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Letter to the Editor
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TUESDAY, APRIL 7, 2015
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129 th YEAR | ISSUE 43
THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIVERSITY SINCE 1884
BOA appoints Yarbrough new Starkville fire chief Yarbrough as the head of the Starkville Fire Department in a 4-3 vote during last Tuesday’s BOA meeting. Yarbrough, formerly a Starkville Fire Department training officer, was appointed to fi re chief after the board interviewed him among four other candidates
by Jennifer Flinn Staff Writer
Starkville’s Board of Aldermen approved the hire of Charles
vying for the position. “I’ve been working toward this for the last 20 years. (My goal is to) move our department forward. We have one of the best departments in the state already, and we are going to do our best to make it one of the best in the nation,” Yarbrough told the
Columbus Dispatch. Yarbrough told the Columbus Dispatch he wants to improve Starkville’s fi re rating and bring it down to a Class 3 from its current rating of a Class 4. Yarbrough said he thinks this could be achieved within a year if city officials are willing to lend a hand.
Lowering the fi re rating will improve insurance costs for the city and commercial businesses such as Mississippi State University.
Yarbrough CHIEF, 3
eWeek allows student entrepreneurs a chance to compete for cash awards by D.J. Wormley Staff Writer
Entrepreneurs:
Eric Hill | Courtesy Photo
Last yearʼs winners pose with checks they won from the eWeek competition. The company ʻRobsoxʼ won the
The Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at Mississippi State University is hosting its fourth-annual Entrepreneurship Week competition April 6-10. EWeek is a weeklong student start-up competition where as many as 30 teams compete for cash prizes totaling over $40,000 in seed money for the business they would like to start. Anja Scheib, sophomore business major, said she believes eWeek is a great event to participate in. “I have personally known people who have benefitted from the experience either by winning, networking or building friendships,” Scheib said. Scheib said events such as eWeek will open up greater opportunities for students in the local areas so they do not have to leave the state in order for their business to be successful. “MSU needs programs like this because Mississippi suffers from something called ‘brain drain’ where students with great ideas leave Mississippi for opportunities. This keeps opportunity local,” Scheib said. Sara McMahan, junior biological engineering major, said she believes eWeek gives participants experience they can apply in the real world, and the event will benefit the university greatly. “This gives students real-world experience while they are obtaining their degrees, and it is important because I feel like there are not many opportunities like this on campus,” McMahan said. “It benefits MSU because it gives the university exposure to future employers that have a chance to develop a good impression on the university and hopefully, help support the university and its students in the future.”
grand prize of $10,000 dollars that was used as seed money for the start-up company. This yearʼs grand prize winner will be announced Friday.
EWEEK, 2
Ensemble to give ‘Dog Jog’ to raise funds for animals
musical concert by Vanessa Cotton Contributing Writer
Mississippi State University’s Famous Maroon Band’s Wind Ensemble is set to perform at 7:30 p.m. Thursday in Lee Hall’s Bettersworth Auditorium. Free seats are available to watch 64 of the most prestigious musicians on campus perform musical works, including some new literature, orchestral transcription, standard band literature and standard wind band literature. Elva Kaye Lance, MSU’s band director from Waynesboro, Mississippi, said the Wind Ensemble’s
average concert attendance is around 700 guests and is expected to be a full house. MSU choir member Cherelle Moman, junior Political Science major from Jackson, Mississippi, said this is her first classical music concert. “I love music, and I’m looking forward to being exposed to all the different types of classical instruments,” Moman said. This concert focuses on giving thanks to those who teach music, band directors and anyone who influences young minds to aspire to music. Those who attend will experience the conducting styles of Dr. Gary Garner, who spent 39 years as a band director at West Texas A&M University.
by Kayla McNair Contributing Writer
The Oktibbeha County Humane Society will host its second annual Dog Jog fundraiser at the North Farm Saturday at 9 a.m. Kate Thompson, president of the student chapter and member on the Humane Society board, said this kind of race is unusual. “The Dog Jog is an irregular charity run to raise money for the Humane Society and the Grassroots Animal Rescue. Last year’s event only consisted of a one-mile fun run with about 200 people participating, but we still raised about $2,000 so we’re hoping to beat that this year,” Thompson said. Race participants are
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Humane Society | Courtesy Photo
MSU students and Starkville residents will gather at the North Farm April 11 for the Dog Jog.
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Tuesday
encouraged to bring their own dogs to run with however, dogs will be on site if a participant would like to rent a dog for $10 for the duration of the race. Leashes will also be provided for participants planning to rent a dog. Thompson said water, toys and treats will be provided for all dogs in participation. Layne Moritz, who is helping plan the event, said changes have been made to this year’s race. “This year, we wanted to attract even more people by adding the 5K because to a lot of people who are serious runners, a mile just really isn’t much for them, and so a 5K is a typical race,” Moritz said. “We thought that would attract more people, and having more people opens up more opportunities for the dogs to be adopted and to get played with.”
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Classifieds Life Sports Bad Dawgs
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THE REFLECTOR TUESDAY, APRIL 7, 2015
Campus Radio (WMSV 91.1 FM) and United Blood Services host ‘I Bleed Maroon’ events Sunday, April 12 Rice/Moseley Halls 4 p.m. – 8 p.m. Monday, April 13 Starkville Daily News 304 E. Lampkin Street 11 a.m – 4 p.m. Zacharias Village/Ruby Hall 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Wednesday, April 1, 2015 4:01 a.m. Bully Patrol reported a suspicious vehicle driving slowly through parking lots on campus. 9:06 a.m. A student reported a sexual assault two weeks ago in Griffis Hall. A counselor was called. 7:04 p.m. A student reported her vehicle was burglarized while parked behind the Wise Center.
Wednesday, April 15 Colvard Student Union Sponsored by Oktibbeha County Cattlemen’s Association and MSU Collegiate Cattlemen’s Association 10 a.m. -3:30 p.m. Fraternity Row (beside SAE house) 12 noon – 5 p.m.
Colvard Student Union 1 p.m. – 5 p.m.
Thursday, April 16 Vet School 9 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Tuesday, April 14 Sorority Row (in front of Chi Omega house) 5 p.m. – 9 p.m.
