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SAE banned from OU campus Video shows members chanting racial slurs OU officials, student leaders denounce leaked video on social media sites STAFF REPORTS
MATT WESLING/THE DAILY
Soonerthon raised over half a million dollars for the Childrens Miracle Network this year, more than $200,000 more than last year. The reveal took place at Jim Thorpe Multicultural Center after the student dance marathon on Saturday.
Soonerthon becomes top donor for foundation CAC’s 12- hour dance marathon ranks among the top 10 in the county KATE BERGUM
Assistant News Editor
Students stood, danced and screamed for 12 hours, but all weariness was forgotten when they discovered they helped raise more than a half-million dollars for children in Oklahoma. Soonerthon, OU’s largest philanthropic event, raised a total of $561,268.15 for the Children’s Hospital Foundation Saturday night, propelling it into the ranks of the top ten dance marathon events in the country and shattering last year’s total of $318,711.14. The amount also gave OU the title of No. 1 dance marathon in the Big 12, and it pushed Soonerthon past Walmart and Love’s Travel Stop as the No. 1 donor to the Children’s Hospital Foundation in Oklahoma, Soonerthon chairperson Jessica Freeman said. When the total was announced, the
room erupted into “It’s not about the with OU students. cheers and confetti Soonerthon allows money...it’s about children cannons were fired. who battle Students wearing the miracles we can severe and sometimes bright T-shirts and make happen with life-threatening illglow sticks, who nesses to be celebratthe money” had been on their ed for at least one day, feet for most of their Freeman said. JESSICA FREEMAN, Saturday, clapped, “It’s not about the SOONERTHON CHAIRPERSON hugged and even money,” Freeman said. shed tears. “It’s about the miracles No one expected we can make happen such a staggering sum, said Layne with the money.” Ferguson, Campus Actives Council During the 12 hours particichairperson. pants spent at Soonerthon, Miracle The success of Soonerthon has not Children performed in a talent show yet sunk in for Freeman, she said. — dancing to “Turn Down for What” “But I know it has to be real be- and performing popular songs by cause that’s how amazing OU is,” Miranda Lambert and Taylor Swift, Freeman said. Freeman said. The talent show, This year more than 56 teams regis- along with the Spirit Tunnel — when tered for Soonerthon, and more than children ran by and high-fived thou2,500 people participated, Freeman sands of screaming college students said. — moved Freeman to watch, she During the event, during which said. students learned dances, ate and inSeeing children’s faces light up teracted with kids, among other ac- when they are placed in the center of tivities, Freeman tried not to check attention — their illnesses temporarthe running total of donations, she ily forgotten — is what the event is all said. Instead, she focused on the about, Freeman said. Miracle Children —those who benefited from the Children’s Hospital SEE FTK PAGE 2 Foundation and who spent their day
OU’s Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity has been disbanded by its national organization following the Sunday night leak of a video showing members participating in a racist chant. All fraternity members have been suspended and members responsible have had their membership permanently revoked, according to a press release from the fraternity’s national organization. The 10-second video, which started circulating late Sunday evening, shows men on a charter bus signing a chant, saying “There will never be a n***** in SAE” and “You can hang them from a tree, but they’ll never sign with me.” Sigma Alpha Epsilon could reestablish a chapter at OU in the future, according to the press release. The video sparked a 7:30 a.m. Monday protest on the North Oval from minority rights groups, OU Unheard, and a prayer circle Sunday at 11:30 p.m. at the George Lynn Cross statue. Before the group was shut down, OU officials and students denounced the video on social media, saying the behavior in the video did not align with OU’s values. Requests for comments from OU officials and Interfraternity Council President Payne Parker on the fraternity closure were not returned by press time. OU President David Boren released the following statement at 10:22 p.m., just before the fraternity’s national headquarters announced its closure: “I have been informed of the video, which shows students engaging in a racist chant. We are investigating to determine if the video involved OU students. If OU students are involved, this behavior will not be tolerated and will be addressed very quickly. If the reports are true the chapter will no longer remain on campus. This behavior is reprehensible and contrary to all of our values.”
