November 28, 2012

SPORTS

OPINION

STOP WINE-ING

BIG TENTATIVE RIVALRY

The state’s steep 9 percent alcohol tax is a small price to pay for a prosperous economy p. 4

Terps topple Northwestern in ACC/Big Ten Challenge with dominant 23-point performance from Wells p. 8

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ACC files lawsuit against university Conference officials enforcing full $50 million exit fee; Loh one of two to vote against hike in September meeting

By Rebecca Lurye Senior staff writer The ACC has filed a lawsuit against the university and the Board of Regents in North Carolina state court to ensure it pays the entirety of the conference’s $50 million exit fee, just more than a week after the university announced its exit from the conference.

University President Wallace Loh

has said he will likely attempt to negotiate a lower exit fee than the one the conference instituted in September after it voted to bring in Notre Dame in all sports except football. Loh and Florida State President Eric Barron were the only two ACC presidents to vote against the hike, with Loh citing “legal and philosophical” reasons for opposing it.

However, the ACC expects the university to fulfill its exit fee obligation —

due within 30 days of the university’s July 2014 exit — ACC Commissioner John Swofford said in a statement.

“On Friday, the ACC Council of Presidents made the unanimous decision to file legal action to ensure the enforcement of this obligation,” he said. “We continue to extend our best wishes to the University of Maryland; however, there is the expectation that

BY THE NUMBERS

50 20

ACC’s exit fee in millions, instituted in September

ACC’s previous exit fee in millions

17

ACC’s annual operating budget in millions

See lawsuit, Page 2

Snow storm in Maryland unlikely this year State will see avg. snowfall, experts say

By Savannah Doane-Malotte Staff writer

Old Line fine wine, spirits & Bistro, which occupies the inside of an old Circuit City on Route 1, offers an array of wines and beers. Unlike most liquor stores, Old Line has a bistro, which co-owner Larry Pendleton called “casual French.”

While store owners are optimistic about its success, recent data show alcohol sales in the state have stagnated after the alcoholic beverage tax increased from 6 percent to 9 percent in 2011. charlie deboyace/the diamondback

wining and dining

Route 1’s Old Line Fine Wine serves as both liquor store and French-style bistro

By Fola Akinnibi Staff writer Old Line Fine Wine, Spirits & Bistro is not a typical area liquor store — rows of wines organized by country and beers grouped by state origin are housed inside an old Circuit City store of more than

State liquor sales stagnant after alcohol tax increased from 6 percent to 9 percent

21,000 square feet.

Tucked in the back is the bistro, which co-owner Larry Pendleton described as “casual French,” and soon a gift shop and deli will open inside as well. Pendleton said Old Line has seen steady growth since it

By Jim Bach Senior staff writer More than a year after state residents began paying higher taxes on beer, wine and liquor, alcohol sales have flattened compared to neighboring states.

Sales in the state’s alcohol in-

See wine, Page 3

dustry have been lackluster in 2012, trailing the national average and falling below a boom in sales for neighbors Virginia, Delaware and Washington, according to David Ozgo, Distilled Spirits Council of the United States chief economist.

See alcohol, Page 3

Elections hold up negotiations process Grad asst. committee still holding elections

By Teddy Amenabar Staff writer Graduate assistants still cannot formally negotiate concerns with administrators, as a university-level committee selected to help broker conversations between the two groups is still carrying out its elections.

Until elections for the Graduate Assistant Advisory Committee are over, the 4,000 graduate assistants on the campus will have to continue to rely on existing Graduate Student Government bodies to voice their problems. Without a newly elected body, graduate assistants won’t be able to meet with administrators in

INDEX

a meet-and-confer process, which allows graduate assistants to bring a third party into negotiations with administrators.

Because of the long-delayed process, several of the GSG’s proposals were originally postponed by the University Senate’s most powerful committee. Though a proposal to grant graduate assistants parental leave is now undergoing further review by the Graduate Council, senators first deferred action because of unclear guidelines about how the university would negotiate with graduate assistants.

See gaac, Page 3

Though many students are itching to hit the campus slopes with stolen dining hall trays — stashed away since Snowmageddon — this winter season may disappoint, according to weather experts.

Recent years have brought winter weather conditions on both extremes, but the upcoming winter season will likely bring average temperatures and snowfall, according to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration forecasts. The state experienced historically mild winter conditions last year and is once again unlikely to see severe snowfall in the coming weeks, although Facilities Management workers said they will continue to prepare for inclement weather.

