Thursday, Nov. 9, 2017

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Thursday, Nov. 9, 2017 | Indiana Daily Student | idsnews.com

IDS Remembering the life of IU student Julian Baek By Annie Aguiar aguiara@iu.edu @annabelaguiar

He grins in most of the photos. Of the 119 in the slideshow played at his vigil, he is smiling wide: rock climbing, at restaurants with family, trying on silly hats in a store with friends, riding on the back of an elephant and throwing a peace sign in the air. This was the life of Julian Baek.

Baek, 29, died Nov. 1. Baek graduated from the Kelley School of Business in December 2015 with a bachelor of science in marketing and technology management and was about to graduate in the winter with a master of science in informations systems degree with concentrations in enterprise systems and business intelligence. A vigil was held in Baek’s honor Nov. 4 near the Kelley graduate building, with friends, classmates

and faculty gathered to remember him. Electric candles surrounded a framed photo of Baek, with information security books stacked behind the frame in honor of his studies. The slideshow of the 119 photos played in the background on a loop. Baek, born in South Korea, traveled to 22 countries and SEE BAEK, PAGE 6

COURTESY PHOTO

Graduate student Julian Baek died Nov. 1. Organizations and friends of Baek contributed to a GoFundMe page that covered his funeral costs.

Robert Johnson’s last ride In his senior season, Johnson embraces call to leadership By Andrew Hussey aphussey@indiana.edu @thehussnetwork

The realization that it’s the beginning of the end has begun to hit senior guard Robert Johnson. After three years and 87 career starts, he stands on the precipice of scoring 1,000 career points. His final season as a Hoosier begins Friday night against Indiana State, but he’s soaking in every single second. “I try to take every moment in for what it is,” Johnson said. “I try not to take any moment for granted realizing that I am a senior. I’m definitely excited about this year.” In the moments since Johnson walked off the floor in Atlanta following a first round National Invitation Tournament loss in March, a lot has changed for him and the IU program. The coach that recruited and helped him grow is gone, along with the system where he had so much success. His backcourt partner — James Blackmon Jr. — departed for the NBA. Johnson almost joined him.

Entering the NBA Draft process, Johnson heard from many different scouts and front-office executives and decided to return to IU for one last opportunity. The message he said he received was the scouts wanted to see him play point guard at a high level under new coach Archie Miller. “They wanted to see how I will handle being one of the primary scorers this upcoming year,” Johnson said. “And I think, as far as Archie's system, with some of the things that we've already went over, I think it will help me as far as getting in the open court and handling the ball more and pick-and-roll.” Following the announcement that he would come back for his senior season, Johnson dedicated himself to improving both his body and his game. Under Cliff Marshall, the new strength and conditioning coach, Johnson transformed his diet and body. “I've never seen a guy as motivated physically to be where he's at right now,” Miller said. “He's probably the best-conditioned player that I've ever been around.”

Motivated to improve his overall game in the offseason, he is now tasked by Miller with a bigger role on both ends of the court. Miller said that he’s been impressed by the amount of talking he’s seen from Johnson, and he wants him to be more assertive. “I think to keep him as aggressive as possible we want to keep things simple for him and let him be himself,” Miller said. “And I think simplifying things for him, so he can be the most aggressive Rob he can be is a good thing.” That aggression had already been a work in progress. Shooting 174 more times last season than he did as a sophomore, Johnson increased his points per game total by about five points per game. But as the most experienced Hoosier on the roster, he will be asked to more of a leader. “I think it’s just having an attack mentality with everything,” Johnson said. “Defensively, pressuring the ball, staying true to techniques. Offensively, just having the mindset of trying to create either for myself or a teammate every time I have the ball.”

EVAN DE STEFANO | IDS

Senior guard Robert Johnson goes up for a layup during the Hoosier Hysteria scrimmage Oct. 21. Johnson is one of several IU men’s basketball seniors in their final year with the program.

When a team changes coaches, it tends to be a major adjustment for the players. The biggest difference between Miller and Tom Crean is the defensive schemes they employ. Miller was known for the strong defenses he cultivated at Dayton. At the center of Miller’s first Hoosier defense will be Johnson, who has been a strong defender in his first three seasons. He knows he’s going to have to step into that role as an attacking perimeter defender. “I think I’m going to have to be More basketball inside Check out the 2017 Basketball Guide inside, and even more basketball content online at specials.idsnews.com/iubb. SEE JOHNSON, PAGE 6

Opera ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ coming to MAC By Clark Gudas ckgudas@umail.iu.edu | @This_Isnt_Clark

From the TV screen to the stage, George Bailey is helping angels get their wings in “It’s a Wonderful Life.” “It’s a Wonderful Life” will be performed from Nov. 10-17 at the Musical Arts Center. Tickets start at $12 for students. Based on the 1946 holiday classic, the opera follows George Bailey and his emotional struggle

with lost dreams and financial ruin at the bank he runs. Told through the eyes of his guardian angel Clara, the story begins as she saves George from committing suicide by jumping off a bridge. After George wishes he were never born, Clara takes him through a series of flashbacks that demonstrate how different life would be without him. “It’s a tale of redemption and grace of someone who has had life go against him in every way,” said

Edward Atkinson, the actor playing George Bailey and a grad student studying vocal performance. “He’s shown by this angel that his life is still overflowing with love and goodness.” In one of their flashbacks, Clara and George see George giving out loans to people who can’t afford to pay them so they can have houses. However, profit-oriented banker and antagonist Mr. Potter is more interested in money than human dignity and starts interfering with

George’s work. “He realized how many people he had affected just by being there,” said Anne Slovin, actress playing Clara and grad student studying vocal performance. “One of the wonderful messages of the story is that you’re never actually alone.” In older operas, story development follows a pattern — something happens and characters sing SEE OPERA, PAGE 6

THIS SATURDAY! NOV 11, 8 P.M. IU AUDITORIUM IUAUDITORIUM.COM


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