Student wins prestigious scholarship pg. 4
MOVIN’ OUT
ESPN reporter visits campus pg. 4
Grammys recap pg. 11
NEW MANHATTAN PROPERTY WON’T BE A HOUSING OPTION PG. 4 PHOTO/ISABEL RAJABZADEH
Photo of the Week
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Managing Board XCI
Directory
Kieran Lynch, Editor-in-Chief
Mitchell Petit-Frere, Managing Editor Shannon Luibrand Samantha albanese Christopher Brito Features Editor Entertainment Editor News Editor Natalie Hallak Diana Colapietro Jon Perez Chief Copy Editor Photo Editor Sports Editor jim baumbach diamond watts-walker Kyle Fitzgerald Advisor Art Director Online Editor Jenny Chen Angelica King Asst. Chief Copy Editor Advertising Manager
Advertising (718)-9906756 Business 990-6756 Editorial Board 990-6444
Features 990-6445 News 990-6444 Opinion 990-6445 Sports 990-6444
Lifestyle Student makes his own fashion line. Sophomore Jerome Perry designs his own label, H.O.O.D.
Lifestyle Pg. 8
Entertainment 2014 Grammy’s recap The Torch reviews the awards given out at the 56th annual Grammy’s Awards Show.
Lifestyle Pg. 9
Sports Johnnies lose heartbreaker to Creighton Johnnies storm back late in second half but fall short after last second three.
Sports Pg. 14 Illustrator’s Corner, Pg. 5
The Torch is the official student newspaper of St. John’s University. The Torch is written, edited, designed and produced by students of the University. All contents are the sole responsibility of the editors and the editorial board and do not necessarily represent the views of the administration, faculty or students of St. John’s University unless specifically stated.
To contact The Torch by mail: The Torch, St. John’s University 8000 Utopia Parkway Queens, NY 11439
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TORCH PHOTO/STAFF
The Torch’s Editor-in-Chief, Kieran Lynch, was one of the credentialed reporters in attendance at the Prudential Center Tuesday for Super Bowl XLVIII’s Media Day.
Think Outside...
News
3
No more dorms in Manhattan
University’s new property won’t be a housing option for students in future CHRISTOPHER BRITO News Editor The University will no longer offer dormitory options in Manhattan after it relocates to East Village later this year, according to Martha Hirst, the University’s executive vice president, chief operating officer and treasurer. Hirst told the Torch students were advised at the time of the sale of the 101 Murray Street building last year that it was very unlikely the University would continue to provide housing in Manhattan following the 2013-2014 academic year. “If students want to come to St. John’s as residential students there is dormitory space available for them,” she said. “We have a lot of housing here in Queens.” The University announced last month that it had acquired 71,000 square feet of space inside the Edward Minskoff 12-story, 400,000 square foot office building on 51 Astor Place, between Third and Fourth Avenues. But unlike the Murray Street building, the university said there’s not enough space for dorms. “We had dorm space there because there was space in the building we acquired,” Hirst said, referring to the Murray Street building. “It was available in Manhattan.” Hirst also said most of the students that are currently residing in the Manhattan dorms are not associated with the School of Risk Management, which is based in Manhattan. So, Hirst said, there is “no need, so there won’t be beds in Manhattan in the near term.” Out of the 175 students who live on the Manhattan campus this school year, only 24 are part of the School of Risk Management, a university spokesman said. “Very few, in fact,” Hirst said. “Most of them are students who said it’s a pretty cool housing option.” Junior Melissa Brazilia, a current resident on the Manhattan campus, feels it is “unfortunate” the University is taking away housing from students. She cited its close proximity to opportunities
Torch
Briefs
COMPILED BY ALEXA VAGELATOS and TALIA TIRELLA
Join the Midnight Run on Wendesday
TORCH PHOTO/ISABEL RAJABZADEH
This Manhattan dormitory is the last of its breed after the campus relocates.
such as jobs and internships. “I don’t really understand the reason for relocation and I definitely don’t understand why they took out Manhattan housing altogether,” Brazilia said. “I feel a lot of us could say it’s a big disappointment.” While there is no need currently, Hirst said the University is open to adding dorms in the future if a dilemma with overcrowding presents itself. “If there was a bourgeoning number of students here [in Queens] and in Staten Island, we might acquire some space in Manhattan near the School of Risk Management building,” she said.
As far as developments for the new campus is concerned, construction has already begun. “We are just beginning to do the work, we’re building on its raw space,” she said. “Brij [Anand] and his team of architects, engineers are beginning to work on this right now.” Anand, who is vice president for facilities, told the Torch he expects to finish everything by June. By August, he said the school will be ready to go. “It being a new building, it really gives a chance to tailor it to our needs,” Anand said. “We can shape the way we want it.”
PHOTO/EXTERNAL RELATIONS
The new Manhattan property won’t have dorms for resident students, leaving Queens and Staten Island as only options.
Come join fellow St. John’s students on the Midnight Run on Wednesday, Jan. 29 from 8:00-11:45 p.m. St. John’s Campus Ministry works closely with midnightrun.org in order to provide this unique service opportunity to students. Students gather in O’Connor Hall to prepare bagged meals that will be served to homeless men and women during the night. During the trip into the city, students serve those in need at specific stops, which are assigned by midnightrun.org. At these stops, students serve the homeless the meals they have prepared beforehand while also getting to know the individuals who are being served. Many students find this experience challenging yet rewarding. Transportation and orientation is provided and donations are also accepted. For more information, contact Rafael Serrano Rivera at riverar2@stjohns.edu or 718-990-3354.
Donate blood to save lives on Thursday Along with the New Year are 4.5 million Americans that will be in desperate need of blood transfusions, nation-wide, at some point in 2014. On Jan. 30, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. in Taffner Field House, the Office of Community Relations has paired up with the New York Blood Center in hosting the very first blood drive of the semester. The event is one of several that will be consistently held this semester to raise awareness about the New York City area blood supply. Every two seconds, someone is in desperate need of blood. By giving just 10 minutes of your time, the blood you donate can be separated into individual components, and can save up to three lives. With your help, the New York City area can meet the daily transfusion needs of patients suffering from diseases such as cancer, surgery patients suffering from accidents, burns and more. The event is open to students, faculty and the public.
