The Vista November 19, 2019

Volume 117, Issue 13

the

VISTA “Our Words, Your Voice.”

vistanews1903 @thevista1903 @thevista1903 The Vista ucentralmedia.com Tuesday, November 19, 2019

DEADLY SHOOTING AT DUNCAN WALMART Two Men, One Woman Confirmed Dead In Parking Lot Shooting Maury “Kevin” Blair @mauryb007 CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Three people were fatally shot, including the shooter, Monday morning in the parking lot of the Walmart store in Duncan, Oklahoma authorities said.

The bodies of one male and one female were found in a car, the body of another male was found outside the car and a handgun was found at the scene, Duncan police said in a Facebook post.

Duncan Police Chief Danny Ford said the three knew each other and were dead when police arrived.

An email from Walmart Spokesperson LeMia Jenkins said no staff members were involved in the shooting and the store was not evacuated. She also said the shooting was an isolated event in the parking lot and not an active shooter situation.

As of Monday, authorities have not identified those involved. The investigation is ongoing.

A member of the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation works the scene of a fatal shooting in the parking lot of a Walmart in Duncan, Okla., on Monday, Nov. 18, 2019. (Chris Landsberger/The Oklahoman via AP)

UCO Police Take Potential School Shooting Precautions Opinion: Daryn Hance @TheVista1903

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

University of Central Oklahoma Officer Tiffany Stephans finshes up preparations to continue scouting campus on Jan. 27 outside of Old North. (Gerald Leong/The Vista)

SPORTS

CAMPUS CHAT

What’s Your Thanksgiving UCO Soccer Back-ToTradition?

Back MIAA Champs See Pg. 5

See Pg. 12

Since the start of the fall 2019 semester, there have been seven reported school shootings across America, and Chief Jeff Harp with the University of Central Oklahoma Police Department has taken precautions to ensure the safety of all faculty, staff and students on campus in case of such an event.

The university employs 17 CLEET, Council of Law Enforcement Education and Training, trained officers.

A Vote for Maps 4 Is a Vote for More in Oklahoma City Jeff Elkins @JeffElkins12

MANAGING EDITOR

Oklahoma City voters will head to the ballot box on Dec. 10 to vote on MAPS (Metropolitan Area Projects) 4, a capital improvement tax that would generate $978 million, debtfree, over an eight-year period.

Continued on Pg. 3

Continued on Pg. 8

AROUND CAMPUS

STATEWIDE

Second Annual Food Summit

A Look Inside The Muskogee Tribe

See Pg. 10

See Pg. 9

2

the

November 19, 2019

Contents

VISTA

Content

Letter to the Editor/School Threat................................................3 Around Campus...........................................................................4 Campus Chat...............................................................................5 Joe Tippens Feature.....................................................................6 MIss Native American..................................................................7 Editorial.....................................................................................8 Muscogee (Creek) Tribe...............................................................9 Local Food Summit.....................................................................10 Games Page...............................................................................11 Soccer......................................................................................12 Basketball.....................................................................13 Football.......................................................................14 Bucking Broncho........................................................................15

Staff

James D. Jackson Jeff Elkins Derek Parker Tanner Laws Megan Thele Lauren Morris Michelle Pennza JaNae Williams Haley Humphrey Gerald Wing Yi Leong Teddy Burch

Editor-in-Chief Managing Editor Sports Editor Photo Editor Copy Editor Online Editor Design Editor Reporter Reporter Photography Adviser

THE VISTA

is published as a newspaper and public forum by UCO students, weekly during the academic year, at the University of Central Oklahoma. The issue price is free for the first copy and $1 for each additional copy obtained.

EDITORIALS

Opinion columns, editorial cartoons, reviews and commentaries represent the views of the writer or artist and not necessarily the views of The Vista Editorial Board, the Department of Mass Communication, UCO or the Board of Regents of Oklahoma Colleges. The Vista is not an official medium of expression for the Regents or UCO.

LETTERS

The Vista encourages letters to the editor. Letters should address issues and ideas, not personalities. Letters must be typed, double-spaced and must include the author’s printed name, major, classification and phone number. Phone numbers are included for contacting purposes only.

Letters are subject to editing for libel, clarity and space, or to eliminate statements of questionable taste. The Vista reserves the right not to publish submitted letters.

ADDRESS LETTERS TO:

Editor, The Vista, 100 N. University Dr. Edmond, OK 73034-5209, or deliver in person to the editor in the Communications Building, Room 131.

Letters can be emailed to thevista.ads@gmail.com.

Advertise with us!

The Vista is published weekly during the spring, summer and fall semesters. In all issues, The Vista has opportunities for both digital, online and print ads.

For information or questions contact: 405-974-5549 or thevista.ads@gmail. com

On the Cover:

Left: University of Central Oklahoma student, Austein Brown, poses for a portrait photo on UCO campus. (Tanner Laws/The Vista) Left Middle: UCO women’s soccer player Hannah Daaboul kicks the ball on Sept.

13 at Tom Thompson Field. (Provided/ BronchoSports) Right Middle: Pumpkins are displayed for sale at Urban Agrarian in Oklahoma City on Nov. 5. Pumpkins are one of many foods that will be donated for the 2019 UCO Local Food Summit. (JaNae Williams/The Vista) Right: A group ok Oklahoma Indians to visit India as Ambassadors of Good Willfor the State of Oklahoma. (Provided/ Oklahoma Historical Society)

Letter to the Editor/School Threat

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November 19, 2019

LETTER TO THE EDITOR Your words, Your voice.

“OK, Sooner,” What Worked Then Isn’t Working Now Your opinionated essay in the Vista (12 Nov 2019) has several logical flaws, and is an extended ad hominem attack on the Boomers. And, yes, I’m one of THEM. You seem to suggest that an injustice is being foisted upon members of the Zgen by the now retiring Boomers, and that it is outrageous that we expect “entitlements” – you do understand what that word means, right? Entitlements … such as our Social Security benefits and Medicare? Your inference is that these are government handouts, when, in fact, I have spent my entire career paying into this system. The amount withheld from my paycheck for forty years is far in excess of the Federal and State taxes. I also feel entitled to my pension, which is provided to me in lieu of a more substantial salary (which, by the way, has been reduced in value by inflation and the substantial defunding of education in Oklahoma).

Another of your theses is that Boomers are somehow to blame for the rising costs of education. The Sooner State has led the nation in transforming higher education from a “public good” to a “private commodity.” Who wouldn’t be nostalgic for the days when Americans thought investing their tax dollars in education was a good idea. When I was hired back in 1987, Oklahoma supported our institution by providing 67% of our budget needs (we are a “state institution”); today we get about 21%. This is not the fault of the Boomers, but rather the myopic legislators we keep electing in a state we are proud to call “The Reddest of the Red.” You also suggest that Boomers are somehow responsible for the rising costs of medical care. Do you imagine that these increased costs are being created by the aging themselves … or are these costs the result of a capitalistic system of healthcare that is taking advantage of the fact that the Boomers can’t live without their services. Perhaps you are making a satirical “Modest Proposal” (à la Jonathan Swift) that Boomers should just die and get out of the way.

