The Reveille 1-26-23

COMMUNITY GRIEVING

LSU IN SHOCK

Students react to rape charges in Madison Brooks case, LSU response

BY GABBY JIMENEZ @gvjimenezz

The death of Madison Brooks, a 19-year-old political communication sophomore who was hit by a vehicle on Burbank Drive, has shocked the LSU community. Since her death, two men have been charged with raping Brooks prior to dropping her off near Burbank where she was killed.

Kaivon Washington, 18, and a 17-year-old were charged with third-degree rape. Everett Lee, 27, and Casen Carver, 18, were charged with principal to thirddegree rape, according to arrest documents obtained by WBRZ.

Brooks asked for a ride home and sat with Washington and the 17-year-old in the backseat of the vehicle, where she was allegedly raped, WBRZ reported. Brooks gave several different home addresses, and the men and unnamed minor eventually dropped her off near the Pelicans Lake subdivision off of Burbank Drive, where she was hit by a ride share vehicle at around 3 a.m. Jan. 15. She later died in the hospital.

The driver of the rideshare vehicle was not impaired, WBRZ reported.

According to WBRZ, Baton Rouge attorneys are working with the NAACP representing two of the suspects. They said there is video evidence refuting allegations of rape. Washington claimed he and the unnamed minor had consensual sex with Brooks after leaving Reggie’s, a bar in Tigerland, WBRZ reported.

WBRZ’s report said Brooks’ blood-alcohol level was 0.319, nearly four times the legal limit. According to the American Addiction Centers, a person can become unconscious at a BAC of around 0.300. Louisiana law says that third-degree rape can occur when the victim, through intoxication, is incapable of resisting or understanding the nature of the act.

Washington told police that he, the other suspects and Brooks left Reggie’s bar early Sunday after a heavy night of drinking. He said he and the 17-year-old sat in the backseat with Brooks, with Carver and Lee in the front.

The Louisiana Office of Alcohol and Tobacco Control issued an emergency suspension for Reggie’s bar Tuesday, citing the “seriousness of the allegations and the potential threat to public safety,” according to The Advocate. The suspension will remain in place until a hearing next month.

LSU President William Tate IV released a statement Monday shortly after the four men were arrested.

“Madison was a daughter, a granddaughter, a sister, a niece, a classmate, and a friend to many of you,” Tate said. “By all accounts, she was an amazing young woman with limitless potential. She

should not have been taken from us in this way. What happened to her was evil, and our legal system will parcel out justice.”

“All but one of the suspects involved in this horrific scenario were underage yet were able to consume alcohol at a local bar,” the email continued. “As such, our action plan starts with a deep and relentless focus on any establishment that profits off our students by providing alcohol to underage individuals. In the coming days, we will call a meeting with these business owners to discuss how their responsibilities directly impact the safety of our students. We will work openly against any business that doesn’t join us in efforts toward creating a safer environment for our students. Enough is enough.”

Tate said the administration will share additional “action items” in the coming days.

“President Tate’s message Monday was directed at perpetrators and establishments that enable them to weaponize alcohol against our students,” said Cody Worsham, LSU’s interim vice president of communications. “The subsequent actions of the ATC on Tuesday have already helped us enact real change, and the justice system will handle the accused.

“Honoring Madison’s life requires us to take every possible step to protect students. Coming down hard on bars that are serving minors in our community is one many strategies the President is proposing. We invite the entire Baton Rouge community to join us as we unite against all forms of violence and develop further strategies toward its prevention.”

terrified that LSU doesn’t seem to care about the issues that we’re facing,” Ferguson said. “I wish I could be angry, but anger doesn’t convey the feeling of fear that’s emanating around campus.”

The LSU administration has not been responsive to previous calls for action, Ferguson said. He said there was little response in 2021 when student organizations on campus called for the removal of French professor Adelaide Russo, who allegedly ignored sexual assault complaints against a student within the French department while she served as the department chair.

Similarly, he said Feminists in Action received no response when they released a statement in November calling for the university to renew their contract with Sexual Trauma Awareness and Response, a Baton Rouge nonprofit that helped the university reorganize the Title IX department following a 2020 USA Today report that exposed LSU’s mishandling of sexual misconduct complaints.

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Many students and sexual assault advocates criticized Tate’s message on social media for focusing on underage drinking, it misses the larger issue of rape culture at LSU and in the Baton Rouge area. LSU College Democrats and Feminists in Action released a joint letter addressed to Tate on Twitter Tuesday.

The letter says that while Tigerland businesses need to do more to protect patrons, the LSU administration should direct its energy toward addressing sexual violence in the community.

“These four individuals were arrested for ‘third-degree rape’ and ‘[principal] to rape,’ not underage drinking nor driving under the influence. The unaffiliated driver that struck her was unimpaired,” the letter read. “We are emphasizing these details because we can reach no other conclusion than to center blame on the rapists that discarded her near the scene where she was hit. LSU must focus on sexual violence instead.”

“Tate has completely failed to meet the moment,” said international trade and finance junior and former LSU College Democrats president Cooper Ferguson, who wrote the letter. “Instead of addressing the issue of sexual violence and greater violence in the Baton Rouge community, he instead blames the victim in this incident and says that Tigerland and the victim are at blame for alcohol consumption. Tigerland does have many faults, but the situation is completely separate from that incident.”

“I’m terrified. I’m terrified for the safety of my peers, I’m terrified for the safety of myself. I’m

“The alcohol did not kill [Brooks]...I mean, if any person who was not a rapist would have picked her up and brought her to a hospital, she wouldn’t have been dead. But because rapists did that, it’s why she’s dead,” said Morgan Lamandre, the president of STAR.

