THURSDAY 1.15.15
TOMORROW’S WEATHER
MOSTLY SUNNY | HI 40º, LO 28º
est. 1892 | independent since 1971 | www.kykernel.com
A patch of pride
PHOTO BY TAYLOR PENCE | STAFF
ROTC member Mitch Kline presents Cameron Day with the new affiliation patch during the Patch Ceremony on the President’s Yard on Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2015.
Army cadets show their university colors By Cheyene Miller news@kykernel.com
PHOTO BY TAYLOR PENCE | STAFF
The new UK affiliation patch is unveiled during the Patch Ceremony hosted by UK’s Army ROTC program on Wednesday, January 14, 2015.
For the first time in nearly a decade, the cadets of the Army ROTC will be donning the UK Wildcat battalion unit patch in display of their pride in both the military and the university. The cadets fell into battalion formation on the lawn in front of the Main Building at 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday, where they placed the battal-
ion patches directly under the American flag patches on their battle dress uniforms. “It’s a sense of pride, absolutely, in the university,” said Lt. Col. Shawn Umbrell, professor of military science. Umbrell said that he wants the patch to serve as a symbol of unity between the cadets. “I want to really get these guys rooted in the esprit de corps of this unit.” The UK-affiliated patch was first introduced in 1967
Safety improvements continue Student Government moves toward platform goals By Cheyene Miller news@kykernel.com
Three safety-focused initiatives were the most important actions of the Student Government Association last semester, according to UK Student Body President Jake Ingram. Ingram said that his campaign platform, which was heavily focused on improving student safety, was what “drove the agenda” in the 2014 fall semester.
“We thought of it as a game plan,” said Ingram, a mechanical engineering senior. Cats Cab, a free, five-vehicle cab service for UK students with a valid student ID and who are within New Circle Road, received two additional vehicles. The addition will not lead to an increase in student fees, which funded the $63,000 annual contract. “I was able to negotiate down the price of the service, and expand the service,”
said Ingram, who noted that the SGA collects $11 in student fees per semester per student. Another significant action by the SGA was the effort to lobby for a more effective way for students to cross the street on Woodland Avenue on South Campus, an often heavily congested area. “The biggest issue that came up on the safety walk was the lack of a crosswalk, or any sort of safe way for students to cross Woodland Avenue across from Woodland Glen I and II,” Ingram said. “As a result of that, I’ve met with Lexington city
officials, traffic engineers (and) UK administration and we’ve come up with a plan to fix it.” If the motion passes, the speed limit in the area will decrease from 35 mph to 25 mph and a speed table, a prolonged version of a speed bump, will be featured on either side of the cross walk, according to Ingram. The costs will be funded by the city of Lexington. The third safety initiative by the SGA was the LiveSafe phone application, which allows students to alert emergency services
by the Army Institute of Heraldry, Umbrell said, which handles symbolic items such as flags, badges, medals and insignias, and was redesigned in 1995. When they walk down the sidewalk, I want people to know what unit they’re in, he said. “We’ll send cadets to West Point, to the Virginia Military Institute and all these different conferences, and when they go they’re going to
JOSHUA HUFF Kernel Columnist
Any bit of good news is welcoming for a UK Hoops team mired in a midseason injury spell that claimed another victim on Sunday. Junior point guard Janee
“Very successful surgery,” said head coach Matthew Mitchell. “(The doctors) are extremely optimistic of her recovery, the possibilities of her recovery and what she will be able to do. (She) will miss the rest of the season, but we are extremely optimistic that about the time the players gather up for summer school in June that she will be fully participating.”
By Matthew Wickstrom news@kykernel.com
Students from a variety of campus organizations will participate in a fair celebrating the life and vision of Martin Luther King Jr. on Friday in the Student Center Small Ballroom. The MLK Diversity Fair, organized by the Martin
See SAFETY on page 3
The goal now for the Cats is to move on and become the best they can possibly be. Thompson will be a significant part of that, Mitchell said. “She has a lot she can still do for this team,” Mitchell added. “She’s developed into an incredible leader ... an incredible example of sacrificing her perSee THOMPSON on page 2
See PATCH on page 2
Students gather to celebrate MLK’s vision
“
Robinson said the diverse set of ethnicities and cultures at the fair pay tribute to King’s dream of equality for all. “Martin Luther King’s dream was for peace and equality, not just amongst blacks and whites, but rather for peace between people of all cultures and ethnicities,” Robinson said.