Furthermore, your tone implies that nostalgia is something foolish and entirely unmerited. “Back in my day …” (LOL). Yes, back in my day I had to worry about being drafted and possibly dying in the rice paddies of Southeast Asia. I worked in construction for $2.50 an hour. I rode a bicycle because I couldn’t afford a car. And I also worked my way through school, graduating Summa Cum Laude with a PhD. I have spent my career trying to educate Sooners. And Boomers. And GenXers. And, of late, Zgeners like you.

To tell you the truth, I am looking forward to sitting on that rock by the ocean. After a life of hard work, I will say to myself, “Il faut cultivar son jardin.”

Dr. Stephen C. Law Professor of Humanities and Philosophy The Vista always accepts letters to the editor to be published in the issue following its receival. If you would like your response displayed in the next issue, please send your letters to The Vista at 100 N. University Drive Edmond, OK 73034 or email your response to The Vista at thevista.ads@gmail.com. **Personal contact information has been omitted. No other changes to these letters have been made.

UCO Police Take Potential School Shooting Precautions Continued from Pg. 1

Two or three officers are on shift at a time and around the clock, unless a large event is taking place on campus.

“We have extra staff at events, as well as emergency management personnel, who are monitoring everything else and are prepared to read or hand off pre-written messages, announcing what is going on and alerting the public on what to do,” Harp said.

The university police department and some faculty and staff have gone through ALICE, a training institute specialized in active shooter preparedness and solutions, and NIMS (National Incident Management System) through FEMA, a nationwide training over the common steps in a crisis or disaster situation.

If UCO dispatch receives a call about a suspicious person on campus, possibly an active shooter, the university police’s average response time is one to two minutes in a critical situation.

The Central Alert system and social media posts about the situation will not notify students unless the threat is deemed credible, or if more than one phone call about the person is placed with the UCO Police Department before officers arrive on scene.

A University of Central Oklahoma police car sits near Old North on Jan. 27. (Gerald Leong/The Vista)

“We have the option to post directly to social media through Central Alert simultaneously,” said Adrienne Nobles, assistant vice president for University Communications. “We do tabletop exercises fairly regularly with our police services and emergency management, and we go through various scenarios where we kind of practice what those messages might be and what the process might be.”

In the case of a credible threat, Central Alerts and social media posts from the university will notify students on updates and what to do, including if it’s necessary to shelter in place.

“We have an intercom system that

connects to all the buildings on campus and is even outdoors, which we can use to announce the alert, that way students outside know to get to safety,” Harp said. “We can also connect to certain buildings rather than all, and make an announcement, but the shooter would also hear the same announcement you’re hearing and know that we’re there.”

Once it is established that there is a threat to the university, Edmond Police, Oklahoma Highway Patrol, Oklahoma County Sheriff ’s Department, as well as surrounding agencies will respond to the request for assistance from UCO.

“Columbine changed everything about how police respond to a person who is actively trying to cause harm to other people,” Harp said.

University Police will respond and move forward in confronting the suspect. Harp said he suggests that his officers go in at least two together, but if that is not possible, they can go by themselves.

“The first officers on scene have the job of finding what is causing the problem and stopping it,” Harp said.

“The second group of officers’ job is to go in and begin pulling those who may be injured out and start evacuating the buildings.”

In an active shooter situation, campus will be locked down completely, students will be ordered to leave all belongings in their classrooms or where they are being evacuated from and will be taken to a safe location close by. An investigation will then begin, looking into video footage, evidence and the potential suspect(s).

“We do training,” Nobles said. “Of course you can always do more, but you can be rest assured that we do a lot of training and we test our systems to make sure they are in working order if we get into an emergency situation.”

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November 19, 2019

Around Campus

From left, University of Central Oklahoma students Alyson Dober, Dhira Thompson and Paige Hughes stuff animals at the Build-A-Broncho event on Nov. 12 in the Nigh University Center. Build-A-Broncho is an event hosted by the Student Programming Board where students can stuff animals in exchange for a childrens book. (JaNae Williams/The Vista)

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

ects. All students are invited to attend.

Native American Mascots & How They Affect Native Identity: From 6-7 p.m. in Nigh University Center Room 304, students are invited to join in a discussion over Native American mascots and how they affect those who identify as Native American.

They will be discussing this with fellow peers as well as those who have thoroughly researched the subject.

Making Peace with Food - Mindful Eating & Body Acceptance: From 3-4 p.m. inside Thatcher Hall Room 339, this group attempts to offer an affect regulation approach to eating disorders, focusing on skills that increase mindfulness, teaching appropriate emotion regulation and how to safely tolerate distress triggered by food.

PHL Men’s Mental Health Panel Discussion: From noon-1:30 p.m. inside the Nigh University Center Heritage Room, there will be a speech about men’s mental health, followed by a panel discussion with five panelists, which will include subject-matter experts, as well as UCO professors.

Wednesday, November 20, 2019 Asian Heritage Month Task Force Meeting: From 2-3 p.m. inside the Nigh University Center, AASA will attempt to connect and build a task force for the Asian Heritage Month with staff and students on campus.

The Asian Heritage Month will be held in April.

KHS Symposium: From 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. inside Wantland Hall Gymnasium, the Kinesiology and Health Studies (KHS) Department will host a semesterly Symposium for undergraduate and graduate students to present their research and class proj-

Entrepreneurs and Innovators Society General Body Meeting: From 6-7 p.m. inside Business Building Room 212, there will be a general body meeting for the Entrepreneurs and Innovators Society where they will go over principles of entrepreneurship and innovation. The Entrepreneurs and Innovators Society attempts to equip members with the knowledge and resources needed to fulfill innovative and entrepreneurial dreams, no matter what field of study they belong to.

Men’s Basketball vs. Midwestern State: At 7 p.m. inside Hamilton Field House, Broncho men’s basketball will take on Midwestern State University.

Tickets are available online at bronchosports.com Holiday “Can”struction Food Drive: From 5:30-8 p.m. inside the Human Environmental Science Building’s Virginia Lamb Living Room, the Food Recovery Network is hosting its first ever holiday food drive with a fun

and creative twist. All non-perishable food that is donated will be used in a canned food sculpture competition between teams from other clubs on campus. Each team will gather their donated cans and other non-perishables to create a holiday-themed sculpture. All donations will be received in designated donation boxes in the HES building. After the competition is over all proceeds will be donated to UCO’s Central Pantry.

Students can support the university pantry and donate unused canned goods and non-perishables.

The Knight Show: From 6:30-8 p.m. inside the Center for Transformative Learning’s Radke Fine Arts Theatre, Fraternity and Sorority Life will be hosting a talent show. The Knight Show will be awarding one UCO student a $500 scholarship.

Thursday, November 21, 2019 Day of Hope (For BronchoThon): This all day event will be an attempt to fundraise. There will be tabling in the Nigh University Center, a garage sale for donations under the Broncho Lake Blue Tent and a room in the evening for the BronchoThon team to make calls. The goal is $10,000 in one day.

Thanksfest: From 7-9 p.m. inside the Wellness Center, there will be a traditional Thanksgiving dinner open to all students.

Medieval Society at UCO November Meeting: From 4:00-5:30 p.m. inside Liberal Arts Room 228, the Medieval Society at UCO will host their monthly meeting. Medieval Society events are open to the public.

