March Sadness

Oklahoma guard Hollis Price (10) loses the ball with Indiana foward Kyle Hornsby (32) in pursuit during first period play of the semifinals of the Final Four in the Georgia Dome Saturday, March 30, 2002 in Atlanta. Indiana knocked-off Oklahoma, 73-64

ATLANTA -- Oklahoma's road into the Final Four on the back of Aaron McGhee and Hollis Price.

On this night, Price was nowhere to be found and McGhee's 22 points and eight rebounds wasn't enough to carry Oklahoma into Monday's national championship game.

Indiana ended the Sooners' magical season and prolonged a cinderella story of their own with a 73-64 win over Oklahoma in the national semi-finals Saturday night in Atlanta.

Indiana, a No. 5 seed who had already knocked-off defending national champion Duke in the Sweet 16, was not going to be denied on this night.

The Hoosiers torched Oklahoma's tough defense, shooting 52 percent (25-of-48) from the field and and 62 percent from three-point range while overcoming an early first half deficit.

Oklahoma led by as many as eight points in the first period and took a 34-30 lead at the half, but the Hoosiers stormed out of the lockerroom in the second half behind their clutch shooting and built a 60-55 cushion when McGhee fouled out at the 4:40 mark.

Oklahoma would rally to tie the game at 60 on a Daryan Selvy putback. Selvy went to the line on OU's next possession to give the Sooners the lead, but missed the first end of a one-and-one.

"When it got to 60-60, I thought we'd win the game," said Oklahoma Coach Kelvin Sampson.

"The big possessions, big plays down the stretch, they made them and we didn't."

"We really didn't overlook them. Like I said yesterday, we can't take nobody lightly and I don't think we took them lightly," said Oklahoma senior forward Daryan Selvy.

"They played good ball today. They played better than we did. We went out there and tried to play relaxed and to play hard. If our shots were falling, everything would have went well. Things just didn't go good for us today."

Indiana's Jeffrey Newton then sparked a 6-0 run that put the Hoosier's up for good with a layup at the 2:42 mark.

Newton, an Atlanta, Ga., led the Hoosiers with 19 points.

Oklahoma finishes the season at 31-5. Indiana will play Maryland Monday night for the national championship.

"We didn't accomplish what we came here to do," said Sooner point guard Quannas White.

"They played well and made the plays that we didn't. We had a great season. We'll be back next year though."

OU-Indiana Box Score