TINY MOVING PARTS
Trusting the
PROCESS A Tech student shares his experience during the OSL selection process | PAGE 5
Check out our review of the emo-revival band’s latest album. | PAGE 4
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VOLUME 92 • ISSUE 5
Tech’s political organizations host first debate BRYN YOUNG News Editor | bjy001@ latech.edu
Photos courtesy of Amy Vessel
The College of Education hosted the National Field Experience Conference, which brought educators from across the country to Ruston and allowed them to experience the city.
COE wins hospitality award STARLA GATSON Editor-in-Chief | sjg021@ latech.edu
L
ouisiana Tech’s College of Education has been awarded for its degree programs and work with area schools; now, the college can add hospitality to its growing list of accolades. On Jan. 16, Ruston Lincoln Parish Convention and Visitors Bureau presented Tech’s College of Education with the 2017 Lincoln Parish Hospitality Award. Travis Napper, CVB president, said the award is reserved for individuals, groups or organizations that make noteworthy contributions to the parish’s tourism economy by creating or hosting new events, festivals or conferences in the area. “The College of Education deserves this award for their work to bringing multiple meetings and conferences to Lincoln Parish,” he said. “These events boosted the local economy, introduced Ruston to many visitors from across the country and inspired others to bring their organization’s meetings to this area.” Napper said through their work, the College of Education set an example to the parish of working together and
forming partnerships to guarantee visitors see the best of the city during their events. “They not only partnered with the CVB for hotel rooms and visitor assistance, but with the City of Ruston, Chamber of Commerce, Main Street Association and even local restaurants to ensure Ruston and Lincoln Parish was put on display for their attendees,” he said. One of the college’s more noteworthy contributions was the 2017 National Field Experience Conference. Amy Vessel, executive director of the clinical residency center within the College of Education, said after presenting at the 2016 NFEC, she and Dawn Basinger recruited the conference to relocate from Colorado to Ruston. “The conference had been hosted in Colorado the past four years, and prior to that it was hosted in Pennsylvania; it had never been in the south,” she said. “We recruited the conference to come to Ruston and last April, we hosted over 300 educators from 35 states to participate in the national conference.” Vessel, who served as coordinator for the conference, said hosting the event was a group effort, and the
college worked closely not only with the university, but also with the city of Ruston. “Our Tech family and our Ruston community came together and supported us in ways I could not have imagined,” she said. “The participants absolutely raved about all of the hospitality that our university and all of our community leaders showed while they were here.” Lindsey Keith-Vincent, director of the science and technology education center, said her department and the college as a whole are honored to be recognized and look forward to partnering with the parish in the future. “We in the Science and Technology Education Center in the College of Education are grateful to work with our colleagues across Louisiana Tech’s campus to host professional development workshops, national meetings and other special events that result in individuals from across the country coming to Lincoln Parish to enjoy our unique and hospitable culture,” she said. “We are appreciative of this recognition, and we are hopeful that we will get to continue such meaningful work in partnership with the Chamber of Commerce, the CVB and the city of Ruston for years to come.”
The College of Business rang out with the sound of political discourse on Jan. 24 as Louisiana Tech’s College Republicans, College Democrats and Young Americans for Liberty hosted their first debate. The debate was structured into four-minute speeches followed by oneminute rebuttals and a short educational speech from the professors who moderated the debate. It covered four topics tackling some of today’s biggest issues such as healthcare and affirmative action, including a topic voted on by the audience before the debate. College Republicans chairman Jason Kreucher said a debate such as this has been in the works for some time, even before the establishment of a College Democrats group on Tech’s campus. “So for the past couple years we have wanted to do debates with the Grambling Democrats,” Kreucher said. “We reached out and did not receive any feedback. So, fortunately, this year when we had College Democrats come about we were able to communicate with Nick and Katie and have a meeting with them. YAL (Young Americans for Liberty) said they were also interested in debating. We all sat down in a room, worked out the details, picked the topics and here we are.” He also said it was exciting to get up and debate in front of his fellow students. He said although he enjoyed the topics at hand, he would have liked to see more focused on the intertwining of science and
politics. “It was a lot of fun,” he said. “I used to do debate so it reminded me a lot of that. I am glad everything was very civil and very constructive. I’m a nerd. So, maybe in the future, we talk about some more science topics such as vaccines and climate change.” College Democratspresident Katie Green said the turnout to the debate was exciting and it showed students are interested in being informed on politics, regardless of party affiliation. She said she hopes these debates become a regular, quarterly event and believes the turnout is proof that they can make that happen. “It’s so exciting,” Green said. “This room has 105 seats and we had all of them filled and about 30 people standing. Seeing that turnout is absolutely amazing. It gives us a lot of hope as political organizations that Tech students are really interested in this stuff. Next time we have this we’re going to move it to a bigger room.” As students swarmed out chattering about the night’s event, sophomore Donovan Turner said he found the night interesting and eye-opening. He said he liked hearing the variety of opinions that were on display. “A lot of the opinions that I heard, whether I disagreed or agreed, they were informed,” Turner said. “There were only a couple instances where the opinions just seemed ill-informed. I think if you are going to be in the political sphere you need to have facts to back up what you are saying. I just thought this would be a good opportunity to come and hear a lot of different opinions.”
