TUESDAY 1.20.15
TOMORROW’S WEATHER
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est. 1892 | independent since 1971 | www.kykernel.com
PHOTO BY JOEL REPOLEY | STAFF
Freshmen Alex Blotnik and James Bolden help out at God's Pantry alongside hundreds of UK students during the Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service project on Saturday in Lexington.
Serving Martin Luther King’s legacy By Anne Halliwell ahalliwell@kykernel.com
At the front of Monday’s Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday Freedom March, UK President Eli Capilouto held a banner with Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes and Lexington mayor Jim Gray. “As far as I can remember, the president has been at every (march) without fail,” said UK assistant vice president Anthany Beatty. Beatty said UK’s reputation in regard to diversity suffered during the 40s and 50s. Having administration represent the university at the MLK march is good for a community that still remembers the period before UK allowed the same opportunities to African Americans, he said.
Beatty said he and his wife, Eunice, a retired UK faculty member, march in almost every parade and helped fund the 2014 event. “Eunice and I just feel it’s important to be involved,” Beatty said. “The history of what happened to our country ... our kids and grandkids learned about by just reading. This is a way to be involved.” The parade stretched for more than a block as it wound its way around Vine and Main streets. Participants carried banners for local organizations like the National Pan-Hellenic Council and markers of recent civil rights issues, like “I can’t breathe” t-shirts. March coordinator Terry Allen said 37 organizations registered to march in advance. “Everyone is welcome and
invited, so there are those, then, who simply come,” Allen said. Allen, UK’s vice president of Institutional Equity, estimated that between two and three thousand people participated in Monday’s event. He added that the march represents everyone from Lexington and university leaders to “those who march in complete anonymity.” “It was a lovely event,” he said. “Just unity at its best.” Media arts and studies freshman Brijan Emerson said she has participated in the annual MLK March for 15 or 16 years. “(I participate) to know my history and show support,” Emerson said. “I just come to march with my people.” Dominic Murphy II, presiSee MLK on page 3
PHOTO BY TAYLOR PENCE | STAFF
Participants in the Martin Luther King Parade march down Main Street during the Martin Luther King Commemoration at the Lexington Center Heritage Hall on West Main Street in Lexington, Ky on Monday.
UK defense will challenge Vandy Explosion rocks Commodores come to Rupp central campus hoping to end losing streak By Joshua Huff jhuff@kykernel.com
Vanderbilt travels to Lexington in the hopes of ending its three-game losing streak as it takes on the nation’s topranked team on Tuesday. The Commodores (11-6, 1-3 SEC), who have lost their last two games by a margin of three points each, will be facing a UK team that is coming off back-to-back blowout victories against conference opponents. In their last two games, the Cats held opponents to under 45 percent from the field while winning by a margin of more than 20 points. The victories are a stark contrast to UK’s first two SEC matchups when the Cats struggled in victories against Ole Miss and Texas A&M. The close wins against the Rebels and the Aggies served as wakeup calls for UK, who had blown through the season with dominating victories against top-tier teams like Kansas, UCLA, North Carolina and Louisville. Through 17 games, UK has been led by the soft strokes of Aaron Harrison (11.4 points per game) and Devin Booker (10.6 ppg).
Booker has been nearly automatic from beyond the arc, shooting 34-67. However, it has been UK’s defense that propelled it to be one of only two undefeated teams left in the country. A defense that allows only 50 ppg awaits a Vanderbilt team that is struggling with confidence in what has been a difficult season for head coach Kevin Stallings. “Their defense is truly amazing,” Stallings said during a teleconference on Monday. “Hopefully it doesn’t happen to where our confidence gets dinged any more then it currently is. “ The task of upsetting the No.1 team in the country will be tall for a young Vanderbilt team whose margin of victory is only 7.9 points (a vast drop off from the 25.7 points UK is averaging per victory). But the Commodores have a talent for taking down No.1’s. They are 8-17 all-time against topranked teams, with their latest victory against then-No. 1 Florida last season. The bright spot for Vanderbilt is freshman Riley LaChance, who leads all SEC freshmen in scoring with 13.3 ppg. Leading the Commodores is All-SEC First
PHOTO BY MICHAEL REAVES | STAFF FILE PHOTO
UK guard Aaron Harrison drives the ball in the game against Alabama at Coleman Coliseum on Saturday.
