Kentucky Kernel: November 4, 2021

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Thursday, November 4, 2021 est. 1892 | Independent since 1971

FROM THE BLUEGRASS TO THE BIG APPLE |6

Thursday, November 4, 2021

features

Is Bad Ass Coffee better than Starbucks?

By Sydney Spillman news@kykernel.com

Bad Ass Coffee, a new coffee shop located on Lexington’s S. Limestone, has drawn some customers away from the number one coffee shop in America, Starbucks.

Starbucks has been the most popular coffee shop in America since 2008, with the franchise now boasting 32,938 stores worldwide. Two of these locations are on UK’s campus, in the UK Bookstore and William T. Young Library.

Robert Carroll, manager of the UK Bookstore location, said the store opened in 2019. He was not the original manager but said he knows a lot about Starbucks and what the store has to offer. Carroll said he knew it would do great on a campus like UK. Starbucks originated in Seattle, and when it first opened in 1971, it was nothing like it is now. There were no espresso bars that served food and beverages. Instead, the store sold coffee beans, tea and spices, while also providing a selection of coffee makers, grinders and teapots.

Although Starbucks has grown since then, it is still both a business and a place for social gatherings. People go in for meetings, outings with friends and Zoom classes, all while enjoying their cup of coffee or blended drink.

Starbucks is known for having somewhat pricey drinks. Their coffee and lattes start at $3.75, and their seasonal drinks are even more. However, that does not stop their customers from flood-

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MICHAEL CLUBB I STAFF The Starbucks in the Gatton Student Center on Wednesday, Nov. 3, 2021, in Lexington, Kentucky.

ing in.

Andrew Blakeman, a UK business major, said he prefers Starbucks because its menu changes regularly.

“I will never switch up,” Blakeman said. “Starbucks always has something new to try, and I enjoy the different drinks around the holidays.”

Bad Ass Coffee originated in Hawaii and has expanded to 24 other states. It is known for its

Hawaiian-themed coffee shops, blended drinks, teas, food and special coffee ice cubes.

In 2019, Royal Aloha Coffee purchased the rights to Bad Ass Coffee. This resulted in a rebrand, with new packaging, logo, store design and products. They added surfboards and pictures of the ocean along the walls of their stores and began selling beach accessories like SunBum sunscreen, Hawaiian leis and lip balm.

Currently, Bad Ass offers a variety of flavored coffees, such as Kona Peaberry, Kona French Roast, Volcanic Roast, Coconut Rum, Karamel Kreme and Vanilla Bourbon. Bad Ass Coffee’s website says that they have a goal of sharing American-grown, premium Hawaiian coffee from Kauai, Oahu, Kona and other cities.

BCTC student Hadley Turner said Bad Ass Coffee is now their new favorite because of the food

choices they have to offer, even after years spent going to Starbucks.

“Their breakfast sandwiches don’t even compare to Starbucks’,” Turner said. “They are fresh and don’t taste like they are straight out of the microwave.”

Bad Ass Coffee offers fresh egg sandwiches with a choice of meat, such as bacon or sausage.

Ava Gdovka, a freshman anSee COFFEE on page 18

Thursday, November 4, 2021

Humans of UK:

kentuckykernel

Twany Beckham gives back through publishing

By Hannah Sexton news@kykernel.com

This is Humans of UK, inspired by the Humans of New York Instagram series by photographer and author Brandon Stanton. This series dives into the individuals of UK as well as their stories, strifes and passions.

From a NCAA National Champion to a president of his own publishing company, Twany Beckham has led a full life.

Most people recognize Beckham from his time on the UK basketball team — specifically when it won the 2012 National Championship. He said his strongest memory is working with his teammates, and he keeps up with most of them today.

“That brotherhood at Kentucky is unlike anything you will ever experience in your life,” Beckham said.

After graduating, Beckham began to explore other passions outside of basketball, when he discovered a passion for writing.

He self-published multiple books after graduating from UK with a bachelor’s degree in communication.

“Pressure” and “Full Court Press — Conquering Adversity Under Pressure” are inspirational stories self-published by Beckham.

He said that he is the type of person to create his own opportunities instead of waiting for others.

STAFF FILE PHOTO Kentucky Wildcats junior Twany Beckham dunks during Big Blue Madness in Rupp Arena on Oct. 14, 2011, in Lexington, Kentucky.

Beckham is the president of IvisonPress, a self-published author, NBA agent, International Basketball Federation agent and a motivational speaker.

IvisionPress is a publishing company focused on giving opportunities to writers to become authors, make their vision a reality and inspire the world with their stories.

Beckham started IvisonPress during the pandemic, when most other companies were taking a hit. He said

his company started around May 2021 and is doing well.

“How can we reshape things and how can I still add value to people and give opportunity and resources?

That’s how I came up with the publishing company,” Beckham said.

Beckham said creators may not have a resource to go to after they finish a piece, but his company allows him to be that resource for others.

“People now know they can create something and

go get it published instead of having something they created and not knowing where to go,” he said.

During the pandemic, Beckham’s motivational speaking took a hit, but he said it is starting to light up a bit, and there are hopes to get a full schedule of traveling and speaking back soon.

His motivational speeches are directed toward youth, which is a result of his childhood. Beckham is from Louisville, Kentucky, and grew up in a poverty-stricken area surrounded by violence. He said growing up, many of his peers didn’t have the opportunities to make it out of the rough area where they lived. He likes to go back to his community and give back, reminding everyone that there is hope to make it out.

During his childhood, sports — specifically basketball — were perceived as the primary way to make it out.

He explained that many of his peers thought the only way out was basketball, adopting an “NBA or nothing mindset.” Now, he knows that’s not true, and his work focuses more on the difference education can make.

“My dream was making it to the NBA — I didn’t, but I’m on my journey,” Beckham said. “I've learned and have gotten educated on so many different things that I could go back and help somebody else be educated on.”

CONTACT Editor-in-chief:

Rayleigh Deaton

editor@kykernel.com Managing editor:

Jack Weaver

editor@kykernel.com

News/features editor:

Emily Girard

news@kykernel.com Asst. news editors:

Sarah Michels

Sports editor:

Hunter Shelton

sports@kykernel.com

Asst. sports editor: Opinions editor:

Barkley Truax Gillian Stawiszynski

opinions@kykernel.com

Asst. Opinions editor:

Brooklyn Kelley

Photo editor: Art Director: Designers:

Jack Weaver Michael Clubb Ryder Noah From Victoria Smith

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KENTUCKY KERNEL OFFICES 340 McVey Hall University of Kentucky Lexington, KY 40506

On the front cover:

JACK WEAVER | STAFF Kentucky Wildcats forward Keion Brooks Jr. (12) dunks the ball during the UK vs. Wesleyan exhibition game on Friday, Oct. 29, 2021, at Rupp Arena in Lexington, Kentucky.

