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Kruger wraps coaching career OU men’s basketball head coach announces retirement after decade of leading Sooners, 35 years of rebuilding collegiate programs

MASON YOUNG @Mason_Young_0

CHANDLER ENGELBRECHT @ctengelbrecht

AUSTIN CURTRIGHT @AustinCurtright

Lon Kruger knew Oklahoma would be the final stop of his coaching career. In 2011, Kruger was coming off his fifth consecutive season with 20 or more wins at UNLV — the fifth school he left in a better position than he found it. Pleased with his present position, he twice denied athletics director Joe Castiglione’s offer to come to Norman. Castiglione needed a coach to return the Sooners to basketball prominence after the firing of Jeff Capel and a finding that put OU on probation for three years due to recruiting violations. In the two seasons before his arrival, OU had gone 27-36. Kruger, known for rebuilding basketball programs and for his positivity on and off the court, was uniquely qualified for the job and what it would require. Castiglione was determined to get him. Fast forward through 10 years, seven NCAA Tournament appearances and a Final Four , and Kruger — who retired March 25 — ultimately delivered for OU. Back then, the opportunity for Kruger and his wife, Barb, both Kansas natives, to return to the Midwest was too much to pass up when he finally took Castiglione’s offer. Kruger’s return to the region gave him an opportunity to recruit the players to compete for one last Final Four, which he did during the 2015-16 season. “He’s made us feel like he was never anywhere else,” OU President Joseph Harroz said Friday. “And he’s made us better. And I’m honored to know Lon as a friend (and) as a person.” Now, after 45 years of coaching,

OU coach Lon Kruger waits for the senior day ceremony before a game against West Virginia on March 2, 2019.

Kruger, who’d been rumored to be contemplating retirement for the past few years, has walked away from the game he navigated like few others. Kruger said after former OU assistant Lew Hill’s death Feb. 7, he started to think more seriously about hanging it up. Oklahoma’s season ended Monday, news broke Thursday and Friday morning the Sooners held a Zoom press conference — eight days after seeing women’s coach Sherri Coale also retire — where Kruger, accompanied by Castiglione and Harroz, discussed his decision. Kruger’s contract, worth over $3

million, runs through June 2024, making him the athletic department’s highest paid figure besides football coach Lincoln Riley. Next, he’ll return to Las Vegas to spend more time around his grandkids after his son, Kevin, was promoted to head coach at UNLV on Sunday, March 21. “Once his son took the job he took, I was dreading the phone call from (Castiglione),” Harroz said. “That indicated that Coach Kruger was going to be retiring and then (Kruger) called me and I felt like not taking the phone call, but decided I probably should.” Kruger is among college

basketball’s elite in many eyes not just for what he did, but how he did it. He goes out with a 674-432 career record, including a 195128 mark at OU, the fourth-best in program history. He was the first coach to take five different teams to the NCAA Tournament and the only coach to win a tournament game with all five. He’s also the only person to take four teams to the Sweet 16 or beyond since the NCAA Tournament expanded to 64 teams in 1985. His teams made 20 combined tournaments in his 35 years as a college head coach. After playing point guard at Kansas State from 1971-74, Kruger

CAITLYN EPES/THE DAILY

entered coaching as an assistant at Pittsburg State and subsequently returned to Kansas State. He became head coach at Texas Pan American, now Texas Rio Grande Valley, in 1982 before a head coaching return to Kansas State and then stops at Florida, Illinois and the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks. Following one season as a New York Knicks assistant, he returned to the college ranks where he resurrected UNLV before jumping to OU. Before Kruger’s first season at each of the six colleges he see RETIRE page 4

Norman rallies against anti-Asian hate OU community, city leaders denounce racist violence ALEXIA ASTON @alexiaaston

CALEB MCCOURRY @CalebMac21

Norman and OU community members responded to the March 16 Atlanta, Georgia shooting with demonstrations and discussions this weekend, focusing on the increase in anti-Asian violence and discrimination, along with ways to further support their community. The Atlanta shooting occurred outside the Gold Spa, where eight individuals were killed. Six of the victims were Asian and the other two were white, according to The New York Times. While FBI Director Christopher Wray has expressed doubt that the Atlanta shooting was racially motivated, anti-Asian hate crimes in the United States increased by nearly 150 percent in 2020 according to NBC News. A trio of OU students organized a rally on the evening of March 27, sharing their experiences with race as Asian Americans. The group held a demonstration along Main Street in support of Asian and Pacific Islander communities. Despite the relentless wind, about one hundred participants attended the rally, creating a chant that overpowered the sound of oncoming traffic and forced drivers

TREY YOUNG/THE DAILY

An attendee holds up a sign during a moment of silence at the Stop Asian Hate Rally at Legacy Trail Park on March 27.

