OSU-KU Notebook: Recruit Franklin Visits OSU

Roger Franklin, a 6-foot-5 ½ standout who is rated as one of the top juniors in the state of Texas, made the trip to Stillwater for Saturday’s game. Franklin scored 22 points to help Duncanville (Texas) High School to an 89-69 victory over Richland Friday night in Class 5A playoff action.

Franklin practiced with his teammates from 9-10 a.m. Saturday, and then drove to Stillwater to attend the OSU-KU game with his Uncle Andre (Johnson). The Panthers, now 34-1, took another step toward their second consecutive Class 5A state championship with Friday night’s victory. The playoffs continue next week with a Class 5A Region I quarterfinal game against Lewisville (27-7).

Franklin was the only player to see the Cowboys upset the Jayhawks. Several other recruits were expected to make the trip to Stillwater but couldn’t because either their teams had playoff games Saturday or because of weather difficulties.

Coach Dickey Misses Game
OSU assistant coach James Dickey was not on the bench for Saturday’s upset of the fourth-ranked Kansas Jayhawks. Dickey’s father, J.B. Dickey, died at the age of 82 Thursday night in Valley Springs, Ark., and Dickey was with his family.

“He called afterward and wanted me to relay to the team how thrilled he was and how proud he was for them,” Sean Sutton said.

It was the first game during Sutton’s head coaching career that Dickey has not been beside him on the bench.

“It was different because he’s somebody that I lean on throughout the game for help and for information, and for suggestions,” Sutton said. “But I thought Chris (Ferguson) and Mike (Hatch) did a great job in his place today. Both of those guys worked on the scouting report and I thought put together a great game plan on how we had to slow them down, and how we had to give our chance the best chance to win.”

Self Now 1-4 at Gallagher-Iba Arena
KU head coach Bill Self, who played at Oklahoma State (1981-85) and was an assistant to Leonard Hamilton and Eddie Sutton, lost for the fourth time in five games as a head coach inside Gallagher-Iba Arena.

Self’s only victory over his alma mater in the building in which he once played came in his last trip to Gallagher-Iba when the Jayhawks defeated the Cowboys 64-49 on Feb. 13, 2006. His Jayhawks suffered an 80-60 loss to the Cowboys on Feb. 9, 2004, and he also lost twice to Oklahoma State when he was coach at Oral Roberts University.

Self’s overall record against Oklahoma State during a 15-year head coaching career (at Oral Roberts, Tulsa, Illinois and Kansas) is now 5-6.