On the back cover:

JACK WEAVER | STAFF Kentucky Wildcats forward Keion Brooks Jr. (12) dunks the ball during the UK vs. Wesleyan exhibition game on Friday, Oct. 29, 2021, at Rupp Arena in Lexington, Kentucky.

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Thursday, November 4, 2021

sports

Cats in The Garden: A look into Kentucky’s history at Madison Square Garden

By Cole Parke sports@kykernel.com

Kentucky basketball opens their regular season on Nov. 9, looking to right all of the wrongs that occurred in their abysmal 2020-21 campaign.

Standing in the Cats’ way on opening night of the 2021-22 season is a familiar foe in No. 9 Duke.

The two storied programs will face off in the Champions Classic at Madison Square Garden in the heart of New York City.

While Kentucky and Duke have never faced each other in The Garden, the Wildcats are no strangers to the arena. UK has played at MSG 18 times, boasting a 14-4 record in the process.

The first time the Wildcats took the court at The Garden was on March 13, 1976, just eight years after it was opened, in the first round of the NIT tournament against Niagara. Kentucky would win the game 67-61.

UK would then go on to defeat Kansas State and Providence in the tournament, reaching the championship of the NIT. Led by coach Joe B. Hall, the Wildcats found themselves pitted against the Charlotte 49ers to decide that year’s NIT Champion. Kentucky would win the game 71-67 on the

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MICHAEL CLUBB | STAFF Kentucky Wildcats junior forward Nick Richards (4) dunks the ball during the Michigan State vs. UK State Farm Champions Classic game on Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2019, at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York.

backs of Mike Phillips and Larry Johnson, who both scored 16 points.

Sixteen years would pass before Kentucky would find themselves back in Madison Square Garden. On Dec. 28, 1992, Rick Pitino led Kentucky into the ECAC Holiday Festival. Kentucky would defeat Rutgers, then two days later, beat St. John’s in front of almost 15,000 fans.

Kentucky returned to New York City in 1995, once again playing in the

ECAC Holiday Festival.

Like 1992, the Cats would win the event, beating Iona and Rider in high scoring fashion. UK won both games with a combined score of 196, with Kentucky’s Tony Delk finishing the event with a combined 53 points, scoring 29 against Iona and setting the record for most points scored by a Wildcat in MSG. His record still stands today, though it was tied by P.J. Washington in 2018.

The next time Kentucky would find themselves in The Garden would be 1999’s Preseason NIT. Though the Cats beat Maryland in the first round 61-58, they took their first loss in the arena in the championship against the Arizona Wildcats. Only two UK players, Desmond Allison and Tayshaun Prince, put up double digit points in the loss, while no one else on the roster scored above six.

After losing to Arizo-

na, the Wildcats would lose their next two games in MSG, both in the 2000 Coaches vs. Cancer IKON Classic. Kentucky lost by one point to St. John’s in the first round, before falling short in overtime against UCLA, losing 9792 in the third place game.

Nine years later, Kentucky got back to their winning ways in The Garden, beating UConn in the SEC/ Big East Invitational in the Wildcats’ first year under current head coach John

Calipari. John Wall carried the Cats, scoring 25 points in the victory.

In 2011, Kentucky played in their first Champions Classic in the arena, outlasting Kansas 75-65.

Notably, Anthony Davis set Kentucky’s record for blocked shots at MSG, recording seven during the contest. Kentucky returned in 2016 for their second Champions Classic, this time defeating Michigan State 69-48 on the back of Malik Monk’s 23 points.

The Cats were invited to the Citi Hoops Classic in 2017, where they would beat Monmouth 93-76. One year later, they took part in the classic once again, falling to Seton Hall 84-83 in overtime. The loss stands as UK’s most recent defeat in Madison Square Garden.

Kentucky’s most recent venture to The Garden was in 2019, when the No. 2 Cats recorded a seven point victory over then ranked No. 1 Michigan State in the Champions Classic. Tyrese Maxey led all scorers, putting up 26 points in the win.

Under Calipari, the Cats are 5-1 in MSG. On the opposing side, Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski carries a 31-11 record at The Garden as he enters his final coaching season.

Tip-off between the Cats and Blue Devils is set for 9:30 p.m.. E.T and will air on ESPN.

Thursday, November 4, 2021

sports

Kentucky picked to win SEC title amongst talented conference

Davion Mintz, returning for his sixth year of college hoops.

By Scott Clarke sports@kykernel.com

Kentucky men’s basketball landed at No. 10 in the AP Preseason Top 25 Poll and was selected to win the 2022 Southeastern Conference title by the league’s media.

If the prediction is true, it would be Kentucky’s seventh under John Calipari. This is now the 16th time since the 1998-99 season that the Wildcats are the overall preseason favorite in-conference.

Sahvir Wheeler was voted preseason All-SEC first team, while Kellan Grady, Oscar Tshiebwe and Keion Brooks Jr. were all picked to the preseason All-SEC second team.

Brooks and Wheeler also received at least one vote for the preseason SEC Player of the Year, but the award was given to Vanderbilt’s Scotty Pippen Jr. Wheeler is joined by Alabama’s Jaden Shackelford and Jahvon Quinerly, Florida’s Colin Castleton, Mississippi State’s Iverson Molinar and Vanderbilt’s Pippen on the first team.

Joining Brooks, Grady and Tshiebwe on the second team is Arkansas’ Davonte Davis, Auburn’s Jabari Smith and LSU’s Darius Days.

The SEC has always been known for its football, but the conference is as deep as ever on the hardwood. Arkansas, Tennessee, Alabama and Auburn all join the Cats in the preseason Top 25.

After an Elite 8 appearance last year, Arkansas is looking

The Wildcats brought in four new transfers who will all be key parts of the team’s success. Former Georgia guard Sahvir Wheeler was All-SEC second team last year and averaged 14.0 points and 7.4 assists, which led all power-five players in the country.

Former Davidson combo Kellan Grady is a career 17 points per game scorer. Former West Virginia center Oscar Tshiebwe was voted All-Big-12 his freshman year and is touted as one of the top rebounders in the country.

Former Iowa Hawkeye CJ Fredrick is a career 46 percent 3-point shooter and will provide spacing from off of the UK bench.

JACK WEAVER | STAFF Kentucky Wildcats head coach John Calipari yells at his team during the UK vs. Wesleyan exhibition game on Friday, Oct. 29, 2021, at Rupp Arena in Lexington, Kentucky.

primed to get back to that mark this year under head coach Eric Musselman. Musselman, like Calipari, used the transfer portal to his advantage, landing former Pitt standout Au’Diese Toney and Miami guard Chris Lykes. Both players will make immediate impacts alongside returnees JD Notae, Jaylin Williams and Devontae Davis.

Tennessee is now in the seventh year of the Rick Barnes era, which has brought the Vols mixed results. Last season, the Vols were bounced in the first round of the NCAA Tournament in an upset against Oregon State. The Vols have big man John Fulkerson re-

turning for his sixth year, as well as forward Josiah Jordan-James returning for his third year.

Freshman Kennedy Chandler will provide the Vols a much needed spark from the point guard spot.