OU Unheard to hold peaceful protest today Members organized demonstration in response to fraternity’s racist chant ANDREW CLARK News Reporter
MATT WESLING/THE DAILY
“FTK”, which stands for For the Kids, is the motto for the all day dance marathon hosted by Soonerthon on Saturday at the Huff. Soonerthon raised more than half a million dollars for the Childrens Miracle Network to help save children diagnosed with deadly diseases.
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Unheard members have planned a demonstration on OU’s campus early Monday morning in opposition to a leaked video which allegedly shows members of OU’s Sigma Alpha Epsilon participating in a racist chant. Unheard member Chelsea Davis said Unheard will demonstrate Monday morning at 7:30 a.m. at the entrance of the North Oval in response to the video, which allegedly shows Sigma Alpha Epsilon members participating in a chant that alludes to lynching and includes repeated use of a racial slur. Davis said she was “disgusted” with the video. “We hope that the administration will make some pretty instantaneous moves. We hope that SAE gets disbanded from [OU]. We hope that all students and all parties involved are punished accordingly. I hope the administration really steps up and does something to counteract this behavior,” Davis said. Sigma Alpha Epsilon is under investigation for the incident.
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NEWS
• Monday, March 9, 2015
Event celebrates cultural differences
FREE MOVIES! Schusterman Center for Judaic & Israel Studies
Spring Film Festival in OMU Meacham Auditorium
Sooner Mosaic discusses a widerange of social topics
TUESDAY, March 10 at 7:00 p.m.
TYLER HALL
News Reporter
St u d e nt s a n d f a c u l t y came together Saturday to celebrate individuality and cultural identity through a series of discussion forums and presentations by OU students at the Sooner Mosaic. The symposium, which consisted of four sessions and many keynote speakers, fights oppression and empowers individuals to exercise their own voices. Kasey Catlett, program coordinator for the Women’s Outreach Center, feels that student involvement is often the key to success for events that address social justice, he said. “I attended a conference that was out of state a couple of years ago, and all of the presenters were students,” Catlett said. “I attended a conference right after that here in Oklahoma, and there were zero students. Yet, they were speaking about issues that pertained to students. And while what they had to say was tailored for this younger audience, they were not reaching through to them.” In order to reach students, they must be addressed by their peers — people they can relate to, Catlett said. The symposium opened with psychology professor Rockey Robbins, who began his speech with a Native American song where he asked for participation from the audience. He then went on to speak about personal experiences, addressing ideas he felt were important for the younger audience to hear. “Today, I told you a story w ith spe cific messages woven throughout,” Robbins said in conclusion to his speech. “I spoke today about shame and its impact on self-esteem. I talked to you about the interconnections being a foundation for growth. These are the things I have learned through personal experiences with my grandfather — things he taught me, sometimes, without ever saying a word.” The sessions covered a wide range of topics, including: human rights, gender disparities, political and cultural oppression, racial discrimination, classism, sexuality, education, economic inequality, ethnicity, religion and environmentalism. Students felt that the symposium offered much knowledge on topics that they knew very little about and were rarely talked about. “You hear about some of these social justice issues in passing, but oftentimes it’s something that people rarely take the time to talk about,” s a i d s o p h o m o re Ray n e
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Music Composition Senior Charity Leah Kennedy addresses the audience during Sooner Mosaic on Saturday March 7 in Wagner Hall. Sooner Mosaic is an opportunity for the OU students with interests in social justice issues to bring the different voices and researches together.
“As we explore the many identities of social justice, we must grow collectively stronger...”
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Grandy. “It was a great experience having someone who is well-educated on the topic walk you through history and research and give such an in-depth explanation of the situation.” Upon completion of all four breakout sessions, individuals met back up to listen to one final keynote speaker, Lena Khader. Khader, along with other students and outside community members, founded Making HERstory, a program that strives to educate high school students on feminism and ethnic studies. The rich histories and personal narratives can be used for personal, social and political empowerment, Khader said.
