Spartan Daily Vol. 161 No. 36 by Spartan Daily

WINNER OF 2023 ASSOCIATED COLLEGIATE PRESS PACEMAKER AWARD, NEWSPAPER/NEWSMAGAZINE NAMED BEST CAMPUS NEWSPAPER IN CALIFORNIA FOR 2022 BY THE CALIFORNIA COLLEGE MEDIA ASSOCIATION AND CALIFORNIA NEWS PUBLISHERS ASSOCIATION

Tuesday, November 14, 2023

Volume 161 No. 36 WWW.SJSUNEWS.COM/SPARTAN_DAILY

SERVING SAN JOSÉ STATE UNIVERSITY SINCE 1934

DOMINIQUE HUBER | SPARTAN DAILY

Economist Salem Ajluni speaks at the San José Peace and Justice Center panel event about the Israel-Hamas conﬂict and potential solutions held in its oﬃce on Thursday evening.

SJ talks Israel-Hamas conflict By Dominique Huber SENIOR STAFF WRITER

The San José Peace and Justice Center hosted a panel of speakers to discuss the context and root causes of the IsraelHamas conflict on Nov. 9 in its office on Seventh Street. The panel of speakers included Wendy Greenfield, Salem Ajluni, Donna Wallach and Sharat G. Lin, all of whom have personal and professional connections to Palestine and Israel. “We really need to understand the full context of this so that the statements that are being made by our government and also by a lot of the media are not taken out of context,” said Sharat G. Lin, a political economist and expert on the Middle East. On Oct. 7, Palestinian armed groups fired at southern and central Israel, and breached blockaded areas, killing and capturing Israeli civilians in small towns, after which the Israeli military retaliated with bombings on the Gaza Strip, according to one United Nations webpage. One of the Palestinian armed groups was Hamas, an Islamic-Palestinian group that currently rules Gaza, committed to the destruction of Israel and is considered a terrorist group by the United Kingdom, the United States and many other countries, according to a Nov. 3 article from the BBC. Salem Ajluni, a Palestinian-American, said he spent five years in Gaza as an economist for the United Nations and that there have been uniquely heightened tensions in Gaza for decades. “I visited Palestine for the first time in the mid ’80s and going to Gaza was always . . . kind of an adventure, but also kind of a dangerous thing because everybody knew that the levels of tension in the air were always greater in Gaza,” Ajluni said. He said one factor behind the intensity of conflicts in Gaza is the demographics of the area. Seventy percent of Gaza’s population is made up of refugees, most of whom are descendants of Palestinians, according to a United Nations webpage. “Because Gaza is overwhelmingly refugee, that means they’re overwhelmingly dispossessed, poor and working class,” Ajluni said. Ajluni said this creates an environment that is prone to higher tensions between the Palestinian refugees and the Israeli authorities. Donna Wallach, a Jewish activist from

the 2008 Free Gaza Movement, said she was in Gaza at the time of a siege in 2002 when Israeli occupation forces arrived in tanks and damaged infrastructure, homes, businesses and government offices in the area. “They urinated and shat in the government offices and in people’s houses, and when they did invade people's Palestinian homes, they stole their money and the other valuables,” Wallach said. “They also wrote in marker pens really racist comments on the walls.” This is one of the many stories she told describing what she said were Israeli acts of abuse against Palestinians that she witnessed or heard of during her 19 years living in Palestine.

We really need to understand the full context of this so that the statements that are being made by our government and also by a lot of the media are not taken out of context. Sharat G. Lin

political economist

Wallach said the Israeli government spread a narrative about Palestinians that not only spurred a lot of racism against them, but also made a lot of Israelis fear them. “Most Israelis are terrified of Palestinians and believe what the Israeli government tells them, that the Palestinians and all Arabs wanna kill them and push them into the sea,” Wallach said. Wallach said as a Jewish person with Israeli citizenship, she was always treated with kindness, generosity and love by Palestinian people. “Palestinians do not hate Jews,” Wallach said. “I was always warmly welcomed, even though I had more rights than they did.” Lin said Israel has the right to defend itself. “If Israel, in fact, is actually attacked and that attack is the starting point of a conflict, then that would be the basis for saying that a country has the right to

