Year in Review Oklahoma Started Its Women’S Basketball Program for the 1974-75 Season and Is Approaching Its 1,000Th Game
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Milestones and Achievements 1,000TH GAME IN SOONER HISTORY Year in Review Oklahoma started its women’s basketball program for the 1974-75 season and is approaching its 1,000th game. OU’s final game of 2007-08 was its 999th, making the 2008- 09 season opener the program’s 1,000th. OU’s all-time record is 578-421 (.579). BIG 12 PLAYER OF THE YEAR Courtney Paris was named the Big 12 Player of the Year for a second consecutive season and defensive Player of the Year for a third time in as many years. Paris dominated with averages of 19 points, 15 rebounds and 3.5 blocks. She led the conference in rebounding and was second in scoring. Nationally, Paris was the only player to rank in the top 50 in more than three of the eight major statistical categories -- she ranked in the top 26 of four. 60 WEEKS...AND COUNTING With Oklahoma’s finish at No. 19 in the eSPN/USA Today coaches polls, the Sooners have appeared in the rankings for 59 straight polls (including preseason). The number matches the program record of appearing in 60 straight coaches polls from week 11 of the 1999- 2000 season to week 13 of the 2002-03 season. Celebrating Super Fans In the aP poll, the Sooners have been ranked in the past 57 weeks. OU’s program record for • Jan. 27, 2008: Just as impressive as Thompson’s 18 points were her two blocks on two NATIONAL ATTENDANCE LEADER consecutive weeks ranked in the aP poll is 59 (from week 11 of the 1999-2000 season to The Sooners capped their 34th season with a 22-9 record, a third-place finish in the Big 12 straight possessions at the end of the game as Ou held on to a win over Georgia, 65-57. Thanks to the team’s loyal fans, Oklahoma was a national leader in home attendance once week 11 of the 2002-03 season.) and their 10th straight postseason appearance -- ninth in the NCAA Championship. Sherri Courtney Paris broke Sophia Young’s Big 12 career rebounds record. again in 2008. after 13 home games, OU’s per game attendance average was 10,254, No. Coale earned her 250th win as the Sooners’ head coach and courtney Paris was named a 3 in the nation for average home attendance. The two teams recording greater attendance The past stints including 26 consecutive weeks being ranked in the Top 10. consensus all-American for the third straight season, becoming the first Ou player to do so. • Feb. 3, 2008: Courtney Paris nearly amassed a triple-double -- Tennessee and connecticut -- have larger home seating capacities than OU. with 20 points, 14 rebounds and eight blocks -- she had 14 COALE’S 250TH VICTORY AmaZing Attendance Sherri coale earned her 250th victory in her 12th year as the head coach of the Oklahoma The Sooners have built one of the largest fan followings in the nation. Here’s a quick look at Year in Review Timeline points, eight rebounds and seven blocks in the first half – as Sooners. The Sooners defeated Texas a&M, 68-56, on Tuesday, feb. 12, for the milestone • Nov. 11, 2007: Oklahoma fights back from a 42-24 halftime deficit to No. 4 maryland, but the attendance records set recently by the program: the Sooners dominated Texas, 74-58, in Austin. win. coale is OU’s and the Big 12’s all-time leader in coaching victories. the Terrapins prevail 76-66 at the State farm Tipoff classic in chapel Hill, N.C. • 2002 - NCAA Championship Game Record attendance (29,619) • Feb. 7, 2008: Ashley Paris is named to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District 6 First THIRD CONSECUTIVE 20-WIN SEASON • Nov. 15, 2007: cP3 vs. cP3 -- candace Parker and courtney Paris meet for the first time. • 2007 - Big 12 championship Game Record attendance (12,413) Team. She and her sister, courtney, later represented Ou on the all-Big 12 academic Team. Oklahoma captured its third consecutive 20-win season and 13th in the program’s history The Sooners force No. 1 Tennessee down to the wire, leading until alexis Hornbuckle sank • 2008 - Oklahoma state record for women’s basketball attendance (13,611) with its victory against Oklahoma State on feb. 23. it was just the third time Ou has • 2008 - Program record No. 3 national attendance ranking (10,254) two free throws with 26.7 seconds remaining. • Feb. 9, 2008: courtney Paris matched cisti Greenwalt’s Big 12 career blocks record at 300 recorded three consecutive seasons of 20-plus wins. maura mcHugh’s Sooners did so from • 2008 - lloyd Noble center three consecutive sellouts to finish season during OU’s 82-66 victory against colorado. 