The Vista November 5, 2019

Volume 117, Issue 11

the

VISTA “Our Words, Your Voice.”

vistanews1903 @thevista1903 @thevista1903 The Vista ucentralmedia.com

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

Expired Food Found In Campus Vending Machines

JaNae Williams @janaebwilliams REPORTER

Multiple students have purchased expired food and drinks from the vending machines in the Mass Communication building on the University of Central Oklahoma campus in recent weeks.

The issue was first reported the week of Oct. 21. John Redfearn, a senior professional media major, said he noticed something was off when eating a bag of Gardetto’s. “[They] didn’t taste right - really stale, really just not right,” Redfearn said. “And so I looked at the bag and it turned out they were over nine months old, or expired.”

The batch of Gardetto’s that Redfearn purchased had an expiration date of Jan. 15, 2019. The Vista purchased two additional bags of Gardetto’s from the other machines in the Mass Communication building and found that they shared the same expiration date.

Baylee Scmidlkofer, a junior professional media major, purchased an expired Coca-Cola on Oct. 28 from one

Kristian Parker, University of Central Oklahoma student, swipes his card to purchase snacks on Oct. 28 in the Business College.

Expired snacks have been found by multiple students in vending machines across campus. (Chelsye Bacon/The Vista)

of the machines.

“Halfway through the bottle, I looked at the date and it said December 2018,” Schmidlkofer said.

Schmidlkofer said she felt a wide array of emotions after realizing what

had happened.

“First I was a little shocked, I was like ‘Wow, uh 2018, it’s been 2019 for quite a while now,’” Schmidlkofer said. “Then I was kind of grossed out.”

Schmidlkofer said she did not imme-

Continued on Pg. 7

Opinion: Viral Food:

Edmond Police Seeking Help For Credit Card Fraud

Trying Popeyes Chicken

Maury “Kevin” Blair @mauryb007 CONTRIBUTING WRITER

From the left, a credit card making machine and two portable card scanners sit on a table on Nov. 1 at the Edmond Police Department. (Kevin Blair/The Vista)

diately notice a difference in taste, but did wonder if drinking the expired soda might cause illness.

The Vista purchased a Dr. Pepper and Chewy Spree candy on Oct. 30

An influx of a particular type of credit card fraud involving “incomplete cards” into the Edmond area has prompted the Edmond Police Department to seek help from businesses to address the problem.

Emily Ward, public information specialist for EPD, said incomplete cards are made using credit card numbers that have been obtained by criminals.

Under the provisions of Title 21, Section 1550.27 of the Oklahoma Continued on Pg. 3

Sandwich

Jeff Elkins @JeffElkins12

MANAGING EDITOR

As a celebration of National Sandwich Day on Sunday, Popeyes brought back their Classic and Spicy Chicken Sandwiches that sold out nationwide upon their first release in August.

Continued on Pg. 9

CAMPUS CHAT

SPORTS

AROUND CAMPUS

STATEWIDE

Should The Toilet Paper Roll Fold Over Or Under?

Chandler Garrett Sets All-Time Record In Win

UCOSA Allocates Funds to Student Organizations

UCO Won’t Change Policy Regarding Constitutional Carry

See Pg. 5

See Pg. 12

See Pg. 3

See Pg. 6

2

the

November 5, 2019

Contents

VISTA

Content

UCOSA/Credit Cards...................................................................3 Around Campus...........................................................................4 Campus Chat...............................................................................5 Constitutional Carry/State Scores................................................6 Vending Machines/STLR Swipe.....................................................7 Editorial.......................................................................................9 Games Page...............................................................................11 Football....................................................................................12 Hockey/Wrestling.....................................................................13 Volleyball/Soccer.......................................................................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: UCO student Alejandro Trejo poses for a Campus Chat portrait on Nov. 4.

(Tanner Laws/The Vista) Left Middle: A football sits on the Wantland Stadium football field at the University of Central Oklahoma. (Vista Archives) Right Middle: From left, Senator Kamron Speed talks about legislation while standin Vice Chair Dillon Rasberry and Chair of Congress James Limbaugh watch on Aug. 28. (Lauren Morris/ The Vista) Right: A “No Weapons” sign is displayed on a door of the business building regarding Constitutional Carry on Nov. 4 at the University of Central Oklahoma. (Jeff Elkins/The Vista)

UCOSA/Credit Card Fraud

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November 5, 2019

UCOSA Allocates Funds to Student Organizations Lauren Morris @TheVista1903 ONLINE EDITOR

The University of Central Oklahoma Student Association held their ninth meeting of the semester on Oct. 28, where they passed two of the three bills to be considered.

CFR19-108, created by senators Marcus King and Deveron Shannon, gave $3,200 to Delta Delta Epsilon, a forensic science honor society, for a conference, and $3,000 to Pi Alpha Alpha, a graduate honors program, to hold master classes for subjects like diversity in the workplace. The bill was passed.

CR19-105 was created by senators Kamron Speed and Alex Galaviz to remove a senator who had missed four or more meetings, while also putting in a new senator.

New senators are selected from the elections at the beginning of the semester. As for what committees new senators will be in, senators will go to the committees the expelled senators had been a part of, but if they have other preferences, those could be arranged.

“We’re going to try and fit people in…where they hit their strengths,” said Chair of Congress James Lim-

Stand-in Vice Chair Dillon Rasberry (left), Chair of Congress James Limbaugh and stand-in Secretary Alex Galaviz applaud as a piece of legislation is passed. (Lauren Morris/The Vista)

baugh.

CR19-106 questioned whether student organizations should have to disclose election or voting information if someone requested it.

Some senators brought up problems, such as having the authority to ask student organizations for their election information, especially those not funded by UCOSA. Other problems included issues with senators

having to know all of the bylaws for every student organization to be informed on whether they were following their regulations or not.

For these reasons, the bill was not passed with 24 nays to nine yeas.

There were also updates on intramural sports and fees associated with them. Previously, UCOSA had passed a bill to give money to the Wellness Center to make intramurals free.

However, to spread funds throughout the fall and spring semesters, they decided to make the “bigger” sports free, while smaller sports had a fee.

The fall season will have football and volleyball for free, and basketball and volleyball free in the spring semester.

UCOSA meets at 4 p.m. every Monday in the Nigh University Center’s Will Rogers Room 421.

