kentuckykernel est. 1892 I independent since 1971 I www.kykernel.com
THURSDAY 2.2.17
Amin Abedini, 33 | Citizen of Iran
Ranym Nenneh, 20 | Dual citizen of France and Syria
Parisa Shamaeizadeh, 19 | Dual citizen of Iran and U.S.
Caught between two homes
Travel ban upends foreign students’ hopes of being reunited with their families Story by Kat Manouchehri | Photos by Michael Reaves news@kykernel.com
Roughly 120 UK students and scholars have been affected by President Donald Trump’s executive order limiting travel from seven Muslim-majority countries. Foreign students across the country are worried whether they will be able to continue studying in the U.S. and if they will be able to renew their Student Visas. On Jan. 27, Trump signed an executive order that halted the issuance of visas, barred refugees, and detained immigrants and citizens traveling from Syria, Iraq, Libya, Iran, Sudan, Somalia and Yemen. Universities across the country, including UK, have issued formal statements in regard to Trump’s executive order, and advised students not to leave the country. Foreign students across the country are worried whether
they will be able to continue studying in the U.S. and if they will be able to renew their student visas.
“Family is much more important than cancer.” Amin Abedini is battling bladder cancer on his own, while his wife, stuck in limbo like many other immigrant families, is in Iran barred from re-entering the U.S. He received the diagnosis
while she was in Tehran helping her father recover from heart and brain surgery. They came to the U.S. hoping to honor his mother’s dream to see all nine of her children become successful. With three PhDs, one medical doctor, a mayor and three master’s graduates under her belt, Abedini’s pursuit of a PhD in mechanical engineering in the U.S. will fulfill that dream. “My mother is a wonderful woman who believes that
higher education is the key factor for her children to be beneficial to themselves and society,” Abedini said. That dream may be interrupted if his F1 student visa expires before the government lifts its ban on issuing visas, and he is deported back to Iran. Through all of this struggle, the least of his concerns has been his health. “I think my family is much more important than cancer,” Abedini said. Abedini hasn’t been able to see his family since he came to the U.S. in August of 2015 because his visa does not permit multiple entries. He has no family in the U.S., and the newlyweds have had little time to begin their life together here. They married three weeks before moving to the U.S. and she had to return five months in to help her ailing father. While abroad, she secured a multiple entry visa and booked a return ticket for Feb. 4. A week earlier and she would have been able to take her hus-
band to his appointment this Tuesday, where he will learn more about his condition. “It’s really devastating to see all of your desires, ambitions, achievements and plans suddenly turn to ash,” Abedini said. Abedini said he knows the world is not black and white, and believes the majority of American people are caring and welcoming. He believes
“Iran is a piece of me.” Parisa Shamaeizadeh thought the travel ban was a bluff. She said she couldn’t believe that a president would force an order that would fragment families like hers, which is now split between two countries. “After he signed it and I
“It hit me like a brick.” Parisa Shamaeizadeh, 19 Dual citizen of Iran and U.S.
the country has the potential to accept immigrants, and with them utilize their skills and expertise. “In almost all countries when the politicians can’t fulfill their promises and objectives, they try to put the blame on an external cause,” Abedini said. “I think it’s better to think about the root causes which generate refugees. Refugees themselves are victims of these root causes.”
