Injured Oklahoma freshman forward Blake Griffin did not attend Wednesday night's game at Gallagher-Iba Arena. He remained in Norman to receive treatment on his injured right knee that underwent arthroscopic surgery on Sunday.
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"Don't be surprised if he plays Saturday (against Missouri),” OU head coach Jeff Capel said after the game.
OU athletic trainer Alex Brown said Griffin primarily is working on range of motion but also on reducing the swelling and pain.
Brown said Griffin's playing status is day-to-day, but it is anticipated he will return for next week's Big 12 Tournament in Kansas City,Mo.
On Wednesday, Griffin was named to the NABC all-district first team, along with Kansas State's Michael Beasley, Nebraska's Aleks Maric and Kansas teammates Brandon Rush and Mario Chalmers.
•Chasing fourth: At 8-7 in Big 12 Conference play, Oklahoma now needs only a win Saturday to clinch fourth place in the conference standings. OU's Bedlam victory and Texas A&M's 71-57 win at Baylor on Wednesday night put the Sooners in position to earn a first-round bye in the Big 12 Tournament. Should the Sooners beat Missouri on Saturday at Lloyd Noble Center, they would clinch fourth place in the conference standings, regardless of what Texas A&M or Baylor — the two teams currently tied with the Sooners in fourth place — do in their final games. OU holds the tiebreaker advantage over both.
•Big win: Oklahoma's 68-56 defeat of OSU was the Sooners' biggest Bedlam win in Stillwater since 1990. That year, OU defeated the Cowboys, 107-94.
•Staying focused: OSU coach Sean Sutton said he spent Monday and Tuesday trying to get into his players' heads that Oklahoma could be extremely dangerous, even without Griffin.
The Cowboys went through game preparations as though the injured freshman phenom was going to play. Even so, point guard Byron Eaton said some of OSU's players might have relaxed.
"We didn't come into the game mentally prepared,” Eaton said. "Some guys thought since Griffin wasn't playing we had it won.”
•Halftime entertainment: Former Cowboy R.W. McQuarters, a player for the Super Bowl champion New York Giants, attended Bedlam and was honored at halftime to a huge ovation.
OSU football player Tommy Devereaux was the other halftime entertainment on Wednesday night, rapping to an OSU-tailored version of Soulja Boy. Devereaux, a senior receiver, wore an orange cape for his performance.
By John Rohde, Scott Wright
and Andrea Cohen
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Scott Wright,
Scott, I might have missed it, but was wondering if the basketball academic all conference team had been in the paper. If not think it should be because think it is really important.
Oh no...it was senior night...they had R.W. in the crowd...Sean Sutton was attempting to get into his player's heads...and they get swept by what pokes consider an inferior program. Wow...
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Scott, I might have missed it, but was wondering if the basketball academic all conference team had been in the paper. If not think it should be because think it is really important.