Fall 2015 Issue 20

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Friday, November 13, 2015 | Vol. LXXXVIII, Issue 20 | Binghamton University | bupipedream.com

The Free Word on Campus Since 1946

Students march for progress

Raquel Panitz, Sarah Simone, Emma Siegel/Pipe Dream Photographers Students march across campus on Thursday. A first march, which began at 1:15, was held so participants could show solidarity with students at the University of Missouri, Yale University and Ithaca College, as well as address discrimination nationwide. The second gathering, the Million Student March, called for a tuition freeze and loan forgiveness, as well as a $15 minimum wage for student workers.

Hundreds of students stand in solidarity with University of Missouri Alexandra Mackof News Editor

More than 100 students marched across Binghamton University’s campus on Thursday to show support and stand in solidarity with protesters at the University of Missouri and those facing discrimination around the country.

Organized by senior Tiana Camacho, the march began at the Pegasus statue and continued into Lecture Hall, across the Spine, through the Marketplace and ended in the Old Union. After the

protesters arrived in the Tillman Lobby, a five-minute silence was observed.

“The goal of this march is to raise awareness, not just about the issues at the University of Missouri, but about racism and microaggressions on college campuses as a whole,” Camacho said. “These create unsafe spaces for students of color and students that have differing sexual orientations on campus, so that they feel that they can come to this space and be educated.”

Camacho, who is majoring in theatre, said the march was a preemptive

measure to hopefully draw attention to issues on campus before they escalate.

“Threats against students of color are never okay,” she said. “Threats against students of different sexual orientations and gender identities are never okay. It is very important to keep things in check, keep things organized, so that we can address things like this before they explode at this campus like they did at the University of Missouri.”

Toivo Asheeke, a fourth-year Ph.D.

SEE MARCH PAGE 4

Nationwide "Million Student March" comes to BU, calls for free public education, higher campus wages Gabriella Weick Assistant News Editor

Binghamton University students donning red and holding signs proclaiming “education is a human right” and “give us a living wage” took part in the Million Student March.

The Million Student March is a national movement, and demonstrations took place on Thursday at over 100 campuses across the country including Texas State and University of Massachusetts at Amherst. At

BU, around 25 protesters gathered at the Pegasus statue and walked down the Spine, through the Marketplace and Tillman Lobby until they reached the Peace Quad.

There, they demanded free public university tuition, forgiveness of all student loans and a $15 minimum wage for all student workers.

Sara Hobler, the organizer of the march and a sophomore double-majoring in sociology and history, said that she had heard about the movement when it formed

SEE DEBT PAGE 2

Collapsed pipe prompts Male role in inequality explored construction in Dickinson Michael Kaufman explains male role in perpetuating gender inequality Michelle Kraidman

Sidewalk, co-recreational field under repairs after October 29 storm line bursts underground Haley Silverstein

sidewalks.

According to Karen Fennie, communications specialist at Physical Repairs to a Dickinson Community Facilities, the storm water line, which storm line began on October 30, and is located nearly 30 feet below the will keep students off both the coSEE PIPE PAGE 5 rec field and Digman and Rafuse Hall Pipe Dream News

ARTS & CULTURE

NEWS

News explores anxiety management for college students,

See page A2

on gender equality. The talk entitled, “Men With Passion, Taking Action to Promote Gender Equality and Good When men are silent after being Relationships,” was the second part of confronted with violence against women the series “Passion to Action,” hosted and hyper-masculine gender roles, they by the Center for Civic Engagement are more than just ignorant — they (CCE). Kaufman is a consultant to actively work to promote injustices; the UN and co-founder of the White speaking up might make a difference.

Ribbon Campaign, which encourages On Thursday evening in the Anderson men worldwide to stand up to violence Center Chamber Hall, Michael Kaufman, against women. a public speaker and writer, lectured Indy Li, a graduate assistant in the Pipe Dream News

TODAY host and BU alumna Jenna Wolfe shares her story,

See page A6

Award-winning slam poet shares his craft with students,

See page A7

CCE and a second-year graduate student studying biomedical anthropology, helped organize the event. She said that the first part of the series, which was a panel event held this past Monday, was to show students the issue of gender equality under the lens of masculinity, and this lecture was meant to present a plan to take action.

“We wanted to take a different

SEE GENDER PAGE 4

OPINIONS

SPORTS

The Editorial Board makes their platform, your platform,

Men’s soccer advances to AE Championship,

See page A9

See page A10

A2

NEWS

bupipedream.com | November 13, 2015

Anxiety relief lies in treatment M-HOPE interns teach methods to control disorder's effects Stacey Schimmel Pipe Dream News

John Babich/Pipe Dream Photogarapher A group of students march toward the Peace Quad proclaiming “education is a human right” and “give us a living wage” in the Million Student March. The Million Student March is a national movement, and demonstrations took place on Thursday at over 100 campuses across the country including Texas State and University of Massachusetts at Amherst.

Marchers protest student debt DEBT FROM PAGE 1 in August. When she couldn’t find anyone organizing the march at BU, she took it upon herself to organize the event and encourage others to come out and protest for free public education.

“It is a worthy goal to fight for,” she said. “If we on this campus can be a part of a movement that can make college tuition-free, then that’s a worthy thing to get behind.”

Hobler and others are founders of College Progressives, a student organization looking to get chartered by the Student Association (SA) this year.

According to Farihah Akhtar, a fellow organizer and sophomore majoring in political science, the goal of forming the club and organizing protests like the Million Student March are to encourage activism at BU. “We want students to take initiatives, and we want collaborations and coalitions to be formed on this campus and nationwide so our demands can be met,” Akhtar said. “If we get together and form a union,

legislators have to hear us.”

After the march, protesters gathered in the Peace Quad to tell their personal stories of student debt, and why they believed free education was a human right.

Caitlin Stevens, a senior majoring in medieval and early modern studies, shared her experience of transferring to BU because she was already in debt from her time at Elmira College.

Now, she works a part-time job to attend school because she feels that having a degree is a necessity for her future.

“We’re racking up hundreds of thousands of dollars [of debt] because we need that degree,” Stevens said. “A bachelor’s degree is equal to a high school education — you just can’t go anywhere without it.”

Jonathan Taubes, a junior majoring in political science, also shared his story, and said that although some may look at the march’s demands as idealistic, the increasing student debt status of the country is unsustainable.

“There is a student debt bubble that already exists, and the trend of student debt is only increasing,”

Taubes said. “It is a national crisis, and we have to change it or it will eventually change itself when the bubble bursts. Feasible be damned; it is our job to make it feasible.”

Hobler also said that the march came at an opportune time, when students around the country have been rallying behind University of Missouri students protesting racial injustice.

“The Million Student March makes college more accessible for the students of color who are being discriminated against, such as at Missouri,” she said. “It’s not important only as an economic distribution, but as a racial justice issue for free college to exist.”

At the end of the march, students said they felt that through protesting, they had the power to make real change for free tuition at a national level.

“If you think that protests don’t do anything, you have your eyes closed,” Hobler said.

[The Million Student March] is making national news; people are paying attention and hopefully the government pays attention next.”

Anxiety can manifest in more ways than just worrying about a test or having a fear of elevators.

Anxiety disorders range in both severity and symptoms, and Mental Health Outreach Peer Educators (M-HOPE) interns taught students that though anxiety affects everyone, there are ways to control and cope with it.

A circle of 20 students sat in University Union West Thursday night during the M-HOPEsponsored event, “Anxiety and College Students,” where interns taught them how to identify and cope with anxiety through a presentation and interactive discussion.

Anxiety, the most common mental disorder, is fear, worry or uneasiness when thinking about the future. It can be caused by problems at work or school, tests or obligations, relationships or friendship issues, family, financial problems or even alcohol. It affects over 25 million Americans, according to the presentation, and becomes a disorder when it interferes with people’s daily lives or ability to function.

Allison Dashow, an M-HOPE intern and a junior majoring in psychology, said that she hopes students learned how to manage anxiety, because a majority of students know someone who suffers from some form of the disorder.

“You might not be able to fully wrap your head around it and that’s OK,” Dashow said. “Anxiety is so prevalent, so we should be able to talk about it and help people with it.”

Four interns explained different anxiety diagnoses, their symptoms and impacts. General Anxiety Disorder, or persistent

worry about activities or events that may impede one’s ability to focus on tasks, affects three to four percent of the population and its symptoms include: headaches, trembling, frustration, disrupted sleep and inability to fully relax.

Dina Moumin, a sophomore majoring in biochemistry, said she thinks it is important to be educated on anxiety because of its prevalence on college campuses.

“I feel like it would be helpful for me to be able to recognize it and help those in need,” Moumin said. “Even if it’s not a big help, I just want to try to give advice to friends I know who have anxiety.”

They also discussed panic disorders, which affects three to six million Americans and is twice as common in women, and panic attacks. Both of them are episodes of anxiety or terror in response to certain triggers. Attacks typically last under 10 minutes but can last up to an hour. Social anxiety was another topic, which is an overwhelming worry and selfconsciousness about everyday social situations. It includes fear of being judged, avoidance of eating or drinking in front of others and behaving in certain ways to avoid embarrassment.

OCD, PTSD, selective muteness and phobias were also discussed as manifestations of anxiety, according to the presentation.

Though both physical and mental outcomes arise from anxiety, such as sweaty hands and feet, heart or muscle tensions, nausea or dizziness and feelings of nervousness or panic, there are ways students can cope with it.

Students can practice deep breathing, positive self-talk, exercise and a lower caffeine intake to manage anxious thoughts.

The University Counseling Center also has 15 counselors and social work graduate interns to help students in need.

Emily Blum, a sophomore majoring in mathematics, said that it was a beneficial event, and now feels better prepared to help her friends and people around her cope with anxiety.

“I came because I want to help people more and I want to be more aware of what’s going on, not even just in my friends, but generally in people around me,” Blum said. “I’m going to go to a bunch of these [events] and hopefully I can help people.”

Rebecca Kiss/Contributing Photographer Mental Health Outreach Peer Educators interns teach students about anxiety. Anxiety disorders range in both severity and symptoms, and a variety of coping mechanisms were shared at the event.

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PAGE III Friday, November 13, 2015

Address: University Union WB03 4400 Vestal Parkway E. Binghamton, N.Y. 13902

Pipe Line

Passion for Trashin'

Campus leadership releases statement in response to student protests An email signed by President Harvey Stenger and Chief Diversity Officer Valerie Hampton was sent to the student body on Thursday, acknowledging concerns raised at the University of Missouri, Ithaca College and Yale. The email, which was sent around the time that students gathered on the Spine to march in solidarity with these protests, also detailed diversity and inclusion efforts that have been made at BU since 2013. Some of these changes have included cultural competency training for faculty, staff and students, expansion of the MRC translation

Fall 2015 editor-in-ChieF* Nicolas Vega editor@bupipedream.com

and interpretation program as well as dispute resolution services. The email also encouraged students to continue to make suggestions by reaching out to the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.

LOCAL NEWS

Phone: 607-777-2515 FAx: 607-777-2600 Web: bupipedream.com

MAnAging editor* Emma C Siegel manager@bupipedream.com neWs editor* Alexandra K. Mackof news@bupipedream.com

Shots fired on Binghamton’s Chapin Street

Asst. neWs editors Carla B. Sinclair Pelle Waldron Gabriella Weick

Officers responded to reports of six to nine gunshots on Chapin Street on Tuesday, according to the Press and Sun-Bulletin. Police responded just before 2 p.m. at 164 Chapin St., a residential building near the intersection of North Street. The shooting involved at least three males, and one was reportedly detained by officers.

After sending a police dog into the building, law enforcement left the scene after about an hour.

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“That’s the nature of courage — not being unafraid but confronting fear and danger and performing in a — President Barack Obama while awarding Capt. Florent A. Groberg, who rushed a suicide bomber in Afghanistan in 2012, the Congressional Medal of Honor on Thursday.

Yik Yak

Corrections Pipe Dream strives for accuracy in all we publish. We recognize that mistakes will sometimes occur, but we treat errors very seriously. If you see a mistake in the paper, please contact Editor-in-Chief Nicolas Vega at editor@bupipedream.com.

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design MAnAger* Samantha Webb design@bupipedream.com Emma Siegel/Pipe Dream Photographer Deena Abramson, president of Sigma Alpha Epsilon Pi and a senior majoring in psychology, struts her stuff in an outfit constructed of recyclable materials for the third annual Trashin’ Show. The event was hosted by Sigma Alpha Epsilon Pi and Chi Phi on Wednesday night and raised money for American Jewish World Services and the Boys & Girls Clubs of America.

design Assts.

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Police Watch Up in Smoke WEDNESDAY, Nov. 11, 1:02 p.m. — A 22-year-old male was the victim of larceny, said Investigator Patrick Reilly of Binghamton’s New York State University Police. The victim said that he left his MacBook Pro unattended in the music literature department of Glenn G. Bartle Library while he went for a smoke. When he returned, he noticed that the laptop and his backpack were gone. A description of the items was recorded. The victim chose to not pursue criminal prosecution.

Honesty is Key MONDAY, Nov. 9, 6:11 p.m.

— Officers responded to Science 1 to help unlock a door, Reilly said. A 50-year-old male professor who contacted UPD said that he never keeps his door locked so he was confused as to why it was locked. The officers unlocked the door and the professor went to enter his office and noticed that the inner door was being pushed shut by someone inside. The victim asked for help and the officers got the door open. They noticed that it was rigged with bungee cords to keep it shut. They saw a 20-year-old male inside the office and asked him why he was in there. He said that he was stealing items. He was arrested and transported

A lighter take on campus crime Aaron Berkowitz Police Correspondant

to the UPD station. He was charged with burglary and petit larceny. The suspect was sent to Broome County Jail.

Kids these Days WEDNESDAY, Nov. 11, 1:32 p.m. — UPD was contacted by Johnson City Police after they noticed two 16-year-old males leaving the future Pharmacy School building with two boxes, Reilly said. Officers caught up with the suspects and asked them why they were in the building. They said that they were looking for redeemable bottles so they could return them and get money. The suspects were taken to their parents and were told that the building is private property and that they are not allowed to enter it. They were allowed to keep the bottles that they took.

Puff and Pass THURSDAY, Nov. 12, 6:14 a.m. — Officers were called to Old Rafuse Hall for reports of drug use, Reilly said. The officers responded to the hall and detected the odor of marijuana coming from one of the stairwells.

They traced the smell to room 131 but the room was empty. The officers could not find any suspects in the building. The complaint was closed by investigation.

CoPy desk ChieF* Katherine H. Dowd copy@bupipedream.com Asst. CoPy desk ChieF Rachel Greenspan neWsrooM teChnology MAnAger Rohit Kapur tech@bupipedream.com leAd Web develoPer* William Sanders web@bupipedream.com editoriAl Artist Elizabeth Manning business MAnAger* Michael A. Contegni business@bupipedream.com Advertising MAnAger Sabrina Khan ads@bupipedream.com distribution MAnAger Nathan Dodge distribution@bupipedream.com Pipe Dream is published by the Pipe Dream Executive Board, which has sole and final discretion over the newspaper’s content and personnel. *Positions seated on the Executive Board are denoted by an asterisk.

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Submissions must include the writer’s name and phone number, and year of graduation or expected year of graduation.

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Submissions may be e-mailed to the Opinion Editor at opinion@bupipedream.com.

stabilizing: PANCAKE

PANCAKE :destabilizing

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NEWS

Men's silence affects women

Students march with Mizzou MARCH FROM PAGE 1

GENDER FROM PAGE 1

approach to the typical gender equality conversation,� Li said. “My biggest hope is that students will at the very least be able to step in when people need help.�

Kaufman’s speech was aimed toward men and explained how the super-masculinized ideal of how men are supposed to act leads to violence, specifically against women. Kaufman began his lecture by clarifying that he was not vilifying all men, but rather making the claim that while most men do not commit violence against women, virtually all men remain silent. “When I say critical things about the behaviors of some men, it’s not to say men are a bunch of monsters,� Kaufman said. “I think that there are some monstrous things that some men do, and I know that there’s been a lot of silence among many men in response to some monstrous actions.�

Kaufman said that the key to reforming society is for men to take action against microaggressions.

