Spring 2024 Issue 16

BSU hosts entrepeneur for speaker event

As part of their Black History Month programming, the Black Student Union (BSU) hosted a keynote speaker event featuring Demetrius Harmon, a Gen Z internet personality, actor and business owner.

The event was a safe space for attendees to ask Harmon questions

and feel seen. A Detroit native who began his social media career as a freshman in high school, Harmon gained a following on YouTube and Vine. He owns “You Matter,” a clothing brand that encourages self-esteem and provides physical comfort for those struggling — with embroidery reading “I feel weak, but I know I’m strong” on hoodies’ wrists. Students were encouraged to write positive affirmations on Post-it notes, which included phrases like “just be raw,” and “I am not defined by my past — I am driven by my future.”

Ukrainian Cultural Association organizes vigil

“Ukrainian

Common Ground presents biannual

BU

In observance of the second anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the recently formed Ukrainian Cultural Association held a vigil on Saturday.

Beginning at 5:30 p.m. on the Peace Quad, participants heard firsthand accounts about the realities on the ground. The vigil was followed by a screening of “20 Days in Mariupol,” a documentary filmed by an Associated Press team of Ukrainian journalists. The film documents Russian atrocities

committed in their army’s siege of Mariupol, a coastal Ukrainian city.

Julia Biggs, the organization’s president and a sophomore majoring in nursing, said she believes that acknowledging Ukraine’s history is essential to understanding their people’s endurance and resilience.

“We just want to bring awareness to the fact that Ukraine has been fighting for democracy for itself and to be a sovereign nation for quite some time,” Biggs said.

In 2013, Russian-backed Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych abruptly withdrew from a planned association agreement with the European Union, which sparked protests — now referred to as the Maidan Uprising, referring to the central square in Kyiv, Ukraine’s capital, where the protests first began.

This past Friday, Common Ground held their biannual Reading Series in the Alumni Lounge. The event was an opportunity for graduate and undergraduate students to come together and share some of the writing they’ve been working on.

The event featured a wide variety of writers reading work ranging from poetry about mental health to snippets from fiction works. Despite the personal

nature of many of the works read, the students reading were open to sharing these inner thoughts as a way to connect to their fellow writers. During the event, the group of attendees were very supportive to those who were sharing their pieces.

Alexis Galant, a sophomore majoring in English, elaborated on the importance of the poems she presented. “The poems that I read are both very internal works,” Galant said. “All of my poems are reflective of my subconscious. The poem style is creepy and horror-esque because I want to embody my subconscious, but also make it in a way that’s ambiguous and kind of makes the reader react in a certain way through

description and horror and stuff like that.”

Common Ground is an organization that aims to bring together writers from across Binghamton University to create a community where writers can share with their peers. While the organization used to only include Ph.D. students, it has grown to include all students who are interested.

Alycia Calvert, a coordinator of Common Ground and a second-year Ph.D. candidate in English, explained how the organization benefits writers and the campus community.

Pipe Dream’s advice

Men’s basketball falls to UMass Lowell on the road,

Wrestling defeated by in-state rivals Cornell,

The Free Word on Campus Since 1946

Delegates favor Sapraicone in Senate contest

convention from page 1

The former NYPD detective will likely challenge U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand in November.

Luca Carrese news intern

For the first time in nearly two decades, New York Republicans held their statewide nominating convention in Broome County. Party leaders arrived Thursday at the Doubletree by Hilton on Water Street in Downtown Binghamton.

A vast majority of delegates voted to nominate Mike Sapraicone, a former New York Police Department detective, as the party’s candidate to challenge U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand for the seat she has held since 2009. Following Sapraicone’s victory, a fundraising luncheon was held for Rep. Marc Molinaro’s reelection bid, where the incumbent representative was joined by House Speaker Mike Johnson, the most powerful elected Republican in Washington.

“Upstate New York knows what it’s like to be flown over,” Molinaro said. “Presidential candidates don’t come here, governors rarely stop by [and] state policy generally is downstate-oriented […] What [Johnson in Binghamton] means is the speaker lived up to his commitment to me, which was my district and the people I represent would have a seat at the table and their voice heard. He heard from folks in the community, he

heard from law enforcement and he heard from me that we’ve got to do more to ensure that the policies that are adopted in Washington and Albany provide real meaningful relief and opportunity for the people of upstate New York.”

GOP leaders held the convention to choose a preferred candidate for the Senate seat, the only statewide race in 2024. If two or more candidates garnered over 25 percent of the vote, a primary election would have been triggered in June. Sapriacone won about 85 percent of the delegates, bypassing a contested primary, though his opponents can petition to be included on a June ballot.

Benji Federman, the Broome County GOP chairman, opened the event, welcoming the delegates to Broome County. Alexandria Chun, a senior majoring in philosophy, politics and law, then emphasized the importance of respectful discourse between both sides of the political spectrum, especially among younger people.

“[The convention being in Binghamton] shows the importance of Broome County in statewide politics,” Federman said. “Over a hundred Republicans from around the state are coming to Binghamton [to nominate a U.S. Senate candidate] who is going to beat [Gillibrand]. We see poll after poll that shows that New York residents think that we’re moving in the wrong direction in our state and country. The way that we start to improve the trend is by electing a Republican

senator who is going to go to Washington and [focus] on the issues that matter to Broome County residents and New York state residents.”

Sapraicone’s two competitors in the Senate race addressed the crowd during the convention. Cara Castronuova spoke about her experience working for former President Donald Trump and advocating for accused Capitol rioters.

Josh Eisen, an unsuccessful candidate for the 17th Congressional District, then emphasized the importance of upholding Republican values. Sapraicone spoke last, sharing the importance of unifying Repub-

licans to prevent “further chaos.”

“What’s really important now is to keep this party strong and united,” Sapraicone said in a preliminary statement after his victory. “Whatever it takes to unite, because if we’re going to beat the Democrats come November and beat [Gillibrand], we need to be together. We have the issues on our side. These are issues for Americans [and] New Yorkers […] I have a lot of energy, and we’re gonna get out there and meet everybody.”

After the contest, delegates and donors met in the adjoining room, where the luncheon for Molinaro’s re-

election bid was held. Protestors gathered outside the hotel objecting to Johnson and Molinaro’s appearance in Binghamton, reaching its peak as a row of Binghamton police and black SUVs reached the hotel.

Once the luncheon concluded, Johnson and Molinaro visited the Broome County Sheriff’s office. Molinaro had asked the speaker to join him in meeting with local law enforcement officials to show appreciation. Fred Akshar, the Broome County sheriff, and newly-elected District Attorney F. Paul Battisti were also present. “We had a great opportunity to have the speaker

meet with some folks in law enforcement,” Molinaro said. “What I know of Speaker Johnson, and what we’re committed to both here at home and in Washington is to confront the need to support law enforcement and to confront the challenges facing public safety. That means addressing border security and it means addressing some of the policies here in New York [state] that have made it more difficult to do the work that [law enforcement] do everyday. The speaker was generous in extending our appreciation, but also understands that we have to deliver for law enforcement as well.”