NEWS
2 • The Tech Talk • February 1, 2018
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Nursing students navigate Career Day TAMARIA WILLIAMS Staff Reporter | tmw055@latech.edu The Student Nurses Association held their annual career fair for nursing students on Jan. 23 at the Davison Athletics Complex. Among the 121 clinical students that were present, there were 20 degree programs and facilities that attended the event. Door prizes were given and there were four students that received scholarships of $1,000 each. Mackenzie Hendrix, president of the SNA, said the focus of Career Day was for it to be a networking process for the students to learn about the different degree programs and job opportunities that are available. “I think the most important thing to accomplish for any student nurse is to get your name out there and make an impression on the booths that are here,” Hendrix said. “They’re expecting to have some nurses to hire.” She said a location change from the TONK was a considerate move for the career fair because it provided more space for the booths. “Last year, it was very crowded because we had so many people that came,” she said. “I think it’s amazing that we had
the chance to have it in the DAC because it’s more open and a bigger and nicer space.” Hendrix said she hopes Career Day helps the students gain insight on what facility they want to work at once they graduate. “I hope it encourages them to find a future employer and also to further their careers,” she said. “We want everybody to keep going and further their education.” Jessica Carter, a nursing recruiter from University Health-Shreveport and a Louisiana Tech alumna, said she saw many potential employees and shared some valuable advice. “Don’t be afraid to ask questions,” she said. “Always do a little background about the facility. Know something about it when you come to their table. That’s very impressive.” Carter emphasized on how first impression was essential on Career Day. She said she would encourage students to come prepared and keep an open mind. Ambria Roberson, a senior nursing student who will graduate in May, said conversing with the facilities was what she enjoyed most about Career Day. “The benefit is that it’s only focused on nursing,” Roberson said. “It’s good
Photo courtesy of Mackenzie Hendrix
A nursing student meets with potential employers from Christus Schumpert in Bossier City. to have a day just for us.” She said she felt that people should come to nursing school at Tech because the program could be completed quickly. “It’s the best nursing program in Louisiana and
we’re only an associate degree.” Naomi Hill, a sophomore nursing student, said she felt like she learned a lot during her first encounter with the employers.
“One of my goals was to find a facility that offered a nurse tech job,” she said. “I asked a lot of facilities did they offer one because some facilities do and some don’t.” Hill said the idea of
the SNA hosting a Career Day outside of Tech’s quarterly one was perfect because they had the benefit of obtaining information on the job opportunities and degree programs offered.
Tech hosts annual Region II science and engineering fair HANNAH JONES Staff Reporter|hej006@latech.edu
Photos by Ashley Kober
Ainslee Marrable, a 6th grade student at Choudrant Elementary, disucsses her project with UTeach instructor Glenn Larson (middle) and electrical engineering major Stanley Whyte Jr.(right).
