JimBob
01-13-2008, 09:16 AM
Cowgirls rout OU
By LYNN JACOBSEN World Sports Writer
1/13/2008
Riley scores 45 points in Bedlam bash of Sooners.
STILLWATER -- Andrea Riley and Oklahoma State put the bedlam back in women's basketball.
The 5-foot-5 Cowgirls' point guard, the Big 12 Freshman of the Year in 2006-07, scored a career-high 45 points as No. 25 Oklahoma State routed No. 6 Oklahoma 82-63.
Webster's Dictionary defines bedlam as a "state of uproar and confusion."
It was the Sooners (10-3 overall, 1-1 Big 12) who looked dazed as the Cowgirls outplayed and outhustled their Big 12 opponent in front of a sellout crowd of 13,611, the largest crowd ever to witness a women's basketball game in Oklahoma.
It shattered the previous high at Gallagher-Iba (7,160) against UC-Riverside on Nov. 11, 2006, and eclipsed last year's mark of 12,413 in the Big 12 Women's Basketball Championships at the Cox Center.
Riley's 45 points were six shy of tying the school record of 51 set by Donna Ridling against Tulsa on Feb. 24, 1978.
But it wasn't her best ever. Riley scored 52 in an AAU game as a 13-year-old.
"I was kind of in the zone," Riley said with a smile. "We stuck together and played as a team. I credit my teammates for what I did tonight."
Of the crowd, Riley said, "Man, 13,000 people, that's a lot. We always said if you come out and pack this house, we aren't going to lose. They pumped us up."
The crowd rushed the court afterwards, hoisting Riley and Norman native Taylor Hardeman.
OSU coach Kurt Budke said, "Obviously, it's a pretty special night. We said before the night started if we played as close to a perfect game as we can, we had a chance. It was proba bly as close to a perfect game as I've seen in my 23 years of coaching.
"I'm not sure I saw an empty seat. I'm sure there were, but I didn't see any."
Budke's first Bedlam victory snapped a string of consecutive OU wins at 17.
"There is room for two great teams in this state. We still have a long way to go to catch them," he said.
Riley was a one-player wrecking crew for Oklahoma State (14-1 2-0 ). The 5-foot-5 point guard routinely dribbled past and even through OU defenders.
She scored 37 points in the second half as Oklahoma guards Jenna Plumley, Danielle Robinson and Nyeshia Stevenson all took turns trying to slow Riley to no avail.
"It's the single best performance I've ever seen from a player and I've had some great ones," said Budke, who coached one of the all-time women's greats in Cheryl Ford at Louisiana Tech.
OU junior center Courtney Paris finished with 15 points and 19 rebounds for her 74th consecutive double-double and 79th career double-double in 82 games.
Amanda Thompson led the Sooners with 18 points. Nyeshia Stevenson added 10.
"Oklahoma State was good in every phase of the game," Oklahoma coach Sherri Coale said. "They looked hungrier than we did for 40 minutes. That's a tough thing for me to say.
"Add that with the fact that Andrea hit everything she shot. She was absolutely unbelievable. Almost from the get-go, you can see the ball was square for the Sooners."
Oklahoma played as poor a first half as possible.
The Sooners were a dismal 8-of-29 from the field (27.6 percent) with 12 turnovers.
OSU committed just two turnovers in the first half and five in the game.
The 17 points at the half equaled the Sooners' low for the season. They also scored just 17 in the first half against Michigan State but rallied for the win.
Unlike that game, though, there was no rally Saturday.
Of course, Oklahoma State had a lot to do with that.
The Cowgirls forced the Sooners out of their comfort zone to an uncharacteristic 38.7 percent field goal shooting (24-of-62).
Perhaps overshadowed in Riley's big night was Danielle Green's double-double of 17 points and 12 rebounds.
By LYNN JACOBSEN World Sports Writer
1/13/2008
Riley scores 45 points in Bedlam bash of Sooners.
STILLWATER -- Andrea Riley and Oklahoma State put the bedlam back in women's basketball.
The 5-foot-5 Cowgirls' point guard, the Big 12 Freshman of the Year in 2006-07, scored a career-high 45 points as No. 25 Oklahoma State routed No. 6 Oklahoma 82-63.
Webster's Dictionary defines bedlam as a "state of uproar and confusion."
It was the Sooners (10-3 overall, 1-1 Big 12) who looked dazed as the Cowgirls outplayed and outhustled their Big 12 opponent in front of a sellout crowd of 13,611, the largest crowd ever to witness a women's basketball game in Oklahoma.
It shattered the previous high at Gallagher-Iba (7,160) against UC-Riverside on Nov. 11, 2006, and eclipsed last year's mark of 12,413 in the Big 12 Women's Basketball Championships at the Cox Center.
Riley's 45 points were six shy of tying the school record of 51 set by Donna Ridling against Tulsa on Feb. 24, 1978.
But it wasn't her best ever. Riley scored 52 in an AAU game as a 13-year-old.
"I was kind of in the zone," Riley said with a smile. "We stuck together and played as a team. I credit my teammates for what I did tonight."
Of the crowd, Riley said, "Man, 13,000 people, that's a lot. We always said if you come out and pack this house, we aren't going to lose. They pumped us up."
The crowd rushed the court afterwards, hoisting Riley and Norman native Taylor Hardeman.
OSU coach Kurt Budke said, "Obviously, it's a pretty special night. We said before the night started if we played as close to a perfect game as we can, we had a chance. It was proba bly as close to a perfect game as I've seen in my 23 years of coaching.
"I'm not sure I saw an empty seat. I'm sure there were, but I didn't see any."
Budke's first Bedlam victory snapped a string of consecutive OU wins at 17.
"There is room for two great teams in this state. We still have a long way to go to catch them," he said.
Riley was a one-player wrecking crew for Oklahoma State (14-1 2-0 ). The 5-foot-5 point guard routinely dribbled past and even through OU defenders.
She scored 37 points in the second half as Oklahoma guards Jenna Plumley, Danielle Robinson and Nyeshia Stevenson all took turns trying to slow Riley to no avail.
"It's the single best performance I've ever seen from a player and I've had some great ones," said Budke, who coached one of the all-time women's greats in Cheryl Ford at Louisiana Tech.
OU junior center Courtney Paris finished with 15 points and 19 rebounds for her 74th consecutive double-double and 79th career double-double in 82 games.
Amanda Thompson led the Sooners with 18 points. Nyeshia Stevenson added 10.
"Oklahoma State was good in every phase of the game," Oklahoma coach Sherri Coale said. "They looked hungrier than we did for 40 minutes. That's a tough thing for me to say.
"Add that with the fact that Andrea hit everything she shot. She was absolutely unbelievable. Almost from the get-go, you can see the ball was square for the Sooners."
Oklahoma played as poor a first half as possible.
The Sooners were a dismal 8-of-29 from the field (27.6 percent) with 12 turnovers.
OSU committed just two turnovers in the first half and five in the game.
The 17 points at the half equaled the Sooners' low for the season. They also scored just 17 in the first half against Michigan State but rallied for the win.
Unlike that game, though, there was no rally Saturday.
Of course, Oklahoma State had a lot to do with that.
The Cowgirls forced the Sooners out of their comfort zone to an uncharacteristic 38.7 percent field goal shooting (24-of-62).
Perhaps overshadowed in Riley's big night was Danielle Green's double-double of 17 points and 12 rebounds.