RED: 2023 NC State basketball — Technician 11/01/2023

TECHNICIAN RED

2023 NC STATE BASKETBALL

N OV E MB ER 2, 2023

V OL . 104 | NO. 11

Contents

2 TECHNICIAN THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2023

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IN THIS ISSUE: page

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Get Involved; NC State pickleball club explodes in popularity on campus

THE RADAR

THE NATURE EXPERIENCE: WALK AND TALK

DOCUMENTARY FILM SCREENING: ‘FIRST GENERATION’

Friday, Nov. 3, 3:15 - 4 p.m.

Wednesday, Nov. 8, 6 - 7:35 p.m.

CAMPUS HEALTH, MEET AT REAR ENTRANCE

D.H. HILL JR. LIBRARY, AUDITORIUM Free Visit Hill Library’s auditorium for a screening of “First Generation,” a documentary telling the story of four high school students breaking the cycle of poverty to pursue a college education.

Free Join Prevention Services for a relaxing walk and talk in nature alongside peers.

Events to keep an eye on for the week of Nov. 2

MUSIC PERFORMANCE: NC STATE QUINTET Thursday, Nov. 2, 6 - 7 p.m.

GREGG MUSEUM OF ART & DESIGN

NEWS

Free Join the NC State Quintet for a unique, immersive musical experience at the Gregg Museum of Art & Design.

MAKERS MARKET: FISH MARKET STUDENT GALLERY Friday, Nov. 3, 6 - 11 p.m.

FISH MARKET GALLERY Free Visit the Fish Market Gallery to purchase and peruse goods made by student artists.

page

valid to not express an 06 It’s opinion

THIS WEEK ON CAMPUS

OPINION page

‘1989 (Taylor’s Version)’

08 never went out of style;

and the era isn’t over yet

CULTURE page

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DJ Burns’ last dance is set to be NC State men’s basketball’s best yet LILY MCCABE/TECHNICIAN

Senior linebacker Jaylon Scott watches as the ball flies through the air after a tackle during the game against Clemson at Carter-Finley Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 28, 2023. NC State beat Clemson 24-17.

CORRECTION: In ‘Grad student grievances: Graduate students at the University say they’re underpaid, overworked’ (p. 10, Oct. 26, 2023), Technician included incorrect information regarding the length of Egemen Aras’ workday and stipend amounts and misstated Corbin Goodwin’s degree program. Technician regrets the errors.

SPORTS Editors-in-Chief Ethan Bakogiannis Jameson Wolf

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Culture Editors Emilia Rivadeneira Elizabeth Dull

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Assistant Copy Desk Chief Elliot Johnson

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News Editor Kate Denning

Opinion Editor Justin Welch

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Assistant Opinion Editor Skye Crawford Focused Editor Koen Rodabaugh

Assistant Photo Editor Cate Humphreys Video Editor Isaac Hernandez

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Sports Editor Jenna Cuniowski

Assistant Video Editor Katherine Wan

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General Manager Garrett Gough media-sales@ncsu.edu

Technician (USPS 455-050) is the largest student newspaper of NC State University and is published every Thursday throughout the academic year from August through May except during holidays and examination periods.

Opinions expressed in the columns, cartoons, photo illustrations and letters that appear on the Technician’s pages are the views of the individual writers and cartoonists. As a public forum for student expression, the students determine the content of the publication without prior review. To receive permission for reproduction, please write the editor. Subscription cost is $100 per year. A single copy is free to all students, faculty, staff and visitors to campus. Additional copies are $0.25 each. Printed by Triangle Web Printing, Durham, NC, Copyright 2022 by North Carolina State Student Media. All rights reserved.

FRONT COVER BY HALLIE WALKER FRONT COVER BY JON WILLIAMS

News

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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2023

Get Involved; NC State pickleball club explodes in popularity on campus

Matthew Burkhart Staff Writer

Pickleball, the paddle sport that has been gaining popularity nationwide, has taken NC State by storm. Whether playing casual matches or national championships, NC State boasts a vibrant pickleball community.

Grant Johnson, a second-year studying biological engineering and vice president of NC State Club Pickleball, said pickleball can be described as a cross between ping pong and tennis. The game is played on a smaller court than tennis, with players using paddles to hit balls, which are similar to wiffle balls, over a net.

Pickleball’s presence at NC State began when Robert Valdillez, a Ph.D. student in nuclear physics, founded the club in 2019.

Valdillez said the club was the first of its kind in the United States and was the first official collegiate member of USA Pickleball. The club was featured in USA Pickleball’s magazine and is used as a model for other clubs around the country.

The club had around five frequent members in its inaugural semester. Following the COVID-19 pandemic year, the club grew to around 50 and now has over 100 active members.

Valdillez said the appeal of pickleball is its ease of entry.

“The barrier of entry is so much lower than tennis,” Valdillez said. “You can pick up a pickleball paddle without ever having played a racquet sport and within 10 or 15 minutes on the court, you’re able to rally around with friends and be in some actual play.”

Valdillez said the sport has an inclusive aspect that is often not seen in other sports.

“It’s one of the only sports I know that you could be on the court with a 12-year-old and an 80-year-old playing the same sport together,” Valdillez said.

Lauren Hutchinson, a third-year studying business and

GRAPHIC BY WYLIE PHU

a lifelong tennis player, said while pickleball can be played casually, it also has a competitive side and is more nuanced than most people think.

“The court is a lot smaller [than in tennis], so your shots have to be more calculated and less power, more angle,” Hutchinson said. “[It’s more] fast-paced; tennis is a lot more spread out because everybody’s closer together.”

Valdillez said the club hosts and competes in national tournaments. The club hosted the largest national collegiate pickleball tournament last year. He said what sets them apart

from other clubs is their ability to fundraise effectively.

“Every time we go to a tournament, we bring three or four or five times the number of players that other colleges can bring just because we have the money to support hotels and travel and flights for all of our players,” Valdillez said. “We have a lot more presence because we started a lot earlier than most of the clubs, and we just have a lot more resources at our disposal.”

Valdillez said the club plays on Carmichael Gym’s tennis courts. He said the sport has risen so much in popularity that Carmichael has since painted enough pickleball lines to accommodate 24 games at once.

Despite NC State’s large competitive presence, Valdillez said there are no tryouts required to join the competitive team. Players with competitive interest have to attend required practices and the club hosts an internal tournament to send its best players to national competitions.

Johnson said as pickleball rises in popularity, its nature is constantly changing.

“New players are coming on the scene constantly, and it’s just rapidly growing as well as rapidly changing, and that’s what I love about it — it’s a very dynamic sport,” Johnson said. “It’s just incredible how quickly it’s changed, like strategy even from last year to this year, as well as how technology has changed so much recently that has created such a big shift in how it’s played.”

Club updates and practice information can be found on the club’s website and their Instagram @ncsupickleball. All practices are held at the Carmichael outdoor tennis courts, and equipment is provided.