defend itself,” Lin said. “But what about Palestine? Palestine has been under assault, Palestinian people have been under assault for 70-some years.” Lin said there is good reason to believe that what Israel is doing is genocide. Genocide is the mass harming and killing of a group of people of a certain ethnicity, race, religion or nation with the intent of getting rid of them completely, according to a United Nations webpage. Lin said considering the recent Israeli attacks on Gaza ambulances, hospitals, water supplies and residential areas, as well as their use of white phosphorus bombs, it is clear that the intent is to harm and kill people of a certain ethnicity, Palestinians. “The only reason for using white phosphorus is not the damage that it does to buildings, it is that when it touches a human being, it burns through your skin to the bone. It does not heal. It is an antipersonnel weapon,” Lin said. Wendy Greenfield, a representative from the Jewish Voice for Peace in the South Bay Chapter, said the idea that people who are anti-Israel are automatically anti-semitic is incorrect and has been used to squash criticism of Israel’s actions and policies. Zionism is a political movement based on the idea that the only solution to anti-semitism is for Jewish people to establish a Jewish state in Palestine/Israel, according to the University of Michigan College of Literature, Science and the Arts. She said considering the long history of discrimination Jewish people have faced, it is understandable to want a safe haven that is solely for them. However, Greenfield said, Israel has not done a good job of being a safe haven, which she said is clear from its arms industry and the size of its military. Greenfield said the most important thing is for people in the United States to put their differences aside and work in solidarity against Israel’s acts of violence. “This is an important issue for all of us to work on,” Greenfield said. “All of us as U.S. citizens who are sending our tax dollars to make all of these abominations happen – and really without U.S. support – they would not happen. They just would not happen.” Follow the Spartan Daily on X (formerly Twitter) @SpartanDaily

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NEWS

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2023

SJSU talks colorism and impact on campus Students discuss how Asian American Pacific Islander students are impacted by colorism. By Julia Chie STAFF WRITER

The Center for Asian Pacific Islander Student Empowerment (CAPISE) invited students to learn and discuss ways colorism affects the Asian Pacific Islander (API) community on Thursday afternoon in the Student Union Meeting Rooms. CAPISE provides community-building and empowerment opportunities for Asian and Pacific Islander students according to an SJSU webpage. Presenters Lute Finau and Archit Mahale focused on breaking down colorism, understanding how Asian Pacific Islander communities have perpetrated it and how people can unlearn colorism. Public health sophomore and CAPISE community organizer Finau said there’s a large part of the API diaspora and culture that colorism has affected. “The way we think, the way we view ourselves physically it kind of planted that seed of, ‘Am I pretty enough? Am I desirable? Am I deemed as perfect?’ ” she said. Finau discussed topics like how cosmetics, skin-bleaching, the media and the beauty industry profit from ideas like colorism. She said she wanted to talk more about the topic because the subject often goes unnoticed. “I’m talking as a Pacific Islander,” Finau said. “It’s not as prevailing as the API diaspora, but more within the Asian community.” She said when she first came to SJSU, she didn’t really see representation of Pacific Islanders on campus. “Being a Pacific Islander is very important to me and a part of who I am,” Finau said. “Even before I came in to work for CAPISE, I didn’t see myself. I wanted to be the representation for, you know, that next person to come in, so that’s why I applied.” Finau also said she wanted to create events to start conversations and connect with people. At CAPISE, she said there’s drop-in hours with CAPS, study abroad and academic help. CAPS or Counseling And Psychological Services, give counseling services through SJSU’s Wellness Center, according to SJSU’s website. “I’m in the center all the time. It’s such a great community and it literally feels like a family,” she said. Finau said hosting events is a big part of inclusivity at SJSU. “It makes students realize they’re not alone in this journey,” Finau said. “We’re all college students, and we’re all

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JULIA CHIE | SPARTAN DAILY

Attendees listen to two speakers address the issue of colorism at a meeting held by San José State University's CAPISE Center on Thursday.

part of the same community. Basically just being there for each other. And one of the topics that we all went through was colorism. So that’s why I decided to put this event on. Computer engineering freshman Shravya Vinjamuri said she heard about the event through her mentor at CAPISE. Vinjamuri said her mentor guides her through school every two weeks by checking in on her academic status and giving her tips on how to study.

double minoring in AfricanAmerican studies and American studies, is a community organizer for CAPISE and said the center has the resources to put on workshops and start conversations the organization is passionate about. “What colorism means to them with their Tongan background is different than what it means to me with my Indian background,” Mahale said. “It manifests itself in different ways, and it looks

Mahale said. He said he wanted to apply to CAPISE because just like other organizations at SJSU, Asian Pacific Islander students have a lot of issues in their communities too. “All it takes is someone who’s passionate enough to want to talk about it,” Mahale said. “To make that topic accessible and to make an entry point for other folks.” Mahale also said he appreciated hearing from two

Mahale said he feels like a lot of biases can be changed with education, workshops and programs. He also said validation is powerful and that it can be helpful to listen to someone discuss broadly shared issues. “I think working here at CAPISE has definitely allowed us as Asian Pacific Islanders identifying staff to totally have these critical conversations,” he said. “Because these are issues on campus. These are issues off campus. These are issues we grew up with, and because it’s an API issue, it’s just as valid.”

