Spring 2017 Issue 7

Student-run business

goes with the grain,

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The Free Word on Campus Since 1946

Monday, February 6, 2017 | Vol. XCI, Issue 7 | Binghamton University | bupipedream.com

University aims to recruit students across the world China, India and Republic of Korea make up most undergrad, graduate international students Gabriella Weick Assistant News Editor

According to Binghamton University Undergraduate Admissions, over 115 countries are represented throughout the student body, and international students account for about 15 percent of the total student population at BU. According to Nasrin Fatima, assistant provost for institutional research and effectiveness, as of fall 2016 there are 1,211 total undergraduate international students and 1,511 total international graduate students.

China is the most represented country in undergraduate students, with 760 Chinese students attending BU. The Republic of Korea ranks second with 278 undergraduates, and Turkey, India and Japan round out the top five, respectively.

Most graduate students come from India, at 543 students, and China, with 536.

The Republic of Korea, Turkey and Iran make up a large portion of international graduate students at the University as well.

On the undergraduate level, Pat Wrobel, an international undergraduate student recruiter, said that the University works hard each year to attract students from across the world, and get the University’s name out on the global scale.

Packets are sent to high school counselors in various countries, and the admissions office sends recruiters to high schools and fairs across the world each fall to tell students firsthand what they can find at BU. High school counselors also attend reverse conferences in the United States to find out about universities, and BU recruiters frequently host and attend.

EducationUSA, a U.S. Department of State education advising organization, as well, has offices in almost every country to advise international students on which

U.S. universities would be the best fit for them.

According to Wrobel, it is this word of mouth, as well as an extensive alumni network, that is the most useful tool in recruiting international students.

“I’m always surprised at the amount of alumni we have teaching across the world,” Wrobel said. “I was in Vietnam at a high school fair, and the vice principal was a SUNY Albany graduate, and he yelled out, ‘Check out the Binghamton table!’

People know us and can speak personally about how our school is regarded … it takes a village.”

Rankings on U.S. News & World Report also aid in getting BU’s name out there, Wrobel said, as the University has ranked in the top-100 best universities in the United States for the past few years.

Online resources are highly utilized as well, because most international students don’t visit the University before choosing to attend.

“Some travel to see our institution, but some do not,” she said. “So things like YouTube videos, social media, like our Facebook page for international students … we try to put a lot of information out about this University on all levels so students can get a feel of how it is here.”

Weicheng Yuan, a senior from China double-majoring in psychology and math, found out about BU from an independent agency in China and online ranking. He said that even before he came to BU, the University’s outreach was valuable in helping him adjust.

“The year before we came, we were given a booklet on how to get plane tickets, how to get a bus from [John F. Kennedy International Airport] to Binghamton, how can we find a house and choose

SEE INT'L PAGE 2

Kevin Sussy/Photography Editor City Councilman Conrad Taylor declares Broome County as a welcoming community for properly vetted immigrants and refugees alike, including from the countries specified in President Trump’s executive order.

Councilman pitches 'welcoming city' resolution BU junior Conrad Taylor holds press conference in support of refugees Brendan Zarkower Assistant News Editor

Binghamton City Councilman Conrad Taylor was joined by Broome County Legislator Mary Kaminsky to announce the proposal of a Welcoming Cities Resolution into the City Council.

The legislation would formally declare Binghamton as a city that actively welcomes immigrants and refugees, along with affirming the belief that people should not be forbidden to enter our country because of race, ethnicity or religious beliefs.

The bill was put forth at a press conference outside the American Civic Association on Front Street, the same location as the infamous 2009 massacre in which 13 people were killed by an anti-

immigrant gunman.

“Now that those immigrants are from a different part of the world and from a different religion, our government chooses fear; they choose xenophobia and cowardice instead of the values that once defined our country,” said Taylor, a junior majoring in political science.

According to Taylor, 10 percent of residents of the city of Binghamton are foreign-born. He said that immigrants make up a large and important segment of the local population.

“Binghamton — just like the rest of our country — was founded by immigrants,” Taylor said.

It is unclear whether the resolution will gain support from the Republican-led Binghamton City Council.

“When local leaders are silent, when we

do not stand up to policies like this,” Taylor said. “That is a punch in the gut to those residents.”

Kaminsky cited the recent bomb threat at the Binghamton Jewish Community Center as proof of the changing climate created by policies like the refugee ban.

“This temporary pause — or should I say ban, as it really is — has already had a huge effect,” Kaminsky said.

Kaminsky said that the United States has always been welcoming to refugees and that we should not turn our backs on the international community out of fear.

“This was the opportunity given to ancestors and is why I am here today,” Kaminsky said.

The text of the resolution contains

SEE CITY PAGE 2

Students, employers connect at job fair Semesterly Job and Internship Fair attracts over 100 employers Stacey Blansky Contributing Writer

Vera Wahlquist/Contributing Photographer Chemistry professor Omowunmi Sadik sits in her office in Science II. Last month, Sadik was chosen as a recipient of the 2016 Nigerian National Order of Merit — Nigeria’s greatest honor for academic contributions made by its citizens — for her work in the field of surface chemistry.

Chemistry professor receives top Nigerian academic award Omowunmi Sadik granted Nigerian National Order of Merit for work on biosensing tech Orlaith McCaffrey Staff Writer

Binghamton University chemistry professor Omowunmi Sadik has received degrees on two continents and her research has been disseminated to countless countries. Sadik’s far-reaching impact continued recently when she was recognized on the national level in both Nigeria and the United States.

Last month, Sadik was chosen as one of two recipients of the 2016 Nigerian National Order of Merit — Nigeria’s greatest honor for academic contributions made by its citizens — for her work in the field of surface chemistry, specifically biosensing technology. She is one of just

four women to be awarded this distinction and the first female scientist to do so.

Previous honorees include recently deceased professor of Africana studies at BU, Isidore Okpewho.

After earning a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from the University of Lagos in Nigeria in 1985, Sadik received her Ph.D. in chemistry in 1994 from the University of Wollongong in Australia. She then worked at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency before accepting a position at BU in 1996.

According to Wayne Jones, chairman and professor of the chemistry department, the implications of Sadik’s

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ARTS & CULTURE

Over 1,500 students packed into the Events Center on Thursday, résumés in hand, for Binghamton University’s semesterly Job and Internship Fair.

This semester’s fair boasted 111 employers, ranging from high-tech manufacturers to financial service providers and representing companies such as IBM, GEICO and Verizon. The Job and Internship Fair, hosted by the Fleishman Center for Career and Professional Development, has been held for nearly 30 years at BU and has grown in size each year.

According to Francis Borrego, the senior assistant director of marketing and assessment for the Fleishman Center, the fair has consistently served as a resource for students who are

looking to begin the job hunt.

“This is for the employers to introduce themselves, as well as the students to become more familiar with the organizations, so that then they can go in the recruiting pipeline,” Borrego said.

Just over half of the companies at the fair were recruiting students from all majors, a statistic that has increased in recent years. This rise is attributed to companies seeking talented and well-rounded liberal arts students with varying perspectives on problem solving, according to Borrego. Alexa Abrams, ‘13, a talent acquisition associate for Publicis Media, a multinational advertising and public relations company, said that her company ultimately seeks a candidate with a diverse skill set.