University Libraries seeks to lessen inaccessible courseware costs

Bastian Hauser Correspondent

Many students take exams and turn in assignments through platforms such as Cengage, Pearson and McGraw Hill, which sometimes come at a cost.

Kate Sappenfield, a second-year studying business administration, said her course materials this semester were costly.

“I had to pay around $500 this semester,” Sappenfield said. “A lot of it was online connect materials where you had to buy the textbook and the platform. I think that’s too expensive.”

Kaushya Bhattu, a second-year studying chemistry, said she bought unlimited Webassign access for $120 when she started

college and bought a physics textbook for $90 this semester. Still, high costs remain a concern.

“All of the homework is on the online platform, so we don’t have an option but to pay for it,” Bhattu said.

However, some students must also pay for plain text documents, including Youssef Kozman, a second-year studying chemistry.

“My textiles in-class labs, which are just a couple of documents that could have been uploaded to Moodle, were $15,” Kozman said. “When there are documents that can be easily uploaded without a rights issue, there is no reason for us to be made to buy it, I think.”

Kozman said he had to pay $125 to use

Cengage unlimited for one semester and still had to pay an extra $90 for a Webassign access to his physics class, despite the fact that Webassign is owned by Cengage.

“I am completely opposed to the idea of paying more than that Cengage unlimited subscription,” Kozman said. “It is already very expensive. To have a class that, for some reason, is just not included in it even though it uses the same website, to me makes no sense.”

This is also a challenge for the library, which traditionally helps students pay less for materials by lending them physical textbooks. David Tully works to address this as a librarian for student success and affordability.

“If an instructor requires students to purchase a digital access code as part of their course materials, then the library isn´t able to provide alternate support,” Tully said.

That’s one of the reasons the library launched the Alt-Textbook Project almost 10 years ago. The library cooperates with faculty members so that they can develop their own digital materials and make them available to students free of charge.

Tully said the program also gives faculty members greater control over the learning content for their class.

COURSEWARE continued page 5

News

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NC State English professor talks AI

Bastian Hauser Correspondent

Paul Fyfe, associate professor in the department of English, held a talk on artificial intelligence’s impacts on teaching and research in Caldwell Lounge on Oct. 24.

Fyfe has worked on a variety of technological topics and their relevance to English and teaching. In his discussion, he said it’s become close to impossible to distinguish between human-written texts and AI-generated texts.

“ChatGPT and similar AI models don’t learn a language as we do, but they learn the statistical relations among words,” Fyfe said. “It´s a probabilistic guess, a prediction of words. … The key thing is that such AI uses previous context to make predictions.

So instead of spitting out grammatically correct nonsense, it generates semantic coherence.”

Fyfe teaches a class that explores the implications of language-based AI models, such as ChatGPT, for research and teaching. In his talk, he said he encouraged his students to use ChatGPT for some of the writing in this course to demonstrate its unreliability.

“In one of my classes, I asked my students to cheat on their final essay,” Fyfe said.

“Students found it harder to write a paper with AI than just writing it themselves.”

Fyfe said his students had to be very specific in what they wanted ChatGPT to write

CHARLES KING/TECHNICIAN

Paul Fyfe, an associate professor of English speaks to the audience in Caldwell Hall on Tuesday, Oct 24, 2023. The event was held to discuss ChatGPT and other AI in the Classroom and how to combat it.

and experiment with their prompts.

“Some students said that they would compare collaborating with ChatGPT to being teamed up with the class slacker,” Fyfe said.

Fyfe’s students recognized false information in the responses of ChatGPT and the problem of algorithmic bias, he said.

“Programs like these do contain unjust

prejudice from the data that they were trained on,” Fyfe said.

Fyfe said he thinks AI literacy is an important skill for college students.

“Students are not getting this kind of AI literacy in the curriculum yet,” Fyfe said “I don’t know where else in the University students learn about AI literacy, and it is vital for students to develop this skill set.”

Thomas Hardiman, director of the Office of Student Conduct, said it is up to instructors to decide whether their students are allowed to use AI tools in the classroom, and its use doesn’t violate the Code of Student Conduct if authorized by the instructor.

Fyfe asked participants to compare “bot or not” writing excerpts. The audience could not identify the difference between the texts, which Fyfe said proved the sophistication of ChatGPT. Fyfe said this experiment was a version of the “Turing test,” which examines to what extent artificial intelligence can pass for a human.

“The question is no longer whether or not AI can pass the Turing test,” Fyfe said.

“The question is what do we do now that they can.”

After the talk, different participants shared their personal points of view and the challenges AI poses to them. One of the participants was Amber Holland, lecturer in the communication studies department at NC State. Rather than being concerned about AI’s use in the classroom, Holland said she was excited to learn more about it.

“I would love to have my students use this in the classroom, but also to use it in an ethical way,” Holland said. “Today, I learned that there is a lot more to learn and that I want to be proactive about initiating conversations in my classroom about it.”

News TECHNICIAN 5 Wolfline renews push for student bus drivers TECHNICIANONLINE.COM

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2023

Riya Kannan Staff Writer

Amid a nationwide bus driver shortage, NC State Transportation is encouraging eligible students to get behind the wheel.

The third-party company Transdev operates the Wolfline and is responsible for hiring drivers, said Demar Bonnemere, communications manager for NC State Transportation.

“If students meet their requirements, they can be hired,” Bonnemere said.

Andrea Neri, transportation planning manager at NC State Transportation, said to be hired, students must be at least 21 years of age and have a Commercial Driver License.

“It takes a little time and some effort, but it shouldn’t be horribly difficult for graduate students or somebody who is at NC State to be able to get a CDL with a passenger extension,” Neri said.

Neri said the option to have student employees operating the Wolfline isn’t new, but due to the shortage, there’s renewed encouragement to apply.

“They need drivers right now,” Neri said. “Based on operator availability, we definitely know that some routes need more buses, and transit is pretty much ready to put more buses out there if we have more operators.”

Stephen McGuinness, Student Senate president and a fourthyear studying polymer and color chemistry, said Transdev faces competition for hiring from other local bus companies.

“NC State transit is competing with the market that exists in Raleigh — from GoRaleigh bus drivers to GoCary bus drivers,” McGuinness said. “So that’s why in the past, they had an increase in wages.”

Neri said Transdev is in full control of employment contracts and negotiations.

“Transdev is more than happy to work around the needs of prospect[ive] drivers,” Neri said. “The part-time option — called casual part-time — only requires availability for two days a week, for no less than four hours, and it’s very flexible. … The wage has also been increasing consistently over the past couple of years — there’s now a starting salary of $19.07

GRAPHIC BY JOE LINGO

an hour.”

The idea of student bus drivers may sound alarms to some concerned about safety, but Bonnemere said Transdev will ensure students are properly trained.

