March 25, 2021

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dailyorange.com

C • Talking it out

N • Proposed syllabus

Two Syracuse University sophomores try to make sense of current events on their podcast “America: Make it Make Sense!” which often features student guests.

Page 7

SU has released a proposed syllabus for FYS 101, the first-year seminar course replacing SEM 100, which includes discussions of racist incidents on campus.

Page 3

The return of Syracuse theaters

S • Getting there

Jesse Edwards started playing basketball later than most, and had to relearn it when he experienced a growth spurt. He’s not ready to start yet, but he’s getting there.

Page 12

state

New York funds fair housing testing

By Kailey Norusis asst. digital editor

New York state will provide $250,000 to nonprofit organizations, including one in Syracuse, to fund audits to combat housing discrimination.

Fair housing testing uses trained, undercover testers, who pose as individuals looking to buy or rent a property, to determine if sellers, landlords or brokers act in a discriminatory way toward certain groups of people.

“We hope that it’s the start of more long-term funding from the state and a more substantial commitment to fair housing enforcement and particularly to testing, because it is one of the most effective ways for identifying housing discrimination in the community,” said Sally Santangelo, the executive director of CNY Fair Housing, a Syracuse nonprofit that is receiving some of the funding.

CNY Fair Housing provides research, education and outreach to prevent housing discrimination and see housing page 4

on campus

SAMARA HANNAH, the executive director of the Redhouse Arts Center, has begun to plan for live performances after Gov. Andrew Cuomo said venues like hers can begin reopening on March 3.

lucy messineo witt asst. photo editor

Some Syracuse theaters remain closed despite relaxed guidelines

By Abby Weiss

asst. digital editor

A

t Redhouse Art Center, the employees miss having new experiences. Instead of watching their productions alongside community members at the center, their work has been reduced to a computer screen.

But, starting April 2, smaller arts, entertainment and event venues like Redhouse can reopen, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced on March 3. Venues will be allowed to reopen at 33% capacity with crowds of up to 100 people indoors and 200 outdoors. If attendees show proof of a negative COVID-19 test, capacity increases to 150 indoors and 500 outdoors.

For Samara Hannah, executive director of the Redhouse Arts Center, the shift in guidelines allows her to begin planning for live performances. While she does not have the specifics for the fall season planned, having more information on how many people she can have in the theater gives her the opportunity to put together a live show by the end of the year.

“We’ll do something before the end of the calendar year to bring our audience back,” Hannah said. “Something that is new and fresh, and exciting and upbeat and positive. We’re all desperate to do something social and be around other people.”

But for other venue owners in Syracuse, the new guidelines don’t mean they see reopening page 4

SU expects students to get vaccine

By Maggie Hicks asst. news editor

Syracuse University will likely expect all students, faculty and staff who do not have religious or medical exemptions to receive the COVID19 vaccine by fall 2020, Chancellor Kent Syverud said in a University Senate meeting Wednesday.

Syverud recently announced in a campus-wide email that the university is planning to have a fully inperson semester in the fall. Although it is difficult to predict the state of the pandemic in the future, Syverud said he’s confident that, with widespread distribution of vaccines, SU can plan for “more normal” operations.

“My expectation is that, as with the flu, we will be certainly expecting our students to be vaccinated see vaccine page 4

2 march 25, 2021

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INSIDE

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“If I sound annoyed, it’s because I am.” - Mark Monmonier, chair of the University Senate Committee on the Libraries Page 1

OPINION “Everard’s murder reminds women that nothing is resolved. The world is not as safe for us as we would like it to be.” - columnist Polina Plitchenko Page 5

CULTURE “We’re kind of in limbo right now. We’re certainly hoping that with the vaccine and that the numbers will go down significantly enough.” - Richard Clarke, the mayor of Baldwinsville Page 1

SPORTS “To just hear you’re not ready, especially when there’s no real other option, that one’s kinda hard for him. Just because he felt like he was ready.” - Kai Edwards on his brother, SU center Jesse Edwards Page 12

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WHERE: HBC patio

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NEWS

dailyorange.com news@dailyorange.com

PAG E 3

march 25, 2021

on campus

on campus

What to expect in SU’s new first-year seminar English department expands outreach

By Kailey Norusis asst. digital editor

SU’s new first-year seminar course, FYS 101, was designed based on feedback from students who took SEM 100, as well as peer and lead facilitators.

daily orange file photo

By Sarah Alessandrini asst. news editor

The first-year seminar replacing SEM 100 next academic year will incorporate a history of discriminaton and racist incidents on Syracuse University’s campus into class discussions, according to the proposed syllabus.

SU announced the replacement of SEM 100 after criticism from students that the course did not effectively address issues of diversity and inclusion. Organizers from #NotAgainSU, a movement led by Black students that protested a series of hate incidents last academic year, included the revision of SEM 100 in their list of demands last year.

The new course, FYS 101, was designed based on feedback from students who have taken SEM 100, as well as from lead and peer facilitators.

Here’s what FYS 101 might look like for incoming first-year students, according to the proposed syllabus.

Enhanced discussions of race and identity Faculty involved in creating the FYS 101 curriculum have said they

hope it will better equip students to talk about race and identity.

Several weeks of the course will include conversations about prejudice, discrimination, bias and privilege stereotypes. The proposed syllabus also describes several in-depth conversations about incidents of hate and discrimination on SU’s campus and incorporates lessons about student-led protests.

Conversations about the Syracuse 8, redlining and Interstate 81, as well as a historical profile of SU, will be included in conversations one week, according to the proposed syllabus. Syracuse 8 is a group of Black SU football players in 1970 who boycotted practices in response to discrimination from the athletic department. The course will also introduce students to the campus STOP Bias initiative, a program for reporting hate and bias-related incidents on campus.

Week eight ’s discussion will focus on a history of Asian American students on SU’s campus, including examples of antiAsian discrimination.

The course will discuss social justice related to gender and sexuality — including

LGBTQ and women’s rights — in week 10 of the course. Week 13 will focus on Latino history and Latino communities and resources, including La Casita Cultural Center in Syracuse.

Course facilitators will partner with faculty from SU’s Burton Blatt Institute for Disability Law for week 11’s discussions on disability rights, including current challenges posed by the pandemic.

The syllabus lists exploring religious communities and religious discrimination as the topic of discussion for week 14.

Learning objectives and course structure

The syllabus outlines several learning objectives for the course, which include easing students’ transition to college life and developing their understanding of identity, diversity, equity and access.

Unlike SEM 100, FYS 101 will run for the full semester. For three of the 14 weeks — weeks four, nine and 12 — students will participate in activities specific to their home college, such as an introduction to the college or an introduction to class registration.

Participation and attendance will be worth half of a students’ grade, while written assignments will account for the other half. There will be eight total assignments worth 12.5% each.

Course materials and outside content

The syllabus describes the course as an “experiential” and “discussion-based” course. All necessary materials, including readings, videos and audio material, will be available through Blackboard, according to the syllabus.

Class periods may also be used for artistic performances, guest speakers or field trips.

The syllabus also suggests a field trip to Skä-noñh, the Great Law of Peace Center, a Haudenosaunee heritage center focusing on the Indigenous peoples of central New York.