heard about everything that was going on in the airports, I was shocked and disgusted,” she said. “It hit me like a brick.” As a dual-citizen of Iran and the U.S., she doesn’t know if she would be able to return to either if she tried to travel. “My biggest fear is that it will become permanent instead of temporary,” she said. “If not
See HOME on page 2
Roberts knows his Kentucky Barnes dreams to be queen Supreme Court history By Bailey Vandiver news@kykernel.com
By Lee Mengistu news@kykernel.com
While President Donald Trump announced his Supreme Court appointment Tuesday night, the 17th Chief Justice of the Supreme Court John G. Roberts, Jr. was watching the Wildcats break a losing streak against Georgia. The next morning, Roberts was the inaugural speaker of the John G. Heyburn II Initiative for Excellence in the Federal Judiciary, an education program “devoted to the preservation and study of U.S. Judicial history.” Roberts was invited by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, a friend of the late federal judge John G. Heyburn II of Louisville. The Chief Justice’s appearance was preceded by a panel of speakers on the topic of judicial courage. University of Michigan political science professor Pamela Brandwein, Judge Jeremy D. Fogel and Chief Judge Carl E. Stewart discussed what current and future lawyers and judges could learn from past judges who had exemplified judicial courage,
and what we could learn from them now. “Years ago, the thought might have been that ‘oh, we’ll do a few securities cases, etc.’ Who knew that the social upheaval outside would bring these cases into the courts,” Judge Stewart said. The Chief Justice, an appointee of President George W. Bush, began with a presentation on the trend of Supreme Court justices with Kentucky roots who served almost sequentially for over 140 years between 1807 and 1953. Anecdotes included the first justice to fill the seventh seat of the Court Thomas Todd, the “Great Dissenter” Justice John Marshall Harlan and “the People’s Lawyer” Louis Brandeis, who held the highest GPA on record at Harvard Law for several decades. Most notably was the brief tenure of the only Chief Justice from Kentucky, Frederick Moore Vinson, who also served as House representative, on the Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit and as the Secretary of Treasury, signing a select number of five dollar bills. Director of the Administra-
tive Office of the U.S. Courts Jim Duff interviewed Chief Justice Roberts at the presentation. Duff also has Kentucky roots as a former UK basketball player on the 1971-1972 freshman men’s team. Duff steered clear of controversial topics, including the assumed rejection of President Barack Obama’s Supreme Court appointee Merrick Garland and President Trump’s recent nomination of Neil Gorsuch. Roberts discussed his tenure as a clerk for former Chief Justice William Rehnquist, as well as his current responsibilities as Chancellor of the Smithsonian Board of Regents and his promotion of collegiality among justices. “We’re almost a $4 billion organization, so we cost a little bit less than one aircraft carrier. And you get a whole branch of government for it.” Nearly a year after the death of Justice Antonin Scalia, Roberts noted the difficulty of working on a panel of eight justices without a ninth to swing big cases. “We had to try a little harder to find common ground,” Roberts said.
UK Human Health Sciences sophomore Kailee Barnes was chosen as one of five 2017 Derby Festival Royal Princesses. Barnes was one of 130 women who applied. She competed in the final judging round with 24 finalists and was announced as a princess on Jan. 7. As ambassadors for the Derby Festival, which is a month-long celebration of the Kentucky Derby, the princesses will attend nearly 70 events during a two-week period. They were judged by three out of state judges based on criteria, such as intelligence, personality and campus involvement. Barnes said she became interested in the program because of a fellow UK student, Adrianne Poole, who was a 2016 princess. “I felt like I would really enjoy it and it would be a good fit for me,” Barnes said. “And the rest is history.” Barnes said she enjoyed learning more about the Kentucky Derby Festival because as a Louisville native, she has always loved the festival. “I did some research and
Read the Kernel’s coverage of college signing day | Page 4
discovered the history behind these events which just deepened my love for Kentucky, as well as my appreciation for the festival,” Barnes said. Barnes is one of three princesses from Louisville, but she is the only princess who is a UK student. She said she is proud to represent both Louisville and UK. “I am so excited to show all of those I PHOTO PROVIDED BY KAILEE BARNES I come into conMOTOPHOTO KY tact with how Kailee Barnes was selected for the 2017 Kentucky UK has shaped Derby Festival Royal Court on Jan. 7. Barnes is one me into the of 5 women chosen out of 130 applicants. woman I am toThe Derby Festival Queen day, both intellectually and professionally,” will be crowned April 8 by a spin-of-the-wheel at the Fillies Barnes said. Barnes said she is most Derby Ball. “If I get lucky enough to excited to interact with kids as she attends the different serve as the queen, I would events. A few girls have al- be so humbled because honready wanted to take pictures estly, any of the women who with her and her peers as “re- are serving on the KDF Royal Court would make a fantastic al-life princesses,” she said. queen,” Barnes said.
