11-04-2015

WEEKLY PRINT EDITION

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2015 – MONDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2015 VOLUME 102, ISSUE 13

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MIDDLE EAST LECTURE P2 • MALIK POPE P9 • STUDENT TICKETS P14 • DEIDRA SMITH P19 DESIGN BY HANNAH LINGLE-VEALE, PRODUCTION DESIGNER. PHOTOS BY MEGAN WOOD AND FILE PHOTOS

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NOV. 4 - 9, 2015 • THE DAILY AZTEC EDITOR: QUINN OWEN • NEWS@THEDAILYAZTEC.COM

#HOSTLERSERIES

Lecture tackles Middle East schools

Dorman’s discussion covered the major hurdles of providing higher education in unstable, conflict regions.

COURTESY OF HOSTLER LECTURE SERIES

ADRIANA MILLAR SENIOR STAFF WRITER ____________________________ Former American University of Beirut President Peter Dorman spoke last week at San Diego State about education in the Middle East.

The talk, titled “The Challenges of the U.S. Higher Education Model in a Dynamic, Contentious Middle East,” was part of the annual Hostler

Lecture Series, which was hosted by the Charles W. Hostler Institute on World Affairs and co-sponsored by the Center for Islamic and Arabic Studies.

Dorman spoke anecdotally about his experience as the former president of AUB, from admitting the Syrian Minister of Interior to the school’s medical center without the public finding out, to enforcing Title IX policies within the school in a country that has limited

legal protection against sexual assault.

Dorman also shared his thoughts on the educational landscape of the Middle East. He championed an emphasis on a liberal arts education.

“A liberal arts education seeks to provide an understanding of the ways in which the human mind has inquired, and continues to inquire, into it’s own self awareness,” he said at the event.

Dorman stepped down in July 2015 after serving seven years as the president of American University of Beirut, the leading university in the Middle East since 1866, said Chinyeh Hostler, wife of Ambassador Charles W. Hostler and close friend of Dorman.

“I hope (SDSU students) take away a deeper understanding of who Dr. Dorman truly is and what his scholastic contributions have been throughout the years,” she said.

The lecture also provided attendees a chance to gain a different, more international perspective.

“It’s good to know like what other students, what other people like us are experiencing in other countries and to recognize our own privilege in the sense that what we take for granted in our university doesn’t come so easy all over the world,” computer science senior Osama Alkhawaja said.

Although the public made of most of the crowd, a handful of SDSU students attended the event.

ISCOR freshman Nicole Nicolas appreciated Dorman’s words on education and how the U.S. influences youth in the

Middle East.

“I think he gave really good insight on Middle East and U.S. relations, other than political and economic aspects,” she said.

However, a few students were more critical of the talk.

Alkhawaja thought Dorman was inconsistent in the values he emphasized.

“A lot of times he would emphasize that it’s important to have the local people or the indigenous population come up with their own solutions, and that they need to be the ones to conspire to lead the way to pave the way to a new tomorrow in their own homeland,” he said.

“But then he would constantly switch to saying that the western model needs to be implemented.”

ISCOR senior Stav Geffner said the lecture reaffirmed her thoughts on the institutional perspective on education society in Lebanon.

“I’m glad I came because I haven’t thought about the ways in which the ivory tower is an imperialistic tool in a long time,” she said, “and the ways in which our notions of humanitarianism, communitarianism and cultural cooperation and exchange are basically our own agendas.”

NEWS 3

NOV. 4 - 9, 2015 • THE DAILY AZTEC EDITOR: QUINN OWEN • NEWS@THEDAILYAZTEC.COM

#BRAINSCIENCE

Microchip to fix paralysis problems ALEX PISCATELLI STAFF WRITER ____________________________ San Diego State researchers are part of an effort to help paralyzed people regain mobility with a microchip installed in the brain.

SDSU is part of the National Science Foundation-funded Center for Sensorimotor Neural Engineering, along with University of Washington and Massachusetts Institute of Technology. “(CSNE) focused on developing a unified framework for helping paralyzed people, specifically people with spinal cord injury, to restore their sensorimotor functions based on some implementable devices we develop as a center, as a whole,” said Ke Huang, assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering.

“I hope that this can provide a nice opportunity for researchers, educators, and our whole community. This would be a good start for us to develop new courses, develop new research and attract students.”

Professors and researchers across a variety of disciplines at SDSU are working together to develop the technology. These

fields include the mechanical, electrical and computer engineering departments.

“There are many scientists from different disciplines working in the center,” said Ashkan Ashrafi, associate professor of electrical and computer engineering. “We have neuroscientists, we have material engineers, we have software engineers.”

Ashrafi said his role in the research is to interpret brain signals.

“The brain is a very, very complicated device and interpreting by recording the signals from the brain is not easy,” he said.

“If I can explain the problem in a nutshell, you have millions of neurons firing and every single neuron is responsible for a certain motor task, and what we capture is just one signal or a certain number of signals that represent the activities of millions and millions of neurons.”

His role is one of the many held by researchers involved in CSNE across the three campuses.

Students are involved in the research, as well.

“SDSU engineering students are also building CSNE

A San Diego State partnership is working to develop microchips, implanted in the brain, to help people overcome peralysis.

COURTESY OF MARIA VOMERO

projects for their senior design experience, some of which are destined for research and clinical application,” said Dr. Karen May-Newman, professor in the department of mechanical engineering.

Bioengineering graduate student Maria Vomero has worked on the project through her research and master’s thesis for two and a half years.

She, along with SDSU CSNE Deputy Director Sam Kassegne,

and her colleague Pieter van Niekerk have contributed through their research on material being used for the brain chip.

“We are currently at the level of (implanting the device) into primates, such as the monkey, to see if we can actually provide the regaining of the motion,” said Kee Moon, professor in the department of mechanical engineering.

The goal for the next five years

is to provide stroke survivors, amputees and other people who could benefit from the microchip the ability to do daily tasks, Ashrafi said.

“Hopefully, in the long run, we’ll be able to achieve bigger goals,” he said. “But right now, for the next five years, this is the goal. The most important thing is we want to have a single chip, not a complicated device, to be able to put it inside the brain of people.”

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NOV. 4 - 9, 2015 • THE DAILY AZTEC EDITOR: QUINN OWEN • NEWS@THEDAILYAZTEC.COM

#STUDENTSUPPORT

Hunger pains prompt action MARIA DEL CARMEN HUERTA STAFF WRITER ____________________________ Food insecurity, homelessness and economic crisis have been prevalent topics of discussion on the San Diego State campus.

Of San Diego County’s 3.1 million residents, more than 475,000 people, or 15.2 percent, are experiencing poverty in their households.

San Diego County’s high cost of living leaves many individuals in a state of economic crisis, including students at SDSU. The Economic Crisis Response Team, a task force that launched in October at SDSU, will assist current undergraduate students in a state of economic crisis.

The task force helps undergraduate students find immediate resources for issues such as food insecurity, housing or transportation on a case-by-case basis. Students can access these resources by filling out a response form that will be directed toward the ECRT committee to best assist students.

Vitaliano Figueroa, chairman of the ECRT committee and associate vice president for Student Affairs, said the ECRT’s goal is to make sure students know these resources exist and that faculty and staff know they can refer students to the website.

“The website is up now so we want to make sure that students are aware of ECRT and if students, faculty and staff are aware of a student who is in an immediate economic crisis situation that those individuals refer them to the website so we can make sure that we try and help them,” Figueroa said.

He said it’s a short-term solution, but it’s also a step toward getting students what they need to be successful in

the long run.

The committee is currently made up of faculty and staff.

The ECRT committee initially met last October to come up with a plan to create the ECRT task force. Through ECRT, students can receive immediate support for unforeseen crises.

Students visiting the ECRT sites can browse through the resources for economic students in crisis choices and click to find the necessary resources. However, many of the resources listed are offcampus with some on-campus facilities mentioned, such as Counseling and Psychological Services, Student Legal and Financial Services and the Office of the Registrar.

SDSU graduate student Bo Elder said he sees the offcampus resources creating challenges for students in need.

“It doesn’t seem ideal because if we are talking about students who are already struggling with a lack of resources and are expecting them to go somewhere it’s going to be more of a challenge than for other students,” Elder said.

“The bus costs money, gas costs money.”

Assistance from the ECRT is meant to be short-term, however, students like Elder want there to also be long term assistance for students.