Performances that students may engage with include “Fragile White Guy,” a one-man show about a white man learning about his own racist behavior, which was included in the fall 2020 SEM 100 course. scalessa@syr.edu @sarahalessan

city

Syracuse to expand Wi-Fi access for residents

By Gillian Follett

staff writer

The city of Syracuse will install Wi-Fi access points at six community centers over the next few weeks.

Installing the access points is an effort to bridge the city’s “digital divide” — a disparity in the number of people who own computers or smartphones and can easily access the internet. But a lack of internet connection is only one part of the problem, residents and city officials said.

The move is part of Mayor Ben Walsh’s “Syracuse Surge” initiative, which seeks to bolster the city’s economy through technological advancements. In recent months, the initiative has tackled large-scale projects such as partnering with Verizon to begin work on establishing a citywide 5G net-

work and replacing street lights throughout Syracuse with new LED fixtures. “(The internet) has become a major resource — almost as important as having nourishing food and having a shelter over your head,” said Jen Tifft, the deputy commissioner of the city’s Department of Neighborhood and Business Development. “In times like this, during a pandemic, access to connected technology, access to the internet, those things become critical for basic day-to-day activities like going to school or, potentially, doing your job.”

The access points will include five city-owned centers, along with the Spanish Action League, a community center supporting Syracuse’s Latino population, she said.

Many of these centers already provide internet access to those inside

of the buildings, but the outdoor access points will supply an internet connection to anyone within a 150-foot radius around the building, Tifft said.

Syracuse has struggled with its digital divide for several years.

Almost one-third of Syracuse households lack access to broadband internet, according to U.S. Census data between 2015 and 2019. Almost 20% of Syracuse households don’t own a computer.

In 2019, Syracuse ranked #46 on the National Digital Inclusion Alliance’s list of “Worst Connected Cities,” which is based on the percent of households that possess any type of broadband internet subscription, including mobile data plans.

Limited access to affordable broadband internet, computers or smartphones and poor digital literacy all contribute to this dig-

ital divide, said Annabeth Hayes, the co-chair of the CNY Digital Inclusion Coalition.

Since the coalition’s founding a few years ago, Hayes and co-chair Scott Kushner have partnered with organizations throughout the region to develop solutions to the digital divide stretching across central New York.

Over the past several months, the organization has worked to create a “digital navigator” program that will help people obtain internet access, acquire internet-connected devices and gain digital literacy.

The organization also collaborated with the National Digital Inclusion Alliance to construct a map displaying the percent of homes with internet access in the Syracuse metropolitan area. It found that the number of internet-connected see technology page 4

Syracuse University’s Department of English is launching a new recruitment program for prospective students.

Jessica Miranda, a senior double majoring in English and Textual Studies and advertising, is one of five students participating in the English Ambassador pilot program — where she promotes the English major, minor and classes to prospective students.

“Students relate and listen to other students and are less potentially comfortable engaging with the professors when they are earlier in their careers,” said Katherine Kidd, assistant teaching professor of English.

The new program allows prospective students to engage with current students. Coran Klaver, English department chair and associate professor, said she envisions the program as similar to the Dean’s Team at the College of Arts and Science and Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs. That group of students attends events for prospective and accepted students, Klaver said.

Kidd said that she hopes the program will help increase the number of students majoring and minoring in English and Textual Studies and also the number of students taking English classes at SU in general.

We have been wanting to be more visible as a department on campus Katherine Kidd

assistant teaching professor

“We have been wanting to be more visible as a department on campus,” Kidd said. “A lot of that has to do with recruitment and retention.”

In February, the English department held the “Students Reflect on the Powers of Literary and Textual Study in Times of Crisis’’ event, showcasing current students’ work. While the department was considering an ambassador program before this event, the interest in the event reinforced the need for interested students to hear from other students and not just faculty, Kidd said.

“We have a lot of really enthusiastic, energized, passionate students, who are excited to be English majors and who want to sort of show the strengths of the English major,” Kidd said. “We decided that the students would be a really valuable asset in sort of building a presence on campus, beyond what we have.”

Klaver and Kidd reached out to professors within the department to recommend students who might be interested in participating as an ambassador for the program.

see ambassadors page 4

4 march 25, 2021

from page 1

reopening can reopen their doors to a live audience soon.

Mike Intaglietta, the executive director of the Landmark Theatre, said it’s not economically feasible for the Landmark to operate at an audience of fewer than 150 people when it boasts 2,800 seats.

To sustain the theater with live shows, which requires paying staff members and producing performances, the capacity would have to be at least 75%, Intaglietta said. Even though it doesn’t impact his theater, Intaglietta is still happy about the change overall.

“It’s wonderful if there’s an opportunity for theaters that can accommodate to be able to offer programming, if that makes financial sense for them,” Intaglietta said. “It just doesn’t make sense for the Landmark.”

Jill Anderson, managing director for the Syracuse Stage, said that it isn’t cost effective to bring back audiences at the recommended capacity. Most of Syracuse Stage’s productions need to run at about 80% capacity to fully fund the shows it produces.

And even if Syracuse Stage wanted to put on live performances, the theater would need approval from Actor’s Equity Association, an actors’ union that represents actors employed at the theater. The challenges to resuming in-person performances are greater than one mandate from the governor, she said.

Anderson said the union just granted her permission on Tuesday to do in-person rehearsals for the upcoming play “I and You.” But she hasn’t had the chance to discuss bringing back live audiences. The show will air in May in front of a virtual audience. from page 1

housing also conducts fair housing audits.

The organization also provides about 60 presentations a year to train renters, as well as landlords on what housing discrimination is and how to identify illegal behavior, Santangelo said.

“We’re happy the state is investing in fair housing enforcement and particularly the work of private fair housing organizations, who are really the on-the-ground fair housing enforcement entities that were the ones working within our communities really seeing the bulk of fair housing cases in the states,” Santangelo said.

The organization also investigates rental, sales, insurance and financing complaints and from page 1

vaccine by the fall and it will be widely available, with religious and medical exemptions, of course,” Syverud said.

The university required all students to receive a flu shot this year and offered the vaccinations for free on campus. Students without exemptions who didn’t receive flu shots could have been referred to the Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities.

“It’s too soon to know exactly what COVID-19 will look like six months from now, but with the improving conditions and continued optimism on the part of elected officials we work with, I expect by August we will return to the full range of in-person classes and experiences,” Syverud said during the meeting.

Matthew Huber, an associate professor of from page 3

technology households varies significantly throughout the city’s different neighborhoods.

In areas of the city with higher poverty rates, such as the Washington Square neighborhood, the percentage of households with internet access plunges to as low as 20%.

“We’re specifically dealing with the digital from page 3

ambassadors Klaver said she hopes that the program will expand to about eight ambassadors next year, she said.

“We’re kind of figuring it out,” Klaver said.

“We’re also hoping that the first few classes of ambassadors will kind of create the program,

dailyorange.com news@dailyorange.com

Anderson doesn’t plan to bring back audiences soon since Syracuse Stage has just recently brought back live rehearsals. But if COVID-19 cases continue to decrease, she would aim to bring back live audiences in the fall.

“With things evolving as quickly as they are, it’s not out of the realm of possibility,” Anderson said.

Other venues like the Westcott Theater depend on touring artists to reopen. But owner Dan Mastronardi said very few artists are seeking to book performances.

He said he’d consider reopening if the recommended capacity was over 50% and everyone receives a vaccination, which he hopes will allow them to bring back live performances in fall 2021 at the earliest.