What colorism means to them with their Tongan background is different than what it means to me with my Indian background. It manifests itself in different ways, and it looks different ways across different cultures. We knew that there’s a lot of information to talk about. Archit Mahale

History senior

She said to be a part of a club on campus, she needed to attend an event and decided to come to Colorism is Shady. Vinjamuri said she learned about the different aspects of colorism. “I was like, ‘Wow, it’s really prevalent’ and it should be something that people should work on,” she said. She also said she has experienced colorism through media. “In the media, they always say having white skin is good and darker skin is like you’re not taking care of your skin,” Vinjamuri said. “White skin is like, you look more ‘youthful’ or ‘young’ and all that stuff,” she said. History senior Archit Mahale,

different ways across different cultures. We knew that there’s a lot of information to talk about.” Mahale said what first motivated him to become a community organizer with the center was working at the MOSAIC Cross Cultural Center last year. MOSAIC is a center that provides safe spaces and celebrates diversity, advocating for historically underrepresented groups, cultural empowerment and leadership opportunities according to an SJSU webpage. He said he learned a lot about diversity and people as a whole while working at MOSAIC. “I really racialized myself, and I thought, ‘What can I be doing with my community?’,”

Letters to the Editor may be placed in the letters to the editor box in the Spartan Daily office in Dwight Bentel Hall, Room 209 or emailed to spartandaily@gmail. com to the attention of the Spartan Daily Opinion Editor. Letters to the Editor must contain the author’s name, year and major. Letters become property of the Spartan Daily and may be edited for clarity, grammar, libel and length. Only letters of 300 words or less will be considered for publication. Published opinions and advertisements do not necessarily reflect the views of the Spartan Daily, the School of Journalism and Mass Communication or SJSU. The Spartan Daily is a public forum.

other South Asian women who also attended the event as they offered familiar perspectives on how colorism can affect people. “I believe a lot of the information that I grew up with was also what they grew up with,” Mahale said. “So that was a very validating thing for me.” He also said that as a man he would view a certain set of things in different ways than those of other genders. “So that was something I definitely checked myself on,” Mahale said. “That it may not always be different experiences, it may just be different ways of the same thing.” Mahale and Finau also explained how colorism connected to out-of-date ideas of status or caste.

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Glossary Colorism:

"Prejudice or discrimination especially within a racial or ethnic group favoring people with lighter skin over those with darker skin" according to Merriam-Webster Dictionary.

Crime Blotter Unlawful use of Tear Gas Nov. 9, 1:11 p.m. at Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Library Cleared by Arrest

Disorderly Conduct: Alcohol Nov. 11, 10:16 p.m. at Spartan Stadium Cleared by Arrest

Sexual Battery by Restraint Nov. 11, 9:58 p.m. at Spartan Stadium Referred to DA

Vehicle Theft Nov. 11, 11:17 p.m. at South Campus Parking Structure Information Only

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NEWS

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2023

San José celebrates Veterans Day 2

#1. A volunteer in a vintage medic uniform waves at the crowd while riding in a classic car in Downtown San José. #2. A South Vietnamese veteran shakes hands with a U.S. Air Force veteran near the announcer’s stage by Plaza de Cesar Chavez. #3. A Boy Scout waves an American flag while looking down at the crowd from a school bus from San José Unified School District. #4. A veteran waves and smiles at the audience while riding in a parade float traveling down South Market Street. #5. A group of members from the U.S. Marine Corps. Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps. wear military uniforms and march toward the announcer’s stage. #6. A South Vietnamese veteran from Chapter 201 in the Associates of Vietnam Veterans of America smiles at the crowd, waving the American and South Vietnamese flags.

PHOTOS BY ALINA TA | SPARTAN DAILY

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2023

SONG REVIEW

Dua Lipa dazzles with new song ‘Houdini’ By Nikita Bankar STAFF WRITER

With a shimmering combination of retro funk and disco, Dua Lipa’s new single “Houdini” will take you back in time and give you a taste of the ’80s like no other. Three and a half years after the release of her award winning album “Future Nostalgia,” the British-Albanian artist has finally made her return. I have always been a big fan of Lipa’s work, as her flashy hits constantly blast in my car and echo throughout the walls of my room. After discovering the artist when her song “New Rules” came out in 2017, I was immediately hooked. There is something quite unique about the way she approaches her music, as she decorates her songs with a variety of instruments, sounds and her deep, mature voice. Rather than having a high-pitched tone that many female artists sing in, her lower register style is refreshing. “Houdini,” which was released last Thursday, is truly a reflection of the electro-dance hits that flourished in the ’80s. With its groovy drums and pulsing piano chords, I already know I will have it playing on repeat in my room, nodding my head

to the rhythm instead of getting my work done. Lipa has always been the master of the dance floor, her hit songs transporting you to a scene of crowded parties and clubs buzzing full of bodies and booze. Lipa’s single “Physical” is a clear example of this, with her retro style peeking through and captivating listeners. “Houdini” feels like a step forward in Lipa’s stylistic decisions, with its glittering synth arpeggio reminiscent of the era my dad grew up in. I was instantly reminded of the song “Don’t You Want Me” by the Human League, which he plays quite often. Something that always makes me smile is how much my dad loves Lipa’s music. I remember walking down the stairs a few years ago to find him sitting on the couch, watching the music video for her song “Be The One.” When our family got to see Lipa live in 2018 during Poptopia, a concert featuring multiple artists, it was such a surreal moment. In a way, she has brought my sister, dad and I closer together, for which I am truly grateful. I texted him on Saturday telling him to listen to “Houdini,” only for him to say he already watched it and loved it. It was hilarious, because the one thing he said was, “Good

song review “Houdini” Rating:

