February 16, 2021 by MSU Reporter

S T U DE N T RU N N E WS SI NC E 1926

TUESDAY • FEBRUARY 16, 2021 Minnesota House Pulls $35M Security Fund for Officer Trials

MAVS SWEEP PEACOCKS Women’s basketball dominated their opponents in the home series

ASSOCIATED PRESS A proposal by Gov. Tim Walz to create a $35 million fund to bolster security during the murder trial of a former Minneapolis officer charged with killing George Floyd stalled out in the Democratic-controlled Minnesota House on Monday when leaders pulled the bill, acknowledging that they lacked enough votes to pass it. With just three weeks left before the trial, House Majority Leader Ryan Winkler, of Golden Valley, abruptly moved to postpone the debate indefinitely after accusing the Republican-controlled Senate of “a cynical and amoral political game, playing with people’s lives.” Legislative leaders and the governor must now scramble to find an alternative or make do with existing resources. Instead of providing state money, the Senate voted 35-32 to pass a very different proposal that would allow the state to garnish money that Minneapolis gets from the state’s Local Government Aid program to ensure that other law enforcement agencies are reimbursed for their costs of contributing officers for what’s expected to be a massive security effort. Democratic House Speaker Melissa Hortman, of Brooklyn Park, acknowledged at a news conference that House Democrats, who hold just a 70-64 majority, weren’t united. She said they needed “a few Republican votes” to pass the bill but were told they weren’t getting any. Winkler said before cutting off the debate that it was impossible to meet the Senate halfway.

IN THIS ISSUE:

Biden Faces Questions About Commitment to Minimum Wage Hike ASSOCIATED PRESS

MANSOOR AHMAD • The Reporter Senior forward Rachel Shumski (45) was among the top performers for the Mavs page 8 as they swept the Upper Iowa Peacocks at home over the weekend.

MAVS

Black History Month Talk Overt Racism By JULIA BARTON Staff Writer

Minnesota State University, Mankato continues to honor Black History Month while on Monday the “Amplifying Black Voices Project” hosted their third short film series discussing “Overt Racism”. This series consists of sharing the experiences of current and former Mankato residents that are being premiered at MNSU via Zoom every Monday throughout the month of February. Their past two weekly topics have talked about “Growing Up Black” and “Microaggressions”. Monday’s dissuasion about overt racism, which is the international and/or obvious harmful attitudes or behaviors towards another minority individual or group because of the color of his/her skin, had discussed their truths and experiences in the workplace and the personal effects that racism has on them that lead to many great conversations regarding their stories. Laura Riness talked about how she experienced several

“SENSE AND SENSIBILITY”

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MANSOOR AHMAD • The Reporter Bukata Hayes, Executive Director of the Greater Mankato Diversity Council, spoke about racism and social justice issues at the event. (File)

forms of racism throughout her life,“I didn’t even know this was an issue until it kept happening to me over and over and over. I started to think ‘something doesn’t feel right here’, and I was taught to not say anything about something being racist or that not everything that happens to me has racial undertones, so a lot of it I internalized and started to blame myself.” Riness continued by stating, “Then later in life hearing that my employment application

EDITORIAL: SUPPORT THEATRE

was not making it to the decision-maker’s desk while being well-qualified was disheartening. There have been many incidents where there is a joke in the workplace that I am the only person of color. Although it is not obvious it’s racism, it’s a form of it that still makes me very angry and that’s one of the areas I hope to affect change.” Knowing that racism can have different forms and sever-

HISTORY page 3 PAGE

Union activist Terrence Wise recalls being laughed at when he began pushing for a national $15 per hour minimum wage almost a decade ago. Nearly a year into the pandemic, the idea isn’t so funny. The coronavirus has renewed focus on challenges facing hourly employees who have continued working in grocery stores, gas stations and other in-person locations even as much of the workforce has shifted to virtual environments. President Joe Biden has responded by including a provision in the massive pandemic relief bill that would more than double the minimum wage from the current $7.25 to $15 per hour. But the effort is facing an unexpected roadblock: Biden himself. The president has seemingly undermined the push to raise the minimum wage by acknowledging its dim prospects in Congress, where it faces political opposition and procedural hurdles. That’s frustrating to activists like Wise, who worry their victory is being snatched away at the last minute despite an administration that’s otherwise an outspoken ally. “To have it this close on the doorstep, they need to get it done,” said Wise, a 41-year-old department manager at a McDonald’s in Kansas City and a national leader of Fight for 15, an organized labor movement. “They need to feel the pressure.” The minimum wage debate highlights one of the central tensions emerging in the early days of Biden’s presidency. He won the White House with pledges to respond to the pandemic with policy proposals.

MEN’S HOCKEY BEATS ‘BAMA

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2 • MSU Reporter

News

“Sense and Sensibility” hits the Ted Paul Stage

Tuesday, February 16, 2021

France Fights Hold of Islamist Radicals with Dragnets, Laws

THIBAULT CAMUS • Associated Press

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Courtesy photo Cast members of Sense and Sensibility pose for a promotional photo.

