Oklahoma

Scouting report: 3 keys for Cincinnati Bearcats to close with a road win at Oklahoma State

Published

10 months ago

March 6, 2025

Scouting report: 3 keys for Cincinnati Bearcats to close with a road win at Oklahoma State

While the Cincinnati Bearcats football team has made its way to Stillwater to face Oklahoma State in the Big 12, the UC basketball team is making its first trip to Gallagher-Iba Arena in over 24 years.

After playing less-than-engaging basketball on Senior Night Wednesday in the home finale vs. Kansas State, UC will now have to reverse course on Oklahoma State’s Senior Day Saturday.

They will go from being booed by the home fans at the end of a 54-49 disappointment to being booed by the road fans as the Cowboys try to go out on a winning note.

“The effort’s unacceptable, the fight’s unacceptable, it’s on the head coach,” UC coach Wes Miller said pounding the press room table Wednesday night. “I’m the leader of the operation. I’ve got to do a better damn job. It’s on my ass. I’d boo our butts too. I’d boo myself too.”

Cincinnati Bearcats background in Stillwater

Eddie Sutton led the 18th-ranked Cowboys to a 69-62 opening season win Nov. 16, 2001 over the Bob Huggins-led Bearcats who got half of their points (31) from Steve Logan. UC would go on to to lose just three more games the rest of the season, winning 31 and taking the Conference USA regular season and tournament titles.

Most of UC’s current players weren’t yet born and have no idea Gallagher-Iba Arena is known as the “Madison Square Garden of the Plains.” Saturday afternoon, they will play on the famous white maple court trying to end the regular season on an up note.

It won’t be easy as Oklahoma State is 11-3 at home with the losses coming against Houston, Arizona and Texas Tech, all ranked in the Top 25. It’s probably too late for Wes Miller to change his sideline persona, but there’s no question he’s agitated over dispassionate play.

“I’ve tried to be very positive,” Miller said. “Sometimes my intensity can be a lot for kids at this era of basketball. I don’t complain about players. I played, I understand what it’s like. It’s on me. I’ve got to do a better job of preparing our team. I didn’t do my job. Everybody should be mad at me. I get it. Leave the kids alone.”

Another crucial game for Cincinnati Bearcats

If it’s March and you’re on or near the proverbial “bubble,, they’re all crucial. Many bracketology people have UC’s bubble as burst. A win at Oklahoma State would put the Bearcats 18-13, even with the record they had last year heading into the Big 12 tournament. Many college hoops analysts like Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports and Fan Duel have them needing to run the table in Kansas City.

Should UC win at Oklahoma State, then two tournament wins would give Wes Miller a third straight 20-win season and eighth overall including his last five seasons at UNC-Greensboro. It would also put them in the Big 12 quarterfinals, which wasn’t enough last year. This year’s one Quad 1 win and a Senior Night Quad 3 loss is not conducive to getting flowery comments and accolades from the NCAA Selection Committee.

“We’ve got to be the team that we’ve been for the last month,” Miller said of erasing Wednesday’s nightmare. “You’ve got to look in the mirror and be a competitor. We’ve got to compete.”

Miller was shocked at the effort vs. Kansas State with so much on the line. Most of the 10,814 at Fifth Third Arena were in agreement. UC last lost a Senior Night three years ago.

“This is their last year,” Dillon Mitchell said. “Some of these guys have been here for years and gave it all. We just didn’t get the job done. It was bad. Effort is something all of us can control. We didn’t give good effort. We’ve got to be better than that. We can’t lose a game because of our effort.”

Mitchell did lead UC with seven rebounds as they pulled down 37 to Kansas State’s 36. Only he (3) and Day Day Thomas (1) finished with a positive plus/minus figure vs. the Wildcats.

3 keys for Cincinnati Bearcats to win at Oklahoma State

1. Again, UC’s chances enhanced by holding opponents below 70

The Bearcats are 15-8 in games where their opponent scores less than 70 points. Oklahoma State has only won once in the 12 times they’ve scored less than 70. Unfortunately, if the Bearcats can’t reach 50, that’s an issue. Their season lows have come in the Big 12 with just 40 points vs. Kansas, 48 at Baylor and 49 vs. Kansas State. The 54 points by the Wildcats Wednesday tied their season-low, but UC was clanking at a 2-for-18 rate from three-point range and was a miserable 5-for-11 from the charity stripe.

2. UC must stop Bryce Thompson

The 6-foot-6 guard averages close to 13 points per game for the Cowboys and has had a high of 25 points against UCF. Thompson is a three-year starter the Bearcats didn’t see last year as he was out with a shoulder injury. Thompson played 39 of 40 minutes in Oklahoma State’s home upset of Iowa State Feb. 25. Wednesday he was held to four points at UCF while in foul trouble with four.