According to Kaufman, an important and necessary aspect of the fight for gender equality is for men to stand up for women, since it helps form positive and solid relationships and foundations for change. “For too long it’s been posed as issues that only women are passionate about, so it’s important that men are speaking out because we want good relationships, we want to be happy and sexually fulfilled,

bupipedream.com | November 13, 2015

John Babich/Pipe Dream Photographer Dr. Michael Kaufman, a public speaker, writer and consultant to the UN and cofounder of the White Ribbon Campaign, speaks at a lecture about gender equality. The event was the second part of the series Passion to Action under the Center for Civic Engagement.

and that can’t happen if some men are abusive,� Kaufman said. “It brings distrust for all men and discredit for all men even if it’s the last thing that one would do.�

Nur-al-Din Harper, a junior majoring in chemistry, said that the lecture was important for students to expand their views on gender roles. “In school, there was never really a class I could take to talk about gender roles and how to view yourself as a man,� Harper said. “I grew up in a Muslim household and that perspective has shaped what I view as the roles of men and women.

It’s good to learn about how

those roles can lead to abusive relationships and violence against women because those are big problems in Muslim countries.�

Gabrielle Samaniego, an undeclared sophomore, said that the topic influenced how she understood masculinity, even within the scope of her family. “He was so real, he talked like he was our age, and I personally had a connection to it,� Samaniego said. “It really reminded me about my dad and my brother and how my dad would tell my brother not to show emotions, and I’m realizing how much it must have affected him.�

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candidate studying sociology, spoke alongside Camacho at the opening of the march. He called for all those in attendance to stand up against discrimination, and to ask their peers to do the same. “It is not new,� Asheeke said. “It is happening across the United States. Black and Latino students are not feeling safe. It is on us to define the campus we want to see. We have to go out and make the definition of the University we wish to live in.�

The march began at 1:15 p.m. Participants chanted “the students, united, will never be defeated� while walking through the Lecture Hall building hallway. Some professors closed doors to their classrooms, but many marchers attempted to hold them open so that students inside could hear their message and witness the rally.

Faculty members like Sean Massey, a BU women, gender and sexuality studies professor, were also in the crowd. Massey was teaching at the time of the march, and brought his class, LGBTQ history, to the event. “The class is studying social activism and civil disobedience and social justice around the LGBTQ community and communities of color as well,�

Massey explained. “This is a national movement ‌ it seemed important for my students who are learning about this historically to at least be witnesses to something happening in their own lives.â€?

Samiyah Small, a senior double-majoring in English and cinema, attended the march. She said that the rally was necessary to address injustices currently happening at the University of Missouri and at BU. “At Missouri they’re having death threats sent to them,�

Small said. “I don’t know what

I would do if that happened. It’s horrifying. I shouldn’t have to feel horrified when I’m trying to get the education that I need.�

Small also said that while she hopes the administration will take notice of the protesters, she does not have high expectations that any immediate changes will happen. “I know that the administration will have a scripted response to this,� Small said. “I’m expecting that. At the same time, I don’t care about what they have to say. From what I’ve seen so far, they’re not going to do anything.�

BU President Harvey Stenger said in a statement to Pipe Dream that he acknowledges the need for continued growth on campus, and that any students with concerns should contact the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion or email him directly. “We support students’ right to demonstrate and express

their opinions accordingly,�

Stenger said. “As we consider the concerns raised at the University of Missouri, Ithaca College, Yale and other college campuses, we must be steadfast in our efforts to ensure that we create and sustain a campus that is welcoming and respectful of all persons regardless of identity. There is always more to be done and we remain open to your suggestions and to continuing dialogue on this important aspect of our University.�

Camacho posed a final message at the rally’s conclusion before the marchers dispersed. “It is crucial that we all stick together,� she said. “We cannot be divided on this issue and allow things to escalate. Please remember why you are here.

Please remember why you are here today. We promote visibility on this campus and say that we are here, we are human and we do not stand for this.�

Emma Siegel/Pipe Dream Photographer Tiana Camacho, a senior majoring in theatre, stands in front of a crowd on the Spine near the Pegasus statue. The crowd was part of a march in solidarity with protests at Missouri.

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A5

NEWS

November 13, 2015 | bupipedream.com

Collapsed pipe leads to construction PIPE FROM PAGE 1

ground, collapsed on October 29. A storm line is a pipe that drains rain water from streets and sidewalks to prevent flooding.

“Barricades were put up immediately and a contractor was on site fencing the area and bringing equipment the following day,” Fennie wrote in an e-mail.

The damaged line was removed and new piping will be installed in the next few days. The cause of the collapse has yet to be determined by the contractor.

Gabi Zweig, a sophomore majoring in biology, said she

suggested that Rafuse keep its doors unlocked during the day to help students get around the construction more efficiently.

“There weren’t even signs,” Zweig said. “I saw people walking to the gate, having to turn around. I live in Dickinson so I was able to go through Rafuse. Some people couldn’t do that. They didn’t have keys.”

In addition to the storm line repair, a manhole also needed to be replaced. The repair on the manhole is planned to take place around Thanksgiving break, when the new parts are expected to arrive. Once all of the repairs are complete, the soil will be moved back into place and repacked.

“This is a fairly involved process that entails gradually returning the soil and compacting it as the excavation/ hole is filled a section at a time,” Fennie wrote.

The project is expected to be complete by early December, before winter vacation.

However, the cold weather may delay the process, since rain and snow can be detrimental to new soil. The co-rec field is likely to remain closed through the spring 2016 semester and for the rest of the academic year, but the effected sidewalks will be re-opened early next semester and available for use.

“There simply will not be enough time for a lawn or play

field to be established with the climate we’re in,” Fennie said.

“You might recall last year the weather didn’t really break until April. Even if we lucked out with March, it really does not allow enough time for anything substantial to get going.”

Contractors will also come in to complete miscellaneous electrical work, such as repairs to co-rec field lights, and replace the sidewalks and walls surrounding the field.

Additional work on a storm line leading toward Lake Lieberman, located behind Newing College, is expected to begin in the spring of 2016.

At this point in time, Physical Facilities is still determining

the scope of the project.

Joanna Lojo, a sophomore majoring in economics, said the noisy construction wakes her up in the mornings. In addition, the construction keeps her inside.

“We use the fields to meet up, throw frisbees and now we stick to the lounges,” she said. “You can’t even get to the swings.”

Louis Savastano, a sophomore majoring in integrative neuroscience, is frustrated with the inconvenient detours. This past week’s rain has also created a mess, he said.

“I live in O’Connor and it’s been really dirty,” he said.

“There’s mud everywhere.”

This is a fairly involved process that entails gradually returning the soil and compacting it as the excavation/hole is filled ...

— Karen Fennie Physical Facilities

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ARTS & CULTURE

Mainstage production highlights sexual 'awakening'

Based on 19th century play, musical adaptation of 'Spring Awakening' takes on controversial topics way that Iafrate chose to stage it, the entire ensemble stands in the background of the set, watching and experiencing it for themselves.

“I think that the community of children in this world is very important,” Iafrate said. “So even though it often is not scripted for everyone to be there together, I feel that they are each other’s support system. They all learn and grow as one.”

Starting with the opening number, “Mama Who Bore Me,” Wendla admires her maturing body. Though she is the main subject of the scene, the other girls in the ensemble are present. Moments like these are recurring throughout the show — if the ensemble isn’t actively participating in the scene, they quietly observe.

The way that the cast drifts in and out of scenes is just one of lengths the creative team has gone to to create a surrealist landscape Kevin Paredes/Contributing Photographer Actors perform in the Watters Theater for Binghamton University’s mainstage production of “Spring Awakening.” The eight-time Tony Award-winning musical is based on Frank Wedekind’s play for the show. Innately, the show is of the same name. already scripted to suspend reality Shauna Bahssin Wedekind’s play of the same name. the children’s friends. In doing does a good job at mirroring the every time a song starts — the Contributing Writer When the play originally premiered so, it illuminates the difficulties difficulties of growing up. moment that the music swells, in 19th century Germany, it of growing up in a world where “[I want people to] not to shy the characters are transported into Though the winter weather was banned for its discussion of feelings and urges emerge, causing away from conversations that are a kind of rock concert setting to is making its way through controversial topics. More than 100 the characters to rebel against the hard,” Iafrate said. “That’s the accurately and loudly convey their tragic flaw that we see in all of the emotions.

Binghamton, things are heating years later, the play’s adaptation adults in their lives. up inside the Watters Theater with breaks just as many rules as the The musical talks about adults of the show — that we live In that same vein, it seems as subjects like in a society that shies away from though every song and scene is an Binghamton University’s second original. Both shows primarily controversial and final mainstage production follow the stories of Wendla and sexuality, domestic violence and controversial material, and this opportunity to create a dreamlike of the fall semester, “Spring Melchior — children who grow up teenage pregnancy, among others. play says you can’t do that.” state. Some songs, like “Mama It seems as though every Who Bore Me,” or the sequence Awakening.” and fall in love within the confines Director Tommy Iafrate, an The eight-time Tony Award- of a rigid society — though it assistant professor in the theatre minute of the musical exists as a for the song “The Mirror-Blue winning musical is based on Frank also discusses the lives of each of department, finds that the show highly personal moment, but in the Night,” are completely ethereal,

with actors drifting in a carefully choreographed trance. In songs such as “The Bitch of Living” and “My Junk,” the children let their fantasies become out-of-control as they are played out onstage.

Meanwhile, scenes that include the villainous schoolteachers are so exaggerated that they become akin to something out of the dark part of a fairytale.

In a musical about growing up, Thea, one of Wendla’s friends, asks one of the play’s biggest questions: “But how will we know what to do if our parents don’t tell us?”

The show is an act of exploration, emphasizing the necessity of becoming different in order to become an adult. The audience is invited to reprimand the authoritative figures’ overbearing attitudes, and at points, in a trick of the light, the children literally stand in the shadows of their parents. However, watching the characters grow and break out of the rigid structure they exist within is one of the most compelling forces of the show.

Regardless of the mature topics, the musical is ultimately about children. From the opening number of the show to later scenes, such as the one where Wendla and Melchior are alone for the first time, the actors perfectly capture the sweetness in their characters’ innocence. Does this make them a little bit awkward from time to time? Yes — but that is vital to growing up.

'TODAY's' Jenna Wolfe urges students to think outside box

BU alum talks her unorthdox path to morning television Nicolas Vega Editor-in-Chief

Fresh off of announcing her departure from NBC’s “TODAY,” Jenna Wolfe made a stop at her alma mater to talk about her career, crack jokes and motivate students.

Wolfe, who graduated from Binghamton University in 1996, came to campus as a part of the Cool Connections, Hot Alumni speaker series. Her talk focused on her career path after leaving BU, as well as what’s in store for her in the future.

“I knew very early on exactly what I wanted to do for a living,” she explained. “I was going to be a news reporter.”

As a junior and senior, Wolfe interned at the local FOX affiliate.

According to her, she forged the dates on her internship application because by the time she transferred to BU from SUNY Geneseo, the application had closed.

For the next two years, she whited-out and backdated English department forms so that she could keep going back to the news station.

“I was ballsy; I had chutzpah,” Wolfe said. “I learned everything there was to learn [at FOX] and I put myself in a really, really great position to be able to start the rest of my life.”

However, despite her efforts, Wolfe’s life did not go according to plan after graduation. When she went to the affiliate and asked for a job they told her that there was no news reporter position available, but that there was an opening in sports. Wolfe took it.

“I pretty much learned on the job,” she said. “I studied for it just as if I was studying for the SATs.” Her studying paid off. Wolfe ended up working in sports for 12 years, with stints in Binghamton, Rochester and Philadelphia before eventually moving to New York City where she got jobs at MSG and then WABC-TV. In mid-2007, she got the call that started her on the path toward becoming a household name.

“TODAY” loved Wolfe’s personality, and they wanted her on the air despite the fact that they didn’t cover sports on their morning news broadcast. She accepted the job, explaining that she felt she

had done everything she wanted to do in sports.

“I looked at [my resume] and said ‘I love this body of work. But it’s time to get challenged again.’”

From hosting “TODAY” on the weekends to zooming down the world’s longest water slide as the show’s lifestyle and fitness correspondent, Wolfe was always busy at NBC. “It’s an incredible job,” she said. “If anyone has an opportunity to either intern or work there, or walk by there, or Google it — whatever you can do — be a part of it. Morning television at the network level is exactly as scary and as clichéd and as exciting as you think it is.”

But after eight and a half years, Wolfe is moving on again.

“It gets routine if you do something too often,” she said.

“It’s time to go do something different. Not better, not worse, but just something different.”

She explained to the audience the importance of straying from the beaten path, encouraging everyone to do something new and scary every single day.

“You may have regrets, you

Franz Lino/Photography Editor BU alumna and TODAY correspondent Jenna Wolfe speaks in the Admissions Center on Wednesday afternoon. Wolfe encouraged students to take risks in order to live a fulfilling life.

may feel like you made mistakes,” she said. “But I promise you, that’s the life that’s going to be so much more rewarding and fulfilling at the very end.”

Now that she is out from under the NBC News umbrella, Wolfe

has found new freedoms. She said that she is going to be doing a few segments for “Dr. Oz,” give empowering speeches to young girls and design workout plans for health companies. Still, the future is not totally clear.

When: Wednesday, November 18 Time: 5 p.m.—8 p.m.

“There’s only so much that I can control,” she said. “So I prepare myself as well as I can prepare myself. And all of the sudden, I think, someone may call.

And when they do, I’m gonna be ready.”

November 13, 2015 | bupipedream.com

A7

ARTS & CULTURE

Snaps for renouned poet

Kantor blends slam and activism at Binghamton Shauna Bahssin and Alexis Hatcher Staff Writers Snaps and applause rang out in the Engineering Building Tuesday night as renowned spoken-word poet Kevin Kantor performed at Binghamton University. Hosted by the BU Slam Poetry Club, Kantor recited 12 poems, some of which came from his upcoming chapbook, “Endowing Vegetables With Too Much Meaning.”

Kantor — who describes himself as “an actor/director by day, slam poet by night” — is an awardwinning poet who started out at the University of Northern Colorado.

At the 2015 College Unions Poetry Slam Invitational (CUPSI), he was awarded “Best of The Rest” and “Best Persona Poem.” Kantor was a member of the 2012 “Denver Minor Disturbance Poetry Slam Team,” a group that took first in the world at Brave New Voices, a poetry slam geared toward youth.

His work has been featured in

numerous publications, including The Huffington Post and Buzzfeed.

During his time in college, Kantor founded SOAPbox (Student Organized Artistic Projects) Productions, a company that serves as a venue for both theatrical productions and slam poetry events.

Through this, he began sharing his work, which promotes awareness for the LGBTQ community, mental health and victims of abusive relationships.

“Poetry is an art form that I think can help heal in many ways,” Kantor said. “It’s where we’re given permission to share our most authentic selves.”

To say that Kantor’s poems are electrifying to watch is an understatement. His background in acting is evident in his performance, which constantly jumps from lighthearted, joking moments to devastatingly serious ones.

In a genre that typically stems from a place of anger, sadness or a similar kind of distress, Kantor goes great lengths to ensure

that his audience members and guest speakers are comfortable.

This highlights one of the most important aspects of slam poetry: the ability to express oneself in a safe space.

As a part of his expression, he did a call-and-response with the audience, shouting out “give” and “accept,” both of which had the expected responses of “love!” After performing “People You May Know,” his most open and acclaimed poem, he interrupted his reading to discuss the importance of equal rights for all groups of people.

“I think poetry is such a unique performance that it could be used as this vessel for political activism,” Kantor said. “It’s where the political meets the personal.”