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I Kentucky Kernel I 2.2.17
kernelfeatures
Blackberry Smoke stays true to form on ‘Like an Arrow’ By Matt Wickstrom
Martin marches to the beat of his own drum By Becky Feigin
features@kykernel.com
features@kykernel.com
With nearly 17 years under their belts, the members of Blackberry Smoke have seen just about everything. According to guitarist Charlie Starr, even with everyone in the group being well into their forties, they still have fans throwing bras and panties at them on stage at shows. However, despite the craziness around them, Blackberry Smoke have been able to keep cool and stay true to themselves as so much in the world changes around them. “Over the years we’ve learned to let the music breathe,” Starr said. “You grow comfortable playing with each other and you don’t get in such a hurry. You kind of let it open up a bit.” Blackberry Smoke, headed by Starr on guitar, also consists of Richard Turner on bass, Brit Turner on drums, Paul Jackson on guitar and Brandon Still on keys, and is fresh off the release of ‘Like and Arrow’, their sixth studio album. For the record the group ventured to Quarry Recording Studio outside their hometown of Atlanta, laying down tracks over a one month period with engineer Billy Joe Bowers, whose worked with the likes of Pearl Jam, Chris Cornell and Bad Religion in the past. Blackberry Smoke was joined by southern rock icon Gregg Allman in the studio, who laid down guitar riffs for the album’s final track “Free on the Wing.”
Zach Martin, a 22-year old musician recently moved to Lexington from Oregon and wasted no time getting involved with the local music scene. Martin was born in Oregon, but moved to Lexington when he was young. When he turned 18, he moved back out west and enrolled at Warner Pacific University, transferring to Portland State University soon thereafter. After a few years at Portland State, Martin ran out of money, which lead him back to Lexington where he now takes courses at UK. Martin is currently a junior majoring in community leadership and development. To focus most of his time on his musical aspirations rather than classwork, Martin tries to get most of his assignments done in bulk at the beginning of each month. Per Martin, this routine is the most effective for him to complete his work whilst still having fun. Martin’s passion for music is exerted as the drummer for the band Boon. Gideon Maki, singer of Boon, met Martin a few years back at an event at the Kentucky Theater. When he heard that Martin was moving back to Lexington in November, he contacted him asking to join the band. Maki expresses himself through the songs he writes, whether they are about transformation from within, confessionals, or ballads full of hope. “We’re all kind of like spiritual dorks trying to be cool, trying to fit in,” Martin said. Boon’s running genre is In-
PHOTO PROVIDED BY BLACKBERRY SMOKE I ROB BLACKMAN Southern rockers Blackberry Smoke return to Lexington and Manchester Music Hall on Feb. 16 with support from Steel Woods.
Starr was the primary songwriter for ‘Like an Arrow’, with Stills lending a hand on a couple of tracks. With the hustle and bustle that comes with being a musician, it can oftentimes be difficult capturing lightning in a bottle ideas. Recent technological advances have allowed for easier avenues for capturing those moments, and Starr has taken full advantage. “Touring so often I’ve had to learn how to stockpile ideas, and not just on bar napkins,” Starr said. “With the help of Garage Band and others programs it makes it a hell of a lot easier to save ideas.” One aspect of technology that irks Starr is how engineers and others in the recording industry are now trying to use it to perfect everything, often times removing the authenticity and human element from the music. Starr recalled a recent discovery of deconstructed versions of songs from The Beatles album “Sgt. Pepper’s
HOME
It’s a culture you can’t find anywhere else.”