Earlier predictions for the winter zeroed in the possibility of an El Niño, a warming of the Pacific waters that favors more chances for precipitation in southern states, hitting the region as one did in 2010.

However, the El Niño warning was repealed earlier in the fall, so the region will likely deal with average winter conditions, according to Ken Widelski, an emergency response meteorologist at the Baltimore/ Washington NOAA weather station.

“This season will not be like last year’s winter, where the area experienced barely any snow at all,” Widelski said. “We could get a couple of snow events or big snow storms, but the area will most likely have 15 to 20 inches throughout the season.”

The National Weather Service’s Climate Prediction Center reinforces Widelski’s forecast for a normal winter, predicting equal chances of both harsh and mild weather in the area over the next three months.

Multiple university departments have been heavily affected by snowfall and colder temperatures in past years and will soon begin to prepare for the possibility of inclement weather this winter. Facilities Management plans to stock up on equipment for handling snow and ice and update its snow emergency

some graduate student government members say they are questioning whether the GAAC will appropriately represent them in the meet-and-confer process, which has been held up because of elections. su hong/the diamondback

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THE DIAMONDBACK | NEWS | WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2012

LAWSUIT From PAGE 1 Maryland will fulfill its exit fee obligation.”

The ACC raised its exit fee after conducting “further assessment of the potential harm for Conference members in the event of withdrawal and from additional changes related to the structure of collegiate athletics,” according to the lawsuit. The lawsuit points to Loh directly, noting he “freely participated in discussions and votes” regarding the adjusted exit fee.

However, requiring an exit fee that is more than three times the ACC’s operating budget may go beyond compensating conference members, said sports lawyer Bradley Shear, who also teaches a sports management class at George Washington University.

“This type of fee could be seen as punitive, meaning it’s done to punish Maryland or any other

member that would want to leave,” he said.

While the university’s next move is not yet clear — Loh and University System of Maryland officials declined to comment yesterday — it’s likely the school and conference will “meet in the middle” on an exit fee, Shear said, to avoid a drawn-out legal process, which would be costly for both parties.

“Uncertainty could literally destroy the conference. It’s in the best interest of both parties to come to some type of mutual agreement, that ‘X’ dollars will satisfy all obligations,” Shear said.

“Having this drag out is not in the best interest of either party.”

The university will likely seek to pay the ACC’s old exit fee of $20 million, Shear said, while the conference would push for a figure as close to $50 million as possible.

“I think, to expedite the matter, they’ll come to some sort of agreement,” Shea said. “Problem is, it can’t be just $20 million, because then other schools in the ACC will

say, ‘Wait, if it’s 20, why do we have this vote?’ And there will be other schools who may say they’re willing to write a check for $20 million. Obviously, the ACC wants to protect its turf.”

No school has completely reneged on financial obligations to its conference, but few, if any, have paid their conference’s full exit fees. Nearly all ensuing lawsuits have been resolved through negotiations.

In July, future ACC members Pittsburgh and Syracuse agreed to pay the Big East $7.5 million each to leave the conference early; the conference stipulates schools must provide 27 months’ notice or face a higher fee. Nebraska and Colorado negotiated their fees to the Big 12 to about half of what the conference asked when leaving for the Big Ten and Pac 12, respectively; in February, Missouri and Texas A&M settled on fees of about $12 million, down from nearly $30 million to join the SEC from the Big 12. When West Virginia finalized its departure

SNOWcast

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From PAGE 1

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HEALTH CENTER OFFERS FREE STI TESTING to promote awareness

Health center officials are working hard to push sexual health and awareness by offering free STI testing today and tomorrow.

The University Health Center will be offering same-day-result HIV testing today from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Prince George’s Room in Stamp Student Union, as well as HIV, syphilis, gonorrhea and chlamydia testing tomorrow from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the ground floor of the health center.

To read more of Sarah Tincher’s post, visit The Diamondback’s news blog, Campus Drive, at diamondbackonline.com.

p l a n , a c c o rd i n g to C a rl o Colella, Facilities Management assistant vice president.

“We have had a good amount of experience over the years with snow removal operations,” Colella said. “The folks that work on this, including people from both Facilities Management and Residential Facilities, are a very stable group.”