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Student awarded rare scholarship Senior Shama Ams to pursue grad studies at the University of London
KIMBERLY AVALOS Staff Writer
Senior Shama Ams became the first-ever St. John’s student to receive a Marshall scholarship, a prestigious international award that will fund his graduate studies at the School of Oriental and African Studies at the University of London. Ams, a McNair scholar and recipient of a Thomas R. Pickering Fellowship, has committed himself to researching and promoting the importance of public health institutions in maintaining health in developing nations. As a result of his dedication on the subject, he was awarded the scholarship dedicated to former U.S. Secretary of State George C Marshall, which was only given to 34 out of 979 applicants, according to 2014 Marshall Scholarship statistics report. He explains, his research which began as an assignment for Fred Cocozzelli’s class in Comparative Political Systems, evolved from a 12-page comparative analysis between Lagos, Nigeria and New York to a 40-page piece that now includes Johannesburg to argue that the involvement in public health institutions will reduce the risk of infectious disease, particularly with AIDS and HIV. Cocozzelli, a professor in the Government and Politics department, who worked with Ams during the summer after his sophomore year to develop an abstract, described Ams’ first draft as methodologically advanced. “Right away, he was figuring out how to work with variables, how to work in the language of social s cience,” Cocozzelli said. Ams is grateful to Cocozzelli for granting him “a way to think about healthcare,” when, at the time, he was only sure of his interest in the issue. While at the University of London, Ams said he hopes to work alongside Dr. Michael Jennings, whose research is on
moving healthcare forward by focusing on the necessary collaboration between Non-Governmental Organizations and governments. This aligns with Ams’ interest for researching whether public health institutions can promote the best practices to reduce the risk of infectious diseases as a result of implementing anti-poverty measures. However, Ams emphasizes his interests lie in informing policy, not necessarily finding solutions. “My interest isn’t necessarily finding a cure-all as it is trying to use the existing infrastructure to solve problems that are solveable,” Ams said. “Corruption prevents its own capacity in these countries from bearing fruit and then so piecing apart many of these issues, variable-by-variable, is what I am really interested in doing and providing powerful explanations that can hopefully inform policy and drive this new narrative that can hopefully promote new solutions.” The Texas-native, born to Nigerian parents, went on a homecoming trip with them before starting college for a medical mission to Jos, Nigeria. He said the trip revealed missing government contribution and public health officials coupled with an abundance of NGOs in a city with rampant poverty and disease. The lack of infrastructure was among many problems that Ams realized were too “large-scale” for NGOs to handle and contributed to his focus on government institutional involvement. When he graduates from the University of London, Ams will still be bound to his contract with the State Department as provided by the Pickering Fellowship, and will serve as a Foreign Service Officer in a country that will be determined by a combination of demand and Ams’ skills and preference. His professional trajectory began with the McNair Scholars program, intended to prepare undergraduate students for a PhD program, which Ams said provided the “competitiveness” for the Public Policy and International Affairs
PHOTO/KIMBERLY AVALOS
Shama Ams was one of the 34 winners of the Marshall scholarship.
Program Fellowship that allowed him to participate in the 2013 Junior Summer Institute at the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs (PPIA), according to the Office of Marketing and Communications. That experience then provided the competitiveness for the Pickering Fellowship, which finally ended with the Marshall Scholarship awarded in November, Ams said. Junior Pedro Alfonso, who has known Ams for two years while working at the University Writing Center, said Ams has always found the means to fulfill the expectations of his schooling and his research in a way “far beyond anything [he] has ever seen.” “He popped out a paper at like 4 a.m. and hopped on a plane at 9 a.m. [to go] present his paper and came back and
finished something else,” Alfonso said. “It was crazy, but he managed to do it all.” Alfonso said he has found inspiration in Ams to pursue scholarships and fellowships, including the PPIA. “That’s one thing I really value about being a friend of Shama,” Alfonso said. “He has always tried to help me and steer me in the right direction – to push me and push my intellect.” In an approach that has driven his successes, Ams applies a tangibility to his goals that, along with the urgency for solutions and change, fuels his confidence to achieve them. “There is no room for doubt,” Ams said. “And I see myself as part of this larger effort to make incremental change and hopefully impact full change.”
ESPN reporter takes part in University forum SAHARIN SULTANA Contributing Writer
Sports journalist Darren Rovell answered questions and gave advice to students who gathered in Bent Hall on Thursday. The forum ranged on varying topics, focusing primarily on Rovell’s opinions on current issues in the sports world. The ESPN sports business reporter was also asked for his thoughts on the IMG buyout, effects of bad publicity for the Sochi Olympics and the upcoming Super Bowl. Rovell’s advice for prospective journalists and sports management majors consisted of urging them to be different. He advised students to “put everything in a box because no one throws out a box without first opening it.” Ultimately, emails could be deleted but something physical, such as a resume mailed in a box Rovell said, would stand out. He also advised students to find
internships and jobs that would add skill sets to their resumes, and not be there to simply look attractive. As an example, he told the story of not knowing the rules of grammar as a freshman at Northwestern University. In order to teach himself, he began interning for the PCP Sports Marketing Media. He spent his summer editing programs for upcoming games. The
experience had not only added to his resume, but also taught him a necessary skill for his career. While at the University on Thursday, Rovell made sure to not only speak in front of a public audience, but also made appearances to speak in a sports management class and at WSJU radio. Students went to see Rovell for a multitude of reasons.
PHOTO/SAHARIN SULTANA
Darren Rovell from ESPN visited campus and fielded questions from students.
Senior Conner Quinn, president of the Sports Management Association, stated that the appeal for him was being able to see “a leading expert, if not creator, of sports business reporting.” Others, such as Dane Holt, a graduate student, gathered expecting a session more geared towards advising college students on how to find success in fields such as sports management and journalism post-graduation. While Holt agreed it was a great experience, he felt it was not entirely beneficial for students like him. “A lot of advice was provided on the industry,” he said. “But we’re not part of the industry. I thought it would be more geared towards how to get in.” Mike Repole, a ‘91 alumnus and former owner of Glacéau, is credited with inviting Rovell to speak. “As a St. John’s graduate, it is great to bring people in who are doing their trade at a very high level,” he said. “It is a great opportunity for students to learn firsthand from someone who is experienced in what they would like to do.”