Lamandre recommends LSU engage with Tigerland bars to discuss other ways to keep patrons safe, including providing training to bartenders to spot potential predators.

“People want to have a reason or somebody to blame for sexual assault when the truth is, it’s just the rapist…You could be in all those situations, but unless you encounter a rapist, you’re not going to be raped,” she said.

Landon Zeringue, a political communication sophomore and vice president of LSU College Democrats, said the case was “a million times worse” than Tate conveyed.

“It’s disgusting,” Zeringue said. “It’s something that doesn’t even come up in the email…And it’s tied to a prevalent rape culture on this campus and in this community that makes people feel unsafe…[Tate is] making the scapegoat of alcohol and underage drinking, fully aware this situation could happen at any age.”

Anthropology and sociology junior Myrissa Eisworth serves as the president of Feminists in Action. Eisworth, who has experienced sexual assault, described learning about the details of the case as “heartbreaking.”

“When all of the articles first started coming out…I cried about them,” Eisworth said. “But at this point, I don’t have the energy to be so sad anymore. Now I just want [the LSU administration] to actually do something.”

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COURTESY OF ALPHA PHI FACEBOOK

Madison Brooks, 19, of Madisonville, died Jan. 15 in the hospital after being struck by a vehicle.

‘WE DO NOT FORGET’

Local Iranian community members honor flight victims, feminist protesters

BY CLAIRE SULLIVAN @sulliclaire

It’s been three years since the Iranian government shot down a Ukrainian passenger flight from Tehran bound for Kyiv. And it’s been four months since a feminist revolution erupted in Iran after Mahsa Amini, 22, died in the custody of the Iranian police, who arrested her for an alleged dress code violation.

Members of the Iranian community from LSU, Baton Rouge and surrounding areas put together a performance art video in the LSU Greek Theatre to memorialize the 176 souls lost in the flight and bring attention to the ongoing struggle for human rights in Iran.

The video starts on a sign reading “Woman, Life, Freedom” in the colors of Iran’s flag, the calling chant of the recent protests. It zooms out to reveal people dressed in black surrounding an outline of a plane made from news reports.

“We do not forget. We do not forgive,” the video reads.

Ukraine International Airlines flight PS752 was shot down on Jan. 8, 2020, days after the U.S. assassinated Iranian General Qasem Soleimani. The Iranian government first denied involvement in the crash but later admitted to firing missiles at the flight. But the government still claimed it was a mistake.

Among the victims were 15 children and a pregnant woman. There were 82 Iranians, 63 Cana-

ATHLETICS

Presidnt Tate named to Forbes List

BY REVEILLE STAFF REPORT

Forbes named LSU President William F. Tate IV one of its 10 Black higher ed CEOs to watch in 2023.

Tate made history as the university’s first Black president when he was sworn in by the Board of Supervisors in 2021. He also became the first Black president at any school in the Southeastern Conference.

Tate’s historic selection in May 2021 was celebrated around the state.

“I share this goal of making higher education more accessible to students from all walks of life and all areas of our state and beyond and in growing the system’s prominence and I welcome his experience, vision and insight,” said Gov. John Bel Edwards in a statement celebrating Tate’s historic first. “I congratulate Dr. Tate.”

Tate is the 28th president of the university and came to Louisiana after serving as the provost and the executive vice president of academic affairs at the University of South Carolina. He spent 18 years before that as the dean of the graduate school at the University of Washington in St. Louis.

He earned a doctorate in mathematics education and studied human development at the University of Maryland.

Faculty Senate questions Athletics over sports betting deal

BY OLIVER BUTCHER @OliverButcher73

A presentation Monday to the Faculty Senate by LSU Athletics on its partnership with sports betting site Caesar’s Sportsbook drew sharp criticism from the school’s faculty representatives, who said they were left out of the deal making process and questioned the ethics of a gambling company sponsoring a school in the first place.

The Caesar’s Sportsbook deal was signed in late 2021 in anticipation of sports betting being legalized in Louisiana in January 2022. The exact details of the deal are unclear, but it runs until 2026 and, according to reporting by the AP, is worth “multiple millions” of dollars.

Members of the Faculty Sen-

ate raised concerns about what they felt was the secretive nature of the deal. Representatives said they weren’t notified of the deal’s existence until about a day before it became official and were given no opportunity to offer input.

“I didn’t hear about this until literally the last minute,” said Faculty Senate member Edward Shihadeh, a professor of sociology.

Officials said the deal was made by LSU Athletics and not LSU itself, meaning it didn’t need oversight from any administrative body without connections to the athletics department. The LSU Board of Supervisors, however, did get a say in the deal and approved it. A more impassioned round of questioning began when the topic of underage gambling was raised.

Multiple members of the Fac-

ulty Senate expressed concern about the proximity of Caesar’s Sportsbook advertisements and promotional materials at sporting events such as football and basketball games to students under 21, the legal age to gamble in Louisiana, at the university and local schools.

One poster in particular drew the ire of the Faculty Senate. It was a responsibility poster featuring a man in traditional Roman attire pointing to the slogan: “Caesar’s know their limits.” “I do not feel that shows responsible gambling. It shows that if you gamble with Caesars, you are a good person because you know your limits, and it endorses engaging in a very addictive behavior,” said Faculty Senate member

The Forbes article commends

COURTESY OF BEHI TVS

Members of the local Iranian community honor victims of downed 2020 flight and the feminist protesters in Iran in a performance video in the Greek Theatre on LSU’s campus.

REAGAN COTTEN / The Reveille

LSU Faculty Senate Executive Committee members listen to speakers on Jan. 23 in the Dalton Woods Auditorium in the Energy Coast and Environment Building in Baton Rouge, La.

dians, 11 Ukrainians and other passengers from Sweden, Afghanistan and the United Kingdom, according to the Ukrainian government.

