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TUESDAY FEBRUARY 6, 2018
133rd YEAR ISSUE 31
THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIVERSITY SINCE 1884
Glo: Successful startup finds home in Starkville
REVENGE: best served on the court
KATIE POE
STAFF WRITER
A successful business created by former MSU students recently moved into its new headquarters in downtown Starkville. Vibe was founded in 2015, and its most famous product line is Glo, which includes liquid-activated, glowing cubes to put in drinks. Other Glo products include a bath bomb and GloPals for children. The company’s founders, Hagan Walker and Kaylie Mitchell, started at the MSU Center for Entrepreneurship, received funding and investments and “quickly outgrew” the collaborative space. Afterward, they started working out of Hagan’s house, eventually moving to the Research Park. Glo’s Director of Business Development Anna Barker a 2017 MSU graduate, said they were working out of an office on the third floor of the Greater Starkville Development Partnership previously, but their abundance of inventory and growth forced them to look for a new hub. GLO, 2
Lindsay Pace | The Reflector
The Mississippi State University Bulldogs defeated the South Carolina Gamecocks in epic fashion winning 67-53. Victoria Vivians, finished the READ FULL STORY, PAGE 6 game 8-24 from the field, and scored 24 points. This game marked the end to an 11 loss streak to the Gamecocks.
MSU art department presents ‘Collect 50’ SARAH MASSEY
CONTRIBUTING WRITER
The Mississippi State University art department is celebrating their 50th anniversary with the “Collect 50” art gallery in the Colvard Student Union starting Feb. 5 until March 4.
The gallery consists of various types of artwork from alumni, students, former faculty and donated or purchased art provided by the art department. The gallery director for this project, Lori Neuenfeldt, a graduate of Florida State University, decided the gallery should
not have a particular theme but instead show artwork the department collected over the years. “We were looking at all the different ranges and styles, and we decided that there was not a theme other than let’s just show what we have in our collection to get people familiar with it,”
Neuenfeldt said. Based on oral tradition, the art department started in 1968 after a well-known actor named Vincent Price came to MSU for a lecture, and asked where the fine arts department was. After being told there was not a fine arts program, Price could not
believe MSU called itself a university. Leonard Farley was hired as the first employee and head of the art department. Farley had a small office in the basement of Lee Hall. The official establishment of the art department was not until
later in 1969. “We really were inspired by the idea of how we can celebrate this series of programs other than an exhibition of the collection, which does have works that date from the different decades the department has been around,” Neuenfeldt said. GALLERY, 2
Eco-Car 3 is in gear for competition EMMA MOFFETT STAFF WRITER
Mississippi State University’s Eco-Car 3 team is preparing for their fourth year of competition, leading to its culmination during the last two weeks of May. Eco-car 3 is a fouryear advanced vehicle competition, where each team competing is required to redesign a Chevrolet Camaro into a hybridelectric vehicle. Upon completion, the car for each team is estimated to be worth one million dollars. Funding for this project comes primarily from General Motors, Argon and the U.S. Department of Energy. Each team also receives private funding from their own university and local sponsors. Sixteen teams from different universities across the country are chosen to participate in this competition. During the second year of Eco-Car 3, MSU placed fifth overall, and during the third year,
TUESDAY
Courtesy Photo | Eco Car 3
Eco-car 3 is a four-year vehicle competition, where each team competing is required to redesign a Chevrolet Camaro into a hybrid-electric vehicle.
MSU placed 10th overall. While MSU placed lower in recent years, MSU achieved first place four times since they first started participating in the Eco-Car competition.
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POP: 90%
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Randy Follett, associate professor for the Bagley College of Engineering and lead faculty advisor for the Eco-Car 3 Team, said he believes the team will place higher during the final year
of Eco-Car 3, and he is hopeful about the results to come. “I believe that we are positioned very well to make significant improvements in our ranking this year,”
FORECAST: The next three days are looking soggy across northeast Mississippi. Rain chances are high as a cold front begins to push in early Tuesday morning and last through the day on Wednesday. Cold temperatures will begin to edge their way in behind the rain and persist through Thursday. Gabrielle Espinoza , Campus Connect Meteorologist
Follet said. “The team has made great strides in solving the issues that held us back in year 3, and I am very confident that they will improve in their final ranking this year.” Byron Williams, coadvisor for the Eco-Car 3 team and associate professor of computer science and engineering who has been a part of the team since July, said he has considerably enjoyed mentoring the team and helping as needed. “The main thing we want students on this team to understand is that this is their team, not ours,” Williams said. “It will be their failure or success.” Eco-Car 3 has deliverables due frequently throughout the semesters, which require progress reports and updates from all nine branches of the team. Overall, MSU’s Eco-Car 3 team has approximately 60 members, 15 of which are highly active. Currently, an emissions testing event is occurring where a dynamometer, essentially a treadmill for a car, will run different tests
on the car and its progress. Miandra Maiers, EcoCar project manager and MBA student from Starkville, said MSU has their own dynamometer housed in The Center for Advanced Vehicle Systems in the MSU Research Park to run practice tests with. “Hundreds of colleges across the nation applied to be a part of this program, and MSU is one the 16 chosen schools. That is an amazing opportunity for which no expense has been spared, and lots of time and money has been invested in,” Maiers said. The final competition is during the last two weeks of May. The first week of the competition will be held in Uma, Arizona, at the General Motors proving grounds. Then, the second week of the competition will be in Las Angeles, California. During the competition in LA, each team will drive their car around the city, attend outreach events and run tests at a race track, among other activities. ECO CAR, 2
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THE REFLECTOR TUESDAY, FEBUARY 6, 2018
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GLO
BAD DAWGS Friday, Feb. 2, 2018 10:23 p.m. Student who was in and out of consciousness was transported from bus stop at Montgomery Hall to OCH for medical assistance. 11:00 p.m. Student at Critz Hall was not feeling well, and was transported to OCH for medical assistance. Saturday, Feb. 3, 2018 2:17 p.m. Student reported while at the Colvard Student Union his denim jacket was stolen. Notable traffic violations: Justice Court citation issued for expired tag on Blackjack Road. Justice Court citation issued for no proof of insurance on George Perry Street. MSU citation issued for obstructing traffic on George Perry Street. MSU citation issued for disregard of traffic device on Stone Blvd. MSU citation issued for disregard of traffic device on Lakeview Dr. MSU issued four citations for speeding.