Opinion Editorial Board XCI
5
Illustrator’s Corner
KIERAN LYNCH Editor-in-Chief MITCHELL PETIT-FRERE Managing Editor CHRISTOPHER BRITO News Editor SHANNON LUIBRAND Features Editor
FLAMES OF THE TORCH A new campus, a step backwards One of the first things the University tells potential students is that we are a Metropolitan University. It is something we outwardly flaunt, market and we sell. But now that we have a Manhattan campus without housing, is it fair to say that we have the same New York City leverage we had in the past? To get the full New York City experience, it is important for students to explore Manhattan. Many students choose to pursue internships or jobs in Manhattan while they attend class in Queens. Some students also lived on the Manhattan campus for the convenience (and thrill) of being so close to the city and being able to say, “I lived in Manhattan for a year.” Unfortunately, living on a St. John’s University Manhattan campus will no longer be an option next year. And while St. John’s will continue to market itself based on the fact that it still has a campus in Manhattan, the fact that it won’t contain dormitories for students gives the property less
appeal than the one on Murray Street has. Many students, even if they never lived on the original Manhattan campus, said they were upset to hear the new ‘campus’ may not have housing – simply because the prospect of having the choice of living in Manhattan carried so much weight. While Manhattan is a 45-minute subway ride away from the Queens campus, it cannot replace the convenience and experience of actually living there. After all, the odd city trip that Queens campus residents take on weekends are impossible to cmpare to waking up in Manhattan on a daily basis. Maintaining a complete presence in Manhattan should have remained a top priority for the University because it afforded St. John’s three distinct housing sites for students – something that other prominent New York schools can’t offer. Now that we won’t have students living in Manhattan, how are we any different from the rest?
EDITORIAL POLICY Editorials are the opinions of the Editorial Board of the TORCH. Columns are the opinions of the author(s) and are not necessarily those of The TORCH. Opinions
expressed in editorials, columns, letters or cartoons are not necessarily those of the student body, faculty or administrations of St. John’s University.
TO CONTRIBUTE Mail letters to: The TORCH, St. John’s University 8000 Utopia Parkway, Jamaica, NY 11439 Submit letters via email to: torcheic@gmail.com
All are welcome to contribute to the Torch. Please include your full name, year, and college (or department). Letters have a limit of 500 words and may be edited for content, grammar, or space. Unverifiable or anonymous letters will not be published. All letters are subject to the approval of the Editorial Board of the TORCH.
TORCH ILLUSTRATION/ DIAMON WATTS-WALKER
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Super Bowl Boulevard beckons “This is the epitome of our profession.” That’s how Denver Broncos head coach John Fox described the Super Bowl to reporters earlier this week. Nowadays, the Super Bowl is more synonymous with multi-million dollar budgeted commercials, a glitzy halftime show and the excuse to throw a party the day before you have to trudge back into work for another week. But for players and coaches, the big game is the culmination of years of hard work and sacrifice (how many times have you heard that phrase?); none of the social events surrounding the game matter to them. The only thing on their minds is putting in two weeks of hard work that will result in lifting the Lombardi trophy while confetti – and tears of joy – cloud their vision from the millions watching. But that doesn’t mean fans – hardcore and casual alike – shouldn’t take advantage of the opportunities the Super Bowl offer. This is especially true for New Yorkers, mostly because the big game is
TORCHPHOTO/KIERAN LYNCH
Media members from around the world prepare for Sunday’s big game.
merely a train ride away. I’m not saying you should drop what you’re doing, scrape up all of your savings and splurge on a ticket (are there even any left?). I want you to embrace the unique atmosphere that only a Super Bowl can generate. Starting Wednesday and closing on
Saturday, Super Bowl Boulevard will be open across 13 blocks on Broadway from 34th to 47th street. The stretch of turf will be the site of various (and free) activities, concerts and exhibits that are expected to attract thousands. Even if you don’t know who Peyton Manning or Richard Sherman are (please tell me
you know who the latter is), the event is expected to be the biggest assembly of pre-Super Bowl activities in the game’s history. After all, Sunday will be the first time the Super Bowl will take place in the tri-state area (notice how I didn’t say it will be played in New York. I’ve got your back, Jersey.). The point of the matter is that we don’t know the next time we’ll bear witness to a cold weather Super Bowl. Why not take advantage of the [free] activities and events at your disposal in anticipation of the biggest football game of the year in the world’s biggest city? We all know that New York City makes things more interesting, so imagine what a mix of thousands of New Yorkers, tourists and manic football fans will look like in conjunction with a midtown Manhattan dressed as the world’s biggest Super Bowl party. Not something you want to miss, huh? And before you start complaining about the cold weather, keep in mind that I said almost everything is free. I’m sure fetching yourself a complimentary cup of coffee or hot chocolate will be far from impossible. Enjoy the big game and all it has to offer, folks. Besides, if you happen to be in Arizona next year for Super Bowl XLIX, you can brag to your friends about how much better the tri-state area hosted it.
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Think Outside...