And the environment that Kantor creates in his performances certainly is personal; he invited members of the BU Slam Poetry Club — who watched the poet perform when they attended CUPSI in 2015 — to perform pieces in between his own. According to

Tali Schwartz/Contributing Photographer Renowned spoken-word poet Kevin Kantor performs in the Engineering Building on Tuesday night. The BU Slam Poetry Club hosted the awardwinning artist, who recited 12 poems, some of which came from his upcoming chapbook, “Endowing Vegetables With Too Much Meaning.”

Lindsay Young, vice president of the club, watching Kantor perform this poem and the attention it brought him is what made them want him to perform for BU. “We were in the room when he was doing it, and you just knew it was something special,” said Young,

a senior majoring in psychology.

“Everyone in the room had mouths open, jaws on the floor. He got a lot of attention for it.”

Rachel Levy, a member of the BU Slam Poetry Club, was among the performers. She said that Kantor is one of the poets that got her started

with the art in the first place.

“It was an unreal experience to get to perform while he was also performing,” said Levy, a sophomore double-majoring in political science and philosophy, politics and law.

“He’s talking a lot about issues that you don’t really hear about a lot.”

Petition tries to free Kesha

Singer fights to escape abusive Sony contract Haralambos Kasapidis Staff Writer

Photo Provided by the Associated Press

Fallout 4 worth the wait

Latest release boasts customizability for gamers Rich Kersting Arts & Culture

After seven long years of waiting, “Fallout 4” was finally released on Tuesday, marking the latest installment of Bethesda Softworks’ atom-punk retrofuturistic universe of “Fallout.”

For those who haven’t played the previous games, “Fallout 4” is not a direct sequel and is as good a place as any to get into the series.

“Fallout 4” takes you on a journey through “The Commonwealth,” the postapocalyptic version of a part of Massachusetts, which is home to a shadowy organization known as “The Institute.” Throughout the game, you’ll hunt down The Institute through a devastated Boston and its surrounding areas, 200 years after nuclear war has annihilated the world.

You’ll find yourself running through abandoned cities “I Am

Legend” style, with feral ghouls coming out of crawlspaces and Deathclaws emerging from the sewers. Bethesda Softworks fully understands the anxiety of travel with danger lurking around every corner. Everything received a visual redesign, with Bethesda Softworks making familiar creatures more intimidating and adding new creatures that provide their own sets of challenges.

The balance of play has been shifted, leaving you with significantly less health than previous games. The trade-off is that well-aimed attacks will do much more damage than before.

You’re constantly trying to hedge your radiation exposure, because prolonged radiation starts to significantly impact your health.

Head shots kill, radiation hurts and laser beams leave unarmored opponents in appropriately animated heaps of ash.

“Fallout 4” has always been

about player customization.

Throughout the game, you’ll uncover settlements which you’re contracted to help rebuild. While it isn’t as easy as one would hope, it adds a custom element to the game that lets you play a more direct role in constructing your world. The new perk map also streamlines the leveling process, making it easier to give your characters the abilities you want them to have earlier on in the game.

“Fallout 4” is not a perfect game, but it’s a great one. It’s an experience that emulates the essence of survival, tells stories of life post-apocalypse and questions what it means to be human.

Along the way, you’ll make tough decisions, meet interesting characters and feel an obligation to help the world around you get back on its feet. Never short of things to do and explore, “Fallout 4” is a game that will keep you enjoyably busy for months on end.

When Kesha released “Tik Tok” in 2009, she instantly became a household name.

Her debut single was topping international charts and her lyrics established her fun party persona, an image that has kept her relevant in the music industry. Since her debut, Kesha has had a single in the top-10 of the Hot 100 every year except for 2015. Her last accomplishment on the chart was alongside Pitbull, as their 2014 single “Timber” was the first song to hit number one that year.

However, Kesha was not able to either celebrate nor witness her success. On January 4, 2014, she was admitted into a rehab facility for an eating disorder.

Her mother, Pebe Sebert, told People magazine that Dr. Luke, executive producer of Kesha’s two studio albums, had been pressuring her to lose weight, as he was not happy with the singer’s physical appearance in a music video. When Kesha left rehab, she filed a lawsuit against Dr. Luke for sexual assault, harassment and asking to be released from the recording contract with Luke, among other charges against the producer.

It has been over a year since the suit was filed, and Kesha’s contract with label Sony Music Entertainment has not granted the “Tik Tok” singer permission to record with anyone but Dr. Luke or any of his companies; she cannot even release a song unless he approves it.

The singer is concerned for her career. Under her legal obligations with Dr. Luke

and Sony, she is not allowed to release any music, tour or market merchandise outside of the contract. Her possibilities to further promote her image have been stunted, and the continuing incident, which she cites as “intentional infliction of emotional distress,” has more than likely taken a toll on her mental well-being.

Yet hopefully, with a surging internet campaign, this will change. On November 4, Sebert started a petition on the website change.org to release Kesha from her contract with Kemosabe Records, a smaller label owned by Sony. The plea is addressed to the CEO of Sony Music, Doug Morris. In one week, Sebert’s petition has garnered over 11,000 signatures and that number has been steadily increasing. The hashtag #FreeKesha has been trending on multiple social media sites and aims to increase awareness of the pop singer’s predicament.

In 2013, Kesha expressed that Dr. Luke had full creative control on her sophomore album “Warrior.” This led fans

to start a petition to release her from Sony. This petition is currently closed, but has reached over 10,000 signatures.

Sebert’s goal to get Kesha out of her contract is not purely about business and the toll this can have on her daughter’s career. It is about promoting a safe work environment for women, and setting the precedent that victims can take legal action against their abusers. Dr. Luke is referred to as Kesha’s alleged abuser in both the petition and the lawsuit, which offer multiple accounts of inappropriate and illegal behavior toward Kesha.

In order to get back into the industry, it is imperative that Kesha record and release new music. Currently, she is waiting for a January 2016 court date to cite her an injunction which would allow her to own copyright of her music instead of Sony. Her mother’s petition aims to solve this problem sooner, hopefully freeing her from her contract, her allegedly abusive producer and the censorship of her art.

Photo Provided by Gavin Huang

F UN PAGE Friday, November 13, 2015

Felinday the Thirteen

Ben Moosher and Emma Siegel

Smushroom Cloud

Lil Manning

RELEASE DATE– Monday, July 23, 2007

Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Nichols Lewis ACROSS 1 They’re placed at tracks 5 Walking stick 9 Toyland denizens 14 Where to find counties Clare and Cork 15 Reebok competitor 16 Make __ of: botch 17 Having minimal fat 18 Turn from ice to water 19 Gravy server 20 Best possible outcomes 23 Seaman’s “Help!”

24 Kind of profit 25 Chinese island metropolis 28 Chelsea “Z” 29 “Kills bugs dead” spray 31 Blame that may be bum 32 It may follow the first intermission 35 Pear variety 36 Prefix with hertz 37 Beach footwear 40 Ewes’ guys 41 Paradise 42 Assistants 43 Salem’s state: Abbr.

44 Verbalizes 45 Recreational four-wheeler, initially 46 Window pane holders 48 Doctor’s org.

49 Airport waiter 52 Break dancing, rapping, etc.

56 Exhausted, as funds 58 Myanmar neighbor 59 Length times width 60 Feudal lord, or his subject 61 Former Milan money 62 “Shocking” color 63 Four duos 64 Sothern and Landers 65 Wet 44-Down

33 The “It Girl” Bow 48 Oak-to-be DOWN 49 Physics Nobelist 34 Record of hours 1 Slacks supports Marie worked 2 “Old MacDonald” 35 Kind of English or 50 Ice Capades refrain site language 3 Rat catchers 51 Bird bills 36 MMMVIII ÷ II 4 Shipped 53 Southwestern 38 Lab walker’s 5 Slept in a tent, earthenware pot need with “out” 39 Pertaining to birth 54 Partner of 6 Keep from suffering 44 63-Across minus happening 55 Base lullaby of one 7 Cleopatra’s river sorts 45 Entertains 8 Has munchies, 56 __-mo replay 47 Door-hanging say 57 Photo, for short hardware 9 Minstrel’s number ANSWER TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE: 10 Valuable violin 11 Decorative daytime covering 12 Subj. for immigrants 13 NNW opposite 21 “__ by land ...”

22 New York birthplace of Annette Funicello 26 Scout rank 27 “No bid,” in bridge 28 Beverly Hills’ 90210 et al.

29 Double Dutch needs 30 Part of AAA: Abbr.

32 Bushy hair styles xwordeditor@aol.com 7/23/07

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OPINIONS Friday, November 13, 2015

Letter from the SA E-board BU must fight against racism and oppresion To the Binghamton Undergraduate Student Body,

TALK TO US Readers, On Thursday afternoon, students at BU marched in solidarity with protesters across the country at the University of Missouri, Yale University and Ithaca College, to name a few.

When the Pipe Dream Editorial Board sat down to discuss the day’s events, we had trouble coming up with anything that didn’t sound trite or over-used.

Instead, we are opening this space to you, the student body. We make up five members of a much larger campus community, and we only represent five experiences.

We want you to talk to us. Pipe Dream is your newspaper and we want to hear what you have to say — your stories of discrimination, bias, ignorance on campus and everything in between.

While many students loudly expressed their voices in Thursday’s march, we want to amplify it further.

Please, do not hesitate to stop by our office in the University Union. Feel free to email editor@bupipedream. com to share your stories and thoughts — we want to publish them.

Use Pipe Dream as your platform — no student should feel like they do not have a voice.

We can’t wait to hear from you, The Editorial Board Nicolas Vega, Editor-in-Chief Lawrence Ciulla, Opinions Editor Alexandra Mackof, News Editor Odeya Pinkus, Arts & Culture Editor E.Jay Zarett, Sports Editor Views expressed in the opinion pages represent the opinions of the columnists. The only piece which represents the views of the Pipe Dream Editorial Board is the Staff Editorial, above. The Editorial Board is composed of the Editor-inChief, News Editor, Opinions Editor, Arts & Culture Editor and Sports Editor.

During the past few days we have seen events unfold that will shape the dialogue surrounding higher education, and the lengths to which students will go in order to attain it, for many months to come. We, the Student Association at Binghamton University want to make it perfectly clear that we stand in solidarity with those who have faced racism, hatred and oppression in these events and in events past. We are writing to say to our fellow students at Mizzou, Yale University and Ithaca College, that you are not alone in the struggles that you face to expel racism from your community. However, for us as a campus to contribute in a positive and meaningful way to this ongoing dialogue, we must rise above the frustration, the tension and the politics surrounding this topic. We must move forward.

While this sentiment might not manifest itself in the form of protests or large demonstrations on our campus, it is our belief, that in order for change to truly take place, the entire student body must itself be willing to change. In order to move forward from these tumultuous times, we must look inward and examine ourselves. We must ask ourselves the hard questions that we have not asked ourselves enough, while at the same time continuing to support and lift up those who are struggling and protect those who need our protection.

There are two ties that bind each of us to one another.

First, we are all striving to achieve higher learning and are moving toward attaining our degree. Second, and perhaps the most important, we are all Bearcats, and it is of the utmost importance that we reexamine what that means. What we, the Executive Board of the Student Association at Binghamton believes, is that this means that we must exemplify the qualities of virtue, compassion and understanding and embrace an eagerness to do better than those who have gone before us. It is our responsibility, as Bearcats, to work toward making this community something of which we can be proud. It is our responsibility, as Bearcats, to ensure that all students no matter their identity feel that they have a place in this space we all call home. Therefore, we urge all students, who are willing, not to attack administration and/or various campus leaders but instead to work together with us to build something new, something better.

Our responsibility goes far beyond the little time we spend at Binghamton University. As some may recall, Binghamton University’s motto is “From breadth through depth to perspective.” In the following weeks, we as students have a responsibility to think critically about the recent events that have occurred across college campuses in the United States, and to think how we can prevent the circumstances that happened elsewhere from happening at Binghamton University. We must stand in solidarity with our fellow classmates everywhere and we must assume a sense of

urgency in assuring ourselves that we have done all we can to make Binghamton University all that it can be.

Respectfully Yours, The Executive Board of the Student Association at Binghamton University Dillon Schade, President Zachary Vigliani, Executive Vice President Katherine Tashman, Vice President for Finance Amanda Baker, Vice President for Academic Affairs Bernadette Machuca, Vice President for Programming Ruslan Klafehn, Vice President for Multicultural Affairs Sheeva Massoudi, Speaker of Congress

It is our belief that in order for change to truly take place, the entire study body must itself be willing to change

In 2016, Bernie Sanders can push our nation forward

Seven years ago, we elected President Obama to enact change — but we need real progress Adam Wilkes

Contributing Columnist

Seven years ago this month, 69 million Americans voted Barack Obama into office. It was the largest amount of votes for a candidate in the nation’s history and the highest percentage of votes in the past quarter century.

There were a multitude of reasons for the return of the Democrats to the White House: the economic collapse, the faltering of the Iraq War, and the rejection of the regressive conservative values the Bush administration sought to

institutionalize.

The crisis of 2008 didn’t occur in a vacuum, but was the culmination of fundamental issues in American political culture and political economy, which were and remain damaging and unsustainable.

These issues? The military industrial complex’s influence over foreign policy. The exclusion of the poor and the unconnected from American political life. The towering ability of multinational corporations to influence elections, converting dollars to votes. The paradigms of corporate logic that have been institutionalized at every level of government, prioritizing innovation and dynamism for the

accumulation of profit rather than improving society as a whole.

Seven years later, despite some successes, Obama has not addressed the fundamentals aforementioned, especially inequality of political access.

In that sense, the fundamental crisis of American democracy has accelerated. In time, we may understand the Obama presidency as a correction from failed endeavors of the Bush administration, but he has been far too reluctant to articulate and implement the greater structural rearrangements the economy requires. While Obama has pulled the United States back from the brink of economic calamity, the

USA needs to move forward in reshaping American capitalism to avoid future crises, make the system more fair and inclusive and prepare for climate change.

Voters should have no illusions about a Bernie Sanders candidacy.

As a Democratic nominee, he would be the most left in generations, and there is no historical precedent for Democratic Socialists winning critical swing states like Ohio and Virginia, let alone New York or California. As a president, likely governing alongside a Republican House of Representatives, there is not only insufficient appetite for a wave of liberal domestic legislation in Congress, but fierce animosity.

A meaningful Bernie Sanders

presidency is a long shot.

But it is the only shot worth taking at all. Of the 19 candidates running for president in 2016, none have shown the sweeping social vision of Sen. Sanders. The Republican field is dominated by extreme movement conservatives.

They cannot prepare the nation for climate change, Gilded Age inequality and the recurring financial crises of reckless capitalism if they deny these problems existence.

Hillary Clinton may well be the standard bearer of the Democratic Party next year, though if that is the case, her political operation is too embedded with corporate interest groups to effectively challenge

them. This is why she may go as far as building on some of Obama’s reforms, but she’ll never truly challenge crony capitalism.

Pushing our nation forward requires the stomach for such a challenge. It entails a leader who will be bold because that’s what systemic overhaul demands. It means electing the one candidate running whose comprehensive vision consists of challenging political exclusion, economic inequality, climate change and crony capitalism. In 2016, it’s Bernie Sanders or bust.

— Adam Wilkes is a sophomore double-majoring in economics and philosophy, politics and law

Surrounded by friends, I couldn't help but feel sad about life

Sharing the experience of college with friends from home has become increasingly difficult over time Sarah Saad

Columnist

Last winter break, I was sitting around my coffee table catching up with my greatest friends from home. Laughter was all the neighbors could hear. As we reflected on the past and vented about our current classes and family, I couldn’t help but become overwhelmed with a wave of sadness. I thought, why? How am I sad while I am surrounded by my greatest support system?

I attempted to listen to the conversations we were having. We all went around, sharing stories about the selected topics, and that’s when my mind caught up with my emotions.