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In her speech, Khader talked about students being agents of change. Every individual has the ability to go out in the world to make a change, no matter how little or big it is, she said. The symposium allowed students from all cultures and ways of life to come together for a day and learn from each other’s experiences, one of the most powerful resources the university can offer, Catlett said. “We aim to grow together,” Catlett said. “As we explore the many identities of social justice, we must grow collectively stronger to form a perfectly imperfect work of art: a mosaic.”
Pierre Dulaine, four- me ballroom dancing world champion, is fulfilling a life-long dream when he takes his program, Dancing Classrooms, back to his city of birth, Jaffa. . . confirming his belief that dance can overcome hatred and provide the first steps towards real change.
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NEWS
Monday, March 9, 2015 •
“You can
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hang them from a tree, but they’ll never sign with me.” The Sigma Alpha Epsilon Fraternity shall not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, national origin, ancestry, sexual orientation, age or physical or mental disability, religion, marital status, military status, order of protection status and unfavorable military discharge.
- Sigma Alpha Epsilon, Non-Discrimination Policy
JACKIE EBY/THE DAILY
Police park Sunday night behind OU’s Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity house at 730 College Ave. The fraternity was disbanded at OU after a video was leaked depicting members chanting racial slurs.
FTK: Event reached out to raise $100 more
Event to focus on non-violence Ghandi’s grandson to visit campus Thursday evening
Continued from Page One
JESSE POUND
This year, the Soonerthon executive board encouraged students each to raise at least $1 with their “Zero Zeroes” campaign. Even small amounts of money, such as $5, add up to help children, Freeman said. Additionally, at the beginning of Saturday’s event, participants were encouraged to reach out to friends and family to try to raise $100 more. The total amount of money raised at Soonerthon is kept secret until the reveal at 10 p.m. each year, Ferguson said. Only the S o o n e r t h o n c h a i r p e rson and advisers know, Ferguson said. Just before the amount was announced, the men of Beta Theta Pi and the women of Pi Beta Phi were named the winners for most funds raised for the large organization men’s and women’s categories, and the President’s Community Scholars won the Miracle Cup for the small organization category. “I’m just in awe of what this community can do,” Freeman said.
Two speakers will focus on Indian social issues and the value of non-violent protest next week, including the legacy of leader Mahatma Gandhi. Arun Gandhi, grandson of Mahatma Gandhi, will speak about non-violence at 7 p.m. on Thursday at the Gaylord Auditorium, said Zoe Sherinian, a musicology professor affiliated with the Center for Social Justice. Rev. Jacqulin Jothi, a minister from the Church of South India, will speak about the similarities between the Women’s Movement and the Dalit Movement in India at 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday at Pitman Recital Hall in Catlett Music Center, Sherinian said. Both events are free to the public, Sherinian said. The events are sponsored by the Women’s and Gender Studies Center for Social Justice, among other groups, Sherinian said. These groups have set aside funds for speakers such as the ones visiting next week. Arun Gandhi grew up in apartheid-era South Africa, according to a biography from Victor Spence, a representative of Arun Gandhi. He often speaks about
Kate Bergum, kate.c.bergum-1@ou.edu
News Reporter
PHOTO PROVIDED
Arun Gandhi, grandson of Mahatma Ghandi, will speak about non-violence at 7 p.m. Thursday in Gaylord Hall’s Ethics and Excellence in Journalism Foundation Auditorium.
the lessons of nonviolence he learned from his grandfather and about ethical leadership, according to the biography. Mahatma Gandhi used non-violence in India’s independence movement against Britain.
However, some Dalits, a group that is discriminated against in India’s system of social organization, believe that the elder Gandhi did not do enough to help the lower class, said Adam Hall, a graduate student studying ethnomusicology.