By SYDNEY BERGGREN Staff Writer

In the words of director Vladimir Rovinski, “The heart of the novel is the story of two sisters...navigating this world where everybody is watching them and trying to make arrangements for them. It’s a story of the place of independent, strong-willed women and how they will find their way in this world.” Minnesota State University, Mankato’s Theater Department is currently creating their production of actress Kate Hamill’s adaptation of the Jane Austen novel Sense and Sensibility. The two sisters that the story centers around are Marianne, played by Lydia Prior, and Elinor, played by Chloe Sirbu. Both Prior and Sirbu are MNSU seniors in the Theater Arts BFA program. The story begins with the death of the girls’ father. His inheritance is passed on to their stepbrother, who promptly moves into their house and asks them to leave as soon as possible, at the insistence of his wife. The audience then follows the girls, along with their mother and younger sister, on their journey in finding a new home and trying to figure out their roles in society, all the while looking for love along the way. “Marianne tries to break all possible rules and live by only what her heart says, and Elinor plays by the rules and does what is needed from her. As a result, both of them suffer big catastrophes,” said director Rovinski. The students involved with this production were enthusiastic to learn about and prepare for this story, as it’s a genre they don’t always get to

work with. “I’ve really enjoyed learning about the time period and ways things have changed and things that are exactly the same,” mentioned Prior. “The story is about how society has expectations of women and how these women oppose that in different ways. Looking a certain way, behaving a certain way, doing certain things. Little things that society expects women to do simply because it’s feminine. It is still so similar to how things are now.” Adding onto this conversation, Sirbu stated, “Society then and society today are very similar in the ways of pitting women against each other. I think it is interesting to look at Marianne and Elinor’s relationship with each other and how they sometimes fall to that in the show, but then they have their moments together when they are lifting each other up”. Both Prior and Sibru agreed that the message of lifting each other up, instead of tearing each other down for gain, is something they work hard to portray. “With the acting input and caliber of the talent in the cast, every rehearsal gave me a lot of joy to watch these young people work on stage,” said director Rovinski. Both actresses, along with Rovinski, echoed the lamentation of not being able to apply physical touch into the acting, as to comply with COVID-19 guidelines, and to keep everyone safe. “I am a very physical director in order to explain blocking and other aspects, so for me to keep distance between actors is hard, especially when you have intimate moments, and you want to touch but you can’t. It was a

challenge, but we found some creative solutions to that,” explained Rovinski. Sirbu agreed with this and continued, “One thing we really thrive for in this theater is to find that connection between us as actors and as people, and to tell that story physically. Having to wear masks and stay six feet apart makes it hard to demonstrate that connection and figuring out how to find different ways to portray that to the audience has been really difficult.” The most intriguing thing that has been incorporated to allow for and simulate touch is actually quite simple: handkerchiefs. Not only do they fit the time period the actors are portraying, but utilizing these small pieces of cloth between hands allows actors to briefly touch, or to simulate holding hands by each person grabbing one end. “This year is so different,” said Prior, “everyone has had to adapt because the industry is changing with COVID-19. All we want to do is create art in this time, so we do what we have to do to keep everyone safe.” Prior and Sirbu expressed gratitude at not only being able to work in person, but also at being in an academic setting as the theater industry changes, as they have been able to adapt. “We really encourage people to come see us, knowing that we are doing everything possible to keep everybody involved safe. It’s an experience that you don’t realize how much you miss it until you do it again,” said Prior. Sense and Sensibility runs Feb. 7-21 and 24-28 in the Ted Paul Theater of the Performing Arts Center. Tickets may be purchased online.

More than three dozen French police officers descended on a small private school in Paris, blocked the 92 students inside their classrooms, took photos everywhere even inside the refrigerator, and grilled the school director. “It was like they were moving in on a drug deal,” Hanane Loukili, the director and co-founder of the MHS middle and high school said, recalling the Nov. 17 scene. Loukili didn’t know it then, but a team from the Cell to Fight Radical Islam and Community Withdrawal, or CLIR, had arrived for an inspection. The dragnet sweeps schools, shops, clubs or mosques to rout out “radicalization.” Within a week, a shaken Loukili informed students their school was shutting down. Loukili insists she is no radical, but such operations illustrate the extent of French efforts to fight extremism as lawmakers prepare to vote Tuesday on a bill aimed at snuffing it out. The MHS school had an unusual profile. It was secular and co-educational but allowed female Muslim students to wear headscarves in class — which is forbidden in French public schools — and to pray during breaks. Unlike private Muslim schools in France, where headscarves are also allowed, MHS did not offer religion courses.

Loukili and others at the school claim it was a perfect target in what some say is an uncomfortable climate for France’s Muslims. Scrubbing France clean of radicals and their breeding grounds is a priority for President Emmanuel Macron in a nation bloodied by terror attacks, including the beheading of a teacher outside his school in a Paris suburb in October, followed by a deadly attack inside the basilica in Nice. The proposed legislation is intended to re-anchor secularism in a changing France, where Muslims are increasingly visible and Islam — the nation’s No. 2 religion — is gaining a stronger voice. The legislation, expected to pass Tuesday’s vote in the lower house of parliament, will also expand the crackdown. Along with the bill, contested by some Muslims, politicians and others, such strong-arm inspections risk accentuating the climate of suspicion many Muslims feel in a country where the vast majority of Muslims don’t hold extremist views. Loukili, herself a Muslim, is well aware of major fire hazard problems her school faced but fervently denied in an Associated Press interview any links to radicalism by her or staff at the school, which opened in 2015.

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Tuesday, February 16, 2021

News

COVID-19 Shots Might be Tweaked if Variants get Worse

MSU Reporter • 3

Letter to the Editor: Why Cigarettes are Harming our MNSU Students

Courtesy photo

JOHN LOCHER • Associated Press Empty vials of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine are seen at a vaccination center in Las Vegas.

ASSOCIATED PRESS The makers of COVID-19 vaccines are figuring out how to tweak their recipes against worrisome virus mutations — and regulators are looking to flu as a blueprint if and when the shots need an update. “It’s not really something you can sort of flip a switch, do overnight,” cautioned Richard Webby, who directs a World Health Organization flu center from St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Viruses mutate constantly and it takes just the right combination of particular mutations to escape vaccination. But studies are raising concern that first-generation COVID-19 vaccines don’t work as well against a mutant that first emerged in South Africa as they do against other versions circulating around the world.