“I think it’s important to provide for both,” he said. “For one, how do you distinguish between what is short-term and long-term? At some point you’ll have to make an arbitrary decision. I think it’s important for students not to be disqualified from accessing these services just because their difficulties are lasting longer.”

There are currently no oncampus resources for a large number of cases. But, if there was an immediate crisis that students found themselves in, the ECRT would try to help to the best of its abilities, Figueroa

NEWS EDITOR Quinn Owen ASST. NEWS EDITOR Torrey Bailey SPORTS EDITOR Patrick Carr ASST. SPORTS EDITOR Ryan Posner ARTS ASST. & LIFESTYLE OPINION EDITOR EDITOR Joseph Olivia Litsey Ciolino ASST. ARTS ARTS & LIFESTYLE & LIFESTYLE EDITOR EDITOR Ryo Olivia Miyauchi Litsey ASST. ARTS PHOTO & LIFESTYLE EDITOR EDITOR Megan Ryo Miyauchi Wood DIGITAL PHOTO CONTENT EDITOR EDITOR Annalise MeganDewhurst Wood DIGITAL VIDEO CONTENT PRODUCER EDITOR Annalise Daniel Galuppo Dewhurst

Some proceeds from the Aztecs Rock Hunger drive will go to SDSU students in need.

MEGAN WOOD, PHOTO EDITOR

said.

“It would all depend on what the situation is because once a student fills out the form it is sent out to the team and from there we try to realm the request for assistance to the appropriate person,” Figueroa said.

On Tuesday, Oct. 22, the ECRT held a special student panel to discuss food insecurity and homelessness. The event was in partnership with Associated Students and included a panel of Aztecs and former A.S. President Josh Morse. This marked the official launch of the ECRT on campus.

However, some students were upset with the lack of publicity the event received.

Some of the organizations that had protested and called for assistance resources last

year were not invited to the event, Diego said.

“It’s certainly good that the ECRT exists,” Elder said. “It’s a step in the right direction, but I think it can be a lot better. I hope that they will continue to improve access so that students will be very aware that these programs exist and hopefully these programs won’t just be for immediate emergencies, but for long-term issues.”

The ECRT website contains a disclaimer that notes the university cannot “guarantee the timeliness or type of response a student may receive from any outside source being referenced on this site.”

For more information about the ECRT visit www.sdsu.edu/ ecrt or email ecrt@mail.sdsu. edu.

Activist talks sex, slut-shaming Nationally recognized feminist writer and activist Jaclyn Friedman will speak on campus Wednesday, Nov. 4, in a discussion titled, “Sex in America: Beyond Prudes, Sluts and Players.”

The talk, hosted by the Women’s Resource Center, aims to give women the tools to decipher the modern world’s confusing, hyper-sexualized and sometimes dangerous landscape so they can define their own sexual identity, according to the event page.

Women’s Resource Center

Coordinator Jessica Nare said the event will cover affirmative consent and what comes afterward.

“We want people to be having consensual sexual relationships, but how do you really make those intimate encounters to be positive, healthy and to be thoughtful?” she said. “(Friedman) is really going to bring that conversation to the next level.”

The event will also go over messages people get from the media and pop culture about relationships, Nare said.

“We have a lot of problematic ideas about sexuality in our culture, and so I think before you can move to a place of of

EDITOR IN CHIEF Kelly Hillock MANAGING EDITOR Matthew Bain

#SEXTALK

ADRIANA MILLAR SENIOR STAFF WRITER ____________________________

Who’sWho?

healthy sexuality you have to really debunk some of those stereotypes and some of those myths about sexuality,” she said.

Friedman is also the editor of a book called “Yes means Yes! Visions of Female Power and a World Without Rape.” The book’s influence helped inspire the affirmative consent law of the same name, according to Nare.

Gov. Jerry Brown signed California’s “Yes means Yes” affirmative consent law on Sept. 28, 2014. It was the first bill of its kind in the country.

Nare hopes the events gives both students and the community knowledge and

information about sexual violence issues.

“We’ve seen sexual violence is not a new issue, but it’s become really important on college campuses across the U.S. in the last couple of years, not just SDSU,” Nare said. “I think it shows that we still need to be having conversations about sex and healthy relationships and gender-based violence.”

Anyone is welcome to attend the free event, Nare said.

“We want all types of students at this event, and so we hope to get a really diverse audience,” she said.

The talk will take place on Wednesday at 3:30 p.m. in Montezuma Hall.

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The Daily Aztec has been San Diego State University’s independent The Daily Aztec has been San student Diego news source since 1913. student State University’s independent news source since 1913.

NOV. 4 - 9, 2015 • THE DAILY AZTEC EDITOR: PATRICK CARR• SPORTS@THEDAILYAZTEC.COM

#RETURNOFTHEAZTECS

A new storyline PATRICK CARR SPORTS EDITOR ____________________________________

After a 2014-15 season that didn’t end according to plan, will San Diego State men’s basketball make a run at another Mountain West title? Will the Aztecs finally make a deep run in the NCAA tournament? Will SDSU women’s basketball return to the NCAA tournament after a three-year absence?

All those questions will be answered as you read The Daily Aztec’s annual basketball special issue. Find season previews on p. 6-7, all-time starting teams on p. 10-11, features on Malik Pope and Zylan Cheatham on p. 9 and 13, and features on Cheyenne Greenhouse and Deidra Smith on p. 15 and 19.

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NOV. 4 - 9, 2015 • THE DAILY AZTEC EDITOR: PATRICK CARR • SPORTS@THEDAILYAZTEC.COM

#AZTECMBB

SDSU men quietly ready for 2015-16

Sophomore guard Trey Kell averaged 5.6 points per game last season as a freshman.

MEGAN WOOD, PHOTO EDITOR

PATRICK CARR SPORTS EDITOR ____________________________________ Quietly, subtly, up on a hill near the eastern city limits of San Diego, basketball is back.

One might’ve forgotten Aztec basketball has existed over the past several months with the Chargers toying with the city and threatening to leave and the Padres firing and hiring a new manager.

Only this year it’s very different for San Diego State. The offseason hype and fanfare have been relatively absent.

While the initial firestorm of a reported NCAA investigation, which temporarily struck fear into the SDSU community, has temporarily subsided, it hangs over Aztec men’s basketball like a dark cloud, the kind of dark cloud never seen in Southern California.

On the court, the talk isn’t about the amount of experienced and welltraveled transfers that head coach Steve Fisher has brought in. No, this is possibly the first year where a loaded high school recruiting class will show off its talents at SDSU. The fruits of Kawhi Leonard, D.J. Gay and James Rahon appear to finally be

blossoming in the form of sophomores Malik Pope and Trey Kell, and freshmen Zylan Cheatham and Jeremy Hemsley.

Gay was actually sitting courtside during last Monday’s exhibition victory over Cal State San Marcos.

But long-gone are the experienced sages of Aqeel Quinn, JJ O’Brien and Dwayne Polee II. The main struggle facing this team at the moment is a relative lack of depth due to those three departures and junior guard Matt Shrigley’s ACL tear in August.

Although Monday’s game was just an exhibition, some reserve players played well enough to temporarily dispel the worry on the sideline.

Senior forward Angelo Chol had 11 points and walk-on freshman guard Ben Perez had 13. They’ll both be expected to contribute. “(Perez) has got a pretty good feel of how to play,” Fisher said after Monday’s game.

That’s where the ever-reliable, hard-working senior forward Winston Shepard will have to come in. Shepard will be expected to lower his teamhigh 88 turnovers last year in order to facilitate an extremely tall and athletic Aztecs team.

“If we have nine turnovers as opposed to 15, that might be another 10 points for us,” Shepard said after Monday’s game. “We’ve got to be able to step up to the line and shoot better free-throws than 16-for-27.”

He’s definitely embraced the young bucks. Just before halftime during last Monday’s exhibition, Shepard was standing on the sideline with his arm around Pope’s shoulder. Both were smiling.

But like always, they’ll be a very tough team to play against defensively, especially with the shot clock going down from 35 to 30 seconds.

CSUSM saw that firsthand. In the first 10 minutes of the first half, the Cougars were called for two shot-clock violations With two of the most athletic players on the team being at full strength, that very well may be a possibility. Pope is expected to play his first full season of basketball since his sophomore year

of high school after breaking his leg twice.