Everything he accomplished gives me hope and confidence that I can succeed...”
UK Hoops confident in face of injury Thompson suffered a devastating leg injury that ended her season in the loss against No. 1 South Carolina. Thompson’s injury was the second of the Cats’ after senior guard Bria Goss suffered a broken thumb in December. The recovery began Monday as Thompson’s surgery to fix her dislocated ankle and a fracture to her fibula was successful.
be with thousands of cadets from all across the nation,” Umbrell said. “I said to my cadets, ‘When you go to those events, I want you to be proud that you’re a Wildcat.’” The school patch is one of two authorized patches that can be worn on the right shoulder of the uniform, Umbrell said. “If you deploy to a combat zone or you serve in
GARRETT ENGLISH, ACCOUNTING JUNIOR
Luther King Center, will run from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. A total of 17 clubs and organizations will take part in the fair, said Rosalyn Robinson, assistant director of the MLK Center, including the Black and Latino Student Unions, the International Book Project, various fraternities and sororities and the Ronald McDonald House.
BIKE FAIR COMES TO UK
PLATOON PROPELS CATS
TOP 10 MOVIES
Check out our coverage of Wednesday’s bike fair at kykernel.com.
Look inside for a column about the effectiveness of Coach Calipari’s platoon strategy.
See our movie columnist’s list of the best 10 films to hit the big screen since 2000.
SEE AT KYKERNEL.COM
SEE PAGE 4
SEE PAGE 2
Students who attend the fair can expect to get information on the various clubs and take part in their activities. King’s legacy is meaningful to people for many different reasons. For merchandising, apparel and textile senior Mikal Moore, King’s legacy was not just about race. See KING on page 2
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OPINIONS
Agent Carter shows room for improvement ANNE HALLIWELL Kernel Columnist
Marvel’s Agent Carter blessed the comic book world with the extremely rare concept of a TV series with a lead female character when it premiered on ABC Jan. 6. Hayley Atwell is a godsend. In the two-hour premiere, she managed to make Carter come off as fun, capable and complex — not a combination of characteristics that the women of the Marvel movie-verse have often been allowed to achieve. However, with all of the progress that Agent Peggy Carter and her glass-ceilingsmashing action apparently heralds, the writers seem to have forgotten about a few things.
Namely, the other women. Let’s do roll call: in the premiere, Marvel introduced a friendly-looking telephone operator who received one line and probably won’t appear onscreen again. “Nikita” alum Lyndsy Fonseca played a waitress whose entire rapport with Carter during the first episode didn’t even pass the Bechdel test. Apparently the lack of a main male character still doesn’t mean that the women will be allowed to discuss anything but problematic men (here in the form of a rude diner) for at least the first hour of the series. And Carter’s helpless roommate may fall most short as a bedridden riveter (like Rosie, but with a godawful cough) who pulls the show straight into yet another comic book cliche: the women in refrigerators trope.
The series is enjoyable and the male characters do a pretty good job of illustrating both ends of the feminist spectrum. It’s a smart narrative choice to show Carter after the war, when the female workforce is being pushed back by men returning from the armed forces. And for the record, the costuming is pretty neat. But it’s disappointing to see such a step forward in representation fail so spectacularly in representing a gender across the board. Personally, I’m praying that Fonseca’s time on the CW will assert itself with some secret-agent double-life twist partway through the series. I’ll watch for Atwell, but hope for more. Anne Halliwell is the news editor of the Kentucky Kernel. Email opinions@ kykernel.com
Top 10 movies of the 2000s Editor’s note: Columnist Kyle Arensdorf reviews movies of all genres for the Kernel. He recently ranked his top 10 movies of the 2000s. To see his complete list, be sure to visit kykernel.com.
