March 31, 2013

Baseball: Kansas Defeats OU, 10-8

The No. 11-ranked University of Oklahoma's bats woke up in the fifth inning against Kansas on Saturday afternoon with seven runs to erase a six run Jayhawk lead, but it was not enough as Kansas scored three more runs and finished the three-game series with a 10-8 victory, ending OU's 13-game win streak.

Kansas (15-10, 3-3 Big 12) jumped out to a 7-0 lead in the first inning, but Oklahoma (25-5, 5-1 Big 12) responded with one in the bottom of the frame before a seven-run rally gave the Sooners an 8-7 lead in the fifth.

OU's seven-run, five-hit rally was led by a three-run homer from Max White and a three-run triple from Hunter Haley. Craig Aikin got the scoring underway with an RBI double, followed by White's three-run blast, which plated Jack Mayfield and Aikin. With two outs, Hector Lorenzana and Anthony Hermelyn drew back-to-back walks before Garrett Carey moved them up 90 feet with a single to left. Haley's triple to right center cleared the bases and gave the Sooners their first lead of the game.

In the first inning, Matt Oberste wasted no time continuing his school-record 30 game hit streak on the first pitch he saw with a double that scored Max White.

Oklahoma held the lead through the sixth inning, but the Jayhawks came back to score two runs in the top of the seventh, and Kansas shortstop Kevin Kuntz drove in another run on an eigth-inning double.

An errant throw from Kansas third baseman Jordan Dreiling in the bottom of the eighth erased a potential double play and provided another spark for the Sooner fans in attendance, but the OU bats stranded White and Aikin on second and third respectively to end the inning.

OU's next game comes on Tuesday night at 6:30 p.m. in Norman against Bedlam rival Oklahoma State.

/// SoonerSports PR

March 30, 2013

Tennis: Sooners Win Bedlam

Mia Lancaster defeated C.C. Sardinha, 5-7, 6-4, 6-3, at the No. 2 position to clinch the University of Oklahoma women's tennis team's upset over No. 25 Oklahoma State in the Oklahoma Farm Bureau Bedlam Series Friday, March 29, at Headington Family Tennis Center.

"I'm very happy to get the win," OU head coach David Mullins said. "That's the first time this year that we've won the match after losing the doubles. We've been talking about these things a lot and it's nice to get that monkey off our back. They believe now they can win matches like this without the doubles point."

Oklahoma (10-6, 3-2) was swept in doubles play to open up the match. The Sooners fought back and took four matches in singles play to mark OU's first victory after losing the doubles point.

Entering the match Oklahoma's six losses occurred after losing the doubles point and all nine wins came with a victory in doubles.

March 29, 2013

Tennis: Sooners Sweep San Diego

The No. 11 University of Oklahoma men's tennis team swept No. 37 San Diego, 7-0, Thursday, March 28, at the Headington Family Tennis Pavilion.

"We played a very complete match today for the first time in a while," OU head coach John Roddick said. "San Diego is a tough team and I was proud of the way we competed."

The Sooners (12-5) began the match by winning a tight doubles point over the Toreros (11-7).

March 28, 2013

Lane Johnson Could Be Lions' First-Round Pick at No. 5

Luke Joeckel is the leading candidate to go No. 1 overall in next month's draft and Central Michigan's Eric Fisher is widely considered a top-five pick.

But if the Lions are looking to fill their vacant left tackle job with a rookie, there's a third option they might consider at No. 5 overall: Oklahoma's Lane Johnson.

Johnson played for Lions coaches at the Senior Bowl, so don't expect to hear much buildup on him coming from Allen Park.

Michael Reid Named Conference Gymnast of the Week

University of Oklahoma gymnast Michael Reid was named the MPSF Gymnast of the Week Tuesday after he posted a career-high 15.400 in No. 2 OU’s 441.250-426.750 win over No. 5 Ohio State.

Reid anchored OU’s pommel horse team, and his career-high score was a meet high on the event, 0.500 points more than the next largest mark. It is the highest pommel horse score for OU this season on the apparatus and tied for the fourth-highest total in the country this year.

The Killeen, Texas, native is ranked fifth nationally on the event with a 14.983 four score average and has helped the Sooners to a No. 2 team ranking in the event with a 72.783.

Golf: OU Finishes Seventh in Shortened Tournament

The 33rd-ranked University of Oklahoma men's golf team placed seventh at the 14-team Linger Longer Invitational on Sunday, which was shortened from 54 to 36 holes due to weather. The tournament was played in Greensboro, Ga., at the 7,073-yard, par-72 Great Waters course at Reynolds Plantation.

On Saturday, play was suspended due to darkness following a rain and thunder delay earlier in the day. Resumption of the second round was delayed Sunday morning, and the decision was made to end the tournament after 36 holes.

The Sooners, who were one of six ranked squads in the field, recorded a two-round 591 (+15). They carded a 295 (+7) in Saturday's first round and followed with a 296 (+8) in round two. OU finished 31 strokes behind champion and second-ranked Alabama, which won the tournament for the third straight year.

March 27, 2013

Browns Will Study Quarterback Landry Jones

Following the Tuesday signing of quarterback Jason Campbell, a source said on Wednesday that the Browns won't rule out trading backup Colt McCoy.

Browns CEO Joe Banner said at the combine that a quarterback is "not the focus" with the team's first-round pick, but the club continues to do their due diligence. They'll conduct a private workout with West Virginia's Geno Smith and will bring Arizona dual-threat passer Matt Scott for a pre-draft visit. They're also studying Oklahoma's Landry Jones, Florida State's E.J. Manuel and Syracuse's Ryan Nassib.