Mahatma Gandhi faces more criticism within India than outside of the country, Sherinian said. Sherinian said she hopes the speeches will give students perspective on Gandhi’s political legacy within India, especially
among the Dalits. “I think the fact that both of these speakers are speaking the same week is fantastic because students will be able to see two different perspectives on Indian history,” Sherinian said.
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• Monday, March 9, 2015
OPINION
Kaitlyn Underwood, opinion editor dailyopinion@ou.edu • phone: 405-325-3666 oudaily.com/opinion • Twitter: @OUDailyOpinion
The Daily brainstorms CLASSIFIEDS new criteria for speakers C Transportation
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DEADLINES Line Ad ..................................................................................3 days prior Teach for America Founder Wendy Kopp was chosen by OU administration to speak at the 2014 OU Commencement.
to hear from well-known commencement speakgraduation is just two ers who fall somewhere months away, so we among our categories, brainstormed criteria but we believe it’s also to choose inspiring valuable to hear from and empowering OU grads who’ve found commencement success. speakers. First, we believe it would be valuable for A new batch of OU OU students embarking graduates will receive on post-undergraduate their diplomas in two adventures to hear from months, which got us thinking about the qual- young, successful entreities we’d like to see repreneurs. We think hearflected in OU’s ing from a peer commencement who has taken Our View is speakers. OU risks, thought the majority prides itself on creatively opinion of The Daily’s providing a myrand achieved nine-member success is iniad of opportunieditorial board spirational ties for students throughout their for students time as Sooners, from leaving the safety of study abroad programs structured college life. to student organizaAnd it shouldn’t be too difficult for OU to find tions that fit anyone’s interests. We believe the future commencement commencement speech speakers that fit this bill. at graduation is one last After all, OU is home to one of the nation’s topopportunity for OU to ranked entrepreneuroffer students a unique and eye-opening oppor- ship programs and the tunity. With that in mind, Center for the Creation of Economic Wealth we thought of a few difthat focuses on building ferent types of speakers up Oklahoma startups. we believe could offer OU wouldn’t have to enlightening and emlook much further than powering messages to its own backyard for new OU grads. It’s nice Our view: Spring 2015
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Instructions: Fill in the grid so that every row, every column and every 3x3 box contains the digits 1 through 9. That means that no number is repeated in any row, column or box.
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MONDAY, MARCH 9, 2015
You’re ahead of the game and the competition. You intuitively know what’s hot this year, and if you follow your instincts, you will come out a winner. If you invest in your talent and skills, you won’t be disappointed. Follow your heart and passionately express your feelings.
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By Eugenia Last
ARIES (March 21-April 19) -- If you embrace change, it will open your eyes to a new way of doing something. You have more to offer than you realize.
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we believe it would be emboldening for new grads to hear from someone who stuck with their dream and made it. Once again, OU hosts a top-ranked journalism college, so it shouldn’t be tough to secure an OU alum and writer to share his or her story with OU’s future graduating classes. We urge OU administration to take these criteria into consideration when choosing future commencement speakers. Graduation is a celebration of students’ years of hard work, and they deserve to hear from fantastic speakers that will usher them into post-undergraduawwwte life.
HOROSCOPE
PISCES (Feb. 20-March 20) -- If you help someone in need, you will make a tangible difference. The satisfaction and recognition you receive will lead to confidence and opportunity.
