Print Edition of The Observer for Monday, February 27, 2017

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Volume 51, Issue 95 | monday, february 27, 2017 | ndsmcobserver.com

College elects Oppman, Lorenc New SMC student body president, vice president look forward to year ahead

By MARTHA REILLY Associate Saint Mary’s Editor

During her time at Saint Mary’s, newly-elected student body president Bailey Oppman worked as a nursing assistant for a 94-year-old alumna of the College. Now, she hopes to take care of the Saint Mary’s community, working with vice president Lydia Lorenc to tend to the needs of the very people who put them in office: students.

Oppman said she and Lorenc, both juniors, look forward to giving back to the College through their leadership roles.

“I think this is our way of

contributing, of leaving our footprint behind in some small way,” Oppman said. “We’re so passionate about this school.”

According to Lorenc, the sisterhood at Saint Mary’s makes the College feel like home, so she and Oppman will strive to ensure that everyone feels welcome and appreciated on campus.

“I think it all comes back to inclusivity,” Lorenc said. “We’re excited to really try to bring this community together, even more than it already is.”

Lorenc said she hopes see ELECTION PAGE 4

Observer Staff Report

EMMET FARNAN | The Observer

Juniors Bailey Oppman, right, and Lydia Lorenc were elected Saint Mary’s student body president and vice president Friday.

Buttigieg drops out of DNC chair race

By MEGAN VALLEY Associate News Editor

After nearly two months of campaigning, South Bend mayor Pete Buttigieg dropped his bid to be the chair of the Democratic National Committee (DNC) on Saturday afternoon just minutes before the vote. He did not publicly endorse another candidate.

Former U.S. Secretary of Labor Tom Perez went on to defeat Rep. Keith Ellison (D-Minn.) to lead the DNC. Nan Whaley, the mayor of

Dayton, had formally nominated Buttigieg just moments before he dropped his bid.

“It’s time for the party that I step aside,” Buttigieg said in a short speech to DNC members.

Perez, who had been a frontrunner for the duration of the race, issued a statement immediately after Buttigieg’s announcement.

“I am confident Pete has a bright future ahead of him in the Democratic Party, and I plan to work with him to make that future a reality,” he said in the

statement.

Fifth-year Bryan Ricketts, one of the 15 to 20 students from Notre Dame who were involved in working on Buttigieg’s campaign, said he was still expecting great things from Buttigieg.

“I’m happy to see Pete carry on his message of being a happy warrior, continuing to do great things in our community and organize around the principles of the Democratic party,” he said. “I look forward to seeing what comes next.”

Andrew Galo, a senior who

Labor cafe provides update on ND licensing

By ALEXANDRA MUCK News Writer

The Higgins Labor Cafe on Friday provided an update on Notre Dame’s licensing pilot program implemented in October 2015 and took student and community input for how to proceed.

All Notre Dame licensed goods, which include anything that has the Notre Dame logo on it, are produced by other brands, which usually outsource the actual

news PAGE 3

production of the good. In the interest of worker rights, especially in light of Catholic Social Teaching, Notre Dame has a code of conduct for all factories that produce Notre Damelicensed goods. This code has a zero tolerance policy for the production of goods in countries that do not promote freedom of association, which means allowing workers to unionize.

“Freedom of association is long recognized in the antisweatshop and licensing world

scene PAGE 5

Judicial Council issues penalty

as a hallmark that should be aspired towards, this idea that workers are free not to just come and go and quit as they please, but also to form unions and bargain collectively,” Dan Graff, Director of the Higgins Labor Program at the Center for Social Concerns, said.

According to Graff, Notre Dame may be the only university with the strict zero tolerance policy for outsourcing production to countries that see LABOR PAGE 4

viewpoint PAGE 7

worked on Buttigieg’s campaign, said that while he was “disappointed” by Buttigieg’s loss, he was looking forward to the future.

“We’re excited about [Buttigieg’s] prospects, and we’re excited to have him back in South Bend,” he said. “We’re glad he’s on the national stage now … he has a good base and a good party to push forward in the next four years.”

Contact Megan Valley at mvalley@nd.edu

In a press release Thursday, the Judicial Council Election Committee announced sanctions against the Deshpande/ Donaher/Bigott/Staud ticket in the class of 2020 class council election.

According to the press release, the committee found the ticket in violation of section 17.2(g) of the Student Union Constitution for distributing campaign materials before receiving the necessary approval from the Election Committee.

“Copies of all physical campaign materials, including but not limited to posters, flyers and table tents, must be submitted to the Election Committee and stamped for approval by a member of the Election Committee, excluding the Director of the Department of Internal Affairs, before posting,” the section reads.

The press release said the ticket was required to remove all unapproved materials and see SANCTIONS PAGE 3

Student discusses income inequality

By GINA TWARDOSZ News Writer

Saint Mary’s senior Maria Teresa Valencia spoke Friday about the struggles low-income families face while navigating the high costs of living and the inaccessibility of benefits and healthcare in today’s society as part of the weekly Justice Friday series.

Valencia interns at REAL Services, a north-central Indiana organization serving the elderly and low-income households, and

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through this she said has worked with low-income families.

“43.1 million adults and children are in poverty, and 59 percent of American households with incomes less than $20,000 a year spend nearly half their income on rent alone,” she said.

“Communities of color tend to be more affected by poverty than white communities.”

Valencia said poverty encompasses all aspects of a lowincome family’s life, including see INCOME PAGE 4

men’s basketball PAGE 12

2

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Today’s Staff News

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Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Workshop: “Getting Started in Undergraduate Research” 110 Brownson Hall 4 p.m. - 5 p.m.

“The Colombian Peace Process and the Catholic Church” Hesburgh Center for International Studies 4 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.

Theatre: “I and You”

by Lauren Gunderson DeBartolo Performing Arts Center 7:30 p.m. - 9 p.m.

Tickets available online.

5th Annual AD&T Symposium McCourtney Hall 8:30 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Lunch will be provided from noon to 1 p.m.

Graduate First Friday Dinner Coleman-Morse Center 6:15 p.m. - 8:15 p.m.

Open to graduate students of all faiths.

Bengal Bouts Semifinals Joyce Center 7 p.m.

Tickets available for $30 at the door.

“Dark Matter” Jordan Hall of Science 7 p.m. - 8 p.m.

Part of the “Our Universe Revealed” series.

Men’s Basketball vs.

Boston College Purcell Pavilion 8 p.m.

The Irish take on the Eagles.

“Marching Orders: Exploring the Mediation Mandate” Hesburgh Center for International Studies 12:30 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.

Bengal Bouts Final Round Joyce Center 7 p.m.

Tickets available for $30 at the door.

Week promotes body positivity

By SYDNEY DOYLE News Writer

Saint Mary’s Student Government Association (SGA) kicked off Love Your Body Week on Sunday with a do-it-yourself makeup bag craft, where students could make their own makeup kit as part of a week centered on positive body image and self-love.

SGA Social Concerns Committee co-chair Emma Lewis said this week is important to the Saint Mary’s community because of how often women compare themselves to others.

“I think it’s one those things we have because girls of all ages struggle with really accepting how beautiful they are,” Lewis said. “We’re given so many different pictures of what beautiful is, and I think girls need to understand that no matter what they look like, they are beautiful.”

On Monday, students can sign the self-love pledge in the Noble Family Dining Hall from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

There will also be a student panel at 7 p.m. in Vander Vennet Theatre, where students will discuss selfesteem and body image issues they have dealt with.

Lewis said this panel is necessary because women should know they are not alone in their struggles with body positivity.

“I think that is something girls will really be able to relate to,” Lewis said. “Just because it helps to know that people understand what you’re going through.”

On Wednesday, the week will continue with “Kind Grams.” Students can send out KIND bars with messages on them to their friends. The table will be in the dining hall from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., and the bars will be delivered on Friday.

Lewis said the Kind Grams are her favorite part of the week.

“I think that girls will really feel a difference knowing that their friends see them as beautiful,” she said. “It’s something that will make their day better.”

At 7 p.m. on Wednesday in Stapleton Lounge, Saint Mary’s alumna Lisa Clarkson will discuss battling her eating disorder while at Saint Mary’s, and the role the Saint Mary’s community played in her struggles.

Then, at 9 p.m. in Regina South, the Saint Mary’s yoga club will help put on a beginner-level, body-positive

yoga session.

The week wraps up on Thursday with an airing of the documentary “Pornland” in the Vander Vennett Theatre. The 30-minute film will begin at 7 p.m. and will be followed by a staff and student panel to discuss the effects of porn and the media on body image and self-esteem.

Lewis said the message of Love Your Body Week is especially important at Saint Mary’s because it is a women’s college.

“There are so many girls here, so it’s so easy to compare yourself to other people,” she said.

Lewis said since college is so stressful, people are more likely to be hard on themselves. “[College] is such a vulnerable time in our lives. We’re just stressed constantly and with that stress comes this vulnerability and this ability to tear yourself down even more,” she said. “I think this reinforcement, that we are beautiful, will be a really great sign, and especially as midterms are coming up, this week could not have been more positively placed.”

Contact Sydney Doyle at sdoyle01@saintmarys.edu

News

ndsmcobserver.com | monday, february 27, 2017 | The Observer

Faculty present research

By MARTHA REILLY Associate Saint Mary’s Editor

Associate professor of nursing science Annette Peacock-Johnson asked her students to give a new learning approach their best shot, while chair of the social work program Frances Kominkiewicz collaborated with librarian Sue Wiegand to check out new research techniques.