Patty Gasso Wins No. 900 at Oklahoma

Patty Gasso earned win No. 900 as head coach of the Oklahoma Sooners thanks to a 7-1 victory in game one of a doubleheader at Wichita State on Wednesday afternoon.

Now in her 19th season at the helm of the Sooners, Gasso's record stands at 900-281-2 at OU and 1060- 340-3 overall.

The top-ranked Sooners (28-2) used a four-run fourth inning to take command, while senior pitcher Keilani Ricketts and the OU defense retired the final 13 Wichita State (12-16) batters of the game.

Kenny Stills to Visit Cleveland Browns

 University of Oklahoma wide receiver Kenny Stills has an official pre-draft visit set with the Browns, a league source told the Beacon Journal today.

NFL teams are allowed to host as many as 30 national prospects at their facilities until one week before the draft, which runs April 25-27. The source did not specify when Stills will visit the Browns.

The 6-foot, 194-pound Stills had 82 catches for 959 yards and 11 touchdowns as a junior last season. In 2011, he compiled 61 catches for 849 yards and eight touchdowns, missing one game with a concussion and another after being charged with driving under the influence. In 2010, he tallied 61 catches for 786 yards and five touchdowns.

Football: OU Super Saturday Set for April 27

The University of Oklahoma Athletics Department will host OU Super Saturday as a thank you to OU Football season ticket holders on Saturday, April 27. The free event for OU Football season ticket holders will feature behind-the-scenes tours and fun activities for fans of all ages. Free parking will be available in campus lots.

Beginning at 9 a.m. OU Football season ticket holders may enter the Switzer Center via Gates 1 and 12 on the south side of Gaylord Family - Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. An open house will be conducted at the Switzer Center until 11:30 a.m. Fans will have the opportunity for an exclusive tour of the OU Football facilities, including the locker room, Coach Bob Stoops' office, the Adrian Peterson Team Meeting Room, as well as the training and weight rooms.

OU Football season ticket holders entering the Switzer Center will receive a coupon good for the purchase of discounted $4 tickets for Oklahoma's home softball game vs. Iowa State at noon and OU's home baseball contest vs. Texas Tech at 2 p.m. Each game will require a separate $4 ticket. The Big 12 men's and women's tennis championships will also be hosted on the OU campus on Saturday with tickets to those matches available for $4.

OU-Tenn. Game to Tip-Off at 3:35 p.m.

ESPN has announced that the Oklahoma-Tennessee Sweet 16 matchup Sunday, March 31, will tip off at 3:35 p.m. Central.

Pam Ward (play-by-play), Rebecca Lobo (analyst) and Maria Taylor (reporter) will have the call on ESPN2's broadcast.

All-session tickets are on sale now for the Oklahoma City Regional at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Single-session ticket sales begin Thursday.

Baseball: Garza Throws Complete Game

Junior pitcher Ralph Garza Jr. pitched his first-career complete game as the No. 12 University of Oklahoma baseball team extended its winning streak to 11 straight games with a 3-1 win Tuesday night at Oral Roberts.

After he gave up a run in the first inning, the right-hander hurled eight scoreless frames for the Sooners (23-4), who played their first road contest in 1 games against the in-state Golden Eagles (8-16). Garza added a career high 11 strikeouts and faced just 29 batters on the night.

Before tonight, Garza's longest outing was 4.1 innings, and the most strikeout he threw was five, both two weeks ago against New Mexico State.

Basketball: OU's M'Baye to Skip Senior Season

University of Oklahoma junior forward Amath M'Baye has announced that he will forego his senior season and will enter the NBA Draft. M'Baye said he plans to hire an agent.

"My time at OU has been great," said M'Baye, who averaged 10.1 points and 5.2 rebounds this season en route to earning third-team All-Big 12 honors. "I'm 23 years old. My goal when I came to the United States was to take care of business in the classroom and by the time I was 23 to have a degree in my pocket. Now that I'm graduating in May, it's time for me to start taking care of my family the way they've taken care of me for so long.

"It's a tough process of saying goodbye to everybody because I love everyone here," continued the 6-9, 208-pound native of Bordeaux, France. "The coaches did an amazing job with me and with this team in general. Everyone was great here and I had an amazing time. I want to be able to come back down the road and help the program however I can, because it's given me a lot."

March 26, 2013

Gymnastics: OU Women Win 11th Conference Title

The No. 2 Oklahoma women's gymnastics team won its fifth Big 12 Championship in the last six years Saturday with a score of 197.200, besting No. 25 West Virginia and Iowa State for the title.

OU junior Taylor Spears won the Big 12 all-around title with a score of 39.600 and tied for the individual titles on both bars and beam. Following the meet, Spears was also named the Big 12 Gymnast of the Year.

"She shows no fear," said OU head coach K.J. Kindler of Spears. "She's extremely competitive and aggressive on the floor and she believes in herself."

Oklahoma swept every individual event title and the all-around title outright, becoming the first school in Big 12 history to do so. Freshman Maile'ana Kanewa took the vault title, senior Brie Olson and Spears took bars, sophomore Rebecca Clark and Spears took beam and freshman Haley Scaman won the floor title.

Rowing: OU Sweeps Texas, Wins Longhorn Invite

The University of Oklahoma rowing team swept Big 12 rival Texas in the varsity finals and won the first Longhorn Invitational team title in convincing fashion Sunday on Lady Bird Lake in Austin, Texas.