“We were storing stuff in the stairwell, in the hallway, in our cars, wherever we could,” Barker said. “We knew we needed more space. We were in this weird limbo because there’s a lot of retail space downtown, but we didn’t necessarily need a storefront.” The company, now worth about $4 million, started renovating the space on 419 East Lampkin Street around December and held its Open House last week, where about 100 people attended. E-Center Director of Outreach Jeffrey Rupp said he was happy the company decided to place its headquarters in Starkville because one of the entrepreneurship program’s goals is to create startups to remain in Mississippi. “What we’re trying to do is use the resources we have available to help stem the brain drain in Mississippi,” Rupp said. “We’ve done that a couple of ways. Number one: trying to help create viable startups in the state. Then number two: encouraging them to stay in Mississippi. I will say the four companies that have received large sums of Angel investment money . . . all four of those companies, so far, are staying in Mississippi.” Even though the program wants the startups to remain in the state, Rupp said they tell the entrepreneurs to go “wherever it makes the most sense,” even if it is not Mississippi. In fact, Barker said she wanted to leave Starkville
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Katie Poe | The Reflector
Glo’s Director of Business Development Anna Barker and co-founder Hagan Walker smile in their new business located in downtown Starkville.
at first. Walker said the company was at a tipping point of choosing to go or stay when they found the Lampkin Street building. “There’s not a whole lot of people our age that stay here,” Walker said. “First, part of that was trying to stop that trend. It’s one of those things where, if you don’t stop it, who’s going to? But, the other side of that was this building. It was one of the saving graces. This opportunity opened up and made everything feel kind of right.” The Lampkin Street building, at 5,000 square feet, was just what Glo needed with an “open, welcoming feel.” In fact, visitors may be greeted by two dogs, Canelo and Reese as they enter the building. While the front space
serves as an office area for Glo’s five employees, there is a space in the back entrepreneurs can rent while they work on their ideas. This aspect of the location was important to Walker and Barker when choosing where they wanted to set up shop because they did not want student entrepreneurs to face trouble when finding a place to collaborate. “One of the biggest issues we saw, and I continue to see, is students while they’re still developing their product and they leave the university and E-Center, they don’t have anywhere to go and work on it,” Walker said. “So, this space allows people to get off campus and still work with other students and develop their idea.”
The place, which they hope to call the Bungalow Labs, will serve as an “in between” for entrepreneurs with its separated, small conference spaces, desks and couches. Walker said five startups can occupy the space at one time. Walker said he hopes to create a funnel where students learn about the E-Center, start on campus, come to the Bungalow Labs and then move to the GSDP. “It’s a huge start to fixing that problem where there isn’t much of a social life for young professionals,” Barker said. “When we decided to stay and realized we could have that Bungalow space, what that space is doing is helping other young professionals plant roots here.”
GALLERY Colleen Mcinnis, an art major with a concentration in photography from Tampa, Florida, is working alongside Neuenfeldt to research the art department’s history and organize the layout of the gallery. “I came here for the international business program, and I changed my major about two years ago to art as in ‘I’m going to dive right in’ kind of thing because I love art,” Mcinnis said. “I am currently a photography major, but I have a love for museums. I want to work in museums
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after college.” Mcinnis is organizing the gallery based on several criteria including the year the art work came out, different color schemes, different heights and widths of the paintings and themes. Angi Bourgeois, the head of the art department, said they will celebrate the department’s 50th anniversary with not only the exhibition program but with their permanent collection. “The department of art is proud of its history and legacy,” Bourgeois said.
