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Sooners snap Texas' 9-Game winning streak
(AP)
Updated: 2006-01-29 13:38
Terrell Everett scored 25 points, Taj Gray added 22 and No. 24 Oklahoma
exploited LaMarcus Aldridge's second-half foul trouble to beat fourth-ranked
Texas 82-72 Saturday night and snap the Longhorns' nine-game winning streak.
Oklahoma forward
Kevin Bookout (34) tries to block the shot of Texas forward Lamarcus
Aldridge (23) in the first half of Saturday night's NCAA basketball game
Jan. 28, 2006, in Norman, Okla. [AP] |
Everett and Michael Neal combined for 11 points to put the Sooners (13-4, 4-2
Big 12) in control after they had allowed the Longhorns to erase a seven-point
deficit.
Aldridge capped a 13-5 run by banking in a layup from the right block to give
Texas (17-3, 5-1) a 48-47 lead.
Neal put Oklahoma back in the lead with a 3-pointer from the right side, then
answered a P.J. Tucker basket with another 3 from the same spot. Everett banked
in a 3 from the right wing, then shrugged his shoulders as he headed to the
Sooners' huddle during a Texas timeout.
Aldridge, who'd already scored 22 points, left the game for the first time at
the 9-minute mark after picking up his fourth foul. Kevin Bookout exploited
Aldridge's absence for a layup, and Everett put back Gray's fast-break miss for
a 60-50 lead.
After a 3-pointer by Daniel Gibson, Gray stretched the lead to 12 with a
two-handed, alleyoop jam and a three-point play off a turnaround jumper in the
lane.
Kenton Paulino drew Texas within 65-58 with a pair of free throws and a
3-pointer, but the Longhorns were unable to capitalize on other opportunities
down the stretch. Aldridge and Gibson each missed free throws in the bonus
situation and Paulino stole an entry pass only to throw it to Oklahoma's David
Godbold at the other end.
Godbold effectively put the game away when he duplicated Everett's banked
3-pointer from about the same spot to extend Oklahoma's lead to 73-60.
Everett was one point shy of matching his career high and Gray's output was
his most in Big 12 play this season. Neal contributed 14 points and Godbold
scored 11.
Aldridge didn't score again after re-entering with 6:19 left, but still
notched his 10th double-double by grabbing 12 rebounds. Gibson had 23 points,
but was 4-for-14 from 3-point range, and Tucker scored 14. Gibson had hit 17 of
his last 25 from 3-point range entering the game.
During its win streak, Texas had held each of its nine opponents below 40
percent shooting. Oklahoma was 31-for-57 (54.4 percent) while preventing the
Longhorns from achieving their best start in 59 years and their longest winning
streak in 12 years.
With its Red River rival on hand, Oklahoma attracted its largest crowd of the
season and gave out white T-shirts to each. A rowdy student section greeted the
Longhorns with derisive chants, " Miss America" Jennifer Berry — an Oklahoma
elementary education student — greeted the crowd and Gov. Brad Henry, football
coach Bob Stoops and the entire women's basketball team were in attendance.
They witnessed Oklahoma's first win against a top 5 opponent since an 80-77
overtime victory Dec. 6, 2003, at Michigan State.
Aldridge and Tucker combined to score 24 of Texas' first 28 points, with the
Longhorns finding Aldridge for baskets in the lane and Tucker maneuvering his
way inside.
The Sooners then outscored 10-3 in a stretch spanning across halftime to
build a 39-31 lead on Gray's right-handed hook shot.
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