Friday, November 22, 2019 Turkey Bowl: From 1:30-5:30 p.m. at Plunkett Park, UCO Housing will host the annual Thanksgiving Turkey Bowl Football Game.

Saturday, November 23, 2019 Women’s Basketball vs. Cameron: At 1:30 p.m. inside Hamilton Field House, Broncho women’s basketball will take on Cameron University.

Tickets are available online at bronchosports.com

Sunday, November 24, 2019 Miss Black UCO Pageant Practice: In Nigh University Center Room 320B, contestants competing for Miss Black UCO will practice from 7:309:30 p.m.

Monday, November 25, 2019 #METOO: In Thatcher Hall Room 339 from 1-2 p.m., this group will provide a safe and confidential space for female-identified survivors of sexual assault or any form of sexual abuse to feel supported, empowered and validated. The group will focus on understanding the effects of trauma, coping with trauma symptoms and creating safety in future relationships.

Campus Chat

CAMPUS CHAT Haley Humphrey

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November 19, 2019

Reporter

Opinions From UCO Students

@HaleyBHumphrey

What's your Thanksgiving tradition?

Ariel Vang, freshman, Forensics: “We gather around the table and have a huge Thanksgiving dinner and say prayers.”

Ashlyn Rodman, freshman, Forensic Science and Criminal Justice: “Go to my family’s house and have dinner and hangout — play board games.”

Collin Carpenter, sophomore, Journalism: “Get together with family, eat some really good food and watch football.”

Demetri Cruse, junior, Professional Media: “Spending time with family and celebrating Thanksgiving.”

Jordan Hawkins, senior, Management Information Systems and Digital Forensics: “One tradition is my dad’s side of the family has a lunch and everyone comes over and we’re usually full, tired and want to rest for the rest of the day. The following day, some of the guys go Black Friday shopping and the remainder of us go to my grandmother’s house and cook."

Madison Jones, second bachelor’s student, Forensic Science: “My mom is actually from Dallas and so usually, depending on the year, we go there, or they come here. We actually have Thanksgiving lunch — we’re all big Mexican food people, so oddly on Thanksgiving our dinner is Mexican food and we play board games.”

Chase Mccain, junior, Forensic Science, Psychology and Fashion Marketing: “With family, we hit up a couple different houses, maybe like four or five, pick up some food — you’re always in the kitchen with your mom cooking and after that you eat your food and you go see different family and eat their food and then you come back home and eat more food.”

Govinwsh Selvantiran, sophomore, Forensics: “This will be my first Thanksgiving here, I’m from Malaysia. We don’t really celebrate Thanksgiving [in Malaysia, but I’ll be with] my friends here.”

Samuel Ting, senior, Biomedical Science: “I usually go to my friend’s house for a family gathering of like 40 people most of the time. We have a great time there in Norman.”

Emma Henderson, freshman, Creative Writing: “I always have all my family over, and we have a big dinner.”

Hannah Hulse, senior, Biomedical Sciences: “We always make chicken noodle soup, we’ve done it for so long and we eat it with stuffing.”

Mamagou Gueye, graduate student, Mathematics and Statistics: “I’m from the West part of Africa [and we don’t celebrate Thanksgiving there].

Usually [my friends and I here] share a dinner and drinks in the evening.

This will be my sixth Thanksgiving here.”

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November 19, 2019

Feature

The Canine Medication That Beat Small Cell Lung Cancer Haley Humphrey @haleybhumphrey

REPORTER

In continuing Joe Tippens’ story from last week’s edition of The Vista, this second portion focuses on his research.

The full story is currently available online at ucentralmedia.com.

Joe Tippens does believe the U.S. government would benefit to invest in an off-purposed drug like fenbendazole. He has tried to get an unnamed U.S. senator on board, but has been unsuccessful thus far because of the lack of medical credibility.

Tom said because of rules and regulations, the U.S. “is not very adept at making things happen quickly even though there might be a tremendous benefit or utility to the general population.”

At the same time, his brother understands people’s hesitancy.

“I wouldn’t believe this story if I didn’t live it,” Joe said.

Another future impact of fenbendazole would be on third world countries that cannot afford traditional cancer treatment, Tippens said. Call it a lucky coincidence that the person funding the OMRF case reviews is from India.

“His motivation is pretty simple: he doesn’t want to see the poor masses never have access to something like this,” Tippens said.

Research on fenbendazole was being done a decade ago at MD Anderson by three Indian scientists. Even further back, more research has been conducted around anthelmintics.

“In the ‘80s, there was an anthelmintic drug that was approved for colorectal cancer, and then it just kind of disappeared off the planet. I don’t know why,” Tippens said.

Studies in 2013 from the NCBI indicated that mebendazole, another parasite-killing drug in the anthelmintic family, could be repurposed for colorectal cancer therapy.

Tippens said the medical field has known for quite some time that anthelmintics work as anticancer agents.

For instance, mebendazole is FDA approved for human consumption.

Tippens said since mebendazole is approved by the FDA, and fenbendazole is not, that is where many doctors are going with their research because “they don’t have to do the heavy lifting.”

Mebendazole has been used to treat parasite infections in humans for the last 60 years, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine. In 2009, research professor Gregory Riggins and neurosurgeon Gary Gallia found that fen-

Joe Tippens, a small cell lung cancer survivor, poses for a photo at a golf tournament party in 2016. Joe’s cancer spread throughout his entire body and he was given a one perecent life expectancy. (Provided/Joe Tippens)

bendazole stopped tumor growth in mice, which led them to believe mebendazole would have the same effect.

Riggins and Gallia obtained a supply of mebendazole from India because a U.S. manufacturing company stopped making it for unknown reasons. The two conducted a clinical trial of 24 patients.

They used the highest dosage of mebendazole they could and found it slowed cancer growth. The scientists believe the drug destroys tumors by hindering tubulin formations, proteins cancer cells need to multiply.

If he thought mebendazole was just as effective as fenbendazole, Tippens said he would tell everyone to switch to it and the problem would be solved.

“Joe is extremely practical in looking at data and trying to keep data as the driver and not be persuaded by maybes, but be persuaded by absolutes,” Tom said. “In his mind, in his heart, he believes anybody [with any cancer] should start on [fenbendazole] immediately.”

Tippens said he does not believe doctors have tried to keep cancer cures away from people, however, the

cancer industry is globally enormous and his fenbendazole protocol is not the answer for every disease.

“There’s no such thing as a magic bullet that’s going to cure cancer every time, every kind and every stage,” Tippens said.

The blog documents unsuccessful stories as well. There have been patients who have died after taking fenbendazole. Sometimes cancer still wins because it’s cancer, Tippens said.

Tippens said he thinks a factor in the pill not working is people taking it too late — when they only have three weeks to live.

There are also other alternatives to battling cancer available based on research. Tippens mentioned various cocktails of drugs that include a prescription of mebendazole in them for different diseases.

“There’s other stories out there that are every bit [as] successful as mine,” Tippens said.

Tippens said he believes a clinic in Mexico or Costa Rica could benefit from offering an array of different alternatives to traditional cancer treatments. If he wasn’t a dedicated researcher, Tippens may not have discovered other alternative drugs. Tom said his brother had a “sensational appetite” to delve into research.