He didn’t play on Monday after tweaking his knee during practice earlier in the week.

Cheatham, anther immensely talented forward, took the court as an Aztec for the first time against Cal State San Marcos after redshirting last year due to foot surgery. He had eight points and six rebounds in 20 minutes.

Kell doesn’t want that talent to go to waste this season.

“The worst thing for any team to do is not reach your full potential or look back and be like ‘I wish we could’ve done this better,’” he said.

NONCONFERENCE SCHEDULE BREAKDOWN Key non-conference games litter the schedule for SDSU this year, including a tough early road trips to play preseason No. 16 University of Utah on Nov. 16. The Utes don’t have Delon Wright anymore after he was drafted by the NBA’s Toronto Raptors.

Then the Aztecs travel to Las Vegas for the Continental Tires Invitational for a Thanksgiving weekend clash with preseason No. 14 UC Berkeley, who bagged two top-10 recruits in Jaylen Brown and Ivan Rabb.

After that, a possible matchup with West Virginia University looms. The Mountaineers were a Sweet 16 team last year before losing to University of Kentucky, a Final Four team.

Later in the season, the Aztecs head up the road to play Long Beach State, a team they had to come back to beat last year at Viejas Arena. If it weren’t for Polee’s magic at the end, it surely would’ve been a big, ugly loss on the schedule.

Then there’s the one date everyone has circled on their calendars: Dec. 22, 2015. That’s when No. 4 University of Kansas graces San Diego and Viejas Arena with its blue-blood presence.

The Jayhawks’ blood will be boiling red-hot.

The last time SDSU and KU met on a cold January afternoon in Lawrence, Kansas. The Aztecs shocked the Jayhawks 61-56 en route to a 31-win season in 2013-14.

#SDSUBASKETBALL

Hoops alumni find life tough after SDSU PATRICK CARR SPORTS EDITOR ____________________________________ Coming into the 2015 basketball season, San Diego State had just one former player in the NBA. That being said, the one former player is Kawhi Leonard, who just signed a

max deal with the San Antonio Spurs and who also has NBA Finals MVP and NBA Defensive Player of the Year awards under his belt.

But some former Aztec men’s basketball players have taken an inbetween step to the NBA. Former guard Aqeel Quinn was taken in the fourth-round of last Saturday’s

NBA D-League Draft by the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, the Houston Rockets’ D-League affiliate.

The Vipers won the D-League championship in 2010 and 2013 and lost the title game in 2011.

Dwayne Polee II was named to the Reno Bighorns’ training camp roster.

Xavier Thames was re-signed by the Fort Wayne Mad Ants in October after playing with the team in the 2014-15 season.

Other former players are still toiling around in the lower leagues.

Jamaal Franklin is no longer with the Denver Nuggets after signing a contract in April.

He was being courted by Chinese club Guangdong as recent as August after playing for the team in 2014-15.

Malcolm Thomas was invited to the Los Angeles D-Fenders training camp roster last Sunday.

He has bounced around in pro

basketball since going undrafted in 2011 with stops in the Korean Basketball League, Israeli Basketball Premier League and several NBA teams and their D-League affiliates.

WOMEN’S ALUMNI UPDATE For former SDSU women’s basketball players, life is a bit tougher.

Former guard Courtney Clements signed with the WBNA’s Los Angeles Sparks this summer after being cut by the Chicago Sky. After graduating, she signed with the Atlanta Dream as a free agent. While in Atlanta, she became the first Aztec to play in the WNBA Finals when the Dream played against the Minnesota Lynx.

But Clements is no longer on Los Angeles’ roster.

Chelsea Hopkins is also looking for a new team after being waived by the New York Liberty back in June.

NOV. 4 - 9, 2015 • THE DAILY AZTEC EDITOR: PATRICK CARR• SPORTS@THEDAILYAZTEC.COM

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Women’s hoops seeks turnaround

Senior point guard Ahjalee Harvey led San Diego State with 68 assists in 2014-15.

MEGAN WOOD, PHOTO EDITOR

BRANDON TRUFFA STAFF WRITER ____________________________________ Heartbreaking would be the best term to describe the ending to last season for San Diego State women’s basketball.

The Aztecs closed out last season by losing to the University of New Mexico 57-56 in the quarterfinals of the Mountain West tournament in Las

Vegas.

It was a rough ending.

The Aztecs had the ball, down by one, and with 14 seconds remaining missed a go-ahead layup as time expired.

Since then, the Aztecs have been hungry and motivated to get back on the court.

“Losing that last game in the conference tournament, really by a layup that we missed, I think kind

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Stop by and grab a paper, any day of the week!

of ignited our student athletes, and they’re really hungry to start the season,” head coach Stacie Terry said.

“I think that if we had that shot again, we would make it.”

Last season, SDSU finished seventh in the MW with an overall record of 1219 and 8-10 in conference.

Despite the losing records, Terry believes there are many positive takeaways from last year’s campaign.

“I think just how we finished the season,” Terry said. “We were playing really good basketball in February and March, and I think that’s been motivating for them to see they can do it.”

Along with the positive takeaways, there are some areas where Terry would love to see the team improve.

“We struggled on the offensive side of the ball and just being consistent,” Terry said. “And then obviously we need to improve our 3-point shooting.”

The Aztecs averaged 2.9 3-pointers per game compared to 5.4 from their opponents.

On the defensive side of the ball, Terry retooled the team’s philosophy.

“We’re going to play a little more man-to-man, and try to get after people,” Terry said.

Over the offseason, the team recruited some key pieces to help make these improvements.

“We recruited a young lady, a Division II junior college All-American, Kylie Herd,” Terry said. “She’ll come in and play some significant minutes at the forward spot for us.”

Herd, a junior, transferred from Mesa Community College in Arizona and was named the Arizona Community College Athletic Conference Division II Player of the Year last season.

In addition to Herd, the Aztecs will also be allowed to play two Division I transfers from last season.

Junior forward Kymberly Ellison from Georgia Tech University and sophomore guard Geena Gomez from St. Joseph’s University will finally see action after they were both required to sit out last season per NCAA rules.

SDSU will only carry one freshman on the roster, forward Arantxa Gomez Ferrer from Valencia, Spain.

Aside from the fresh faces, there are many key pieces from last year’s team, as well.

Most notably redshirt-senior guard Ahjalee Harvey and senior forward

Deidra Smith.

“I definitely think in the past years that we’ve had the pieces, but this year I just feel a certain energy,” Harvey said. “I think we’ll be able to utilize and really come together to be able to not only win the Mountain West conference, but also move on to the NCAA tournament.”

Smith thinks the team’s dynamic has changed from last season.

“I think we’re going to be a very exciting team to watch,” Smith said.

“We’re a lot quicker, we’re a lot smarter with basketball IQ and we’re in really good shape.”

The Aztecs haven’t been in the NCAA tournament since 2013. They’ve gone 25-36 in the two years since.

If they would like to get back to that point, they are going to have to win against some tough opponents this year.

Aside from the usual difficult conference games, the Aztecs will also face some tough nonconference teams.

Their first regular season game is at Long Beach State, a team that went 2210 in 2014-15 and lost in the first round of the Women’s NIT Tournament to University of San Diego.

In December, SDSU plays at Cal State Northridge, which went 23-11 and lost to Stanford University in the first round of the NCAA tournament.

A trip up to Seattle to play the University of Washington looms later in November.

UW went 23-10 last season and lost to the University of Miami in the first round of the NCAA tournament.

The very next week during Thanksgiving break, SDSU plays North Dakota State and the University of Wisconsin during the SDSU Thanksgiving Classic.

The tournament is immediately followed by the crosstown showdown with USD. The Toreros went 25-7 last season and lost in the second round of the NIT by five to UCLA. With an optimistic outlook, the Aztecs are eager to return to the court and avenge last year’s heartbreaking ending.

“We have players that have recommitted themselves to getting better. Their individual skill has gone up, they’re much better ball players,” Terry said. “And because of that I think we’ll be a better team.”

NOV. 4 - 9, 2015 • THE DAILY AZTEC EDITOR: PATRICK CARR SPORTS@THEDAILYAZTEC.COM

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Pope finding his comfort zone RYAN POSNER ASST. SPORTS EDITOR ___________________________________ San Diego State men’s basketball sophomore forward Malik Pope is a captivating figure wherever he goes.

Maybe it's his towering 6-foot-10 frame.

