East Coast Sooners excited for their game in Philadelphia

Three Sooners, three East coast cities: Baltimore. Washington D.C. Chesapeake, Va.

Oklahoma coach Lon Kruger looks to the sideline as Sam Grooms (1), middle, in front of Steven Pledger (2) during the practice and press conference day for the second round of the NCAA men's college basketball tournament at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Thursday, March 21, 2013. OU will play San Diego State in the second round on Friday. Photo by Nate Billings, The Oklahoman

Andrew Fitzgerald, Sam Grooms and Steven Pledger have combined to find almost 60 tickets for their family.

As of yesterday before Oklahoma’s NCAA Tournament practice, Fitzgerald had 14 tickets, Grooms had 16 and Pledger had 20 for Oklahoma’s NCAA Tournament game against San Diego State.

“If we play on Sunday, everybody else will be here,” Grooms said. “It’s probably the biggest stage we’ve played on in a while. The fact that we haven’t played on the East Coast in a while and that (this game) is on the East Coast means a lot to us.”

When it was announced on Selection Sunday that the Sooners would head east, Fitzgerald, Pledger and Grooms could be heard through the hall of Lloyd Noble Center recounting to each other which of their family members would be at the Sooners first NCAA Tournament game in three seasons.

All three seniors played games in Philadelphia before — but that was in their AAU days.

Regardless, Grooms said it was just nice to be back to their home coast.

“I’m not worrying that I have to call my mom later,” he said of the time difference. “And I’m not really worried about things like Oklahoma weather where it sways. If it’s cold here, it’s going to be cold.  ”