Friday, April 17 Barnes & Noble Cullis Wade Depot 7:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Thursday, April 2, 2015 1:10 a.m. A student was arrested on Blackjack Road for possession of marijuana in a motor vehicle, improper equipment and no insurance. 2:12 p.m. An employee reported an MSU vehicle was damaged while parked on Walker Road. Friday, April 3, 2015 12:06 a.m. A student was arrested on Magruder Street for public drunkenness. A justice court citation and a student referral were issued. 7:14 p.m. A visitor reported losing his gas cards and driver’s license from his wallet while at Dudy Noble Field. Saturday, April 4, 2015 9:25 p.m. A student reported the Farmhouse fraternity sign stolen from the property.
EWEEK Shavon Gandy, senior business major at MSU, said eWeek would benefit students by providing them financial support to start their businesses. “I think it is good because most students do not have
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the funds to start a business, so the event is very important and can be very benefi-� cial to students,” Gandy said. “The students will feel more compelled to give back to MSU due to the jump start they were given.”
WIND Garner has written and developed many instrumental techniques in different areas of wind. Garner has won countless awards and honors from the Texas Band Master Association and the National Association of Wind Band, and he is a well sought after wind band expert. Lance is excited to experience Garner’s teaching styles. “He is arguably one of the leading fi gures in the state of Texas’ band movement in the late 20th and 21st century, I think,” Lance said. “We wanted him here so our music education majors could have the opportunity to work with someone who has such a diverse pallet of interest and skills and so forth as him.” The Famous Maroon
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Band started a program called Legends and Mentors. This program allows well respected experts such as Garner to come and teach or demonstrate their skills and share their knowledge with the band. In addition to guests Garner and Lance, Associate Band Director Craig Aarnust will also join in conducting the concert. Jennifer Flinn, senior communication major and active member of the Wind Ensemble from Arlington, Tennessee, said she is interested how Garner will conduct the music. “I play the flute. I’m excited to see how the guest conductor works with students and how he interprets the piece he will conduct,” Flinn said. “It’s going to be a great concert with wonderful music.”
Sara Fowler | Courtesy Photo
MSUʼs Famous Maroon Bandʼs Wind Ensemble (pictured) will perform in Lee Hallʼs Bettersworth Auditorium Thursday at 7:30 p.m.
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TUESDAY, APRIL 7, 2015 REFLECTOR-ONLINE.COM
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Although the main goal of the event is to raise money for the Humane Society and Grassroots shelter, it is also a great way for people to meet and interact with adoptable
dogs in an environment outside of the shelters. Participants can register online for $18 and will receive a Dog Jog T-shirt and a treat bag. All participants that register before
April 11 will be guaranteed a T-shirt. On site registration will also be available the morning of the race and will cost $20. To register for the event, visit racesonline. com/events/dog jog2015.
Humane Society| Courtesy Photos
MSU students enjoy spending time with adoptable dogs from the Golden Triangle. MSU students will have another chance to play with adoptable dogs Saturday during the MSU chapter of the Humane Societyʼs Dog Jog.
CHIEF
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In order to lower the fi re rating, the city will have to pass numerous fi re resistance tests. Yarbrough will replace former Fire Chief Rodger Mann, who served the city of Starkville for 33 years, with the Fire Department. Vice Mayor Roy A. Perkins, ward 3 Alderman
David Little, and Ward 5 Alderman Scott Maynard opposed the decision to hire Yarbrough Mann announced his retirement Feb. 22, although he said he had contemplated making this move as long ago as 2010. Mann said he got many things accomplished
Have you followed us yet? For daily news tweets, links and articles follow @reflectoronline on Twitter.
“I think Chief Yarbrough is going to do a very good job.” -Rodger Mann,
Former fire chief for Starkville, Mississippi
during his tenure as fi re chief, including lowering the fi re rating from a Class 7 to a Class 4. “I was able to pick up on the vision of the previous fi re chief and got the fi re rating lowered,” Mann said. Mann also said he wants to move into consulting with the fi re code and
pursue private inspecting after retiring. “I think Chief Yarbrough is going to do a very good job. He is going to have some bumps in the road just like anyone else, but at the end of his tenure as fi re chief I think he will look back and be satisfied,” Mann said.
THE REFLECTOR TUESDAY, APRIL 7, 2015
Where the Wild Thoughts Are
Capitalism wonderful principle, but not perfect
The foundation of many societies functioning in the world today is power. This power, though, has a rather salient defi nition. In some cultures, power manifests itself as money. In others, prestige or family lineage.
“The United States does not employ ‘true capitalism.’” Capitalism’s brand of power is somewhat of a combination of these things and many others. This affects the way our brand of capitalism functions on an everyday basis. If there is an economic system that works better than capitalism, at least at the moment, then I am unaware of it. With this in mind, it is
wildly unnecessary and even dangerous to pretend capitalism, especially our brand of it, is some flawless system of hegemonic equality. Nothing could be farther from the truth. There is nothing inherently wrong with pride in the capitalistic system. The system starts to get dangerous when a narrow epistemological framework meets idealistic presuppositions. Let us begin to challenge these presuppositions. The United States of America does not employ “true capitalism.” As Lawrence Lessig, Professor at Harvard Law School, has noted, even the American farming system is not “truly capitalistic.” It is still subsidized by the government of the United States. To say the U.S. is a place where everyone has the opportunity to earn and
keep what they have earned is rather idealistic. This treatment of American capitalism implies substantial equality among individuals. Again, nothing could be farther from the truth. If 10 percent of public schools are responsible for 50 percent of dropouts, then I, an alumnus of a wonderfully funded high school in the best urban school district in the nation, certainly did not and do not experience the same ability to earn and keep what I earn as someone who went to a public school with an empty library. Paris School of Economics professor Thomas Piketty, in his magnum opus, “Capital in the Twenty-First Century,” notes the high level of inequality in America; almost 70 percent of wealth belongs to the top 10 percent of earners in America.