“Even as an English major, if you

Comedian Natasha Leggero to perform on campus,

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City council pres. declares county clerk bid Joseph Mihalko announces plans to improve Broome County DMV Alexandra Hupka News Intern

On Feb. 2, the City Council of Binghamton’s President Joseph Mihalko held a press conference in front of roughly 100 supporters announcing he would be running for the position of Broome County clerk.

Mihalko, a Republican, stated that he wanted to invest in Broome County DMV satellite locations in rural areas to improve hours and wait time, as well as invest in technology to help improve county services and lower costs.

Mihalko also stated his opposition

to any new taxes or fees on county residents and businesses.

“We want to see if we can make things move faster,” Mihalko said.

“We need to continue moving Broome County forward in the 21st century and ensure that the best services are provided to all residents.”

Mihalko has served on the council for the past six years. As county clerk, he would be responsible for overseeing the Broome County DMVs, keeping county records and presenting budget reports. The county clerk handles all county records, mostly related to population, such as birth certificates

OPINIONS

Diet Cig headlines this semester’s first BUMP show,

don’t know numbers you would have a different approach of seeing a specific answer to a problem that someone who is a finance manager — who is trying to look at only the numbers — might have,” Abrams said. “In order to be a successful business, it definitely helps us to have diversity of thought.”

John Tooke, a risk advisory services associate at Grant Thornton LLP, the fifth largest accounting firm in the world, also said he was looking for students who have a diverse range of experience.

“We are really just looking for well-rounded individuals,” Tooke said.

“Everybody has a good GPA, so we are looking for people who are really involved with different organizations, community service and continue to try

Professor Kent Schull writes about how the travel ban affects BU students and faculty,

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and death certificates.

“I felt that it was time to take the next step, and serve a wider population,” Mihalko said. “I love helping people out. I saw this position was going to be open and I thought I could expand my help to all of the citizens of Broome County.”

During the press conference, which was held at the at the Ancient Order of Hibernians Church on Binghamton’s West Side, Mihalko was joined by Binghamton Mayor Richard David, New York state Sen. Fred Akshar, current

SEE CLERK PAGE 2

SPORTS

Wrestling continues conference success with win over American,

Men’s basketball falters late against UMass Lowell,

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2

NEWS

bupipedream.com | February 6, 2017

Over 1,500 students look to connect with employers at fair JOB FROM PAGE 1 to grow themselves.”

Many students said that they came to the fair not only to find an internship, but also just to practice their interviewing skills. Aastha Kataky, a junior majoring in economics, attended the fair and said that she hoped to get involved with companies early on so that she could make connections in the long run and potentially find a future job with one of the organizations.

“It is a great way to network, so even if you don’t work with these people you can keep in contact with them over the years,” Kataky said. “Through them you can get to know more people. It’s like a stepping ladder for your career.”

CLERK FROM PAGE 1

Adelle Gimadeyeva/Contributing Photographer Students wait in line to meet with potential employers. Hosted by the Fleishman Center for Career and Professional Development, the Job and Internship Fair has been held for nearly 30 years at BU and has grown in size each year.

Where Are the Top 5 Countries

International Students at BU Come From?

Undergraduate Students

Graduate Students

China

India

Republic of Korea

China

Turkey

Republic of Korea

India

Turkey

Japan

Iran

Teri Lam/Design Manager

BU reputation spreads globally INT'L FROM PAGE 1 housing,” Yuan said. “So they gave a lot of information to me, and they’re still doing that to new students.”

Woo Hwi Joo, a junior majoring in philosophy, said that he heard of BU from his high school advisers, and although it wasn’t his first choice, he enjoys the University.

“There was a counselor for college who told me you need to apply to a lot of colleges; originally

Mihalko announces candidacy for BC clerk

I wanted to go to California, so I applied to six schools there,” Joo said. “But she said that people make mistakes, so I needed a safety, and I applied to Binghamton. I got the results and I didn’t get into California schools but I did get into BU, and now that I’m here I like it.”

When counting the total number of international students, Wrobel said the University classifies them as students who come to BU with an F-1 Visa.

However, because some students

transfer schools, or have different visas or are permanent residents, BU is actually more diverse than it appears on paper.

“We’re a medium-sized University; to have about 15 percent of your student body be international is quite good,” Wrobel said. “This is a really good thing, because we live in a global society, and it’s important that students get to know people from other cultures. It’s always good to understand the differences, and also see the similarities.”

Taylor proposes to welcome refugees CITY FROM PAGE 1

several statements that provide reasons for supporting refugee resettlement in the Binghamton area.

“WHEREAS Binghamton is proud of its immigrant communities, including Vietnamese, Laotian, Kurdish, Bosnian, Somali, Sudanese, Burmese, Cuban, Iraqi, Iranian, Ukrainian and other communities, made up of all religions and many of whom arrived here under the status of refugee,” reads the resolution.

Goretti Mugambwa is a refugee resettlement case manager at the American Civic Association. She told a story about a man who was scheduled to come to Binghamton as a refugee after much of his family died in Iraq. She said his flight was canceled just before leaving due to President Donald Trump’s executive order and he has not yet been able to enter the United States.

“This resolution would be so welcomed,” Mugambwa said.

“Refugees will feel safe and we can feel safe ensuring to refugees that this is a welcoming community.”

American Civic Association representatives said Binghamton

receives about 50 refugees per year, with two to four years of vetting.

However, no Syrian refugees have been cleared to come to the Binghamton area.

Concluding her comment, Kaminsky emphasized her and her colleagues’ continued support for refugees who wish to settle in the area.

“I want to be perfectly clear — Broome County welcomes refugees,” Kaminsky said.

Taylor encourages anyone who supports the legislation to come to Wednesday’s City Council meeting at 6:30 p.m. to show their support.

Binghamton, just like the rest of our country, was founded by immigrants

Broome County Clerk Richard Blythe and Broome County Legislature Chairman Daniel Reynolds, all of whom spoke in support of Mihalko’s candidacy.

“He is passionate and relentless,” David said. “He is someone who will knock on doors and listen to what your concerns are. He is someone who will be a passionate and tireless advocate on your behalf and he is someone who will win.”

Blythe, Broome County’s clerk for the past 12 years, has decided to step down this year, which will leave the county clerk position open and put it on the ballot this fall.

“Joe Mihalko knows Broome County,” Blythe said. “He knows what our community has been through over the years, [and] he wants to use his time and talents for the county.”

Many who attended the press conference were optimistic about Mihalko’s announcement.

Some, such as John Flynn, a resident of Vestal, cited Mihalko’s experience as president of the council.

“Joe is a great candidate,” Flynn said. “He brings his experience from the Binghamton City Council and he is going to be a great county clerk.”

People who attended the event also described Mihalko’s character and personality, in addition to his qualifications.

Rosalie Catalano, a resident of Endwell, spoke highly of Mihalko.

“He’s going to make a great county clerk,” Catalano said.

“He’s a nice gentleman and he did a good job on City Council.”

— Conrad Taylor, Binghamton City Councilman

Prof. is first female scientist to receive Nigerian award SADIK FROM PAGE 1 accomplishment are twofold.

“Accolades like this not only recognize the great work going on in Dr. Sadik’s lab, but they help to elevate the whole department,” he said. “Anytime Binghamton faculty get recognized, it helps the campus, it helps the community, it helps our students — it helps everyone.”

