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Oklahoma with top 20 odds to win the national championship per BetMGM

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Oklahoma with top 20 odds to win the national championship per BetMGM


We have eight more Saturdays until “it’s football time in Oklahoma.” You can just feel it in the air. We’ve almost made it.

But until then, we have preseason predictions to scratch our itch. Another one from BetMGM included the Oklahoma Sooners among their top 20 favorites for the national title.

Oklahoma came in at No. 18 with +6600 odds, just behind the Wisconsin Badgers, Utah Utes, and Texas A&M Aggies.

Now it’s understandable to have odds that low after the season the Sooners just had. But we’ve seen what A&M looks like with Jimbo Fisher, so I’m not sure I understand the hype there.

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Nonetheless, Oklahoma has the second-best odds in the Big 12 behind the Texas Longhorns, who come in at No. 9 with +2200 odds.

There’s no doubt the Sooners are given such favorable odds because of their national brand and history. There was nothing on the field last season that suggests they should have top-20 national title odds in 2023.

But that is why we’ve beat the drum for a while about how big of a big year this is for Oklahoma. Not only will you know if Brent Venables is the guy after this season, but you’ll also know where recruiting is headed.

You can only sell the vision of what will happen for so long without results. Another poor season and Oklahoma will most likely take a dip in recruiting.

One thing is for certain, Oklahoma and its fans need a bounce-back year like they need the air they breathe.

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Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Jaron on Twitter @JaronSpor.

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Inmate dies after being found unresponsive at Oklahoma County Detention Center

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Inmate dies after being found unresponsive at Oklahoma County Detention Center


A man being held at the Oklahoma County Detention Center died Saturday evening after being found unresponsive during routine sight checks, authorities said.

Vincent Riggie, 37, was discovered around 7:10 p.m., according to jail officials. An officer called for medical assistance and began administering lifesaving measures, including Narcan.

Emergency responders from EMSA and the Oklahoma City Fire Department arrived shortly after and continued efforts to revive Riggie. However, he was pronounced dead at the scene.

Riggie, who was born Oct. 2, 1987, had been booked into the jail on Nov. 4, 2024, on charges of aggravated trafficking of illegal drugs and possession of a controlled substance. He was being held on a $50,000 bond.

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The circumstances surrounding Riggie’s death are under investigation. As per standard protocol, all in-custody deaths are investigated as homicides until the Oklahoma State Medical Examiner’s Office determines the official cause and manner of death.

Riggie’s family has been notified.





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South Carolina women's basketball: Five Things to Watch – #13 Oklahoma

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South Carolina women's basketball: Five Things to Watch – #13 Oklahoma


#2 South Carolina and #13 Oklahoma meet for the first time as conference rivals on Sunday. Find out how to watch and what to watch for.

1. When in doubt, Joyce Edwards
Every game seems to be another milestone in Joyce Edwards’s development., and she continues to get better an better. The latest milestone was scoring 11 of her career-high 21 points in the fourth quarter to help turn a four-point lead into an 18-point win.

Edwards has said that she understood her biggest adjustment in college would be the physicality. But knowing that and experiencing it are two different things.

“I feel like that was my biggest adjustment, actually,” Edwards said. “Just playing for the Gamecocks, with the Highlighters, helped me improve that. They’re physical. My teammates are physical as well, so I get it every day in practice. Coming out in the game, you just get better every day and eventually you get used to it.”

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Now she is posting up, drawing fouls, and finishing through contact. Since SEC play began, Edwards has emerged as one of the Gamecocks’ go-to players when they need a bucket.

Edwards is still improving, which makes the future even more exciting. She can be a better rebounder. She has three-point range, but Edwards’ jump shot isn’t consistent enough yet to balance her driving ability. The future is very bright.

[Win tickets: South Carolina-LSU WBB]

2. Handling Beers
Oklahoma made a splash in the offseason when the Sooners brought in transfer Raegan Beers, one of the top available players in the portal. 

Coach Jennie Baranczyk knew that to compete in the SEC she would need a post presence to supplement her guard-oriented, fast-paced style. Enter the 6-4 Beers, who leads the Sooners with 16.5 points and 8.8 rebounds this season.

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South Carolina has played Beers before. Last season Beers put up 16 points and 8 rebounds for Oregon State in a 70-58 loss to South Carolina in the Elite Eight in Albany

Kamilla Cardoso guarded Beers for most of that game, with Sania Feagin picking up the rest. Feagin struggled in that game, but she has gotten better as a defender since then. The Gamecocks didn’t double much, but when they did they were effective.

Beers is a little bit like Iowa State’s Audi Crooks. She isn’t super athletic and doesn’t move especially well, but once she gets the ball in the low post her footwork and shooting touch are elite. (“She’s a pretty big woman,” Edwards deadpanned.)

Earlier this season, South Carolina defended Crooks by fronting her and not letting her get the ball in position to make a play. It was extremely effective, but largely because of Ashlyn Watkins. South Carolina will still try to deny Beers the ball in her spots, but it will look different without Watkins.

“We’ve got to do a lot of our work early,” Edwards said. “Be physical without fouling.”

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Don’t be surprised if Staley uses Adhel Tac or Sakima Walker, who are both 6-6, to put some size on Beers. She’ll also try to make Beers play defense and hopefully get in foul trouble.

3. Tessa Time?
Someone on the message board (sorry, I don’t remember who) observed that every time we start to worry that a player has had a couple of quiet games, she responds with a big one. Using that logic, Tessa Johnson is due for a breakout. 

Johnson began SEC play with three consecutive double-figure games, including a career-high 22 at Mississippi State. But in the last two games, she has just nine points total on 3-7 shooting.