Artist: Dua Lipa Release Date: Nov. 10, 2023 Genre: pop

ILLUSTRATION BY TRACY ESCOBEDO

song. Less makeup and a more natural looking face.” I’ll have to agree with him on that one. In previous videos and concerts, Lipa has projected a smokey, heavy makeup look to present a more mature version of herself. However, with her bright cherry locks and natural face in “Houdini,” I think she looks quite stunning. The video definitely had me in a trance the entire time I watched it. Lipa wears a netted, body-

con top and baggy blue joggers, dancing as her reflection gazes at her. Her hair is slightly damp, adding to the sultry, lustful feeling of the song and presenting Lipa in an irresistible light. Her confidence is clear, as she gazes into the camera as the lights go on and off. When singing “I’m not here for long / Catch me ‘fore I go, Houdini” it seems as though the pop queen is teasing her potential lover, urging him to make a move before she

disappears entirely. I love the melody of the verse while she sings “If you’re good enough, you’ll find the way / Maybe you could cause a girl to change her ways,” the fiery lyrics reflecting the playful, flirtatious chase of a budding relationship. The song completely embodies the feeling of euphoria in the midst of a large crowd, not wanting the party to come to a close. Having the honor of playing a game of cat-

and-mouse with the one and only Dua Lipa is truly a gift, which is what “Houdini” is all about. It may be a threat to one’s sanity and well-being, but it is still a chase many hope to have with the artist. With her new album set to release in 2024, I know for a fact that Lipa will not be pulling a “Houdini” and disappearing on us any time soon. Follow the Spartan Daily on X (formerly Twitter) @SpartanDaily

THE RHOM RECAP

The tea in Miami is muy caliente By Matthew Gonzalez EXECUTIVE EDITOR

F r u s t r a t i n g confrontations and cancer confirmations were the highlights of Episode 2 of “The Real Housewives of Miami.” Along with this, Alexia’s marriage was also a point of contention as even close “friend of ” Kiki Barth said Alexia’s not-so-reaffirming" comment about her marriage to Todd was a bit jarring. “That divorce comment did make me think ... There’s just more to the story, it's not adding up,” Kiki said in her interview. Our beloved Kiki’s interjections didn’t stop at Alexia’s marriage. She also spilled the tea on how Adriana threw shade at Alexia, saying she wouldn’t have the same stuck-up attitude if Todd wasn’t so financially stable. Am I a fan of blatant pot stirring? No, not really. I prefer when a Housewife or “friend of ” is a little more strategic. However, I do like seeing an effort being made at moving storyline, and that is exactly what Kiki did. Reigniting the feud between the Cuban bombshell and Brazilian firecracker is low-hanging fruit but

entertaining nonetheless. Someone who is also moving her personal storyline in a positive way is Lisa. Her estranged husband and resident asshole, Lenny, agreed to a divorce settlement in which Lisa would receive $8,000 in monthly financial support according to a Daily Mail article. And even with this hefty price, Lisa is still questioning why Lenny wouldn’t have agreed to dish out more money for her and their kids. More, really? I’m not saying this in a judgmental way, I just feel like Lisa’s dismay for $8,000 a month is a true testament to how lavish she was living prior to his infidelity. Unfortunately for Lenny, while courting a mistress might put a Band-Aid over the flesh wound that is his mid-life crisis, it isn’t cheap. The second half of the episode switched between Marysol’s gay brunch and the dinner between Guerdy, Julia, Nicole and Adriana. The gay brunch, which Marysol herself admitted was underwhelming, was also filled with speculation about Guerdy’s behavior at the Nuevos Horizontes party.

