TUESDAY MARCH 28, 2017
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131st YEAR ISSUE 42
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NEWS
THE REFLECTOR TUESDAY MARCH 28, 2017
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Women’s basketball historic season continues by Dalton Middleton Sports Editor
Morgan William and Mississippi State finally cut down the net. William was not going to let MSU’s historic season end Sunday night. William, who was named Most Outstanding Player of the regional, scored 41 points and led the No. 2 Bulldogs over the No. 1 Baylor Bears 94-85 in overtime on to advance the Bulldogs to the program’s first Final Four appearance. William shot 13-22 from the field, 6-8 from 3-point range, and 9-10 from the free throw line to lead the Bulldogs (33-4) in the upset victory. Her 41 points were the most in school history in a NCAA Tournament game. William said she knew pregame she felt better shooting than she had in previous games. She said pregame shooting gave her the mindset to make any shot she took in the game. “Just confidence,” William said. “I mean, I came out here early to shoot because I had issues the last couple games. I was feeling it. Coach let me make them. It opened shots for my teammates, too. When I was open, I knew I could knock
down the shot. That really helped us from inside-out. It was just tough to guard us.” Head Coach Vic Schaefer noticed she was shooting well from the beginning, and ran plays to get her to shoot as much as possible. “I ran a couple of
named to the Oklahoma City Regional AllTournament Team. Vivians scored 15 points in the first half and kept her team just a few steps ahead before William took over in the second half. Down 61-60 to start the fourth quarter, both
“I came out here early to shoot because I had issues the last couple of games. I was feeling it. Coach let me make them.” -Morgan William, point guard things for her, and just had to keep going back because they were having a hard time dealing with it and she was wanting the ball,” Schaefer said in the postgame press conference. Vivians, the team’s leading scorer on the season, praised William in her post-game interview with ESPN. “She was amazing,” Vivians told ESPN reporter Kaylee Hartung. “Look, she stepped up and she was a point guard. She put us on her back and I am very grateful for her. To complement William, Vivians scored 24 points and Teaira McCowan scored 10 points. Both players were
teams swapped leads until the game was tied at 73 with two minutes and 19 seconds left in regulation. Baylor took the 75-73 lead, but William laid in the ball with 22.6 seconds left to tie the game. To start overtime, Vivians and William made shots to put the Bulldogs up 85-81. Free throws helped extend the lead, but Baylor fought back with a late 3-pointer to cut the lead to two. Soon after, William sealed the deal and hit seven to eight free throws down the stretch and extended the MSU lead to nine points. William scored 12 points in the overtime period. The game featured 24 lead
changes, but MSU held on for the 94-85 victory over Baylor. William said 24 lead changes are the reason she loves basketball. She knew once her team got just one stop, they would take control of the game. “I mean, that’s why it’s a game of runs,” William said. “We live for moments like this, backto-back lead changes. We just know we got to make a run when they make a run. Got to get stops in. Once we make our run, we got to get stops and keep running from there. I feel like we did that. We got a stop, and we kept executing. After that, we got a lead.” Turnovers were a game-changer for MSU. While MSU committed just four turnovers in 45 total minutes, the Bulldogs forced 17 Baylor turnovers. Although the Bulldogs were outrebounded by six rebounds, MSU grabbed 13 offensive rebounds and blocked three shots. Coach Schaefer, a man who continuously praises the play of his girls on his team, said his team played with tremendous poise and they delivered a gutwrenching performance. “I’m so proud of my girls and my team,” Schaefer said after the game. “I thought my kids were unflappable. They showed tremendous toughness, a lot of character and their heart.” The Bulldogs will travel to Dallas to play the winner of UConn/ Oregon on Friday. UConn defeated MSU last season in the Sweet Sixteen.
Tuesday March 21, 2017 9:30 a.m. Employee reported property missing from Hilbun Hall. Thursday March 23, 2017 1:01 p.m. Employee reported property missing during a self-audit. Saturday March 25, 2017 6:37 p.m. Reports of an unoccupied vehicle stuck on the curb at Morrill and Blackjack Road. Vehicle was towed. 9:57 p.m. Student was arrested at Cresswell Hall for possession of marijuana. Student referral was issued. 10:45 p.m. Student was arrested at Robert Jones Circle for public intoxication and providing false information. 10:53 p.m. Student was transported from Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity house to Oktibbeha County Hospital for observation after falling while dancing.