Louisiana Tech hosted the annual Region II Science and Engineering Fair January 25 and 26. The science fair was a way for many grade school students to gain experience in various scientific fields of study at early ages. This exposure to Tech’s campus also inspires the image of their future selves attending college after graduating, even influencing their choice towards Tech. Diane Madden, associate director of SciTEC, directed the Region II Science and Engineering Fair. It included elementary and junior high students from across the region. “The science fair includes students from many districts in the region,” Madden said. “The elementary division students compete the first day and the junior and senior divisions are on the second day. The judges are volunteer professors, teachers and even university students.” These students picked scientific topics within different categories of scientific study for themselves to hypothesize, test and observe the results. “They choose something that interests them and test it, observing the results and creating a presentation for the science fair,” Madden said. “The experience they gain from enacting real-life ap-
plication to the scientific method is just one of the many benefits of this science fair for the students.” The students gain experience in presenting a topic that they researched, such as Gracelyn Chevallier, a seventh grade student from Winnfield Middle School. “I’ve done the science fair since we were eligible in fifth grade,” Chevallier said. “I like the experience of researching something and finding answers and what it’s turned out to be like talking in front of people.” Of course, the exposure of the students to Tech inspires them to higher education. Often these students’ experience at Tech with the university students and professors will also prompt the students to look at Tech when contemplating their future. One of the judges, Cathi Cox-Boniol, observes this impact on the students. “Some of them have never been on a college campus,” Cox-Boniol said. “For them to come to the university and be able to take tours and go eat in the student center — it can be a game changer.” The science fair provided the students with scientific experience and Tech’s campus with positive exposure that may just spur these young prospective university students toward our College of Engineering or College of Applied and Natural Sciences in the near future.
UPCOMING EVENTS FRIDAY-FEB. 2
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•Lady Techster Basketball vs. Rice 6:30 p.m.
•Men’s Basketball vs. Charlotte 7 p.m.
vs. UAB 2 p.m.
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Are ‘esports’ real sports?
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aming has always been a huge part of my life. Not just in the sense of something I love to do in my free time, but as part of my identity. It has given me the opportunity to meet new people from all over, and a way to connect with my friends in new ways. Many people in this world share my passion for the artform that is video games. There are conventions, forums and every form of media one could imagine celebrating the games that have defined our lives. But in recent years, gaming has moved out of the pigeonhole of “art” and into a realm many never expected: sports leagues. Online gaming has been around for a long time, but it was not until the late 2000s that the idea of global tournaments and esports leagues took off. There have been tournaments for games like Call of
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Bryn Young is a sophomore communication major from Mountain View, Arkansas who serves as a news editor for The Tech Talk.
Are we all merely dreaming? HANNAH JONES Staff Reporter | hej006@latech.edu
W
hat if a friend was to say, “Prove to me you’re not dreaming right now.” How would you prove that you are awake? Would you have that friend pinch you and then pinch them back for posing the baffling statement in the first place? Or perhaps you would prove that you are awake by comparing your dream-state to the supposed state of being awake. Maybe you would appeal to the notion of time, arguing that while dreaming, you have no concept of time. Yet maybe that is the very thing that makes our notion of the “dream world” more real — the idea that our minds are outside of the dimension of time while dreaming. Then maybe you would argue that dreams are often chaotic, unrealistic and absurd. The fact that the
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game as their “real” sports counterparts. More importantly, these players dedicate their lives to being the very best at a game that they are then paid money to play. That is pretty much the textbook definition of a professional athlete. Whether you agree that esports qualify as sports or not, they certainly are garnering more support and interest as the years go by. As more money and respect gets poured into these leagues and tournaments, I feel this question will fade. E-sports should be something we can all enjoy. They are exciting and fun to watch. Even if gaming is not on your radar as a sport, you should still give it a glance. Who knows? You may even find a favorite team.
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Duty and leagues for games such as League of Legends and, recently, Overwatch. Even the NBA has decided to sponsor a NBA 2K eleague that will coincide with the actual NBA teams. With all this exciting progress for esports, one must ask the question: should esports be considered the same as “real” sports and e-athletes the same as “real” athletes? For fans of esports, the answer seems obvious. These athletes must dedicate thousands of hours of time honing in their skills and strategy, so of course they are real athletes. Beyond that, esports athletes must actually stay physically and mentally fit to compete on the level they do. It’s not all Mountain Dew and Doritos. They take the time and effort to care for themselves the way Drew Brees and Lebron James do. Coaches are just as responsible for keeping up with their players and changes to the
current day had followed a regular pattern of plodding on through the usual schedule toward sleep and a restart the next morning proves consciousness. But what if the very fact that dreams appear outside of reality is because they are, in fact, more real? What if dreams are rather memories of our minds floating into ultimate reality before being trapped back in this physical world? Well, what about consciousness, you say. Surely the state of being conscious proves that I’m awake. Maybe there is something to that argument. Or there might be if the state of being conscious was not defined as the state of being awake. However, it is also being aware. Could an argument be made that because you are responding to an eternally produced statement (“Prove to me you’re not dreaming right now.”), you are aware, and therefore conscious? Yet such is the case with lucid
dreamers: they have the ability to gain awareness of the fact they are dreaming, therefore gaining the ability to manipulate their dreams. Perhaps you’re simply very competent in the art of awareness. But wait a minute, is there not science that proves that whether or not a person is dreaming? Perhaps there is, and perhaps that science was merely part of the dream in which you are currently living. What is truly being awake? What kind of evidence can prove the state of being awake at this current moment? Can this evidence even be considered reliable evidence because it may also be a component of the dream? Is anything absolutely true?
