032609

DREAMWORKS INVASION

BRING’EM OUT

Comcast drew best attendance for women’s NCAA Tournament

Monsters vs. Aliens serves as a worthwhile venture into 3-D

SPORTS | PAGE 8

DIVERSIONS | PAGE 6

THE DIAMONDBACK THURSDAY, MARCH 26, 2009

99TH YEAR | ISSUE NO. 112

THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND’S INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER

Ludacris to headline Art Attack Students Grammy-winning rapper tops May 1 concert; mtvU dropped as cosponsor

BY NICK RHODES Staff writer

Chalk messages scrawled across campus walkways claiming the 26th annual SEE-sponsored Art Attack will be “ludacris” should be taken literally.

Grammy Award-winning rapper and actor Christopher “Ludacris”

Bridges will headline the May 1 concert, which for the second year in a row will cost students $5, the group announced yesterday. Nonstudent admission has doubled to $20, an amount Student Entertainment Events Concerts Director Jessie Thompson said is still very reasonable.

“Usually these tickets might run

you $40 [or] $50,” the senior marketing major said.

Tickets for Art Attack go on sale March 30 at the Hoff Theater Box Office in the Stamp Student Union.

Thompson said the campus entertainment group has parted ways with mtvU as a cosponsor in

ART ATTACK INFO Headliner: Ludacris Date: May 1 Time: 6 p.m.

Location: Byrd Stadium Cost: $5 per student $20 per non-student

Please See LUDACRIS, Page 2

coordinate walkout for BSOS funds

SGA: College has too many students, lacks sufficient budget

ANNAPOLIS 2009

Legislation to eliminate tax on textbooks hasn’t moved

BY DERBY COX Staff writer

Student leaders voiced support last night for a walkout to address what they see as funding inequalities between the College of Behavioral and Social Sciences and other colleges at the university.

BSOS majors contribute almost $60 million in tuition to the university, yet the college operates on a $34 million budget, according to Student Government Association Speaker of the Legislature Matt Lyons, who organized the walkout. Classes within the college have an average class size of 67 students compared to the university average of 37 students, Lyons said.

Students feel the funding disparity and the larger class sizes are detrimental to their

Separate bill appears stalled in House, but officials still optimistic

Please See BSOS, Page 3 Author Drew Hayden Taylor speaks yesterday about Native American humor and sexuality after traveling the world and studying the topic for more than 20 years. VINCE SALAMONE/THE DIAMONDBACK

BY ALLISON STICE

A heritage of humor

Senior staff writer

ANNAPOLIS – While one textbook bill appears stalled in a committee, separate legislation — aimed at eliminating the sales tax on college textbooks — hasn’t budged since it was introduced last month.

The first, the Textbook Competition and Affordability Act, has already passed the state Senate, but the committee working on it in the House of Delegates has yet to act. The second, a Republican proposal to cut the sales tax for textbooks, has virtually no chance of passing; it would decrease revenue for the state just as the General Assembly is trying to close a massive budget gap, and has few supporters.

The Textbook Competition and Affordability bill has bipartisan support — several Republicans are co-sponsors of the act — and addresses what most say is the fundamental problem with the textbook market: a lack of competition. It is highly likely to pass this year, said university lobbyist Ross Stern.

But despite its popularity, the bill is currently stalled in the House of Delegates. The Appropriations committee assigned to consider the legislation is currently consumed by

rew Hayden Taylor likes to point out that he doesn’t fit the traditional Native American stereotypes.

“I have red and white blood, so technically I’m pink,” he said.

An award-winning author, columnist, filmmaker, lecturer and playwright, Taylor spoke at the Nyumburu Cultural Center yesterday evening, sponsored by the American Indian Student Union. More than 70 students listened as Taylor

Please See TEXTBOOKS, Page 3

Please See TAYLOR, Page 3

Native American culture full of laughs, author says

BY RACHEL ROUBEIN For The Diamondback

D

SGA Speaker of the Legislature and BSOS Academic Legislator Matthew Lyons asks the SGA for support of a BSOS walkout yesterday.

JAMES B. HALE/THE DIAMONDBACK

Third major focusing on University officials outline plan to cut emissions environment Final Climate Action Plan will proposed be released next month, push Junior government and politics major Jeremiah Grant and friend Chelsea Fish laugh as Drew Taylor talks about Native American sexuality.

VINCE SALAMONE/THE DIAMONDBACK

for energy, waste reduction

BY RICH ABDILL Staff writer

The university outlined a sweeping plan to reduce its carbon emissions to zero by 2050 yesterday.

The final draft of the Climate Action Plan will be revealed late next month, but an early version described to about 30 students and faculty at a town hall meeting about the plan called for drastic reductions in solid waste and dramatic changes to university policy starting as soon as this summer.

“We need a paradigm shift, a fundamental change in how we think about how the campus runs,” said Heather Lair, a project manager in the university’s office of sustainability.

The plan outlines for change across all campus systems, calling for expanded composting efforts, more bus routes and facilities upgrades.

The architecture school is proposing a major program focusing on the social side of the environment.

The environmental design and planning major, the second environmental studies major proposed in the last few years, will add a humanities perspective to the environment, helping students understand how environmental policy is made. The program would incorporate elements of urban planning, real estate and historic preservation.

“There are job opportunities and work to be

Please See CLIMATE, Page 3

Please See MAJOR, Page 2

Matthias Ruth, founding director of the Center for Integrative Environmental Research, speaks about energy usage on the campus in Tydings Hall yesterday. JAMES B. HALE/THE DIAMONDBACK

TOMORROW’S WEATHER:

Partly Cloudy/60s

INDEX

Officials: Program would emphasize human role in green conservation

NEWS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 OPINION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4

FEATURES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 CLASSIFIED . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6

BY TIRZA AUSTIN Staff writer

DIVERSIONS . . . . . . . . . . . .6 SPORTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8

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THURSDAY, MARCH 26, 2009 | NEWS | THE DIAMONDBACK

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AMERICAN CONVERSATIONS

ARYLAND

OVERHEARD

Moderated by Allen Weinstein, a discussion about the challenges of leading a major university, 5:30 p.m., Samuel Riggs IV Alumni Center: Orem Hall

Q+A

ETHICS & A MOVIE: FOOD FOR THOUGHT AND DISCUSSION A screening of the movie Shattered Glass followed by a panel discussion on ethics, 6 p.m., Stamp Student Union: Charles Carroll Room

BEST of the BLOGS

SCENE + HEARD

SEE hopes ‘big name’ will improve turnout

KARAOKE THE NIGHT AWAY

LUDACRIS, from Page 1

Last night was the first annual Karaoke Night at the South Campus Dining Hall. Sophomore letters and sciences major James Sensor kicks off the event with “Crazy Little Thing Called Love” by Queen. See the full story at DIAMONDBACKONLINE.COM. JACLYN BOROWSKI/THE DIAMONDBACK

Architecture to sponsor new major MAJOR, from Page 1 done to change and protect the environment,” said Andrew Baldwin, the department of environmental science and technology’s director of undergraduate programs. “It fills a need. A lot of students are interested in it.”

The architecture school is waiting for the provost to look over the plan for the major, said Garth Rockcastle, the dean of the architecture school.

Once approved by the provost, the proposal will be reviewed the Academic Planning Advisory Committee on April 13. It then has to be approved by the University Senate.

Rockcastle said the major could be available within the next two years if all goes well, and if approved, the program would allow students to

complete an extra year of study to earn a master’s degree.

The new major will complete a “triad” of environmental majors, Rockcastle added. The other two majors are environmental science and technology and environmental science and policy. Environmental science and technology has 80 students enrolled since it began last fall, while environmental science and policy is an interdisciplinary program that has 300 undergraduate students enrolled.

About 500 alumni of the environmental science and policy program have become faculty members, lawyers, environmental scientists, Peace Corps members and non-profit workers since the first major was started about a decade ago, said Wendy Whittemore, the associate

director of environmental science and policy.

Baldwin said he has noticed an increasing amount of specialization within the environmental programs. The new major will offer students more options. “[More concentration] allows students to relate more closely to their particular area of interest,” Baldwin said. “Students want to see themselves in a certain career.”

He said students tend to relate more to their concentration than their major, yet all students are expected to engage in a variety of classes to get a complete perspective of the environment.

“Students of ours become scientists who understand the importance of communicating to policy people,” Whittemore said.

She said different disciplines and perspectives enrich how students view the environment.

“The content of a major is less important than the way someone analyzes the problem,” Whittemore said. She added that environmental science and policy department is different from the environmental science and technology department because of its approach to problem-solving: The former focuses on government regulation, the latter on technological innovation.

Baldwin said he wasn’t worried about any of the three programs overlapping because environmental studies has a broad range of concentrations.

“No one group has a monopoly on the environment,” Baldwin said. taustindbk@gmail.com

“Number One Spot,” and Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 songs “Stand Up” and order to ensure they would control the “Money Maker.”

Also playing Art Attack will be the event entirely. Last year, Art Attack was part of mtvU’s Campus Invasion self-described “powerpop,” new wave Tour, leaving students on the fence band known as The Dance Party, about whether or not to attend. SEE of- which Thompson said was added in ficials had no choice over which acts to order to diversify the bill.

“They have a pretty big following in bring and students were charged for the first time ever. MtvU also changed D.C.,” she said.

SEE officials anticipate adding anits agreement with the group and its financial model in the middle of the other act of a differing genre within a week, but nothing is finalized yet and tour. organizers are tight-lipped “We got a lot of criticism about who it might be. last year,” Thompson said.

Students seem general“We wanted to go back to ly enthusiastic about the what we’ve always done.” concert, a stark contrast Thompson said this from last year’s uproar year’s sponsors — Pepsi over a repeat act. Wyclef and Verizon Wireless — performed for Art Attack will not have any influence XIX in 2002 and students over the event or its organdid not have to pay for a ization. The concert will ticket. take place at Byrd StadiJunior economics major um; doors open at 5:30 Chris Waldt said he was p.m. and the show starts at excited about SEE landing 6 p.m. Daytime events, insuch a high-profile act. cluding student perform“Five dollars is like ances, inflatable rides and nothing,” he said. “I’m vendors, will take place happy Ludacris is comfrom 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on ing.”

McKeldin Mall.

Sophomore journalism “This year I decided to and government and poligo with a huge opener who JESSIE tics major Melissa Quijada I knew would have a huge THOMPSON lauded SEE for getting an draw,” Thompson said. “I SEE CONCERTS DIRECTOR artist that a wide range of know I grew up listening to him. He’s still bringing out hits students will enjoy.