Team sophomore Damian Jones, who is scoring 16 ppg. As the only SEC team to start three freshmen at three guard spots, Vanderbilt will be
in unfamiliar territory Tuesday in a hostile environment at Rupp Arena against arguably one of the most talented teams to grace the court.
No injuries or damage were reported after an explosion on the corner of Rose Lane and Linden Walk early Saturday morning, said Major Daniel Bellot of the Lexington Fire Department. The exact cause of the blast was unknown as of 2 a.m. Saturday, but the Fire Department indicated that a buildup of flammable material near a storm drain somehow ignited, UK spokesman Jay Blanton said. Fire officials left the scene at about 2 a.m. Lexington Fire Department spokesman Joe Best said on Monday that the investigators found old gas that had leaked from heavy equipment and pooled beside the drain and some leaves. The leaves and vapor ignited and caused the explosion, Best said. The storm drains did not have flammable material in them and were cleared by the investigators, Best said. “We checked the area … and have not been able to find anything,” Bellot said. Lexington HeraldLeader reporter Justin Madden said he heard the explosion from about a mile away, near the corner of Main Street and Ashland Avenue. Kentucky Kernel pho-
ILLUSTRATION BY MADISON GUNTER | STAFF
tographer Adam Pennavaria also heard the blast while about a half block away on Rose Lane. The intersection is located near the Stuckert Career Center and the Singletary Center for the Arts on Central campus. The UK Alert system sent out calls and text messages at about 1:20 a.m. advising students to avoid the area. At about 1:45 a.m., UK Alert sent messages saying the emergency had passed. STAFF REPORT
2 | Kentucky Kernel | 1.20.15
OPINIONS
Free college plan Athlete payment a slippery slope will be complex PATRICK BRENNAN Kernel Columnist
Like most people, I was overjoyed when I first heard about President Barack Obama’s proposal to make two years of community college free for all Americans. But after consideration, this issue should be dealt with by states individually, rather than by the federal government. My initial reaction was due to the glaring benefits of free community college. We should always try to open the door wider to education, and free access to college classrooms would attest to how far we’ve come. Also, free community college can benefit those in the lower and middle classes who struggle to afford higher education. Armed with new skills, graduates would have more, and better, job prospects. It seems that our society would thrive like never before if everyone had access to K-14 education. But if this ideal spread from documents in D.C., we would find problems outweighing benefits. For one, not all of the cost of college is tuition. The American Association for Community Colleges found that average tuition and fees are just 21 percent of the cost to attend community college; free tuition in no way removes all obstacles to higher education. Secondly, we have no idea how this lofty plan would change the landscape of community colleges across the nation. Our only model is Tennessee, where a similar system enacted last year led
to 90% of high school seniors applying to community college. The whole higher education system will be changed, but we don’t know how yet. And there are a variety of other reasons to be wary of Obama’s proposal. Do we really want to force states to pay for a part of the cost and extend public education, which already fails to prepare all students for college? However, I realized that this idea was just a talking point for Obama, rather than a genuine proposal. Without a plan to pay for it, as well as a Republican-controlled congress, free community college was not introduced sincerely. At best, the executive office is trying to influence states to pick up this good idea; at worst, they are intentionally shaping the policy debates of the 2016 election cycle. But we can be sure that the discussion about free community college will continue. Knowledge will help us be able to distinguish empty rhetoric from informed opinions. In the end, I can envision that this plan is tossed out for lack of funding. This would be unfortunate, as most Americans can probably agree on less-praiseworthy spending (i.e. foreign aid to Israel and Pakistan, an oversized military, or the broken Social Security system). Even with the proper funds, free community college should be a state issue. But the federal money would be better used for Pell grants, existing student debt and K12 education. Patrick Brennan is a philosophy and mathematics junior. Email opinions@ kykernel.com.