If the weather turns out to be average as predicted, Facilities Management’s main focus will be clearing parking lots and sidewalks to ensure pedestria n sa fety, Colel la said. However, if the climate is harsher, the university could become more vulnerable to issues such as dealing with pressure from snow on roofs,

UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT WALLACE LOH has said he will attempt to negotiate an exit fee lower than the ACC’s fee of $50 million. The conference raised its exit fee from $20 million in September, and Loh expressed “legal and philosophical” objections to the hike. charlie deboyace/the diamondback from the Big East to the Big 12 in February, the school paid $20 million, but the considerable fine bought them an immediate exit.

The spate of realignments — including moves by Tulane in all sports and East Carolina football yesterday to the Big East — has prompted rumors that several other schools’ conference ties will be the next cut. In response to a rush of emails, University of

North Carolina athletic director Bubba Cunningham reassured students he was “looking forward to many more years of success in the ACC.” “We believe the ACC is the finest conference in the nation,” Cunningham wrote in an email to the University of North Carolina community, according to ESPN. com. “The ACC has been our home for nearly 60 years and we

want it to be our home for another 60 years at least. Our speculating on what other league may be better for the Tar Heels would not be productive. We are part of a great league with a strong future and we know that the ACC leadership is serious in its efforts to strengthen the conference and position it for long-term success.”

maintaining heating systems i n a l l bu i ld i ngs a nd fi x i ng water line failures.

“T he way the u n iversity is affected really depends on the severity of the weather we encounter,” Colella said. “It usually has to be pretty severe for any big issues to occur.”

The Department of Transportation Services’ bus schedules could be influenced by ice and snow on the roads. Shuttle-UM buses stopped running during Hurricane Sandy because of the unsafe driving conditions.

Some fixtures of the campus, including the rooftop gardens on the North and South Ca mpus d i n i ng ha l ls, may even benefit from moderate snowfall, said Steve Cohan, a plant science and landscape architecture professor.

“Most of t he pl a nts a re annuals, so a lot of the beds

do not have plants growing in them right now,” he said.

“But there is no adverse effect on the gardens from snow or cold weather; snowfall actually puts moisture back in the soil and acts as an insulator blanket for the plants.”

Several students said they hop e t he c a mp u s w i l l se e some snow fa l l du r i n g t he winter months. Julie Guacci, a freshman business major, said she would welcome the winter weather as long as it does not significantly inhibit her daily routine.

“I love snow, but it’s only a good thing until it starts to interfere with you every day,” she said.

“I think it’s fun if classes are canceled for one day, but if classes are canceled for a week and the buses are canceled and then you can’t get around easily, that can make for a bad situation.”

“if you haven’t taken precautions when a storm warning is issued, it will be a problem. it’s important to keep abreast when a storm is coming in.”

newsumdbk@gmail.com

KEN WIDELSKI

NOAA emergency response meteorologist Widelski said students should begin preparing for the upcoming winter by keeping a stock of food, making sure there is gas in their cars and paying attention to weather broadcasts.

“I f you haven’t ta ken precautions when a storm warning is issued, it will be a problem,” he said. “It’s important to keep abreast when a storm is coming in.” newsumdbk@gmail.com

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wednesDAY, november 28, 2012 | NEWS | THE DIAMONDBACK

ALCOHOL From PAGE 1 Alcohol is moving slower from local businesses’ shelves as a direct result of its 50 percent sales tax hike — from 6 percent to 9 percent — that went into effect July of last year, Ozgo said at a state meeting earlier this month. However, many students said they aren’t deterred by a higher number on their liquor store receipts.

“I don’t know how long it’s been in effect; I wasn’t aware that it went up,” said Ryan Kennedy, a senior environmental science and policy major. “I would be surprised if people even noticed it.”

The demand for alcohol doesn’t change across the board when prices go up, said family science professor Mitch Mokhtari. Beer has a low price elasticity of demand, meaning consumers will not drastically change their spending habits for beer in light of a price increase. However, wine and liquor have significantly higher price elasticity, so when prices go up, consumers are likely to either cross state borders or stop purchasing them altogether.

This year’s anemic sales in the alcohol industry have drawn criticism from liquor lobbyists, who argued the tax would force residents to take their purchasing power across state lines. However, public health advocates who want to curb alcohol abuse said the tax is doing its job.

The law aims to limit access for young people, who are “price sensitive” and more receptive to a jump in cost, said Vincent DeMarco, president of the state’s Health Care for All Coalition. However, Kennedy said the tax is still “nominal,” and he doesn’t see students making a cross-border run for cheaper booze.

