JimBob
02-23-2008, 08:46 AM
Bedlam hoops frenzy hits new heights
By LYNN JACOBSEN World Sports Writer
2/23/2008
With an improved OSU squad, the mania returns to the women's rivalry series.
To understand how far Oklahoma State women's basketball has come, one needs only to look back at last month's 82-63 win over the Sooners.
The No. 16 Cowgirls (21-4 overall, 9-3 Big 12) will try to pull off the sweep Saturday when they travel to Norman to face No. 11 Oklahoma (19-5, 9-3).
The game, which is a sellout, will be played at the Lloyd Noble Center at 1:05 p.m. Fox Sports Net (Cox cable channel 27) will air the event.
"There's no question that is one of the turning points of this program," OSU head coach Kurt Budke said.
"No question. I know our players are ex cited about the rematch. I know OU's people will be excited. It's a full house. We're kind of the reason Bedlam is back. They've been doing their thing it's up to us to bring Bedlam back. I don't think there is any doubt -- it's back."
Andrea Riley's 45 points in the first Bedlam showdown is the most scored by a player in a Big 12 game this year.
The 5-foot-5 point guard leads the league at 22.5 points per game and OSU is averaging a conference-high 77.8 points per game.
Oklahoma counters with the league's second-leading scorer in Courtney Paris at 18.0 and the Sooners rank second in scoring at 74.8.
Since defeating OU, the Cowgirls have won seven of their last 10 games and no longer rely solely on Riley for offense.
"I don't think we need (Riley) to get 45 in a game any more," Budke said. "If we can see four in double figures like we've seen the last four or five games, it gives us a chance to compete in every game."
Most notably has been the improved offense of junior forward Shaunte' Smith.
Three times in the last six games, Smith has recorded a double-double.
Her 14-point and career-best 17-rebound effort in the win over Texas on Wednesday might may have been her best performance of the year.
Life has changed for OSU since the 16-point win over the Sooners, said Smith, a former Putnam City North standout.
"Everyone around here is real happy about women's basketball," Smith said following the Texas game.
"We've got a lot more fans. You can feel the change. I wanted to leave OSU at least beating OU once. But now, I'm looking to beat them three more times."
By LYNN JACOBSEN World Sports Writer
2/23/2008
With an improved OSU squad, the mania returns to the women's rivalry series.
To understand how far Oklahoma State women's basketball has come, one needs only to look back at last month's 82-63 win over the Sooners.
The No. 16 Cowgirls (21-4 overall, 9-3 Big 12) will try to pull off the sweep Saturday when they travel to Norman to face No. 11 Oklahoma (19-5, 9-3).
The game, which is a sellout, will be played at the Lloyd Noble Center at 1:05 p.m. Fox Sports Net (Cox cable channel 27) will air the event.
"There's no question that is one of the turning points of this program," OSU head coach Kurt Budke said.
"No question. I know our players are ex cited about the rematch. I know OU's people will be excited. It's a full house. We're kind of the reason Bedlam is back. They've been doing their thing it's up to us to bring Bedlam back. I don't think there is any doubt -- it's back."
Andrea Riley's 45 points in the first Bedlam showdown is the most scored by a player in a Big 12 game this year.
The 5-foot-5 point guard leads the league at 22.5 points per game and OSU is averaging a conference-high 77.8 points per game.
Oklahoma counters with the league's second-leading scorer in Courtney Paris at 18.0 and the Sooners rank second in scoring at 74.8.
Since defeating OU, the Cowgirls have won seven of their last 10 games and no longer rely solely on Riley for offense.
"I don't think we need (Riley) to get 45 in a game any more," Budke said. "If we can see four in double figures like we've seen the last four or five games, it gives us a chance to compete in every game."
Most notably has been the improved offense of junior forward Shaunte' Smith.
Three times in the last six games, Smith has recorded a double-double.
Her 14-point and career-best 17-rebound effort in the win over Texas on Wednesday might may have been her best performance of the year.
Life has changed for OSU since the 16-point win over the Sooners, said Smith, a former Putnam City North standout.
"Everyone around here is real happy about women's basketball," Smith said following the Texas game.
"We've got a lot more fans. You can feel the change. I wanted to leave OSU at least beating OU once. But now, I'm looking to beat them three more times."