“And it just shows that it doesn’t matter if you are protesting against the regime or if you are [just] living your life… The regime doesn’t leave you alone. It’s just — it’s hunting its own people,” said a woman involved in the video who asked to remain anonymous. “And they lie about it.”

About 45 people were involved in the video, according to a woman who asked to be identified by Behi TVS in fear of retaliation for her family members in Iran. She designed the project alongside another woman, identified by her initials S.N., and worked with a videographer and editor, identified by his initials K.K.

“Most Iranians of the town actually showed up to light the candles and show that we are not alone in this and show them that we don’t forget all the people who were innocent and got killed by this regime,” the other woman said.

Protests for women’s rights sparked at the funeral of Amini, the 22-year-old arrested by Iran’s “morality police.” Women took off their hijabs in defiance of the government’s dress code, according to news reports.

A 2021 United Nations report says women are treated as “second-class citizens” in Iran and details some of what protesters are fighting to change now — strict dress codes enforced on women, lack of autonomy in marriage and other sectors of life and weak protections against domestic violence.

At least 516 protesters have

ETHICS, from page 3 TATE, from page 3

Tate’s academic accomplishments.

“His background as one of the world’s most brilliant education researchers and social scientists clearly informs his smart leadership of a complex institution that enrolls nearly 36,000 students,” it reads. “Tate highly values and courageously leads in response to evidence, which should be the case among all higher education CEOs in this era of intense political polarization. He takes seriously the University’s social responsibility.”

There are many predominantly white colleges and universities that have yet to have a Black president, according to the Forbes article. And only 8% of university presidents are Black, according to a 2017 report referenced by Forbes.

Since coming to LSU, Tate has

been killed since the unrest began, including 70 children, according to the Human Rights Activists News Agency. The group says almost 20,000 protesters are in prison. There have been widespread reports of torture against detained protesters, including beatings and sexual assaults.

The Iranian government shut down the internet, blocking apps like WhatsApp, Signal, Instagram and Skype, according to CNN. For Iranians abroad, this means little communication between their family and friends and fears that they’ve become the next victims of state violence.

“We barely can talk to even our parents for more than two minutes,” the woman involved in the video at LSU said.

Amid the protests and international attention, Iran was expelled from the United Nations’ Commission on the Status of Women.

“They are not the ones that you want in the Women’s Commission to actually make rules for all the women of the world,” the woman said. She said this was a step toward removing Iran’s credibility—credibility they don’t deserve, she says.

“It’s not Iranian people. Iranian people are actually wanting the world to look at these people,” she said. “And they notice that we are being governed by terrorists.”

Behi TVS, one of the designers, said they wanted to show that even in a small city like Baton Rouge, people in Iran have a community supporting them.

And the Baton Rouge participants were joined by over 100 cities around the world in showing solidarity with the victims of the flight crash and protesters in Iran, according to Middle East Matters, a youth advocacy organization. The video at LSU was

In the face of questions and frustrations from the faculty representatives, Keli Zinn, chief operating officer for LSU Athletics, and her co-presenter Clay Harris, deputy athletic director for

launched the “Pentagon Plan,” which aims to address five key areas of concern for Louisiana: agriculture, coastal restoration, biomedical science, energy and defense.

“Perhaps more than any other institution in the nation, LSU has a vital role to play in securing our nation’s future through protecting our state,” Tate told Forbes.

What excites Tate most about the plan, he told Forbes, “is the role we will play in educating the next generation of leaders in each of these fields.”

Tate wasn’t the only Louisiana leader on the list. He was joined by Kim Hunter Reed, the state’s commissioner of higher education.

“There are other outstanding higher ed CEOs who are Black,” the Forbes article read, “but these 10 are indisputably among our nation’s best.”

edited into a compilation of other demonstrations from corners of Germany, Turkey, Canada, Italy, South Korea, Iran and other countries.

revenue generation, remained on message about their reasoning behind the contract.

“With a partnership like this, [Caesars] become one of our most high-level givers to LSU Athletics,

“We hold each other’s hands,” the other woman said, describing the video. “This is a human chain that we were doing in the U.S. to be united with all other

so that’s a big part of this,” Harris said in favor of the contract. “They’re contributing a good bit of funds to this…and it’s a financial gain.”

The meeting adjourned a few

people all over the world who are looking for freedom, looking for a just system, and looking for human rights and women rights.”

questions later, but the tension remained, setting the stage for future clashes between the juggernaut of LSU Athletics and the more academically - focused Faculty Senate.

Hana Beloglavec, an assistant professor of trombone, who was met with applause from the full Faculty Senate.

COURTESY OF BEHI TVS

Members of the local Iranian community honor victims of downed 2020 flight and the feminist protesters in Iran in a performance video in the Greek Theatre on LSU’s campus. COURTESY

ENTERTAINMENT

Rev-freshments: Best Deals on food and drinks at Tsunami

BY MADELON DAVIS @madelondavis

Tsunami is known all around Baton Rouge for its delicious sushi, romantic vibes and beautiful view of the bridge. But the prices are high to match the luxurious atmosphere and fresh fish.

Thankfully, the restaurant has different deals so everyone can enjoy Tsunami.

Tsunami offers many different specials with discounts ranging from $5 martinis to 50% off various menu items. Every Tuesday to Friday from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. it offers 50% off specialties, some nigiri, and 25% off any roll that is originally priced under $9.