When this information is coupled with former “New Yorker” columnist David Cay Johnston’s critique of many of these individuals who do not pay their fair share of taxes, the inequality inherent in the American capitalist system is incredibly compelling. According to the World Bank, the U.S. owns a Gini coefficient of over 41; one of the highest of any nation of our economic stature. What this means, in short, is 41 percent of income would need to be redistributed for the U.S. to enjoy total income equality. The treatment of socialism as a system of “a small group of rich and powerful ruling over a large group of poor” sounds an awful lot like the American brand of capitalism. The argument that asserts America as a place where
men and women can pull themselves up by their bootstraps is an attractive one. It is nice to think the country and society in which we live affords everyone the opportunity to build their own future. However, for every Oprah who builds her influence brick by brick from the ground up, there are hundreds of others who could not — try as they might — make it out of the cycle of poverty. I am unconvinced we can see equality in a system where some start the race miles behind others based on conditions out of their control. Capitalism is a spectacular system to found a country on. The hegemonic success of the U.S. over the last 230 years or so can attest to this fact. However, when we idealize capitalism and its implications, we rob ourselves of the chance to
Letters to the Editor
Tucker Fleming is a senior majoring in sociology. He can be contacted at opinion@reflector. msstate.edu.
improve our society. Also, and more importantly, we rob the marginalized in our society of the help they need by asserting the perfection of a system which has shortchanged them for years upon years. To have a critical and skeptical eye towards society is not unpatriotic. In fact, to not approach with a critical eye is to refuse to improve ourselves.
Texting ban sign of poor legislation Salon pricing shows gender inequality by Zach Thornton
We have a problem in America, readers. Not some surface problem either, like which Kardashian is the hottest (I can’t get into Kim’s platinum blonde, honestly). I’m talking about a culture-wide philosophical pandemic. Let me give an example. On March 13, Governor Phil Bryant signed House Bill 389 into law, effectively banning texting and driving for all drivers in the state of Mississippi. What’s the problem here, right? I mean, texting and driving causes accidents, right? Didn’t The Reflector quote the director of the Mississippi Highway Patrol on the subject of auto accidents saying, “9 times out of time 10 it’s due to texting?” So, this seems like a good idea — to ban the thing that causes the accidents, right? Bear with me and let’s apply that to other scenarios. Have you ever heard of an accident being caused by a driver looking in his rearview too long? Ban it. What about women putting on lipstick? Ban it. Children causing a fuss? Ban it. On second thought, ban children. Flat tire? Ban them.
Or ban tires. How about we just ban cars? They’re a gateway drug. Can you see the issue here? The real problem is not texting while driving
The powers that be only have authority to punish wrongdoing. If I can text and drive and I don’t cause any harm, the Highway Patrol has no authority by
“ This law is such a prime example
of America’s thought-disease: preventative legislation .”
or rearview mirrors or lipstick or children or any of those things. Those things are not necessarily bad (except flat tires — those are the worst). The real problem is one driver, through some form of negligence, caused injury to another. This law is such a prime example of America’s thought-disease: preventative legislation. What I mean to point out is this: the idea human injury can be prevented by more laws and enforcement. Why is that a problem? I mean, if we can prevent someone from getting hurt, doesn’t that make the law worthwhile? Doesn’t everyone have to give something up to live on society? Let me say unequivocally, “NO.”
God or any other power to punish me. The same goes for lipstick, seatbelts, alcohol, weed or whatever else I may own. Let me make this clear: I’m certainly not advocating texting and driving. Drivers have a responsibility, and we should be well aware of it. But if we really want to love our neighbor as we love ourselves, we’ve got to come to the place where we give each other the freedom — yeah, this is America, y’all — to make choices and MIND OUR OWN D--N BUSINESS. Sure, if my neighbor causes injury by texting and driving, he’s responsible. But not anytime before.
Contributing Writer
Catie Marie Martin
Editor in Chief
Emma Crawford
News Editor Lacretia Wimbley
Multimedia Editor
Opinion Editor
Kelsee McKim
Michael Lamb
Life Editor
Photography Editor
Copy Editor
Noor Mujahid
Emma Katherine Hutto
John Galatas
Graphic Designer
Sports Editor
Austin Grove
Blake Morgan
CONTACT INFORMATION
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Editor in Chief/Emma Crawford
Letters to the editor should be sent to the Meyer Student Media Center or mailed to The Reflector, PO Box 5407, Mississippi State, MS. Letters may also be emailed to editor@reflector.msstate.edu. Letters must include name and telephone number for verification purposes. The editor reserves the right to edit or refuse to publish a letter.
325-7905 editor@reflector.msstate.edu Managing Editor/Catie Marie Martin 325-8991 managing@reflector.msstate.edu News Editor/Lacretia Wimbley 325-8819 news@reflector.msstate.edu Opinion Editor/Michael Lamb opinion@reflector.msstate.edu Sports Editor/Blake Morgan 325-5118 reflectorsports@gmail.com Life Editor/Noor Mujahid 325-8883 life@reflector.msstate.edu Photography Editor/Emma Hutto 325-1584 photo@reflector.msstate.edu Multimedia Editor/Kelsee McKim multimedia_editor@reflector.msstate.edu Advertising Sales/Ariel Johnson 325-7907 advertise@reflector.msstate.edu
CORRECTIONS
EDITORIAL POLICY
The Reflector is the official student newspaper of Mississippi State University. Content is determined solely by the student editorial staff. The contents of The Reflector have not been approved by Mississippi State University.
The Reflector staff strives to maintain the integrity of this paper through accurate and honest reporting. If we publish an error we will correct it. To report an error, call 325-7905.
