Oklahoma State’s hopes of making the NCAA Tournament are still intact, but it needs some help over the next few weeks.

On Saturday night, Vyctorius Miller’s three free throws in the final seconds lifted OSU to a one-point win against Kansas State. Most importantly, his heroics were enough to keep OSU from suffering a crushing early-season defeat.

While a loss to the Wildcats wouldn’t have sunk the Pokes’ hopes of making it to the big dance entirely, a 1-4 conference record with consecutive losses at home to unranked opponents might have been close enough to a death sentence for Steve Lutz’s team to put OSU’s season on a dark path. Instead, that wild swing toward the end of the game has put OSU in a position to get some wins and get back on track in the coming weeks.

Considering the craziness of the Big 12 and the potential national title contenders in the conference, simply finishing .500 in conference play should be enough to get OSU in. Of course, that’s much easier said than done.

On Tuesday night, OSU will be in Fort Worth looking to take down TCU. The Horned Frogs won their conference opener against Baylor but have dropped four straight since, but they still enter as an 8.5-point favorite. 

After a crushing loss at TCU last season, the Cowboys will be looking to avoid that same fate and finally secure a road win in Big 12 play under Lutz, who still has an 0-12 record in those contests. 

Considering OSU’s recent struggles, it’s not exactly staggering to see that the Pokes aren’t even in the tournament picture going into their sixth Big 12 matchup. In Joe Lunardi’s latest Bracketology for ESPN, OSU couldn’t even muster a spot on the next four out, effectively placing it outside the top 76 teams in the country.

After such a great nonconference run that saw OSU suffer only one loss, Big 12 play has hit the Cowboys hard. With a 2-3 record and no sustained success since the beginning of conference play, OSU has a long road ahead if it wants to get in.

Playing in a conference as strong as the Big 12 is a blessing and a curse. OSU will have plenty of opportunities to get its name back in the tournament picture, but that also means a plethora of contests against some of the top teams in the country.

An Oklahoma warehouse in southwest Oklahoma City may soon be converted into an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) processing center, part of a larger federal plan to detain thousands of immigrants across the country.

ICE Targets 16 Cities Nationwide

Oklahoma City is reportedly one of 16 cities under consideration by ICE for processing and detention sites. The plan, first reported by The Washington Post, would convert warehouses into one large detention center and 16 smaller processing facilities to speed up deportations.

State Senator Raises Concerns About Lack of Transparency

State Senator Carri Hicks (D–Oklahoma City) says she recently learned about the plan and is alarmed by the lack of transparency at both the local and state levels.

“This is not a rumor. It is a developed plan and it’s being executed,” she said. “And there has been no transparency and no accountability either at the local level, municipal level or the state level. And I think that should concern every Oklahoman.”

Proposed Site Near Residential Neighborhood

A letter from the Department of Homeland Security to the city’s planning commission reportedly outlines plans to convert a more than 400,000 square foot warehouse at 2800 South Council into a 1,500-bed ICE processing center.

The site is less than two miles from Western Heights Public School, raising concerns among residents and lawmakers.

Community Impact: Fear and Safety Concerns

Senator Hicks says the proposed facility could create fear and anxiety among families in the nearby community.

“It brings a lot of fear to the students and to the families… because we’ve seen bold actions that are profiling folks based on their skin color.” She also warns that a processing center could strain local resources such as public safety.

What Would the Facility Include?

If approved, the building would be redesigned to include:

• Detention Space
• Offices
• Restrooms
• Cafeteria
• Medical space
• Visitor areas

Lawmaker Calls for Public Action

Senator Hicks has taken to TikTok and public forums to encourage citizens to speak out and contact lawmakers.

“We need to continue to put people over politics and tell Washington that this unilateral decision will not be tolerated in our community.”

Other ICE Facilities in Oklahoma

Oklahoma already has existing or planned ICE facilities in:

• Newkirk
• Cushing
• Watonga
• Guthrie
• Tulsa

On a Martin Luther King Jr. Day mid-day matchup, the Oklahoma City Thunder throttled the Cleveland Cavaliers, 136-104, Monday at Rocket Arena. The Thunder used a 45-point fourth quarter to pull away with a dominant win.

The Thunder improved to 36-8 on the season after the win.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander tallied his 30th 30-point game this season, scoring exactly 30 on 12-of-20 shooting. Chet Holmgren added 28 points of his own as the Thunder shot a blistering 48.9% from three-point range.

Here are three takeaways from OKC’s win.

1. Second Period Barrage

The Cavaliers brought the game within five points with three minutes remaining in the first half, but a one-minute 12-2 run allowed the Thunder to take control of the game immediately.

The run let the Thunder enter their halftime locker room with a 15-point advantage, 66-51. OKC won the second quarter by 10 points.

The run was powered by phenomenal three-point shooting, especially from Isaiah Joe and Luguentz Dort. Dort scored 11 points in the second quarter, with five being in the run, and Joe scored nine points in the period, with three being in the run.

The team shot 5-of-9, 53.8%, from three-point range in the second quarter. OKC held Cleveland to 22.2% shooting from long range, a perfect formula to win big.

The Thunder would continue to push the pace the rest of the game, winning by a wide margin.

2. Isaiah Joe Lights Up Rocket Arena

In the absence of Jalen Williams, the Thunder needed a scorer to fill his shoes. Isaiah Joe did just that.

The former Arkansas Razorback drilled shots across the perimeter, scoring 16 points on 6-of-9 shooting, while hitting four triples on seven attempts. Joe was instrumental in the second quarter, scoring nine points from three triples.

The Thunder need their sharpshooter to continue to play like this the rest of the way. When Joe’s shooting is unlocked, the Thunder’s spacing issues evaporate.

3. Lu Dort Contributes in All Factors

Luguentz Dort had one of his best games of the season Monday afternoon, shooting 6-of-7 from the floor and 5-of-6 from three, scoring 18 points on the day. Dort also had a phenomenal day on the defensive end, holding his matchup, Donovan Mitchell, to just 19 points on 5-of-18 shooting.

Dort got the team going in the second quarter, scoring 11 points and opened the second half with a steal that led to a Chet Holmgren dunk to continue the momentum.

Dort entered the game shooting 32.8% from deep, but if he can return to his form from his past two seasons, the Thunder offense can boom.