All three faculty members presented their findings at a colloquium on Friday at Saint Mary’s.

Peacock-Johnson said she employed a flipped-classroom approach when teaching her students about diabetes mellitus to determine how she could most effectively use class time.

“In the flipped classroom, the students do some sort of learning activities outside of or before class in preparation that could include video podcasts or exploration websites. In class, it’s all about problemsolving activities that can be done in small groups.”

Peacock-Johnson said she administered quizzes before and after class to ensure her students were actively listening to the out-ofclass lectures and benefitting from discussions with their peers.

“It does no good to assign them to look at podcasts … and they don’t prepare,” she said. “I then followed it up at the end of class to see if there was a difference in terms of their learning after we did the in-class discussion and group problem-solving.”

She said the flipped-classroom approach enabled her to connect more with her students and provide them with individual attention.

“I loved the interaction,” she said. “It was wonderful being able to circulate and to go individually into the groups and see what their thinking was and what they were coming up with.”

According to Peacock-Johnson, one major limitation of the flipped

classroom method was that some students felt as though they no longer needed to complete the assigned reading before class.

“They would watch the videocast, but they wouldn’t do the readings,” she said. “That wouldn’t help them glean some of the content from their text, which is still important.”

Collaborating with others posed a challenge for some of her students, according to Peacock-Johnson.

“Students working in groups was great when everyone participated,” she said. “It was hard to get a lot out of the class when people didn’t participate, so that was a difficult issue.

One of the things I’ve discussed with faculty in my department is what to do about small groups because I let them self-select, and when they self-select, they go with their buddies, who may or may not be good interactive teachers.”

Peacock-Johnson said implementing the flipped classroom approach can be difficult at first, but seeing students take ownership of their learning makes the challenge worth it.

“It’s very time-intensive initially,” she said. “It takes a whole lot of time to put together the recordings, to select the case studies, to develop the quizzes. The upside is once you have that created, then you just have to tweak it.”

Peacock-Johnson said she was pleased to find that many students adapted well to the flipped classroom approach.

“The evidence from this study suggests that the flipped classroom can be a very effective teaching methodology,” she said.

Wiegand said she and Kominkiewicz began their project — researching the effects of integrating student learning through library and classroom instruction — in 2002.

“We have progressed through the years in various ways,” Wiegand said. “We have collaborations with

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Notre Dame librarians now. We want to encourage collaboration with faculty.”

According to Wiegand, librarians and professors who work together can provide students with the most comprehensive understanding of the material, particularly in social work classes when librarians’ expertise about research comes in handy.

“Our research is to investigate students seeking information and to improve how students can find research in the library,” Wiegand said.

According to Kominkiewicz, librarians are an invaluable asset to professors, as they bring new insights and fresh perspectives to the traditional classroom setting.

“The issue that we have is that we’re seeing some of our resources dwindle in some areas, and so we’ve had to go outside and collaborate with each other basically,” she said. “So much of what I end up doing has so much to do with assessment, evaluation and learning outcomes. Without Sue’s help … we would have never been able to get this far.”

Kominkiewicz said Wiegand’s assistance has solidified her students’ understanding of the social work field while supplying them with a fortified understanding of how to conduct useful research.

“We have to prove that there are competencies that have been achieved, not just knowledge or values or skills,” Kominkiewicz said. “We have to make sure that students are going to be able to be ethical in their work.”

According to Kominkiewicz, Wiegand provides her students with a comprehensive overview of effective research practices that will prepare them for the social work field.

“I can’t go out and start working in a clinical setting, and neither can the students until they have done that research review and know what some of the studies are and how to work with particular individual social issues,” Kominkiewicz said.

Wiegand said she helps students research topics such as social policy by assisting them in tracing the development and implications of various laws. She said she encourages students to think critically about the factors that surround the composition of a bill.

“Look for the funding,” Wiegand said. “Even if you’re just doing a strategic plan, there has to be some funding appropriated for that.”

Kominkiewicz said her students’ satisfaction with Wiegand’s involvement in her classes is evident.

“The students have really appreciated being able to go to our library and know that that’s where we sit down with our library faculty and talk about what they’re missing, what they have to do and where they have to go to find things,” Kominkiewicz said. “A lot of it is free online, so they just need to know how to do that.”

Contact Martha Reilly at mreilly01@saintmarys.edu

3

Professor discusses Irish migration

By TOM NAATZ News Writer

In a lecture titled “Globalizing Ireland: Emigration and Immigration, 1980-2020,” sponsored by the Keough-Naughton Institute for Irish Studies, Mary P. Corcoran of Maynooth University discussed migration patterns in and out of Ireland over the last 40 years.

Corcoran began by talking about a Latvian foreman whom she met shortly after the European Union had undergone its first major enlargement into Eastern Europe in 2004.

Noting that these countries had just entered the European Union, and the associated free-travel area, Corcoran said the foreman “wanted to go to Germany, but Ireland was one of the only countries that would let him in.”

The influx of immigrants that included the foreman was tied to the so-called Celtic Tiger, an Irish economic boom that took place in the early 2000s, Corcoran said.

Corcoran also discussed Ireland’s 2015 referendum on the legalization of same-sex marriage, the first of its kind in the world.

“Thousands of Irish expats came home to participate,” she said, noting that many of these people wanted to be part of a momentous national decision.

“This ‘Home to Vote’ campaign was very significant,” she said. “People are still attached to Ireland.”

According to Corcoran, Irish migration patterns are defined by transnationalism, which means “living life in one setting, maintaining ties with another.”

Corcoran cited the example of the Home to Vote campaign as well as the Latvian foreman, who had an “hacienda” in Latvia and intended to return to his native country in the near future.

Looking through this “transnational lense,” Corcoran discussed the specifics of migration to and from Ireland.

“Over the past two centuries, Irish emigration has followed the ebbs and flows of the economy,” she said.

Corcoran noted that Ireland saw large-scale emigration after its economy collapsed after

Sanctions Continued from page 1

was charged for the cost.

“As an appropriate sanction the Election Committee hereby requires the Deshpande/

2008.

“However, of the PIGS countries — Portugal, Ireland, Greece and Spain, the EU countries that melted down post-2008 — Ireland was the only one that saw large-scale emigration,” she said. “This was chalked up to the country’s link to Canada, the U.S. and Australia, but there is an interesting argument that has been made that Ireland is an emigrant culture.”

Most immigrants to and emigrants from Ireland, Corcoran said, are highly educated. She said 62 percent of recent emigrants and 57 percent of immigrants have at least a university degree.

Another group of emigrants is the so-called “Reserve Army,” Corcoran said. This group of emigrants’ actions are “dictated by economic circumstance,” she said.

“They have less choice, and recently they have probably mostly been made up by the 125,000 who lost construction jobs.”

The final group of emigrants is the “adventurers,” Corcoran said, many of whom come to America undocumented.

Many eventually return to their country of origin.

“For these people, emigration is a solution to boredom and a little bit of disaffection,” she said. “They often work below their qualifications,” said Corcoran. “Many eventually return to their country of origin.”

Corcoran said the “Reserve Army” most closely resembles past Irish immigration patterns.

“Many are there to provide for their families,” she said.

“Emigration was chosen for them. Their position is the most precarious.”

Corcoran cited the example of post-boom rise in unemployment, as immigrants were the hardest hit given the sectors that they worked in (namely construction).

Corcoran said that Ireland, for the most part, has a vibrant and thriving immigrant culture but admitted discrimination exists.

“If your ethnicity is visibly different, there is evidence of labor discrimination,” she said.

Contact Tom Naatz at tnaatz@nd.edu

Donaher/Bigott/Staud ticket to remove and hand in all pertinent posted materials to Judicial Council,” it said. “ …

The amount spent on these materials will be assessed against the $75 campaign spending limit.”

4

NEWS

The observer | monday, february 27, 2017 | ndsmcobserver.com

Election Continued from page 1

students embrace her as a leader and feel comfortable approaching her with any concerns or suggestions. She said she and Oppman will uphold the Saint Mary’s mission — to help students grow in self-discovery — to the best of their ability.

“We’re looking to be role models,” Lorenc said. “Everything the school stands for as far as values … is a lot of stuff that we can identify with as well.”

Oppman said she eagerly awaits setting an example for younger students, since she fondly remembers admiring the student body leaders who preceded her.

“I think it’s really neat that you have these girls entering at a crucial time in their lives, and you can be someone they look up to,” Oppman said. “You can be someone they want to try to aspire to be.”

According to Oppman, the added recognition from students and faculty has been difficult to grow accustomed to but added she and Lorenc feel prepared to assume their new positions with optimism and confidence.

“We realize that there are people that are going to be watching us now, young and old,” Oppman said. “I think we can use that to our advantage and make the best of it by setting a good example.

By embodying what Saint Mary’s stands for, we can make an impact on the girls around campus.”

Lorenc said she and Oppman primarily aim to foster the enduring bond between Saint Mary’s women.

“It’s always so fun when you’re out and about in the community and you run into another Belle,” Lorenc said. “You instantly feel a connection. It’s all part of the tradition here at Saint Mary’s.”

According to Lorenc, Saint

Labor Continued from page 1

do not allow freedom of association. While there are only 11 countries that do not allow workers to unionize, one of those countries is China, which Graff called “the workshop of the world.”

In a pilot program, Notre Dame started allowing production in five factories in China that met certain conditions.

The Worker Participation Committee (WPC), which includes the Student Worker Participation Committee (SWPC) deciding

Mary’s produces principled graduates who recognize their own worth and prioritize the needs of others, as she and Oppman plan to do during their term.