“Ludacris is more commercial, actoday. I think a lot of people enjoy his music even if they’re not hip-hop fans.” cessible,” she said. “If you ask a ranThompson anticipates attendance to dom person, more people know Lube greater than the estimated 4,300 dacris.”

But not everyone was looking forpeople who reportedly showed up last year for Wyclef Jean, Simple Plan, The ward to the rapper’s upcoming perBravery, Cobra Starship and The Spill formance. Freshman letters and sciCanvas. She said she has heard much ences major Anwar Ogunsanya said SEE should focus on getting smaller excitement from students already. “[A big name act] really is what ap- acts who send a more positive message peals to college students,” she said. to their audience.

“What does he represent?” she “Students are more likely to take the time to come out to a show if they know asked. “I don’t like Ludacris. I think we should get someone that will engage who it is.”

Ludacris, who starred in Oscar-win- the audience.” ning Crash in 2005, is known for songs such as “Rollout (My Business),” rhodesdbk@gmail.com

“[A big name act] really is what appeals to college students. ...

Students are more likely to come out to a show if they know who it is.”

THURSDAY, MARCH 26, 2009| NEWS | THE DIAMONDBACK

3

Delegate: ‘By God, let us pass this bill’ TEXTBOOK, from Page 1 negotiations over the state budget and has only held one hearing on the bill.

Last year, a textbook bill failed on the last day of the legislative session after the House and Senate couldn’t reconcile their two different versions.

Del. Craig Rice (D-Montgomery), a lead sponsor of the act, worries the same thing could happen this year. Rice fears if amendments are made to the House version of the bill — suggested changes by publishers, for example — could halt negotiations.

“Some amendments being tossed around go against the true spirit of the bill,” he said.

This measure doesn’t cost the state a penny, encourages used books and would require both universities and publishers to post textbook information online so students could shop around. The bill has passed the senate and has more than 30 co-sponsors in the House.

In contrast, a hearing yesterday on the proposal to eliminate the sales tax made it clear that it isn’t likely to see a floor vote.

Del. Mary Walkup (R-Eastern Shore) presented the sales-tax proposal to the House Ways and Means committee. The revenue the state would lose is only a small portion of the state’s budget, she said.

“This exemption is certainly needed, particularly now,” she said. “I know that times are hard and we’re all worried, but it goes both ways.”

Proponents of the idea say it will die because the legislature doesn’t want to cut a source of revenue, especially in this economic climate.

Eliminating the sales tax on textbooks would cost the state about $15 million the first year and in-

crease every year afterward.

But opponents of the bill — many of whom support the competition and affordability act — said the bill fails to address the key reasons textbook prices are so high.

“Cutting the sales tax is a kneejerk reaction,” Rice said. “We have crafted a very carefully negotiated bill that gets to the heart of why prices are so high.”

Rice said the lack of competition is what increases prices up uncontrollably. And because of that core problem, publishers would probably raise prices even more if they were exempted from the sales tax, he said. Ultimately, he pointed out, a 6 percent savings wouldn’t be enough to buy another textbook.

But university officials may prefer eliminating the sales tax. University system lobbyist P.J. Hogan proposed cutting it last month.

“We’ve said continuously over the years that one of the quickest and easiest ways to reduce textbook prices is by exempting them from the sales tax,” Hogan said.

As for the other bill, Hogan and other university officials have repeatedly testified against it, arguing that it would place unfunded administrative burdens on institutions and hinder faculty freedom in choosing course materials.

A Maryland Higher Education Commission survey shows that college students spent an average of $905 on textbooks in the 20052006 school year.

“It’s really unfortunate to squander this opportunity to help our students,” Rice said. “The university system budget cuts mean they might not even be able to hold down tuition. If we can’t hold down tuition then, by God, let us pass this bill.” sticedbk@gmail.com

Many gathered in the Nymburu Cultural Center yesterday to have a night of laughing and learning about Native American humor and sexuality. VINCE SALAMONE/THE DIAMONDBACK

Students appreciate Native American viewpoint TAYLOR, from Page 1 spoke of the invention of Native American comedy and how it has captured the good-natured spirit of the people.

Taylor was born in raised in Curve Lake First Nations in Central Ontario. He has spent most of his life “exploring, celebrating and writing Native humor.”

Taylor compiled and edited the books Me Funny and Me Sexy. Both examine humor and sexuality in Native American culture through a collection of essays from various writers. As a playwright, his work Only Drunks and Children Tell the Truth won the Dora Mavor Moore Award for outstanding

Univ. aims for drastic drop in solid waste CLIMATE, from Page 1 Overall, the plan’s more than 40 “mitigation strategies” concentrate on problems in energy, transportation and waste.

University President Dan Mote signed the American Colleges and University Presidents Climate Commitment in summer 2007, requiring the university to develop a plan to become carbon neutral as soon as possible. Later that year, a group of about 55 administrators, faculty, and students began working on the plan.

The first step in the process was an inventory of the greenhouse gasses produced by the university.

A study spearheaded by the university’s Center for Integrative Environmental Research found the university generates about 350,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide per year, a number planners hope to cut in half by 2020 and reduce to zero by 2050.

The largest portion of the waste — 29 percent — comes from electricity purchased by the university.

The plan mandates that new construction on the campus be carbon neutral and calls for the university to begin purchasing low-carbon electricity and begin retrofitting buildings with more efficient equipment.

Improvements to existing buildings would be done in rounds of about 10 facilities at a time, with the first round calling for $20 million in upgrades to nine science buildings, which use most of the

campus’ power, according to Lair.

The Office of Sustainability would also facilitate discussion between the monitors of campus energy use and individual schools to help them create individual plans for reducing energy use — many students were surprised, for example, when they were told Van Munching Hall uses $34,000 in electricity every month, Lair said.

Sustainability education would also contribute to energy reduction efforts, with $250,000 in proposed scholarships and fellowships for undergraduates, graduate students and faculty to encourage environmental research.

Fifteen percent — more than 52,000 tons — of the carbon comes from student commuters, according to Matthias Ruth, founding director of CIER and chair of the Climate Action Plan Work Group. He outlined plans to expand Shuttle-UM routes, cut 2,250 parking permits by 2015 and increase carpooling efforts, measures expected to reduce carbon dioxide by 4,700 tons.

Solid waste, accounting for two percent of overall emissions, receives some of the most drastic action: planners call for solid waste to be cut by 75 percent by 2013, a program expected to save the university $307,000 annually.

Ruth also pointed out that 9 percent of carbon dioxide was a result of faculty and staff air travel, a number, he said, that would have to be trimmed.

“About 9 percent of our emissions come from us flying all over creation talking about climate change,” he said.

The plan also calls for policy changes on many levels, starting with simply educating students and staff about how they can be more conservative in their day-to-day energy usage. The process, Lair said, was not as easy as simply putting up fliers near light switches.

The changes stretch up to the state level and the system through which the university’s energy budget is determined: Under the current structure, Lair said, reducing the amount of energy used means getting less money the following fiscal year.

This provides little incentive for institutions to upgrade to more efficient energy systems, Lair said, because energy money goes away immediately after the university would implement a costly energy upgrade. The plan calls for energy budgets to stay static, allowing the university to pay for their upgrades with money saved on paying for energy.

Ruth emphasized a graph of projected carbon emissions, a sharply downward-sloping line hitting zero in 2050.

“We need to bend this curve downward,” he said, “and keep coming up with new ways to bend it.” abdilldbk@gmail.com

new play in 1997.

As a speaker who has traveled the country, he’s observed that his brand of humor is universal.

He compares cultural and Native humor to chicken.

“It is the spices cooked with that make it special,” Hayden said.

Originally, the dominant culture had painted a picture of the history of Native Americans as “dark and depressing,” Taylor said. Even Native American art tended to reflect the ominous nature of post-colonialism.

“When an oppressed people get their voice back, chances are they are going to write about being oppressed,” Taylor said.

In reality, Taylor said teasing can be a sign of acceptance in Native American culture. It’s

impolite to poke fun at a stranger, so joking is seen as a form of “polite disrespect,” he said.

“We love to tease,” he added.

Jenn Young, a senior history major and former opinion columnist for The Diamondback, saw the show after spending her spring break in Pine Ridge, S.D., where she lived with the Lakota, a Native American tribe, as part of her alternative spring break.

Young said she thought it was interesting to hear Taylor speak of humor as a means of healing and reconciliation.

Dustin Tyee Richardson, a senior psychology major and the president of the American Indian Student Union, said he en-

joyed having Taylor come speak.

“Native Americans love to laugh, and sex is a part of life,” Richardson said.

Several students said Taylor’s sense of humor was universally relatable.

“It resonates with all the humor I was brought up with,” sophomore biology major Chris Willis said.

A primary goal of Taylor’s was to break barriers, and senior education and sociology major Brittany Kelly believes he did just that.

“He brought about a whole set of issues such as Pocahontas and stereotypes,” she said. “Glad I got to hear him speak.” newsdesk.dbk@gmail.com

SGA proposes referendum on all-you-can-eat meal plan BSOS, from Page 1 education experiences.

“As an undergraduate, we all deserve the same experience,” said Lyons, a senior government and politics major. “Just because we have majors that a lot of people are involved in, I think that’s all the more reason to take care of the colleges that have such a huge demand.”

The walkout, which is scheduled for April 2 at noon, would end at the bottom of McKeldin Mall in front of the Main Administration building, where a series of speakers will address the importance of BSOS funding, Lyons said. The SGA legislature last night unanimously passed two bills related to the walkout, one that declares support for the event and another that provides funding for 250 T-shirts to be distributed during the walkout.

The organization also passed legislation adding a ballot referendum on an all-you-can-eat meal plan.

Events like the walkout are necessary to get students involved in issues that are important to them, said SGA President Jonathan Sachs, a government and politics major who was recently elected to serve as a BSOS senator in the University Senate.

“It’s one way to bring people

together on an issue,” he said. “I think that mobilizing this group is a really important initiative.”

A BSOS walkout event on Facebook has more than 240 students planning to attend.

In the long-term, Lyons hopes to address three goals: to reduce the BSOS class size to the campus average, to increase the number of tenuretrack faculty per BSOS student and to reduce the student-faculty ratio to the campus average. There are more than 27 BSOS students per faculty member, compared to a university average of about 17, Lyons said. The goal is to create a similar experience for BSOS students, not to match the funding level for other colleges.