to turn their attention to the colorful signs reading “Stop anti-Asian violence” and “Empower Asian voices.” Rally organizer and sociology graduate student Haifan Xiao said she decided to host the rally because she was “deeply affected” by the Atlanta shooting. “We know that the Atlanta shooting is not an isolated incident,” Xiao said. “Since the pandemic, there were 3,800 anti-Asian incidents that were reported last year. We cannot live in fear.” Xiao said she and two other graduate sociology students, Tiffanie Vo and Sally Wiser, created the rally with support from the OU Department of Sociology, with faculty members assisting in

the organization of the event and providing disposable masks and microphones. The rally began with a brief introduction by Vo followed by an 80-second moment of silence — 10 seconds dedicated to each victim of the Atlanta shooting. During the rally, Xiao said she felt overwhelmed with sorrow and helplessness when she first heard the news of the shooting the following morning. “I sat on the floor and continued to ask myself, with tears, ‘Can’t this world be better,’” Xiao said. “I know that my friends and I have been living in fear since (the) pandemic. We are so fearful of the potential attacks that might happen to us. The Atlanta shooting makes me think

that we Asians really cannot keep living this kind of life.” Xiao said she felt obligated to stand up for the Asian community and to speak out despite having no experience organizing a rally in the United States as an international student. “Being Asian is not a virus. We are good people,” Xiao said. “Racism is a virus.” OU law student Myong McClintock said although she was born in Oklahoma and raised in Norman, she feels like a foreigner. She said during her childhood, she was afraid of standing out and even went by the name “Michelle.” “For lunch, instead of taking rice and kimchi or whatever other Korean food my mom had prepared, I would take sandwiches and bags of chips,” McClintock said. “English is my first language. I do speak Korean, but as an adolescent, no one would have ever known that because I hid that.” Despite efforts to hide her Asian identity in her youth, McClintock said she was still victim to anti-Asian sentiment in middle school. “A group of students thought it would be really funny to throw handfuls of dried rice at me and yell, ‘Eat rice bitch,’” McClintock said. “When I was upset my peers looked at me and said, ‘Why are you upset? You have no reason to be crying.’” There has long been a lack of understanding from other communities on the specific issues that “plague” the Asian American and Pacific Islander community,

McClintock said — like fetishization and objectification. OU administrators attended the rally in support of students, including Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students David Surratt and Dean of the College of International Studies Scott Fritzen. As the initial feelings following such instances of hate fade, Surratt said, more sustainable, positive ideals will push affected communities forward to facilitate healing and lasting change. “Once that idea of anger and fear goes away, recognize that love and duty and honor will sustain us and continue to push us forward and allow us to make the changes that we want to continue to make changes with,” Surratt said. OU Dean of International Studies Scott Fritzen said it’s important for everyone, but especially white people in positions of authority, to use their power to do something different. “We can’t just be outraged, (and) we can’t be passive bystanders. We have to do something, and that starts with speaking,” Fritzen said. “It starts with respecting each other in the communities we live in.” With targeted hate crimes rising exponentially since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic and a longer history of discrimination in the United States, now is a vital time for Asian Americans to fight against the injustices against their community, Vo said. “Don’t tell me it’s not (the) Asian American community’s time to see AAPI page 2

NEWS

• March 30-April 5, 2021

PHOTOS PROVIDED / ILLUSTRATION BY TREY YOUNG

From left to right, all OU aerospace engineering juniors and founders of OU Women of Aeronautics and Astronautics: Preetha Thanunathan, Kaley Hassell and Meghana Fathepure

‘Encourage, support, inspire’ New group aims to challenge gender inequity in STEM TAYLOR JONES @wrongtailor

Science, technology, engineering and math fields remain primarily dominated by men, but several female engineers have founded a student group at OU seeking to help more women follow in the footsteps of one prominent, planet-connecting OU alumna, while expanding their footprint in STEM. Aerospace engineering juniors Preetha Thanunathan, Kaley Hassell and Meghana Fathepure said they founded OU Women of Aeronautics and Astronautics to encourage, support and inspire women in their field. “(Being a woman in STEM) kind of feels like you’re constantly needing to prove yourself, so we wanted to provide support, especially for freshmen coming in, because they have never faced this before,” Fathepure said. As of 2019, women make up 27 percent of STEM workers despite accounting for 48 percent of all workers in the U.S., according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Men make up 73 percent of all STEM workers and 52 percent of all workers, nationally. Thanunathan said OU WOAA will provide women and other students support in homework, job applications, resume building and locate other resources to help them succeed. “I feel like part of making people comfortable with (pursuing a STEM career) is exposing them to things like professional development at an earlier stage,” Thanunathan said, “so that by the time they’re a junior or senior, they’re not new to all of