On Tuesday, happy hour lasts from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. Additionally, you get $5 select martinis, $4 house wines, certain draft beers, sake and $3 well liquor and domestic beers. On Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, you get the

Food

Food during happy hour is a steal. Any roll that is originally priced under $9 you receive 25% off. If you are into raw sushi, the Dynamite Roll is the one for you. You get a strong, but fresh,

same deals you’d get on Tuesdays, from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Lastly, Thursday has additional deals: The Girls Night Out and Service Industry Night deals. These deals are from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. The GNO deals include 50% off the Hung-lo roll, and the SIN

fish flavor with a kick of spice at the end. There is also the crowd favorite Snow Crab Roll. This is a good, basic roll.

During GNO you get 50% off the Hung-lo Roll. This roll was the star of the show. The roll itself was just a regular tempura shrimp roll but it was topped with seared tuna

Drinks

For the happy hour deal of $5 martinis, two of the options are the Pear Apple-Tini and the Lemondrop. The Pear Apple-Tini tastes like a sour green apple at first and then has end notes of the pear, balancing it out. This martini is a nice starter drink but not something you can drink all night.

first but finished with a strong citrus flavoring. While not having a super strong flavor of alcohol, this is a great cocktail to drink all night.

deals include 25% off for food/bar industry workers with a valid bar card or proof of hospitality employment.

While any deal you choose to dine in for will be worth it, here are a few reviews on some of the discounted items.

and a crunchy jalapeno mixture. All these rolls paired well with Tsunami’s eel sauce and Tsuri sauce.

Tsunami will always be a talked-about place in Baton Rouge. With all of these deals, even a college kid like me can enjoy this high-class sushi.

The Lemondrop was nothing to rave about because, although there was a strong scent of lemon, the lemon flavor itself was not there.

GNO offers 50% off the Hunk cocktail. This drink was all vanilla at

Album Spotlight: Local band Shipwrecked’s new album

BY NYX CROOKS @voiceofnyx1

Local legend, Shipwrecked, released its second album titled “On My Own” on Jan. 13, 2023, to an eagerly awaiting legion of fans in the Baton Rouge area. The album hones in on teenage angst and enough emo energy to make you feel like you’re in the Midwest.

It has been in the works for three years, and as the music scene has slowly recovered from the damage COVID brought, Shipwrecked was able to finish and release its album.

“Most of it was recorded by Max Stratman, not in a studio, but at a warehouse & popular practice space in BR,” said Drummer Hannah Hyman. “Since then, we’ve had a few lineup changes, a global pandemic and made some new friends at Friend Club Records, but we’re stoked that it’s finally here.”

Something that makes the album unique from previous works is that the band was able to take some time to try new recording techniques and get creative with different ideas.

“We also did a lot of fun stuff

vocally like introducing background vocals... and including our good friend Logan Denicola on several tracks,” said Guitarist Garrett Howell.

The album starts strong with “Valentines Day,” which is a simple and slower track that made it easy for the crowd to sing along to at the release party. “I like Valentine’s Day because of the simplicity of it. It’s an easy song to sing and dance along to and the crowd always reacts well to it,” said Lead singer David Bankston.

Next is title track “On My Own.” This song features a jangly, sparkly riff over the verse that is reminiscent of the midwest emo genre.

However, the song maintains an upbeat indie emo vibe that still feels laid back. Bass player Jacey Marais calls the music “guitar heavy ‘slacker emo’” which seems to be a perfect description based on the sound of the album.

“Interlude” is a guitar-led track with beautiful, sparkling riffs over a shimmering windchime sound. This track is an interesting break from the other songs and feels like a wave of calm as the soft synths come crashing into the mix.

“Suckerpunch” is a deceivingly upbeat, fun song that immediately makes you want to move. The guitar part is bouncy, but the song also features some rougher, more distorted vocals shouting confessional and emotional lyrics in true emo fashion over a softer background vocal part.

“Ligma” catches the listener off guard with the name at first, but immediately shows that it is a unique track that deserves attention when Bankston begins to sing, “I’m not fine, I’m not okay” over a steady muted guitar. This song feels different from the rest, but it’s different in a good way as it feels it should be in a 2000s coming of age film.

At the end, “Simple Syrup” has a funky sounding starting riff that leads into a hard riff over Bankston yelling, “I guess I never really knew!” This might be some of the best vocals on the album as he conveys the perfect feeling of angst and self-introspection over one’s emotions, which is of course, quintessential emo.

The album delivers on its goal, and maintains a solid emo inspired framework that the band makes its own.

On My Own

GNO drinks at Tsunami

Girl’s Night Out dessert at Tsunami Sushi from Tsunami

A

LET’S STICK TOGETHER

Stickers bring joy to students all around campus.

An

LSU student’s laptop covered in stickers sits Jan. 19, on a bench in the LSU Quad in Baton Rouge, La.

LSU general education and special education sophomore Brianna Wesselhoff and sports administration sophomore Pierce Hull sit together Jan. 19, in the Quad.

drinking fountain sits Jan. 23, littered with stickers in the 2nd floor stairwell of the Art Building.

LSU coastal environmental studies senior Caleb Cavness scrolls Jan. 19, on his laptop outside of LSU library.

Stickers adorn an art supply box as it rests open on Jan. 23, inside Hatcher Hall.

LSU biology pre-med sophomore Danna Masria poses Jan. 19, with her laptop stickers in an archway near Martin D. Woodin Hall.

LSU psychology freshman Taylor Pippin studies Jan. 23, on her laptop featuring a sticker collage outside Stubbs Hall.

Photos by Morgan Cook

DOUBLE’D UP

Angel Reese breaks consecutive double-double record in 89-51 win

BY TYLER HARDEN @ttjharden

Monday night marked another great day for the LSU women’s basketball team. Not only did the Tigers pick up their 20th win of the season, improving their record to 20-0, but Angel Reese broke Sylvia Fowles’ consecutive double-double record. The sophomore forward finished with 14 points and 14 rebounds, marking her 20th straight double-double performance in an 89-51 win over Alabama.

