned it on. In six February games the duo of Ashley and Courtney Paris has averaged 37.8 points and 23.2 rebounds.
Ashley Paris is contributing 14.0 points and 9.7 rebounds per game. She is shooting 56.7 percent from the field and has three of her 10 career double-doubles this month.
Courtney Paris averages 23.2 points and 13.5 rebounds while shooting 68.2 percent.

AMANDA THOMPSON SOONER OF THE MONTHAmanda Thompson was named the Oklahoma Athletics Department’s Sooner of the Month for February. To qualify a student-athlete must be in good academic standing, be a member of an active sport and participate in community service events. Thompson has started all 20 games for the Sooners this season, averaging 10 points and seven rebounds.

ASHLEY PARIS NAMED ACADEMIC ALL-DISTRICTAshley Paris, a journalism major, was named to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District 6 First Team this week. She will now be eligible for Academic All-America consideration. To qualify, candidates must have a 3.20 cumulative GPA or better and at least one year of academic residency.
Read more…

COALE’S 250TH VICTORY Sherri Coale earned her 250th victory in her 12th year as the head coach of the Oklahoma Sooners. The Sooners defeated Texas A&M, 68-56, on Tuesday, Feb. 12, for the milestone win. Coale’s is OU’s all-time leader in coaching victories and winning percentage.

1,000TH GAME IN SOONER HISTORY Oklahoma started its women’s basketball program for the 1974-75 season and is approaching its 1,000th game. To date, the Sooners are eight games shy of 1,000 in program history. There are five games left in the regular season, which would mean that if OU failed to get a first-round bye for the Big 12 Tournament, the first opportunity to play 1,000 would be in the Championship Game. OU’s all-time record is 574-417 (.579).

TOUGH FINISHOklahoma opened the season with the toughest schedule in the nation as its first three games — Maryland, Tennessee and Arizona State — featured Top 25 ranked opponents.
Starting with Texas A&M, the seven-game end to the Sooners’ regular season features five opponents ranked in the Top 20 of both the media and coaches’ polls.

ROBINSON ON PACE FOR 400 OU freshman guard Danielle Robinson is on pace to pass the 400-point scoring benchmark.
Only four other Sooners have achieved the feat in their freshman season. They include the program’s No. 2, No. 3, No. 4 and No. 9 all-time scorers.
Should Robinson reach 400, she will be just the second guard in OU history (LaNeisha Caufield) to do so her freshman season.

PARIS A NAISMITH SEMIFINALISTOklahoma’s Courtney Paris remains one of 31 candidates in women’s basketball vying for the 2008 Naismith Trophy, the Atlanta Tipoff Club announced Tuesday.
This is the third season Paris has been a Naismith semifinalist. The 2007 National Player of the Year was one of four finalists for the award as both a freshman and sophomore.

COALE “MOST FUN TO WATCH”OU head coach Sherri Coale was recently voted by members of the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) as the “Most Fun to Watch” head coach in the nation

RECAPPING KANSAS STATE Courtney Paris scored 19 of her 27 points in the second half and the Sooners (No. 10 ESPN/USA Today, No. 11 AP) rallied from a dismal start to beat No. 15 Kansas State 68-65 Wednesday night.
Oklahoma (19-5, 9-3) saw its 10-game winning streak end with a lopsided loss to Baylor on Sunday — its second to the Bears this season — and the effects seemed to carry over early against Kansas State.
But after a relatively quiet first half, the Paris sisters started to take over in the second, powering their way past the smaller Wildcats.
Ashley hit a pair of shots inside to start the second half, then Courtney went to work, scoring on a pair of putbacks during a 14-3 opening run that cut Kansas State’s lead to 42-41. Jenna Plumley followed with a steal and a pull-up 3-pointer to give Oklahoma its first lead.
Courtney Paris finished 10-of-13 from the field and grabbed 10 rebounds for her 85th straight double-double. Twin sister Ashley had 16 points and 12 rebounds, and Danielle Robinson added 12 points for Oklahoma, which shot 51 percent for its 23rd straight win against the Big 12 North and fifth straight against Kansas State.
Kansas State (18-7, 10-2) had all the energy early, jumping out to a 10-point first-half lead by working around the Paris sisters with up-fakes and crisp cuts.
Shalee Lehning did most of the damage, slashing through Oklahoma’s defense while dropping six assists. Ashley Sweat was the biggest beneficiary, scoring 15 points by halftime, hitting 6-of-7 from the free-throw line after getting behind Oklahoma’s big front line.
But after disrupting the Paris twins at both ends early, the Wildcats couldn’t stop them late.