“Transdev is not going to put a driver out there that is going to be a liability for them,” Bonnemere said. “They are going to put them through rigorous training, make sure that they understand how to operate the vehicle and understand the rules of the road. So while safety is always a concern in transportation, Transdev does everything in its power to ensure that they have safe drivers out there.”

Those who meet the requirements to apply to be a Wolfline driver can apply through Transdev’s website or reach out to NC State Transportation with any questions.

COURSEWARE

limitations of copyright law and the lack of awareness about the program.

Kevin Oliver, department head of Teacher Education and Learning Sciences, said he isn’t aware of alternatives to paid online platforms, but they’re a useful learning method because they can be interactive.

“Quality distance education shouldn’t be independent reading online,” Oliver said.

Tully said he is optimistic the program will help more students reduce their total expenses in the future and more courses were converted to the Alt-Textbook Program last year than in any previous year.

continued from page 3

Cassie Lilly, an associate teaching professor of chemistry, is working on making the materials for her course available through the Alt-Textbook Project beginning in spring 2024.

“I wanted to make sure that the textbook for this course is accessible to my students at no cost,” Lilly said. “Another advantage is that I have the ability to manually change the content of the textbook, so I have it in my own hands.”

Tully said last year, over 3,600 students were enrolled in a course where the materials were free of charge thanks to the AltTextbook Project. Tully said the program has saved students $11.7 million.

Tully said the three main reasons there are not more courses with free materials are the limited time of faculty members, the

ASHER ZHANG/TECHNICIAN

Cengage textbooks sit on a table in D.H. Hill Jr. Library on Tuesday, Sept. 18, 2018. Cengage allows you to access Webassign codes without requiring you to pay individually.

More information about the Alt-Textbook Project can be found on the Libraries’ website.

Opinion

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It’s valid to not express an opinion Before making an online statement on which side to stand within the Palestine-Israel conflict, get educated on the issue — for once.

After the Hamas atEmilia tack on Israel and the Rivadeneira ensuing retaliation of Culture Editor Israel against Hamas, the outpour of opinions regarding the Palestine-Israel conflict on social media has not been lacking. Daily, I see at least one or two people posting about it, which would not be a bad thing, if only the information was coming from reliable sources.

In a recent Technician column, correspondent Pierce Bruns said there’s a countless amount of unconfirmed information about the conf lict being spread online, causing individuals to fall into a trap of disinformation.

This is true. The Pew Research Center found that in 2021 people between the ages of 18 and 29 use TikTok most often to acquire their news — making them a vulner-

able group to fall into this trap as TikTok is not a reliable source of information.

The use of social media like TikTok, Snapchat and even Instagram leads to the spread of uneducated opinions that are consequently escalating violence and hatred toward both Paelestinians and Jews in different ways.

Even a comment on a social media post can cause unimaginable harm and hurt.

Therefore, by stating your viewpoint on social media based on unverified information, you’re undermining the history behind a conflict that has been happening for decades.

When talking about an issue as complex as the Palestine-Israel conflict, it is important to recognize that the narrative given by the media is not complete or unbiased.

Throughout the years of conflict, media outlets like The New York Times have been criticized for focusing largely on Israel’s narrative and neglecting Palestinian history.

While I agree that some media outlets might present more information from one

side than the other, I also think that it comes down to us, the readers, to look for further information to fully grasp the picture of what’s currently happening in Gaza.

Because one thing is undeniably true, this conflict was not born with the attack Oct. 7. Rather, it’s been ongoing for years. So if you’re going to deliver your opinion on the background, deep walls of anger, grievance and hurt from millions of people online, you need to do your research first.

And if you decide to trust the information you see or hear on the internet without filtering it, then it might be better to abstain from making a stance on social media that can be hurtful to the people that have been suffering and struggling for several years.

Regardless of who you think is right or wrong in this conflict, there will be a narrative that’s still missing because the Western media has been proven as skewed. The lack of equal deliberation of information and the increase of false news on social media is fanning the flames of hate among one another.

This hate limits our ability to form an educated opinion on these issues. It fogs

our ability to fully understand that neither Palestinians, Israelis or anyone living in the Gaza Strip deserve to live in constant fear, homelessness, poverty or war.

Misinformation and uneducated opinions fog our reality. We don’t need that, especially right now when we can see the aftermath of the war on college campuses across the nation.

An opinion does not necessarily need to be shared in a written format; an opinion can be shared through actions. All throughout the country we are seeing the actions — targeting both Palestinians and the Jewish community — of uninformed individuals that trust every piece of information they see online.

We need to stop just seeing one side of the coin and start realizing the magnitude of how making an uneducated opinion can lead to atrocious actions to both parties.

Regardless of your religious affiliations, political beliefs or ethnicity, if your uneducated opinion turns into hate speech, it’s time to stop.

The softball interview and the shouting match: Why today’s interviews are so bad Interviews are one of modern society’s most relevant tools in political communication. However, a small fraction of interviews actually facilitate good Jake engagement. The vast Pekar majority of them only Correspondent serve to increase partisanship.

It is easy for politically minded individuals to recognize the trappings of a bad interview when it benefits a political side they disagree with, but most are unable to spot the same issues in interviews that support their biases.

There are two types of toxic interviews that dominate the airwaves: the shouting match and the softball interview.

Shouting matches have become the norm in recent years, commonly demonstrated in

news regarding current events such as the Israel-Palestine conflict. Shouting matches, of course, refer to interviews in which none of the participants engage in good faith; often, they talk past each other and interrupt thoughts.

Piers Morgan’s panel with pro-Palestinian activist Nerdeen Kiswani and pro-Israeli activist Emily Austin is a recent shouting match that perfectly showcases why the style is tragically unproductive. It was clear from the beginning that neither of the participants were interested in doing anything besides delivering their talking points and painting the opposition in a negative light.

Any political actor with an opinion on the conflict was left thoroughly unsatisfied, while anyone undecided was left disappointed. No novel information had been produced that could not have been disseminated much more effectively in other ways. The aggressive style of the participants

distracted the viewers’ attention from any evidence or valid arguments they may have brought up.

However, such shouting matches often receive high viewership and engagement.

The same is true for softball interviews.

A softball interview consists of an unchallenging set of questions and suitably blithe responses for which the interviewee is never challenged. A prime example of the softball interview was Tucker Carlson’s recent sitdown with President Donald Trump.

Carlson asked the former president easy question after easy question. He did not press Trump a single time. Even other conservatives were thoroughly unhappy with Carlson’s lack of journalistic integrity. Yet we continue to watch, despite the lack of challenging questions. The question we should ask ourselves is: why?

Surely interviews as unfruitful as these should struggle to stay popular. And yet,

they both gained millions and millions of views in mere days. Again we ask, why?

The answer could be found in psychology. In a shouting match, each politically opinionated viewer will have their opinions solidified. Not out of strength of argumentation, but due to easy identification of the political ally and enemy.

On the other hand, the softball interview allows the participants to completely avoid engaging with any dissenting opinions. This causes supportive viewers to passively reaffirm their current beliefs.