permanent, it will scar relations to the point that I can’t go back to Iran or my family will never be able to come here.” She was born in Prestonsburg to an Iranian father, and has spent her life traveling back and forth between the states and Iran to visit her family. After her grandmother was unable to get a visa to visit her newborn grandson, Shamaeizadeh’s fears manifested into reality. “Because of the political tension… and because of this ban, I probably won’t be able to go this summer to see my family. It’s separating me from them.” Shamaeizadeh said she is scared she will not be able to take her future children to visit Iran and to experience the culture if the travel ban stretches longer than the allotted time, or if it becomes a permanent fixture for U.S. travel laws. “The first time I went to Iran, I fell so in love with it because it’s so historic, so beautiful and the people are so kind.
Ranym Nenneh is alone in Lexington. Her mother and grandmother are in Damascus, Syria. A few days ago, that meant she was only a plane ticket away. Now she fears a trip would risk her education at UK, or worse a secure refuge from the conflict in her home country. Nenneh was born in Cairo, Egypt and raised in Damascus. She moved to Lexington on an F1 student visa in August 2014, and is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in psychology and business management. She has called Lexington her home for the past three years, but said she now feels unwanted in a place that used to be her community because of the increasingly negative attitude towards foreigners. “It concerns me that this order reflects a general hostile environment towards foreigners in general, and citizens of the seven concerned countries
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Lonely Hearts Club Band” that isolated vocal, drum and guitar tracks. Starr noted how music has always been about the sum of all its parts rather than one person or instrument. “What’s perfect about it is how it sounds when it they’re all playing together,” Starr said. “In the recording industry so much effort has been put into trying to perfect everything and it’s been proven that the tiny imperfections are the things that are so appealing to our ears.” Blackberry Smoke’s southern rock’n’roll circus comes to Lexington for a show on Feb. 16 at Manchester Music Hall with support from Steel Woods.
IF YOU GO
What: Blackberry Smoke, Steel Woods When: 7 p.m. Thursday Feb. 16 Where: Manchester Music Hall Admission: $26-35 for general public
PHOTO BY JOSHUA QUALLS I STAFF After moving to Oregon at age 18, Zach Martin recently returned to Lexington, taking in classes at UK and playing in the band Boon.
die Dream Pop, which is known to be texture oriented. As the drummer, Martin tries to incorporate as much texture as possible into their songs. “I think the three of us would agree that there is a physical element to hearing music,” Martin said. “I want to feel like I could comb the sounds we make with my fingers.” Martin began playing the drums at eight years old when he discovered a drum kit at a friend’s house. After becoming enamored with the kit, his parents finally decided to make the sacrifice to get Martin his own drum set. “It’s always been drums,” Martin said. “I have a function-
al understanding of piano and guitar, but it’s all drums.” As a kid, Martin idolized Carter Beauford of the Dave Mathews Band. Martin’s appreciation for musicians has expanded since then to drummers such as Steve Jordan, Brian Blade, Howard Sure, and Eric Whittaker. When Martin is looking to “get weird” with textures, he will look to Whittaker’s music for inspiration. While Martin still doesn’t know where his musical endeavors will lead, one thing is for sure – music will always be a part of his life. Martin and Boon will be playing on Sunday, Feb. 5 at The Green Lantern with EZRA and Isle of Eight.
“I’m literally stuck here. At least for now.”
PHOTOS BY MARCUS YAM AND MEL MELCON I LOS ANGELES TIMES
in particular,” Nenneh said. “It makes me feel unwanted, and Lexington no longer feels like my second home.”
With the support of friends, coworkers and professors during this confusing time, she said she is reviving
her hope in the American people. “It gives me hope that the American people are all about
support and inclusion, which gives me back a sense of safety and comfort,” she said.
kernelopinions 2.2.17
I Kentucky Kernel I 3
Editorial
How will we be viewed in the lens of history?
