The Daily Texan 2022-02-11

DT VOLUME 122, ISSUE 48 FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2022

‘A love letter to the Austin Black Community’ “Black Austin Matters” podcast tells stories important to Black Austinites.

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Contents:

Nearing the end of the second week of in-person classes, the UT-Austin COVID-19 dashboard reported an estimated 373 active COVID-19 cases on campus as of Feb. 8, with a positivity rate of 2.44% among students, faculty and staff over the past seven days based on Proactive Community Testing.

At the end of January, the combined weekly positivity rate among students, faculty and staff was 5.4%.

A week before, the combined positivity rate was 7.5%, according to the dashboard.

“We did see a high number of asymptomatic testing on the Monday following (the winter storm last weekend),” said Terrance Hines, executive director and chief medical officer for University Health Services. “But the overall positivity

trends still continue to move in the right direction.”

Hines said UHS could not test students Thursday and Friday due to the weather. He also said UHS has seen an overall improvement in Universitywide and citywide cases in the past weeks.

“Probably the most important indicators on the city dashboard, which are hospitalizations, ICUs, ventilators — those numbers do tend to lag a bit behind the other numbers,” Hines said. “But fortunately, those are also going in the right direction.”

The University restarted in-person classes Jan. 31 after beginning the first two weeks of the semester virtually, which some students said caused anxiety for them. Social work senior Lilly Stoppa said she wishes she had a say in whether she could attend her classes virtually or not.

“I went from completely being virtual at home in Houston, not

going out at all, to here, being everywhere now,” Stoppa said. “And I felt like taking care of my health and well-being was kind of just out of my hands now. It was just up to chance now whether or not I was going to catch anything.”

Advertising senior Paige Gifford, whose underlying health conditions place them in a high-risk category, said they became worried about one of their classes when they discovered it would take place in a smaller lecture hall with no capacity for an empty seat between each student.

“It’s a lecture hall with 190 people in it,” Gifford said. “I’m sitting right next to people. Those people aren’t even wearing masks. And I have somewhat boosted immunity now because I am vaccinated, and I’ve had (COVID-19). So it’s not as big of a concern. But prior to getting (COVID-19), I was at very high risk for getting it in that situation.”

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LIFE&ARTS FEATURE

ZOE TZANIS

Life&Arts Editor | @TEXANARTS FRIDAY, FEBUARY 11, 2022

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By Black Austinites, for Black Austinites

copyright gabriel c. pérez, and reproduced with permission

“Black Austin Matters” hosts Richard Reddick (left) and Lisa B. Thompson (right).

By Kiernan McCormick & Reya Mosby

@ KiernanMcCormi4 @reyamosby

n most d a y s , Austin’s Congress Avenue appeared merely as any other long strip of dark asphalt. However, in June of 2020, the ordinary pavement transformed into a glimmering art piece adorned with large bright yellow letters spelling out “Black Austin Matters.”

Onlookers stood grouped along the sidewalks, taking in the work of many local Black Austin artists. One among the crowd, Richard Reddick said the scene sparked an incredible idea.

After seeing the mural in June of 2020, Reddick, UT’s associate dean for Equity, Community Engagement and Outreach, tweeted a call to action: “I think it’s good for us to talk about what being #BlackInATX is actually like.”

From there, Reddick and Lisa B. Thompson, professor of African and African Diaspora Studies, participated in a Twitter exchange which led to the creation of KUT and KUTX studios’ new podcast — “Black Austin Matters which premiered Jan. 5.

Released on the first Wednesday of every month,

“Black Austin Matters” highlights members of Austin’s Black community. Each episode discusses a wide range of topics, from deep-rooted lineage in Austin to police reform, with the moderation of co-hosts Reddick and Thompson. Designing the podcast to be by Black Austinites for Black Austinites, the two said they talk about issues that are important to them.

“We have opinions about everything, not just a Black thing that happened that is traumatic,” Thompson said.

