OU article

[Pony_Fan]

Rebounding says it all for OU
40-18 domination gives Sooners win

12:41 AM CST on Sunday, January 1, 2006
Associated Press

NORMAN, Okla. – A rebounding rout resulted in Oklahoma's most impressive win of the season.

Led by the frontline duo of Kevin Bookout and Taj Gray, the No. 14 Sooners outrebounded Alabama 40-18 in a 68-56 victory on Saturday.

Senior guard Terrell Everett had a career-high 10 assists for the Sooners, who extended their home winning streak at Lloyd Noble Center against nonconference opponents to 46 games, the longest in Division I.

"You have to take what you're good at and work with it," Oklahoma coach Kelvin Sampson said.

For Oklahoma, that is rebounding.

The Sooners (8-2) entered the game third in the nation in rebounding margin at plus-12.6 per game. This season, Oklahoma has outrebounded Samford by 28 and Belmont by 22 and has only been beaten on the boards by one team, Oral Roberts.

But Alabama (6-5), the preseason favorite to win the Southeastern Conference's West Division, isn't Samford or Belmont or Binghamton or Southern, teams that have dotted Oklahoma's early season schedule. The Crimson Tide's three starting frontline players were 6-10, 6-8 and 6-8, giving Alabama a slight size advantage over Oklahoma.

But it did little good for the Crimson Tide, who had one offensive rebound the entire game – compared to 16 for the Sooners.

The rebounding came from almost every position for the Sooners. Bookout had 18 points and eight rebounds, while Gray finished with 13 points and seven rebounds. The pair combined to go 11-of-11 from the free throw line. The Sooners missed only one of 18 free throws.

[Stallion]

Wait until we sick the Senglenease Mantis on them

[SMUFan]

how classy

[ALEX LIFESON]

i have a bad feeling, it is gonna get gruesome on tuesday. mabey sampson will not let it get too ugly, out of respect for tubbs.

[SMUFan]

Didn't we get out-rebounded by TCU? Kevin Bookout could out-rebound the Frogs by himself.

Coach Sampson will want to impress Dallas recruits, but I agree, he likes Coach Tubbs and probably won't run it up too bad.

[PlanoStang]

Only a "a 68-56 victory" after that many rebounds?

Can't hit the broadside of a barn comes to mind.