I hope that means she will charge all clients per service, not just raise the price for my husband. Wouldn’t it be both fair and profitable to simply charge everyone for the service they receive, regardless of gender? Why not charge in proportion to the amount of time a haircut takes? If someone asks for a shampoo, a complicated cut, styling with blowout, mousse and hairspray, then by all means, charge more for that than for a simple no-frills cut. Go ahead and charge a premium price for being a premium salon. However, if my husband and I both ask for the same service, then charge us both the same price. New York has already passed a law stating salon pricing must be per service and not differ by gender. I wish there was no need for such laws. I am asking salons to please treat all clients fairly simply because it is the right thing to do. Starkville salon clients, please speak with salon owners and managers because change only comes when we speak up. Starkville salon owners, you could lead the way and be an example to others. I hope you might even attract more customers who just want a fair price for that great haircut.
of over 580 public fouryear institutions report the majority of their full-time students graduating on time. Increasingly, college students are spending not four, but six years earning their bachelor’s degree. Super seniors are becoming a norm at institutions across the country. Unfortunately, the abil-
to take courses that do not relate at all to our declared majors. For example, taking two sciences with labs will not prepare me for my degree; yet, if I do not take them, I cannot graduate. Additionally, if you’re a transfer student like me, not all courses taken at the previous institution receive transfer credit, which cuts
Although an extra year or two doesn’t seem like it will matter much in the long run, it comes with major consequences. More time means more tuition — approximately an extra $22,826 a year at a public “four-year” college. Even if a student receives scholarships, many scholarships only allot four years. That pushes students even further into debt, which often take many years to repay. Motivation also seems to dwindle the longer school goes on. I remember entering college as a motivated, enthusiastic student. Now, I only wish to simply fi nish school. College is supposedly the best time of our lives, and we should enjoy every moment of it, but I think I’m looking forward to the day when I can enjoy every moment of life and not go into debt doing it. So, to all my fellow current or soon-to-be super seniors out there: hang on, because you’re not alone.
‘Super seniors’ a U.S. epidemic by Elyssa Lambert
Managing Editor
Should a woman be charged $20 more for the same service a man receives? This is the question I posed to the manager of a local hair salon (it is a wonderful salon: very professional, does lovely work). I certainly understand women might ask for more services than men. Women might request a shampoo, flat ironing, mousse, blowout, maybe a perm or color, perhaps a very intricate updo. Most men forgo all that and just want a simple haircut. However, what about a woman who also just wants a simple haircut, no blowout, nothing fancy? That is exactly what I ask for, but I still pay more than a man. My hairstyles are bobs and pixie cuts. Isn’t that of comparable complexity to cutting a man’s hair? My husband actually has longer hair than I do. A doctor doesn’t charge women more for treating their sinuses, and a car dealer doesn’t charge women more for changing their tires, so why does the salon charge women more than men? The salon manager listened and spoke with me politely. She told me the salon does indeed charge
men about $20 less because men “don’t want to pay that much.” I admit I was a bit taken aback. That is a very frank and honest answer that states quite plainly men pay less for the same service because they’re men. When I asked about not wanting to pay that much, the manager seemed to be surprised. She told me I don’t have to go to her salon. A bit later, she said all salons in town have a similar two-tiered gendered price scale. Then where can I go? And why should I have to go somewhere else, especially when I think this particular salon gives excellent haircuts? To summarize, a man — because he doesn’t want to pay that much — gets a $20 discount, while a woman is told she can go somewhere else. However, no matter where she goes, she will still pay more than a man. I told the manager I am actually willing to pay the higher price. The service is fantastic, the stylists should be well compensated, and salons should be able to make a profit. However, a man should not be able to pay less for the same service. That is simply unfair. The manager said she could charge my husband as much as she charges me and I thanked her for listening.
by Monika Jankun-Kelly
The best aspect of college is that we, the students, have the opportunity to discover what we want to do and be in life. Freshman year, I knew exactly what I wanted to major in and what career I wanted to pursue after four short years of earning my bachelor’s degree. Then I took some classes and realized I wanted to change my major, and I did change it — three times. Now, instead of graduating in four years as I expected, I’ll graduate in five. Like countless other college students across America, I will be a so-called “super senior.” The idea of completing undergrad in four years is now referred to as the “Four-Year Myth,” and for good reason. As it stands, only 19 percent of full-time students earn a bachelor’s degree in four years at a public university. Only 50
“... the ability to discover who we are and what we want to do is a key factor in prolonging our time spent in college.” ity to discover who we are and what we want to do is a key factor in prolonging our time spent in college. Taking a long time to decide on a major or switching majors multiple times means precious time and money is wasted on courses irrelevant to the eventual decided major. We are also required by our university
RE F L E C T I O N S Mahatma Gandhi
down on completed hours since a course may need retaking. Furthermore, many classes are only offered during certain semesters or have specific prerequisites. One wrong move or poor planning and the graduation date originally anticipated gets pushed back, one semester at a time.
“Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.”
REFLECTOR-ONLINE.COM TUESDAY, APRIL 7, 2015
An In-Class Distraction
CLASSIFIEDS POLICY
The deadline for Tuesday’s paper is 3 p.m. Thursday; the deadline for Friday’s paper is 3 p.m. Tuesday. Classifieds are $5 per issue. Student and staff ads are $3 per issue, pre-paid. Lost and found: found items can be listed for free; lost items are listed for standard ad cost. FOR RENT House for rent! Two bedroom, one bathroom. House located in Montpelier, MS. $500.00 per month plus deposit. Great location for students looking to enjoy quiet, country living. If interested, please call 662-295-7362. UNIQUE FACULTY (student or alumni) APARTMENTED! “Lodge at the Lake.” Fantastic view, 340’ waterfront, dock, boat, fishing. Eleven miles west of campus. One bedroom apartment available August. $550. (or buy all five units $343,000!). 662-418-2790. FOR SALE GREAT INVESTMENT! Faculty; alumni; parents; fraternity or sorority “extra” housing. “Lodge at the Lake”: Five one bedroom apartments, common room, 340’ waterfront and dock on Oktibbeha County Lake, eleven miles west of campus.