During a ceremony on Dec. 1 at the president’s official residence in the Nigerian capital city of Abuja, Sadik and fellow recipient Tanure Ojaide, a prolific poet, were thanked by President Muhammadu Buhari for their

contributions to Nigerian scholarship. Sadik, who is currently on sabbatical, said that although her work has garnered numerous awards in the past, this particular honor stood out to her.

“It was a very special evening; I was very excited and thankful about it,” she said. “It’s very humbling as well to see that you’re one of those people whose work you have admired for so long.”

In her acceptance speech, Sadik emphasized the importance of research in addressing societal issues.

“Research, to me, is the highest form of intellectual pursuit,”

she said. “It is there to answer societal problems. Research and innovation are critical to our continued development.”

Sadik’s current research focuses on the development of paper-based biosensors that can be used to detect pathogens present in agricultural crops. Her ultimate goal is to provide farmers with a low-cost technology that enables them to avoid planting in areas where these fungi, which can cut a crop’s yield by up to 70 percent, are likely to be found.

She and her team have developed a prototype of this technology — a remotely operated sensing device called U-PAC (Ultra-Sensitive

Portable Capillary Sensor). In order to fund this project, Sadik secured grants totaling $867,536 from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and National Science Foundation last fall.

Earlier this month, Sadik was chosen as one of 14 members of the 2017-18 Jefferson Science Fellowship program.

The program is sponsored by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine and selects tenured professors who have made significant contributions in their respective fields. As a fellow, Sadik will spend a year as a senior adviser to the U.S. secretary of state, providing

up-to-date information on scientific advancements, which will then be used to make policy decisions.

Sadik has been a visiting faculty member at Harvard University, Cornell University and the U.S. Naval Research Laboratories, but said that BU differs from these institutions due to the frequent collaboration between students at different levels of academia.

“I see the connection here; undergraduates can interact with grad students and postdoctoral students,” she said. “Binghamton is a nurturing environment; it has a mix of teaching and research and scholarship.”

Kevin Sussy/Photography Editor City Council of Binghamton President Joseph Mihalko announces he will be running for the position of Broome County clerk. Mihalko said Thursday evening that he wanted to invest in Broome County DMV satellite locations in rural areas to improve hours and wait time.

PAGE III Monday, February 6, 2017

Address: University Union WB03 4400 Vestal Parkway E. Binghamton, N.Y. 13902 Phone: 607-777-2515 FAx: 607-777-2600

Pipe Line LOCAL NEWS Man arrested after threatening girlfriend with knife

Three fights erupt at Binghamton High School, police called

A Broome County man is in jail after threatening his girlfriend with a kitchen knife, according to WBNG. A press release from the Broome County Sheriff’s Office said Walter Yates III, 19, of Glen Aubrey, hit his girlfriend and threatened her with a knife in the presence of a young child early Sunday morning.

Yates was arrested and charged with menacing in the second degree, harassment in the second degree and endangering the welfare of a child.

Three separate fights erupted at the end of the lunch period at Binghamton High School, according to Binghamton City School District officials, according to WBNG. The district tells WBNG 12 News there were two fights in the commons and one fight in the cafeteria that all happened around 11:40 a.m. The Binghamton Police Department was called in to help. No one was hurt, according to the school district. School officials say they rang the bell early and issued a “shelter in place” warning to keep students out of the hallway.

Binghamton man pleads guilty to trafficking cocaine in Broome County

NATIONAL NEWS

A Binghamton man faces a sentence of up to a lifetime in prison after pleading guilty to drug trafficking, according to Binghamton Homepage. Anthony Randolph, 30, pleaded guilty on Thursday in federal court for engaging in a drug trafficking conspiracy and possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon. Randolph faces a minimum sentence of 20 years and up to life in prison, a fine of up to $20 million and a term of supervised release of at least 10 years and up to life.

Perk Up

Judge blocks Trump’s executive order President Donald Trump criticized the federal judge who halted his executive order that temporarily banned travel and immigration from seven predominantly Muslim countries, according to The Independent.

Judge James Robart blocked Trump’s order, leading to a wave of protests across the country.

“Just cannot believe a judge would put our country in such peril,” he wrote, tweeting while on vacation at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida. “If something happens blame him and court system. People pouring in. Bad!”

“From my standpoint, there is risk in everything, but I am someone who believes in calculated risk.

One just needs to be comfortable with that. And when it comes to the constitutional rights of my people, the people I represent, I’m prepared to take a calculated risk on their behalf.”

— Bob Ferguson, the Washington state attorney general.

Spring 2017 editor-in-ChieF* Jeffrey D. Twitty editor@bupipedream.com MAnAging editor* Rohit Kapur manager@bupipedream.com

neWs editor* Alexandra K. Mackof news@bupipedream.com Asst. neWs editors Pelle Waldron Gabriella Weick Brendan Zarkower oPinions editor* Caleb D. Schwartz opinions@bupipedream.com Arts & Culture editor* Odeya Pinkus arts@bupipedream.com Stephen Ruiz/Contributing Photographer Students participate in a questionnaire during International Coffee Hour, a space where the entire campus community is welcome to meet and learn more about each other.

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Police Watch Student found by C4 wearing only a shirt FRIDAY, Feb. 3, 5:46 a.m. — Officers responded to the Chenango Champlain Collegiate Center loading dock for a report regarding a female student wearing only a shirt and walking around the area on a cold night, said Investigator Dennis Bush of Binghamton’s New York State University Police. Responding officers located the student, a 19-year-old female, wearing only a blue longsleeve shirt in the back of a delivery truck, accompanied by the truck driver. When asked about what she was doing outside, the student initially responded that she was doing a “rush thing.” Later, she instead told officers that she had forgotten her ID and got locked outside. Officers said that they smelled alcohol on her breath, but that she did not visibly appear intoxicated. The truck driver was questioned and stated that the student approached him and asked if he could assist her in getting back into her building, to which he responded that he could not before asking someone to contact the police. The student was returned safely to her room in O’Connor Hall of Dickinson Community.

Students fight at Nite Owl SATURDAY, Feb. 4, 3:36 a.m. — Officers were contacted with a report of disorderly conduct, Bush said. The caller, a Dining Services employee, said that two students had gotten into a physical altercation near the cash register while purchasing food at Nite Owl. Responding officers did not see any fight upon arriving to the dining hall, but employees said that two male

Samuel Ditchek Police Correspondant

students had been purchasing food at the register when they began to fight each other and loudly call each other “pussies.” A Sodexo employee restrained both students and asked them to leave the dining hall. The employee said the two appeared to be friends and continued to hug each other between bouts of fighting.

Students locked in dorm room SATURDAY, Feb. 4, 11:45 a.m. — UPD dispatch received a call reporting two students were stuck inside their dorm room, Bush said. Officers responded to Mohawk Hall of College-in-the-Woods where an Assistant Residential Coordinator told him that two students had slipped a piece of paper under their door that read, “Help, we are stuck in our room and the door won’t open.” The officer attempted to enter the room using his universal key, but the door still would not budge. The officer asked the students to pull on the door as he pushed from the outside and the door eventually splintered open as the broken bolt fell to the ground. Significant damage was observed near the exterior of the door which likely led to the door not opening. The officer interviewed other residents of the hall and no one said they saw anyone tampering with the door. The students, one 23-year-old and one 20-year-old male, said they got home at 11:20 p.m. and did not hear anyone hitting their door at night. The investigation is still open.