For the first time in program history, the Sooners won every varsity race in a multi-day competition. The three-day regatta was capped by a four-race sweep of the Longhorns in the varsity events, a first for the OU program in its fifth season.

Against UT in the finals, OU notched its largest winning margin of the weekend in the varsity eight and second-largest victory in the second varsity eight. Both the varsity four and second varsity four continued their perfect starts to the season and are now 7-0 and 6-0, respectively.

Rowing: Second Varsity Eight Named Boat of the Week

The University of Oklahoma rowing team earned its second-straight conference honor as the second varsity eight boat was named the Conference USA Boat of the Week Tuesday after a perfect 4-0 weekend helped OU win the Longhorn Invitational March 22-24.

The Sooners’ second varsity eight went undefeated in Austin, Texas, and posted double-digit wins in all four races against conference rivals Texas, Tulsa and Kansas State as well as San Diego. Their average margin of victory was 16.85 seconds, and the smallest win at the three-day event for the OU boat was 14.6 seconds against San Diego.

OU’s fastest time came in the finals against rival Texas, where a 6:37.0 was 17.1 seconds ahead of the Longhorns and capped off the perfect weekend.

Kruger Selling Las Vegas Mansion for $4.9M

Oklahoma basketball coach Lon Kruger reportedly has listed his Las Vegas home for sale.

For $4.95 million.

Built in 2010 — his sixth of seven years in Las Vegas, when he was coach at UNLV — the 10,153-square-foot home includes five bedrooms, eight bathrooms, a five-car garage, a heated pool and spa, two fireplaces, two laundry rooms, a formal dining room, living room, family room with wet bar, den/office, large indoor kitchen and bar, outdoor kitchen, granite countertops and marble floors. (More at Tulsa World)

View the listing here.

Wrestling: Kendric Maple Wins National Championship

Kendric Maple became the first Sooner to take home an individual championship in eight years, since Teyon Ware claimed the 141-pound title in 2005, after he topped Edinboro's No. 4 Mitchell Port with a 4-3 decision. With the title, he becomes Oklahoma's 66th individual national champion in program history.

"It's a feeling of absolute, total satisfaction," Maple grinned. "It's a great honor to be here, in this spot. I just love this sport."

Additionally, Maple is the first national champion produced by Oklahoma head coach Mark Cody.

"It's been a while since OU has had a national champion, so this was a long time coming," explained Cody.

"It's a wonderful accomplishment. It definitely sets the benchmark for the future of the program. With all the young guys in our program, and all the new ones coming in, we have to make a statement. If they're going to come to the University of Oklahoma, they have the potential to become a national champion."

Track & Field: OU Wins Seventeen Events at Home

The University of Oklahoma track and field team hosted the John Jacobs Invitational this weekend, and despite intermittent light rain throughout their only home event of the outdoor season, the Sooners claimed 17 victories at John Jacobs Field.

The 24-event invitational showcased student-athletes from Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Grambling and Central Michigan.

The OU women boasted wins in every race they competed on the track. The Sooners won two of the five field events they participated in.

March 25, 2013

Softball: Game Times Changed for Wichita State Doubleheader

Game times have been changed for No. 1 Oklahoma’s doubleheader at Wichita State on Wednesday.

Originally slated for starts of 3 and 5 p.m., the contests against the Shockers will now be played at 4 and 6 p.m.

Oklahoma (28-2) holds a 39-7 advantage in the all-time series with Wichita State (12-15, 3-2 Missouri Valley Conference), including a 9-4 mark in games played in Wichita.

/// SoonerSportsPR

WBB: Oklahoma Tops UCLA in Women's Tourney

Behind 27 points from Aaryn Ellenberg, six-seeded Oklahoma advanced past third-seeded UCLA to advance to the Sweet 16 in the NCAA Women's Basketball tournament with a 85-72 victory on Monday.

Oklahoma will face University of Tennessee in the next round of the women's tournament in Oklahoma City on March 31.

/// MORE TO COME

Read more here: http://www.newsobserver.com/2013/03/24/2777051/recap-kansas-vs-north-carolina.html#storylink=cpy

Baseball: Evans Named Newcomer of the Week

The No. 12-ranked University of Oklahoma baseball team's freshman left-handed relief pitcher Jacob Evans has been named the Big 12 Conference's Newcomer of the Week. This marks the first conference honor of the Broken Arrow, Okla., native's young career.

Evans continued to show the cool of a veteran out of the bullpen in OU's Big 12 Conference opening weekend series sweep of TCU. He nailed down his team-leading fourth save of the season with 1.2 scoreless frames of work Saturday, bailing the Sooners out of a one-out, bases-loaded jam in the eighth inning to preserve Oklahoma's 3-1 lead. On Sunday, he tossed two scoreless frames and earned the pitching victory to improve to 4-0 on the season. He has not surrendered a run in each of his last 10 appearances out of the bullpen.


Report: Center Gabe Ikard to Miss Remainder of Spring Practice

Senior center Gabe Ikard will likely miss the remainder of Oklahoma's spring football practices with a broken hand, according to a source close to Ikard.

Ikard injured his hand during the Sooners' first spring practice Sunday, March 10.

The source said Ikard initially believed he'd broken the ring finger on his snapping hand — which he fractured during Oklahoma's 2011 home win over Tulsa — but an X-ray revealed a displaced fracture near the base of his middle finger.

March 22, 2013

Funeral Set for Steve Davis

A funeral is planned for Monday for Steve Davis, the former University of Oklahoma quarterback killed in a plane crash in Indiana.

Services are scheduled for 1 p.m. Monday at First Baptist Church in Tulsa followed by a private graveside service.