KYLE ARENSDORF Kernel Columnist
5
“Gravity” (Alfonso Cuaron, 2013)
2013 was the best year that the 2000s produced, from “12 Years a Slave” to “Her” to “Dallas Buyers Club,” it had the widest range of great films. But one separated itself from the pack, and that was Alfonso Cuaron’s “Gravity.” Detractors of the film claim the story is too simplistic. But they miss the boat. This small but exceptional story is told through the lens of the greatest technical achievement in the history of cinema. Cuaron made a perfect film, and there’s something to be said about that.
If you’re fortunate enough to have the great Daniel Day-Lewis grace your movie set, you’d better surround him with the best script, cinematography and music that you can muster. And Paul Thomas Anderson knocked this damning character study of a money-hungry, turn-of-the-century oil man out of the park. Its eerie, haunting score stalks Day-Lewis’ Daniel Plainview as he moves from town to town, intent on building an indomitable empire.
“Shame” (Steve McQueen, 2011)
“The Tree of Life” (Terrence Malick, 2011)
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New rule to warp tax cut data MATT YOUNG Kernel Columnist
The Congressional Budget Office has been a nonpartisan political institution since its establishment. It has, for decades, researched the effects of legislation on not only the budget, but the rest of the country without political sway. But a new rule change passed by Congressional Republicans on the first day of the new legislative session could make the results much less reliable. The change would force the CBO to use a tool called “dynamic scoring” when marking the effects of legislation. Dynamic scoring simply means that the CBO will measure the effect of tax
cuts or spending cuts on the economy as a whole. But because of statistical modeling limitations, computers cannot work with reality when it comes to tax cuts and the CBO is essentially forced to cook the books. What happens is that the computers cannot make a computation when our budgetary outlook — now more than $18 trillion in debt — is unstable. This forces the scorers to input values that would stabilize the debt in the future for their projections. These arbitrary inputs make the economy look stronger than it actually is, and the computer will spit out predictions that tax cuts will lead to more federal revenue because of the booming economy, even if that isn’t reality. To give an idea of the difference between dynamic scoring and other prediction
models, Rep. Dave Camp, (R-MI) ran a tax cut proposal through multiple systems. Dynamic scoring produced results as much as 16 times better than the other models. When President Ronald Reagan cut taxes he realized it did not spur economic growth. He passed the largest peacetime tax increase in history the next year and tax increases for five consecutive years after that. President George H.W. Bush also had to raise taxes. His son, however, passed the famous Bush tax cuts. Federal revenue has not reached its pre-tax-cut level since. The economy has gained momentum after tax increases by President Obama. On the other hand, states that have slashed taxes, like Kansas, are seriously hurting.
Continued from page 1
wartime, you can wear the patch of the unit that you served with in combat on your right shoulder,” Umbrell said. “Army ROTC units are (also) authorized to wear their school patch (on their right
shoulder).” The left shoulder is reserved for the unit one is currently in. “This patch symbolizes our history and what former cadets have gone and done before us,” said Sgt. Major Nathan Johnson, a history junior who said that wearing the patch gave him a “sense
of pride” in being a Wildcat, as well as a cadet. Capt. William Love, a political science senior, called the patch “a way of us being able to separate ourselves from other Army ROTC units. It’s a great way to put UK Army ROTC on the map and show that we’re a great program.”
THOMPSON Continued from page 1
sonal things that may have been holding her back as far as her development.” A powerful force off the court, her on-court contributions will be sorely missed as the two-time SEC Player of the Week leaves a void at the point guard position that will be hard to replace. Faced with that task will be sophomore guard Makayla Epps, who is averaging 12.8 points per game. “For a sophomore that struggles a little bit with focus, this may be a great thing for her,” Mitchell said of Epps. “She can get really locked in at the point guard position and she knows what
KING Continued from page 1
“What Martin Luther King did for African American rights is something very personal to me, but (what) I take away from his life is a
Steve McQueen caught well-deserved praise last year for “12 Years a Slave,” but in 2011 he helmed this brooding drama about a man’s battle with sex addiction. I’m a sucker for extended shots, and McQueen’s films are littered with them. In this instance, we’re plopped in the corner
Respond Online Go to www.kykernel.com to comment on opinions pieces. All online comments may be used in the paper as letters to the editor.