Hannah Jones is a sophomore English major from Frisco, Texas who serves as a staff reporter for The Tech Talk.
FROM MY MIND TO YOURS
A renewed hope ANDREW BELL Sports Editor | agb022@latech.edu
I
’ve been a New Orleans Saints fan for as long as I can remember. I grew up watching games with my dad every Sunday, and there was nothing I looked forward to more than sitting on the couch and soaking in the knowledge of the game and all that goes into it. There was only one problem: the Saints stunk. They had a winning percentage of 38 percent from 1967-2005, which ranked in bottom five of every franchise the NFL had ever seen, and their reputation earned them the glowing nickname of the “Aints.” I thought that was bad, but I had no idea what was to come. After Hurricane Katrina, one of the most devastating natural disasters in American history, struck New Orleans in August 2005, it looked like the franchise had no choice but to relocate. Team owner Tom Benson wanted to move the team to San Antonio. I was distraught. This was the
only team I had ever grown a connection to. Who would I root for now? More importantly, who would the tragedy-stricken city of New Orleans root for? However, with the miraculously efficient rebuilding of the Superdome in 2006, there was hope. With the signing of quarterback Drew Brees and head coach Sean Payton, the Saints came marching into the 2006 season on a mission. They would go on to appear in two NFC Championship games in the following four seasons and won Super Bowl XLIV in 2009. This victory symbolized not only the revitalization of a franchise, but a city. After the bountygate incident with the league in 2012, the once elite team proceeded to go on a three-year streak of 7-9 seasons from 2014-2016 with no playoffs in that stretch. That was the franchise’s longest tenure without making the playoffs in ten years. The media swarmed with rumors of a Sean Payton firing and a Drew Brees departure from New Orleans. They had lost their iden-
tity. It was like I was having deja vu of 2005 all over again. “What were we going to do without Drew Brees?” “Are we going to fall back into the pit of despair that the ‘Aints’ inhabited in my younger days?” After an abysmal 0-2 start to the 2017 season, it seemed like the answer to that question was a resounding yes. Yet, something strange started happening that I hadn’t seen in a while. I was having deja vu again. They started winning. There was hope.They rattled off eight wins in a row on their way to an 11-5 record and a first-place finish in the NFC South Division for the first time in six years. Even after a heartbreaking loss to the Minnesota Vikings in the NFC Divisional round Jan. 14, the future looks bright for the Saints. And for that, I am hopeful. Andrew Bell is a sophomore communication major from Alexandria who serves as sports editor for The Tech Talk.
What causes government shutdown? I
n America’s history, there have been 18 shutdowns of the federal government. The most recent was Jan. 20-22, 2018, just after Trump’s one-year anniversary as president. What a coincidence. The claimed reason behind the shutdown was that Congress failed to pass a new government funding bill before the old one expired. However, the more legitimate reason was over a standoff between the two political parties deciding on the immigration bill. The Republic and Democratic parties have always been known for agreeing to disagree, but this time they just weren’t giving up. It was almost like a childish feud between siblings as nether wanted to attempt to make any sort of progress for an entire weekend. This whole debacle started back in September 2017 when the Trump administration announced it was ending the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. From that point on, the disagreements in the federal government have caused more drama than ever before. Eventually, the Democratic party attempted to take a stand for DACA recipients by trying to get Republican leaders to make a deal that would provide deportation protections to DREAMers. Many in the Democratic party claimed they would withhold their support in any other government bills until they saw progress with DACA and the Republican party, thus beginning the shutdown. This nearly three-day break was not the longest in U.S. government’s history, but it did seem to be the most talked about. While a shutdown of government sounds a little more dramatic than what it really is, some people still suffer from it. Major parts of federal government keep going such as military and law enforcement, but workers deemed as the “less significant” fields are forced to stay home from work, without pay, until the shutdown is lifted. If a shutdown lasts for a long amount of time, it can be a tremendous inconvenience for millions of Americans and has the potential to lead to even more problems. Although we have always seen disputes in our nation’s government, it seems that as we go on there is more arguing and less compromise. How is a country supposed to function properly when the people in charge of its federal government can’t even work together to make decisions? What causes the American government to have such disagreements that they have to stop everything else, only to still not come to a conclusion? Here at The Tech Talk, we believe that although this has happened under previous presidents, our current presidency contributes a lot to governmental issues. This recent shutdown is, in a way, symbolic of the dysfunction of the White House during Trump’s presidency. If the federal government can no longer come to terms on a simple, short-term spending bill, then one can only assume at least some of the problems stem from the main source.