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entrepreneurs bettering the world through new ideas. Next, we’d like to see scientifically-minded commencement speakers, specifically scientists who are changing the world. We encourage OU to consider both international scientists on the frontlines of cutting-edge research and scientists who call OU home. OU is one of the country’s top research campuses, and it would be valuable to hear from scientists who live and work alongside us at graduation. Lastly, we recommend OU brings in authors, writers or journalists as commencement speakers. Writers generally struggle for years, honing their craft before finding success. Life after graduation isn’t always a walk in the park, and
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to make things happen. All sorts of new and exciting partnerships will develop if you schmooze and network with people in your industry. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) -- If you aren’t happy with your life or professional position, check out your options. Meeting new people and attending events will get you moving in the right direction. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23) -- Keeping busy will be necessary for your happiness. Pursue a creative hobby or make time to follow a path that you’ve wanted to explore. Self-starting is the only way to make your dreams come true. SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 22) -- Don’t pass up a great deal. When it comes to potential investments, there is no time like the present to follow through. Take a bold step forward.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20) -- Offer help to others and you will also be contributing to your own advancement. Your kind actions will SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23-Dec. result in a long-lasting friendship as 21) -- Nurture and protect your well as a great opportunity. home, personal relationships and future goals. Love is on the rise, GEMINI (May 21-June 20) and making minor adjustments will -- Taking an unusual approach to ensure your happiness. the challenges you face will drum up interest and entice a valuable CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) -someone to join your team. Fun If you are pushy, you will lose out. and entertainment should be A quiet approach to what you are scheduled. trying to accomplish will get you closer to your goals. Being obserCANCER (June 21-July 22) -vant will help you find success. Don’t get depressed, get moving. Staying active will help you put AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) your worries behind you and will -- Get involved in something produce viable options that will that encourages physical activity. help you bring about the changes Travel and learning about different necessary to overcome adversity. traditions and cultures will inspire great ideas and lead to interesting LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) -- You’ve new friendships. got the energy and the fortitude
Universal Crossword Edited by Timothy E. Parker March 9, 2015
ACROSS 1 Bar mitzvah officiator 6 Maple dripping 9 Flagstone material 14 Blew it 15 Post-USSR alliance 16 Dairy Queen supply 17 Like some talk 18 __ out a living 19 Hardly a man of few words 20 Poland’s locale 23 Infomercials, e.g. 24 Red-___ (way to be caught) 25 Ceiling 28 Not in the clergy 29 Boot-camp sentence ender 30 More than indecent 32 Column type 34 A bit more than never 35 Moderate, in politics 41 City on its own Great Lake 42 Chiseler 43 Designs of colored glass 3/9
47 Possess 48 Dreamy sleep phase 51 Lennon’s bride 52 Yet to hit the shelves 54 Australian runner 55 Egg order 59 Artist Matisse 61 Photo, briefly 62 Watchful 63 Pizzeria needs 64 “The TellTale Heart� writer 65 Cowboys’ home 66 Academy student 67 Bread heel 68 “Come in!� DOWN 1 Cap again 2 Fleet of warships 3 Bold and outspoken 4 Boxing prize 5 Doing nothing 6 Play synopsis 7 Singer Clay 8 False start? 9 Young codfishes 10 What an air ball misses 11 Hollywood resident 12 Actor Van Cleef
13 Hrs. in New York 21 German wine valley 22 Vicksburg soldier, briefly 26 Andean civilization 27 Scout’s good work 29 Costa del ___ 31 New Year’s popper 32 “I had no ___!� 33 Environmental hazard, for short 35 Exec’s note 36 Frequently pumped item 37 Repudiated 38 Thrashed 39 Bookstore section
40 Long, long time 44 More than request 45 Simple bed 46 Treeless plain 48 Bend a little 49 Exit one’s cocoon 50 Murmur indistinctly 53 Betelgeuse’s constellation 56 Atlantic bird 57 Filly’s mother 58 Verve 59 Ad-___ committee 60 One of the Gabors
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SHIFTING PRIORITIES By Kimberly Grant
Monday, March 9, 2015 •
SPORTS
Dillon Hollingsworth, sports editor dailysports@ou.edu • phone: 405-325-3666 oudaily.com/sports • Twitter: @OUDailySports
OU beats KU in close game TRENT CRABTREE
Men’s Basketball Reporter @TrentCrabtree
Less than 24 hours after beating the No. 9 Kansas Jay haw k s i n a t h r i l l i ng fashion at the Lloyd Noble Center, No. 15 Oklahoma was already filling up its trophy case. Junior guard Buddy Hield, whose tip-in during Saturday’s closing s econds secured OU’s victory over KU, was named Big 12 Player of the Year Sunday afternoon. Senior forward TaShawn Thomas was honored as Big 12 Newcomer of the Year, proving that the preseason hype surrounding his transfer from Houston was legitimate. The game itself was an all-time classic, with both top-15 programs trading buckets to the end. The roar that permeated throughout the arena after every made basket — from OU fans as well as the well-traveled KU faithful — created an atmosphere that gave the game a championship feel. The season finale provided more than just entertainment though. It gave Sooner Nation basketball fans a reason to believe in the program again. In a year when OU football failed to live up to expectations, OU basketball exceeded them. Hield was direct about what this game meant to the status of college hoops in Norman. “I feel like this is our time now,” Hield said after the game. “Everything bad has been happening to us, so it’s now our time. It’s good it’s March. We’re just ready for
“Everything bad has been happening to us, so it’s now our time.” BUDDY HEILD, JUNIOR GUARD
CHRISTOPHER MICHIE/THE DAILY
Junior guard Dinjiyl Walker drives to the basket during the March 7 game against Kansas. The Sooners defeatd the Jayhawks 75-73.