“If I ever come out of remission, I know exactly what I’m going to do — I’m going to go to alternative two and then alternative three and then alternative four and maybe all of them at the same time, why not throw everything but the kitchen sink at it,” Tippens said.

While he is unsure where his story will take him next, Tippens said he is sure alternatives will be taken more seriously in the next few years. “[Joe’s] story is not yet finished,” Tom said.

For more information about the repurposing of anthelmintics, visit http://www.oncm.org/v03p0001.pdf

The skeletal formula of fenbendazole shows the organic compound’s molecular structural formula. Fenbendazole is a canine deworming product that Joe Tippens used to cure his cancer. (Provided/Wikipedia)

Miss Native American UCO

November 19, 2019

7

Miss Native American UCO 2019-2020 Crowned Haley Humphrey @haleybhumphrey REPORTER

Nina Fox, a Muscogee (Creek), was crowned Miss Native American University of Central Oklahoma 20192020 on Saturday night during the sixth annual Miss Native American Scholarship Pageant in the Nigh University Center’s Constitution Hall.

“I was kind of shocked…everybody did really good and I knew it was going to be close,” Fox said after her predecessor, Claudia McHenry, crowned her on stage.

“I have a lot I want to say for our indigenous community, and I felt like having [this] title would really give me that platform to talk and make an impact on campus,” Fox said.

Fox said the pageant is an educational experience for non-Native people to learn about the tribes’ culture and their differences among each other. She was presented with a $1,600 tuition waiver scholarship as the new titleholder and the Outstanding Talent Award.

Osheana Aguilera was presented a tuition waiver as the first runner-up recipient. Jo Tiger won the People’s Choice Award, Best Platform Presen-

tation, Director’s Choice Award and the Future Native Business Woman Award.

All contestants went through seven categories of competition. Five of the categories were performed on stage.

The candidates introduced themselves in their native languages and then showed the traditional outfits of their tribes.

Platform presentations consisted of Native American mental and physical health, missing and murdered indigenous women and cultural identity.

Contestants performed their cultural talents as the fourth category. Victoria Ramirez sang a Pawnee hymn and a Pawnee version of “Amazing Grace.”

Tiger said a prayer in Creek. Aguilera performed a Pawnee woman’s cloth dance, and Fox gave a PowerPoint presentation about how she makes post-removal Mvskoke dresses.

To complete the on-stage categories, the contestants had to answer a question in one minute about their platform, which were chosen randomly.

The other two categories not seen by the audience were essays and personal interviews with the three judges before the pageant.

The pageant was organized by the

Claudia McHenry fastens the Miss Native American UCO crown to 2019-2020 winner, Nina Fox, on Nov. 16 in Constitution Hall. Fox competed against three other contestants in the pagaent. (Songsong Wang/The Vista)

Native American Student Association after recognizing they wanted a representative for the campus and community, according to pageant director Courtney Peyketewa. It is funded by the Office of Diversity and Inclusion.

“This pageant provides [contestants] the space and opportunity to share their platforms and bring awareness to the issues they wish to change for the better,” Peyketewa said.

Miss Native American has been an on-going title at UCO, however, it did not supply a scholarship component

until 2014, according to Peyketewa.

During this time, many of the other multicultural pageants had been hosting competitions for their representatives.

The Miss Native American scholarship waiver has increased from $1,500 to $1,600 for the titleholder since its start.

Peyketewa said the American Indian Chamber of Commerce, coordinated with the pageant board this year to promote the competition on their social media to reach their audiences.

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November 19, 2019

Editorial

Opinion: A Vote for Maps 4 is a Vote for More in Oklahoma City Continued from Pg. 1

If passed, the temporary 1 cent sales tax would go into effect April 1, 2020, after the ‘Better Streets, Safer City’ sales tax expires.

MAPS is used to fund projects that wouldn’t necessarily be high on the list of priorities for regular tax dollars.

MAPS 4 consists of 16 projects that were selected through a series of four special meetings with community input that took place over the summer.

These projects are crucial to ensuring that Oklahoma City continues on its path as a modern-day boomtown.

MAPS 3, which yielded Oklahoma City Streetcar, Scissortail Park and Oklahoma River improvements, focused on core-improvements for downtown.

The fourth installment of MAPS would improve more areas of the city.

According to the City of Oklahoma City, more than 70 percent of the funding is allocated to neighborhood and human needs.

“The focus of this package on neighborhood and human needs means that neighborhoods will be changed.

Lives will be changed,” Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt said in a Twitter post.

The most expensive project for MAPS 4 is a $140 million park improvement allocation.

From my experience, most of the parks in the city could really use an upgrade, so this would be money well spent.

For example, Dolese Youth Park, which features baseball fields, trails, a fishing pond and a disc golf course, needs more bathrooms and renovations to the existing ones. Many of the tee pads on the disc golf course need to be redone as well.

The Oklahoma City skyline is pictured at twighlight. On Dec. 10, Oklahoma City voters will head to the polls to vote on MAPS 4, a penny tax that would raise $978 million for the city to be used on 16 projects. (Provided/Wikimedia Commons)

The main reason why Oklahoma City has an NBA franchise is because of MAPS. The Chesapeake Energy Arena (then Ford Center), which cost nearly $88 million, was funded entirely by the original MAPS tax.

When Seattle Supersonics owner Clay Bennett was looking for a suitable city for the organization, he prioritized finding one that had a strong sense of community and opportunity for growth. This was demonstrated through MAPS and the way we embraced the New Orleans Hornets organization in their time here after Hurricane Katrina.

On game nights, the Thunder generates around $2 million for the City of Oklahoma City. That’s $80 million every season. Keeping that money here is paramount, not to mention the revenue brought in from other forms

The Chesapeake Energy Arena is located in downtown Oklahoma City. MAPS would apportion $115 million to renovate the arena. (Provided/Wikimedia Commons)

of entertainment.

If passed, MAPS 4 would apportion $115 million to upgrade Chesapeake Energy Arena and ensure it is up to the national standard for years to come.

The United Health Foundation ranks Oklahoma 47 out of 50 for overall health. According to the report, we aren’t physically active enough and have a high cardiovascular death rate.

Anyone who has spent a few days in Oklahoma City can see that we are lacking in bike lanes and sidewalks.

There couldn’t possibly be a correlation there, right?

MAPS 4 would provide $87 million for sidewalks, bike lanes, trails and streetlights. Around $55 million would go to sidewalks, with $20 million for the construction of bicycle lanes and related bicycle facilities, taking into consideration the guidance of the bikewalkokc plan.

In regard to mental health care, Oklahoma is in desperate need of a reverse Ronald Reagan. A mental health and addiction budget of $40 million should serve as an aquifer in a desert.

Mental Health America ranks Oklahoma 41 out of 50 for overall mental health. A ranking between 39-51 is indicative of a higher prevalence of mental illness with disproportionate access to care.

MAPS 4 would stimulate Oklahoma City’s mental health system, providing $40 million for two mental health crisis centers, a restoration center for detox/substance abuse and temporary housing for those suffering from mental illness and homelessness while transitioning out of a crisis center.

Also in the plans for MAPS 4 is a

$37 million multipurpose stadium.

This facility would be suitable for professional and college soccer, high school football and soccer, concerts and other events.

