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Griffin to return when Oklahoma visits Texas Tech

Feb 28, 2009 - 11:07 AM No. 3 Oklahoma (25-3) at Texas Tech (12-16) 3:30 p.m. EST

LUBBOCK, Texas (Ticker) -- Oklahoma failed to earn a win without its best player. It's struggles are likely over.

Blake Griffin has been cleared to play on Saturday when the third-ranked Sooners look to snap a two-game losing streak against Texas Tech.

Oklahoma (25-3, 11-2 Big 12) had won 13 straight games before Griffin, a Player-of-the-Year candidate who is averaging a team-high 22.0 points and 13.8 rebounds per game, suffered a concussion in last Saturday's 73-68 loss at Texas.

Without Griffin, the Sooners fell out of the top spot in the Big 12 as they were overtaken by No. 15 Kansas when the defending national champions forged an 87-78 victory on Monday.

In his previous game against the Red Raiders on February 14, Griffin became just the third player in Oklahoma history to post 40 points and 20 rebounds, scoring a career-high 40 and pulling down a career-best 23 boards in a 95-74 win.

Oklahoma will be without forward Juan Pattillo, who was suspended for one game by coach Jeff Capel on Thursday for violating an unspecified team rule.

Pattillo is averaging 7.6 points, 3.6 rebounds and 1.5 blocks in 11 games since giving up his redshirt on January 12.

Texas Tech (12-16, 2-11) has lost five games in a row and nine of 10 overall, including an 87-81 setback to 24th-ranked Texas on Wednesday.