Paris, along with the five first-team members from each of the eight districts, is now eligible for Academic All-America consideration.

Paris, who studies journalism, is joined on the District 6 first team by Sarah Pfeifer (Arkansas), Danielle Green (Oklahoma State), Maryann Abanobi (Texas-Arlington) and Twiggy McIntyre (Houston).

The Piedmont, Calif., native has started all 20 games for the Sooners in 2007-08 and has averaged 12.1 points and 7.4 rebounds. Paris leads the Big 12 Conference and is 10th nationally in field goal percentage (.594).

To qualify for the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America team, student-athletes must have a cumulative GPA of 3.20 or greater and must not be in their first year at their respective university or college.

Paris becomes the 11th Sooner women’s basketball player to earn Academic All-District honors. Of those, six have earned Academic All-America status with Stacey Dales (2002) and Theresa Jantzen (2003) earning first team honors.

The ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America Women’s Basketball team will be announced Tuesday, Feb. 26.

MEN’S BASKETBALL (15-6, 3-3)

Last Week: Oklahoma split its two games last week, beating Bedlam rival Oklahoma State 64-61 on Monday in Norman before falling at No. 23 Texas A&M 60-52 on Saturday. Junior forward Taylor Griffin led the Sooners against OSU by scoring a career-high 20 points and pulling down a game-high six rebounds, while Blake Griffin added 15 points, four boards and three assists. Senior guard David Godbold keyed OU offensively at Texas A&M as he netted a career-high 22 points with the help of 6-for-10 3-point shooting. The Sooners led 51-50 in College Station but were outscored 10-1 over the final three minutes.

This Week: OU plays host to No. 10 Texas (17-4, 4-2) on Wednesday at 6 p.m. CST (televised by ESPN2) before traveling to Boulder, Colo., for a contest against Colorado (9-12, 1-6) on Saturday at 3 p.m. CST.

Notes: Over his last two games against Texas A&M, David Godbold has scored 42 points and is 11-for-17 (.647) from 3-point range … Blake Griffin saw his 11-game streak of scoring in double figures snapped with his six-point performance on Saturday (the streak did not include the Jan. 14 game when he played five minutes at Kansas) … Griffin is still averaging a double-double in his four full Big 12 games (16.3 points and 10.3 rebounds per contest) … OU’s loss at Texas A&M was its first this season when leading at halftime (it was 11-0 prior to Saturday) … Texas will mark OU’s sixth ranked opponent in the last 11 games and third in the last four.

Web: http://www.soonersports.com/sports/m-baskbl/okla-m-baskbl-body.html

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL (15-4, 5-2 Big 12)

Last Week: No. 11/10 Oklahoma (15-4, 5-2) defeated Kansas and No. 25 Texas last week as it extended its winning streak to four games — two of which were against ranked opponents. The Sooners grabbed a 67-51 home win against the Jayhawks on Wednesday, Jan. 30, before using a 19-0 second-half run to take down the Longhorns in Austin, Texas, Sunday, Feb. 3. Nyeshia Stevenson came off the bench to play a career high 32 minutes against KU and score a game-high 15 points. It was the first time in her career to lead her team in scoring. Courtney Paris nearly posted the second triple-double of her career with a 20-point, 14-rebound, eight-block effort to stifle Texas.

This Week: Oklahoma travels to Missouri Wednesday, Feb. 6, before hosting Colorado Saturday, Feb. 9.

Notes: Oklahoma’s “Think Pink” game to promote breast cancer awareness is on the horizon. OU will host its “PinkOUt” game versus Texas A&M on Tuesday, Feb. 12. Tip-off is 7 p.m.

Web: http://soonersports.com/sports/w-baskbl/okla-w-baskbl-body.html; http://soonersports.com/sports/w-baskbl/spec-rel/thinkpink.html

SOFTBALL

This Week: The No. 5 Oklahoma softball team will begin its season this week as it heads to Los Angeles, Calif., for the CSFU/UCLA Freeway Series (Feb. 8-10). The Sooners’ season opener will be a top-10 showdown as OU will face No. 10 UCLA on Friday, Feb. 8 at 2:30 p.m. (CST) on UCLA’s home field in Los Angeles. Oklahoma will follow that with a 7:30 p.m. meeting against UC Santa Barbara. In Saturday action of the tournament, the Sooners will head to Fullerton, Calif., as they will face Nevada at 12 p.m. No. 21 Cal State Fullerton at 5 p.m. Oklahoma will return to UCLA on Sunday for an 11:30 a.m. meeting with the Bruins to round out tournament action.