“I’m glad she’s happy. They’re all happy,” Mulkey said. “When you’re 20-0 and break a record of an all-time great in all of basketball in Sylvia Fowles, you’re in wonderful company.”

Alabama cracked down on Reese during the first quarter. They played with physicality and even double-teamed her to keep her from grabbing rebounds early on. The rest of the team, however, made up for the lost shots while she was in tight coverage.

“I think it started on defense, I think we put Angel Reese on Brittany Davis, and I think that set the tone,” Mulkey said. “We had four kids in double figures, Jasmine lit it up from the three, and I think it just snowballed from there.”

Jasmine Carson led the Tigers with 20 points on the night, including four three-pointers out of her eight attempts. She also grabbed seven rebounds.

“It opens it up for you, it gives you this sigh of relief,” Mulkey said. “That’s just what we expect to see from Jasmine. She shot the ball good, and we just had a good night.”

LaDazhia Williams and Alexis Morris each scored 17 points.

Williams helped Reese in the

paint, as she had a double-double of her own. The University of Missouri graduate transfer grabbed 10 rebounds on the night, and Morris helped facilitate as well with seven assists.

With Reese’s ability diminished, others jumped up to assist.

Williams stepped up alongside Flau’jae Johnson, who made her presence known down low. She finished with 10 rebounds along with six points and four assists. Last-Tear Poa also added eight points for the Tigers.

For the Crimson Tide, Brittany Davis led the team with 11 points and seven rebounds. The Tide had a hard time making shots after the first quarter; of their 27 threepoint attempts on the night, they made only five, allowing LSU to run away with the game.

The Tigers showed out with great timing, establishing great momentum ahead of what is likely their toughest test so far this season. Next Monday, the Tigers will return to Baton Rouge to take on Tennessee.

The Volunteers are also undefeated in SEC play, but their overall record sits at 16-6. Although they’ve proven to be beatable, it will certainly be a challenge for the Tigers, given the history and standard of the Tennessee women’s basketball program.

Conveniently enough, the Tigers will have a chance to scout out the Volunteers before they take them on, as Tennessee faces off with fifth-ranked University of Connecticut on Thursday at 7 p.m. If the Tigers want to know how to beat a tough opponent, watching another top team do it may help them.

Until then, the Tigers will prepare for another test in Tennessee

and will hope to keep their perfect season alive. They take on the Volunteers on Monday, January 30 at

MEN’S BASKETBALL

Rally not enough for men’s hoops

BY HENRY HUBER @HenryHuber_

Though the season isn’t close to over, it certainly feels that way.

Once again LSU didn’t appear competitive in a game it had a realistic chance to do so, facing off against the only SEC team it had previously beaten in Arkansas. And the first half may have been the worst the team has looked at any time this season.

Not only did it score a season-low 14 points in the first half, beating out the previous by a touchdown and shooting a staggering 12% from the field, but it also made Arkansas look like last season’s version of itself, as if it wasn’t missing two of its best players heading into the game. The Razorbacks put up 38 points in the period, shooting 58% from the field, finishing the half on a 23-3 run against a Tiger defense that seemed completely unmotivated to stop them.

Similar to its game against Auburn, a game where it got off to a rocky start before temporarily making things interesting early in the second half, LSU once again had a resurgent start to the period, beginning it with a 15-2 run that most fans probably missed.

Adam Miller scored nine straight points amidst that run, his only nine points of the entire game, as the Tigers nar-

Column: Angel Reese has the right to play with passion

gram record set by Sylvia Fowles, which Reese has since broken.

On Jan. 19 against Arkansas, LSU women’s basketball’s Angel Reese put on a show to the tune of 30 points, 19 rebounds, and one incredible block made while holding her own shoe, a play that quickly went viral.

It was yet another spectacular performance in a season full of them for Reese, the sophomore transfer from Maryland who is one of the best players in the country.

The game was noteworthy for several reasons. For one, it was Reese’s 19th straight game recording a double-double, tying the pro -

The match against Arkansas, a narrow 79-76 victory, was also only LSU’s second win of the season by a single-digit margin. The Tigers’ season so far has been one of blowouts, and the Razorbacks are the first team all year to have held a lead at any point in the second half against LSU.

Challenged by an opponent they expected to beat with relative ease, the Tigers were clearly becoming frustrated throughout the course of the game, both with themselves and with what they perceived as poor officiating. These emotions got the better of LSU and contributed to the Razorbacks hanging around.

Many times, LSU players were

particularly demonstrative after poor calls and were equally unrestrained celebrating their good plays. For example, Reese’s taunting after her block, where she stood over an Arkansas player, resulted in a technical foul.

These blatant and forceful displays of emotion came under criticism, with some suggesting that LSU was spitting in the face of sportsmanship. Fans claimed Reese and the Tigers didn’t respect their opponent or follow the unwritten rules of the game.

In what was a monumental game for Reese, there were plenty of dominant moments that warranted a celebration. Reese didn’t pass up these opportunities to talk trash or let her opponents know that she was schooling them.

Maybe she got carried away, but in a tightly-contested conference game where she had to work hard and overcome, she was responding in the way a competitor does.

Reese expressed as much in a tweet after the game, saying “if it was a boy y’all wouldn’t be saying nun at all. Let’s normalize women showing passion for the game instead of it being ‘embarrassing’.”

Reese has a point here: in male athletics, passion is applauded even when it comes out in unsavory ways. Professional players like Ja Morant play with competitive fire that comes out frequently both on and off the court.

When Tom Brady tosses tablets on the sideline, we view it as a byproduct of his intensity–the same intensity that’s brought him seven

Super Bowls. You don’t see that success without a bit of attitude.

