Missouri - Oklahoma Postgame Notes - University of Missouri Athletics

March 23, 2002

Oklahoma is 28-20 (.583) all-time in NCAA Championship play and 12-8 as a West Region participant. Missouri finishes the season with a 17-20 (.459) all-time in NCAA play. The Sooners advance to their fourth Final Four overall (1939, 1947, 1988) and first since 1988 when the Sooners advanced to the national championship game (lost to Kansas 79-83 in Kansas City, Mo.).

Oklahoma is 9-1 (.900) this season versus 2001-02 Sweet Sixteen teams. The Sooners are 9-0 in neutral-site games this season. Missouri finished the season 7-3 on neutral floors.

Oklahoma won its ninth straight game versus Missouri to increase its all-time series lead to 108-88. In neutral site games, the Sooners now lead the Tigers 16-13. Missouri last defeated OU 89-80 in the 1997 Big 12 Tournament.

Big 12 Conference teams are now12-4 in the NCAA Tournament this season. Oklahoma becomes the first Big 12 Conference team to reach the Final Four since the league began play in 1996-97.

OU Coach Kelvin Sampson is now 11-5 against Missouri as the head coach of Oklahoma and 6-0 all-time against Missouri coach Quin Snyder.

Missouri's Clarence Gilbert played in his eighth career NCAA Tournament game, the most in school history. Gilbert and Oklahoma's Aaron McGhee were the only senior starters in today's game.

McGhee scored 9 of his 15 points (five on two field goals, four free-throws) in the final 5:01 of the contest. He is averaging 21.8 points and 7.0 rebounds during the tournament.

Oklahoma's floor lineup featured a combined total of 18 personal fouls (out of a possible 20) at game's end.

Oklahoma, which entered the game hitting 83 percent of its free throw attempts during the tournament, hit 24 of 32 (75%), and is now shooting 80.5 percent from the line (83 of 103). The Sooners had only one field goal last five minutes (McGhee's trey with 2:14). OU attempted 16 free throws in final five minutes, making 13. The Sooners hit 17 of their final 21 free throws. By contrast, Mizzou was 13 for 27 from the line at one point. Missouri made their final 7 free throws overall to finish the game at 58.8 percent (20 of 34). Oklahoma committed its 10th team foul with 10:43 left in the game, giving Mizzou double-bonus opportunities on fouls from that point forward.

Oklahoma led by as many as 9 points on three occasions in the first half. Missouri led twice in the first half for a total of 54 seconds (18:44 to 18:03) and (2:44 to 2:31) and did not lead in the second half. OU led by as many as 10 on four different occasions in the second half (final time led by 79-69 with 33.4 seconds remaining).

Missouri's Kareem Rush scored Missouri's first five points and seven of the Tigers' first 11. Oklahoma's Ebi Ere scored eight straight points to lift the Sooners to a 10-5 lead with his final field goal being a putback at with 17:08 left in the first half. After Missouri cut the lead to 10-9, OU went on a 10-2 run from 15:48 to 13:14 to lead 20-11. Oklahoma's Aaron McGhee picked up his 3rd foul with 5:40 left in the first half and Missouri made a 14-4 run, culminating with a Kareem Rush free throw that gave the Tigers a 32-31 lead. OU finished the first half with a 10-1 run, capped by a Hollis Price three-pointer, to take a 41-33 lead.

Missouri went on a 9-3 run to reduce a 51-43 deficit to 54-52 at 10:43 to play after Oklahoma coach Kelvin Sampson received a technical foul with 14:43 remaining in the second half. OU then went on a 7-1 run beginning at 8:03 to increase its lead to 61-54. Mizzou made it 70-67 with 2:41 left, but would get no closer.

Halftime Team Stats: Rebounds - OU 24, Mizzou 19, Turnovers - Mizzou 7, OU 3. Mizzou committed only 1 turnover in the final 6:23 of the 1st half.

Missouri guard/forward Rickey Paulding averaged 18.3 points during tournament after today's 22-point effort.

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Missouri - Oklahoma Postgame Notes

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