Again, as viewers with an omniscient point of view, we are forced to watch women gossip over why their friend with breast cancer is acting strangely. Luckily, Guerdy let half of the cast in on her diagnosis in a scene that brought me to tears. “I went in for one mammogram, that turned into an MRI, that turned into one, two three biopsies,” Guerdy said, tearing up. “And, I’m gonna just say it, I have (cancer) I have breast cancer.” Adriana screamed, Nicole’s jaw fell and a tear rolled down Julia’s cheek. Even though the scene was tough to watch as Guerdy’s friends immediately threw their obvious feelings of sorrow to the side to show support, I believe we got to see one of the most human moments in Housewives history. For a moment, even casual viewers could see these ladies no longer cared about the cameras shoved in their faces. This scene wasn’t about entertainment, it was a touching moment where women rallied around their clearly scared friend. As fellow wives, daughters and mothers, it was apparent that Guerdy’s cancer admission floored the ladies and superseded

GRAPHIC BY ALICIA ALVAREZ

the triviality of reality television. Meanwhile, at Marysol’s brunch, lighter subjects were discussed, such as Larsa’s co-dependence on her boyfriend, Marcus. One of the funniest moments of the episode came when Larsa revealed she was going to have a “Welcome Home” party ... for her boyfriend who left Miami for three days. Even her castmates were left puzzled. And unfortunately for Mrs. Pippen, this wasn’t the end of her embarrassing behavior. The final scene saw

Larsa and Guerdy come face to face at a dinner that presumably took place the day after Guerdy had revealed her illness to the other ladies. This was definitely the main course of Episode 2 and Larsa started the conversation by saying, “Let’s not cry.” Confrontation 101: Don’t try to control someone’s emotions before you’ve even started talking. Sigh. Understandably, Guerdy was immediately defensive. The parts of the dinner we saw between the two ladies made it abundantly clear that they were on

completely different wavelengths coming into this conversation. Larsa was worried about Guerdy calling her fake, and yet again, the dramatic irony made the scene difficult to watch. The dinner was cut short in preparation for Episode 3 where we will surely get Larsa’s reaction to Guerdy’s haunting life update, and hopefully some perspective will be bestowed on the rest of the cast. Follow the Spartan Daily on X (formerly Twitter) @SpartanDaily

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SPORTS

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2023

FOOTBALL

Canilao’s Commentary: SJSU stays in the hunt to claim Mountain West By Nathan Canilao SENIOR STAFF WRITER

PHOTOS BY MAYA BENMOKHTAR | SPARTAN DAILY

San José State running back Kairee Robinson pushes past a Fresno State defender for a touchdown at CEFCU Stadium.

Spartans bring Valley Trophy back home By Lamar Moody STAFF WRITER

The San José State football team took home the Valley Trophy for the first time since 2019 against Mountain West Conference rival Fresno State 42-18 at CEFCU Stadium on Saturday. SJSU (5-5, 4-2 MWC) running back Kairee Robinson ran all over the Bulldogs’ (8-2, 4-2 MWC) defense, recording a career-high 200 yards rushing to go along with 2 touchdowns. “ We were firing in all three phases, guys were making plays and having fun doing it. In my opinion, this was the best win since I’ve been coaching here.” SJSU head coach Brent Brennan said.

BULLDOGS

18 SPARTANS

Robinson became the first Spartan since 2015 (Tyler Ervin) to rush for 200 yards in a single game. The Spartans unleashed a vicious rushing attack against Fresno State’s defense, posting over 300 yards on the ground. Junior running back Quali Conley joined the attack, rushing for 98 yards on 15 carries. “On film, Fresno State looked good, but we knew we could capitalize a little bit on some blocking schemes,” Robinson said. “Sometimes I feel like I can stick it in there between the tackles and sometimes I feel like I can bounce it outside. With each carry is a little bit of a different feel.” The Spartans marched down the field and scored on their first four drives of the game. SJSU quarterback Chevan Cordeiro completed 7 of 10 passes for 123 yards and 3 touchdowns during the Spartans’ first four drives. Cordeiro ended the game completing 9 of 18 passes for 146 yards and 3 touchdowns. “COVID year was the first time I played against Fresno State, but tonight’s win feels a lot better," Cordeiro said. As the Bulldogs started to catch a rhythm on offense, sophomore cornerback Michael Dansby took an

For the first time since 2019, the Battle for the Valley Trophy is back in San José and the vibes were immaculate. In a postgame interview televised on CBS, the Spartans embraced head coach Brent Brennan, screaming “We love you Brent,” as they jogged into the locker room in celebration. Saturday’s win over Fresno State catapulted SJSU into a tie for second place in the Mountain West Conference. The Spartans need things to break their way, but there is an outside shot that SJSU makes its way back to the Mountain West title game for the first time since 2020. Not too shabby for a team that started out 1-5 and looked dead in the water just over a month ago after fumbling a 20-point lead against Boise State. The next two weeks will be crucial. SJSU has games against San Diego State (3-7, 1-3 MWC) on Saturday and at UNLV (8-2, 5-1 MWC) a week later. There are many paths for SJSU to get to the title game, but the easiest would be for the Spartans to win out and hope Air Force — a team SJSU lost to by 25 points earlier this season — win out. It won’t be an easy task for the Falcons either. They dropped Saturday’s game against Hawai‘i and have to play UNLV and Boise State to finish the year. Despite the exciting turn of events for SJSU, Brennan refuses to think about anything other than the next game. “All we will care about is San Diego State,” Brennan said. “If we start thinking about other stuff and looking down the road, we’re not good at that. That doesn’t work for us.” The surging Spartans look like they’ll have an easy game on Saturday, but San Diego State could be a trap game. The Aztecs announced head coach Brady Hoke will be stepping down after the season which could give San Diego State some extra juice come Saturday. Regardless, SJSU has set themselves up to have partial control of their destiny as it now has a shot of returning to the conference championship.

