Cryer Bonner Helps No. 7 Baylor Top Oklahoma State 74-68

On Monday night, No. 7 Baylor played without leading scorer Keyonte George (ankle), but Cryer Bonner still had a significant role to play as they edged Oklahoma State 74-68 to stay undefeated in Big 12. With their victory, Baylor remains undefeated overall and remains undefeated in Big 12.

Baylor (19-8, 10-6 Big 12) used a 14-2 run to take an early 15-point lead, highlighted by consecutive 3-pointers from Flagler. That gave Baylor a 41-30 halftime advantage.

LJ Cryer

Baylor boasts three explosive guards, led by freshman Keyonte George. But sophomore Adam Flagler stands out with 48 percent accuracy on three-point attempts and averages over 16 points per game for the Bears, who lead the Big 12 in assists and have an unbeatable assist/turnover ratio that rivals no other conference team has in the conference.

On Monday night in Stillwater, Baylor's Jame Cryer led all scorers with 15 points as the Bears rallied from a slow start to beat Oklahoma State 74-68. Jalen Bridges added 14 points and Adam Flagler had 13 for the Bears (22-8, 11-6 Big 12).

Baylor's longshot hopes of sharing the Big 12 title remain alive after Bonner made 3 of 4 free-throw attempts and Flagler added two foul shots in the final 25.2 seconds to secure their eighth consecutive victory.

With leading scorer Keyonte George out with an ankle injury, Baylor relied on their 3-point line for most of the game and made 11 of 31 shots from distance to put away Oklahoma State for most of it. But in the second half Oklahoma State got its offense going and cut a 19-point deficit down to four with 35.2 seconds left on John-Michael Wright's 3-pointer.

Bonner scored five of his 13 points in the final five minutes to help Baylor secure a victory. He also grabbed two rebounds and had four assists for an undefeated Bears squad that will face Iowa State on Saturday afternoon.

Baylor's dominating defense played a significant role in their victory, yielding 20 steals and only five turnovers throughout the contest. It wasn't an ideal battle, but one the Bears needed to prevail.

Cryer finished the game shooting 7 of 15 from the field, including 3 of 6 from three-point range. He added four rebounds and three assists for the Bears who were playing without star freshman Keyonte George (ankle) during the second half.

LJ Cryer has found his form after missing several games with a concussion this season. In his last 10 contests, he has scored in double figures nine times.

Jalen Bridges

In order for the Bears (22-8, 10-6 Big 12) to pull away from Oklahoma State (13-14, 7-10), four players had to score in double figures. Jalen Bridges scored 22 points while Flo Thamba added 12 and Dale Bonner contributed 13 off the bench in the win.

Baylor's victory gave them a two-game winning streak and kept the Bears alive in their pursuit of another Big 12 title. They played without star freshman Keyonte George who suffered an early ankle sprain.

But the Pokes made an incredible late comeback to cut their 19-point lead down to four with 35 seconds remaining. Bonner and Flagler then hit three clutch free throws for the Bears to stay alive in the contest.

Bridges had been shooting a bit hot and cold this season, but he found his groove against OSU. He made 5 of 6 shots from the field (including two 3-pointers) while also pulling down seven rebounds for an impressive total.

He added an assist and steal to his team's victory, showing off his talent for finding open shooters - something which will become increasingly crucial as the season progresses.

On a night when the Bears had two guards out due to injury, Bridges was one of their top performers. He finished with 14 points, eight rebounds and an assist in 33 minutes.

Bridges has a passion for giving back to his community and volunteering at kids clinics and camps. After college, he plans on founding his own foundation and making an impact in other aspects of life besides basketball.

Bridges, a native of Fairmont, West Virginia, led his high school to two state championships and earned himself a spot on the Class AA All-State first team by the state's sports writers. During his high school career he averaged 16.5 points, 6.7 rebounds, 2.2 blocks and 1.9 steals per game while being recognized by the state sports writers for his impressive statistics.

He has been averaging 7.3 points, 5.1 rebounds and 1.2 three-pointers in 25.0 minutes over the last five games. If the Mountaineers want to make a deep run in conference play, he must continue producing.