What does the inscription at the bottom of the Statue of Liberty say? “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free...the wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, the tempest-tossed to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!” We as a country face not a question of political leanings, but of morality. Yes, immigrants and refugees are some of the most productive members of our society. They are our professors, our doctors, our custodians and our taxi drivers. But why do they need to prove their worth in order to gain sympathy from so many Americans? Where did we go wrong when we can witness someone’s suffering, know in full detail the extent of their pain and still easily choose to desert them when they need our aid? Have we become so desensitized to such horrors that we merely blink when the real thing is knocking on our doorstep? Even if they haven’t survived a war or a traumatic event—at what point does someone deserve to be here? Our random births on this soil do not entitle us to survive unharmed while the rest of the world burns. The last time we blocked refugees they were German Jews trying to escape the Holocaust in 1939. They were sent
PHOTO BY GENARO MOLINA I LOS ANGELES TIMES Hundreds of people continue to protest President Donald Trump’s travel ban on Sunday, Jan. 29 at the Tom Bradley International Terminal at Los Angeles International Airport.
back to their country, and many were killed by Adolph Hitler and his followers. Supporters of the ban, about 31 percent of Americans according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll, agree that it is for our own protection. They propagate an idea that refugees or immigrants from predominantly Muslim countries will commit acts of terror. They ignore the fact that President Donald Trump banned travel from the seven countries where he has nobusiness ties, and seven
countries that have never been the homeland of an immigrant who committed terrorist acts on American soil. He compares the order to President Obama’s call for increased restrictions on travelers from certain nations, disregarding that more security does not mean a total shutout. We are not in danger--our Muslim brothers and sisters are. And so is our legacy. Email opinions@kykernel.com.
America’s minority report needs work SAVON GRAY Opinions Editor
In his famous Gettysburg Address President Lincoln proclaimed, “Government of the people, by the people, for the people shall not perish from the earth.” Was he speaking of the American government? The answer is obvious, but looking at the history of our country, has the government ever been “of the people,” “by the people” or “for the people?” If you believe the answer to these questions to be yes, you are probably white, as minori-
ties in this country are very aware that the country has never been of them, by them, or for them. The American representative democracy is no more. In fact, as of Jan. 25th, the United States has been demoted from a full democracy to a flawed democracy from the Economist Intelligence Unit. In 2014, a comprehensive analysis of over 40,000 local, state and federal office-holders from Who Leads Us found that 90 percent of American elected officials are white. White men made up only 31 percent of the population, but held 64 percent of elected positions. In 2014 the U.S. population was approximately
318.9 million according to the U.S. Census, and 63 percent of the population was white. That does not sound like a very accurate representation of our country’s demographics. Simply put, a government of the people should be representative of the people. And as for a government “for the people,” has America ever been that? Slaves stolen from Africa were stripped of their culture, language, taken from their families, brutally beaten by their masters, raped, mutilated, lynched and subject to other horrors that are hard to imagine in present times. African slaves were viewed as lesser, and did not get the
rights that that belong to all people as stated in the Declaration of Independence. When slaves were brought to America, their masters were not envisioning one day sending their children to school along with the children of their property. Many measures were taken to keep blacks and whites separated even after the abolition of slavery such as mass incarceration, Jim Crow laws, segregation, redlining, gerrymandering and “separate but equal” schools. Junior Communications major Miranda Turner believes that America has never been for minorities, especially African Americans . “I feel kinda cynical when-
ever someone says that, because from my experience and the experiences of people I know and care about, they did not get equal opportunities. The country was made by us, but it is definitely not for us.” There has always been great effort to show African Americans that this is not their country, however, when African Americans make it known that we do not feel a strong sense of patriotism, like Colin Kaepernick, they receive death threats and are told to go back where we came from. We were brought here. And where would our pride come from? President Donald Trump has signed executive orders
banning Muslims from entering the country, President Franklin D. Roosevelt sent over 117,000 Japanese citizens to internment camps during World War II and we are the only country to ever use a nuclear weapon; in other words, our hands are not clean. In order for America to be for the people and of the people, as President Lincoln claimed, it must represent its citizens and acknowledge the mistakes it has made throughout history. Until then, I know this country is not for me. Email opinions@ kykernel.com.