“I think being a Belle is extremely humbling,” Lorenc said.

“A Saint Mary’s woman is unique in many ways.”

Oppman said she feels compelled to preserve the value of sisterhood, since it unites students with different backgrounds and viewpoints, reminding them of their common humanity.

“Empowering one another, standing behind one another gives me a lot of passion and drive to … stand behind the women I am so passionate about and love,” Oppman said.

“Knowing you’re a part of that is really important, and it’s just a great feeling.”

The opportunity to collaborate with and receive guidance from the student governments of Notre Dame and Holy Cross College will not be wasted, according to Oppman.

“There’s only so many schools in the country I can think of that even have the same set-up we do, where it’s a consortium of colleges,” Oppman said. “It’s really unique, and it also gives us an advantage because there’s more we can do. We have allies.”

Oppman said she feels honored to serve an institution so rooted in tradition because her Saint Mary’s education broadens her worldview and provides her with fulfilling opportunities, such as leading the College’s student body.

“We are part of the women we’re here on campus with, but we also have a connection with women we’ve never met before, women who went here 40 years ago,” Oppman said. “I feel like I’m part of something bigger.”

Contact Martha Reilly at mreilly01@nd.edu

this semester whether to keep the pilot program in China or whether to remove the zero tolerance requirement from the code of conduct in favor of a softer policy that would consider a situational approach.

On one hand, the right to unionize is an important part of workers’ ability to gain other rights listed in the Notre Dame code, SWPC member and former student body president Bryan Ricketts said. The SWPC and WPC found in audits of other factories, though, that some of the factories producing Notre Dame-licensed goods seem to

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Income Continued from page 1

healthcare and childcare.

“We tend to think poverty equals income, but it’s so much more than that,” she said. “Poverty is not just the lack of making money. It’s a lifestyle.”

Valencia said access to stable housing is the key to job stability.

“In the Milwaukee area, a study found that workers leaving their housing involuntarily were 20 percent more likely to lose their jobs than workers with stable housing conditions,” she said. “This just goes to show how necessary having a stable home is to having stable employment.”

Valencia said that poverty is a vicious cycle, in which low-income families are often so desperate for basic necessities that they are forced to pay higher premiums for rent and food because of the immediacy of the need.

“They happen to have higher food costs because they are located in areas where affordable food is not located, so they often choose this food because of how accessible it is, not because they prefer it,” she said.

Due to this urgency for basic necessities, Valencia said low-income families often find themselves trapped in loan scams in which they pay double or even triple the typical interest rates.

“Something I’ve realized while working through my internship is many low-income individuals get payday loans, which are one of the worst destroyers of credit,” she said. “The reason why payday loans are so horrible is because they specifically

be helping workers’ rights less than the factories in the pilot program in China.

“Many of the factories we evaluated in China had better practices than the ones in countries that actually had freedom of association,” Ricketts said. “We thought this freedom of association policy was going to protect the integrity of our goods but also the rights of workers who were making the goods for us, and it turns out they didn’t do such a hot job of that.”

Graff called the issue “messy and complicated,” adding he thinks workers would rather be in a Chinese

target low-income families.

Loan companies know that low-income families are going to be the ones desperate enough to want to pay 300 to 400 percent interest rates.

Nobody wants to pay that, but some of these families are just so desperate they go for the payday loan because it is quick money.

“Payday loans don’t take into consideration if the family is capable of paying it back or not. They hand them money, knowing they will receive way more in interest.”

Valencia said that government assistance programs can combat the need for payday loans, but even government benefits are not 100 percent accessible.

“I can’t emphasize how important it is to have programs that help individuals get out of the cycle of poverty,” she said. “Section 8 is the most popular housing program.

Basically, Section 8 offers government funding to people in low-income areas so they can help pay their rent.

However, only one-in-four low-income individuals are able to receive housing assistance due to the limited nature of government funding.”

Valencia said government assistance does not just help low-income families.

“They don’t just lift lowerincome individuals out of poverty; they help everybody else,” she said. “Once we help those in poverty, our government can use those funds to promote and sustain other programs.”

Valencia said that helping to decrease poverty levels can benefit future generations.

“Children are at such a critical age, and their brain is still developing, so when they cannot get necessities like healthcare, quality food,

factory than an Indian one due to better pay and conditions, even though workers do not have the right to unionize in China.

A separate issue the committee is considering is the process for auditing the 700 factories currently producing Notre Dame-licensed goods.

Right now, Notre Dame uses reports from the Fair Labor Association, but, according to Graff, the University wants to make sure it does more than “check the box” on the audit requirement.

Graff called the problem “much bigger than our university.”

education or the environment they need, this affects their physical and mental health, and educational and employment outcomes in the future,” she said.

Valencia said another problem faced by low-income families is the misunderstandings that surround the use of government benefits and assistance. She said many feel that some low-income individuals may abuse the benefits given to them, and the government should cut the money allotted to assistance programs.

“A small percentage will abuse government assistance, but when you think about the bulk of people that government funding helps, it makes all the difference,” she said. “It’s easy to dismiss something when everything is just numbers and percentages, but when you have someone come and share their story and how much their life is affected, it means something.

“They’re not numbers, they’re people.”

Valencia said educating oneself about aid programs that help low-income families is a great way for students to help and support those struggling under the poverty line. Valencia said students can inform and guide lowincome individuals to places where professionals can help them to sign up for government assistance and benefits.

“Volunteering in places of low-income provides students the opportunity to become aware of the struggles faced by low-income individuals and empathize better with those individuals,” she said.

Contact Gina Twardosz at gtwardosz01@saintmarys.edu

“We as a country are using these kinds of codes and then we can say all these conditions are being met in the factories that we are sourcing from, and yet I don’t know anybody who studies the global supply chains and would say in the past 15 or 20 years that wages or working conditions or living standards have improved in those sectors. … We, as consumers in this country, really have to think about if it hasn’t been improving globally, then what does it mean to have audits?”

Contact Alexandra Muck at amuck@nd.edu

5

The observer | monday, february 27, 2017 | ndsmcobserver.com

By OWEN LANE Scene Writer

Chicago-native Lupe Fiasco’s sixth album “DROGAS Light” has arrived, almost exactly two years after his middling effort “Tetsuo & Youth.”

Lupe Fiasco busted onto the rap scene more than 10 years ago with as much power and energy as any great rap rookie. “Food and Liquor” and “The Cool” are both excellent rap albums that showcase a truly talented MC. However, in the nine years since the release of the “The Cool,” Fiasco has stagnated artistically while retaining the more obnoxious elements of his music.

The opening track “Dopamine Lit (Intro)” opens with a catchy beat composed of a daunting, low-pitched echo and fast hi-hats. The hook on “Dopamine” proves to be a catchy, fun moment of self-awareness, which are all too rare for the painfully serious Fiasco. The nerdy Fiasco seamlessly incorporates Bilbo Baggins into the hook of a song about drugs. Unfortunately, the verses on “Dopamine” set a precedent of mostly derivative lyrics and boring rhymes.

On “Promise,” Lupe sings a sorry excuse for a hook that sounds more like an artificial union of Travis Scott and Drake. His verses are flat and repetitive. The next track, “Made in the USA (feat. Bianca Sings),” is an equally terrible song. Lupe’s forceful delivery suggests that he is delivering a very important message.

Instead, Fiasco simply names (mostly illegal) objects and where they were made in America. This song could be about how crime is an inherent part of American society, or it could be an ode to the collage of American culture. “Made in the USA” is so mindless that I don’t

By JACK RIEDY Scene Writer

On the same night he was memorialized at the Grammys, Prince’s music returned to all major streaming platforms. Despite his contentious relationship with the Internet, the Purple One’s music is now available to a new generation of listeners. The notoriously prolific artist’s catalog can be overwhelming, but never fear: Here are six Prince tracks that go beyond the greatest hits.

17 Days (1984) This funky pop is about heartbreak, yet it’s perfect for the dance floor. The chords sound just like samples from the epic “Purple Rain” while he laments “Let the rain come down.” The rubbery bass slides upward, propelling the song forward even as the narrator mopes immobile. He sits alone, with nothing but two cigarettes “and this broken heart of mine.” It’s a universal feeling, whether heard through earbuds or subwoofers.

She’s Always in My Hair (1985) As your Hendrix-worshipping uncle with the ponytail told you teary-eyed on Thanksgiving, “Prince could really rock too, man.” The guitar riff is one of the artist’s

think Lupe understands what this song is about any better than I do. The horrendous one-two punch of “Promise” and “Made in the USA” may make you want to quit the album after only four tracks, but the rest of “Drogas” offers a few fine moments.

“NGL (feat. Ty Dolla $ign)” is a decent track, aided a great deal by the Ty Dolla $ign feature, that flashes one of the album’s few moments of gritty poignancy. “Jump (feat. Gizzle)” is a combination of a pulsing, catchy, sample-based beat and skillful, hilarious storytelling.

“More Than My Heart” is a genuine and touching reminder to love your mother. The song “Kill” features the best production and hook on the album, which make its airy seven minutes rather enjoyable.

My theory is that the trap production on some of “DROGAS Light” is meant to deflate the listener’s expectations, despite Lupe’s status as a talented wordsmith. I have difficulty justifying the album’s unoriginal production otherwise.

“Drogas” is tough because, despite its nice moments, Lupe does not let you enjoy something for even two minutes before he says something stupid to turn you off. Lupe deals with the same problem that has plagued him for the entirety of his career: He is a so-called “conscious rapper,” which means he is considered a relatively intelligent MC that eschews the violence, misogyny and vices that appear in rap music in favor of addressing social issues.