But some state residents have cut back their alcohol spending, to the detriment of the state’s alcohol industry. And the stagnant sales growth suggests the tax is doing what many proponents intended: successfully fighting the societal ills of alcohol abuse, DeMarco said.

“The whole goal here was to reduce underage drinking and reduce alcohol abuse, and we think that’s happening,” DeMarco said.

“The alcohol industry shouldn’t want there to be underage drinking and alcohol abuse.”

However, while the law was expected to raise about $85 million to be used for state health and community service purposes, it has fallen short of those initial estimates, raking in $70 million.

That revenue will do very little to help drive down the abuses associated with alcohol, said Bruce Bereano, a state lawyer who has lobbied for alcohol distributors, and the true measures to put an end to unlawful underage drinking are being overlooked.

“It’s just a lot of bunk,” Bereano said. “The way you get teenagers is enforcement; nobody pays any attention to enforcement.”

The blame for the stagnant sales and unrealized revenue goals comes from residents crossing state lines, primarily into Delaware, to take advantage of lower tax rates, according to Ozgo. Delaware has no sales tax on alcohol.

“In general, cross-border purchases of anything happen if there is a price differential for any product … assuming there’s not much of a transportation cost,” Mokhtari said.

“To some extent, that takes place to offset the impact” of the tax.

Given most residents’ proximity to state lines, Bereano said the sales tax doesn’t prevent the possibility of residents buying alcohol elsewhere.

“I just wish that public officials would look at a map of the state of Maryland,” he said. “We’re nowhere from 30 to 90 minutes tops to another jurisdiction.”

DeMarco doesn’t buy that argument — and on a college campus, few students make a trip out of the city for their weekly purchases, let alone out of the state.

“People aren’t going to spend $4 in gas to save a little bit of money to get their alcohol,” he said. “It doesn’t make any sense.” newsumdbk@gmail.com

wine From PAGE 1 opened its doors last month, and although it is located a considerable distance from the campus — just past Costco on Route 1 — he said he hopes to attract university students to its casual, comfortable environment.

“It’s kind of like the Cheers bar,” Pendleton said. “We want everyone to know your name.”

The restaurant has already hosted a Terrapin Club football viewing event and a sorority event, and Pendleton said he hopes to continue to hold university-affiliated events in the bistro, which has seating for about 100 people. Large-screen televisions line the bar area, and there is a Breathalyzer patrons

GAAC From PAGE 1 Headed by the graduate school dean, the Graduate Council is the “presiding body” for graduate assistants, said Reka Montfort, executive secretary of the University Senate.

“The GAAC is not the … advisory body on graduate issues to us at this point because that seems to be a very fluid situation,” Montfort said. “I can’t really tell you what will happen in the future.”

Members of the GAAC said they are taking their time in the process to ensure the body can better represent its constituents in its second year.

Some graduate assistants had problems with last year’s election process, graduate school officials said, which prompted some to question whether the body accurately represented its population.

W h i le it’s sti l l u nclea r

can pay to use before leaving to prevent drunken driving. The proceeds will go to charity, Pendleton said.

Before experiencing the restaurant’s “Cheers-like” environment, patrons must first maneuver through the massive liquor store. According to Pendleton, Old Line carries the largest selection of craft beers in the state, which draws in curious student customers.

Old Line’s size amazed Sean Pelletier, a senior journalism major, when he visited the store for the first time this week.

“It was like a grocery store full of alcohol,” he said. “I’m going to go there from now on.

I feel like I’m going to buy something new every time.”

As a resident of the Mazza Grandmarc apartments, Pelletier

said it’s easier for him to make a trip to Old Line than to College Park Liquors.

However, some students said the store’s location is less than ideal and many of its prices are far higher than at more established competitors.

Megan Kuehner, a senior public health major, said convenience plays a big factor in her liquor store choices. She would generally shop at No. 1 Liquors, the closest store to her apartment, but said she plans to visit Old Line soon to check out the store’s wine selection.

Despite its distance from the campus, Pendleton said he isn’t concerned Old Line will have trouble drawing in student customers. The variety of events he plans to hold, including watch parties, tailgating events and

wine tastings, as well as the shop’s vast selection of wines and beers, will bring students in, he said.

“It’s like a museum,” Pendleton said of the craft beer selection.

When Old Line’s foot traffic begins to pick up, Pendleton said he plans to open up the gift shop and deli, so patrons will be able to pick up breads, meats and cheeses to match their selections from the store.