“We are multidimensional people. If you’re hearing from your African American neighbors (about) who they are, you’ll understand their perspective on life, and that was important to me.”

Reddick said the variety of guests featured on “Black Austin Matters” allows them to break down stereotypes and honestly discuss what being Black in Austin feels like, in all of its complexity and variety.

“Black Austin is all the identities we talked about, and we intersect in so many different ways,” Reddick said.

“There are people who may not be terribly immersed in a certain part of town, or (have) a certain way of thinking or political leaning. If you’re Black, you’re a Black Austinite.”

Reddick said each guest brings a different perspective

of what it means to be Black in Austin, sharing negative experiences and criticizing Austin while also showcasing the love they have for their community.

“It’s interesting to hear how they come to understand their identity and their roots in this place,” Reddick said. “People might have critiques but generally have affection for this community.”

Additionally, Teresa Frontado, executive news editor of KUT, said the podcast was designed to serve and showcase Black Austinites, not be an explainer of Black culture in Central Texas for those outside of the Black community.

“If it has the additional benefit of resonating with other communities, then that’s great, but it’s meant to reflect the concerns and the lives of this community,” Frontado said.

Reddick said the podcast is ultimately a way to show love to the unique Black community in Austin.

“We’ve often called (the podcast) a love letter to the Austin Black community we’re a part of,” Reddick said.

“We (want to) look into the folks who are part of the everyday experiences because we’re complex people. We’re not always leading marches and passing laws. It’s an attempt to bring the full dimensionality of Black life in Austin to the forefront.”

Two UT professors created a podcast to show love to the Black community in Austin.

S A N I K A N AYA K

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Editor-In-Chief | @TEXANOPINION FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2022

COLUMN

OPINION

UT should provide N95 masks to all its employees Due to the current state of the pandemic, the University must supply all employees with N95 masks.

By Lucero Ponce Columnist

ith Austin in stage five of the COVID-19 pandemic, UT must take new measures to protect its students, faculty and staff. The University encourages wearing a mask indoors and is supplying surgical masks to all its employees who are working on campus.

However, UT only supplies N95 masks to employees in health care environments.

While this effort is a good start, it should change following the CDC’s new masking recommendations. UT should update the type of masks they supply and offer all employees N95 masks as they provide more protection than disposable masks.

The CDC recently updated their masking guidelines to say that N95s offer greater protection than surgical and cloth masks. UT followed the CDC’s guidance on lowering the isolation time, so they should also follow the new masking

LEGALESE | Opinions expressed in The Daily Texan are those of the editor, the Editorial Board or the writer of the article. They are not necessarily those of the UT administration, the Board of Regents or the Texas Student Media Board of Operating Trustees.

guidance. The University should not pick and choose which recommendations they follow.

In an emailed statement, Eliska Padilla, issues and communications manager for the University, explained why some employees receive N95s, while others receive surgical masks.

“National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health-approved N95 masks are made available to employees in higher-risk environments, specifically health care environments, for individuals providing medical care to patients during COVID,” Padilla said. “These entities already had procurement in place prior to COVID, for obtaining N95 masks, because they have always been used when providing care to patients.

Although it is reassuring that employees in health care environments are receiving the proper personal protective equipment, there is still more that needs to be done. All employees on campus deserve the best available protective equipment. To suggest that only individuals in a health care setting need N95s is not acceptable considering UT doesn’t know individual employees’

copyright meba wondwossen, and reproduced with permission

health situations.

Even the Biden administration is supplying Americans with N95s, no matter their occupation. Every employee is putting their health at risk when working on a campus with a population of over 50,000 students, so UT should supply all its employees with N95s, regardless of their position.

“I don’t have N95s currently … but (the University) definitely has the funds to provide N95 masks. So I would

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definitely appreciate and would take advantage if they did supply N95 masks,” Griffin Mosqueda, sociology sophomore and dining student assistant, said. “I think it would definitely be helpful for all the employees.”