3 “There Will Be Blood”
(Paul Thomas Anderson, 2007)
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Not many people are familiar with the work of Terrence Malick. Even the ones who are can’t say they’re completely familiar with it. He doesn’t make films in the traditional sense; he attempts to provoke questions rather than answer them. They’re your questions, why should he answer
them? In this long-awaited venture he takes on a wide scope, showing us the vastness of the universe, while showing us how little our part in it is. There are few films that will affect you like this one does.
1
“Synecdoche, New York” (Charlie Kaufman, 2008)
This delightfully tangled web of deranged brilliance is Charlie Kaufman’s crowning achievement. “Synecdoche” tells the story of a theater director who wants to do something big. He wants to do a play about a life. What hatches is a film about everything; the stress of parenthood, the anxieties of love and passion, the recognition of your transience. As it progresses, you begin to identify small pieces of your life experience within the film. They’re so abundant that you’ll have to revisit it again and again. As you change as a person the film will change with you, and you’ll identify with it more and more. Above all it’s a film that I can’t get tired of, no matter how many times I watch it, which is the greatest compliment I can give. Kyle Arensdorf is the opinions editor of the Kentucky Kernel. Email karensdorf@ kykernel.com
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FROM THE FRONT PAGE
PATCH
of the protagonist’s (Michael Fassbender, who’s never been better) New York City flat to agonize with him through one-, two, three-minute-long shots that allow Fassbender to exhibit subtle intricacies of his character’s dark past.
PHOTO BY TRACY GLANTZ | THE STATE/TNS
Kentucky’s Janee Thompson (3) dislocates her ankle while defending South Carolina’s Khadijah Sessions (5) at Colonial Life Arena on Jan. 11, 2015.
she needs to do. Maybe she can fill in here and there sometimes when (senior guard Jennifer O’Neill) is at the point.” As the reality of continuing the season without its starting point guard sinks in for UK, the tough task of
preparing for Thursday’s match against Florida becomes a welcome distraction. “We have to find a way forward here,” Mitchell said. “And that’s what we’re here working hard to do. That’s what we will do.”
symbol of fighting for what you believe in, and not giving in to anyone or anything,” Moore said. Accounting junior Garrett English said King’s story makes him feel hopeful for the future. “Dr. King helped to em-
power and open up doors for generations of African Americans who had been given no hope their entire lives,” English said. “Everything he accomplished gives me hope and confidence that I can succeed at anything I set my mind to as well.”
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FROM THE FRONT PAGE
SAFETY Continued from page 1
from their cell phones. It is scheduled to become available to students, faculty and staff in February. The application costs $25,000 to implement and will be funded by SGA and the Executive Vice President of Finance and Administration. It will not cause an increase in student fees. Ingram said that a main focus for the upcoming se-
mester is the further development of the Student Task Force on Diversity and Inclusion, which was developed in response to students representing the National PanHellenic Council being the victims of racist comments on social media. “This semester is where we’re going to see a lot of action from that group,” Ingram said. Ingram noted that there are areas in which he would like the SGA to improve. One is by making the
SGA more prevalent with students, which led to the decision to have weekly open office hours where students can come to the SGA office and voice their thoughts Wednesdays from 12 to 1 p.m. or by appointment. Ingram said that the SGA is also in need of “rebranding,” which led to the decision to make a new logo and website. He said the SGA hopes to become “more approachable and accessible.”
CLASSIFIEDS
For Rent 1-9 Bedroom
2-15 BR homes. Excellent service, variety of nice homes, locations all around campus, starting at $345/person. Leasing@KampusProperties.com. Call/Text (859) 333-1388. Great properties for rent, walk to campus. W/D included. (859) 619-3232. www.myuk4rent.com.
Student Housing August 2015-16 1-6 bedrooms Great quality Good prices Better landlord Dennis (d.sills@live.com) www.sillsbrothers.com 859-983-0726 Walk to Campus Houses 1- 6 Bedroom. Wayne Michael is now pre-leasing 1-6BR houses for the Fall 2015 semester. www.waynemichaelproperties.com. (859) 513-1206.