There’s certainly a line where emotion crosses over into being unsportsmanlike, and while that line is hard to define, it’s safe to say the line isn’t at finger wagging and head thrashing. In fact, when fans see referees stop the game to issue a penalty for something seemingly inconsequential like a taunt, they understandably get upset. It disrupts the flow of the game and, in rare cases, can even swing the outcome.

That feeling stems from perceived unfairness: why should referees have the right to officiate how much emotion is allowed, especially in an inherently emotional

the Pete Maravich Assembly Center at 6 p.m. It will be a white-out game for fans.

TARUN KAKARALA / The Reveille LSU women’s basketball sophomore forward Angel Reese (10) makes a layup on Jan. 19 during LSU’s 79-76 win against Arkansas in the Pete Maravich Assembly Center on N. Stadium Drive in Baton Rouge, La.

JASON WILLIS

@JasonWillis4

Column: Were the expectations in Adam Miller too high?

HENRY HUBER @HenryHuber_

Following LSU’s win over the Razorbacks in late December, sophomore guard Adam Miller posted a now-infamous tweet telling them to be prepared for their next matchup in Fayetteville, which he implied would be a sure win.

Arkansas fans were quick to call him out on it, both after a poor performance in the December win and a 20-point loss in the follow up, one that once again wasn’t helped by poor shooting from the presumed star.

At the time of the tweet, it didn’t look quite as bad as it does now. The excitement surrounding the guard was still palpable despite a five-game shooting slump, as fans weren’t too far removed from a promising first month of action from Miller.

Through his first eight games of the season, he averaged nearly 17 points per game and shot 47% from the field and 40% from threepoint range, solid splits which came under the impression he was still shaking off the rust from having not played all of last season. Those strong averages were partially thanks to LSU’s easy nonconference schedule, with Miller’s best performances of the season coming against Wofford, Akron and Arkansas State, but fans were optimistic that production would transfer to SEC play.

Those same fans weren’t aware that the cracks had already begun to show. In his only two performances against the Power 6 heading into conference play, he shot a combined 5 of 22 from the field and 3 of 14 from threepoint range. While it’s natural to struggle when adjusting to a higher level of play, to say Miller’s ad-

RALLY, from page 9

rowed their deficit down to 11 with just under 15 minutes remaining.

But again, after such a strong start to the period, the bottom of the net seemed foreign to Matt McMahon’s squad. It put up more points in the first five minutes and four seconds of the second half than it did in the entire first, only to follow it up by scoring two points within the next five-minute increment. By the time the game concluded, 37% of LSU’s scoring had come within that single rally, as it finished another tough-to-watch stinker with just 40 points and another double-digit loss.

While its upcoming stretch is slightly more forgiving than the previous one, the team’s tournament outlook isn’t looking amazing. Its upcoming matchup with Texas Tech is important, but it likely needs a win over No. 2 Alabama next weekend if it wants to have a chance to succeed come March.

justment period has been drawn out would be an understatement.

Through his now 12-game slump, he has shot 25% from the field, 28% from two-point range and 24% from three-point range. With each game, LSU’s excitement regarding the guard diminished, and concern and confusion began to take its place.

Now, Miller’s preseason expectations were all over the place. It was impossible to determine how he would bounce back from injury and adjust to a heightened role at LSU, on top of being one of the centerpieces of a completely new team with a lot of question marks. But on the high end, he was expected to at least compete with KJ Williams for LSU’s top scorer.

So, why were his expectations so high? And were those expectations warranted?

Miller came into his freshman season with Illinois as one of the best shooting guard prospects in the country and played a solid role on that Fighting Illini squad, one that ultimately won the Big 10 tournament and entered March Madness as a one seed. He finished the season as the team’s fifth highest scorer, putting up 8.3 points per game on 39% shooting from the field and 34% from three.

In a stacked backcourt featuring Ayo Dosunmu and Trent Frazier, coupled with a dominant big man in Kofi Cockburn, Miller still found a way to make a name for himself in the Big 10 and averaged the fourth most minutes on the team. He finished the season leading the Big 10 in three-pointers made, but there were a few negatives within his statistics that could be indicative of his struggles this season.

As you would expect from a freshman, his efficiency dropped when competition picked up, and it was inconsistent throughout the season. Apart from his first matchup with Ohio State, his best

games came against bottom-tier Big 10 teams in Nebraska, Northwestern and Minnesota, and he failed to crack 40% on field goals in 12 of Illinois’s 20 conference games in the regular season.

With him being a freshman and the Fighting Illini offense being as potent as it was, that inefficiency wasn’t detrimental to the team’s overall success and wasn’t a sign he’d be a bust. He still managed an impressive three-point percentage on 153 attempts and proved to be effective not only in catch-and-shoot situations but also off the dribble and driving to the basket.

He just hadn’t proven himself capable of taking over a game at the college level. There were multiple players on Illinois that played more critical roles than him. That’s one of the primary reasons he entered the transfer

portal in the first place.

Transitioning from the fourth best scorer on a team to one that’s expected to carry the offense is a tall task to say the least. And Miller had to do it after not playing competitively for over a year and a half.

Not only that, he also went from playing on one of the best offensive units in the nation two seasons ago to one of the worst. With a dominant force in the paint and one of the best point guards in the country distributing the ball, it was much easier for Miller to find open space on the floor and build confidence throughout a game.

Opposing defenses in the SEC know to watch out for Miller on the perimeter, and there isn’t much to keep them from keying on him, especially from behind the arc. KJ Williams and Cam

Hayes are the only two key contributors on the team shooting above 30% in the category besides Miller.