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SUMMARY FRES......... 3 SJSU........ 21

7 7

0 7

8 7

— 18 — 42

TEAM STATISTICS Jordan Cobbs (left), Tre Jenkins (center) and Andrew Jenkins (right) walk with the Valley Trophy after SJSU’s win.

interception 98 yards for a touchdown to put the game out of reach, 41-18. S enior linebacker Matthew Tago said the preparation by the defense during the week was a huge reason they were able to make gamechanging turnovers and shut down the Bulldogs fast-paced offense. “We were coming off a bye week, so we had two weeks to prepare for Fresno and we took advantage,” Tago said. Just focusing on the little things throughout

the week is what I feel like is keeping our defense going right now.” SJSU looks to clinch bowl eligibility as the Spartans are scheduled to face off against San Diego State University at 7:30 p.m. at CEFCU Stadium on Saturday.

FRES SJSU FIRST DOWNS................ 19 21 RUSHING.......................... 83

313

PASSING............................ 225

146

TOTAL YARDS................. 308

459

AVG. YRDS. PER PLAY... 4.3

7.5

PENALTIES-YDS............. 1-15

8-65

TIME OF POSSESSION.. 27:40 32:20 Follow the Spartan Daily on X (formerly Twitter) @SpartanDaily

3RD DOWN CONV......... 8-17

4-10

PLAYS................................ 72

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SPORTS

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2023

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

SJSU corrals Mustangs at home By Navin Krishnan

STAFF WRITER

The San José State women’s basketball team hosted the Cal Poly Mustangs at the Provident Credit Union Event Center on Saturday and grinded out a 61-56 win. “We focused on (turnovers) this week,” SJSU head coach April Phillips said. “We talked about just simply focusing. We’re young and I’m sure we’re not done with the turnover war.” The Spartans welcomed a familiar face in junior guard Sidney Richards, who transferred from SJSU to Cal Poly over the summer. SJSU’s defense held Richards to 2 of 5 shooting with 6 points. Senior forward/center Amhyia Moreland led the way for the Spartans in multiple categories with a career-high 15 points.

MUSTANGS

56 SPARTANS

Despite struggling percentage-wise, shooting at just 27% from the field and 20% from beyond the three-point line, the Spartans managed to scrape up a 11-11 tie after the first quarter. “We played three games in six days, and that’s a really challenging start,” Phillips said. “I’m proud of our young ladies for digging in and getting the win. It took everything tonight. It’s mental toughness.” After multiple defensive stops by the Spartans defense, sophomore guard Sabrina Ma nailed a 3-pointer to put them up 21-15 with 2:45 in the second quarter. “(Ma) has to be more consistent,” Phillips said. “There are times when shooters get in slumps and it would be safe to say (Ma) has been in some and she was in a slump and came out of that slump tonight.” Phillips said. “Once she becomes the student that she is and gets out of that slump, the game really opens up for her.” Ma finished with 11 points and shot 3 for 6 from three-point range. Phillips said guard Jasmine Singleton, who led the Spartans with 6 steals, was extremely competitive and has a will

MAYA BENMOKHTAR | SPARTAN DAILY

SJSU senior center Finau Tonga dribbles to the basket against a Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo defender on Saturday.

to win games. “That kid absolutely has a presence on the court for us that I think everyone looks to. She’s done a phenomenal job stepping into a leadership position,” Phillips said. The Spartans played solid defensively, keeping the Mustangs in check on the offensive glass as Cal Poly had no second-chance points. “I think my role is just to come in and just make a difference on the court,” senior forward/center Finau Tonga said. “I come

in and get rebounds if I’m not scoring, I’m assisting. I think my role is more of just being all-around.” SJSU went to their inside-to-outside game in the second half, feeding the post and slashing to create looks, allowing the Spartans to shoot 75% on 3-pointers including a three scored by senior forward Nailea Nicholas giving the Spartans a double-digit lead of 48-36 going into the fourth quarter. “I think that with all the bigs, we all have a

presence,” Tonga said. “So, when (opposing) teams come in they’re trying to find a game plan. I think we have a really big presence this year in the lane.” Freshman guard Jyah LoVett nailed two clutch free-throws to ice the game at 61-56. She finished the game with 4 points and 4 rebounds, including 2 offensive rebounds. “In this conference, coming into the Mountain West, we’re underdogs and we’re a building program,” Tonga said. “I think we

all have that chip on our shoulder, coming into practice everyday and just having a game plan of how we’re going to do everything. We all want to see each other succeed.” The Spartans are scheduled to face off against Montana State University at 6 p.m. PST at Brick Breeden Fieldhouse in Bozeman, Mont., tonight. Follow the Spartan Daily on X (formerly Twitter) @SpartanDaily