It would benefit everyone if UT begins supplying N95 masks to staff and faculty.

“I mean, it’s not just the (employees),” Mosqueda said.

“It’s better for the customers as well. … I assume they would appreciate it if we kept it

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professional and safe.”

Instead of basing which employees receive higher quality masks based on their position, UT should supply all its employees with N95 masks or give all departments the option to specifically request N95 masks. It is the responsibility of the University, as an employer, to provide all employees the basic necessities required for protection during the pandemic.

Ponce is a journalism freshman from Laredo, Texas.

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LIFE&ARTS

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FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2022

STUDENT LIFE

Student-led clothing brand Grandioso designs with purpose

By Joe Freedman @joefreedman_

Sitting in his backyard on a bright spring day, Jorge Villa Rangel saw a vibrant monarch butterfly land on a bluebonnet. After spending days brainstorming ideas for the next release of his clothing brand, Grandioso, he finally found the inspiration he was looking for.

“My grandfather grew up in Morelia, a Mexican city that the monarch butterflies migrate through,” the psychology senior said. “As a Mexican-American living in Austin, I felt that the image of a butterfly on a bluebonnet not only represented my identity, but also looked amazing on a hat.”

“Grandioso,” a term that directly translates to “greatness” in English, is the perfect encapsulation of Rangel’s lofty ambitions for the clothing brand. Founded in January 2019, the company was the brainchild of three friends: UT-Austin students Villa Rangel and Aly Hirani and UT-Dallas student Kendall Kucera. Grandioso has released an all-new collection of hoodies, T-shirts and hats every season since its inception and collaborated on projects with creatives, such as local musical artist Yung Nugget. While incorporating new styles and designs with each iteration, Villa Rangel and Hirani maintain the roots of their vision, promoting the idea that every individual can achieve success.

“With our clothing, we hope to inspire self-expression within the UT population,” Hirani said. “Through

Grandioso, we have been able to give back to the community and encourage others to do the same.”

When it came time to release their “Bluebonnet” and “Bear Moon’’ embroidered hats in June 2020, the founders decided to donate all hat sales profits — more than $300 — to the Austin Justice Coalition, a non-profit supporting people of color in the Austin area.

Mechanical engineering junior Tayo Ezekoye said he appreciates the activism of the brand and gladly accepted an offer from Villa Rangel to model for Grandioso’s Fall 2020 Collection, which included a “Raise Your Voice” T-shirt inspired by the Black Lives Matter Movement. Grandioso dedicated the profits earned from the shirt to a variety of Austin charities working to fight injustice.

“Grandioso cares about the communities they’re a part of,” Ezekoye said. “It’s inspiring to see a young, minority-owned business, giving back to those who need it. It’s also cool they’ve given people like me a chance to be a face for their brand.”

While the brand chooses prioritizing donations and making an impact on the community over profit, mechanical engineering junior Aly Hirani said it doesn’t come without cost. Production of the brand’s clothing continues to be an expensive process, which has only become more arduous since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The cost of embroidery skyrocketed due to COVID,” said Hirani. “The same hoodie that we could get made before the pandemic for cheap, would be upwards of $120 to produce now.”

copyright jorge villa rangel, and reproduced with permission

Tayo Ezekoye poses for a photo in his Grandiosa brand T-shirt. Co-owner of Grandioso, Jorge Villa Rangel, creates clothes that promote the idea that every individual can achieve success.

The brand released their most recent collection in October 2021. While the newest fall hoodies appear sleek and simple, Villa Rangel and Hirani said it took months to settle on the perfect designs that would prove cost effective, sell well and please fans of the brand. The final result — a “Butterfly Embroidered” and a “Grandioso Flower” hoodie — do just that, offering visual appeal and high quality with a $50 price tag.

“At the end of the day, Grandioso isn’t about the money,” Villa Rangel said. “The excitement that our brand creates is incredible. Seeing people around campus wearing our clothes makes me crack a smile and know that it has all been worth it.”

