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UAB (4-0) vs. Oklahoma (4-0)
Blake Griffin has had his way with everyone in leading Oklahoma to a 4-0 start. The sophomore forward looks to continue his impressive start at Madison Square Garden in New York, where the Sooners play UAB in the semifinals of the NIT Season Tip-Off.
The 6-foot-10, 251-pound Griffin has recorded double-doubles in all four games, including 20-20 efforts in the last two. He had career highs of 35 points and 21 rebounds Sunday, when No. 11 Oklahoma looked sluggish before pulling out an 80-76 victory over Gardner-Webb.
"Today's game came down to too much Blake Griffin on the court," Gardner-Webb coach Rick Scruggs said. "We just couldn't handle him and didn't have anybody that could match up with him. I thought our guys put a great effort together."
Griffin has averaged 26.0 points and 19.8 rebounds while shooting 74.5 percent. About his only weakness is at the foul line, where he has made just 56.5 percent (26-for-46). He's also tied for the team lead in steals with 11 and second with 11 assists.
Freshman guard Willie Warren added 17 points, but shot 5 of 15 from the field. Warren, though, is 6-for-14 from 3-point range in his last two games after going 0-for-10 in his first two collegiate games.
UAB (4-0) was the only team to advance to New York without hosting a sub-region. The Blazers were shipped to Arizona, where they defeated Santa Clara before upending the host Wildcats 72-71 on Nov. 18. While coach Mike Davis is happy to be in New York, he knows his team has a major task in trying to slow Griffin.
"Watching them on film, they definitely give you nightmares with Blake Griffin," Davis said. "He is very skilled, and I think the best big in the country."
Lawrence Kinnard likely will draw the unenviable task of trying to slow Griffin for the Blazers, who have a standout offensive player of their own in swingman Robert Vaden. The senior hit eight of UAB's 11 3-pointers in a 77-62 victory at Old Dominion on Sunday and finished with 28 points as the Blazers avoided a letdown after their two big road wins.
"I was very worried about this game," Davis admitted. "For us to play well in what I thought was a trap game, show great character for this team."
Kinnard added 17 and 10 rebounds for his second double-double of the season and is three points shy of 1,000 for his career. He leads the team with 37 rebounds, but UAB has been outrebounded by an average of four (39.5-35.5) in its four games.
Vaden leads the team in scoring at 18.8 points per game and is shooting 44.1 percent (15-for-34) from 3-point range. The Blazers have made 24 shots from beyond the arc their last two games after hitting 12 in their first two.
Oklahoma won the only meeting between the teams, an 81-63 victory in the first round of the 1983 NCAA tournament.
The winner of this game will play the winner of the other semifinal between No. 10 Purdue and Boston College on Friday.
Blake Griffin has had his way with everyone in leading Oklahoma to a 4-0 start. The sophomore forward looks to continue his impressive start at Madison Square Garden in New York, where the Sooners play UAB in the semifinals of the NIT Season Tip-Off.
The 6-foot-10, 251-pound Griffin has recorded double-doubles in all four games, including 20-20 efforts in the last two. He had career highs of 35 points and 21 rebounds Sunday, when No. 11 Oklahoma looked sluggish before pulling out an 80-76 victory over Gardner-Webb.
"Today's game came down to too much Blake Griffin on the court," Gardner-Webb coach Rick Scruggs said. "We just couldn't handle him and didn't have anybody that could match up with him. I thought our guys put a great effort together."
Griffin has averaged 26.0 points and 19.8 rebounds while shooting 74.5 percent. About his only weakness is at the foul line, where he has made just 56.5 percent (26-for-46). He's also tied for the team lead in steals with 11 and second with 11 assists.
Freshman guard Willie Warren added 17 points, but shot 5 of 15 from the field. Warren, though, is 6-for-14 from 3-point range in his last two games after going 0-for-10 in his first two collegiate games.
UAB (4-0) was the only team to advance to New York without hosting a sub-region. The Blazers were shipped to Arizona, where they defeated Santa Clara before upending the host Wildcats 72-71 on Nov. 18. While coach Mike Davis is happy to be in New York, he knows his team has a major task in trying to slow Griffin.
"Watching them on film, they definitely give you nightmares with Blake Griffin," Davis said. "He is very skilled, and I think the best big in the country."
Lawrence Kinnard likely will draw the unenviable task of trying to slow Griffin for the Blazers, who have a standout offensive player of their own in swingman Robert Vaden. The senior hit eight of UAB's 11 3-pointers in a 77-62 victory at Old Dominion on Sunday and finished with 28 points as the Blazers avoided a letdown after their two big road wins.
"I was very worried about this game," Davis admitted. "For us to play well in what I thought was a trap game, show great character for this team."
Kinnard added 17 and 10 rebounds for his second double-double of the season and is three points shy of 1,000 for his career. He leads the team with 37 rebounds, but UAB has been outrebounded by an average of four (39.5-35.5) in its four games.
Vaden leads the team in scoring at 18.8 points per game and is shooting 44.1 percent (15-for-34) from 3-point range. The Blazers have made 24 shots from beyond the arc their last two games after hitting 12 in their first two.
Oklahoma won the only meeting between the teams, an 81-63 victory in the first round of the 1983 NCAA tournament.
The winner of this game will play the winner of the other semifinal between No. 10 Purdue and Boston College on Friday.