“Our 50th Anniversary exhibitions highlight the amazing impact of a creative education on generations of artists, photographers, and designers, as we can see in our Alumni Exhibition; as well as the significant cultural role the department and the university have played, and continue to play, for the broader community through our permanent collection and our exhibition program.” Mcinnis, who is focusing on gallery management, said she is proud to be a part of this milestone in the program she loves. In
addition, she is passionate about raising awareness for the MSU art department. “I keep saying it is the perfect year for me to study here,” Mcinnis said. “It is very cool to see all of the history and be able to be the one to help bring it together. It is giving a dose of this what I want to do for the rest of my life, and this program I love so much is where I came from.” The “Collect 50” gallery is open in the Union. All are welcome to look through the gallery on the second floor, across from the conference rooms.
Sarah Massey| The Reflector
Lori Neuenfeldt, a graduate from Florida State University, plans the layout for the new “Collect 50” gallery.
ACHIEVE YOUR GOALS ECO CAR
STARKVILLE
All nine team leaders are required to attend, and give a 20-minute presentation about their accomplishments and their work completed throughout the year. Other members of the team will attend on an as-needed basis, and are invited based on their level of commitment and involvement in the project. Maiers wants MSU students to know they do not have to know a single thing about cars to be a part of the team, and they do not have
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to be a certain major. They just have to be interested and willing to learn. “People hear about Eco-Car and are interested, but students often feel overwhelmed or intimidated by the project,” Maiers said. “In reality, everyone working on this project is a student who is also trying to figure things out as well.” Carrie Kilgore, Eco-Car communication manager and a marketing major minoring in public relations, joined MSU’s Eco-Car 3 team
during her junior year and fell in love with the program. During her second semester on the team, she was asked to interview for her current position as communication manager. Throughout her time on the Eco-Car 3 team, Kilgore said she has gained a range of experience and learned a lot. “What I have learned most throughout this process is the importance of teamwork,” Kilgore said. “I know that is cliché to say, but when working with such
a diverse group of people, learning how to work as a team and communicate is of the utmost importance.” Kilgore, of Ocean Springs, said there are many opportunities available for students who choose to become an active member of the Eco-Car 3 team. “One hundred percent of our team members get offered a job through ecocar and their accompanying sponsors,” Kilgore said. Students are encouraged to join the team at any time.
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BULLETIN BOARD
An In-Class Distraction
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Trivia Time! 1. What musical instrument did Sherlock Holmes play? 2. What U.S. city was the first to host the Olympic Games? 3. What planet contains the largest volcano discovered in our solar system? trivia.fyi
1. Violin 2. St. Louis, Missouri in 1904, 3. Mars
ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY... ... in 1911, the 40th president of the U.S. and American movie star, former President Ronald Reagan was born in Tampico, Illinois. From his “Reaganomics” to his undying optimism through numerous setbacks, Reagan became known as the “Teflon President” for his ability to persist. Six years after his vice president, former President George H.W. Bush, took office, Reagan publically announced his diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease, ending his public career. Reagan died June 5, 2004, at the age of 93. ... in 1952, King George VI of Great Britain and Northern Ireland died in his sleep, leaving the crown to his oldest of two daughters, Princess Elizabeth. Princess Elizabeth was in Kenya at the time of his death. She would be crowned June 2, 1953, at the age of 27.
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Cumulus On-Air Job Fair
Need a job? Need an employee? Check out the Cumulus On-Air Job Fair where you can post a help wanted ad for free to be advertised on air or look through our help wanted ads and apply for a job! CLASSIFIEDS P R I V A T E COLLECTIONS SALE: Thousands of WWII military items. No guns. Pez Candy dispensers, political button collection, Elvis Presley collectibles, Slits Beer Can Bank and much more. Cash only. By appointment only. Call 901-626-2763. Sardis, MS. Well worth the drive! Are you an artist or an aspiring business person? Are you interested in selling your designs and work? If so, you should check out the Starkvegas Flea Market to rent a booth. Email starkvegasfleamarket@ gmail.com or call Julie at 662-769-6180. The Mississippi State
FFA chapter is selling Mississippi Ag T-shirts! They are $15. Any orders over an XL size shirt is $2 extra, making them $17. Make sure to order by February 16th, and if you have any questions, please contact Carla Jagger at cbj170@msstate.edu or contact Matthew Lee at 601-270-6102. The deadline for Tuesday’s paper is 3 p.m. Thursday. The deadline for Friday’s paper is 3 p.m. Tuesday. Classifieds are listed at $5 per issue. Student and staff ads are listed at $3 per issue, pre-paid. Lost and found items: Found items can be listed for free; lost items are listed at standard ad cost. CLUB INFO
The deadline for Tuesday’s paper is 3 p.m. Thursday. The 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.
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OPINION
Legalizing marijuana does not pose a threat to society
CHRIS LOWE
is a junior majoring in business information systems. Contact him at opinion@reflector.msstate.edu.