Short-term goals include restricting upper-level classes to BSOS majors, creating separate, smaller discussion sections for BSOS majors in lowerlevel courses, restricting 200level government and politics classes to GVPT students and preventing students from adding a double-major in BSOS unless they have a GPA at or above 3.0, according to Lyons.

Lyons said the T-shirts, which will cost around $490, were necessary to raise lasting awareness about BSOS issues.

“It’s important that the walk-

out is not just a one-time event. ... We want to make this an event that creates a lasting identity for students in BSOS,” Lyons said. “Having this Tshirt creates a lasting symbol.”

The all-you-can-eat system that appeared on the ballot referendum would be implemented in the new Northwoods dining hall on North Campus, which will open in 2011 at the earliest. The plan would cost between $8.75 and $10 per meal and would probably not result in an increase in meal plan fees, according to the referendum.

“The new dining hall gives us a blank slate to really shape [an all-you-can-eat plan] the way students want it,” Lyons said.

“If it is such a huge success, then we can start looking at options to extend it to other dining halls,” he added.

Department of Dining Services Spokesman Bart Hipple said yesterday the department was unsure if students would want an all-you-can-eat plan and that a ballot referendum would be a good way to gauge support. But even if the referendum passes, the plan would not necessarily be put in place, he cautioned. coxdbk@gmail.com

4

THE DIAMONDBACK | THURSDAY, MARCH 26, 2009

THE DIAMONDBACK

Opinion

STEVEN OVERLY

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OPINION EDITOR

Staff Editorial

Guest Column

The cost of quick cash

Give me an alternative break

I

n a culture obsessed with questions of authenticity, the story of the sellout is a fa- an online model from a 400-person lecture where you have no interaction with your miliar trope. The allure of a bigger audience and riches drive artists to water professor and only take multiple-choice exams anyway. But HEH has teamed up down their work. And the draw isn’t limited to scantily-clad pop stars or rappers with Arkansas State University, the University of Texas at Arlington and Ohio Unipushing bling. Across the country, university administrators are diving headfirst versity to offer full-blown master’s programs in education and nursing.

Phyllis Peres, associate provost for Academic Planning and Programs, emphasizes into online course programs that result in shoddier instruction. Administrators are turning a blind eye to the programs’ pitfalls, because they bring in substantial that thus far, the university’s online degrees have been limited to professional proamounts of money. But we’re not ready to sell out just yet, and administrators need to grams. Online degrees make more sense for these programs, as those likely to enroll will also already be working. That doesn’t mean that online professional programs maintain caution in expanding online offerings.

One approach to online instruction can be seen in the work of Higher Ed Holdings. don’t have any shortcomings. Consider, for example, an online master’s program in library sciences under review. A 2004 report from the Office of InstiHEH is a private company that, in essence, runs online academic tutional Research and Planning acknowledges that, “purely online programs for public universities. This means professors develop MLS programs without any requirements for on-campus visits or content for an online course and HEH employees advertise it naface to face interaction may not be well suited to prepare stutionally, handle the actual online content (think of a souped-up verOnline course offerings other dents for eventual work as a librarian ...” Nonetheless, the final recsion of ELMS) and handle all the grading. In exchange, universities typically give about 80 percent of the tuition revenue to HEH; uni- need to maintain quality. ommendations urge launching a fully online program, or at the very least a program with a blend of online and traditional content. versities keep the remaining 20 percent, and the increase in enrollThe administration has already identified online programs as a potential source of ment numbers helps to bring in higher state appropriations.

Here’s the rub: The business model is only so successful because the vision is big. In revenue. In limited instances, professional programs taught online might be merited the online class offerings, universities aren’t enrolling 50 people in what was once a but administrators should take caution before going too far. The Strategic Plan states 20-person class. They’re enrolling 2,000. With so many students per class, not much that achieving its goals will cost more than $2 billion over a 10-year period. The plan time can be spent grading assignments; according to an Inside Higher Ed article, the lists four specific revenue sources to help meet these costs, including “generation of HEH “coaches” responsible for grading could only commit five to eight minutes per new revenue from new entrepreneurial (executive, online, etc.) degree programs.” student each week. That means a reliance on multiple-choice tests that can be graded These are the days of the Internet, and there’s no question that we should be exploring automatically and shorter essay assignments. The problem is compounded by the fact opportunities for more online content. But in so doing, administrators must value acathat professors have little to no interaction with the thousands of students in each class. demic rigor more than administrators at some other schools have. It is especially imYou might be picturing these as undergraduate introduction courses in biology for portant to remember in days of economic malaise that the most lucrative approach is non-science majors. And in that context, it may not seem like a big sacrifice to shift to rarely the best.

Our View

Editorial Cartoon: Mike O’Brien

Sports betting: Bereft of a bracket

U

sually by this time in March I’m obsessed with following an unreasonable number of NCAA brackets, sweating the large (and I do mean large) amounts of money I have on the line. This year, though, I decided to sit back and bet nothing, to avoid the stress accompanied by various scenarios of me potentially losing a large wad of cash. Instead of dishing out dollars, I’m enjoying the games for what they are and analyzing what makes this month-long sporting event so joyful, painful and ridiculously addicting.

For many people, NCAA office pools are an isolated foray into sports betting, or even sports fandom. And whether you have been following college basketball all season or you made your picks based on the colors of the mascots, there seems to be a tantalizing belief that really anyone can win the local pool.

There is also the sensation that everyone else is doing it, that you are a part of

OPE

LANIYONU something the rest of the country is participating in. Being able to talk about that crazy game that ended on a buzzer-beater or vehemently defending your picks against your idiot friend gives you a sense of inclusion and enjoyment.

But ultimately, it’s all about the Benjamins. When it comes down to it, the NCAA Tournament is intriguing because you’re gambling. You can win. You can lose. You’re doing something illegal.

There’s risk.

Nevada casinos estimate they won $136 million from sports betting on the NCAA Tournament in 2008, but lost $6

billion from illegal office pools and side bets in 2007. Also in 2008, the FBI warned Facebook and its CBSSports.com Tournament Brackets application that “there could be a violation if operators were taking a cut” of money that was bet in pools.

By virtue of filling out a bracket, you are betting on every individual game that occurs throughout the duration of the tournament. Most people don’t experience the thrill and wide range of emotions that accompany betting — the elation of a correct pick, the anger and bitterness of a loss. Now throw in all the buzzer-beaters and close games, and emotions are heightened that much more. And for four weeks, it’s thrilling.

And as for me? I’m jealous. By not engaging in the plethora of gambling opportunities out there, I’ve ruined by March Madness experience. The beauty of the NCAA Tournament is that you can associate with teams that you wouldn’t usual-

ly follow or root for because you picked them to win. Without that bracket, this emotional connection and drive to follow each and every game is lost. I’m not going to lie, I’m suffering. With the Terps out of the tournament and no other team of rooting interest, I am much less inclined to skip going to the bar Thursday night to watch those games.

Betting on the NCAA Tournament, although “illegal,” is essential to what makes the month of March so great in the sporting community. Sure, people lose money, but the experience, thrills and emotions — they are a part of our society.

You just have to be smart. As for me, you better believe I’ll be in the action next year, and who knows, I might just be betting a large sum on that championship game ... maybe.

Ope Laniyonu is a junior international business and marketing major. He can be reached at laniyonudbk@gmail.com.

Campus apartment contracts: Loosen the leases

T

hose of you living in South Campus Commons or University Courtyards, or are planning to live there in the future, have probably noticed that leases run from August through July: 12 months, minus a few days for maintenance. At first glance, that seems normal enough; most off-campus apartments will ask you to sign a year-long lease, too. In fact, after living in Commons for two years, I just realized myself how strange this arrangement really is. I’ll be graduating (hopefully) this May, but I’ll be staying in student housing for another two months.

Don’t get me wrong — it’s really convenient because my home is a bit far from Washington, where I ultimately want to be. But considering all the effort the university puts into gating off the campus every night, it seems a bit odd that they would let a bunch of people who no longer attend this university stay

in the dorms and keep their student IDs active. Think about it — what incentive will we, the newly graduated alumni, have to follow the Department of Resident Life’s rules? Are they going to deny us housing for next semester? And why would we care, anyway? Why should we worry about what our roommates think when we never have to see them again?

I would hope — as I’m sure Resident Life does — that most of us are decent human beings. I’d hope the graduating seniors will have enough respect for our roommates, the university and the kids who will live in our apartment next year to not destroy everything in sight. But, then again, after seeing the Commons 2 elevator every Sunday night, I think my hopes might be a little high.

Capstone, the company that own Commons and Courtyards, is a for-profit company, so I understand that they really don’t want empty, units sitting

LIDA

ZLATIC around. That’s why they have a 12month lease. What I don’t understand is why they would start the lease in August. Plenty of people who sign a lease want to move in early. Actually, some people end up subletting another room and having to move from there to their new room mid-summer. I’m really glad I wasn’t one of those people — that would just suck. Resident assistants move in and out of their units in May (which also sucks, because the new RAs have to deal with residents that aren’t even really theirs). So why don’t they just start all

the leases June 1? That gives everyone a week or so to move out after graduation, and it lets the rising juniors and seniors move in before their summer classes or internships start.

The fact is, once we graduate, we are not students anymore, so we shouldn’t be eligible for student housing. There is a really simple way of getting us out in time without losing money from a shortened lease, but Commons’ and Courtyards’ management hasn’t bothered to do it. It makes me think that they just don’t care. That’s the kind of attitude that makes people vacate their apartment for weeks because the toilet is leaking through the wall. But that’s another story.

Lida Zlatic is a senior art history and classics major and a member of the University Senate. She can be reached at zlaticdbk@gmail.com.

POLICY: The signed letters, columns and cartoon represent only the opinions of the authors. The staff editorial represents the opinion of The Diamondback’s editorial board and is the responsibility of the editor in chief.

JENN YOUNG On Alternative Spring Break on the Pine Ridge Reservation, I came to find that the dominant American culture has been suppressing and oppressing Native American cultures, histories and present-day realities more brutally than I had ever imagined.

We spent just one week on the “Rez,” working with Re-Member, a non-profit organization striving to provide “crisis management” — making trailers livable and moving bunk beds into homes that sometimes shelter up to 20 individuals, none of whom have ever slept on beds. Far greater than the work we did were the lessons we learned.

