This's what Bogut did to the Sooners on Saturday. He broke them by playing it cool. Clint Eastwood cool. Steve McQueen cool. He barely touched the ball in the opening minutes, so he waited.

"All things come to him who waits," said Woodrow Wilson. "Providing he knows what he is waiting for."

Bogut knows. He was waiting for someone else to get open.

Oh, and down the road, he's also waiting for a fat contract.

While the Sooners fussed over their 7-foot problem, other Utes did the scoring. Bogut simply found other things to do. At the break he had just two points. But he also had eight rebounds and a block. Yet the Utes led by nine.

As the game progressed, it became even more apparent that merely by hanging about, he can ruin an opponent. He passed behind his back to Justin Hawkins, who drew two free throws from the play. He tipped the ball back to a teammate after the Utes missed a free throw. He diligently avoided rushing his game.

In the second half he was even better. He dribbled — left-handed — to the free-throw line and passed inside for a slam. He hook-passed to Hawkins for a dunk. He swatted an Oklahoma lay-in. He cut away from the coverage to break Oklahoma's press.

He did everything but lay out his teammates' pajamas for the night and fetch them a drink.

In the end, it was painfully clear that the Sooners' plan to double- or triple-team Bogut wasn't nearly enough. Like roaming charges and gossip, he can hurt you even from afar.

"We did a decent job on Bogut," said a slightly forlorn Sampson, "but lots of times he just made great plays. I'll have to give him credit for that."

No need for that.

Credit is coming soon enough.

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E-mail: rock@desnews.com