Almost no other topic is as hotly debated as cannabis legalization here in the U.S., especially among the college demographic. Everybody has an opinion and wants to vocalize it, and I am sure we have heard more than enough about it. I feel as if I should throw my two cents in though because proponents of legalization have an obligation to continue bringing it up until it occurs. As a massive supporter of cannabis, the fact it remains federally illegal almost two decades into the 21st century is nothing short of laughable and shameful. Cannabis is classified by the Drug Enforcement Administration as a schedule I drug. The DEA classifies schedule I drugs as “drugs with no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse.” This means cannabis shares a classification with heroin, one
of the most highly addictive and life-ruining drugs in existence. By comparison, meth is a schedule II drug, which means it is seen as less dangerous than cannabis, and Xanax is a schedule IV drug, which is the second least threatening classification according to the DEA. To summarize, the DEA, and by extension the U.S. government, see cannabis as a “drug” posing a threat not eclipsed by any drug currently known to man. Allow me to tear this argument to shreds for you. Cannabis has an absolute myriad of medical benefits associated with its use. This is backed up by studies done by various institutions, but let us allow Harvard Medical School professor, Peter Grinspoon, to explain: “While marijuana isn’t strong enough for severe pain (for example, post-surgical pain or a broken bone), it is quite effective for the chronic pain that plagues millions of Americans, especially as they age. Part of its allure is that it is clearly safer than opiates (it is impossible to overdose on and far less addictive) and it can take the place of NSAIDs such as Advil or Aleve, if people can’t take them due to problems with their kidneys or
ulcers or GERD…Marijuana is also used to manage nausea and weight loss, and can be used to treat glaucoma. A highly promising area of research is its use for PTSD in veterans who are returning from combat zones.” There are more benefits, but I feel as if those are enough to make the point. We should not have to prove a plant has medical uses for it to be legalized (see tobacco), but the idea cannabis has none is just flat out wrong. If you do not want to believe me or the conclusive scientific evidence, just ask the people in Colorado, Washington or Maine about the joy of no longer being chained to the kings of addiction: opioids. For those who wish to focus on the “high potential for abuse” part, please point to the THC overdose victims or evidence of cannabis being physically addicting. Now we have established cannabis is not only harmless but actually quite helpful, principals need to be taken into account. I understand some people have religious or personal reasons to be against their own consumption of cannabis. I completely respect this. However, we happen to live in a country where religious beliefs and personal moral codes do not dictate our
Jennifer McFadden, The Reflector
laws. We are not a theocracy, and we are not a dictatorship. Opponents of cannabis are absolutely entitled to their opinion, but in order to make the claim people should be jailed or punished in any way for smoking pot, evidence needs to be found which conclusively proves it poses a threat to society at large. Just like people, drugs are innocent until proven guilty, and cannabis has
Being a geek is an all-inclusive experience
received the mistrial of a lifetime. I know people who have spent time behind bars because of a blunt, and this not only disturbs me, it makes me furious. I could regale you all day with how much I despise big pharma or the war on drugs, but it makes no difference. No matter who or what is responsible for this ridiculous decision, it makes no logical sense. I will simply close
The Odyssey is not real jouralism
DYLAN BUFKIN
is a freshman majoring in English. Contact him at opinion@reflector.msstate.edu.
Geek culture has become fairly mainstream in the last couple of years. For the sake of this article, I define geek culture as revolving around mainly science fiction and fantasy media, adult board and card games, video games, comics, and intense technological fascination. Popular culture has defined “geeks” or “nerds” this way for many years. Judd Apatow’s “Freaks and Geeks,” which ran from late 1999 to late 2000, is a prime example of such stereotypes. However, aspects of the geek stereotype now dominate popular culture. Video games now claim a player-base of around 150 million people in the U.S., according to the Entertainment Software Association. According to Box Office Mojo, “The Avengers” and “Avengers: Age of Ultron” are the fifth and seventh highest-grossing movies unadjusted for inflation, respectively. Such statistics for comic book movies would have been unthinkable in the 1990s. The closest a comic book movie had ever gotten before was with “Batman” in 1989, which is the 111th highest-grossing movie unadjusted for inflation. Now, five out of the top 20 highest-grossing movies are comic-based, and all of these comic-based movies came to theaters after 2010. This is not to say superhero movies and
MIA RODRIGUEZ
is a sophomore majoring in English. Contact her at opinion@reflector.msstate. edu.
Jennifer McFadden, The Reflector
video games are all geeky, but my point is it is now mainstream to like comic book movies, which leads to it being mainstream to like comics. All of this is to say this new geeky trend is a good thing. In fact, I would say we should all strive to go further down the rabbit-hole.