The good news: Many of the new COVID-19 vaccines are made with new, flexible technology that’s easy to upgrade. What’s harder: Deciding if the virus has mutated enough that it’s time to modify vaccines — and what changes to make. “When do you pull the trigger?” asked Norman Baylor, a former Food and Drug Administration vaccine chief. “This is a moving target right now.” FLU OFFERS A MODEL The WHO and FDA are looking to the global flu vaccine system in deciding how to handle similar decisions about COVID-19 shots. Influenza mutates much faster than the coronavirus, and flu shots have to be adjusted just about every year. National centers around the globe collect circulating flu viruses and track how they’re evolving. They send samples

to WHO-designated labs for more sophisticated “antigenic” testing to determine vaccine strength. The WHO and regulators then agree on the year’s vaccine recipe and manufacturers get to work. For COVID-19 vaccines, Webby said a critical step is establishing a similar surveillance and testing network to flag the mutations that matter. Today, there’s wide geographic variability in tracking and testing mutated versions. For example, Britain does more testing of the changing viral genome than the U.S. Three variants first discovered in Britain, South Africa and Brazil are worrisome because of combinations of mutations that make them more contagious. On Sunday, U.S. researchers reported a still different mutation found in seven variants that have cropped up in several states.

HISTORY Continued from page 1 ities, this conversation was about how it doesn’t have to be a physical form of racism to be negatively impactful. “We need to stop thinking about racism and racist actions as water hoses and dogs. Yes that was racist, but what is also racist is we understand how certain policies disproportionately impact folks of color, yet we go ahead with those policies anyways. That is racism. When it comes to housing, voting, gentrification, that is overt racism whether it be institutional or political or procedural it is still very evident in our time today and in our community,” Bukata Hayes, Executive Director of the Greater Mankato Diversity Council stated. Stemming from a deeper-rooted issue that dates back to the early 1600s, rac-

ism has been known to be more intense and normalized in the south. Paul Winchester, who grew up in Louisiana during the 1960s, shared his thoughts, “Racism is a product of white America that benefits them institutionally and economically for years. Overt racism is tricky, it can be hidden even to those of us who are educated about racism. We need to continue to have educational sessions so that people can understand racism and how it has impacted us in Mankato.” Another aspect talked about was the fact that people who look a certain way or have a certain hairstyle were denied the opportunity of employment and how detrimental that is. Seeing how present racism is in today’s society was the lasting

impression left in the discussion. “It is not a melting pot, but a mixing bowl where we all bring unique things to the table that are all celebrated. Promote change, start asking questions to further make an impact on others. Sometimes the policies that have been in place for so long were actually developed by someone trying to oppress people of color. Ask questions and speak up because providing space and amplifying black voices so that more can be done, so that we can sit at those tables with you,” Kenneth Reid, the Director of African Affairs at MNSU said. The Amplifying Black Voices project will have two more sessions with topics on “Systemic Racism” and “What’s Next” as that will be a summary of the series.

“The Centers of Disease Control and Prevention emphasize how smoking leads to disease and disability and harms nearly every organ of the body. As a college student, I breathe the same air as those around me on campus. I see the amount of tobacco use happening across campus, I hear people talk about how normal it is, and I smell the fumes that linger in the air. Flavored tobacco is “the new trend” among people today and us college students need to be better role models by eliminating tobacco use and showing why it should not be “the new trend”. Our culture is becoming accustomed to having a flavored tobacco product in hand 24/7. I see it as being like a new fashion trend, everyone is doing it, everyone is obsessed with the idea of it, and it looks cool. These are all negative associations with tobacco use that our naïve culture is falling into. According to the American Lung Association, there are 3.6 millions U.S. youth using flavored tobacco products. If that is not shocking, I don’t know what is. We should care about the future health of our youth and we should not be allowing this “trend” to make tobacco use seem okay. I have met high school freshmen who think they need to participate in this “trend” and they get sucked right into the trap that the tobacco marking companies want them to. It is so easy to be intrigued by the 15,500 different tobacco flavors, I see why so many young people are getting involved in it. But that does not make it okay. There has always been a sigma surrounding tobacco use but it is time to crack down on the serious negative effects that tobacco use is having on the youth. We all see the facts about how harmful tobacco use is, but we need to actually understand how tobacco use is cultivating a new “trend” among the youth population. We need to better educate the young on why this should not be a new “trend” to hop onto. I believe it all starts with switching the mindset of the college age students who influence those younger than them. We the students need to start engaging in a new and healthier trend and be better role models.” By WHITNEY ISAACSON

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4 • MSU Reporter

Tuesday, February 16, 2021

SPRING 2021 EDITOR IN CHIEF:

MAXWELL MAYLEBEN maxwell.mayleben@mnsu.edu

We must Support our Theatre Department, Virus or Not

madison.diemert@mnsu.edu

Editorial Winter is here. It’s cold. No one knows what to do except sit in their houses with the heat blasting sitting under warm blankets. As things begin to open up, with COVID-19 restrictions beginning to loosen up, we are starting to see an influx in available activities on campus to take part in. With movie releases moving into the living room via streaming services and social media platforms, such as TikTok, becoming a main source of entertainment, we cannot forget to appreciate one of the most original forms of entertainment, live theatre. Live theatre has been around for centuries and there is a good reason. There is something very different about watching a filmed and pre-captured performance from actors that were miles and miles away, versus the authentic and real performances that come from actors in a live setting. There is an honest and very real relationship that is formed between the performer and the audience that simply cannot be replicated without being an in-person performance. Whether the show is a massive musical with grandiose dance numbers and show stopping ballads, a close knit comedic cast, or a brilliantly intimate drama, there is a play that will fill anyone’s cup. In this time of COVID-19, the theatre department at Minnesota State University, Mankato has been working

