Oklahoma
MAILBAG: What to Make of Oklahoma State Blowout + A Shift in Expectations?
West Virginia pummeled Oklahoma State this past weekend 38-14 on the road and will now return home for a big matchup with No. 11 Iowa State. Following Saturday’s game, we received a handful of questions for this week’s mailbag.
From @OldWisdom44:
Q: Why did Coach Brown take two timeouts into the locker room and not force Okie Light to snap it on fourth down?
A: Great question, mostly because I was wondering the same exact thing. I understand being content with a 31-7 lead, but why not make them punt it? When I asked this on X (Twitter), a lot of folks were nervous about muffing the punt. I wouldn’t even punt a returner back there. It would be about just making them snap and get off a clean kick more than anything. And no, it wouldn’t be wise to send all 11 to rush the punt because if you have a roughing the kicker penalty, then it gives Oklahoma State a chance. But you’re absolutely right. Make them snap and punt the ball. Heck, he may shank it, and all of a sudden you can take a shot to get into field goal range.
From @wvufan2023:
Q: After seeing how we played on Saturday, how do you like our chances against Iowa State next week?
A: In our revised predictions show on Between The Eers, I actually picked WVU to win this game. You would think I would feel even better about that pick after what transpired in Stillwater, but it instead it has me second-guessing. I will hold my final prediction for our article on Thursday, but I do think this is a winnable game for the Mountaineers. Iowa State had a very impressive road win at Iowa, but hasn’t really been tested outside of that WVU is super confident and has been through the wringer.
From @pbnjdomenico:
Q: That was an unexpected blowout. How does that reset our expectations for this year?
A: Nothing major. If anything, I think it removes the fear of not making a bowl game. For this team to assert themselves as a true contender in the Big 12 and perhaps nationally, that will depend on the outcome of these next two home games against Iowa State and Kansas State. Even splitting these next two isn’t the end of the world, and it’ll have folks believing.
From @Jeremia62776484:
Q: Going to be a hype and exciting Saturday night vs. a good ISU team. Can WVU deliver or will we go back to old habits?
A: As mentioned above, I’ll hold my prediction for Thursday, but I don’t foresee them laying an egg. Since they got the ball back down eleven against Kansas, this has been a different football team. They know they have the talent, they’re playing much better in all three phases and will have a massive crowd backing them on Saturday night. It seems like over the years, anytime WVU has had these big-time primetime home games, they always find a way to lose. But this group could be different. In a weird way those early-season struggles may have benefitted them.
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The Oklahoma City Thunder are taking on the Phoenix Suns in Game 2 of their opening-round series. The OKC Thunder are hoping that they can repeat their Sunday afternoon performance in this contest. Game 2 will be an interesting test with the Suns having more time to prepare.
Phoenix was up against a rock and a hard place in the series opener. The Oklahoma City Thunder not only have the talent advantage but the rest advantage as well. Phoenix punched their ticket to the NBA Playoffs on Friday night by staving off the Golden State Warriors on Friday night before landing in Oklahoma City on Saturday and playing on Saturday afternoon to the tune of a 119-84 blowout Thunder victory.
The NBA has seen plenty of upsets already. The Orlando Magic, Philadelphia 76ers and Portland Trail Blazers have all stolen games from the higher seed. The Thunder know they have to keep the foot on the gas in this contest.
“These series are unpredictable. No 2 games are the same. The minute you make an assumption, you are overconfident, or the minute you go down and you’re overly urgent, that can impact your ability to be present in the next game,” Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault said pregame on Wednesday night.
The Oklahoma City Thunder are seeing the Suns make an adjustment with their starting lineup by inserting Collin Gillespie to give Phoenix a trio of ball handling scoring options alongside Devin Booker and Jalen Green. This gives the Suns hope to be able to find better shot quality against this stifling Thunder defensive unit.
Oklahoma City is healthier now than they have been all season. The Thunder only are missing rookie Thomas Sorber (ACL) who is out for the year. This allows the Bricktown Ballers to roll out their traditional first five in this contest.
Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Phoenix Suns, Game 2 Starting Lineup
Oklahoma City Thunder Starting Lineup
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, G
- Lu Dort, G
- Jalen Williams, F
- Chet Holmgren, F
- Isaiah Hartenstein, C
Phoenix Suns Starting Lineup
- Devin Booker, G
- Jalen Green, G
- Collin Gillespie, G
- Dillon Brooks, F
- Oso Ighodaro, C
The series will shift to Phoenix this weekend as the Oklahoma City Thunder hope to head into Saturday afternoon’s Game 3 with a 2-0 advantage in the series.
Stay tuned to Thunder on SI for complete coverage of the NBA Playoff run for the Oklahoma City Thunder.
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OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLA (KOKH) — The Oklahoma City Fire Department responded to a home fire late Tuesday evening, around 10:42 p.m.
According to OKCFD, fire could be seen from a window of the home located in the 4200 block of N. Phillips Avenue.
Firefighters were able to rescue an adult female from inside the home. No injuries were reported in connection with the fire.
Investigators believe that the fire may have originated from an outlet near the refrigerator that had a power strip plugged in that was supplying multiple appliances.
There was also no smoke detector present within the home.
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NORMAN — The Sooners were behind the eight ball for much of Tuesday’s game against Oral Roberts.
But one swing of the bat got them in a more favorable position.
Shortstop Jaxon Willits blasted a grand slam in the sixth inning to give No. 14 Oklahoma its first lead before eventually winning 7-6.
The Sooners trailed by as many as five runs before they rallied late.
In the first inning, Oral Roberts’ Cooper Combs hit a two-out grand slam to give the Golden Eagles a comfortable cushion. OU infielder Deiten Lachance got the Sooners on the board in the second inning with a solo home run, but ORU responded with a solo shot of its own in the next frame.
The Golden Eagles made it a 6-1 run game in the top of the fourth, and they appeared to be on cruise control. But in the bottom of that frame, OU’s rally began.
Dasan Harris made it a four-run game again with a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the fourth before Camden Johnson hit a sacrifice fly of his own in the fifth.
Then, in the sixth, the Sooners took their first lead of the game.
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Harris singled before Kyle Branch and Connor Larkin walked to load the bases. Willits then swung at the first pitch he saw, sending it well over the right-center field fence.
Neither team scored after Willits’ home run, as OU relief pitcher Xander Mercurius retired nine ORU batters in a row to seal the Sooners’ one-run win.
Michael Catalano started on the mound for Oklahoma, but his outing was short-lived — he gave up four earned runs on two hits and five walks in 1 ⅓ innings.
After coach Skip Johnson relieved Catalano in the second inning, six different OU arms entered the game. Reid Hensley collected the win, while Mercurius got the save.
OU improved to 28-12 overall with the win, while Oral Roberts dropped to 23-15. The Sooners are 7-3 in midweek games this season, and they clinched the season sweep of the Golden Eagles on Tuesday.
Next, the Sooners will hit the road for a three-game series against Auburn. The Tigers, ranked No. 11 by D1Baseball, are 10-8 in SEC play and took two of three games against Florida over the weekend.
The series will open on Friday, and first pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m.
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