Nobody can fault Lupe for being smart, using unconventional storytelling techniques and pursuing a virtuous life. However, it is always painfully obvious that Lupe Fiasco understands his status as a conscious rapper. When Fiasco is spitting like he is rap music’s

prophet, the listener feels lectured.

The absolute best artists, like Kanye West and Kendrick Lamar, do not only reveal their greatness: The strong give you their weakness in equal measure, and reveal how they fit into their artistic worldview.

Lupe does not understand this. Lupe’s concern for the world is admirable, however, it is never clear how Lupe sees himself fitting into the world at which he often shakes his head. It all seems very impersonal and imprecise. Tracks like “Tranquillo” suffer because Lupe’s verses are dedicated to his new-age pursuit of selfimprovement. There is nothing interesting in Lupe’s vows to, “Surround myself with nutrition, wholesomeness and true livin’/Use natural codes of conduct to remove schism when the rules missing.” At least Rick Ross shows up to save the day on that song.

For all but the die-hard Lupe fans out there, I’d say “Drogas” is a record that you are better off skipping.

heaviest, backed up by punishing slap bass. The lyrics are simple: whether he marries her or not, someone will always be there in the narrator’s hair. The psychedelic edge adds uneasiness to steadfast devotion.

Jimi would be proud.

never blurred gender lines more than this, and it’s transcendent enough to serve as an example for the rest of us.

The Ballad of Dorothy Parker (1987) Prince writes his characters with an innate humanity that a select few can match, yet he rarely tells a story as direct as “Dorothy Parker.” He meets the titular waitress and heads back to her place for a bubble bath. He’s “kind of going with someone,” so he leaves his pants on.

Reportedly inspired by a dream, the song has a hazy sound to match. The two don’t end up together, but the narrator finds peace by returning to the tub again, like a body perfectly balanced in warm water.

If I was Your Girlfriend (1987) Prince’s 1979 breakthrough came when he sang “I Wanna Be Your Lover,” but by 1987 he wanted to know if he could be your friend too. Prince pushes his falsetto a step further, pitch-shifting it up to create an androgynous persona he called Camille behind the scenes.

Never content with gender norms, he asks for intimacy, platonic and otherwise. “Could we just hang out?” he asks, “could we go to a movie and cry together?” Prince

Contact Owen Lane at olane@nd.edu

“DROGAS Light” Lupe Fiasco Label: 1st & 15th Entertainment Tracks: “Jump,” “Kill” If you like: Macklemore, Common, Aesop Rock

Sometimes it Snows in April (1986) The Purple One ended his jazzy, monochromatic “Parade” with this mournful ballad. The spare arrangement is little more than piano and and three vocalists singing about a deceased friend. “All good things,” they sing, “never last.” This song gained extra poignancy last year when Prince himself died April 21. D’angelo’s teary-eyed cover, performed just six days later, remains the best musical tribute to his legacy.

D.M.S.R. (1982) This eight-minute dance track manages to sum up Prince’s ethos in its four-word chorus: “Dance, music, sex, romance.” The four-on-the-floor beat is updated for the dawning computer age with squelching synth lines and booming drum machine fills. Prince plays a partystarter MC demanding “people everywhere” to “loosen up their hair.” It’s impossible not to obey when he tells listeners to scream if they feel all right, but Prince’s funky shrieking high notes are impossible to match.

Contact Jack Riedy at jriedy@nd.edu LAUREN HEBIG | The Observer

6

The observer | Monday, February 27, 2017 | ndsmcobserver.com

A writer’s response

Inside Column

Tell me a funny story Gaby Jansen News Writer

I was sitting at a table in LaFortune Student Center with a friend when our conversation hit a lull. He then told me to tell him a funny story, so after sharing this with him, I want to give it to you, the reader, too: My friends and I play the sentence game where we write and combine words and phrases with each other. One time our sophomore year we came up with the sentence “Queen Elizabeth threw the winning touchdown pass with a hot Spanish guy.” We then joked about finding the hot Spanish guy and his identity.

The next semester, I took a class at Notre Dame where I met the attractive Spanish Fulbright scholar who taught class at the same time I was in mine. I told my friends that he had to be the “hot Spanish guy”; he was tall, dark, and handsome and a Fulbright, so he’s clearly intelligent.

Flash forward to a month later, and I’m on a third or fourth date with a now-ex. I tell him about the sentence game and the one about Elizabeth throwing the touchdown pass with a hot Spanish guy. My ex said to me “which one?” Taking this to mean the “hot Spanish guy,“ I went into a lengthy explanation about the gorgeous man I saw three times a week for five minutes. After I finish, my ex awkwardly looks at me and says “No, I meant which Elizabeth?”

We continued to date for another four months after that oddly enough. If anything, I have more embarrassing stories of f lirting and talking to the opposite sex that qualify as funny.

I once texted a Midshipman I was interested in that my family cheers for West Point during the Army-Navy game. The text I got back said “ooh, that’s a deal breaker.”

When I studied abroad in Ireland my sophomore year, I took a theology class to satisfy Notre Dame’s second theology requirement.

The first day in class, a friend and I meet these sweet, smart and attractive young men.

I felt my attraction growing for one of them until they mentioned that they’re part of the school’s seminary.

Later when I was in Ireland, I met a f lirty guy at a bar and he invited me to go clubbing with him. After searching for him for over an hour at the club, I found him with his hand on some girl’s butt. After awkward introductions with him and the girl, we went dancing.

When she and I were alone, she told me that their two-year anniversary was coming up and that she loved him. This story ends with my nagging conscience and doing the move from Dirty Dancing with a 6-foot-7 tall stranger in the middle of an empty street, but that’s for a different time with more room in the inside column.

For going to Saint Mary’s where the stereotype is that we’re supposed to be good at f lirting and dating, I’ve become the outlier. But hey, at least I (and hopefully you) get some laughs out of it.

Contact Gaby Jansen at gjanse01@nd.edu The views expressed in the Inside Column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.

Liam Stewart Conservative Conscience

Several months ago, I had the privilege of meeting Lt. Colonel A llen West: a decorated war veteran, former U.S. Congressman and a proud, black conservative. In the course of our conversation, he shared with me that the worst racism he experienced came from his liberal political opponents, many of whom believed a black man could not be a Republican.

It ref lects a deeply offensive and disturbing view of conser vative minorities among liberals, one in which ever y female conser vative is an ‘anti-feminist,’ ever y homosexual conser vative is a ‘self-hater’ and ever y black conser vative is an ‘Uncle Tom.’ It is a view in which half of Trump’s supporters, according to former Democratic presidential candidate Hilar y Clinton, are “deplorable” and “irredeemable.”

Invoking labels, name-calling and insulting those who disagree with you is the last resort of the weak-minded, the uninformed and the insecure. As such, I was not particularly bothered when, in response to my last column, I was accused of “fear mongering,” “racism,” “bigotr y” and, bizarrely, even “xenophobia.”

Setting aside these ghastly accusations, and overlooking the paradoxical notion of a xenophobic immigrant for a moment, I wanted to return to the subject I discussed in an article earlier this month: safe and law ful immigration.

In my Feb. 13 column, I criticized the Ninth Circuit’s refusal to list the temporar y restraining order placed on President Trump’s earlier immigration order. America must remain the greatest beacon of hope and freedom on Earth, I wrote, but it cannot sur vive without an adequate means of protection from those who would seek to destroy it. The U.S. must continue to embrace legal immigrants and refugees, but it must also be able to distinguish between aspiring Americans and would-be terrorists.

We live in a sovereign nation with the means of facilitating safe and law ful migration; it is a nation of immigrants, but also a nation of laws, and these concepts are not mutually exclusive.

“All Americans, not only in the states most heavily affected but in ever y place in this countr y, are rightly disturbed by the large numbers of illegal aliens entering our countr y,” President Bill Clinton said in his 1995 State of the Union Address. “The jobs they hold might other wise be held by citizens or legal immigrants. The public ser vices they use impose burdens on our ta xpayers. That’s why our administration has moved aggressively to secure our borders more by hiring a record number of new border guards, by deporting twice as many criminal aliens as ever before, by cracking down on illegal hiring, by barring welfare benefits to illegal aliens.”

In his speech Clinton reaffirmed the need to

combat illegal migration across the southern border. I suspect that President Trump, and his supporters, would strongly agree with President Clinton on the issues of illegal hiring, welfare fraud and inadequate border security — issues that still plague this nation today.

“There are actions I have the legal authority to take, as President — the same kinds of actions taken by Democratic and Republican Presidents before me — that will help make our immigration system more fair and just,” President Barack Obama said in his 2014 immigration speech. “ … We’ll build on our progress at the border with additional resources for our law enforcement personnel so that they can stem the f low of illegal crossings, and speed the return of those who do cross over. … Even as we are a nation of immigrants, we are also a nation of laws.

Undocumented workers broke our immigration laws, and I believe that they must be held accountable — especially those who may be dangerous.”

Without engaging in a scholarly tirade about the constitutional powers of the President and the plenar y power doctrine, it is important to note one thing. W hile Congress reser ves the sole authority to change immigration statutes, the executive branch has great discretion in the administration of immigration law.

It can determine whether foreigners should be granted temporar y protected status, whether a person is allowed to work in the U.S, whether a person can be issued a visa and for how long, and whether a person’s deportation should be deferred pending a trial. In the interests of national security, the President also has the authority to suspend the immigration of any class of foreign alien, as defined by 8.U.S.C. 1101 et seq., and section 301 of title 3, United States Code.