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LIFE&ARTS

FEATURE

Student-produced Chinese drama ‘Butterfly Knot’ to incorporate traditional Chinese ideas, explore love, transformation

By Angela Lim @angelaiim

After seeing loved ones come and go in the fall semester, Katherine Zhang poured her emotions into her writing. Incorporating themes that felt like home, Zhang translated her ideas and feelings into the story for her pilot production, “Butterfly Knot.”

“I realized how fleeting life is, how you really need to make the most of everything and just appreciate the time you have,” said Zhang, an advertising, Chinese cultures and languages and Asian studies junior.

Collaborating with fellow students in the Texas Student Television Incubator Program, Zhang and her team continue to work on the production for “Butterfly Knot,” the first UTbased Chinese drama with a full Mandarin script. The first episode will air in May. In the dramatic rom-com, the protagonist navigates patriarchal expectations and various forms of love. He initially assumes a role similar to that of Yue Lao, a Chinese deity who pairs couples together as a matchmaker.

“In mainstream media, most of the love we’re exposed to is romantic, and we tend to overlook other types of love, like platonic and familial love,” Zhang said.

The drama’s title takes inspiration from “The Butterfly Dream” anecdote of the “Zhuangzi,” a classical Chinese text from the Warring States period. In it, Chinese philosopher Zhuang Zhou contemplates reality after dreaming he transformed into a butterfly. Professor Luke Waring, whose studies focus on early Chinese literature and cultural history, said the passage explores carefree, existential concepts that guide Daoist values. “(‘The Butterfly Dream’)

julius shieh

/ the daily texan staff

Students in the Texas Student Television Incubator Program meet to plan for “Butterfly Knot,” the first UT-based Chinese drama with a full Mandarin script.

The first episode will air in May 2022.

helps us understand the different kinds of transformations and identity shifts we all go through in our lives,” Waring said. “We as people are always shuttling between different roles, (and these) can be very difficult to navigate. … The ‘Zhuangzi’ helps (and) eases us into that process.”

“Butterfly Knot” also includes Daoist art styles and motifs, which center on the universe as a whole. In the drama, the protagonist falls into a river and is rescued by a spirit of love.

Waring said such natural symbolism commonly appears in Daoist texts.

“Water is supposed to be constantly flowing and in flux,” Waring said. “The Dao — ‘the way’ — is often described as dark water because it doesn’t transform or influence things by use of force. It goes around and subtly, softly changes.”

Rosie Khan, who took Waring’s Introduction to Classical Chinese class with Zhang last semester, said she spent time analyzing works from different dynasties and time periods. She said the foundational texts still apply today.

“It was so much fun learning classical Chinese through reading and translating these

passages,” said Khan, a Plan II honors, government, international relations and global studies, economics, and Chinese senior. “Picking up the old style grammar and seeing how it’s still used in contemporary Chinese and more formal settings has been really enlightening.”

From reading parts of Zhang’s script, Khan said “Butterfly Knot” conveys cultural aspects through an engaging storyline with witty dialogue.

“It’s a really entertaining plot,” Khan said. “It’s not just intricate and well-written, but it’s (also) so humorous.

… There’s many points in the script (that make) you burst out laughing.”

Sharing the extensive history of art and literature in her culture, Zhang said she wants the drama to provide an outlet for Asian creatives and encourage them to celebrate their own heritage. “(This project) is a love letter to those students who have felt like they haven’t belonged their entire life because they haven’t seen people like them get into creative spaces,” Zhang said. “I really hope this will empower people to occupy spaces they wouldn’t have before.”

NEWS

7

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2022

STATE

Beto O’Rourke discusses power grid, improving health care access at Texas Capitol rally

By Claire Stevens @clairestvns

Gubernatorial candidate Beto O’Rourke called for infrastructural improvements to Texas’ power grid at a rally near the Texas State Capitol on Wednesday evening.