NEWS DIRECTOR: Jenna Peterson jenna.peterson-3@mnsu.edu MEDIA/DESIGN DIRECTOR: Mansoor Ahmad mansoor.ahmad@mnsu.edu SPORTS EDITOR: Daniel McElroy daniel.mcelroy@mnsu.edu ADVERTISING SALES: Anna Lillie 507-389-1063 anna.lillie@mnsu.edu Logan Larock 507-389-5453 logan.larock@mnsu.edu Baylee Sorensen 507-389-5097 baylee.sorensen@mnsu.edu Olivia Haefner 507-389-1079 olivia.haefner@mnsu.edu BUSINESS MANAGER: Jane Tastad 507-389-1926 jane.tastad@mnsu.edu

tirelessly to create meaningful and great shows to keep the art alive. They have been using various techniques and costuming to keep everyone on stage as well as the audience safe from the pandemic. While it isn’t normal, the cast and crew strive to keep the theatre a place for escapism by using clear masks to ensure the actor’s facial expression is still seen by the audience, or keeping the actors socially distant

during their scenes, without it being intrusive on the scene. We, as the students of MNSU, should recognize the hard work and passion that our fellow students are putting into their artistic craft and strive to support them in their endeavors. It is very common to show our support for our athletic teams, whether it is going to the games when we can or just keeping up with the scores.

We should add our theatre department to the list of institutions that we are proud of and work hard to support. The best part of supporting our theatre department is that it is enjoyable. Going to see a play is just as, if not more enjoyable than, watching a movie at home. To add to that, you are supporting members of our University, and during this time of pandemic, we cannot forget how important that is.

“Have you gone to a theatre show on campus? Why or why not?” Compiled by Fabio Castel Garcia

WILLIAM PASCUAL, JUNIOR “Yes, the last time was two and a half years ago.”

MADISON DIEMERT

MEKLETE SOFONIAS, FRESHMAN

MAX LENETT, SOPHOMORE

“No, because I’m a freshman, “No, but when COVID is over but in the future I want to go.” I will go.”

VICTORIA NWOGO, SOPHOMORE “No, I didn’t have an opportunity yet.”

HAMEDE ABDULGAFUR, FRESHMAN “No, but I will when it’s safe to go.”

ADVERTISING DESIGN/ PRODUCTION MANAGER: Dana Clark 507-389-2793 dana.clark@mnsu.edu

• If you have a complaint, suggestion or would like to point out an error made in the Reporter, contact Editor in Chief Maxwell Mayleben at maxwell.mayleben@mnsu.edu. The Reporter will correct any errors of fact or misspelled names in this space. Formal grievances against the Reporter are handled by the Newspaper Board. • The Minnesota State University Mankato Reporter is a studentrun newspaper published twice a week, coming out on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The Reporter generates 78 percent of its own income through advertising and receives approximately 22 percent from Student Activities fees. The Reporter is free to all students and faculty, but to start a subscription, please call us at 507-389-1776. Subscriptions for the academic school year are $55.00 and subscribers will receive the paper within three to five days after publishing. • Letters exceeding 400 words may not be accepted. The Reporter reserves the right to edit letters to fit space or correct punctuation. The Reporter reserves the right to publish, or not publish, at its discretion. Letters must contain year, major or affiliation with the university, or lack thereof. All letters must contain phone numbers for verification purposes. THE OPINIONS EXPRESSED IN THE MSU REPORTER ARE NOT NECESSARILY THOSE OF THE COLLEGE, UNIVERSITY SYSTEM OR STUDENT BODY.

Tuesday, February 16, 2021

News

MSU Reporter • 5

Okonjo-Iweala is 1st Woman, African to Lead World Trade Body ASSOCIATED PRESS Nigerian economist Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala was appointed Monday to head the World Trade Organization, becoming the first woman and first African to take on the role amid rising protectionism and disagreement over how the body decides cases involving billions in sales and thousands of jobs. Okonjo-Iweala, 66, was named director-general by representatives of the 164 countries that make up the WTO, which deals with the rules of trade between nations based on negotiated agreements. She said during an online news conference that she was taking over at a time when the WTO “is facing so many challenges, and it’s clear to me that deep and wide-ranging reforms are needed... it cannot be business as usual.” Her first priority would be quickly addressing the economic and health consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic, such as by lifting export restrictions on supplies and vaccines and encouraging the manufacturing of vaccines in more countries. Other big

MICHEL EULER • Associated Press In this Friday, Jan. 24, 2014 file photo, Nigerian Finance Minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala during a panel discussion “The Post-2015 Goals: Inspiring a New Generation to Act”, the fifth annual Associated Press debate, at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

tasks include reforming the organization’s dispute resolution process and finding ways for trade rules to deal with change such as digitalization and e-commerce. She takes over after four turbulent years in which U.S. President Donald Trump used new tariffs, or import taxes, against China and the Europe-

an Union to push his America first trade agenda. “It will not be easy because we also have the issue of lack of trust among members which has built up over time, not just among the U.S. and China and the U.S. and the EU ... but also between developing and developed country members, and we need to work through

that,” she said. She said that as the first woman and first African to hold the post, “I absolutely do feel an additional burden, I can’t lie about that. Being the first woman and the first African means that one really has to perform.” “All credit to members for electing me and making that

history, but the bottom line is that if I want to really make Africa and women proud I have to produce results, and that’s where my mind is at now.” The appointment, which takes effect March 1, came after U.S. President Joe Biden endorsed her candidacy, which had been blocked by Trump. Biden’s move was a step toward his aim of supporting cooperative approaches to international problems after Trump’s go-it-alone approach that launched multiple trade disputes. But unblocking the appointment is only the start in dealing with U.S. concerns about the WTO that date to the Obama administration. The United States had blocked the appointment of new judges to the WTO’s appellate body, essentially freezing its ability to resolve extended and complex trade disputes. The U.S. has argued that the trade organization is bureaucratic and ill-equipped to handle the problems posed by China’s state-dominated economy and unduly restrictive on U.S. attempts to impose sanctions on countries that unfairly subsidize their companies or export at unusually low prices.