While it is all too easy for us to blame the platforms on which these interviews are broadcast, the responsibility falls on the individual to identify the substantive points of disagreement rather than merely attempting to substantiate their group political identity.

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Opinion TECHNICIANONLINE.COM

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2023

Mental Health Journeys: You’re worth more than a grade on a page

For those of you who don’t k now me, my name is Ethan, and I’m the photo editor ‘round these parts.

As I write this article I’ve come back from class Ethan after failing an exam.

Rimolt What exam? Doesn’t Photo Editor matter. W hat class?

Doesn’t matter. I’m sure a lot of people on campus have had the same feeling that I had — a deep pit in your stomach because you know it isn’t good news, but you figured it wouldn’t be that bad.

On my way home all I could think about

is how I’m not enough because of this grade; I kept beating myself up over it. I should’ve done something different, studied more and done better.

Though as I think about the week prior to my exam I realize that I had so much to do and so many things going on that maybe I should give myself some grace. I believe that the student body here doesn’t give themselves the grace they very much deserve. The amount of folks dealing with family issues, part-time jobs, relationship problems, heavy class loads and problems with mental health is just unbelievable.

We as students have been conditioned to believe that a number reflects our worth,

Cat-O-Lantern

Sophie Gabriel, Staff Cartoonist A third-year studying art and design

Canned Food

Max Alsop, Staff Cartoonist A third-year studying anthropology and paleontology

our value. Well, I’m here to tell you that just isn’t true. An incredible amount of people in our campus family have so much grit and determination. The world may not be able to see it, but you can. Look at everything you’ve done to get to where you are today; it’s incredible when you really consider it, isn’t it?

The student-to-faculty ratio at NC State is 15:1, but most of us know some professors have significantly more than that. They can’t get to know us and our situations, so they value us at whatever they feel is fitting for someone in a decent situation.

Now, please don’t take my words the wrong way. Always work on becoming

better and strive for improvement, friends, but don’t do it at the sacrifice of your own wellbeing. It just isn’t worth it at the end of the day. I’m sure many of us have learned that the hard way.

My final words to you are that you are enough. Push boundaries, push yourself, push so-called “norms,” but do not push yourself to the brink of breakdown. I promise that you are so much more than a number on a piece of paper or on a stupid Moodle page. You are fearfully and wonderfully made. Keep pushing no matter what’s going on in your life. If nobody else has told you yet, I believe in you, you matter and you are loved.

Zombie Barber

Max Alsop, Staff Cartoonist A third-year studying anthropology and paleontology

Culture

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‘1989 (Taylor’s Version)’ never went out of style; and the era isn’t over yet

Amelia Russell

Assistant News Editor

On Oct. 27 at midnight, Swifties around the globe gathered around their computers and put in their headphones to listen to one of the most awaited albums of this fall, “1989 (Taylor’s Version).”

Re-recording an entire discography is a feat in and of itself, but undertaking an album as beloved and popular as “1989” is Swift’s most carefully balanced act yet.

“1989” rehashes a 24-year-old-self’s heartbreak through a 33-year-old’s wisdom, and it’s as applicable today as it was nine years ago.

Just like Swift herself, the sound of “1989 (Taylor’s Version)” matured across the board. This is most notable in two of her songs, “Style” and “Wildest Dreams,” as both carry a dreamy, romantic quality the rest of the album lacks. The production in these songs is a nod to the naiveté of immature love — themes prevalent throughout the previous version and Swift’s young life.

Swift draws out the trademark guitar riff of “Style” and the slow heartbeat of “Wildest Dreams’” to build up to a bass-boosted chorus. This ebb and flow facilitates an emotional buildup that reflects all the “what-ifs” of Swift’s early relationships. Perhaps it is this added nuance that gives Swift room to play; if Swift has learned anything from the albums proceeding “1989,” it’s when to play it up and when to let silence speak for itself.

Swift also knows when not to mess with perfection.

There were many songs like “All You Had To Do Was Stay” and “How You Get The Girl” where there’s no difference between the original and re-recorded version. Swift’s attention to detail in these songs shows her loyalty to a fanbase which has deep emotional ties to her original work.

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There was one song which majorly flopped: “Shake It Off.” This song sounds sterilized. Yes, the notes, lyrics — even Swift’s little laugh in between verses are all the same — but heavy autotune and a stripped chorus make it hard to remember why we were so enamored with this song in the first place. For a song that was such a tour de force when it was originally released, reducing it to a robotic tweeny-bop is a low blow.

Where “1989 (Taylor’s Version)” really shines is with the vault tracks. In Swift’s opening statement on her limited-edition records, she touches on how “1989” was written during a period of her life when she wanted to experiment personally and musically. She had a lot of changes to be excited about — think “Welcome To New York” — and also wanted to cast off her old image, seen in the satire in “Blank Space” and “Bad Blood.” But underneath all the excitement,

the vault tracks reveal very real pain.

Swift starts the vault tracks with “Slut!”, a more mature, emotional version of “Shake it Off.” The media ruthlessly slut-shamed Swift in the time surrounding 1989’s release; rather than taking it personally, “Slut!” details the painful position of settling with your fate and accepting what you have.

The rest of the vault tracks reflect, sometimes bitterly, on a push-and-pull, ambiguous love. The term “situationship” may not have been fully realized in 2014, but anyone who’s dated in 2023 recognizes the signs, and Swift captures the acute struggle of them perfectly.

The abrupt end of “Now That We Don’t Talk” for example perfectly represents the sense of emptiness you can feel when a twomonth talking stage abruptly falls through.

The emotions are still there, but the closure never will be.

Swift best describes this heartbreak in “Say Don’t Go” when she rages: “Why’d you have to lead me on/Why’d you have to twist the knife/Walk away and leave me bleeding” in one line, then proclaims, “I would stay forever if you/Say/Don’t/Go.” Despite all her longing, Swift acknowledges there’s nothing she could do to make her love — a certain former One Direction member, perhaps — reciprocate, and it feels like a physical wound.

Ending with “Is It Over Now?” — not counting Kendrick Lamar’s remix of “Bad Blood” as a real ending track — brilliantly finishes “1989 (Taylor’s Version)” on a musical cliffhanger. Just as the relationship in “Is It Over Now?” finds Swift with wide-open possibilities, so too did the end of “1989.”

Swift was standing on the edge of a precipice between country and pop, fame and stardom, the Taylor Swift of old and the superpower we know now, and she knows it.

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Culture TECHNICIANONLINE.COM

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2023

Pride Center hosts Howl-O-Ween Ball Will LaMarche Staff Writer

Organizations associated with the NC State LGBTQ Pride Center hosted their first Howl-O-Ween Ball for LGBTQ+ students on Saturday. The event had a significant turnout, a costume contest and engaging music.

JP Curry, a second-year studying computer science who worked on advertising for the event, said 180 people RSVP’d, which is nearly triple the number of attendees the organizers expected.