Adam Flagler

Cryer Bonner had an outstanding game in Baylor's win against Oklahoma State, scoring 15 points to help keep their conference title hopes alive. Additionally, he led all scorers with four assists for a game-high total.

The Duluth, Georgia native had a remarkable week for the Bears as they earned two victories. He had his highest scoring week as a Baylor player and tied his career high in points with 20 against Oklahoma and 28 against TCU.

In addition to his 20-point performance against Oklahoma, Flagler contributed four assists and sealed the game at the free-throw line, where he shot 52% for the second consecutive week.

He is averaging 15.5 points and shooting 40% from three-point range this season, making at least one three-pointer in 14 of his 17 games for the Bears.

He has quickly made his way to the top of Baylor's offensive hierarchy. He is their leading scorer and assists leader, as well as leading their team in three-pointers made and three-point percentage.

His three-point shooting has seen a marked improvement this season, rising from 36% last year to 42% now. Additionally, he's become an even better passer, making more assists than turnovers this year.

He's an ideal player for Baylor to have on the court, as his shooting and passing skills could make this team a threat in every Big 12 game. With that kind of potential, he could potentially be an integral part of their championship hopes.

After an exciting summer playing in the national tournament, Flagler is eager to start his collegiate career in Waco and hopes that his strong play can help Baylor make another deep run into the NCAA Tournament. He plans on finishing his undergraduate career there and looks forward to contributing his skillset towards helping Baylor reach that milestone once again.

Although he is a senior, the Duluth, Georgia, native still has plenty to accomplish during his college career. With any luck, he can work on perfecting his shot selection and improving his 3-point shooting as he gears up for what may be his last game at Boston University.

Dale Bonner

The Bears (22-8, 11-6 Big 12) are coming off back-to-back conference titles and have high hopes of progressing further in the NCAA tournament. This team features multiple players who average double figures in scoring with four players averaging more than 10 points per game.

Baylor controlled this game on offense, relying on 3-point shooting and holding Oklahoma State to just 39.7 percent shooting from the field and 9-for-32 from long range. It was a difficult night for Oklahoma State, as they failed to score at least 20 points in either half and missed several open shots late in the second.

Bonner was a major factor in the Bears' win, scoring 15 points on 6 of 9 shooting with four assists and two steals. He was an integral part of their second-half surge that put them up by 19 points with 5:45 remaining.

He made three of four free throws in the final 25.2 seconds to secure the victory and help Baylor hold Oklahoma State to just one second-chance point after halftime.

George was a force on the other end, scoring 17 points along with five rebounds and three assists. As a sophomore, she is averaging 16.3 points this season and ranks fifth among freshmen in the Big 12 Conference.

Bryce Thompson and John-Michael Wright's pair of threes cut the lead to 69-65 with 1:34 remaining, but it wasn't enough as Baylor pulled away for an epic victory. Though they stayed within a few points in the closing minutes, Bonner and Flagler helped seal it for Baylor in the end.

The Baylor guards are led by Cryer, who has established himself as a threat from the perimeter. With his speed and quickness, Cryer can step out and knock down open jumpers with ease; as well as being an outstanding Wing 1 Reformer who takes the ball in and sets up teammates when available.

In a pivotal conference matchup, it's easy to see why Baylor is considered the top team in the Big 12. Their balanced attack with four players averaging double figures and experienced veteran leadership give them great potential as major factors in this year's tournament.

Final State Emergency Winding Down 3 Years Into Pandemic

Nearly three years into the pandemic, many state emergencies are winding down. But as the virus moves through states, it continues to cause disruption and chaos.

On the eve of the pandemic, political divisions within America and their governors over how to respond have become stark. Some want restrictions lifted; others argue they're necessary to safeguard both economic stability and public safety.

California

State governors in times of emergency can utilize a range of powers to respond quickly and effectively. These may include suspending existing laws or passing new ones--albeit temporarily--to address the crisis at hand.

Governors cannot exceed statutory limitations in exercising emergency powers, and legislatures have the power to set specific restrictions as well. Furthermore, legislators have the authority to nullify an emergency proclamation with a simple majority vote.