The Alabama Crimson Tide, last year’s SEC champions, welcome some new faces as well as some veterans. After SEC player of the year Herb Jones and AllSEC guard John Petty Jr. departed in the offseason, head coach Nate Oats brought in some highly touted newcomers into Tuscaloosa.

Top-10 high school recruit JD Davidson will bring the Tide athleticism and scoring, as will for-

mer Furman guard Noah Furley.

Alabama returns two preseason All-SEC junior guards in Quinerly and Shackelford.

For Kentucky, roster change is nothing new. This year, however, the roster is filled with experience.

Returning for the Cats, Keion Brooks Jr. looks to continue his steady improvement from last year, where he averaged 10.3 points and 6.8 rebounds a game.

Lance Ware, like many other players last year, struggled but is poised for a bigger role this season with his toughness and rebounding. The Cats also welcome back last year’s leading scorer

Unlike most years, Calipari only has three freshmen on his team. TyTy Washington, a top-15 high school recruit, is expected to be one of the Wildcats’ best players at the guard spot while top-10 recruit Daimion Collins will provide shot blocking and rebounding with his length. Bryce Hopkins, a top-50 recruit, is a do-it-all player who can handle the ball, defend, shoot and rebound.

Amongst a conference that is as talent-rich as ever, Kentucky brings depth and experience, two things that Calipari-coached teams have lacked since the legendary coach came to Lexington in the 2009-10 season.

With targets on their backs, the Cats will look to return to the gold standard they have set for themselves and vie for their ninth National Championship.

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Thursday, November 4, 2021

sports

Editors' preview: Kentucky vs. Duke

By Hunter Shelton and Barkley Truax sports@kykernel.com

As Kentucky basketball gears up to face off against Duke on Nov. 9 at Madison Square Garden, the Kernel’s sports editors, Hunter Shelton and Barkley Truax, offer their game predictions.

What matchup are you most intrigued by between the Cats and Blue Devils?

Hunter: Oscar Tshiebwe and Mark Williams. Tshiebwe seems to be an unstoppable force in the lead up to the season. Williams will be one of the better seven-footers that Tshiebwe will have come up against in his collegiate career. If Williams is able to stifle UK’s big man, Kentucky will have to rely on their shooting more than they’d like to.

Barkley: Sahvir Wheeler and Jeremy Roach. They’re two Bob Cousy Point Guard of the Year Award candidates, but they’re also two point guards with different career outlooks. Wheeler is the established defender and prolific passer, while Roach is the unproven scorer with an NBA future.

They’re both the best passers on their respective teams, but if Wheeler’s perimeter defense is as advertised, Roach may be in for a long night in the scoring column.

STAFF FILE PHOTO Kentucky Wildcats freshman guard Ashton Hagans (2) reaches for a loose ball during the game against Duke in the State Farm Champions Classic on Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018, at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Hunter: Given the hype surrounding Banchero, it seems likely that he is going to score his fair share of points. Keion Brooks is going to have his hands full, so if the Wildcats’ interior defense can hold strong and make Banchero beat them shooting the ball, they should be happy with that.

If Banchero is able to use his size and handles to get to the rim, it’s going to be a long night for Calipari and the Cats.

kid was a top-three consensus recruit in this year’s class. While it was just an exhibition, his 21 points and nine rebounds in Duke’s 106-38 stomping of Winston-Salem State is just a taste of what he can do with the lights on bright. Did I mention he only played 20 minutes? The saving grace for Kentucky is the fact that he will likely find his way into foul trouble one way or another; it was a problem for him in their exhibition and throughout his high school career. The former high school quarterback doesn’t lack physicality to say the least. No matter the opponent, he’ll get his fair share of points and rebounds regardless.

Barkley: No. There’s a reason why this

Who for Kentucky will be the X-factor

Do you think Kentucky can contain player of the year candidate Paolo Banchero?

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against Duke?

Hunter: TyTy Washington. His pure shooting stroke is automatic. If he gets hot, he’s capable of racking up points quickly.

He can turn a double-digit point deficit into a three-point lead in the matter of possessions. If Washington is able to get his shots up and facilitate to Kentucky’s other playmakers, they will score ten-fold. Washington scored 14 in UK’s Blue-White game and followed it up with 18 points, two assists, two steals and a rebound against Kentucky Wesleyan. If the point guard is firing on all cylinders, Kentucky may roll in Madison Square Garden.

Barkley: Oscar Tshiebwe said that only God can out-rebound him — from the small sample size Kentucky fans have seen of the big man from the Congo, he might be right. His 20-20 game in the Blue-White scrimmage followed up by another double-double against Kentucky Wesleyan a week later, not to mention a +26 efficiency rating is something Big Blue Nation should probably get used to. Two things that worry me about the big man: one, can he stay out of foul trouble? Two, how bad will Kentucky’s postgame suffer when Tshiebwe is on the bench?

See DUKE on page 18

Thursday, November 4, 2021

sports

Cons outweigh pros for Calipari as UK defeats Wesleyan 95-72 in exhibition

By Hunter Shelton sports@kykernel.com

No. 10 Kentucky defeated Kentucky Wesleyan 95-72 in the Wildcats’ first of two exhibition games before the regular season.

Five Wildcats finished in double-figures scoring, headlined by 18 points from both Keion Brooks Jr. and TyTy Washington.

Wesleyan’s Jomel Boyd led all scorers, finishing with 29 points on 12-17 shooting.

While the Cats won by 23, head coach John Calipari was less than pleased with the interior defense played by his team.

“We got to figure it out, and I’ll be honest, I have not zeroed in on it … we tried two or three different guys to say ‘Let’s go, let’s see how you do;’ they didn’t do very well,” Calipari said.

KYW’s Boyd lit up the Kentucky defense in the second half, scoring 17 points on 8-10 shooting.

“In the second half, [Boyd] went crazy,” Calipari said.

Kentucky’s star forward, Oscar Tshiebwe, played just 17 minutes on Friday. Calipari noted that the West Virginia transfer’s hip was “bothering” Tshiebwe.

The Wildcats connected on 11 of 29 three-point attempts against the Panthers. While the number of attempts was high, Calipari said he can live with the results if the output matches what it did on Friday.

“My son said to me, ‘We took 29 three’s.’ I said, ‘What was the percentage?’ He said, ‘37.’ I said, ‘Okay, I'm good with that.’ You

JACK WEAVER | STAFF Kentucky Wildcats guard Sahvir Wheeler (2) dribbles towards the basket during the UK vs. Wesleyan exhibition game on Friday, Oct. 29, 2021, at Rupp Arena in Lexington, Kentucky.

shoot 37, 40 percent, you probably should shoot 29 three’s,” Calipari said.

Brooks, just a 23% three-point shooter in his career, made four of his six attempts from beyond the arch. Washington was a perfect 3-3 from downtown.

