Sooners Hope To Start New Postseason Streak

NORMAN, Okla. (AP) _ After 25 consecutive postseason appearances, Oklahoma's players found themselves with a new activity after last season: spring break. <br/><br/>It was an unwanted and unsatisfying

Friday, November 2nd 2007, 7:45 am

By: News On 6

NORMAN, Okla. (AP) _ After 25 consecutive postseason appearances, Oklahoma's players found themselves with a new activity after last season: spring break.

It was an unwanted and unsatisfying conclusion to their first season under coach Jeff Capel, ending a quarter-century run of bids to the NCAA tournament or NIT that was the longest in the country.

The Sooners went 16-15 to salvage another streak of 26 straight winning seasons, but it was the first time since Billy Tubbs' debut in 1980-81 that the Sooners weren't a part of the postseason.

Injuries made depth a factor in Capel's first season. Point guards Austin Johnson and Bobby Maze both missed time, and forward Keith Clark was lost for the season after hurting his knee last December.

While Johnson has been hampered by an aching back, Clark is back at full strength. Maze was dismissed from the team, but the Sooners have added junior college transfer Omar Leary to help carry the load at point guard.

He's part of a well-rounded recruiting class that also features McDonald's All-American power forward Blake Griffin and guards Tony Neysmith and Cade Davis.