If you have ever been to an Oklahoma City Energy soccer game, you have seen how Taft Stadium is barely suitable as a home for them. The parking situation is lacking, to say the least, and the overall vibe is kind of makeshift. This stadium would serve as a new home for the Energy organization.

A poll by Gallup reveals that soccer is closing in on the popularity of baseball in the U.S. Seven percent of Americans chose soccer as their favorite sport to watch, while 9 percent preferred baseball.

OKC Animal Welfare would receive $38 million for a new shelter to replace their current facility, which is old (built in 1996), too small and lacks an adequate amount of equipment.

The max capacity of the shelter is 280 dogs, a number they usually exceed, sometimes by over 100 dogs.

A new facility would mean saving lives. What do you say we save some dogs?

Just last year, Oklahoma City was ranked one of the best overall cities for millennials to work and live in (more than 8 percent cheaper than the national average).

To continue what could only be described as exponential growth for Oklahoma City, we have to accommodate through infrastructure upgrades. Whether that is through an innovation district that brings in young entrepreneurs, or upgrading/ building venues to spur economic development, voting yes on Dec. 10 ensures we have the resources to do this.

Feature

November 19, 2019

9

A Look Inside the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Haley Humphrey @HaleyBHumphrey REPORTER

“Our language and ways are from where our strength comes,” said Dana Tiger, registered Muscogee tribal member and artist.

The Muscogee (Creek) have kept their languages alive since the period of A.D. 900-1000. Greg Anderson, secretary of Education, Employment and Training and acting tribal administrator, said tribal educators teach Mvskoke and Euchi through their own language programs and in partnership with public schools.

The Muscogee Department of Education, Employment and Training conducts cultural responsiveness training with teachers and administrators in the 67 public schools within the boundaries of the tribal nation.

“In a lot of the rural areas, the culture is very rich — the language is spoken more prominently, and we want to make sure those instructors in the classroom understand our students — where they come from, their history,” Anderson said. “We want to make sure they recognize that and respect it.”

Tribal language teachers must be certified by being able to speak, read and write the language. The goal of language education in schools is to pass it on for generations, Anderson said.

Tiger, who was born and raised in Muskogee, grew up with her grandparents speaking Creek as their first language.

“The language of our people is what’s most important to me,” Tiger said. “I have a grandson who is 3. It’s imperative that we know it.”

Language education is also offered in nine Head Start programs with an enrollment of about 289 children and their families. Head Start is a social and educational program for 3- to 5-year-old children who may be from low-income households.

The nation takes part in the State Tribal Education Partnership with the state of Oklahoma for Native American education in public schools and has partnered with Weleetka, Wetumka and Dover schools.

Anderson said the partnership is creating a Native Youth Community Project, which is focused on college and career education.

Another initiative, Native Edge, is patterned after the state education department’s Oklahoma Edge, a blueprint for promoting quality public education.

“We’re approaching it from a different perspective — we are working with the schools in providing techni-

Studio photograph of Pleasant Porter who was the Chief of the Creek Nation. He is wearing a Plains Indian feather bonnet. The photograph was taken prior to December 8, 1904. (Robertson and Studio/Oklahoma Historical Society)

cal assistance with federal programs, we’re offering teacher fellowships and providing leadership academies for the school administrators,” Anderson said.

The tribe works to educate teachers and administrators about the services it offers, in keeping with the Every Student Succeeds Act implemented in 2015, according to Anderson.

“It mandates that public schools [that] receive $40,000 or more in Title VI or have a native population of 50 percent or more are mandated to consult with the tribal nations that are in their boundaries,” Anderson said.

For example, Tulsa schools are required to inform the Muscogee Department of Education about programs they have in place that support Native education.

The tribe’s department of education provides $70,000 a year in grants to schools that apply for assistance in areas such as STEM education, which could include robotics programs.

The nation also awards college scholarships to its enrolled members.

Kyle Dean, associate professor of economics and director of the Center for Native American and Urban Studies at Oklahoma City University, conducted a study of 15 tribal nations and found the tribes generated a $13

billion economic impact on Oklahoma in 2017.

“Our [casino] started with a bingo hall in Tulsa,” Anderson said. “As gaming was brought to Oklahoma, the tribes found it as a way to generate revenue for tribal programs.”

As many more casinos began sprouting up across Oklahoma, the tribe found a way to economically diversify with businesses such as gas stations, convenience shops and manufacturing facilities.

The tribe has maintained its culture despite being forced by the U.S. government to move to Oklahoma from Georgia in the 1830s on what became known as the Trail of Tears.

Agriculture helped the Muscogee thrive after they arrived in Oklahoma, Anderson said. Eufaula was a resource-rich area where they were able to prosper because it is where the South Canadian, North Canadian and Deep Fork rivers met.

Eufaula also served as “the gathering place of a lot of people who met to form governments and, in a sense, reorganize,” Anderson said.

Today, tribal members remain near the Ocmulgee Mounds, a National Historic Park in Macon, Georgia, that leaders in Oklahoma are building relationships with, according to Ander-

son.

There are about 87,000 registered Muscogee tribal citizens nationwide.

Anderson said many are California residents. The Oklahoma enrollment is about 60,000.

Muscogee is one of the Five Civilized Tribes, which together comprise 750,000 of the 1 million people who are members of the 39 tribes based in Oklahoma.

The Five Civilized Tribes Intertribal Council meets five times a year to work together on projects that benefit all tribes.

The Muscogee’s boundaries stretch across 11 counties from Tulsa to the southeast corner of the state. The Council House in Okmulgee was chosen as the government capitol building because it is the center of the nation. Anderson said the tribal government structure is similar to that of the U.S. government.

Today, Anderson said tribal leaders disagree with Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt over the Muscogee’s gaming compact with the state.

Gaming compacts are an agreement between the tribes and the state about how much money goes to Oklahoma from the revenue generated by casinos.

“The governor wants to renegotiate [and] the tribes do not,” Anderson said. “The governor wants more money and the tribes do not want to give — they like the compact the way it is now.”

The more money the tribes make, the more they are expected to give to the state, according to Anderson.

“We’re a people who are willing to sit down and talk about it … one needs the other,” Anderson said. “Our health services, our education services benefit a lot of people who are non-Native, so we feel we’re doing our part for the state of Oklahoma.”

Despite challenges and conflicts, Anderson said the Muscogee hope to “bring prosperity to [their] tribal nation.”

According to Anderson, it is of interest to the tribe to create opportunities in quality education and employment for its citizens. He said they have a goal of economically diversifying in sustainable ways to prepare for the future.

“We’ve come a long way during the relocation — you showed up in Oklahoma [and] you really had to rebuild, you had your culture, you had your people and you had your vision as a tribe of what do you want to be, and you get to Oklahoma and you pretty much have to start over,” Anderson said. “It’s very difficult to do, but I think the tribal nations have done very well and will continue to do well.”

10

November 19, 2019

Food Summit

University Students, Local Communities Take on Food Insecurity JaNae Williams @janaebwilliams REPORTER

Nearly 200 University of Central Oklahoma students, faculty and staff, Oklahoma City metro residents, state and local organizations and food producers came together in the Nigh University Center Ballrooms on Nov. 13 to discuss the issues of food access and insecurity in Oklahoma.