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 Jeffrey Twitty at editor@bupipedream.com.

Web: bupipedream.com

This Day in History Feb. 6, 1952

Britain’s King George VI dies; he is succeeded by his daughter, Queen Elizabeth II.

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stabilizing: superbowl

falcons :destabilizing

ARTS

&

CULTURE

Simone Scheurer/Pipe Dream Photographer BU senior Daniel Wang sits in the Marketplace. The economics major created The Rice Guys to bring Asian food to the University.

Joining campus and community with rice

Student-run company The Rice Guys delivers snacks with a twist Katy Wong Contributing Writer Through a student’s efforts, homemade Asian food has recently come to Binghamton University. The Rice Guys, a Japanese rice ball delivery service founded and run by BU students, began serving the community in September 2016. Traditionally called onigiri, rice balls are a Japanese snack made of white rice and typically filled with

meat or vegetables, compacted in a triangular shape and held together with seaweed. The Rice Guys puts a twist on the simple onigiri recipe by introducing new flavors, ranging from sweet ginger and honey beef to savory shiitake mushrooms.

Daniel Wang, a senior majoring in economics, created The Rice Guys to introduce this type of food to the University with the convenience of on- and off-campus delivery

for busy students.

“I always wanted to create something that was more unique and sort of represented Asian culture more,” Wang said.

The vision of The Rice Guys began when Wang started to live off campus, no longer on the BU meal plan. He began making rice balls to bring to campus as an alternative to spending money on University food, though he soon started cooking 10 to 20 a day for other hungry students.

“My friends saw me eating my onigiri and tried some and they really liked it,” Wang said. “They asked if I could make some for them … I started doing that and my friends started to tell their friends, and then I was making them every morning for people.”

Wang ran a test business and called it Onibites. But his vision for his rice ball business became official when he got in contact with BU’s entrepreneurship department

of the Innovative Technologies Complex. There, he pitched his idea to the Entrepreneurship and Innovation office staff, who got involved with the project.

“There’s a professor there named Kenneth McLeod who really liked my idea,” Wang said. “He told me it was unique and people would definitely like it here.”

And thus, The Rice Guys was born.

According to Wang, the startup team has students and local adults working as rice ball makers and delivery drivers.

“I idolized entrepreneurs who don’t just create a company, they give back to the community,” Wang said. “So the other goal I had was that I wanted to give jobs to people who need it.

[Students] need supplement income and it gives them a chance to learn about business.

We also wanted to create jobs for locals who need the part time job to pay rent or help raise their kids.”

The Rice Guys isn’t just an ordinary food delivery service — the business takes pride in its emphasis on homemade food, especially since the original onigiri recipe dates all the way back to Wang’s childhood.

“Rice balls were things my mom always made for me,” Wang said. “I took my mom’s recipe and emphasized the taste more because we wanted the recipe to be more flavorful.”

The menu mainly focuses on its specialized onigiri, which includes different meats like teriyaki chicken, slow-cooked beef or braised pork. Besides this, however, there’s also an option for onibowls. These have the elements of a rice ball, but aren’t compacted into the traditional triangular shape.

Despite the stress and uncertainty that can accompany creating a startup as a college student, Wang says that The Rice Guys is a fulfilling experience.

“The thing about starting your own business is that everything you do or everything

you make and create is sort of like a part of you,” Wang said.

“Even though we’re just making rice balls and we’re not making the next Uber, it’s still very fulfilling to create something that other people find value in.”

In regards to aspiring student entrepreneurs that also dream of creating their own startup, Wang believes that the hard work and the inevitable hardships really pay off in the long run.

“If you have an idea, just do it,” Wang said. “I spent many hours thinking, ‘What if I do this?’ or, ‘Is this going to work?’

But you never really know until you do it. Just go for it.”

As of now, The Rice Guys only offers catering and group order services until further notice, as they are in the process of creating a flagship store — a dream Wang has always envisioned. Facebook updates will be used to inform students when the business is running as usual again. Wang plans to continue The Rice Guys throughout his college career and after graduation, and he hopes to branch out to other neighboring college cities, including Syracuse and Ithaca, in the future.

The business takes pride in its emphasis on homemade food

Natasha Leggero to perform at BU SAPB will host the actress-comedian and writer on Feb. 18 Odeya Pinkus Arts & Culture Editor The Student Association Programming Board (SAPB) announced that comedian Natasha Leggero will be coming to campus.

Leggero can be seen on multiple “Comedy Central Roasts,” alongside comedians such as Sarah Silverman, Aziz Ansari and Kevin Hart.

The writer and actress has also worked on a satire version of ABC’s “The Bachelor,” titled “Burning Love,” alongside

Kristen Bell, Michael Ian Black and Ben Stiller.

Yet, Leggero stands on her own in Comedy Central’s “Another Period,” which she both co-created and co-stars in.

The comedian plays Lillian Bellacourt, a selfish, rich woman in Newport, Rhode Island at the turn of the century. Alongside her sister Beatrice, played by co-creator Riki Lindhome, the two have gone through two seasons of antics, with another one coming.

Leggero also has credits in popular movies such

Photo provided by Pineconewar206 Comedian Natasha Leggero is set to perform on Feb. 18 in the Anderson Center’s Chamber Hall.

as “Neighbors,” “He’s Just Not That Into You” and “The Do-Over.”

According to Lyla Cerulli, SAPB variety chair and a senior double-majoring in psychology and classical and Near Eastern studies, Leggero was recommended to her by a member of her committee.

“I really wanted to bring a female comic to this campus,” Cerulli said.

Leggero will be performing Feb. 18 in the Anderson Center’s Chamber Hall. Her set will consist of 45 minutes of stand-up comedy.

Cerulli says she is personally hyped up about the show.

“I’m very excited and I can’t wait to see her live,” Cerulli said.

The performance will start at 6:30 p.m., with doors opening at 6 p.m.

Cerulli says she is hoping to have two members of Bing Stand Up, Binghamton University’s stand up comedy club, perform as openers at the show, each doing a 7 1/2 minute set.

For those who want to get a taste of Leggero’s sense of humor, she has two studio albums out, titled “Live at Bimbo’s” and “Coke Money.”

Titles on these releases include “Adderall and Oprah,” “Will I love all my children?” and “Toilet Babies.”

“Students should expect to enjoy themselves,” Cerulli said. “Leggero is an extremely experienced comedian with her own unique style.”

The SAPB is selling tickets from noon to 4 p.m. on Feb. 14 and 17, as well as online on the Anderson Center’s website.

Tickets are $5 for students and $10 for community members.

Raquel Panitz/Staff Photographer Alex Luciano, guitarist and vocalist of Diet Cig, performs in the Undergrounds Saturday night. Diet Cig will be releasing its debut LP “Swear I’m Good At This” on April 7.

BUMP holds first show of 2017

Diet Cig, IAN SWEET drew crowd to Union on Saturday Ryan Muller Contributing Writer On Saturday night, Binghamton Underground Music Presents (BUMP) ushered in the semester with a concert showcasing the talents of indie bands Diet Cig and IAN SWEET. Rising indie rock trio IAN SWEET opened up the night.

The band played songs from their debut album “Shapeshifter,” which they released in September and promoted its upcoming tour.