Davis died in Sunday's plane crash in South Bend, Ind., along with 58-year-old Wes Caves of Tulsa. Services for Caves are still pending. (The Oklahoman)

RELATED:
Former Quarterback Steve Davis Dies in Plane Crash
Stoops, Switzer Issue Statements Regarding Death of Steve Davis

March 18, 2013

Baseball: Gray Named Big 12 Pitcher of Week Again

The No. 16-ranked University of Oklahoma baseball team's junior right-handed starting pitcher Jonathan Gray has been named the Big 12 Conference's Pitcher of the Week for the second straight week. This marks the third time a Sooner hurler has earned such honors this season. Junior southpaw starting pitcher Dillon Overton achieved such recognition on Feb. 18.

Gray fanned a career-high 12 in a complete-game effort to push OU (17-4) to a 1-0 victory last Friday over Northwestern State in the opener of a three-game weekend series at L. Dale Mitchell Park. Gray, who tossed his first complete-game shutout in the triumph over the Demons, has not allowed a run in 16 straight innings The reigning Big 12 Pitcher of the Week allowed just five hits, improving to 4-1 on the season. He ranks second in the Big 12 in strikeouts (39) and innings pitched (35.2).

Stoops, Switzer Issue Statements Regarding Death of Steve Davis

Oklahoma QB Steve Davis died in an Indiana plane crash on Sunday.
The University of Oklahoma was saddened to learn of the passing of Steve Davis, who compiled a 32-1-1 record as the Sooners' starting quarterback. The Sallisaw, Okla., native guided OU to national championships under head coach Barry Switzer in both 1974 and 1975. The Sooners also won three straight Big 8 titles with Davis at quarterback from 1973-75.

"The University of Oklahoma is deeply saddened by the passing of Steve Davis," said OU vice president for intercollegiate athletics and director of athletics, Joe Castiglione. "We extend our sympathies to Steve's family and others whose lives he touched. He was a great champion and someone who set a wonderful example for others. We will miss him very much."

Former Quarterback Steve Davis Dies in Plane Crash

Steve Davis died in a plane crash on Sunday, his brother Joe Davis confirmed to the Tulsa World on Monday morning. Steve Davis was onboard a Beechcraft Premier I twin-jet that departed Jones Riverside Airport and crashed in a residential area near South Bend (Ind.) Regional Airport.

The plane is registered to 7700 Enterprises of Montana LLC in Helena, Mont. The company does business as DigiCut Systems in Tulsa, which is owned by Tulsan Wes Caves.

March 16, 2013

Baseball: Sooners Down Northwestern State, 1-0

Junior right-handed starting pitcher Jonathan Gray fanned a career-high 12 in a complete-game effort to push the No. 17-ranked University of Oklahoma baseball team to a 1-0 victory Friday over Northwestern State in the opener of a three-game weekend series at L. Dale Mitchell Park.

The Sooners (15-4) posted their third shutout in the last five games. OU blanked UCLA last Saturday in Los Angeles, 4-0, behind seven solid innings from Gray, then shut down New Mexico State, 8-0, on Tuesday in Norman.

Gray, who tossed his first complete-game shutout in the triumph over the Demons (9-11), has not allowed a run in 16 straight innings The reigning Big 12 Pitcher of the Week allowed just five hits, improving to 4-1 on the season.

Softball: OU Shuts Out NC State, 3-0

Senior Michelle Gascoigne struck out 15 batters and No. 1/1 Oklahoma (24-1) posted its fourth shutout in a row with a 3-0 win over North Carolina State on Friday afternoon at the Judi Garman Classic in Fullerton, Calif.

It was only the fourth time this season that the OU offense failed to score more than three runs, but Gascoigne kept the Wolfpack (11-10-1) off the board as she moved her record to 10-1 on the season. It was the fifth shutout of Gascoigne's season and she finished just one strikeout shy of her career high.

She struck out at least batter in every inning and set down 10 N.C. State players in a span of 11 hitters between the second and fifth innings. Gascoigne allowed only three hits and one walk.

March 15, 2013

Softball: Shelby Pendley Named Big 12 Player of the Week

In the midst of a torrid stretch at the plate, sophomore infielder Shelby Pendley has been named the Big 12 Player of the Week, the conference announced Tuesday.

In going 4-0 against Northern Colorado and Drake, Pendley hit .778 (7-9) while posting an on-base percentage of .857 and a slugging percentage of 2.333. Of her seven hits, four went for home runs and two were doubles. Pendley scored 10 runs, drove in 13 more, drew five walks and did not strike out.

For Pendley, who played at Arizona last season, it’s the first weekly conference honors of her career. She’s the second Sooner to be named Big 12 Player of the Week this year, joining Lauren Chamberlain who won on Feb. 12.

Track and Field: Tia Brooks Remains on Bowerman Watch List

University of Oklahoma redshirt senior Tia Brooks is one of 10 student-athletes on the 2013 Bowerman Watch List, following the conclusion of the indoor collegiate season, it was announced Thursday by the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA). The award, track and field’s equivalent of the Heisman, is presented to the nation’s top track and field athlete over the indoor and outdoor seasons.

With the outdoor season about to begin, Brooks has already made quite an impression in 2013.

Just last week, she broke the collegiate shot put record with a mark of 63-0.75 en route to win her second consecutive NCAA indoor shot put title, and third-straight NCAA championship after claiming the crown in the outdoor shot put in 2012. Additionally, her throw marked the first time in collegiate history that a woman has surpassed the 63-foot barrier, which ranks fourth all-time among American women and currently sits fifth in the world for 2013.