Relationships. This was all we were talking about. Two hours later, we were still talking about friendships and boyfriends, yet I had a million things to say and couldn’t find my place.

As many of you I am sure feel, college has enabled us to discover a new sense of who we are. At least for myself, it has enlightened me to new privileges and opportunities, allowed me to recognize where

I find my strength, and where I want to focus my energy.

I would be lying if I said relationships, friends, parties, dinners and various social environments weren’t part of my college life. The people in my social life keep me sane and ensure I am always as happy as I could be.

Yet, the other part of my college experience is what I struggle to share with my old friends. While I have always cared about people, I wouldn’t have considered myself a true advocate until I entered college. While I have always been a good student, I wouldn’t have considered myself

a dedicated student until college.

The people I have met through campaigning, internships, group discussions, Shabbat dinners and various environments have taught me the importance of taking what you’re passionate about and doing something with it.

It is these relationships, these new ideas, conversations, successes and failures I have that I wish to share with my old life, yet I have found that to be very difficult.

The confident girl I am here fears coming off as fake to my old friends. We have all changed since college, whether that is for the good or bad. With every stage in

life, comes a new defining quality; yet why have we developed these judgmental labels creating rigidity in our transformation?

I recognize that part of this fear has developed from my own mind, for I know that as my friends hear about the experiences that are important to me, they will inquire more, but I will argue that the other part has developed from the power of our language.

“Fake” or “basic” are two words constantly thrown around.

We envision a certain kind of person, and when the physical characteristics and personality don’t align, we struggle to accept

the two.

I’ve been told I am a bad feminist because I get my eyebrows done. I’ve been told I promote sexual assault because I go to parties. If we continue to place these irrational judgments on those wishing to explore our identities, the mobility in our society will stay at a standstill, and our confidence we obtain as we explore who we are will disintegrate.

— Sarah Saad is a junior double-majoring in human development and women, gender and sexuality studies

FANTASY FOOTBALL

Check out our week 10 picks See bupipedream.com/sports Friday, November 13, 2015

BU in conference title game for the first time since 2008 Matt Pilotti Contributing Writer For the Binghamton men’s soccer team, the 2015-16 season has been all about exceeding expectations. Projected to finish seventh in the America East (AE), the Bearcats (10-7-2, 3-3-1 AE) have won their most games since 2009 with a team that has 15 freshmen. BU continued its breakout year on Wednesday against Albany in the conference semifinal, as junior forward Logan Roberts tallied the lone goal with just over 10 minutes left in regulation. The 1-0 BU victory secured his team’s position in the America East conference final for the first time in seven seasons.

Initially, quality offensive opportunities were limited to a few breakaways, most of which were recorded by the hosts. Until the 80th minute, the Bearcats had been on the outside looking in, in terms of possession and shots on goal.

Albany (10-8-1, 5-2 AE), controlled most balls in the midfield, pushing into Binghamton’s offensive zone to create viable goal-scoring opportunities. The Bearcats fought to counter the attack, but failed to capitalize as the score remained knotted at zero.

BU head coach Paul Marco knew he needed to make an adjustment to spur momentum for his team.

“We just wanted to take what Albany was giving us and use it for our advantage,” Marco said. “We made a tactical change where we decided to drop our backs back a little bit deeper to try and build play a little more.”

Although this change would prove effective later on, it went unnoticed by Albany, who came out with noticeable intensity to start the half. While the

Binghamton defense successfully limited sophomore forward Afonso Pinheiro’s opportunities in the opening half, it still allowed the current America East Striker of the Year to create dangerous chances.

Over a 10-minute span, it appeared as though the Bearcats had run out of gas. Just as he has done all year, however, junior goalkeeper and America East Goalkeeper of the Year Robert Moewes stood his ground in numerous key moments, recording eight saves on the night.

A free kick late in the second half proved to be the deciding play.

Binghamton freshman midfielder Harrison Weilbacher delivered a strike into the box from 40 yards out that found senior midfielder Tucker Sandercock, who won a tough battle near the goal. He then headed the ball back to junior forward Logan Roberts, who situated himself on the right side in front, before firing the gamewinning shot in the 80th minute.

“It’s something we’ve been looking for all season,” said Roberts regarding the goal. “I just happened to find myself in the right spot when Tucker got the ball, and I was able to put it in.”

A door had opened for the Bearcats, and another began to close for the America East regular season champions. Albany had its chances in the final minutes of the game to even the score, including a corner with one minute remaining. The shot nonetheless was gobbled up by Moewes, and along with it, all hopes of an Albany comeback.

Binghamton, who came into the matchup with the fifth seed, will return to the America East Championship game for the first time since 2009, when Boston University defeated the Bearcats, 1-0.

For Marco, the win symbolizes the time, energy and sacrifice

Emily Earl/Assistant Photography Editor Junior forward Logan Roberts netted the game-winning goal against Albany on Wednesday night help BU advance to the AE final.

devoted all season to create a winning atmosphere.

“Any time you get to the championship game, it’s just a thrill because there’s so much work that guys put in,” Marco said.

“Our staff puts in tremendous amount of hours and all of that effort is to try to help your team win a championship.”

He largely attributes his squad’s success this season to the growth of Binghamton’s large freshman class. Facing elimination from the conference tournament, the Bearcats relied heavily on their newcomers to keep them alive. Also making an impact were freshman

midfielder Conrad Nowowiejski “We’re going to look at this Roberts said. and freshman defender Florian game a lot of the way that we Kickoff is scheduled for noon Orth, both of whom contributed looked at the Albany game and on Sunday from Virtue Field in to stifling the aggressive Albany just battle and try to get a win,” Burlington, Vermont. attack. While the young core has worked well together all season, 2015 AMERICA EAST FINAL BU’s best games may lie ahead.

“I think they have a little more to give, another layer in there that they can go up,” Marco said.

As it attempts to capture its first conference crown since 2006, Binghamton is set to face off SUNDAY @ NOON against second-seeded Vermont.

VIRTUE FIELD The Catamounts also won on BURLINGTON, VERMONT Wednesday night, knocking off two-time defending champion UMBC, 2-1.

BU @ VERMONT

SEE B SECTION FOR AMERICA EAST BASKETBALL PREVIEW Pre-Veterinary Society Weekly meetings: Mondays at 8pm in the New Union Room 324. Any and all are welcome, especially animal lovers and pre-vet students!

law.cuny.edu/prospective

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PIPE DREAM'S 2015-2016

BASKETBALL SEASON PREVIEW

TABLE OF CONTENTS

STARTING FIVE B2-3

ALL CONFERENCE PICKS B4

AE TEAM WOMEN'S PREVIEWS B4-9 PREVIEW

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WOMEN'S FEATURES

B10

DESIGN BY ALEZA LEINWAND, PHOTOS BY EMILY EARL

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PIPE DREAM'S BASKETBALL SEASON PREVIEW

PIPE DREAM'S

2015-2016

BASKETBALL SEASON PREVIEW

bupipedream.com | November 13, 2015 With the college basketball regular season set to officially begin this week, Pipe Dream has written comprehensive season preview for the men’s and women’s Bearcats squads, as well as for all nine men’s teams in the America East Conference. Curious about our players? Look no further than our Starting Five section, where we profile our five projected starters for the men’s team. We also take an in-depth look at three of the leading Bearcat women — Imani Watkins, Alyssa James and Rebecca Carmody. The men’s team opens its season at St. Bonaventure on Friday night, while the women’s team is set to tip-off Saturday afternoon at Michigan.

BU'S STARTING FIVE MARLON BECK

GUARD ENTERING THIRD YEAR AS BEARCAT FLOOR GENERAL

1

2014-15 STATS 8.2 PPG 2.6 APG 35.7 3-FG%

Jeffrey Twitty Assistant Sports Editor From the day of his commitment to BU, junior guard Marlon Beck has had big expectations placed on his shoulders.

The proclaimed floor general was expected to be a leader early and play a pivotal role in the renaissance of Binghamton men’s basketball and, midway through his career as a Bearcat, Beck has lived up to his potential. Through 40 starts, Beck has recorded 21 doubledigit performances, knocked down 91 3-point shots and also led the team in assists and steals during his sophomore campaign.

But the most valuable trait that the 5-foot-11-inch point guard brings to Binghamton may be his room to grow as a player.

“Coming in as a freshman, I kind of really didn’t know what to expect,” Beck said. “I was just playing. With [Binghamton head] coach Tommy Dempsey relying on me a lot to lead as a sophomore, it taught me a lot to see what I can do and what I can’t do. Coming in this year, gaining experience on and off the court — whether it be going into the film room or seeing what I can do better … I think it’s going to be great for me this year.”

As one of only four upperclassmen on the Binghamton roster, Beck is set

to take the reigns of a team no longer forced to rebuild, but now positioned to propel. But with the addition of high-profile recruits such as sophomore forward Willie Rodriguez and freshman forward Thomas Bruce since Beck’s arrival, leadership will likely take a different form from Binghamton’s point guard this season.

“Working as a point guard, there is definitely going to be times for me to attack if I see an opening,” Beck said. “But, as a point guard I do want to look to get my assist totals up this year, look to run the offense instead of kind of just finding offense for myself at different times. I think a lot of my teammates trust me with that this year and I’m hoping to find them for better shots to take on the court.”

Beck has established himself as a pillar on a Bearcats team that has struggled to find its roar.

The stripes that Beck has earned throughout his time at BU are not lost on his coaches or teammates, as Dempsey believes that Beck’s sense of leadership has spread to the younger Bearcats.

“Marlon and [junior guard] Yosef [Yacob] have done their best to provide leadership,” Dempsey said. “But we have some other guys, namely in [sophomore forwards] Justin [McFadden], Dusan [Perovic] and Bobby Ahearn, guys who are about all the right things, guys who are leaders

in their own right. This is the first time in my tenure here that we have five, six guys capable of being captains. Whereas in the first couple of years we were anointing captains hoping they could become good leaders. I think we have some good leaders now and we hope that’s going to make a difference.”

On the court in Binghamton’s 92-53 exhibition win over Cobleskill last Friday, Beck commanded the floor with his signature confidence — collecting a teamhigh four steals and spurring a few exciting breakaway opportunities to give him 12 points on the evening.

Although Beck might have been the oldest BU player to get on the scoresheet against the Tigers, his role as a veteran is going to take some getting used to.

“Some of them call me ‘vet’ sometimes, it’s kind of different for me,” Beck said. “All I can really do is say ‘I was in his position that time.’ … So just to be that mentor towards them means a lot for me. I know I can mold them into something that can be great for this program and I think that’s what they’re going for.”

ROMELLO WALKER

SOPHOMORE TO PLAY BIG ROLE FOR BINGHAMTON

Jeffrey Twitty Assistant Sports Editor

Play: it’s a word with a meaning that’s easy to lose sight of in the tactical world of collegiate athletics.

But it also serves as the central verb in the universe of sports. After all, every sport is only a game, and games are made for playing. But for Binghamton sophomore guard Romello Walker — a theatre major — the style of play that he takes the court with is anything but an act; it’s a lifestyle.

“I started playing [basketball] because it was fun,” Walker said.

“So just because I’m at a higher level doesn’t mean I shouldn’t have fun anymore. For me, to transition my energy from off-court to oncourt … if you see me hit a shot and then jump in the air, it’s something I would have done if I got an A+ on a paper.”

In last Friday’s season-opening exhibition game against Cobleskill, Walker’s fun side could be seen when he slammed in BU’s first two dunks of the season, or when he got his opponent to crack a smile before the next in-bound. But Walker didn’t just come to play against the Tigers on Friday; he came to play.

On his way to being named Player

of the Game, the sophomore put up a team-high 20 points in the exhibition, shooting 4-6 from the 3-point range.

These numbers suggest improvement from Walker’s impressive freshman campaign, in which he averaged 8.6 points per game while shooting 35.6 percent from the floor. But for Binghamton head coach Tommy Dempsey, such growth came as expected for a high-potential player like Walker.

“Romello’s a good shooter, even though his numbers don’t dictate that to this point,” Dempsey said.

“But over the course of his career, he’s going to be a very good jump shooter. He has a good stroke, he has a lot of confidence.”

Over the course of the offseason, Walker did his part to elevate his game to the next stage, citing himself this year as a smarter and more opportunistic player.

After reuniting with last year’s eight returning players over this preseason, Walker was happy to find out that all of his work wasn’t in vain.

“I got to see them come back from the summer and see how much they improved and I was like, ‘Wow, I wasn’t the only one working,’” Walker said. “That showed me their determination to build this thing up and that showed me that I wasn’t the only one working and fighting and who

11

wants to do well for BU.” With junior guard Marlon Beck putting in 12 points of his own on Friday and sophomore forward Dusan Perovic returning from injury to score eight points over 16 minutes in BU’s 92-53 rout of Division III Cobleskill, it looks like all of the Bearcat returners came ready to play a new game in 2015-16.

Dempsey, however, knows that the real test for his young team awaits them in the regular season.

“We’re moving in a very positive direction, but you prove that when the games start,” Dempsey said in an October press conference. “I think that a lot of coaches at this time of year are going to be very optimistic, very positive. And you hope you’re just as optimistic and positive a couple of months from now.”

As for Walker’s role in the Bearcats’ climb this season, don’t expect anything too different: only better.

“My role will still be the same, but I’m just going to fill it better,” Walker said. “Just improving and stepping into my role more than I did last year.”

2014-15 STATS 30.8 MPG 8.6 PPG 4.6 RPG

November 13, 2015 | bupipedream.com

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PIPE DREAM'S BASKETBALL SEASON PREVIEW

JUSTIN McFADDEN

FORWARD TO SPEARHEAD BU DEFENSE Orlaith McCaffrey Assistant Sports Editor

2014-15 STATS 6.8 PPG 3.6 RPG 74.1 FT%

In the first week of the Binghamton men’s basketball team’s preseason practices this season, sophomore guard Justin McFadden suffered a minor concussion.

“I took a charge … in practice,” McFadden said. “That’s one of the things I do a lot. I guess one out of 200 [that I take], I get the fall wrong and my head hit the floor.”

Although unfortunate for the Bearcats, McFadden’s minor injury isn’t shocking. Last season, he missed Binghamton’s first exhibition game after breaking his nose during practice. The 6-foot5-inch wing player is BU’s top defender and one of Binghamton’s most physical players.

Fortunately for the Bearcats, McFadden missed just a week of practice and will be looked to build upon his successful rookie campaign, where he spearhead Binghamton’s defensive efforts.

In his first year on the court for BU, McFadden was expected to provide depth for the Bearcats, coming off the bench to provide a

spark of energy. But, after a spate of transfers and injuries, Binghamton head coach Tommy Dempsey began to rely heavily on the Philadelphia native, starting him in 23 of the Bearcats’ 30 contests.

McFadden’s defensive presence was immediately apparent, as he lead the team in fouls with an average of 3.2 per contest, was third in blocks (.5 per game) and tied for second on the squad in steals (.9 per game) with sophomore guard Romello Walker. “[McFadden’s] versatility allows him to guard multiple positions,” Dempsey said. “Justin [McFadden] is a strong and physical player, who will be asked to do a lot for us defensively.”

As the season progressed, McFadden established himself as a key facet of Binghamton’s defensive game, often times drawing the assignment of guarding the opposing team’s best wing player.

He also became more productive offensively as well.

Last season, he averaged 6.8 points per game and pulled down 3.6 boards. While these numbers may not be overwhelming, they were a welcomed addition from a player who carried the reputation

25

of being solely a defensive specialist. Also impressive was M c F a d d e n ’s ability from the free throw line, where he shot a team-best 74.1 percent.

Although he didn’t anticipate the shift in team composition or having a more prominent role, McFadden embraced the opportunity to aid his teammates.

“You have to deal with the adversity, but you still have to put out that product that you want to have a good team,” McFadden said.

“We’re all together trying to put a good product out on the floor.”