Demonstrators rally against GOP’s far-right wing

PRotest from page 1

Demonstrators rallied outside Republicans’ nominating convention, protesting Johnson, Molinaro and the GOP’s farright wing, which is closely aligned with former President Donald Trump.

Luca Carrese news intern

Community activists rallied Thursday in response to House Speaker Mike Johnson and Rep. Marc Molinaro’s appearance in Binghamton.

The Water Street protest,

organized by Citizen Action of New York’s Southern Tier Chapter, Indivisible Binghamton and Empire State Voices, occurred as New York’s Republican Party held their nominating convention at the Doubletree by Hilton hotel. While GOP delegates met to nominate a candidate for 2024’s U.S. Senate contest, demonstrators gathered outside with signs protesting Johnson, Molinaro and the far-right wing of the Republican Party aligned with former President Donald Trump.

Many voiced support for Ukraine amid Johnson’s continued opposition to a Senate-proposed funding package, which would have included aid for the coun-

try’s continued military campaign against Russia.

Ravo Root, a community organizer with Citizen Action, described the major reasons for the protest’s organization.

“It is the Republican Party chaos,” Root said. “They can’t get anything done, and people are pretty upset about it. There’s so many statements and votes that Johnson has made that have basically [said] that Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid is an existential threat to government. To a young person, that disgusts me […] The other thing [Johnson] says is that abortion is an ‘American Holocaust,’ which is disgusting to me too. We need to make sure that we’re able to make our voices heard in these cases, and Molinaro is a rubber stamp for [Johnson]. He continues to vote for many of his bills.”

In several statements, Citizen Action condemned Johnson’s record, calling the speaker an “advocate for radical abortion bans” and a “2020 election denier.” Sim-

ilarly, they criticized Molinaro for “[slashing] funding to veterans” and “[cutting] housing vouchers.”

As a rank-and-file congressman in 2022, Johnson introduced the Stop the Sexualization of Children Act, which aimed to “[prohibit] the use of federal funds to develop, implement, facilitate or fund any sexually-oriented program, event or literature for children under the age of 10.” Johnson has also been staunchly opposed to abortion rights over the years, calling the procedure “a holocaust” in an op-ed published by the Shreveport Times in 2005.

“One of the major things that bothered me about this is that, first off Molinaro was against the student loan forgiveness, and [Johnson] is also vehemently opposed to it,” David Brennan, the treasurer of Binghamton University’s College Democrats and a senior majoring in history, said. “I’m already almost $80,000 in debt at this school, and I basically have a career path which [will make it] very tough for

me to get out of debt and get into the middle class after school. Also, as a gay student, [Johnson] was basically supporting the idea of banning gay relationships and gay marriages. That is something I couldn’t stand for, and I had to be out here.”

During an appearance at the Broome County Sheriff’s office on Thursday afternoon, Molinaro attempted to ease protestors’ concerns, specifically about reproductive justice and LGBTQ+ rights.

“I know that every person should be given the opportunity to achieve their own success, live their own life and to celebrate their own freedom,” Molinaro said. “What that means for me, as a dad of four kids, is simply to love every individual — irrespective of who they are, who they pray to [or] what they believe. […] We need to ensure that while we want to support parents and families in raising children, that government doesn’t impose itself on young people as they make choices in life. […] I respect the very difficult de-

cision that women have to make. Government should tone it down, elected officials should stop suggesting this is a zero-sum game and love and respect women as they make those choices.”

Some expressed concern surrounding Molinaro’s association with Johnson amid a competitive reelection campaign, given the speaker’s track record on several culture war issues. Throughout the protest, a small truck made rounds in front of the hotel with digital signs criticizing Johnson and Molinaro. At one point, the screen read “Hold Rich Tax Cheats Accountable” above pictures of both men.

“I think [Johnson] called the ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill in Florida ‘common sense,’” Root said. “That’s reprehensible, it’s disgusting and it’s wrong. [Johnson] should be ashamed of himself for going after the LGBTQ+ community, and that’s why folks are here as well. There’s so many different issues that we need to cover and make sure that our voices are heard.”

luca carrese news intern

Rep. Marc Molinaro, who represents Greater Binghamton in the House of Representatives, was among the first to address the convention, speaking about the values and the future of the Republican Party.

BSU’s programs center “FUBU: For Us, By Us” theme

Jahi Ferguson, BSU’s vice president and a senior majoring in biology, described why the organization chose Harmon as the event’s keynote speaker.

“[BSU] took into consideration the need for our community to feel heard as a result of Black and POC students still trying to navigate their mental health in post [COVID-19] academia,” Ferguson wrote in an email.

“Knowing that [Harmon] is someone who we all grew up watching and his efforts to produce intentional and transparent conversations regarding mental health, entrepreneurship and creativity, we knew he would be the perfect fit for our event.”

Following Harmon’s arrival, two E-Board members asked questions about his advocacy for mental health — especially for young people — and discussed his motivation to inspire them “to be honest, transparent and bold with their dreams and desires.”

Harmon shared his goal of creating safe spaces for teenagers by holding events like a field day and an ice skating rink outing.

“I would say [that] I got into my most trouble in high school from start to finish,”

Harmon said. “[I was] doing things I knew I shouldn’t be doing … there were no places to go […] I have a really soft spot in my heart for I would say probably like 14 to 23 [year-olds] … I feel like that’s when you’re trying to find yourself and that’s when you need a space to do that safely without poor influences.”

Throughout the discussion, Harmon emphasized the importance of community, saying that “anybody can be there for you, if you allow

them to be.” This belief has been central in his efforts to provide young people with resources, physical space and a community for them to be authentic. He hopes to offer accessible recorded courses, ranging from entrepreneurial work to the arts and helping people achieve their dreams.

“With BSU’s Black History Month theme “For Us, By Us,” we wanted to highlight the importance of spaces that are tailored to the needs, desires and wants of Black students [and] made by Black students,” Ferguson wrote. “Thus, the goal of our event was to personify the concept of carefully curated, intentionality and empowerment, through not only the selected speaker, but the questions asked, the room setup

and even the music that was played.”

The second half of the keynote was a Q&A session, which created a space for audience members to engage with Harmon about topics like placing one’s worth, how religion and tragic events shaped his outlook and other topics surrounding mental health issues among young people of color.

“We hope our lasting impact to be one of our community remaining united and empowered, that we as young Black people can become entrepreneurs, can heal from trauma and discuss mental health openly and to appreciate what goes into community building and sustaining that,” said Paris DeFreitas, BSU’s publications coordinator and

social-cultural coordinator and a sophomore majoring in philosophy, politics and law. “We as Black people must curate these spaces with [the] intention for our community, and by members of it.”

BSU’s Black History Month programs have included general body meetings about reparations, inventions and innovations made by Black folks and the groundwork laid by predecessors entitled “My Ancestor’s Wildest Dreams.”