Sahvir Wheeler and Davion

Mintz each recorded six assists, accounting for 60% of the team’s total assists. Mintz also turned in 12 points, four rebounds and a steal to go along with his six dimes.

“I think Davion fought. I love what I saw from Davion today,” Calipari said.

With starting lineup positions up for grabs, Calipari noted that Mintz’s performance on Friday, specifically his defense, did the sixth-year guard some favors.

“Davion helped himself today because of how he guarded …

You can stay on the court if you defend that way,” Calipari said.

While the victory was never in question for the Cats, Calipari knows that his group has much to improve on, as the season opener against Duke on Nov. 9 rapidly approaches.

“Let me just put it this way: we got a lot of work to do,” Calipari said.

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Thursday, November 4, 2021

sports

Rhyne Howard is ready to lead in her last year as a Wildcat

By Jaron Centers sports@kykernel.com

Three seasons ago, Rhyne Howard played her first game as a Kentucky Wildcat. The six-foot-two star from Chattanooga, Tennessee, immediately established herself as one of the best players in the nation, unanimously winning SEC Freshman of the Year and First-Team SEC. Since then, Howard has set numerous school records, becoming a two-time SEC Player of the Year and two-time All-American.

In her final season as a Wildcat, despite all of the accolades she’s received, Howard is still playing with something to prove.

“This year, I’m playing to show everyone that I am the best player on the court, and leave no doubt about it that I’m working hard and giving it all that I’ve got for myself and my teammates,” Howard said.

To achieve that, Howard has been putting in the time over the off-season to perfect her craft.

“I’m really just working on tuning up the skills that I have, extending my range on the three-point line, shooting better at the free-throw line, finishing with contact and just the small details that help win games,” Howard said.

As for her nutrition and conditioning, Howard says she feels like she’s “in the best shape of her life,” crediting head strength and conditioning coach Lee Taylor with her development this offseason.

“I can definitely feel that I’ve gotten stronger and faster,” she said. “I feel like I look better, like everyone is telling me, ‘Dang, Rhyne, you look good this year.’ With coach Taylor, he’s pushing us out of our comfort zones so much that we really have no choice but to get stronger.

It’s just a mental thing and being able to hold yourself accountable.”

In addition to the work Howard has put in personally, her time with USA Basketball’s 2021 AmeriCup team this summer gave her an opportunity to play against top talent from around the world.

“It gave a great outlook, learning from someone as great as coach [Dawn] Staley in how she looks at the game and coaches,” Howard said. “When we were playing, we were playing against grown women, so for me to compete against people who were 30 and up, it was great because that’s who I’m gonna be playing against when I get to the league.”

Howard played her first two seasons for longtime UK

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JACK WEAVER | STAFF Kentucky Wildcats guard Rhyne Howard (top) fights for possession of the ball during the UK vs. Alabama women's basketball game on Thursday, Jan. 28, 2021, at Rupp Arena in Lexington, Kentucky.

head coach Matthew Mitchell before his surprise retirement last season due to health issues. The departure led to the immediate naming of Kyra Elzy as head coach during a season that was anything but normal. The team managed to finish 18-9 with a second-round exit in the NCAA tournament.

With around half a season under Elzy’s belt, Howard says Elzy “knows what to expect” coming into her first full year.

“This year, [Elzy is] straight to the point, more about business and making sure we know what we need to be doing or we’re going to lose, straight like that. She’s definitely holding us more accountable for our actions and when we do something wrong on the court, she’s going to point it out and make sure it doesn't happen next time,” Howard said.

With a big role to take on this season, Howard says her teammates are her main motivation in what she’s playing for this year.

“They’re so confident in me and they all want the best for me. They’re all like, ‘Rhyne, I’m so proud of you,’ and they tell me that I can be good,” Howard said. “I don’t want to let them down because they’re looking up to me, but I also look up to them. I can just give them the ball and get them out of the way. They really keep me going, and I don’t know where I’d be without them.”

For her team’s goals, Howard says, “they never change — SEC Championship, Final Four, National Championship — very much things we can accomplish.”

Howard, with a smile on her face, left no doubt that she’s confident in her team’s potential this year.

“Y’all will see during the season,” she said.

Thursday, November 4, 2021

sports

Pastures new and blue: Oscar Tshiebwe ready to make his mark in Lexington

By Hunter Shelton sports@kykernel.com

From Morgantown to Lexington, Oscar Tshiebwe’s loveable energy has transitioned well from West Virginia to Kentucky.

Following Tshiebwe’s impressive performances in Kentucky’s Blue-White game and the Cats’ first exhibition against Kentucky Wesleyan, the six-footnine, 255-pound forward from Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, is already making an impact at his new home in the Bluegrass.

“I’m coming to do my best,” Tshiebwe told the media on Oct. 20.

Tshiebwe comes to Kentucky following one season with the West Virginia Mountaineers, where he averaged 11.2 points and 9.3 rebounds per game in 31 starts as a freshman.

“Oscar was definitely a fan favorite,” said Charles Montgomery, sports editor of The Daily Athenaeum, WVU’s student newspaper. “He brought a lot of energy to the court, and people were always excited to watch him play. He changed games when he was on the floor.”

In his sophomore year, Tshiebwe made the decision to transfer to Kentucky but was ineligible to play last season due to NCAA transfer rules.

Despite Tshiebwe’s ex-

cellent freshman season, something didn’t click for the big man in Morgantown.

“I think during the offseason in 2020, Tshiebwe lost a drive in him,” Montgomery said. “I don’t think he was dedicated to listening and learning from coach [Bob] Huggins, which led to him leaving the team.”

Regardless of what went right or wrong for Tshiebwe at WVU, he knows that things happen for a reason, and he’s now found a home in Lexington.

“I felt like [West Virginia] was a place God didn’t want me to be for a long time,” Tshiebwe said.

“I’m in a good place now and I’m thankful.

Tshiebwe began practicing with the Cats in February 2021. With over seven months of waiting to get a real game under his belt, Tshiebwe has used that time as motivation to contribute to his game and his team as the regular season approaches.

“It really hurts when I sit on the bench and I can’t help,” Tshiebwe said. “I kept thinking that I cannot wait to come back so I can help this team and I know I bring energy, so I helped motivate them as best I could.”

Tshiebwe brought plenty of energy in his on-court debut for Kentucky, dom-

JACK WEAVER | STAFF Kentucky Wildcats forward Oscar Tshiebwe (34) fights off a defender while shooting the ball during the UK vs. Wesleyan exhibition game on Friday, Oct. 29, 2021, at Rupp Arena in Lexington, Kentucky

inating his teammates in UK’s annual Blue-White game.

Recording 25 points and 21 rebounds in 40 minutes of play, Tshiebwe’s Blue team defeated the White team, 108-80.

“Did you see how hard he plays, how fast he runs?” head coach John Calipari said.

Tshiebwe’s point and rebound totals were both good for highest on the team in the scrimmage.

“There’s nothing easy

that can be given to you,” Tshiebwe said.

Returning sophomore Lance Ware was on the other end of Tshiebwe’s lights out performance.