Maybe it's the highlight reel dunks he put together his freshman year.

Or maybe it's his iconic flattop, which he believes is becoming a trademark.

"I wish they included it in my height, because I would be a smooth 7-1, 7-2, that would help me a lot," Pope said with a laugh.

Believe it or not, Pope's rim-rattling dunks and sparkling alley-oops may just be the tip of the iceberg for what people can expect from him going further.

In his second year, he expects to play more comfortably with a year under his belt.

"Being on that court more, that makes me feel more comfortable," he said. "This last year, I was shy on the court. Coach (Steve Fisher) was trying to get me at my comfort level."

Comfort is a big factor for Pope, and not just on the basketball court.

At Laguna Creek High in Sacramento, he suffered two broken legs, costing him his entire senior season and giving him a new perspective on pain.

"To be honest, after a while I just forget that even happened. I don’t know how I do that, but I just forget that it happened," Pope said. "It was just a crazy experience because that was a pain I’d never really felt before and I definitely don’t want to experience again. That was tough."

His mother and brothers comforted him while he was forced to spend an entire month on the couch, and provided support through his rehab process.

If it wasn't for them, Pope's basketball career may have been cut short before it ever really started.

"The idea (of quitting) crossed my head but it didn’t stay there too long, it was just like a hot potato. It would bounce (into my head) then it bounced right out," Pope said. "(My family) was there hand-inhand. I wouldn’t be sitting there without my mom or brothers just trying to help me."

When it came to picking a school to go to — a process made more stressful without a senior year on his resume — Pope was looking for that same comfort level that his family provided him while he was injured.

SDSU assistant coach Justin Hutson gained Pope's trust over coaches from schools like University of Kansas by using unique selling points. "(Hutson) told me I'm going to come here and get one of the best experiences for an education and that school is honestly just as important as basketball. That hit me," Pope said.

"Not a lot of recruiting coaches talked to me like that. They just tell you, 'You’ll come to our school and start.'

You can’t tell someone they’re going to start before they even practice."

Pope will get a chance to play Kansas this season at Viejas Arena, a game that he said is "double-circled" on his calendar.

Now at SDSU, Pope has looked to his teammates as brothers, who he can trust with anything, just like his

Sophomore forward Malik Pope averaged 5.1 points in 14.8 minutes per game last season.

MEGAN WOOD, PHOTO EDITOR

brothers back in Sacramento.

Two of his closest friends on the team are sophomore guard Trey Kell and redshirt-freshman forward Zylan Cheathem.

The trio live together and it's easy to detect the chemistry between them just by standing in the same room as them.

"I don’t see them any different than my actual brothers at home. It’s a good deal," Pope said. "It definitely helps us on the court too, like trusting each other and knowing we got each others' backs, no matter the situation."

This year will mark this first season Cheathem and Pope will be on the floor together during a game, after a foot injury led Cheathem to be redshirted last year.

Pope expects big things out of Cheathem, who just like Pope, is known to throw down thunderous dunks.

"Everyone calls him 'The Animal,' and that is an accurate statement," Pope said. "Honestly, he’s thrown down every dunk I can think of.”

Despite averaging 14.8 minutes a game last season, there was discussion Pope had the possibility to be selected in the 2015 NBA Draft.

That prospect genuinely surprised Pope, but he ultimately decided to stay where his comfort level would be the highest — back at SDSU. "I was thinking, 'This is really crazy, I’m actually projected to get picked,'" Pope said.

It's remarkable to think Pope may just be getting into his comfort zone as an Aztec, even after he put together some of the flashiest dunks and alleyoops that Viejas Arena had ever laid eyes on last season.

"There were some highlights last year, weren't there?" Pope said, reflecting with a smile.

Indeed there were.

And by the looks of it, there should be plenty more on the way during his sophomore campaign.

10 BASKETBALL

NOV. 4 - 9, 2015 • THE DAILY AZTEC EDITOR: PATRICK CARR • SPORTS@THEDAILYAZTEC.COM

#AZTECMBB

Men’s basketball all-time starting 5

Tony Gwynn 1978-81

After leading a life that revolved around making others happy, it’s no surprise that Tony Gwynn’s name is sprinkled all over the SDSU all-time assist records. To start, Gwynn is the school’s all-time assist leader at 590 and the most assists in a year with 221 in 1980. He also holds the school record for most 10-assist games with 16 and is tied for the most assists in a single game with 18.

Brandon Heath 2004-07

Out of all the star power that’s come through during the Steve Fisher era, no player may have had a bigger impact than the school’s all-time scoring leader, Brandon Heath (2,189 points). Heath was a scorer, plain and simple, notching a school record 112 career double digit scoring efforts and 281 3-pointers. He also collected the second-most steals in school history with 217.

Kawhi Leonard 2010-11

If Kawhi Leonard had stayed all four years before going to the NBA, who knows how many records he would have broken. His 10 15-rebound performances still stand as second-most in school history and his 40 double-doubles are also second most. During his final year on the Mesa, he grabbed 380 rebounds, still the most in a season in the school’s Division I history.

Marcus Slaughter 2004-06

Michael Cage 1981-84

Marcus Slaughter was a force Dubbed “Commissioner of the to be reckoned with during Boards” by The Daily Aztec back his three years on the Aztecs. in the 1980’s, Michael Cage was Slaughter has the second-most just that. Cage is the all-time rebounds (775) and 11th most leading rebounder with 1,317 points (1,211) in the school’s and his 11.8 rebounds per Division I history. He still game is the best in the school’s holds the Viejas Arena record Division I history. He still stands with 20 rebounds in a game as the school’s No. 2 all-time against UNLV back in 2006. His leading scorer (1,846 points) and streak of 28 straight games with has the most made free throws double-digit scoring ranks fifth with 488. all-time.

COMPILED BY ASST. SPORTS EDITOR RYAN POSNER

BASKETBALL

NOV. 4 - 9, 2015 • THE DAILY AZTEC EDITOR: PATRICK CARR• SPORTS@THEDAILYAZTEC.COM

11

#AZTECWBB

Women’s hoops all-time starting 5

Courtney Clements 2011-13

Courtney Clements was one of the greatest 3-point shooters the SDSU women’s program has ever had. Her 77 3-pointers in 2013 is tied for the school record and she’s No. 3 all-time in career 3-pointers, despite only playing for three seasons. She was also an Associated Press All-American Honorable Mention, leading her team to a conference championship.

Falisha Wright 1992-95

In the glory days of the women’s program it was Falisha Wright who was the face of the team. SDSU had a 50-11 record, including 27-1 in the Western Athletic Conference, in her last two seasons. She is second on the school’s all-time leading scoring list behind Judy Porter (1,733), second all-time in assists (448) and second alltime in 3-pointers (206).

Chana Perry 1988-89

Even though she only spent two years on the team, Chana Perry’s impact on the program has stood the test of time. She is the program’s first — and only — first-team All-American, receiving the honor in 1989. Her 23.3 points per game and 13.1 rebounds per game back in 1988-89 are still school records. She’s also No. 6 on the school’s all-time scoring list with 1,445.

Judy Porter 1980-83

Paris Johnson 2008-11

Judy Porter was to the Aztec women’s team what Michael Cage was to the men’s team — actually Cage and Brandon Heath combined. Porter is the school’s all-time leader in points (2,318) and rebounds (1,498). She currently holds 21 school records and was the first female athlete to have her number retired (No. 33). She was also a three-time team MVP in her career.

Taking the ball into the post against Paris Johnson was not a wise move for opponents.

She is the school’s all-time leading blocks leader with 267 and single-season blocks leader with 94. Her nine blocks in a game back in 2009 is tied for the school record and she’s No. 4 on the all-time rebounding list.

She was named first-team all conference in her first season.

