Oklahoma State University Athletics
Pennsylvania-Oklahoma State Preview
March 19, 2003 | Cowboy Basketball
March 19, 2003
GAME: No. 11 Pennsylvania (22-5) vs. No. 6 Oklahoma State (21-9).
REGIONAL: East, first round.
TIME: Friday, 2:45 p.m. EST.
SITE: The FleetCenter; Boston.
The last time Penn faced a Big 12 team in the NCAA tournament, the Quakers pulled a first-round upset. They'll be looking to do that again when they meet Oklahoma State in an East Regional game at the FleetCenter.
Penn is winless in its last four trips to the tournament, with its last victory coming against Nebraska in a first-round game in 1994.
As they try to put an end to that inglorious string, the Ivy League champion Quakers will be putting a 15-game winning streak on the line.
On March 11, Penn closed out an undefeated Ivy season with a 74-67 win over Princeton, joining Kentucky and Weber State as the only Division I teams with unblemished conference records. It was the program's seventh undefeated league season, and the fourth under 14th-year coach Fran Dunphy.
"It's a significant mark for any team," Dunphy said, "and it's special to do it here against a team with such a great tradition and great history."
Penn has won 19 of its last 20 games. Its only loss in that period came on Jan. 25 against Saint Joseph's at The Palestra.
As he has all season, senior forward Ugonna Onyekwe will be the focus of the Quakers' offense. A two-time Ivy League player of the year, Onyekwe leads Penn with 16.0 points and 6.4 rebounds per game.
Onyekwe was joined on All-Ivy first team by swingman Jeff Schiffner. A strong on-the-ball defender, the 6-foot-6 junior is also the Quakers' primary outside threat.
Schiffner finished the regular season as the nation's most accurate 3-point shooter, connecting on 49.7 percent of his long-range attempts while averaging 11.7 points.
His main task on Friday will probably be trying to slow down dynamic Oklahoma State guard Victor Williams. A second team All-Big 12 selection, the 5-10 senior leads the Cowboys with 15.2 points per game.
Big 12 newcomer of the year Tony Allen could also cause problems for Penn. A junior college transfer from Wabash Valley Community College, the 6-4 junior averaged 14.5 points, 5.5 rebounds and 2.7 assists this season.
In the tournament, Williams and Allen will be hoping to lift the Cowboys out of their late-season funk. Oklahoma State closed the season by losing four of its final five games, including a 60-58 defeat against Missouri in the Big 12 tournament last Friday.
Since a 15-game winning streak earlier this season, the Cowboys have lost eight of 12. Williams, however, believes they will correct their problems before taking the court against the Quakers.
"We'll have to correct our mistakes and get ready for the Big Dance," he said. "We'll go home and have two-a-day practices. We're on spring break, there's no 20-hour rule. It's a coach's dream."
By garnering an at-large bid, the Cowboys are in the tournament for the sixth straight season and for the 11th time in coach Eddie Sutton's 13-year tenure.
Penn and Oklahoma State have only met once previously, with the Cowboys winning a 91-76 contest on Dec. 8, 1979.
The winner of this game will play either Syracuse or Manhattan in the second round Sunday.
PROBABLE STARTERS:
Pennsylvania - F Koko Archibong, F Onyekwe, G Schiffner, G Andrew Toole, G Tim Begley.
Oklahoma State - F Ivan McFarlin, F Andre Williams, G Melvin Sanders, G Allen, G Victor Williams.
TEAM LEADERS:
Pennsylvania - Onyekwe, 16.0 ppg and 6.4 rpg; Begley, 2.9 apg.
Oklahoma State - Victor Williams, 15.2 ppg; McFarlin, 7.6 rpg; Cheyne Gadson, 3.2 apg.
HOW THEY GOT HERE:
Pennsylvania - Automatic bid, Ivy League champion.
Oklahoma State - At-large berth, Big 12.
ALL-TIME TOURNAMENT RECORD:
Pennsylvania - 13-21, 19 years.
Oklahoma State - 30-18, 19 years.