I hope that all of you will go there to see for yourselves. I wish I could bring you and introduce you to the beautiful people I’ve met. I wish I could show you the “living” conditions — insufficient food, water, shelter and health care — all of which were promised by our government but never provided in full. I wish I could show you what it means to have 85 percent unemployment, 80 percent alcoholism, enormous rates of teenage suicide and infant mortality and houses so unsuitable that people freeze to death inside.

I wish I could take you to the site of Wounded Knee, where hundreds of men, women and children were killed and left frozen in the snow for days, thrown recklessly into a mass grave and desecrated by the urine and spit of American soldiers. In school, many of us learned of this massacre as a battle — one for which 20 individuals were awarded Congressional Medals of Honor.

I would love to introduce you to Bob Bear Killer, a man left physically crippled by poorly reset broken legs but whose spirit remains strong, who provides water and food for the seven or so stray dogs that live by his trailer when he barely has enough for himself, giving away his television and asking for nothing in return and living in temporary housing for eight years because another organization never finished what they were contracted to do. He’s still able to look around and admire the earth and the land and be grateful to us, we who didn’t deserve any of his kindness.

After the week on the Rez, we visited Mount Rushmore, described in the information packet as “a shrine of democracy.” After this trip I can say with full certainty that the robbery and destruction of the Black Hills, a sacred space for the Lakota people, is just one of many examples of how the United States has neglected the voice of the Lakota and many others in their construction of this “democracy.”

I’ve only begun to relearn this country’s history and to see its present-day injustices against humanity. It will continue to be difficult confronting what I’ve been taught about our Founding Fathers, about Columbus Day and about what we stand for as a country and as human beings. I am angry and disgusted by what I’ve learned about the past, but more than that, I’m mad about what I’ve seen in the present — the very open wounds continuously inflicted by racism, apathy and broken promises.

Despite this pain, I look to the future with hope. I think of a Lakota saying, “mitakuye oyasin,” or “we are all related,” and it is with this mindset that we must move forward and actively seek reconciliation between past and present, between life on the Rez and life outside of it. It is for the betterment of all that we must hope for in the future.

Jenn Young is a junior history major and former Diamondback columnist.

She can be reached at jyoung22@umd.edu.

AIR YOUR VIEWS Address your letters or guest columns to the Opinion Desk at opinion.dbk@gmail.com. All letters and guest columns must be signed. Include your full name, year, major and day- and nighttime phone numbers. Please limit letters to 300 words. Please limit guest columns to 600 words.

Submission of a letter or guest column constitutes an exclusive, worldwide, transferable license to The Diamondback of the copyright in the material in any media. The Diamondback retains the right to edit submissions for content and length.

THURSDAY, MARCH 26, 2009 | THE DIAMONDBACK

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Features HOROSCOPESTELLA WILDER

1960s Chairman Sprain locale NOW cause Supercharger Organic compound 36 Bowler’s button

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© 2009 UNITED FEATURES SYNDICATE

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orn today, you enjoy the good things in life, at times to the detriment of your own personal advancement. When others might be working hard to propel themselves and their careers into the future, you would often rather sit back and enjoy free time with friends and family; to say you are a party animal would not be far off the mark.

You are able to swing into action when the need arises, however, and when you do, you can get things done quite well; you work at a fast pace, and the quality of what you accomplish is always high. You are never careless. Still, you seem to work for the ultimate rewards that hard work brings: You like to enjoy the leisure time that your efforts afford you when things pay off. Others like to be around you, for obvious reasons; you give them a good time, and you are an expert when it comes to entertaining the troops.

It is likely you will know much of the world, and you may dedicate yourself to hands-on learning of others places and other cultures. Travel is in the picture, and your worldview is shaped by your experiences of how other people live in other places. You are a true student of history, too; what has happened in the past shapes what you do in the present.

Also born on this date are: Diana Ross, singer; Erica Jong, author; Sandra Day O’Connor, U.S. Supreme Court justice; Vicki Lawrence, actress and comedienne; Leeza Gibbons, TV personality; Martin Short, comedian and actor; James Caan, actor; Tennessee Williams, playwright; Robert Frost, poet.

To see what is in store for you tomorrow, find your birthday and read the corresponding paragraph. Let your birthday star be your daily guide.

FRIDAY, MARCH 27 ARIES (March 21-April 19) — You may feel as though you’re waiting forever to get started.

B

Be patient; thorough preparation leads to a more resounding success.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20) — Don’t forget to get the final word from someone in charge before heading off on your own.

You’ll want to do things according to Hoyle.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20) — Others may not fully understand what you’re going on about, and it may seem at times as though you’re speaking in code.

CANCER (June 21-July 22) — You’re likely to run into many people from the old days, quite by chance. A trip down memory lane can actually prove profitable.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) — You may misinterpret certain signals early in the day, and the resulting confusion may have others unsettled and uncertain. Set things straight.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) — You may have a chance to settle one or two pressing personal issues before you have to tend to the things another has assigned to you.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) — You’ll have a chance to strut your stuff in a venue that is

completely suitable to what you have to offer. You’re flying high.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) — Popularity is not the be-all and end-all at this time. To be your best, you may not be able to please those around you — at first.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) — If you’re going to speak your mind, you’ll have to come to terms with the fact that not everyone will react favorably.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) — Opening the door to a new opportunity may involve an unseen risk. You have what it takes to rise above any serious dangers, however.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) — The familiar can give you great comfort, but to delve into that which is unfamiliar can provide you with unexpected satisfaction.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20) — Something you’ve been after for some time can be yours, but you can’t expect to get something for nothing. Can you pay up?

Copyright 2009 United Feature Syndicate, Inc.

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6

THE DIAMONDBACK | THURSDAY, MARCH 26, 2009

ONLINE EXCLUSIVE:

Diversions

KNOWING Nicolas Cage in Knowing

“Director Alex Proyas is determined to choke the life out of Nicolas Cage and feed him to the convoluted, incomprehensible three-headed dog Cerberus that is the plot of Knowing. ” — Vaman Muppala RATING:1.5 stars out of 5 For a full review of this film and the three below, click the Diversions link at:

arts. music. living. movies. weekend.

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REVIEW | MONSTERS VS. ALIENS

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It came from a computer!

DUPLICITY “As the undercover schemes Ray Koval and Claire Stenwick are so immersed in grow more complicated, the storyline becomes increasingly convoluted. Who is playing who? Who has the upper hand? Who is pulling the strings?

Director Tony Gilroy leaves you guessing by taking the film in a direction few would see coming.”

— Thomas Floyd RATING: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Monsters vs. Aliens gives a mild-mannered send up to classic sci-fi

BY ZACHARY HERRMANN Senior staff writer

THE GREAT BUCK HOWARD “Still, The Great Buck Howard does buck a new convention of sorts.

Nowadays, it would be far too easy to tread the path of The Wrestler, giving Howard a daughter, a drinking problem and an acoustic soundtrack to all but guarantee Malkovich an Oscar nomination. Upon further consideration, director Sean McGinly's approach — devoid of solemn auterist posing — is actually quite refreshing and ... new.”

— Vaman Muppala RATING: 3 out of 5 stars

SUNSHINE CLEANING “In the end, the angle director Christine Jeffs and scribe Megan Holley take with this concept isn’t nearly as dark as one would expect, and that decision is what really brings the film down. Perhaps Sunshine Cleaning would have been best off embracing its identity as a black comedy with more vigor. Alas, that’s a film we will never see.”

— Thomas Floyd RATING: 2.5 out of 5 stars

When the 3-D film Creature from the Black Lagoon first hit theaters in 1954, Hollywood was grasping for an edge.

Television had put a dent in the studios’ pockets, and, for a brief time, conventional wisdom said the goofy-looking red-and-blue polarized glasses were going to be an industry savior.

Fifty-five years later, it seems wildly appropriate DreamWorks has touted Monsters vs. Aliens — an intermittently enjoyable lampoon of the classic sci-fi and creature feature lexicon — and its InTru3D technology as the next big thing in cinema.

Although history does have tendency to repeat itself, it feels a little early to judge the latest round of 3-D until we’ve seen it at work in live action. But with all its crashing, exploding and frequently dazzling set pieces, Monsters vs. Aliens does a pretty handy imitation of the slightly fleshier and bloodier summer blockbuster fare we may eventually view through glasses.

Our by-the-books heroine, Susan Murphy (Reese Witherspoon, Four Christmases), gets struck by a “quantonium”-infused meteor on her wedding day. Her marriage to Mr. So-ObviouslyNot-Right (Paul Rudd, I Love You, Man) gets postponed as Susan balloons to Attack of the 50-Foot Woman territory and inadvertently rampages around the Modesto, Calif., chapel.

Swooped off to a secret government compound headed by General W.R. Monger (Kiefer Sutherland, 24), Susan gets quickly acclimated with her cellmates, a collection of endearing monsters culled from a fairly recognizable set of hallmark films.

In contrast to Witherspoon’s incredibly bland Susan — not that it’s her fault, but DreamWorks’ animated humans look like marionette zombies — the monsters provide the color that fuels the

Classified CALL

film’s first two acts in between the stunning action sequences.

On the whole, the casting is dead on.

B.O.B. (Seth Rogen, Zack and Miri Make a Porno), a one-eyed, no-brained imprint of The Blob, offers a wonderfully executed set of sight gags, while Will Arnett (The Rocker) voices a down-and-out Creature from the Black Lagoon-type.

Witherspoon’s ho-hum voice work is completely forgivable in exchange for Hugh Laurie’s (House) refined madness as Dr. Cockroach or Stephen Colbert’s extended cameo as the president.

The comedic triple team of Rogen, Laurie and Arnett, though, is hardly the occasion for the 3-D spectacle. Strangely enough, the earlier action bits — the arrival of an alien drone on Earth and the confrontation at the Golden Gate Bridge between the monsters and said drone — prove far stronger than the all-stopspulled finale.

It turns out, though, that the monsters are far more interesting than the aliens, or to be more accurate, alien. The lone squid-like superbeing Gallaxhar (Rainn Wilson, The Rocker) brings his mother ship to Earth in search of Susan, who has sucked up all of his precious quantonium.

Where the screenwriting team (four writers plus directors Rob Letterman and Conrad Vernon) carries out its ode to monster flicks lovingly, the treatment of the sci-fi elements comes out a bit shoddy.

The trouble with the script is not the PG rating — time and again, Pixar has shown how to please (inner) children of all ages with G-rated material. Blame it on an overdose of irony and pop culture timeliness, which tends to be the trend in the DreamWorks animated features.