At crucial moments late last season, McFadden was a mainstay on the floor, anchoring BU’s defense in a starting lineup that included four freshmen and a sophomore. This lineup — one of the youngest in all of Division I — was integral to Binghamton’s improved play toward the end of

conference play and in its narrow loss to Stony Brook in the America East quarterfinals.

Mindful of the experience gained during his debut season, McFadden remains focused on translating his time on the court as a freshman into tangible developments this year.

“Experience does help us a lot, but we also need to recognize that we need to improve our skills and be ready to play,” McFadden said. “One year older doesn’t always mean one year better.

We have to make sure we are concentrated on being a year better.”

WILLIE RODRIGUEZ

QUIET SOPHOMORE MAKES LOUD IMPACT ON COURT

E.Jay Zarett Sports Editor

Willie Rodriguez doesn’t say much. The Binghamton men’s basketball sophomore forward is the quiet type when speaking to the media, answering questions directly with a sentence or two, in a hushed tone. But on the court, Rodriguez is anything but quiet.

As a freshman last season, Rodriguez showcased his diverse skill set on the floor. He led BU in points per game during the 201415 season, averaging 11.8 per contest. Rodriguez’s 31.6 minutes and 5.5 rebounds per contest also were tops on Binghamton. By the end of the season, Rodriguez had developed into a star.

“Last year was a big learning

42

experience for me,” Rodriguez said. “I had to get used to the strength, the speed. Everything was at another level from high school to college. I transitioned well towards the end of the year, started playing well.”

Rodriguez was never supposed to be Binghamton’s star last season. Then-junior guard Jordan Reed had been expected to lead the Bearcats. Rodriguez and his fellow freshmen were supposed to be role players in 2014-15, providing scoring, rebounding and defense behind Reed.

This proposed team dynamic was shattered, however, when Reed announced his intentions to transfer from the program just five games into the season.

Without Reed, the Bearcats needed scoring. That void was filled by Rodriguez and his classmate, forward Dusan Perovic.

However, the duo did not share the court for long. In the beginning of January, Perovic tore his ACL in practice. He went on to miss the remainder of the season, leaving Rodriguez, then just a freshman, as the Bearcats’ lone go-to scoring option.

Rodriguez thrived in that role, finding ways to attack the paint and get to the basket. Despite having to drive through multiple help defenders at certain points during the season, Rodriguez

displayed a knack for finding pathways to rim and scoring when he got there.

He scored 19 points and grabbed six boards in the Bearcats’ victory over Maine on January 10, the first game after Perovic suffered his injury. He recorded 18 points in BU’s upset victory over Vermont in midFebruary and poured in 19 points in Binghamton’s near-upset of Stony Brook in the America East Tournament quarterfinal round.

Rodriguez was named to the AE All-Rookie team for his efforts.

“I wouldn’t necessarily say it was something I expected,” Rodriguez said about becoming the Bearcats’ most potent offensive threat. “It made me work harder besides practice. It made me get extra workouts in. My coaches — [BU assistant] coach [Herb] Courtney in particular — [helped me] get a lot of extra workouts in.”

Despite his success as a freshman, Rodriguez did struggle in one area — shooting the 3-point shot. He shot just 21.9 percent from deep last year and never drained more than two triples in any single contest. This year, Rodriguez has worked to add the 3-pointer to his repertoire, making him even more difficult to guard.

“I’ve been working on my jump

DUSAN PEROVIC

2014-15 STATS 11.5 PPG 3.3 RPG 45.3-FG%

shot a lot,” Rodriguez said.

“Hopefully I can show that in the next couple of games … Instead of [defenders] just waiting for me in the paint, they’re going to have to come out and guard me at the 3-point line.”

If Rodriguez can successfully integrate the 3-pointer into his game, space will open up all over the floor for the Bearcats. Instead of packing the paint, defenders will have to cover him beyond the arc. This will create ample opportunities for Rodriguez to drive to the basket and score himself, or force help defenders to come, allowing for easy passes to his teammates.

Even though he delivered such a successful rookie campaign, Rodriguez isn’t focused on individual goals. Instead he remains locked in on the bigger picture — the goals of the team.

“The team’s goal is to win the America East Championship,” Rodriguez said. “The first [goal] is probably to host a playoff game and the second one is to bring home the championship.”

BU'S OFFENSIVE LEADER RETURNS FROM ACL TEAR E.Jay Zarett Sports Editor Dusan Perovic served the America East notice on December 3, 2014. On that date, Perovic — then a freshman forward on the Binghamton men’s basketball team — delivered a breakout

performance against Boston University.

Perovic caught fire in that game, pouring in 34 points — a career and program high — 29 of which came in the second period, while draining six 3-point field goals. He demonstrated the ability to put the ball in the basket from all over the court. He flashed a brilliant baby hook shot from the post to go along with his impressive shooting stroke. On that day, it seemed as if Perovic was going to be a star in the conference during the 2014-15 season.

But the season didn’t play out that way. Perovic appeared in just seven more games for the Bearcats last season before suffering an ACL tear during practice in early January. Just like that, Perovic’s promising rookie campaign was over.

“To be honest, that first month after the injury, while I was sitting in my room, basically couldn’t move, was

really tough,” Perovic said. “It was probably one of the toughest months I’ve ever had in my life.”

For the season, Perovic appeared in 15 games for the Bearcats. He averaged 11.5 points per game — second on the team — and led BU in 3-point shooting percentage, knocking down triples at an impressive 45.3 percent clip.

Without Perovic for the last 16 games of 2014-15, the Binghamton offense sputtered at times. The forward had provided BU an option to get easy baskets in the post, as well as to stretch the defense with his shooting ability. His absence eliminated a major offensive weapon for BU as it ground through its America East slate.

“Looking at [my teammates] on the court, fighting through our conference games, not being able to be there for them, it was really hard,” Perovic said.

But, starting with Binghamton’s season opener on November 13, Perovic will make his return to the

2014-15 STATS 11.8 PPG 5.5 RPG 43.8 FG%

41

court. His teammates are excited for his comeback.

“I love having Dusan back,” BU sophomore guard Justin McFadden said. “He’s one of my best friends. He definitely brings a spark, he brings energy.”

Perovic believes that he has benefited a great deal from his time away, learning from watching the game. He has already seen the benefits in practice.

“I learned a lot,” Perovic said.

“I was just watching from offense to defense, I consistently just kept watching the tape and learning what position I should be in… I noticed that once I stepped on the court I already knew what I needed to do.”

Perovic’s return to the court will help a seemingly improved Bearcat offense. Without the forward on the floor last season, defenses were able to pack the paint against BU and take away driving lanes from Binghamton’s guards. With his return, there should be more room for everyone

on the floor to attack the basket.

“When you’re a team that struggles to score the ball, it’s hard to lose your leading scorer,” BU head coach Tommy Dempsey said.

“Dusan gives us versatility. He gives us size in there. He stretches the defense. When he’s on the court, they’re guarding him 22 feet [away from the basket].”

With the maturation of the young Binghamton squad and the addition of other players — mainly redshirt freshman guard John Schurman and freshman guard Everson Davis — who can score the ball, Perovic may not be relied upon as heavily on offense as he was in the first half of last season.

However, this has not changed how he approaches the game.

“I definitely have the same mind-set,” Perovic said. “The first thing that is always on my mind is to help the team. I like to say that I’m a team player and make sure that everybody is doing the right thing.”

B4

PIPE DREAM'S BASKETBALL SEASON PREVIEW

bupipedream.com | November 13, 2015

AMERICA EAST

ALL CONFERENCE PICKS

JAMEEL WARNEY

ETHAN O’DAY

JAHAD THOMAS

PETER HOOLEY

CARSON PURIEFOY

Stony Brook, Sr., F Obvious choice here.

Warney is already a two-time AE Player of the Year and one of the most dominant players in conference history. He could have an NBA future after this season.

Vermont, Sr., F O’Day can both score the ball — he averaged 12.4 points per game last season — and defend the rim (2.1 blocks per game).

He is one of the best twoway players in the conference.

UMass Lowell, R-Soph., G/F Thomas dominated last season, averaging 14.3 points and 6.5 rebounds per game before suffering an ACL tear in late January. If he’s healthy, he’ll be one of the best players in the conference.

Albany, Sr., G Hooley and teammate Sam Rowley led Albany to the America East Championship a season ago. With Rowley gone after graduation, expect Hooley to increase on his 13.7 points per game total.

Stony Brook, Sr., G Puriefoy will run what could be the most dominant offense in the AE this season. Last year, he averaged 14.4 points and 3.4 assists per game.

Those numbers could grow in 2015-16 as the Seawolves return a ton of talent.

SECOND TEAM: Evan Singletary, Albany, Sr., G, Rodney Elliott, UMBC, R-Soph., G, Tanner Leissner, New Hampshire, Soph.,F, Rayshaun McGrew, Stony Brook, Sr., F, Willie Rodriguez, Binghamton, Soph., F

PIPE DREAM'S PREDICTED STANDINGS: 1.

1 HEAD COACH:

STEVE PIKIELL 2014-15 CONFERENCE RECORD:

12-4 2014-15 SEASON RECORD:

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

STONY BROOK

BEHIND WARNEY, SEAWOLVES AIM FOR FIRST EVER AE CROWN E.Jay Zarett Sports Editor Stony Brook was two seconds away from winning its first America East (AE) championship last season.

The Seawolves maintained control of their conference championship matchup against host Albany for almost the entire game. SBU was up by four on the Great Danes after the end of the first half and held a seven-point advantage with three minutes to play.

But Albany pulled off a spectacular comeback, topped off by then-junior guard Peter Hooley’s miraculous 3-pointer with two seconds left on the clock to capture the conference crown and send the Seawolves home emptyhanded.

“I think every year, everyone starts out with the same goals,” Stony Brook head coach Steve Pikiell said. “Our program, we expect to compete for

league championships. We expect to do that this year, we did that last year …

No matter what happened last year, you have to do it again.”

Stony Brook will look to rebound from that devastating loss and bring home the first conference title in program history in 2015-16. The Seawolves are the favorites to win the America East as they return almost all of their key players from a season ago — most notably, senior forward Jameel Warney.

Through his first three seasons as a Seawolf, Warney has been one of the best players in conference history. He was named the AE Player of the Year as a sophomore and followed up by earning the honor again as a junior after averaging 16.4 points, 11.7 rebounds and 2.5 blocks per game. Warney was also named the conference’s Defensive Player of the Year for the 2014-15 season.

Warney was just the sixth player

in AE history to earn the Player of the Year award in consecutive seasons.

This year, he will seek to become just the third player to win the honor three times.

“It would be a tremendous honor to win it three times in a row,” Warney said. “It would be great to be one of those few names.”

The Seawolves are also set to return two other players who were named to an AE All-Conference team last season.

Senior guard Carson Puriefoy was named to the first-team after averaging 14.4 points and 3.4 assists in 2014-15 and senior forward Rayshaun McGrew was a third-team member, averaging 8.4 points and 7.9 rebounds per game last season.

“Those guys have been pillars in our program the last few years,” Pikiell said. “They give us experience, they’ve been around. We’ve won a lot of games [with them], they’re proven winners and they’re guys who have made big

PROBABLE STARTERS

shots for us in big games. Just thrilled to have them back.”

Also joining the Seawolf squad this year is junior guard Lucas Woodhouse.

Woodhouse transferred to Stony Brook last season after competing at Longwood University for two seasons.

As a sophomore there, Woodhouse averaged 11.5 points. His 6.7 assists per game was the fifth-highest mark in the entire NCAA Division I. “[Woodhouse] is terrific,” Pikiell said. “He’s as good a passing guard as there is in the country and he’s a very good defender. I’m thrilled. He’s tough, he shoots it, he’s a great passer … He’s long and a really unselfish point guard.”

Despite all the individual accolades accumulated, the Seawolves have never won an AE title. With all of the returning talent, Stony Brook expects to compete for the AE Championship.

“It would mean everything to me to finally capture what I’ve been missing for the last few years,” Warney said.

Photos courtesy of stonybrookathletics.com

23-12 2014-15 TEAM STATS: OFFENSIVE: 65.4 PPG 39.9 RPG 41.8 FG% DEFENSIVE: 60.1 PPG ALLOWED 5.1 SPG 4.2 BPG

LUCAS WOODHOUSE JUNIOR GUARD 2013-14 STATS (LONGWOOD)

11.5 PPG 6.7 APG 41.3 FG%

CARSON PURIEFOY SENIOR GUARD 2014-15 STATS

14.4 PPG 3.2 RPG 3.4 APG

ROLAND NYAMA SOPHOMORE GUARD/FORWARD 2014-15 STATS

7.3 PPG 3.6 RPG 1.5 APG

RAYSHAUN MCGREW SENIOR FORWARD 2014-15 STATS

JAMEEL WARNEY SENIOR FORWARD 2014-15 STATS

8.4 PPG 7.9 RPG 44.8 FG%

16.4 PPG 11.7 RPG 2.5 BPG

PIPE DREAM'S BASKETBALL SEASON PREVIEW

November 13, 2015 | bupipedream.com

ALBANY

GREAT DANES TURN TO PERIMETER, AIM FOR FOUR-PEAT Jeffrey Twitty

Well, that is if you’d like to count switching to a perimeter game as a loss for Albany. Already deep, the Great Danes will bring back senior guards Evan Singletary, Peter Hooley and Ray Sanders, recipients of first, second and third-team All-AE last season, respectively.

“Usually you win with guards in this league,” Brown said. “So for us to have, in my opinion, the best point guard in the league in Evan Singletary, I think that bodes well. He can run our offense for us, spearhead our defense. And the fact that Peter [Hooley] won second-team All-Conference last year and he didn’t play half of the games — I think that shows the respect that other teams in the conference have for Peter.”

Hooley, after missing eight contests in 2014-15 to return home to Australia and care for his ailing mother, will look to improve on his 42.9 percent field goal percentage from last season. This mark includes the now-famous buzzer-beater

Assistant Sports Editor Holders of the 2014-15 regular-season and championship America East (AE) titles, the Albany Great Danes know how to win. Especially when you take into account Albany’s AE Championship title the year before that and the year before that. But this season, Albany is without a key player in Sam Rowley, as the threeyear starting forward graduated from the program at the end of last season.

“We ran a majority of our offense through Sam [Rowley] and this year we will be more guard-oriented,” Albany head coach Will Brown said. He continued, “We made sure Sam got a touch every time we went down the floor and played through Sam. Now everything will be played through our perimeter guys.”

So ends the list of major losses for the Great Danes.

PROBABLE STARTERS

against Stony Brook that sent Albany to the NCAA tournament in the AE final.

Up front for Albany, returners include junior forward — and Sam’s brother — Mike Rowley, who averaged 4.4 rebounds per contest last season, as well as 6-foot11-inch junior center Richard Peters, who proved to be a valuable asset at the fivespot with 23 starts. According to Brown, with the perimeter so deep, Albany’s success in the gritty areas hangs on the big men.

“If we have any concern about this year it will be about what sort of offensive production that we get from our front court,” Brown said. “I know those guys will defend, rebound, be physical, but they have to contribute on the offensive end a little bit, and it doesn’t have to be one guy, it can be a collective effort and I think we’ll be fine.”

Already rich with returning talent, Albany’s newcomers are set to play a pivotal role as part of the Great Danes’

competitive roster. Among the top fresh faces is freshman guard Joe Cremo, a twotime New York State Class A Player of the Year from Scotia-Glenville High School.

Guard Jamir Andrews and forward Travis Charles have also impressed early, both as transfer students beginning their careers as Great Danes as part of the junior class.

Making a point to kick off its season in championship form, the Great Danes are set to open their season on the road, facing Kentucky in the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame Classic. Ranked as one of the best teams in the nation in the latest preseason poll, Albany will make the trip with its hands full and an upset on its mind.