BSU has collaborated with many University multicultural organizations, including the BU chapter of the NAACP, the Haitian Student Association, the Latin American Student Union, the National Society of Black Engineers, the National Pan-Hellenic Council, the African Student

Organization and the Caribbean Student Association.

Black History Month was created by Carter Woodson, a historian, and Jesse Moorland, a minister, and is an annual celebration of Black accomplishments and achievements. In an Instagram post announcing their programming, BSU wrote, “we also use this month to highlight the stories of Black individuals across the diaspora as a way to acknowledge our linked heritage.”

“BSU hopes the audience left Keynote 2024 with a sense of community that they may not have felt in Binghamton before,” Ferguson wrote. “Our mission is to promote Unity in Heritage and building community [in] every aspect of the word, hence our different

yearly programming. From our Youth Program, where we bring Black and Brown children aged 5-13 to campus, to our UTURN program where we mentor young incarcerated individuals, to Vanguard, which is our on-school creative arts publication to the entire Black History Month. Our goal for Keynote and every BSU-held event is to show the importance of being present and listening to the person next to you in order to move forward in a positive direction together. BSU was so thrilled to see how impactful this event was, and we can not wait for the [University] community to see what we have in store for them for the rest of the semester.”

Students gather on the Peace Quad for Ukraine

The conflict’s recent escalation has had wide-reaching consequences throughout the campus community. Many students have family living in Ukraine, including Sophia Myshchuk, the association’s vice president and a junior majoring in biology, whose parents are Ukrainian immigrants.

“For me, it’s very personal,” Myshchuk said. “It’s something that really touches my heart.”

Russia’s invasion has led

to the largest refugee crisis in Europe since World War II.

Several BU students have fled their homes, including Maxim Jhor Harazha. While he was born in New York City, Harazha lived in Ukraine until the invasion forced him to return to the United States. He said the adjustment would have been even more difficult without the support of the association, which works to uplift Ukrainian voices on BU’s campus and celebrate their unique culture and history.

Roman Raguso, an association member and a senior

majoring in computer science, his sister Kalyna Raguso, the organization’s treasurer and a sophomore majoring in neuroscience, and Biggs all have family living in Ukraine’s west.

“At night, they hear missiles going over their homes,” Biggs said. “It’s just really scary and a lot of people here are directly affected.”

In the city of Mariupol, thousands of residential homes, two hospitals, and a theater operating as a civilian shelter were targeted. The civilian death toll in Mariupol is conservatively estimated to be around 10,000. Human rights abuses have occurred throughout Russian-controlled areas in Ukraine, including in Bucha, where Russian soldiers conducted a “cleansing” operation that entailed going door-to-door torturing and executing civilians they deemed threatening and shooting people in the streets.

These incidents, as well as rampant sexual violence under Russian occupation against girls and women of all ages, were highlighted during the vigil, capturing the scale of devastation caused by this

conflict. Biggs and Myshchuk delivered parts of their speeches in Ukrainian, a language that has been historically suppressed by Russia. The ceremony concluded with the playing of the Star Spangled Banner, followed by the Ukrainian national anthem — a demonstration of unity between the two nations. The organization thanked the United States and other allies, like Poland and Canada, for their aid and support and stressed the importance of individual action.

“It is [the victim’s] cour-

age and strength that inspires us to advocate tirelessly on their behalf,” Myshchuk said. “Ukrainian spirit can not be broken. In gathering to commemorate the two-year mark of the war, let us renew our commitment to Ukraine, that we stand shoulder to shoulder and provide her with unwavering support, so that people’s cries are heard and their dreams of freedom are made reality.”

jared chen contributing photographer

Demetrius Harmon engaged in conversation with members of the Black Student Union’s E-Board and the audience and shared personal stories about his experiences.

Dear Doris

Dear Doris, How Do I Start a Business?

The first thing you have to do is learn how to spell business. This is a crucial first step.

The second step is to know what type of business you want to start. For instance, if you wanted to kick start your entrepreneurship journey by … let’s say selling meth, I’d recommend watching Breaking Bad and consulting Rick Ross. If you want to start … let’s say a construction business, I’d still recommend watching Breaking Bad and consulting Ross as they have a vast array of knowledge that is applicable to all walks of life.

The third step is to stop getting back together with

your ex-girlfriend. Sorry. Ignore that. I’m projecting.

The real third step is to figure out a cool business name. This is perhaps the most crucial step in the whole operation because if your business name sucks, in layman’s terms, you suck.

Think about Lockheed Martin. Martin is the name of the nerd who’s marrying your sister. He seems like a pretty good guy with a decent sense of morals.

The fourth step is to start talking with your hands more. Think Donald Trump and any Italian ever.

The final step is to daydream about making millions. In the biz they call this “manifestation,” and anyone who’s ever made it

will tell you it’s a real thing. Of course, you’re only hearing from people who made it and not everyone else who has never accomplished anything noteworthy. With that being said, if you meticulously follow these steps, I can almost guarantee that you will be the next Elon Musk … if Elon Musk was poor, normal and not having cosplay sex with Johnny Depp’s ex-wife — which is clearly awesome.

Dear Doris, I’m anxious about this being my last semester. How do I deal with graduation nerves?

You are quite literally asking advice from the worst person. Even thinking about it now makes me stress like a tank top on Tony Soprano.

But it’s important to note why we stress as humans, because while stress feels like a nuisance, it’s what allowed mankind not only to survive, but thrive. And yeah, okay, sometimes life feels more like we’re fighting for our survival rather than our … “thriv-ival” … partly because of this nuisance we call stress.

But stress is what makes some humans venture out

into the unknown and others to stay where the bed is warm. It made some study for the test while others decided it was enough just to wing it and try their best. Stress is what made Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson inject steroids up his ass while others … didn’t. Everybody feels stress. It just depends on whether or not you use it to your advantage. So you’re nervous about graduating … why? If you’re scared you’re gonna miss your roommates, make more of an effort to hang out with them … maybe watch “Twilight” while getting shitfaced off Twisted Teas. If you’re scared about what you’re going to do after college … hop on LinkedIn and look at all the amazing

job opportunities that you have no chance of getting. If you’re scared about not walking across the stage … study harder or get crutches. Stress is like that friend who won’t shut the fuck up. Eventually, you gotta get to a point in your life where you’re so busy and filled with purpose that you don’t have time to listen to that friend who won’t shut the fuck up. Use that friend as motivation, and every time you hear them, make sure you’re putting yourself in a position where you can tell them — with quite certainty — there is no reason why they shouldn’t shut the fuck up.

The case for optimism in political discourse

I’m tired. I, along with the nearly six-in-10 American adults, feel that political conversation with those who have opposing views is “stressful and frustrating.” This number has been steadily climbing over the past several years, to no one’s surprise.

I’m tired of navigating the minefield of political discourse, riddled with hostility and rancor. What was once a cornerstone of democratic society — a forum for robust debate and intellectual diversity — has devolved into a cacophony of invectives and flared tempers. It certainly feels

as though we have reached a point of no return.