Because the university crowd will be key to his continued growth, Pendleton said he plans to keep prices at an affordable level for college students.

“We love the state and we love the area we’re in,” he said. “We want to support the university.”

when elections will be over, GSG President David ColonCabrera said the body hopes to wrap them up before the end of the semester. So far, there have been primary elections for 12 new graduate assistant representatives, who will represent each of the university’s graduate departments.

L a s t y e a r, U n i v e r s i t y System of Maryland officials negotiated a meet-and-confer process in lieu of collective bargaining rights with Gov. Martin O’Malley’s office. The graduate school formed the GAAC by mandate of the University System of Maryland and assigned the body to take the lead on meet-and-confer negotiations, rather than combining members of the GAAC and the GSG. It would have been better for the GA AC to elect its members earlier in the year, Colon-Cabrera said, but it takes time to craft a relatively new body’s procedures.

“We know that it is not

ideal. We wish it would have been sooner,” he said. “We understand the constraints and we understand what’s going on.”

Un l i ke the GSG, wh ich focuses primarily on student issues, the GAAC is a “university-level committee” that also incorporates the university’s position on various issues, said Blessing Okoroafor, the GSG’s chief of staff and a member of GAAC who helped prepare this year’s elections.

B e c a u s e o f t h e G S G ’s history on the campus, it would have been appropriate for the body’s own graduate assistant committee — the Graduate Researchers, Employees, Assistants and Teachers Committee — to handle negotiations w ith administrators, said William Burghart, the GSG’s financial affairs vice president. But the graduate school favored a “top down” approach by forming the GAAC, Burghart said. Although several GSG members

backed the move, calling it the only option for forward progress, many graduate students said they are questioning whether the GAAC was the right choice.

“We have these people that could talk to the graduate school. What did the graduate school do? Created its own committee,” Burghart said. “And I think that says much about how much they care about self-determination of students.”

A lt houg h t he g radu ate school initially helped the GAAC hold its elections, officials do not want to control how the body functions in the future, said graduate school Dean Charles Caramello.

“It will really be up to GAAC to determine how they want to organize themselves, how they want to connect with graduate assistants,” Caramello said. “We’ll help them, we’ll help facilitate.”

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4

Opinion

THE DIAMONDBACK | WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2012

EDITORIAL BOARD

YASMEEN ABUTALEB Editor in Chief

Mike King

Managing Editor

Wine-ing about taxes A

Managing Editor

maria romas Opinion Editor

nadav karasov

Assistant Opinion Editor

CONTACT US 3150 South Campus Dining Hall | College Park, MD 20742 | newsumdbk@gmail.com OR opinionumdbk@gmail.com PHONE (301) 314-8200

STAFF EDITORIAL

hike in the alcohol sales tax may have been enough to deter some residents from buying the same amounts of alcohol in years past — or they’re taking a little extra time to go to Delaware or Virginia to buy cheaper drinks. Alcohol sales in Maryland have grown a mere 0.2 percent in the past year, which has many state residents up in arms, citing the 2011 tax increase from 6 to 9 percent as the reason for the stagnant sales.

Nationwide, however, there has been an average 3.1 percent increase in alcohol sales, according to MarylandReporter.com, and neighboring Delaware and Virginia have had increases well above this average.

David Ozgo, Distilled Spirits Council of the United States chief economist, said in a meeting last month Virginia’s off-premise sales are up 5 percent and Delaware’s are up 8.8 percent. He said the difficulty in alcohol sales is a direct result of the tax hike.

So yes, Maryland’s slight increase is paltry compared to surrounding states and the nation. And the state’s 9 percent sales tax rate for alcohol is shocking compared to Virginia’s 5 percent and Delaware’s 0 percent. It is, of course, inevitable that some people who live close to the borders of these states will choose the extra 20-minute drive to pay the cheaper price. It’s what people in Virginia and Delaware

Tyler Weyant

(and other states) have been doing for years, when Maryland’s alcohol was the cheapest. It’s a give and take, and right now, Maryland seems to be giving.

OUR VIEW

Though the state’s 9 percent alcohol tax is steep, it’s justified when looking at the larger economic picture.

But not every part of this state with high alcohol sales is close to the border — residents in those areas are likely not willing to spend the extra gas money for the slightly cheaper price. Cities like College Park and Towson, both college towns, have a high rate of alcohol consumption, and there’s nowhere for city residents to easily benefit from another state’s lower tax rate.