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For Rent 1‑6 Bedroom Houses/Apartments renting now for Fall semester. Great landlord. www. sillsbrothers.com 859‑983‑0726 1‑6 BR homes. Excellent service, variety of nice homes/apartments, locations all around campus, starting at $349‑$749/ person. www.KampusProperties.com. Call/ Text (859)333‑1388.
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kernelsports
I Kentucky Kernel I 2.2.17
UK ends two-game skid with gritty win over Georgia By Chris Angolia
sports@kykernel.com
In broadcasting legend Brent Musburger’s final game, it was only right that his final call was an overtime thriller between No. 8 UK men’s basketball and Georgia. Freshman Malik Monk dropped 37 to fuel UK’s comeback that resulted in a 90-81 victory. Coming off of back-to-back losses, the Cats, who were without De’Aaron Fox, did not exactly show a ton of intensity to start the game as the Bulldogs jumped out to a 12-0 lead which had Rupp Arena silent and coach John Calipari and company searching for answers. The ugly play continued throughout most of the first half for the Cats and had it not been for Isaiah Briscoe, Georgia may very well have run away with the game. Trailing 19-7 with 11 and a half minutes to go, Briscoe grabbed what was probably the most important rebound of the game, and found Derek Willis who drilled the team’s first three of the game. From that point on, Calipari uncharacteristically put his team into zone defense, and to the surprise of many, including Calipari him-
PHOTO BY ADDISON COFFEY I STAFF Freshman guard Malik Monk kept the Cats in the game against the Bulldogs, scoring 8 of his team-high 37 points in overtime.
self, it worked. The zone was able to keep the Bulldogs in check for the rest of the half and it allowed the Cats to slowly trim the Georgia lead. UK then used a 13-3 run over the final
5:25 of the first half to tie the game at 29 heading into the locker room which Calipari was ‘ecstatic’ with. Fortunately for UK, it was able to ditch the ugly start it had to the first half at the start
of the second half, and grab its first lead early into the second half. Within the first 11 minutes of the second half, UK was already above its 29-point total that it had in the first half and that was largely due in part to Monk who hit five straight threes to keep the Cats in front. However, despite UK’s best efforts to pull away, Georgia continued to hang around behind leading scorers J.J. Frazier and Yante Maten. The Bulldogs were able to hold on and keep it close throughout the second half while the Cats began to go cold. Over the final 4:36 of the game, the Cats went without a field goal, missing 6 of their last seven shots. The one make, however, came with 8 seconds left as Monk drilled a fadeaway jumper to tie the game at 76 for his first points in the game’s final 10 minutes. In overtime, Monk carried over the momentum he gained from the late jumper to hit a pair of threes that got Rupp Arena going crazy. Following a Monk three that put UK up four, Monk made a typical highlight-reel one-handed lob to Bam Adebayo that sealed the deal for the Cats.
UK Football signing day
By Tres Terrell sports@kykernel.com
The busiest day of the college football offseason, National Signing Day, is finally over which paves the way for the 2017 season. For head coach Mark Stoops and UK, it was perhaps the most successful signing day in the Stoopsera as all 24 verbal commits signed their letters of intent Wednesday. Many believed the class could get better on Wednesday, but Lexington native Jedrick Wills stayed true to his commitment to Alabama and signed with the Crimson Tide. Despite not getting Wills to flip, the 2017 class finished 29th on 247Sports’ team rankings which put the Cats at 11 in the SEC despite finishing 29th nationally. Here are three of the classes top prospects: Danny Clark- A huge pick up for UK, Clark was originally committed to Ohio State until his visit to UK. An Ohio native, his decision not to attend Ohio State shocked many.