4 • The Tech Talk • February 1, 2018
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Tiny Moving Parts returns with ‘Swell’ Swell Tiny Moving Parts HHHHI STARLA GATSON Editor-in-Chief | sjg021@latech.edu
N
early two years after the release of their previous album, Minnesota-based emo revival band Tiny Moving Parts returned to the music scene with “Swell.” The 10-track record was released Jan. 26 and marks the band’s sixth studio album. The overall themes of the album are exactly what one might expect from any emo revival band: angst, anxiety and heartache. However, its playful guitar riffs and headbang-inducing instrumentals complement the emotional lyrics, making it peppy enough to jam to with friends but real enough to evoke some sort of genuine emotion. The album’s opening track, “Applause,” sets the tone for the rest of the record. Lead vocalist Dylan Mattheisen’s scream of “Send applause to your heart strings” unleashes the uptempo,
high energy vibe the record maintains through almost every track. The lyrics for each song are uncomplicated and easily understandable, making it relatively easy for any listener to connect to the music. However, the lyrics, though simple are honest and still powerful enough to evoke the same emotion for the listener that Mattheisen expresses through his vocals. Songs like “Wildfire” and “It’s Too Cold Tonight” are a few of the album’s darkest tracks, and express feelings of inadequacy and a loss of purpose. Lyrics like “I cared a little too much” are a plea for acceptance and affection, and “I think you wish I wasn’t around anymore” accurately portray feelings of being unwanted. These emotion-driven lyrics are smoothly counterbalanced by easy, uptempo instrumentals, which provide an optimistic undertone. “Malfunction” serves as the album’s typical post-breakup tune. Mattheisen sings “I refuse to accept what’s really going on,” making it clear that he is in denial over the loss of a relationship and has inherited a sense of feeling left behind. Though the lyrics were slightly less impressive than those
Photo courtesy of Upset Magazine
of any other song, the instrumentals made up for it, and the lively guitar riffs added a different dynamic to the the track. In an interview with Alternative Press, Mattheisen explained the album’s artwork, which depicts a broken and stitched hand holding a cigarette and flashing the “rock on” sign, is represen-
: n o i t n , S e R E t , N S t G R I a DES APHE
tative of a search for the silver linings in the dark spots of life. He said the album is intended to reflect the idea of looking on the bright side of an unfavorable situation. “Swell” does just that. With this record, Tiny Moving Parts shows listeners it’s OK not to be OK. Though the songs are
full of agony and are at times a bit melodramatic, there is an optimistic undertone that offers a bit of hope for a better tomorrow. “Swell” puts Tiny Moving Parts on the right track for a successful 2018, and gives listeners 10 tracks of relatable storytelling that tug on the heartstrings, making it a swell listen indeed.