IAN SWEET’s stage presence and energy rubbed off on the crowd as their indie pop-rock sounds filled the Undergrounds. The crowd, which grew steadily through the set, danced along with the musicians onstage. By the time the band finished their set, the crowd was riled up and ready for the headliner, Diet Cig. Though this was the band’s first time at a BUMP show, this was not Diet Cig’s first time at Binghamton University.

Guitarist-vocalist Alex Luciano and drummer Noah Bowman recorded a session with WHRW 90.5 FM two years ago. The indie pop-punk duo, which was started

in New Paltz, has been making rounds at festivals and carving out a name for themselves in the indie music scene.

Even with their growing success, the duo still enjoys playing smaller college shows.

“I honestly love playing college shows,” Bowman said. “It’s so different than any other venue.”

Their love for this kind of performance was clear during Diet Cig’s performance, as Luciano jumped around the stage while audience members danced and moshed on the floor.

The chemistry that Bowman and Luciano share is evident and set the mood for their act. Their obvious enjoyment of playing together fueled the enthusiasm and excitement of the crowd, turning the space into a lively indie-rock venue.

Like most BUMP shows, there was a high level of intimacy between the crowd and the performers, particularly driven by Luciano. Before playing the song “Sixteen,” Luciano informed the crowd that she wrote the song about someone she used to date who had very recently messaged her on Snapchat. It was anecdotes

like these that created such a close atmosphere between the audience and performers that BUMP shows are popular for.

BUMP Chairman Sidney Ogunsekan felt the concert achieved the connection that BUMP strives for.

“I feel like people really vibed with Alex,” said Ogunsekan, a senior majoring in business administration. “I loved her crowd interaction.”

Diet Cig kept the audience involved and entertained consistently until the end of the night.

Audience members like Andrea Korn enjoyed the vibe of the show.

“It was a really good, highenergy show and people really seemed to be digging it,” said Korn, a senior majoring in human development.

Luciano echoed the sentiments of the crowd.

“It’s super fun, everyone was super nice,” she said.

“It was great.”

Diet Cig will be touring in the United States and Canada until May and is releasing its debut LP, “Swear I’m Good At This,” on April 7.

OPINIONS Monday, February 6, 2017

Exec. order affects us here at BU

PIPE DREAM

ADVICE

Professor Kent Schull comments on Trump's 'travel ban' Guest Columnist Kent Schull Associate Professor of History

On Friday, Jan. 27, President Donald Trump made good, at least partially, on a campaign promise to ban Muslims from entering the United States by issuing an executive order that suspended travel visas and canceled the country’s refugee program from seven predominantly Muslim states: Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen under the guise that this would make the United States safe. This racist and short-sighted action caused untold suffering and hardship for hundreds of valid visa holders as they were turned away from flights, detained while entering the United States and separated from families. This horrible executive order has also placed in limbo the lives of thousands of asylum seekers and refugees attempting to get their lives back after fleeing various forms of persecution and deadly violence resulting from civil war.

These are many of the most vulnerable people in the world:

innocent children, women and men trapped in a perpetual cycle of violence and depredation.

Additionally, this ban has affected tens of thousands of more people who work for the airlines, U.S. immigration, border patrol, customs, law enforcement and legal council as their jobs were carelessly thrown into disarray and chaos at having to try to enforce such a ban without any prior notification or preparation.

In fact, it could be argued that this ban actually makes us less safe by causing such chaos and by providing fresh fodder for recruitment to the real enemies of the United States who want to do us harm. Apparently, it’s Trump’s executive orders that are in need of “extreme vetting.”

It’s easy to think of this executive order as affecting people far away from us here at Binghamton University, but that’s not the case. We are a diverse student, administrative and faculty population from countries all over the world, including several of the seven named under this executive order. The mass discrimination that this executive order imposes, in the name of “American safety,” directly affects

our current and future friends, colleagues and classmates here on campus who enrich our classrooms, minds and lives.

These are HUMAN BEINGS who are attempting to improve their lives and the lives of those around them. They’ve made, in many cases, tremendous personal and financial sacrifices to come here to study and work. Our friends are NOT threats to U.S. security or our way of life that this executive order would have us believe.

In the end, this executive order affects us all in the most horrible ways, because it deploys vicious fear-mongering, xenophobia and prejudice to dehumanize entire communities, peoples, religions and nations all in the name of security and protecting our way of life. These types of actions are key stepping stones on the path to entrenched discrimination, racial violence, mass atrocity and genocide. These types of laws and actions, in the name of security, laid the foundations for Jim Crow and continued racial discrimination, perpetuate patriarchal discrimination and violence against women and LGBTQ+ communities, justified the decimation and

continued dispossession of Native Americans, and the internment of Japanese-Americans during WWII. These types of security actions were also used to justify the Ottoman Empire’s forced deportation and genocide against its Armenian population during WWI, the Nazi Holocaust and the Balkan atrocities in the 1990s, to name only a few. It is also the basis for on-going “legalized” state violence and atrocity in China, Iran, Israel-Palestine, Russia, Turkey and numerous other nation-states around the world.

Luckily, this executive order has been suspended by a brave federal judge in Washington state, but we must maintain our vigilance against such harmful actions. We must NOT stand by while our friends, families, classmates and neighbors are maligned and dehumanized under the guise of protection and security in the era of “America first.”

— Dr. Kent Schull is an associate professor of Ottoman and modern Middle East history at BU.

VOICES:

Binghamton University international students anonymously share stories about their experiences in wake of the recent executive order I felt goose bumps rise on my skin when I became informed about the news regarding President Trump’s travel ban.

Getting the U.S. visa has never been easy for Iranian citizens.

Since there is no American embassy in Iran, all Iranians need to travel to other countries to have a visa interview and for visa pickup. Many of them are required to wait for clearance, which means a background check. Even though I initially had a multiple-entry F1 visa for two years, it expired when I was in the third year of

my Ph.D. program.

That was the time my mom passed away. Since I had no valid visa, I could not attend my dear mom’s funeral and see her for the last time. It was because the visa processes (both the United States and the country with availability of U.S. embassy) would take so long that I would not be able to be attend my classes and would lose the whole semester. I could finally visit my family and my dad in summer and renewed the F1 visa for two more years. My dad is 76 years old and has many health-related issues; he was

hospitalized twice in January.

Doctors were performing an angioplasty on him, when they had to stop the procedure because he could not tolerate it and had to go through CPR. I had the plan to go visit even for a week but now with this new law — and even though I have a valid F1 visa — I cannot take the risk, since gaining my Ph.D. degree has been my parents’ dream. I am scared of losing him without being able to see him either.

I cannot focus on my studies and I am just following the news.

I had the plan to go visit ... I am scared of losing [my father] without being able to see him

I am a doctoral student in Binghamton University, who came to the United States on an F1 visa. I have been working on my dissertation project proposal for the past two years and now I need to travel to Iran to conduct field work for my research. Field work and archival research are essential parts of dissertationwriting in my discipline. Due to the recent travel ban, affecting seven countries including Iran, I am not able to conduct my fieldwork and work on the project that I had so much intellectually and emotionally invested in.

I have worked so hard to be where I am now in my education and now everything that I had foreseen as my research and career path is not realizable.

However, my story is not as terrifying and painful as many stories that I have been hearing these days.

Welcome to Pipe Dream Advice, where advice columnist Kristen DiPietra offers suggestions to make your life better. Submit a question at bupipedream.com/advice and you could be featured in next week’s issue!

