Oklahoma

Milwaukee vs. Oklahoma City LIVE: Will youth crush experience in NBA Cup finale? | Marca

Published

1 year ago

December 17, 2024

Milwaukee vs. Oklahoma City LIVE: Will youth crush experience in NBA Cup finale? | Marca

The stage is set for an epic clash in the Emirates NBA Cup final as the veteran Milwaukee Bucks face off against the rising Oklahoma City Thunder. This Tuesday night at T-Mobile Arena, it’s experience versus exuberance, championship pedigree against youthful hunger, with a trophy and serious cash on the line.

The Bucks, led by Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard, bring a wealth of experience to the table, boasting All-Stars and NBA championship rings. However, the Thunder, spearheaded by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, are a force to be reckoned with, on pace for a second consecutive Western Conference No. 1 seed.

While some might frame this as a battle of old versus young, both teams are dismissing the narrative. “It just comes down to one game and that’s it,” Lillard stated. “I don’t think nobody, at least with us, is looking at it like, ‘Oh, we old and all that and they young.’”

Gilgeous-Alexander echoed this sentiment, stating his focus is on dominating every opponent, regardless of their experience. “To be completely honest with you, I don’t differentiate games on who I play against,” he said. “If we play the worst team in the league, the best team in the league, I’m trying to take their head off.”

Oklahoma City’s run in the Cup

Both teams enter the final as two of the league’s hottest, boasting 12-3 records in their last 15 games. This high-stakes matchup not only offers a hefty payday–$205,988 per player for the losers and a whopping $514,971 for the winners–but also a crucial test of their mettle.

The Thunder’s Cup run has mirrored their regular season success. They dominated their group, overcoming the Lakers, Jazz, and a weakened Suns. They continued their impressive form in the knockout rounds with wins over Dallas and Houston, demonstrating resilience even in the absence of Chet Holmgren. They are 12-3 without Holmgren after going 8-2 with him.

Milwaukee’s run in the Cup

The Cup has been a turning point for the Bucks, who used the tournament to reignite their season after a rocky 2-8 start. Improved shooting and more aggressive defense have propelled them to impressive rankings in offensive and defensive efficiency during Cup play. The return of Khris Middleton adds another layer of intrigue.

With both Antetokounmpo and Gilgeous-Alexander in contention for both the Kia MVP and the tournament MVP, this final is poised to be an instant classic. Who will emerge victorious? Will experience prevail, or will youth reign supreme?

Bucks vs. Thunder showdown: First-time NBA Cup clash too close to call

The highly anticipated Emirates NBA Cup final is finally here, and predicting the winner is proving impossible. For the first time this season, the veteran Milwaukee Bucks will square off against the upstart Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday night at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

This is the teams’ first meeting of the season, with their two regular-season games scheduled for February 3 in OKC and March 16 in Milwaukee. Last season, the teams split their two matchups, with the most recent coming on April 12, when the Bucks fell to OKC while missing their superstars Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard.

Despite the Bucks’ pedigree, Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault believes a loss earlier in 2023 proved pivotal for his rising team.

Reflecting on their March 24 defeat in Milwaukee, Daigneault said, “They really took it to us, and it was a great game for us. It was like water in the face for us. … It really informed us [of] the level of physicality, focus, everything you need to win against a good team.”

Lillard is the Bucks’ X factor

Both squads enter the final riding hot streaks. The Bucks have been closing out tight games behind their superstar duo of Antetokounmpo and Lillard, while the Thunder are firing on all cylinders with breakout performances from their young core.

Lillard remains Milwaukee’s X-factor, capable of dominating the scoreboard, while OKC’s forward Jalen Williams has drawn comparisons to a young Scottie Pippen for his versatility and clutch play.

Milwaukee dominates the deep game

One key stat could tip the scales: Milwaukee thrives from behind the arc, boasting a deadly 38.9% three-point shooting percentage. Meanwhile, Oklahoma City allows opponents to take 44.6% of their shots from deep — a troubling sign if the Bucks get hot from long range.

Oddsmakers give OKC a slight edge as 4.5-point favorites, but in a matchup this close, it could all come down to who catches fire on the night. One thing’s for sure — this NBA Cup final is shaping up to be a thriller.