We also have to consider the big picture when looking at this issue.

A Baltimore City Paper blogger even suggested the idea that liquor store raids could be a contributing factor in the lack of alcohol sales.

No one wants to see increased taxes, which Gov. Martin O’Malley has continually enacted over his six years in office. It’s imperative to closely examine every decision to increase tax money for the government

— and in this instance, an increase is the right move for the state. The 9 percent rate is steep, but justified.

Just look at Maryland’s economy; it’s prospering. Many other states’ economies are faltering, which has led a number of state institutions nationwide to increase tuition that is already difficult for many to pay. The unemployment rate in the state dropped from 6.9 percent to 6.7 percent, according to Labor Department data, translating to 14,000 additional jobs, more of which were added in the private sector than in any onemonth period since 1996.

The state should lower the 9 percent tax if possible, but higher price tags on drinks are small prices to pay for a prosperous state economy when much of the country is still recovering from the 2008 recession.

This editorial board finds it hard to believe the few extra bucks on an alcohol purchase would deter students from buying it. In the end, it’s easier for Maryland residents to cope with a few slight tax increases for the time being, rather than face a state government with a mounting deficit somewhere down the line.

So go out and buy some liquor.

It’ll help the state’s alcohol sales, and maybe it’ll aid in keeping tuition low. Just kick back and have a drink — there’s only so much time before you have to study for finals.

EDITORIAL CARTOON

From India: Notes on arranged marriage ANAND KUMAR-GUPTA As I write this column in my study, my extended family is choreographing dance moves to some really cheesy Bollywood songs in the living room outside. My sister is getting married Thursday. It’s a classic Indian wedding, and the mood is celebratory. Relatives from all over the country and abroad have taken the week off to camp at the Gupta residence in Pune, India. Preparations are in place for a seven- to eight-course day (seriously), music is blasting in every space of this house and the chatter of family — 20 people squeezed in a house of four — will be the norm for the week ahead.

Isn’t this different from the more sober setting you’re used to in the U.S.? As I got used to this buzz and coped with jet lag yesterday, I wondered what the implications of this Indian setting could possibly mean to an American college student.

I was talking to a friend of mine from the Indian School of Mines, a top engineering school in India, a little more than a week ago.

What he told me left me amused: “College is the only time you can struggle; struggle and work extremely hard here, and then you can obviously enjoy for the rest of your life.”

I politely nodded at the thought and observed how it was the polar opposite of the mindset in an American college setting. To confirm this person wasn’t the anomaly, I called up a few others as well. Most of my friends, all from good schools, echoed similar views. Work hard in college. Party hard later in life.

My sister is marrying a man whom she didn’t even know just a few months ago. My parents and

my soon-to-be-brother-in-law’s parents met through introductions in an extended network of family connections and decided their two children should tie the knot — in other words, an arranged marriage.

The two, my sister and her husband-to-be, spoke to each other on Skype (he was on a work assignment abroad) and gave their consent to the arrangement after their very first online chat (I’m not even sure if it could be called a date). Some catchphrases coming to mind: “Awkwarddd,” “Like, seriously?,” “No [expletive] way.”

Wouldn’t such a system come across as highly absurd in America?

With a slight stretch, one could even make the argument that my parents may have violated my sister’s human rights. But here in India, my sister couldn’t have been happier, and all of our family and friends are thrilled for her. There is no right or wrong about this.

Why should you care even a little?

In this age of an integrated global economy, it is useful to know how young people are different in other parts of the world. How this works in your favor or disfavor is a question with no answer.

But I encourage you to travel outside America (you don’t know how lucky you are to have a U.S. passport and visa, free to travel anywhere in the world) and familiarize yourself with people from different backgrounds and cultures. Take on study abroad opportunities, join the Peace Corps, do European road trips, internships in Africa or even nonprofit volunteering in Southeast Asia. Understanding the peculiarities of people from other cultures will, in essence, help broaden your horizons. Travel not as a tourist, but as someone who truly wants to learn.

Anand Kumar Gupta is a junior a g r i c u l t u ra l a n d reso u rc e economics major. He can be reached at opinionumdbk@gmail.com.

GUEST COLUMN

Turning student voice into action JACK CHEN/the diamondback

The truth about life on reservations MADELEINE LIST Christopher Columbus is frequently cited as the man who bravely sailed to the shores of North America and discovered the lands of our great nation. But by now, most of us know the real story.

