Oklahoma
Oklahoma Declines NIT Bid
For the fourth time in five seasons, the Oklahoma Sooners were denied a chance among the 68-team field in the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament.
Oklahoma did not appear among the field of 32 for the National Invitational Tournament when their bracket was released late Sunday evening. Oklahoma declined an invite to the postseason tournament.
This follows a stretch where the Sooners won eight of their final 11 games of the season, including post-season conference tournament play. OU beat South Carolina and Texas A&M in the first and seond rounds of the SEC Tournament only to lose to eventual champion Arkansas by three points.
Oklahoma finished their season 19-15. Considering the hole they dug themselves from Jan. 7 to Feb. 3, losing a program record-tying nine consecutive games, OU’s late-season push was quite the accomplishment. With two quadrant one victories on the road against Texas and a neutral-court victory over A&M, Oklahoma gave themselves outside hope that they could be dancing further into March.
Oklahoma has not played in the NIT since Porter Moser’s first season in Norman in 2021-22. OU would beat Missouri State 89-72 int he first round and lose to St. Bonaventure 70-68 in the second round. Moser’s squad would decline an NIT bid two seasons later.
OU is 11-8 all-time in the NIT, reaching the NIT Finals in 1991 before losing to Stanford.
In five seasons, Moser has been one of the first teams out of the NCAA Tournament field four times. In his lone appearance as the Sooners’ head coach in 2024-25, OU was one of the last teams in. Moser is 93-74 during his run as the University of Oklahoma’s basketball coach.
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New Oklahoma athletic director Roger Denny announced on Saturday that Moser would return for his sixth season as OU’s head coach citing a desire to “ensure that our resources match our expectations.
“We haven’t held up our end of that bargain,” Denny added on his X account. “From NIL to staffing and beyond, we’re going to fix that.”
Following this season, OU stands to lose seniors Mo Wague, Tae Davis, Kirill Elatontse, Jeff Nwankwo, Nijel Pack, Reid Lovelace and Jadon Jones. The question now moves to if Moser can retain players like Xzayvier Brown, Derrion Reid, Dayton Forsythe, Kuol Atak and Kai Rogers while going into the transfer portal to bring in more talent for 2026-27.
The Oklahoma Sooners look to build upon the best recruiting class they’ve had in the Brent Venables era with another offer in the 2027 recruiting class. This time, the Sooners join the pursuit for three-star wide receiver Taurean Rawlins.
Rawlins, out of Sandy Springs, a suburb of Atlanta, has seen his recruitment take off this offseason, in particular in the last month. He received his first offer from Boise State in January and, in the last couple of weeks, has received offers from Florida State, Miami, Nebraska, Ohio State, Georgia, and now Oklahoma. He’s also received offers from South Carolina, Mississippi State, Kansas, Arkansas, Wisconsin, Vanderbilt, and West Virginia.
Currently ranked No. 475 in the On3 Industry Rankings, Rawlins is likely to see a rise in the rankings over the next six months ahead of the early signing period.
Rawlins has elite speed and can create big plays every time he touches the ball. He’s a good route runner with excellent hands. He fights through tackles to gain yards after the catch. He’s a shifty player who is able to make players miss in the open field.
The Oklahoma Sooners have three wide receivers committed in the 2027 class: Demare Dezeurn, Greydon Howell, and Tra’von Hall. But Rawlins has a chance to finish the recruiting cycle among the best wide receivers in the class if his trajectory continues.
Taurean Rawlins Recruiting Profile
Vitals
| Projected Position | Wide Receiver |
| Height | 6-0 |
| Weight | 175 pounds |
| Hometown | Sandy Springs, Ga. |
Ratings
| Site | Stars | Overall | Position | State |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ESPN | 3 | — | 49 | 41 |
| 247Sports | 3 | — | 53 | 47 |
| 247Sports Composite | 3 | 475 | 58 | 53 |
| Rivals | 3 | — | 66 | 69 |
| Rivals Industry | 3 | 445 | 63 | 46 |
Social Media
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TULSA, Okla. (KTUL) — New federal marijuana changes are beginning to reshape parts of the cannabis industry — including how some Oklahoma dispensaries may choose to operate.