“That’s a heck of a way to open the season and we’re looking forward to the challenge,” Brown said. He continued, “We’re going there to win, that’s our mindset. Whether that happens our not, we’ll find out soon enough — but we’re throwing our guys to the wolves right from the get go. “

Photos courtesy of ualbanysports.com

2

B5

HEAD COACH:

WILL BROWN 2014-15 CONFERENCE RECORD:

15-1 (1ST) 2014-15 SEASON RECORD:

24-9 2014-15 TEAM STATS:

PETER HOOLEY SENIOR GUARD 2014-15 STATS

EVAN SINGLETARY SENIOR GUARD 2014-15 STATS

RICHARD PETERS JUNIOR FORWARD 2014-15 STATS

DALLAS ENNEMA JUNIOR FORWARD 2014-15 STATS

RAY SANDERS SENIOR GUARD 2014-15 STATS

13.7 PPG 3.0 RPG 42.9 FG%

13.0 PPG 3.6 RPG 2.8 APG

2.3 PPG 2.3 RPG 59.6 FG%

4.9 PPG 2.0 RPG 38.8 FG%

9.7 PPG 4.6 RPG 43.5 FG%

3

O'DAY, SOPHOMORES SEEKING TO CONTINUE AE SUCCESS

Pipe Dream Sports The Vermont men’s basketball team has, in recent memory, been the most stable program in the America East (AE) — it’s been seven seasons since the Catamounts failed to tally at least 20 wins. Head coach John Becker has been at the helm for the last four of those years, after serving as an assistant for five.

Despite the impressive consistency of the program, the accomplishments of UVM have been largely overshadowed. Without the star power of a highly touted recruit in the same vein as Stony Brook’s senior forward Jameel Warney or the three consecutive March Madness appearances of Albany, Vermont’s young squad has barely been noticed and has, especially last season, been doubted.

Heading into last season with just one returning starter, some of the doubt may have been warranted. It’s

difficult to overlook the loss of both the talent and experience of four starters in favor of a large group of incoming freshmen who faced the possibility of a steep learning curve.

The new starters and freshmen were, however, up to the challenge, as Vermont won 20 games last year — good enough for second place in the conference.

In college basketball, the biggest leap in performance often occurs between freshman and sophomore year. With five sophomores on the roster in 2015-16, Becker is hopeful the experience of last year will be invaluable for his team.

“I think it [the experience] is going to be huge for us,” Becker said.

“All of those freshmen that played last year got experience. This year they’re coming back much more comfortable in what we’re doing.”

The cornerstone of the team, however, is senior forward Ethan O’Day, an AE All-Conference selection last season.

O’Day averaged 12.4 points, 4.6

rebounds and 2.1 blocks per game last year. He shot 57.9 percent from the field which led the conference and was the 16th-best percentage in the nation. “[O’Day] is our lone senior, so he’s got to provide leadership and be someone we can count on with production,” Becker said. “He gets here every day, works hard in practice, competes, and for him, he’s just got to take that next step.”

Among those expected to step up are sophomore guards Trae BellHaynes and Cam Ward. Both were in the rotation last year and will look to improve on solid debut campaigns.

The duo averaged 26.3 and 20.2 minutes per game, respectively, as freshmen.

“A lot of those freshmen came in and got a lot of playing time right off the bat last year,” O’Day said. “I almost look at a few of those guys as upperclassmen, with the amount of experience they have.”

Another player expected to be a major piece this season is freshman

Ernie Duncan. Duncan, who redshirted last year, suffered a back injury and missed all but 56 minutes of play last season. Duncan had been projected to be the starting point guard for the Catamounts.

“Ernie [Duncan]’s back and healthy,” Becker said. “He’ll be a major contributor this year because he was also in our program all last year. He has a sense of what we’re doing and what our philosophy is.”

Compared to last year’s squad, Vermont’s incoming class is relatively sparse, consisting of just one freshman. The Catamounts will, however, benefit from the addition of junior forward Darren Payen, who sat out last season after transferring from Hofstra, where he played 33 games as a sophomore.

This year, as in previous seasons, UVM will rely heavily on its defensive prowess. During the 2014-15 season, the Catamounts led the conference in scoring defense, allowing just 59.2 points per contest.

“That’s just the culture of our

2014-15 CONFERENCE RECORD:

12-4 (T-2ND) 2014-15 SEASON RECORD:

20-14

program,” Becker said. “Defense and rebounding. I think the guys really buy into it too, so I expect us to continue to excel on that end of the court.”

However, Becker expressed concern about the depth of the team.

This could pose a challenge as Ethan O’Day led the conference in personal fouls last season, averaging three per game.

“Throughout his [O’Day]’s career, he’s struggled with foul trouble that’s taken him off the court and limited his minutes at time.” Becker said.

“He’s got to do a better job of staying on the court and he’s going to have to play a lot of minutes.”

Still, if the past seven years are any indication, Vermont will be a serious contender for the conference title come March.

“Our main goal is obviously just to win as many games as possible,” O’Day said. “But every year, it’s expected that we compete for an America East Championship to go and play in the NCAA tournament.”

PROBABLE STARTERS

Photos courtesy of uvmathletics.com

JOHN BECKER

DEFENSIVE: 60.5 PPG ALLOWED 1.6 BPG 5.7 SPG

VERMONT

Noah Bressner

HEAD COACH:

OFFENSIVE: 65.3 PPG 33.6 RPG 10.6 APG

2014-15 TEAM STATS: OFFENSIVE: 67 PPG 33.2 RPG 13.1 APG 47.1 FG%

DEFENSIVE: 59.2 PPG ALLOWED 5.1 BPG 6.4 SPG

ETHAN O'DAY SENIOR FORWARD 2014-15 STATS

KURT STEIDL JUNIOR FORWARD 2014-15 STATS

DRE WILLIS JUNIOR GUARD 2014-15 STATS

CAM WARD SOPHOMORE GUARD 2014-15 STATS

TRAE BELL-HAYNES SOPHOMORE GUARD 2014-15 STATS

12.4 PPG 4.6 RPG 57.9 FG%

8.2 PPG 80.3 FT% 37.5 3-FG%

9.3 PPG 4.8 RPG 57.1 FG%

6.3 PPG 43.5 FG% 39.4 3- FG%

8.8 PPG 3.4 RPG 54.2 3- FG%

B6

PIPE DREAM'S BASKETBALL SEASON PREVIEW

bupipedream.com | November 13, 2015

4 BEARCATS

BINGHAMTON

BU ATTEMPTS TO RETURN AS CONTENDER E.Jay Zarett Sports Editor The 2014-15 season was supposed to be the one that saw the Binghamton men’s basketball team turn a corner.

In his third year at the helm of the Bearcats, head coach Tommy Dempsey had assembled what, on paper, was a deep and talented roster. Led by then-junior guard Jordan Reed and a host of talented young players, BU was supposed to make significant strides toward returning to relevance after years of futility.

The beginning of the season, however, proved disastrous for BU. Reed played in just five games before announcing his transfer away from the program. The Bearcats suffered through a 14game losing streak and their depth was challenged early and often, as player after player went down with injuries.

“We knew coming into this situation that it was going to be a tough job to rebuild,” Dempsey said. “I think sometimes, some of the things that have gone on that have made things more difficult are just part of the job.

Unfortunately, there’s going to be some injuries, there’s going to be some transfers … It’s all part of program building.”

Due to all of the injuries and the transfer of Reed, BU’s young, talented freshman class was forced to play prominent roles in the rotation. Despite all of the adversity, the Bearcats ended the season on a high note.

Binghamton won two of its last three regular season games — including pulling an upset over Vermont — and battled eventual conference runner-up Stony

Brook in the teams’ America East quarterfinal matchup, eventually falling, 62-57.

All of the key players from that run are set to return for the 201516 season.

“We are very unique in the fact that we are still going to be, probably, the youngest team in the league, but we also have experience, so we can’t use the youth as an excuse,” Dempsey said. “We have youth, but we have experience and we’re going to be together for the next few years.”

The Bearcats will return all five starters from last year’s team, as well as some significant cogs off the bench. Anchoring the BU offense will be sophomore forwards Dusan Perovic and Willie Rodriguez.

Perovic averaged 11.5 points per game as a freshman last season before suffering an ACL injury in early January. He has a variety of post moves, as he can score in the paint with either hand and pull opposing big men away from the basket. Perovic has the ability to knock down long-range jumpers as he knocked down 45.3 percent of his 3-point shots in his debut season.

Rodriguez is the Bearcats’ best overall player. He creates shots for himself as well as his teammates and finds ways to attack the basket. Last season, Rodriguez led the team, averaging 11.8 points and 5.5 rebounds per game.

Three other members of last year’s freshman class — current sophomore guards Justin McFadden and Romello Walker as well as current sophomore forward Bobby Ahearn — along with junior guard Marlon Beck will continue to play crucial roles for BU. “At this time of the year last

year we really didn’t know what we had in some of the young guys,” Dempsey said. “It’s a lot about hope. You hope guys are going to have good years, you hope guys are going to be good enough … Now, we know a little bit who we are.”

BU will add three new players to its rotation this season, each of whom is expected to contribute right away. After sitting out last season, redshirt freshman guard John Schurman becomes eligible this year. He is a lights-out shooter and will help improve Binghamton’s spacing by stretching opposing defenses. “[Schurman] really gives some of our slashers space to do what they do best,” Dempsey said. “They weren’t able to get to the basket as easily as you would have hoped [last year]. I think this year we’ll be able to put a lot more pressure on the defense because of our shooters.”

Freshman forward Thomas Bruce is a strong rebounder and rim protector — both areas BU has struggled in over the last three seasons — and freshman guard Everson Davis will bolster the Bearcats’ depth as he can play at either backcourt position.

With a blend of returning talent and a strong freshman class, the Bearcats have the potential for a crowded rotation in 2015-16.

“I think that you have a good feel for the 10 or so guys who’re going to play,” Dempsey said. “We hope to play more guys because we have more guys we think are capable of playing and we think we have more guys who’ve earned the right to be on the court.”

Binghamton is set to open the season on Friday at St. Bonaventure. Tip-off is scheduled for 8 p.m. from the Reilly Center in Olean, New York.

BOBBY AHEARN

MARLON BECK

THOMAS BRUCE

SOPHOMORE FORWARD

JUNIOR GUARD

FRESHMAN FORWARD

EVERSON DAVIS

JUSTIN MCFADDEN

JORDAN MCRAE

FRESHMAN GUARD

SOPHOMORE GUARD/ FORWARD

REDSHIRT FRESHMAN

Expected to be the first big man off the bench.

He showed the ability to score in the post and hit the mid-range shot in significant playing time last year.

Athletic combo guard has impressed in practice so far and should see plenty of action off the bench this season at both backcourt positions.

HEAD COACH: TOMMY DEMPSEY ASSOCIATE HEAD COACH: BEN LUBER ASSISTANT COACH: BRYAN GOODMAN ASSISTANT COACH: HERB COURTNEY COORDINATOR OF PLAYER DEVELOPMENT: CHRETIEN LUKUSA

Don’t expect to see him much. Athletic forward is still very raw after redshirting in 2014-15.

DUSAN PEROVIC

JOHN RINALDI

WILLIE RODRIGUEZ

JUNIOR GUARD

SOPHOMORE FORWARD

Rinaldi can fill in at any position outside of center. He struggles on the offensive end but is a strong defender.

Binghamton’s best overall player. He can play either forward spot and can create off the dribble for himself and his teammates.

TIMMY ROSE

JOHN SCHURMAN

J.C. SHOW

FRESHMAN GUARD

REDSHIRT FRESHMAN GUARD/FORWARD

SOPHOMORE GUARD

Scrappy walk-on has earned high praise from Coach Dempsey early in the season.

Expect to see him as a back-up ball handler.

2014-2015 CONFERENCE RECORD: 5-11 (7TH) 2014-2015 OVERALL RECORD: 6-26 OFFENSIVE STATS: 57.7 PPG 31.0 RPG 8.7 APG DEFENSIVE STATS: 66.4 PPG ALLOWED 5.8 SPG 2.5 BGP

Tenacious defender who can guard four positions on the court. He can also create scoring opportunities off the dribble.

Bruce should contribute right away. He provides much needed help on the glass and as a rim protector.

SOPHOMORE FORWARD

Perovic’s return should bolster BU’s offense. While he doesn’t provide much rebounding or defending, he is an extremely skilled scorer.

COACHING STAFF:

Binghamton’s leader and most experienced player.

A staple in the BU backcourt, Beck has started 40 collegiate games.

He’s deadly from 3-point range. His presence on the court should open up driving lanes for his teammates.

Must redshirt this season after transferring from Bucknell. Expect big things from the guard in 2016-17.

ROMELLO WALKER

KARON WALLER

YOSEF YACOB

SENIOR GUARD

SENIOR GUARD

JUNIOR GUARD

Versatile guard who came on strong at the end of last season. He can both score and defend. If his jump shot has improved, he could be a force in the AE this year.

Lone senior on Bearcat roster. He showed the ability to shoot the 3-pointer as a sophomore but regressed last year.

Guard will redshirt this season after suffering a season-ending shoulder injury in October.

Photos courtesy of BU Athletics

5

November 13, 2015 | bupipedream.com

HEAD COACH:

BILL HERRION 2014-15 CONFERENCE RECORD:

11-5 (4TH) 2014-15 SEASON RECORD:

NEW HAMPSHIRE PIPE DREAM'S BASKETBALL SEASON PREVIEW

LEISSNER, WILDCATS LOOK TO BUILD ON LAST SEASON'S SUCCESS Jeffrey Twitty Assistant Sports Editor

There may be no superlative more humbling than “most improved.”

It suggests newfound success, but credits a long road of struggle along the way.

This year, for the New Hampshire men’s basketball team, the true test will be to prove that last season’s 19-13 finish — a 13-win improvement from the season before — wasn’t a fluke.

“I thought we would be a good team last year,” head coach Bill Herrion said. “I did not expect us to win 19 games. But I think going into

this season … We have a lot of returning players from last year who won 19 games. But now instead of us chasing people, I think now people are going to chase us a little bit.”

Among the players that will be chased for New Hampshire this season are returning junior guards Daniel Dion and Jaleen Smith, junior forward Jacoby Armstrong and the reigning America East (AE) Rookie of the Year, sophomore forward Tanner Leissner. As a freshman, Leissner played a crucial role in UNH’s breakthrough season, averaging 12.8 points per game and notching four doubledoubles in 27 starts.

While this season’s newcomers, including freshman

forward David Watkins and fellow rookie guards Andrew Dotson and Pat McNamara, have certainly shown promise so far according to Herrion, don’t look for a rookie to steal the show at the Lundholm Gymnasium this year.

“In a good way, our program is finally to the point where we have enough veteran players coming back … I don’t think we really have to rely on the freshmen right now,” Herrion said. “We have enough older returning veteran players who have played a lot of minutes.”

Set to spearhead New Hampshire’s defense this season is the duo of Leissner and Smith, which combined for 63 steals and 289 defensive

boards in 2014-15, good enough to make UNH the fifth-best defensive rebounding school in Division I. Junior guard Joe Bramanti, a transfer from Wright State, came off the bench in 2014-15 to record 19 steals and was named to the AE All-Defensive team for his performance on that end of the floor.

With steady pieces in play on both sides of the ball, New Hampshire is ready to begin another successful campaign.

Herrion, however, knows that repeating success is difficult and that expectations are high for the once-lowly Wildcats.

“That’s the biggest challenge we have, can we handle higher expectations and can we handle

PROBABLE STARTERS

teams coming at us every night?” Herrion said. “Our goal is to win the league and try to get into the NCAA tournament.

But so much has to happen between now and March.”

New Hampshire will be tested early in its tough nonconference schedule. Among the competition that UNH is set to take on outside of the AE are teams like UConn, SMU and Boston College — a squad that the Wildcats played against within 10 points last season.

Back in the AE, where the Wildcats finished 11-5 in 201415, the road to the top of the conference won’t be easy. But by reloading in 2015-16 with a confident and experienced squad, the ball is in their court.