PHOTO BY MICHAEL REAVES I STAFF Twenty-four commits officially signed their National Letters of Intent to play for the University of Kentucky on Wednesday.
Most likely, the reason for his decision came after Ohio State accepted a commit from Tate Martell, one of the top QBs in the country. Standing at 6-4, and a solid 230 lbs, he’ll be a huge impact for any defense that tests their chances against him in the future.
Lynn Bowden- Possibly the best recruit for Stoops and UK this offseason comes out of Ohio and stands at 6’1’ 190 lbs. UK’s coaching staff has raved about Bowden’s explosiveness and versatility. The 4-Star recruit has been compared to the UK great, Randall
Cobb. He will be used all over for the Cats this season as he was so in high school. In high school, Bowden played QB, RB, WR, as well as defensive back. Stoops has him labeled as a slot WR, but with his speed he has the ability to move around in the rotation a lot on the offensive side. Scout has him listed as the number 60 recruit in the nation. Bowden will be a big time factor the day he steps foot on campus. Joshua Paschal- One of the top prospects out of the 2017 class, UK landed Paschal, a 4-Star defensive end out of Maryland. Paschal chose Kentucky over many powerhouses such as Notre Dame and Oklahoma. The 6-4, 255 lb monster will be huge for UK up front as the Cats struggled with depth up front a year ago. Former UK Linebacker, TraVaughn Paschal, is Joshua’s older brother which held a big role in his commitment.
New national ranking faces test against No. 4 Gamecocks By Chris Leach sports@kykernel.com
With the end of the conference schedule getting closer, each game becomes more and more important, especially for the UK women’s basketball team. The Cats find themselves in a heated race near the top of the SEC standings, as third through eighth place is only separated by a game and a half. UK is currently tied for third with Missouri, who just defeated the Cats on Jan. 30. Things do not get easier for the Cats in their remaining games, as three of their final seven will be against opponents who are in the top two in the SEC, including Thursday’s matchup against No. 4 South Carolina. There are two teams in the SEC that have separated themselves as title contenders in the SEC, and South Carolina is one of them. The Gamecocks are 18-2 on the year, but their most recent loss came on Jan. 30 to Tennessee. Many thought it would take a special performance to beat a powerhouse team like South Carolina, but Tennessee proved that to be false. Tennessee shot the ball slightly better than South Carolina, but did not dominate the stat sheet in the other categories. Another area where Tennessee slightly out-performed USC is limiting turnovers, something the Cats excel at. Tennessee only coughed the ball up nine times, not giving the Gamecocks many extra possessions. The Cats
are 11th in the nation, and first in the SEC in fewest turnovers a game at just under 13 miscues. It will be crucial for the Cats to minimize USC’s extra possessions if they hope to pull off the upset. South Carolina has become a dominant team thanks to great play from their stars, such as A’ja Wilson and Alaina Coates. Those players will be on the front page of Matthew Mitchell’s scouting report, but the Cats have weapons on their side as well. Makayla Epps is coming off her eighth 20-point game of the season at Mizzou, as she averages 16.7 points per game this season. Epps’ supporting cast around her includes Maci Morris and Taylor Murray, both guards who have increased their productivity as of late. The starting guards for Tennessee scored 52 of the Vols’ 76 points in their upset victory over USC. If the trio of guards for UK plays up to their standards, it is possible the Cats could pull off the upset over South Carolina, something they have not done since March of 2015. The Cats will come into the game ranked in the Associated Presses poll for the first time since Jan. 9. The Cats took the 25th spot in the poll after being left out of the top 25 for three weeks. Thursday evening’s game against South Carolina will take place at Memorial Coliseum, where there will be a blue out in hopes of rallying fans for the big game. Tipoff is at 7 p.m.
CORRECTION An article in Monday’s Kernel said UK’s Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction Commitment will reduce tuition. UK will not be reducing tuition. To report an error, call the Kentucky Kernel at 257-1915 or email editor@kykernel.com
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