Edmond Police Seeking Help for Credit Card Fraud Continued from pg. 1

Statutes, “False Making or Embossing of a Credit or Debit Card” is a misdemeanor with a fine of up to $1000.00 or up to one year in the county jail, or both.

Devices known as skimmers, the type of which might be used legitimately at craft shows, are one way that criminals can steal credit card information.

Criminals create a new credit card

that will match the ID of the person using it, according to Ward, but will bear a stolen credit card number. To make these cards, criminals might use an old-fashioned credit card machine.

“It can have the name that their own ID on it,” Ward said. “It’ll have the account number from the victim’s card.

It’ll appear to be a real credit card, but it’s not. It looks like it’s got a magnetic strip on the back.”

This magnetic strip usually looks very scratched beyond more than just

American Express credit cards are displayed on July 18, 2016, in North Andover, Mass. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)

normal wear. The strip is not real and will not pull up any banking information.

“That’s how they’re getting away with it,” Ward said.

Credit card fraud is very common and most people know someone who has been a victim of it, according to Ward. She recommended that consumers stay aware of activity on accounts from which a credit card automatically drafts.

Ward said that a tell-tale sign for cashiers is when a person with several cards attempts to make a purchase.

A card may not work when the clerk attempts to key it in, so the customer will pull out another card. What has probably happened in such an instance, Ward said, is that the owner of the original card number cancelled the card, realizing that it was stolen.

Ward said EPD recognizes the challenges faced by business owners and clerks in trying to address the issue of incomplete cards.

“They’re not in the business to catch crooks. That’s our business,” Ward said.

Cashiers are likely going to try to make the sale go through, Ward said,

and assume that a magnetic strip is not working instead of challenging whether the card is real.

Despite the challenges, Ward encouraged store owners and clerks who suspect the use of incomplete credit cards to contact the Edmond Police Department.

University of Central Oklahoma Campus Enterprises consists of several functional areas that include housing, dining and the bookstore, among others.

Ben Hastings, associate vice president for Finance and Operations at UCO, said that credit card fraud is not a large issue at UCO. “With that said, it is something, though, that we take very seriously and are always looking out for it,” Hastings said. “At the cashier window, we take ‘debit cards’ and not ‘credit cards.’”

Hastings said that concerns are minimized by the use of pin numbers when using a debit card at the cashier window, which is largely used by students to pay off bursar accounts.

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November 5, 2019

Around Campus

From the left, Shi Rui Yeoh and Jenny Loo demonstrate Kendo, a traditional Japanese martial art, as part of the Samurai Halloween Budo Party event in the Nigh University Center on Oct. 31. (Songsong Wang/The Vista)

Tuesday, November 5, 2019 Frybread and Hot Chocolate Fundraiser: From 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., join the Native American Student Association by the ClockTower at Broncho Lake for some Frybread with your choice of honey, plain or powdered sugar, as well as some hot chocolate.

Lunch and Learn for Students with Children: On Tuesday, Nov. 5 from 12-1 p.m. in the Nigh University Center Cherokee Room 213, Off-Campus Life is partnering with Sharing Tree of Oklahoma to provide resources for students who have children. There will be a guest speaker, Tabitha Narvaiz, the executive director of Sharing Tree. Sharing Tree is a metro-area nonprofit that serves families in need by providing a no-cost, dignified shopping experience.

Pre-Med and Health Professions Meeting with Dr. Banner: From 12-1 p.m. in the Howell Hall Atrium, the Pre-Med and Health Professions Club is hosting Dr. Banner. He will speak to the club about his experience as a doctor. Dr. Banner is a retired pediatric critical care and toxicology doctor.

There will be free food.

NAACP Social Justice Week: Women’s Rights: From 6-8 p.m. inside Nigh University Center Room 314, the NAACP will have a general body meeting discussing the important his-

tory of women of color and how they fought for their current rights.

Wednesday, Novemer 6, 2019 Alpha Delta Pi - Pop Tab and Drop it: From 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Broncho Lake ClockTower, there will be a community event for students and faculty to come and get a soda for a donation, pop the tab and drop it.

This will also be an opportunity to learn more about Ronald McDonald House Charities of Oklahoma City.

Alpha Delta Pi will also be selling their philanthropy tickets for Pi’s Giving, the following Friday.

You Can Help a Friend - Suicide Prevention: In Thatcher Hall Room 343 from 12-1 p.m., students can learn about the warning signs of suicide as well as skills that will help them be a more positive support to a friend. This student-only event is STLR tagged.

How to Create a Research Poster Workshop: From 12-1 p.m. inside the Nigh University Center Room 320B, any student who wishes to learn about research posters and how to create one can come to this event in which lunch will be provided. Professors of biology, history and geography will be present to provide tips.

Thursday, November 7, 2019 Denim Day: From 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in Nigh University Center Heritage Room 326, Peer Health Leaders will

host Denim Day to teach about rape culture and promote the pledge to be an active bystander. Students are encouraged to wear denim to support survivors.

Panera Night Scholarship Fundraiser: From 4-8 p.m., at the Panera Bread at 1472 S. Bryant, the College of Liberal Arts will have a fundraiser where 10 percent of purchases will be contributed to scholarships in the college.

Teaching Positions - The Ins and Outs of Job Hunting: The Oklahoma Aspiring Education Association is partnering with the Edmond Association of Classroom Teachers to provide insight into the hiring process in Edmond Public Schools. Guest speakers include principles and teachers within the Edmond Public School system.

Friday, November 8, 2019 2019 Oklahoma Academy of Science Technical Meeting: The meeting will be held on UCO’s campus from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. There will be faculty and student oral presentations in the morning and afternoon at the Nigh University Center and a student poster session in the afternoon at the Donald Betz STEM Research and Learning Center. The noon luncheon speaker will be UCO’s Provost John Barthell.

Women’s Volleyball vs. Central Missouri: Broncho women’s volleyball will take on the University of Central Missouri inside Hamilton Field

House at 6 p.m. Tickets are available online at bronchosports.com

Saturday, November 9, 2019 Football v. Northeastern State: Broncho football will take on Northeastern State University at Wantland Stadium at 1 p.m. Tickets are available at bronchosports.com Language and Linguistics Student Conference: From 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Nigh University Center, the Language Society at UCO and the English Society at UCO will host the annual LLSC. The event will be celebrating 11 years of students empowering, engaging and transforming students.