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Tuesday, February 16, 2021

MSU Reporter • 7

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Tuesday, February 16, 2021

Mavericks Body the Peacocks in Sweep

Swim and Dive Wins NSIC Championship By DANIEL MCELROY Sports Editor

Maddy Olson (10), Tayla Stuttley (23), Joey Batt (1), and Brooke Tonsfeldt (32) all lended a helping hand in the Mavs sweep over UIU.

By DANIEL MCELROY • Sports Editor Photos by MANSOOR AHMAD • Media Director The Minnesota State women’s basketball team (8-4) snagged their first sweep of the season over Upper Iowa (1-13) last weekend. The Mavs broke 100 points for the first time this season with a 103-47 win against the Peacocks with four Mavericks recording double digit points. Minnesota State took the court by storm and was in control throughout the entirety of the game. MSU ended the first half of the game with a 18-8 run and a commanding lead of 45-19. Maddy Olson led the team at the half with 10 points. Rylee Menster was just behind Olson with nine points of her own. At the half, the Peacocks shot 29.2% in field goals and 0-8 from three point range, with the Mavs shooting 35.9% from the field and 6-19 in 3-pointers. The Mavericks kept the same pace in the second half of the game outscoring the Peacocks 58-28, and closed out the game with a 103-47 win. Maddy Olson led the team in scoring with a career-high 20 points with five steals tagged on. Game two of the weekend wasn’t much different than the

first, with the Mavericks starting the game with an 8-0 lead and closed out the first quarter with a 17-9 lead. The Mavericks went on a 13-4 run in the second quarter taking a 28-13 lead and maintained it through the first half. Stuttley led the team with seven points in the first half and Rachel Shumski right behind her with five. Both teams had their best quarter in the third, but the Mavs stayed on top, outscoring the Peacocks 22-15. Going into the fourth quarter, MSU was in the lead 54-36, and went on a 10-2 run to start the final quarter. The Mavericks close out the game and complete the sweep by a score of 72-48. Stuttley led the team with 13 points in the win, shooting 5-16 in field goals, and 2-8 from three point range. Shumski stayed close with 11 points of her own and eight rebounds. The Mavericks bench also scored 34 points. “We need players who are going to capitalize on their opportunities, they’re going to be ready to go, and we definitely saw that more consistently this weekend,” head coach Emilee Thiesse commented after the weekend sweep.

Mavs Drop weekend series; Holt and Kramer earn Season-highs By DANIEL MCELROY • Sports Editor For the first time this season, the Minnesota State men’s basketball team got swept by the Upper Iowa Peacocks in two high-scoring contests. The Mavs started the first game strong and kept their momentum throughout the entire game. Although the first half saw a lot of exchanges in baskets made, the Mavs held the lead ever since Devonte Thedford made a layup to give MSU the 16-14 lead. They continued this lead into halftime with a score of 53-45. At the half, Thedford and Malik Willingham led the Mavericks in points with 11 each, and Quincy Anderson and Brady Williams had nine a piece. MSU kept the momentum in their favor and extended their lead to as much as 10 points, with 4:28 remaining in the half,

ROAD RAGE page 10

MANSOOR AHMAD • The Reporter Devonte Thedford (13) led the team in points in Friday’s loss.

For the first time since 2017, the Minnesota State swim and dive team took first place at the NSIC Championships last weekend for their second championship in school history. The Mavericks took first place with 1033.5 points, with the St. Cloud State Huskies taking second place with 858.5 points, and the Sioux Falls Cougars in third with 767.5 points. Katie Streiff took first place in the 100 IM with a time of 58.97, and Kayla Rinderknecht in fourth with a time of 59.90. Olivia Meinberg and Ella DeFever earned AllNSIC honors in the 100 freestyle. Meinberg finished in second with a time of 52.35, while DeFever finished third with a time of 52.58. Kailyn Arps and Emily Goodman also finished with All-NSIC honors in second and third in the 200 freestyle with times of 2:20.43 and 2:21.31, respectively. Lauren Szolyga, Elise Mishmash, Meinberg, and DeFever earned All-NSIC honors in the 400m freestyle relay with a time of 3:28.71. Head coach Nathan Owens earned his second NSIC Coach of the Year award following the team’s championship season. His first time Owens earned the honor was in the 2017 squads championship season. In a shortened season due to COVID-19, the Mavericks finished the regular season with a 4-0 record and tied for first in the NSIC. The squad will take a break for over a month until the NCAA National Championships when they will travel to Birmingham, Alabama, beginning March 17. The NCAA will announce the field for the national championship Saturday, March 6.