I really like this girl, one of my close friends, and I want to ask her out soon. The only problem is I don’t have a car, I live on campus and I can’t think of any good dates in Binghamton. Can you help?

Hello Campus and Car-less, Although a car would allow you to travel outside of Binghamton, there’s plenty to do Downtown, where our own Off Campus College Transport blue buses travel often and are very reliable. If you’re looking for somewhere to eat, Downtown Binghamton has a bunch of great restaurants and cafes, some of the most popular being Lost Dog Cafe, Thai Time Restaurant and The Colonial. Afterward, you can go enjoy a Binghamton Senators hockey game and conveniently where West Side and the DCL buses drop off. When the weather gets nicer, try a Rumble Ponies baseball game, right down the block from the bus station.

Binghamton also hosts an art festival every first Friday of the month.

This is common in many small cities and boasts an array of activities, including shows and art galleries. Binghamton is also home to three museums: the Roberson Museum and Science Center, the Phelps Mansion Museum and the Bundy Museum of History and Art. That being said, there are plenty of ways to have fun on campus. You can take your friend up for a romantic walk in the Nature Preserve, and relax in the evening with a concert, play or comedy show. If you get hungry, take a break from Sodexo and regale her with your cooking skills. Every residence hall has a kitchen and some have community cooking supplies. The key is creativity. It doesn’t matter how you get to your date, just as long as you know her interests and have fun.

Enjoy yourself, Kristen In the fall I had some issues finding people to live with for next year, and ended up agreeing to live with people I don’t know very well. I would love to get to know them better before I live with them, but I’m not sure how to approach them. Any advice?

Hello Roommate, If I were to guess, I would say your future roommates feel the same about you and want someone to take the first step in getting acquainted. Make the first move. It can be nerve-wracking having to live with a complete stranger. Fortunately, you at least know their names. It would be perfectly fine for you to ask your future roommates for coffee or dinner on campus. Get to know their personalities, their interests and anything you may have in common with them. If all goes well, you can hang out with them in a more intimate setting, like a movie night.

Although I sincerely hope you enjoy living with your new roommates, just remember that you don’t have to be best friends with them. Not everyone is as receptive to hanging out, so don’t feel bad if a friendship isn’t able to develop. As long you all respect each other’s privacy, belongings and space, there’s nothing wrong with maintaining a distant but cordial relationship. I hope things work out for the best.

Good luck, Kristen

Former president of Binghamton Panhellenic Council responds to Sarah Saad's 1/19 column, 'How BU policy encourages unregulated Greek life' Guest Columnist Patricia Cholakis

Guest Columnist

Sarah Saad wrote a column, titled “How BU policy encourages unregulated Greek life,” in which she argued that the policies restricting first-semester freshmen and Binghamton Advantage Program (BAP) students from joining Greek life promote the growth of unrecognized Greek organizations. While it may be easy to draw this connection, I don’t believe campus policy and unrecognized organizations are related. These policies are put in place to uphold the Greek life community’s values and ultimately benefit its new members.

The Greek life community is a great place for new students to socialize and make lifelong friends, but it is about so much

more than just that. The aim of the Greek community is to promote strong values among its members, shown through its five pillars: scholarship, service, unity, respect and leadership. The policy that restricts first-semester freshmen and BAP students is in place so that these students can take the time to focus on what is truly important — academics.

All new students need an adjustment period, during which they can get comfortable with the academic rigor here at Binghamton University.

Joining a Greek organization is a commitment that is unlike any other on campus. New members of Greek life attend weekly chapter meetings, learn the history and values of their chapters, participate in philanthropy events and engage with the Greek community as a whole. If recruitment were open to first-semester freshmen and BAP students, they would become so

involved with Greek life that they would not have the opportunity to adjust to school, and their grades may suffer as a result.

These pillars and values are what separate recognized organizations from those that are unrecognized. Those new members that share the community’s values will see the validity and purpose of these rules.

Those who don’t see the value, and are more interested in finding a group to socialize with, will seek out unrecognized organizations.

Unfortunately, there is not much the on-campus community can do to stop these individuals from joining unrecognized organizations. The only thing that can be done is to continually improve the recognized chapters and make decisions that are in line with the Greek community’s values. If this is done, increased membership will follow.

In short, if on-campus

chapters are losing new members to unrecognized organizations, that says more about what the community has to offer than about its policies.

On-campus chapters should make their focus offering their members more opportunities in leadership, scholarship and service, as opposed to being focused on competing with offcampus organizations. On-campus Greek life is not competing with unrecognized organizations for members because they have higher standards for membership. In order to recruit more quality members, the Greek community needs to stick to its values and attract new members through commitment to academics, philanthropy and strong leadership.

— Patricia Cholakis is a senior studying integrative neuroscience and the former president of the Binghamton Panhellenic Council.

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F UN

Monday, February 6, 2017 SUPER BOWEL

Grind Theft Auto

Elizabeth Manning Identity Crisis

Nate Walker

Nate Walker

RELEASE DATE– Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Nichols Lewis

ACROSS 1 St. with a panhandle 5 Polio vaccine developer 10 Stash 14 Jockey strap 15 Native of Tehran 16 “Now I get it!”

17 Loaf pan filler 19 Mane man of film?

20 Fruity rum drink 21 Fills 22 Give authority to 25 Gets in the crosshairs 26 English subjects?

27 One may be proffered at a wedding 29 Mistletoe branch that was Aeneas’ pass to the underworld 32 Eavesdropping org.

35 First name in jazz 36 Lets up 37 Adversaries 38 It’s 0 at the equator: Abbr.

39 Something to lead a horse to 41 Rained hard?

43 Lock horns 44 Use Scope, say 46 Dogs 48 WWII torpedo vessel 49 Poe’s “The Murders in the Rue __” 51 We, to Henri 52 “The Thorn Birds” author 56 Fixes, in a way 57 Two-dimensional surface 58 Puts to work 59 Pre-coll. catchall 60 Located 61 Horn sound DOWN 1 Heavenly body 2 It can precede plop or plunk 3 Make stuff up 4 Amazon predator 5 Move furtively

6 Like Niagara Falls 7 Data transmission rate 8 Swenson of “Benson” 9 Disease research org.

10 A hero might hold it 11 “Cut it out!”

12 Dublin-born actor Milo 13 Razzie Award word 18 Use a divining rod 21 One of about 19 million Indians 22 Georgia of “Coach” 23 Dinero 24 Make a dramatic recovery 25 Inner turmoil 27 Rinsed, as a driveway 28 Violin virtuoso Leopold 30 Author Zora __ Hurston 31 Diminish

33 Smooth transition 34 “... __, dust to dust” 37 Expel 39 Droop 40 “High Sierra” director Walsh 42 Two-time U.S. Open champ Andre 44 Pop or bop 45 Full of excitement

46 Cut back, as a branch 47 Gave the eye 49 Mid-12th century date 50 One __: kids’ ball game 52 AWOL chasers 53 Troupe for troops: Abbr.

54 Prizm maker of yore 55 FDR successor

ANSWER TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE:

xwordeditor@aol.com

By Dan Naddor (c)2009 Tribune Media Services, Inc.

04/15/09

04/15/09

7

SPORTS

bupipedream.com | February 6, 2017

Soccer reveals new classes Men's, women's squads ink standout players

Michael Steinberg Contributing Writer

The 2016 season ended bitterly for both the Binghamton men’s and women’s soccer teams. The women closed the season by falling to Vermont, 1-0, in the final minute of play, while the men lost to Vermont, 2-1, in double overtime.