1984 to 1986 (22-23-24) and coale’s group also matched the feat in 2000-02 (25-28-32). • Nov. 22, 2007: Oklahoma earned its first win of the season in cancun, mexico, against No. • 2008 - averaged 42 percent increase for opponent during road games 14 arizona State as ashley Paris scored a then-career-high 21 points. • Feb. 12, 2008: On OU’s “Pack the Place Pink Night,” Sherri coale earned her 250th win and PARIS PASSES 2,000 Record Season TicKets Sold Courtney Paris collected her 88th career double-double to pass Tim duncan’s NCAA men’s With her sixth point against Oklahoma State, Sunday, feb. 23, courtney Paris reached 2,000 • Nov. 23, 2007: courtney Paris’ infamous double-double streak was finally stopped…but The Ou athletics Ticket Office sold 6,596 season ticket packages. The number breaks the record of 87. career points quicker than any player in Big 12 or Oklahoma history. Paris was playing her not by a player. a total of 36 scoring errors in OU’s 88-73 win over mississippi State are record of 6,465 season tickets bought in 2006-07. 94th game. Paris finished the game with 18 points to boost her career total to 2,012. corrected based on game video one week later, reinstating the record. • Feb. 20, 2008: Trailing by 10 to the Big 12 leader Kansas The Sooner fan base is one of the nation’s fastest growing. The Oklahoma women’s PARIS TAKES ANOTHER BIG 12 RECORD • Dec. 5, 2007: freshman danielle Robinson emerges as one of the nation’s premier rookies basketball team ranked No. 4 in home attendance last season, averaging 10,437 fans. That State, the Sooners outscore the Wildcats 40-27 in the second If passing 2,000 career points faster than any other player in Big 12 history wasn’t enough, with a 14-point, seven-steal game in OU’s 77-67 win at illinois. half for a 68-65 victory on the road. was an increase of 37 percent from the 2005-06 season when lloyd Noble center games Courtney Paris literally grabbed her second Big 12 record in the game against Oklahoma averaged 7,630, which was an increase of 35 percent over the previous season. State (Feb. 23). Paris grabbed a career-high 11 offensive boards to overtake Baylor’s Sophia • Dec. 16, 2007: Down 11 at halftime, Amanda Thompson • Feb. 23, 2008: Thompson provided a career-high 23 points as Ou inflicted revenge on Young (489, 2003-06) as the Big 12 career offensive rebounds leader. The Circus Comes to Town rival Oklahoma State in its 81-71 dogfight in front of a standing-room-only crowd. leads the Sooners’ rally against Michigan State by recording When connecticut visited Norman, Okla., to play the Sooners during the 1999-2000 season, KAY YOW CANCER FUND AUCTION a then-record crowd of 10,713 attended the game at the lloyd Noble center. Ou head coach her first double-double. • March 7, 2008: courtney Paris is named the Big 12’s Player of the Year and defensive Oklahoma fans raised $8,041 for the Kay Yow cancer fund through an online auction on Sherri coale likened the experience to “the circus coming to town.” Player of the Year. Robinson is named freshman of the Year and is the lone freshman on the SoonerSports.com. Bids were made on several items used in the Sooners’ “Pack the Place • Dec. 20, 2007: The Sooners set program records for halftime scoring margin and matched All-Defensive Team. Pink Night” against Georgia to promote the WBCA’s “Think Pink” Week. a program record for points allowed in a half (11) in its 121-48 rout of central arkansas. It seems that Oklahoma now has its own three rings. a visit by the Sooners in 2007-08 boosted its opponent’s attendance by 42 percent over its season average. • March 23, 2008: The Sooners win their third consecutive NCAA first round game against • 12 Pink Warm-up T-shirts raised $2,591, or $216 per shirt. • Jan. 9, 2008: The Sooners reeled off a 10th straight win in a 67-64 victory at iowa State. Illinois State. • The official game ball raised $2,550. Robinson scored 23 points and added seven rebounds. Bedlam Sets Attendance Record • coach coale’s signed Jimmy choo’s stiletto heels raised $2,600. The Bedlam rematch between Oklahoma and Oklahoma State on feb. 23 set a lloyd Noble • March 25, 2008: charel allen scores 35 for Notre dame as the fighting irish defeat • Jan. 12, 2008: The 13,611 in attendance at Gallagher-Iba arena to watch Oklahoma and Center women’s basketball attendance record of 12,205. The game, which sold out 30 days Oklahoma 79-75 in overtime in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.