Lifestyle
New fashion line takes NYC by storm
SHANTAVIA THOMAS Staff Writer
Fashion comes in waves and Jerome Perry, a sophomore at St. John’s, plans on riding this wave for a long time. His new fashion line, High Off Our Desires (H.O.O.D.), brings together classical art and urban street wear. “The line is meant to give people the motivation and inspiration to use their goals and aspirations to get whatever they want out of life,” Perry said. “I want to tell a story with the line.” The Maryland native combined his love for art and clothing to “accidentally” create H.O.O.D. “When I made my first shirt it was kind of a joke. I was sitting in my friend’s basement, and we thought what if we put that [painting] onto a shirt, and incorporated a slogan and a number onto the back,” he said. “We made it and I posted it on my Tumblr. I got orders immediately.” The joke ended up with fashion lovers around the world reaching out to purchase his pieces. Through his blog, Perry has shipped t-shirts, bomber jackets, windbreakers and other apparel across the Unites States and overseas, including Germany, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Australia and the United Kingdom. With the creation of the line in May 2013, H.O.O.D. originally targeted high school teens and college students; how-
ever, the brand has gotten attention from older demographics as well. The management of recording artist Kendrick Lamar was interested in the brand and reached out to Perry for a few sample shirts. “I shipped those the day the Control verse dropped and then he [Lamar] disappeared for about three months,” Perry said. “Hopefully, Kendrick has it or someone in his circle does and it’ll pop up.” Perry hardly finds free time between school and his business. “I have no free time,” he said. “I market, I design everything, I promote, and I produce commercials and photography.” Inspiration from fashion lines such as Pyrex, Jordan and Hood By Air gives Perry inspiration to become a stand-out character in this industry. He partners one of the H.O.O.D. bomber jackets with a black pullover hoodie and black Yeezy sneakers, designed by one of his inspirations, recording artist and fashion designer, Kanye West. Like West, Perry wants to stretch his brand to other industries. “I plan on getting into different things such as scholarships, charities and maybe opening a school,” he said. On Feb. 11, Perry will be participating in the 2014’s Street Wear Fashion Show in SoHo alongside veterans in the fashion game. “I’m a little nervous,” he confessed. Perry wanted to attend law school after finishing his undergraduate degree at St. John’s, but his plans have drastically changed. His desire for the
fashion industry has inspired him to continue his entrepreneurial dreams after college and he wants to take the St. John’s community with him. He plans to use what he learns from the Tobin School of Business and his
business management major courses to continue building H.O.O.D. and getting the rest of the world high off their desires too. “I want to get St. John’s students involved in the brand,” he said.
PHOTO/JEROME PERRY
Jerome Perry, fashion designer and SJU student, creates clothing line in NYC.
Beginning a semester abroad, England KYLE FITZGERALD Online Editor
In the fall semester, I was presented with the opportunity to continue studying for my major while living in Great Britain instead of the usual Discover Europe escapade. So as my winter break concluded I left the land of avocados and palm trees and, a day later, entered the realm of perpetual rain and streets where cars drive on the left-hand side of the road. As I exited Leeds/Bradford airport, two thoughts came to mind: ‘Wow, this place is a lot colder than California’ and, ‘It could be worse, I could be in New York.’ With my first study abroad revelation in hand, I made the short trip to my accommodation: an abandoned brewery in Kirkstall four hours north of London. While I do not have a room sitting on the edge of the Leeds and Liverpool Canal, I do get a decent view of Leeds Rugby Academy, of which I know nothing about. Although I have only been here for three days, I can say that I have encountered the expected and the foreign. I was only a day-and-a-half situat-
ed into my new home when I met two new friends outside the Brewery: Marcus, hailing from Sweden, and Frankfurt-born, Felix. It was only when we were walking that I noticed they both towered over my 5’7” frame. As I continued to think about how much greater my life would be if I were three inches taller, us three and an American friend of mine talked about soccer (or football, I guess). Again, something I don’t real-
ly know nothing. But I was more than proud to say 10 words and nod my head in that 45 minute discussion about FIFA and Dortmund, Felix’s favourite team. Probably the worst part about Leeds, the city where my new campus is situated, is the rain. With the ever-damp roads and mushy grass, the last thing one would want to do is walk around for an hour in the dark trying to find his or her way back home. But, in my typical “let’s
PHOTO/KYLE FITZGERALD
Steak and mushroom pie was one of Kyle’s first meals while studying abroad.
make things harder than they have to be” fashion, that is what I did. I ventured onward and when I reached civilization, I began to fancy (a British term that I have only used once, which is now) warm food and a warm place to be. Wait, that’s a pub. Believe it or not, it’s difficult to find food in all the pubs, at least where I live. I eventually came to an unassuming place simply named West End House. Although I hoped to try haggis – a Scottish pudding consisting of sheep lung, heart and liver – it was not on the menu. But, clever as I am, I adapted to the situation at hand and approached the bar to place my order: steak and mushroom pie. Ten minutes later a mound of puff pastry waltzed its way onto my placemat and was heartily consumed with water, my nonalcoholic drink of choice. I consider that to be a pretty successful end to my weekend. That concludes all the high-octane adventures I encountered for now. Cheers (a British term that, again, is my first and only time using.) Kyle is the Online Editor for the Torch and will be writing a story each week while he is studying abroad this semester in England.
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Highly anticipated albums for the new year
Cyrus performs at pre-Grammy event and skips awards
Miley uploaded the photo (left) on twitter after attending and performing at the Clive Davis pre-Grammy event.
JON MANARANG Staff Writer
With a slew of alternative and indie albums released in 2013, new music on the horizon for 2014 offers albums from established bands, as well as the promise of up-and-coming artists to watch. Foster the People- “Supermodel” One of the most anticipated releases for 2014 comes from LA indie-pop group Foster the People. Nearly three years since their singles “Pumped Up Kicks” and “Don’t Stop (Color on the Walls)” dominated radio airwaves, the band intends to release their second LP, “Supermodel.” The band wants to create a record that is “guitar-driven”, “much more organic” and “more polarizing.” Recently, the band released the first single “Coming of Age,” a mid-tempo song featuring heavier guitar riffs, a powerful chorus and backbeat drums. The band is also slated to headline this year’s Governor’s Ball this June. Beck- “Morning Phase” With 11 studio albums already under his belt, Beck Hansen intends to release his latest studio effort this February. Having released singles “Defriended,” “I Won’t Be Long” and “Gimme” the album is already set with a mellow tone and a sonic collage of organic and electronic instruments. Currently signed to major label Capitol Records, in the studio Beck has recorded the album with many of the same musicians featured on 2002’s “Sea Change” in order to make the record a companion to Morning Phase. Lana Del Rey- “Ultra-Violence” Within the past year alone, singer Lana Del Rey has gotten more accessible radio exposure with a remix of her song “Summertime Sadness,” released the short film “Tropico” and wrote the single for Baz Luhrmann’s “The Great Gatsby” with “Young and Beautiful.” With details sparse about the record, the only new information on Lana is the release of a cover of “Once Upon a Dream” for the film “Maleficent.” Pixies- “EP2” Late 80’s alternative cult favorite, Pixies have released their second EP in a series of new music since their 2004 reunion. Last year marked the first new material for the band since 1991’s “Trompe le Monde.” However, with this new came the departure of bassist/vocalist Kim Deal, who reunited with her own band, The Breeders. Her replacement for the 2013 tour, Kim Shattuck of The Muffs was dismissed from the group and subsequently replaced by Paz Lenchantin of A Perfect Circle. Though Deal has been welcome-back to the band, both EP1 and EP2 were recorded with Simon “Ding” Archer on bass. The lack of the male-female vocal dynamic has been the main source of criticism over integrity of the Pixies reunion without Deal’s vocals on studio recordings. Other 2014 Releases Fellow Governor’s Ball performers and headliners such as Jack White, who has hinted a follow-up, as well as electro-pop artist Grimes, whose fourth album is tentatively scheduled for September 9th under Jay-Z’s Roc Nation label. Having recorded “Visions” with GarageBand, the singer-producer plans on having a more expansive studio setup. Psych rockers, The Horrors and Mac DeMarco, also intend to unveil new music early in 2014.