MATT YOUNG Kernel Columnist
UK is one of only 19 athletics programs that generates revenue (expenses + subsidy). College sports are not the huge cash cow some people think they are. Rarely are any sports profitable to a university other than football and men’s basketball. Despite being profitable, UK Athletics still gets nearly a million dollars annually in subsidies paid for by student fees. The idea that players get exploited is very overblown. Sometimes players are taken advantage of, but the John Walls and Cam Newtons are few and far between. None of this mattered last week when the “Power Five” conferences of the NCAA, which UK is a part of, voted to provide stipends between $2,000 to $4,000 per year to student athletes. So the debate is over, players will get paid — but it will be students cutting
the checks. This will not be limited to just a few players, recruiting is too competitive. It won’t be long until the school offers four grand a year to every basketball and football player they meet. Our nationally dominant cheerleading squad will need to pay their athletes to stay on top too. Other sports will find a player they cannot live without and that player will get paid too. Scholarship athletes already have it good enough, and paying students are al-
“
— living better than most STEM graduates in today’s job market. The money these students make above what they already get in benefits goes toward providing scholarships to the rest of the student athletes who actually have to struggle to get through. If the school starts paying athletes they will either go bankrupt, or cut out the education opportunity for most college athletes. Paying students already have it tough enough. Government support for schools
If Gatorade wants to slap (the Harrison twins) on an ad, let them get $1 million each for it.
ready getting the shaft. Outof-state tuition at UK runs about $23 thousand per year. Add to that books, fivestar resorts we tell ourselves are dorms to keep from getting depressed, and a personal chef and these “exploited” athletes who are firmly in the middle class
is at an all-time low. State support for UK was less than 10 percent of the budget for the first time ever this year. This means more of the tuition has to come out of students’ pockets, and the job market after graduation is, at best, struggling. All of the construction projects on
campus cost so much that a very generous $20 million donation from Bill Gatton will only cut student fees by $25 per semester. And Title IX mandates that every male athlete given a benefit must be matched by a female athlete, so that doubles the cost. The arguments for paying college athletes sound desperately close to those made for cutting taxes on the rich. It’s an emotional appeal that makes sense on the surface, but in practice only hurts everyone else. Players should get paid, just not by the university. If Gatorade wants to slap sophomore guards Aaron and Andrew Harrison on an ad, let them get $1 million each for it. If junior forward Willie Cauley-Stein wants to sign some of those free shoes athletes get and sell them, by all means go for it, that shouldn’t be a problem. The problem is that the only conversation happening revolves around students paying them. Matt Young is a journalism and political science senior. Email opinions@ kykernel.com.
CARTOON BY TYLER WORTHINGTON | STAFF
NEWS
UK begins negotiations to bring STEAM Academy near campus
UK began negotiations with Fayette County Public Schools to move the STEAM Academy — a collaboration between high schools and UK faculty, graduate and undergraduate students — on or near the university’s campus. According to UKNow, the STEAM Academy, which allows high schoolers to take classes taught by UK staff and students, possibly for college credit, is currently locat-
ed on East Sixth Street. The long-term plan, Eric Monday told UKNow, is to move the academy onto campus in a building to be constructed by the public school district. The most likely location is behind the College of Education, located in the Taylor Education Building. STEAM stands for science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics. The academy opened in Au-
gust of 2013, according to the Fayette County Public Schools brochure, with a class of 150 participants. The brochure stated that the academy would increase the class size by 150 students every year until 2016. Admission to the academy was selected by a random lottery draw of applicants, according to the brochure. According to UKNow, the program was initially
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funded by Next Generation Learning Challenges, which provides grants to fund learning technologies. College of Education students will become involved with the classes taught in the STEAM Academy. No specific date has been set for the selection of a location for the STEAM Academy or construction, according to UKNow. STAFF REPORT
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1.20.15 | Independent since 1971 | 3
FROM THE FRONT PAGE
MLK Continued from page 1
dent of the NPHC at UK, wrote in an email to the Kentucky Kernel that many members of the council at UK used the march as a way to give back to the community. “The march is important to the National Pan-Hellenic Council because not only is Dr. King a member of the Greek community himself, but also because it is a form of service,” Murphy wrote in the email. By participating in the walk each year, different organizations not only continue bringing light to Dr. King's vision and ideals, but also ... bring awareness to those around them and allow them
to be educated.” Murphy added that in the future, he would like to see more involvement by UK, possibly through increased advertisement to spread the word to more organizations that could have been involved. Before the parade came the Center for Community Outreach’s National Day of Service. UK students volunteered in more than 14 different sites across Lexington on Saturday for organizations including Habitat for Humanity, the International Book Project and the Hope Lodge, according to a press release from the MLK Center. Day of Service director Grace-Marie Thompson email the Kentucky Kernel that al-
most 200 students took part. Kendra Oo, who participated in the Day of Service, said sorting food at God’s Pantry Food Bank gave her a sense of accomplishment. “What I really liked is that we all started out together, so it was like teamwork,” the diatetics sophomore said. “Everyone who liked to do service (and) volunteering was all together.” According to the Facebook page for the Campus Kitchen at UK, the group that went to God’s Pantry sorted more than 20,000 pounds of food in about two hours. “We talked about, like, hunger shouldn’t be an issue when there are the resources available,” Oo said. “This is what is important.”