WALK TO CAMPUS! 3-6 BR houses. Porches, parking, W/D, DW. Very nice! Waller, State, University area. Choose early for best selection. Lease begins 8/1/2015. (859)539-5502.
2 Bedroom
2 & 3 BR/2 BA deluxe apartments, 250 Lexington Ave. 8-minute walk to campus. Low utility bills. Available now, leasing for August 2015. Electric kitchen, coin laundry, assigned parking. Near High Street YMCA. No pets. $1,200/month. (859) 277-4680 or (859) 619-2468. 2 BR/1 Ba on 1903 Fontaine Rd. Backs up to Shriners Hospital. Roomy, quiet and clean. Duplex, both sides available. $950 + utilities. (859)396-5911.
4 Bedroom
4 BR/2 BA house - six month lease. 1,000 feet from UK Hospital. First time rented, super nice condition with recent renovations. Offers big bedrooms, W/D, dishwasher, bike-friendly shed, high-efficiency HVAC for low bills. Off-street parking. 32x12 foot split-level screened deck. Big yard, pet friendly, garden. $300/person. Call or text DB at (859)351-236. 4 BR/2.5 BA New Luxury townhouse on Broadway next to JDI Tavern. Designer kitchens, large bedrooms, all appliances, all electric, off-street parking. Walking distance to UK, security systems and garages. $550/student. (859) 489-0908.
4 BR/2.5 BA. Large, energy-efficient with W/D in unit, deck, garage, eat-in kitchen. On quiet cul-de-sac close to UK campus. Off street parking. Lawn service provided. Available now. 630 Big Bear Lane. $975/month. (859) 278-0970. 4BR/2BA House - Oldham Avenue. 5- or 7-month lease. With appliances. Within walking distance to UK campus. Off-street parking. Call (859) 317-0690 or (606) 547-1040.
5 Bedroom
5 BR houses. Large nice homes with private yards/decks, close to campus off Virginia/Broadway area. Ample parking. Excellent service. $340-$400/person. Leasing@KampusProperties.com. Call/Text (859)333-1388. Newer 2-5BR homes. Only a few left. Near UK. Pet friendly. From $349/person. www.lexingtonhomeconsultants.com Contact James McKee at (859) 221-7082 or jwmckeebroker@msn.com.
Attention
BAHAMAS SPRING BREAK: $189 - 5 days. All prices include: Round-trip luxury party cruise. Accommodations on the island at your choice of 13 resorts. Appalachia Travel, 1-800-867-5018. www.BahamaSun.com.
For Rent
Newer 2-5BR homes. Only a few left. Near UK. Pet friendly. From $349/person. www.lexingtonhomeconsultants.com Contact James McKee at (859) 221-7082 or jwmckeebroker@msn.com.
Help Wanted
AAA on-site interviews 1/16/15 from 10am-2pm 3008 Atkinson Avenue, Hamburg
AAA is looking for a few friendly voices who can make a positive difference by helping our valued members with their emergency road service needs. AAA is currently accepting online applications for full time/part time/seasonal positions based in its inbound Member Service Call Center in Hamburg. Excellent listening and verbal communication skills, computer and typing skills, the desire to help people, a flexible schedule and ability to work weekends required. All schedules are set and include a minimum of one weekend shift. Must enjoy and perform well in high-volume, fast-paced environment! Base hourly rate + incentive pay plans with a variety of benefits available for PT and FT including paid time off and 401k options. Triple-pay for holiday hours worked! Apply online today: http://ohiovalley.aaa.com/About/Careers before these sought after positions are gone! EOE.