Despite my brooding, I firmly believe that the answer — at least in part — lies in resolving the insidious combination of negativity and partisan warfare. From a daily barrage of negative news stories to mudslinging and character attacks that define modern political campaigns, we are oversaturated with division.

It is no wonder that many of us, myself included, prefer to keep our political beliefs close to the chest, for fear of becoming a casualty in the crossfire.

The American political landscape has been and still is shifting toward extremism and violence. Unfortunately, the media has not done much to amend the issue — in fact, it has done

quite the opposite. The overwhelming majority of headlines focus on negative stories. At the heart of our collective consciousness lies a predisposition toward negativity — a phenomenon known as negativity bias. Rooted in our evolutionary history, humans have developed to give more attention to negative stimuli than positive ones. Even infants as young as three months old show a bias toward negative social behavior. Evidently, in order to capitalize on this learning, the media forms stories that are perceived largely negative in nature. Although negativity bias is widely studied, the challenge comes with confronting our own biases. The first step toward diminishing bias is acknowledging that

it exists in the first place. To move forward, we must employ a pragmatic approach to optimism. I emphasize that this is far from naïve idealism or wishful thinking. Rather, we must use our collective power to find common ground and foster empathy.

How do we accomplish this? I point you toward a conversation I had in my Foundations of Civic Engagement class with Professor David Campbell. When engaging in discourse with those who have vastly different views, empathy is a critical catalyst for optimistic conversation. Professor Campbell grounded our class with a simple, yet profound question — before acquiring a judgment on a person’s outlook, ask them — and yourself — what

life experiences and circumstances led you to this perspective? This query is essential to building a community and instilling trust among each other. Here, we can focus on shared values and the acknowledgement of our own biases and prejudices.

Asking these questions is an active practice — empathy is not something that simply comes to fruition. It is part of a routine exercise. Similarly, optimism is not only a “perspective.”

Melinda Gates puts it best — “Optimism isn’t a belief that things will automatically get better — it’s a conviction that we can make things better.”

As tempting as it may be to retreat into our respective echo chambers and disengage from the con -

The solution to political fatigue can be found in empathy. Journalism with integrity and truth should be the ethical standard.

versation altogether, the stakes are simply too high to remain silent. Political discourse is not merely a luxury, but a responsibility. To abdicate this responsibility is to cede power to those who thrive from discord. As Eric Liu, founder of Citizen University, prophetically cautioned, “if you don’t learn how to practice power, someone else will do it for you — in your name, on your turf, with your voice and often against your interests.”

It is clear that the solution to our political fatigue lies in an unyielding commitment to empathy — this is how we stay “optimistic.”

Clay Jeon is a freshman majoring in philosophy, politics and law.

Anonymous sources are used too often as cowardly escape

“The president feels good about this decision, sources say.” “They have come to their divorce amicably, close sources say.” “The king is taking time off to recover, sources say.” Sources say this and sources say that.

Now, you may ask, why?

Journalists are required to base their articles on evidence and develop new stories, but what if the people in the position to provide evidence don’t want to be named? In that case, you get unnamed sources and a whole heaping pile of trust issues the public has with the media. So why do these journalists continue to secure the identity of their sources?

The answer is quite simple — journalists rarely have one-off sources. Journalists generally stick to a specific field in which they want to specialize in, writing about

Often in television and media, many assertions are made with the help of sources close to those at the center of it all. But, how much can these unnamed sources really be trusted? When hiding behind the veil of anonymity, sources are free to speak without many negative repercussions. But this practice is not as few and far between as maybe we’d like to believe, rather, it’s one of the most common practices in mainstream journalism. By allowing sources to maintain their anonymity, journalists continuously subject their work to intense scrutiny, especially with issues of credibility.

and developing contacts in said field. So when journalists publish information from a specific source all the time, that source is bound to be recognized. By revealing the identity of that source, the personal ramifications may end that line of information for the journalist.

It is seen as ethical in professional journalism to not name a source without their permission. But, what happens when the threat of personal consequences is diminished and sources can unabashedly speak on issues that they may not even have the facts to speak on? Well, then you get a juicy story built on a foundation as strong as the Leaning Tower of Pisa. By diminishing the personal weight that claims carry in the lives of sources, we open up a box we can’t

close and travel down a path of no return, a path of which sources can say whatever they feel necessary and never own up to it.

There are instances, however, in which not naming a source is a better rule of thumb. If by disclosing the information, a source is threatened to lose their employment, their political freedom or their life, then anonymity is the best route of action. However, these circumstances do not represent the majority of anonymous sources and their rationale for maintaining their hidden identity. If a source cannot handle the personal or public pushback the disclosure of information will generate and they do not fit in the circumstances mentioned earlier, journalists should strive to attribute their sources and establish

higher credibility and accountability to their evidence.

In a world of constant news and media bombardment from hundreds of opinionated outlets, it can be hard to piece together a story especially if the sources at the heart of it refuse to be named.

Putting a name to a source, listing their position and including their authority on the subject makes for an integrious article — one that cannot be disputed, that readers can trust and use to inform themselves, unworried of its origins. Despite the ethicality of anonymous sources, journalists should never consume information that they cannot publish with attribution unless absolutely necessary.

The days of rampant anonymous sources are not yet behind us though. With the New York Times and the

Washington Post, pioneers in their field, succumbing to the pervasiveness of using unnamed sources we can only expect others to do the same. Without holding these news outlets accountable, we can never guarantee raw and frank journalism to the public, which we are very much entitled to.

Journalism with integrity and truth should be the ethical standard to which we hold our free press too, not deluded notions of morality we hide our sources behind.

As William Shakespeare once said, “no legacy is so rich as honesty.”

Jai Kaur is a freshman double-majoring in political science and economics.

Clay Jeon Opinions Columnist

Jai Kaur Opinions Columnist

Common Ground ‘s biannual Reading Series

“I envision this as a space where we can build community,” Calvert said. “As a space where we can share in that idea of creation, and also build a place where it’s okay to get up and say the wrong thing — and realize that that is also part of the writing process.”

The events held by Common Ground aim to enhance writers’ skills by providing a space where writers can connect by both sharing and listening to the works of others.

Shannon Hearn, a coordinator for Common Ground and a third year Ph.D. candidate in English, described the importance of

reading a piece of writing to a group.

“There is this cool thing that is happening as you are speaking these ideas that you’re producing,” Hearn said. “You are taking in all of these things that are happening — politically and personally — and you’re churning them with insight and creating these words, so that other people are then inspired by those things. It’s cool.”

The vulnerability displayed by sharing personal work may be nerve-wracking, but it can create a deeper understanding of one’s writing and its impact on others. Hearing a piece of writing out loud could help writers have a better relationship with their work, understanding the impacts of their piece and how it flows.

The Reading Series event is presented once a semester, but that is not all Common Ground offers. Later this semester, there will be an event that allows graduating students to present their writing in a similar format. The organization urges students to attend this event and other future events if they are interested in sharing the art of writing in this type of setting.