$343,000. 662-418-2790. CLUB INFO
The deadline for Tuesday’s paper is 3 p.m. Thursday; deadline for Friday’s paper is 3 p.m. Tuesday. MSU student organizations may place free announcements in Club Info. Information may be submitted by email to club_info@ reflector.msstate.edu with the subject heading “CLUB INFO,” or a form may be completed The Reflector at office in the Student Media Center. A contact name, phone number and requested run dates must be included for club info to appear in The Reflector. All submissions are subject to exemption according to space availability. MSU HILLEL
Jews wanted! If you’re Jewish, let us know! Like us on Facebook at Hillel @ Mississippi State University. Join us for meetings. For more questions, contact Joseph Metz at 601-813-7720. YOGA MOVES CLUB
School or work stressing you out? Get moving into Yoga Moves. Try our moves to get into shape and our relaxation techniques to handle the stress. Yoga Moves meets at the Sanderson Center in Studio C, Thursday evenings from 5:30-7 p.m. Like Yoga
Moves Club - MSU on Facebook. STUDENTS FOR A SUSTAINABLE CAMPUS
Care about the environment? Love activism? Come join SSC on Thursdays at 6:00 p.m. in McCool 111 to make a difference. Follow on Twitter @MSU_SSC. STATE RUGBY
Think you’re tough??? Think again… Join State Rugby. 2014 SEC Division Champions! Practices T, W, R @ 5:30 at Rec Plex. For more info: rugby.org.msstate. edu or rugby-info@org. msstate.edu. BALLROOM DANCE CLUB
The Ballroom Dance Club is having its 10th Annual Moonlight Ball. It will be $20 for students and $25 for non-students and includes a catered dinner. It will be held April 11 at 7:00 p.m. in the Sanderson Center. SOCIOLOGICAL STUDENT ASSOCIATION
The Sociological Student Association will meet the last Thursday of every month at 5 p.m. in Bowen Hall room 250. All majors are welcome. For more information, contact Dr. Lane at lane@soc.msstate.edu. WESLEY FOUNDATION
Join us for Insight, a night of worship and Bible study at the Wesley Foundation, Tuesday nights at 8:00.
March 31 solutions:
5 THINGS TO KNOW FOR YOUR FRIDAY 1. Tensions continue to rise among flight companies. On the heels of last week’s tragic crash of Germanwings Flight 9525, an Air India pilot was beaten up in the cockpit by his co-pilot, begging further investigation of the complicated relationship between pilots. The altercation took place while the plane was still on the ground, and Airbus 320 continued on its journey despite the fight. A source states the pilot asked the co-pilot to do a routine recording of the number of passengers and the weight of the plane, a conversation which ended in heated discussion and physical violence. 2. “It’s complicated” relationship status takes on new meaning. Ellanora Arthur Baidoo of Brooklyn, New York recently served her husband his divorce papers via social media. She was reportedly unable to make contact with him over the telephone or in person and could not contact his workplace, so her lawyer permitted her to make contact with him over Facebook. Her husband received a court summons, which the judge permitted, saying Facebook and Twitter are the “new frontier” as “forums through which a summons can be submitted.” 3. World’s oldest person dies. Gertrude Weaver died at the age of 116 in a nursing home in Camden, Arkansas on Monday. Weaver was born in 1898, and she said the secret to her longevity was her dedication to eating her own cooking. She would have turned 117 in July and said she hoped President Obama would attend her birthday party. She leaves behind three children, four grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. 4. Kentucky fans riot upon loss. The Kentucky Wildcats lost to the Wisconsin Badgers Sunday night, the first loss in the season. The Wildcats boasted a record of 38-0, but the Badgers upset Kentucky with a score of 71-64. After the game, Kentucky fans set fire to items such as lawn chairs in the streets. 5. Cat missing after 14-hour flight. Jennifer Stewart and her husband Joseph Naaman were devastated to find their two-year-old cat, Felix, had been misplaced during their 14-hour flight from Abu Dhabi to New York City. Felix’s cat carrier has been retrieved, but was badly damaged at some point during the flight, leaving a large hole in the top large enough for a cat to crawl through. Felix has been missing for one week, but the couple has not given up hope their furry friend will return to them.
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THE REFLECTOR TUESDAY, APRIL 7, 2015
EY program encourages creative ingenuity by Noor Mujahid Life Editor
Creativity embodies the idea of self-expression, allowing one to express emotions otherwise inexpressible. Mississippi State University’s T.K. Martin Center for Technology and Disability has taken this idea and constructed a collaborative exhibit with artists partnered with MSU art, interior design and floral design students in the Martha Lipsey Art Gallery Thursday. “Express Ourselves: An Exhibit of Creative Diversity” will feature artwork by members of T.K. Martin’s EXPRESS Yourself program from 5:30-7 p.m. According to an MSU news release, the creations will be showcased alongside art student’s ‘Soul’ portraits of each artist. Floral design students created flower arrangements to complement the artwork, and interior design students will design a seating and lighting project to be paired with the art. The T.K. Martin Center is named after MSU’s late vice president who began the initiative to increase the university’s accessibility to those with physical challenges. According to the center’s
Public Relations| Courtesy Photograph
Judy Duncan of MSUʼs T.K. Martin Center works with Thalamus Brown, an EXPRESS Yourself program participant, to create a painting. The T.K. Martin Center for Technology and Disability will present ʻExpress Ourselves: An Exhibit of Creative Diversityʼ Thursday in the Martha Lipsey Art Gallery from 5:30-7 p.m.
website, “The T.K. Martin Center provides comprehensive, multidisciplinary evaluations to remove limitations through the application of assistive technology, allowing individuals to participate in educational, vocational and leisure activities to the fullest degree they choose.” Judy Duncan, who has served in the T.K. Martin Center since
1996, said a majority of the EXPRESS Yourself artists have cerebral palsy, and the program provides an outlet for participents to convey what they are feeling on the inside in a way they would not be able to do otherwise. “Due to the severity of their disabilities, they haveno or fewexperiences to participate in art classes or art activities,”
she said. “So, their ability to be fully creative has never happened until they were able to participate in EY. With EY, they are in total control of their environment, which can also be a new experience for them.” Duncan said before participating in the EY program, the participants’ emotions were trapped inside them, and through the creative outlet of art,
the artists can express their various emotions such as joy and sadness. Although challenged by physical disabilities, the paintings displayed in the exhibit are original pieces created by each artist. Duncan said the center aspired to create an experience where the participants of the EY program were able to learn from other artists. “We thought pairing
them with MSU art students and faculty would expose them to other types and styles of art and hopefully inspire them as they create their art,” Duncan said. “We wanted it to be a fully integrated experience.” Duncan said the event Thursday will allow students to come out and meet artists as well as view their artwork. “They love meeting new people and being able to show off their work. This will be a very unique art experience,” she said. “You will not only see the EY artists’ work, but also MSU art, interior design and floral design students’ work will be displayed as companions to the EY art. It is a show of creative diversity.” Regular gallery hours are 8 a.m.-5 p.m., MondayFriday, as well as by appointment. Paintings may be purchased to support the artists and the EXPRESS Yourself project’s mission to reach more potential artists throughout Mississippi For additional information on Thursday’s “Express Ourselves” event, contact Judy Duncan at (662) 325-1028 or jduncan@ tkmartin.msstate.edu. More information on the T.K. Martin Center EXPRESS Yourself Art program can be found at tkmartin.msstate.edu/ projects/express.php.