East Kentucky Power Cooperative in Winchester is hiring Engineers! New grads and experienced Engineers welcome to apply. We offer a wage and benefits package that ranks among the best in the state: 401(k) retirement plan, medical and dental plan and competitive vacation package. Equal Employment Opportunity Employer Minorities/Women/Disabled/Veteran. Apply online at www.ekpc.coop. LLM is seeking candidates interested in working part-time for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Weekend & Afternoon hours are available. Starting at $10/hour. Full-time salaried management positions also available. Apply online: www.lordslegacyministries.org or call (859) 245-2233. PPM is now hiring Lifeguards, Pool Managers and Swim instructors. PPM is hiring for country clubs, water parks and Home owner associations in Lexington, Richmond, Winchester, Danville, Frankfort, Shelbyville, and Louisville areas. Pay ranges from $8.50-$15/hour. Email Brad at Brad40965@aol.com for application. Property management company seeks part-time leasing and office admin assistant. 20-30 hours per week. $10-12/hour. Please forward contact information and resume to mprentals@netbusiness.com. PT receptionist needed for property management company. Must have excellent computer and communication skills. Apply at 860 South Broadway, Lexington, KY 40504. Researchers at the University of Kentucky are conducting studies concerning the effects of alcohol and are looking for male & female social drinkers 21-35 years of age. Volunteers paid to participate. Call (859) 257-5794. Researchers at the University of Kentucky are looking for individuals 21–34 years of age who have received a DUI in the last 5 years to participate in a study looking at behavioral and mental performance. Participants are compensated for their time and participation is completely confidential. For more information, call (859) 257-5794. The Cellar Bar and Grille is hiring servers, hostesses and cooks. Please apply in person. 3256 Lansdowne Dr.
Roommates Wanted
1-4 roommates needed. 4 BR/2BA house, 6 month lease. $300/person. See ad under “4 Bedrooms.” (859) 351-2363. Roommate needed. Female student looking for same. Non partier. Available anytime. Landlord Dennis, 859-983-0726. Sillsbrothers.com
Call 859.257.2871 to place an ad | Ads can be found at kykernel.com DEADLINE - 3 p.m. the day before publication The Kentucky Kernel is not responsible for information given to fraudulent parties. We encourage you not to participate in anything for which you have to pay an up-front fee or give out credit card or other personal information, and to report the company to us immediately.
HOROSCOPE To get the advantage, check the day's rating: 10 is the easiest day, 0 the most challenging. Aries (March 21-April 19) — Today is a 7 — Make budgetary modifications. Allow extra time to clear up a misunderstanding or garbled communication. Expect shipping delays. Consider new financial options. Problem areas show up. Don't gamble. Guard and protect a treasure. Be careful what you say. Taurus (April 20-May 20) — Today is a 7 — Don't get intimidated or make hasty assumptions. You were afraid of a paper dragon. Patience with misunderstandings pays off. Breakdowns and obstacles slow things. The trick is to keep what you've learned. Disregard an impetuous or impertinent suggestion. Seek funding. Gemini (May 21-June 20) — Today is a 6 — Confusion reigns. Messes at work require your attention. It's a whole new world. What seems hopeless now works out in the long haul. New information stirs up old worries. Rest, so you'll be ready to move quickly later. Cancer (June 21-July 22) — Today is a 7 — Postpone travel, expansion or launches. Focus on your practice. Tell friends you'll see them later. Theory and practice clash, on paper as well as in your mind. Incorporate music or other sounds. Invite expert opinions. Follow love. Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) — Today is a 6 — Make home repairs now to avoid greater expense. Family can help out, but there could be misunderstandings. Allow extra time to get everyone on board. Work together to build trust and partnership. Address everyone's concerns. Rest in your nest. Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) — Today is a 7 — Edit writing for clarity. Put in a correction. Follow the rules, although that could seem like a moving target. You feel changes intensely. Don't go yet. Keep a promise. Discover something valuable that's been stored away.
Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) — Today is an 8 — Study the errors to gain expertise. Reset your goals. Take off in a new direction at work. Avoid a confrontation and focus on making money. Postpone a celebration. Travel another day. Reveal your conclusions. Simplify and relax. Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) — Today is an 8 — Get a breakthrough moneymaking idea. Make notes on steps to achieve the goal. Self-esteem has room to grow. Hold onto what you have. Stand up for yourself. Build status by keeping promises. Cut entertainment spending for now. Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) — Today is a 6 — Slow and easy does it. Keep your head down. Something you try doesn't work. Expect travel and shipping delays. Express your feelings. You're more creative working with a loved one. Temporary confusion could slow the action. Relax. Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) — Today is a 7 — Friends can help you beat a deadline. Obstacles and roadblocks require navigation. Keep quiet and focused. Take a philosophical view of your work. Group efforts get farther. Call home if you're going to be late. Appreciate your team. Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) — Today is a 7 — Sidestep career pitfalls and ask friends for advice. Postpone launching new initiatives. Don't spend to impress others. Handle chores and routine tasks. Save money by cooking at home. Clean your desk to make space for exciting new work. Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) — Today is a 7 — You come to a fork in the road. A disagreement about priorities could slow the action. Postpone an outing. Cut entertainment spending. Persuade everyone to your way of thinking. Offer encouragement, and be patient. Wait out a storm.