‘Bob Marley: One Love’ lacks crucial storylines

The Bob Marley biopic skips over much of the artist’s most pivotal and impactful moments in his career.

It’s no secret that there’s been a substantial influx in musical biopics in Hollywood.

In the past decade, audiences haven’t been able to go a year without another beloved artist getting their run on the silver screen. It’s a lucrative strategy — producers target icons with massive, built-in audiences that will generate income no matter the quality of the project. Last year, it was Leonard Bernstein in “Maestro.” The year before that, “Elvis.” This year, Bob Marley makes his feature-film debut in Reinaldo Marcus Green’s “Bob Marley: One Love.”

All that isn’t to say that every musical biopic is some cash-grabbing cog in the corporate machine. In fact, plenty of these movies are unique and encapsulating in their own way. Unfortunately, it is possible for these films to leave an unoriginal and ultimately uninspired taste in the mouths of their audience. After sitting in a packed theater for its one hour and 47 minute runtime, it became clear that “Bob Marley: One Love” falls victim to this shortcoming.

The most disappointing aspect of the film is, surprisingly, the story. It’s hard to mess up what is arguably one of the most influential careers in music history, yet this script frames the timeline of Marley’s story in a way that simply doesn’t do it justice. The film opens and closes with two massive blocks of text acting as exposition for this specific era

of Marley’s career. The issue is, this “exposition” is foundational information that should have totally been included in the film’s actual runtime.

How can you make a movie about Marley and skip over his rise to popularity in Jamaica?

His tour in Africa? The man brought together two diametrically-opposed political leaders on the same stage — and it was just a footnote in Marcus Green’s depiction. It’s not like there wasn’t time to develop these plot lines either, as the biopic was short for the genre, logging well under two hours. Overall, the exclusion of these key events felt lackluster. It made the pacing of the movie feel stunted, and negatively impacted the way the characters developed throughout the duration.

This mundanity permeates throughout some of the most key moments in the script. The movie doesn’t take time to build and establish the significance of some of the most important characters in Marley’s story. By the end of the movie, there were three or four rushed plot lines that the audience was somehow supposed to piece together in order to understand whatever conclusion was thrown at them in the epilogue text-wall.

As luck would have it, this flaw seems to be the most glaring problem the movie faces. It’s a structural issue and certainly diminishes the depiction of a legendary legacy, but it’s not a difficult movie to find yourself enjoying at times. Like most musical biopics, the music was fantastic and the acting was pretty alright. Kingsley Ben-Adir does a fine job holding it down as the titular role, but it was really his onscreen wife played by Lashana Lynch that took the spotlight. Ben-Adir’s movements, espe-

cially in his moments on-stage and in concert, felt dry and fatigued. There was a brief snippet of a Marley concert at the end of the film which hilariously looked almost nothing like the performances the audience had just seen.

The energy, passion and intensity of Marley as he writhed around the stage was just nowhere to be seen in “One Love.” On the other hand, his vocal performance was extremely impressive. His movements did feel detached from what the audience was hearing, and this resulted in some pretty goofy lip-sync moments, but nothing too bad. Overall, he was a strong and charismatic leading man. As mentioned previously, however, it is Lynch’s Rita Marley who is the emotional cornerstone of this project. The two have good chemistry and form a lovable pair — although the relationship goes rather unexplored for the majority of the movie.

And when it comes down to it, that’s the story of “Bob Marley: One Love.” The strongest, most interesting parts of Marley’s narrative go unexplored. It felt incomplete. There was no real goal being accomplished, just a collage of notable events in Marley’s life in a given era. It was uninspired and lacked what made so many musical biopics innovative and original. Entertaining for a brief period, and disappointing for the rest, “Bob Marley: One Love” is a paradigmatic depiction of what oversaturation in Hollywood can be. Next time you need your fix of Marley and the Wailers, just throw on “Exodus” and let the king of reggae show you himself what kind of legacy he sought to leave.

Overall: 2.25/5

SHADES hosts eighth-annual Sex Carnival

Complete with bottomless mocktails, dancing and sexthemed games, attendees experienced a night of fun.

Mia Colangelo arts & culture writer

SHADES, an organization for LGBTQIA+ students of color on campus, hosted its eighth-annual Sex Carnival this past Sunday evening. This year’s theme was “boudoir” — a word that evokes images of burlesque fashion and mystery.

Upon arriving at the Binghamton University Mandela Room, attendees were able to participate in a variety of sex-themed games, including “pin the clit on the vulva,” sex pictionary, sex-education trivia and a race to put a condom onto a cucumber.

The activities were the result of collaboration between 23 student organizations — the Asian Student Union, Change of Tone, Latin American Student Union (LASU), the Q Center, the Bing Abortion Advocacy Coalition (BAAC), Pretty Girls Sweat, the Disabled Students Union (DSA), the Caribbean Student Association (CSA), Keshet, the Philippine American Union (PAU), Corazoncitos, the Henna Club, Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority Inc., OSTEM, Planned Parenthood, the Feminist Collective, 20:1, the Thurgood Marshall Pre-Law Society, the Juvenile

Urban Multicultural Program (JUMP), the Charles Drew Minority Pre-Health Society, PULSE, DOVE and NYPIRG.

Arianna Alvatorre, secretary of LASU and a sophomore majoring in business administration, helped run the table for LASU. For their activity, participants had to team up to get a balloon from their feet to their heads without using their hands.

“We really wanted to express sex positivity, and it’s just a really fun event,” Alvatorre said. “I’m excited to see the performances. I’ve heard good stories from last year.”

Bottomless mocktails were given out to all attendants of the event. Tables also gave out prizes, such as candy, stickers and tickets that would give winners entries into the sex toy raffle. Tickets could be purchased or won through the games. Each prize had a corresponding bag that one could place their tickets in hopes of winning.

There were three tiers of sex prizes that were being raffled. Prizes included dildos, fleshlights, vibrators, lubricants and self-care products of increasing prices. The tiers were raffled off at different points throughout the night. Each prize came with instructions for cleaning and safe use.

Janelle Mosquera, fundraising chair of SHADES and an undeclared freshman, detailed the work that went into organizing this aspect of the carni-

jacob gressin assistant photo editor

SHADES’ Sex Carnival aims to be an exploration into inclusivity, expression and love all in a sex-positive environment.

val. “Our secretary, [Alivia Gadson, a junior majoring in business administration] … emailed over 100 companies for the sex toys, so that took a lot of time,” Mosquera said. “Obviously we had the help of all of our E-board members, so it wasn’t too bad, but it was a lot of work.”

At 7:15 p.m., the games were stopped so attendees could enjoy a special show from the Quimbamba Latin Dance team to songs such as “Under The Influence” by Chris

Brown and “Earned It” by The Weeknd. Crimson dresses, dark stockings, strategically placed chairs and blindfolds wowed the audience in a fast-paced and risque performance. Ayman Habib, a freshman majoring in computer science, performed a dance solo that featured a bright pink whip. Ayman detailed the inspiration behind his performance before it was time for him to go onstage. “Being raunchy, being sexy, being out there,” Habib said. “Sex. Like dirty, nasty sex.”