Ware knows that practicing and scrimmaging with and against his new teammate is only going to be beneficial to both players in the long run.

“Being out there with [Tshiebwe,] he’s elevated me as a player,” Ware said.

“I’m thankful for it, I'm trying to elevate him as a

player, play just as hard as him and compete.”

Tshiebwe’s presence is paying off early, as his teammates’ confidence is already increasing.

“I know, as long as Oscar is underneath the rim, anything we put up, if we don’t make it, I know we still have an opportunity,” freshman point guard TyTy Washington said.

Tshiebwe played just 17 minutes in UK’s exhibition against Kentucky Wesleyan, but still recorded a dou-

ble-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds.

The road to Kentucky for Tshiebwe was not straight and narrow, but the 21-year-old isn’t looking back as he officially begins a new chapter in his basketball career.

“You have to be focused on one thing if you really want to be a champion and not focus on anything in the past,” Tshiebwe said.

“You have to keep moving forward and get better every day.”

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Thursday, November 4, 2021

Basketball Shots PHOTOS BY MICHAEL CLUBB

Basketball is back in the Bluegrass, but the Cats are on their way to the Big Apple. The team will be in Madison Square Garden for its season opener on Tuesday, Nov. 9, 2021.

Kentucky Wildcats guard Davion Mintz poses for a photo on Tuesday, Oct. 12, 2021, at the Joe Craft Center in Lexington, Kentucky.

On the top left: Kentucky Wildcats men’s basketball players Tyty Washington Jr., Oscar Tshiebwe, Jacob Toppin, Keion Brooks Jr. and Davion Mintz (left to right) pose for a photo on Tuesday, Oct. 12, 2021, at the Joe Craft Center.

On the bottom left: Kentucky Wildcats guard Jacob Toppin poses for a photo on Tuesday, Oct. 12, 2021, at the Joe Craft Center.

10 | kentucky kernel

Thursday, November 4, 2021

Kentucky Wildcats guard Tyty Washington Jr. poses for a photo on Tuesday, Oct. 12, 2021, at the Joe Craft Center.

Kentucky Wildcats forward Keion Brooks Jr. poses for a photo on Tuesday, Oct. 12, 2021, at the Joe Craft Center.

Kentucky Wildcats forward Oscar Tshiewe poses for a photo on Tuesday, Oct. 12, 2021, at the Joe Craft Center.

Kentucky Wildcats forward Oscar Tshiewe poses for a photo on Tuesday, Oct. 12, 2021, at the Joe Craft Center.

fall 2021 |11

Thursday, November 4, 2021

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A need for accountability in UK's open record office

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Fair warning: if you need to file an open records request to get information from UK anytime soon, you may want to start thinking about a Plan B. The University of Kentucky’s open records office is very, very behind, as in there was a backlog of 92 requests as of Oct. 7.

Records requests filed by the Kernel in September and October remain unfulfilled, stuck in a seemingly endless delay.

Kentucky’s Open Records Act (ORA) attempts to make the activities of agencies that receive government funding, like public universities, more transparent. When an agency receives a request, it has five business days to respond; if not, it is in violation of the law.

If a records requestor doesn’t receive a timely response or is denied records for a reason they believe to be invalid, they can take their case to the Kentucky attorney general and, if necessary, file a lawsuit against the agency.

This happened in the James Harwood case, a six-year open records battle between the Kentucky Kernel and the University of Kentucky that the Kernel won this spring.

In 2015, the Kernel filed an open records request for records related to the investigation into Harwood, who was accused of sexual assault and harassment against two graduate students, but UK refused to cooperate. According to the Kentucky Supreme Court’s opinion, the university “did not even attempt to comply with the ORA in any meaningful way,” dragging its feet with insufficient and invalid blanket exemptions the entire way.

After the Kentucky Supreme Court ruling, the Kernel thought things would be better. UK’s obligation to respond to and fulfill requests in a timely manner now had a clear legal precedent backing it.

Unfortunately, that has not been the case.

On Aug. 27, a Kernel reporter filed an open records request. They never received a response, so they filed a new request on Sept. 30. It was only after the second request that the university responded.

On Sept. 28, another Kernel reporter filed a request. After over five business days had passed, the reporter emailed a reminder of the university’s legal obligation to respond to the open records office on Oct. 7. It was only after the reminder that the university responded.

The Lexington Herald-Leader also filed several requests beginning in late September, with no response from the university until the reporters pressed them for an update, according to the Herald-Leader’s editor-in-chief Peter Baniak.

In all instances, the newspapers received the same response. The director of open records, Amy Renee Spagnuolo, had been out of the office from bereavement for an undisclosed period of time and had lost her assistant due to an illness. When Spagnuolo returned to her office, she had a backlog of 92 requests.

While UK spokesperson Jay Blanton told the Kernel that the university was working on rehiring staff and utilizing lawyers and paralegals to lighten the load in the meantime, the office still seems to be moving at a snail’s pace.

On Oct. 27, 14 business days after one of the Kernel’s original requests, they were still number 66 in the queue. That’s 27 spots in 14 days, amounting to an average of less than two requests fulfilled a day.

This is unacceptable.

While the Kernel has the utmost sympathy for Spagnuolo’s losses, the ability of a public univerSee RECORDS on page 13

Thursday, November 4, 2021

sports

UK rifle makes program history, shoots 4736 aggregate against Navy

By Barkley Truax sports@kykernel.com

Kentucky rifle (2-0) posted a 4736 aggregate Saturday afternoon, defeating Navy (3-4) (47364686) and setting the record for highest combined score in school history.

The previous record was 4735.

Last season the rifle team scored a 4737, but the score wasn’t counted in the NCAA record books because the event took place virtually.

Kentucky was led by Olympic medalists Mary Tucker and Will Shaner.

This was the first meet the duo had competed in for Kentucky since taking home the 2020-21 NCAA National Championship trophy back in March.

Both Tucker and Shaner had missed the first meet of the season due to participating in international

RECORDS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 12

sity to comply with its legal duty to fulfill open records requests in a timely manner should have never depended on one or two people’s ability or inability to work. I recognize the strain that COVID-19 has placed on staffing, but the pandemic is not a blanket excuse for failing to follow the law.

play for USA Shooting.

Tucker shot 592 in smallbore and 599 in air rifle, compiling an aggregate of 1191. That 599 score is just the fifth time an NCAA rifle athlete has posted a 599 or higher all season. Shaner finished second for the Wildcats with a 589 in smallbore and 596 in air rifle for an aggregate of 1185.

“We were excited to get back on the road and compete against a quality team like Navy,” Kentucky head coach Harry Mullins said. “We battled hard for points today and learned a lot about ourselves, and hopefully that translates into more success this season. We have some things we need to work on, and we will get those squared away.”

Kentucky rounded out their leaderboard with senior Richard Clark’s 583 in smallbore and 595

in air rifle, while fellow senior Mitchell Nelson scored a career-high 587 in smallbore and 591.