OU Sends Five Wrestlers To NCAAs

The NCAA has released the brackets for all 10 weight classes of the 2013 NCAA Championships.

Five Oklahoma wrestlers - Cody Brewer (133), Kendric Maple (141), Nick Lester (149), Matt Lester (157) and Bubby Graham (165) - will compete for National Championships and All-America honors beginning on Thursday, March 21, at the Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines, Iowa.

Three Sooners earned seeds for the NCAA Championships. Maple leads the way for Oklahoma as the No. 2 seed at 141 pounds, Graham is the sixth seed at 165 pounds, while Brewer is the final seeded OU wrestler as the No. 8 133 pounder in Des Moines.

March 14, 2013

Former Sooner Quinton Carter Faces Felony Charges

Denver Broncos safety Quinton Carter is facing felony charges in Nevada alleging that he cheated at a craps game last weekend at a Las Vegas-area casino, authorities said Thursday.

Carter, 24, was arrested late Saturday at the Texas Station casino in North Las Vegas. Security officials reported he was videotaped adding a $5 chip to three bets after the dice already rolled, according to a police report. Carter denied wrongdoing when police arrived.

Offensive Lineman Tyler Evans Reinjures ACL

Oklahoma senior guard Tyler Evans reinjured the ACL in his right knee this week, coach Bob Stoops announced Thursday.

Evans tore his right ACL early in fall camp last August and redshirted through the 2012 season.

Stoops said the injury occurred during a drill at Tuesday's practice, and that Evans' knee will require a second surgery.

Gymnastics: Spears and Kanewa Earn Big 12 Honors

Junior Taylor Spears was named Big 12 Gymnast of the Week and freshman Maile'ana Kanewa was named Big 12 Newcomer of the Week the conference announced Monday.

The two Sooners were joined by Iowa State's Michelle Shealy who claimed Specialist of the Week honors. Spears is the Gymnast of the Week recipient for the fifth time this season, while while this is Kanewa's second award. Spears won her fifth all-around title of the year against No. 16 Arizona, posting a 39.600. The No. 3 all-arounder in the nation, Spears' performance was highlighted by a 9.95 on floor, tying a career high. The junior continued her strong performance on Sunday against No. 9 Stanford and UNC, including scoring a 9.925 on beam to help her maintain the No. 1 individual beam national ranking.

Chris Stehl Named Conference Gymnast of the Week

University of Oklahoma gymnast Chris Stehl was named the MPSF Gymnast of the Week Tuesday after his season-high tying 15.500 on still rings lead No. 3 OU to a 432.100-431.250 upset win at No. 2 Michigan.

OU’s come-from-behind upset road victory was fueled by the Sooner rings team. With Oklahoma down by 6.050 points after the third rotation, OU scored a 74.700 on the fourth event, which cut the deficit by three points, nearly in half. It was the first event title of the season for Stehl, who posted OU’s highest individual score of the night.

The Houston native is ranked ninth nationally on rings with a 15.433 three-score average and has helped the Sooners to a No. 4 team ranking in the event.

Baseball: No. 17 Sooners Defeat New Mexico State

Senior infielder Jack Mayfield lifted a sacrifice fly to right field in the bottom of the ninth inning to push the No. 17-ranked University of Oklahoma baseball team to a 3-2 walk-off triumph over New Mexico State Wednesday at L. Dale Mitchell Park.

The Sooners (14-4) won in walk-off fashion for the third time in 2013 and swept the midweek series over the Aggies (8-10) in the process. OU blanked New Mexico State, 8-0, Tuesday. Oklahoma takes a two-game winning streak into the weekend, bouncing back from a 1-3 four-game stretch last week.

"I think it's good to drop some games and keep our athletes' attention at this point in the season," said OU head coach Sunny Golloway. "Our young guys are doing a great job of keeping things simple and not trying to do too much at the plate, and same thing on the mound."

MBB: Sooners Fall to Iowa State, 73-66

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) -- Melvin Ejim had a double-double and Will Clyburn fueled a 12-0 second-half run, helping Iowa State survive an uncharacteristic 3-point drought to beat Oklahoma 73-66 on Thursday and end a seven-year losing streak in the Big 12 tournament.

The Cyclones, who led the country and set a school record with 309 3-pointers, missed 11 of their first 12 from behind the arc and fell 14 points behind. But they found the range in the second half and hit six 3-pointers while chalking up their first conference tournament win since 2005.

In the semifinals on Friday, the fifth-seeded Cyclones (22-10) will meet the winner of the Thursday afternoon match between top-seeded Kansas and No. 9 seed Texas Tech.

March 13, 2013

Brooks Named USA Track & Field Athlete of the Week

Olympian Tia Brooks of Oklahoma has been named USA Track & Field's Athlete of the Week after she claimed the women's shot put at the NCAA Indoor Championships in a collegiate record of 19.22m/63-0.75 last Saturday at the Randal Tyson Track Complex in Fayetteville, Ark.

The announcement marks the first USA Track & Field Weekly honor for Brooks.

Brooks is the first woman in NCAA history to ever surpass the 63-foot barrier, and recorded the best throw in the shot put since North Carolina's Laura Gerraughty threw 62-10.0 (19.15m) in 2004. Additionally, she surpasses her own program-record of 62-4.00 (19.00m) set at last year's NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships.

Rowing: Sooners Sweep Kansas

The University of Oklahoma rowing team swept Kansas and won six of its seven races to cap off the first weekend of the 2013 season at the OU Invitational on the Oklahoma River.