The event, hosted by Students for Sustainability, was the second annual Local Food Summit at UCO. Students for Sustainability is still a young student organization, only having started in fall 2015, according to Mary Bixler, project manager for the Office of Sustainability.

Bixler led STLR (Student Transformative Learning Record) funded research into the state of food production and access on the UCO campus.

That research helped lead to the inaugural Local Food Summit.

“I wanted to understand what food insecurity looked like on this campus,” Bixler said. “Especially being in the middle of a pretty affluent urban, or metropolitan area and suburb.”

Students for Sustainability found they weren’t the only groups working locally to bring attention to food insecurity and better practices. A number of partnerships for the summit formed with local and state organizations.

Local grocer Urban Agrarian has been involved in both the inaugural and second annual Local Food Summit, according to Sarah Hache, store manager of the Edmond location.

“Last year at the Local Food Summit, one of the co-founders [of Urban Agrarian], Chelsea Simpson, was the keynote speaker,” Hache said.

This year the store linked the summit organizers up with a number of producers for the food served, provided door prizes and donated pumpkins to be used as decorations.

Urban Agrarian also participated in the vendor fair alongside various other groups, including Oklahoma Agri-

On the right, Miguel Soares, Co-founder of Roam Coffee speaks with Jessica Gebhart at the Local Food Summit event on Nov. 13 in the Nigh University Ballrooms. (Jaclyn Jacobs/The Vista)

tourism. Both of these organizations share a focus on supporting Oklahoma farmers and producers.

“Local food is important to support local Oklahoma,” said Agritourism Marketing Coordinator Whitney Wilkinson. “We survive off of the basis of our producers, our local people.

I mean, if we can get local people to eat food from the local producers, that’s just going to keep the revenue coming back through.”

Bixler said that the attention to food recovery was also minimal in the early days of her research. However, to highlight this topic at the summit, the Food Recovery Network took part in the vendor fair this year.

Food recovery is a key aspect of the fight against food insecurity. Recovering food waste and growing your own food are simple ways to lower costs and increase access, according to Katelyn Sturdivant of the Food Recovery Network.

“College students are some of the most food-insecure populations in America,” Sturdivant said. “Going to college is hard and students should not have to worry about choosing between paying for tuition and paying

From left, Katie Maschino and Angela Chase participate in a discussion at the Local Food Summit event on Nov. 13 in the Nigh University Ballrooms. (Jaclyn Jacobs/The Vista)

for food.”

Bixler said that there are a number of other populations, throughout the OKC metro, facing food insecurity.

OKC Councilwoman Nikki Nice was chosen as the keynote for the event partially because of that reason.

“She has done a lot of work and has promoted, since she was campaigning, her work with food insecurity and working on the food narrative that is in Oklahoma and how serious of a situation it really is,” Bixler said.

Nice serves as the councilwoman for OKC’s Ward 7, the same part of the city she grew up in. This area is referred to as a food desert, lacking access to groceries of all types, but especially fresh produce and meat.

However, it wasn’t always that way.

“When I look at the neighborhood I grew up in, I think of how we had an abundance of options,” Nice said.

“Now when you look at the same community, you’re limited.”

One particular zip code in Nice’s ward, 73111, has been the topic of many conversations recently after losing its last grocery store earlier this year. Nice said a lack of access to healthy options has a serious impact.

“When we’re looking at [that one zip code], the life expectancy is 18 years less,” Nice said. “When we’re looking at infant mortality, when we’re looking at maternal mortality for African American moms, when we’re looking at cancer morbidity - breast cancer rates, prostate cancer rates - everything is extremely high, just in one zip code.”

This area is located in the heart of OKC, near the Capitol, yet residents are some of the most economically disadvantaged in the city.

Nice said an important component of helping the people in these areas is in teaching sustainable practices, including how to grow food for yourself

and how to prepare fresh foods. Those trying to help, according to Nice, should be sensitive to differences between themselves and the community they’re going into.

“Don’t come in and take over, or don’t go into that area and take over and feel you have the answer,” Nice said. “It’s just a soft approach, but I think we all have something in us and we have to realize what our power is - what our self-power is, what our empowerment can be for our communities - and even the communities we didn’t grow up in.”

Food insecurity is a problem that is widespread throughout the state, according to Bixler. There are rural, urban and suburban communities lacking access to healthy options.

“We wanted to make this not just about what’s happening at UCO, but figure out solutions that are applicable to communities in Oklahoma and building a better food system for Oklahoma, not just our campus,” Bixler said.

Students for Sustainability, a number of organizations and members of local government, like Councilwoman Nice, all acknowledge the problem.

Events like the Local Food summit give them a chance to come together and discuss how to move forward.

“Food insecurity should be important to everyone,” Nice said. “When you have communities that don’t have access, we have communities that should have access and we have communities that are normal just like the rest of us and all they want is the opportunity to be healthy.”

For more information on Students for Sustainability, contact the Office of Sustainability at 405-974-3526.

For more information on how you can get involved and the state of food insecurity in Ward 7, visit www.neokcfood.com.

November 19, 2019

C R A E S D R O W

APPEND A "T" TO MAKE A NEW WORD

H

Games

11

ANKLE BASEMEN BUDGE BURN COMPLAIN DEAL DIE DIPLOMA FLEE HANDCAR RABBI RADIAN REGIMEN SPINE THOUGH

WEEKLY HOROSCOPE ARIES (March 21 to April 19) A long-sought workplace change could be happening soon. Consider reworking your ideas and preparing a presentation just in case. A personal relationship takes a new turn.

TAURUS (April 20 to May 20) Your persuasiveness doesn’t really start to kick in until midweek. By then, you can count on having more supporters in your camp, including some you doubted would ever join you.

GEMINI (May 21 to June 20) Your workload is still high, but -- good news!

-- you should start to see daylight by the week’s end. Reserve the weekend for fun and games with friends and loved ones. You deserve it.

CANCER (June 21 to July 22) Regardless of how frustrating things are, keep that “Crab” under control. A cutting comment you might think is apt right now will leave others hurting for a long time to come.

LEO (July 23 to August 22) Be more sensitive to the emotions of loved ones who might feel left out while you’re stalking that new opportunity. Be sure to make it up to them this weekend. A nice surprise could be waiting.

VIRGO (August 23 to September 22) The gregarious Virgo rarely has a problem making new friends. But repairing frayed relationships doesn’t come easily. Still, if it’s what you want to do, you’ll find a way. Good luck.

LIBRA (September 23 to October 22) A misunderstanding with a partner or spouse needs to be worked out before it turns into

CROSSWORD Answers

LAST WEEK’S ANSWERS

BUILDINGS Answers

(Week of Nov. 18, 2019)

something really nasty. Forget about your pride for now and make that first healing move.

SCORPIO (October 23 to November 21) Communication dominates the week. Work out any misunderstandings with co-workers. Also get back in touch with old friends and those family members you rarely see.

SAGITTARIUS (November 22 to December 21) As busy as your week is, make time for someone who feels shut out of your life. Your act of kindness could later prove to be more significant than you might have realized.

CAPRICORN (December 22 to January 19) Congratulations. Your busy workweek leads to some very satisfying results. Sports and sporting events are high on your weekend activities aspect. Enjoy them with family and friends.

AQUARIUS (January 20 to February 18) Your generosity of spirit reaches out once again to someone who needs reassurance. There might be problems, but keeping that line of communication open eventually pays off.