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OPINION
THE REFLECTOR TUESDAY MARCH 28, 2017
Supporting NASA funds humanity’s future Chris Lowe is a sophomore majoring in business information systems. He can be contacted at opinion@reflector.msstate.edu.
Recently, President Trump signed the NASA Transition Authorization Act into order. This bill provides $19.5 billion of federal funds to the space agency, and it states Mars exploration as a primary goal for the United States government. As with almost any bill, there are some downsides to this one as well, but I remain optimistic with its intentions. It has been too long since NASA has received real attention from the government, and it is my sincere hope that this bill begins a new trend of a federally funded space program. Mars might be the primary objective behind
the new bill, but space exploration and research goes well beyond that. A well-funded space program is the best way to ensure technological advancement is at its most efficient level. Many who oppose a wellfunded NASA probably assume space travel is best left to science fiction. It would not necessarily be out of the ordinary to assume funding NASA would be less than practical, to say the least. However, bills like the one President Trump just signed are needed to spurn a myriad of new inventions and innovations that will benefit society. In fact, NASA’s official website states their research has spawned LEDs, artificial limbs, firefighter gear, freeze drying technology, water purification, and the harnessing of solar energy, among other advancements. Space exploration helps us understand the limits of the human body and mind, and it promotes a culture of progression. If this were
the only benefit, it would already be enough to warrant federal funding to the tune of multi-billions. The good news,, however, is that President Trump’s administration made it clear going to Mars is a prime directive, and that is something I have personally been waiting to
“Trump’s administration should be the catalyst for this idea, and if he intends to leave a legitimate legacy behind that is not based on scandal and memes, there would be no nobler cause than this.” hear for a while. Of course it will likely take centuries to accomplish, but being able to establish colonies on extraterrestrial bodies is something humanity should strive to achieve. Harnessing energy and materials from asteroids, planets and satellites would allow humanity to reach a
Imposter syndrome:
Staff Writer
I started my college experience in fall 2012, eager and fresh out of high school. Being a first generation college student, as well as the first of my siblings, I put a lot of pressure on myself and had high expectations. For the first few years of my undergrad career, I was constantly worried I was not good enough to really succeed. I was worried I would flunk out and never achieve the goals I set for myself. However, I graduated with a good GPA in two majors and two minors. I was so proud of myself, and I knew I was capable of anything I put my mind to. Graduate school was my next step, and I was nothing but excited for it. As this year has progressed, though, I have realized all of those insecurities I felt during my undergraduate career still exist. I have found myself in panic attacks over papers and presentations, having the same dreams of failing exams, and feeling like I am faking everything I am doing. According to psychologists Pauline Clance and Suzanne Imes, this feeling is called impostor syndrome. They describe it as a feeling of phoniness in people who think they are not smart or capable of high achievement, but in reality are very motivated to achieve.
of the U.S. nuclear power industry began when a pressure valve in the Unit-2 reactor at Three Mile Island failed to close.
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The worst lies are those we tell ourselves
Roy Jafari is a graduate student in engineering. He can be contacted at opinion@ reflector.msstate.edu.
When I was a little kid, my parents would strongly advise me not to lie, but they would still tell lies at the drop of a hat in front of me. My confusion only escalated when I pointed out their lies, and they disciplined me for talking out of turn. Even more confusing was when they would calmly tell me that they knew better when and when not to lie—and I should stop trying to understand the difference. I did not tell them, but I never took their advice. I have always been fascinated by the phenomena of lying— not just in terms of lies from my parents, but from everyone, including myself. I have witnessed lies in different situations. Some people lie to add spice to a story they are narrating for their friends. Some lie to protect themselves from the hard truth. Some will lie to boost their
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we can all get behind, it is economic growth. Regardless of my personal feelings for President Trump, I am incredibly pleased to see he is ready to make NASA prominent again. I will be the first to sing his praises for signing the aforementioned bill into law, and I believe we all should join together in that. Space should not be reserved for the sci-fi nerds; space should be something we all take an interest in, because investing in it has farreaching benefits across all kinds of platforms. Trump, himself said it best when he signed the bill: “It has been a long time since a bill like this has been signed, reaffirming our national commitment to the core mission of NASA, human space exploration, space science and technology.” That is exactly the stance our country should take, and the stance it should keep for centuries to come.