The Ninth Circuit’s decision represents yet another example of gross judicial overreach, and of unelected judges once again attempting to legislate from behind the bench. The W hite House is expected to announce another executive order next week — this one, the President is confident, will not be held up in the courts.

“We are a nation of immigrants, but we are also a nation of laws,” President Clinton once said. “It is wrong and ultimately self-defeating for a nation of immigrants to permit the kind of abuse of our immigration laws we have seen in recent years, and we must do more to stop it.”

Mr. President, I wholeheartedly agree.

Liam Stewart is a sophomore in the College of Arts and Letters, majoring in political science. Liam was born and raised in the beautiful Irish city of Dublin, although he has been proud to call Seattle home for the past six years. He enjoys country music, hardback books and binge-watching TV shows. He can be reached at lstewar4@nd.edu The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.

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The observer | Monday, february 27, 2017 | ndsmcobserver.com

7

Purposefully redefining my black masculinity Will Smith Diversity Council

I am a complete human being, complex and beautiful. I can be compassionate and mean, get silly and serious, have happiness and pain and experience times of glory and shame. So why don’t I see that complexity of who I am ref lected in society’s views of people who look like me?

As an American, it’s validating to understand how far we’ve legally come in terms securing the rights of all citizens who inhabit our Republic.

But as a marginalized black man, I personally know we still have decades of hard work ahead of us in regards to social justice, and likely much longer when it comes to true acceptance and respect for all minority groups. I’m writing to address the latter, explaining and dismantling the “positive” stereotypes we too often internalize about black men and who they should ideally be.

African American men are largely identified with certain roles in popular culture that usually get generalized to all black men. W hen it comes to athletes, rappers and actors or comedians, there are several themes positively attributed to black men. A few of these are toughness, physical and emotional strength, respectful natures and hard work. Notice that while these are all desirable qualities, they don’t say much about who someone is. You don’t know what goes on in someone’s mind, how they feel or how they understand the world when you only want to see these traits. I argue this is not a coincidence.

More often than not, when a black man does anything good that doesn’t fit into the positive “emotionless robot” paradigm, they are either vilified for it or praised for it as an exceptional, unique black man who is somehow incomparable to other black men. For example, when Colin Kaepernick protests police brutality in a peaceful

way, no one commends him for being a role model who finds a way to express himself peacefully.

There is only criticism that exclaims he’s being an inappropriate crybaby at best and hates America at worst.W hen a rapper like Kanye West claims he has mental health issues and wants to seek help for them, he’s viewed as a drama queen who is simply seeking attention. W hen I get into Notre Dame I’m told it’s especially wonderful because of the idea that most black men can’t make it to my position. Yet the reality is there are smart black men in our society that never get the opportunity to refine their skills and apply to college, as there are many racial disparities in public U.S. education.

The result of this restricted view on how black men are supposed to act in America is the systematic dehumanization of black men. It contributes greatly to the negative stereotypes of aggression, criminality and hatred, when every counterexample is dismissed or is framed as an exception to the rule. It oppresses black men by generalizing who we are, allowing people to assume we are all blank, or act like blank, or believe in blank.

It gives people an implicit bias to follow prejudice. My acknowledgement of this perpetuation spurred me into re-evaluating myself.

I ref lected on these societal pressures and made the conscious decision to not let them control how I act.

W hen I have passion or enjoy something, I’m going to allow myself to get giddy and appreciate it fully. W hen I have to cry, I’ll cry. I’m not going to hide it away and “man up” at the expense of my mental health.

W hen I have a dumb pun to make, I’ll make it gladly and be silly. W hen I hear someone make a racist comment that goes too far, I will intellectually contest them when appropriate to do so, and practice self-care when not. Even if it’s inf lammatory.

W hen a friend or stranger has been good to me, I will be excessively thankful and humble.

W hen a friend is going through a tough time, I will pray for them and be as consoling as I can be.

W hen I talk to a family member, I will end the conversation in an ‘I love you’ every single time I can remember to do so, no matter how unmanly it is.

I will regularly tell my friends and the people in my life how much they mean to me.

And I will not place my self-worth in how other people think I should act, dress, talk, walk, or exist. Partially to def lect some of the unjustified prejudice about how black men should be. But more so because my emotions are a large part of what makes me who I am, and to be goaded into hiding my full range of emotions, parts of myself, for societal constructs about masculinity or blackness is a form of self-hatred I won’t succumb to and I don’t believe anyone else should either.

This is because I am a complete human being, complex and beautiful, worthy of living fully.

Will Smith is a board member of Wabruda, a discussion group on campus meant to enrich the knowledge and critical thinking skills of each member on socio-political issues that aren’t regularly engaged on campus. He is also a tenor (T-time!) in the Voices of Faith gospel choir. In his free time, Will enjoys playing videogames, binge-watching anime or sporting events and writing.

The Diversity Council of Notre Dame advocates for awareness, understanding and acceptance on issues of race, gender, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status and other intersectional identities in the Notre Dame community. The viewpoints expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the Diversity Council, but are the individual opinions of the author.

You can contact Diversity Council at diversnd@nd.edu The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Lives of saints exemplify ND community As anyone in the tri-campus community knows, Notre Dame football brings people together. Nov. 19 was the last 2016 Notre Dame football home game.

It was a snowy Saturday morning: wet, windy, and cold. With the unpleasant weather, people could have stayed home until the day became nicer later on. Yet, at 10:30 a.m., Andrews Auditorium was filled with people. They were there for the last lecture in the Saturdays with the Saints series: “Saint Elizabeth of Hungary: Wife, Mother, Queen and Champion of Mercy.”

I am a Dominican Sister from Vietnam, and I am blessed to study here at the three campuses of Holy Cross where I have learned what it means to be a person and to be a community. One of my professors, Dr. Catherine Cavadini, usually began her class by writing the name of a saint on the board. This impressed me because I love the saints. It was through her encouragement that I began to attend Saturdays with the Saints during the annual football season at Notre Dame.

At the last lecture of the season, no chairs in the room were empty. My heart was filled with joy for the

auditorium was filled with young and old members of the Notre Dame community who came out on a cold and rainy Saturday to learn about Elizabeth. This gathering is a great witness to our community: “No matter how challenging a road we may walk, we are invited to sing as we walk to ease our burden,” Saint Augustine once said. These gatherings to learn about the saints are part of this singing a song as we are journeying in the midst of our challenges.

This gathering calls to my mind one word: love.

The saints lived lives of love. Love — or agape — is the foundation of our faith and the shortest doctrine of Christian faith. Saint Therese of Lisieux said, “My vocation is love.” This is also true for all of us: Love is our vocation. The more a person loves God, the more God leads him or her closer to others and vice versa.

Every story of the saints is the story of love. For example, as wife, mother and queen, Elizabeth was full of prayer and charity. Her husband worried about their treasure because Elizabeth delivered bread to the poor in secret. When her husband asked her to reveal the contents under her cloak, she opened her cloak and it was filled with roses. This was a visible sign of

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God’s protection of cheerful givers. Indeed, Saturdays with the Saints invites us to learn about the loving examples of the saints and to live in love and community with those around us.

Notre Dame fans really love their football, but more important than football is the community — a communion of saints. Saturdays with the Saints invites us to transform a secular football Saturday into a day with a holy activity that unites us and brings about community. The lectures give the Notre Dame community something to think about: the lives of saints. Elizabeth was a wife and a mother. Amid this, she was also a disciple who practiced her faith by praying and practicing charity. Saturdays with the Saints bring people together in community to learn about these holy men and women, to talk about their lives and to be empowered to follow Jesus Christ as the saints did when we leave through the auditorium doors.

Sr. Anh Thi Kim Tran Dominican Sisters of St. Rosa of Lima in Vietnam Jan. 16

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Classifieds

The observer | monday, february 27, 2017 | ndsmcobserver.com

Crossword | Will Shortz

Horoscope | Eugenia Last Happy Birthday: Look for alternative ways to do things. Stay focused on getting ahead and making a difference to the people and the situations that concern you. Share your feelings and you will find out where you stand and who is by your side. Say “yes” to doing your best work and do your best to put the past behind you. Follow your intuition.

Your numbers are 4, 18, 21, 24, 35, 38, 43.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): You don’t have to share your deepest thoughts with the world. Being secretive will protect you against being taken advantage of by someone who is jealous or hoping to outmaneuver you. Focus more on yourself as well as your personal gains.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Participate in functions, fundraisers and discussions that interest you. Your voice will be heard and your opinions will matter to others. Don’t be afraid to make a bold offer. A unique suggestion or solution you present will pay off.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Problems will develop if you don’t follow through on the promises you’ve made. Be ready to offer incentives and perks in order to get the help you need to fulfill your obligations. Personal improvements will come from dedication.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Expand your mind and pull in all your resources.

Good fortune will await you if you gather information and develop plans that will increase your chance to learn and experiment. Collaborate with those you love and trust. Explore new possibilities.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Test your endurance, strength and physical agility, but not your bankbook. You can play to win and outdo anyone who challenges you, but when it comes to investments and joint financial ventures, you are best to go it alone.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Emotions will rise to the surface, making it difficult for you to see a situation realistically. Relationships will take work and require patience if you want to ensure that you are heading in the right direction. Work closely with the ones you love.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Listen to emotional pleas made by your family members or people with more experience than you. Getting in over your head financially will be difficult to reverse. Don’t say “yes” to something just to impress someone.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Good fortune will be yours if you expand your interests and your friendships. Give yourself a license to indulge in creative pleasures, and put your skills to use in new, unique and diverse ways. Don’t be afraid to be different.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Problems will arise if you get into deep discussions with friends, relatives or neighbors. Back away and refuse to let anyone bait you into a conversation that will leave you exposed or vulnerable.