The Sooners hosted the fourth-annual event and welcomed Kansas, Kansas State, Minnesota, Tulsa and UCO to Oklahoma City for 49 races over two days.

The crews battled constant 20-25 mile per hour winds from the northwest that created a cross tailwind. It was a chilly day at the Exchange Boathouse that included occasional rain, but the teams made the best of it on the first weekend of the season.

March 12, 2013

Track and Field: OU's Tia Brooks Breaks NCAA Record

It was another brilliant performance for redshirt senior Tia Brooks, as she crashed through the women's collegiate and NCAA championship shot put record with a personal-best throw of 63-0.75/19.22m at the Randal Tyson Track Complex on Saturday evening in Fayetteville, Ark.

“It feels amazing. That’s definitely been a goal all year, and to get there feels like a huge weight has been lifted," explained Brooks. "I feel so blessed to be able to do this."

She becomes the first woman in NCAA history to ever surpass the 63-foot barrier, and recorded the best throw in the shot put since North Carolina's Laura Gerraughty threw 62-10.0 (19.15m) in 2004. Additionally, she surpasses her own program-record of 62-4.00 (19.00m) set at last year's NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships.

Wrestling: Four Sooners Named Academic All-Big 12

Four University of Oklahoma student-athletes were named to the 2013 Academic All-Big 12 Wrestling Team, announced Tuesday by the conference office in Irving, Texas.

The group is highlighted by senior Patrick Graham and junior All-American Kendic Maple, who are the lone wrestlers in the conference with 4.00 GPAs. Graham and Maple are joined by senior Dillon Dennis on the All-Academic first team, while junior Nolan McBryde earned second team honors.

A total of 10 Big 12 student-athletes earned first team recognition, while eight individuals made up the second team.

Softball: Sooners Become Consensus No. 1 Team

For the first time in program history, the University of Oklahoma softball teams is the consensus No. 1 team in the nation.

The Sooners, 22-1 on the season, earned all 31 first-place votes in the USA Today/National Fastpitch Coaches Association Poll and 18 of 20 votes from the ESPN.com/USA Softball Collegiate Poll, both of which were released Tuesday.

The team has now been atop the USA Softball poll for five consecutive weeks after entering the season with just two appearances as the No. 1 team in either poll. It’s the second time the Sooners have been No. 1 in the NFCA poll, first earning the mark after winning the 2000 national championship.

Sherri Coale to Lead USA at World University Games

University of Oklahoma head women's basketball coach Sherri Coale will lead Team USA at the 2013 Women's World University Games this summer in Kazan, Russia, USA Basketball announced Tuesday.

It is Coale's first head coaching assignment with USA Basketball. Coale served as an assistant for the 2001 bronze-medal winning Junior World Championship Team and as a USA Basketball Women's Collegiate Committee member from 2005 to 2008.

"It was an absolute honor to serve USA Basketball as both an assistant coach and a selection committee member," Coale said. "Representing our country via this sport that I love is the ultimate opportunity--an opportunity that I don't take lightly and one that I am humbled to accept."

Football Season Ticket Prices Will Not Increase in 2013

Oklahoma Football season tickets for 2013 will remain priced at the same level for the second consecutive season OU vice president for intercollegiate athletic programs and director of athletics Joe Castiglione announced.

"Thanks to the continued passion and loyalty of Oklahoma fans, there truly is no game day atmosphere in America quite like Gaylord Family - Oklahoma Memorial Stadium," said Castiglione. "We are holding season ticket prices steady this season as a way to recognize and thank our dedicated fans for their unwavering support. Under the leadership of Coach Stoops, the Sooners are one of college football's most consistently successful teams, and we are looking forward to another exciting season in 2013."

March 11, 2013

Golf: Sooners Take Clover Cup

The No. 3 University of Oklahoma women’s golf team carded a third-round 292 (+4) Sunday to claim its third tournament victory of the season, winning the 16-team Clover Cup in Mesa, Ariz. The tournament, which featured five teams ranked in the Golfweek/Sagarin Top 35, was played at the 6,209-yard, par-72 Longbow Golf Club.

OU posted a three-round score of 862 (-2) to finish 18 strokes ahead of second-place SMU. The Sooners placed five golfers in the top 20.

“We played solid all week,” said OU head coach Veronique Drouin-Luttrell, who watched her Sooners claim their seventh tournament title in the last three years. “Everyone had been practicing hard since our last event and it paid off for this one. I’m really proud of everyone for the hard work they’ve put in. We’ve been consistent and very focused this week. Practice was key.”

Jonathan Gray Named Big 12 Pitcher of the Week

The No. 17-ranked University of Oklahoma baseball team's junior right-handed starting pitcher Jonathan Gray has been named the Big 12 Conference's Pitcher of the Week, marking the second time a Sooner hurler has earned such honors this season. Junior southpaw starting pitcher Dillon Overton achieved such recognition on Feb. 18.

Oklahoma Gray's arm to a 4-0 victory at then-No. 12-ranked UCLA last Saturday in Los Angeles. Gray put together a masterful performance on the mound for OU, fanning a season-high eight over seven scoreless frames to improve to 3-1 on the season. The Sooners posted their first shutout since blanking Baylor, 1-0, in 10 innings on May 12, 2012. Gray is tied for fourth in the league with 27 strikeouts while ranking fifth in opponent batting average (.187) and seventh in innings pitched (26.2)

Report: Center Gabe Ikard Injures Hand

Injuries ravaged Oklahoma's offensive line throughout last season. This spring has brought more of the same. Oklahoma starting center Gabe Ikard injured his snapping hand Sunday during the Sooners' second spring practice, multiple sources told ESPN.com.