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12

Basketball

NOV. 4 - 9, 2015 • THE DAILY AZTEC editor: patrick carr • sports@thedailyaztec.com

#aztecbasketball

Daily Aztec hoops preseason poll

Sophomore forward Malik Pope is projected to be a big-time offensive threat for San Diego State. file photo

Sophomore forward McKynzie Fort averaged 10.1 points per game last season. megan wood, photo editor

SDSU men’s preseason player of the year

SDSU women’s preseason player of the year

Malik Pope

McKynzie fort

men’s preseason mountain west poll

women’s preseason mountain west poll

1. SDSU 1. SDSU - 552 -(6) 552

1. colorado state - 552 (6)

2. Boise state - 444

2. fresno state - 342

3. UNLV - 322

3. boise state - 352

4. utah state - 244

4. new mexico - 294

5. fresno state - 224

5. sdsu - 190

6. new mexico - 134

6. unlv - 178

7. colorado state - 90

7. wyoming - 94

8. wyoming - 50

8. san jose state - 58

9. nevada - 24

9. nevada - 24

10. air force - 14

10. utah state - 15

11. san jose state - 6

11. air force - 7

Editor’s note: A total of six Daily Aztec sports staff writers, columnists and editors submitted ballots for SDSU Preseason Player of the Year as well as for the order of finish in the Mountain West for both men’s and women’s basketball. SDSU and Colorado State were unanimously picked to win their respective conferences. First-place votes are represented by parentheses. Poll was administered by sports editor Patrick Carr.

NOV. 4 - 9, 2015 • THE DAILY AZTEC EDITOR: PATRICK CARR• SPORTS@THEDAILYAZTEC.COM

BASKETBALL 13

#AZTECMBB

Cheatham excited to bring energy ANTHONY RECLUSADO SENIOR STAFF WRITER ____________________________ Energy is a precious commodity in basketball.

It can overcome any deficiency, elevating teams to achieve more than they should.

It is an essential element of any champion.

It is no coincidence once Steve Fisher took the reins of San Diego State men’s basketball the recruitment and utilization of high-energy players meant championships were no longer a pipe dream atop the Mesa.

Regardless of how obscure or immeasurable energy is on the basketball court, redshirtfreshman forward Zylan Cheatham hopes to leave little doubt of what it means to be an energy player once he steps onto the hardwood.

Fisher and associate head coach Brian Dutcher marvel at the 6-foot-8 forward’s energy simply from watching him in practice.

His relentless motor has also earned him the

admiration of his teammates and with it the nicknames “The Animal” and the “Junkyard Dog” from the training staff.

With the high energy that Cheatham regularly has, motivation is rarely necessary.

This doesn’t mean he doesn’t have something driving him.

Due to a lack of urgency by the NCAA to clear his high school paperwork to enroll in summer classes entering his freshman year at SDSU, he was unable to receive medical coverage from the university.

This led to what would later be discovered as a stress fracture in his left foot that went unchecked until he enrolled in classes in late August 2014.

He would have surgery on the foot in early September of that year, but was sidelined for four months until it was announced he would redshirt the season in January.

That time away from the game, although punishing for Cheatham, was beneficial to his growth at the same time.

“It was difficult obviously

not being able to go to war with my team and provide them with my God-given abilities,” he said. “It was hard at first, but it was all in God’s plan. I feel like I got a good opportunity to learn a lot.

“It definitely gave me an advantage in what to expect as opposed to a freshman, who is coming fresh out of high school who hasn’t experienced (college).”

The inability to participate in any basketball activities during his rehabilitation would have another effect on the Phoenix native, one that most people do not face until they lose the very thing they love.

“It completely rekindled my flame for the game,” Cheatham said. “I recall some practices in high school where I just didn’t feel like playing or a game where I just went through the motions.

“But now that I know how it feels to not be able to go to the gym to shoot around when you want to, I feel like my passion for the game is completely rekindled. I want to bring that into the season.”

Redshirt-freshman forward Zylan Cheatham turns past a Cal State San Marcos player.

KRISTIAN CARREON, SENIOR STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

For an Aztec team that lost the leadership and talents of forwards Dwayne Polee II and JJ O’Brien and the energy of guard Aqeel Quinn to graduation, it is important for Cheatham to bring his revitalized passion to the lineup.

His fire, however, is not blinding him from his primary

role as the team’s energizer.

“I feel like it’s almost mandatory for me,” Cheatham said. “I feel bringing energy to my team and being that vocal leader is my job. I want to be that guy to set the tone by diving for a loose ball or sacrificing my body diving out of bounds to keep an extra possession.”

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14

BASKETBALL

NOV. 4 - 9, 2015 • THE DAILY AZTEC EDITOR: PATRICK CARR • SPORTS@THEDAILYAZTEC.COM

#STUDENTTICKETS

Make a choice: Basketball or class?

San Diego State’s next student ticket distribution is on Nov. 16.

KRISTIAN CARREON, SENIOR STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

KRIS KEEHL SENIOR STAFF COLUMNIST ____________________________________

basketball programs such as Duke University and University of North Carolina.

One team in this town has built itself into what San Diego’s professional sports teams have failed to do: becoming the hottest ticket in town.

On game days, Viejas Arena, home to San Diego State’s basketball teams, houses 12,414 rabid fans for men’s basketball games that are led by the most raucous student section in college basketball, The Show.

However, students are put in a tough situation because they’re faced with either securing tickets to join The Show at a home game, or attending classes that conflict with student ticket distribution times.

The SDSU athletic department wants students to get tickets so it can create the environment that national TV broadcasters rave about.

“Students create the excitement for the basketball program in a huge way that the general public follows suit with,” SDSU Associate Athletic Director Steve Schnall said.

The excitement students create starts when they line up for tickets, which Schnall said is similar to other national

THE COST OF STUDENT TICKETS SDSU has 2,500 tickets explicitly reserved for students. Tickets are available starting at 10 a.m. on seven remaining predetermined distribution dates available on the athletic department website, but students can line up as early as 9 a.m.

Distribution dates don’t happen on a Saturday morning when few classes meet or Sunday morning when no classes meet.

Instead the distribution dates commonly land on Mondays or Wednesdays.

In the spring of 2015, SDSU had a total of 788 Monday and Wednesday classes that were scheduled to begin between 8 a.m. and 11 a.m., based on the university’s academic calendar.

Montel Anderson, a business management student, said almost all of his classes are scheduled in the afternoon, but the current distribution schedule presents a problem for students wanting to attend class and get tickets.

“I’m one of those people who are firm on going to every single class,” Anderson said. “So it would be a hassle.”

Schnall said the athletic department uses a real-time metric to measure the length of time from when ticket distribution starts to when the final ticket is collected, and that there are enough tickets available for students who can get to the box office a few hours after distribution begins.

Emmitt Burk, a second-year student studying film production, said he missed multiple games last year because distributions were scheduled during his classes.

“I would try to go (to get tickets) right after my class, and they would be sold out,” Burk said.

Burk said sometimes he was arriving at the box office within a couple hours of initial disbursement, but still had no luck.

However, this was not the case for Burk’s friend, Paul Andersen.

Andersen admitted to skipping class more than once to get tickets to a game.

He said he made his decision by weighing the upcoming matchup against what was being taught in class that day.

This year, Burk said he intentionally scheduled afternoon classes so he would

student’s schedule.

During the 2014-15 season there were 11 ticket distributions that occurred over a combined nine Mondays and Wednesdays. This season there are eight distributions that cover five Mondays and Wednesdays.

“I’d like to think by minimizing the number of times we’re doing it (ticket distributions), we are making it more convenient for students,” Schnall said.

Schnall said the athletic department has also made ticket distributions more convenient by responding to student complaints and eliminating campouts that were staged in front of the Viejas Arena’s box office the night before ticket distributions.

SDSU could just get rid of a physical ticket in general.

To eliminate the amount of time students dedicate to retrieving a ticket, the school could use the current Ticketmaster system to put an e-ticket on a student’s Red ID card.

However, problems exist with the way e-ticketing would be set up on the Red ID’s magnetic stripe.

Right now all student information is stored on the same track that e-tickets would need to utilize, so e-ticketing will be impossible until the university

“WE WANT TO HAVE (THE STUDENT SECTION) IN FULL FORCE AND AT FULL THROAT.” - Steve Schnall, associate athletic director be available to make ticket distributions.

“Most times we are (out of tickets) within the day for conference games, but certainly it gives students the opportunity to get tickets to most, if not all games,” Schnall said.

However, fans that expect to get tickets to the game against University of Kansas on Dec. 22 might want to temper their expectations of being able to successfully get a ticket if they are not in line when distribution starts.

“I would certainly think we would get rid of those tickets within the first few hours of them being available,” Schnall said.

IMPROVEMENTS IN TICKETING This year the athletic department has taken steps to decrease the amount of impact ticket distribution has on a

decides to move student information to a different track.

Schnall said e-ticketing is a long-term goal of the athletic department, but right now the system is working just fine and no students complain about ticketing procedures.