AAPI: continued from page 1

fight ... racial injustice, because it’s long overdue,” Vo said. After an hour of comments from various speakers, the crowd moved with their signs and lined up down Main Street, chanting “Stop Asian hate” for another hour. Cars drove by honking and waving in support of the cause. “When the cars passed by and we shouted out loudly, ‘Stop Asian hate,’ I felt so excited,” Xiao said. “We are standing together to bring attention to the discrimination faced by Asian communities throughout the U.S. We want our predicament to be taken seriously.” A local nonprofit also hosted a virtual conversation with the Norman Police Department, OU Police Department and Norman Mayor Breea Clark in an open forum to discuss anti-Asian hate on the night of March 27. Share & Grow Association hosted the event over Zoom and discussed ways to support the Asian American and Pacific Islander community in Norman amid racist danger

these things. I feel like I’ve become good at it as a junior. It would have definitely helped if I was proficient at it as a freshman.” Donna Shirley, a 1965 OU graduate, is the former manager of Mars Exploration at the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. In 1997, Shirley overcame the gender-based struggles she faced at her crimson-clad alma mater to land a NASA machine on the red planet — the Sojourner rover, named for Sojourner Truth, the Black women’s rights activist and abolitionist. Decades ago, Shirley said she experienced the same environment at OU that has historically led to women deciding not to enter STEM. Shirley enrolled in an aeronautical engineering major but graduated with a degree in professional writing. Gender-based discrimination eventually led to her changing her official major, but not her passion. “I walked into my advisor’s office (at OU), and he said ‘What are you doing here?’” Shirley said. “And I said ‘I want to major in aeronautical engineering.’ And he says, ‘Girls can’t be engineers.’ And I said, ‘Yes, I can.’” Shirley said these issues continued throughout her career. “ I wa s d i s c r i m i nat e d against in both (school and work) because I was always the only woman. I was the only woman engineer at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab out of about 2,000 engineers when I first got there. I did have some problems at OU … but it worked out pretty well.” According to OU enrollment data from Fall 2020, female students make up just over 25 percent of the total enrollment of the Gallogly College of Engineering. Of the college’s 3,994 students, 1,022 are women. Female students make up over half of the

and discrimination. The organization’s president, Qiong Wang, gave a presentation to roughly 60 participants, calling on them to consider various questions and concerns from the Asian community in Norman. “The reason for us to propose this workshop is because you have seen this increase of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders communities (facing) the rising tide of discrimination and violence during the pandemic across the country,” Wang said. “There is some uneasiness, some concerns, from our AAPI communities. As a result, AAPI (communities) have felt increasingly vulnerable with each new attack.” According to the United States Census Bureau, 4.9 percent of Norman’s population identified as “Asian alone.” In Oklahoma, 2.4 percent of the population is Asian with Vietnamese being the third most spoken language. There were 174 non-violent incidents against the Asian American and Pacific Islander community in 2020, according to NPD Chief Kevin Foster. Foster said there have not been any recently reported anti-Asian hate crimes in Norman, but the public forum was still important to have.

student body at OU however — 14,288 women to 13,489 males, according to enrollment data from Fall 2020. The difference is varied in other STEM colleges, according to the enrollment data. In the College of Atmospheric and Geographic Sciences, female students make up 42 percent of the student body. In the Mewbourne College of Earth and Energy, women account for only 21 percent of students. Over her career, Shirley noticed encouragement for women in STEM improved enormously. She said now, however, STEM fields are still lacking ethnic diversity. “It’s changed a lot. We were never encouraged (to pursue STEM careers) when I was in school,” Shirley said. “But now it’s there. Specific programs for women and minorities because we have a lot of women coming along. But boy, minorities are where we’re really lacking.” At the Gallogly College of Engineering, 1,420 students identified as any race or ethnicity but white, while 2,020 identified as white. In the College of Atmospheric Sciences, 108 students identified as any other race, compared to 475 white students, while in Mewbourne, 97 students identified as any other race versus 198 white students. Research shows a smaller percentage of women and minorities continue in the STEM fields in comparison to male and non-minority students, according to a study in the Economics of Education Review. Factors contributing to this include differences in preparation and educational experiences. Shirley said similar programs implemented to recruit women have not always seen the same success drawing other demographics to STEM. “Somehow, (I think) they

have to be incentivized to get into it,” Shirley said. “And with women, I think that programs are working very well. But for some reason, Hispanics and African Americans don’t seem to be encouraged enough to get in. And I think OU is doing as good a job as they can (to encourage minorities in STEM).” The Office of the Vice President for Research and Partnerships on the OU Norman campus funded eleven short-term projects to help minority students and women prepare for STEM education. One of these projects, the Effectiveness of Computing in Modern Biology Workshops for Broadening Participation in STEM, was a free, five-day online workshop consisting of four two-day classes teaching modern essential computer skills for biological sciences. Thanunathan also noticed the lack of minority students in her classes and the difficulties international students face while searching for internships. “When I reached out to some professors, they didn’t know about (this problem), and you can’t even blame them because there’s not that many international students,” Thanunathan said. ”I think there’s maybe four in the whole class that I know are international. It’s so hard, and there’s not that much that OU offers for international students because most of the jobs in the aerospace field require you to have US citizenship.” Shirley said another difficulty behind incentivizing minority populations and women to pursue STEM careers is that there are no role models. “I mean, if you look at television or movies, do you see any technical women?” Shirley said. “The whole atmosphere needs to change, whether it can be done or

PHOTO PROVIDED

A graphic for the Stand Strong Together event, a conversation with the Norman Police department on the safety issues of the Asian community.