PISCES (February 19 to March 20) You are among the truth-seekers in the universe, so don’t be surprised to find yourself caught up in a new pursuit of facts to counter what you believe is an insidious exercise in lying.

BORN THIS WEEK: You believe in loyalty and in keeping secrets. All things considered, you would probably make a perfect secret agent. (c) 2019 King Features Synd., Inc.

Weekly SUDOKU Answers

12

November 19, 2019

Soccer

Bronchos Go Back-To-Back for MIAA Title Derek Parker @DParkOK SPORTS EDITOR

For the second consecutive year, the University of Central Oklahoma soccer team has won the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association championship, this year in a two-overtime victory over Northeastern State University.

The match was scoreless in the first half, as UCO’s Kaitlyn Asher and NSU’s Brennan Hockett each kept their opponent scoreless.

The RiverHawks earned the first point of the game in the 72nd minute, officially marking it as a Broncho comeback. Mariah Nicolet scored the goal from the UCO box, assisted by Paulina Chavez.

With just four minutes left in regulation, Kelsey Gordon scored a header off a free kick from Kelsie Eason, tying it at 1-1.

Both teams got just one shot off each in the first overtime period, with neither landing as the game headed into a second 10-minute overtime.

Much like the first, neither team scored a goal in the second period, but this time the Bronchos took the only two shots.

In the penalty shootout, Eason, Taryn Kedzior and Monika McGee all scored goals. Asher stayed true to form, blocking the first and third NSU shots.

“I’m just so happy for this team,” said head coach Mike Cook. “They’ve worked so hard and deserve this.

And when we got down today, they

University of Central Oklahoma soccer team raises the MIAA Championship trophy on Nov. 17 at Northeastern State University.

After initially tying 1-1 and two overtime periods, the Bronchos won the championship in a shootout. (Provided/BronchoSports)

didn’t give up. They kept fighting and found a way.”

The Bronchos won all three of their matchups with NSU this season, outscoring the Riverhawks 6-3 overall.

In order to get the MIAA championship, UCO had to fight through the University of Central Missouri.

After losing 2-1 to UCM in early October, the Bronchos won when it mattered, defeating the Jennies 1-0 in the MIAA semifinals.

“We played hard and we kept fighting and when you do that, one of those chances are going to go in,” Cook said after Friday’s win. “We had a lot of chances tonight. We never gave up and it’s good to get the win.”

The match was scoreless for 72 full minutes, before Kedzior assisted a

McGee header for the only point of the match, sending the Bronchos to what would be their eventual MIAA championship.

The title win earned UCO their automatic bid to the NCAA tournament, which took place Monday night.

SOCCER SEASON RESULTS Central Oklahoma Regular Season Results

T – UCO 3, DBU 3 W – UCO 6, SNU 2 W – UCO 5, OC 2 W – UCO 6, ECU 0 W – UCO 2, NSU 1 T – UCO 0, NEW 0 W – UCO 4, RSU 1 W – UCO 3, NSU 1 L – FHSU 2, UCO 1

W – UCO 4, NKU 1 W – UCO 5, MSSU 3 L – CMU 2, UCO 1 L – ESU 1, UCO 0 L – WU 3, UCO 2 W – UCO 8, NWMSU 0 W – UCO 3, MWS 1 W – UCO 1, NEW 0 W – UCO 1, RSU 0

University of Central Oklahoma soccer player, Katy Tullis, controls the ball on Nov. 16 at Tom Thompson Field. (Provided/BronchoSports)

Basketball

November 19, 2019

13

Broncho Women Fall In Double Overtime

James D. Jackson @JamesDJackson15 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

After the worst shooting performance of the four game season, the University of Central Oklahoma women’s basketball team fell to Southern Nazarene University in two overtimes 81-76 in their first loss of the season at Hamilton Field House on Saturday afternoon.

Over the first three games of the season the Bronchos shot 46.6 percent from the field but on Saturday their record dropped to 3-1 after they shot 32.1 percent from the field, including 23.3 percent from the 3-point range.

Central also committed 23 turnovers.

“We just didn't play very well,” said UCO head coach Guy Hardaker. “We couldn't make any shots and didn't do much right. We still had plenty of chances to win the game, but couldn’t get it done.”

Down 58-52 with 41 seconds left in regulation, the Bronchos battled back and freshman guard Jaci Littell tied the game at 60 after knocking down one of two free throws with four seconds remaining to send it to the first overtime.

Four minutes and 32 seconds into the five minute overtime period, the Bronchos controlled the ball with the game tied at 67. Senior guard Shatoya Bryson held the ball until the final

seconds before making a move and putting up a 15-foot jumper that was missed and rebounded by McKenna Pulley, who attempted a 10-foot shot at the buzzer that was off the mark,

sending the game to a second overtime.

UCO never led in the second overtime as they were called for six fouls in the period, which the Storm took

Brooke Rayner dribbles the ball during the Nov. 16 game against Southern Nazarene University in Hamilton Field House. (James D. Jackson/The Vista)

advantage of, shooting 12-of-15 from the free-throw line.

After starting the season scoring 80 points or more, the Bronchos were looking to become the first UCO team to score 80 or more points in the first four games of a season. They were held by the Storm to 76 points after two overtimes, and just 60 points after regulation.

“My assistants do a great job of preparation, great job of game-planning and from that, our players buy in and believe it,” said SNU head coach Trent May. “And when they execute it, when we do our thing, we can be very ferocious on the defensive end.”

After scoring 21 points in the first quarter, the Bronchos were held to a 12 point second quarter and a seven point third quarter, which was the fewest points UCO has scored in a quarter throughout the four-game season.

“No one’s going to pitch a shutout in basketball but in the critical moments when we needed stops, those rebounds and the free-throws, we got them,” May said. “It took us a while to get some points on the board for us, especially in the middle of that third quarter, but our girls just kept fighting.”

UCO will continue their four-game homestead as they battle Cameron University Nov. 23 at 1:30 p.m.

Men Snap Streak Of 941 Consecutive 3-Pointer Games Derek Parker @DParkOK SPORTS EDITOR

University of Central Oklahoma men’s basketball earned their first win this season, but dropped two more games to move to 1-4 on the season.

UCO has kept every match close, losing all four of their games by just an average of 7.8 points.

Central earned their first win with a victory over the Oklahoma Christian Eagles. Redshirt freshman Justin Nimmer led all Bronchos on Tuesday night with 15 points, shooting 6-for13 from the field while adding seven rebounds in the 63-44 win.

After the first half, UCO owned just a 23-21 lead, before a 40-point second half performance.

“Those guys deserve getting the W today,” said head coach Bob Hoffman after their win. “They really worked during the week.”

On Friday and Saturday, Central dropped two matches in the University of Central Missouri Fairfield Inn

Classic.

The first was to William Jewell College in a close 71-63 contest.

For the first time in 33 seasons, UCO failed to make a 3-pointer, snapping a streak of 941 consecutive games with one made. Both teams made 25 shots from the field, but the Bronchos failure to hit from deep hurt their chances.

With around six minutes left, Central found themselves down 57-56.

WJC finished 6-for-6 in the final 1:06 to secure their win. McDowell finished as the leading UCO scorer with 21 on 10 shots.