Not being up for any awards, Cyrus tweeted she spent Grammy night playing ‘Guitar Hero’ PHOTO/TWITTER.COM/MILEYCYRUS
Kendrick snubbed at the Grammy’s Kendrick Lamar posing at the 56th Annual Grammy Awards on Jan 26 in Los Angeles. Imagine Dragons had an epic mashup performance of “Radioactive” with Kendrick Lamar and his song “Good Kid, M.A.A.D. City.” Kendrick was nominated for five awards including “Best Rap album,” and “Best New Artist” to which he lost to Macklemore and Ryan Lewis.
PHOTO/GRAMMY.COM
Bieber busted!
Mackle-less
Madon-huh?
It seems things might be looking up for Justin Bieber. After being released from jail last Thursday on $2,500 bail for drunk driving and drag racing, it seems the pop-star-gone-bad-boy is headed for a path of destruction.
In the midst of causing complete and utter chaos on social media after winning the Grammy for ‘Best Rap Album’ Macklemore felt the need to defend himself. Adding insult to injury, he decided to Instagram a picture of his text conver-
It’s never a dull moment with everyone’s favorite 55-year-old Material Girl. Having made a career out of controversy, Madonna has earned a pass when it comes to “things one should not do.” However, many could not overlook her
PHOTO/MIAMI BEACH POLICE DEPT.
PHOTO/INSTAGRAM
PHOTO/WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
Although Bieber has yet to directly comment on the situation, he has reached out to fans posting a picture of him and Michael Jackson side by side with the caption, “What more can they say.” While many have already lost hope, dubbing him the next Lindsay Lohan, it seems the Bieber camp is not having it. Bieber’s camp, including his mentor Usher Raymond and manager Scooter Braun have all flown to Panama to talk sense in hopes of a Bieber intervention.
sation with Kendrick Lamar. The “Thrift Shop” rapper typed a lengthy message saying that he “robbed” the rapper of a Grammy. In the caption, he wrote, “My text to Kendrick after the show. He deserved Best Rap Album.” He went on to say that in his opinion, the rapper should have won for “Good Kid, m.A.A.d City.” Although the text was kind in thought, many felt it should have stayed a thought.
recent upload to Instragam of her son using the caption “#dis n*gga.” She later deleted and re-uploaded the picture after blacklash in the comment section. Shortly after, Madge released a statement apologizing for the use of the word claiming it was meant as a term of endearment towards her son. Although some had moved on, many felt Madonna added more fuel to fire as she brought her son David, who’s from Malawi, to the Grammy’s.
Compiled by Briawnna Jones
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Beyoncé dazzles with album SHANTAVIA THOMAS Staff Writer
BEYONCÉ Beyoncé
Around 12:00 A.M. early December, Beyoncé Knowles-Carter surprised the internet with the release of her self-titled visual album with no promotion or announcements except “Surprise” via her Instagram account. The album consists of 14 songs and 17 videos, each tying into the beautifully designed tale created by the artist herself. Within days, the album shot to No. 1 in countries across the globe; music lovers and art enthusiasts alike applauded the project for its versatility, creativeness, and most importantly, being a new direction for the normally commercial artist. These tracks speak about life situations and topics that artists do not normally address so candidly. The album starts off with “Pretty Hurts,” a track on society’s obsession with stereotypical beauty. Scenes flash of Beyoncé and others dealing with eating disorders and cosmetic surgery. The meaning behind the song can be defined as “trying to fix something that you can’t see, it’s the soul that needs the surgery.” Beyoncé taps into a few other social awareness topics throughout the album. In “***Flawless,” she stresses women and girls to know that they are perfect, that they all “wake up flawless.” The track is accompanied by a voiceover from Nigerian writer Chimamanda Ngozi Adiche’s TedTalk on feminism. She says, “Feminist: A person who believes in the social, political
and economic equality of the sexes.” “Superpower” featuring Frank Ocean, delivers a revolutionary vibe. Ms. Carter, clad in Mortal Combat couture and Army green hair, stands with a band of rebels against the trigger-ready armed forces. A powerful ballad of strength, struggle and fear sets this fiery battle ablaze in the intense video. When asked in an interview about her music, Beyoncé tells us, “When I’m connected to something, I immediately see a visual or a series of images that are tied to a feeling or an emotion, a memory from my childhood, thoughts about life, my dreams or my fantasies.” Beyoncé definitely invites listeners into the more sexual and sensual side of her psyche. Yoncé, (Beyoncé’s “new alternate ego) “Partition” and “Blow” are sexually explicit videos; nothing we’ve seen from the artist in the past, but still tasteful in the lyrics and video production. “Rocket” and “Drunk in Love” (featuring husband of five years, Shawn
Carter a.k.a. Jay-Z) are sensual, black and white videos that deliver a perfect balance of love and lust. Visually playful tracks like the madhouse-themed video for “Haunted” and the fabric play in “Mine,” featuring Drake, show a lot of artistic range for Beyoncé. The album ends on a sentimental and touching note with “Heaven” and “Blue,” a dedication to her 1 year-old daughter Blue Ivy. The entire project is star-studded, a standalone masterpiece that only got better when Beyoncé began releasing documentary-like videos. The five videos that followed the release explained her inspiration, drive and thought-process throughout the project. This album not only changes the idea of how an artist defines an album, but also what promotion and marketing is truly needed. One could only imagine what this 32-year-old goddess has next up her sleeve.
PHOTO/GRAMMY.COM
Power-couple Yoncé and Jay-Z in the audience after their performance at the Grammys.