MSU welcomes ZZ Top Relay for Life recognizes by Noor Mujahid Life Editor
“Cause every girl crazy ‘bout a sharp dressed man.” Although most people recognize this line from the A&E hit TV show “Duck Dynasty,” the voice behind this well-known lyric is none other than the ‘70s and ‘80s band, ZZ Top. The iconic rock band, consisting of Dusty Hill, Billy Gibbons and Frank Beard, rescheduled its concert date and will perform Friday at 8 p.m. in the Humphrey Coliseum, courtesy of Music Maker Productions. The band, originally set to perform Oct. 30 of last year at Mississippi State University’s Humphrey Coliseum, had to reschedule due to band member, Dusty Hill, sustaining a hip injury. MMP works to bring in a diverse group of artists every year. Last year’s lineup a performance by FUN at the Humphrey Coliseum, 2 Chainz at the MSU Horsepark and The Neighbourhood at the Old Main Music Festival. ZZ Top is a classic rock
band all audiences will enjoy. College students are almost certainly familiar with the group on account of the band’s catchy tune “Sharp Dressed Man,” used as Duck Dynasty’s theme song. Billy Bob Thornton and The Boxmasters will open for the legendary band. Actor, director, producer and singersongwriter Thornton, who was previously married to Angelina Jolie, started the group in 2007. The band’s facebook page notes its genre as “electric hillbilly.” Fans describe the band’s sound as a sort of country rock. Drew Dygert, junior agronomy major and ZZ Top fan, said he was excited to see the band in October and was disappointed it was rescheduled, but he is ready to fi nally attend the concert Friday. “I’ve always thought of ZZ Top as legendary, and the fact that Billy Bob Thornton is opening for them is just amazing. I’m glad they were able to reschedule the concert,” he said. Logan Reeves, Student Association secretary, said the spring semester
always comes with great entertainment, as the Old Main Music Festival is also just around the corner. “April always brings incredible music to Starkville, and Music Makers Productions kicks it off this year on April 10 with global rockers, ZZ Top,” he said. Tickets purchased for the Oct. 30 show will still be honored, and ticket information for Friday’s concert can be found on MMP’s official website, msuconcerts.com. Thomas Fitzner, student director of MMP, said student tickets can still be purchased online as well as in the Center for Student Activities in suite 314 of the Colvard Student Union, and student discounts are still available. “ZZ Top is a legendary American rock band,” Fitzner said. “This is the fi rst classic rock show to hit the campus in years, and there isn’t any better way to spend your Friday night.” Doors open at 7 p.m., Bill Bob Thornton and The Boxmasters will take the stage at 8 p.m. and ZZ Top will headline around 9:30 p.m.
cancer patients, survivors by Georgeann Kenney Contributing Writer
Mississippi State University students, faculty and staff have the opportunity to recognize individuals who are battling or have battled cancer at MSU’s Relay for Life from noon until 10 p.m. Friday in the Junction on MSU’s campus. Jaleshia Meeks, head of the Relay for Life committee and senior international business major, said she has been on the committee for the past three years, and this year has lined up a lot of exciting entertainment. “We have the band Follow Apollo playing at 2:30 p.m. The ballroom dance club is performing we’ll have Zumba and Blitz show choir,” Meeks said. “Also, starlight dancers, Terpsichore and the student fashion association will be putting on a fashion show.” Relay for Life events are held in over 20 countries to raise funds and awareness to save lives from cancer. Meeks said the goal this year was to raise $40,000, and they have already had $16,684 donated. “I’m really excited, and I would really like for us
to reach our goal and to get everyone on campus involved because there are students, faculty and staff that battle cancer everyday on campus, and we walk by them and don’t even know,” Meeks said. Claire Wilson, senior communication major and a sponsorship chair on the Relay for Life committee, said Relay for Life is an important event and she is looking forward to it. “I love relay for life. It’s a cause that’s very close to my heart. My mom has had melanoma, and a close family friend had throat cancer,” Wilson said. “All of this happened around the time I heard about the opportunity to be on the planning committee last year, so I think it was kind of destined for me to be a part of it.” Wilson said she loves seeing which teams have the best tents, and she really enjoys seeing the MSU family come together for such a great cause. She also said she is a big fan and close friends with some of the members of Follow Apollo, the afternoon entertainment for Friday. “I’m so excited for Follow Apollo to play at Relay. They were already coming into town to play a gig, and when I found out
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we still had entertainment spots to fi ll, I knew I could count on them,” Wilson said. “I’ve known those guys for years. They’re great people, and their music is a lot of fun to experience. I’m proud of them.” Kyle Bragwell, singer and guitarist for Follow Apollo, said this will be the second time the band has performed at Relay for Life. Bragwell described the band, made up of five friends from the Muscle Shoals area in Alabama, as one that doesn’t limit itself to a certain type of music, but that most closely falls under the Alt-Rock genre. He said his band was eager to perform. “One of my best friends lives in Starkville and got us the Relay show. She was really the only tie we had to the city before we started playing there. We love it. Last time we played was after the MSU vs. Auburn game, and that of course was wild,” Bragwell said. “This will be our third visit to Starkville and it’s one of our favorite cities to play in. The people are really great.” Opening ceremonies and the cancer survivor lap will start at 6 p.m. For additional information on Relay for Life at MSU and to donate or sign up, visit main.acsevents.org or call JuLeigh Baker at (662)325-2141.