Although the preseason is still six months away, planning for next season has already begun, as both squads announced their 2017 recruiting classes last week.

The men’s team received four commitments while the women’s team signed eight new players. The men’s squad, one year removed from a conference title game appearance, will look for this new class to give it the boost needed to get back to the finals.

This year’s class will add a forward, midfielder, midfielder/ back and a center back.

Forward Jack Muller should help the Bearcats with scoring.

He scored the second most goals all-time at Perry Hall High School in Maryland and accumulated multiple honors, including all-county four times.

Lucas Arzan, a midfielder from Forest Hills, New York, is talented in possession of the ball and is expected to play a role in the Bearcats’ midfield.

Midfielder/back Chris Stamper of Poughkeepsie, excels at maintaining possession and is a strong passer. Rounding out the group is center back Ryan Pyszka from Leesburg, Virginia, who will provide more depth for the Bearcats’ defense.

The women’s soccer team will have many voids to fill after

the graduation of seven seniors.

When describing the women’s recruiting class, BU head coach Neel Bhattacharjee mentioned his eagerness to get some muchneeded positional players. The class, which brings in new members at each position, is Bhattacharjee’s first at BU after taking over at the helm of the program last spring. “[We] want to play the game the way it’s meant to be played in terms of building through the lines, so we’ll be able to play out of our back, link to our midfield, and be able to set up our forwards for some pretty dangerous finishing opportunities,” Bhattacharjee said.

According to Bhattacharjee, improving his team’s offensive power was one of two key focuses for this year’s class. Last season, the women’s team averaged less than a goal per game.

The coaching staff recruited players through a combination of surveying events and through training sessions and prospect clinics. Three players were recruited from the Syracuse Development Academy. Two players, Chloe Tracy and forward Genna Michitti, had already been recruited prior to Bhattacharjee’s hiring at BU. “We know that when we saw these players, we were struck right away by the quality of the product they have on the field,” Bhattacharjee said.

Bhattacharjee said some of the recruits are expected to provide an immediate boost for the team in the coming year. Bhattacharjee will look for Michitti, who is from Binghamton and attended Maine-Endwell Senior High School, to see significant

time next season and play a key role in the restructuring of the Bearcats’ attack. She scored 94 goals in four seasons in high school and was a three-time allstate selection.

Other players who could hit the pitch early on are Tracy, a midfielder from Sayre, Pennsylvania. She was the first ever in her district to have over 100 career goals and assists. Mackenzie Hanna of Baldwinsville, New York could get time behind starting goalie Katie Hatziyianis. Bhattacharjee said that he expects all the recruits to be able to compete for a lot of minutes.

The 19 returning players are continuing their training for next season, working on physical conditioning and technical work before moving onto more practical training in March and April. Since there are only 2 1/2 weeks of practice in the fall before the season opener on Aug. 18, Bhattacharjee is also working hard to make sure this year’s recruiting class is ready for the fall season.

“We’ll certainly be working with them and letting them know what to expect and how they can prepare themselves between now and August,” Bhattacharjee said.

Bhattacharjee has high hopes for his team in the coming season, predicting a possible postseason berth.

“We certainly feel like we’re now in a position where we can start to really make some good steps forward,” he said.

“And that we will be making postseason America East play and be in a position where we can compete with anyone within the conference.”

Raquel Panitz/Staff Photographer The women’s soccer team signed eight players to its 2017 class.

BEARCATBRIEFS TRACK AND FIELD Staff Reports Binghamton’s track and field teams continued their seasons at the Sykes & Sabock Challenge Cup, hosted by Penn State, on Friday. The men’s squad finished fourth out of five teams and the women placed sixth in a field of seven. Penn State took home both the men’s and women’s titles.

A first-place finish by freshman Jack Fitzgerald in the men’s high jump (6-9 3/4) served as the high point of the Bearcats’ weekend.

Second-place finishes from the women’s 4x400 relay (3:48.92) and senior Jon Alkins in the 200-meter (21.92) also served as bright spots.

Fitzgerald’s showing in the high jump met Intercollegiate Association of Amateur Athletes of America (IC4A) qualifying standards and is now the men’s program’s freshman record. Fitzgerald surpassed the previous rookie mark of 6-7, which was set by teammate junior Ted Okon.

Junior Malaika Palacios and seniors Sarah Haley, Ana Herbert and Sarah Osaheni, also clocked in an IC4A-qualifying time in the women’s 4x400, recording the seventh fastest time in program history. They fell short of first-place James Madison by just 0.3 seconds.

Although the men’s and women’s teams finished

near the bottom of the meet, both junior Brooke Bonney and senior Eric Holt continue to thrive in their individual contests. Bonney has placed consecutive top five finishes: fourth in the weight throw (56-0 1/2) in this meet and fourth in the weight throw (586 3/4) at the Penn State National Open last week.

Holt also came in fourth place in the 800 (1:52.47) Saturday and finished third in the mile (4:06.47) last weekend.

BU is set to return to the track next Sunday at the Robert Kane Invitational at Cornell. The first event is scheduled for 10 a.m. from Barton Hall in Ithaca, New York.

Pipe Dream Archives Junior Steve Schneider won his match in the 184-pound class on Sunday to improve to 9-1 in conference dual matches.

Wrestling downs American Bearcats earn third straight conference win Yedidya Naiman Contributing Writer

Following two impressive wins last weekend against Brown and Sacred Heart, the Binghamton wrestling team continued its winning streak with a 25-11 victory at American. With this win, the Bearcats (8-4, 8-2 Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association) have now won six of their last seven conference duals.

The Bearcats jumped out to a 3-0 lead when junior Steve Schneider, ranked No. 15 nationally at the 184-pound weight class, took down American University Eagles’ Jason Grimes in a 4-1 decision. The Eagles (3-8, 0-7 EIWA) then tied it up at the 197 pound weight class with a 6-0 decision.

In the heavyweight bout, the Bearcats regained the lead when redshirt sophomore Connor Calkins got a late third period takedown, winning 3-2, making the total score 6-3. The Eagles struck back in the 125-pound weight class when redshirt sophomore Josh Terao won by

technical fall, putting the Eagles up 8-6.

The Bearcats then went on a run to gain control of the dual by winning three consecutive matches. True freshman Audey Ashkar made his dual debut, taking down Eagles freshman Angelo Barberio by a score of 104.

“This was his first match in the varsity lineup as a true freshman, putting on the green and black for us. For him to step up and get a win was huge,” said Bearcats head coach Matt Dernlan.

Redshirt senior Dylan Caruana followed up Barberio’s victory with a pin in the second period.

Freshman Parker Kropman added three more points upon his fourth consecutive win to bring the score to 18-8 in favor of the Bearcats.

“For us, not only to get the win, but to get a pin and extra bonus points was huge,” Dernlan said.

The Eagles proceeded to take the next match with a 5-2 decision, but were unable to advance as the Bearcats rounded out the final two matches with an 8-2 decision

and a 13-0 major decision.

Multiple Bearcats were battling illness over the weekend and were not at full strength. Ashkar, redshirt freshman Jake Einbinder and redshirt sophomore Anthony Lombardo were all inserted into the lineup and had crucial wins that helped Binghamton secure victory over American.