the next one.” Hield had reason to be happy about the outcome against the Jayhawks. Not only did his heroics in the closing seconds cement his legacy as one of the best players in OU history, but they also ended the string of early-season heartbreaks for
5
the Sooners. Those heartbreaks, including the nationally televised meltdown in Ames, will be just as much a part of this team’s legacy as the KU finish. The Sooners had a Big 12 regular-season crown right in front of them, but they
SOONER
squandered the opportunity by losing games they were favored in. OU coach Lon Kruger said the team has reflected on what could have been, but right now, the focus is on what the program can do going forward. “They won eight of the last 10 and made a great push,” Kruger said of OU’s February run. “We almost got there but didn’t quite. Playing those games is the main difference in terms of a championship opportunity, and that experience will pay off for us in the future.” Kruger’s postgame comments represent only a portion of the narrative from the KU victory. In the end, the game completed the story of OU basketball going into the season: Sooner basketball is back. Take Saturday’s attendance, for example; over 10,000 people packed the LNC for the first time in years. The student section is quickly becoming one of the best in the Big 12. Before the season, they boldly told Sooner Nation to “Take Notice.” It’s been a long time coming, but it looks like they finally have. Trent Crabtree trent.j.crabtree-1@ou.edu
MEN’S BASKETBALL
Junior guard Buddy Hield is named 2014-15 Big 12 Player of the Year Oklahoma junior guard Buddy Hield has been named the 2014-15 Big 12 Player of the Year, the Big 12 announced Sunday, becoming the second conference Player of the Year award winner for the program. The 6-foot-4 inch guard averaged a league-high 17.4 points per game, and 18.5 points per game in Big 12 play, en route to leading the Sooners to its highest winning percentage season since 2008-09. Hield also ranks first in the conference for most three-pointers made this season. The junior guard set the tone for his perimeter shooting season with a school-record setting seven consecutive made three-point shots in the season opener versus Southeastern Louisiana. Hield has been a consistent scorer for the Sooners, producing double-digit points in 27 of 30 games. The guard from Freeport, Bahamas, has scored over 20 points in 11 games this season. His best scoring game was against Kansas State, contributing a career-high 31 points on 55 percent shooting and converting on five three-pointers. He has also set a career-high mark in rebounds per game, filing three double-doubles in conference play. Hield is part of a three-man trio on the perimeter that has made monumental improvements on the defensive end from the previous season. Collectively, the Sooners have allowed 13 less points since last season and rank top five in the nation in adjusted defensive efficiency. Hield’s most recent accomplishment came Saturday during the final seconds in regulation versus Kansas as the junior guard tipped in a basket at the buzzer to give the Sooners a 75-73 win over the ninth-ranked Jayhawks. Hield had 18 points and seven rebounds for the game. Hield joins the ranks of Blake Griffin, who won the Big 12 Player of the Year award in 2008-09. The guard was also named All-Big 12 First Team along with Baylor’s Rico Gathers, Kansas’s Perry Ellis, Iowa State’s Georges Niang and West Virginia’s Juwan Staten. John Walker, Sports Reporter
JAQUELINE EBY/THE DAILY
Junior guard Buddy Hield goes up for a layup during the game against Northwestern State University on Nov. 23 at the Lloyd Noble Center. The Sooners beat the Demons 90-68.
