NORMAN, Okla. -- Taj Gray hasn't played in either of the big
rivalries for No. 18 Oklahoma yet, but he knows what they're all
about.
Texas brings a gritty, physical inside game and Oklahoma State a
rugged, lockdown defense -- and both will come to Norman in the span
of three days.
"These two games are pretty much toughness games," Gray said.
The brief homestand, although in January, could be pivotal in
deciding where the Sooners find themselves in the Big 12 standings
at the end of the season.
The Sooners (14-2, 3-0 Big 12) enter the game as one of two
teams -- along with Kansas -- that remain undefeated in Big 12 play.
No. 15 Texas (14-3, 3-1) and the fifth-ranked Cowboys (13-2, 3-1)
are right behind.
To keep pace, Oklahoma must defend its home turf against the
Longhorns on Saturday and Oklahoma State on Monday. The Sooners are
8-0 at home and have won all of the games by at least eight points.
Of late, they've been finding new ways to win as Big 12
opponents have focused on eliminating Gray, the Sooners' leading
scorer.
Point guard Drew Lavender has led the team in scoring each of
the past two games -- netting 20 points at Baylor and a season-high
23 against Texas A&M.
Against the Aggies, Gray took only two shots and didn't score a
single point, and -- considering the defense he was up against --
that's exactly what coach Kelvin Sampson wanted.
"I thought Taj really played good in that game. I thought he
played smart," Sampson said. "You don't force shots against a
double- and triple-team. You get the ball out. You take what they
give you."
With Gray scoreless, guards Lawrence McKenzie and Terrell
Everett and forward Kevin Bookout each chipped in 12 points to help
drive the Sooners' offense.
Gray said he was confident his teammates could consistently
score if teams continue to concentrate on him.
"Any given guy on this team can score 20-plus points any time
that they want to," Gray said.
So far this season, four Sooners have scored at least 20 points
in a game and six have scored at least 18 points.
Sampson said the game plan determines much of the scoring and
usually, the Sooners have focused on getting the ball inside to
Gray and Bookout.
"Those guys can all score the ball," Sampson said. "It's just
a matter of opportunities to put it in."
The biggest difference lately has been with Lavender, who was
averaging 7.9 points before his back-to-back 20-point performances.
"You have to remember last year he was our leading scorer,"
Sampson said. "All of a sudden now this year, he doesn't have to
be our leading scorer. But when teams zone us or they double-team
us, that's when our guards have to be smart enough to make plays."
Sampson said it's crucial for Lavender, a sophomore, to continue
to develop because he's at the point of attack on offense and
defends the opposing point guard on defense.
"He's learned why he can't be just another player," Sampson
said. "He's got to set the tone for us."