• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Oklahoma looks to right ship against Oklahoma State

Mar 7, 2009 - 11:18 AM Oklahoma State (20-9) at No. 5 Oklahoma (26-4) 3:30 p.m. EST

NORMAN, Oklahoma (Ticker) -- A reeling No. 5 Oklahoma squad will look to get back on track Saturday when it hosts in-state rival Oklahoma State in the Bedlam Series.

The Sooners (26-4, 12-3 Big 12), who dropped two games while playing mostly without Player of the Year candidate Blake Griffin, proved not to be invincible with the star either Wednesday in a 73-64 loss at No. 12 Missouri.

After back-to-back losses to Texas and Kansas, Griffin returned to record 20 points and 18 rebounds in a 78-63 victory over Texas Tech last Saturday.

The Sooners suffered their third loss in four games against the Tigers and were dealt another blow to their chances of earning a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.

Oklahoma State (20-9, 9-6) has won six in a row to bolster its chances for earning an NCAA Tournament bid, including a 77-71 win over Kansas State in what may have been an NCAA bubble elimination game.

Byron Eaton led all five starters in double figures with 25 points against the Wildcats, knocking down 15-of-15 from the free-throw line.

In the previous meeting between these teams in Stillwater on January 26, Griffin's 26-point, 19-rebound performance overshadowed the 20 points and nine assists by Eaton in a 89-81 win for the Sooners.