Gallaxhar’s borderline self-awareness as a hokey movie villain doesn’t really mesh, nor does his elaborate spaceship. Where a tin saucer might have been less original, Gallaxhar’s smooth, technologically superior digs are at odds

has in its heart, the picture sags considerably.

It becomes a question of style (and technology) over substance, which is more a condemnation of Monsters vs.

Aliens’ shortcomings than InTru3D or 3D in general. Glasses aside, though, Monsters vs. Aliens pushes its premise a lot further thanks to a lot of charm courtesy of Rogen and B.O.B.’s animators.

If only some other San Francisco Bay Area computer animation studio could marry this new 3-D technology with a truly great story — now there’s a scary thought.

with the clanking, retro robot drone he sends to wreak havoc on Earth.

The logical defense here is that DreamWorks has made a picture aimed at kids, so it should be considered as such, but with lukewarm references to Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Bush-era war tactics and global warming, that old refuge doesn’t really hold up.

Letterman and Vernon’s direction is serviceable, but aside from the big action scenes, the 3-D visuals fall significantly short of the fantastical dreamscapes of Coraline. When Monsters vs.

Aliens errs closer to Independence Day than to the low-budget classics the film

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Apartments. 2 bedrooms. 2-4 people. Near Smith business school. 301-770-5624 HOUSES/Apartments- Walking distance. 1-7 bedrooms. 301-335-7345. ecb1985@gmail.com 2 HOUSES AVAILABLE JUNE 1st OR SOONER. Adelphi Road, very close to campus, easy walking distance. On shuttle & Metro bus route. 5 bedrooms, 2 full baths per house. $2,700-$3,000/month. Both houses - new ac, large private yard, washer/dryer, lawn-care provided, lots of off-street parking. March signing bonus. Contact Dr. Kruger 301-408-4801.

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THURSDAY, MARCH 26, 2009 | SPORTS | THE DIAMONDBACK

7

Fans gave seniors proper sendoff NOTEBOOK, from Page 8

One of the 10,065 fans at the Terps’ game against Utah on Tuesday holds up a sign with the Terps’ rallying cry, “Eat Kids,” written on it.

Comcast Center held more fans during its two days of action than any other first weekend site. ALLISON AKERS/THE DIAMONDBACK

Harman may take up relief role in weekend games UMBC, from Page 8 enemy, and confidence has been a big issue,” pitching coach Jim Farr said. “But Brett’s work ethic from last year to this year is night and day, so I think you are starting to see the benefits of putting in the time and the work, and he is a guy we are counting on to stop some people.”

Harman’s ability to get his curveball over the plate early in the count was the key to his success as he was able to keep UMBC off balance, striking out the side in the second and third innings. Head coach Terry Rupp said Harman was throwing his curveball better than he had all season.

If he continues to get people out, Harman could be the perfect complement behind power left-handed starters Matt Fullerton and Eric Potter on the weekends. Harman’s curveball would be a devastating change of pace to opposing hitters in the middle of the game.

But Harman insists he isn’t trying to win back his weekend role.

“You would always like to be pitching on the weekends, but we have three very good starters right now who are really throwing the ball well,” Harman said. “So as long as they keep throwing well, everyone has roles and I just got to keep going out and filling mine.”

Playing against a weaker opponent, Rupp used the opportunity to tinker with the lineup again, giving some of his younger players a chance to shine.

Freshman second baseman Matt Murakami made the largest contribution, with two extra-base hits and solid fielding.

But the bulk of the responsibility for the win belonged to Harman, who became the most recent Terp pitcher to rebound from a rocky start and settle into a groove, finishing with eight strikeouts and no walks. His performance came just in time to give the Terps a little momentum heading into a pivotal series against Florida State.

“He did what we needed him to do,” Rupp said.

“We took a tough one yesterday and he came out and shut them down for a couple innings, and this is going to help us get things rolling.” lemairedbk@gmail.com

times the shots are not falling or different things. With the dominance that we’ve had in the league, I was definitely surprised. I thought we would have more teams that would advance to the Sweet 16. We’re extremely disappointed.”

No. 5 seed Virginia and No. 9 seed Georgia Tech also fell in the second round. It’s the first time since 2004 that only one ACC team has made it this far.

When the Terps won the National Championship in 2006, Duke and North Carolina also made the Final Four. In 2007, when the Terps were upset in the second round by Ole Miss, four conference teams advanced past the first weekend.

In the final AP Top 25 poll,

the Terps, Duke, North Carolina and Florida State were all among the top 12 ranked teams.

But with the Sweet 16 field now settled, the only teams the Terps have played this year are nonconference foes Pittsburgh and Purdue. The Terps were blown out at Pitt in their worst loss since 2005 just three days after an 11point win at Purdue.

“We are very comfortable here.

We have great fans and that gives us so much confidence when we walk out onto the floor.”

KRISTI TOLIVER

TERPS PACK HOUSE With 2:38 remaining in the game, forward Marissa Coleman and guard Kristi Toliver came out of the game for the last time at Comcast Center.

The boisterous crowd of 10,065 gave the duo a standing ovation, a testament not just to the two seniors playing their last home game, but also to the attendance in College Park all season.

SENIOR GUARD

More fans showed up for the first and second rounds of the women’s NCAA Tournament at Comcast than at any other site, something Toliver said afterward that she appreciates.

“I got a little emotional at the end, knowing that it was the last time I will get to play

in front of the best fans in the country, so I’m sad,” Toliver said. “We are very comfortable here. We have great fans and that gives us so much confidence when we walk out onto the floor.”

Frese paid for 100 Papa John’s pizzas to be distributed to the first 100 students who showed up for Tuesday’s game. The program’s boosters contributed the money for another 50 pizzas.

While Tuesday’s attendance didn’t eclipse the 10,847 fans who showed up to watch the Terps play Dartmouth in Sunday’s firstround game, there was a noticeable increase in the number of student fans, especially on the wall, which is typically empty for regular season contests. akrautdbk@gmail.com

Virginia will test realignment MIDFIELD, from Page 8 latter stages of close games.

With the move, freshman Joe Cummings, a converted attackman, was bumped up into Reynolds’ spot on the first line along with Dan Groot and Jeremy Sieverts.

In Saturday’s 8-7 win against North Carolina, the second line most often featured Reynolds, Jake Bernhardt and Bob Kercher.

In addition to balancing the lines, the move has helped the development of the underclassmen.

“Having Jeff’s great, because you have a guy who has been here for five years,” Bernhardt said. “He knows the ins and outs of everything, and he gives us little tips when we come off the field, that we maybe need to move more or set picks for each other. It’s just those little things that help each other with getting back on the field and doing them.”

Reynolds is also, one of the best athletes on the team, clocked in 2006 as running a 4.46-second time in the 40yard dash — a program record.

Matching him with Bernhardt gives the Terps a line capable of speeding past slower opponents.

It’s something Bernhardt is both proud of and excited about.

“The three guys on the second line, I feel are either the most athletic kids on the team or at least one of the most athletic bunches on the team,” Bernhardt said. “We’re able to run that field up and down until coach is gonna pull us off. We move a lot more on offense. We create opportunities by cutting, and it kind of opens things up for [the attack].”

For his part, Reynolds seems a willing participant in the switch and is adamant about fulfilling the team’s needs. It helps to know his minutes aren’t shrinking and that the move is in no way a demotion.

Dan Groot has been a leader on the Terp midfield for the past three seasons.

“One thing Jeff Reynolds doesn’t have to worry about is getting on the field,” Cottle said with a laugh.

Still, Reynolds has felt his responsibilities changing as he assumes more of a leadership role within his line, and it hasn’t been an easy transition. Without Groot and Sieverts alongside him, Reynolds is charged with directing the offense, and he doesn’t see the same looks that he would have two weeks ago.

Last season, the hard-shooting midfielder scored 19 goals with no assists.

This year, he’s already dished out four assists along with seven goals.

After not scoring in his first game after the switch — a loss to the University of Maryland, Baltimore County —

Reynolds has two goals and one assist in the last two games.

“It is kind of frustrating, because I was used to Sieverts and Groot, and they work very well with each other, but we’re learning and we’re getting better at it,” Reynolds said. “Usually when I’m on the second line, I get the [long] pole. ... So that’s kind of frustrating for me, as well. But whatever we have to do to get some offense and score.”

Late in games, Cottle has reverted back to his three seniors. The veteran lineup provides the Terps with stability and experience to go along with talent.

Against the Tar Heels, the Terps refocused on getting offense from the midfield and Groot responded with

ADAM FRIED/THE DIAMONDBACK

three goals and an assist. Reynolds and Bernhardt each added a goal of their own.

It’s something the Terps will need to continue Saturday when they face No. 1 Virginia in a game that will decide the ACC regular season crown.

“We’re gonna have to get to double digits against these good teams, and the only way you get to double digits is if you have balanced scoring,” Cottle said. “Teams can sag everybody down if it’s just attack or roll everybody out if it’s just midfield, so we’ve got to get balanced scoring in order to be successful against a team the caliber of Virginia.” mkatzdbk@gmail.com

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8

THE DIAMONDBACK | THURSDAY, MARCH 26, 2009

Inside Lacrosse/Nike Men’s Poll Top 10

Sports

School 1. Virginia 2. Syracuse 3. Notre Dame 4. Cornell 5. Princeton

Record

Prev.

(10-0) (5-1) (6-0) (5-1) (5-1)

1 2 3 4 5

School

Record

6. Johns Hopkins 7. UMBC 8. Hofstra 9. TERRAPINS 10. Duke

(3-3) (7-3) (4-1) (6-2) (7-3)

Prev.

7 6 9 10 8

TERRAPIN WOMEN’S BASKETBALL NOTEBOOK

Terps lone ACC team in Sweet 16

BY AARON KRAUT Senior staff writer

eighth-year coach tinkered a bit, calling on redshirt senior Jeff Reynolds — the team’s third-leading goal scorer last year — to help out on the second line. During the past two weeks, the move has provided a balance of talent and experience.

“What we’re trying to do is get a second line that we can put out more consistently,” Cottle said. “With Jeff, you not only get a good offensive player, but you get a good defensive player. And maybe he can just play a little bit of a leadership role with that group.”

For Cottle, it is comforting to avoid trotting out a second line with two freshmen in the

Throughout the regular season, Terrapin women’s basketball coach Brenda Frese and her players marveled at the increased depth in the ACC. Besides traditional powers North Carolina, Duke and the Terps, others such as Florida State, Virginia and Georgia Tech emerged, earning some national recognition.

