But Oklahoma reached the Sweet 16 last year, and it is 27-5 this season. Coale, who was 31 and the coach of the Norman High girls team when she was hired, isn't taking the success for granted. When the Cardinal lost 83-82 in overtime to Old Dominion in the semifinals of the 1997 NCAA tournament, it was the sixth time in eight years it had advanced to at least the Final Four. Stanford isn't back in familiar territory yet, but it is getting closer. After first-round losses in '98 and '99, the Cardinal has reached the second round the past two years.
Height is the biggest issue of today's game.
Stanford has an abundance of it, and Oklahoma has little.