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students than you might think
Impostor syndrome is common in college students. In fact, it is common among the general population. According a study by the International Journal of Behavioral Science, 70 percent of people feel like they are impostors or frauds. Even knowing that this feeling is common– especially in college students—does not personally make it easier to cope with. There is still this idea that no one else in my program is experiencing the feelings of fakeness that I am. This is not at all true, and I have to remind myself of this all the time. According to the American Psychological Association, there are a few important ways to cope with impostor syndrome. You must recognize you are not perfect and cannot expect perfect results from yourself every time, and remember and celebrate the things you do well often. You should also reach out to others, especially mentors, about the feelings you have. I am constantly reminding myself I am doing a good job and it is okay if I make a mistake or let life get in the way. I am human and I know these insecurities I have are just a side effect of my successes. Impostor syndrome may not seem like a big deal, but it can take an emotional toll. Do not be afraid to ask for help or reach out to others. You are not alone.
Imagine a world where our civilization can branch out into the stars. One day, this might be possible, and our government is the best equipped to take the reigns and lead the globe in this endeavor. Funding NASA also has economic benefits. Neil deGrasse Tyson, in regards
to the financial benefits of a space program, states: “When Eisenhower came back from Europe after he saw the [German] autobahn, and how it survived heavy climactic variation and troop maneuvers, he said, ‘I want some of that in my country, so he gets everyone to agree to build the interstate system. Did he say, ‘You know, I just want to build it from New York to L.A., because that’s where you should go?’ No. The interstate system connects everybody in whatever way you want. That’s how you grow a system.’” What he means by this is having a well-funded space program serves to create a main goal for our country to pursue, and because it is such a massive task, it will allow multiple industries to flourish as they create jobs and have a reason to innovate. This all ties into my point regarding technological advancement. Giving us something to strive for collectively will in turn allow the economy to grow, and if there is anything
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level of production that is unfathomable to modern society. Trump’s administration can and should be the catalyst for this idea, and if he intends to leave a legitimate legacy behind that is not based on scandal and memes, there would be no nobler cause than this.
self-image. Some might lie to receive benefits they would not receive if they did not lie. A very common categorization of lies is “white” lies. Basically, if there is a good reason behind lying, the lie will become a white one—if not, the lie is not a white lie. Another categorization of lying is suggested by Dr. David Carig, the author of the book “Detect Deceit:” self-focused lies and other-focused lies. Self-focused lies are intended to help the self, whereas the other-focused
is that persons who are going to label each and every lie they come across as a means of justification tend to unconsciously lie to themselves. The scientific term for unconscious self-lying is confabulation. David McRaney, a journalist and a self-described psychology nerd, in his book “You Are Not So Smart,” warns his readers about this by drawing our attention to the general misconception that human beings always know when they lie to themselves.
“We can excuse ourselves for lying, but we can also lie to ourselves. ” lies are more benevolent and are meant to help others. The different types of categorizations for understanding lies do not end here. In fact, I have seen other categories, such as social, professional, entertaining, necessary and illegal lies. Similar to any other social categorization, types of lies often live in a gray area. There are lies that are good and okay to tell, and lies that are not okay and are bad. However, there is a common paradox to all of these categorizations. The paradox
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On the other hand, we also have an innate tendency to preserve our self-image. This is implied in one of the most famous social psychology concepts: cognitive dissonance theory. This theory states people have a “bias to seek consonance between their expectations and reality.” In plain English, cognitive dissonance theory says we do not mind lying to ourselves if it makes us feel better. All types of lie categorizations will pale in the light of these understandings.
We can excuse ourselves for lying, but we can also lie to ourselves. Who is to say we are not lying to ourselves in justifying our lying? Every time I relay all of this to my friends, they give me bewildered looks and occasionally ask me how we could possibly remedy this problem. I always answer, “It is okay if you have to lie to me, but do me a favor and do not ever lie to yourself.” What I am suggesting is that we do not need to stop lying all together, as many religions command us, but be conscious of when we do lie. Once that happens, you will start having a long list of situations and reasons that have caused you to lie. This will help you in two ways. First, you become more critical of yourself and you will have more room for self-improvement, as you see the futility of most of your lies. Second and more importantly, when you are lied to by others, you will find it much easier to sympathize instead of taking offense. If you have been that lying person before, you know there is nothing personal about most of the lies that you are told. Even more powerfully, you also know there is a possibility that the person lying to you does not even know that they are lying.