“My point is it is now mainstream to like comic book movies, which leads to it being mainstream to like comics.” I walked into my dorm one day during the fall semester to find some of my friends playing “Magic: The Gathering.” I had heard of “Magic” maybe once or twice, but I had never really sought it out. Seeing my friends play, I decided to join in, and now, I am honestly hooked. Some
of my other friend groups scoffed at the idea, but I have yet to meet a person who regretted trying it. According to The Guardian’s Owen Duffy, there are an estimated 20 million players of “Magic” worldwide, and the card game is published in 11 languages. I, along with the estimated 20 million other players, have discovered how much of a fun and social experience playing “Magic” can be. Similarly, there is a whole world of complex board games waiting to be discovered. These board games range from four-hour long sessions playing as massive empires conquering galaxies, to simple 30-minute affairs focused on quickly outsmarting your opponent as secret agents. Chess, Clue and Monopoly are redesigned for every fanbase imaginable and new and exciting ideas for games come out every year. Finally, there is one last leap I believe we should all take, which might be the biggest yet. We should
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It is hard to be a college student with social media and never see an “article” on The Odyssey. The topics range in genre, but typically have a common theme: irrelevancy. Sure, some of the articles may be hilarious, whether their goal is to be humorous or not, but do not be fooled, this student writing platform is anything but journalism. The platform’s stated goal is to “expose people to broader, more honest perspectives on topics they care about.” However, I hardly believe anyone asked for or particularly wants to read about topics such as “Why Girls Love The Dad Bod.” I scoured The Odyssey’s website for an intelligentlyformulated and written article but found few topics which are actually worth reading. It seems to me, The Odyssey is nothing more than a way to get likes or retweets, and the topics lack in diversity of both writers and content. According to Jane Porter of CNBC, The Odyssey began as a sort of “16-page tabloid,” catering to Greek students and since morphed into a digital tabloid. Porter also interviewed the very student writer who wrote on the “dad bod” and who expressed her concern with the credibility of The Odyssey. “Not long after the piece went viral, Odyssey asked Pearson to write an encore piece. But when Pearson
turned in a more serious story, this time about the ‘mombod’ and the pressures women face after having children, she was encouraged to write something more lighthearted,” Porter said. Pearson also expressed how The Odyssey exploits their writers, neglecting to pay them even when marketing and recruiting for the company. However, the company is currently on the decline, and recently as much as one-third of the company was laid off. In their Fortune article, Laura Entis and Polina Marinova said the company is one which rose to incredible heights and has fallen much in the same respect within the span of a year. Entis and Marinova detail the combination of both unrealistic output from their unpaid writers and superfluous spending is to blame. Writers beware of joining The Odyssey, not only are contributors left unpaid, but they are also encouraged to write less than serious articles. However, if articles such as “5 Reasons Khloé Will Be The Best Kardashian Mom,” “If You Flirt With My Boyfriend, Chances Are I Hate You,” “Growing Up White Taught Me So Much About Racism,” or the informative and quickly taken down “I Learned More In A Frat House Than I Did In A Classroom” seem impactful and worth putting on a resume, by all means, apply to The Odyssey. Conversely, if real journalism is the desire, apply for The New York Times’ The Edit, which is specifically for college students. Or try a school’s student-run newspaper like The Reflector, where you are expected to write cohesive and clever articles, and are treated with respect.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Life Editor/Will Wells
Managing Editor/Kristina Domitrovich News Editor/Josh Beck
all play Dungeons and Dragons. Roleplaying with a penand-paper set might be too much for some, and I get it. However, pen-andpaper sets exist for fantasy, science fiction, horror and all other sorts of genres. If swinging at demons and casting spells is not your cup of tea, why not try playing as a bounty hunter in the Star Wars universe? The possibilities are endless, and games of D&D’s nature can go any way imaginable. You may have seen “Stranger Things,” so the idea might not be too foreign. If so, I implore you to try it and broaden your horizons. I know not everyone will agree with my version of fun, but I do not want people to miss out on experiences because of the stigmas attached to them. College is about trying new things and experimenting with new ideas, so at the very least, I hope this article piques someone’s curiosity. With any luck, someone might find their new favorite hobby.
with a quote from former President Jimmy Carter, “Penalties against possession of a drug should not be more damaging to an individual than the use of the drug itself; and where they are, they should be changed. Nowhere is this more clear than in the laws against possession of marijuana in private for personal use.” But this idea would make too much sense for America.
Circulation/Erin Blake circulation@reflector.msstate.edu
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.
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LIFE & ENTERTAINMENT
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‘The Maze Runner: The Death Cure’ falls short of the original EMMA DRAY BRASWELL
If you loved the “The Maze Runner,” chances are you will enjoy the “The Maze Runner: The Death Cure” almost as much. While it is always difficult to top the original in a series, the newest film certainly lives up to the expectation set by the first and second films. This movie manages to keep the viewers interested despite it being the third in a series, which is impressive compared to most of the films out there. While I saw “The Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials,” the second film, once, I managed to keep up with the “The Maze Runner: The Death Cure” just fine. Of course, it is a series you need to watch in order because they successfully build on each other to make the next film even better. Despite this film being the third in the series, I knew I would probably like it based on my reaction to the first two. Because the series has a perfect mixture of emotional investment and
MAZE RUNNER
STAFF WRITER
the death cure
Jennifer McFadden, The Reflector
thrill, it keeps the audience members at the edge of their seats. The director, Wes Ball, is mostly known for this series of movies. His work is impressive in terms of bringing a world to life and getting the audience to react to it. Ball, along with the team of actors hired,
created a film to hurt your heart and make you want to re-watch it. Thanks to the director and the actors, the characters presented come to life through the screen, which honestly makes the entire movie more meaningful and interesting. Of course, a great deal of credit goes to the
amazing acting of Dylan O’Brien, Thomas BrodieSangster and others. On his second day on the set, O’Brien sustained a horrible injury and had to quit working for a while to focus on getting better. While it is unfortunate this injury occurred, O’Brien handled it well, coming back to the film
and continuing after he recovered. These actions show just how committed he is to his roles, which is something I feel not everyone can say. The actors portray their characters well and cause the viewers to have heartache when they are in trouble, or to be happy when things go their way.
