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March 4, 2009

NORMAN, Okla. – University of Oklahoma men's basketball players Taylor Griffin, Omar Leary and Ryan Wright were named to the 2009 Academic All-Big 12 Team, the league office announced Wednesday.  All second-team honorees, the three were among 28 total student-athletes recognized in men's basketball.

A pre-health and exercise science major from Oklahoma City, Griffin was named to the academic all-league team for the third straight year.  The 6-7, 238-pound forward has started all 29 of OU's games this season and is averaging 9.4 points and 5.9 rebounds per contest while shooting .528 from the field and .705 from the free throw line.  In five games against ranked opponents, Griffin is averaging 14.2 points and 6.8 boards while shooting .684 from the field.

Leary, a senior point guard from Portland, Ore., is a first-time honoree.  The 5-11 human relations major has played in 28 games this year and is averaging 1.8 points and 1.1 assists in 9.4 minutes a contest.  A trustworthy 3-point shooter, he owns a .394 season mark from behind the arc.  Over the past two games, Leary is averaging 8.5 points while going 4-for-9 from 3-point range. 

Wright, a transfer from UCLA who earned Academic All-Pac-10 honors as a sophomore in 2007, is an international relations major at OU.  The junior has played in 28 games and is averaging 2.0 points and 2.4 rebounds in 9.0 minutes a game.  He also has nine blocked shots on the year.

To qualify for the all-academic team, student-athletes must maintain a 3.00 GPA or higher (either cumulative or over each of the two previous semesters) and have participated in 60 percent of his team's scheduled contests.  Freshmen and transfers are not eligible in their first year of academic residence.  Senior student-athletes who have participated for a minimum of two years and meet all the criteria except percent of participation are also eligible.  First-team members have recorded a 3.20 or better GPA, while second-team honorees are those with a 3.00 to 3.19 GPA.

The fourth-ranked Sooners, 26-3 overall and 12-2 in the Big 12, play at Missouri Wednesday (8 p.m. CST on Big 12 Network television) before closing the regular season at home Saturday against Oklahoma State (2:30 p.m. on ABC).