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THE REFLECTOR TUESDAY MARCH 28, 2017
Getting past post-spring break blues: tips for pushing on by Georgeann Kenney Staff Writer
After a long relaxing week of not going to class everyday, sometimes it’s hard to get back in to the swing of things. Deadlines are approaching faster and faster and students are getting out their calculators figuring out the lowest possible grades they can make while still having a good GPA. After passing the halfway mark, motivation seems to decrease, so here are some tips to stay focused and make the end of this semester as good as the beginning. 1. Find a new study spot: As far as cold weather goes, we have not had much. But this half of the semester pretty much marks the point where you can count on it being hot. If going to that same library cubicle is bumming you out, reminding you too
much of work and boredom after returning from an adventurous spring break, change your location. Grab your hammock and string it up somewhere, or try out a coffee place with a nice study vibe like downstairs at 929 or upstairs at StrangeBrew. 2. Use your planner: And if you don’t have one – get one. Writing down all your due dates and responsibilities can feel overwhelming at times, but it is the best way to stay on top of your game. Marking off all you to-do’s for the day can be very rewarding. Side Note: Colorful sticky notes can make the task more fun. 3. Make relaxation time: Along with scheduling your school responsibilities, you should plan your days out including breaks, naps and Netflix. This will take away that guilty “what am I forgetting to do right now” feeling and help you fully enjoy your leisure time. 4. Limit the time you spend on social media : A
quick way to bum yourself out after a nice vacation is to scroll down a bunch of pictures of other people on vacation. Try to schedule points throughout your day where you set aside time for Instagram and Facebook, so you can focus on school. 5. Make a summer goal list: This is prime time to start planning the perfect summer. Whether you’re wanting to save money for a dream vacation, lose or gain weight, or simply be able to relax and tan, starting to plan now will give you enough time to reach your goals AND will give you something to look forward to, motivating you to power through the end of this semester. 6. Make a new playlist: Put together a list of some of your old and new favorite songs, one that you want to learn and ones that you were obsessed with in eighth grade. A new mixture of your favorite songs will put you in a better mind set when walking to class,
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working out or studying. 7. GO TO CLASS: The spring break blues can put you in a slump, and cause you to just want to take a break or give up. Push yourself to go to class
Club Spotlight: Gamers’ Guild The Mississippi State University Gamers’ Guild puts on events that give MSU students who enjoy video games to come together and participate in events centered around their favorite games of the past or present. On Saturday, members of the MSU Gamers’ Guild and other students took part in a 12 hour “gaming marathon” during which students competed in several tournaments and played a wide variety of games with each other. Many members of the Gamers’ Guild found the group when looking for people to play some of their favorite games with and members of the Gamers’ Guild executive team are no different. MSU Gamers’ Guild President Joseph Brummet first became involved in the Gamers’ Guild when he was looking for a place where he could play one of his favorite games at Mississippi State.