In their second game of the Fairfield Inn Classic, the Bronchos lost 83-70 to Upper Iowa University.

UCO was outscored 46-35 in the first half, and couldn’t pick up enough momentum in the second half to pull out the win, despite outscoring the Peacocks 37-35 in the second.

Cam Givens and Dashon Bell both scored 17 points in the contest, but the Bronchos were out rebounded 3622.

After five straight away games to

start the season, UCO will play backto-back games in Edmond.

The Bronchos take on Midwestern

State University on Wednesday at 7 p.m., and Southwestern Christian University Nov. 26 at 7:30 p.m.

University of Central Oklahoma basketball player Cam Givens goes for a layup during the Bronze & Blue Game on Oct. 20. (Provided/BronchoSports)

14

November 19, 2019

Football

Bronchos Finish with Losing Season After ESU Loss

Univerisity of Central Oklahoma head football coach Nick Bobeck walks the field. Bobeck and the Bronchos failed to make the playoffs for the first time since 2016 this year.

(Provided/BronchoSports)

James D. Jackson @JamesDJackson15 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

After a No. 9, 82-14 win over Northeastern State University, UCO head coach Nick Bobeck said if the Bronchos played consistent, the team would finish the season out the right way and be in good shape.

However, the Bronchos were unable to do that on Saturday afternoon, as UCO fell 34-14 in their final game of the season to Emporia State University at Welch Stadium.

The Bronchos finish the year with a 5-6 record and an eighth-place finish in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association.

“That’s obviously not the way we wanted to end the season,” Bobeck said. “We didn’t compete well enough today and you hate to end the season on a loss.”

After starting the season 2-5, the Bronchos knocked off Washburn University, Missouri Southern State University and Northeastern State University to get to a 5-5 record. But a loss to Emporia State for the second straight year ended their chance at a winning season.

“We had a lot of momentum coming into the game with three straight wins, but we came up short today,” Bobeck said. “We'll take a little time off and begin the process all over again really soon.”

UCO trailed the entire game on Saturday giving up a touchdown on the game’s opening drive and then turning the ball over on an interception, which led to a Hornet field goal to put

UCO down 10-0.

UCO responded as true freshman Dylan Buchheit recorded his first interception of the season on ESU’s 32yard line. This led to a T.J. Roberts 1-yard touchdown.

The UCO defense then forced a three-and-out on the next two Hornet drives, but the UCO offense was unable to take advantage as they went three-and-out and then failed a fourth-down try.

ESU then traveled 72 yards on 13 plays to score a touchdown with six seconds remaining in the half, taking a 17-7 halftime lead.

UCO countered out of the half with a 75-yard, nine play drive that was capped by a 10-yard touchdown pass from Brandon George to Dustin Basks, cutting the lead to three. This was the final score of the season for UCO, as they punted on their next three possessions and then turned over on the final three with a fumble, interception and another fumble.

The Hornets posted one touchdown in the third and 17 points in the fourth quarter to finish the game.

UCO finished with 175 yards of offense, 111 yards passing on 16-of-32 and 64 yards rushing on 28 carries.

Roberts finished the game as the leading rusher with 34 yards on 12 carries and one touchdown. Basks led UCO receivers with seven catches for 56 yards and one touchdown. George, who started in place of Keats Calhoon, went 13-for-27 with 100 yards and a touchdown.

Dillion Hall led UCO on defense with a season-high 13 tackles. He was

followed by Jeremiah Hill, who had 12 and Bryan Burns with 11. Burns also had a sack, along with Drequan Brown, who had four tackles. Senior All-American defensive back O’Shaw Harris recorded four tackles and one pass breakup.

UCO will finish without a postseason appearance for the first time since the 2016 season. Bobeck has coached Central Oklahoma to a winning season and postseason appearance in four out of the past six years.

UCO FOOTBALL TEAM STATISTICS UCO

ESU

TOTAL YARDS:

175

349

PASSING YARDS:

111

160

RUSHING YARDS:

64

189

PENALTY YARDS:

5-40

3-25

1ST DOWNS:

10

21

3RD DOWNS:

6-15

9-19

4TH DOWNS:

0-3

1-1

TOP:

24:49

35:11

More information available on bronchosports.com

Bucking Broncho

November 19, 2019

15

New Era for OKC Thunder The Oklahoma City Thunder are off to a 5-7 start, but with no unrealistic expectations, it’s starting to feel fun again in OKC. After trading away Russell Westbrook and Paul George, Oklahoma City was set to be in a complete rebuild with several young players and tradable contracts, and bound to lose nearly every game in pursuit of future assets.

Instead, the Thunder have been competitive, fun and downright refreshing after years of pressure.

Welcome to the new era of OKC. The Thunder greats will always have a legacy in Oklahoma City, but with talent and superstardom come loads of expectations, some of which were much too high.

The unrealistic expectations began with Kevin Durant, who graced us with multiple Western Conference Finals appearances and even a Finals appearance in 2012.

After years of highs, enter Paul George, who when paired with Westbrook, was expected to produce nothing less than WCF appearances in one of the toughest conferences in league history. Back-to-back first round exits with that much talent brought OKC fans back down to earth quickly.

Now, with 21-year-old Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in complete control of the team for the foreseeable

Oklahoma City Thunder forward Danilo Gallinari (8) celebrates with Chris Paul following a basket in overtime of the team’s NBA basketball game against the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday, Nov. 15, 2019, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

future, as well as having experienced both the highs and the lows of success, there is absolutely zero pressure on this team, and it’s awesome to experience.

Nothing will ever completely fill the void Westbrook left, but SGA is slowly starting to win over the hearts of the Chesapeake faithful. His stealthy,

smooth moves to the rim are among one of the most unique offensive skill sets in the game, and are truly enjoyable to watch.

Veterans Chris Paul and Danilo Gallinari are slowly warming to Oklahoma City as well. Paul has taken a leadership role, providing an almost fatherly figure for players like

Oklahoma City Thunder’s Dennis Schroder (17) looks for a pass during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Golden State Warriors in Oklahoma City, Saturday, Nov. 9, 2019. (AP Photo/Garett Fisbeck)

Gilgeous-Alexander, Terrance Ferugson and rookie Darius Bazley. Gallinari has been sensational offensively for the Thunder this year, and the eye-test is saying he’s having more and more fun each game.

Post-win tweets and funny post game attire, recommended by his teammates, have shown he’s starting to like Oklahoma.

The Thunder are currently sitting at ninth in the western conference, but they’ve recently earned their first signature win of the season, which could heat things up.

Last Friday, Paul, with 27 points, eight rebounds and five assists, led the Thunder squad to an overtime win over a solid Philadelphia 76ers team, showing it could hang with the big dogs.

At this point last season, the Thunder were at the very same record of 5-7, and they finished fourth in the western conference. Who knows, maybe this ragtag group of players bands together and makes a playoff push. It’s a long season, and anything can happen.

For now, Thunder fans should continue to be optimistic about how unexpectedly fun this team is.

Connect the Dots to Your Future.

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Highlight your strengths, discover your passions, and prepare for your future!

Not sure what STLR does for you or how it works? Learn more at stlr.uco.edu or follow us on social media. Start building your STLR Snapshot today at stlrsnapshot.uco.edu

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