O’Rourke honored with a candle lighting the 246 lives lost during Storm Uri in February 2021, a winter storm that caused much of the state to lose power due to the failed Electric Reliability Council of Texas power grid. The rally was part of a 12-day trip around Texas to discuss the impacts of the storm and O’Rourke’s plans to prevent similar situations ahead of early voting for primaries, which begins Monday.

“Even if the people in power cannot be trusted to deliver the power to the people of this state, let us make sure that the real power in Texas is always remembered as its people,” O’Rourke said.

O’Rourke and other local speakers recalled the crisis, sharing stories of lost water and power, first responders overwhelmed and people dying in their homes due to the freezing temperatures and power outages.

Zachary Krakauer Ganz, a communication and leadership sophomore, said he is a long-time O’Rourke fan and attended the event because improving the Texas power grid is an important issue to him after losing a family member in the winter storm.

“So many people my age really started getting involved in organizing because of his 2018 race,” Krakauer Ganz said.

“We really have remained loyal to his message and his vision. For Texas and for America.”

Brian Peña, the campus director for the student advocacy organization University Democrats, said improving the power grid should be an important issue for all voters to consider in the gubernatorial election.

“This is life and death,” said Peña, a business, government and Plan II freshman.

O’Rourke also highlighted other issues facing Texans, calling them “storms that never end.” He discussed under-addressed issues in Texas such as ending homelessness, promoting gender equity,

pandemic responsiveness and improved health care access.

Design freshman Avery Fox said she came to the event to hear how O’Rourke plans to improve the grid as she prepares to cast a ballot in her first gubernatorial election.

“My section of the neighborhood was able to keep our power on mostly, but I know a lot of friends and family that were displaced from their homes for days on end without any power, and that’s a very scary thing,” Fox said. “I want to know what he … says he can do for our infrastructure.”

Beto ended the event with a call to action for Austinites in the upcoming elections.

“This challenge is ours to overcome, these elections and these victories are ours to win, and together we will do it,” O’Rourke said.

B E YO N D T H E

F RAM E

Featuring the best from the photo department.

leila saidane

| daily texan staff

Rally attendees hold a lit candle during the candle lighting at the Beto O’Rourke rally on Feb. 9, 2022. Attendees held candles in honor of the 246 lives lost during Storm Uri in Feb. 2021.

kara hawley

/ the daily texan staff

Beto O’Rourke speaks at his rally at the Texas AFL-CIO parking lot. He held a rally addressing the winter storm of 2021 and called for infrastructural improvements to Texas’ power grid.

8

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2022

NEWS

RESEARCH

UT fossil study challenges theory about ‘The Great Dying’

By Katy Nelson @KatyNel86

A study by UT researchers challenges a traditional theory that an ocean acidification event known as “The Great Dying” killed most animals living underwater.

The research team studied a collection of fossil shells and determined ocean acidification may not have caused the extinction of marine animals.

“The Great Dying,” also known as the Permian Extinction, occurred 250 million years ago and is considered the greatest mass extinction event in the last 500 million years, resulting in the death of “96% of all marine species and up to 70% of terrestrial vertebrates,” according to World Atlas. Conventional theories suggest ocean acidification — increased carbon dioxide levels lowering the pH of the ocean and making the water more acidic — was the cause of “The Great Dying.”

However, researcher William Foster said the team found that the acidification levels did not kill the marine animals. Instead, volcanic eruptions wiped out a large amount of marine life at the time, according to researcher Rowan Martindale.

“One of the questions we want to know today, that’s in the news all the time, is, ‘How is a new climate crisis going to play out in our lives?’” said Foster, a former postdoctoral fellow at the

University. “One way we can answer that question is to look at the past.”

Foster, who is now an Emmy Noether research group leader at the University of Hamburg, said the researchers believe ocean acidification happened during a different time period, possibly during the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum.