“I wanted to take part in some Pokemon tournaments and we didn’t have Pokemon tournaments anywhere,” Brummet said. “So, one thing lead to another and now I’m the President of the Gamers’ Guild.” Melvin Cook, current vice president and president for the 20172018 academic year, was also first attracted to the Gamers’ Guild by a desire to find other students with whom he could play one of his favorite games. “Someone told me about the Gamers’ Guild because they played Smash Bros., which was a game I had just started to play, and so it was a nice place to meet new people,” Cook said. Cook became more involved when he saw the opportunity to use some of his skills to the benefit of the Gamers’ Guild. “Originally, I came on because they needed someone to help with streaming and I knew how
to stream, so I decided to help out with that,” Cook said. “I became more and more involved from there.” The Gamers’ Guild holds a weekly meeting at 7 pm on Thursdays in McCool 130, which any students are welcome to attend. Students can bring their own console and games to the weekly meeting to play if there is a particular game they would like to play. While the weekly meetings are focused on casual gaming, the Gamers’ Guild also host competitive events. “We have scheduled tournaments in Madden, NBA 2K, Pokemon, Smash Bros., Street Fighter and other games,” Brummet said. Brummet said the group’s next tournament will be an Overwatch tournament taking place on April 7 in McCain Hall. Before the Overwatch tournament the MSU
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Gamers’ Guild will also be involved in this year’s Tupelo Comic Con, which will be held at the Tupelo Furniture Market on April 1 and 2, where they will be putting on Pokemon and Smash Bros. tournaments. Brummet said he hopes the group will continue to promote sportsmanship and healthy interactions between gamers while putting on a wide variety of events centered around games of all different genres. “We want to, in the future, pay for people to go to big tournaments and help with other things,” Brummet said. Cook would also like to see the group be able to grow and do more in the future. “I want the club to try to go to larger things, host even bigger events, and hopefully get more companies involved,” Cook said. -Will Wells, Staff Writer
and work hard to turn those midterm C’s into B’s into A’s.This is an awesome part of the school year because you’ve already figured out how your teachers grade and you know where you
stand in each class. Get your calculators out and find out what you’re going to have to do in order to get that GPA where you want it. Hint: Going to class is always helpful.
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SPORTS
THE REFLECTOR TUESDAY MARCH 28, 2017
Bulldogs sweep Vols, now .500 in SEC play by Dalton Middleton Sports Editor
After being swept on the road at Arkansas to open SEC play, the Mississippi State Diamond Dogs returned to Dudy Noble Field and swept Tennessee to even their SEC record at 3-3 and improve their overall record to 15-10. After coming back late in the seventh inning in game one, the Bulldogs’ bats got hot and they routed the Volunteers in game two and three. “I am proud of our guys for this effort,” Head Coach Andy Cannizaro said. “We fought hard for 27 innings. We defended the field well, pitched it well and had some really good timely hitting. This was a tremendous weekend for us. I am fi red up about this weekend. I love the direction this team is headed.” In game one, Elijah Macnamee hit his fi rst home run of the season to put the Bulldogs up. Tennessee answered back
and took a 4-2 lead which lasted until the bottom of the seventh inning. Tanner Poole singled to cut the lead to one and Brent Rooker blasted a two-run double to give the Bulldogs the 5-4 lead and the series opening win. In game two of the series, the MSU bats exploded for a season-high 14 runs and they tallied up 20 hits. The Bulldogs scored runs in each of the fi rst four innings, and jumped out to a 13-0 lead. The Volunteers attempted a comeback, but the lead was too large and the Bulldogs took the game and the series 14-4. Jake Mangum led the team with four hits and got his career-high five RBIs. He scored two runs in the game, one coming from a Rooker home run. Mangum said getting swept in the opening SEC weekend really opened some Bulldogs’ eyes and got their feet in the door. “Experience,” Mangum said. “I mean we have guys in their fi rst SEC weekend on the road. It’s a big difference. SEC play is a lot of fun but it is a lot more nervous for freshman guys going out
there and they have done a great job of evolving. We had a lot of step up in the line up tonight and that’s why we scored a lot of run.” In the fi nal game of the weekend, the Bulldogs completed the sweep behind another dominant hitting performance. After Mangum allowed a run in the fi rst inning, he countered with a single in the bottom of the inning. Rooker then hit his second home run of the weekend to put the Bulldogs on top and never looked back. MSU scored two more runs in the inning and held off the visiting Volunteers. Mangum sealed the game with a RBI double in the bottom of the sixth inning and made the score 7-4. After only hitting .183 in the series against Arkansas, MSU tallied up an impressive .406 batting average on the weekend. The front of the line-up was impressive with Mangum fi nishing with eight hits and Gridley fi nishing with seven. Rooker had six RBIs over the course of the weekend with two home runs. Cannizaro said his team produced quality at-bats
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Jake Mangum pitches during Sundayʼs win against Tennessee. The Bulldogs swept the series and evened the SEC record at 3-3.
this weekend, which was a huge improvement from the weekend before. “Our top of the order is really bringing it right now,” Cannizaro said. “We talk all the time about
having quality at-bats. We are beginning to do that one through nine. Really proud that we were able to bounce back and win a series after a tough weekend in Arkansas.”