Stick close to home and avoid conflict.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Remembering the past will help you avoid making a mistake now. Consider the lifestyle you had as a child and you will know exactly what you want to aspire to achieve and hang on to as you move forward. Don’t take risks.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Use your charm, wit and foresight to help you build a secure future. Pull in the help of someone you know you can rely on. A joint venture will lead to greater returns. Love is highlighted.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Just be yourself and do your own thing. Don’t let anyone push you in a direction that doesn’t suit your needs. Follow your gut instincts and head in a direction that will allow you to use your skills to reach your goals.

Birthday Baby: You are charismatic, sensitive and insightful. You are helpful and understanding.

Just Add Water | Eric Carlson & John Roddy

Sudoku | The Mepham Group

Jumble | David Hoyt and Jeff knurek

Draw comics.

Email Margaret at mhynds@nd.edu

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men’s golf

Sports Authority

Basketball truly belongs to Indiana Alex Carson Assistant Managing Editor

Basketball was invented in Springfield, Massachusetts, by a man from Almonte, Ontario.

That Canadian, who studied at McGill University in Montreal, would later go on to found the program at the University of Kansas, one of college basketball’s most storied and historic.

Yet despite all of this, the sport didn’t grow fastest and strongest in Massachusetts, nor did it in Kansas or Canada. It happened in Indiana.

Just ask James Naismith himself. After he visited Indiana in 1925, he remarked, “Basketball really had its origin in Indiana, which remains the center of the sport.”

If you took a drive around the state, you might figure out why.

Even today, save for its metropolises and aging, old industrial small cities, Indiana remains a fairly rural state. Small towns dot the flat landscape of the northern two-thirds of the state, many of which surrounded a fairly populous county seat.

It was the perfect landscape for Indiana’s love affair with basketball to develop.

Especially in the early 20th century, Indiana was a farming state. So while baseball was gaining popularity in many corners of the country as America’s budding pastime, it wouldn’t work in Indiana — because the summer was for tending to the fields. During the fall, football, which required teams of at least 11, wasn’t a particularly great option for many rural kids. And unlike Michigan, the climate and topography in Indiana didn’t necessarily lend itself to hockey, either — lakes aren’t that common, and even when they freeze, they often don’t do so for long.

Enter basketball, a sport that ticked all the boxes.

In its most simple form, a kid just needed a ball and a fruit basket mounted to the wall to enjoy the solitary happiness of a shootaround, something that could be enjoyed outdoors in the warmth of summer or indoors during the cold winters. If you’ve ever wondered why Hoosiers have a knack for good jump shooting, ask a different question: What else is there to do in Indiana?

That was the backdrop to the formation of state’s love affair.

In 1911, the first state tournament was held, with most of the strong schools sitting to the north and west of Indianapolis.

By the end of the next decade, the game had grew statewide, something that became evident in 1928.

That year, Butler University — a small, private school that had

9

just moved to its new campus — opened Butler Fieldhouse, now Hinkle Fieldhouse, which upon its completion became the world’s largest basketball arena, seating 15,000. While the Bulldogs’ teams were good back in the ’20s, the venue’s size shouldn’t be attributed to the popularity of the college game.

Attribute it instead to the popularity of the high school game.

It was only after the Indiana High School Athletic Association’s (IHSAA) pledge to host the state finals at Butler that the venue was constructed so large, and it’s an arrangement that (save for a few years) lasted into the early ’70s.

Since that first state championship in 1911, or even the first held at Butler in 1928, plenty has changed. Instead of a tipoff after every made basket, there’s now just one tip in a regulation high school or college game.

We have a 3-point line now, and final scores no longer resemble the 24-17 scoreline of the first game. The IHSAA now breaks schools into four classes based on enrollment, with the singleclass tournament that inspired “Hoosiers” a thing of the past.

And perhaps most crucially, suburban schools and their transient student bodies now make up the majority of the state’s best teams. In these communities, you don’t have many families where the kids are attending the same school their parents, grandparents and perhaps great-grandparents went — instead, you have a culture of general apathy, where most families in the district aren’t particularly invested in their schools’ success.

There’s a tonic, though: the small towns.

When the boys state tournament kicks off for the 107th consecutive year Tuesday night, it will be in those small communities where the passion for Indiana’s game is still felt most strongly. In towns with funny names, like Bourbon, Elnora and Switz City, a couple thousand may show up to watch schools of a couple hundred battle it out for a sectional championship. As the landscape around these communities change, their passion for the sport doesn’t.

A century ago, it was in these small towns that basketball blossomed into Indiana’s true love. Perhaps it’s fitting that today, these small towns still fulfill their roles as the centers of the sport.

Irish head to Arizona to take on competitive field

By CONNOR MULVENA Sports Writer

Notre Dame will continue the second half of its season with the National Invitational Tournament at Omni Tucson National Golf Club in Tucson, Arizona.

The Irish enter the invitational coming off a big win at the Earl Yestingsmeier Match Play Tournament on Feb. 14, as the Irish won the event off of freshman Davis Lamb’s victory in the final hole of the tournament.

Irish head coach Jim Kubinski said the team heads to Arizona with confidence, ready to execute.

“Our guys are upbeat and confident in general, but last week’s win probably added to those feelings,” Kubinski said.

“We’ve had a great week of practice in preparation for Tucson, so now it’s about execution.”

After the match play format two weeks ago, the Irish return to a more traditional tournament style in line with the rest of their season. The invitational begins Monday with a shotgun start at noon.

“I think our keys are to both focus on the importance of maintaining emotional maturity out

there on the course, something that allows a player to remain focused on each shot to be played, and also working to be consistent, week to week, in our approach to all the things we do,” Kubinski said.

The invitational presents a unique challenge for the team, as over half of the 16 teams competing are join the Irish in the top 100, according to Golfstat. com’s rankings. Along with the competitive field, Kubinski said the Irish face the significant challenge of getting to know the course at the Omni Tucson National Golf Club.

“I think the biggest challenge, week to week, for all collegiate players is learning the golf course and becoming comfortable in whatever conditions, particularly weather, that come your way,” Kubinski said.

Nevertheless, Kubinski said the Irish remain confident, feeling adequately prepared for the challenges ahead.

“We have a young group, 80 percent underclassmen starting this week, but they’ve grown a great deal and that growth can be attributed to our consistent approach to competing,” Kubinski said.

The team even has a bit of

experience with the course, as sophomores Ben Albin and Miguel Delgado and senior Blake Barens, competed there last season.

Kubinski said he continues to emphasize the importance of consistency throughout the season in order to constantly move up in the rankings.

“Each of our tournaments finishing out the regular season are opportunities to move up in the NCAA rankings and grow as a team,” Kubinski said.

“We’re just beyond the NCAA tournament bubble right now, but I believe we control our own destiny. We’re looking to bring a consistent approach to each event, one that will afford us opportunities for strong finishes each time out. College golf, playing [in the] fall and spring equally, is a marathon. Our goal is to come out each week with a great approach to competing.

We’ve done so far more consistently this season, which is a credit to our guys.”

The Irish begin play in the National Invitational Tournament in Tucson on Monday at noon.

Contact Connor Mulvena at cmulvena@nd.edu

nba | thunder 110, Pelicans 106

Pelicans drop to 0-3 with Cousins on roster Associated Press

OKLAHOMA CITY — Russell Westbrook blew past Steven Adams’ pick and saw 6-foot-11, 270-pound DeMarcus Cousins slide over to block his path to the rim.

Westbrook didn’t care.

Oklahoma City’s 6-3 point guard leaped up and uncorked a devastating right-handed jam over the new member of the New Orleans Pelicans. It drew Cousins’ sixth foul with 2:38 to go, and the Thunder led the rest of the way.

Westbrook scored 41 points in his 29th triple-double of the season to help his squad beat the Pelicans 118-110 on Sunday night.

The fact that Cousins fouled out was secondary to Westbrook.

“It don’t matter how many fouls,” Westbrook said. “It didn’t

matter. I just jumped, and it went in to finish it.”

Newly acquired Thunder forward Doug McDermott, unaccustomed to such feats, was stunned “Man, it was crazy,” he said.

“I’m glad I’m on his side.”

Westbrook had a career-best 21 fourth-quarter points. He shot 7 for 19 from the field the first three quarters and was 7 for 10 in the fourth.

Westbrook also had 11 rebounds and 11 assists in the 66th triple-double of his career.

Anthony Davis scored 38 points. Cousins had 31 points and 10 rebounds, but played just 22 minutes.

“We put ourselves in position to win, and when you do that, you have to make plays down the stretch,” Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry said. “We didn’t,

and they did.”

The Pelicans fell to 0-3 since acquiring Cousins in a trade with Sacramento.

“It’s a learning curve right now,” Cousins said. “We’re still getting to know one another. Just keep growing.”

Davis scored 24 points in the first quarter to help the Pelicans take a 35-32 lead. Cousins, who missed most of the first quarter with foul trouble, scored 14 in the second, and the game was tied at 59 at the break.

Cousins picked up his fifth foul in the final minute of the third quarter, and the Thunder entered the fourth with an 87-84 lead.

Westbrook’s dunk over Cousins and the free throw put the Thunder up 110-106. Another slam by Westbrook in the final minute put the game away.