Notes: Oklahoma opens the season as the No. 5 team in the country in the NFCA Preseason Poll … Oklahoma and Arizona are the only two schools to be ranked in every NFCA Top 25 Poll since its inception in 1995 … Junior Samantha Ricketts and senior Lauren Eckermann were named to USA Softball’s National Player of the Year Watch List for 2008 … Oklahoma was picked to finish second in the conference in the Big 12 Coaches Preseason Poll.

WRESTLING

Last Week: No. 17 Oklahoma rebounded from two straight losses by whipping the Arizona State Sun Devils last Friday in Norman, 31-9. After losing the opening two bouts, the Sooners reeled off eight straight victories and 31 unanswered points to take the victory.

This Week: The Sooners (0-2 in Big 12) resume Big 12 conference competition this weekend as they hit the road to Columbia, Mo., and Lincoln, Neb. OU will dual the Missouri Tigers, ranked 12th, on Friday, Feb. 8, and the No. 2 Nebraska Cornhuskers on Sunday, Feb. 10.

Notes: Oklahoma, now 12-3 on the season, has surpassed its overall win total of 11 wins last season … The Sooners have continued to be plagued with injuries on the season. Brian Shelton at 133 pounds missed his fourth straight dual due to a lingering hip injury. Zack Bailey at 141 pounds, who leads the team with 27 total wins this season, also missed his first match on the year versus the Sun Devils … Coming in for the injured Bailey, Nolan Spring started the Sooner rally against the Sun Devils with a 6-4 decision over Chris Drouin. The victory was Nolan’s fourth of the season (4-1) … Senior Joshua Weitzel, ranked No. 7, bounced back from his first loss of the season versus Iowa State to record a fall against No. 14 Brent Chriswell of ASU.

Web: http://soonersports.com/sports/m-wrestl/recaps/020108aaa.html

MEN’S GYMNASTICS

Last Week: Sophomore Ian Jackson won his first all-around title of the season as the Oklahoma men’s gymnastics team defeated No. 12 Nebraska 355.500-337.750 Friday night at the Lloyd Noble Center. The Sooners claimed team titles on all six events and OU gymnasts won at least a share of each individual event crown. Oklahoma set team season highs on the floor exercise (60.250), pommel horse (55.850), still rings (60.800) and vault (63.200) en route to the victory.

This Week: Five Sooner gymnasts will compete in the 2008 Winter Cup Challenge, Feb. 7-9 in Las Vegas, Nev. Jonathan Horton, Taqiy Abdullah-Simmons, Steven Legendre, Ian Jackson and Jacob Messina will participate in the USA Gymnastics re-ranking event which helps determine spots on the U.S. Senior National Team. Joining the OU quintet at the competition will be former Sooners Jamie and David Henderson.

Notes: With Friday night’s win against Nebraska, the Sooners moved to 3-0 on the season against their Mountain Pacific Sports Federation rivals. OU also defeated the Huskers at the Rocky Mountain Open, Jan. 12 in Colorado Springs, Colo., and in a tri-meet with the Air Force Academy in Lincoln, Neb., on Jan. 20 … Oklahoma gymnasts swept the top four spots on the floor exercise, still rings, vault and high bar against NU … OU’s six individual event champions Friday night were Russell Czeschin (floor), Jason Laughton (pommel horse), Jonathan Horton (rings and h-bar), Ian Jackson (vault, all-around) and Taqiy Abdullah-Simmons (p-bars).

Web: http://www.soonersports.com/sports/m-gym/recaps/020108aaa.html

WOMEN’S GYMNASTICS

Last Week: The No. 6 OU women’s gymnastics squad bested Big 12 rival and 12th-ranked Nebraska 195.275-194.950 on Feb. 1, in Oklahoma’s home opener. Leading the charge was Ashley Jackson who bested 2007 co-Big 12 Gymnast of the Year Emily Parsons 39.275-39.250 for the all-around title in front of 1,238 fans at the Lloyd Noble Center. It was the first career all-around title for the Hudsonville, Mich., native as the junior bested her previous best all-around score by 0.4 points.

This Week: The Sooners hit the road for the fifth time in six meets as OU travels to Denver, Colo., on Feb. 9 to face DU. The meet against the Pioneers is slated for a 7 p.m. (CST) start.

Notes: OU has won 22 of its last 23 regular-season matchups dating back to Jan. 19, 2007. Winners of all regular season meets on the year, the Sooners last regular season defeat was to Stanford on March 9, 2007 in Palo Alto, Calif.

Web: http://soonersports.com/sports/w-gym/recaps/020108aaa.html

TRACK & FIELD

Last Week: Competing at home, Oklahoma’s Shardae Boutte won two events, while five teammates also picked up individual titles at the eighth annual J.D. Martin Invitational at the Mosier Indoor Facility.