Clark praised NPD and OUPD for their willingness to listen and answer questions Saturday night. “I very much appreciate and support (NPD and OUPD’s) proactive approach,” Clark said. “We have to know what’s happening. And while the numbers say that there’s not a lot (of recent anti-Asian hate crimes in Norman), maybe I’m jaded, but I think maybe things aren’t being reported. Maybe we’re lucky, but I’d rather us be

proactive, as opposed to reactive, which is why I appreciate the panel and so many law enforcement officers both from OU and Norman being on this call, because we do take this very, very seriously.” The presentation went through numerous questions and concerns about the safety of Asian American people in Norman and on OU’s campus. Representing the NPD were Foster, Deputy Chief Ricky Jackson and Lt. Cary

not. But it has improved a lot. When I was in college and high school, there were no role models. In fact, when I got to JPL, there was one female scientist and no female engineers.” The founders of OU WOAA agree that women have few role models to encourage STEM careers. Thanunathan said one of the main problems is that girls are not encouraged to like things like planes and rockets. “It’s almost like if you’re not that person that knows so much about planes and rockets, then you can’t fit in,” Thanunathan said. Hassell agreed and said she feels a similar distance between herself and male students in her major. “Sometimes it’s very hard to feel like you’re involved (or a) part of the group,” Hassell said. “And that kind of creates this divide between you and the other men that are working at your company or in your field. I feel like it’s very easy to get into a mindset where you’re used to being treated differently as a woman.” Hassell said although she feels like an outsider in the classroom, she is treated differently in professional settings within her field. “Coming back into some of the organizations and classes (at OU), I realized that there was this huge difference in how I was treated as a woman in STEM as a student versus ... as an intern at a professional company,” Hassell said. “What I’m really excited about is being able to get into the professional environment, make money and also be taken more seriously as an engineer.“ Shirley said to succeed as a woman in a STEM career, she would advise students to take as many math and science classes as possible. “(You) have to recognize that engineering and STEM

are very difficult, and you’re just going to have to hang in there. Be prepared to push through and do classes and a lot of homework,” Shirley said “And if you can get any kind of into internships or ways to actually work in the field as an undergrad, it would be really important.” Shirley said STEM classes are difficult, but problems that arise throughout a career for anyone in STEM will be worth it. “When Pathfinder landed on Mars with a little rover named Sojourner ... it was the best thing that I ever had (experienced) except the birth of my daughter,” Shirley said. The executive team at OU WOAA agreed. While it is normal to fail, the team emphasized perseverance and willingness to learn. “You don’t have to be a genius,” Fathepure said. “You just have to have that passion and really be willing to learn.” According to Shirley, the most important thing that can be done in the field now is to continue encouraging and inspiring women. “There’s still this belief among women that it’s too hard,” Shirley said. “They don’t have a lot of encouragement from their friends, parents. So there’s still a lot that can be done, but we just have to keep working.”

Bryant. Representing OUPD was recently appointed Chief Nathaniel Tarver and Deputy Chief Kent Ray. One of the questions addressed was how closely OUPD works with NPD on matters such as hate crimes. Tarver was the first to answer and said it was Jackson who invited Tarver and the OUPD to participate in the March 27 event. “Chief Jackson was the one who invited me to this because he knows what the makeup of the campus is like and that there’s a good number of Asians and Pacific Islanders that are on our campus,” Tarver said. “I’m glad that he did that because we’d want to definitely be a part of that. So we collaborate on many things.” NPD, OUPD and Clark all answered questions from Share & Grow Association that had to do with crime and incidents, police accountability and self defense. Questions included how safe OU’s campus is for Asian American people, what to do for self defense in the event of an attack and how officers respond to hate crimes. Foster outlined a scenario where civilians are encouraged to first, if possible, run and hide before fighting if necessary. On the topic of reporting

crimes, Tarvered assured attendees OUPD and NPD always treat all crimes with urgency, along with respect toward victims. “When there’s a suspected hate crime, we respond to all reports of crimes in our community with compassion and respect,” Tarver said. “And if there was a language barrier, we have services that help us to translate, to understand exactly what occurred and who did what to whom.” Members of law enforcement who were present ensured everyone watching they appreciated the public forum and said they will work to be more transparent and accessible for Asian American people in the community. “If you call us, we’ll do whatever we can to assist, advise, direct. Whatever the situation is, that’s what we’re here for,” Tarver said. “We’re public servants. We’re there for public service, so even if you just have a question about anything … that’s what we’re here for.”