The result for the perceived raised level of conference competitiveness was six teams from the league in the Big Dance. But as the tournament enters its second weekend with the Sweet 16 beginning Saturday, only one of those ACC teams, the No. 1 seed Terps, remain.

“It really hasn’t sunk in yet,” guard Marah Strickland said after the Terps’ 71-56 victory against Utah on Tuesday night.

“I know that our conference was very difficult and for all the other teams to fall, it’s a little tricky, but we realize that we need to just play Maryland basketball.”

Along with the Terps, who will play No. 4 seed Vanderbilt in the NCAA Tournament regional semifinals in Raleigh, N.C., on Saturday, No. 1 seed Duke and No. 3 seeds North Carolina and Florida State were thought to be teams capable of making deep runs.

Instead, the Blue Devils, Tar Heels and Seminoles all lost in the second round to lowerseeded opponents.

“In tournament time you just never know what’s going to happen with different matchups,” Frese said. “Some-

Please See MIDFIELD, Page 7

Please See NOTEBOOK, Page 7

Jeff Reynolds has moved to the second midfield line to provide more balance and evenness for the Terps and an otherwise young unit. ADAM FRIED/THE DIAMONDBACK

Cottle mixes up his midfield lines Coach shifted senior Reynolds to second line to provide balance

BY MICHAEL KATZ Staff writer

It’s hard to run if you’re tired.

It’s a simple notion, but an important one concerning the Terrapin men’s lacrosse midfielders this season.

Entering the year, coach Dave Cottle emphasized dictating game pace with twoway midfielders and an uptempo attack. In order to succeed with this style, fresh legs are at a premium.

But aside from the senior trio at the top of the depth chart, the midfield is a young unit. And it’s taking some time for Cottle to feel comfortable doling out minutes to the first line’s support staff.

To aid the process, the

Harman hones his curveball as Terps roll against UMBC Righty strikes out eight as Rupp continues lineup changes in 8-1 win

BY MICHAEL LEMAIRE Staff writer

For Terrapin pitcher Brett Harman, all it took to snap out of early season struggles was a little confidence and one more quarter-twist of the wrist.

Balancing an 88- to 90-mph fastball and a sharper curveball than in previous games,

Harman dominated for the second straight start as the Terps rebounded from a tough loss Tuesday against George Mason with a easy 8-1 win against University of Maryland, Baltimore County under the lights at Shipley Field.

Control and confidence issues hurt Harman early this season, as the sophomore lost his spot in the weekend rota-

tion following three straight BASEBALL poor perUMBC ..............1 formances.

TERPS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 But after six shutout innings against Old Dominion last week, Harman again maintained his command, needing just 68 pitches for another six-inning shutout performance.

“That four inches between his ears can be his worst

Please See UMBC, Page 7

Terps unravel vs. Northwestern Softball had chance at upset, but pitching and hitting struggled late against No. 10 Wildcats in 7-2 loss ties, we need to do the same.”

Things began to fall apart for the Terps in the sixth inning.

Northwestern ace Lauren Kendra Knight had been in control for three innings. Her Delaney’s control had come fastball was untouchable, her and gone all game, and it off-speed arsenal was knee- seemed she was again stuck in buckling and her control was fi- reverse in the sixth. It couldn’t have come at a worse time — nally in place.

But just moments after the after hitting one batter and walking another, DeTerrapin softball oflaney was facing the fense had lost its motop of the Terps’ order mentum, Knight and with two on, no outs the defense lost theirs.

SOFTBALL and a tied game.

A two-hit, five-run But left fielder Niki offensive outburst in No. 10 Northwestern . . . . 7 the seventh inning by TERPS . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Lau and shortstop Kathy McLaughlin No. 10 Northwestern (16-7) firmly removed any struck out. And even after an hopes of giant-killing by the infield hit by second baseman Terps (14-15) last night. Anoth- Breanna Shaw loaded the er night of inconsistent hitting bases, designated player Kerry and squandered opportunities Hickey popped up into foul terwas too much for a stellar night ritory for an easy third out and on the mound to overcome in an a promising chance lost.

“We got to get production out eventual 7-2 Terp loss.

“We were given a few things, of them,” Watten said. “They’ve and we needed to take them. got to start getting zoned in and That’s the difference,” coach focused on producing. It’s Laura Watten said. “When time.”

The pendulum had begun to you’re playing a top-10 team in the nation, they’re gonna come swing the other way.

After relieving Hickey folout and fight. You give them things, they’re gonna take it lowing four innings of strong and they’re gonna make it hurt. work, Knight retired six of the When we get those opportuni- seven batters she faced, includBY JONAS SHAFFER Staff writer

“With teams like that, you can’t give them those kind of opportunities.”

LAURA WATTEN SOFTBALL COACH

ing three strikeouts in the sixth inning. Up came Emily Haug, a seldom-used catcher pinch-hitting for the Wildcats’ No. 9 hitter.

The two battled to a full count, but Knight lost. Haug walked, and the rout was on.

When No. 6-hitter Erin Dyer finally caught up to a Knight fastball several batters later, her monstrous three-run home run nearly made its way to nearby Paint Branch Drive in right field. The smash capped a fiverun explosion that was too much to surmount.

“We lost it because we didn’t take care of business and do what we needed to do,” Watten said. “With teams like that, you can’t give them those kind of opportunities. ... We could’ve done it.” shafferdbk@gmail.com

Dee Liles and the Terps won their first ACC regular season and tournament titles since 1989 this season, but they weren’t expected to be the only conference team in the Sweet 16. JAMES B. HALE/THE DIAMONDBACK

TRY AND STOP THEM COVER STORY: Kristi Toliver and Marissa

Coleman have led the Terrapin women’s basketball team on a 14-game winning streak entering the Sweet 16

ALSO INSIDE: The answers to the preseason five burning questions for the Terp women Capsules for both the men’s and women’s Sweet 16s

THE DIAMONDB A CK NCAA TOURNAMENT GUIDE JACLYN BOROWSKI/THE DIAMONDBACK

THURSDAY, MARCH 26, 2009

2

THE DIAMONDBACK | NCAA TOURNAMENT GUIDE | THURSDAY, MARCH 26, 2009

FIVE BURNING PRESEASON QUESTIONS ANSWERED

Answers all end in favor of the Terps

BY AARON KRAUT Senior staff writer

1

Who will replace Crystal Langhorne and Laura Harper in the frontcourt?

For coach Brenda Frese, the answer to this question wasn’t as hard to find as one might have thought before the season.

Replacing the three-time AllAmerican Langhorne at center was supposed to be near impossible. Langhorne, the program’s all-time leading scorer and rebounder, was 2008 ACC Player of the Year and nearly averaged a double-double during her senior season.

But while she didn’t match Langhorne’s production, 6-foot-4 freshman center Lynetta Kizer at least came close, averaging 11.5 points and 7.4 rebounds so far.

That was good enough to earn Kizer the ACC Freshman of the Year award.

At times, the former McDonald’s All-American from Woodbridge, Va., showed enough shooting touch and rebounding ability to hint that she might develop into a player comparable to Langhorne down the line. She recorded 22 points and 10 rebounds in perhaps her best game of the season on Feb. 19 at Georgia Tech, shooting 9-of-12 from the field while dominating the Yellow Jackets post players.

During other stretches, her production was sporadic and she talked about the need to bring more consistent effort at multiple points throughout the year.

While Kizer was a high-profile recruit and a known commodity coming into the season, junior college transfer forward Dee Liles carried a little more mystery in her game. Liles, the Suitland native who would have joined the team for the 2006-07 season but had to do two years at Gulf Coast Community College in Florida after not qualifying with her SAT scores, was more than adequate.

The ultra-athletic forward was the Terps’ most reliable rebounder, averaging 8.8 boards per contest, the ACC’s third-highest total.

Liles, who has dunked before, according to some teammates, averaged 10.7 points and had 44 blocks through 34 games, just four fewer than Harper recorded in 37 games last season.

And while the new Terp post duo may not yet be as good as Harper and Langhorne were, Kizer and Liles did outmatch the departed program legends when

it came to the transition game, according to forward Marissa Coleman.

2

How does a full season with coach Brenda Frese change the team’s dynamic?

While assistant coach Daron Park did a commendable job filling in for Frese during her pregnancy in 2007-08, going 9-1, it was clear things were more normal this season with Frese back in Comcast Center full-time.

The seventh-year Terp coach seemed to pull all the right strings in managing a roster short on depth. Despite finishing the season with just nine eligible players after the February departure of guard Sa’de Wiley-Gatewood, Frese got the most out of backup guards Kim Rodgers and Anjalé Barrett and even got some needed production out of raw 6-foot-6 freshman Yemi Oyefuwa when Liles and Kizer encountered foul trouble.

Frese also stayed calm when the No. 3 Terps lost their seasonopener at TCU, recognizing that the team had some chemistrybuilding to do before hitting their stride. After their embarrassing 29-point December loss at Pitt, Frese called out seniors Coleman and Toliver in the postgame press conference for a lack of leadership.

The eventual result was an ACC regular season and ACC Tournament championship, as well as a 14-game winning streak that’s still active heading into this weekend’s games.

3

Can the Terps find a backup for Kristi Toliver?

Maybe they did, but it didn’t matter much.

The problem with this question is that while backup guard Barrett showed she was capable of carrying the point guard duties once Toliver leaves after this season, Toliver simply didn’t need the rest.

Instead of looking worn down, taking bad shots and making sloppy passes as the season wore on, Toliver just got better and better.

By the time February ended, the ACC Player of the Year was reading the game almost perfectly, and making all the right moves while averaging 18.6 points for the season.

Toliver has averaged 35.1 minutes per night, slightly up from the 34.4 minutes per game she played the season before. But the Harrisonburg, Va., native with her jersey now honored in Com-

The Terps won the program’s first ACC regular season and tournament championships since 1989.

cast Center’s rafters has been unstoppable down the stretch, regularly scorching opponents for personal six-point runs to widen leads and take control of games.

Barrett and Rodgers did well in their first year of playing action, hitting key shots in the Terps’ ACC Tournament triumph, but Toliver simply didn’t need much relief.

The Feb. 15 departure of senior guard Sa’de Wiley-Gatewood for “personal reasons” had the makings of a severe depth problem in the backcourt for the Terps, but Toliver, starting shooting guard Marah Strickland, Barrett and Rodgers were consistent.