Along with these performances, viewers enjoyed competitions between different attendees. Participants competed to be awarded the prize of best dressed by strutting across the room in on-theme burlesque outfits. There was also a twerking competition, in which contestants tied a tissue box filled with ping-pong balls around their waist and tried to shake out as many of them as possible. The night came to a close with a lap dance contest in which four dancers performed with four different volunteers.

The winner was decided based on the audience’s enthusiasm and applause.

This year’s Sex Carnival was a representation of what can be accomplished when student-run organizations on campus come together for a common goal. SHADES and the 23 collaborating organizations created a sex-positive, educational and fun environment that was inclusive to all. The night was one that can only be described as a celebration of sex, love and expression.

Chabad hosts a festive, mock Jewish wedding

Chabad at Binghamton put on a mock Jewish wedding, celebrating Jewish culture and traditions.

Hudson Burrows arts & culture asst. editor

From an abundant smorgasbord to enthusiastic extended family members, Chabad at Binghamton’s Mock Wedding was a brilliant representation of Jewish values and community.

This past Sunday, members of Chabad and their friends and families came together to attend a mock Jewish wedding. The energy of camaraderie was felt throughout, as everyone from the Rabbi to the students-turned-grandparents were proudly celebrating Jewish culture, tradition and humor.

Leila Tilem, a member of Chabad’s general board (G-Board) and a freshman majoring in philosophy, politics and law, shared what component of the wedding she was most eagerly anticipating.

“I was definitely most excited for the chuppah portion because I was looking forward to seeing how the cast would enhance tradition with humor, and they did an incredible job,” Tilem wrote in an email. “I hope attendees take away the beauty in a traditional Jewish wedding and want to have one of their own.”

The chuppah segment of the wedding was a testament to Jewish tradition as well as the community’s appreciation for quality comedy. While demonstrating Jewish ceremonial practices, the mock aspect of the wedding gave cast members the room to channel their inner humor. The groomsmen, for instance, walked down the aisle on each other’s shoulders and the grandparents limped to the beat of Queen’s “We Will Rock You.”

Jake Nussbaum, education chair of Chabad Binghamton, the Rabbi in the mock wedding and a junior majoring in psychology, gave a speech in the beginning of the ceremony explaining the religious symbolism of the chuppah. A chuppah is a Jewish wedding canopy that encompasses the bride, the groom and their immediate families. Notably, the chuppah is open on all four sides, resembling the welcoming home that the hypothetical newlyweds’ would soon build together.

Part of emulating a traditional Jewish wedding meant dressing cast members in clothing that their characters would have worn had it been a real ceremony. Sam Weingard, president of Chabad Binghamton and a senior majoring in philosophy, politics and law, offered the religious significance of the bride’s veil.

“The veil represents a time in the Bible when the matri-

arch Leah and the matriarch Jacob got married by accident, because at the time Jacob was supposed to marry Leah’s sister, Rachel,” Weingard said. “However, Rachel — to save her older sister who was unmarried — from embarrassment, switched places with her at the last minute which meant Jacob ended up marrying Leah instead. That is why the bride wears a veil, so that the groom can check and see that it is indeed her and the marriage ceremony can continue.”

In addition to the religious value of the bride’s veil, there were numerous other symbolic customs demonstrated throughout the wedding, such as the breaking of the glass.

Dahlia Kleinhaus, a member of Chabad’s G-Board and a freshman majoring in biology, explained the meaning of this practice and why it is important to acknowledge Jewish history in a traditional wedding.

“There are various Jewish rituals and traditions that happen during the ceremony,” Kleinhaus wrote in an email. “For example, in the last part of the ceremony the groom breaks a glass by stepping on it. It symbolizes that even though the wedding is a moment of great joy, one must always remember the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem in 70 CE.”

In order to ensure that the event addressed these crucial components of a traditional

Jewish wedding, Chabad members were committed to an extensive preparation period. Michal Levine, the major programs coordinator of Chabad Binghamton and a junior majoring in Judaic studies, provided a breakdown of what the months leading up to the event looked like for those involved.

“This event was the product of much hard work and careful consideration that every detail went smoothly,” Levine wrote in an email. “We started our weekly Spearhead meetings the first week of this semes-

ter which was approximately a month before. As the event got closer we had a few committee meetings to start PR, Recruitment and Decor aspects of the event. We then spent Saturday night and Sunday preparing the food, setting up all the rooms, running through the event and cast prep.”

The time and energy that Chabad devoted to the mock wedding made for an event that balanced both accuracy and entertainment. While the ceremony may have been a mock wedding, there was nothing

aidan emery staFF photographer

mock about the real sense of community that was present throughout.

Weingard described some of the Jewish values that were authentic products of such a celebratory event.

“The singing, the dancing, the simcha, the excitement, all of that is part of a real [Jewish] wedding,” Weingard said. “Simcha is the Hebrew word for happiness. We say simcha every time we are at a blessed and happy occasion in Jewish life.”

Wrestling drops final dual meet to No. 8 Cornell

cision loss to his 174-pound Cornell opponent. Then, redshirt senior Jacob Nolan suffered a 4-2 decision loss to his sixth-ranked Cornell opponent.

The Binghamton wrestling team saw its five dual win streak snapped with a 33-6 loss to No. 8 Cornell. The Bearcats captured two individual wins, one from junior Brevin Cassella who earned his 24th overall win this year. The other came from graduate student Lou DePrez, who kept his momentum going heading into the postseason, earning a victory by decision in his 197-pound matchup over his seventh-ranked Cornell opponent.

“[DePrez] got a really nice win,” said Binghamton coach Kyle Borshoff said. “[Cassella] got a nice win. We dropped a couple of really tight matches at 184 and 174. It would’ve been nice to come out of here with those wins as well. But Cornell’s got a great team. They did a good job today. I am disappointed that we didn’t get more wins, but I think it’s important to wrestle a match like this before the [Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association’s (EIWA)].”

Coming off being named EIWA wrestler of the week, Cassella earned a 5-2 decision win his 165-pound matchup for BU (9-4, 7-3 EIWA) that opened things at Cornell (12-4, 5-0 EIWA). Redshirt junior Dimitri Gamkrelidze hit the mat next, taking a close 4-1 de -

“[Cassella] did a nice job controlling the match,” Borshoff said. “He got an early takedown, [was] really just never in danger and did a nice job doing what he had to do. We’ve got to be offensive. I’m hoping that [Gamkrelidze and Nolan] learned from those matches and understand that they can’t be hanging and waiting on defense. They have to be aggressive looking to score.”

DePrez’s 7-3 decision win over his seventh-ranked opponent would be the Bearcats’ final win on the day. Sophomore Charlie Tibbitts was pinned in his 285-pound matchup against his 17-ranked Cornell opponent, while freshman Carson Wagner suffered a loss by technical-fall against his ranked 125-pound opponent.