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SPORTS
• Monday, March 9, 2015
Homeruns power the Sooners past Purdue Sooners crush four homers in win against Purdue this weekend SPENSER DAVIS Baseball Reporter @Davis_Spenser
A f t e r d ro p p i n g ga m e one, the bats came alive for Oklahoma (12-6) in the final two games of its weekend series, taking the set from Purdue (5-9) and moving the Sooners to a Big 12-best 12 win of the season. The Boilermakers scored four runs in the first inning of game one and never looked back, taking the opener 6-3. Oklahoma responded with six home runs over the next two games to take the series, winning 7-1 on Saturday and 13-10 on Sunday. Purdue threw the Sooners off balance in game one w ith an unconventional approach in the first inning. The Boilermakers unleashed an onslaught of bunts in the first frame and put the first three hitters on for junior first baseman Kyle Wood. Wood cleared the bases with a double, and Purdue added a fourth run on a sacrifice bunt later in the inning. Wood was just getting started. The cleanup hitter went 8-for-11 with two home runs in the three game series, including a four-hit game on Sunday. Sooner’s starter Jake Elliot called Purdue the most aggressive team they had seen so far this year. Head coach Pete Hughes came short of agreeing but did say that his team needed to handle that aggression better. OU spent most of the
MATT WESLING/THE DAILY
Sophomore infielder Sheldon Neuse takes his turn at bat in the Sooners’ game versus Purdue on Saturday at L. Dale. Mitchell Park. The Sooners went on to beat the Boilermakers 7-1.
game off-balance and never got its offense going after a ninth inning rally sputtered, giving Purdue a 6-3 win and the first game of the series. “I think we were just a little anxious. We were getting ourselves out of hitter’s counts by swinging at pitcher’s pitches and we weren’t really executing our plan,” junior catcher Anthony Hermelyn said of his team’s effort on Friday. However, the latter two games were a different story for the Sooners. OU scored seven runs on Saturday and 13 more on Sunday in a pair of victories, totaling six home runs in the two games. The most impactful of those came off the bat of outfielder Taylor Alspaugh Sunday. Alspaugh’s homer was a grand slam, but it was also the first of the season for the fifth year senior. Junior outfielder Craig Aikin said that he likes to give Alspaugh a hard time,
and he might have added a little motivation before that at bat. “The trivia question of the day in the dugout was, ‘Who is the only Sooner outfielder not to hit a home run?’” Aikin said. “Sure enough, his next at bat he did it. So I think I may have enjoyed that even more than he did.” But that wasn’t the only power surge of the weekend on either side of the diamond for the Sooners. While Oklahoma continues to hit home runs at a surprisingly high pace, the pitching staff is also racking up the K’s. “That’s the way the numbers are looking. We’re striking out a lot of people,” coach Pete Hughes said. Oklahoma entered the series among the nation’s leaders in strikeouts, and this weekend was no different. OU nabbed another 34 K’s against Purdue and now owns 9.4 strikeouts per nine innings, which also places the Sooners among the
nation’s elite. Offensively, Oklahoma continues to live on the long ball. The Sooners blasted six more this weekend, including four in Sunday’s 13-10 series-clinching victory. That brings OU to 21 homers on the year, only nine away from the mark the Sooners achieved in 2014. Hughes has said that he believes the increase in power is due to a recommitted approach to the weight room, and his players seem to agree with him. “We put a heavier emphasis on the weight room this fall. We were lifting five days a week. I guess the results are showing,” Hermelyn said. Oklahoma will now look towards Tuesday when Oral Roberts comes to Norman for a mid-week matchup. First pitch will be at 6 p.m.