4

Will the Terps succeed on the road?

At first, the answer to this question was a definitive “no.” After road losses to TCU and Pitt, as well as a second-half meltdown in Charlottesville, Va., against conference rival Virginia, the Terps seemed vulnerable away from Comcast Center, where they didn’t lose this season.

But it’s amazing how a single play — or a single shot — can change all of that. On Feb. 2, at first-place Florida State in Tallahassee, Fla., the Terps seemed destined for another road loss, what would have been their fifth of the season.

Then, Toliver hit a buzzer-beating 3-pointer down two points to elevate the Terps to perhaps their most important regular-season victory.

The rest was history.

The Terps haven’t lost since, and won conference games in faraway Boston, Atlanta and Miami

before beating three Tobacco Road schools in Greensboro, N.C., to take home the ACC Tournament title. The Terps are headed back to the Tar Heel state for the NCAA Tournament Regionals this weekend.

5

Who wants to win the ACC? For a while, it looked like the upstart Seminoles. With a favorable conference schedule and North Carolina and Duke not as sharp as usual after huge personnel losses the year before, Florida State looked as if they could change things in the league traditionally dominated by the Terps, Tar Heels and Blue Devils.

But despite increased conference depth thanks to improved Virginia, Boston College and Georgia Tech squads, the Terps prevailed for their first ACC regular season title since 1989. At 12-2, they won the tiebreaker over the Seminoles based on their head-to-head victory in Tallahassee.

After losing to Duke in Durham, N.C., without the services of Strickland and with Coleman suffering from second-half leg cramps, the Terps rolled over both the Blue Devils and Tar Heels at Comcast Center.

In Greensboro for the conference tournament, the team symbolically “marked its territory” by stepping over the conference logo at midcourt before the semifinal and championship games.

Then, they backed up their words by holding off North Carolina and Duke in their own backyard for the title. akrautdbk@gmail.com

The Diamondback Is Online • Campus News • National & World News • Sports • Opinion • Diversions • Classified

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Dee Liles has played a major role in replacing Crystal Langhorne and Laura Harper down low.

Anjalé Barrett has shown great promise in a reserve role behind Kristi Toliver this season. ALLISON

ADAM FRIED/THE DIAMONDBACK

AKERS/THE DIAMONDBACK

THURSDAY, MARCH 26, 2009 | NCAA TOURNAMENT GUIDE | THE DIAMONDBACK

3

anti-SENIORITIS Seniors Toliver and Coleman plan to repeat their freshman glory

BY AARON KRAUT Senior staff writer

It’s no secret the No. 1-seed Terrapin women’s basketball team will go as far as star seniors Marissa Coleman and Kristi Toliver take them this March and April.

The winningest two players in program history and freshmen starters on the Terps’ 2006 national championship team have the big-game experience and pure scoring ability to carry the Terps (30-4, 12-2 ACC) to this year’s Final Four in St. Louis on April 5.

That puts the onus on opposing coaches and teams to try and stop the two and force the Terps’ less experienced role players to step up.

“There isn’t anybody that we would say, ‘Oh yeah, we’re going to put such and such on her and that’s going to change,’” said Utah coach Elaine Elliot when asked before Tuesday’s 71-56 secondround loss to the Terps if she had any special defensive strategies for Coleman or Toliver. “You always try to feel like they have their normal nights, but not their fantastic nights. Obviously, those kinds of players will beat you with fantastic nights. If we can hold them to good nights, that’s better than not.”

In the first half of the Terps’ win against No. 9 seed Utah, Coleman and Toliver did just what Elliot had hoped they wouldn’t do — combining for 22 points on 11-of-17 shooting from the field.

The problem for both ACC foes and upset-minded opponents like Utah on Tuesday is that the two savvy veterans have been playing the best basketball of their career down the stretch of their final season.

Coleman, the ACC Tournament MVP, and Toliver, the ACC Player of the Year, have been having a lot more “fantastic nights” than normal nights since the calendar turned to February.

In the first 20 games of the season before the Terps’ Feb. 2 win at Florida State, Toliver was averaging almost 18 points and Coleman was averaging almost 15 points. In the 14 games since — all Terp victories — Toliver is averaging 20.2 points and Coleman 20.6 points per contest.

To prevent Toliver’s ability to stop on a dime and shoot from the top of the key in transition situations, opposing coaches have attempted to put taller forwards on the 5-foot-7 senior.

North Carolina coach Sylvia Hatchell put one of the league’s best post defenders, 6-foot-1 forward Rashanda McCants, on Toliver in the ACC Tournament semifinal on March 7.

McCants successfully frustrated Toliver with her height and long arms for a stretch, but eventually got into foul trouble.

Toliver finished with 25 points while hitting all 13 of her free throws.

Others, such as Miami coach Katie Meier, have tried more unconventional tactics. In the Terps’ ACC regular season title-clinching win at Miami on March 1, the Hurricanes ran a triangle-and-two defense focused on Toliver and Coleman.

The results were mixed. The seniors were far from their highest point totals, but they didn’t have to score their usual load because the Terps were comfortably ahead throughout.

Of course, there’s another way for coaches to look at the problem.

“She’s the type of player that she probably has to stop herself before anyone else in the nation is going to stop her,” said Dartmouth coach Chris Wielgus about Toliver after losing to the Terps 82-53 in the first round on Sunday. “I don’t think we’re the only ones she presents problems for. Everyone seems to have problems with her.” akrautdbk@gmail.com

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Kristi Toliver, top and bottom left, and Marissa Coleman, top and bottom right, played integral roles on the NCAA Tournament champion team and continue to be leaders for the rest of the nine-person women’s team roster. ABOVE: ALLISON AKERS/THE DIAMONDBACK | BELOW: ADAM FRIED/THE DIAMONDBACK

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THE DIAMONDBACK | NCAA TOURNAMENT GUIDE | THURSDAY, MARCH 26, 2009

TOUGH FIELD LIES AHEAD Big names remain in women’s NCAA tourney Compiled by Greg Schimmel

EAST

SOUTH

No. 1-seed Connecticut (35-0)

No. 1 seed Maryland (30-4)

Top Players: F Maya Moore (19.0 ppg, 9.1 rpg, C Tina Charles (16.7 ppg, 8.5 rpg), G Renee Montgomery (16.1 ppg, 5.2 apg) Outlook: The Huskies are arguably the best team ever assembled. They have won every game this season by double digits. They are the heavy favorite to win the National Championship, and anything short would be considered a choke.

Top Players: G Kristi Toliver (18.6 ppg, 4.9 apg) F Marissa Coleman (17.4 ppg, 8.5 rpg), F Dee Liles (10.7 ppg, 8.8 rpg) Outlook: The Terps are back in the Sweet 16 for the third time in four years and play Vanderbilt in that round for the second consecutive year.

They were the second No. 1 seed behind Connecticut. With Coleman and Toliver, the Terps could be the team to beat Connecticut.

No. 2-seed Texas A&M (27-7)

No. 2 seed Baylor (29-5)

Top Players: G Takia Starks (15.8 ppg, 4.4 rpg), G/F Danielle Gant (14.2 ppg, 6.8 rpg), G/F Tanisha Smith (10.4 ppg, 3.7 rpg) Outlook: The Aggies are a tremendous defensive team and haven’t allowed more than 72 points in any game this season. They are in the Sweet 16 for the second straight year and are one of the Big 12’s three top-two seeds.

Top Players: G/F Jessica Morrow (11.5 ppg, 3.0 rpg), G Jhasmin Player (10.9 ppg, 5.7 rpg), F Rachel Allison (8.8 ppg, 6.4 rpg) Outlook: The Lady Bears needed overtime to beat No. 15-seed Texas-San Antonio in the first round and squeaked by No. 7-seed South Dakota State in the second round. Leading scorer Danielle Wilson is out for the season.

No. 4-seed California (27-6)

No. 3 seed Louisville (31-4)

Top Players: F/C Ashley Walker (19.7 ppg, 8.7 rpg), G Alexis Gray-Lawson (12.3 ppg, 3.9 rpg), G Natasha Vital (8.6 ppg, 3.3 apg) Outlook: The Bears have reached the Sweet 16 for the first time in the program’s history. They were ranked as high as No. 3 earlier in the season but lost three of their last five games heading into the tournament.

Top Players: F Angel McCoughtry (23.3 ppg, 9.1 rpg), F Candyce Bingham (12.4 ppg, 7.1 rpg), G Deseree’ Byrd (7.5 ppg, 5.1 apg) Outlook: The Cardinals, coached by former Terp assistant Jeff Walz, were the second-best team in the Big East this season behind Connecticut, even though they lost by 39 in the league championship game.

No.6-seed Arizona State (25-8)

No. 4-seed Vanderbilt (26-8)

Top Players: Dymond Simon (13.8 ppg, 3.3 apg), Briann January (12.0 ppg, 4.8 apg), Sybil Dosty (8.2 ppg, 6.9 rpg) Outlook: The Sun Devils upset No. 3 seed Florida State in the second round, and are playing in their second Sweet 16 in the past three years. They reached their first Elite Eight in 2007.

Top Players: G/F Christina Wirth (16.3 ppg, 5.6 rpg), F Hannah Tuomi (11.4 ppg, 5.9 rpg), G Jence Rhoads (6.1 ppg, 3.8 apg) Outlook: The SEC Tournament champion Commdores are playing the Terps in the Sweet 16 for the second straight year after losing to them last year.

Wirth is a two-time First-Team All-SEC honoree.

WEST

MIDWEST

No. 2-seed Stanford (31-4)

No. 1-seed Oklahoma (30-4)

Top Players: F/C Jayne Appel (14.7 ppg, 9.0 rpg), F Kayla Pedersen (11.1 ppg, 8.0 rpg), G Jeanette Pohlen (11.1 ppg, 3.8 apg) Outlook: For the second year in a row, the Cardinal could have made a serious case for a No. 1 seed but instead were given a No. 2. The 2008 national runners-up don’t have Candice Wiggins anymore, but they enter the Sweet 16 winners of their last 18 games.

Top Players: C Courtney Paris (16.0 ppg, 13.7 rpg), F Ashley Paris (12.6 ppg, 9.6 rpg), G Danielle Robinson (12.9 ppg, 5.9 apg) Outlook: Courtney Paris is a three-time AllAmerican and the 2007 National Player of the Year. The low post powerhouse has famously said she would return her scholarship money from all four years if the Sooners don’t win the National Championship.