Junior Jaden Thompson shot 583 in smallbore, tying her career-high with a 595 in air rifle. All three scored an 1178 aggregate.

For Navy, they scored a 2306 in smallbore and 2380 in air rifle led by Michael Zanti and his 580 score in smallbore and 596 in air rifle. McKenzie Shedd also tied Zanti’s team-high 596 in air rifle.

Kentucky will be in Lexington for their next four competitions beginning on Saturday, Nov. 6, against Ole Miss. They’ll round out their home stand on Saturday, Nov. 20, against Akron. “[I’m] excited to be home a couple times over the next month and for this team to continue to push and get better,” Mullins said.

In many ways, this feels like a repeat of the Harwood case. The university’s excuses don’t fully account for the extent of the backlog, and whatever outside help the open records office is receiving is clearly not sufficient.

The news cycle is, by nature, constantly moving. What is news in September is irrelevant and forgotten by November.

If UK can use low staffing as an excuse to

delay the release of records past the required five days, potentially until the news cycle moves on and thereby softening the blow of negative publicity, why would the university ever invest in adequate staffing or make an effort to move more quickly?

UK needs to do better.

The Kernel just got out of an open records lawsuit. Personally, I have no desire to get into a new one.

Mary Tucker poses for a portrait. Photo provided by UK athletics.

fall 2021 | 13

Thursday, November 4, 2021

sports

Across the (By)Line: Tennessee Volunteers

By Hunter Shelton

Stats:

sports@kykernel.com

The “Across the (By) Line” series will give Kentucky football fans an indepth look at their opponent for this week — from the mind of the opposing school’s sports editor.

This week: Josh Lane, The Daily Beacon, Tennessee.

Kentucky

Tennessee is coming into this game with a 4-4 record. Is that record indicative of how well this team has played this season?

Lane: At the end of the day, what Josh Huepel always says is a loss is a loss.

If you can't finish in the end, then, you know, the rest doesn't really matter.

They've had close games on multiple occasions with chances to win. But, you know, at the end of the day, four times they just haven't finished. So in one sense, yes. But I do think they've played better than the record shows. They’ve just been a couple plays away in a couple of games, but I do think, just in general, they have played a little bit better than their 4-4 record.

But again, at the end of the day, a loss is a loss. So you can't really put too much stock in the hypotheticals.

How well do you see Tennessee's defense

14 | kentucky kernel

AP PHOTO/MICHAEL CLUBB Kentucky Wildcats head coach Mark Stoops walks onto the field with his team before a NCAA college football game against Chattanooga in Lexington, Kentucky, Saturday, Sept.

18, 2021. being able to hold up on Saturday?

Lane: The question is going to be with the injuries that they've had. Some of their big players on the defensive line have been out due to injuries. Tennessee's run defense was pretty good to start the year, but they’ve fallen into the middle of the pack since then. Kentucky's probably going to be attacking with Chris Rodriguez, so you know, if they can limit him in any capacity and maybe force Will Levis to throw the ball after he’s kind of been struggling the last few weeks, I think maybe that's

where the defense has to step up, and that's where they can be successful.

How well does quarterback Hendon Hooker have to play for Tennessee to win on Saturday?

Lane: That's a good question. I mean, they've not had much success running the ball lately. They've had some injuries on the offensive line and their running backs have not been as good as maybe Tennessee hoped for. So all those factors with the running game, I think that does put a little bit more pressure on Hooker. He's been an

accurate passer. He's been a smart passer. He's got just two interceptions on the year now, so he's made good decisions and he can actually run the ball. But I do think that most of what Tennessee wants to do often starts with Hooker leading them in tempo.

Kentucky has not won back to back games against Tennessee since 1976 and ‘77. How important is this game to Tennessee?

Lane: This is a big one for Tennessee. This is the sSee BYLINE on page 18

• Will Levis — 136-205, 1,476 yards, 14 touchdowns, nine interceptions.

• Wan’Dale Robinson — 58 receptions, 645 yards, five touchdowns.

• Chris Rodriguez Jr. — 135 attempts, 809 yards, five touchdowns. 12 receptions, 56 yards, two touchdowns.

• DeAndre Square — 61 tackles, 32 solo, three sacks, one forced fumble.

Tennessee • Hendon Hooker — 114-166, 1,578 yards, 17 touchdowns, two interceptions.

• Velus Jones Jr. — 31 receptions, 453 yards, four touchdowns.

• Tiyon Evans — 80 attempts, 516 yards, six touchdowns, four receptions, 74 yards, one touchdown.

• Jeremy Banks — 60 tackles, 33 solo, 9 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks.

Thursday, November 4, 2021

news

Shooting their shot:

Students and employees win prizes in UK’s vaccine incentive program

By Kai Spencer news@kykernel.com

When Anna Korosec was told she was the winner of a full tuition scholarship, she thought it was a scam.

Korosec, a senior family sciences major, had completely forgotten she’d entered her name in a Sept. 9 drawing. Even after her phone call with UK’s executive director for student success, it hadn’t quite sunk in.

“It didn't become a reality until a week later, when someone sent me UK's story announcing that I had won the scholarship,” Korosec said. “I've been working a lot of hours to pay my way through college and keep up with rent. Having the option to either not work as much or put more money in savings is so great.”

Korosec is one of 175 student and 327 employee winners of UK’s vaccine incentive program, running from Sept. 14 to Nov. 17.

The program, which includes seven prize drawings for students, employees and student organizations throughout the fall semester, is part of the university’s attempt to increase the campus-wide COVID-19 vaccination rate.

To enter, students must be enrolled in one or more courses and employees must have an active assignment at the university.

Both must receive at least the first doses of Moderna or Pfizer, the one-dose Johnson & Johnson

JACK WEAVER | STAFF The Albert B. Chandler Hospital on Wednesday, Sept. 8, 2021, at the University of Kentucky in Lexington, Kentucky.

vaccine or another World Health Organization-approved single or double-dose vaccine.

Students can draw and win prizes, including a season pass to UK football’s home games, a $500 UK Bookstore gift card and tuition or education abroad schol-

arships. Employees can win prizes like an extra week of vacation, UK basketball season tickets and a one-time $1000 bonus. Student organizations can also cash in if 80 percent of their membership is vaccinated. UK spokesperson Jay Blanton said university funds

were utilized to pay for these prizes.

Kayla Johnson, assistant professor in the College of Education, said she was “ecstatic” when she found out she’d won basketball season tickets on the Oct. 6 drawing.

“I screamed ‘Shut up!’ to the poor woman on the phone and made her say it again, because I couldn't believe it,” Johnson said. “I grew up a UK basketball fan. I was also a student here and See PRIZE on page 18

fall 2021 | 15

Thursday, November 4, 2021

news

UK opens additional COVID-19 and flu vaccine clinics

By Allie Walters news@kykernel.com

UK is opening vaccination locations for COVID-19 and influenza around campus. As of Oct. 27, 89.2% of the UK community has received both COVID-19 vaccinations.

