Andrew Fitzgerald News

Friday, November 27, 2009 at 12:42 a.m. ANCHORAGE, Alaska - Dark, wintry skies opened up and swiftly blanketed the Anchorage area with piles of snow in the hours leading up to USD's late-night Great Alaska Shootout opener Wednesday.

At the first time out in Oklahoma's basketball season, Mount St. Mary's had made five of its six shots.

Not everyone was as sure as Dick Sander. Before introducing his new men's basketball coach to the media, boosters and corporate sponsors, Virginia Commonwealth University president Eugene Trani stepped to the microphone, intent on clearing up a few details.

Clark signs: A bonus to Oklahoma's season-opening victory Saturday - Cameron Clark, a nationally touted senior from Sherman High School signed with the Sooners.

OU comes out sleepy after impressive opener. OU head coach Jeff Capel gives instructions to Steven Pledger during the first half of the men's college basketball game between the Oklahoma Sooners and Louisiana-Monroe at Lloyd Noble Center in Norman, Okla., Tuesday, Nov.

The 17th-ranked Oklahoma Sooners close out a brief two-game homestand to begin the 2009-10 season, as they welcome the UL- Monroe Warhawks to Norman for a matchup at the Lloyd Noble Center this evening.

Warren's 15 points, 11 assists pace OU; Tiny Gallon has double-double in debut. Willie Warren had 15 points and 11 assists as Oklahoma routed Mount St.

There is a sense that when Blake Griffin left Oklahoma, he took the Sooners' entire frontcourt with him.

The Oklahoma Sooners might have lost Blake Griffin to the NBA, but they have another potential national player of the year ready to lead them this season.

We're not going with a typical, run-of-the-mill Top 25 rundown each day. Instead, we'll cut to the chase and tell you who will be left standing at the end of the year in the Elite Eight.

Oklahoma coach Jeff Capel reeled in one of college basketball's best recruiting classes last season, with four players ranked among the top 100 in their class.

Coach: Jeff Capela '69-33 at Oklahoma, 148-74 overall. '08-09 Record: 30-6 overall; 13-3 Big 12 .

Willie Warren scored 23 points and freshman Steven Pledger added 14 points and No.

New kids in town: McDonald's All-Americans Tiny Gallon and Tommy Mason-Griffin headline Oklahoma's freshman class.