No. 3-seed Ohio State (29-5)

No. 4-seed Pittsburgh (25-7)

Top Players: C Jantel Lavender (21.0 ppg, 10.8 rpg), F Star Allen (10.9 ppg, 7.7 rpg), G Samantha Prahalis (10.0 ppg, 5.8 apg) Outlook: The Buckeyes won the Big 10 regular season and tournament championships, and enter the Sweet 16 on a 10-game winning streak. Lavender is arguably the best sophomore in the country.

Top Players: Shavonte Zellous (22.8 ppg, 5.6 rpg), Xenia Stewart (10.9 ppg, 3.0 apg), Shayla Scott (8.8 ppg, 6.8 rpg) Outlook: The Panthers are a potential sleeper team in this tournament, and Zellous is one of the most underrated players in the country. Pitt beat the Terps by 29 points back in December and will look to do the same against Oklahoma.

No. 4-seed Iowa State (26-8)

No. 6-seed Purdue (24-10)

Top Players: G Heather Ezell (11.7 ppg, 3.3 rpg), G Alison Lacey (10.9 ppg, 4.8 rpg), F Nicky Wieben (10.6 ppg, 5.1 rpg) Outlook: The Cyclones finished fourth in the Big 12 and had big wins over Texas A&M and Vanderbilt during the regular season. They dodged a bullet by not having to face Tennessee in the second round after the Lady Vols were upset by Ball State.

Top Players: F Lindsay Wisdom-Hylton (13.1 ppg, 9.1 rpg), F Lakisha Freeman (11.2 ppg, 3.5 rpg), C Danielle Campbell (8.8 ppg, 7.4 rpg) Outlook: The Boilermakers upset North Carolina to reach the Sweet 16. The 1999 National Champions feature a balanced offensive attack, with six players averaging more than seven points per game. Wisdom-Hylton and Campbell give Purdue strength on the board.

No. 9-seed Michigan State (22-10)

No. 7-seed Rutgers (21-12)

Top Players: F Aisha Jefferson (11.2 ppg, 5.2 rpg), C Allyssa DeHaan (10.4 ppg, 6.3 rpg), F Kalisha Keane (7.7 ppg, 3.4 rpg) Outlook: The Spartans upset top-seeded Duke and their former coach Joanne P. McCallie to reach the Sweet 16. They don’t score many points, and rely mostly on their defense to win games.

Top Players: G Epiphanny Prince (19.7 ppg, 5.0 rpg), C Kia Vaughn (9.9 ppg, 7.1 rpg), G Brittany Ray (10.0 ppg, 3.8 rpg) Outlook: The Scarlet Knights were arguably a bubble team late in the regular season, but they have won seven of their last nine games and upset No. 2-seed Auburn to reach their fifth straight Sweet 16 thanks to tenacious defense.

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Brenda Frese and the Terps have a tough road ahead with SEC Champions Vanderbilt up next and either Big 12 Champs Baylor or Big East runners-up Louisville looming. ADAM FRIED/THE DIAMONDBACK

THURSDAY, MARCH 26, 2009 | NCAA TOURNAMENT GUIDE | THE DIAMONDBACK

5

6

THE DIAMONDBACK | NCAA TOURNAMENT GUIDE | THURSDAY, MARCH 26, 2009

THAT OTHER TOURNAMENT Men’s basketball NCAA Tournament has been mostly chalk with big-name players and coaches surviving and advancing Compiled by Mark Selig

MIDWEST

EAST

No. 1-seed Louisville (30-5)

No. 1-seed Pittsburgh (30-4)

Top Players: F Earl Clark (13.9 ppg, 8.8 rpg), F Terrence Williams (12.7 ppg, 8.7 rpg), F Samardo Samuels (12.1 ppg, 1.3 bpg) Outlook: The Cardinals are the overall No. 1 seed, but they have shown vulnerability in the backcourt, committing a combined 36 turnovers in the first two rounds. Nevertheless, the kings of the vaunted Big East have won 12 straight.

Top Players: F Sam Young (18.9 ppg, 6.3 rpg), F DeJuan Blair (15.8 ppg, 12.3 rpg), G Levance Fields (10.6 ppg, 7.6 apg) Outlook: Pittsburgh has not made the Final Four since 1941, but with a No.1 seed and one of the top frontcourts in the nation, these Panthers could break their morbid run. The Panthers are one of the most balanced teams offensively and defensively.

No. 2-seed Michigan State (28-6)

No. 2-seed Duke (30-6)

Top Players: G Kalin Lucas (14.6 ppg, 4.5 apg), F Raymar Morgan (10.7 ppg, 5.5 rpg), C Goran Suton (9.5 ppg, 8.0 rpg) Outlook: Coach Tom Izzo and the Spartans have reached the Sweet 16 eight times in the last 12 years. They are back again with a typical, defensive-minded, strong-rebounding and mistake-free team.

Top Players: G-F Gerald Henderson (16.8 ppg, 4.8 rpg), G Kyle Singler (16.5 ppg, 7.7 rpg), G Jon Scheyer (14.9 ppg, 2.8 apg) Outlook: Winners of 10 of their last 11, the Blue Devils are back in the Sweet Sixteen after a two-year absence. The emergence of the ultratalented Henderson distinguishes this year’s team from other recent Duke clubs.

No. 3-seed Kansas (27-7)

No. 3-seed Villanova (28-7)

Top Players: G Sherron Collins (18.9 ppg, 5.0 apg), C Cole Aldrich (14.8 ppg, 11.0 rpg, 2.6 bpg), G Tyshawn Taylor (9.8 rpg, 3.0 apg) Outlook: The defending champions lost nine players from last season’s roster, including five who were drafted by NBA teams. But the inside-out duo of Aldrich and Collins has carried the Jayhawks back into title contention.

Top Players: F Dante Cunningham (16.3 ppg, 7.3 rpg), G Scottie Reynolds (15.1 ppg, 3.9 apg), G Corey Fisher (10.9 ppg, 2.9 apg) Outlook: Cunningham, one of the country’s most improved players, leads the winningest senior class in Villanova history. A deep batch of guards has become commonplace for the Wildcats this decade.

No. 12-seed Arizona (21-13)

No. 4-seed Xavier (27-7)

Top Players: F Jordan Hill (18.4 ppg, 11.0 rpg), F Chase Budinger (17.9 ppg, 6.3 rpg), G Nic Wise (15.7 ppg, 4.6 apg) Outlook: If there was one surprise when the brackets were announced, it was Arizona’s inclusion. But the Wildcats have two doubledigit victories in as many rounds, helping to prove that they may belong after all.

Top Players: G-F B.J. Raymond (14.1 ppg, 4.2 rpg), F Derrick Brown (13.7 ppg, 6.0 rpg), G-F C.J. Anderson (10.0 ppg, 5.4 rpg) Outlook: After going 5-5 in their last 10 Atlantic 10 games, Xavier has defeated a pair of doubledigit-seeded teams to reach the Sweet 16. The Musketeers don’t have a standout guy, but rather a host of players with diverse talent sets.

WEST

SOUTH

No. 1-seed Connecticut (29-4)

No. 1-seed North Carolina (30-4)

Top Players: G A.J. Price (14.6 ppg, 4.8 apg), F Hasheem Thabeet (13.7 ppg, 10.7 rpg, 4.4 bpg), F Jeff Adrien (13.9 ppg, 10.2 rpg) Outlook: It’s as if the Huskies are competing with their female counterparts to see which team can be more dominant this tournament season. The men’s squad has won its first two games by an average of 41 points.

Top Players: F Tyler Hansbrough (21.2 ppg, 8.1 rpg), G Ty Lawson (16.1 ppg, 6.5 apg), G Wayne Ellington (15.7 ppg, 4.8 rpg) Outlook: With ACC Player of the Year Lawson healthy after a toe injury, this group of Tar Heels is primed for a run for its first National Championship. The illustrious career of Hansbrough won’t seem complete without a ring.

No. 2-seed Memphis (33-3)

No. 2-seed Oklahoma (29-5)

Top Players: G Tyreke Evans (16.6 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 3.9 apg), F Robert Dozier (12.7 ppg, 7.2 rpg), G Antonio Anderson (10.0 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 4.5 apg) Outlook: Conference USA or not, Memphis has won 27 consecutive games and has its swagger back after dominating the Terps. Their great athleticism will fuel their tournament run, as long as it may go.

Top Players: F Blake Griffin (22.5 ppg, 14.4 rpg), G Willie Warren (14.7 ppg, 3.1 apg), F Taylor Griffin (9.8 ppg, 6.0 rpg) Outlook: The Sooners have the most transcendent player in the tournament in Blake Griffin.

No one in the country can match up with the sophomore, who is likely going to be picked first in the upcoming NBA Draft.

No. 3-seed Missouri (30-6)

No. 3-seed Syracuse (28-9)

Top Players: F DeMarre Carroll (16.7 ppg, 7.3 rpg), F Leo Lyons (14.6 ppg, 6.0 rpg), G J.T. Tiller (8.0 ppg, 3.6 apg) Outlook: Missouri’s full court press gives fits to opposing offenses. Despite their frenetic defensive style, the Big 12 conference tournament champs are patient offensively as they consistently control the tempo of their games.

Top Players: G Jonny Flynn (17.3 ppg, 6.7 apg), G Eric Devendorf (15.9 ppg, 3.0 apg), F Paul Harris (12.2 ppg, 8.0 rpg) Outlook: One of the nation’s best guards, Flynn is poised to lead the Orange back to the Final Four.

Before this year, Syracuse hadn’t won an NCAA Tournament game since 2004, missing the tournament altogether the past two seasons.

No. 5-seed Purdue (27-9)

No. 4-seed Gonzaga (28-5)

Top Players: G E’Twaun Moore (14.0 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 3.1 apg), F Robbie Hummel (12.4 ppg, 7.0 rpg), F JaJuan Johnson (13.4 ppg, 5.6 rpg) Outlook: Yielding just 59.4 points per game this season, the Boilermakers play typical get-thejob-done, ugly Big Ten basketball. Their offense is balanced, if unspectacular.

Top Players: F Josh Heytvelt (14.9 ppg, 6.7 rpg), F Austin Daye (12.8 ppg, 6.7 rpg), G Matt Bouldin (13.8 ppg, 3.5 apg) Outlook: Gonzaga hit a roadblock in late December, but they have bounced back to win 20 of 21. The Zags are an experienced bunch that effectively spread around their scoring.

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