Tuesday, February 16, 2021

Softball Sweeps Lewis, Splits Series with UMD

Sports

McKay, Mavs Sweep in ‘Bama Dryden McKay earned his 22nd career shutout against the Chargers

MSU Reporter • 9

MSU Beats out Parkside in Season Closer

By DANIEL MCELROY Sports Editor

The Minnesota State softball team started their season last weekend at the Minnesota State DII Softball Classic in Mankato. They played their first games against the Lewis University Flyers on Friday, and came away with two wins by scores of 2-0 and 6-0. Junior Mackenzie Ward pitched a complete game while only allowing one hit and two walks in the shutout win. Ward struck out 13 batters in the process. Designated hitter Sydney Nielsen went 2-3 at the plate with one RBI and a run of her own in the 2-0 win. The team had five hits a whole with no errors. The second game in the doubleheader was a bit more dominant than the first, as the Mavericks took the 6-0 shutout win. MSU took control in the second inning scoring five runs following a sacrifice bunt from Hannah McCarville that led Hailey Forshee to score, giving the Mavs a 1-0 lead. At the next at bat, McCarville stole second base, which led to Nielsen stealing home, giving MSU a 2-0 lead. MSU pushed this momentum to the limit to score three more runs in the inning. Torey Richards led the team with three hits in four plate appearances and an RBI. McKayla Armbruster took the win for the Mavs with six innings pitched and two hits allowed while striking out five batters. The Mavs took their first loss of the season against the University of Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs in the first game of the doubleheader on Saturday by a score of 5-2, but bounced back in the next game and took the 4-3 win. Kylie Sullivan led the team with two runs and went 2-3 at bat with an RBI. Katie Bracken started the game and allowed six hits and three runs, when Ward pitched one inning and took her second win of the season. MSU starts the season with a 3-1 record.

The Minnesota State University wrestling team closed out their season last week with a 20-15 victory over UW-Parkside. The Mavericks finished the season with a 5-1 record and third place in the NSIC, behind the undefeated squads of St. Cloud State University and Northern State University. No. 8 Trenton McManus dropped the first dual of the night as well as his first dual of the season in his match against the No. 3-ranked Joe Arroyo in a 5-0 decision. MSU took wins in the next four straight duals, starting with Brock Luthens 3-2 decision over Lucas Schevikhoven, tying the score at three a piece. Kolbe O’Brien then won by fall at :58 to give the Mavs 6 points in his win over Francesco Schiro. No. 2-ranked wrestler at 149 pounds Kyle Rathman won a 16-4 major decision over Parkside’s Nathan Hensley, giving MSU a 13-3 lead. Cooper Siebrecht took a 3-2 decision against Ben Durocher to close out the Mavericks run of 16 points. Brody Nielsen dropped a 3-2 decision with Parkside’s No. 12 Shane Gantz, finding the Rangers three more points in the major deficit. No. 2 Trevor Turriff pulled it back for the Mavs with his 17-5 major decision over Parkside’s Ryan Neu, giving MSU a comfortable 20-6 lead. Dylan Butts, Matt Blome, and Max Villnow all dropped their last duals of the season, but it would make no difference with MSU grabbing the final win of the season. Max Schwabe and David Griffet both grab a win in extra matches, and both of their first wins of the season. Rathman and Turriff closed out the season with 6-0 records each, and McManus and O’Brien were close behind with 5-1 records of their own. Minnesota State will take a couple of weeks off until they see action at the NCAA Division II Super Region V Championships.

14 different Mavericks found their way on the scoresheet in the team’s sweep against the Chargers.

By DANIEL MCELROY • Sports Editor Photos by MANSOOR AHMAD • Media Director Minnesota State University men’s hockey improved to 13-2-1 this past weekend following a sweep over the Alabama-Huntsville Chargers (2-9-1). The Mavericks had an unusually slow start on Thursday’s game after Bauer Neudecker passed the puck to Quinn Green in an odd man rush, when Green fired the puck from the high slot over Dryden McKay’s shoulder giving Alabama a 1-0 lead three minutes into the game. Fortunately enough for the Mavs, that would be the only goal allowed all weekend. MSU didn’t find the net until almost five minutes into the second period when Mankato takes advantage of a power play opportunity when Jake Jaremko skated the puck around the offensive zone all on his own and took a shot near the bottom of the faceoff circle, creating a rebound for Todd Burgess, in which gave another rebound for Andy Carroll to come in and finish off the play, tying the game at 1-1. Just over a minute later, Brendan Furry won the faceoff for the Mavs who got it to Carroll, who cycled with Julian Napravnik, when Napravnik took a shot from the blue line and Walker Duehr tipped it in what would be the eventual game winner. Cade Borchardt and Dallas Gerads grabbed a goal each in the win, with Burgess, Akito Hi-

rose, Jack McNeely, and Jake Livingstone all tallying assists. Friday’s game was a much smoother showing, taking the shutout win 5-0. Gerads got the Mavericks on the board first after Akito Hirose’s shot from the point gets knocked down at Gerads’ feet and buried it past UAH’s Derek Krall. The Mavs went on to score their next four goals all in the second period. McNeely forced a turnover in the Chargers’ zone giving the puck to Ondrej Pavel, who made a pass to Ryan Sandelin and scored his fourth goal of the year. Two minutes later, Jake Livingstone took a shot from the high slot, and created a scramble in front of the net just for Burgess to find the back of the net to give the Mavs a 3-0 lead. Another two minutes later, Burgess found his second goal of the night on a power play opportunity, making it 4-0. Napravnik added another point on the weekend with a goal following a cross-ice one-timer from Nathan Smith. McKay earned his 22nd career shutout, and moved himself into the lone second position in all-time NCAA shutouts. The Mavs remain Rank No. 3 in the nation, looking ahead a road series at Ferris State.

Todd Burgess (left) scored two goals, and Julian Napravnik (right) scored one goal in Friday’s shutout win against the Alabama-Huntsville Chargers.