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NEWS/CULTURE

March 30-April 5, 2021 •

OU History Club gives back Merchandise sales to benefit Black Wall Street project GABBY BROWN @gabby_brown5

The O U Histor y C lub is selling merchandise to benefit the Greenwood Chamber of Commerce’s 2021 project to restore Black Wall Street in Tulsa in honor of the centennial of the Tulsa Race Massacre. Various items including hoodies, T-shirts and stickers are available for purchase on the OU History Club’s Teespring page, said Marley Lunsford, history and film senior and the club’s vice president. The items were designed by August Stroud history junior and the club’s event chair. The OU History Club has an extensive Twitter community, and some of the designs drew inspiration from jokes and memorable Twitter discourses on the club’s Twitter, Lunsford said. Some stickers feature direct references to popular tweets. “ We h a v e s u c h a b i g Twitter community, lots of jokes on Twitter, lots of

SCREENSHOT OF HISTORY CLUB’S TEESPRING PAGE

Sales of the OU History Club’s merchandise will go toward the Greenwood Chamber of Commerce’s 2021 project to restore Black Wall Street.

things people interact with and understand, and so we thought we could make kind of fun merch that speaks to our online presence and market it online,” Lunsford said. “Proceeds go to (the restoration project), and you also get a fun T-shirt out

of it.” All proceeds from purchases will go directly to the Greenwood Chamber of Commerce in support of the campaign to restore Black Wall Street in Tulsa. The mission of the campaign is to bring people together,

“to sustain a strong and vibrant urban district through planning, coordinating and communicating with and between all sectors of the Uptown community and beyond,” according to the campaign’s website. As part of its centennial

through new partnerships with local businesses and sustaining the legacy of Black Wall Street through continued funding. “I don’t think one could overstate the importance of learning about the Tulsa Race Massacre and the value of the Tulsa Greenwood Chamber of Commerce and the Greenwood Cultural Center and all those entities involved,” Lunsford said. “I don’t think you could overstate the value they bring to their communities in preserving a history that has been pretty systemically suppressed.” The shop is open now through April 3. Items will be shipped on or before March 31, according to the Teespring page. “It’s really hard to wrap your head around to think that the club selling silly T-shirts is part of such a greater effort to preserve such an important history,” Lunsford said. “It’s all fun and games to sell those T-shirts, but it’s not about us. It’s really just about supporting those organizations and the work they do.”

2021 project, the Greenwood Chamber of Commerce is initiating a $10 million capital and capacity-building project, according to the campaign’s website. The project involves preserving historic buildings, enGabby Brown gaging with the community gabrielle.e.brown-1@ou.edu

Marriage Pact aims to match perfect pairs OU students bring matchmaking survey to campus JACINDA HEMEON @jacindarae4

After tiring of swiping left, a group of OU students is bringing an algorithm-based matchmaking program to campus to help other students find their soulmates. Student organizer of the OU Marriage Pact and public relations junior Kait Collins said the online survey is designed to match its participants with the person they are most compatible with on campus. The survey collects participants’ demographics, values and contact

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information. Then, using a specially designed algorithm, Collins said the survey pairs people with their closest match. “(The survey will) help customize your match and make sure your match is the best by your standards and not by anyone else’s standards,” Collins said. Collins said the Marriage Pact project originated from an economics project at Stanford University in California in 2017. The creators of the Stanford pact never expected the survey to go far, according to an article VIA THE OU MARRIAGE PACT’S INSTAGRAM PAGE in the Stanford Daily. The OU Marriage Pact aims to help OU students find a romanDespite initial doubt, the tic partner. Stanford creation has now expanded to multiple uni- and Columbia, according project, Collins said the OU versities across the coun- to Marriage Pact’s website. organizers reached out to try, including Cornell, Yale After hearing about the Marriage Pact to see how

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Previous Solution

Instructions: Fill in the grid so that every row, every column and every 3x3 box contains the digits 1 through 9. That means that no number is repeated in any row, column or box.

HOROSCOPE By Eugenia Last

TUESDAY, MARCH 30, 2021 ASTROGRAPH by Eugenia Last Assess your relationships and set boundaries where necessary. Concentrate on how to utilize your skills to enhance your life. Don’t waste time arguing over petty grievances when you can channel your energy into building a stable, satisfying future. Take control and excel. ARIES (March 21-April 19) -Question everything that doesn’t feel right. Don’t put up with situations that drag you down or stop you from doing what’s best for you. Don’t complain when you can look for solutions. TAURUS (April 20-May 20) -- Make decisions based on facts. Be wary of anyone who doesn’t appear to have a plan. Use your ingenuity, physical ability and determination to overcome any obstacle you face. GEMINI (May 21-June 20) -Hard work will lead to an excellent opportunity. Refuse to let someone step in and take charge. Distance yourself from anyone who is unstable, misleading or intrusive. Follow through with your plans. CANCER (June 21-July 22) -- Follow your intuition when it comes to dealing with situations that may affect your health and well-being. Use common sense and show discipline when faced with temptation. Don’t be a follower. LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) -- Take a moment to rethink your next move. Don’t act under emotional duress. Personal improvement will lift your spirits and encourage a healthier lifestyle. Be aware of what’s going on around you.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) -A change someone makes will tempt you to head in the same direction. Consider what will happen if you fail to follow your dreams. Do what’s best for you for the most satisfying results. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23) -Consider every angle. Make sure you have the necessary knowledge, technology and money to finish what you start. Preparation will be the key to getting ahead. Take physical action. SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 22) -You’ll be up and down like a yo-yo if you let someone dictate what you can do or say. Speak up, make yourself clear and follow your heart. You have plenty to offer, and you can make a difference. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23-Dec. 21) -- Consider how to get ahead or move forward financially. Don’t rely on someone to do your bidding for you. Stick to what you know and do best, and invest in your future. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) -- Don’t lose sight of your goals and objectives. Take better care of your health and nourish your relationships with friends, relatives and peers. Keep the peace and be diligent regarding money matters. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) -- Consider your budget before you buy something you don’t need. Personal improvements don’t have to cost money. Start with a physical fitness routine and a healthy diet. PISCES (Feb. 20-March 20) -You’ll have plenty of ideas, but not all will be financially sound. Do your best to make a difference. Improve your life and the lives of loved ones. Avoid getting into pointless arguments.

