Price is wrong, and Sooners fall

<br>ATLANTA (AP) _ Oklahoma guards Hollis Price and Quannas White played 59 minutes between them and combined for one basket. <br><br>As good and scrappy and athletic as the Sooners are, that was too much

Sunday, March 31st 2002, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

ATLANTA (AP) _ Oklahoma guards Hollis Price and Quannas White played 59 minutes between them and combined for one basket.

As good and scrappy and athletic as the Sooners are, that was too much to overcome. They lost 73-64 to Indiana in the Final Four on Saturday, in large part because they got next to nothing from their guards.

Price, the team's leading scorer, finished with one 3-pointer and three free throws for six points, 11 less than his season average.

White, playing on an ankle he rolled in practice Thursday, didn't score a point.

A team that prides itself on finding ways to win, even when the shooting touch isn't there, couldn't win with this formula. Not with Price shooting 1-for-11. Not with White finishing with one assist.

And not with the game placed on the shoulders of big men only, who played the game in deep foul trouble, and gave up as much with their tentative defense as they produced with their consistent offense.

Indiana's Jeff Newton, a backup 6-foot-9, 210-pound forward who looks like a beanpole compared to Oklahoma's intimidating frontcourt, sliced and diced through the tentative Sooners to finish with 19 points, six rebounds and four blocked shots.

Aaron McGhee led Oklahoma with 22 points and eight rebounds, but the 6-8 forward watched the final 5 minutes from the bench with five fouls. Teammates Jabahri Brown (nine points in only 19 minutes) and Daryan Selvy (four points, four fouls) had the same frustrating stories to tell.

But at least the big men kept Oklahoma's offense running, which is more than Price or White can say.

The scouting report on Oklahoma says not to give Price any room once he reaches the perimeter, because he's a quick shooter who only needs the tiniest bit of space to get his shot off.

With guards A.J. Moye, Dane Fife leading the effort, Indiana followed that plan perfectly, and by the time Price finally got some open shots, he was totally off his rhythm.

Late in the first half, he missed a pair of open 3-pointers _ great shots on most days for a guy who sank 83 shots from behind the arc this season.

He threw up a wide-open air ball with 15 minutes left.

His only make of the night came with 5:44 left, a 3-pointer from the corner to cut Oklahoma's deficit to 57-53. Indiana's Kyle Hornsby answered 19 seconds later with a 3-pointer of his own _ it was just that kind of night for the Sooners.

Fittingly, Oklahoma's last chance came on a blown opportunity between White and Price.

Trailing by six with 1:50 left, White dribbled under the basket, jumped in the air and saw Price spotted up at the top of the key for a wide-open 3. Price missed it.

From there, Indiana made a bunch of free throws, and Oklahoma's season came to an end one game and two wins short of the ultimate goal.