Sooners play host to Oklahoma State

NORMAN, Okla. (AP) -- There are more than just bragging rights at stake when No. 16 Oklahoma plays host to 14th-ranked Oklahoma State on Saturday. Both teams are in the thick of the Big 12 Conference

Friday, February 11th 2000, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

NORMAN, Okla. (AP) -- There are more than just bragging rights at stake when No. 16 Oklahoma plays host to 14th-ranked Oklahoma State on Saturday. Both teams are in the thick of the Big 12 Conference race.

At 8-1, Oklahoma State is tied for the league lead; Oklahoma is a half-game back at 7-2. A loss would hurt each cause. Oklahoma State hasn't shown how well it can hold up on the road. The Cowboys have had a weak non conference road schedule to date, and lost one of those games.

Oklahoma has played at Texas, and was part of a great atmosphere when Cincinnati visited Lloyd Noble Center in December. But that won't compare to what's in store Saturday. "Just be ready," was Eduardo Najera's advice to his younger Oklahoma teammates. "It's an amazing environment." Najera and Oklahoma State's Desmond Mason are the leaders of their teams, and how well they play may determine which one wins.

Mason scored just six points when the Sooners won in Stillwater last year, then went 1-of-9 with four points in a loss in Norman that gave OU the regular-seasons sweep. But Adrian Peterson was Oklahoma State's go-to player last year. This year it's Mason, who has responded by averaging 19 points per game and five double-doubles. He scored 31 against Kansas on Monday night. "The thing I guess I appreciate about Desmond is early in his career he was a great athlete. He's always been a great athlete. But he's really become a good basketball player," Oklahoma coach Kelvin Sampson said. "He can knock down open shots, can create shots and always plays with great enthusiasm."

Najera has been remarkably consistent while averaging 19 points and 9.5 rebounds per game. His nine-rebound performance in just 26 minutes against Kansas State on Tuesday snapped a string of five consecutive double-doubles; he has 11 overall. "I think Najera is as good a player as we have in the league. He's a warrior," said OSU coach Eddie Sutton.

The game provides some interesting match ups. Oklahoma State plays man-to-man defense almost exclusively; Oklahoma mixes different zone sets in with its standard man-to-man look. Oklahoma State has a more productive front court, while Oklahoma relies on strong play from its guards. Freshman J.R. Raymond is the team's second-leading scorer, averaging 16 points per game. He, Tim Heskett and Kelley Newton are all shooting better than 40 percent from 3-point range, and Hollis Price is just a shade under that.

Oklahoma and Oklahoma State have each won five in a row. The Cowboys kept their streak alive by beating Kansas by 33 points Monday night. Oklahoma followed that with an easy victory ove rKansas State. "Oklahoma State had an unbelievable performance last night," Sampson said after the KSU game. "But don't forget we did last Monday, too. That's a pretty good team (Texas) we beat by 24."

Sutton said the game likely will be decided by which team shoots a better percentage. The Cowboys have shot 52 and 54 percent the past two games, and have played better defense as well. The result in both was an easy victory. No one expects an easy time in this game. "If we can come out with the same type of intensity Saturday, we have a very good chance against a great basketball team," OSU point guard Doug Gottlieb said. Said Sampson: "A really good team is going to lose that game."