The only issue I have with this movie is I am uncertain how well it stands out from the crowd. While it was beautifully done and had a decent storyline with phenomenal actors, the original Maze Runner certainly stood out more. In the original, the idea of the maze was entirely new and unheard of in any previous work in film or books. This element gave it an edge, creating an immediate interest in the viewers. However, once the truth about WICKED is revealed, the mystery in the Maze Runner is somewhat dissipated. The idea of the Flare, a disease sweeping the globe, made up for this, adding interest back into the movie. The Maze Runners are very good movies, and certainly worth the time to see. They capture the audience’s interests successfully and create the emotions called for with the film. Despite these overall good qualities of the film series, the third movie was certainly not as original as “The Maze Runner.”
Students connect at Dawgs After Dark’s showing of ‘Marshall’ MATTHEW LEE
CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Dawgs After Dark continued on Saturday with a movie night at the Dawg House in the Colvard Student Union. The film “Marshall,” which stars Chadwick Boseman as Thurgood Marshall, Josh Gad as Sam Friedman, Sterling K.
Brown as Joseph Spell, Dan Stevens as Loren Willis and James Cromwell as Judge Foster. James Cromwell is best known for playing farmer Arthur H. Hoggett in the movie “Babe.” A large number of students attended the event where popcorn, cookies and drinks were available to enjoy with the movie. Door prizes were given to those
whose names were drawn. “Marshall” kept students on the edge of their seats. Asia Duren, a graduate assistant from the Center for Student Activities said there was a good message behind the film, that people can do anything they set their minds to. Duren said the Center for Student Activities decided to host a movie
Einstein meets Picasso at the Starkville Community Theatre SHELBY POINDEXTER STAFF WRITER
Starkville Community Theatre will present their production of “Picasso at the Lapin Agile” from Feb. 8 to 11, and from Feb. 13 to 17. Evening performances will begin at 7:30 p.m., and a matinee will begin at 2 p.m. on Sunday. This comedy, written by Steve Martin, is about a young Pablo Picasso and a young Albert Einstein. They are each in their early 20s when they meet each other in a bar in 1904. They start talking about the impact they are going to leave on the 20th century, while they reflect on the century’s achievements and prospects. Sean Dyess, director of the production, said he wanted to direct the play because of his love for Steve Martin and the sense of humor from this piece. “I love his style and his comedic timing,” Dyess said. “I love his sense of humor, and he is actually a very brilliant guy. He is very intellectual, but I have just always been a Steve Martin fan.” Dyess said the show is not only filled with the intellect and humor of Steve Martin, but there are moments throughout the play which will intrigue the audience. “During the play, a visitor comes back from the future who speaks to Einstein and Picasso about their impact compared to other’s impacts on the 20th century,” Dyess said. “Also, we did something interesting with the casting to where the visitor is one surprise, and then there is another surprise on top of that.”
Sean McCarthy, who will play Picasso, said playing the role of such an iconic, historical figure is an exciting and interesting experience. “He is very intense, which I try to embody, and I feel like I can resonate with him,” McCarthy said. “I have always loved the fine arts, and it is really cool to embody someone who is so interesting, and made such an impact on the 20th century. With Picasso, it is very up and down, very emotional, and that, to me, is just very fun to play.
“I have always loved the fine arts, and it is really cool to embody someone who is so interesting, and made such an impact on the 20th century.” -Sean McCarthy, Picasso in “Picasso at the Lapin Agile” McCarthy said portraying a historical figure is a different sort of challenge than portraying other characters. “It can be difficult,” McCarthy said. “Because you are embodying someone who is a historical figure that we know from literature and from his artwork, but no one knows him personally.” This production
brings many characters to life through the various interactions they have throughout the story. Taylor Comer, who plays Sagot, said he is excited to be in his first production and to bring his character to life. “I am excited to finally be getting to do theatre,” Comer said. “My character is very upbeat and energetic, and he is very egocentric in a way. He thinks very highly of his own ability to determine what is good art. He actually has a whole monologue about how he is the person who determines taste for art.” Brad Robertson, who plays Einstein, said he is ready to perform in front of an audience. “The way the cast has come together is really exciting,” Robertson said. “I absolutely enjoy the scenes Einstein and Picasso have together. It is interesting because they are two people with two different options; it’s two different aspects. We have to get into each other’s faces and really pick a side, and it is really fun.” Dyess, McCarthy, Comer and Robertson all said they hope the audience comes with with a receptive mind. “I hope the audience comes with an open mind,” McCarthy said. “Willing to focus, and pay attention to what the characters are saying, because it is a very witty show. A lot of the language is humorous because it is wordplay or it is historically humorous.” Tickets are for sale for $15 or $10 for students with a current ID. Reservations can be made by calling the Starkville Community Theatre office at 662-3236855.