Drake Gomez, a third-year studying social work and student coordinator for the Pride Center, said the mass of attendees is due to the effort put in by the student orgs.

“There’s just been like a lot of good leadership coming from the students that really put their heart and effort into this, which I think shows out with all the events and meetings that we do,” Gomez said.

Accessibility was a key part of the event.

Curry said the organizations wanted to keep the event as open as possible.

“We don’t want an entry fee or anything like that,” Curry said. “We want it to be a space that’s open to people without restriction. We’re not really blocking people out or restricting people from being able to come in because that could exclude a lot of people and make them feel less welcome.”

Kit Cahill-Wiedenfeld, a second-year studying horticulture and president of TFiles, said Halloween and queer people go together.

“We love to celebrate queerness and dressing up and just the queer parts of Halloween, and so we thought it’d be really appro-

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priate to throw an event that’s really special to them,” Wiedenfeld said.

Ace Edwards, a third-year studying anthropology and biology and secretary of T-Files, said Halloween also ties back to villains in media.

“A lot of villains in media are queercoded,” Edwards said. “So like, Scar, and Ursula, Jafar, a lot of them, even, like Dr. Franken-Furter who’s very clearly transgender-coded. I think it just really resonates with a lot of queer people.”

Many of the students at the event said they felt the event was a very fitting way to celebrate Halloween.

Anna-Lukas Banas, a third-year studying psychology and gender studies, dressed as a sexy Lorax and said Halloween is a gay holiday.

“I think just because of all the creativity that goes into it,” Banas said. “And there’s this idea of dressing up with someone that you’re not which you can analyze deeply about queer culture. But I think it gives you a lot of freedom to dress however you want without fear that you’re going to be ridiculed for it because it’s Halloween. That’s what you’re supposed to do.”

Banas said their favorite part of the event was seeing everyone walk the runway for the costume contests.

Nathaniel Dibble, a second-year studying political science, dressed as Spider-Punk and said the Ball was fun and comfortable to be a part of.

“I think it opens up a lot more opportunities to express yourself; it removes a lot of social boundaries with presenting however

you want,” Dibble said. “I feel like you definitely would not see this range of costumes and expression without it. It feels nice, a safe space to express yourself in Halloween fashion.”

Neo Jarskog, a first-year studying chemical engineering, dressed as Hatsune Miku and said this event was a nice way to get to know NC State’s Pride Center.

“I’m glad that there is a LGBTQ Center here,” Jarskog said. “I mean, I come from Chapel Hill, so I’m very used to having a very supportive environment. And I know that Raleigh is not as accepting. So I went here feeling a little afraid, wondering what it would be like. But having a Pride Center makes me feel more comfortable.”

Other students saw the event somewhat differently. Lliam Rankins, a third-year studying computer science, dressed as sexy Bob Ross and said the Ball wasn’t entirely about being queer.

“I think it’s cool because it’s not even focused on being queer, it’s just like, ‘Hey you’re queer, here’s a Halloween event,’” Rankins said. “We’re not gonna just celebrate the fact that you’re queer, we’re gonna celebrate other things with the people you enjoy being around.”

Wintam Le, a third-year studying creative writing, said she enjoyed having the Pride Center organizations host a Halloween event.

“Halloween in general, it’s a very expressive holiday, I think,” Le said. “So it’s nice to just be expressive with the holiday. Also, it’s nice to have pride events in general.”

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Boulder Bash brings spooky spirit to Carmichael Gym Climbing Center

ANNA HANSEN/TECHNICIAN

Jackson Colling, a fourth-year studying electrical engineering, moves sideways during the Boulder Bash at Carmichael Gymnasium on Sunday, Oct. 29, 2023. Participants were encouraged to dress up in Halloween costumes for a contest following the Bash.

Campbell Depken Staff Writer

How often do you see a ladybug, a cowboy or a wizard scaling a rock wall? At the Wellness and Recreation Climbing Center’s Halloween-themed Boulder Bash, students donned costumes to rock climb in unconventional outfits.

Boasting 40 competitors this year, the Boulder Bash is a bouldering competition that invites student climbers to compete in costume for a variety of prizes, including passes to local climbing gyms, chalk bags and Wellness and Recreation swag.

Katie Jansen, a fourth-year studying criminology and psychology, is the climbing wall programs assistant and the main organizer of the event. Jansen said while the Boulder Bash is a competition, the event is mostly focused on involvement and community.

“The goal is just to get people climbing, not necessarily to create an ultra-competitive atmosphere,” Jansen said. “It’s more just for fun.”

Participants were given four hours to climb as many of the 41 bouldering routes on the shorter interior walls of the Climbing Center as they could. Participants were greeted with an all new collection of unlabeled climbs set the day before.

“We set from 9 to 5 the day before,” Jansen said. “Our setting team is great, so I know that the boulders will be exciting. Even after the actual competition. It’s kind of fun to climb all of the [new routes], like the entire inside bouldering wall is reset.”

The Climbing Center was crowded with participants and spectators.

The event is beginner-friendly and allows students to self-select into the beginner, intermediate or advanced competition categories. Climbers had unlimited attempts to complete routes, and their scores were determined by the sum of their five hardest routes climbed.

For beginner climbers like Izzy Cogan, a second year studying integrative physiology and neurobiology who had only climbed

a few times before, the accessibility of the event meant getting the chance to try out climbing more.

“It’s just interesting trying new routes and trying new things,” Cogan said. “They have easy routes and medium routes and hard routes.”

For Alyssa Franklin, a third-year studying business administration who has been climbing for two years, the competition offered a chance to engage with the climbing community at NC State.

“I like getting cheered on; it makes me do better”, Franklin said. “I think the rock wall in general is a really nice community.

And when we have competitions like this, it’s really easy to see people that you might see but never talk to. It’s a good excuse to start conversations.”

Though bouldering routes are typically graded from V0 to V10, the routes were unlabeled for the competition. While the labels give an idea of the difficulty of routes, Franklin said climbing with them can sometimes make higher ranked routes more intimidating to try.

“I do so much better without grades, and I know I’ve heard that from other people, too,” Franklin said. “If you don’t know what it’s graded, there’s not as much pressure.”

After four hours of climb time, the competition ended with an awards ceremony and costume contest. Eighteen winners across the advanced, intermediate and beginner categories were recognized and got their pick of prizes.

The Boulder Bash is held every fall, typically on a weekend around Halloween.

The Climbing Center also hosts a top-rope climbing competition, Tuffy’s Top-Rope Throwdown, every spring semester, typically in March.

For the expert climber, the casual boulderer or the brand new climber, the Boulder Bash has routes and rewards for everyone — whether that be prizes, experience or the chance to interact with the campus rock climbing community.

Crossword: RED Edition ACROSS 1 First men’s basketball head coach.

2 Last name of current head coach of men’s basketball team.

5 “______ Coliseum opened its doors in 1949.”