“There’s really not much we can do as far as making (the artists) want to play shows,” Mastronardi said. “Nor do I think that we’re fully ready to open on it from a music standpoint. It’s going to just be a slow and steady opening.”

Redhouse, on the other hand, has the space to operate at the recommended guidelines.

The state mandate allows smaller theaters to hold live audiences at 50% if the capacity remains at 100 people. Hannah said the center holds up to 300 people, which means at 50% occupancy with testing, it can hold 150 people.

It will still take months for Redhouse to plan social distancing and produce shows at a much smaller budget due to the revenue lost during the pandemic. Hannah is considering the possibility of putting on a live performance before the end of their fiscal year in June or putting on outdoor shows in the summer, which would accommodate more people.

“We’re planning forward, and we’re excited for that,” Hannah said. “We’re talking to our audience members, and a lot of them are wait-

BOB HUPP AND JILL ANDERSON, work at Syracuse Stage. Anderson’s thrilled that actors can travel to Syracuse to rehearse in person. lucy messineo-witt asst. photo editor

ing to get vaccinated or have a date. As more of our audience members have received the vaccine, I think they’ll be more ready to come out.”

With summer approaching and a higher capacity, outdoor music venues such as the Paper Mill Island have a higher chance of bringing back a live audience. Richard Clarke, the mayor of Baldwinsville, is uncertain how the change will affect Paper Mill, but the event promoter told him last month that he is willing to plan safety protocols to reopen at the required capacity.

“We’re kind of in limbo right now,” Clarke said. “We’re certainly hoping that with the

vaccine and that the numbers will go down significantly enough.”

Anderson said while the possibility of bringing audience members back to Syracuse Stage remains uncertain for her, she is thrilled that actors can travel to Syracuse to rehearse in person and she endorses the state’s change in guidelines.

“It’s a tremendous step in the right direction,” Anderson said. “Every step we can make in that direction is a little bit of sunlight and encouragement for our folks.” akweiss@syr.edu

provides legal representation to victims of housing discrimination.

John Yinger, a Syracuse University trustee professor of economics, public administration and internal affairs, used to work for an organization that conducted fair housing audits.

When Yinger worked as the research director for the Urban Institute, a think tank in Washington D.C., part of this role was to create the survey questions that testers filled out, he said.

The testers, who often represent renters from different groups being studied, are sent out in response to a property listing, Yinger said. The testers ask if the listing is available and what similar listings are available. After the interaction, the testers fill out a survey describing how they were treated, he said.

“I think it’s very effective,” Yinger said.

“It’s a polished tool, both for enforcement purposes and for research purposes.”

Testers can also be used to audit correspondence, Yinger said.

“A correspondence audit doesn’t observe nearly as much behavior. Mainly you observe whether they get a response,” Yinger said. “You don’t learn as much, but you can learn it in far more places and you still find discrimination even just in responses to email inquiries.”

The “Long Island Divided” study, a threeyear project from Newsday, employed about two dozen undercover testers to audit housing in Long Island. Some parts of the state, such as Long Island, are listed among the top most segregated metro areas in the country, said Olivia Winslow, who worked on the project.

“This was a process,” Winslow said.

During the 2020 Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Syracuse and Onondaga County, a report by CNY Fair Housing, five impediments to equal housing opportunity were listed, along with recommendations on how to fix these issues.

These impediments included lower rates of homeownership for people of color than for white and non-Hispanic households in Syracuse and limited public transportation, which restricted where residents chose to live.

“We hope the state continues to build on this program and we want to do this work,” Santangelo said. “We’re eager to do this work and we’re excited to address the cases of systemic discrimination that we know are still happening in our community.” kmnorusi@syr.edu

geography and the environment and co-chair of the University Senate’s Academic Affairs Committee, also presented the faculty census for the 2020-21 academic year during the meeting.

According to the census, SU saw a 3.6% decline in total faculty since the last census and a nearly 10% decline overall in part-time faculty at the university in the past year. The number of white faculty also decreased by 0.7%, with a slight increase in the amount of Asian, Black and Hispanic or Latino faculty. About 70% of the faculty identifies as white, according to the census.

Members of the University Senate also continued discussing concerns about artifacts in SU’s Special Collections Research Center.

Interim Vice Chancellor and Provost John Liu announced that the university plans to purchase an environment-controlled chamber to hold the most at-risk items in the collection. It is over 700 square feet and will provide

the library with the space it needs for the time being, Liu said.

“I can assure you that we are going to continue this work until the problem is solved,” Liu said. “We have carefully considered all of the options and feel that the interim solution followed by active fundraising is the best solution available to us at this time.”

But some senators still expressed concerns about the university’s interim solution.

Petrina Jackson, the director of SU’s Special Collections Research Center, said that the chamber would only take care of 4% of the endangered materials. She also expressed concern over whether it would take up space in module one, another area that holds some of the center’s materials.

Jackson suggested the money for the chamber go toward module 2, a proposed climate-controlled addition to SU’s existing

library storage building on Jamesville Avenue.

Mark Monmonier, a professor of geography and the environment and the chair of the University Senate Committee on the Libraries, also expressed frustration about transparency between the university and the committee. He asked for clarification about several technical aspects of the chamber, including a timeline of how it will be installed and its cost.

“If I sound annoyed, it’s because I am,” Monmoneir said.

David Seaman, the dean of SU Libraries, assured the senators that he will continue to work with Liu to solve issues in the library and address their concerns.

“None of us are going to let the interim solution become, somehow, the solution,” Seaman said. mehicks@syr.edu @maggie_hickss

divide, but this speaks to a broader issue in our society, which is equity,” Kushner said.

“If you’re living in a richer area, chances are you’re going to have better access to internet, and you can ‘pay to play.’ And it puts a lot of people at a disadvantage.”

Hayes and Kushner view the city’s installation of Wi-Fi access points as a good starting point in narrowing the digital divide. But for city residents without

smartphones or laptops, or those who lack access to transportation to the community centers, these access points likely won’t be beneficial, they said.

The city plans to collect data about the use of the initial six internet access points to determine which neighborhoods may require additional access points, Tifft said.

But these points are only the first step in expanding internet access in Syracuse, and

the city plans to continue to address the issue, she said.

“It really is not OK that so many people who live in our city don’t have reliable internet access or (internet-connected) devices,” she said. “We need to devise a number of solutions to address the problem, because it’s not just access to the internet that’s a problem.” gifollet@syr.edu

like we’ll allow them to help us.”

Klaver said she wants the ambassadors to represent a wide range of interests within the department, including creative writing, film and screen studies, global and ethnic literature and social justice.

The program will allow students interested in English to learn more about the department and classes from other stu-

dents, as well as see students interact with faculty, Kidd said. Some students may be more comfortable speaking with other students, she said.

The program is still in the beginning stages and most of the work done so far has been to brainstorm ideas for the future. There have been a few meetings to begin mapping out ideas, she said. This makes it difficult to start

big projects, she said.

“It’s probably not what you’d expect,” Miranda said. “From my experience, every class that I’ve taken, I’ve had an experience with a film or book that I thought I wouldn’t like and ended up loving. So you can’t really box yourself into understanding what an English class is.” knorusi@syr.edu

OPINION

dailyorange.com opinion@dailyorange.com

PAG E 5

march 25, 2021

column

Sarah Everard’s death is a reminder that women don’t feel safe Editor’s note: This story includes descriptions of sexual assault.