Beauty buzz LAURICE RAWLS Staff Writer In mid-December, beauty junkies nationwide rushed to their local beauty stores to grab Urban Decay’s latest edition of Naked. Urban Decay’s Naked palettes are some of the beauty industry’s best selling eye-shadow palettes. Naked 1 was a palette of neutral shades from glimmer beige all the way to a deep blue. Naked 2 was a little more adventurous with a wider range of shades from taupe to a blackish gray. With no definite launch date, Urban Decay kept consumers on their toes and released a third eye-shadow a few days before Christmas. Naked 3 has 12 completely different shades that are each 0.05oz (the size of an individual eye shadow). The case itself is a rose-gold with creases reading Naked 3. The palette also comes with a double-ended brush and samples of all versions of Urban Decay’s eye potion, a cream to make shadow crease less and stay on all day. Naked 3 shadows have what Urban Decay calls the “Pigment Infusion System,” giving each shade much pigment, the ability to blend well with other shades and long-lasting allday wear. Naked 3 shades range from a light versatile pink matte shadow called Strange to Blackheart, to a black matte shadow with pink/red glitter. The shadows seem to diverge into one another giving users the ability to create a variety of looks. The Naked 3 palette is $52 and sold at urbandecay.com, Sephora stores/online, Ulta stores/online and major department stores.
Need a place to stay this summer? St. John’s offers on-campus housing for summer interns.
For more information and to secure your spot, contact csevents@stjohns.edu
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Music’s biggest night, biggest dud! BRIAWNNA JONES Staff Writer
It’s fair to say music’s biggest night was a BIG dud. As the world had speculated, Beyonce and hubby Jay-z opened the show with their hit single “Drunk in Love”. Switching things up a notch, she opted or a single chair and a spotlight instead of her usual drawn out mini “stage productions”. Although it was quite entertaining to see Blue Ivy’s parents showcase their bedroom life on stage, the performance was underwhelming. It’s no secret that after the first act, the host of the awards show performs his or hers opening monologue. Usually something funny that gets not only the crowd excited but the audience at home as well. However this was not the case with rapper turned actor LL Cool J. He went for a more sentimental speech about the force of music. After vainly reminding everyone of his career highlights with a slideshow, he began to share tidbits of other musicians in the audience like Pink and Kendrick Lamar. Every year it seems the world is stunned when their pick for “Best New Artist” is not nominated. While many pegged it to be Kendrick Lamar, who was nominated for 7 awards, it was Macklemore and Ryan Lewis, that took home the prize. After a dark yet amazing vocal performance of “Royals” from Lorde, things brightened up with pop star Katy Perry. The vocals may have not been live, but she made up for it with amazing choreography and an eye catching set. Not to mention, she brought out rapper Juicy J for a twerk session. Going into its second hour, the show became a total snooze fest. With the ex-
ception of Jay-Z’s adorable acceptance speech for “Best Rap/ Sung Collab” for Holy Grail with Justin Timberlake, professing his love for Beyonce and calling his Grammy a “gold sippy cup” for Blue Ivy, it just seemed everything had already been done before. Pink’s performance was very reminiscent of “Glitter in the Air” and it was definitely NOT the first time people have seen Robin Thicke perform “Blurred Lines.” Since LL Cool J lacked in personality outside of the teleprompter, the only amusement of the night came from Pharrell’s hat and Daft Punk’s three acceptance speeches. Being that the electro-duo are robots and cannot speak, their performance with Stevie Wonder was over shadowed by amazingly awkward 30-second thank-you’s. It definitely was a night of duos, almost every performance seemed to be a matching of the relevant with the irrelevant leaving many wondering why are these two acts performing together. Taylor Swift, who lost for Country Album of the year to Kasey Musgraves “Same Trailer, Different Park,” performed her song “All Too Well” trading in her guitar for a piano, making her look sweet and sultry as she graced the stage. As it proved to be a Macklemore and Ryan Lewis night with the duo taking home four awards: Best New Artist, Best Rap Album, Best Rap Performance and Best Rap Song. But it was their performance “Same Love” that stunned the world. With a special quest appearance, from Queen Latifah, the duo brought their song lyrics to life with the rapper-turned-actress-now talk show host officiating and Madonna serenading 34 marriages to gay and straight couples during the live telecast, making it the seconded highest ever rated Grammy’s with 28.5 million viewers.
PHOTO/GRAMMY.COM
Daft Punk accepts their Grammy for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance.
OLIVIA CUNNINGHAM Staff Writer and Career Peer at the Campus Career Center
Interview Tips: Tell Me About Yourself
This Week’s Career Topic: Interviews
You have dressed for success, you introduce yourself and shake hands, and your resume has been distributed to the interviewers. Everything is going perfectly so far. Then they ask the dreaded question. “Tell me about yourself,” the interviewer says. This is one of the most common interview questions, according to the Career Addict website, but also one of the most difficult to answer.
Why employers ask Employers ask you to tell them about yourself because it helps them to see how you communicate, your experience and objectives and what motivated you to apply for this position. It “gives the recruiter a chance to assess how prepared, eloquent and relevant you are to the job they are hiring for,” according to Career Addict.
What makes it tricky “This is a personal question for which employers want an impersonal answer,” St. John’s University Career Services says. “Poor answers to this question typically include too much personal information and/or occur when a candidate is unable to clearly articulate his/her skills and accomplishments.” Another problem Career Services has identified is that candidates often don’t know when to stop. Although it seems like a personal question, employers are looking for more than a brief biography: they want to know what makes you a good fit for their company and why you’re interested, not a history of your experience or—worse—your personal life.
How to answer
“Focus on your background and what makes you a good fit for the position,” Career Services recommends. Candidates should provide a one- or two-minute summary that includes their background, what made them come to the interview and why they are interested in and qualified for the position available. Spending a few minutes coming up with a polished answer to this question before heading to the interview will make you a more polished, prepared and (hopefully) relaxed candidate. A great answer to a difficult question is sure to impress the interviewers.