10 • MSU Reporter

Sports

T-wolves end 4-game Losing Streak with Win over Raptors

Tuesday, February 16, 2021

Wiggins leads Maryland past Minnesota 72-59

MIKE CARLSON • Associated Press

ASSOCIATED PRESS Karl-Anthony Towns had just enough scoring help from his teammates for the Minnesota Timberwolves to end a four-game losing streak. Towns scored seven of his 20 points late in the fourth quarter before fouling out with 38 seconds left, and the Timberwolves beat the Toronto Raptors 116-112 Sunday night. Malik Beasley also scored 20 points, hitting six of 10 3-point shots, and rookie Anthony Edwards added 18 for the Timberwolves, who shot 69% in the second half. Ricky Rubio contributed 16 points and five assists. “If you go 6 for 10 and 7 for 13 (in the preceding game), we’ve got to get him the ball more,” Towns said of Beasley, who is averaging 24.6 points in seven February games. “He’s opening up the court for me. I haven’t played

with a shooter like that for a long time.” The Raptors (12-15) had a chance to tie the game in the closing seconds after Beasley stepped out of bounds with 12.1 seconds left for Minnesota’s eighth turnover of the fourth quarter. But, Pascal Siakam missed a layup that was contested by 6-foot-10 Jaden McDaniels. Jordan McLaughlin clinched the victory with two free throws with 3.7 seconds left. Kyle Lowry led the Raptors with 24 points, including 12 in the fourth quarter, helping the Raptors overcome a 12-point deficit. “He went to the free throw line 12 times,” coach Nick Nurse said, “so you can tell how hard he was trying to will us in there.” Fred VanVleet and Norman Powell added 22 points apiece.

ROAD RAGE Continued from page 8 which is exactly when things went wrong for the Mavericks. Jareese Williams of the Upper Iowa Peacocks made three consecutive three-pointers, going on a 9-0 run single-handedly, and cutting the Mavs lead to just one point. The Mavericks and Peacocks went back and forth for the last two minutes of the game including five lead changes. UIU grabbed a two point lead following a jumper and free throw from Joe Smoldt. The Mavericks gained possession for one last chance with nine seconds left in the game. Thedford passed the ball to Anderson to get the final shot off, but was double teamed and couldn’t get a good look, ending the game in the closest contest MSU has had all season long. MSU had very spread out scoring with five Mavericks scoring double digit points. The effort was led by Thedford with 18 points followed by Anderson and Ryland Holt with 16 points each.

UIU started Saturday’s game with a little more jump in their step, taking the lead immediately, and went on a 12-4 run to extend their lead with just over 10 minutes remaining in the first half. The Peacocks kept this lead and went into the locker rooms with a score of 49-36. Unfortunately, MSU could not manage to find a way back into the game, and dropped their second game of the weekend for the first time in the season. Just like the previous day, the scoresheet for Minnesota State was spread out with six Mavericks reaching double digit points including Holt and Kelby Kramer each earning season-highs with 18 and 15 points, respectively. The Mavericks fell to 8-6 overall with a NSIC record of 7-5, while the Peacocks improved to 9-5 on the season, with a conference record of 7-3. MSU will close out their season this weekend at Concordia-St. Paul.

KEVIN RICHARDSON • Associated Press Maryland forward Galin Smith (30) blocks the shot of Minnesota guard Jamal Mashburn Jr. (4).

ASSOCIATED PRESS In a welcome change for Maryland, the Terrapins’ shots found their mark. The defense did its job on the other end of the court, and an early lead stood up for the entire game. Then again, those kinds of things usually seem to happen for the Terps when they face Minnesota. Aaron Wiggins scored 17 points, and Maryland cruised to a 72-59 victory Sunday night for a sweep of the season series. Four players scored in double figures for the Terrapins, who last month handed the Golden Gophers their only loss at home. Maryland (11-10, 5-9 Big Ten) has won six straight against Minnesota over the last four years. The Terrapins shot 53%, their best performance in a conference game this season. Maryland also topped the 70-point mark for the first time since tallying 100 in a win over Wingate on Jan. 15. “When guys make shots it’s a lot more fun, I’ll tell you that,” coach Mark Turgeon said. “Tonight we made some open looks, we made some guarded looks.” The defense was just as impressive. Minnesota went 19

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for 59 from the floor, missed 20 of 28 attempts from beyond the arc and was outrebounded 37-33. Jamal Mashburn Jr. led the Golden Gophers (13-8, 6-8) with 14 points. Minnesota is 13-1 at home — 6-1 in the conference — and 0-7 on the road. After trailing by 19 in the first half, the Golden Gophers cut it to 65-59 before Wiggins iced it with a 3-pointer with 2:39 left, just before the shot clock was set to expire. ’’Got a little tired in the second half,” Turgeon acknowledged. “They had a deeper team than we had tonight.” Maryland got off to a blistering start, limiting Minnesota to 1-for-8 shooting while taking a 16-3 lead. “We were definitely locked in from the jump,” Wiggins said. “This entire season, guys have struggled, not been able to hit shots, especially at home in the first half. In this game, we got off to a really good start and were able to maintain that lead.” After Terps forward Galin Smith blocked a shot in the lane by Mashburn and dunked on the other end to make it 20-8, Gophers coach Richard Pitino called a timeout in hopes of shifting the

momentum. It didn’t work. An 8-0 run capped by a 3-pointer from Donta Scott put Maryland up 29-10, a surprising performance by a team that had lost four of its previous six games to fall to .500 for the first time all season. Minnesota trailed 44-28 at halftime after missing 19 of 27 field-goal attempts, being outrebounded 20-13 and having twice as many turnovers as assists (4-2). The second half was more of the same. After the Golden Gophers closed to 52-40, Jairus Hamilton hit a 3-pointer and Hakim Hart added a three-point play during an 8-2 spurt that made it 60-42 with 10:37 remaining. GOT YOUR NUMBER Maryland owns a 12-2 record all-time against Minnesota and is 8-2 against the Golden Gophers since joining the Big Ten in 2014. The Terps have won two Big Ten games this season by double-digits — both against Minnesota (63-49 on Jan. 23). Minnesota: Sure it’s tough to win on the road in the Big Ten, but Minnesota’s struggle is difficult to rationalize and more than cancels out its strong record at home in league play.