The hand is believed to be broken, though the Sooners are expected to get X-ray confirmation. If the hand is broken, as expected, Ikard could miss the rest of spring drills.

Gymnastics: Sooners Reclaim No. 1 Ranking

The University of Oklahoma women's gymnastics team reclaimed the No. 1 spot in the GymInfo rankings released Monday.

After ranking in the top spot two weeks ago, the Sooners scored a 197.875 and a 197.525 in two separate meets over the weekend to jump past Florida again with a 197.570 Regional Qualifying Score (RQS) compared to the Gators' 197.440. This week marks the fourth week in program history the squad has been ranked No. 1 after also doing so two different weeks during the 2010 season.

MBB: Romero Osby Named First-Team All-Big 12

University of Oklahoma men's basketball players Romero Osby, Amath M'Baye and Steven Pledger have been named to the 2013 All-Big 12 Team, the conference announced Sunday.  Osby was selected to the first team while M'Baye and Pledger were third-team honorees.  M'Baye was also named to the six-member Big 12 All-Rookie Team.

Osby, a senior forward, is OU's first first-team All-Big 12 selection since Blake Griffin in 2009.  The Meridian, Miss., product, who transferred from Mississippi State three years ago, is the Sooners' leading scorer (15.7 ppg) and rebounder (6.9 rpg) this season.  In Big 12 play, he ranked first in the league in field goals (109), second in scoring (17.8 ppg), third in field goal percentage (.540) and fifth in rebounding (7.3 rpg) and free throw percentage (.776).

March 9, 2013

March 8, 2013

WBB: Sooners Earn Big 12 Honors

Oklahoma's Aaryn Ellenberg was a unanimous selection to the All-Big 12 Women's Basketball First Team and Portia Durrett was voted the league's Co-Newcomer of the Year, the conference announced Thursday.

Ellenberg, voted to the first team for the second straight year, was the Big 12's third-leading scorer with 19.0 points per game. The junior guard made an Oklahoma single-season record 98 3-pointers in 2012-13 and led the conference in 3-pointers made per game (3.3) and 3-point percentage (.428).

Joanna McFarland, who led the league in rebounding and totaled 10 double-doubles in conference play, was named to the All-Big 12 Second Team. Honorable mentions went to juniors Nicole Griffin and Morgan Hook.

March 7, 2013

OU-Baylor Football Game Moved to Thursday Night

The Big 12 Conference announced Thursday that the University of Oklahoma football road game at Baylor will be played on Thursday, Nov. 7. The game will be broadcast to a national primetime television audience by either FOX or ESPN.

Further information regarding kickoff time and the network telecasting the game will be announced at a later date.

Former Sooner Rhett Bomar Arrested on Reckless Driving Complaint

An assistant football coach for Orange Grove ISD was arrested Tuesday afternoon for reckless driving and failure to yield to an emergency vehicle.

According to Orange Grove police, Rhett Bomar veered to avoid an officer with his emergency lights on to assist students in a crosswalk at a school zone.

Seven Sooners Earn Lage Award

Seven University of Oklahoma student-athletes have earned the Big 12's second annual Dr. Gerald Lage award, the conference's highest academic honor.

In order to be eligible for the accolade, student-athletes must have lettered at least once in their career while maintaining residence at their institution for at least one academic year. The honoree, which can only be recognized once, should have 100 hours of earned credit with a cumulative grade-point average of 3.80 at the time of the nomination.

March 6, 2013

Gymnastics: Brie Olson Named AAI Award Finalist

University of Oklahoma gymnast Brie Olson was named one of six finalists for the AAI Award recognizing the most outstanding senior female gymnast in the country, American Athletic, Inc., announced Wednesday.

A native of St. Cloud, Minn., Olson is a three-time All-American for the second-ranked Sooners who currently ranks in the top 25 nationally in the all-around and all four events, one of two gymnasts in the country to do so. The senior currently sits at No. 7 in the country in the all-around in addition to being ranked No. 5 on beam, No. 11 on floor, No. 16 on bars and No. 22 on vault.

Olson has tied or set new career highs in every event this season, helping Oklahoma to as high as a No. 1 ranking in the nation this season. Olson tied an OU record and recorded the highest all-around score by any senior in the country this season against No. 5 UCLA, recording a 39.700 in OU's win over the Bruins.

Three Sooners on 2013 College Football HOF Ballot

The National Football Foundation announced Tuesday that University of Oklahoma alums Brian Bosworth, Randy Hughes and Rod Shoate are among the 77 players listed on the 2013 College Football Hall of Fame ballot. The announcement of the Class of 2013 will be made on May 7 and inductions will take place at the 56th National Football Foundation Annual Awards Dinner on Dec. 10.

All-Stater Deondre Clark No Longer Considering OU

Deondre Clark, a 6-foot-3, 240-pound defensive end who set a school record with 22 sacks last season to earn a spot on The Oklahoman's All-State team, has offers from all across the country, and he has been gaining a lot of interest in the Southeastern Conference. LSU, Texas A&M, Georgia, Missouri, Ole Miss and several others have offered Clark, and a few of them — along with Alabama — will likely be among his final choices. Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, USC and more than a dozen other schools have offered Clark, who was No. 1 on The Oklahoman's Super 30 recruiting rankings for the 2014 class.

WBB: Sooners Face West Virginia in Big 12 Tourney

The University of Oklahoma will face West Virginia in a Big 12 Women's Basketball Championship quarterfinal matchup at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas, Saturday, March 9, at 8:30 p.m.