Students are encouraged to interact with attendees who represent an established legacy of academic mentorships, such as the keynote speakers and other visitors, including UCO administrators who have attended the LLSC over the years.

2020 Miss UCO Scholarship Competition: The 44th Annual Miss UCO Scholarship Competition will be held inside Constitution Hall from 6-10 p.m. The campus and community are invited to attend to see who will be crowned the next Miss UCO 2020.

Sunday, November 10, 2019 IT Maintenance: Systems maintenance will be conducted from 5 a.m. to noon. Multiple services may be unavailable during this timeframe.

Campus Chat

CAMPUS CHAT Haley Humphrey

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November 5, 2019

Reporter

Opinions From UCO Students

@HaleyBHumphrey

Should The Toilet Paper Roll Fold Over Or Under?

Ricardo Luna, junior, Management Information Systems: “Over because every time I go to a hotel room [the toilet paper] goes over. It kind of bothers me when it’s touching the wall, like what is up with that? It shouldn’t touch the wall.”

Lauren Beck, junior, Management Information Systems: “I’m going to say under only because I have a cat, so it’s harder for them to unroll it if it’s backwards.”

Capri Burton, freshman, Education: “Over, it makes more sense because if it’s under and you pull too hard everything just kind of [falls]. It looks better and you can do it in the dark, so if you get up in the middle of the night, you don’t have to reach around for it.”

Lucas Argo, senior, Business Management: “Over because under looks like a mullet — mullets are bad.”

Malorie McQuary, freshman, Graphic Design: “Over because it has to be over — that’s the correct way to pull it and plus I saw a thing where a spider got trapped in the toilet paper when it was turned the other way, so it has to be over.”

Jakob Harmon, junior, Music Education: “Over, that’s the way toilet paper was invented to be. It needs to be over, it’s the right way.”

Symon Branson, sophomore, Marketing: “Over. It’s closer to you, easier access to toilet paper. I hate it when people flip it around, it’s horrible, it’s like a crime.”

Emily Terrill, senior, Fashion Marketing: “Over because under looks wrong and it’s harder to grab it because you hit the wall with your hand.

Over is just the way to go.”

Gabrielle Porter, freshman, Nursing and Pre-Med: “Over because if you pull it under, it’s against the wall — it’s just gross, if it goes over, it’s more sanitary.”

Dwi Limantoro, junior, Business Management: “Over. First of all, it’s easier to take it and if you pull it under, it basically scrapes all on the wall side, so it doesn’t make sense to me.

My brother-in-law does it under that’s why I hate it, I always turn it back.”

Mason Lucero, freshman, Technical Writing and Programming: “I guess over since it would be easier to pull off, that’s a tough question.”

Caitlyn Levick, freshman, Forensics and Funeral Service: “Over, it’s more sanitary and it’s also easier to get to.”

6

November 5, 2019

Constitutional Carry/State Scores

UCO Won’t Change Policy Regarding Constitutional Carry Lauren Morris @TheVista1903 ONLINE EDITOR

Constitutional carry, House Bill 2597, went into effect this past Friday, Nov. 1, allowing Oklahomans to open or conceal carry guns without a permit. The bill was signed into law by Governor Kevin Stitt on Feb. 27.

Those who exercise constitutional carry must be over 21, or over 18 if they are in active military service.

The bill also states that “any person who is an alien illegally or unlawfully” may not carry, and doing so will be a misdemeanor. Felons and those who live with felons are also not permitted to own or carry firearms.

Julius Adkins, deputy chief of the University of Central Oklahoma Police Department, said that UCO’s policy on weapons has not changed.

“Weapons are not allowed on UCO property unless you are law enforcement or one who has been

A “No Weapons” sign is displayed on a door of the business building regarding Constitutional Carry on Nov. 4 at the University of Central Oklahoma. (Jeff Elkins/The Vista)

granted permission from the UCO President,” Adkins said.

Adkins also said that if anyone was found violating the policy, they could face criminal charges.

Currently, students and faculty who are able to carry will be able to keep a weapon in their vehicle parked on campus, but are not allowed to take it out of the vehicle.

A few Oklahoma citizens tried to request an injunction against the law, which would mean the bill would not go into effect, but their

request was denied by the Oklahoma Supreme Court.

Joshua Harris-Till, one of the plaintiffs, said that they believe it is unconstitutional, and that it violates the single subject rule.

“When we talk about the single subject rule, you have to define what the single subject is,” Harris-Till said. “They’ve tried to say that the single subject is permitless carry, now they’re trying to make the argument that the single subject is weapons, but in the bill,

weapons isn’t defined. The majority of it is talking about removing licenses and procedures…but in one part of it, it creates an entirely new misdemeanor for immigrants who have guns.”

Harris-Till said that with the injunction being denied, he and the other plaintiffs are currently speaking with their lawyers.

Don Spencer, the president of the Oklahoma Second Amendment Association, conducted a Facebook Live on Nov. 1 at the Oklahoma City Zoo and talked about constitutional carry going into effect. Spencer has an ongoing project of going to public places and seeing how they react to his open carrying, and if they comply with the law.

“It’s been a big day for liberty.

It’s been a big day for Oklahoma,” Spencer said in the video. “We’ve got to continue to make sure to secure our rights and get the ones back that should have never been taken away…especially in those no gun zones. Today, we’ve made sure that the Oklahoma City Zoo is not a no gun zone.”

State’s Scores on ‘Nation’s Report Card’ Fall Short of Goal

By Jennifer Palmer Oklahoma Watch Oklahoma has a long way to go to reach one of its major educational targets.

The goal is to be ranked in the top 20 states on National Assessment of Educational Progress, also called the “Nation’s Report Card.”

The Sooner State currently is 42nd in fourth- and eighth-grade reading, 39th in fourth-grade math and 40th in eighth-grade math, according the latest NAEP report, which was released Wednesday by U.S. Department of Education.

Oklahoma’s only improved category, compared to 2017, was eighth-grade math, but the uptick was not statistically significant. Eighth-grade reading scores dropped three points this year, while fourth-grade math and reading scores held steady.

Nationally, reading scores for both fourth- and eighth-graders declined. The only state with a significant increase in fourth-grade reading scores between 2017 and 2019 was Mississippi, which has a third-grade retention policy and has beefed up its literacy training for teachers based on the science of reading.