By Polina Plitchenko columnist

W

omen constantly feel unsafe, and this needs to change. It’s unacceptable that, in the 21st century, the safety of women still needs to be discussed. This month has been saturated with discussions about the harassment of women. The only difference between this month and all those before is that people are finally speaking about the issues.

A significant event that sparked such conversation was the tragic murder of Sarah Everard, who was found dead after being abducted while walking home in London. A police officers has been charged with her murder and abduction.

Since news of Everard’s murder came out, women around the world have shared their experiences with harassment and violence. It has become clear that the murder of Everard was not an isolated incident. One in three women globally experience physical and sexual violence. Everyone likely knows at least one person who has been sexually harassed or has experienced violence.

For Syracuse University freshman Lauren Call, Everard’s murder “reminds me of how bad it can be.”

SU sophomore Katie Steel said, “It makes me feel really sad but, beyond that, scared.”

Of the 1,160 SU students who participated in a 2020 sample survey about sexual violence, about 19% said

they experienced nonconsensual sexual contact at the university and about 24% and 17% said they have experienced dating violence and sexual harassment, respectively.

All students at SU have to take a one-time online seminar on sexual harassment prevention, but it’s hard to check the effectiveness of it. It seems to simply check the box in regards to “caring” about the issue of sexual violence.

At the end of the day, women still don’t feel safe on campus, and no course seems to make a difference.

“Forcing people to learn things that they don’t care about just creates resentment,” Call said.

Everard’s murder reminds women that nothing is resolved.

The world is not as safe for us as we would like it to be. More importantly, it reminds us that maybe we should be asking for change not only from the university administration but also from students themselves.

After all, it’s students who create the environment in the institution.

Another email from SU is not what will cause change on campus.

“No offense to the university, but I think it would feel very empty if they did (send an email). It wouldn’t feel genuine,” Call said. “So carefully worded that it feels sterile. No emotion, no nothing.”.

And it’s true – nothing will happen until the students acknowledge the fear women face on a daily basis. Calling out your friend on his potentially threatening behavior, educating yourself on being a better ally for the women around you, and listening to and believing women’s

The murder of Sarah Everard should remind SU students that women should not have to feel consistently unsafe. Unfortunately, this issue has yet to be addressed on campus. emily steinberger photo editor

experiences can make a difference on campus. Because, oftentimes, students have a greater ability to prevent harassment from occurring than the authorities themselves.

Due to modern media coverage, we can start to see how much of an issue we’re facing in regards to harassment and violence toward women. But only 20% of female students report sexual assault, proving that the majority of sexual violence experiences go untold.

Putting pressure on women for what they are wearing or doing is not a solution to the issue, and it’s wrong, too.

“You could do everything right,

and still, something terrible can happen to you,” Call said.

One student shared her story anonymously about her firstsemester experience on SU’s campus when she and her friends were feeling unsafe around a man. The other man in this group sat idly by as they repeatedly tried to distance themselves from his friend. This situation alone shows how topical this problem is on campus.

Everard’s story has pushed other women to share their stories and has sparked conversations about how women shouldn’t have to carry pepper spray, walk home in groups and never be out alone at night to feel safe.

SU students need to reflect on their actions and how they can make the campus feel safer for women.

“I feel like the progression we’ve had in these past 15 years about women’s rights and the importance of women in society, it feels like it’s gone backwards,” Steel said.

It’s important to move forward this Women’s History Month, and moving forward needs to translate to making women feel more comfortable. In the context of SU, moving forward can start right on our own campus.

Polina Plitchenko is a junior psychology major. Her column appears biweekly. She can be reached at pplitche@syr.edu.

absence of light

Stop treating imprisoned people like they’re not human

By Felipe Lebron columnist

T

oday, I was put on a call-out for a COVID-19 test. COVID19 tests are like cell searches — very random for up to 30 people a day. I don’t mind. I want one because, last month, I fell very sick and lost my sense of smell for 20 days.

People won’t believe how stressful it is not to smell. It’s horrible. I tried seeking medical attention, and all they did was take my temperature and say I was fine. I couldn’t believe it. I have asthma and was truly terrified. No one knows what it’s like to be sick and have to medicate themselves back to 100% efficiency. I’ve learned of a prison remedy that consists of tea, honey, lemon juice and garlic. It’s highly effective if taken regularly. I’m thankful to God I won that fight.

So I go for my COVID-19 test, and I’m directed to a waiting area that isn’t much bigger than a standard living room. Here, your life is gambled.

I’m not the only one in this little

News Editor Michael Sessa Editorial Editor Cori Dill Culture Editor Sydney Bergan Sports Editor Roshan Fernandez Presentation Director Shannon Kirkpatrick Photo Editor Emily Steinberger Video Editor Rose Skylstad Podcast Editor Moriah Humiston Illustration Editor Nabeeha Anwar Enterprise Editor Gabe Stern Asst. News Editor Sarah Alessandrini Asst. News Editor Mira Berenbaum

room. There are close to 30 other people here, and no one can tell who is sick and who isn’t. There is no room for social distancing, so if one person is sick, all of us are exposed. We all wait in this room for almost an hour.

I’m highly upset. They call all of us down here, and they haven’t started running the test, and when they finally do, the nurse doesn’t change her gloves after each test. I notice this first and respectfully ask her to change her glove before my test. She does so, but I wonder how many tests she did before changing them. I feel as if I’m cattle.

They are giving vaccines here as well, but only to staff and inmates over 55 years old. I can understand that for the most part.

The rest of the population will get the option for a vaccine when more are available, but I’m still doubtful about it. I expect they will give us ultimatums like, “If we don’t get the vaccine, we can’t have visits” or something stupid like that. I want my visits, so if I have to, I will.

Asst. News Editor Maggie Hicks Asst. Editorial Editor Megan Cooper Asst. Editorial Editor Hamere Debebe Asst. Culture Editor Louis Platt Asst. Culture Editor Chris Scarglato Asst. Sports Editor Allie Kaylor Asst. Sports Editor Skyler Rivera Design Editor Maya Goosmann Design Editor Yiwei He Design Editor Talley Schroeder Design Editor Sarah Jimenez Miles Asst. Photo Editor Annabelle Gordon

They have taken everything from us here during the pandemic.

They close visits when the officers and staff are the ones to bring the virus in here and infect us in the first place. They only allow us to send emails out to family and loved ones once a week, and they give us only one hour outside and only 15 minutes to make phone calls.

Everything is up and running again except visits. Inmates are forced to go to school, work and trade shifts, but visits remain closed for reasons I do not understand. I’m currently enrolled in college, and I’m halfway to getting my associates degree in liberal arts. It’s not the same as in-person classes. We are given packages of work and instructions on how or what to do. The motivation isn’t there anymore, but I understand; the professors, aides and students don’t want to get infected.

The hand sanitizers they have in certain locations around the prison are for us, but not cleaning them reg-

Our columnist details his experience of dealing with the pandemic behind bars.

gabe stern enterprise editor

ularly forces people not to use them.

When we did, it left a nasty smell on our hands, and it’s not disinfectant.

This is a little game to the officers.

They were told not to use them, so why are we using them, then?

Where is the sense in all of this?

We are human, too. Not all of us

deserve to be here, and we shouldn’t be judged by past mistakes. People change. Everyone deserves a second chance.