UK president Eli Capilouto recently set a goal to reach the threshold of 90% of the university being vaccinated with at least one of the COVID-19 vaccinations.

At the same time, more of the campus is becoming eligible to receive the COVID-19 booster shot. Students must be at least 18 years old and show increased risk for the virus due to a job, living situation or underlying health condition to qualify.

As a result, new locations around the university, such as the Blue Box Theater, Alumni Park Plaza, University Health Pharmacy and the Kentucky Clinic Pharmacy, are opening to administer these vaccinations.

Many students said they have previously received their first or second COVID-19 vaccination doses on campus.

Students also said that having access to vaccination resources on campus is beneficial because of location proximity and university-specific resources.

UK sophomore Ryan Kilian said he has received both doses of his COVID vaccine and a booster at UK. “I got the booster the very first day that I was eligible,” Kil-

16 | kentucky kernel

JACK WEAVER | STAFF A dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine is injected into a patient’s arm on Saturday, April 10, 2021, at UK’s COVID-19 vaccination clinic at Kroger Field in Lexington, Kentucky.

ian said. “I volunteered there as a non-medical volunteer helping with logistics, so I was able to get my COVID-19 doses early on.”

Despite UK's high vaccination rate and the prevalence of locations where students and faculty can get vaccinated, UK HealthCare faculty members are still concerned about the abundance of colleagues who are reluctant to receive the vaccines. UK is attempting to persuade those still reluctant to receive the vaccine with incentive programs for both

students and employees.

However, there is currently no mandate for any of the UK community to be vaccinated for COVID-19.

UK HealthCare Business Intelligence Manager Les Sidebottom spoke on his thoughts about the percentage of his coworkers who are vaccinated — a total of 92.4%.

“I feel that the COVID vaccine is one of the key elements in ensuring our health care systems are not stretched beyond their

capacity and commend everyone who has gotten their vaccination, either voluntarily or as a result of a mandate,” Sidebottom said. “I am a bit surprised that nearly 8% of our staff and faculty remain unvaccinated.”

Other UK HealthCare employees, like UK HealthCare Architecture and Information Security employee Kirk Gaetz, see the high vaccination rate as a positive, but they worry that those who remain unvaccinated are seeking misleading information.

“On one hand I’m surprised it’s that high — but I suppose that’s what comes from taking a relatively hardline stance on requiring the vaccine,” Gaetz said.

“On the other hand, I wonder how many of those remaining 8 percent are attributable to consumption of verifiably incorrect information.”

Though flu vaccinations are not required, Capiluto is encouraging them. Most of the on-campus locations that administer COVID-19 vaccinations administer the flu vaccination as well.

In an email to campus on Monday, Capiluto said, “There are predictions that we are facing a return to a more normal — and harsher — flu season this fall and winter, so getting a shot is particularly important this year.”

Gaetz said this is enough motivation for him.

“I can’t remember how many flu shots I’ve had over the last fifteen years, but I do remember the last time I had the actual flu,” Gaetz said. “I’ll avoid that any way I can.”

Many locations around the Lexington area are administering free flu vaccines, including CVS, Walgreens, Lexington Clinic and The Little Clinic at Kroger.

The threshold of 90 percent vaccinated that Capilouto set is fast approaching as a sign of a hopeful return to normalcy on campus.

In his campus-wide email, Capilouto said he hopes UK can reach this goal “by staying committed to each other and to our community.”

Thursday, November 4, 2021

news

From a galaxy far, far away to Lexington:

Lightsaber league brings Star Wars to life

By Kaleb Littleton news@kykernel.com

For almost 45 years, Star Wars has held a massive presence in popular culture. From an annual array of Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader Halloween costumes to never-ending Yoda memes, the movie franchise has staying power over people of all ages.

On Wednesday nights in Lexington’s Woodland Park, this power is on full, glow-in-the-dark display.

Each week, a group of Star Wars fans get together to practice lightsaber combat. Its members call themselves the Lexington Lightsaber League, and they meet to practice their craft on Wednesdays from 6:30 to 9 p.m. Their meetings include both training and competitive elements, and they also film videos of their hobby during practices.

Jonathan Thompson was one of the first members of the league. He said that the group practices several distinct forms of lightsaber combat, known as the Seven Forms of the Jedi Order. These were first described in detail in Star Wars Insider issue 62, which was in use during the

prequel trilogy.

“So within Star Wars, they have forms that each of [the characters] confine to,” Jonathan Thompson said. “We follow those forms and do a theatrical combat kind of thing. It’s meant to resemble the prequels’ style: very flowy, very dancelike.”

In the films, the martial art known as lightsaber combat was based on fencing, with inspiration drawn from kendo. This version of the art was designed for the screen by stunt coordinator Nick Gillard with help from stuntman and Darth Maul actor Ray Park.

Gillard described it in a featurette for “The Phantom Menace” as “a chess game played at a thousand miles an hour.”

The Lexington Lightsaber League is run by Williams Atkinson and Mike Thompson. Atkinson has been a part of the group for two years, while Mike Thompson joined a year and a half ago.

“When we duel, we typically count points so [a hit to] your limbs counts as one point, and your torso counts as two points. Your head counts also as one,” Atkinson said. “We aren’t super competitive; we're more interested in making

it look theatrical and making it look pretty.”

Atkinson also explained how the group formed — fittingly, it was because of a lightsaber.

“I met a fella named Sage around town who had their lightsaber with them,” Atkinson said. “[I] asked about it, and we got to talking, and they were looking into starting a group. So I started coming to practice, and we recruited a couple of people, and here we are.”

Once Sage moved to Virginia, Atkinson said he and Mike Thompson took over.

Mike Thompson explained the procedures for the meetings, which last two and a half hours.

“Whenever we start, we usually begin with a set of stretches, then we do a basic set of the first form to act as a weekly refresh of the basics. Then we’ll pair off for about an hour or so [and] work on whatever each individual needs to work on,” Mike Thompson said. “Then [we] come back, discuss whatever we need to and run trials for anything that people want to learn.”

Lightsaber dueling is popular across the world. A similar organization is the

KAITLYN SKAGGS | STAFF Mike Thompson (left) and Williams Atkinson, the two leaders of the Lexington Lightsaber League, ready their weapons on Wednesday, Oct. 27, 2021, at Woodland Park in Lexington, Kentucky.

worldwide Saber Legion, which focuses on competitive duels. The French Fencing Federation has also stated that they consider lightsaber combat to be a sport.

Another similar Star Wars fan organization is the charity group the 501st Legion, which dresses in armor reminiscent of the Empire for public appearances. They have also been referenced within the films themselves. Their logo appears on a banner in “The

Force Awakens,” and some members have been extras in “The Mandalorian.”

Article I of the Legion Charter states that it is an all-volunteer organization designed to promote Star Wars, facilitate the use of costumes and give back through charity work.