The federal government recently moved marijuana into a less restrictive category under federal law. The Drug Enforcement Administration is now opening the door for dispensaries to register under federal rules.
Experts say that could eventually bring benefits like expanded banking access and potential tax relief for some businesses.
“Currently there’s over 425,000 people working in the cannabis industry nationwide,” said Max Simon. “As we get federal reform, you will start to see more opportunity for these businesses to expand in a more meaningful national way.”
For now, dispensaries can still remain state-only, and legal experts say many businesses are still weighing what makes the most sense.
“There were far fewer fortunes made than there were fortunes lost in this industry in Oklahoma,” said Eric Fisher. “I think this will maintain jobs in the industry right now.”
The changes also come as schools like Tulsa Community College have started training students for cannabis-related careers — highlighting how quickly the industry continues to evolve.
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Oklahoma
How to watch LA Lakers vs Oklahoma City Thunder: TV, live stream info for tonight’s NBA playoff game
Coverage of the 2026 NBA playoffs continues tonight on NBC and Peacock with a star-studded doubleheader. The action tips off at 7:00 PM ET, when Donovan Mitchell and the Cleveland Cavaliers take on Cade Cunningham and the Detroit Pistons. Then, at 8:30 PM ET, LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers go head-to-head with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Oklahoma City Thunder on Peacock. Live coverage begins at 6:00 PM with NBA Showtime. See below for additional information on how to watch the 2026 NBA Playoffs on NBC and Peacock.
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LA Lakers vs Oklahoma City Thunder Game Preview:
The No. 4 Lakers defeated the No. 5 Rockets in six games to advance to the Western Conference Semifinals. Los Angeles opened the series with a 3-0 lead, dropped Games 4 and 5, then bounced back with a 98-78 road win in Game 6. The win marked JJ Redick’s first playoff series victory since he took over as head coach ahead of last season.
Meanwhile, the top-seeded Thunder defeated the No. 8 Phoenix Suns 4-0, completing a First Round sweep for the third straight season. The Thunder look to become the first team to win consecutive NBA titles since the Golden State Warriors (2016-2017, 2017-18).
The Lakers and Thunder will both be without key players tonight. Luka Doncic has missed the last 11 games due to a grade 2 hamstring strain sustained on April 2 against Oklahoma City, while Jalen Williams missed the last two games for the Thunder with a grade 1 hamstring strain. Both players are considered week-to-week.
NBA: Philadelphia 76ers at New York Knicks
2026 NBA Playoffs: Bracket, schedule, scores, matchups for conference semifinals, including 76ers vs. Knicks
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All the games — times, dates, where to watch — in one easy-to-check-out location.
How to watch LA Lakers vs Oklahoma City Thunder:
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When: Tonight, Tuesday, May 5
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Where: Paycom Center, Oklahoma City, OK
Los Angeles Lakers vs. Oklahoma City Thunder series preview, predictions – Do LeBron, Lakers have a chance?
What other NBA games are on NBC and Peacock tonight?
Pistons vs Cavaliers Game 1 NBA Playoffs – predictions: Odds, recent stats, trends and best bets for May 5
How to watch the NBA on NBC and Peacock:
NBC Sports will present up to 23 games in the First Round and 11 games in the Conference Semifinals across either NBC and Peacock, or Peacock and NBCSN. Playoff programming concludes with exclusive coverage of the Western Conference Finals on NBC and Peacock
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Which playoff rounds will be available on Peacock?
Peacock’s NBA Playoffs coverage spans multiple rounds, including Round 1, the Conference Semifinals, and the Western Conference Finals, with coverage evolving as the postseason progresses.
Will Peacock show both Eastern and Western Conference playoff games?
Yes. During earlier rounds such as Round 1 and the Conference Semifinals, Peacock will carry a mix of Eastern and Western Conference playoff games.
Brunson powers Knicks past 76ers in Game 1
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