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More Talk
Trusting the process An Orientation Student Leader talks about his experience during OSL training ANDREW BELL
Sports Editor | agb022@latech.edu
I
t is safe to assume the majority of students at Louisiana Tech recognize how highly-regarded the title of Orientation Student Leader is, but what they may not know is how extensive the process of becoming one is: hence, the portrayal of this operation through the eyes of a newcomer. Every year, 20 students are selected to go through the training process of becoming an OSL to lead incoming freshmen through orientation and make them feel at home while doing so. Many students tryout, but only the most equipped to handle the pressure are selected. So one can only imagine the excitement of sophomore marketing major Grant Saulters upon finding out that he would join the ranks of all the former OSLs. “I actually found out while I was walking to my 8 a.m. class one morning,” Saulters said. “It was raining outside and I received the letter from the BARC in Wyly Tower and I opened it in the pouring rain. All I could do was smile and then run to class because I was running late. I couldn’t stop smiling through class.” Saulters, who was born in Jonesboro and raised in Quitman, came to Tech without a completely concrete plan for the future. In the first quarter of his
freshman year, he majored in journalism. After that, he decided to switch his major to marketing. During his tenure as a marketing major, he acquired a job in the BARC at Wyly Tower as a student worker for housing. This is where he met Elton Taylor, the director of Orientation at Tech. Taylor was familiar with Saulters but had no idea he was bound to be an OSL. “Grant was one of the surprises, right out of the gate,” Taylor said. “Grant has been a student worker in the BARC since I have been there. I got to know him and his demeanor over about a four-month timespan. I knew he was a funny guy, but I did not expect him to fare as well in front of nearly 65 other applicants. It’s easy to be nervous in a setting like that, especially when it is your first time. Grant came out with confidence and had the entire selection committee laughing.” One of Saulters’ biggest fears about the interview process was whether or not the selection committee would think he was genuine. “The most difficult part was worrying if you came across as genuine to the interviewers and the waiting after you’ve been interviewed,” he said. “You try to not think about it and distract yourself so you don’t worry about it.” Taylor, however, recognized and appreciated Saulters’ authenticity and actually mentioned his genuine na-
Photos by Johnathan Shaul
Saulters works in the BARC in Wyly Tower as a student worker for housing. ture as one of his strengths throughout the interview process. “Grant was very genuine,” Taylor said. “We could tell that he was being his true self and not afraid to be a little weird at times. His quirky wit kept the selection committee laughing during the group tryout and his honest personal interview answers helped us see that he would be a great choice to help lead the incoming freshman class.” Every time the orientation administration sets out to select a new group of students to fill the new roles of OSL, they have a specific purpose for each one. They have roles to be filled. Taylor
said there is a perfect balance of personalities that they look to equate when they are deciding on who they’ll pick. The question was, what role would Saulters fill? “There will be nearly 2,000 incoming freshmen and each of them will have a different story,” he said. “In choosing a staff we kept that in mind as we looked at each candidate. Grant will be a glue that helps keep the positive and optimistic outlook of the group. He brings joy to others and I know that he will help the staff stay excited and pumped after a long orientation session filled with little to no sleep.” One member of the new
OSL staff who supports those sentiments is sophomore elementary education major Aerial Stanford, who befriended Saulters throughout the interview process, and has high hopes for him and the rest of the staff. “Grant has an infectious personality that brings joy to the lives of so many,” Stanford said. “Grant and I are extremely outgoing. I think that our big personalities and silly quirks fit the overall mold of the 2018 OSL staff extremely well because we are an extremely diverse staff. We can bounce off the walls with all of our energy, but we can also channel that same energy to encourage and motivate our team. I
cannot put into words how insanely pumped I am to work with him this summer.” Even with all the logistics of becoming an OSL, the primary focus is ultimately to connect with incoming freshmen and make their transition to college as smooth as possible. Saulters hasn’t lost sight of this and looks forward to meeting the new Tech students. “I became an OSL for the freshmen,” Saulters said. “I want the relationship I have with these freshmen to extend past orientation and throughout the school year because I want to be a friend, a mentor and someone for them to be able to go to for help.”
6 • The Tech Talk • February 1, 2018
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Photo by Donny Crowe
Senior guard Jacobi Boykins goes up for a jumpshot to add to his already impressive stat line of 18 points on six-for-six shooting from the 3-point line in the first half against Southern Miss.