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Tuesday, February 16, 2021

Sports

Spurs Game at Detroit canceled over Virus-related Concerns

MSU Reporter • 11

NBA says Strict Protocols will be in Place for All-Stars

MARK J. TERILL • Associated Press

ASSOCIATED PRESS

DARREN ABATE • Associated Press San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich, left, talks to referee Bill Kennedy during a game against the Golden State Warriors, Monday, Feb. 8, 2021, in San Antonio.

ASSOCIATED PRESS Tuesday’s game between San Antonio Spurs and Detroit Pistons has been postponed, marking the second time this month that the NBA has called off a game because of coronavirus-related issues. The NBA made the announcement Monday, saying the Spurs have someone who tested positive and that, combined with contact tracing, meant they would not have the league minimum of eight players available to begin a game. The NBA does not announce the names of players who test positive; some have revealed positive tests on their own. The Spurs were without guard Quinndary Weatherspoon for their game Sunday against Charlotte because of the league’s COVID-19 protocols; Weatherspoon had played 10 minutes on Friday in Atlanta, then was flagged by the protocols over the weekend.

Being ruled out because of the protocols can suggest any number of things, including a positive test, a suspected positive test or contact-tracing data showing that a player may have been exposed to a person with COVID-19. The only other game called off this month for a virus-related issue was on Feb. 1, also involving the Pistons — Detroit’s night game at Denver was postponed because of contact tracing issues involving the Pistons. The NBA has made some schedule switches since — moving a Portland at Charlotte game that was to be played Feb. 7 until later in the season, for example — but hadn’t called off any more games until Monday. Not including games that already were reshuffled, complications related to the virus have caused 24 postponements this season, with 22 of those coming in the last three weeks of January. Many of the postponed games will be

made up in the second half of the season, which currently is scheduled to begin March 11. The NBA is expected to release the second-half schedule in the coming days. The league had 27 players test positive for COVID-19 in a two-week span of January, though only two players have been confirmed as positive in the three-week period that followed and went through Feb. 10. Those numbers will be updated later this week. Minnesota’s Karl-Anthony Towns returned to the Timberwolves’ lineup last week after a 13-game absence because he tested positive for COVID-19; Towns has lost seven family members, including his mother, to the virus. Miami’s Tyler Herro missed a game last week because of a suspected positive test; subsequent tests showed he was fine and he was permitted to return to the Heat lineup after the one-game absence.

Lakers’ Anthony Davis to Rest Injured Achilles; no Rupture ASSOCIATED PRESS Parties may be part of NBA All-Star weekend next month. They just won’t include NBA All-Stars. Players taking part in AllStar weekend in Atlanta will largely have to remain in their hotels when not at the arena, the league told teams on Monday, and all players and coaches — whether part of All-Star events or not — will have to continue getting tested daily for COVID-19. The NBA and the National Basketball Players Association agreed on those rules, the league said in the memo laying out the health and

safety protocols that will apply during the break. The league plans to announce starters for the All-Star Game on Thursday, and the reserves on Feb. 23. The first half of the season ends March 4, and All-Star event participants arrive in Atlanta on March 6. The game and skills contests are March 7 and — for some teams — games will resume March 10, or a day earlier than initially planned. Other teams will resume play on March 11 and March 12. All-Star participants will be traveling to Atlanta by private planes or cars, facilitated by the NBA, and must arrive by 7 p.m. on March 6. They’ll be tested that night and again

on game-day morning. Each player can bring up to four guests, examples of which include family members, longtime close friends, agents and child-care providers. In some cases, players may be permitted to bring up to six guests, provided the additional names on their list are their children. They will not be permitted to exceed the list of four for additional friends or agents. All guests will have to participate in seven days of at-home quarantine — with exceptions for essential activities — starting Feb. 27, and return four negative coronavirus tests from March 2 through March 5.

Parties may be part of NBA All-Star weekend next month. They just won’t include NBA All-Stars. Players taking part in AllStar weekend in Atlanta will largely have to remain in their hotels when not at the arena, the league told teams on Monday, and all players and coaches — whether part of All-Star events or not — will have to continue getting tested daily for COVID-19. The NBA and the National Basketball Players Association agreed on those rules, the league said in the memo laying out the health and safety protocols that will apply during the break. The league plans to announce starters for the All-Star Game on Thursday, and the reserves on Feb. 23. The first half of the season ends March 4, and All-

Star event participants arrive in Atlanta on March 6. The game and skills contests are March 7 and — for some teams — games will resume March 10, or a day earlier than initially planned. Other teams will resume play on March 11 and March 12. All-Star participants will be traveling to Atlanta by private planes or cars, facilitated by the NBA, and must arrive by 7 p.m. on March 6. They’ll be tested that night and again on game-day morning. Each player can bring up to four guests, examples of which include family members, longtime close friends, agents and child-care providers. In some cases, players may be permitted to bring up to six guests, provided the additional names on their list are their children.

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12 • MSU Reporter

Where to Worship - February

Tuesday, February 16, 2021

WHERE TO WORSHIP THE REPORTER’S MONTHLY RELIGIOUS DIRECTORY

Join us Tuesday nights! Free Supper @ 6PM Bible Study @ 6:30PM 1232 Highland Ave. Call/Text Pastor Ryan: (507) 363-9476 Instagram: @cbfmankato Facebook: @cbfmankato

IN-PERSON SERVICES AT BOTH 8:30 AM & 10:30 AM

354 Carol Court North Mankato, MN

10:30 A.M. SERVICE IS LIVE-STREAMED

facebook.com/riverridgekato youtube.com/mankatoefree

www.riverridgekato.org

* A ministry of Grace Baptist Church through Baptist Mid-Missions.* www.gbcmankato.org 600 Lind St. Mankato, MN