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Can Oklahoma State baseball make run in Big 12, NCAA tournaments? Examining Cowboys resume

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Can Oklahoma State baseball make run in Big 12, NCAA tournaments? Examining Cowboys resume


A month ago, it was fair to turn and look away from Oklahoma State baseball.

The Cowboys looked nothing like themselves. Losses piled up. The offense struggled. The pitching was worse.

Sitting below .500, the belief was that OSU would miss the NCAA Tournament for the first time under coach Josh Holliday.

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My, how things can change.

There are few teams hotter than the Pokes entering conference tournament week. They’re coming off a three-game sweep of Arizona State. They’ve won 9 of 10 games.

OSU is suddenly back in the NCAA Tournament picture, too.

The Cowboys enter the Big 12 Tournament at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas, on Wednesday as the No. 7 seed. They’ll face Baylor at 4 p.m. on ESPNU.

Here is what to know about OSU entering the postseason:

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Oklahoma State baseball resume

  • Record: 27-22 (15-12 Big 12, 7th)
  • RPI: 45th (through May 18 games)
  • Projected seed: USA TODAY: No. 3 seed in Chapel Hill Regional (last four in); D1BaseballNo. 3 seed in Corvallis Regional
  • Notable: The Cowboys’ mid-season struggles and cancellation of several Big 12 games can be overlooked in part to a tough schedule. OSU’s strength of schedule ranks No. 11 in the country, according to D1Baseball.com’s RPI.

OSU baseball Big 12 Tournament preview

Never count out the Cowboys in this tournament.

The format is different — an increase to 12 teams and a change to single elimination — but the talent is just the same under Holliday.

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The Cowboys get a boost by opening with Baylor, a team they took two of three from and nearly swept on the road less than two weeks ago.

But this is no easy field. Eight teams are ranked in the top 50 RPI and all 12 are in the top 90.

Should the Cowboys win, they face No. 2-seeded Kansas. The Jayhawks swept OSU in late March, signaling the downturn of OSU’s season. Another win could mean a date with No. 3 TCU.

Though that appears daunting, the Cowboys have won this tournament four times, including last season.

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Why Oklahoma State baseball can make a run in NCAA Tournament

First, the Cowboys have to get in.

Though projections are favorable — Baseball America and D1Baseball.com both have OSU in as of Tuesday — a win or two in Arlington will go a long way to make them feel safe.

But get in and the Cowboys face significantly less pressure than the past three seasons. There will be no home regional, which OSU has lost each year at O’Brate Stadium since 2022.

Getting away from Stillwater could be a positive.

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Plus, it helps that OSU has a bona fide ace in left-hander Harrison Bodendorf, who leads the league with 10 wins and is tied for second with a 2.43 ERA.

Mario Pesca and Hunter Watkins have also become reliable starters in the rotation.

And don’t forget about the Cowboys’ offense that can overwhelm opponents.

Slugger Nolan Schubart is third in the conference with 17 home runs after a slow start. Colin Brueggemann is not far behind with 14. And Brayden Smith has become a lightning bolt for the Cowboys’ lineup.

OSU has outscored its opponents 80-27 over the last 10 games.

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Why OSU baseball can’t make a run in NCAA Tournament

Even though getting away from O’Brate Stadium might make some OSU fans who remember the past all too well feel a little better, it shouldn’t.

OSU is 18-12 at home and 5-12 in true road games.

That’s far from ideal.

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So, which bullpen will show up? The one that has been rock solid in the final month or the one that was a total disaster in March?

Legendary pitching coach Rob Walton has worked his magic turning the staff around before he enters retirement. But things can turn in an instant for any college pitcher.

And though the Cowboys can slug, there are issues with the lineup. Schubart and Brueggemann are prone to strikeouts. And facing a team with strong lefties can neutralize the duo.



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Power restored after outage affects over 7000 in Tulsa, PSO says car crash was a factor

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Power restored after outage affects over 7000 in Tulsa, PSO says car crash was a factor


UPDATE: Power has been mostly restored in the wide area of Midtown Tulsa. Nearly 500 customers remain without power.

PSO says a car hit a pole near 2800 S Lewis Avenue, and a substation in the area may have shorted out as a result.

Investigation ongoing.

Public Service Company of Oklahoma Statement:

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PSO Oklahoma is currently working to restore power to a wide area of Midtown Tulsa. Crews are on site, and working to restore service.

Residents can track outage updates and report outages at https://outagemap.psoklahoma.com/

If you or someone you know needs adequate heat, our warming shelters are open. Locations are:

All shelter beds are based on available capacity of the shelter.

Please share this information with neighbors who may need it and check on those who are most vulnerable during this cold weather.

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Stay safe and warm.

Original Story:

The Public Service Company of Oklahoma Outage Map shows thousands in Tulsa are without power after reports of multiple downed power lines and a power flash, affecting customers starting near the area of Riverside Drive out past the Mingo Valley Expressway, all the way near East 21 Street to E 81 Street.

News On 6 has received reports of the location of multiple power lines down near 2800 South Lewis Avenue, so it is best to avoid the area.

Crews are currently out addressing the outage, and a time of restoration has not been published at this time.

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PSO Communications Manager Matt Rahn said teams are still trying to figure out the specific cause of the outage and will update after an investigation is conducted.

After a quick shot of arctic air, things warm up quickly this week

Emergency Info: Outages Across Oklahoma:

Northeast Oklahoma has various power companies and electric cooperatives, many of which have overlapping areas of coverage. Below is a link to various outage maps.

  1. PSO Outage Map
  2. OG&E Outage Map
  3. VVEC Outage Map
  4. Indian Electric Cooperative (IEC) Outage Map
  5. Oklahoma Association of Electric Cooperatives Outage Map — (Note: Several Smaller Co-ops Included)

This is a developing story. Refresh for updates.