“We need to think of new ways to investigate this question,” Foster said.

“We’re so convinced that their computer models are right that ocean acidification must have happened in the past at some point.”

Martindale said it is important to question long-standing beliefs as a scientist.

“That’s how we do science,” Martindale said. “It’s how we understand the past Earth better as we propose a hypothesis. And then, … we see if we can refute it, we see if we can support it.”

Foster said he hopes that with their research bringing attention to ocean acidification, other scientists will consider the rising temperatures in oceans today.

“Quite often you hear scientists say, ‘It doesn’t matter how bad things get today, it will never be as bad as the Permian,’” Foster said. “But if our data is showing that what’s happening today is happening much more rapid(ly) and could be as catastrophic as the Permian, … we need to start taking that seriously.”

raquel higine

/ the daily texan staff

SPORTS

HANNAH WILLIFORD

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Sports Editor | @TEXANSPORTS FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2022

FOOTBALL

texas adds new recruit The Longhorns have No.5-ranked recruiting class after National Signing Day.

By Hannah Williford @howdy_itshannah

exas football added a single player to its list of 28 new recruits on Feb. 2, the final signing day of the 2021-22 cycle. This decision leaves the Longhorns with the No. 5 recruiting class in the nation.

The class holds seven offensive linemen, including five-star offensive tackle Devon Campbell, the sole signing day commitment, and Kelvin Banks, who signed on Dec. 15. During the 2021 season, the offensive line revealed itself as a downfall for a Texas offense that relied heavily on running back Bijan Robinson.

With the Longhorns signing just two linemen in the 2021 recruiting class left behind by former head coach Tom Herman, current head coach Steve Sarkisian said putting the soon-to-be freshmen on the field next season would not be out of the question.

“The offensive line position is probably one of the more challenging positions to play early at,” Sarkisian said. “Whoever they are (that get playing time), they’ll earn it. But we’re not closing the door on that. We’re going to give these guys every opportunity to compete, and

compete at a high level.”

Texas also beefed up its receiving corps during the recruitment cycle, which had been hampered by departees and injuries — redshirt sophomore Jordan Whittington’s clavicle injury in early October forced true freshman Xavier Worthy to carry the load for much of the 2021 season. The Longhorns welcomed transfer Isaiah Neyor in January, who previously played for Wyoming. The junior wide receiver provides another offensive threat for Texas, with 44 receptions averaging 20 yards last season for the Cowboys.

Tight end Jahleel Billingsley, who officially transferred to Texas from Alabama on Jan. 19, could also be a key piece in diversifying Sarkisian’s offense. The junior had 17 receptions averaging 15.1 yards in his 2021 season with three touchdowns. Sarkisian hopes the additions will create a difficult offense to defend.

“We’re getting ourselves some balance here in where we want to go offensively, where you can’t just hone in on one or two guys,” Sarkisian said. “Hopefully, if you try to hone in on one or two guys, we have the weapons at the other spots that can really hurt you and create explosive plays.”

Texas also nabbed quarterback Quinn Ewers in the transfer portal from

Ohio State. While the freshman went on the field for just two plays for the Buckeyes, buried on the depth chart behind C.J. Stroud, he was the top ranked quarterback in the 2022 class before reclassifying to join Ohio State a year early. Ewers will compete for the quarterback position in his home state against Hudson Card. Sarkisian said Ewers is settling into his new home well.

“I think being in the dorm, being one of the guys again and being at a place that I think, in his heart, he kind of always wanted to be at, I think he’s in a really good place,” Sarkisian said.

While signing day wrapped up the majority of recruiting for Texas, a few spots remain available on the roster to reach the estimated 35 newcomers that he predicted for the offseason. Sarkisian said he would like to fill them with an additional safety, inside linebacker or wide receiver, but didn’t seem rushed to do so.