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Sports

The observer | monday, february 27, 2017 | ndsmcobserver.com

Swimming & diving

ND heads to ACCs with momentum

By BRENNA MOXLEY Sports Writer

KATHLEEN DONAHUE | The Observer

Irish guard Lindsay Allen drives toward the basket during Notre Dame’s 79-61 win over Florida State on Sunday at Purcell Pavilion. Allen tallied nine assists, six points and one steal in the victory.

W Bball Continued from page 12

McGraw said. “Having that kind of experience helps.

It was that kind of game though where everyone was ready. We have some games where [sophomore guard] Arike [Ogunbowale] starts out shooting really well, some where [sophomore guard] Marina [Mabrey] started really well, but this time everybody was really in the zone and ready to go. I think the attitude was really good today.”

The Irish widened their lead even further at the start of the second quarter, as junior forward Brianna Turner added six unanswered points. Although the Seminoles hit six consecutive field goals to cut the lead to 11, the quarter ended with Allen hitting a jumper to give the Irish a 43-30 halftime lead.

Just like the previous two periods, the Irish began the third quarter on top, widening their lead to 19 points thanks to a Turner layup.

Just when it looked like the Irish could stroll to victory, however, the Seminoles clawed their way back into the game, if only for a moment.

Within the final 80 seconds of the period, Florida State scored eight unanswered points, followed by two more on the opening possession of the fourth

quarter, cutting the Irish lead from 59-40 to 59-50.

After giving up a 15-point lead to Tennessee and seeing a lead at Clemson slip to two points after leading by as much as 17, McGraw said there was some concern her team would again struggle to close the game out.

“We have had that problem,” McGraw said. “I think having those close games against Clemson and Syracuse have given us some confidence in that situation, though. We righted things pretty quickly, though: We just got Lindsay back, got [Westbeld] back in and with our starters we looked a lot better.”

This time though, the Irish put the game away with ease. A Kathryn Westbeld 3-pointer at the end of the shot clock brought Notre Dame’s lead up to doubledigits again, and the Irish continued to roll through the final period.

After Westbeld grabbed an offensive board with 51 seconds remaining, the crowd at Purcell Pavilion took to its feet to honor the ACC regular season champions. Ogunbowale ended that possession in style by knocking down a 3-pointer, and a Florida State basket in the final 20 seconds did little to dampen the crowd’s spirits as the Irish secured the victory.

“That was probably the best game we’ve played all year,” McGraw said.

“Offensively we shot the ball well in every quarter.

Defensively our zone was very good. We had a little upheaval in the third quarter but that was the only negative.”

Turner scored 24 points and recorded five blocks for the Irish, while Allen recorded nine assists, which tied Mary Gavin’s career record of 778. Ogunbowale added 19 points, shooting 4-of-7 from 3-point range.

The win gave the Irish both the ACC regular season title and the top seed for the ACC tournament. McGraw said she was impressed with the way the team bounced back from early losses, including its conference opener.

“We were anointed early on and didn’t handle it well, but we were able to earn our way back and I think this says a lot about this team and who they are,” McGraw said. “We wondered about the toughness when we were taking our lumps early, and I think they’ve really showed us a lot the way they came out today and played so hard. I love where they’re at right now.”

The top-seeded Irish will play their first game of the ACC tournament on Friday against the winners of Virginia and Wake Forest’s second-round clash. Tipoff will be at 2 p.m. in Conway, South Carolina.

Contact Daniel O’Boyle at doboyle1@nd.edu

The Notre Dame men’s team is in Atlanta for the ACC men’s swimming championships, which take place this Monday through Thursday.

The men carry 89 points into the week from the diving championships that occurred two weeks ago during the ACC women’s championships. Junior diver Joe Coumos claimed first place in the one-meter ACC championship with a score of 420.00. Coumos’s performance marked Notre Dame’s first-ever ACC championship medal for diving.

Cuomos’ fourth-place finish in the men’s three-meter secured critical points for the squad to bring into this week. The men enter the championships with over 10 meet wins. Last year, the Notre Dame men finished seventh in the ACC championships with 678 points.

Irish head coach Mike Litzinger explained what the squad needs to do in order to place higher than predicted, saying the key will be for his team to build on the momentum Coumos created.

“That was huge for our team and got us off to a good start,” Litzinger said. “The key to meets like this is really relays because they are double points. I think we have really strong relays going into this meet.

“The key to all of the individual races is to make sure that our depth follows through. We will have a superstar in each event — for example, [junior] Justin Plaschka — but we need the four guys behind them to step up and score big points as well. We are picked to finish seventh and that would be the key to finishing much higher than that. The goal is to swim as fast as we can and get to the NCAAs.”

Fencing Continued from page 12

Notre Dame came into Cameron Indoor Stadium and swiftly defeated Boston College, 24-3, Duke, 20-7, and North Carolina, 20-7, in a four-team round robin.

In foil, the Irish women defeated Boston College and Duke with each score coming to 9-0, and defeated North Carolina 7-2.

In epee, the Irish finished with a combined record of 20-7 against the three teams, and the sabre team finished with a combined record 19-8 to clinch the third title on the day.

Both men’s and women’s Most Valuable Fencers came from Notre Dame, as Simmons and Massialas earned the coaches’ vote.

On Saturday, the Irish were cheered on by the Irish women’s

Litzinger described the implications of this meet and the importance of being the final conference meet in the country.

“The ACC has the advantage because it is the last men’s championship meet in the country,” Litzinger said. “We already know the times the Pac-12 and the Big Ten have put up so we have an idea of what times it will take to be invited to the NCAAs. They usually invite the top 24 or 28 guys so if we put ourselves in that range then we’re going to be alright.”

While the ACC is the final conference meet, it is also one of the most competitive. Litzinger said, with the exception of North Carolina State, every place should be up for grabs.

“N.C. State has certainly separated themselves from the rest of the group — they are going for their third championship in a row and are heavily favored,” Litzinger said. “However, second through eighth is going to be an interesting battle and is very evenly matched so it is going to be a dog fight for those few spots.”

Beside Cuomos’ performance two weeks ago, Litzinger also said the women’ team’s seventh-place performance inspired the men and hopes the team unity will help the men in their quest for ACC success.

“I things have settled down since last year and there is no mystery as to who we are — I think our identity is much stronger,” Litzinger said. “How we are practicing and acting around the pool now is partly reflective of the women and their success last week. I think the men took a key from them and feel good and confident.

“Now they just need to go out and execute.”

Contact Brenna Moxley at bmoxley@nd.edu

lacrosse team, which was in town to face Duke on Sunday.

Kvaratskhelia said the team appreciated the squad’s support throughout that first day.

“I want to give a shout-out to our Notre Dame women’s lacrosse team. They came and really equalized the pressure and we owe them a lot,” said Kvaratskhelia. “Excitement was through the roof and Duke was going to defend their turf in this legendary arena and they almost got us.”

Kvaratskhelia and the Irish will look to continue this momentum into the NCAA midwest regional championships at Matthei Center in Detroit on March 11, where the Irish will try to fill the 12 maximum spots for the NCAA championships.

Contact Kyle Barry at kbarry@hcc-nd.ed

Sports

ndsmcobserver.com | monday, february 27, 2017 | The Observer

Hockey Continued from page 12

outright Friday night. Junior forward Jake Evans buried his 11th goal of the season at midway through the first period by beating freshman Terrier goaltender Jake Oettinger high. BU evened the game by the end of the first period, but senior forward Ben Ostlie put the Irish back in front late in the second, shoveling a rebound into the net with just over a minute and a half to play.

In the third period, junior goalkeeper Cal Petersen and the Irish defense were the stars, as Notre Dame engineered back-to-back penalty kills within the first nine minutes. Peterson later made several critical saves to keep the Irish ahead. Then, with less than three minutes to go, Evans scored his second of the night on a two-on-one rush to give the Irish a much more comfortable 3-1 lead.

BU promptly pulled Oettinger in favor of another attacker, but Peterson turned away everything the Terriers sent at him, finishing with 37 saves, including 23 in the third period. With the win, the Irish stretched their unbeaten streak to seven games.

“I think our team has grown up,” Irish head coach Jeff Jackson said. “All our freshman and sophomores get that experience and that confidence, and we become a much better team. A lot of [the recent success] has to do with just going through tough times in the first half — we were real inconsistent, but now we’re doing things we weren’t before, so that shows growth on their part.”

With Boston College losing both of their games to UMass Lowell, the Irish took the ice Saturday night knowing a win would earn them the Hockey

East championship, and a tie earning them a share. Neither outcome materialized.

Freshman forward Mike O’Leary put the Irish up 1-0 with his second goal of the season with just under five minutes left in the first period, but that was all the Irish would get against Oettinger on Saturday, as the BU goaltender totaled 40 saves.

The Terriers offense rewarded their goalie’s play by scoring two goals in the second period and two more in the third, securing a 4-1 victory and a share of the Hockey East regular season title.

“One of the toughest things to do in college hockey is to win two games in somebody else’s building,” Jackson said. “Especially when you’re playing a high-quality team.

There’s always going to be pushback. Our guys did a great job last night. It took a lot out of them, physically and emotionally. We didn’t have enough in us tonight to do it again.”

Although Notre Dame’s loss Saturday was disappointing in terms of what was at stake, Jackson said postgame that he was extremely proud of how the Irish finished out the regular season with consistency and confidence.