Felipe Lebron is a Syracuse resident currently incarcerated at Auburn Correctional Facility. He is serving a 16-year sentence.

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CULTURE

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PAG E 7

march 25, 2021

Tune in for change

MAYA BENJAMIN (LEFT) AND OLAMIDE OLAYINKA met as roommates during their freshman year and started their podcast “America, Make it Make Sense!” to find logic behind the world’s current events.

emily steinberger photo editor

2 SU sophomores created the podcast “America, Make it Make Sense!” to talk about the world from their perspective

By Kasey O’Rourke staff writer

M

aya Benjamin and Olamide Olayinka called each other multiple times a week during the beginning of the pandemic. Olayinka remembers “make it make sense” was a phrase she found herself repeating.

“We talked on the phone a lot during quarantine about everything going on in the world surrounding COVID and things in our personal lives, and Olamide would always say, ‘Make it make sense,’” Benjamin said. “One day, we joked about how we should do a podcast.”

The Syracuse University sophomores turned this joke into their podcast “America, Make It Make Sense!” where they search for logic in current events. The podcast recently became available on streaming services such as Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

The duo’s chemistry stems from rooming together freshman year, and the pair released the first episode of their podcast — “Is College Worth It?” — in January. Their conversation topics range from the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol to interracial relationships and the British royal family. The two choose their discussion topics based on what people are talking about at the time.

“I really stress the importance of what people are talking about,” Olayinka said. “And what people are discussing within themselves, because it’s how we attract more people to the platform.”

If there’s one thing they hope people can take away from tuning in, it’s the power of conversation.

Olayinka said that discussion, especially when uncomfortable, is how change happens. She hopes listening to the podcast can inspire this.

So far, the duo has received feedback from people who don’t necessarily agree with the hosts, see podcast page 8

humor column

Hear me out: COVID-19 spit tests are (kind of) relaxing

By Eliot Fish

humor columnist

Ask yourself something: How are you making use of those few invaluable serenely quiet moments in a week?

Moments with no distractions, no phones, no friends checking in on you to see if you’re still alive after last night. Moments where

it’s just you, a tube, some spit and your thoughts. For those of you who frequent a relaxing tube spit, I’m sure this advice will simply be a whimsical rehashing of what you, my saliva-happy friends, already know.

But this article is for those of you that treat your weekly COVID19 test as a chore that comes with a reminder in the form of a dooms-

day email. These are precious moments you’re throwing out as though they were useless rubber bands. Instead, cherish those rubber bands and make a fun ball.

Listen up.

Let’s run through your current spit test routine. You walk into the Dome, dressed like you stole your outfit off the dollar store mannequin. You traipse down the line,

racked with guilt for not making an appointment yet again despite knowing exactly when you were coming and get your table assignment: 11. “OK,” you think, “not as high as 12, but not as low as 10. We can work with that.”

You answer a few questions, grab your designated saliva vessel and head to a booth for a quick spit session. You think to yourself that

you may just have the best salivary glands of anyone you know, immediately retract the thought when you walk out and see the guy in the next booth one-spit the whole tube, drop your spit off to be closely examined and leave. That’s what you do.

You might as well be a Tesla, because you were moving on autopilot that whole time. You believe see humor page 8

8 march 25, 2021

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from page 7

podcast Benjamin said. After the podcast’s third episode “Is Love Really Colorblind?” dropped, the hosts received some comments taking the opposite stance.

Sophomore Meredith Cooper was a featured guest on the third episode, where she shared her perspective on the stigma associated with being a white woman in an interracial relationship, which she has personally experienced. Cooper said that “America, Make from page 7

humor what you’ve done is taken your weekly spit test with Buddy Boeheim-like efficiency (meaning above-average but not elite). What you’ve actually done is wasted the potential for beautiful, unadulterated thought.

We have to take the spit test every week.

You and I both should commit to using that time more effectively. We should use that time to ponder things, ask questions about life, consider how we got there, where we’re going and why Nick is taking two hours to respond to our Snapchats even though he really seemed interested. In the interest of getting us started, I took the liberty of preparing a list of things we all could stand to ponder while we’re spitting in a tube: • Why do they force me to face my SUID photo towards them? Do they want me to forget my own face?

• What’s the SECOND best Journey song?

• If another pandemic comes along, one more resistant to testing, what substance will they have to test next?

• Will they start testing my sweat? Does it have to be hard workout sweat or can it be putting-this-sweater-on-was-amistake sweat?

• Did Waldo ever wash that shirt?

• Is the girl in the next booth flirting with me? I thought I saw the curtain move.

• Why are we here? Why are we still doing this? Why can’t people just wear their

It Make Sense!” sticks out from other studentrun podcasts because of the hosts’ willingness to not shy away from controversial topics, but rather encourage them.

Cooper believes change needs to happen in this world and raw discussion is one of the first steps to making it happen.

“The message they want to get across is that we as people of this Earth need to talk about certain things and figure them out to make where we live a better place,” Cooper said.

Part of how Benjamin and Olayinka want to continue these conversations is by

Eliot Fish is a senior television, radio, film major who writes the humor column for The Daily Orange. He can be found at ebfish@syr.edu or trying to befriend a possum who has no interest in being his friend.

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she might not have known before. Olayinka, who is also pursuing policy studies in addition to her public relations major, sees the opportunity as helpful to put her knowledge from class to practice in podcasting since she hopes to continue podcasting as a career.

“I don’t ever want to limit myself,” Olayinka said. “Sometimes we all show a purpose.

And I think that this podcast really helps to fulfill it, because it’s another step into what I want to do for the rest of my life.” korourke@syr.edu

masks? Not saying I wear my mask, but I feel like it’s really more on other people than it is on me. I’m just one person, they’re all the other people.

• Why is my spit foamy and bubble filled?

Is it carbonated? Is this Dr. Pepper’s testing method?

• Seriously, I think the girl in the next booth is definitely flirting with me, she keeps messing with the curtain. I should go say hi.

• Nope. That was a possum. How did a possum get in here? Should I still give it my number?

• That possum just ripped up my phone number. Damn.

This collection of sporadic thoughts, my friends, is just the tip of the iceberg.

You may not like a few of these thoughts, you may believe you’d never think any of them, but the point still stands. Your weekly COVID-19 test is only a chore if you let it be. Use that time, explore the cavernous expanse of your mind, and don’t just go through the motions. Next time you spit in a tube, make sure to ponder something — anything — as long as it’s not whether a possum will appreciate your phone number or not. The answer to that is a definitive no.

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featuring guests that have opposing views, something they wish to incorporate in their future episodes.

This endeavor has also led the pair to developing skills they did not previously have.

Despite the assistance of a friend who helped design their graphics, Benjamin and Olayinka wear many hats within the podcast like creating designs by using the graphic design platform Canva.

Benjamin, a policy studies major, finds these differences as opportunities to strengthen opinions and learn something

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from page 12

sitions and contract the defense, before firing passes to open shooters on the perimeter.

from page 12

The Orange have 6-foot-7 freshman Kamilla Cardoso — who’s still developing her talents and learning to use her height to her full advantage — but they didn’t use her enough in the paint. On a semi-frequent basis, especially early in the season, Syracuse didn’t want to adjust its offense to go inside to the paint on days when it was bricking 3s. The Orange’s second round exit was a disappointment compared to preseason expectations, and a part of that was because of Syracuse’s inability to make shots, particularly against top opponents.