Sponsor the horoscope 859.257.2872 MCT
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page 4 | 1.15.15
Joshua Huff | Sports Editor | jhuff@kykernel.com
Two-platoon system key to Cats’ success in SEC Hawkins return to starting lineup responsible for Tuesday’s blowout KYLE ARENSDORF Kernel Columnist
UK head coach John Calipari was questioned, if not knocked, early in the season by some who were skeptical of whether or not his players would buy into his proposed two-platoon system. But he maintained that it was the only way to get all of his players an adequate amount of playing time while keeping them all happy. The platoons clicked and the blowouts began. But when junior forward Alex Poythress was injured on Dec. 11, Calipari’s system took its first true hit and questions swirled around
who would take Poythress’ place in the starting platoon. It seemed fitting to plug either sophomore guard Dominique Hawkins or sophomore forward Derek Willis into the first platoon to keep the second platoon intact. Instead, Calipari moved to a nine-man rotation and put freshman forward Trey Lyles into the starting lineup, leaving a vacancy in the second platoon. When he wanted to replace the first platoon, Calipari would take four players out and leave one in with the other platoon, then use traditional two- and three-man substitutions for the rest of the game. Calipari continued to call them platoons, but that was the end of the traditional five-in, five-out platoon system. And that was fine for a while.
Able to play with finesse – shooting well above their averages from the field and from beyond the arc – the Cats soared past North Carolina and UCLA. But then UK began to struggle offensively at Louisville, and the defense followed suit when it began SEC play. The improvised platoon system had started to reveal chinks in the UK armor that had been so strong throughout the season. One benefit to two completely separate platoons is that they feed off of each other, one always wanting to one-up the other. But since at least one player was left in the game through substitutions, there was no competition between the two platoons to score more points, and no pride to not allow the opponent to score more points.
All of the advantages that the platoons brought to the Cats were gone. They were finally on an even playing field with their opponents. But sometimes in order to recognize how great something is, you have to lose it. And UK had officially lost it. What had hatched out of necessity to begin the season was now a necessity for a different reason. After the Cats’ doubleovertime victory against Texas A&M, Calipari had finally seen enough and reverted to the two-platoon system Tuesday against Missouri. However, despite the 8637 rout of the Tigers, Calipari said that he didn’t know if he’d continue using the system when UK faces Alabama in Tuscaloosa on Saturday. Whether Calipari is will-
PHOTO BY TESSA LIGHTY | STAFF
UK guard Dominique Hawkins (25) drives the ball against EKU guard Corey Walden (2) at Rupp Arena on Dec. 7, 2014.
ing to admit it or not, bringing Hawkins into the starting lineup to revive the two-platoon system was the differ-
ence in the Missouri game and will be key to success throughout a physical conference schedule.
Early season success may not continue for UK Hoops JOSHUA HUFF Kernel Columnist
The uphill grind to March ratchets up another gear for UK Hoops as it nears the midway point in the fivemonth long season. Sitting at 14-3 and 3-1 in the SEC, No. 10 UK has remained in contention for the
SEC Championship crown; a tall task considering the conference boasts national powerhouses No. 1 South Carolina and No. 6 Tennessee. Expectations were at an all-time high for UK coming off another run to the Sweet 16 in 2014. The Cats used a five-guard rotation and their frenetic “40 minutes of dread” defense early in the season to secure victories over Baylor and instate rival Louisville, and win the Paradise Jam Island Tournament.