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
OU women’s basketball loses to UT, gets knocked out of Big 12 Oklahoma women’s basketball was knocked out of the Big 12 tournament with a 59-46 loss to Texas in the semi-finals Sunday. How the Sooners lost: OU went ten minutes in the first half without a field goal, but they headed into the locker room down by only three points. The Sooners’ shooting struggles carried over into the second half, and Texas pulled away. The second-seeded Oklahoma Sooners were dealt a 59-46 loss, and they missed out on a chance to play for the Big 12 Tournament championship. Key stat: 25.9 — Oklahoma shot 25.9 percent from the field Sunday afternoon. Plain and simple, Oklahoma couldn’t buy a basket. Oklahoma only added three points from its bench, and OU’s leading scorer Peyton Little went 1-of-10 from three-point range. Texas shot a much more efficient 41.9 percent from the field, and the Horns halted OU’s fiery offense in the Big 12 tournament semi-final. Key Sooner: Gioya Carter — The sophomore guard wasn’t the spark she’s been in the past. However, she nailed a few shots from long range to give Oklahoma some hope in the second half. Carter finished with a team-high 11 points, but her efforts were all-for-nothing in OU’s loss. What it means: OU beat Texas in Norman, Oklahoma, but in Austin, Texas, and today in Dallas, OU wasn’t able to will its way past the Longhorns. OU’s 13-point loss was the team’s largest margin of defeat since Baylor beat Oklahoma in Waco, Texas, on Feb. 11. OU likely took itself out of consideration to host an NCAA tournament regional, though they’ll undoubtedly receive an invitation to March Madness. What’s next for the Sooners: OU now awaits Selection Sunday on Monday, March 16. The NCAA tournament selection show will begin at 7 p.m. on ESPN. Joe Buettner Women’s Basketball Reporter
JACQUELINE EBY/THE DAILY
Spenser Davis davis.spenser@ou.edu
Sophomore guard Gioya Carter attempts to make a layup during the game against Baylor on Feb. 25 at the Lloyd Noble Center. The Sooners beat the Bears 68-64.
PICK YOUR FAVS, SOONERS Nominate your favorites in food and drink, shopping, personal, campus, entertainment, and living for the 2015 Sooners’ Choice awards! Go to http://bit.ly/soonerschoice2015 to submit online or fill out this sheet and bring it to the Oklahoma Daily newsroom by Friday, March 13. Voting will take place March 23-29.
FOOD & DRINK 1. Breakfast restaurant 2. On-campus restaurant 3. Late-night restaurant 4. Patio restaurant 5. Grocery store 6. Fast-food restaurant 7. Barbeque restaurant 8. Mexican restaurant 9. Italian restaurant 10. Asian restaurant 11. Indian restaurant 12. Burger restaurant 13. Pizza restaurant 14. Sandwich shop 15. VegetarianBig restaurant selection, latest styles 16. Dessert spot 17. Coffee bar 18. Bar 19. Liquor store Children Chil Ch ildr dren en tto o King Kin Ki n Size SHOPPING 20. Men’s clothing and accessories 21. Women’s clothing and accessories 22. Greek branded clothing and accessories 23. Bargain clothing and accessories 24. Shopping: OU clothing, accessories and gear
SAM’S Best Buys REAL BARGAINS!
ENTERTAINMENT 38. Live music venue 39. Dance club 40. Cheap date spot 41. Trivia night 42. Movie theater 43. Indoor activity venue 44. Church LIVING 45. Apartment complex 46. Apartment workout facility 47. Apartment pool 48. Sorority 49. Fraternity 50. Dorm
Family Ski Wear
Skiing for Spring Break?
PERSONAL 25. Gym 26. Barbershop 27. Salon 28. Manicure/pedicure spot 29. Tanning spot 30. Jewelry store 2409 24 09 S Agnew Agn gnew ew Ave Ave (405) 636-1486 (4 Monday to Saturday 9:00-5:45 & Sunday 1:00-4:45
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