In California, where the emergency was declared over in September, Governor Gavin Newsom has already lifted most of the restrictions enacted during the pandemic. These included color-coding regulations on businesses and restaurants as well as mask requirements for children. Masks will still be required indoor public places like public transportation, K-12 schools and youth settings, healthcare settings and correctional facilities.

As the coronavirus crisis draws to a close, Newsom's budget proposal will provide funding for public health departments to hire more workers - an issue local agencies have faced since the outbreak began. Additionally, $100 million is set aside for 404 new positions at the state Department of Public Health.

Jobs could be especially vital, since many have left the workforce in search of work during the pandemic and have not returned yet. While unemployment rates have remained relatively stable during this emergency period, some counties fear that once it ends more workers may be laid off.

The health care system remains overburdened, and some hospitals are having difficulty keeping up with an influx of patients. According to the hospital association, budget issues have raised fears that some may need to close.

New York

New York City and many other American cities are still recovering from a three-year outbreak of coronavirus that killed tens of thousands and crippled hospitals nationwide. But now the focus has shifted to an even greater danger: Covid-19 has mutated into a pandemic virus that is killing hundreds of people daily in the United States alone, according to the World Health Organization.

In August 2017, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) declared the coronavirus to be a "Public Health Emergency of International Concern," marking the first time such a designation had ever been given to any disease. But it took another month before World Health Organization leaders finally declared it to be a pandemic.

Ultimately, the US government's response would include a series of mandatory restrictions that applied to all public areas and were mostly lifted once Zika virus activity started to decrease in late 2018 and early 2019. These measures included a stay-at-home order for children.

Unfortunately, some of the policies that created these limitations also had financial repercussions. Major hospitals that could draw from emergency funding approved by Congress remained unscathed while small hospitals, already operating with thin margins, lost out on those sources as the virus spread.

Even so, hospitals don't necessarily need to close due to a loss of these funds. They may be able to find ways to continue operating, such as by tapping into Medicare or Medicaid reimbursements.

However, the end of emergency designations will have consequences for many Americans. It could mean that Medicaid coverage for millions of people will be interrupted; additionally, it could restrict access to telehealth services for Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries.

New Mexico

New Mexico is on high alert due to a potential coronavirus outbreak in the southwest. To combat this threat, they are developing an extensive long-term plan and boast one of the country's most innovative public health programs. State and city health departments are being applauded for their COVID-19 program, which seeks to reduce exposure risks among this population by improving quality and timeliness of care in homes and child care facilities across California. Public health practitioners are also looking towards the future with a goal of implementing their program in as many homes and child care centers as possible by the end of this year.

Texas

Though pandemic fears have diminished, 10 states across America still issue emergency orders and will likely do so until at least 2023. As a result, many policy changes that were put in place during this crisis will come to an end for now.

Governor Greg Abbott of Texas has maintained his state's emergency declaration for two years, despite criticism from some lawmakers for giving himself too much power over local governments. With this order, cities are forced to impose regulations such as wearing masks and restricting business and travel activities.

He has also threatened to withhold funding from cities that fail to adhere to the restrictions. However, California's new Democratic governor, Gavin Newsom, has taken a different approach.

Newsom recently declared the state's emergency declaration would end in June, and he is "responsibly winding down" pandemic executive orders, leaving approximately 5 percent still active.

Although public fears have subsided, there remains a major divide in how states are responding to the coronavirus. President Donald Trump has called on Congress to pass an anti-virus measure and the White House Coronavirus Task Force recently issued guidelines that will likely form the basis of government response to this pandemic.

Congress granted Medicare and Medicaid the authority to increase access to telehealth services for low-income patients during the pandemic. These benefits are expected to remain in place for at least several years, though not all beneficiaries may be eligible.

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Texas' Supreme Court issued several emergency orders that enabled courts to use teleconferencing and videoconferencing for various proceedings. Chief Justice Nathan Hecht has provided a state of the judiciary address as well as other updates regarding its effects on judicial access to justice. Furthermore, he provided guidance so courts would comply with both Supreme Court orders and OCA instructions.