In math, U.S. fourth-graders’

scores improved slightly; among eighth-graders, scores declined.

The exams — given every other year to a sampling of fourth- and eighth-grade students nationwide — are considered the best tool to compare student achievement across states. Approximately 8,900 Oklahoma students at 250 schools in 190 districts were tested this year.

Superintendent of Public Instruction Joy Hofmeister on Wednesday said Oklahoma’s scores are in line with national trends.

“We are encouraged to see improvement in eighth-grade math scores after strengthening our academic standards,” she said.

“Oklahoma students can compete academically with other students in the nation, but we have more ground to gain.”

Oklahoma’s goal to be among the top 20 states in NAEP scores is written into its eight-year, comprehensive education plan, which was approved by the U.S. Department of Education in 2018. It was created by the state Education Department with input from stakeholders like parents, educators, lawmakers and community members.

NAEP also is the yardstick often used to measure whether Oklahoma’s third-grade retention law is

Elize’a Scott, a Key Elementary School third grade student, right, reads under the watchful eyes of teacher Crystal McKinnis, left in Jackson, Miss. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis, File)

working. The law requires thirdgrade students who can’t prove they are proficient readers to repeat the grade.

Scores in 2015 improved, which Hofmeister attributed to the policy.

But in 2017 reading scores dipped four points. Hofmeister said a lack of resources and the teacher shortage led to the decline. This year, scores held steady.

For fiscal 2019-20, the state allocated additional dollars to support struggling readers in kindergarten through third grade. The department is asking for a small increase in funding for 2020-21 to train teachers on the science of reading.

“Our kids do not have to be struggling readers,” Hofmeister said. “Extensive research shows us how the brain learns to read, and

many classrooms across Oklahoma and the nation are still teaching reading strategies that have been discredited and could even make it harder for students to learn to read.”

Education leaders in recent years have focused efforts on stemming the state’s stubborn teacher shortage, including back-to-back years of teacher pay raises. But the number of emergency certified teachers in classrooms continues to climb, with 3,000 approved so far this school year. Last year was a record 3,038.

Oklahoma Watch is a nonprofit, tax-exempt, 501(c)(3) corporation whose mission is to produce indepth and investigative journalism on public-policy and quality-of-life issues facing the state.

Vending/STLR

November 5, 2019

7

Expired Food Found In Campus Vending Machines Continued from Pg. 1

and found that both items were expired, although with less of a time gap. The Dr. Pepper was dated for Oct. 15, 2019 and the Chewy Spree had an “End Sep. 2019” date.

The Vista obtained a copy of the agreement between the university and Great Plains Coca-Cola, the listed, contracted service provider for campus vending.

Rick Vega, director of Campus Enterprises Services, said that Great Plains Coca-Cola is no longer a locally based company and has also outsourced the servicing of the snack machines to Imperial Vending.

The contract The Vista reviewed does not mention any standards for how often expiration dates should be checked.

Vega said that while it may not be expressly stated in the contract, checking dates is an expected and assumed condition for the vendors.

“That should be a given, there shouldn’t be any expired product out there,” Vega said. “Either somebody’s overlooked that or somebody’s not doing what their supposed to be do-

Expired snacks sit on a table. Vending machine products around the UCO campus have been identified as being past their “Best If Used By” date. (Tanner Laws/The Vista)

ing.”

Vega said he has seen the restocking process at the machines in the Nigh University Center and watched the vendors remove product. He added that he is unsure how the problems in the Mass Communication building occurred.

“I will be addressing this with each company to let them know,” Vega said. “There’s really no excuse, except

something got dropped and if it’s in your machines it might be in others, so it’s something that needs to be looked at campus-wide.”

Vega said he is actively working with both Coca-Cola and Imperial to solve the problem and ensure it does not happen again. He added that he hopes to reach a solution as quickly as possible.

Vega also said that if anyone on

campus notices a problem with vending, they should reach out to him directly so that he can take care of it.

“I’m the liaison, so I can reach out to the proper people and let them know what’s going on,” Vega said.

While the university is attempting to solve the vending machine problems, students should be mindful of the products they purchase and check dates before eating or drinking them.

STLR Shows Students What Credit Does For Them Jay Mayes @jaymayes95

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

While the University of Central Oklahoma has several STLR-tagged events, not all students know what this tagging means at UCO. The Student Transformative Learning Record is partnering with the Career Development Center to host “I Swiped for STLR. Now What?” on Nov. 12 from 4-6 p.m. in Max Chambers Library Room 226. The workshop itself is STLR-tagged and gives students exposure-level credit in the Health and Wellness tenet.

During the workshop, students will be thinking about their experiences at UCO and how to communicate those transformative experiences to employers both verbally and through their STLR Snapshots. It is designed so that freshmen planning for their next few years at UCO and seniors graduating this academic year and looking for jobs will both find value in attending.

Mark Walvoord, assistant director of STLR, said UCO’s mission is to help students learn through transformative education experiences across the Central Six tenets, the university’s core values.

The Central Six are discipline

knowledge; global and cultural competencies; health and wellness; leadership; research, creative and scholarly activities; and service learning and civic engagement.

“STLR is the framework, built by UCO and spreading to colleges and universities around the world, that encourages, measures the impact and records students’ growth in those tenets,” Walvoord said.

As students build up their STLR credits, they can produce different

versions of their STLR Snapshot, a sort of second transcript that highlights their expanded worldview and workplace-ready skills, according to Walvoord.

“Although we launched STLR at UCO in fall 2015, the STLR Snapshot portal was just released last year,” Walvoord said.

The workshop will be the first where students can maximize their use of the snapshot tool, according to Woolvord.

The Center for Transformative Learning building on the University of Central Oklahoma campus. STLR is doing a workshop on Nov. 12 in Max Chambers Library from 4-6 p.m. to inform students about STLR Snapshots and swipes. (uco.edu/academic affairs)

“I’m excited to see a great turnout for this event, and then hear the resultant stories of students getting scholarships, internships, jobs and grad school acceptances due to their use of STLR Snapshots to stand out from the crowd,” Walvoord said. “After all, college is about more than a degree.”

Crystal Cook, assistant director of the Career Development Center, said that activities students can participate in to receive STLR credit are the ones that have been deemed an opportunity for transformative experiences.