But UK struggled to contend with the top echelon teams of the NCAA such as Duke (89-68 loss) and South Carolina (68-60 loss). Now, with the season-ending injury to junior point guard Jenna Thompson and a lingering thumb injury to senior guard Bria Goss, the promising start to the season may have run its course. Games against tough SEC opponents await UK and the realization that it does not have the size nor physicality to
Cats continue challenging conference schedule By Kevin Erpenbeck kerpenbeck@kykernel.com
A common theme of the SEC portion of the schedule is a “grind.” It’s often rated one of the toughest conferences in the NCAA and currently houses the top team in the nation in South Carolina. While the Cats experience that grind every year, this time might be a little different and more difficult than years past as they prepare to play archrival Florida on Thursday without their leader in assists, junior point guard Janee Thompson. Thompson suffered a dislocated ankle and a broken fibula in No. 10 UK’s game against South Carolina on Sunday, effectively ending her 2014-15 season. The Chicago native had surgery on Monday to begin the recovery process and hopes to
participate with the team’s offseason practices in June. Head coach Matthew Mitchell said that with Thompson’s injury, the margin for error for the rest of the team just got a whole lot smaller. “It does need to heighten everyone’s sense of awareness of their responsibility to the team,” Mitchell said. “If (sophomore guard Makayla Epps) wants to have a lousy day today, she is really going to hurt the team. If Janee was there (on the court), she can say ‘Oh, Janee can do it and I’ll just have a lousy day.’ Can’t do that (now).” Mitchell also said the best solution to filling in Thompson’s place on the court is by sliding Epps over to the point guard role. The 5-foot-10 McDonald’s All-American has played mostly as a shooting guard and a small for-
PHOTO BY ADAM PENNAVARIA | STAFF
UK guard Bria Goss defends against Middle Tennessee guard China Dow at Memorial Coliseum on Dec. 22, 2014.
ward, but has some experience at the point guard position, most of it coming from high school. Epps is second on the team in scoring with an average of nearly 13 points a game. She also ranks second in assists with 50, just two behind Thompson’s 52. The Cats are also expected to get help on Thursday with the return of senior guard Bria Goss. Goss suffered a broken thumb just before UK’s game against Belmont on Dec. 14 and has missed every game since then. Mitchell said he had considered bringing in Goss against South Carolina, but refrained from doing so in the interest of a “long-term plan for our team.” The 5-foot-10 guard is known for her prolific defense, something that Epps has continually struggled to establish since seeing more playing time this year, according to Mitchell. Florida struggled during its nonconference portion of the schedule, going 8-5 while losing to Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference team Savannah State and a home game against Big Sky team Eastern Washington. The Gators are coming off back-to-back losses against Ole Miss and Missouri to put them at 9-8 for the year. UK played Florida twice in the regular season last year and lost both times. However, the Cats got their revenge in the SEC Tournament by defeating the Gators 75-70 in the quarterfinals. No matter Florida’s record now, Mitchell said he always expects a challenging match from UK’s conference nemesis. “They just always seem to be extremely prepared. (Florida head coach Amanda Butler) does a great job,” Mitchell said. “I’m not expecting anything other than a very difficult game and we’ve got to find a way to be tough enough to win.”
compete with South Carolina or Tennessee has raised questions about the durability of this team. The Cats’ tallest players are 6-foot-3 freshman center Alyssa Rice and senior forward Azia Bishop. Against more physical teams like South Carolina, they were outplayed and outrebounded 55-37. Against Duke, the Cats were outrebounded by just eight, but struggled to shoot the ball and watched the Blue Devils shoot 56 percent from
the field against their vaunted defense. The biggest issue for UK however will be the need to find consistent scoring. Senior guard Jennifer O’Neill is UK’s most prolific scorer with nearly 15 points a game, but her persistency to shoot the ball when none of her shots have fallen in a game is an issue. All five guards in the rotation have the ability to shoot. Constantly feeding O’Neill the ball provides her the opportunity to lead the
team in scoring, but with her not having the hot hand throughout a game and hoping she’ll happen to find her range acts as more of a detriment than a benefit. Regardless, UK sits second in the SEC and looks to continue its run through the conference in route to another high bid in the NCAA Tournament; an impressive coaching job by Matthew Mitchell, who continues to display his penchant for molding teams into top-tier competition.