Oklahoma
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scores 31 as Thunder take down Bulls
![Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scores 31 as Thunder take down Bulls](https://www.reuters.com/resizer/wibuDul56AY_MV0fZaZ2GqbUqI4=/1200x628/smart/filters:quality(80)/cloudfront-us-east-2.images.arcpublishing.com/reuters/HH2CRTB5JJICDJ5BH73N2MUTVE.jpg)
[1/70]Oct 25, 2023; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bulls forward Julian Phillips (15) arrives at United Center before a basketball game against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports Acquire Licensing Rights
October 26 – Shai Gilgeous-Alexander recorded 31 points and 10 assists to lead the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 124-104 victory over the host Chicago Bulls in the season opener for both teams on Wednesday night.
Josh Giddey registered 16 points, six rebounds and six assists for Oklahoma City, which outscored Chicago 45-26 over the final 15-plus minutes. Jalen Williams scored 16 points and Isaiah Joe added 14 points for the Thunder.
DeMar DeRozan scored 20 points for the Bulls. Zach LaVine scored 16 points but was just 4-of-16 shooting and Coby White had 15 on 4-of-14 shooting. Nikola Vucevic contributed 11 points, nine rebounds and three steals for Chicago.
Oklahoma City big man Chet Holmgren had 11 points in 25 minutes in his NBA debut.
Holmgren’s first NBA game came 14 months after he sustained a Lisfranc injury to his right foot. The injury forced the No. 2 overall pick of the 2022 draft to miss all of last season.
Cason Wallace made his NBA debut for the Thunder and hit all five field-goal attempts — including three 3-pointers — while scoring 13 points off the bench.
Free-agent signee Torrey Craig added 11 points and seven rebounds off the bench for Chicago.
Oklahoma City shot 54.9 percent from the field, including 19 of 39 from 3-point range. Joe made three 3-pointers and Gilgeous-Alexander was 12 of 18 from the field.
The Bulls made 41.5 percent of their shots and were 12 of 42 from behind the arc. Craig made three 3-pointers.
A basket by Vucevic pulled the Bulls within 79-78 with 3:03 left in the third quarter before Oklahoma City posted runs of 12-0 and 11-0 over the next 6:09.
Gilgeous-Alexander scored seven points and Wallace had five during the string of 12 in a row as the Thunder opened up a 91-78 advantage. Chicago scored the next six points, including DeRozan’s basket to open the fourth quarter, to cut its deficit to seven.
Joe then made back-to-back 3-pointers and had eight points during the 11-0 burst. Wallace also had a trey as Oklahoma City led 102-84 with 9:54 remaining.
The man known as SGA connected on a 20-footer to push the lead to 20 for the first time at 111-91 with 5:36 left and Oklahoma City cruised to the finish.
Gilgeous-Alexander had 17 first-half points to help the Thunder hold a 61-55 lead. DeRozan led the Bulls with 10 in the half.
–Field Level Media
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
![](https://newspub.live/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/np-logo.png)
Continue Reading
Oklahoma
Oklahoma State men’s basketball adds former Putnam City North standout C.J. Smith
![Oklahoma State men’s basketball adds former Putnam City North standout C.J. Smith](https://www.gannett-cdn.com/presto/2023/02/11/NOKL/4531f22a-09ec-47fa-a2ee-b623632c9919-AZ6I0577.jpg?auto=webp&crop=3859,2171,x0,y0&format=pjpg&width=1200)
Oklahoma State basketball coach Steve Lutz talks about reviving Cowboys’ program
Oklahoma State basketball coach Steve Lutz talks about reviving Cowboys’ program
OSU ATHLETICS
The first non-transfer portal addition for new Oklahoma State men’s basketball coach Steve Lutz came with in-state ties.
OSU added junior-college transfer C.J. Smith, a 6-foot-7, 195-pound swingman from Coffeyville (Kansas) Community College on Saturday.
Smith is originally from Oklahoma City and concluded his high school career at Putnam City North, where he led the Panthers to a 24-3 record averaging 17.2 points and 6.0 rebounds in 2022-23. He was a first-team selection on The Oklahoman’s Big All-City squad.