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Fred Lucia Burrafato
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Tuesday Taco Time
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Posing With Jim Stephen Saliba
29 January 2014
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Sports
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Fencers lose more than win in home invitational CHRISTOPHER BRITO News Editor
Facing the likes of the nation’s topranked Columbia and rival Notre Dame, both the men’s and women’s fencing team each went 2-3 at the St. John’s Invitational on Sunday. One day after competing in the NYU Invitational, the men’s team knocked off Ohio State and Harvard but lost to Notre Dame, Penn State and Columbia, the latter by one point. The women’s squad was defeated by Columbia, Notre Dame and Ohio State despite victories over Harvard and Penn State. St. John’s has been dealing with injuries throughout the season and numerous freshmen fencers on the roster. “We don’t have a full team this year,” Gelman said. “I think we’re going to do better in Temple [Invitational].” He also expects fencers from both the men’s and women’s teams to improve individually and rose from their current NCAA Coaches Poll rankings, seventh and 10th respectively, to at least sixth. “We’ll do as best as we can,” he said. Junior Isis Washington posted a 14-1 record Sunday and a combined 28-2 for the weekend; she can’t complain about Sunday’s performance. “I’m just prepping for Regionals,” she said after a day-long competition.”I’m just working with the team to get better.”
Overall, the women’s epee squad gained 34 wins behind the efforts of Washington, senior Alina Ferdman who tallied 12 wins and Zsofia Fath with eight wins. As for the women’s saber team, senior Alexandra Tannous paved the way for St. John’s with 10 wins. In women’s foil, sophomore Marta
Hausman led the way with a 9-6 record. For the men’s team, senior Max Blitzer and sophomore Michele Caporizzi led the foil team with a 9-6 record. Blitzer admits that Sunday wasn’t overly great, but he was satisfied with his fencing. “I’m happy with my fencing to-
day,” Blitzer said. “There are things that need to be worked on.” Roman Sydorenko, a freshman taking part in the men’s saber competition, led with a 11-4 mark. Freshman epeeist Cooper Schumacher led his category with eight wins.
Max Blitzer led the foil team to a 9-6 record despite being unhappy with his perfromance.
TORCH PHOTO/CHRISTOPHER BRITO
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Johnnies dealt bitter blow
Lavin and co. claw back late, but McDermott three crushes hopes of win
STEPHEN ZITOLO Assistant Sports Editor
The St. John’s men’s basketball team lost a heartbreaker Tuesday night to the Creighton Blue Jays 63-60 as Doug McDermott scored a season-high 39 points, including the game winning three with 2.8 seconds left in regulation. “Tonight was an outstanding Big East game,” St. John’s head coach Steve Lavin told reporters. “I’m proud of how the kids fought. McDermott stepped up with a big shot. It seemed like it was 8-10 feet from behind the three-point line. It was a big time shot by a big time CREIGHTON
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player.” “This is the best feeling I’ve ever had,” McDermott added. “I knew I had to shoot it because I was too open and I just let it fly.” McDermott was just too much of an imposing force as he hit shot after shot at will leading to his 39 points on the night. Creighton (18-3, 8-1) was 23-for-47 (48.9 percent) from the field and 7-for16 (43.8 percent) from three on the night. The Red Storm (12-9, 2-6) was led by D’Angelo Harrison’s 15 points and a career high 11 points off the bench from Chris Obekpa. The Red Storm struggled mightily from beyond the arc, where they went for 1-for-10 on the night. The first half was all McDermott. He went 7-for-11 (63.6 percent) from the field and 3-for-4 from beyond the
arc, all-leading up to 20 first half points. Even though McDermott had a strong first half, St. John’s was able to hold the rest of the Creighton team to only 10 shots in the half, where they went 3-for10 from the field. A 7-2 Red Storm run to end the half saw the Johnnies go into the interval only trailing 29-24. The second half was a tale of two different Red Storm teams. From the 18:48- 12:24 mark, Creighton went on a 17-1 run, extending its lead to 18 at one point. In that same span, the Red Storm were 0-for 10 from the field. However, in the last 11 minutes of regulation the Red Storm went on an offensive tear, outscoring Creighton 28-12. But that wouldn’t be enough as McDermott’s last second shot dashed the hopes of a comeback victory for the Johnnies. “When you give a team like Creighton an 18-point lead on their home floor it is going to take a rather remarkable comeback to give yourself a chance to win,” Lavin said. The Red Storm’s next matchup will come on Feb. 1 at Madison Square Garden against Marquette in the first game of a doubleheader.
Be sure to follow @TorchSports to stay up-to-date with all things concerning St. John’s athletics. PHOTO/THE CREIGHTONIAN
JaKarr Sampson tips off the against No. 20 Creighton in Omaha, Neb.
Jon on Johnnies: Take it outside JON PEREZ Sports Editor
To say that St. John’s is the talk of the town this week would be a lie. In fact, to say that they’re the talk of the University would be a lie as well and I’m not a liar. The talk this week is about what’s happening in East Rutherford this weekend when, for the first time in forever, two football teams will actually play in football weather to determine who is the best in the sport. But what few people are talking about is the Stadium series that is overtaking the tri-state area hockey teams. Over the course of the week, the New York Rangers, New York Islanders and New Jersey Devils will have a chance to take their talents outdoors as they face their city rivals for two important points in the standings, allowing fans to exchange bragging rights. Of course, the Stadium series works because the cold weather adds a special feel to the game of hockey. Most hockey players spent many hours on a pond or self-made rink near their house and wouldn’t come home until the sun
went down. But the same could be said for basketball players who overtake the blacktop to prove who is the king of the neighborhood. So this brings up my point, could you imagine if basketball were to go outdoors? College basketball does a great job of honoring those overseas when certain college teams travel to battleships and duke it out. But for this moment, let’s ponder. Could you imagine if the NCAA partnered up with Arthur Ashe stadium and hosted an early season tournament? The average temperature in early November is a high of 67 degrees. St. John’s alone wouldn’t draw a crowd; the Red Storm currently rank eighth in home attendance this season. But if they played quality opponents that early in the season they would draw a crowd. It would also be beneficial exposure for a University that’s perceived as an underperforming basketball school. So here’s my suggestion: the four team’s would be St. John’s, Syracuse, Hofstra and Fordham. Here’s my reason for each team: St. John’s is the obvious choice; the games would be played in Queens which would bring in the local crowd, and the
University could offer free shuttle buses for students to Arthur Ashe, which is less than 15 minutes away. Yes, this is a St. John’s publication, Syracuse is ‘New York’s Team’. If you don’t believe it, you weren’t sitting in the upper bowl of the Garden on December 15, where it was easily 70-30 Orange. Syracuse alumni travel well; whether it’s Boston for the NCAA Tournament or Maui, there is always an Orange Crush in terms of ‘Cuse fans. They would have no problem filling up Arthur Ashe. Hofstra is the interesting choice, but necessary. There is a heavy alumni population for the Pride of Long Island, no kidding, but the Long Island Rail Road has a stop just minutes away from the stadium. If fans choose to drive, they can cruise on the Northern State Parkway to the Grand Central in about 45 minutes. It’s tough to go to any place in the city and not run into a Fordham grad. Plus their fans always pack the house pretty well during the Holiday festival and they seem to be a program on the rise. This idea has about as much a chance of actually happening as I do winning a Pulitzer prize in the next six months, but for now it would be cool to think about a Big Apple Open.