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Sports
7 THE REFLECTOR TUESDAY, APRIL 7, 2015
Courtesy Photo | Mississippi State Athletic Media Relations
Alexis Silkwood wins SEC Pitcher of the Week: Sophomore Alexis Silkwood was named SEC Pitcher of the Week on Monday for the second straight week. Silkwood pitched 16 innings over the weekend on her way to a 2-0 finish and a 0.00 ERA. “Wow I am so thankful for many blessings, this was earned with the hard work and dedication of a team thatʼs more, we are family,” Silkwood said in a news release. “I wouldnʼt want to be with anyone else out there on the field. Both the defense and offense are making plays and getting timely hits. Everyoneʼs pulling on the rope. This is definitely a team award and honor. I am very thankful and proud to be a part of the Bulldog family! Hail State!” This was the sixth SEC weekly award she has earned in her career. Silkwood leads the SEC in innings pitched and wins this season. “Silkwood is the definition of ʻcompetitorʼ,” Head Coach Vann Stuedeman said. “I am proud for her and our team. She truly believes in her teammates and that this is a team honor. This is a tough honor to receive because there are so many great pitchers in the league.” Mississippi State University returns to action against LSU Wednesday at 6 p.m.
Men’s tennis pulls off set of upsets by Zach Wagner Staff Writer
Mississippi StateUniversity put on arguably the most impressive display of the season over the weekend, handing conference-leading No. 6 Georgia its first SEC loss and defeating South Carolina two days later. The two wins bring its overall record to 17-5, as well as 8-2 within the SEC. MSU currently sits at the third spot in the conference standings, with two games left before the start of the SEC Tournament. The team has chosen the right time to start peaking, and Head Coach Matt Roberts pinpointed the change within the psyche of his players as the reason for the Bulldogs’ sustained success of late. “Team. Being good teammates and trying to push each other every day in practice. Accountability and not wanting to play together by yourself,” he said. “We’ve got a young team, and guys at the beginning of the year didn’t understand that. They weren’t used to that because tennis is such an individual sport, so now they’re starting to see that if you do things for your teammate, good things will happen.” Robert’s words rang true just minutes later when the Bulldog’s number one Florian Lakat motioned to his teammate Mate Cutura to join him in answering questions following the win against Georgia on Friday night. The sense of accomplishment and joy was unmistakable by Lakat. “Today I felt like every guy on the court or in the stands was into it,” Lakat said. “Everyone fought super hard, and it’s just awesome. Everyone deserves it. We’ve been all putting in the work. We were real close against Texas A&M, but this time we took it, so it’s great.” In general, the team has a good vibe, and it is obvious it is approaching each match like it is the best team on the court. “We all came out ready,” Cutura said. “Nobody looked at Georgia like they are so much better than us and we came out and battled with them.” The match against Georgia started out well, as it could have scripted it for the Bulldogs. The doubles team of Cutura and Tassilo Schmid was able to get the best of the Georgia team of Eric Diaz and Nathan Pasha, with the final line reading 6-4 in favor of Mississippi State. Not long after, the Bulldog team of Julian Cash and Lakat would take down the No. 1 doubles pair in the country, Austin Smith and Ben Wagland, by winning
Florian Lakat returns the ball earlier this year. Lakat is a sophomore from Paris, France.
the last three points of the match, making the final score 6-4. This secured the doubles point for Mississippi State, giving it the early 1-0 advantage. Matters would continue to fall in favor of the Bulldogs, when Rishab Agarwal defeated his opponent in straight sets 6-2, 6-2, making it a 2-0 scoreline. It would not take Georgia long to answer, as Wayne Montgomery would secure his team’s first point of the match, besting Juan Cruz Estevarena in straight sets. Mississippi State would respond with Cutura, who continued his unbeaten run within SEC play by pulling out a nail bitter against No. 18 Pasha in an epic three-set match 4-6, 6-2, 6-4. With the score at 3-1, the next two matches would end almost simultaneously. First, Schmid would fall in straight sets to Wagland on court four 3-6, 6-7(4), giving Georgia some much-needed life support. However, Lakat would seal it for the Bulldogs on a moments notice, when he would serve for the match on court one and ultimately gain victory over Smith with the final score of 6-2, 2-6, 6-4. The 4-2 win over Georgia, undoubtedly their best of the season, marks the first time since 1996 the Bulldogs have defeated Tennessee, Kentucky and Georgia in the same season.
“That was an amazing performance by our guys, and I cannot say enough about how much each one of them fought,” Roberts said. “We knew going in how good Georgia is, but we also knew we could compete on that level. We brought a lot of energy in here today and our guys capitalized on it.” Sunday’s match against South Carolina did not act as a let down for MSU, which came out ready to go during its doubles matches. The MSU team of Estevarena and Robin Haden cruised to a 6-2 victory over Andrew Adams and Andrew Schafer. Following this, Cutura and Schmid picked up their second doubles win of the weekend by defeating their opponents Thomas Mayronne and Sam Swank 6-4. This marked the 17th time this season the Bulldogs picked up the doubles point. The singles matches went just as smoothly. Freshman Cash got the quick victory in straight sets on court six 6-2, 6-2. Soon after, Schmid fell to Thiago Pinheiro in straight sets 1-6, 1-6, giving the Gamecocks its fi rst point of the day and making the score stand at 2-1. Agarwal and Cutura extended their long victory streaks in singles play, as the two picked up the last two points for the Bulldogs to win the match 4-1.
Sarah Story | The Reflector
Both now currently ride eight-game match winning streaks and Cutura now leads the SEC with an 8-0 record in league play. The Bulldogs have won five straight matches and 10 out of their last 12, which has given their head coach a lot of optimism about what this team could achieve by season’s end. “Moving forward, we’re really excited about the last two matches of the season,” Roberts said. “We have tough contests in Vanderbilt and LSU, plus postseason play, but we’re excited to see what we can do. I’m proud of the guys for how they have fought so far this year and cannot wait to see what we do from here on out.” The Bulldogs are next in action on Friday, when they travel to Vanderbilt at 5 p.m. Afterwards, they will return home next Sunday to take on LSU for senior day at the A.J Pitts Tennis Centre at 1 p.m.