8 Led NC State to the 1983 NCAA championship.

9 Term used to describe the fifth round of the NCAA tournament.

10 “Women’s basketball team advanced to Elite ____ in 2022.”

12 Amount of ACC Championships the Women’s Basketball team has won.

13 CBS broadcaster Brent Musburger used this term during coverage of the 1982 tournament – ever since, it has been used to describe the NCAA men’s basketball tournament.

DOWN 1 Formerly known as the Entertainment and Sports Arena and the RBC Center.

3 Amount of NCAA basketball championships NC State has.

4 Catchy name for Regional Semifinal round of the NCAA tournament.

6 “______ Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame located in Massachusetts.”

7 University that lost against the Wolfpack 76-64 in the 1974 National Championship.

11 Three seniors from NC State’s 1983 national championship men’s basketball team were selected in the _____ draft.”

Sports

Pressure is on for men’s basketball

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Aidan Carlson Staff Writer

The turnaround of the NC State men’s basketball program last season was impressive, to say the least. After finishing the 2021-22 season dead last in the ACC with an 11-21 overall record and a 4-16 ACC record, head coach Kevin Keatts instilled new life into the program through the transfer portal and finished the 2022-23 season 23-11 overall and 12-8 in the ACC. In the span of about a month, the team went from pleading on social media to get fans to show up to easily filling PNC Arena for big games against Triangle rivals Duke and UNC-Chapel Hill. When the fans showed up, so did the team — last year NC State earned big wins at home against No. 16 Duke, 84-60 and against UNC, 77-69.

While in-state rivals have continued to cement themselves as college basketball bluebloods, NC State’s turbulent seasons and recruiting scandals have made it hard to build hype around the team year after year. However, this year there is a buzz amongst fans that the Wolfpack can go deeper than the first round of the NCAA tournament.

It’s no secret that football and men’s basketball generate the most revenue for college programs, and NC State is no exception. As the basketball program has struggled to establish itself, football has served as the backbone of red-and-white athletics. In the 10 full seasons under head coach Dave Doeren, NC State football has only finished with a losing record twice and has won three bowl games in that time.

Despite past success, it’s been a rocky start to the 2023 season for Doeren and the Wolfpack. Disappointing losses to Louisville and Duke have dampened the mood for many State fans, but here and there the Pack has managed to get some scrappy wins including a recent 24-17 win over Clemson.

As Doeren made abundantly clear that NC State wasn’t a basketball school this weekend, some fans are still looking ahead to basketball season to ease the pain of a down year for Wolfpack football.

Although some members of last season’s core, such as guards Terquavion Smith and Jarkel Joiner, have gone on to the NBA, NC State has retained some veteran leadership as well as bringing in some new faces.

Graduate forward DJ Burns and graduate guard Casey Morsell are running it back with the Pack this year and were key pieces to NC State’s success in the previous season.

Burns, a fan favorite, looks to use his size and dominate the paint again while Morsell’s lethal-perimeter shooting and lockdown defense make him an enticing fifth or sixth man on the roster.

Similar to last year, Keatts has been active in the transfer portal acquiring notable big names and setting up NC State’s most talented roster in recent memory. Keatts brought in multiple former three- and four-star recruits such as junior forward Ben Middlebrooks, junior guard Jayden Taylor and sophomore guard MJ Rice.

This upcoming season will mark Keatts’ seventh season as head coach, and yet NC State hasn’t made it past the first round of the NCAA tournament one time in that span. At this point, Keatts doesn’t have an excuse for why this team can’t make deep runs in the ACC or NCAA tournaments.

The talent, leadership and experience are all there; now Keatts has to do his job and utilize those pieces correctly. Just last year, Clemson point guard Brevin Galloway called out the team for “playing undisciplined” and for “playing AAU ball.” Whether the comments were warranted or not, the Pack still has much to improve upon from last season.

While NC State football is battling to stay above 0.500 and secure a bowl game appearance, the expectations on this basketball team are higher than it has ever been in the Keatts era.

Pressure makes diamonds, but it also bursts pipes.

The weight of NC State’s fan base rests on the shoulders of the men’s basketball team.

If Keatts and the rest of the squad live up to the lofty expectations, then this season will be a joy to watch. But if they can’t, it might be a long, long winter.

SARAH COCHRAN/TECHNICIAN

NC State head coach Kevin Keatts talks with a referee during the game versus the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill in the Dean E. Smith Center on Saturday, Jan. 21, 2023. The Tar Heels beat the Wolfpack 8069.

TECHNICIAN 11 THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2023

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Connor VanDerMark

After a first-round exit in the NCAA Tournament last season, the NC State men’s basketball team underwent significant changes during the offseason. Key players moved on to the draft or transferred to other schools, leaving head coach Kevin Keatts with many holes on the roster. To fix the issue, Keatts brought in several new players to retool and prepare for contention in the 2023-24 season.

NC State men’s basketball has reloaded ahead of 2023-24 season Correspondent

Guards Last season, Terquavion Smith and Jarkel Joiner were the Pack’s primary guards, working in tandem to create an elite backcourt. Both players took their talents to the next level, creating opportunities for new playmakers to step up and control the offense. Keatts recruited many viable options to take the mantle.

Graduate guard DJ Horne is a transfer from Arizona State, where he averaged 12.5 points, 3.4 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game last season. The 6-foot-2 Raleigh native shot 35.5% from long-range, which is a welcome sign as Smith previously led the Wolfpack in three-pointers made. Horne led Arizona State to the NCAA Tournament and a preliminary win during the First Four matchups.

Butler transfer, graduate guard Jayden Taylor, will fill the other guard position. Last season, Taylor averaged 12.9 points, 3.8 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game. The 6-foot-4 junior also excels on defense, where he averaged 1.3 steals per game last year, with a season-high four-steal performance vs. Tennessee.

NC State’s guard depth runs deep, as there is lots of talent coming off the bench, beginning with returning sophomore guard LJ Thomas. Last season, Thomas averaged 2.4 points and 2.1 rebounds per game in 30 appearances. The 6-foot-2 guard shot 47.4% from beyond the arc and has shown extreme potential on the defensive side, as he had a four-steal game against Furman.

Next up is Stanford transfer, graduate guard Michael O’Connell. He averaged 5.2 points, 3.1 assists and 2.5 rebounds per game. He scored a career-high 22 points against No. 4 Arizona, leading them to an upset victory. The 6-foot-2 graduate finished second on the team in steals, averaging 1.3 steals per game. He has also shown flashes of great playmaking, dishing out 12 assists against Washington.

Finally, returning junior guard Breon Pass averaged 1.5 points and 0.8 rebounds per game through 30 appearances. In high school, he was a four-star prospect, averaging 32.6 points, 12.3 rebounds and 4.9 assists per game. He finished his prolific high school career with 13 school and county records in basketball.

