SportsXtra Blog

Men’s Picks Tomorrow

koco5 — Thu, 08 Mar 2007 01:33:00 +0000

OU by 12 over Iowa State
Texas Tech by 16 over Colorado (Farewell Ricardo Patton. You would have caught more grief for wearing a Buffalo on your shirt pocket if you weren’t a black belt in karate).
OSU by 6 over Nebraska
Baylor by 4 over Missouri

Sherri’s Shoes

koco5 — Thu, 08 Mar 2007 01:26:00 +0000

Well reputed shoe fiend Sherri Coale does not disappoint for the first round. I am not well-versed enough in shoe-dom to tell if tonight’s rendition is Jimmy Choo or Manolo Blanik. (Should get a raise if I spelled that right). Red and black combination with stilleto heels. Probably cost enough to pay my mortgage for a month. More tomorrow. Expect her to raise game with potential showdown vs. Kim Mulkey of Baylor. Once in Waco against the Sooners, Mulkey took a page out of Oral Roberts’ book with an all white suit.

OU Men’s Post-season

koco5 — Thu, 08 Mar 2007 01:14:00 +0000

The NIT guarantees a bid to all regular season conference winners that fail to win the league tournament. Currently riding a six game losing streak, OU seems on the outside looking in for any activity following the Big 12 Tournament. Quick math tells you that the more regular season conference champions that win their conference tournaments, the more spots available in the NIT. Tonight, Sooners’ fans should root for Central Connecticut State against Sacred Heart and Northern Arizona against Weber State. Three league champions have already been beaten in conference tournaments that wouldn’t otherwise get a NCAA bid. Those teams are South Alabama (Sunbelt), East Tennessee St. (Atlantic Sun), Marist (MAAC).

Huge Crowd

koco5 — Thu, 08 Mar 2007 01:10:00 +0000

The Cox Center is full of red. A spirited OU women’s crowd is watching the Sooners wear down Texas. Oklahoma led by seven at half, while shooting a brick mason-like 30%. The Sooners lead the Longhorns by 13 with 16:00 minutes to go. It is consensus among a few of the OU athletic department brass that this is the largest crowd to see a women’s tournament game in years. The crowd should only grow bigger this weekend.

Web Guy: Big 12 Hoops Online

koco5 — Wed, 07 Mar 2007 17:18:00 +0000

We started our coverage Tuesday with the debut of our Big 12 Tourney section, which will serve as our online headquarters for the week. In addition to this blog, we’ll have game stories, some video and a place for you to send your photos.

That’s right, because I’m here and you’re there, I’m curious as to just how much fun you’re having. Whether you’re showing off your school’s colors, celebrating a big win or having fun in Bricktown this week, post your photos in our Big 12 Tourney slideshow.

You can also send them to news@koco.com.

Now, the first day of the tourney produced a tough night for Kurt Budke’s OSU Cowgirls, and they’re gonna have to sweat it out until Monday, when they’ll find out if the Big Dance comes a-callin’. In the interim, you can check out ESPN.com’s women’s bracketology.

Charlie Creme has OSU in as a 10-seed, which as Chris noted on Monday just underscores the tremendous job Budke has done in Stillwater. The other Oklahoma women’s basketball miracle, albeit several years removed, is in as a No. 3 seed. Frankly, I hope he’s wrong about the bracket OU is in because both North Carolina and Ohio State stand out in the top half. The Buckeyes have beaten OU two years running, and while I definitely think the Sooners would cruise to the Final 8 in that bracket, I’m not crazy about their chances in the regional final.

With that said, the emergence of Fronteir’s Jenna Plumley changes everything, no? So, perhaps the Sooners will dominate.

Let’s just hope we have two teams to follow this year. As always, if you have questions about our Big 12 tourney coverage online, e-mail us at sports@koco.com.

Random Tournament Thoughts

koco5 — Tue, 06 Mar 2007 02:10:00 +0000

Nobody is talking about the OSU women. Let’s change that.

Kurt Budke has guided the biggest turnaround in women’s Division 1 basketball this season.
This team won six…that’s right six…games all of last season (including o-16 in conference and a first round exit in the conference tourney)

If OSU wins against Kansas tomorrow night the 21 wins will rank 3rd on the all-time single seasons win list at OSU. I believe the Cowgirls are in the NCAA tournament. A win tomorrow and there is no doubt about it.

Don’t be surprised if the ladies upset Baylor in the 2nd round. Budke should be up for National Coach of the Year.

Sherri Coale has done it again. Her Sooners are playing their best basketball of the season right now. The freshman, Plumley and Thompson, have been major difference makers. OU will become the first 2-seed to win the Big 12 Tournament Championship.

One more women’s note…
I covered Gary Blair in his first year as the head coach at A&M. The program was not in good shape. This guy can coach…in his second season he took the Aggies to the WNIT. Last year he went to the NCAA. This year his girls won the Big 12. Not a bad turnaround. The Ags will come up just short in the upcoming Big 12 Tourney.

As for the men….
OSU lacks heart. This team MUST win the Big 12 to get in the Big Dance. The chances of that happening are about as good as the chances of the Pokes coming back from the 16-point beat down they are enduring in Lincoln right now. I thought OSU would defeat Nebraska Thursday in Oklahoma City. After tonight’s display I’m not so sure. Obi is playing well, too bad the frosh is getting no help. OSU will make a first round exit.

OU lacks talent. Give this group credit, they play hard. They do not always play well but they give great effort. OU has lost six games in a row, they finished 6-10 in conference and without couple of wins in the Big 12 Tourney, the Sooners will end the nation’s longest postseason streak. I expect Oklahoma to beat Iowa State in the 1st round. OU will be back in Norman by 4 o’clock on Friday when KU takes them behind the woodshed.

Cowgirls Ride into OKC

koco5 — Mon, 05 Mar 2007 22:19:00 +0000

Going to the Ford Center this afternoon to watch a little practice for the OSU women’s basketball team. The Cowgirls could be a team to watch this week. They were within a point of Baylor with under five minutes to go in Waco on Valentine’s Day. Since then, they’ve won twice on the road and could have a big crowd behind them this week. Look for more with Kurt Budke tonight at 6pm.

koco5 — Mon, 05 Mar 2007 21:46:00 +0000

The Big 12 Women’s Tourney gets started tomorrow at the Cox Center. Just in case you missed Sunday Sports Xtra here are our picks to win:

Men’s Tournament:
Rodgers: Texas A&M
Callahan: Texas
Rigg: Texas

Women’s Tournament:
Rodgers: Oklahoma
Callahan: Oklahoma
Rigg: Oklahoma

Be sure to check our website all week long for updates from downtown OKC.