NCAA Tournament 2000

Oklahoma Sooners
RECORD: 25-8 COACH: Sherri Coale | SEASON RESULTS

OUTLOOK

Second round: Defeated Purdue, 76-74

Sweet 16: Lost to Connecticut, 102-80

What a difference 10 years can make. After Oklahoma went 6-21 and drew an average of 65 people per home game during the 1989-90 season, the powers who ran the OU athletic department decided it was time to discontinue women's basketball. Of course, the announcement was roundly criticized, and eight days later, the university reinstated the program. Now, back in the present, the Sooners are having their best season since 1986, winning a share of the Big 12 regular-season title. Leading the way is all-everything senior Phylesha Whaley, the Big 12 Player of the Year who led the league in scoring with a 22.2 average. The 5-foot-10 forward, who has started more than 112 consecutive games, scored in double-figures in all 29 regular-season games, and also is averaging 8.2 rebounds. The supporting cast is solid, too, with LaNeishea Caufield (14.9 ppg), Stacey Dales (12.8 ppg, 5.7 apg) and Caton Hill (9.6 ppg, 7.2 rpg) also contributing. Key stat: Despite its success in the Big 12, consider Oklahoma's 84-68 loss to UConn on Dec. 29, and its disappointing Big 12 tournament outing (losing in the quarterfinals to sixth-seeded Texas).

PROBABLE STARTERS

F - Phylesha Whaley (5-10, Sr., 20.6 ppg, 8.2 rpg)
F - Caton Hill (6-1, Fr., 9.7 ppg, 7.3 rpg)
G - Sunny Hardeman (5-7, Jr., 4.9 ppg, 3.7 apg)
G - LaNeishea Caufield (5-9, So., 14.5 ppg, 4.8 rpg)
G - Stacey Dales (6-0, So., 12.8 ppg, 3.7 apg)

NOTABLE

NCAA Tournament titles: None
Final Four appearances: None
Best finish: 1986, 1995, advanced to second round
NCAA Tournament appearances: 3
NCAA Tournament record: 2-2
Last NCAA appearance: 1995, lost to Louisiana Tech, 48-36, second round

RANKINGS
Final ESPN/USA Today Top 25 ranking: No. 22.
Final The Associated Press poll ranking: No. 18.
Final Ratings Percentage Index ranking: No. 18.


Search for on