These experiences take place both in and out of the classroom, which can offer new or supplemental information to what a student may be getting in class.

“We know that college is an investment and that students are here for a reason,” Cook said. “That reason is typically to prepare for a career. However, a lot of learning actually takes place outside of the classroom.”

By seeking out these STLR-tagged activities, Cook said students have the potential to gain skills that they can use beyond college and to expand perspectives.

“More and more employers are getting away from the mindset of hiring someone based on what they majored in,” Cook said.

Connect the Dots to Your Future.

Use your STLR Snapshot to connect the dots.

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

Follow @ucostlr

Editorial

November 5, 2019

9

Viral Food: Trying Popeyes Chicken Sandwich Continued from Pg. 1

The chicken sandwich craze has people waiting for hours and going to multiple Popeyes locations, sometimes going home empty-handed.

If you’re going to try this thing, it’s important to mention that the drive-thru line was wrapped around the building when I went to the location at 12401 N. Pennsylvania Ave. around 1 p.m. A friend told me they were out of chicken by 7:15 p.m. on Sunday and a crowd of people were inside and all around the building.

Apparently, they had a premade poster in anticipation of their lack of chicken.

Famous rapper Quavo even took to Instagram to tell his followers he had established a chicken sandwich secondary market, reselling the popular item out of his trunk.

“I heard y’all boys was looking for them, they sold out everywhere,” Quavo said. “I got them thangs[sic] going for $1,000 a chicken.”

CBS News anchor Gayle King took to social media to tell followers her thoughts on the restaurant’s Classic Chicken Sandwich.

“Let me tell you something, this really lives up to the hype,” King said. “It’s really good. Popeyes, bravo.”

King initially had some difficulty tracking down the viral chicken sandwich though, taking to Twitter to voice her disappointment.

“Whomp Whomp .... we also called FIFTEEN locations how do you run out of that sandwich on SUNDAY???!!!! May need therapy to recover,” King said.

Due to the viral frenzy, a chicken war has erupted between the Lord’s anointed chicken at Chick-fil-A and Cajun fast food grandma’s chicken at Popeyes.

After the release of Popeyes sandwich, Chick-fil-A’s Twitter made a

The Classic Chicken Sandwich from Popeyes Louisiana Chicken is displayed. The fast food chain brought back the sandwich Sunday in celebration of National Sandwich Day. (@PopeyesChicken/Twitter)

tweet telling followers, “Don’t forget who has the ORIGINAL chicken sandwich!”

Popeyes responded in a tweet asking, “Y’all good?”

Could Popeyes have usurped Chick-fil-A for the top spot of the chicken sandwich hierarchy?

The Classic Chicken Sandwich from Popeyes costs $3.99. It is dressed similar to a Chick-fil-A sandwich, with only mayonnaise and pickles.

From the first bite, it’s easy to see why this thing has blown up.

The breading on the sandwich is flaky. I mean, the crispy level is off the charts, especially around the edges. Cajun grandma clearly has no regard for her grandchild’s cholesterol level.

The second thing that stood out

about this sandwich is the excessive amount of mayonnaise. This was easily remedied by wiping off the underside of the bun on the wrapper, but they seriously need to calm down on the liberal application of the mayo.

The meat of the chicken was juicy and tender. There was no rubber consistency that one might find in chicken sandwiches at other fast food joints.

It’s also worth noting how thick the chicken is. There is some substance to this thing. It actually measures out to 1 3/4 inches tall.

The bun had a nice sweetness to it without being over the top. More importantly, though, it wasn’t stale.

It took three or four bites before noticing any pickles. This sandwich could benefit from one more pickle

The drive-thru line at Popeyes Louisiana Chicken is wrapped around the building at 3:30 p.m on Nov. 4, in Edmond, Oklahoma. The Classic Chicken Sandwich from the fast food chain is causing long lines after trending on social media. (Jeff Elkins/The Vista)

on it. The tartness provides a nice balance that was absent from my initial bite.

Eating this sandwich begs the question, why was it gone for so long if people liked it so much?

Felipe Athayde, president of Popeyes for the Americas, attributes the shortage to the fact that the chicken war was unforeseen.

“Everyone wanted to try the sandwich and wanted to express their opinion. That’s why it went viral and everyone got excited about our chicken sandwich,” Athayde said.

“For many years, our guests have asked us at Popeyes for a chicken sandwich, and we took the challenge.”

According to Athayde, the item was supposed to be a permanent addition to the menu.

“Now we are ready to make a comeback,” Athayde said.

One thing I can’t do is compare Popeyes’ Classic Chicken Sandwich to Chick-fil-A’s Chicken Sandwich because I am allergic to peanuts (Chick-fil-A fries their chicken in peanut oil) and as much as I enjoy writing food reviews, I’m not willing to die for this. If you were reading this to get my side-by-side assessment of the two, I apologize for my misfortune.

What I can do is assure you that this sandwich deserves the positive buzz it’s receiving. This thing simply slaps. The Classic Chicken Sandwich from Popeyes gets an 8/10, would consume again.

10

November 5, 2019 Dancing With Our Hands Tied — Taylor Swift Around the World (feat.

Chris Young the Rapper, Arielle Deem & Austin Antione) — Joomanji When searching on Spotify, click the camera icon on the right and hover over the icon to be taken to a playlist created by editors from the Vista.

Slow Burn — Kacey Musgraves controlla — Idealism

Outrunning Karma — Alec Benjamin Get over Yourself — Kelsea Ballerini Hey Girl — Lady Gaga Plot Twist — Wiz Khalifa

Wide Open — Deante’ Hitchcock, GoldLink 10/10 — Rex Orange County Darlin’ (feat AJR) — Mike Love, AJR Crossfire — Stephen Getaway Car — Taylor Swift

In My Room — Frank Ocean Frail State Of Mind — The 1975

Pluto Projector — Rex Orange County

Arsonist’s Lullabye — Hozier

Balcony Dreams — Mauwe

Chasing Fire — Lauv

I Feel Like I’m Drowning — Two Feet

Meaning of Life — Kelly Clarkson

Still New York — MAX, Joey Bada$$

Icky Thump — The White Stripes

King — Years & Years

Into the Unknown “Frozen 2” — Panic! At The Disco

I’ll Stay — The RH Factor HIGHEST IN THE ROOM — Travis Scott DHL — Frank Ocean

Want to listen to music

Vista?