Overall defense

The point guard led the nation in assists as a sophomore before becoming the Orange’s all-time assists leader her junior year. She was diagnosed with breast cancer the summer before her senior year and was forced to sit out the entire year.

Wildhack described Mangakahia’s journey over the last two years as “courageous” and “inspirational.” She was declared cancer-free in November 2019 and started 20 games this season.

The point guard played in her final game for Syracuse on Tuesday when the Orange fell to UConn in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

She said she’ll be entering her name into the WNBA Draft. Postgame, head coach Quentin Hillsman broke down into tears when reflecting on Mangakahia’s time at SU.

report card

Tim Nolan: C+ The offense was far too one-dimensional early on. Tiana Mangakahia would receive a highball screen to initiate offense, and in theory, she’d either have the center rolling to the hoop, a shooter on the wing or a shot she could take herself. But with Syracuse shooting just over 30% from 3-point range all season, teams would give up a skip pass to the corner to trap Mangakahia on the screen. It resulted in bad losses at Clemson and Florida State, where she had seven and eight turnovers, respectively.

The offense diversified as the season progressed, but the Orange’s shooting woes didn’t.

SU only shot over 43% eight times all season, and that’s the biggest reason its season is over.

Thomas Shults: BIt became clear throughout the season that, no matter the personnel on the floor, Syracuse was going to shoot 3s in bunches. But on occasions when those shots didn’t fall — like SU’s 3-of-15 shooting from 3 against UConn — Hillsman refused to adjust. While the Orange shot the third-worst percentage in the Atlantic Coast Conference from distance, it attempted the third-most shots.

For a team with Cardoso and a deep rotation of bigs, Syracuse rarely utilized its inside presence. Instead, Hillsman ran increasingly predictable curls and off-ball-screens in attempts to free up shooters. Many of those looks turned into quick-fire, off-balance shots. SU could have played inside-out, looking to score over oppo-

Fernandez: B+ All season, Syracuse conceded early runs and regularly dug itself into double-digit deficits that required stressful, fatiguing comebacks.

The Orange pulled off those comebacks, but their up-and-down defense was one big reason they were in that position.

UConn’s the best team in the nation in field goal shooting percentage (51.7%), but the disparity between the Huskies and Syracuse’s defense was on full display on Tuesday.

Syracuse is an incredible shot-blocking team, and it’s been very good at grabbing steals, too.

But the bottom line is the Orange were the tallest team in the ACC, and they probably should’ve been better defensively.

Nolan: ASyracuse had only three bad games defensively — North Carolina, Virginia Tech and UConn.

The Huskies were also just the second team to shoot over 50% against the Orange this season after Hokies did so on Feb 21. While HerHoopStats ranked the Orange 248th in the country in opponent points per game, that’s more indicative of SU’s pace of play than its defensive lapses.

wildhack I wish we would’ve done it, could’ve done it sooner.

But we’re absolutely committed to it.

John Wildhack

director of athletics

“She’s just a really tough kid,” Hillsman said. “(She had) every reason to quit and she didn’t quit, she came back and gave it everything she had … toughest kid I ever coached.” aekaylor@syr.edu @cincinnallie

Shults: AFor a team that sprints back-and-forth all game long — forcing opponents to do the same — Syracuse’s defense is remarkably good.

Despite frequently recovering in transition defense and applying a full-court press in seemingly every game, Syracuse only allowed opponents to shoot 41.1%.

SU forced the fourth-most turnovers per game in the conference, as Kiara Lewis and Mangakahia pressed and rotated well at the top of the 2-3 zone. The experienced duo played well off each other, with the guards jumping into passing lanes at opportune moments. Down low, SU had the best shot blocker in the ACC, with Cardoso blocking more shots than five ACC teams. sports@dailyorange.com @DOSports

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men’s lacrossse

Opponent preview: Everything to know about No. 2 Duke

By Roshan Fernandez sports editor

Watching the rivalry between Syracuse and Duke when he was younger was one of the reasons goalie Drake Porter came to SU. Gettysburg transfer and defender Mitch Wykoff said the words “Duke week” have been echoing throughout the program since the first practice of the week, words that carry a “different energy” heading into SU’s first away game.

“Everybody’s fired up, it’s a scary sight to see,” Wykoff said on Tuesday ahead of his first Syracuse-Duke matchup. “I wouldn’t (want to) be on the other side of the field.”

The No. 4 Orange (4-1, 1-0 Atlantic Coast) will play their second ACC game of the season and their first road game of the year against the No. 2 Blue Devils (8-0, 0-0) on Thursday in Durham, North Carolina. Here’s everything you need to know about the Blue Devils before Thursday night’s game:

All-time series

Syracuse leads 13-6

Last time they played

When the two teams met at Cicero-North Syracuse High School in 2019, Brendan Curry missed his first 11 shots before burying his 12th to lift Syracuse to a 9-8 overtime victory over No. 2 Duke. The win kept Syracuse alive in the conference title race as the Orange climbed back from a four-goal deficit at halftime and three-goal one in the fourth quarter.

Head coach John Desko called it a “bit of a sloppy game,” but Syracuse came alive in the final frame when it needed to. The Orange found the net just three times in the first 51 minutes, but Curry’s overtime goal in the last minute of play rescued SU and cemented its 9-8 win.

The last three meetings between the two teams have been decided by a single goal, with the matchups in 2019 and 2017 going into overtime.

The Duke report

The Blue Devils returned 10 seniors from from page 12

edwards professionals’ skillsets. Edwards competed in multi-event track and field competitions, earning spots on the podium for skills like sprints, long jump and high jump — what David said paved the skillset for his son’s dunking and shot-blocking ability, even if basketball wasn’t on their radar at that point.

But then the Edwards’ Florida family vacation in the summer of 2010 overlapped with the night LeBron James signed with the Miami Heat. Posters of James and Dwyane Wade hung outside buildings and on the streets of Miami, and television cameras recorded a city rejoicing over a sport with such little exposure from where Edwards and his family lived.

On that same trip, they looked at IMG Academy as a tennis school for Kai, and potentially Edwards. When they returned home, though, Edwards and his two brothers started to learn the basics of basketball, inspired by the celebrations they witnessed in Miami. They went to Perry Sport and bought basic pairs of Nike sneakers. They bought nets for the public rims and tied them on.

As the youngest, Edwards struggled to beat his brothers. He hadn’t signed up for competitive basketball yet, and was smaller and weakfrom page 12

defense that simulate fast breaks, transition play and full-field situations. They vary from 6-on-5, 5-on-4 or 4-on-3, but all the drills emphasize numbers-down situations for the backline.

Regularly executing transition drills at practice has helped the defense get on the same page, Wykoff said Tuesday. The graduate transfer from Gettysburg made his Division I debut in the UVA game on Feb. 27. It was a difficult adjustment to be thrown into the lineup, as he had little time to develop chemistry with the other players on the field, he said.

“It takes really efficient conversation, real-

the 2020 season to build Inside Lacrosse’s preseason No. 1 team. Duke lost the No. 1 spot to North Carolina in the fifth week of the season, though both teams currently sit at 8-0. Thursday’s Syracuse-Duke matchup will mark the Blue Devils’ ACC opener after defeating ranked opponents Denver, High Point and Richmond.