3. UC needs to remember last season’s disappointment vs. Cowboys

UC was knocked off last year by Oklahoma State in a game that featured eight lead changes, 80-76. It was one of eight Big 12 losses by five or less points in 2024. UC last led with three minutes left in the contest. The only player back for the Cowboys from that squad is Jamyron Keller, who had 14 points, missing just two shots and making all five of his free throws.

A key road win may be too late for their resumé, but they can’t let Oklahoma State play spoiler. The Cowboys have a similar predicament next week in Kansas City as only an automatic bid will get them in the tournament.

Tip: 3 p.m. Eastern Saturday (Gallagher-Iba Arena, 13,611)

TV/Radio: ESPN+/700WLW

Series: Oklahoma State leads 4-2 (Cowboys won 80-76 Feb. 21, 2024)

Oklahoma State Cowboys scouting report

Record: 14-16 (6-13 Big 12)

Coach: Steve Lutz (first year, 14-16)

Offense: 72.6 ppg

Defense: 76.5 ppg

Projected starting lineup

(Position, Height, Stats)

Bryce Thompson (G, 6’6″, 12.3 ppg)

Arturo Dean (G, 5’11”, 7.4 ppg)

Abou Ousmane (F, 6’10:, 12.1 ppg)

Jamyron Keller (G, 6’3″, 5.4 ppg)

Robert Jennings II (F, 6’7″, 5.6 ppg)

Cincinnati Bearcats scouting report

Record: 17-13 (7-12 Big 12)

Coach: Wes Miller (fourth season, 80-56, overall 265-191)

Offense: 70.6 ppg

Defense: 64.9 ppg

Projected starting lineup

(Position, Height, Stats)

Josh Reed (F, 6’7″, 4.2 ppg)

Jizzle James (G, 6’3″, 12.7 ppg)

Dillon Mitchell (F, 6’8″, 9.7 ppg)

Day Day Thomas (G, 6’1″, 9.3 ppg)

Aziz Bandaogo (C, 7′, 7.7 ppg)

Players to watch

As mentioned, Oklahoma State’s Bryce Thompson is a starter the Bearcats didn’t see last year due to injury. In addition, 6-foot-8 forward Marchellus Avery and 6-foot-5 guard Brandon Newman are key contributors for the Cowboys that don’t start. Between them they combine for 19 points per game.

Four of UC’s starters from last year should have long memories of last year’s defeat but a difference-maker late in the year has been Jizzle James who didn’t start last year until the final two NIT games. James had 10 points off the bench in last season’s game, but has been on a roll with double-digit scoring games while teamed up with Day Day Thomas in the backcourt. James has reached double figures in 11 straight games while Thomas has joined him in nine of the last 10.

Rankings

KenPom.com: Cincinnati is No. 53, Oklahoma State No. 101

NCAA.NET: Cincinnati is No. 45, Oklahoma State is No. 100

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Oklahoma

Oklahoma storms bring widespread damage, tornadoes in Purcell and Shawnee

Published

10 hours ago

January 9, 2026

Press Room

Oklahoma storms bring widespread damage, tornadoes in Purcell and Shawnee

8:45 p.m. Tornado Update from NWS Norman:

EF1 (high end) at Purcell
EF0 near Lake Thunderbird (south of Stella/northwest of Little Axe)
EF1 west and near the Shawnee Twin Lakes
EF1 in north Shawnee.
There are other areas of damage that we will continue to investigate.

Original story:

OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) — Storms moved through parts of Oklahoma on Thursday morning, with at least five tornado warnings issued and two tornadoes that touched down in Purcell and Shawnee, leaving behind damage.

A line of strong to severe thunderstorms moved through central and eastern Oklahoma early Thursday that producing tornadoes, damaging winds, and power outages.

Preliminary information from the National Weather Service in Norman shows that at least EF-1 damage was found in Purcell. Survey teams are continuing to assess the damage that was left behind from the morning storms.

Officials also reported that widespread power outages occurred in the city, along with downed trees and powerlines, with nine homes having damaged roofs, and a semi-truck rollover accident on I-35 with one injury.

Shawnee also suffered some damage Thursday morning, which includes downed fences and partial roof loss at the Holiday Inn Express. As of Thursday evening, NWS officials confirm that a tornado did touch down in the northern portion of Shawnee; however, a preliminary rating hasn’t been given at this time.

According to Comanche County Emergency Management, damages related to the storms were reported across the City of Lawton, with roof damage at Sheridan and Lee, along with power pole and power line damage.

Lawton Fire Department responded to a rooftop fire at MacArthur High School on Thursday morning, caused by wind damage to AC units.

Lightning strikes in Edmond were reported to have caused a transformer fire near Covell and Kelly, with another lightning strike having caused a tree to fall on top of a vehicle near Covell and Broadway, resulting in one person being injured.

Straight-line winds were also reported to have destroyed a barn north of Guthrie, while structures were damaged in south Wynona, including a shop building that was devastated and a mobile home that was damaged.