“We were just ravaged with the flu all week, to the point where we weren’t really able to practice that much and prepare too much,” Dernlan said. “So leading into the match, we were really challenging the guys to test our metal, really test our spirit, were going to have to collectively dig deep as individuals and as a team, we did that today, and I couldn’t be prouder of the guys.”

With four duals remaining, two of which are against conference opponents, the Bearcats are in a good position for the EIWA Championships.

Binghamton is set to continue conference play this Friday at Bucknell. The bout is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Davis Gym in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania.

WRESTLING

BU takes down American SEE PAGE 7 Monday, February 6, 2017

Bearcats blow 16-point lead against UMass Lowell After strong start, poor second-half shooting dooms Binghamton to narrow 60-59 loss Samuel Ditchek Pipe Dream Sports

With a mere 12 seconds left on the clock, the Binghamton men’s basketball team found itself down by just three points against UMass Lowell on Saturday afternoon.

After a time-out, the Bearcats (1213, 3-7 America East) worked the ball around, trying to find an open man behind the 3-point line.

Junior forward Willie Rodriguez appeared to be that man, but a foolish foul committed by the River Hawks (10-15, 4-6 AE) sent him to the free-throw line with one last hope to tie the game at 60. He was unable to sink the first attempt, sealing UMass Lowell’s 60-59 victory over BU. “We tried to have him [Rodriguez] throw it really high and hopefully hit the back of the rim, and then we screened across and we were going to have Thomas [Bruce] try to go up and tip it in,” said BU head coach Tommy Dempsey. “The free throw just ended up rattling in … that wasn’t my design, obviously.”

The Bearcats’ defeat marks their second consecutive loss; they were blown out by UMBC last Wednesday. Although BU failed to execute in the final moments of play versus UML, BU competed throughout the entire game. “[UMass Lowell] are a tough team and we played really hard,” Dempsey said. “I thought our guys spilled their guts out there. It was very physical and both teams played really solid defense. It was just a grind down the stretch.”

In the first half, BU came out firing. The Bearcats shot 38 percent from the field and were red-hot from beyond the arc, hitting seven of their 15 3-pointers. Late in the half, freshman guard Fard Muhammad sank a three to push BU’s lead to 16 points, its largest of the day.

With five minutes left in the first half, it seemed as though a victory was likely for the Bearcats, who had held UML to 20 percent from the field at that point. Unable to continue its success both

Michael Contegni/Staff Photographer Sophomore forward Thomas Bruce contributed 10 points in Binghamton’s loss to UMass Lowell.

defensively and offensively, BU let its lead slowly fade, allowing the hosts to finish the half on a 12-3 run.

Heading into the second half up by seven, the Bearcats’ shooting fell off. They went ice cold from the field in the second, making just 30 percent of their shots. UML tightened up its defense, especially on the perimeter. BU was only able to hit one of six 3-pointer attempts in the second half.

Late in the second half, the Bearcats could not keep UML out of the paint. Senior forward Tyler Livingston capped off his 12-point game with a transition dunk to put UML up for good. Redshirt junior guard Jahad Thomas led the way for the River Hawks with 19 points.

In a match came down to the final possession, BU greatly benefited from bench contributions, particularly

those of Muhammad. He added 10 points off of the bench, including three from beyond the arc, and helped BU outscore the River Hawks’ bench by 14.

The River Hawks led for just 2:36 over the entire contest but were able to complete the comeback. The contest between the Bearcats and River Hawks featured eight ties and seven lead changes.

“We make a couple of free throws and we probably get out of here with a narrow victory,” Dempsey said. “We miss the free throws and we get out of here with a narrow loss. There’s really a fine line between winning and losing in a game like that.”

BU is set to face off against conference-leading Vermont tonight. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. from the Roy L. Patrick Gymnasium in Burlington, Vermont.

America East Men’s Basketball Standings Vermont

10-0

UMass Lowell

4-6 Stony Brook

8-2 UMBC

7-3 New Hampshire

5-4 Albany

Binghamton

3-7 Hartford

1-8 Maine

1-9

I thought our guys spilled their guts out there. It was just a grind down the stretch — Tommy Dempsey BU Head Coach

5-5

BU defeats UML behind Watkins' 20 points

Binghamton takes control in second half, moves into tie for third in conference standings

Raquel Panitz/Staff Photographer Freshman guard Carly Boland sunk three 3-pointers in the Bearcats’ victory over UMass Lowell.

Christopher Parsons

back to the action and stole the Contributing Writer ball from an unsuspecting UMass Lowell player.

With 1:38 remaining in the first For a single moment, Sina quarter, redshirt sophomore guard captured the mood of the Jasmine Sina slashed to the net Binghamton women’s basketball and missed her layup opportunity. team’s 69-54 win over UMass She was sent tumbling to the floor Lowell (3-20, 0-10 AE) on and began to wince in pain. But Saturday. Despite trailing by like the flip of a switch, Sina darted as many as 11 points in the

first half, the Bearcats swiftly stole the second half from the River Hawks.

After a back-and-forth first quarter, UML began the second quarter on an 11-point run to take a 24-13 lead.

“Because this team can’t compete in the tournament, they had nothing to lose,” said junior

guard Imani Watkins. “They would love nothing more than to ruin our season.”

Down but not out, the Bearcats (11-12, 6-4 AE) snatched momentum halfway through the second quarter. Junior forward Alyssa James stole a River Hawk inbound pass, which came in quick succession to Watkins’ own inbound steal just six seconds earlier.

Thanks to clutch threes from freshman guard Carly Boland and Sina, the Bearcats outscored the River Hawks, 14-8, to cut the deficit to just a point by halftime.

Following the break, the Bearcats began to command the court.

“I thought our kids played a really good third quarter,” said BU head coach Linda Cimino. “Our defense definitely propelled our offense.”

In the third quarter, the Bearcat defense combined for four blocks and took possession of five turnovers committed by the River Hawks, who lead the conference in turnovers.

This allowed BU to increase its time of possession, leading to more scoring opportunities and a chance to break ahead on the scoreboard.

This became apparent when Watkins and Boland combined for two consecutive threes to put the Bearcats ahead, 48-41.

BU held the lead for the rest of the game.

Three separate times, Watkins found net from beyond the arc in the third quarter, finishing the game with 20 points, nine

rebounds and four steals. What was seen on the court, however, may have been the least of her contributions.

“She single-handedly led that spark and that comeback in the third quarter,” Cimino said.

“Imani [Watkins] basically told the team that we had to change our defensive intensity in the third quarter.”

In total, the Bearcat bench added an impressive 25 points toward the win. From the bench, sophomore guard Rebecca Carmody was able to exploit an athletic mismatch with her defender and tallied 10 points.

With two minutes remaining

in the game and victory all but certain, Cimino made a wholesale lineup change that allowed several reserve players to share in the spoils of victory. All things said and done, all 13 Bearcats received minutes.

“The starting group was on the bench screaming and encouraging,” Cimino said. “We have good kids; they really root for each other’s success and I was really happy to be able to do that.”

The Bearcats are scheduled to return to action against Vermont tonight. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. from the Events Center in Vestal, New York.

America East Women’s Basketball Standings New Hampshire

9-0

Maine

5-5

Albany

7-3 Binghamton

6-4 UMBC

6-4 Hartford

5-4

Vermont

4-6

Stony Brook

2-8 UMass Lowell

0-10