Spartans get first win of the season By Melany Gutierrez STAFF WRITER

The San José State women’s basketball team took its first win of the season 81-65, defeating Bellarmine University at Provident Credit Union Event Center on Thursday night. The Spartans held Bellarmine to a 36-24 at halftime, SJSU head coach April Phillips said no changes were needed to maintain the strong performance. “Our girls just dug their heels in and really got down, defended and communicated,” Phillips said. “That to me was just heart, passion and obviously pure intention.”

KNIGHTS

65 SPARTANS

NIKITA BANKAR | SPARTAN DAILY

SJSU sophomore guard Sabrina Ma dribbles through defenders in the Spartans’ first win Thursday.

SJSU junior forward Marisa Davis-Jones led the Spartan offense, shooting 5 of 9 for 17 points, 6 rebounds and 2 assists. Phillips said overall Davis-Jones’ had good ballplay, and was aggressive in getting to the rim and showed improvement in the turnover department. “Marisa is often haunted by turnovers, she only had two turnovers which was a good

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adjustment for her individually,” Phillips said. In the third quarter DavisJones was substituted out after hurting her leg after attempting to get a rebound. “It was just a little scuffle,” Davis-Jones said. “The (Bellarmine player) stepped on me, I was just more startled at the fact that it happened so fast, but I’m okay.” Davis-Jones returned in the fourth quarter.

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“It feels good to get a dub (win) early in the season,” SJSU sophomore shooting guard Sabrina Ma said. “I definitely think we can build on top of a lot of things moving forward. It was a scrappy win, but we pulled it off.” Ma was second in scoring for the Spartans with 11 points and grabbed 3 rebounds. Senior point guard Jasmine Singleton led with 6 assists for the Spartans.

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Ma said Singleton’s position at an opportune moment can be really helpful to the team. “Jasmine just has such a mature core presence on the floor,” Phillips said. “That kind of helps us with our tempo, and she's doing a great job of helping us along with our freshmen.” Ma said there are definitely areas of improvement for her and her teammates, not just as players on the court but as role models for new players. “Whether we're playing or we’re on the bench, being able to lead with composure despite pressure is something we can improve on,” Ma said. Phillips said managing success is a key aspect to focus on for the team going forward this season, but overall she is proud of this first win. “It's going to take game experience to get us to where we need to be but I'm very proud of this group for getting the win, wins are hard to come by,” Phillips said. Follow the Spartan Daily on X (formerly Twitter) @SpartanDaily

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SPORTS

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2023

MENS BASKETBALL

Spartans extinguish the Flames By Navin Krishnan STAFF WRITER

SPARTANS

117 FLAMES

MAYA BENMOKHTAR | SPARTAN DAILY

SJSU forward William Humer goes for the rebound in the Spartans’ win against Bethesda at the Provident Credit Union Event Center.

coach Tim Miles said. “I thought we passed on too many early ones in that first half. We were 11-of-13 at the rim at halftime. I thought we could have been 15-for-18 and we weren’t. It was just the nature of the way (Bethesda) can play defense and what we can do.” The Flames strung together an offensive spark themselves, forcing turnovers and scoring in transition. Bethesda cut the SJSU advantage to a single-digit lead at 41-33 with 5:34 left in the first half. “We had to guard a team that put you in isolation situations and for the first nine minutes of the game, our opponent had 11 points, and we were doing just fine,” Miles said “All of a sudden, your edge falls off and

you look up and they’ve got 47 at halftime.” The Flames shot the lights out, shooting 42% on 3-pointers compared to the Spartans’ 29%. The Spartans went into the locker room with a 56-47 lead at halftime. Bethesda came into the game shooting an 11.5% on 3-pointers compared to the Spartans’ 33.3% from distance. “I think that one, (Göerner) is applying his knowledge more than ever,” Miles said. “He’s one of the highest basketball IQ guys I’ve coached. You love when you have coaches on the floor like that.” Görener sparked an offensive explosion for the Spartans early in the second half, hitting backto-back 3-pointers, firing up an energetic home crowd and

CLASSIFIEDS 2

DOWN 1. "Crimes of the Heart" star 2. It may grow on rocks 3. Start to breathe 4. Form an opinion 5. Make dim 6. Concession stand word 7. Complicit 8. Whipped up 9. First name in geometric painting 10. Like fresh brownies 11. Bête noire 12. "Hey, Mom! Look ___!" 13. Type of scene 21. Game divided into chukkers 22. Egyptian symbol of life 27. Mild cheese

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JOKIN’ AROUND Why was the broom late for work?