Johnson tends to let the game come to her, which has led to few shot attempts. She might need to be more assertive because she’s too good a scorer not to shoot more.

(Coincidentally, while writing this I’m watching the Oregon State game from last season to see how the Gamecocks guarded Beers. Johnson scored a team-high 15 in that game, including a clutch three-point play that basically won the game. More of that, Tessa.)

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4. Availability report
The first availability report for Sunday’s game comes out a little after 8:00pm ET on Saturday.

South Carolina’s availability report for its last game was as clean as it will be for the rest of the season. Only Ahlyn Watkins was listed.

Beers was the only player listed for Oklahoma. She was a Game Time Decision. That decision was for Beers to start and play her normal minutes. 

5. Scouting the Sooners
Beers has her own section, but Oklahoma’s veteran guards have been the heart of the team going back to the Big 12. 

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Skylar Vann was the Big 12 Co-Player of the Year last season, although her numbers have dropped to 9.4 points and 4.8 rebounds this season. Sahara Williams (10.1 points) was honorable mention All-Big 12 last season.

But the Sooners’ best player might be point guard Payton Verhulst. She was first-team All-Big 12 last season and is better this season, averaging 15.2 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 3.9 assists. Verhulst is also coming in off a career-high 38 points against Missouri on Thursday.

“I say that they’re relentless,” Staley said. “I say that they go end-to-end very quickly and get quick shots up, and that’s hard. They all can score the basketball, and they got a point guard that facilitates and runs their team. It’s got high IQ. When you have the head of the snake with teams like that, they’re just hard to beat with all the talent that they have.”

Even with Beers slowing the tempo slightly, Oklahoma still scores 88.1 points per game, fourth in the country, and attempts 26.2 threes (tied for 20th in the nation), hitting 33.1% for 8.7 per game. 

The Ws
Who: #2 South Carolina (17-1, 5-0) vs #13 Oklahoma (15-3, 3-2)
When: 3:00 ET, Sunday, January 19
Where: Colonial Life Arena, Columbia, SC
Watch: ESPN

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Dale tops Millwood in battle of Oklahoma high school boys basketball heavyweights

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Dale tops Millwood in battle of Oklahoma high school boys basketball heavyweights


DALE — Denton Forsythe is playing with something to prove this season. 

A junior at Dale, he won titles in his first two years with the Pirates as his older brother Dayton led the program and solidified himself as one of the best players in the state. 

But with Dayton graduating and now playing at OU, there were questions about Dale. 

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Would the Pirates maintain their high level of play? 

Would they fade a bit? 

Did they have enough star power?  

Dale had a chance this week to see where it stood among the state’s best.

In the end, the Pirates erased any doubts that may have thrown their way. 

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Class 2A top-ranked Dale defeated Class 3A No. 1 Millwood 64-57 inside its home gymnasium Friday.

Forsythe had a big night as he led Dale with 22 points, while Jett Higdon had 13 and Tray Chambers added 12. Amari Barrett led Millwood (7-5) with 18. 

“We played extremely hard and extremely well,” Dale coach Jeff Edmonson said. “MIllwood is one of the top teams in the state. That’s a big-time win, so I’m really proud of our boys.” 

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Dale had won 57 straight home games into the matchup, and the gym was packed Friday. 

“We knew this place was gonna be rocking,” Forsythe said. “We got to give thanks to all of our fans. We knew Millwood was gonna come, because we beat them last year, we knew they were gonna come with energy and effort. I’m just proud of these guys, the way they played and competed.” 

Dale didn’t have the greatest start and trailed 15-9 after Millwood’s Isaiah Wilks hit a jumper at the end of the first quarter. 

But with Forsythe leading the charge, Dale fought back, trailed 29-25 at halftime and dominated after the break. 

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“He played with a lot of heart,” Edmonson said of Forsythe. “They all do. Everybody made big plays. Every single one of them on both ends of the floor.” 

Forsythe views this as one of the best wins of his career. 

The Pirates are now 17-2. Their lone losses were in December at the Tournament of Champions, where they fell to Class 4A top-ranked Weatherford 59-58 and to Class 4A third-ranked Crossings Christian 62-49. 

“We got a bunch of momentum going forward,” Forsythe said. “I’m proud of these guys. And the way we just celebrated in that locker room shows you how much these guys care about each other.” 

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Dale girls rout Millwood

The Class 2A top-ranked Dale girls squad blew past Millwood 66-37, improving to 18-1 on the season. 

Danika Pendley led Dale with 19 points, while Teague Muncy had 15 and Ava Bell added 11 against the Falcons (5-6). 

“We did a good job getting the ball inside,” Dale coach Eric Smith said. “They have a hard time guarding us inside. We’re pretty big and long and strong. And then defensively, it was good for the most part all night long.” 

The season is going well for Dale, the state runner-up last year. 

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The Pirates’ only loss was to Class 3A top-ranked Washington at Dale’s home tournament in December, but they avenged that when they defeated Washington later in the month at the Bertha Frank Teague Mid-America Classic in Ada. 

“It’s been a good season — 2A is as hard and as tough as I’ve ever seen it in a while,” Smith said. “Pocola is really good, Hartshorne is really good, Okemah is really good. I mean, there’s 10 or 12 teams that I think could make the state tournament, so It’s been a challenge for us.”

Nick Sardis covers high school sports for The Oklahoman. Have a story idea for Nick? He can be reached at nsardis@oklahoman.com or on Twitter at @nicksardis. Sign up for The Varsity Club newsletter to access more high school coverage. Support Nick’s work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at subscribe.oklahoman.com.

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