The Sooners (21-9, 11-9 Big 12) tied for third in the Big 12 with Texas Tech, but earned the No. 3 seed with a regular-season sweep of the Lady Raiders after a 77-73 victory in Lubbock Monday night.

March 5, 2013

Track And Field: DMR Squad Breaks School Record

Four Sooners combined to break the school record in the 4,000-meter distance medley relay Friday night when they stopped the clock in 9:29.44 at the Alex Wilson Invitational in South Bend, Ind.

Frezer Legesse ran the first leg of 1,200-meters, and was followed by Jamel Wood and Malcolm Wankel who ran 400 and 800 meters, respectively. Patrick Casey, who took home two individual Big 12 titles just a week a go anchored Oklahoma with his 1,600-meter run to propel the quartet past the 9:30.00 barrier to own the school record.

Gymnastics: Haley Scaman Named Big 12 Newcomer of the Week

University of Oklahoma women's gymnast Haley Scaman was named Big 12 Newcomer of the Week by the conference on Tuesday.

The award is the fourth weekly honor this season for Scaman, who earned recognition for her performance at TWU on Friday. The Riverside, Ill., native tied a career high on vault with a 9.9 to help OU to a top 10 all-time team score on the event. Scaman also recorded a 9.85 on floor, helping her maintain her No. 4 nationally ranking, tops among all freshmen in the country. Scaman is also ranked nationally on vault at No. 17 overall.

Big Boomer Barbeque Set For April 13

The second annual Big Boomer Barbeque is slated for Saturday, April 13, prior to the University of Oklahoma Spring Football Game presented by U.S. Fleet Tracking.

The Big Boomer Barbeque will be held immediately north of Gaylord Family - Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in the Brooks Street parking lot located near McCasland Field House. A total of 1,000 tickets will be available for fans wishing to enjoy barbecue from several local vendors, plus chips and a beverage for only $10. No advance tickets will be sold.

Gymnastics: Former Sooner Jacob Dalton Wins American Cup

Former OU gymnast and 2012 Olympian Jacob Dalton won the 2013 AT&T American Cup Saturday with an all-around score of 89.398 in Worcester, Mass.

Competing against eight of the best international gymnasts, Dalton won the floor, rings, vault and high bar titles in addition to the all-around crown.

A letter winner at OU from 2010-12, Dalton's all-around score was over two points higher than Ukraine's Oleg Verniaiev, who finished second. Dannell Leyva, the only other U.S. gymnast selected to compete, finished sixth with an 85.265.

WBB: OU Edges Texas Tech, 77-73

Texas Tech's seniors continued to make big play after big play, but Oklahoma always found an answer and outlasted the Lady Raiders 77-73, spoiling Monday's senior night at United Spirit Arena.
Aaryn Ellenberg scored 25 points and Joanna McFarland added 16 of her 18 in the second half as Oklahoma (21-9, 11-7 Big 12) secured the No. 3 seed for the Big 12 Tournament with a regular-season sweep of Texas Tech (21-9, 11-7).

"There were lot of heroes in the last four minutes," OU head coach Sherri Coale said. "Tech made big plays and we had to score. And every time we had to score, we scored.

March 4, 2013

Tennis: OU Falls to No. 1 Virginia

The No. 5 University of Oklahoma men's tennis team fell to No. 1 Virginia, 6-1, Sunday, March 3, in Charlottesville, Va.

"Virginia played very well today and showed why they are ranked No.1," OU head coach John Roddick said.

Virginia entered the match after winning the ITA National Team Indoors in Seattle, Wash., Monday, Feb. 18.

March 2, 2013

Baseball: No. 10 Oklahoma Defeats Pepperdine, 10-7

Thanks to a seven-run third inning, the No. 10-ranked University of Oklahoma baseball team improved to 10-0 on the season with a 10-7 win over No. 29-ranked Pepperdine Friday at L. Dale Mitchell Park. The Sooners are off to their best start since flying out of the gates to a 16-0 mark in 2011.

A trio of freshmen at the bottom of the order made an impact offensively for the Sooners. Catcher Anthony Hermelyn, infielder Kolbey Carpenter and outfielder Hunter Haley each drove in two runs to contribute to OU's cause, with Haley hitting his first collegiate home run to lead off the scoring barrage in the third.

Softball: Sooners Shutout Houston, 6-0

NORMAN, Okla. -- Friday may have been the team’s first game at home, but the No. 1 Oklahoma softball team continued to play just as it did in its first 15 games out West.

Keilani Ricketts struck out 14 and extended her scoreless streak to 30.1 innings as Oklahoma topped Houston, 6-0, in front of 720 fans in the Sooners’ home opener at Marita Hynes Field. It was OU’s 11th shutout in 16 games this year and the team earned run average was lowered to a scant 0.79.

March 1, 2013

Sooners Add Jay Boulware to Coaching Staff

NORMAN, Okla. -- University of Oklahoma head coach Bob Stoops announced Friday that Jay Boulware has joined the OU Football staff. He will coach tight ends and will also have special teams duties to be further defined at a later date. Boulware spent the last four seasons at Auburn as tight ends coach and special teams coordinator, where he helped the Tigers to an undefeated 2010 campaign and a victory in the 2011 BCS Championship Game.

"Jay owns an impressive track record as both a coach and recruiter," Stoops said. "He possesses a wide range of coaching experience, competing in some of the nation's toughest conferences. He also has strong ties in the state of Texas, as well as recruiting relationships across the country that will serve us well at the University of Oklahoma. We enthusiastically welcome Jay back to his roots in the Big 12."

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