night “to have something fun and relaxing to watch, rather than something more involved like the past Dawgs After Dark events which were more intense events.” Duren said she “loved the movie, the cast was great, and it was a thrilling movie.” Duren said she believes the movie night and other Dawgs After Dark events
are a great opportunity for students. “Dawgs After Dark is important for students who live on campus, or any student who doesn’t always get to home every weekend or whatever the reason might be, and it’s a better alternative to spending money out in the town,” Duren said. “Students aren’t coming to the events by themselves, increasingly,
students are coming to the events each weekend students are bringing along their friends and even classmates” The next Dawgs After Dark event is Futsal Friday at 7 p.m. in the Sanderson and an Olympic opening ceremony from 8 to 10 p.m. in the Griffis Forum. For more information on any of these events, check OrgSync or social media.
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THE REFLECTOR TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2018 @SPORTSREFLECTOR
SPORTS
Bulldogs avenge finals’ loss in front of record-breaking crowd TAYLOR RAYBURN SPORTS EDITOR
On Monday night, the faithful fans of Mississippi State University created an exhilarating atmosphere as the No. 2 Bulldogs defeated No. 7 University of South Carolina 67-53, avenging their loss to the Gamecocks in last year’s National Championship game. The Bulldogs played in front of a recordbreaking crowd of 10,794, the largest crowd to watch a basketball game in the arena, men’s or women’s. The hype surrounding the game surpassed most of the football games last season. Head coach Vic Schaefer praised the fans after the game. “We probably don’t beat them today if we are not at home,” Schaefer said. “Our fans are just spectacular. What an environment for both teams to get to play in. The Hump was just incredible. Most nights it is loud in there, but boy, tonight was special.” Despite the stage being set for an all-time great game,
MSU came out lethargic, playing a lot of ISO ball on offense and taking poor shots. The result was a 20-10 deficit at the end of the first quarter. The biggest problem for MSU was South Carolina’s forward A’ja Wilson, who scored 12 points in the first quarter and had 18 at half. She finished the game 10-20 from the field and with 25 points. Victoria Vivians took over in the second quarter. With MSU down 12, she hit backto-back threes to cut the lead in half. Vivians did not say she was trying to take over the game, she just got open looks and took them. Vivians, a senior from Carthage, went on a tear by scoring 12 points in the second period, and walked into halftime with 20 of MSU’s 29 points. Vivians finished the game 8-24 from the field, and scored 24 points. MSU took a 29-28 lead into halftime. Coach Schaefer praised the way his team bounced back. He said he has seen leads get out of hand, and was proud of the way MSU
settled in. “It could have gone from 10 to 20 and been over,” Schaefer said. “I have seen that happen. That could have happened, but it did not tonight.” MSU struggled in the third quarter as they were outscored 16-10 in the third, and trailed by 44-39 at the end of the third quarter. With Vivians held to only four points after halftime, it was the x-factors of Blair Schaefer, Chloe Bibby and Jazzmun Holmes who played lights out to close the game. Bibby and Holmes played spectacular defense, as Holmes finished the game with two steals and caused Carolina’s primary ball handler problems to close the game. Bibby replaced the smaller Roshunda Johnson in the lineup and played help defense on Wilson. The combination of Bibby and Teaira McCowan held Wilson to seven points after the half. “Chloe (Bibby) was really, really special,” coach Schaefer said. “I just thought she competed defensively with
Lindsay Pace|The Reflector
Victoria Vivians, a senior from Carthage, led No. 2 Mississippi State University with 24 points in their win over No. 7 University of South Carolina.
what we were trying to do.” The younger Schaefer was clutch down the stretch. She scored 10 points in the fourth quarter, including back-toback threes, sending the crowd into a frenzy. “Our crowd was awesome,” Blair Schaefer said. “The fact that so many people came out to this game and that some of the people who came to this game were
not from Starkville. That is so special.” Despite struggling to score, McCowan found other ways to effect the game. She scored nine points, but grabbed an astounding 20 rebounds. The 20 rebounds put her at 318 for the season, a new school record for rebounds in a season. “Points they will come when they come,” McCowan
said. “As long as I am rebounding, getting it to them (her teammates), getting them shots. I am cool with that.” MSU’s next game will be at Florida on Thursday, tipoff is set for 6 p.m., and the SEC Network will broadcast the game. Their next home game is on Feb. 11, against Kentucky. Tipoff is 1 p.m., and MSU ESPNU will broadcast the game.
While small, MSU still has a chance to make the tournament
TAYLOR RAYBURN
is a junior majoring in economics and communication with a concentration in journalism. Contact him at sports@ reflector.msstate.edu.