Damage assessments are said to be ongoing at this time. News 4 will provide updates as we learn more.

According to NWS Norman officials, the last time the department issued a tornado warning in January was on January 10, 2020. However, Thursday’s reported tornado was not the earliest for a tornado to occur in Oklahoma. Tornadoes happened in Osage, Mayes, McIntosh, Ottawa, and Sequoyah Counties back on January 2, 2023.

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Oklahoma

Neighbors sift debris, help each other after suspected Purcell tornado

Published

22 hours ago

January 8, 2026

Press Room

Neighbors sift debris, help each other after suspected Purcell tornado

PURCELL — Jennifer Fox had just fed the pigs behind her house early in the morning Thursday, Jan. 8, and began getting ready for work before she and her two sons heard something hit her bedroom window.

“I said, ‘Is it hailing?” she said. “My oldest looked out the window and he saw our awning across the back. He said, ‘Mom, the awning’s gone.”

Fox looked out the window and saw debris everywhere. She said she didn’t hear tornado sirens, but she and her sons immediately took shelter in a closet. By that time, the suspected tornado had already passed through her neighborhood off of Johnson Avenue in Purcell.

At first, Fox didn’t think there was a tornado and attributed the damage and debris to strong winds.

But just one street over, the roof of one house had been destroyed. When she looked at the house behind hers, Fox said she knew a tornado had hit her neighborhood.

“I was thankful at the time,” she said. “I told my kids, I said, ‘It could’ve been a lot worse.’ We weren’t prepared, obviously. I really felt like it just barely missed us.”

Severe weather passed through central Oklahoma early Thursday morning, bringing reports of damage from a possible tornado in Purcell. The National Weather Service in Norman reported on social media that survey teams have found at least EF1 tornado damage in the Purcell area.

The Purcell Fire Department reported a tornado touched down in the city, causing roof damage to nine homes, a semi truck rollover accident on Interstate 35 with one injury and widespread power outages, downed trees and powerlines.

On Norte Street in Purcell, the suspected tornado wiped out the roof of a newly-built home, throwing debris onto the road, including a Christmas tree and blue ornaments. The houses across the street and next door were untouched.

Community members and local high school students gathered pieces of trash, plywood, insulation and other debris and hauled them off.

Next door to Fox, a man and a woman removed debris from their yard that appeared to have blown over from Fox’s house. Like a puppy, a tall brown horse followed the man as he picked up each piece of trash. Across the street, cattle laid in the middle of a field and watched as one person after another drove into the neighborhood to lend a hand.

About five miles northeast of Fox’s house, the suspected tornado knocked over a few powerlines near Purcell’s football stadium. A tree fell onto a small white house and took the tin roof off a large warehouse.

Ron Musgrave, the warehouse’s owner, lives six miles north of Purcell. He said he learned his property was damaged through a local news broadcast.

“They had the people out front and they had the helicopters, so I could see it,” Musgrave said. “They were flying over here. There’s a football field, and I thought, ‘Oh my gosh. If that’s the football field, that’s my warehouse.”

The retired home builder and property owner said he keeps building supplies in his warehouse and a black and white cat who’s in charge of exterminating any trespassing mice.

The cat was happy to see Musgrave as he surveyed the water damage inside of the warehouse. Though there was some wet spots, the roof took most of the impact.

“It’s a project,” Musgrave said with a smile. “I am down for it.”

Severe weather damage reported in Shawnee, Norman

Tree damage was reported in Cleveland County at 156th Street and East Tecumseh Avenue, according to Alyse Moore, Cleveland County communications director, along with damage to a car port and barn at 800 Moffatt Road north of Lexington.

Storm damage was also reported in Shawnee. Social media posts show damage to the Holiday Inn Express and Walmart Supercenter off of Interstate 40.

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Oklahoma

Oklahoma Sooners add transfer portal offensive lineman to the roster

Published

1 day ago

January 8, 2026

Press Room

Oklahoma Sooners add transfer portal offensive lineman to the roster

The Oklahoma Sooners made an under-the-radar transfer portal addition on Wednesday, bringing back a player who spent two seasons in Norman before transferring out last year.

Former Central Oklahoma offensive lineman Kenneth Wermy will be returning to play for OU out of the portal. Wermy played for the Sooners in 2023 and 2024 before spending 2025 at the NCAA Division II level with the Bronchos. He’ll add depth to an offensive line group that is in need of it after recent portal departures.

Wemry is a local product from Cache, Oklahoma, and he stands at 6-foot-5 and weighs 315 pounds. The Sooners have been busy adding big names in the transfer market, but with a week and a half left until the portal closes, the focus may soon turn to retention and building back depth on the roster.

Oklahoma had a busy portal day on Wednesday, adding Wermy and former Michigan linebacker Cole Sullivan. However, Oklahoma also lost three players to the portal, in linebacker Sammy Omosigho, defensive back Jaydan Hardy, and wide receiver Zion Ragins.

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

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