OSU Coach Travis Ford Ready For First Bedlam

By Kyle Dierking, NewsOn6.com

STILLWATER, OK -- It was a word that wasn't a part of Travis Ford's vocabulary.

"Bedlam...I didn't even know what they were talking about," said Ford, OSU's first-year basketball coach. "You learn very quickly. It doesn't take long."

At first Ford didn't know what the rivalry was called but shortly after he got hired last spring, a trip to the ballpark gave him a taste of what Bedlam was all about.

"My first experience is I went over to the Bedlam baseball game in Oklahoma City when I first got the job," Ford said. "There was close to 14 to 15,000 people there to see a college baseball game. That was pretty exciting."

As for Ford's first Bedlam basketball experience, the superlatives won't subside until he takes part in the game.

"He says he doesn't know what to expect but he knows it's going to be crazy," said sophomore forward Marshall Moses. "I don't think he knows how crazy it's going to be. He aint seen nothing yet."

"He knows about it, trust me," said senior guard Terrel Harris. "He understands what's going on. He played in college."

THE MATCH-UP: #5 Oklahoma (19-1, 5-0 Big 12) vs. Oklahoma State (13-5, 2-2 Big 12)

THE SERIES: OU lead 123-89

LAST MEETING: March 5, 2008 (OU won 68-56 in Stillwater)

IN THE POLLS: OU is ranked 6th in the AP Poll and 5th in the ESPN/USA Today Poll. The Sooners are third in the RPI and OSU is 26th and has the toughest schedule strength in the Big 12.

NOTES: OSU sophomore guard Obi Muonelo has played in all but two minutes the last two games...OU forward Blake Griffin leads the Big 12 in scoring (22.2 points per game) and rebounding (13.8 rebounds per game)...OU coach Jeff Capel is 3-1 all-time against the Cowboys...OSU will be sporting new Nike shoes against the Sooners on Monday night.