“[DePrez] did a great job,” Borshoff said. “Two takedowns to none got a riding time point as well. [He had] another match where he did a great job controlling the match, and he did it with offense. You try to control matches with offense, not defense. [DePrez] did a great job of that, and he got a really nice win. Probably the best match that he’s wrestled in a couple years. I think that’s a big positive sign of what we should be excited for as we move into the postseason.”

Graduate student Matt

Griffin also suffered a loss by technical-fall in his 133-pound matchup, while redshirt sophomore Nate Lucier was defeated in a 9-1 major decision via his ranked Cornell opponent in the 141-pound matchup.

Freshman Jordan Brown also faced a ranked opponent from Cornell, suffering an 11-0 major decision loss in the 149-pound dual.

Sophomore Carter Baer was the final Bearcat to hit the mat on Sunday, taking a close 1-0 loss by decision.

Cornell’s win in the final match brought the final score to 33-6, giving the No. 8 ranked Big Red a decisive victory.

“Those [Cornell] guys are great wrestlers,” Borshoff said. “They did a nice job of putting up bonus point wins. Nobody’s more disappointed in losing than the guys on the team. It’s tough to go out and wrestle the best guys in the country in their home gym.”

In Borshoff’s seventh season at the helm, the

Bearcats made big leaps as a team, finishing 9-4 overall. With the dual season wrapped up, going into the EIWA championships, Borshoff is looking forward to what the team can do, competing as individuals.

“We had a great dual-meet season,” Borshoff said. “It’s one of the best dual-meet seasons the team has had since I’ve been here. I think we made a lot of positive strides this year as a program. The EIWA is a different beast. Dual meets

have zero meaning when you go to the conference tournament. Now it’s all about the individuals and that’s what I told the guys after the match. They’ve been wrestling for the team, now they wrestle for themselves.”

The Bearcats’ next stop will be the EIWA Championships — hosted by Bucknell — beginning on Friday, March 8. First bout is scheduled at a time to be decided at Sojka Pavilion in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania.

Men’s lacrosse defeated by Lafayette on the road

consistent offensive scoring for the rest of the match as BU was unable to recover from the early deficit.

On Saturday, the Binghamton men’s lacrosse team traveled to Easton, Pennsylvania, to take on Lafayette, falling short in the contest 19-12. After, the Bearcats found themselves down 6-1 after the first quarter, the Leopards continued their

“Maybe we could have switched to zone a little bit earlier,” said Binghamton head coach Kevin McKeown. “We did that in the second half — we had a couple of failed clears in there that led to a goal or two [and] a couple of penalties that led to a goal or two. I don’t know if it was any one specific thing. We

made some mistakes, and we didn’t get a break from playing defense just because they were scoring and winning some face-offs as well.”

Lafayette (3-1) started the match off with an extra-man opportunity in the first minute of play. The Leopards converted during their first man-up opportunity and scored again less than a minute later, taking a 2-0 lead. The Bearcats (12) got on the scoreboard

just over the 10-minute mark, thanks to a goal from junior attack Matthew Keegan. Binghamton and Lafayette traded shots for the next three minutes until Lafayette scored its third goal of the game and then embarked on a 4-0 run to end the quarter with a 6-1 lead. “I think it’s more the fact of just getting them the ball,” McKeown said. “Maybe we weren’t getting stops defensively. We didn’t win a

few face-offs, and we didn’t have the possession that we needed.”

The second quarter began with more of the same for the Bearcats. Lafayette got on the board first with two back-to-back goals in the first three minutes to go up 8-1. Senior attack Liam Ferris opened the scoring for Binghamton with a goal assisted by Keegan to cut the deficit to six goals. The rest of the quarter saw both teams trade goals, with Ferris netting his second goal of the game and junior attack Gage Adams landing his first of the game. Junior attack Dan Garone netted his lone goal in the game with two seconds to go in the half to cut the Lafayette lead to 12-5 heading into halftime.

“I thought we settled for a few low-angle opportunities earlier in the game that weren’t great shot opportunities,” McKeown said. “I think shot selection is something that we talk about and work on.”

The second half opened with stronger defensive performances from both teams, with no goals scored in roughly the first five minutes of play. Lafayette broke the stalemate, bringing the score to 13-5 in their favor, before Ferris scored his third goal of the game, completing the hat trick. Sophomore attack Colin DeLay scored his first goal of the game soon after, cutting the Leopard’s lead to six. Lafayette responded with two straight goals to end the quarter, entering the fourth quarter with a 15-7 lead.

“I thought our offense actually played pretty well,” McKeown said. “I think we

had better ball movement, especially in the second half when we were dodging really well. I just think we didn’t get enough stops defensively, [and] we failed too many clears.”

The fourth quarter opened with Lafayette scoring the first goal of the quarter just over a minute in. Binghamton, however, fought back early on with three straight goals from three different Bearcats. Graduate student midfielder Sonny Imburgia scored his sole goal of the match and sophomore midfielder Will Feldmann scored his first goal of the season. DeLay also added his second goal of the game. The rest of the period consisted of both teams trading goals, with Adams and Keegan each scoring their second goals of the match. However, this was not enough as the Leopards came out on top 19-12.

“I thought our offense played well, and I think our riding game was positive,” McKeown said. “I thought we competed there and stopped them on some clearing opportunities. We did some good things there, [and] I think that’s something we’re going to continue to build on and something that can continue to be a part of our game.”

Ferris, Adams, DeLay and Keegan all scored multiple goals in the losing effort. In addition, Ferris scored his first collegiate hat trick.

Binghamton will continue its four-game road stretch, taking on Richmond on Saturday, March 2. First face-off is scheduled for 12 p.m. at Robins Stadium in Richmond, Virginia.

Binghamton’s five dual win streak snapped with 33-6 loss.

Luca Carrese sports contributor

Ferris’ first collegiate hat trick not enough as BU falls 19-12.

Gabriel Przybylo sports contributor

provided by lexi woodcock

Junior Brevin Cassella won his 165-pound bout with a 5-2 victory by decision in BU’s 33-6 loss to Cornell on Sunday afternoon.

provided by jonathan cohen

Junior attack Gage Adams tallied two goals and an assist in the Bearcats’ 19-12 loss to Lafayette on Saturday afternoon.

Tuesday, February 27, 2024

Women’s basketball blows out UMass Lowell

basketball from page 1

BU extends winning streak to three games.

Emily

Ciarlo assistant sports editor

After beating NJIT 6848 last weekend, the Binghamton women’s basketball team continued America East (AE) conference play at home against UMass Lowell on Thursday night, winning 79-48. The Bearcats captured the lead early into the first half, and their defense never gave the River Hawks a chance to catch up. The second half saw much of the same with Binghamton continuing to advance its lead, winning by a 31-point margin.

“They worked really, really hard on the defensive end, so we had a lot of op -

portunities on the offensive end,” said Binghamton head coach Bethann Shapiro Ord.