If you had asked me a week ago if this Mississippi State University men’s basketball team could make the NCAA tournament as an at-large bid, I probably would have laughed; but after their three-game win streak, who knows. The Bulldogs have a chance, a very small, but a chance, and here is what they
need to do get there. MSU is 17-6 overall, 5-5 in the SEC and has an RPI of 58. While having a great record, it is a little deceptive. In their non-conference schedule, MSU only played one team with a RPI in the top 100 in the country against the No. 8 Cincinnati. This was also one of MSU’s least competitive losses of the season, as they fell 65-50 and really were never a part of the game. Usually for a team to make the tournament, they need at least one to 75 or 50 RPI non-conference wins. MSU has no chance of obtaining one, as the closest they have is their win over Dayton, an RPI of 112. The other big games losses that
could have helped MSU this season were their games against No. 11 Auburn and Ole Miss. MSU held big leads against Ole Miss and Auburn, and if they had held onto it, we would have a totally different conversation. Ole Miss is not a marquee win but would eliminate a loss which is looking worse and worse as Ole Miss continues to collapse this season. The Auburn game would have been the crown jewel of the MSU tournament resume. Auburn has an RPI of five, and collapsing in the game could very well have been the difference between the tournament and the NIT. However, this is all in the past. The question at hand is
what MSU has to do starting tonight against Alabama to start getting into the bubble conversation. The Bulldogs are hot, on a three-game winning streak, and will need to carry the momentum into their next two games. Of MSU’s next eight games, there are four mustwin games against lower teams, and four games against better teams which MSU will need to win at least two or three to stay in the running. Vanderbilt, Ole Miss, South Carolina and LSU are the four must-win games. They all have RPI below 60, with Carolina at 64, LSU at 75, Ole Miss at 81 and Vandy at 121. Losing to any of these teams kills MSU’s already
slim chances. The four games MSU can win to build their resume are MSU’s game tonight against Alabama, at Missouri Feb. 10, at Texas A&M Feb. 20 and No. 18 Tennessee at home. Alabama has an RPI of 38, Missouri has an RPI of 32, A&M has an RPI of 30 and Tennessee has an RPI of 13. MSU needs to get their RPI on the low side of 40 to be considered as an atlarge bid for the tournament. While this is the goal and dream scenario, winning all four games is a lot to ask. If MSU wants to get below 40, the most important game for them is Tennessee. It would be their best win of the season and become the jewel of their resume.
Of the four games left, the two potential losses which would hurt the least are A&M and Missouri. Both are on the road, which should lighten the blow. Regardless, if MSU wants to make the tournament, they need to go at least 6-2, and probably will need to be 7-1 over the next eight games. MSU will also have the SEC tournament to help gain a couple resume-building wins. Overall, MSU’s threegame win streak puts them in a position to at least get in the conversation. It all depends on what MSU does from here on out starting tonight with MSU’s game against Alabama. Tip-off is at 6 p.m. and SEC Network will broadcast the game.
organized with their games, and we have obviously gotten some nerves out of the way,” Greenan said. “I think we are starting to play a little more confident, we had some challenges today, but I think from the matches we have played so far those challenges have made us better.” The second half of the double-header was against UAB (2-3) who had struggled early in the season, and Braun felt they competed very well, which made every game closer than the Samford match. “UAB was definitely better than Samford, they were good competitors and fought more,” Braun said. “I needed to play much longer points, so I needed to battle them more down than Samford this morning. “ Braun said the most challenging part of a doubleheader is how long it makes
the day as the team is there from early morning to dinner time, but this will prepare them for SEC play. “It is tough, it is a long day we met at 9:00 a.m. and now we are not getting out of here until 6:00 or 7:00 (p.m.) probably with recovery, the ice bath and dinner with the team,” Braun said. “It is a long day, so no time for any other activities, but it is fun. We need to get used to those long days, as soon as we come into SEC play, the matches are going to be as tough as double-headers.” MSU was able to hang on and win four to one over UAB despite a setback. The one point was due to the defaulted game because of Sara Lizariturry’s injury. MSU will play at Southeastern Louisiana on Friday and Southern University on Sunday.
Women’s tennis returns home and dominates doubleheader
HUNTER CLOUD STAFF WRITER
The Mississippi State University women’s tennis (42) jumped out to a one-zero lead after winning the doubles point against Samford (3-1) on Sunday afternoon, and never looked back, dominating their double-header that day. Head coach Daryl Greenan said the doubles point was important because it set the tone for the game. “It set the tone, we had our chances to finish at number one and didn’t get it done,” Greenan said. “So the girls at two and three did a good job of clinching out the point. It definitely set the tone and gave us some momentum.” The Bulldogs played well in singles matches, as they won three points in a row, clinching a 4-0 win. The other matches were abandoned due to the second match
Courtesy Photo| MSU Communications
Sara Lizariturry (left) talks with teammate Anastasia Rentouli (right) during MSUʼs dominate double header performance on Sunday.
of the day. Janina Braun, a junior transfer from Berlin, Germany, won the clinching point for MSU. “It was really good, it was a new feeling for me, I think I had never clinched before,”
Braun said. “Especially playing at number one today for the first time, it was good to clinch and bring the team up.” MSU had come off of ITA’s in California when they
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played the double-header, and Greenan felt they had improved since the beginning of the season and have improved on since the ITA’s. “I think they are starting to get a little bit more