This Week: The Sooners will split up next week as a number of sprinters and distance athletes head to New York City for the New Balance Collegiate Invitational while jumpers, vaulters and multi-event athletes compose the majority of an Oklahoma group competing in the Adidas Classic in Lincoln, Neb.

Notes: Senior sprinter Marcus Pugh posted an NCAA provisional qualifying time of 6.69 to win the 60-meter dash. OU swept the event as Scottesha Miller claimed the title in the women’s division with a time of 7.47 … Two other Sooners defended J.D. Martin Invitiational titles as Chip Heuser finished first in the pole vault with a top mark of 16-10.75 (5.15) and Sheldon Leith took top honors in the 60-meter hurdles with an NCAA provisional qualifying time of 7.83 … OU finished 1-2 in the 60-meter hurdles as freshman D’Andre Fisher set a personal record, 8.17, en route to a second-place finish … Sophomore Kevin Snyder rounded out the OU title race with a win in the high jump. Snyder edged Langston’s William Moses with a best jump of 6-8.75 … Latoya Greaves finished second in the 60-meter hurdles, but more importantly, bested the NCAA provisional qualifying mark with a time of 8.28.

Web: http://soonersports.com/sports/c-track/recaps/020208aaa.html

MEN’S TENNIS

Last Week: Went 1-1 this weekend as they competed against Old Dominion and Virginia Commonwealth. Saturday the Sooners defeated ODU, 5-2. Sunday OU was defeated by VCU, 5-2.

This Week: The Sooners continue on the road next weekend when they travel to Minneapolis, Minn., to face Minnesota on Feb. 9, and Wisconsin-Green Bay on Feb. 10.

Notes: OU’s No. 1 singles player, Andrei Daescu, won two matches over the weekend, pushing his season record to 3-0.

Web: http://www.soonersports.com/sports/m-tennis/recaps/020208aaa.html; http://www.soonersports.com/sports/m-tennis/recaps/020308aaa.html

WOMEN’S TENNIS

Last Week: The University of Oklahoma women’s tennis team increased its series record against Oklahoma Baptist to 12-0 Friday, Feb. 1 at Willow Creek Golf and Country Club in Oklahoma City. The teams played two duals, with the Sooners twice defeating the Bisons, 7-0.

Notes: In the first round of play, Oklahoma took an early 1-0 lead, sweeping doubles play. In singles action, the Sooners were victorious at all six positions, dropping only nine total games. Freshman Ana-Maria Constantinescu continued to roll improving her spring record to 4-0 at the No. 1 singles position.

Web: http://soonersports.com/sports/w-tennis/recaps/020108aaa.html

OKLAHOMA VS. KANSAS
No. 11/10 Oklahoma (13-4, 3-2 Big 12) hosts Kansas in the final matchup of its five-game January home stand Wednesday.

The game will be televised on the Sooner Sports Network (KAUT-TV in Oklahoma City) with Bob Carpenter on play-by-play and Debbie Antonelli providing color analysis.

Sooner Sports Network will provide the radio broadcast. Brian Brinkley (play-by-play) and Tara DeGiusti (color) have the call.

Tip-off is 7:08 p.m. Central.

SETTING THE SCENE
Date: Wednesday, Jan. 30, 2008
Series: 51st meeting, KU leads 27-23 (OU leads 11-9 in Norman)
Location: Norman, Okla.
Tipoff: 7:08 p.m. Central
Venue: Lloyd Noble Center (12,000)
TV: Sooner Sports Network
TV Talent: Bob Carpenter (pbp) and Debbie Antonelli (color)
Radio: Sooner Sports Network (KOKC 1520 AM in Oklahoma City)
Radio Talent: Brian Brinkley (pbp) and Tara DeGiusti (color)
Live Webcast: SoonerSports.com All-Access
Live Statistics: SoonerSports.com CSTV Gametracker

PLAYER TO WATCH

Oklahoma’s player of the month has been sophomore Amanda Thompson. Two blocks by A.T. in the final 24 seconds against Georgia secured a victory and 12 of her career high 18 points came in the first half.

In January, Thompson has averaged 13.7 points, up from the 8.2 per game scored during November and December. Thompson has scored 15 or more in four of the last five games.

BEDLAM SOLD OUT

The second edition of Oklahoma vs. Oklahoma women’s basketball has sold out 30 days in advance. The game, scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 23, at the Lloyd Noble Center in Norman, Okla. should provide another 12,000-plus crowd for a game televised by Fox Sports Net.

Only restricted admission tickets remain. Restricted admission tickets are $8 and go on sale when doors open at 11:30 a.m. The ticket provides entry but does not guarantee a seat.