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Oklahoma’s Alabama Winning Streak a Rare Accomplishment Against the Crimson Tide

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Oklahoma’s Alabama Winning Streak a Rare Accomplishment Against the Crimson Tide


Oklahoma is looking to make some history when it takes on Alabama on Friday in the opening round of the College Football Playoff.

The Sooners and Crimson Tide square off at 7 p.m. Friday at Gaylord Family — Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. The game will be televised on ABC.

A win would not only boost the Sooners into the quarterfinals, but would give them three consecutive victories over the Crimson Tide.

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OU beat Alabama 24-3 last season in Norman and 23-21 earlier this season in Tuscaloosa.

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Oklahoma’s players sing with the away fans following the Sooners’ 23-21 victory over the Alabama Crimson Tide last month. | David Leong-Imagn Images

Since 1960, only 12 programs have beaten the Crimson Tide in three consecutive meetings and only one such streak included a win over Alabama following Nick Saban’s first season in 2007 when the Crimson Tide went 7-6.

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That streak? 

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Another Sooners’ winning streak in the series, which included pre-Saban wins in 2002 and 2003 and the Trevor Knight-led Sugar Bowl win as part of the 2013 season.

In the last 65 seasons, the Sooners were only the second non-conference team to knock off Alabama in three consecutive meetings, joining Texas, which beat the Crimson Tide in 1981, 1972 and 1964.

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Now, OU has a chance to repeat the streak, but this time as part of the SEC and in a do-or-die situation.

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The other most recent three-game winning streaks against the Tide were Auburn (six consecutive from 2002-07), LSU (five straight from 2003-07) and Georgia (three straight in 2003-03 and 2007).

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Alabama had won 10 or more games every season since that 2007 season before last year’s team finished 9-4.

OU is 5-2-1 against the Crimson Tide all-time.

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Oklahoma running back Xavier Robinson rushes for a touchdown in the Sooners’ 2024 victory over the Alabama Crimson Tide. | BRYAN TERRY/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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Only a handful of other programs that have played Alabama more than once have a winning record against the Tide.

Texas is 8-2-1 vs. the Crimson Tide, while Notre Dame is 5-3 and Michigan is 4-3.

The only other programs with a winning record against Alabama in more than one meeting are the Birmingham Athletic Club (3-2), Boston College (3-1), Louisiana Tech (3-2), Rice (3-0), TCU (3-2) and UCLA (2-1).

Alabama is, by any measure, one of the most successful programs in college football history, claiming 18 national championships and four Heisman Trophy winners.

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Of course, the Sooners are one of the few programs that can measure up to that, with several national titles and seven Heisman winners.

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No team has beaten Alabama twice in the same season.

“Obviously we have tendencies. They have tendencies,” Sooners coach Brent Venables said. “They have certain matchups they like. We have certain matchups we like. At the end of the day, you can throw all that out. It’s time to start completely over. All that matters is what you do here moving forward.

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OKC Thunder Deploy Traditional Starting Lineup vs. Spurs

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OKC Thunder Deploy Traditional Starting Lineup vs. Spurs


The Oklahoma City Thunder are taking on the San Antonio Spurs in the Semi Final of the 2025 NBA Cup tournament. This is the third year of the event and second straight trip for the OKC Thunder to the Semi Final.

This is set to be a barn burner, as the Oklahoma City Thunder enter this contest 24-1 and the San Antonio Spurs sit at 17-7. Though, the even better news for both sides is the injury report. The Spurs get back generational talent Victor Wembanyama from his multi-week stint on the injured list and the Isaiah Hartenstein returns for Oklahoma City after missing the Thunder’s last five games.

With Oklahoma City only missing Isaiah Joe (knee contusion) in this contest, it gives them a rare treat. The Thunder for the first time all season will have their fully healthy starting five at their disposal. Many believe Mark Daigneault will deploy superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Defensive ace Lu Dort, All NBA swingman Jalen Williams, Rising star Chet Holmgren and Hartenstein.

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This was the first time all season the Thunder have had the chance to prove that thought process right. It can be hard to navigate such a talent filled roster especially as well as Cason Wallace played as a spot starter and leading the league in steals.

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In the end, the Oklahoma City Thunder weren’t the ones to throw a curveball with the starting lineup. It was the San Antonio Spurs who will bring Victor Wembanyama off the bench according to the official injury report submitted to the league before tip off.

This makes sense as Wembanyama has missed three weeks of action with a calf strain. San Antonio head coach Mitch Johnson revealed that his star center was going to be restricted in his first game back, especially against this historically great defense.

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Jan 24, 2024; San Antonio, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama (1) looks to pass in front of Oklahoma City Thunder forward Chet Holmgren (7) in the first half at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images | Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images

OKC Thunder vs. San Antonio Spurs Starting Lineups

OKC Thunder Starters

  • Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, G
  • Lu Dort, G
  • Jalen Williams, F
  • Chet Holmgren, F
  • Isaiah Hartenstein, C

San Antonio Spurs Starters

  • De’Aaron Fox, G
  • Steph Castle, G
  • Devin Vassell, F
  • Harrison Barnes, F
  • Luke Kornet, C

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The Oklahoma City Thunder will have to be mindful of their rotations to counter Wembanyama off the bench and stagger the likes of Holmgren and Hartenstein to counter it.

Up next, the Oklahoma City Thunder will either take on the New York Knicks on Tuesday in the NBA Cup Championship game with a win or resume their regular season with a loss. Falling to the Spurs would snap the Thunder’s 16 game winning streak, but issue Oklahoma City four days off leading into Thursday’s clash with the L.A. Clippers.

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