they could bring the project to OU. The Marriage Pact seeks to match up college students who may be too busy with work or school to focus on finding a romantic partner, according to its website. “Do you really want to look up from your cubicle when you’re forty to find yourself alone?” the website reads. “There’s no time to lose. Leave it up to our algorithm and find your perfect backup plan today.” Collins said the pact has tried to separate itself from traditional dating apps. Every year, the survey at each university is only open for a limited period of time. “It kind of provides a sense of urgency, because it’s once a year, it’s open one to two

weeks, and then it’s done for that year,” Collins said. “At other schools, people get super excited about it, and it’ll be the talk of the town for that couple of weeks.” Collins said the survey at OU will remain open until April 5th and students can complete the survey using this via their website. An official closing date for the survey has not been set. “At the very least, you get matched with the person who identifies the most with your individual values and is the most compatible to you on OU’s campus,” Collins said. “Best case scenario, you meet the love of your life.” Jacinda Hemeon

jacinda.r.hemeon@ou.edu

Universal Crossword Edited by David Steinberg March 30, 2021 ACROSS 1 Dallas NBA team, informally 5 Grand shindig 9 Pueblo brick 14 Brother of Cain 15 Dissenting votes 16 ___ Forces Day 17 Bowler’s assignment 18 Transport some bike parts? 20 Cosmetics mogul Lauder 22 Radio personality Glass 23 Weekend spoof show, briefly 24 Transport some roosters? 28 Summary 29 Flatware company 33 Passed handily 35 They may absorb stuff in classrooms 38 “... but that could be wrong” 39 Excessively 40 Transport some white wine, informally? 42 Dove’s soft sound 43 Lexus competitor 45 Orbital period 46 Introductory jazz passage

47 “I’m all ears!” 49 Bobby in a Janis Joplin hit 51 Transport some anglers? 56 “If I were ___ ...” 58 Eager supporter 59 In-demand blood group 60 Transport some dogs? 64 Resolute 65 Modify 66 Pennsylvania lake port 67 Diva’s solo 68 Sheen 69 Shove under a seat, say 70 An oboist may make one DOWN 1 Bulls and bucks 2 Embarrass 3 Proceed bravely 4 Fell as freezing rain 5 Health food chain 6 Org. for those on the road 7 Line on a karaoke screen 8 Houston slugger 9 “That feels so-o-o good” 10 Place to store clothes, or a person wearing them 11 Prophetic sign

12 Stock exchange signal 13 Puzzle tweakers, briefly 19 Baylor University’s city 21 List-writing shortcut, for short 25 Tibetan monk 26 Adhesive resin 27 Rounded door handle 30 Atahualpa’s realm 31 Ruination 32 Situated over 33 Just slightly 34 Pixar hit set in Mexico 36 Pizza, for one 37 Fraudulent offers 40 Looking down on one’s peers?

41 Word after “fallen” or “triumphal” 44 Says no 46 A long, long way off 48 Uber alternative 50 Catch on to 52 Deities that control mortals’ destinies 53 Like helium 54 Weird 55 Bedouin or Mongol, historically 56 Bellow 57 German name that’s also an Italian number 60 Indulgent spree 61 Hosp. triage sites 62 ___ Grande 63 Do some quilting

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Carried Away by Lynn Lempel

SPORTS

• March 30-April 5, 2021

OU continues undefeated run four walks, and recording 11 strikeouts. Sophomore Olivia Rains came on in relief of Saile and got the final four outs, allowing no hits or walks.