The matchup in Stillwater was attended by 13,611 — the most to watch a women’s basketball game in the state of Oklahoma.

D-ROB BIG 12 ROOKIE OF THE WEEK

For the fourth time this season, OU freshman Danielle Robinson was named rookie of the week. Robinson averaged 12 points and 6.5 steals per game in the Sooners’ two victories against Texas Tech and Georgia.

COALE “MOST FUN TO WATCH”

OU head coach Sherri Coale was recently voted by members of the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) as the “Most Fun to Watch” head coach in the nation.

BENCHMARK GAMES AHEAD

Coale’s 250th Victory

Currently Sherri Coale has 245 victories in her 12th year as the head coach of the Oklahoma Sooners. Coale could reach her 250th victory as soon as Feb. 12, at home, against Texas A&M.

“Think Pink” Week

Fans should come out to support the Sooners in raising breast cancer awareness by coming to the Lloyd Noble Center for “Think Pink Night” as the OU women’s basketball team hosts 2007 Big 12 Co-Champions Texas A&M on Tuesday, Feb. 12, at 7 p.m.

1,000th Game in Sooner History

Oklahoma started its women’s basketball program for the 1974-75 season and is approaching its 1,000th game. To date, the Sooners are 15 games shy of 1,000 in program history. There are 11 games left in the regular season, which would mean that if OU failed to get a first-round bye for the Big 12 Tournament, the first opportunity to play 1,000 would be in the Championship Game.

This is the third season Paris has been a Naismith semifinalist. The 2007 National Player of the Year was one of four finalists for the award as both a freshman and sophomore.

Including Paris (2005), the past three Naismith High School Player of the Year winners are among the candidates. Tennessee’s Candace Parker (2003 and 2004) and Connecticut’s Maya Moore (2006 and 2007) are the others.

The women’s list, which includes 31 candidates because of a tie, was voted on by the Atlanta Tipoff Club’s Board of Selectors, comprised of leading basketball journalists, coaches and administrators from around the country. The board based its criteria on player performances this season, and the list was narrowed down from the pre-season list of 50 candidates who were announced at the beginning of the season.

“It gives us tremendous pride to see our former high school winners continue to improve and take their game to the next level, and become candidates for the college award,” said Gary Stokan, Atlanta Tipoff Club president. “Additionally, there is tremendous balance as evidenced by the number of seniors and underclassmen, and the fact we had a tie at number 30. Our voters will have a difficult time selecting the winner for the most prestigious award in all of college basketball.”

The list of 31 will be cut to four finalists during the week of Feb. 18-22.

The Naismith Trophy winner will be announced April 7 at the 2008 NCAA Final Four in Tampa.

It was Robinson’s fourth time to earn the honor. Courtney Paris holds the record for most Rookie of the Week honors with nine in 2005-06.

Robinson averaged 12 points, 6.5 assists and three steals in the Sooners two wins last week – a 78-39 beating of Texas Tech and 65-57 defeat of No. 17/14 Georgia.

The freshman guard’s quick start versus the Red Raiders set the tone of the rout as she scored 10 of her 12 points in the first half on 4-of-5 field goal shooting and a 2-of-2 performance at the free throw line. Robinson totaled six assists to one turnover, three rebound and two steals in just 19 minutes on the court.

Against Georgia, Robinson jumped out to another quick start by scoring eight of her 12 points before the half and had a career high seven assists to go with a brilliant defensive performance. Robinson had four steals and shut down Georgia point guard Ashley Houts, who had entered the contest scoring 13.3 points per game, to a 1-for-6 field goal shooting effort.

With 42 steals in 17 games, Robinson is on pace to break Oklahoma’s single-season freshman record of 74 steals, set by LaNeisha Caufield in 1998-99.

Kansas State junior forward Marlies Gipson was named the conference’s player of the week.

Only restricted admission tickets remain for those who wish to see No. 21 Oklahoma State visit No. 11 Oklahoma at the Lloyd Noble Center. Restricted admission seats are sold on the day of the game and will begin when doors open at 11:30 a.m.

All restricted admission tickets are $8 per person. Restricted admission grants the ticket holder access to the arena but does not guarantee a seat. After tip-off, restricted admission ticket holders may be permitted to take available seats in the general admission sections if seating remains.

The game will tip at 1 p.m.

A state record crowd for a women’s basketball game of 13,611 watched the first Bedlam battle of the year in Stillwater. The second largest crowd in Lloyd Noble Center history of 12,090 viewed last year’s OU-OSU tilt in Norman.

The Sooners have not lost to the Cowgirls on their home court since 1998.