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54. Pendulum direction? 56. Senate majority? 57. U.S. president, 1861-1865 62. Earth unit 63. Not silently 64. Jay Gould's railroad 65. First-class 66. Vampire vanquisher 67. Turner of "Madame X" 68. Viscount or marquess, e.g. 69. Whetstone user 70. It moves on a white bed

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1. Used a firehouse pole 5. Goodyear icon 10. Domestic's word 14. Turpentine source 15. Privately owned Hawaiian island 16. Recognize the intentions of 17. Word with heart or tooth 18. Whittle away 19. Poetic foot 20. It may go with a beer budget, unfortunately 23. Conger line member? 24. Get a lode of this 25. Mathematician's highest degree? 26. Genuflect 28. One way to run 31. Organ of equilibrium 34. Extra dose of trouble 38. Razor brand 41. Painter of big-eyed children 42. Entertainer Martha 43. What the Juilliard String Quartet plays 46. Vietnamese holiday 47. Concerning 48. Cause friction 52. Fireplace shelf

“We understand that even in these first few games, we know that it’s going to take a collective group,” Amey said. “The past couple nights, we have guys in double figures and that’s just what it's going to have to be the whole season and just believing in one another.” The Spartans lost 56-42 Texas Tech Sunday afternoon despite junior guard Alvaro Cardenas who had 14 points and four assists. SJSU is set to square off against Abilene Christian University for the 23rd U.S. Virgin Islands Paradise Jam tournament at St.Thomas in the Virgin Islands on Friday.

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ACROSS

3 1 9

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SUDOKU PUZZLE Complete the grid so that every row, column and 3x3 box contains every digit from 1 to 9 inclusively.

CROSSWORD PUZZLE 1

extinguishing Bethesda’s flame and extending their lead to 69-47. The Spartans totaled 9 steals and forced a plethora of turnovers by the Flames, forcing 15 turnovers and capitalizing on those mistakes. “I think we learned a lot today,” Görener said. “In the first half, we weren’t good defensively. In the second half, we started with six straight stops. That set the tone for the second half. MJ (Myron Amey Jr.) had a couple steals and that led to easy buckets. I think we learned a good lesson today.” SJSU pushed the momentum and forced a blistering, yet steady pace and notched 20 fastbreak points. The Sparans held the Flames to 7 fastbreak points.

It overswept.

The San José State men’s basketball team hosted Bethesda University and blew out the visiting Flames 117-72 at the Provident Credit Union Event Center on Thursday night. Bethesda came off of another embarrassing loss against the University of San Francisco, falling 128-59. Meanwhile, the Spartans looked to maintain their rhythm after a successful home opener, beating the University of California, Irvine Anteaters, 72-64 Tuesday night. Junior forward Tibet Görener led the Spartans with a careerhigh 26 points. Sophomore center Adrame Diongue boarded a career-high 11 rebounds. Junior guard Myron Amey Jr. was one of six Spartans in double figures. “I understand my main ability is to score, but I’ve been trying to be better at facilitating and just understanding that there’s going to be games where the defense can collapse when I drive in and just try to look for other guys,” Amey said. The blue-and-gold continued to attack the rim, going 24-29 on layups. “We probably should have shot 40 (layups),” SJSU head

28. Remember this! 29. It's read at the table 30. Carries a mortgage 32. Pulitzer poet Lowell 33. Pastrami partner 35. Picked-on instruments, briefly 36. Host Convy or Parks 37. Sight on the Champs Elysees 38. Word with riot or class 39. "We ___ People ..." 40. Basil with a magnifying glass 44. ___ au rhum 45. Screen symbol 49. Indifferent to ethical standards 50. Like a leopard 51. Group of nine 53. Efficiency expert's goal 54. Bit of serendipity 55. Bicyclist, e.g. 57. Shampoo ingredient, perhaps 58. Kind of house 59. Cumulus lead-in 60. Distress indicator 61. Animation frames 62. Commencement wear

SOLUTIONS

NOVEMBER 9

P O P S I N B O N Y T O P I R A I S E E R O O H U R C A S P E R E A S Y E T A T H E F I F T H O F M A Y A G R O R Y E U R G E G R A N O L A S P E N S E R T A M R E Q D A L G F I V E F I V E O F I V E E A T D A L I E M S T H I R D S T S I N G S T O V O L S I C E O U S T V S L A S H V S L A S H A C T S H O O P M A O I S T R E A E L L A I M M U N E S L Y D O I N N E E S O N

2 7 9 6 8 5 4 3 1

5 6 4 1 7 9 3 8 8 4 9 3 5 6 2 1 1 3 2 8 6 7 5 4 4 7 1 5 9 2 8 3 3 1 7 6 2 5 4 9 9 2 3 4 8 1 7 6 2 8 6 7 1 3 9 5 6 9 5 2 4 8 1 7 7 5 8 9 3 4 6 2

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