“There are spots there that we could fill if the right person presents himself,” Sarkisian said. “But I’m not just going to take a guy to fill the number, I want to make sure that player can come in here, and potentially have the ability to contribute to the team where we want to go.”

blaine young

/ the daily texan file

Steve Sarkisian, UT football head coach, talks into his headset during a game Oct 2. 2021. Sarkisian will head into the remainder of the offseason with a top-five recruiting class.

The New York Times Syndication Sales Corporation 620 Eighth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10018 For Information Call: 1-800-972-3550 For Release Wednesday, February 16, 2022

Crossword ACROSS 1 End of a dorm name, usually 5 Old-fashioned “Jeez!”

10 Huggers 14 Cause for an aha 15 On the up and up 16 One of more than 30,000 in Scotland 17 “A Fish Called Wanda” co-star [7,9] 19 Tapered hairstyle 20 Say “I dunno,” say 21 Wolf (down) 23 Female whitetail, e.g.

24 Last ___ (final option) 26 A total blast [8,1] 28 On one side of an outfield pole 30 Sister brand of Crest

31 Pre-weekend outburst 34 Biting remark 37 Ends of mazes 39 “Whew!”

40 Purple Heart honoree, maybe [4,0] 42 Giant in camping gear 43 Reply to “Nuh-uh!”

45 Fully cooked 46 Musician’s break 47 Pulse painfully 49 Galifianakis of “Birdman” 51 Eschew scuba gear, say [3,5] 54 Downside of starting a new career path, perhaps 58 Sluglike secretary in “Monsters, Inc.” 59 Sulky states 61 Sandwich eaten next to a fire

ANSWER TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE P R O T G E N E A M E R N P B J E R O D T O R I E N D S Z A H M E N U M P F E E A D E L S A L E A L E X

O R I O L E

N I C E I D E A

S C A L E

D N N A O N S D A T R E R A A M N A D

S O F I A

T U E S D A I F Y N U S D D I G H A S E A I S R C I L E E

A T R I A L

I T T E A M S

V I N G C R O P R E R A S C A M G O R E R U E S A N Y A N T O R U M Y A O S L R R T O O E A N S P R E E

62 Nano or Touch 64 Some postermaking supplies [2,6] 66 ___ melt 67 Respected person in a tribe 68 Caroler’s tune 69 Conform to 70 Landowners’ documents 71 Posh shindig

Edited by Will Shortz 1

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DOWN 1 One often seen wearing boots with shorts 2 Singer with the album “30” 3 ___ Stadium a.k.a. “Field of Jeans” 4 Idled, as workers 5 Animal facing a moose on Michigan’s flag 6 Comes together nicely 7 Anti-___ cream 8 Currency of Iraq 9 System that might include a turntable 10 TV E.T. 11 Impromptu signal to slow down 12 Two-patty burgers introduced in 1997 13 Matte’s lack 18 Ruler during the Great Fire of Rome 22 FX series set in the Great Plains

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No. 0112

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50 54

60 64

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61 65

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PUZZLE BY ADAM AARONSON

25 Brass instrument with the largest mouthpiece 27 East Asian doctrine 29 Nonkosher cooking fat 31 “Spare me the gory details” 32 Venue for meals with microbrews 33 Acutely focused and attuned 35 Greek “P” 36 German automaker Karl

38 Stand no more, say 40 Tiger on the green 41 Glean 44 Contents of a vein 46 Like 17-, 26-, 40-, 51- and 64-Across, with respect to the numbers in their clues 48 Oversaw?

50 Playbill heading 51 ___-Lay

52 Common city name ending

53 Exercise that works the fingers 55 Hot ___

56 Nerdy “Family Matters” boy 57 Cybertruck maker

60 March Madness datum

63 Word after field or before dreams 65 “For reals,” in texts

Online subscriptions: Today’s puzzle and more than 7,000 past puzzles, nytimes.com/crosswords ($39.95 a year).

Read about and comment on each puzzle: nytimes.com/wordplay.