The point is, this shooting slump, as long as it has been, isn’t the end of the world and doesn’t prove Miller is incapable of becoming the star we expected him to be. It’s still concerning, being that he has rarely shown progress through the last 12 games and McMahon’s adjustments have done little to help him, but there’s still plenty of time for his trajectory to change.

He’s displayed flashes of what he can do, whether it be in full games like the one against Wofford or in spurts like the ones against Auburn, Arkansas and Texas A&M. He’s a sophomore and this season is far from over, so don’t label him as a bust just yet.

HEART, from page 10

sport? Most fans would prefer to let the game play out and stop taking passion out of the game.

For some reason, when it comes to Reese, the attitude shifts. People suddenly assume the same authority they criticize when used by referees. The same fans who love a good post-dunk staredown want Reese to be more reserved when she drops 30 and 10.

This attitude is an example of the sexism present in sports, with a double standard for how male and female athletes are perceived and what’s considered appropriate for them to do. The emotion Reese showed against Arkansas and has shown all season is commonplace at all levels of every sport, and it’s usually not regarded with as much criticism as it is with Reese and other female athletes.

For fans, the lesson may be to celebrate greatness regardless of gender–and let greatness celebrate itself. If you were as unstoppable as Angel Reese, you’d want to show off, too.

MATTHEW PERSCHALL / The Reveille

Sweat rolls down the cheek of LSU men’s basketball redshirt sophomore guard Adam Miller (44) on Jan. 21 during LSU’s 56-77 loss to Tennessee at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center in Baton Rouge, La.

MICHAEL WOODS / Associated Press

LSU guard Cam Hayes (1) tries to drive past Arkansas forward Jalen Graham (11) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Jan. 24 in Fayetteville, Ark.

The tragic death of Madison Brooks should not go unheard

could say to the family that would bring her back, and there are no words that could be said to take away that pain.

Your life is not guaranteed.

In this modern world, we’ve been blessed with lives that, on average in America, last almost 80 years.

Madison Brooks wasn’t so lucky.

All deaths are tragic. The depths of pain and grief experienced by each and every death are immeasurable, and each year, unfortunately, some of those deaths are by those taken before their time.

What makes the death of Brooks so horrid is not just the shortness of her life but the shockingly vile and evil way it was taken from her. Grief cannot even begin to describe what her family must feel.

There are no words you

What we are now left with are a few questions and reflections which are necessary in order for LSU to move forward from this incident.

Why have we allowed a culture that breeds crime, evil and debauchery to bear the name of our mascot and so close to our campus?

How many shootings, how many women sexually assaulted and how many dead pledges are necessary for the problem to be realized?

Tigerland has been a factory for much evil. We all know this, and we’ve known it for a long time.

Any long-time LSU student has heard the stories. Another sorority girl drugged. Another fight in the parking lot at Fred’s. Gunshots on Bob Pettit Boule -

vard.

The question is, how long can one sit back, so painfully aware of what needs to change before it’s changed?

The culture of LSU is vibrant, and our togetherness is unlike many universities in the nation. During tailgating season, tens of thousands of people flock to campus. We unite each year to enjoy our lives, short though some may be.

Why don’t we come together for good and address what we all know has been a stain on the legacy of this university?

Brooks should not have had to die for this truth to be realized, and the tragedy of her passing will serve as a testament to the inaction of LSU officials to address the budding criminal culture of Tigerland.

Those who prey on young women who have had too much to drink have found themselves a field of easy targets in the

many bars of Tigerland. This isn’t the first time something so shockingly vile and evil has happened, and to our collective grief, it will likely not be the last. But that does not mean we cannot do something about this.

A strong message was offered from President William Tate IV via an email on the subject spoke to this feeling.

“It is time for action. One place to target our attention is the very place where this encounter began,” Tate said.

Tigerland has long served as a place to relieve stress and to enjoy the togetherness of the student body. The primary product served in these places of business is one of indulgence, but when distributed by careless hands with a culture so brazen and irreverent of the safety of young women, it becomes a poison that leads to primal behavior which is often violent, destructive and horrific when left

unchecked.

These places leave it unchecked.

Those who serve individuals and see these events week after week show a callous disregard for the safety of their patrons and do a dishonor to the bartenders who wish to facilitate the relief of others by valuing that five additional dollars in profit over the lives of those they serve.

This problem of individual carelessness is more than just a problem of one individual; it’s a problem of the entire institution. Young girls should not live in fear for their life at LSU, and Brooks’s tragic death should not be in vain, which leaves us with one simple question.

What is LSU going to do about it?

Culture of rape in Tigerland, Baton Rouge needs to change

HEADLINE NAVIGATOR BRANDON POULTER @Brandopinione BESKE’S BUZZ KATE BESKE @KateBeske

Walking into Tigerland for the first time felt like a magical experience. The following few times I went made were much less enchanting. I soon realized how dangerous it was, as many young women at LSU have.

I have witnessed numerous women pull guys off of their wasted friends. I have been the friend pulling a guy off my wasted friend. Tigerland is a bad combination of drunk guys who think they are on top of the world and drunk, vulnerable women.

The discovery of what occurred prior to the death of Madison Brooks has revealed how dangerous this culture really is.

Four people were arrested; two facing third-degree rape charges and two booked as a principal to third-degree rape, according to WBRZ news.

Third-degree rape is defined in Louisiana as, “when the victim is incapable of resisting or of understanding the nature of the act by reason of a stupor or abnormal condition of mind produced by an intoxicating agent

EDITORIAL BOARD

Josh Archote Editor-in-Chief Managing Editor Hannah Michel Hanks

or any cause and the offender knew or should have known of the victim’s incapacity,” according to state law.

Arrest documents show that Brooks’ blood-alcohol level was .319 percent at the time, almost four times the legal driving limit for adults, according to WBRZ.