Sooners sweep 3-game series against Cyclones PRESS JOHNSON @pressjohnson2

GAME 3: SOONERS 22, CYCLONES 2

BRADEN GIESECKE @BradenGiesecke

The No. 1 Sooners (25-0) opened Big 12 play with a three-game series sweep of Iowa State (22-8) in Ames over the weekend. Oklahoma outscored the Cyclones 41-11 in the series, while its pitchers recorded 29 strikeouts collectively. Next, the Sooners will take on Kansas at 6 p.m. CT on Thursday, April 1 in Norman. Here’s a look at each of OU’s victories: GAME 1: SOONERS 9, CYCLONES 7 Redshirt senior pitcher Giselle “G” Juarez got the start in the circle for OU, pitching in all seven innings and recording 11 strikeouts while allowing five hits. The offense for the Sooners didn’t show any weaknesses as it rallied nine hits. Senior utility Jocelyn

OU’s offense tallied 18 hits and three home runs. Nine different Sooners recorded a hit, with Jennings, Coleman and Green recording three hits each. Jennings had a career day, as she hammered in her first grand slam of the season and had six RBIs. Freshman pitcher Nicole May got the start in the circle. She pitched in four innings, earning six strikeouts TREY YOUNG/THE DAILY and allowing two hits on 18 Freshman infielder Tiare Jennings during the game against Liberty in the Hall of Fame Tournament at the USA Softball Hall Of batters faced. Sophomore Fame Stadium on March 14. pitcher Alanna Thiede Alo led the bats with two four RBIs in her team’s loss. hits with two and tied for program record 37-game pitched the final inning and the team lead in RBIs with hit streak snapped after recorded one strikeout and home runs and five RBIs. Behind her, senior infielder GAME 2: SOONERS 10, three. With the victory, OU she walked in all four plate allowed two hits. got out to its best start to a appearances. Taylon Snow had two RBIs CYCLONES 2 Senior pitcher Shannon season in program history. of her own. Press Johnson Additionally, Green hit a Saile got the start in the cirOffensively, OU put up Ut i l i t i e s i n f re s h ma n Jayda Coleman and junior 10 runs on seven hits. The pinch-hit three-run home cle for OU and was dom- preston.l.johnson-1@ou.edu Grace Green also had one Sooners were led by se- run in the top of the sixth in- inant. She went four and Braden Giesecke RBI each. Cyclone shortstop nior infielder Grace Lyons, ning to give the Sooners an two-thirds innings allowSami Williams led ISU with who topped Oklahoma in eight-run lead. Alo had her ing just two hits, two runs, braden.giesecke@ou.edu

Stadium alcohol sales plummet amid pandemic-ridden season Capacity limits deliver sharp blow to revenue stream MASON YOUNG @Mason_Young_0

Net alcohol sales at Gaylord FamilyOklahoma Memorial Stadium during the 2020 football season reached $365,347.50, according to an open records request filed by The Daily in January. The net sales, acquired across five 2020 home games, amount to $933,390.66 less than what OU made in 2019, when net sales reached $1,298,738.16. Oklahoma made $446,783 in gross sales in 2020 across “c o n c e s s i o n s s a l e s ” a n d “p r e m i u m s a l e s .” T h a t ’s $ 1 , 1 4 0 , 9 2 4 . 4 0 less than gross sales in 2019, which amounted to $1,587,707.40. According to an athletic department

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coached, the teams had a .441 combined winning percentage. In Kruger’s second year at the helm, his winning percentage was .606 combined, and rose to .697 in his third season. Kruger’s ability to rebuild programs was a key ingredient Castiglione sought in his coaching search. “Create a culture in which players love being around,” said Kruger of the dynamic he helped sustain at the Lloyd Noble Center. “If they’re in the office a lot, if they’re coming by practice early, if they’re staying late, if they want to be around us, then we’ve got a better chance to teach, to listen and to learn from them. And they’ve got a better chance then to realize their potential and do as well as they possibly can. And that’s not just on the court, but also socially and in the classroom and in every other way.” After arriving in Norman in 2011, he mentored two star guards in 2016 National Player of the Year Buddy Hield and 2018 National Freshman of the Year Trae Young, who became top-10 NBA draft picks. Guard Isaiah Cousins and

TREY YOUNG/THE DAILY

A COVID-19 adjusted concessions stand before the Sooners’ season opener against Missouri State on Sept. 12.

spokesperson, “premium sales” are confined to the stadium’s limited club access areas, while “concessions sales” are compiled in all concessions operat i o n s t h ro u g h o u t t h e stadium.

forward Romero Osby were also drafted after playing for Kruger. The height of Kruger’s time at OU was that 2015-16 run. The Sooners went 29-8 behind Hield’s 25 points per game before falling to eventual champion Villanova, 95-51, in the Final Four. Kruger also coached Oklahoma’s most attended game of all time when 13,490 packed the Lloyd Noble Center on Feb. 9, 2013, against Kansas. In his final season at Oklahoma, Kruger coached the Sooners to the NCAA Tournament’s second round before a loss to No. 1 overall seed Gonzaga. He’s a candidate for Naismith Coach of the Year and developed senior guard Austin Reaves, who went from a one-offer high school player to a likely second-round pick in the 2021 NBA Draft. While resurrecting programs, Kruger was still able to incorporate elements of the past. He connected with players from OU teams before his arrival and also befriended Billy Tubbs, who an emotional Kruger said embodied Sooner basketball on Friday. Tubbs, after compiling a 333-132 record in Norman from 1980-94, died Nov. 1, 2020, from leukemia. Kruger’s squad wore special