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Oklahoma

The Spring adds immersive walkthrough to annual Encounter Hope gala in Sand Springs, Oklahoma

Published

4 hours ago

March 4, 2026

Press Room

The Spring adds immersive walkthrough to annual Encounter Hope gala in Sand Springs, Oklahoma

TULSA, OKLA. (KTUL) — A Tulsa-based nonprofit is adding an immersive, walkthrough experience to its annual fundraising gala, aiming to give attendees a closer look at what survivors of domestic violence and human trafficking face — and how support services can help.

The Spring, which provides services to people impacted by domestic violence and human trafficking, will feature the walkthrough as part of Encounter Hope, its annual gala set for April 9 at the Arvest Convention Center.

The experience is designed to guide guests through the story of an abuse survivor across four stages of interaction with The Spring: the inciting incident, the crisis call, time at the emergency crisis shelter, and moving into safety.

“The idea is really to put you in the shoes of the people that we serve every day,” Allison Wells,

The Spring’s events and environments coordinator, said. “It’s easy to throw out stats about violence and trafficking in Oklahoma, throw out our service numbers each year, but these are really peoples’ lives. We want to put our attendees in the mindset of one person, one story. What would you do if you were facing this?”

After the walkthrough, attendees will have the opportunity to assemble move-in kits for The Spring’s shelter guests and write personal notes of encouragement.

The program portion of the evening will include a panel discussion hosted by Karen Larsen, an Emmy Award-winning journalist who anchored Tulsa’s Channel 2 for almost 30 years.

“Tulsa is an incredibly charitable city, and we know that these kinds of gala events aren’t rare here,” Leslie Clingenpeel, The Spring’s CEO, said. “Our goal is to go beyond the model of these fundraising-only type events. More than anything, we want people to understand what we do, to know that we’re here, to know what our frontline advocates are doing every single day. Domestic violence and trafficking are hard to look away from once you’re aware of them. We want to build that awareness to the people of this city.”

Individual tickets and table packages are available for purchase.

Attendees are encouraged to register before April 1 because space is limited.

More details and purchasing information are available at www.thespringok.org/encounterhope.

The Spring is a Tulsa-based nonprofit offering services to those affected by domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, and human trafficking.

The organization provides emergency crisis shelter, transitional living, and non-residential services.

More information is available at www.thespringok.org.

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Oklahoma

Oklahoma State outlasts UCF in overtime, Houston next

Published

16 hours ago

March 4, 2026

Press Room

Oklahoma State outlasts UCF in overtime, Houston next

ORLANDO, Fla. –

The Oklahoma State Cowboys men’s basketball bounced back in a big way Tuesday night.

Anthony Roy scored 27 points and Kanye Clary added 23, including seven in overtime, as Oklahoma State defeated the UCF Knights men’s basketball 111-104 in Orlando.

The Cowboys controlled the extra period, finishing overtime on an 11-4 run and outscoring UCF 17-10.

Clary played a major role in closing it out. He hit a key 3-pointer and went 4-for-4 from the free throw line in overtime to help seal the win.

The victory moves Oklahoma State to 18-12 overall and 6-11 in the Big 12, and gives the Cowboys two wins in their last three games after snapping a five-game losing streak. UCF, now 20-9 (9-8 Big 12), has dropped two straight.

Roy and Clary led a balanced offensive effort. Jaylen Curry and Christian Coleman each added 16 points, while the Cowboys shot 49% from the field (35-of-72) and 80% from the free throw line (32-of-40).

Themus Fulks led UCF with 22 points, while Riley Kugel added 18.

Late-game drama forces overtime

The final seconds of regulation were chaotic.

With 24 seconds remaining, Isaiah Coleman threw down a dunk to give Oklahoma State a 94-91 lead.

But UCF answered quickly when Chris Johnson hit a 3-pointer with 11 seconds left, tying the game at 94-94.

Oklahoma State had a chance to win it at the buzzer, but Jaylen Curry missed a shot, and John Bol blocked Roy’s attempt, sending the game to overtime.

Cowboys respond after tough loss

The Cowboys showed resilience after Saturday’s lopsided loss to Cincinnati.

The team traveled directly to Orlando following that defeat and was pushed through two intense practices by head coach Steve Lutz and the coaching staff.

The response was clear.

Led by Roy’s scoring and Clary’s clutch overtime performance, Oklahoma State delivered a gritty win and swept the season series against UCF

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