Sooners Roll Over SC State

Friday, March 21st 2003, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

(Oklahoma City-AP) -- Hollis Price played only 11 minutes as the top-seeded Sooners rolled to a 71-to-54 victory over South Carolina State in the first round of the NCAA East Regional.

Price strained his left groin Sunday in the Big 12 tournament title game against Missouri. Price can rest a while before Oklahoma plays California tomorrow.

Cal beat North Carolina State 76-to-74 in overtime yesterday.

Several other players picked up the slack for Price, the Big 12 Player of the year who averaged 19-point-five points per game.

De'Angelo Alexander scored 16 points, Blake Johnston had a career-high 15 and Jabahri Brown had 12 points and nine rebounds for the Sooners, who are 25-and-6.

They are seeking their second straight trip to the Final Four.

Dustin Braddick scored 15 points for South Carolina State, which is 20-and-11.