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FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2022

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B E YO N D T H E

MEN’S BASKETBALL

SPORTS

Featuring the best from the photo department.

Texas to play No. 10 Baylor in Waco Feb. 12

madison morris

| daily texan staff

Texas guard Rori Harmon dribbles past guard Sarah Andrews. Texas women’s basketball played Baylor at the Frank Erwin Center on Feb. 6.

in scoring for Baylor with two 27-point games and he leads his team with 5.6 assists and 2.2 steals per game.

julius shieh

/ the daily texan staff

Timmy Allen stops to pass the ball during a game against Iowa State. Texas won 63-41 on February 5, 2022.

By Nick Pannes @nickpannes

No. 20 Texas prepares to face No. 10 Baylor for the first time this season Feb. 12 in Waco. Here’s a preview of everything you need to know.

What are the stakes?

Despite beating No. 8 Kansas on Monday, Texas didn’t shake up the standings in the Big 12.

Kansas still holds the No. 1 spot, while the Longhorns remain in fourth place. However, the margins are thinner.

If Texas beats Baylor, the Longhorns will rise to the third spot in the Big 12.

Texas Tech also has a conference game against TCU on Feb. 12. If Texas beats Baylor and the Red Raiders lose, Texas will move to the second spot in the conference.

This game has major implications beyond the Big 12. A victory against Baylor would give Texas a 4–1 record against ranked teams over its last five games. With seven games left in the season, a strong finish could earn Texas a high seed in the 2022 NCAA Tournament.

What’s the news?

This matchup will be the first meeting between Baylor and Texas in the 2021-22 season. Baylor has won nine of the last 10

matchups and hasn’t lost at home to Texas since Feb. 1, 2016.

Currently, Baylor is still without their top scorer, sophomore guard LJ Cryer. Cryer has missed the last four games due to injury. Cryer was ruled as a game-time decision against Kansas State on Feb. 9 and did not play. Right now, his status for Saturday’s game is still unclear.

Cryer has been a staple of his team’s offense, recording 13.9 points per game off the back of 46.7% shooting from three.

Even without Cryer, Baylor still has a wealth of offensive talent.

Junior guard Adam Flager has averaged 14.5 points per game in conference play. Senior guard James Akinjo posted season highs

Seeing double? You’re not wrong Baylor head coach Scott Drew is one of the longest-tenured coaches in NCAA Division I men’s basketball. His 19 years in Waco tie him with Kansas head coach Bill Self for the longest active stint at the helm of a Big 12 basketball team.

Historically, Drew’s offense has defined his career at Baylor. After leading the Bears to their fifth NCAA tournament appearance in the 2007-08 season, Drew’s teams have averaged the 22nd best offense in the league for the last 15 years, according to college basketball statistics service Bart Torvik.

In that same period, Baylor routinely struggled to break into the top 70 defenses. That changed after Texas head coach Chris Beard led Texas Tech to the NCAA finals in 2019 on the back of the best defense in the country.

Beard runs what’s called a

“no-middle” or “fan” defense, a style that forces the ball toward the baseline and sidelines, leading the opposing team away from the middle of the court. After seeing Beard’s success in the 20182019 season, Drew adopted the no-middle defense.

“Obviously Baylor took (the no-middle defense) from Texas Tech,” Gonzaga head coach Mark Few said. “Then they brought high-level athletes to it, especially around the rim.”

Baylor has posted a top-25 defense every season since 2019.

Last season, Baylor’s defense was instrumental in defeating the Gonzaga Bulldogs in an 86-70 upset. By most metrics, Gonzaga had the best offense in the country.

Beard quickly implemented the no-middle defense in his first season at Texas. The Longhorns currently lead the NCAA in scoring defense, allowing just 55.8 points per game. Saturday’s matchup in Waco will likely come down to which team can execute their iteration of Beard’s own defense the best.

COMICS

B A R B R A D A LY

Comics Editor | @TEXANCOMICS FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2022

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