Bambi — Hippo Campus

Somebody — Internet Money, Lil Tecca, A Boogie Wit da Hoodie

bad idea! — girl in red

from The

Spotify/Billie Eilish

Heard ‘Em Say — Kanye West, Adam Levine

Lay All Your Love On Me — ABBA Paranoia — Chance the Rapper God Is — Kanye West

When searching on Spotify, click the camra icon on the right and hover over this icon to be taken to a playlist created by editors from The Vista.

Fans cheer for Billie Eilish during the Where Do We Go? World Tour at the BOK Center on Oct. 7 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Where Do We Go? World Tour is Billie Eilish’s fourth concert tour in support of her debut album “When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?” (Tanner Laws/The Vista)

November 5, 2019

W

O

R

D

S

E

A

R

C

Retreat

H

Games

11

ABOUT-FACE BACK UP BACKWARD FALL BACK GO BACK RECOIL REGRESS RETRACE RETRACT RUN AWAY SET BACK TURNABOUT U-TURN UNDO WITHDRAW

WEEKLY HOROSCOPE ARIES (March 21 to April 19) Lots of choices could make it difficult to select what is best for your needs. Avoid snap judgments. Take the time to check them all out to find the one that really meets your goals.

TAURUS (April 20 to May 20) You could once again experience pressure from others who would like to see you move in another direction. But heed your Bovine instincts to stay on your own path.

GEMINI (May 21 to June 20) Taking charge of a project that seems to be about to stall or collapse altogether could be a challenge. But once everyone knows what you expect of him or her, things should go smoothly.

CANCER (June 21 to July 22) Avoid the pressures of the upcoming holiday period by setting a time right now to discuss how to divide up the responsibility of helping a loved one come through a difficult period.

LEO (July 23 to August 22) It’s not too early for all you Leonas and Leos to start making long-distance travel plans. The sooner you stop procrastinating and start deciding where, when and how you’re going, the better.

VIRGO (August 23 to September 22) Someone you’ve known for years might disappoint you, or even make you feel you’ve been betrayed. But check the facts carefully before you make charges that could backfire on you.

LIBRA (September 23 to October 22) A holiday plan might need to be revised to accommodate an unexpected complication.

CROSSWORD Answers

LAST WEEK’S ANSWERS

COLORADO Answers

(Week of Nov. 4, 2019)

Come up with an alternative arrangement as soon as possible to avoid more problems down the line.

SCORPIO (October 23 to November 21) Don’t accept halfway explanations for a situation that requires full disclosure. The more you know now, the better able you will be to handle any complications that might arise.

SAGITTARIUS (November 22 to December 21) The cooperation you relied upon might not be easy to get. Maybe there’s an information gap.

See if everyone understands the situation. If not, be sure to offer a full explanation.

CAPRICORN (December 22 to January 19) Problems caused by that recent workplace distraction should soon be easing, allowing you to resume working at a less frantic pace. That personal matter also begins to ease up.

AQUARIUS (January 20 to February 18) Changing your mind about a job decision isn’t easy for the usually committed Aquarian. But once you check it out, you’ll find facts you didn’t know before. And facts don’t lie.

PISCES (February 19 to March 20) Your unique way of sizing up a situation gives you an edge in resolving that upsetting workplace problem. Stay on your current course regardless of any attempts to distract you.

BORN THIS WEEK: You are emotionally attuned to what’s going on around you, and you easily pick up on people’s needs. (c) 2019 King Features Synd., Inc.

Weekly SUDOKU Answers

12

November 5, 2019

Football

Garrett Wades Into Uncharted Waters

University of Central Oklahoma quarterback Chandler Garrett running during the game against Missouri Western University at Wantland Stadium on November 2. Garrett broke the record for most yards of total offense and tied for second most rushing yards by a UCO player. (Provided/BronchoSports)

James D. Jackson @JamesDJackson15 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

After the University of Central Oklahoma’s 52-27 win over Missouri Western University, UCO quarterback Chandler Garrett stood on the field at Wantland Stadium with a smile on his face. He had just set the record for most yards of total offense in a game at UCO. “I didn’t know until I came out here, but they told me,” Garrett said. “It’s a good accomplishment, but I’m just happy we got the win.

Garrett set the record with 487 yards, 272 of which were rushing, which tied him for second most by any player in school history. He tied with Joshua Birmingham, who ran for 272 yards against Lincoln University in 2012 and trailed Joe Aska, who ran for 312 in 1994.

“He’s just a gritty kid,” said head coach Nick Bobeck about Garrett. “He finds a way to move the football team.

It’s not always pretty, it’s not how you draw it up most times, but he finds a way to do it. He’s a tough, gritty kid and our guys follow him.”

On Saturday in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association

matchup, it was Garrett who was following his guys, the offensive linemen.

“They are some of the best dudes I know,” Garrett said. “I’m proud to play and share the field with them. We had Jacob Blair go down and it’s just next man up mentality and [Alex] Eichler goes to center and Ben Raulston, Nick [George] and [Tyler] Stillwell, they just do their job well. Whatever coach asks them to do they do it to their full abilities. So I can’t ask for a better group up front.”

The Bronchos lost Blair in the first half due to an injury, which left the offensive line with just five guys who have played this season.

“I was really proud of those guys, that was a gritty performance on their part too,” Bobeck said. “They’re playing every snap including [point after] field goals and getting guys running into them. Hopefully we get a couple guys back next week and get a little more of a rotation.”

With Garrett’s record setting performance, the Bronchos were able to make a come-from-behind win as they had four fumbles on the day.

“It’s just kind of crazy because we left so much out there, we could’ve

had a lot better day,” Garrett said.

The Bronchos had four total turnovers as three of the fumbles were recovered by the Lions and UCO gave up an interception.

“I was proud of our kids for fighting,” Bobeck said. “We didn’t play very well early on and turned the football over and put ourselves in some tough spots.”

On the fourth play of the game, the Bronchos fumbled the ball and Missouri Western’s Malachi Broadnax picked it up and returned it 78 yards for a touchdown.