Wings Graduate guard Casey Morsell will once again lead the wings again as he returns for his fifth and final season. He started every game, where he averaged 11.8 points and 4.4 rebounds per game. The 6-foot-3 small forward had the second-most 3-pointers on the team and shot 41.1% from beyond the arc, leading the Wolfpack and ranking sixth in the ACC. In addition to his prolific shooting, Morsell is also a great defender. He was third on the team with 38 steals and fourth on the team with 22 blocks. He will be a key scorer and leader of this revamped Wolfpack roster.

Sophomore guard MJ Rice is a transfer from Kansas, where he averaged 2.2 points and one rebound per game with an average of 7.6 minutes per game. The 6-foot-5 sophomore was a consensus four-star recruit, was ranked No. 28 in his class and was a McDonald’s All-American in his junior year.

Forward Jack Clark transferred to Clemson, but his production could be replaced by Missouri transfer, junior forward Mohamed Diarra. Last season, Diarra averaged 3.2 points and 3.3 rebounds per game in 25 appearances. The 6-foot-10 French native is a monster on the defensive end, as he had 71 blocks his sophomore season to earn Co-Defensive Player of the Year honors.

Rounding out the wings is consensus four-star recruit, freshman guard Dennis Parker Jr. During his senior season of high school, he averaged 19.8 points, 4.6 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game. He led his team to a perfect 28-0 record and a state championship.

Parker also averaged 2.4 steals per game, proving to be a great defender as well. Expect him to be a dynamic two-way player who can make plays on both sides of the floor.

Forwards The departures of forwards Dusan Mahorcic and Ebenezer Dowuona paved the way for graduate forward DJ Burns to become the primary big man for the red-and-white. Last season, he averaged 12.5 points and 4.8 rebounds per game last season. He led the team in field goal percentage and ranked fourth in the entire ACC with a 56.1% efficiency. The 6-foot-9 forward found his rhythm late in the season, becoming a key scorer for the Wolfpack with games of 31, 24, 24 and 21 points. He is dominant in the post and has a plethora of post moves. Expect Burns to be the primary scorer for the Wolfpack, as most plays will run through him.

Junior forward Ernest Ross is the other returning Wolfpack center. Last season, Ross averaged 3.5 points and 2.5 rebounds while appearing in 34 games last year. He shot 50% throughout the season and had a season-high of 17 blocks and nine rebounds against Miami. Though Ross isn’t primarily a scorer, he has proven to be a great defender. He was second on the team with 27 blocks.

Finally, the Pack’s last big man is Clemson transfer, junior forward Ben Middlebrooks. Last season, he averaged 3.1 points and 2.7 rebounds on seven starts. The 6-foot-10 forward was a four-star prospect in high school, where he averaged 20.5 points and 13.6 rebounds per game his senior season.

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A look at the 2023-24 NC State women’s basketball roster Kat Peters Staff Writer

The 2023-24 NC State women’s basketball season tips off Nov. 7, and there have been some major changes for the team since it suffered a disappointing first round upset in the NCAA tournament last season. Only five members of that team are returning, in addition to two transfers and six true freshmen.

The team will be remarkably young, with freshmen filling voids left by Diamond Johnson, Jada Boyd, Jakia Brown-Turner and Camille Hobby. Head coach Wes Moore is looking at another overhaul in his roster as he lost those four starters. Junior guard Saniya Rivers, senior guard Madison Hayes, junior guard Aziaha James, graduate forward Mimi Collins and graduate center River Baldwin will be taking on expanded roles.

Centers With Baldwin being the only returning center, she’ll be looking for support from graduate center Lizzy Williamson and freshman center Mallory Collier. Baldwin transferred to the Pack last season at the position and played 31 games. She averaged 5.7 points, four rebounds and 14.5 minutes over the course of the season. Collier was ranked the No. 55 player for the class of 2023 by ESPN and earned an ESPN scout grade of 93.

Williamson transferred in from Southern Utah after a great 22-23 season. She was named the Western Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year last season and helped lead her squad to a WAC Tournament title. Williamson averaged 9.6 points, 10 rebounds and 2.3 blocks per game with Southern Utah last year. She’s a strong addition to the team and will most likely see plenty of court time.

Guards NC State was lucky in the offseason to retain three of its guards. Rivers, Hayes and James all returned and are poised to lead the team on the court as starters. Rivers enjoyed a strong season with the Pack last year, starting in 12 of the 31 games she played in, while also earning the ACC Sixth Player of the Year accolade. Hayes and James both had minutes in all 32 games last year. Between the three, they averaged 22.4 points per game.

Even with the returning squad, freshman guards Zoe Brooks and Laci Steele shine on the young roster. Brooks was ranked as a topfive guard and top-ten player in ESPN’s rankings for the class of 2023. She averaged 22.5 points and 6.6 rebounds in her senior season that earned her SB Live’s 2023 National Player of the Year.

Steele averaged 21.3 points per game in her senior year and was ranked No. 56 in ESPN’s class of 2023. The addition of these two to the existing depth at this position will give Moore the flexibility to see who works best together and adjust the offensive strategy quicker by shifting who is on the court.

Wings Junior forward Katie Peneueta will be joining Collins at this position. The transfer from Sacramento State made 27 starts out of 29 games played last season and averaged 8.4 points and 5.8 rebounds per game. Peneueta ranked sixth in the nation last year as one of the most accurate three-point shooters in the country. Freshman forward Maddie Cox also joins the Pack this year, ranked No. 71 in ESPN’s class of 2023.

Collins started in nine of 32 games last season and was named in the preseason top-20 list for the Katrina McClain Award that is awarded to the top power forward every year. She averaged 6.9 points and four rebounds per game last year.

While Collins got comfortable at NC State last year, Peneueta’s impact at Sacramento State might earn her a starting position in some early games this season.

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DJ Burns’ last dance is set to be NC State men’s basketball’s best yet

Noah Teague

Assistant Sports Editor

Crowds roar when he touches the ball, and opponents shake with fear when he steps on the court. He is graduate forward DJ Burns — NC State men’s basketball’s superstar.

The 6-foot-9 forward is back in Raleigh for one last dance. After emerging as a fanfavorite last season, Burns helped lead the red-and-white back to the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2018. However, Creighton eliminated the Wolfpack in the first round, leaving a sour taste in the team’s mouth.

“That was the most humbling experience I’ve had in basketball,” Burns said. “I had one of the worst games I’ve ever played in my life, if not the worst — it definitely gave me perspective on how hard I need to work so that never happens again.”

While the Pack’s dynamic backcourt duo of Terquavion Smith and Jarkel Joiner has moved on to professional basketball, Burns returns to NC State and is headlining an exciting roster. The forward offers the redand-white a significant weapon in the post.

“I haven’t had a traditional back-to-thebasket guy,” said head coach Kevin Keatts.

“For the first time in a couple years, I’ve got one in DJ Burns.”

To help the team take the next step, Burns has poured in many long hours to improve his own game, despite already being a star.