Photos courtesy of unhwildcats.com

19-13 2014-15 TEAM STATS: OFFENSIVE: 67.1 PPG 36.7 RPG 11. 4 APG DEFENSIVE: 67.1 PPG ALLOWED 2.2 BPG 5.2 SPG

B7

JACOBY ARMSTRONG JUNIOR FORWARD 2014-15 STATS

TANNER LEISSNER SOPHOMORE FORWARD 2014-15 STATS

JOE BRAMANTI JUNIOR GUARD 2014-15 STATS

JALEEN SMITH JUNIOR GUARD 2014-15 STATS

DANIEL DION JUNIOR GUARD 2014-15 STATS

9.9 PPG 4.1 RPG 1.1 APG

12.8 PPG 7.5 RPG 1.1 APG

4.5 PPG 3.3 RPG 2.4 APG

10.7 PPG 5.2 RPG 2.8 APG

9.2 PPG 1.7 RPG 1.5 APG

HARTFORD

HAWKS RELOADING AFTER LOSING FIVE TO GRADUATION

Nicholas Waldron Pipe Dream Sports A year after a disappointing season in which the Hartford men’s basketball fell to below .500 overall as well as in conference play, the Hawks will try to improve their record — despite losing five starters and six seniors from last year’s squad.

Keeping with the theme of turnover, the area in which the Hawks really shined last year was in their defense’s ability to apply pressure and force turnovers. With negative splits in rebounding, scoring and field goal percentage, Hartford’s prowess in gaining possession from its opponents was its biggest strength in the 2014-15 season. Last year, Hartford was second in the America East in turnover margin, forcing 1.5 more turnovers per contest than it conceded.

Due to his team’s entirely new starting lineup, head coach John

Gallagher will be forced to discover what his team’s strengths will be this year on the fly. Facing the exact opposite situation of the one that he found himself in last year — when he returned five starters — Gallagher will use the beginning of the season to toy with his lineup.

“We’ll be able to use different lineups every week and work different guys in,” Gallagher said. “Hopefully by midJanuary we can have a consistent five.”

According to the coaching staff, practices have been high-energy, with every man on the roster fighting for a starting spot.

After returning five starters for the 2014-15 season, the Hawks went 1416 overall, tallying seven conference victories. Perhaps the uptick in intensity and competitiveness in practice is due to the high roster turnover. With five returning starters a season ago, Gallagher’s squad was projected to finish among the top teams in the AE. Instead, Hartford finished fifth in the nine-team

conference, losing to New Hampshire in the first round of the AE playoffs.

“Everybody understands that practice determines who’s going to play,” Gallagher said. “There’s an attitude of ‘I got to go earn it,’ which is great.”

When asked to point out a player who could take the Hawks to the next level in the 2015-16 campaign, Gallagher didn’t need any time to think of an answer.

“Pancake Thomas, no doubt,” Gallagher said. “He’s looked really good in practice, and he’s one of the guys who will really help us going forward.”

Thomas comes to Hartford by way of transfer from Mountain West powerhouse New Mexico. Thomas is one of three redshirt juniors on the squad whose experience will aid the young Hawks. As a Lobo in 2013-14, Thomas started 10 games and averaged 3.9 points and 2.4 rebounds per game.

Another player Gallagher will look to provide leadership to is junior guard Justin Graham. The reigning AE coSixth Man of the Year will move into

PROBABLE STARTERS

the starting five this season. Graham shot 41.9 percent from the field and 34.2 percent from three-point range last season, and, as one of the more experienced Hawks on the court, is a player Gallagher will rely on heavily this year.

With all of the senior talent that left the team following last season, it is easy to overlook the amount of talent Gallagher brought in with his freshman class. With recruits coming in from Australia and Texas, Hartford could have a bright future ahead.

“All four freshmen have a chance to play right away,” Gallagher said. “It’s one of the best freshman classes we’ve had in all my years here.”

Whether or not the Hawks will be able to survive after losing numerous key players to graduation remains to be seen. However, in a conference that has seen teams like Albany and Stony Brook succeed with few seniors, the Hawks are not just looking for success in the future — they want to win now.

Photos courtesy of hartfordhawks.com

6 HEAD COACH:

JOHN GALLAGHER 2014-15 CONFERENCE RECORD:

7-9 (5TH) 2014-15 SEASON RECORD:

14-16 2014-15 TEAM STATS: OFFENSIVE: 61.9 PPG 31.2 RPG 12.1 APG TAYLOR DYSON SENIOR GUARD 2014-15 STATS

JOHN CARROLL JUSTIN GRAHAM SOPHOMORE FORWARD JUNIOR GUARD 2014-15 STATS 2014-15 STATS

8.2 PPG 2.8 RPG 87.2 FT%

6.4 PPG 3.2 RPG 67.0 FT%

6.9 PPG 2.2 RPG 1.6 APG

PANCAKE THOMAS REDSHIRT JUNIOR GUARD 2013-14 STATS (NEW MEXICO)

3.9 PPG 2.4 RPG .7 APG

DEFENSIVE:

JACK HOBBS 64.1 PPG ALLOWED SOPHOMORE FORWARD 1.6 BPG 2014-15 STATS

11.3 MPG 2.3 PPG 36.4 FG%

6.2 SPG

B8

7 HEAD COACH:

AKI THOMAS 2014-15 CONFERENCE RECORD:

2-14 (T-8TH) 2014-15 SEASON RECORD:

4-26

UMBC

PIPE DREAM'S BASKETBALL SEASON PREVIEW

bupipedream.com | November 13, 2015

YOUNG UMBC ROSTER LOOKS TO IMPROVE IN CONFERENCE PLAY Orlaith McCaffrey Assistant Sports Editor

Third-year UMBC head men’s basketball coach Aki Thomas sees one goal for the 2015-16 season as paramount to all other aims: “To stay healthy,” he said.

Thomas’ chief aspiration comes as no surprise, as last season two of his projected starters, sophomore guards Rodney Elliott and Will Darley, missed significant playing time due to injuries. In the Retrievers’ first game of the season at Akron, Elliott tore the labrum in his left shoulder and required seasonending surgery.

Elliott was named AE Rookie of the Year in 2014 for his dominant first season, leading all conference freshmen with an average of 15 points per game.

He also shattered the Retrievers’ single-season freshman scoring record with 451 points. In addition to leading his team

in offensive production and minutes (31.4 per game), Elliott was also integral to UMBC’s ball movement, dishing out a high score of 3.6 assists per game.

Darley, meanwhile missed 11 games in 2014-15 due to a knee injury. He averaged 9.7 points and 3.4 rebounds per contest in just 19 games.

With the limited presence of Darley and complete absence of Elliott, the Retrievers won just two of 16 conference matchups last season, finishing in eighth place of the nine-team conference. UMBC was blown out, 66-39, by Vermont in the first round of the conference tournament.

Fortunately for UMBC, both Darley and Elliott are healthy and expected to contribute significantly to this season.

Elliott received a medical hardship waiver due to his injury and will retain three more years of eligibility. “[Elliot] is fully recovered from his shoulder injury,”

Thomas said. “He looks good, he’s healthy and he’s been out there practicing.”

Looking to spearhead the Retrievers’ offense this season along with Elliott and Darley will be senior forward Cody Joyce, who had a breakout performance last year. He started 28 out of 30 games and averaged 13.4 points per game on the season. “[Joyce] had a really good year,” Thomas said. “We were really able to get him the ball in certain areas where he could be effective.”

Joyce, the lone senior on this year’s squad, will be looked upon to lead a UMBC team that consists of just three upperclassmen.

Despite the youth of his team, Thomas is excited to have a deeper bench than he did last season. Last January, in the heart of conference play, the Retrievers’ roster featured just seven players. Now, that number is up to 14, seven of whom are newcomers to the program.

“I think everybody needs

to grow up a little faster than anticipated,” Thomas said.

“We’ve got the itch, we want to win, we want to play well. We do have some young guys that are talented … I think most of them have been pretty productive in practice, showing us some different things.”

The influx of first-year players will have to replace the production of last year’s key contributors: forward Devarick Houston and guard Wayne Sparrow. Houston, an imposing 6-foot-7-inch defender, was third in the America East and first amongst his teammates last season in blocks, averaging 1.2 per game. “[Houston] was a tremendous defender,” Thomas said. “I thought that he was very underrated as a defender in our league. It will be interesting to see if somebody emerges for us to be that kind of player that he was defensively.”

Sparrow, meanwhile, was a graduate transfer from

PROBABLE STARTERS

Richmond before failing to matriculate into a particular graduate program at UMBC. He was declared academically ineligible at the end of January and missed the rest of the season.

Prior to that, he had led the Retrievers in scoring, averaging 13.8 points per game.

However, Thomas focused on the development of this season’s team rather than the productivity of last year’s graduates.

“So far, with this team, I like what I see,” Thomas said. “The expectations for this year right now are just to take one day at a time, one game at a time, one possession at a time and try to get better every day.”

The improvement Thomas hopes to see will not come easily, as last season UMBC finished no better than sixth in the America East in any offensive category.

Improvement will depend in large part on the resurgence of Elliott and the ability of UMBC’s newcomers to acclimate to the speed of college basketball.

Photos courtesy of umbcretrievers.com

2014-15 TEAM STATS: OFFENSIVE: 58.2 PPG 28.4 RPG 42.4 FG% DEFENSIVE: 68.1 PPG ALLOWED 2.5 BPG RODNEY ELLIOT 6.1 SPG SOPHOMORE GUARD 2013-14 STATS

CODY JOYCE SENIOR FORWARD 2014-15 STATS

MALCOLM BRENT SOPHOMORE GUARD 2014-15 STATS

JOURDAN GRANT SOPHOMORE GUARD 2014-15 STATS

WILL DARLEY JUNIOR GUARD 2014-15 STATS

15.0 PPG 3.9 RPG 45.2 FG%

13.4 PPG 5.8 RPG 50.5 FG%

7.0 PPG 2.6 RPG 81.3 FT%

34.9 MPG 8.5 PPG 4.6 RPG

6.3 PPG 3.1 RPG 43.8 FG%

UMASS LOWELL

THOMAS' RETURN FROM INJURY COULD BE KEY TO SUCCESS

E.Jay Zarett Sports Editor UMass Lowell is set to enter its third season as a Division I program for the 2015-16 season.

Once again, the River Hawks enter the year near the bottom of the America East preseason poll.

In their first season at the top level of college basketball, the River Hawks were projected to finish in last place of the conference. But they exceeded expectations, compiling an 8-8 record in the America East — 10-18 overall — while finishing in fifth place in the conference standings.

Despite the success, Lowell was again picked to finish in ninth place in the AE standings last year. But, again, the River Hawks surpassed their preseason projections, finishing in sixth

with a record of 6-10, 12-17 overall.

“We were picked last — dead last — in both of our two seasons and we finished fifth and we finished sixth,” head coach Pat Duquette said. “So, I think we’ve had a lot more success than anybody thought.”

The River Hawks were projected to finish near the bottom of the standings again for the 2015-16 season — the team was picked to finish eighth in the nine-team conference. For the third straight year, Lowell will look to make the preseason poll obsolete by the end of the season.

The River Hawks will be led by star redshirt sophomore guard/forward Jahad Thomas.

Thomas took the America East by storm last season as a redshirt freshman. Although he stands at just 6 foot 2 inches tall, Thomas was a monster in the paint. He

battled for every rebound and bulldozed his way to the basket on offense, finishing around, over and through taller defenders.

Thomas averaged 14.3 points and 6.5 rebounds per game last season, both tops on Lowell, before suffering an ACL tear on January 31 at Binghamton. He is expected to be in the starting lineup for the River Hawks season opener.

“Jahad [Thomas] has worked really, really hard on his rehab, like he does on everything else,” Duquette said. “He’s in a good spot right now physically and mentally. He’s already practicing and I think he is excited about coming back.”

Helping Thomas with the scoring burden will be sophomore guard Matt Harris.

Harris averaged 8.8 points per game last season and is a strong 3-point shooter, knocking down

triples at a 37 percent clip last season.

“Matt Harris had a great second half of the season last year,” Duquette said. “We are going to look for important contributions from him this year as well.”

However, UMass Lowell enters the season with large holes to fill at the other three spots in the lineup. The River Hawks lost three of their top five scorers from last season. Former guards Chad Holley (8.9 points per game) and Marco Banegas-Flores (7.4 points per game) graduated while standout freshman guard Lance Crawford (9.7 points per game) transferred to South Alabama.

The River Hawks will need to rely heavily on a combination of their five freshmen and three redshirt freshmen to fill those positions. Who will play in which situations is still being

PROBABLE STARTERS

determined by the coaching staff.

“It’s hard to tell what kind of team we are going to be because we have eight freshmen who have never played a minute of college basketball,” Duquette said.

“We are still trying to figure out ourselves, what our rotation is going to be and how these guys are going to blend together.”

Although UMass Lowell is still ineligible for postseason play until the 2017-18 season as they make the complete transition to the DI level, Duquette is taking a variety of factors into consideration as he measures the progress of his program in year three.

“We are hoping to take that next step,” Duquette said. “At the same time we know we have to be patient, we have to build it the right way and that is going to take time to develop.”

Photos courtesy of goriverhawks.com

8 HEAD COACH:

PAT DUQUETTE 2014-15 CONFERENCE RECORD:

6-10 (6TH) 2014-15 SEASON RECORD:

12-17 2014-15 TEAM STATS: OFFENSIVE: 61.4 PPG 28.9 RPG 41.2 FG% MATT HARRIS SOPHOMORE GUARD 2014-15 STATS

DJ MLACHNIK SENIOR GUARD 2014-15 STATS

MARK CORNELIUS SENIOR GUARD 2014-15 STATS

8.8 PPG 41.6 FG% 37.0 3-FG%

9.1 MPG 2.6 PPG 44.2 FG%

12.6 MPG 2.3 PPG 1.4 RPG

JAHAD THOMAS REDSHIRT SOPHOMORE GUARD 2014-15 STATS

14.3 PPG 6.3 RPG 52.3 FG%

TYLER LIVINGSTON JUNIOR FORWARD 2014-15 STATS

5.0 PPG 2.2 RPG 30.9 3-FG%

DEFENSIVE: 66.5 PPG ALLOWED 1.0 BPG 6.9 SPG

9

HEAD COACH:

BILL WALSH 2014-15 CONFERENCE RECORD:

2-14 (9TH)

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MAINE

UNDER WALSH, BLACK BEARS BUILDING WINNING CULTURE Jeffrey Twitty

14’s campaign, which prompted Walsh’s hiring. The Maine lineup is still currently a work in progress for Walsh. But don’t be fooled by last season’s dismal record because, according to Walsh, the best is yet to come.

“We’re establishing a culture,” Walsh said. “We made a lot of progress in that last year. The results were nowhere near what we want or what we expect, but we [have] a group of guys who understand the standards of our program, what’s expected of them every day on and off the court, so we’re looking to build on that. Our standard is championship-level.”

Despite being selected to finish in last place in the America East

Assistant Sports Editor Last season, Maine head coach Bob Walsh inherited a team that finished with a 6-23 mark and lost two of its best players to transfer.

On the shortlist of goals for the then-new head coach was to develop trust among his players and the coaching staff, build a championship culture at Maine and move forward from the mediocrity that had plagued the program in recent years.

The Black Bears finished the 2014-15 with an overall record of 3-27, losing three wins and gaining four losses from 2013-

PROBABLE STARTERS

(AE) 2015 preseason poll, the Black Bears are not completely devoid of experienced talent, especially on offense. Maine is set to bring back its top two leading scorers in sophomore guard Kevin Little — a member of the AE All-Rookie team last season — and senior forward Till Gloger, who averaged 12.5 and 11.5 points per game last season, respectively.

Defensively, however, the Black Bears have gaps to fill. Last year, Maine surrendered a conferencehigh 74.8 points per game, allowing teams to score over 80 points in 12 separate matchups.