The Bulldogs head back on the road for a game against Memphis tonight at 6:30 CT. After the midweek matchup, the Bulldogs travel to Ole Miss for the weekend matchup.
Table tennis club invites students to compete by Sean McCarthy Staff Writer
Within the walls of the Joe Frank Sanderson Center, a little-known organization is thriving. The Mississippi State University table tennis club continues to experience notable success on the state and national competition levels. The club has flourished under the leadership of club president Amelia Andersson and honorary student advisor Becca Siciliano. Andersson has been a member of the table tennis club since her freshman year. Having come from a background in tennis, Andersson was intrigued by the opportunities competing in table tennis might bring. Andersson invited Siciliano to join her within the organization. As a freshman, Siciliano was participating in competitive table tennis for the fi rst time, and chose to delve into the organization when
she learned there was a need for more female members. Siciliano attested to how helpful other members were in developing her skills as a table tennis player. “I had never picked up a paddle, but then, they taught me how to hold the paddle; I started from scratch from there,” Siciliano said. As the only female members within the organization, Andersson and Siciliano have navigated a variety of challenges that come with being members within a majority male organization. The two women have worked hard to create a permanent organizational structure within the club, in order to improve upon the opportunities available to the team. Andersson fi rst began as club treasurer, when she realized she was invested in helping manage the organization. After a year of holding that position, Andersson was elected to the role of president. Siciliano was elected as vice president for the organization. Their efforts to improve the club began
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immediately. “We focused mainly on our equipment, to begin with. We got new nets, got rid of two tables that weren’t being used and increased our membership. We planned events, such as stadium clean-up and the Big Event, in order to get the team more involved,” Andersson said. For the 2016-17 school year Andersson continues to serve as president, and Siciliano serves in an advisory role. Under their leadership, the organization’s fi nances have grown exponentially. With their increased budget, the organization has been able to purchase new tables and afford lodging and transportation for the team during tournaments. For their most recent tournament, the team traveled to the National Collegiate Table Tennis Association tournament in Atlanta, Georgia. Siciliano and Andersson were the only female competitors out of eight colleges represented. “It was kind of
intimidating, because, naturally, all eyes were on us. But it was really fun, because we held our own,” Andersson said. The competing 2017 NCTTA ‘A’ team consists of club members Varun Coona, Jordan Nichols, Rebecca Siciliano and Amelia Andersson. The ‘B’ team consists of members Zach Duncan, David Herz, Jeff Hsu and Tom Zhang. Andersson and Siciliano placed fi rst and second, respectively, in the 2015-16 NCTTA Dixie Division. Hsu and Nichols placed fi rst in their respective divisions at the 2016 Pensacola Open TT Tournament. Going forth, Andersson and Siciliano look to improve upon the club’s recruitment techniques. They hope to increase interest from female students, who might be intimidated by the competitive nature of table tennis. “When you say sport, you’re thinking competitively, but when you think about it, there are tables in almost every dorm on campus. People play whenever
they have free time, and I don’t think they are aware that our organization is similar to that relaxing environment,” Andersson said. In order to invite more interest, Andersson has tried to set aside Tuesday and Thursday practices as ‘open’ practices for any student to join. The team’s Sunday practices are then periodically set aside as ‘team-only’ practices. Andersson expects this will encourage interest from students who are looking to play table tennis leisurely. For those who wish to commit to the competitive team, the organization has a coach that will train students who desire to compete on the collegiate level. Andersson and Siciliano are also interested in making table tennis a one-credit course, similar to the running and weightlifting courses available at MSU. Ultimately, Andersson and Siciliano are incredibly satisfied in how the club has grown over the past two years.
“The table tennis club has become a family to us, it is a place we go to wind down; it is now a family and a home,” Siciliano said. On Friday, March 31, beginning at 4:30 p.m., the table tennis club will host a tournament in the Sanderson Center auxiliary gym. There will be a $2 entry fee. Cash prizes of $100, $50 and $25 will be awarded to the top three competitors. Any MSU student is invited, and encouraged, to enter into the tournament. The table tennis club meets in Studio C of the Sanderson Center on Sundays from 7-10 p.m., and Tuesdays and Thursdays from 7-9 p.m.