Two drives later, UCO fumbled again and Missouri Southern went on to score as MSU quarterback Jacob Park threw a 43-yard touchdown pass to Charles West. However, it would be the Lions last touchdown of the half as UCO’s Daniel Baughman intercepted his first pass of the season with just 17 seconds left in the first half. “[We] put the defensive side of the ball in some really tough spots and those guys came through and did a really good job keeping those guys out of the end zone,” Bobeck said. “And that football team has scored points on everybody so I was really happy with our defensive football team.”

Missouri Southern averages 34.4 points per game. The Lions are led by their quarterback, Park, who played Division I football at Iowa State University. He started four games with the Cyclones before taking a medical leave of absence from the team.

“That quarterback is probably as talented of a quarterback that has played in this league since I’ve been in it honestly,” Bobeck said. “We’ve followed him every game, I’ve seen every game and every rep that kid’s taken this season and they’ve got a good group of receivers.”

The Lions put up 292 yards passing and three touchdowns but were not able to run the ball as they were held to just 25 rushing yards.

The Bronchos will battle Northeastern State University in the President’s Cup at 1 p.m. on Saturday at Wantland Stadium. UCO has won the President’s cup for five straight seasons.

“I just want to see clean football,” Bobeck said. “I sound like a broken record here but I truly believe that our kids are really talented. If you play clean football, you win football games by a lot.”

Last season the Bronchos topped the RiverHawks 62-0.

Wrestling/Hockey

13

November 5, 2019

Wrestling Wins Big Over Drury in Opener

Derek Parker @DParkOK SPORTS EDITOR

In their season opener, the No. 13 University of Central Oklahoma wrestling team allowed just three total points in their 41-3 win over Drury University on Sunday.

“It was a good start for us,” said head coach Todd Steidley. “Most of our guys were really aggressive in going after bonus points and that's what you like to see. Obviously, we still have a long, long way to go, but I like the direction we’re headed.”

Noah McQuigg and Kalin Winkler led the Bronchos with first-period pins, and heavyweight Garrett Beier finished with a second-period pin.

At 133 pounds, McQuigg jumped out to an extremely quick 10-0 lead over Drury’s Chris Hansen, before getting his fall at just the 1:03 mark.

Winkler, at 197, got early points against Trenton Clines and ended his match at 1:44.

Dayton Garrett, at 165, got a technical fall against Alex Garrett, beating him 16-0.

Central also finished with three major decisions with Brik Filippo,

Gage McBride and Heath Gray, who all outscored their opponents by at least eight points. At 149, Filippo defeated Seth Otis 14-2, McBride won 14-5 over Grant Taylor at 174 and Heath Gray at 184 defeated Charley Genisio 14-2. Filippo and Gray both finished with five takedowns each in their routes.

Central’s Cody Karstetter and Ty Lucas defeated Joe Chavez and Ben

Stahlman by decision, respectively.

At 141, Drury’s Peter Kuster was the lone Panther to win on Sunday, defeating UCO’s Nate Keim in a 5-3 match. Kuster landed a reverse with just one second remaining in the match to score Drury’s three points.

In the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association, only No. 4 University of Nebraska-Kearney is ahead of 13th-ranked Central. No.

17 Fort Hays State University trails UCO by just seven points, making for several tough conference matchups ahead for the Bronchos.

UCO’s next match will be at the Oklahoma City Open on Saturday Nov. 9 at Oklahoma City University.

After a dual with No. 6 Lindenwood University, and one more against OCU, they’ll open up MIAA play with the Fort Hays State Open.

University of Central Oklahoma Broncho, Kalin Winkler, wrestles an athlete from Drury University on Nov. 3 in Hamilton Field House. Sunday’s win against Drury was the Broncho’s first match of the season. (Provided/BronchoSports)

Hockey Storms Past Iowa State Cyclones Eric Gomez @EricGomez83

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

The UCO hockey team celebrates on Nov. 1 at the Arctic Edge Ice Arena in Edmond, Okla. Wins against Iowa State this weekend bring the Broncho’s record to 8-5. (Songsong Wang/The Vista)

The University of Central Oklahoma swept Iowa State University in a doubleheader matchup over the weekend at Arctic Edge Ice Arena in Edmond.

Central faced Iowa State for the first time this season Friday night. The Bronchos are 10-5 for the season and are ranked 16th in the nation.

Friday night’s game was a tough battle for the Bronchos that ended in the game going into a shootout to determine a winner.

The game started off with Iowa State scoring the first goal of the game, giving them a 1-0 lead five minutes into the game. The Bronchos fought back and in the 14th minute of the game, Ty Erramouspe scored a goal on an assist from Dale McCabe to tie up the match for the Bronchos.

The second and third periods were a back and forth battle that resulted in many shots from both teams but in the end, the Bronchos were able to out-shoot Iowa State 38-27.At the end of regular time, the score was 1-1.

A sudden death overtime was played

and neither team was able to come up with a goal. The game went into a shootout.

After a blocked shot by both goalies, UCO’s Vitalii Mikhailov gathered the puck at mid-ice and made his way to the ISU goal. After a few swift moves, Mikhailov was able to sneak the puck past Iowa State’s goalie, giving the Bronchos a 2-1 lead. Iowa State was unable to answer the goal and the Bronchos were able to celebrate a victory for the first night.

Saturday night also ended in a win for the Bronchos. ISU was able to keep the Bronchos to a scoreless first period.

In the second period, Mikhailov was able to put Central on the board and give the Bronchos a 1-0 lead. UCO was able to keep ISU silent for the rest of the match and defeated them 1-0.

The Bronchos travel to Arizona this weekend to take on the University of Arizona and Arizona State University, before returning home next week to take on No. 4 Lindenwood University at Arctic Edge in Edmond.

14

November 5, 2019

Playoff Bound

Bronchos Soccer, Volleyball Playoff Bound Derek Parker @DParkOK SPORTS EDITOR

After solid seasons from University of Central Oklahoma soccer and volleyball, both are set to play in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association Postseason Tournament.

With their 3-0 win over the Emporia State University Hornets on Saturday, the Central volleyball team secured their playoff spot.

With Lauren Jenkins leading with 11 kills, the Bronchos routed MIAA-rival Emporia State in three sets, winning 25-12, 25-20 and 25-18.

“That was a match we needed to win,” said head coach Edgar Miraku.

“I was proud of the way we came out and took care of business. We didn’t play our best, but we made the plays we needed to when it counted and got the job done.”

