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OU manhandles Texas
Sooners at 16-1 after whipping Longhorns

Oklahoma guard Tony Crocker drives past Texas' A.J. Abrams during their game Monday night in Norman. Crocker finished with 16 points and nine rebounds as the Sooners notched a 78-63 victory over the Longhorns. Stephen Pingry/Tulsa World

 
By GUERIN EMIG World Sports Writer
Published: 1/13/2009  2:20 AM
Last Modified: 1/13/2009  3:17 AM

 NORMAN — When it was over, Blake Griffin pumped a fist at the crowd and embraced Willie Warren. Cade Davis clasped hands and raised them above his head. Tony Crocker led teammates into the student section, then slapped five with a security guard.

Going 16-1 overall and 2-0 in the Big 12 Conference is nice.

Doing so with a 78-63 victory over Texas? After losing six straight Red River rumbles over the past three years?

Much, much nicer.

"We've heard so much talk about Texas," said Griffin, whose 20 points and 10 rebounds marked his NCAA-leading 14th double-double. "Talk about their big guys. Talk about their guards. Talk about (A.J.) Abrams. As a team, we feel like people disrespect us a little bit, with the way they talk about guards, and the way they talk about our post defense or anything like that.

"To come out and make a statement like this was big."

"Everyone talks about everyone else," said OU coach Jeff Capel. "We don't get enough respect in our own state. All I hear about is what we don't do well.

"I'm just saying... We're a good basketball team."

OU showed it Monday night in a 40-minute display that should earn it some of that sought-after attention.

The sixth-ranked Sooners took a 2-0 lead 20 seconds after tipoff, on Austin Johnson's drive past Damion James for a layup, and never let it go. It was 5-0 after James dropped off Johnson to double Griffin, leaving the OU point guard with an open 3. And it was 15-8 after Griffin
zipped his third 3 of the season. Then it was 24-8 when Davis' steal led to Crocker's lob and Griffin's slam.

"We didn't come out with the right intensity and they kind of brought it to us early in the game," said Abrams, the shot-happy guard who led Texas with 22.

The No. 11 Longhorns (12-4, 1-1) hung in long enough to get as close as 54-50 after a James 3-pointer with 11:10 remaining.

OU answered James' bomb by scoring 12 straight over the next six minutes to lock the door. All five starters had a hand in the run, and in the general outcome.

Crocker scored 16 points and totaled a career high-tying nine rebounds. Warren added 17 points, several of which came off acrobatic drives into the lane. Taylor Griffin helped with seven points and seven boards. And Johnson?

"He did a really good job on (Abrams)," Crocker said, "and on offense."

Besides hounding Abrams into 8-of-27 shooting, and a 3-of-15 effort outside the 3-point line, Johnson tossed in 15 points, his most since scoring 17 against USC on Dec. 4. He made 6-of-9 shots and handed out four assists versus just two turnovers.

He was as in control of the game as the Sooners, on a night they had changing the course of a rivalry on their minds.

Plus a whole lot more, as it turns out.

"We talked about respect," Crocker said. "They don't really respect us. We just went out to make a point, that we are one of the better teams. We feel that way. We feel like we can make a run."



Guerin Emig 581-8355
guerin.emig@tulsaworld.com
By GUERIN EMIG World Sports Writer

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Report Comment
Mr. Peterson, Bar Stool (1/13/2009 7:38:05 AM)
Nothing like the defeat of the longhorns by the Sooners.

BOOMER SOONER!!!
Report Comment
shaw411, Scottsdale, AZ (1/13/2009 7:51:59 AM)
Ditto!!!
Report Comment
Arbythree, Tulsa (1/13/2009 9:04:31 AM)
Triple Ditto!!!!!!!
Report Comment
pat, Kiefer (1/13/2009 9:17:25 AM)
BOOMER SOONER!!!!!!!
Report Comment
Roy D Mercer, (1/13/2009 11:13:03 AM)
Boomer Sooner!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Love beating the Cows...
 

 
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