In his lone season at Coffeyville, Smith played 23.4 minutes per game, averaging 8.3 points and 4.6 rebounds.
He will be a sophomore next season, as he joins a veteran-heavy Cowboy roster thanks to the depth of veteran additions Lutz made through the transfer portal.
More: Oklahoma State basketball schedule: 2024-25 Big 12 opponents set for Cowboys, Cowgirls
Oklahoma
Thunder Unveil 2024 Draft Class
![Thunder Unveil 2024 Draft Class](https://kfor.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2022/07/thunder-logo-big.jpg?w=1280)
Oklahoma City, OK – A new era of Thunder basketball was officially introduced Saturday. Nikola Topić, Dillon Jones, and Ajay Mitchell all met the media to discuss making it to the next level and being members of the Thunder.
Topić will miss the upcoming season with a knee injury. Many draft boards had him listed as a top four talent in the draft, but the knee injury did scare some teams off.
As for Jones, he said his time at Weber State as “the guy” prepared him for what he needs to do to help OKC win with their current talent.
Ajay Mitchell joins the fold as a second round choice and knows his role could be impromptu and less consistent than usual, but that’s something he says he’s prepared for.
Hear from all three Thunder rookies in the video above.
Oklahoma
Report: Oklahoma Baseball Coach Skip Johnson to Leave for Texas A&M
![Report: Oklahoma Baseball Coach Skip Johnson to Leave for Texas A&M](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_4028,h_2265,x_0,y_67/c_fill,w_1440,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/ImagnImages/mmsport/all_sooners/01j1gdadgkdz6dmz12tx.jpg)
Oklahoma baseball fans can breathe a sigh of relief.
OU head coach Skip Johnson is set to stay in Norman despite interest from Texas A&M, D1Baseball managing editor Kendall Rogers reported on Saturday.
SCOOP: Texas A&M is narrowing down its candidates, and @OU_Baseball head coach Skip Johnson will stay put in Norman as he is expected to sign a new deal with the #Sooners sometime today. Skip was most definitely in the mix, but #Aggies appear to be zeroing in on three guys.
— Kendall Rogers (@KendallRogers) June 29, 2024
Johnson had a pair of high-level meetings yesterday with Oklahoma’s administration, a source close to the situation confirmed with Sooners on SI, helping both sides reach the conclusion that Johnson will continue to lead the program into the Southeastern Conference.
Rogers also reported Johnson is expected to ink a new contract with the Sooners.
Keeping Johnson in place is crucial as Oklahoma takes on the rigor of the SEC, as his last season in the Big 12 went as well as anyone could have hoped for.
The Sooners won the Big 12 Regular Season Title for the first time in program history, and hosted an NCAA Regional at L. Dale Mitchell Park for the first time in over a decade.
Though the Sooners were ousted by UConn in the regional final, OU finished the year 40-21 overall.
In seven seasons at Oklahoma, Johnson is now 229-153 overall including four trips to the NCAA Tournament which is headlined by the Sooners’ magical run to the College World Series Championship Series in 2022.
Johnson also had his team 14-4 in 2020 before the season was canceled due to the pandemic, which would have likely resulted in another trip to the postseason.
-
News1 week ago
Tracking a Single Day at the National Domestic Violence Hotline
-
Fitness1 week ago
What's the Least Amount of Exercise I Can Get Away With?
-
News1 week ago
Supreme Court upholds law barring domestic abusers from owning guns in major Second Amendment ruling | CNN Politics
-
World6 days ago
Israel accepts bilateral meeting with EU, but with conditions
-
Politics1 week ago
Trump classified docs judge to weigh alleged 'unlawful' appointment of Special Counsel Jack Smith
-
Politics1 week ago
Supreme Court upholds federal gun ban for those under domestic violence restraining orders
-
World1 week ago
New Caledonia independence activists sent to France for detention
-
World1 week ago
Is Israel’s Smotrich fulfilling his dream of annexing the West Bank?