Duke’s most notable player is Princeton transfer Michael Sowers, who was averaging an NCAA-high 9.1 points per game before the 2020 season was cut short, two points more than any Division I player since 2011. This season, he has 44 points through eight games.

Sowers, who briefly showed interest in transferring to Syracuse, chose Duke partially because of its one-year graduate program, Desko said.

“Probably, if Michael Sowers had said he wanted to go to Syracuse, I don’t think I’d say no,” Desko joked on Tuesday.

The Blue Devils added No. 1 Class of 2020 recruit Brennan O’Neill — Syracuse’s Owen Hiltz is No. 2. Desko emphasized Duke’s experience when mentioning the 15 graduate students on its roster.

How Syracuse defeats the Blue Devils

A win over the Blue Devils starts with the Orange’s backline. If Syracuse’s defensive unit can limit the offensive production of Sowers, O’Neill and senior attack Joe Robertson, the Orange will have a good shot at a win. Duke may have depth at midfield, but Syracuse has the best first-line midfield in the country.

The Orange may look to invert their offense via Curry and Jamie Trimboli like they’ve done through their first five games. Curry said Tuesday that the Orange don’t like to predetermine too much and will play off what Duke shows them, but SU has begun to perfect its invert package, using it as a go-to when the shot clock is winding down or when the offense gets a favorable matchup, Curry said.

A strong defensive game and a big outing from Porter in goal, paired with Syracuse’s All-American midfield, would likely propel SU to an upset win over No. 2 Duke.

Syracuse’s last game against Duke ended in a 9-8 overtime thriller in 2019 where Brendan Curry scored the winning goal. josh shub-seltzer staff photographer

Stat to know: 65.6%

Faceoff specialist Jake Naso has won 65.5% of his faceoffs, a clip that ranks in the top-15 in the nation. In comparison, Syracuse’s Jakob Phaup has a 59.3% winning percentage this season. In what might likely become another close Syracuse-Duke matchup, the winner will need to win the majority of their faceoffs. Desko said that both offenses thrive on having the ball for extended periods of time, and there’s “going to be a battle” when it comes to faceoffs.

When Duke does lose faceoffs, the Blue Devils apply a lot of pressure to prevent opponents from clearing the ball into the offensive end of the field, Desko said.

“They’re just not going to let them have it easily. They’re going to press out, so we’ve worked on that this week also,” he said.

Player to watch: Brennan O’Neill, freshman, attack

The freshman attack ranks No. 1 in the Class of 2020 recruiting group. So far in 2021, he’s scored 22 goals and added five assists through eight games, the most goals and the third-most points among the Blue Devils.

O’Neill is a strong, powerful attack at 6-foot2 and 230 pounds, but he’s also a very elusive dodger. Desko said he’s been watching the lefty play for a few years, emphasizing that the Orange need to let him go to the right and try to take away the left but adding that he’s seen O’Neill score a couple right-handed goals.

The freshman will prove to be a tough matchup for the Orange, and he and Sowers are just starting to get things going, which Desko said will make the duo that much more dangerous. rferna04@syr.edu @Roshan_F16

er than Kai and Rens. Finding different ways to outsmart them and score became essential.

That came easy to Edwards because of his outside-the-box thinking, Kai said. He was the one who took a dart with each hand and stuck them into an outlet at age 11 — curious about what would happen and finding out it meant an electric shock and trip to the hospital. The one who mixed too many chemical solutions and caused steam to pour out of his high school classroom. The one who taught himself piano after he got bored with learning musical theory in lessons, who picked up chess and still plays David online, who, when going to the grocery store, was almost guaranteed to go exploring and disappear.

So Edwards found ways to become the better ballhandler and mid-range shooter.

“When you’re smaller you just have to find different ways to score, he couldn’t just rely on his physicality,” Kai said. “With him being tall now and still having some of those skills, that definitely helps him.”

That prompted the move to Florida and IMG — for basketball, not tennis — to capitalize on his raw potential and turn it into a college offer. BC Apollo, the club in Amsterdam the brothers played at, provided the first step, and a postgraduate year was then next. A visa problem delayed Edwards’ arrival at IMG until the

spring, but within a month, Syracuse, Georgia Tech and Vanderbilt, among others, had all gauged interest. It was the first time he started lifting weights seriously, the first time he was able to experience and adjust to a faster tempo.

Some issues he had when he first started, like defensive positioning and decisionmaking when defending shooters and drivers, have still carried over to Syracuse and remain unsolved. Others, like conditioning, have improved by working with assistant coach Allen Griffin, cramming drills into 30or 40-minute intervals to simulate a game.

“It’s been a real challenge,” Edwards said.

“I feel like it’s never anybody (who) has a checkmark (of approval). “It’s every practice, every game, you gotta keep proving yourself over and over again.”

For most of Syracuse’s season, Edwards struggled to do that. Minutes on the court seemed to be undone when they were followed by a quick exit to the bench. Twenty-three minutes against Miami turned into five combined over the next three games. Boeheim compared his backups, including Edwards, to the freshman starting quarterback that everyone wants to see, only to find out when he does play that he’s nowhere near ready like the coach said all along. He praised Edwards for his potential, but then chided him for mistakes

in the same sentence.

Against Georgia Tech, though, Edwards set career-highs in minutes and points when Marek Dolezaj ran into foul trouble. He found pockets of space for three dunks, altered shots, and nearly helped the Orange pull off a secondhalf comeback. Then, he followed that up with 24 minutes the next game against North Carolina — where a Tar Heel forward said postgame that Edwards was SU’s most difficult player to rebound against.

“With his build and him growing into his body, he is kinda a project in the sense that it probably takes him a little bit longer,” Kai said.

That’s why Edwards worked out with his brothers in a quasi-weight room they set up in the garden over the summer, why practices with the Dutch national team helped that extra strength transfer over to the court, why he wasn’t extremely discouraged when he didn’t become SU’s starting center after Sidibe’s injury.

Former SU forwards Etan Thomas and Roosevelt Bouie both reached out during the season to offer words of encouragement — “your time will come, just be ready,” recalled Edwards’ mother, Simone. Edwards still isn’t ready, and that’s expected. But he’s as close as he’s ever been.

ly efficient, quick conversation, and we’re on the same page I think,” Wykoff said.

Playing against Syracuse’s offense, especially in transition drills, forces the defense to be mentally and physically quick, Wykoff said. The Orange average 16 goals a game, the seventh-most in the nation.

This season, goalie Drake Porter has highlighted three points for his defensive unit to focus on before each game. Against Holy Cross, transition was one of the defense’s three points of emphasis, Porter said. The starting defense allowed just two goals — neither of which came in transition — prompting Porter to say postgame that “we hit all those (points) really well.” The defense’s effort against Holy

Cross showed measurable progress in transition since February.

Down by a goal in the waning minutes of the first half, Black Knights’ defenseman Jack Weigand scooped up a ground ball on his own half of the field and connected with Bryan Lehman across the midfield line. Army advanced the ball forward, and within seconds, Nickolas Edinger had ripped a sidearm shot past Porter to tie the game.

Moments earlier, longstick midfielder Landon Clary scrambled on at midfield. A voice from the sideline shouted “man on” as Clary charged onto the field, but he was too late. Clary tried to recover, but his defensive unit was left shorthanded.

