NORMAN, Ok -- Even without coach Jeff Capel on the bench, it was business as usual for No. 6 Oklahoma. The Sooners reached the century mark for the first time this season, easily beating Maryland Eastern Shore 100-64 on Monday night while Capel was being treated in a hospital for a stomach virus. Assistant Mark Cline took over the coaching duties for the first time.Oklahoma (14-1) broke away with an 11-0 run midway through the first half and went on to lead 48-22 at halftime. Blake Griffin led Oklahoma with 20 points and 16 rebounds and Tony Crocker and Willie Warren both added 15 points for the Sooners, who are off to their best start since opening 15-1 in 1988-89. Neal Pitt had 18 points for the Hawks (1-9), while reserve Chris Conner scored 12. The starters all left the game just 5 minutes into the second half, but Oklahoma’s reserves extended the lead to 84-38 with 8 minutes left.
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History Lesson: Cline and Capel have be friends for 22 years and first met when Cline was a senior basketball player at Wake Forest. Capel's father, Jeff, worked as a first-year assistant for WF. Cline broke into coaching as an assistant under Capel's father, serving for 10 years at Fayetteville State (N.C.) State, North Carolina A&T, and Old Dominion.