“I’m proud of what they’ve done,” Jackson said. “We talked about the lack of consistency for the first half of the year, and just this last month they’ve been very consistent in their approach and how they’ve played. I can’t do anything but tip my hat to them.

I don’t think anybody thought we were going to come in here playing for first place … but they’ve been really good here in the last stretch. The confidence is built, and that makes us a much better team.”

Contact Joe Everett at jeveret4@nd.edu

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MICHAEL YU | The Observer

Irish junior guard Matt Farrell avoids a Georgia Tech defender during Notre Dame’s 64-60 win over the Yellow Jackets on Sunday at Purcell Pavilion. Farrell scored 17 points in the victory.

M Bball Continued from page 12

64-60 win over Georgia Tech at Purcell Pavilion.

“I saw the shot clock and then I saw the ball bouncing out of bounds, so I just threw it up and right when it left my hands, it looked good,” Farrell said, disagreeing w ith his defender.

Though the Irish (22-7, 11-5 ACC) soon ballooned their lead out to 10, a combination of missed Notre Dame free throws and Tadric Jackson buckets kept the Yellow Jackets (16-13, 7-9) in the game until the final seconds, when Farrell buried t wo free throws to seal the v ictor y.

It was a gritt y w in for Notre Dame, which found a way to w in this defensive battle w ith Georgia Tech; when the teams met 29 days earlier in Atlanta, it was the Yellow Jackets who eked out a 62-60 w in at the buzzer.

“One of the things I told them today at shootaround was, ‘We haven’t been in the battles in a while,’” Irish head coach Mike Brey said.

“And I said, ‘It’s kind of been an easy week. There’s been nothing to frustrate you. So when some frustrating stuff happens, and this game is gonna be a hard game, are we going to be mentally tough enough — like we’ve been, most of the season to be where we’re at — to fight through that and go back and guard, because I knew we’d have empt y offensive possessions against them.”

W hile the final 25-plus

minutes were a slog offensively for Notre Dame on Sunday, the first third of the game was any thing but.

Despite sitting after taking a ball to the face early, Colson scored 12 points over a seven-minute span to push the Irish advantage to 2720 w ith 6:46 left in the first half, forcing a Yellow Jacket timeout.

But after that play, Georgia Tech tightened the screws defensively, surrendering just seven points until halftime, and just 25 over the game’s next 23 minutes.

That’s when Farrell’s desperation bucket hit, and the rest of the way, Georgia Tech never had the ball w ith a chance to tie or take the lead. It may have been different, though, if Colson hadn’t capped another double-double performance w ith a key block on the Yellow Jackets’ penultimate possession.

Instead of sending an Irish player to the line up t wo w ith 12 seconds left, Farrell walked to the stripe w ith just 3.4 seconds left, significantly decreasing the chance of a completed comeback.

W hile fans might focus on the offensive side of Colson’s 20-point, 11-rebound effort, Brey praised his junior forward’s defensive play after the w in, noting the improvement over his career.

“W here he’s really improved is defensively; he’s come so far as a defender since he got here as far as helping his teammates,” Brey said. “ … He talks on defense, he knows what he’s talking about. He can make an impact on both ends and

he did tonight.”

Colson, who’s been a double-double machine w ith 17 this season, said he focuses on sticking to what he does night-in, night-out. “[I] just continue to play my game,” Colson said.

“Ever y time that ball goes up, I tr y to crash the glass to get ever y rebound there is possible. But on the offensive end, just play w ith confidence and my teammates give me confidence.”

The Yellow Jackets were able to keep Notre Dame at bay, in part, due to their deep repertoire of defensive schemes; a combination that included a 2-2-1 press, a 1-31 half-court and traditional man-to-man looks made things tough on the Irish.

“That’s a really good defensive team; they make a lot of people struggle,” Farrell said. “They change defenses constantly; they’re long, they’re athletic.”

Sunday’s v ictor y moves Notre Dame another step closer to a double bye and top-four seed in next week’s ACC tournament. If the Irish w in out, the No. 2 seed is likely, while it’s ver y possible for Notre Dame to finish in the top four even w ith a 1-1 finish.

The Irish w ill return to action Wednesday against Boston College for Senior Night, w ith the Irish set to honor guard Steve Vasturia, for ward V.J. Beachem and graduate student for ward Patrick Ma zza. Tipoff is scheduled for 8 p.m.

Contact Alex Carson at acarson1@nd.edu

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The observer | monday, february 27, 2017 | ndsmcobserver.com

men’s basketball | nd 64, georgia tech 60

nd women’s basketball | nd 79, fsu 61

Irish topple Georgia Tech in revenge matchup

ND takes home sixth straight title

By ALEX CARSON

By DANIEL O’BOYLE

Assistant Manging Editor

Sports Writer

With fewer than four minutes to play and the shot clock nearing zero Sunday night, Notre Dame had nothing going offensively. The Irish had been held to just 18 points in the second half, and if you weren’t junior forward Bonzie Colson, you were struggling from the field.

Perhaps fittingly, then, it took a desperation heave to break Georgia Tech’s lock on the Irish offense.

Falling out of bounds along the baseline, junior guard Matt Farrell threw one up to beat the shot clock. A Georgia Tech defender yelled to let his teammates know the shot would be short.

He was wrong.

Farrell hit the bucket to put Notre Dame up six, and the Irish hung on down the stretch, picking up the

MICHAEL YU | The Observer

see M BBALL PAGE 11

Irish junior forward Bonzie Colson drives to the hoop during Notre Dame’s 64-60 win over Georgia Tech on Sunday at Purcell Pavilion.

ACC play for Notre Dame in 2016-17 started in the worst possible way — a 70-62 defeat to North Carolina State in which the Irish never led.

But the season ended the way it did the year before.

And the year before that. And the year before that one, too.

Just like the every other season No. 5 Notre Dame (273, 15-1 ACC) has spent in the ACC, the Irish finished as outright regular season champions and the top seed for the conference tournament.

And though retaining the conference crown looked to be in doubt for much of the season, it was barely in doubt during Sunday’s clash with fellow ACC contender No. 8 Florida State (25-5, 13-3).

The Irish built an early lead they never relinquished and ran out comfortable 79-61 winners.

The Seminoles came into

fencing | ACC championships

the game knowing a victory would earn them a share of the ACC regular season title and the top seed for the conference tournament, but in the opening minutes only the Irish looked like conference contenders.

The Irish raced to a 7-0 lead and were ahead 12-3 within three minutes when Florida State called a timeout. The Seminoles soon cut the lead to 14-9, but the Irish again took control, with a layup from senior guard Lindsay Allen just before the buzzer giving Notre Dame a 25-15 lead at the end of the opening period. Irish head coach Muffet McGraw put the strong start down to a mix of attitude and the return of junior forward Kathryn Westbeld to the starting lineup for only the second time in 11 games.

“I think having [Westbeld] back definitely helps,” see W BBALL PAGE 10

hockey | nd 3, bu 1; bu 4, nd 1

Squads three-peat Irish split with BU, clinch as ACC champs first-round bye in playoffs

By KYLE BARRY Sports Writer

Notre Dame men’s and women’s fencing teams celebrated as they clinched the ACC championship at Cameron Indoor Stadium in Durham, North Carolina, on Saturday and Sunday.

Both teams claimed their third consecutive conference titles.

In addition, the men came home with weapon titles it two out three weapons. The men’s team, ranked fourth nationally, powered through to a victory against No. 9 Duke by a score of 14-13.

Irish head coach Gia Kvarataskhelia said he was very pleased on how his team stayed fully prepared and remained focused throughout the ACC championships.

“It’s work every single day. We have a slogan that perfection is a habit, and we try to live with that expectation every single day,” Kvaratskhelia said. “That produces the champions at the end.”

With the individual competition on Sunday, the Irish men

had six fencers advance to the semifinals and had two fencers make it to the finals in the foil competition. In the epee final, freshman Ariel Simmons defeated reigning ACC champion and fellow Irish sophomore Dylan French,15-9, to clinch his first conference title. In the foil final, senior Kristjan Archer defeated another reigning ACC champion, Irish sophomore Axel Kiefer, 15-11, to grab his first conference title as well.

Junior Jonah Shainberg took home runner-up honors in the sabre final.

The women’s team, ranked third nationally, claimed all three individual titles for the first time Saturday. In the foil, sophomore Sabrina Massialas defeated senior teammate Lee Kiefer to clinch her second consecutive ACC championship. Junior Francesca Russo took home her first ACC title in the sabre while sophomore Amanda Sirico clinched the title in the epee.

On Sunday, the Irish women competed for the team portion of the competition. In a blowout, see FENCING PAGE 10

JOE EVERETT Sports Writer

KELLY VAUGHAN | The Observer

Irish junior forward Jake Evans squares up for a faceoff during Notre Dame’s 4-4 tie with Vermont on Feb. 3.

Riding a six-game unbeaten streak into its weekend series against No. 6 Boston University, No. 14 Notre Dame improbably found itself with an opportunity to win its first Hockey East championship. Needing to sweep the Terriers away from home, the Irish came up just short, splitting the series and wrapping up a regular season that ended with a lot of drama.

With the split, Notre Dame (19-10-5, 12-6-4 Hockey East) will be the No. 4 seed in the Hockey East playoffs, earning a first-round bye and hosting a quarterfinal series from March 10-12 at the Compton Family Ice Arena.

BU (21-10-3, 13-6-3) claimed a share of the Hockey East title alongside Boston College and UMass Lowell, all with 29 points apiece. Notre Dame finished with 28.

The Irish looked ready to claim the regular season title see HOCKEY PAGE 11