The miscommunication in transition cost SU a goal. In the weeks since, Syracuse has practiced to avoid those same errors — for the most part, they’ve proved that the errors could be chalked up to season-opener rust.

The defense showed progress when it shut down then-No. 2 UVA in transition and did the same in the next three games, albeit against nonconference opponents.

Now, in the Orange’s second conference game of the year, they’ll have to prove it once again. “(The defense is) just so athletic and experienced that one game isn’t going to write the story,” Curry said.

arcrane@syr.edu @CraneAndrew

rferna04@syr.edu @roshan_F16

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SPORTS

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PAG E 12

march 25, 2021

Jesse Edwards isn’t ready yet. But he’s close.

men’s lacrosse

SU defense evolves after Army loss defeat

By Roshan Fernandez sports editor

jesse edwards started playing basketball at a late age and had to learn the game, and adjust to his growth spurt. He played at IMG Academy before receiving an offer from Syracuse in early 2019. courtesy of rich barnes usa today sports

Center Jesse Edwards started playing basketball later than most, but he’s shown glimpses of success at SU

By Andrew Crane

senior staff writer

T

he Cruyff Court basketball rims stood 10 minutes away from Jesse Edwards’ house, five minutes if he and his two brothers biked, so that’s where they went. It was the first time in years they had the opportunity to go, with scattered summer workouts and practices no longer an obstacle. Kai had just finished his senior season at Northern Colorado before flying home to Amsterdam. Rens’ playing career had been derailed by injuries and a late start, but his job as a trading manager kept him close to home. And Edwards had just finished his freshman season at Syracuse.

It was summer 2020, and the three were back at the court where they all tried out basketball for the first time six years prior.

They were teenagers then, with Rens the oldest at 16 and the only one signed up for lessons at the local basketball club — that made him the de facto coach. There weren’t many courts to choose from either, since basketball wasn’t widespread in Amsterdam. So at the

court named after the famous Dutch soccer player, whose No. 14 Edwards wears now at Syracuse, Rens taught his younger brothers the concept of a pick and roll, the precise way they needed to hold the ball when shooting, and the even more precise wrist flick to create the necessary backspin.

Last summer, though, it was Kai leading.

He ran Edwards through the different post moves he’d learned at NCU, the shooting drills that required 10 makes from each of the five spots on the court. He noticed how Edwards’ 6-foot-11 frame still contained guard-like instincts, reflecting the type of player he was while learning the game — before growing eight inches and leaping to IMG Academy and SU. Edwards’ late start, combined with his rapid growth spurt in high school, created two transition periods: one for learning the game for the first time, and another for relearning it after he grew. The second one is still ongoing at Syracuse. It’s the reason conversations that summer between Edwards, his parents and head coach Jim Boeheim revolved around a potential redshirt year.

An extra year of development would key

Edwards’ progress, bridging the gap until Bourama Sidibe graduates and the Orange’s starting center spot opens up.

But then COVID-19 gave every collegiate player a free year, and Sidibe’s injury in the first game created a gaping hole at center.

The only problem, Boeheim said repeatedly throughout the season, is that Syracuse didn’t have anyone ready to fill it. For the last month, though, Edwards has taken the largest steps toward that point — serving as one of Syracuse’s top options off the bench, including 16 minutes and five rebounds in the Orange’s win over San Diego State in the NCAA Tournament’s first round.

“He felt like he was doing good in practice and stuff,” Kai said. “And then to just hear you’re not ready, especially when there’s no real other option, that one’s kinda hard for him, just because he felt like he was ready.”

For most of Edwards’ upbringing, David never expected, or wanted, his sons to become basketball players. He envisioned tennis players: their height, the wingspan, the power that could — if fine-tuned properly — resemble something similar to some see edwards page 10

In Syracuse’s season-opener against Army, the Black Knights strung four passes together in under seven seconds to go end-to-end for their first goal. They traveled the length of the field again after scooping up a loose ball to catch SU’s defense off guard in the second quarter.

They scored twice on man-up opportunities, too, striking before the Orange could properly set their defense and marking assignments.

“We did not get back on defense,” head coach John Desko said after the loss. “We knew that they would push the ball if they had numbers going from defense to offense.”

That was Feb. 21. More than a month later, No. 4 Syracuse’s defense has evolved and improved.

Aggressive defense early in the shot clock is something the unit worked on frequently after the Army loss, Desko said.

The Orange (4-1, 1-0 Atlantic Coast) faceoff against No. 2 Duke (8-0) on Thursday evening for their second conference game of the year and their first matchup away from the Carrier Dome. Syracuse has recently been doing transition drills more often, Desko said, which benefit the attacks and defenders and will be particularly important for “Duke week.”

The Blue Devils rank No. 22 in the country in clear percentage (87%), the highest of an SU opponent so far this season. even though it’s a short week — the Orange played Saturday and play again on Thursday — the transition drills will be crucial heading into arguably SU’s biggest regular season matchup of the season, Desko said.

“We’ve had to get some (transition drills) in, even on a short week, because Duke really loves the transition game,” Desko said Tuesday.

Defending early in the shot clock is all about whether the unit is clicking, Brendan Curry said. Its steadily increasing overall communication correlates with the improvement in transitional play, defender Mitch Wykoff said.

The Orange use a variety of drills see

women’s basketball

defense page 10

su athletics

Report card: Grading Syracuse to retire woman's jersey Syracuse’s season

By Allie Kaylor

asst. sports editor

By The Daily Orange Sports Staff

After Syracuse’s season-ending loss to No. 1 UConn on Tuesday night in San Antonio, our beat writers evaluated the Orange’s season using grades A through F. Below is The Daily Orange’s repor t c a rd for Sy racuse’s sea son, which concluded in the second round of the NCA A Tourna ment w ith a 36 -point loss to the Huskies:

Overall offense

Roshan Fernandez: BIt’s no secret that head coach Quentin Hillsman’s offenses are structured to be heavy on 3-pointers.

But this season, the Orange had 10 games where they made five or fewer 3-pointers — including on Tuesday against UConn. While Syracuse attempted the 45th-most 3-pointers in the nation, according to the NCAA, it ranks 191st in 3-point percentage (30.4%). see report

card page 9

Syracuse Athletics has established a committee to retire a women’s jersey, Director of Athletics John Wildhack said in a press conference Wednesday. He mentioned Tiana Mangakahia as “worthy of consideration” to have her No. 4 jersey retired by SU. The committee, which includes Chief Communications Officer Sue Edson, Deputy Director of Athletics Andrew Goodrich and Associate Athletic Director Salatha Willis, has a set

of criteria for determining which jerseys to retire.

“I wish we would’ve done it, could’ve done it sooner,” Wildhack said. “But we’re absolutely committed to it.”

Wildhack and SU have received criticism in the past for not retiring a women’s jersey. SU sponsors 11 Division I women’s sports but has yet to retire a jersey in school history. There have been 21 jerseys retired in school history, 15 men’s basketball and six football ones.

Wildhack said the delay is because the athletic department wants to have a ceremony

in front of fans rather than in an empty stadium due to the pandemic. Syracuse basketball did not allow fans at games all season, though three lacrosse games so far have featured a limited student crowd.

“I don’t want to do it until we can have fans back in the stands so we can celebrate their achievements appropriately and our community can celebrate with them,” Wildhack said.

Mangakahia has been a popular candidate among fans and former SU players for jersey retirement. see

wildhack page 9