Due to COVID-19, the Sooners’ typically packed home stadium was held to 25 percent attendance in 2020, with a mask mandate in place. In 2020 just 1 1 3 , 5 0 0 f a n s at t e n d e d OU’s five home games,

compared to 499,533 fans across six games in 2019. According to SoonerStats, which has recorded attendance since 1949, attendance in 2020 was the lowest among the past 72 seasons. OU President Joseph Harroz said in a March 5 Board of Regents meeting the university plans to return to full stadium capacity in 2021. However, t h e S o o n e r s’ A p r i l 2 4 spring game will be kept at 25 percent attendance, according to athletics director Joe Castiglione. Oklahoma first started selling alcohol at football games in 2019, after an action permitting the sales was approved by the Board of Regents in a May 2019 meeting. Before that, sales began in a “pilot program” at basketball games in October 2018. Mason Young

mason.e.young-1@ou.edu

CAITLYN EPES/THE DAILY

Then-freshman guard De’Vion Harmon and OU coach Lon Kruger during the game against UTSA Nov. 5, 2019.

TREY YOUNG/THE DAILY

Head coach Lon Kruger talks to the Sooners during the game against No. 9 Alabama on Jan. 30.

jersey patches in Tubbs’ honor during the 2020-21 season. “Coach Kruger has been so kind to our family,” Tubbs’ son, Tommy, who played at OU from 1983-85, told The Daily on Friday morning. “He and his family are first

class in every way and he will be missed leading our great program. … He and his staff embraced the past of Sooner Basketball and included us every chance that he could.” Those who know Kruger best have repeatedly expressed the sentiment that

TREY YOUNG/THE DAILY

Senior Jordan Draper celebrates with the Sooners during the senior night season finale meet against No. 11 BYU on March 5.

Sooners bound for Tuscaloosa OU gymnastics earns No. 2 seed in NCAA Regional GRAYSON BLALOCK @grayson_blalock

No. 1 Oklahoma will travel to Tuscaloosa, Alabama, for its 2021 NCAA Regional, t h e N C A A a n n ou n c e d March 22. The Sooners earned the No. 2 overall seed in the bracket. They will compete against No. 15 Auburn, No. 23 Missouri and the winner of Eastern Michigan and

he’s a great coach, but a greater person. Among the manifestations of that OU cited was that he never received a technical foul in 44 years of coaching or cursed at his players. He credited such positivity to his parents, Don and Betty. In fact, Kruger took an emotional pause when speaking about his parents’ impact on his life. Along with their emphasis on respecting others, Kruger said both taught him the importance of teamwork. His tendency to never attribute personal accomplishments to himself — as displayed during his Friday presser and throughout his career — was a reflection of that. Castiglione now has his hands full attempting to fill openings left by Kruger and Coale. Upon rumors of Kruger’s departure Thursday, Stadium’s Jeff Goodman suggested Oral Roberts’ Paul Mills, North Texas’ Grant McCasland and Abilene Christian’s Joe Golding are candidates the Sooners should consider pursuing. Former Kruger assistants John Henson and Chris Crutchfield, head coaches at the University of Texas San Antonio and East Central, a Division II school in Ada, respectively, are also possibilities. If seniors Brady Manek, Austin Reaves and Alondes

Maryland contest for the right to compete in the regional final. The four teams will face off April 2 before the regional final between the top two on April 3. The regional champion will move on to the NCAA semifinals April 16 on ESPN2. OU will compete in the semifinals against the winner of the other half of the Tuscaloosa regional, featuring No. 7 Alabama, No. 10 Arkansas, No. 19 Iowa and No. 20 Iowa State. Grayson Blalock

graysonablalock@ou.edu

Williams exercise their extra year of eligibility due to COVID-19, they’ll do it with a new coach. Freshman guard Trey Phipps entered the transfer portal March 25, the day Kruger let his team know of his decision. Hours after Kruger’s press conference, starting sophomore guard De’Vion Harmon declared for the 2021 NBA Draft. Beyond those moves, OU has incoming freshmen guards in Bijan Cortes and C.J. Noland. Among the things Kruger said he’ll miss the most are the relationships with the players and coaches he was able to build throughout the years. Hield trusted him enough to even declare before the 201516 season the Sooners would reach the Final Four. “It’s everyone else outside the game that defines who we are,” Castiglione said. “And with Coach Kruger, you can see that every single day, he brought it. And he never brought it in a way that was about him. “It was always humble.” Mason Young

mason.e.young-1@ou.edu

Chandler Engelbrecht

chandler.engelbrecht@ou.edu

Austin Curtright

austincurtright@ou.edu