Binghamton (12-15, 7-7 AE) got on the board first, scoring first five points of the game off a jump shot from graduate student guard Denai Bowman and a three-pointer from redshirt sophomore guard Ella Wanzer. The River Hawks (4-21, 4-9 AE) responded with two points of their own, but those would be the only two points that BU would surrender up until the three-minute mark of the first quarter. The Bearcats then went on a 14-point uninterrupted run before UMass Lowell could score. Despite a few baskets from the River Hawks, BU ultimately remained in control, ending the quarter up 2210.

“Offensively, we weren’t

really sharing, like we were trying to do too much oneon-one, and we needed to keep moving the ball and sharing the basketball to get not good shots, but great shots,” Shapiro Ord said.

The Bearcats continued much of what they were able to do in the first period, maintaining their momentum with a 6-0 run to go up 28-10. UMass Lowell then made a layup to stop the bleeding. Both teams exchanged points for the majority of the quarter, with the River Hawks cutting into the BU lead, making it 35-25 with just over a minute remaining. A free throw from redshirt sophomore guard Jadyn Weltz put BU up 36-25 going into the second half.

“When [Wanzer and Bowman] were open, it

was some tough defense on UMass Lowell’s part, but they took care of business and took their shots that they [knew] that they could score,” Shapiro Ord said.

The River Hawks came out early in the third quarter, getting on the board first, but BU quickly responded right after, with Bowman completing a three-point play to give BU a 39-27 lead. Soon after, a three-pointer from Wanzer put the Bearcats up by 15 points. Binghamton shut down any sign of a comeback from UMass Lowell, outscoring the visitors 2511 in the period and leading 61-36 going into the fourth quarter.

Going into the fourth quarter, the Bearcats stayed in control, maintaining a significant double-digit lead with baskets from sopho -

more guard/forward Camryn Fauria, Bowman and Weltz to make it 69-43. BU continued to score at will, extending its lead over the River Hawks. When it was all said and done, the Bearcats came out with a 79-48 win — its largest margin of victory in AE play.

“They just realized ‘Hey, we got to get stops,’” Shapiro Ord said. “When we get stops, we’ll be able to have more opportunities on the offensive end, and who doesn’t want to play offense and who doesn’t want to score points? So I think that was the big part of it.”

Leading the way for Binghamton on offense was Bowman with 21 points and Wanzer right behind her with 20. BU shot 46 percent from the field and held UMass Lowell to just 35.3 percent shooting in the

matchup. With two games to go in AE play, the Bearcats will look to close out the season strong for the chance to host a home playoff game. “We’re going to take one game at a time,” Shapiro Ord said. “There’s still two very good teams, and we’re on the road. We’re going to have to be 10 points better. We’ve got to come up with more stops, [and] we got to come up with more rebounds.”

With two AE conference games remaining, Binghamton will go back on the road to take on Maine on Thursday, Feb. 29. Tipoff is set for 6 p.m. at the Cross Insurance Center in Bangor, Maine.

Men’s basketball falls short against River Hawks

Bearcats defeated by UMass Lowell 87-80 on the road.

Jacob Knipes assistant sports editor

After leaving Newark, New Jersey with a 69-55 victory over NJIT, the Bearcats’ latest America East (AE) road trip ended on Thursday night with a 8780 loss to UMass Lowell.

After a back-and-forth first period, BU’s shooting struggles from three-point range in the second half resulted in the visitors facing a double-digit deficit to the River Hawks. Despite a late surge of momentum, Binghamton was unable to complete the comeback.

“We fought back,” said Binghamton head coach Levell Sanders. “We were able to take the lead, and when we were playing

with the lead our inability to come up with some rebounds hurt us, and I thought we gave up some open shots. We fought, we never gave up, we gave ourselves an opportunity, but we just didn’t make enough shots down the stretch.”

After senior forward Tariq Balogun came up short inside for Binghamton (12-14, 4-9 AE) off the opening tipoff, UMass Lowell (18-7, 9-3 AE) got on the board after driving the ball to the rim. BU’s answer came in the form of three-pointer from junior guard Tymu Chenery. Not long after, Chenery grabbed a board and kept the rock down the court for two to make it 5-4. The River Hawks then mounted a sixpoint run, broken up by a Chenery layup that cut the River Hawks lead to 10-7.

“[Balogun] was sick to -

day, and he just didn’t have the energy early on,” Sanders said. “We had some opportunities, but he didn’t have the energy to complete a lot of those.”

Trailing 15-9, BU looked to turn the tides with a senior forward Nehemiah Benson laying one in, followed by graduate student guard Symir Torrence knocking down back-toback three-pointers to retake the lead at 17-15.

Graduate student guard

Dan Petcash then swished in another three-pointer to cap an 11-point run for the Bearcats which made it 20-15. The Bearcats’ offense stayed hot as freshman forward Gavin Walsh made a three-pointer and Chenery scored in the paint to make give the visitors a 27-23 lead. A five-point run from UMass Lowell soon tied things up at 34-34. The

back-and-forth continued as BU trailed 38-36 at the end of the first half.

“When we brought [Walsh] in with [Benson], we did a good job of being aggressive,” Sanders said. “We had some good drives to the basket and then we got some offensive rebounds which gave us some second-chance points … [Chenery] had a few drives and made some plays, but we also made six three-pointers in the first half which opened it up a bit.”

After UMass Lowell netted the first two points of the second period, Binghamton got back on the board with a driving layup from senior guard Armon Harried. Binghamton continued to keep things close as Torrence hooked in a layup before Balogun finished a score of his own at

the rim as the River Hawks still led 44-42. The Bearcats then started to lose control of the ball, going down 5546 before Torrence drove the rock inside to cut the deficit to seven.

“When [Balogun] didn’t have the energy, [UMass Lowell] got loose in that stretch and that’s when they pushed the lead up,” Sanders said.

With BU down 62-48, a five-point run anchored by Walsh and Benson got BU within nine points. Sophomore guard Chris Walker then cut inside for two followed by Walsh connecting with Chenery down low who converted a three-point play for 67-60. BU’s comeback attempt continued with a mid-range jump shot from Walker followed by Torrence getting the rock to Benson to cut the River Hawks’ lead to 78-74. However, the

effort was not enough to regain the lead. BU’s final points came after Chenery made a layup off a steal for 85-80 in favor of the River Hawks, but Binghamton failed to get the stop on the next play as UMass Lowell iced the game at the free throw line en route to a 8780 victory.

“[UMass Lowell] hit a couple of threes in that stretch — also where we didn’t really mesh in the transition,” Sanders said.

Chenery and Benson combined for 44 of the Bearcats’ 80 points in the loss. Meanwhile, Torrence had a double-double with 12 points and 11 assists.

The Bearcats will begin their final two home-stands of AE play against Maine on Thursday, Feb. 29. Tip-off is set for 6:07 p.m. on the Dr. Bai Lee Court at the Events Center in Vestal, New York.