One focus for Burns has been fitness and nutrition.

“I’m not just slimming down but also toning it up,” Burns said. “It’s kind of pointless to lose the weight if you don’t put in the work that’s going to maintain it. … I’ve completely changed my diet and took the approach from my freshman year, needing to lock in and cut out anything that’s unnecessary.”

Burns has also sharpened his skills to become a more well-rounded player. While many bigs struggle to play outside the paint, Burns is looking to make defenses respect at any spot on the court.

“I’ll still be in the post, but also have the option to extend out,” Burns said. “I’ve been working on all three levels of the game, and I’ll definitely be more of an offensive threat.”

Burns isn’t just a scorer though — he’s a proven playmaker. The Rock Hill, South Carolina native excels in finding teammates cutting inside to the basket. Last season, Burns built chemistry with graduate guard Casey Morsell, a connection that will be key in the upcoming season.

“I think he’ll be even better,” Morsell said. “Our chemistry is at the highest it’s ever been — I know where to find him, and

he knows where to find me.”

While Burns is best known for his work on the hardwood, he’s also become the ultimate teammate and the face of a team with many new additions. As the leader of the Pack, Burns has worked to welcome the seven new transfers to the team as they adjust to a new environment.

“I’m just doing anything to help them feel at home,” Burns said. “I know how it was for me being one of the new guys coming in. ...I helped all of them move in, and I’m just doing anything I can.”

Additionally, Burns has organized group activities to bring the team together. From meeting with teammates for dinner to having paintball competitions, the veteran built team chemistry all throughout the offseason.

“I’m the type of guy where I’ve never met a stranger, so when those guys came in, one of the first days I was like ‘Let’s all go bowling or play paintball,’” Burns said. “When you see someone in the gym it’s totally different — someone may be loud on the court and the quietest person you’ve ever met or vice-versa.”

With Burns taking the lead, NC State is in good hands. The leader of the Pack has done everything to prepare himself and his teammates for the 2023-24 season. After months of training, studying and bonding, Burns and the Wolfpack are ready to take the next step this season.

“I’m excited,” Burns said. “We’re coming for everybody that’s in front of us — I don’t care who it is.”

There is no doubt that this is Burns’ team. He’s put in the work to be a star on and off of the court, and it has paid off, as his teammates, coaches and fans have all embraced him.

“The way they’ve embraced me has been way more than I ever thought it would be,” Burns said. “I didn’t think that every time I touched the ball they’d be chanting my name. … It just makes you want to work that much harder, knowing that there’s a whole city behind you.”

DJ Burns and the Wolfpack will take the court Monday, Nov. 6 against The Citadel at PNC Arena to tip off a promising 2023-24 season.

HALLIE WALKER/TECHNICIAN

Graduate forward DJ Burns stands in the light while posing for a portrait in Reynolds Coliseum on Thursday, Oct. 19, 2023.

HALLIE WALKER/TECHNICIAN

Graduate forward DJ Burns poses for a portrait in the stands of Reynolds Coliseum on Thursday, Oct. 19, 2023.

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James primed to lead NC State women’s basketball in 2023-24 Jenna Cuniowski Sports Editor

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Junior guard Aziaha James dribbles the ball while posing for a portrait in Reynolds Coliseum on Thursday, Oct. 19, 2023.

HALLIE WALKER/TECHNICIAN

Junior guard Aziaha James poses for a portrait on Kay Yow Court in Reynolds Coliseum on Thursday, Oct. 19, 2023.

Junior guard Aziaha James is back for round three with NC State women’s basketball and this year, she’s ready to lead. After patiently waiting her turn and coming in off of the bench to give the lead scorers a breather, her time has finally come.

James cast herself into the spotlight toward the end of last year when the Pack battled then-No. 19 UNC-Chapel Hill for the second time in 2023. Alongside former Wolfpack guard Jakia BrownTurner, James led the team with 18 points, most of which were scored in the fourth quarter and the overtime session.

The then-sophomore sent the game into overtime with just 13 seconds remaining and went on to score eight of NC State’s 15 points in the extra period.

Many might’ve considered this a fluke, but James quickly silenced any doubters when she put up a career-high 20 points against then-No. 11 Virginia Tech. After not starting a single game before playing the Hokies, James went on to start every game for the remainder of the season.

Despite the significance the UNC game may have held for Wolfpack fans, for James it was just a game like any other — her breakout performance was a matter of her being ready to seize the opportunity when it presented itself.

“I tend to just forget what I’m thinking and forget that I was a sophomore, forget who I am,” James said. “I’ll just go out there and play for my team. We’re just going out there playing to win; that’s all we care about.”

James said even though her end to last season was trending in the right direction, there was still work to be done.

Despite her impressive offensive production in the last stretch of the 2022-23 season, she still made her share of errors that hindered the team’s success.

“I’m older now,” James said. “So I have to really think about the decisions on the court and off the court as well.”

This year, she said she recognizes that her role on the team has evolved, and now that she’s an upperclassman, it’s her responsibility to clean up her act and lead the way for the newcomers.

“I really have to look out for the five young girls that we have now and trans-

fers that don’t know how we play,” James said. “Being a role model for everybody around me, it’s a big change.”

James is well-versed in head coach Wes Moore’s coaching style and the ins and outs of NC State basketball, which makes her an ideal candidate for a team leader. The 2023-24 season will mark her third with the Wolfpack, a rare occurrence nowadays given the transfer portal’s heavy influence on college basketball. For James, transferring to somewhere she’d get more playing time or have a better chance at winning a championship was never in question.

“As a player, I’ve always been like this,” James said. “It doesn’t matter who leaves or who stays or anything like that. I love to, you know, stay where I’m at, progress with how I’m doing. My freshman year, I really didn’t play, but it really didn’t faze me. It really gave me that hunger to keep pushing myself outside of the court, stuff that people don’t see. So when it’s my time to shine, I’m ready for it.”

James’ three years playing under Moore have allowed her to become fluent in his expectations and the way he runs his program, as well as how he defines the team’s identity. This year, he went a bit out of the box with his analogy.

“I want us to be like McDonald’s french fries,” Moore said. “You know, anywhere in the world, you walk into McDonald’s, you know what you’re getting. … I want us to be like that. Every night no matter where we are, where we’re playing and where we walk in. You know what you’re gonna get?

You get a team that’s mentally and physically tough, that’s gonna compete and play with urgency.”

Throughout the offseason and into the preseason, James has done all she can to commit her game to that analogy and uphold Moore’s standard of excellence.

“I try to come out here and just be 100% every day; 110%, actually,” James said. “Just you know, so like I keep saying the same for the younger people, just do the same thing.

No coming here sluggish or anything, just be on your toes every practice and every game.”

James and the rest of the Pack are set to open the 2023-24 season at Reynolds Coliseum on Tuesday, Nov. 7. Tip-off against the UNC Charlotte 49ers is set for 7 p.m.