CLASSIFIEDS
For Rent 4 Bedroom 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. Condo, great security and great location. 1 BR/$645. 2 BR/$795. All utilities included, and a pool! Close to UK, St. Joe and Central Baptist. Call Brad at (859)983-0434. 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. 2 BR/1BA, 211 Waller. Incudes all utilities, Wi-Fi, and W/D. $990/mo. August. Call or text (859) 619-5454.
3 Bedroom
3 BR/1 BA, 221A University Ave. $1,200/mo. August. Call or text (859) 619-5454.
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 BA renovated, 288 Clay Avenue. $1,600/mo. August. Call or text (859) 619-5454. 4 BR/2 BA, 323 Lafayette Avenue. $1,400/mo. August. Call or text (859) 619-5454. 4 BR/2 BA, 219B (back) University Ave. $1,600/mo. August. Call or text (859) 619-5454. 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.
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.
Help Wanted
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 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. 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. The Cellar Bar and Grille is hiring servers, hostesses and cooks. Please apply in person. 3256 Lansdowne Dr.
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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.
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 an 8 — Collaborate with friends on projects that inspire and make a difference. You can achieve remarkable results. With the Sun and New Moon in Aquarius today, your team's on fire. Vision + action = innovation. Realize a dream together. Taurus (April 20-May 20) — Today is an 8 — Exciting new career opportunities appear. Focus on advancing your position. A new leadership phase dawns with the New Moon. Express your passion in your work. Explore your creativity. Go for a dream. Articulate your vision and mission. Gemini (May 21-June 20) — Today is an 8 — Travel beckons over the next month with the Sun and New Moon in Aquarius. Go somewhere you've always dreamed about. Study and get your homework done first. The workload may be intense. Celebrate completion somewhere exotic. Cancer (June 21-July 22) — Today is an 8 — Imagine your family's future. New income is possible. Discuss long-term goals and how to get there. The best things in life are still free. Save for bad weather. Sort, file and organize. Manage accounts and paperwork. Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) — Today is a 7 — A dream is within reach, if you work together. Encourage a miracle worker. Rely on each other. If you don't take action, an opportunity dissolves. Watch the insubstantial sift away. Good manners help you gain altitude. Make and accept promises. Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) — Today is an 8 — Act decisively. Focus on your work over the next month with the Sun in Aquarius. A new level of service grows under the New Moon. You don't want to go anywhere. Trust your own good sense.
Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) — Today is an 8 — Discover an epiphany about life, the universe and everything. It's all about love. Share some. New opportunities to utilize your talents arise. Choose for fun and passion. Have it forward a larger dream. Stand with your heart. Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) — Today is an 8 — Begin a new home phase under the Aquarius Sun and New Moon. Take care of household responsibilities and projects. Get family on board with the plan. Take the first steps. Get creative and save money. Make dreams come true. Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) — Today is a 7 — You retain information especially well over the next month with the Sun and New Moon in Aquarius. You have a flair for storytelling. Write it all down. Begin a new phase in a creative dream project. Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) — Today is a 9 — The Aquarius Sun and New Moon could inspire new income, in a new profitable phase. Expenses could rise as well, so keep sharp watch. Don't waste resources. Recycle for maximum use. Realize a financial dream by going for it. Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) — Today is a 9 — You have the advantage this month, with the Sun and New Moon in your sign, ushering in a confident, powerful phase. Keep your patience. Humility serves you well. Take significant ground with a personal dream. A loved one cheers. Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) — Today is a 7 — Savor solitude and introspection. Make long-term plans. Something's coming due. Be supportive. Listen to the wisdom of an elder. Visualize the dream. A miracle occurs when least expected. Restore mental and physical energy through rest and meditation.