At 10 a.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 9, when Kansas tickets are made available, the walk-up ticketing system will be put to the ultimate test.

Students may complain about missing class for a ticket, or not getting a ticket because a student chose to go to class.

“We want to have (the student section) in full force and at full throat,” Schnall said about the home game against Kansas.

Yet at least one day during this fall semester the price of being at “full throat” may come at the expense of missing a full class.

NOV. 4 - 9, 2015 • THE DAILY AZTEC EDITOR: PATRICK CARR SPORTS@THEDAILYAZTEC.COM

BASKETBALL 15

#CHEYENNEGREENHOUSE

Greenhouse brings grit to Aztecs

Sophomore guard Cheyenne Greenhouse.

FILE PHOTO

ZACHARY ENGBERG STAFF WRITER ____________________________________ In only her second season playing on the San Diego State hardwood, sophomore guard Cheyenne Greenhouse has etched her name into Aztec basketball history.

Greenhouse, who was born in San

Diego to an SDSU alumnus, was a star at Canyon Springs High in Moreno Valley, but always seemed destined to be an Aztec.

In her senior season, she led the Cougars to the 2014 California Interscholastic Federation Division I state championship and gathered national attention as a three-star recruit.

But SDSU head coach Stacie Terry had her eye on the local product even before her senior year began.

“She can do a lot of things and hurt you in a lot of ways,” Terry said. “She’s a great kid for our program, and is definitely a part of the puzzle that we were trying to fit together when I got the job.”

Coming into her first season SDSU’s head coach, Terry needed a strong recruit to build her future empire around.

Greenhouse was the player for the job.

“She was actually my first commit,” Terry said. “She was the first one to jump on board and believe in our vision, so she’s always going to have a special place in my heart.”

That vision appealed to Greenhouse, who received many other offers as the No. 24 wing player in the nation in her class.

“I liked how her style of play fit how I liked to play,” Greenhouse said.

“Focusing on transition and pushing the ball.”

Even more than that was the

environment she felt when she visited SDSU and spoke with the Aztec coaching staff and players.

Greenhouse, who has two younger brothers that she tries to set a good example for, was drawn to the family base SDSU was built on.

“It seemed like the team was very close and the coaching staff was very family-oriented,” Greenhouse said.

“And it seemed like a lot of people had the same goals and the same focus.”

Even with a great team environment, the first year at SDSU for Greenhouse was not ideal.

SDSU finished the 2014-15 season with a 12-19 record, and an 8-10 record

debut.

It wasn’t surprising for a player that averaged 21.4 points per game and was named a first-team All-CIF Division I athlete as a high school senior.

Even with her early season success, Greenhouse experienced a character change in a somewhat tumultuous freshman season.

“Last year she was starting for me early,” Terry said. “Then her role changed, and I had her coming off the bench.”

But that only drove Greenhouse more.

“I think that she really recommitted herself to getting better this summer,” Terry said. “Because she had the best

“SHE CAN DO A LOT OF THINGS AND HURT YOU IN A LOT OF WAYS,”

- Stacie Terry, women’s basketball head coach in Mountain West play.

Greenhouse, one of the two freshmen on the team, appeared in all 31 games for the Aztecs, averaging 3.8 points and 2.8 rebounds in 14.2 minutes per game.

She made her biggest contributions early in the season, starting eight nonconference games, leading the team in scoring twice.

In her first collegiate game, Greenhouse set career marks that stood all season long, scoring 19 points with 11 rebounds in a 99-91 victory against Sacramento State in her Viejas Arena

summer out of all of our studentathletes.”

It was exactly the kind of reaction Terry expected when she pinpointed Greenhouse as one of her future stars.

Greenhouse will be relied on heavily her sophomore season, as she’s one of only five Aztecs on the 2015-16 team who has previous experience in the starting lineup.

With its struggles last season, there is nowhere to go but up for SDSU. That should be an easier path to travel with Greenhouse on board.

#JAMCENTER

Women’s hoops enjoying new JAM Center BRANDON TRUFFA STAFF WRITER ____________________________________ Nestled behind the Parma Payne Goodall Alumni center lies San Diego State’s newest pride and joy, the Jeff Jacobs JAM Center.

The 23,500 square-feet facility is a basketball cathedral for the SDSU men’s and women’s basketball squads.

It includes two practice courts, team lounges, locker rooms and more.

The craziest feature is yet to be finished. Supposedly, when a player swipes into the building, a highlight reel of that player will play on the TV in the lobby.

Aside from all of the flashy features, the real purpose of the JAM Center is to improve SDSU’s basketball programs, and the women’s basketball team is ecstatic about how the new facility will do that.

“It’s really been a great teaching tool,” head coach Stacie Terry said. “This is our classroom.”

The new “classroom” will lend a helpful hand in improving the Aztecs, who finished seventh with a 8-10 record in the Mountain West and a 12-19 overall record.

“Since the last week in August, we’ve been in here. So we’ve had quite a few practices in here, and I’ve already seen the difference,” Terry said.

Prior to practicing in the JAM Center, SDSU had to settle for practices in the much older Peterson Gym. This brought forth obstacles of fighting over courts, practice times and locker rooms.

The two courts in the JAM Center can be separated by a curtain so the women can practice at the same time as the men.

In addition, there are eight total hoops that can be lowered for drills and shootarounds.

With the JAM Center, the players have access 24/7 and can come in and shoot around whenever they wish.

“We can adjust practices around class schedules, the student-athletes can shoot whenever they want to, they have a beautiful lounge where they can actually study in downstairs,” Terry said.

Terry believes the facility has motivated the team more than in the past seasons.

“This is a unique team. They recommitted themselves to this program, and I think the building has just allowed them to be great,” Terry said.

The recommitted Aztecs are looking to get back to the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2013.

Senior point guard Ahjalee Harvey thinks the JAM Center will be a crucial part of improving not only the team as a whole, but also each player’s individual game.

“I come in here to get my shots up. I definitely see some of my teammates doing the same thing,” Harvey said. “I definitely do think that it has motivated everyone to really step up their game.”

Fellow senior forward Deidra Smith enjoys the JAM center’s locker room because she can multitask in it.

“We have two TVs, actually, so I can have my football game on and I can watch a basketball game,” Smith said.

“Two weeks ago, my Broncos were playing the Raiders, and the WNBA finals were on, so I got to watch both games at the same time.”

Smith feels the facility will play a major role in SDSU’s future recruiting process and will bring the best talent to Montezuma Mesa.

“Not every college in America has such a beautiful facility, or a facility (at all) for that matter,” Smith said.

Harvey couldn’t agree more.

“The program will be able to show recruits somewhere, as players, we

can really work on our game,” she said.

“That’s something we were missing before, and now to have that and show everyone a beautiful facility we can really utilize to our own ability. I think is going to be crucial.”

The facility puts the team on the same level as schools in major conferences.

“It puts us on an even playing field with a lot of the schools in those bigger conferences,” Terry said. “We have a nicer facility than most. They can’t use this against us, that we don’t have a practice facility.”

16

BASKETBALL

NOV. 4 - 9, 2015 • THE DAILY AZTEC EDITOR: PATRICK CARR • SPORTS@THEDAILYAZTEC.COM

#ONEANDDONE

One-and-done good for players CAMERON SALCE STAFF COLUMNIST ____________________________ Eight of the last 11 No. 1 overall picks in the NBA draft have been college freshmen since the NBA implemented the one-and-done rule in 2005.

This rule states a player must be 19 years old or one year removed from high school to enter the NBA draft. This also means the best NBA prospects are coming from college basketball.

The rule is not only good for college basketball fans, because it adds entertainment to the college game by making the best players go to college for at least one season, but it is also good for the players because it gives them an extra year of experience on their road to the NBA. If the one-and-one rule wasn’t in place, most of those No. 1 picks over the last several years would’ve gone to the NBA straight out of high school. If they had never gone to their respective schools, college basketball wouldn’t have been as exciting as it has been the past decade.

Nowadays, the most exciting part about college basketball has been to see what freshman is going to dominate the college basketball landscape each year.

Last season, Duke University freshmen Jahlil Okafor, Justise Winslow and Tyus Jones carried the Blue Devils to an NCAA championship. All three are in the NBA now.

A lot of players may have the talent to compete in the NBA, but very few have the mental makeup and self-discipline necessary to do so at the age of 18.