TORCH PHOTO/JON PEREZ
Grant’s late free throws seal sixth-straight win MICHAEL TRIVIGNO Staff Writer
The St. John’s women’s basketball team withstood another close matchup, escaping with a 66-63 victory over Big East opponent Georgetown Sunday night at Carnesecca Arena. Since the calendar turned to 2014, the Red Storm have put together a six-game winning streak and is currently sitting atop the Big East standings. ST. JOHN’S
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After a strong first half, the Red Storm (14-5, 7-1) found themselves down in the closing minutes of the game, but two last minute free throws from sophomore guard Danaejah Grant edged the Johnnies past Georgetown (7-13, 1-7) “I’m proud of our young ladies with their resiliency and their ability to finish down the stretch,” said St. John’s head coach Joe Tartamella. “I’m proud of them and we got another big week ahead.” Senior guard Eugeneia McPherson led the way with her team-high 16 points , as well as 5 assists and 2 steals. “To see her from the first game to now, she definitely fits in with us and she gives us a huge spark off the bench,” McPherson said on Grant’s clutch performance late in the game. Grant added, “Each game that we play I feel like we gain more experience and being
Sports Editor
After narrowly up-ending William & Mary on Saturday, the St. John’s men’s tennis team was defeated by Penn State 7-0 in Happy Valley on Sunday. Sophomores R.J. Del Nunzio, Lucas Hejhal and freshman Robert Livi each lost their singles matches at the No. 1, 3 and 4 slots, respectively. Saturday hero Vaidik Munshaw couldn’t swing any momentum as he lost in straight sets to the Nittany Lion’s Michael Rielly, 6-5 (3), 5-6 (2), 10-2. St. John’s (1-1, 0-0) will welcome DePaul to Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on Jan. 31 at noon. While the men struggled, the women shined against Fairfield, 5-2, in the team’s season opener. This year’s season opener was the first at home for the ladies since the 2004-05 season. Senior Yanita Arnaudova and junior Nastya Polyakova each had straight set victories at the No. 5 and No. 2 spots, respectively. Freshman Anna Morozova won the clinching match with a 7-5, 6-0 win over Stag’s Allison Raddle. This is the second straight year that the Red Storm (1-0, 0-0 Big East) beat Fairfield. St. John’s swept Fairfield 7-0 on Jan. 26, 2013. This is also
Storm
Cast
Leavin’ their Mark Jordan wins first career Rookie of the week
TORCH PHOTO/DIANA COLAPIETRO
Amber Thompson notched 10 points, 9 rebounds and 4 blocks.
that we’re on top of the Big East now, the rest of the games we play aren’t going to be easy. We’ll just have to find a way to win.” Junior forward Amber Thompson put together another solid performance down low, finishing with 10 points, 9 rebounds and a career-high 4 blocks. “One of the reasons why we’re being successful is what Amber is doing,” Tartamella noted. “We feel that she’s one of the best post players of our conference.” In recent games, the Red Storm has found themselves in tight matchups and
the cause of these close contests has been the solid play from the Big East this season. “Our league is extremely strong and it’s one of the best in the country,” said Tartamella. “The Big East is really starting to show its strength by the way we play against each other.” McPherson added, “It’s really good for our fans to watch.” St. John’s will try to extend their winning streak to seven games when they take on Big East Rival Xavier Wednesday night at 7 p.m. at Carnesec-
Men lose, women win this weekend JON PEREZ
Torch Sports
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the first time the Red Storm won their season opener since 2006 when they beat Binghamton, 6-1.
The ladies will travel to Princeton on Saturday, Feb. 1 when they take on the Tigers at noon.
Over the last two years, it seemed as if the Big East Rookie of the Week award would find its way to Utopia Parkway. After a two and a half month hiatus it’s back in Queens. St. John’s first-year guard Rysheed Jordan was named the Big East Conference Rookie of the Week. This is the first week that Jordan won the award, and it marks the first time since last season when sophomore JaKarr Sampson nabbed the honor seven times. Jordan, the Big East preseason Rookie of the Year, helped the Red Storm in their two game winning-streak as he averaged 11.5 points with 4.0 assists and 3.5 rebounds. Jordan had a good week on the floor as he shot 53.3 percent (8-for-15) along with an 83.3 mark from the charity stripe (5-of-6). Last Thursday against Seton Hall, Jordan collected a game-high and career-best six assists. He scored 16 points on 7-of-11 field goals against Butler on Saturday. This award is the fifth Big East weekly honor for the Johnnies this year.
Blowin’ in the Wind “I’ve been pretty consistent that this would be a team that would probably hit its stride in February.” -Steve Lavin
Lookin’ Ahead
Red Storm upcoming schedule
Men’s Basketball Feb. 1 Feb. 4 Feb. 9
Marquette* at Providence Creighton*
Women’s Basketball Jan. 29 Feb. 1 Feb. 5 Feb. 8
PHOTO/ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS
Vaidik Munshaw was Saturday’s hero, but couldn’t rekindle the same magic on Sunday.
Xavier at Seton Hall at Butler Providence
* WSJU Radio
12:30 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 2 p.m. 7 p.m. 12 p.m.
Sweet six-streak – Ladies can’t lose
SPORTS DAGGER JANUARY 29 2014 | VOLUME 91, ISSUE 15 |
TORCHONLINE.COM
Last-second shot ends hopes of comeback win PG.14 PHOTO/THE CREIGHTONIAN