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page 4 | 1.20.15
Joshua Huff | Sports Editor | jhuff@kykernel.com
Hoops needs to regain pre-injury intensity KEVIN ERPENBECK Kernel Columnist
UK Hoops fans could talk until they’re blue in the face about how the season-ending injury to starting point guard Janee Thompson will affect the Cats statistically. At the time of the injury against South Carolina, she led the team in assists, had the second-most steals and was the only player to start every game of the season (and she still leads the team in games
started). So, naturally, the Cats were bound to struggle going forward. But Thompson’s loss dealt UK a blow deeper than any stat sheet can represent. UK lacks intensity and heart, and without Thompson, it’s unclear if it can regain the passion. Thompson’s improvement on defense had been discussed since a year ago, mainly by head coach Matthew Mitchell. Mitchell was impressed with Thompson’s aggressiveness and energy, calling her “a great on-ball defender,” and complimented her several times for her leadership during senior guard Bria Goss’ month-long
absence due to injury. A lack of intensity showed in UK’s most recent loss on Sunday. Facing an LSU team that averaged 63 points a game, the Cats watched as the Tigers exploded for 84 points. UK failed to have an answer for how to defend LSU guard Danielle Ballard. The 5-foot-9 junior played her first game after serving a 14-game suspension for violation of team rules. She scored a season-high 25 points with five assists. The lack of a defensive presence doomed UK. Until they find someone to replace Thompson, the remainder of the season will be a grind for
UNC grabs 68-53 victory against Virginia Tech By Andrew Carter News & Observer (Raleigh, N.C.) (TNS)
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. Entering Sunday, North Carolina’s past three games had been tense, dramatic affairs, all of them coming down to the final seconds, all of them coming down to the last shot, all of them in doubt until the final buzzer sounded and time expired. The Tar Heels’ game against Virginia Tech, then, was supposed to be a welcome respite — a breather, of sorts, against what many consider to be the worst team in the ACC. And so it was, mostly — a 6853 UNC victory that came without the kind of drama the 15th-ranked Tar Heels had grown accustomed to of late. UNC (14-4, 4-1 ACC) led comfortably throughout the second half, though the Hokies (8-9, 0-4) took advantage of a turnover after a made basket and made a 3-pointer that cut the Tar Heels’ lead to eight points with less than two minutes to play. No matter, though. UNC quickly extended the lead back into double figures. It had been a while since the Tar Heels could relax a bit in the final minutes. After UNC’s 74-50 victory at Clemson on Jan. 3, the Tar Heels played in three games decided by two points or less — their first such streak since 1976. This one, against Virginia Tech, wasn’t supposed to be all that close. The Hokies, though, hung around for a while, and trailing by 13 points at halftime and by 11 with about 14 minutes to play. But then UNC began to put it out of reach and after the Tar Heels scored six consecutive points, Virginia Tech coach Buzz Williams called a timeout with about 11 minutes
PHOTO BY ROBERT WILLETT | RALEIGH NEWS & OBSERVER (TNS)
UNC's Isaiah Hicks puts up a shot over Virginia Tech's Christian Beyer during the first half on Sunday at the Smith Center in Chapel Hill, N.C.
to play. His team trailed 48-31 at the time. Williams’ team was without Justin Bibbs, a freshman forward who has been one of the bright spots amid a difficult season. Bibbs, who leads Virginia Tech with an average of 13.6 points per game, sat out with a concussion. Without him Virginia
Tech, which already has had its share of difficulty generating offense, struggled to score even more. At one point in the first half, the Hokies missed 10 consecutive shots from the field. It wasn’t common for them, throughout, to go several minutes between made shots.
weekend scores Men’s basketball 1/17/15
vs. Alabama
women’s basketball 1/18/15
vs. LSU
W, (70-48)
L, (84-79)
Men’s tennis
1/17/15
vs. Notre Dame
1/19/15
vs. Duke
Women’s tennis
1/18/15
vs. Belmont
rifle
1/17/15
1/18/15
vs. Ole Miss
vs. Memphis
L, (4-3)
L, (5-2)
W, (7-0)
W, (4688-4580)
W, (2361-2353)
Go Green. Recycle this Kernel.
a team whose identity revolves around defense. “We’ll really try to seek constant improvement,” Mitchell said. “Whatever we can use it as — a wake-up call or whatever — I don’t know if we’re unclear on us needing to improve.” The Cats had better wake up and get fired up soon. Five of their next seven games come against teams who are ranked in the Top 25. Losing one of the best statistical players on the team hurts, but failing to replace the intensity and heart that Thompson brought throughout the year will spell disaster for a team with once-high expectations.
PHOTO BY JONATHAN KRUEGER | STAFF FILE PHOTO
Kentucky guard Janee Thompson takes a jump shot during the game against Pikeville at Memorial Coliseum on Thursday, Nov. 4, 2014.