Beyond the Arc
MSU lessons learned in spring scrimmage The Mississippi State University football team marked the midway point of its spring practices with a scrimmage Friday. The spring is a good time for the coaching staff to evaluate the incoming players and see how players can fill the different voids left by former players. What did we learn from the first scrimmage? We learned the Bulldogs will have just as much depth as last season, if not more this upcoming fall. With the unexpected early departure of Josh Robinson, the Bulldogs will have to fill the void at running back. Freshmen Aeris Williams and Dontavian Lee received the most carries in the scrimmage and combined for three rushing touchdowns. “It was good,” Head Coach Dan Mullen said in a news release. “They ran the ball hard. Again, I want to go look at some of the reads, make sure they’re on it. It looked like they were a little hesitant at times, and they probably could have some things a little bit more full-speed. The check pass protection obviously is going to be critical for them. I thought they ran the ball hard, which I already knew that would happen. It’s the other things you have to make sure that they’re ready for.” Brandon Holloway also ripped off the longest run of the day for a 75-yard touchdown. If he gets into the second-level untouched, he is almost a guaranteed touchdown. “We’re just progressing along, progressing along,” Mullen said. “You know, spring is all about player development and getting a lot of guys different things. We’re 0-0 at the end of spring. I think our guys have a great attitude. I think they competed, I think they played hard they give good effort. But I think they’ve got to really learn how to maximize themselves out here on the field.” Freshman Geri Green and sophomore J.T. Gray showed they may be willing to fill in for the talent lost at linebacker. Both finished with eight tackles leading the defense. Green was also in the backfield for sacks all scrimmage long. The defense is adjusting to new defensive coordinator Manny Diaz’s schemes. “I believe they’re getting it slowly but surely,” Mullen said. “They’re getting it. You see some definite improvements; you see other things that are going to be maybe drastic differences from what we did before, of them trusting their job, trusting their teammates,
Blake Morgan is the sports editor. He can be contacted at reflectorsports@gmail.com.
trusting all the fits. And not sitting there saying; boy is the ball really going to get turned back to me the right way?” Players such as De’Runnya Wilson sat out due to injuries in the scrimmage, so the public was not able to see how the Prescott-toWilson tandem progressed. Fred Ross and Fred Brown played well though, both gaining over 100 yards receiving. Freshman Malik Dear displayed versatility as well as receiving and getting the ball in the backfield for a few rushes. “The biggest thing for him as you see he can do some things,” Mullen said. “But he’s got to learn the system, learn how to play it at the college level. And he’s got to do it consistently. It can’t be a great play and then he has to come subbed-out. I still think he’s working, got to get in a little bit better shape still, conditioning-wise to get ready to play at this level. But he shows he’s got the ability. We’ve just got to get him to do it consistently.” Nick Fitzgerald ran quarterback for the second unit and showed a surprising grasp of the offense. He ended up tossing in three touchdown passes on top of his performance. Mullen fell under fire last year when he let Damian Williams share reps with Dak Presscott early in the season because Williams sometimes looked as if he did not have command of the offense. With Fitzgerald’s performance, it will be interesting to see if he can challenge Williams for the backup quarterback postion. We have learned Mullen has the football team turning out players left and right. Last season was the first year the fans saw how far Mullen can lead a team with depth. Even though the Bulldogs say goodbye to some of the most talented players in the history of the program, MSU has the talent to fill-in those holes with only missing a minimal beat. MSU will have its second scrimmage of the spring Saturday at 11:40 a.m. at Davis Wade Stadium and, it is open to the public.
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Sports THE REFLECTOR TUESDAY, APRIL 7, 2015
MSU baseball finds form in weekend series by Devin Roberts Staff Writer
Despite losing Sunday, the Mississippi State University Bulldogs seem to have figured out how to return to their winning ways. The Bulldogs entered the past weekend dropping their last three SEC series and sitting as one of the worst teams in the SEC. It was 3-6 in the SEC play before the weekend started. After winning the weekend series against South Carolina, the Bulldogs have moved in to third place the SEC standings. The weekend series started off well for the Diamond Dogs as the bats fi nally came alive. The Bulldogs recorded 12 hits and managed to achieve a victory of 13-2 against the Gamecocks. “Lucas really put our club on his back,” Head Coach John Cohen said. Lucas Laster was on the mound for the Bulldogs on Thursday night. He managed to pitch a complete game and record 8 strikeouts. John Holland had another outstanding game and provided most of the offense for the Bulldogs. He went (3-5) with a game high four RBIs. “I think everyone is a little bit more comfortable with their swings right now,” Cohen said. MSU erupted on the Gamecocks in the third inning, and managed to get six runs on the board. Jake Vickerson also had a good game going 2 for 3 with one RBI. “This is what kind of club we need to be,” Cohen said.
Senior Lucas Laster throws a pitch against the University of Texas A&M Aggies. Laster has four wins on the season now with a 2.53 ERA.
The Bulldogs continued their winning ways on Friday against the Gamecocks by winning 7-5. Preston Brown got
the win for the Bulldogs. Brown allowed ten hits and gave up five earned runs. “Obviously Preston did a great job today. I thought
he forced them to force the bat, and it’s amazing how the game works when you throw strikes,” Cohen said. Jake Vickerson had a
Courtesy Photo | MSU Media Relations
good game at the plate on Friday, recording three hits and two RBIs. Vickerson improved his batting average to .320 for the season.
He has 15 RBIs on the season. “We have really swung the bats well in this series,” Cohen said. “We had 14 hits today and had some really good at-bats. We have been waiting for the balls to fall in and the breaks to go our way. Our guys have done a great job of making some breaks this weekend.” The Bulldogs struggled at the plate throughout conference play. Last week MSU went 29 innings without pushing a run past the plate. Over the weekend series, the Bulldogs scored 27 runs. “We are a lot more aggressive at the plate. We are assuming each pitch is gonna be a strike,” Cohen said. The Bulldogs ended the weekend series with a 13-7 loss against the Gamecocks on Sunday. “The hardest balls we hit were right at people,” Cohen said. “We just didn’t pitch the way we wanted to.” Vance Tatum received the loss for the Bulldogs going for 1.1 innings and giving up four earned runs. Despite the loss and poor pitching, the Bulldogs still managed to rack up 10 hits. The Bulldogs are back in action tomorrow against the University of Memphis. Memphis enters the game with a 4-2 conference record. The game will be played in the Triple-A stadium Autozone Park, home to the Memphis Redbirds. This weekend MSU will face Texas A&M. The Aggies enter the matchup with a 9-2 conference record. Friday’s game begins at 6:30 p.m. at Blue Bell Park in College Station.