But according to Walsh, last season isn’t on anyone’s mind as 2015-16 brings a new team and a fresh start.

“Every team is starting over,” Walsh said. “Binghamton’s starting over, Vermont’s starting over, Albany’s starting over. Every group that started in early October is starting with a new team. The guys that we have now are brought in, and they believe in what we’re trying to do. We have a lot of new guys that we feel are going to fit really well into that culture.”

This season, Maine has rebuilt its team with nine newcomers, including eight freshmen.

Impressing early in Maine’s two exhibition games this season, in which the Black Bears have averaged 98.5 points per contest, are freshmen forwards Devine Eke and Issac Vann. The duo combined

for 61 points through both contests as Vann led his team in scoring during his first two collegiate exhibitions. While veterans Gloger and Little also turned in solid performances, the confidence and ability of Maine’s freshmen to step up early may turn out to be just what the struggling Black Bears need.

“We’re going to look for everybody to step up and be leaders this year,” Walsh said. “We really don’t qualify that for returning players or veteran players or seniors. We expect everybody on the team to make the people around them better and more productive. That’s how we define leadership.”

Photos courtesy of goblackbears.com

2014-15 SEASON RECORD:

3-27 2014-15 TEAM STATS: OFFENSIVE: 60.4 PPG 40.5 RPG 13.1 APG

TILL GLOGER SENIOR FORWARD 2014-15 STATS

DEFENSIVE: 74.8 PPG ALLOWED 11.5 PPG 4.8 RPG 1.1 BPG 6.0 SPG 52.6 FG%

SHAUN LAWTON SENIOR GUARD 2014-15 STATS

KEVIN LITTLE SOPHOMORE GUARD 2014-15 STATS

AARON CALIXTE SOPHOMORE GUARD 2014-15 STATS

VINCENT EZE FRESHMAN FORWARD 2014-15 STATS (HS)

9.6 PPG 4.3 RPG 40.6 FG%

12.5 PPG 2.5 RPG 37.4 FG%

7.3 PPG 2.7 RPG 82.5 FT%

12.0 PPG 11.0 RPG 5.0 BPG

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL

2015-2016

AFTER SINA INJURY, BU TO RELY ON WATKINS, INCOMING FRESHMEN Orlaith McCaffrey Assistant Sports Editor In mid-January of last season, the Binghamton women’s basketball team was blown out by Maine, 70-48. In mid-February, the Black Bears bested BU once again, 70-56.

In early March, the Bearcats hosted top-seeded Maine in the first round of the America East Tournament, once again dropping the game, this time by just seven, 78-71.

While being ousted in the first round of the conference tournament was not the most favorable outcome for the Bearcats, the upward trajectory of their performance against the league’s regular-season champion speaks to the improvements of the squad. BU hopes to build on those strides this season.

“We want to build on the wins from last year, that’s a goal,” Binghamton head coach Linda Cimino said. “We want to compete. We still have the same goals, which are to continue to improve and get better, learn

the system and change the culture of the program.”

In her first year at the helm of the program, Cimino led the Bearcats to four victories and 26 losses. Binghamton won just two conference games and ranked last in the America East in points per game (58.3), points allowed (71.4 per contest), field goal percentage defense (43.3 percent) and second-to-last in field goal percentage, connecting on just 36.8 percent of its shots from the floor.

Despite Binghamton’s dismal statistics, the Bearcats were kept afloat by the impressive performances of freshmen guards Jasmine Sina and Imani Watkins. At the end of the regular season, Sina was named the America East Rookie of the Year and both were named to the conference’s all-rookie squad. On a team that dressed as few as eight players last season, Sina and Watkins were mainstays on the floor, averaging 39.1 and 36.6 minutes per game, respectively.

The potent backcourt duo led Binghamton in points per

game as Sina averaged 14.8 per contest while Watkins added 13.5. Sina was also prolific from beyond the arc, landing 35.6 percent of her 3-point attempts, second in the AE. But, Binghamton took a blow when Sina tore her right ACL during a preseason training session and underwent season-ending surgery in late September. The absence of Sina will weigh heavily on the Bearcats, who had planned to run a four-guard lineup this season with Sina leading the charge. Although she won’t play for BU this year, Sina has transitioned into what Cimino believes will be a productive court-side role. “[Sina] is an unbelievable leader,” Cimino said. “I’ve asked her to help me make our lineup this year. She’s going to be an integral part of our coaching staff just so that she’s part of the program and she feels that connection.”

Left to lead the youthful Binghamton roster, which consists of just three returning upperclassmen, is Watkins.

“Imani’s playing a

significant role as a leader this year,” Cimino said. “She’s been tremendous and she’s starting to learn the point position, so we’ve kind of moved her from the two to the point.”

S t r e n g t h e n i n g Binghamton’s backcourt will be guard Kim Albrecht, the lone senior on this season’s team. In 2015, Albrecht had a breakout year for the Bearcats, starting 27 games, averaging 11.6 points per contest and leading the America East in free throw percentage, landing 87.3 percent of shots taken from the free throw line.

“Kim [Albrecht] has really stepped up this year,” Cimino said. “Her confidence level is really high right now. She’s shooting the ball very, very well. We’re trying to get her to score in multiple ways.”

Binghamton’s frontcourt will be led by sophomore forward Alyssa James, who sat out last season after transferring from Caldwell College, where she played under Cimino.

In 2013-2014, James led the Division II Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference with

2.7 blocks per game and was third in rebounds, snagging 9.7 boards per contest.

“Alyssa James has been a remarkable presence inside,” Cimino said. “We really struggled on the offensive boards last year — in terms of giving up too many — and I really think just her presence inside is going to change our defense.”

The Bearcats will once again depend on freshmen to round out their lineup.

Just like Sina and Watkins before them, freshmen guards

Rebecca Carmody and McKayla Hernandez will see plenty of playing time because of Sina’s absence.

“I’m thrilled with Rebecca Carmody’s progress so far,” Cimino said. “She’s so versatile and athletic. She can play one through four positions for us and I really think she’s going to make an immediate impact.”

BU is scheduled to kick off its season with its first-ever matchup against Michigan on Saturday. Tip-off is set for noon from the Crisler Center in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

HEAD COACH:

LINDA CIMINO 2014-15 CONFERENCE RECORD:

2-14 (9TH) IMANI WATKINS SOPHOMORE GUARD 2014-15 STATS

ALYSSA JAMES KIM ALBRECHT SOPHOMORE FORWARD SENIOR GUARD 2013-14 STATS (CALDWELL) 2014-15 STATS

13.5 PPG 4.1 RPG 3.4 APG

30.5 MPG 7.7 PPG 9.7 RPG

10.0 PPG 3.9 RPG 87.3 FT%

KRISTIN ROSS JUNIOR FORWARD 2014-15 STATS

REBECCA CARMONDY FRESHMAN GUARD 2014-15 STATS (HS)

3.1 PPG 3.9 RPG 36.9 FG%

15.0 PPG 8.0 RPG 4.0 SPG

2014-15 SEASON RECORD:

4-26

2014-15 TEAM STATS: OFFENSIVE: 58.3 PPG 32.7 RPG 36.8 FG% DEFENSIVE: 71.4 PPG ALLOWED 2.2 BPG 6.1 SPG

Photos courtesy of BU Athletics

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ALYSSA JAMES

POST PLAYER TO IMPROVE BEARCATS' FRONTCOURT Brett Malamud Pipe Dream Sports

2013-14 STATS

(CALDWELL)

11 2014-15 STATS 13.5 PPG 4.1 RPG 3.4 APG

30.5 MPG 7.7 PPG 9.7 RPG

When Linda Cimino left her head-coaching position at Caldwell to take the reigns of the Binghamton women’s basketball team in the spring of 2014, she brought with her not just a strategy to rebuild the struggling program, but also one of her most productive defenders: Alyssa James.

Despite not having played in a game in over a year, James, currently a sophomore, finished the Bearcats’ preseason contest against East Stroudsburg last Friday night with 19 points and nine rebounds. Prowess in the post position runs in James’ family, as she is the niece of New York Knicks great and NBA Hall-of-Famer Patrick Ewing.

James cited her decision to transfer from Caldwell to Binghamton prior to last season as a result of the strong

connection she had developed with Cimino.

“When [Cimino] recruited me at Caldwell, she was just so enthusiastic,” James said.

“Other coaches don’t give you the same feel that she gives you, like ‘this is going to be your new home.’ I had never even been to this campus before the first day of summer session. I just love her.”

Last season, the Bearcats struggled on the glass as they were out-rebounded by nearly 10 per game. Cimino hopes that James’ abilities will lead to a significant improvement in her team’s play in the paint. “[James] is a remarkable presence inside,” Cimino said.

“She’s a shot blocker and a rebounder. We gave up too many offensive boards last year and I believe that her presence inside is really going to change our defense.”

Cimino is just as excited about James’ offensive potential. Without sophomore guard Jasmine Sina in the lineup due to a torn ACL, the Binghamton coach believes that James will help create more space on the perimeter

for the guards.

“Offensively, her presence is going to open it up for our guards a little bit because she’s going to attract so much attention,” Cimino said.

“She’s really going to give our guards some space to work with. She catches anything so our guards know when they’re in a jam, they can just throw it up to her and she’s going to catch it and do something with it.”

James acknowledged that she’ll need to quickly adjust to the style of Division I players, since her prior experience came at the Division II level. In addition to this acclimation, she will look to fill the role played by Sherae Swinson last season. Swinson, who graduated at the end of the 2014-15 season, was the Bearcats’ best post player as well as a leader on and off the court.

“We definitely need leadership in the post,” James said. “We had Sherae [Swinson] last year, but, it’s going to be different without her. So, we need leadership for our freshmen.”

5

Although this season is the first in which she will officially don the green and white for the Bearcats, James is far from a newcomer — having practiced with the team since summer 2014. James is also a former high school teammate of freshman guard McKayla Hernandez, a first-year Binghamton player this season.

After redshirting in 201415 in accordance with NCAA transfer rules and witnessing a four-win season, James’ motivations for this year include the desire to win more games and grow as a leader.

“It’s a different experience knowing that you’re going to play and not just be a practice player,” James said. “I’m really excited for this year.”

IMANI WATKINS

FOR GUARD, TIME TO LEAD IS NOW Orlaith McCaffrey Assistant Sports Editor Sophomore guard Imani Watkins describes her rookie season playing for the Binghamton women’s basketball team as “being thrown into the fire at a young age.”

Because of BU’s lack of depth last season, the High Point, North Carolina native started all 30 games for the Bearcats, averaging 36.6 minutes and 13.5 points per contest to earn a spot on the America East All-Rookie team. In her debut season, Watkins and fellow freshman guard Jasmine Sina formed a potent backcourt duo, combining to win the conference Rookie of the Week award eight times.

The inferno of Division I conference play that Watkins was thrown into prompted her to ignite a fire of her own, which she constantly brought to the Binghamton squad. As a starter last season, she helped set the tone for the go-hard, hustle mentality that her team became known for.

Although it posted a 4-26

record and won just two conference matchups last season, Binghamton, under the guidance of first-year head coach Linda Cimino, emerged as a team that refused to cede defeat. It was not uncommon to see BU players scrambling on the floor for loose balls or sprinting down the court in transition even when trailing.

Early in 2014-15, the name Imani Watkins wasn’t featured prominently in the scouting reports of Binghamton’s conference rivals.

After her noteworthy freshman campaign, however, Watkins is sure to be at the top of the list of each America East team this season.

Watkins believes that she can handle the extra attention.

“I think you get better every year,” Watkins said. “The challenges change, but as a player, you have to change with them, so I think I’ll be prepared for whatever they throw at me this year.”

One of the new challenges that Watkins must face is the loss of teammate and backcourt partner Jasmine Sina, the 2015 America East Rookie of the Year. Sina required season-ending surgery after tearing her right ACL during a preseason

training session and will redshirt the 2015-16 campaign. Last year, Sina was the only Bearcat to best Watkins in minutes played and points per game, tallying 39.1 and 14.8, respectively.

The tandem of Watkins and Sina was an offensive force and a main reason why the Bearcats remained within striking distance in so many games.

“It’s a blow, but I think her being on the sideline is going to also make me better because she sees things that I can’t,” Watkins said. “[Sina] can still be my partner in crime, just a little differently this year. She has taken this in stride and I feel like even just in the few weeks of practice that we’ve had, she’s learned so much and that’s going to help us when she gets back on the floor. And it’s even going to help us this year.”

Without Sina on the court, Watkins will be looked upon to lead a Binghamton roster that features six newcomers.

“Leading is never easy,” Watkins said. “You just kind of do it. I definitely think being thrown into

REBECCA CARMODY

the fire so young has prepared me and molded me to become a better leader faster.”

The game experience Watkins gained from her large role as a freshman are sure to benefit her as she attempts to help the Bearcats best their spot in the preseason poll.

Binghamton was predicted to finish last in the nine-team conference.

“I think just being a leader last year has really helped me understand how much of a leader I have to be this year,” Watkins said. “Being vocal and being patient and understanding that we’re learning together.”

As the leader of BU, Watkins has placed the team’s goals ahead of any individual aspirations.

“Our goal is just to get better every day,” Watkins said. “You don’t want to take 10 steps forward and then 30 steps back. You kind of want to take one step every day, two steps every day. Rome wasn’t built in a day.”

VERSATILE FRESHMAN CAN PLAY FOUR POSITIONS Brett Malamud Pipe Dream Sports

2014-15 STATS (HS) 15.0 PPG 8.0 RPG 4.0 SPG

As the Binghamton women’s basketball program continues its rebuilding period under secondyear head coach Linda Cimino, freshman guard Rebecca Carmody could make an immediate impact after the loss of sophomore standout guard Jasmine Sina to a torn ACL in late September.

Cimino says that Carmody is set to play big minutes, and while Carmody states that she hasn’t had many opportunities to see Sina play, she knows that the show must go on.

“We’re definitely going to have a loss there, but we’re going to keep learning,” Carmody said. “There’s nothing we can do. We have to keep building.”

The 5-foot-8-inch native of Waymart, Pennsylvania, was a three-time All-Lackawanna League selection in high school. Location

was a big factor in Carmody’s decision to attend Binghamton.

“It was close to home,” Carmody said. “Academically, [Binghamton] is a well-known school. The campus is nice and I felt that I’d do well here playing basketball.”

Carmody may be undersized, but rebounding will prove to be one of her biggest strengths.

In fact, getting her feet off the ground is what Carmody is used to.

Throughout high school, Carmody excelled in the long jump and triple jump for the Western Wayne outdoor track team, winning both events at the 2015 District 2 Class AA Championships. The four-year letter winner also played for the volleyball team and was named the Lackawanna League MVP during her senior season. Carmody averaged 15 points and eight rebounds in her senior year of high school and hopes to see that productivity translate to the collegiate level.

This was just the case last Friday night, when she finished the Bearcats’ exhibition game against

East Stroudsburg with 11 points and nine rebounds.

“I’m thrilled with Rebecca’s progress so far,” Binghamton head coach Linda Cimino said. “She’s so versatile and athletic. She excels at getting to the rim. She can play up to four different positions for us and I really think she’s going to make an immediate impact in the backcourt.”

To Carmody, family comes first, and she was quick to point out the biggest influence on her basketball career.

“It’s definitely my twin sister Rachel,” Carmody said. “We’ve been playing together since we were five. She’s been by my side through everything and has helped to make me better. She really has had a big impact on me.”

Although Rachel will be not be playing with her this season, Rebecca will get to see her sister on the court, as Binghamton will take on Misericordia University — where Rachel Carmody is a forward — on January 4.

33 “It’s going to be weird,” Carmody said. “The only time we’ve ever played against each other was in practice. It will be a big day for my family so I’m really excited for it.”

Down the road, Carmody sees big things for the program. As for now, she’s taking it one game at a time.

“We’re going to go out every game and give it our best to win,” Carmody said. “Obviously winning comes first, but we want to just keep building the program.”