UCO outkilled the Hornets 38-31, and finished with a .223 hitting percentage to their opponents’ .093. The Bronchos also finished with more assists, aces and blocks.

Jenkins earned unofficial MVP for the Bronchos, hitting .476 with 11 kills on 21 attacks. Courtney Lane and Bailey Combs pitched in with eight kills each, and Dominique Lipari finished with a team-high 14 digs.

With the win over ESU, volleyball moved to 17-10 overall on the season, and punched their ticket to the postseason MIAA tournament. They have three matches remaining in their regular season in No. 9 University of Central Missouri, No. 14 Northwest Missouri State University and Missouri Western State University, but regardless they’ve earned their spot in

UCO Lauren Jenkins blocks a kill attempt in the battle with Southeastern Oklahoma State University on September 18. Central’s volleyball team is preparing for the MIAA Tournament on Nov. 21 and 23. (Provided/ BronchoSports)

the postseason.

The volleyball MIAA Tournament will be held Nov. 21 and Nov. 23. The winner will advance to the NCAA Regionals held in early December.

For Bronchos soccer, the MIAA tournament is here. After wrapping up their regular on Sunday with a 1-0 win over Rogers State University, UCO will start the postseason on Friday.

In the 38th minute, junior midfielder Kelsie Eason scored the sole goal on the day to give the Bronchos their second win over Rogers State and set their sights on the playoffs.

“We didn’t put away enough of our chances, but we’ll take the win,” said

head soccer coach Mike Cook. “We need to put more points on the board when we have a chance. But I am glad that we got the win and we played well defensively. I’m glad we got the shutout too.”

Kaitlyn Asher finished with one save in the goal in the win.

UCO soccer finished 12-4-2 on the year, going 7-4 in MIAA conference matches. They dropped a threegame stretch against No. 4 University of Central Missouri, Emporia State University and Washburn University, losing by one point in every contest.

Following their three late losses, Central finished the regular season with a four win-streak, outscor-

ing their opponents 13-1 down the stretch. They had a big 8-0 win over Northwest Missouri State University, a 3-1 win over Missouri Western State University and 1-0 wins over Newman University and RSU. Last year, Central soccer won the MIAA Tournament, defeating Washburn, Fort Hays State University and Central Missouri en route to the NCAA Division II Central Regional.

They then defeated Oklahoma Baptist University and Minnesota State University before losing to MIAA rival Central Missouri 4-3 in overtime.

The Bronchos will learn their MIAA Tournament matchup on Tuesday.

UCO WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL TEAM STATISTICS KILLS: ERRORS: TA: HITTING %: POINTS: ASSISTS: ACES: BLOCKS:

CentOK 38 13 112 .223 49 32 5 6

ESU

31 20 118 .093 36 30 0 5

More information available on bronchosports.com

UCO junior midfielder Kelsie Eason prepares to kick the ball during a soccer match.

Bronchos soccer is heading to the MIAA playoff tournament. (Provided/BronchoSports)

Bucking Broncho

November 5, 2019

15

What Thunder and Bronchos Share Young, athletic, and playing with something to prove — is it the Oklahoma City Thunder, or the Central Oklahoma Bronchos?

Oddly enough, there are a ton of parallels between this year’s Thunder and Bronchos men’s basketball squad.

The Thunder are essentially starting from scratch, after trading away their cornerstone Russell Westbrook, they’re going to be relying heavily on their mix of extremely young and veteran players. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Hamidou Diallo are both in just their second season, and Darius Bazely, their rookie, seems to be trending towards more playing time with each game. Oklahoma City also aquired veteran point guard Chris Paul and sharpshooter big-man Danilo Gallinari. There is very little middle ground between the old and new for Oklahoma City, but Steven Adams, Nerlens Noel and Dennis Schroder all ride the thin line between past and future for OKC. The Bronchos have an odd mix of young and old talent as well. Exactly half of their 14-man roster are freshmen, three of them being true freshmen. Two are sophomores, and the rest are split between Seniors and Juniors. With that much youth, it’s no secret UCO head coach Bob Hoffman will need to rely on his young players.

Much like the Thunder, the Bronchos veteran players are still newcom-

ers to the team. Seniors Isaiah Wade and Dashawn McDowell have transferred in, and could be in extremely similar situations to Paul and Gallinari in terms of giving guidance to the young players.

The true freshman consist of Justin Nimmer, Landon Streich, and Carson Calavan. The freshman are Seth Hurd, Jalyn Turner, D.J. Basey, Shemar Smith, and the sophomores are Cam Givens, and Colt Savage.

One major difference between the young squads, is that the Thunder have estalished young players, the Bronchos do not. Gilgeous-Alexander is undoubtedly the future moving forward for OKC. This season, the Bronchos have the task of finding out who their guys are going to be for the forseeable future. One thing is certain UCO can’t just trade their players away mid-season.

Truthfully, the biggest similarity is that both teams will have their hands full in their respective conferences this year. In the NBA, the Western Conference is as loaded as it’s ever been. The Lakers, Clippers, Nuggets, Jazz, Rockets, and many more, all have legitimate shots to win the West, much less finish in the Top 8. Without much experience, the Thunder have a tall task ahead to make the playoffs.

On the other side, while the Bronchos won’t be playing LeBron James and Kawhi Leonard, their conference

Oklahoma City’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) takes a shot against New Orleans’ JJ Redick (4) while during the second half of an NBA basketball game in Oklahoma City, Saturday, Nov. 2, 2019. (AP Photo/Garett Fisbeck)

will be one of the toughest in all of Division II basketball. Last season, Central finished 7-2 in non-conference

UCO head baskball coach Bob Hoffman talks to the Broncho men’s basketball team. They players stand in a circle and listen. (Provided/BronchoSports)

play, before going 4-15 throughout their grueling MIAA schedule.

This season, with their young roster and new head coach, the MIAA looks even more daunting. For starters, they have the defending champion Northwest Missouri Bearcats in their conference, who lost virtually no one and are again ranked preseason No. 1. They also face off against Missouri Southern, ranked preseason No. 6, as well as a plethora of tough rivalry matchups. The Bronchos are going to have to prove themselves to everyone, much like their professional counterparts.

The Thunder have begun their 82game schedule. While they’re off to a 2-4 start, they’ve shown tremendous promise for the future.

UCO begins their schedule on Nov. 8 with a game against Mary in Edmond at 2:30 p.m.