Mikey Boucherou is the garrison public relations officer for the Kentucky branch of the 501st, the Bluegrass Garrison, which has under 100 members.

“For many of our char-

ity showings, we have members travel across the state to help support these events,” Boucherou said.

“Some of the charities we have worked with in the past include Kentuckiana Make-A-Wish foundation, Norton Children’s Hospital, The Cure Starts Now, St. Joseph’s Children’s Home and many more locally.”

These are just two of the ways that fans are bringing the fun of Star Wars into the real world.

fall 2021 | 17

Thursday, November 4, 2021

news DUKE

PRIZE

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 6

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 15

How deep will John Calipari go into his bench?

Hunter: Calipari has spoken at-length in the preseason that he is willing to play however many people it takes to get the desired result. Given that it is game one, Big Blue Nation should expect to see at least nine players. The bench production will be the key to if the number of players exceeds nine or not. Kellan Grady and Davion Mintz join Washington and Sahvir Wheeler in the guard position, all of whom will see the court. Tshiebwe and Brooks will likely headline the forwards, while Bryce Hopkins and Damion Collins come off of the bench. If CJ Fredrick and Jacob Toppin are healthy enough to play, expect Calipari to experiment in the first half but settle in with a smaller group of guys in the second.

Barkley: With his lone exception being the 38-1 team in 2014-15 that produced nine future NBA players and went as deep as 11 into his bench, John Calipari has stuck with playing eight to nine guys consistently throughout his coaching career. This season, Calipari has 10 athletes on scholarship and can reasonably play 12 different players that either played on last season’s team, came from a program where they excelled or was a top-50 rated recruit out of high school. Calipari started Wheeler, Washington, Grady, Brooks Jr. and Tshiebwe in the first game and we can expect to see Daimion Collins, Davion Mintz and/or Dontaie Allen and Bryce Hopkins. With Jacob Toppins and CJ Fredrick’s status still up in the air as of right now, this team has the potential to run at least 10-deep when at full strength.

Final Score prediction?

Hunter: Duke 82, Kentucky 76. Expect this game to be up-and-down, filled with fast-paced action all night, as both teams are looking to play up-tempo basketball. With emotions running high, as it will likely be the last time that Calipari and Mike Krzyzewski square off against one another, I don’t see a lot of defense being played in this one.

Banchero will provide the spark needed to stave off a late comeback bid from the Cats in the second half, as Duke claims the close victory.

Barkley: Kentucky 78, Duke 71. I’m not extremely confident the Cats can take down the Blue Devils to start the Mike Krzyzewski farewell tour, but the depth and experience Kentucky has is something Duke doesn’t and that cannot be understated. This game will be close either way — I can’t see another repeat of Duke’s 2018 routing of Kentucky in Indianapolis. Kentucky takes this one behind Tshiebwe’s double-double and will head into that Friday’s game against Robert Morris 1-0 to begin the season.

18 | kentucky kernel

went to every game I could. For me, these tickets are an incredibly special prize.”

Johnson said she plans to attend every game she can and give her tickets to her graduate students when she can’t. To her, the vaccine incentive program demonstrates the university’s commitment to a healthier campus, and she thinks it’s been effective in getting students and employees vaccinated.

According to UK's COVID-19 dashboard, as of Oct. 27, 86.2% of students, 96.7% of faculty and 92.2% of staff physically on campus were fully vaccinated or in the process of being fully vaccinated.

Hannah Simms, executive director of UK Health Corps, said the intention of the program was to promote even higher vaccination rates for students, faculty and staff.

“For both employees and students, I think we’re seeing good vaccination rates,” Simms said.

Korosec said that while the incentive program encouraged students to report their vaccinations, she doesn’t think it was the sole factor compelling them to get their first or second doses.

Another student winner, senior mechanical engineering major Eric Nguyen, won season football tickets — his favorite was the UK v. Florida game. Nguyen said he was vaccinated before the incentive program was announced and his decision was based on what he felt was best for his community. However, he thinks the program may have convinced others to get vaccinated.

“Vaccines save lives, and UK has such a high vaccination rate compared to some other schools,” Nguyen said. “The incentives have allowed for people to get rewarded for doing a good thing, which I believe is the reason that more students, staff and faculty have been getting vaccinated.”

The winners are randomly selected, upon verification of eligibility and compliance with the rules. If the winner cannot be verified, refuses to accept the prize or can’t be located, another name is drawn and declared the winner.

Each eligible student and employee

only has one opportunity for their name to be drawn to win a prize. The winner cannot transfer the prize to another person, relative or friend.

Junior neuroscience major Zabriya Gavin said she did not know about the program but is hoping to win, as she is fully vaccinated. “Who wouldn’t want to win something and help others at the same time?” she said.

Winners are responsible for federal, state and local taxes associated with the prize, and the winnings will be reported to the IRS. For students, information will be sent to the Office of Student Financial Aid and Scholarships. Despite the tax, several employees said they thought the incentive program was effective.

“I think the program will have a slight impact because some people may find the prizes are worth the risk,” said senior public health major Sherea Hamilton, who is also a UK employee. “Hopefully, the tax part doesn’t change their minds.”

The program was made for the 2021 fall semester. Blanton said there are no current plans to extend the program to the spring semester or account for booster shots.

There are still several drawings remaining for those who haven’t been vaccinated or registered yet.

On Nov. 10 and 17, UK employees who have registered their vaccinations are eligible to win prizes like UK baseball and women’s basketball season tickets, gift cards to Kroger, Starbucks, Barnes and Noble and local restaurants and free parking for a year.

Students have one drawing left on Nov. 10, with full tuition and education abroad scholarships, premium commencement seats and free Flex Dollars among the prizes available.

While not all of the prizes are as valuable as full tuition scholarships or a free vacation, they’ve still made a difference for the winners.

Zachary McKinney, a materials management technician for UK HealthCare, said his prize of a $1,000 bonus is going toward a down payment on a house.

“I was pretty excited because I don’t win too many things and that is a good chunk of money,” McKinney said. “Sure, time off would have been nice or some of the other prizes, but money can go a long way.”

COFFEE CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2

imal biology major, said she also prefers Bad Ass. “Starbucks always takes forever, and I sometimes get overwhelmed with all of the options,” she said.

Although many students prefer Bad Ass Coffee, there are still some loyal customers to the Seattle coffee giant.

Carrington Valentine, a sophomore journalism major and UK football player, said, “I like Bad Ass Coffee, but Starbucks never fails to come up with a new and tasty drink, which is why they are my favorite.”

BYLINE CONTINUED FROM PAGE 14

eparator for Josh Heupel and his first season. If UT goes up there and loses that game and finishes at six and six, then you know, it’s just not quite as good of a season as maybe people might have expected in his first year.

What is Tennessee's biggest key to winning this game?

Lane: It’s gonna be on Hendon Hooker. He's just gonna have to have a great game. So, I think if he can really torch Kentucky, maybe even on the ground and add that element back into the game with some diversity to the offense, that’s the key.

Thursday, November 4, 2021

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