Brooks left Reggie’s, a bar in Tigerland, with the four men before her death.

This has called attention to the disgusting culture revolving around Tigerland. Reggie’s alcohol license has been suspended, according to WDSU.

It’s sad that an event like this has to take place before anyone notices how harmful the culture surrounding Tigerland and college bars truly is.

As a woman, I have felt uncomfortable or violated because of something a guy has said or done. I have had guys grab my waist because they believe my crop top is an invitation.

LSU President William Tate IV responded with an email sent to everyone Monday evening describing the action plan he wants to follow in the next few days and that more information will be shared in the upcoming days.

“What happened to her was evil, and our legal system will

parcel out justice,” Tate said.

This event sparks a conversation about the rape culture in Tigerland and college bars everywhere.

There needs to be more awareness of what is going on in Tigerland. People need to see how dangerous a place Tiger-

land can be for themselves or their friends.

This event was a horrifying story from Tigerland, but it’s just one of many. This is the reality of living as a woman, having to constantly worry about being raped.

Tigerland’s bars need to indi-

vidually take responsibility for keeping their crowds safe. The culture of Tigerland needs to change for the safety of everyone.

Kate Beske is a 19-year-old journalism sophomore from Destrehan.

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The Reveille (USPS 145-800) is written, edited and produced solely by students of Louisiana State University. The Reveille is an independent entity of the Office of Student Media within the Manship School of Mass Communication. Signed opinions are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of the editor, The Reveille or the university. Letters submitted for publication should be sent via e-mail to editor@lsu.edu or delivered to B-39 Hodges Hall. They must be 400 words or less. Letters must provide a contact phone number for verification purposes, which will not be printed. The Reveille reserves the right to edit letters and guest columns for space consideration while preserving the original intent. The Reveille also reserves the right to reject any letter without notification of the author. Writers must include their full names and phone numbers. The Reveille’s editor in chief, hired every semester by the LSU Student Media Board, has final authority on all editorial decisions.

John Dunne

“No man is an island.”

Brandon Poulter is a 27-year-old political science and psychology major from Baton Rouge.

MATTHEW PERSCHALL / The Reveille

Flowers and a cross sit on Jan. 25, near where Madison Brooks was struck by a vehicle on Burbank Drive in Baton Rouge, La.

Is Technology Helping or Destroying Us? The age of airpods

TAYLOR’S TALKS

TAYLOR HAMILTON @taylorhami04

Take a minute and look around you. You might notice some of your classmates, professors or complete strangers, and while they’re near you, they’re not with you. We are together but alone.

At the beginning of the pandemic, everyone was forced to isolate. To essentially hide in the shadows. To spend less time with loved ones and friends. It was an awful world to live in because people need to socialize to properly function.

“Socializing not only staves off feelings of loneliness, but also it helps sharpen memory and cognitive skills, increases your sense of happiness and well-being, and may even help you live longer,” said Vivien Williams, a writer at the Mayo Clinic News Network.

But despite a desperate need for communication among friends, family and even strangers, everyone was closed off and shut down. Which allowed people to put on their headphones and seamlessly stay in their own world. Even after shutdowns, this trend seeped onto campuses,

grocery stores and malls, perhaps making us even more closed off from others.

Almost everyone is guilty of wanting to listen to music while walking to class, in classes or at social gatherings. One does not go a day without seeing someone wearing headphones.

Technology is endlessly advancing and has allowed us to easily communicate with others through text messages, emails, social media and more. However, it also takes away the face-to-face interactions we would normally have with people daily.

“They’re not ignoring me, they just don’t hear me with their Airpods,” said Diane Egilitis, an associate professor of sociology and international affairs at George Washington University told Lauren Ofman and Zilana Lee. “It creates a little bit of an awkward situation when I’m speaking to them and they don’t even look at me.”

Egilitis always greets each student who enters her classroom. She also noted that she was shocked by the number of students who use electronic devices when entering a classroom and do not interact with her, according to The GW Hatchet.

The same can even apply to students walking around cam-

pus. One may hardly see open socializing unless it’s a group of friends. Otherwise, students may not even say hello to one another or thank someone for holding a door open for them.

Before the Pandemic, it seemed there was much less usage of headphones anywhere and everywhere. But now, it would probably be difficult to go five minutes without seeing someone using them. And perhaps it’s in direct response to the quarantine and finding comfort in the former isolation.

LSU mass communications sophomore Arwen Robinson mentioned how often she finds people wearing headphones, especially after winter break, due to Christmas gifts. She also noted new places where people have decided to use these electronic devices.

“Especially in grocery stores or public settings, I don’t think I’ve seen people use headphones more than I do now,” Robinson said. “And I’ve seen videos of people talking about it like, ‘yeah, I’ll just put my headphones in so I don’t have to talk to people.’”

In 2020, many people spent up to 10 hours a week alone. Meanwhile, the numbers representing the hours people spent with others were dropping, as

reported by the Washington Post. In 2021, the Post also found that people spent less than three hours with their closest friends, despite some states being more open during the pandemic.

This, of course, may lead to the conclusion that despite what may be going on in the outside world, people still choose to be alone. There’s nothing wrong with occasional solitude. Everyone needs time to recharge their social battery. Nevertheless, the patterns of not spending time with our close friends.

Whether the pandemic caused the isolation around college campuses and the world is still up in the air. We have to be able to communicate with other people through our jobs, families, love lives and so much more.

Unfortunately, reality hits, and sometimes we must step out of our bubbles, take our headphones off and live in the moment.

Taylor Hamilton is an 18-yearold mass communication freshman from Tallahassee, Florida.

REAGAN COTTEN / The Reveille

Students stroll down Free Speech Plaza on Sept. 21, on Tower Drive in Baton Rouge, La.