If a player is being scouted on the NBA level in high school, he is usually far above the skill level of any competition he faces in high school basketball.

College basketball gives each pro prospect the chance to improve their game against elevated competition and it gives pro scouts a chance to see prospects against other college players.

Most college freshmen mature a tremendous amount in their first year in school and this makes for more NBA-ready players from the start of their career.

Last year’s NBA Rookie of the

Year, Andrew Wiggins, averaged 16.9 points and 4.6 rebounds after being the No. 1 pick in the 2014 NBA Draft. He spent only one year at University of Kansas.

If a player thinks he’s good enough to go to the NBA out of high school that means he probably has the choice to go to any major college basketball school in the country.

One year of mentoring from a college coach like Steve Fisher or Mike Krzyzewski can only help a player trying to go to the NBA — it’s like the ultimate letter of recommendation.

The one-anddone rule forces each player to get some level of education and some sort of college experience and that’s why it’s a good rule.

Players should jump at the chance to get an education while

developing their game under a college coach. Longer and more fruitful NBA careers will be the result.

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9/30/2015 5:20:03 PM

NOV. 4 - 9, 2015 • THE DAILY AZTEC editor: patrick carr• sports@thedailyaztec.com

Basketball 17

#oneanddone

One-and-done killing hoops tradition KRIS KEEHL SENIOR STAFF COLUMNIST ____________________________ College basketball has mutated into a selfsustaining, 24-hour news cycle.

A new recruit, player decommit, highprofile

transfer and the occasional recruitment sex scandal all have implications that, on a small or large scale, cascade across Division I basketball.

One source of college basketball news — and the chief source of angst among college basketball fans — stems from whether star freshman players will return to school for a second season or fall into the pejoratively named one-anddone category.

It’s time for the NBA, originator of the one-and-done rule, to change its policies and put an end to the one-and-done conversation.

In 2006, the NBA introduced a rule that mandated players be at least one year removed from high school or at least 19 years old before being eligible to enter the NBA draft.

That model forces graduating high school players into one of three choices: leave the U.S. and play in Europe’s professional leagues, join the NBA Development League or play college basketball.

European basketball is different from the U.S. game and too far from home, and

the developmental league pays poorly and plays in small arenas. Naturally most NBA prospects head to college to wait out their one-year, NBAimposed penalty.

What does college hold for a kid with NBA skills, and who’s only on campus because he had to choose one of three bad options?

Nothing.

With practice and travel schedules that demand the majority of players’ time, the one-and-done player isn’t going to make vast educational strides in one year. Most likely, he’s more focused on staying academically eligible than trying to increase book knowledge.

One-and-done is a waste.

It wastes a scholarship that would go to a player who wants to play a full college career, and it wastes an educational opportunity that would go to a player who would use his college education immediately after graduating.

But the NBA doesn’t care about the unnamed player that’s affected by this, and it doesn’t care about the one-and-done

player, either. The NBA only cares about protecting its teams from making a bad investment.

In protecting its teams, the NBA has created a revolving door of freshmen that could play in the NBA, but instead are forced to peer through the temporary glass ceiling.

After a year, this player leaves for the NBA and leaves an unnecessary void in college basketball, which ultimately harms the integrity of NCAA basketball by causing constant shifts in the basketball landscape, and it harms the NCAA’s core values.

The NBA will argue it’s necessary to play at least one season of college basketball so players can physically mature, be protected from potential NBA failures and be scouted more accurately.

While one-and-done players bring excitement to the games, they are only around long enough to be a footnote in a school’s program. College fans want players that will be around to build tradition.

It’s time to let one-and-done players into the NBA, giving college fans their game back.

18

BASKETBALL

NOV. 4 - 9, 2015 • THE DAILY AZTEC EDITOR: PATRICK CARR • SPORTS@THEDAILYAZTEC.COM

#RULECHANGES

Teams adjusting to new NCAA rules JACOB SISNEROS SENIOR STAFF WRITER ____________________________________

Women’s basketball head coach Stacie Terry.

FILE PHOTO

The start of the 2015-16 NCAA basketball season brings a number of changes to the rulebook for the men’s and women’s game.

The most prominent of which includes the switch from two 20-minute halves to four 10-minute quarters for women’s basketball.

San Diego State women’s basketball head coach Stacie Terry said the changes will take a little bit to adjust to, but she is looking forward to the new challenge.

“It’s going to be more exciting because you have an opportunity to have four last-second shots, which I think is going to be fun for the fans and good for our game,” Terry said.

Senior forward Deidra Smith said although the game will be have a faster pace she isn’t worried about the team’s level of conditioning.

“Coach Stacy isn’t the type of coach who wants anybody to play 40 minutes a night and we are all about balance,” Smith said. “I think because we’re going to be so balanced we won’t have to worry about the conditioning aspect.”

For women’s basketball, the numerous rule changes were made in an effort to speed up the game and

improve overall fan experience.

“It’s going to be a different face of the game, a different look, but I think it’s all going to be changes for the better to make a more exciting game, a more fan-friendly game,” Terry said.

Stemming from the change from halves to quarters, there will be a 75-second break between quarters and at five team fouls per quarter, every non-shooting foul after will be a twoshot foul for the offense.

“Offensively that is definitely an incentive to be more aggressive,” senior point guard Ahjalee Harvey said.

“Defensively (team fouls) are a way to really monitor your aggression while also maintaining your pressure on the offense.”

For women’s basketball, defenders in the low post can now place a forearm or open hand with a bend in the elbow on an offensive post player with the ball and her back to the basket.

However, body or knee contact is still not an acceptable form of contact.

“It’s exciting because we weren’t able to touch in the post last year and post is a very physical position,” Smith said. “Being able to finally get back to touching and being able to put an arm bar … I’m excited. I can’t wait.”

Terry said the rule change will allow her post players to be more physical when defending on the post.

“That’s where it benefits us,” she said.

“We aren’t penalized for being bigger.

Because we are going to be bigger than most of the teams we play.”

Allowing the use of bands and amplified music during any dead ball situation is another rule change meant to improve fan experience.

Harvey said she doesn’t think the added noise will affect her focus during the game or during timeouts and it could be an advantage for them at home games.

“Having the band out there and really amping up the energy, especially when we’re up, that could be an advantage for us,” she said.

Smith said she doesn’t think it will be a distraction either especially because they play at places like University of New Mexico and Utah State, both of which have loud fanbases.

“If it gets too loud coach (Terry) will talk louder and we will just huddle in closer,” she said.

For both men’s and women’s basketball, teams are now allowed a total of 10 seconds to advance the ball past half court instead of the 10 seconds being reset if there is a stoppage in play.

Notable rule changes for men’s basketball include a reduction from a 35-second to a 30-second shot clock, a 4-foot arc under the basket instead of a 3-foot arc and any timeout taken within 30 seconds of a media timeout will be used as a media timeout.

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BASKETBALL 19

NOV. 4 - 9, 2015 • THE DAILY AZTEC EDITOR: PATRICK CARR• SPORTS@THEDAILYAZTEC.COM

#AZTECWBB

Well-traveled Smith taking over MATT FIERST STAFF WRITER ____________________________________ For someone who grew up in Aurora, Colorado, and committed to play basketball at Boston College, ending up at San Diego State would seem unlikely.

SDSU women’s basketball senior forward Deidra Smith’s journey is exactly that.

Smith played and graduated from Denver East High in Colorado, where she averaged 14 points and seven rebounds per game as a senior, and led her team to a 5A state title as a junior.

After high school, Smith committed and played one season at Boston College. Her commitment to Boston College was a way of branching out and growing up.

“I was stubborn and rebellious,” Smith said. “I wanted to go where I didn’t know anybody and nobody could tell me anything.”

At the end of her freshman season at Boston College, a new coaching staff was appointed, which made her think about transferring.

She didn’t take getting homesick into account when she made her decision to go to college across the country.

“The only time my family was going to come and watch me play was my senior night, so for the four years I

would have been there potentially, they would have only come to one game,” Smith said.

Either way, she decided to make the leap and transfer to SDSU. In her one year at Boston College, Smith averaged 2.7 points and 1.7 rebounds per game, not quite the numbers she was looking for.

Ultimately, it was SDSU’s affiliation with the Mountain West swayed her to come to Montezuma Mesa.