Bulldogs secure their fourth conference win RODERIC LLOYD Staff Reporter | rsl010@latech.edu Louisiana Tech hit a season high 14 3-pointers, 11 of which came in the first half, en route to an 89-66 victory over the Southern Miss Golden Eagles at the Thomas Assembly Center. Tech (13-9, 4-5 Conference USA) came out firing on all cylinders, as they shot 70 percent from the field and led the Golden Eagles (11-11, 4-5 C-USA) by as much as 31 in the opening half. Jacobi Boykins and Jy’lan Washington led the Bulldogs’ early attack combining for 32 of the teams 57 first-half points. “I thought the energy in the first half was fantastic,” Tech head coach Eric Konkol said. “It really started all week in practice. The guys were ready to play. The shoot around today was really good. A good shooting performance really creates a lot of energy, but defensively, the guys really took a lot of pride in what we were trying to do. I thought our offense developed and was sparked by our defense tonight.” The Bulldogs and Golden Eagles
traded 3-pointers to begin the contest, but it was Tech who continuously hit them throughout the game. The Bulldogs’ first five field goals came from beyond the arc before Washington ended that streak with a layup. Boykins led the early surge with all of his 20 points coming in the opening half behind a perfect six out of six on 3-pointers. Tech entered intermission up 57-27 and never looked back as the Bulldogs earned their 13th straight home victory against the Golden Eagles. Amorie Archibald did much of the distributing of the evening, as he earned his second double-double of the season finishing with 14 points and tied a career high with 10 assists. Archibald finished the game with a 10 to 1 turnover ratio and led Tech to 21 assists against only nine turnovers, which was a focus coming in. “Turnover margin was what we talked about coming in, and Southern Miss is really one of the best in the country – by far the best in our league, at plussix,” Konkol said. “Taking care of the
basketball and getting good shots was a huge part of this game and the guys were able to execute that.” Tech cooled off some in the second half, as the Golden Eagles scored seven straight to begin the final frame. The Bulldogs quickly ended all hopes of a comeback with back to back field goals from Oliver Powell and Archibald. Three other Bulldogs joined Boykins and Archibald in double figures. Washington came off the bench to score 15 points while Powell and JaColby Pemberton each contributed 10 points. Tech finished the contest shooting 56 percent from the field and 50 percent from 3-point range. Southern Miss was held to only 38 percent from the field and 33 percent from beyond the arc. USM was led in scoring by Tyree Griffin and LaDavius Draine, who recorded 14 and 12 points, respectively. Tech will now look to continue its three-game winning streak on the road as it takes on Florida Atlantic tonight in Boca Raton, Florida.
Photo by Donny Crowe
Sophomore forward Oliver Powell goes up for a thunderous jam against Southern Miss January 27 as the Bulldogs routed the Golden Eagles 89-66.
La Tech Track and Field impresses at PSU invitational LA TECH ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS PITTSBURG, Kan. – A 27-yearold school record was shattered on Saturday, while Louisiana Tech Track and Field brought home four first-place finishes when the men and women competed in the Pittsburg State Invitational on Saturday in Pittsburg, Kansas. The day began with LA Tech junior Kacie Kaufman (Communications, 4.0 GPA) breaking yet another school record with a time of 18:17.48 in the women’s 5,000m run, 55 seconds faster than the previous record-holder’s time of
19:12.45, which was set in 1991 by Heather Culpepper. This marks the second straight competition Kaufman has broken a long-standing school record after the junior broke a 28-year-old record two weeks ago in the 3,000m run. Louisiana Tech notched a total of 28 Top 10 finishes combined on the day in field and running events, including 17 top five finishes and four first place performances. Tech senior Tamario Lattin took home first place in the men’s long jump with a mark of 25-0 (7.62m), while teammate Denzel Harper followed in second place with a jump of 24-3.5 (7.40m) on
the day. The Lady Techsters 4x400m relay team of Brandi Dobbin, Elia Nero, Sharone Johnson and Taylor Shaw also recorded a first-place finish on Saturday with a time of 3:45.38 in the event. Nero represented the women well on the day as she also placed first in the women’s 600-yard run with a time of 1:23.55. Shaw also finished second in the women’s 60m finals (7.58) and third in the women’s 200m dash (24.66) and eighth in the 60m finals (7.70), while Dobbin placed 10th in the 400m dash (57.55). The women’s high jump event featured three Top 10 finishes by
the Lady Techsters, led by freshman Sydney Anderson in first place with a jump of 5-7.75. Senior Chloe Lautric followed in third place with a mark of 5-6.5, while Kourtni Goldsmith finished in ninth with a jump of 5-3.25 on Saturday. Additionally, after finishing third in the preliminaries, Tech’s Janiel McDonald advanced to the finals of the women’s 60m hurdles, where she placed fourth with a time of 8.73. In the field events, LA Tech had five top 10 finishers combined in the men’s and women’s triple jump competition with freshman
Dominque Anderson (38-8.25) placing fourth for the women and Caleb Clark (48-8.25) finishing fourth on the men’s side. Lattin and Khalil Jones also finished the men’s triple jump in seventh and eighth, respectively, while Dominique Lewis placed 10th in the event on the women’s side. This weekend, the Bulldogs and Lady Techsters will return to action on Sunday, when the teams travel to compete in the South Alabama Jaguar Invitational in Birmingham in what will mark the final tune-up before the 2018 C-USA Indoor Championships on Feb. 17-18.