“I wanted to be far enough from Colorado, but I wanted to be able to play at home,” Smith said. “(SDSU) plays Air Force (Academy) and Colorado State, so all my family can come watch me and support me.”

As a sophomore at SDSU, she averaged 6.2 points and 3.8 rebounds and appeared in all 30 games. In her junior year, she averaged 4.7 points and 3.5 rebounds per game.

Smith indicated the Aztecs’ coaching staff has made the biggest difference in her improvement at SDSU. Off the court, the move to SDSU has been both demanding and enjoyable for Smith.

“My freshman year was very stressful,” Smith said. “I didn’t know what schools were still going to be interested in me, and I pretty much went through the transfer process by myself. I think mentally it affected me a lot because I was scared no one was going to want me again.”

CROSSWORDS

ACROSS 1 See-through kitchen supply 6 Mythical king of the Huns 10 Kitchen spray 13 Flared dress 14 Ancient Greek theater 15 Land in l’océan 16 *Sneaky blow 18 Some kitchen appliances 19 Did a slow burn 20 Passengers in flight, often 22 Cyberspace marketplace 23 Snobbish 24 Chopper 27 Mount Hood’s state 29 Prominent periods 30 Keep the censor busy

31 The NBA’s Kevin Love, e.g.

34 Alternative to dis?

35 Easy mark ... and a hint to the starts of the answers to starred clues 37 Dressing ingredient 38 High rails 39 Bassoon cousins 40 Vending machine buy 41 “Absolutely!”

43 Kicked off the flight 45 Well-protected 47 Sweater outlet?

48 Island nation near Sicily 49 Get in the game 54 Form 1040 calc.

55 *Peanuts

Senior center Deidra Smith is one of two seniors on the women’s basketball team.

MEGAN WOOD, PHOTO EDITOR

Head coach Stacie Terry said Smith has had a big impact on the program, and that she is going to play a large role in the team’s potential success this season.

Smith is the projected starting center this season.

“There is a lot of responsibility she has on the court,” Terry said. “She played behind two seniors last year, so this year is going to be her year to kind of take over in the paint and be a

dominant force inside for us.”

Terry has noticed Smith, one of just two seniors on the team, has shown an increased determination to be a leader on the court. “(There’s more of a) sense of urgency,” Terry said.

“She is excited for this role that she is going to have and she has waited patiently for it. I think she is ready to accept the challenges that are ahead of her.”

CLASSIFIEDS

57 Nickelodeon pooch 58 Spine-tingling 59 Hawaii or Alaska, on many a map 60 Number before quattro 61 Editor’s “Let it stand” 62 Hoopster Archibald and rapper Dogg DOWN 1 Back talk 2 Homecoming guest 3 Affluent, in Andalusia 4 Low socks 5 (If) required 6 Together, musically 7 Watch over 8 Director Jean-__

Godard 9 “Can’t wait to eat!”

10 *Place for brooding 11 Watchful 12 Embarrassing, as a situation 14 Nashville attraction 17 Bring up 21 Great Lakes’ __ Canals 23 10-time All-Pro linebacker Junior 24 Hand over 25 Taken by mouth 26 *”Walkin’ After Midnight” singer 27 Young hooter 28 Rules, briefly 30 __ gin fizz 32 Trusted underling 33 Prince who inspired Dracula 35 Loser only to a straight flush 36 Calais cleric 40 “The Bartered Bride” composer 42 Away 43 Former U.K. carrier 44 Mischievous boy 45 Snazzy-looking 46 Ready and willing 47 Love-crazy Le Pew 49 “Absolutely!”

50 Give out 51 Scientific acad.

52 Architectural S-curve 53 Fishing gear 56 Riled (up)

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Competitive swimming background recommended but not required. CPR & WSI certifications recommended but can be attained post-hire. $12/ hr. + based upon experience. Call to inquire 858-273-7946. www. murraycallanswimschools.com PLEASE visit facility and fill out an application. ________________________________

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20THE BACK PAGE

NOV. 4 - 9, 2015 • THE DAILY AZTEC EDITOR: PATRICK CARR • SPORTS@THEDAILYAZTEC.COM

#AZTECMBB

It's that time of year again

Experience It. AZTEC RECREATION

Basketball has officially returned to Montezuma Mesa. Tweet @TheDailyAztec or tag @TheDailyAztec on Instagram with your favorite San Diego State basketball photos.

FRI, NOV 13 5PM - 7PM PRICE: $10 PER PERSON

HOROSCOPE HAPPY BIRTHDAY (11/4/15) - Win together this year. Your friends are the aces up your sleeve. Consistency profits.

Passionate possibilities spark (after 3/9).

Thoughtful planning pays (after 3/23).

A group project shifts (after 9/1). One game folds and another begins (after 9/16). Play.

HOW IT WORKS: 10 is good, 1 is bad.

KRISTIAN CARREON, SENIOR STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

#DASNAPSHOTS

SUDOKU

HOW TO PLAY: Complete the grid so each row, column and 3-by-3 box contains every digit 1 to 9.

DIFFICULTY LEVEL:

1/4

CROSSWORDS, SUDOKU, AND HOROSCOPES COURTESY OF TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES INC., ©2015.

GAME SOLUTIONS AVAILABLE ONLINE AT THEDAILYAZTEC.COM

NO-SHAVE NOVEMBER

Photo Editor Megan Wood snapped this photo of Advertising Director Radbeh Ravaz's beard. Every month is November to him.

PLEASE NOTE: The views expressed in this issue do not necessarily reflect those of The Daily Aztec.

Express your concerns by emailing letters@thedailyaztec.com

ARIES (March 21 - April 19) - Today is a 9 - Today and tomorrow get especially busy. Work requires your personal touch. Discover and resolve a structural problem. Pull what you need out of storage. The action is behind the scenes.

Learn the value of what you have.

TAURUS (April 20 - May 20) - Today is a 9 - Let friends arouse your curiosity.

The next two days are reserved for fun. Encourage creativity. Play around.

Romance blossoms if lovingly tended.

Practice your arts and magic. Follow the beat of the music and dance.

GEMINI (May 21 - June 21) - Today is a 7 - Your home and family require more attention. Fix up your place today and tomorrow. Get creative with color, form and line. You can get what you need without straining the budget. Prepare for an upcoming social event.

CANCER (June 22 - July 22) - Today is an 8 - Things are getting clear over the next few days. You see a solution. Read, write and study. Issue press releases.

Communicate with your networks. Resupply locally. Meditate on what you want before speaking. Make long-range plans.

LEO (July 23 - Aug. 22) - Today is a 7 - Take care of financial matters over the next few days. Tally up your balance sheet. Keep payments current, and issue reminders on accounts receivable. Patience pays off. Keep your agreements. Be determined, and not dissuaded.

VIRGO (Aug. 23 - Sept. 22) - Today is an 8 - Your confidence and personal power expands today and tomorrow.

With strength, you also gain options.

Let your team know how they can help.

Pay attention to a brilliant, yet bizarre, suggestion. Wait for a roadblock to clear.

LIBRA (Sept. 23 - Oct. 22) - Today is a 5 - The next two days are nice for laying low. Upgrade your equipment and organize your space. Prepare for a new project by closing up old ones. Stick close to home. Listen to someone who thinks differently than you.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23 - Nov. 21) - Today is an 8 - Enjoy a two-day party phase.

Social activities and team projects go well today and tomorrow. A risk could pay off big. Ask for help to gather resources and talents. Stifle rebellious tendencies. Build a strong foundation.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22 - Dec. 21) - Today is a 7 - A professional challenge requires your attention over the next few days.

Opportunities could arise if you play your cards right. Fix something before it breaks. Postpone travel. Take on more responsibility. Teach what you're learning.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22 - Jan. 19) - Today is an 8 - Educational adventures draw you out today and tomorrow. Discover new methods, tricks and ideas. Listen to a mentor or teacher. Go and see for yourself. Make long-term plans and dream big. Imagine ways to apply what you're learning.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20 - Feb. 18) - Today is a 9 - Plan strategically over the next few days, especially regarding money.

There's no rush. Join forces with another for funding. Others seek your advice.

Come up with a plan together. Gain more than expected. Enjoy an evening.

PISCES (Feb. 19 - March 20) - Today is an 8 - Someone nice thinks you're cute.

Get your homework done before going out to play. Discover romance where least expected today and tomorrow.

Charm with your talents and passions.

Your reputation precedes you.