We know the so-called “New World” was already inhabited by millions of people. We know Native American tribes were already established on this land, but Columbus and the waves of European immigrants that followed him felt entitled to call it their own. And we are aware of the atrocities that ensued.

Those of us who have taken basic U.S. history classes know about the near genocide of the Native American people, the later banishing of survivors onto reservations and the forced assimilation of Native American children into the New World culture.

But this tragedy is not merely history.

The injustice continues today, and it is extreme.

Native American reservations were purposely created on the least valuable plots of land in the country, placing them in the most destitute and remote locations. This has not changed, and people living there today are far away from basic necessities, sometimes up to 90 miles from the nearest town.

This means miles from gas stations, hospitals, police stations and power sources, leaving many homes without electricity or running water. And out

in the middle of nowhere, there are few economic opportunities.

Unemployment is extremely high, with some reservations reaching rates of more than 80 percent, according to The New York Times. Homelessness is rampant. Most of the Native American population lives below the federal poverty line.

Violent crime rates are more than two-and-a-half times higher than the national average. Murder, rape and sexual assault are more common on reservations than anywhere in the country, except perhaps for a few of America’s most violent cities. One in three Native American women experience rape or attempted rape, and justice is rarely served. The Justice Department turns down half of the murder cases and nearly two-thirds of the sexual assault cases it receives from reservations.

Violence and domestic abuse are fueled by endemic alcoholism. Alcoholism contributes to higher rates of homicide, suicide and abuse as well as fetal alcohol syndrome and infant mortality. The frequency of alcoholrelated deaths on reservations is more than three times the percentage for the general population.

Many young people don’t graduate from high school, and high school dropout rates on some reservations reach 70 percent. This does not bode well for the future and a long, healthy life is not to be expected when life expectancies are less than the national average.

This is an unavoidable fate for most

Native Americans. History placed them in these desolate locations, and now, in the 21st century, they are trapped. They are isolated from the outside world, without access to quality education; there are few promising opportunities left for them off the reservation.

On these forgotten segments of land, these horrific issues go unnoticed and unresolved. America has abandoned its own indigenous people.

It is time to start making things right.

It is up to us to take notice. Volunteers can make a huge difference in improving the quality of life on reservations by building schools, fixing up houses, providing access to electricity, improving health services and helping boost education.

There is a wide variety of opportunities for students at this university to volunteer abroad, and with enough interest, we could establish domestic programs that would bring students to work on reservations. A program like this would give students the opportunity to help improve conditions on reservations while also making these issues more visible to the nation. Many of the more serious issues require federal intervention, and that will not happen unless our leaders start paying attention.

Unfortunately, we cannot change history. But we can change the present, and hopefully reshape the future.

Ma d e l e i n e L i s t i s a so p h o m o re journalism major. She can be reached at opinionumdbk@gmail.com.

I

t’s the end of November, and with the passing of Thanksgiving break and the last of the autumn leaves, it is time to grudgingly accept the home stretch of the semester is here. But before we stress out over group projects and final exams, the Residence Hall Association would like to take a moment to show its gratitude to all students for their continued support and creativity in helping to make on-campus life as “stressfree” as possible.

At October’s RHA Town Hall meeting, students were able to voice their opinions and offer innovative solutions for issues impacting on-campus life.

The input and advice we received was incredibly insightful and has shaped the RHA’s agenda for the upcoming months, including exploring new methods for campus sustainability, changes to bus routes and the wrap style in the dining halls.

Through programming and policy initiatives, we do everything in our power to make your experience living on the campus a “home away from home.” RHA is comprised of 15 separate hall or area councils that plan social activities throughout the year for their residents.

Recently, the South Campus Commons and South Hill Area councils teamed up to put on the South Campus Fall Fest. Despite the cold weather, there was a large turnout of people who came together to engage in fall festivities.

Leonardtown Area Council held its annual Thanksgiving Dinner on November 18, in which residents came out to share a traditional Thanksgiving meal (complete with

turkey, mashed potatoes and stuffing) with their community.

Along with the programming, hall and area councils also send representatives to the RHA Senate, a legislative body that drafts and votes on imperative policies that affect all residents. To accomplish this, members of the Senate work closely with four departments within the Division of Student Affairs. By communicating directly with administrators in these departments, it is easy to implement whatever changes we think should be made and to directly impact students’ lives.

RHA has been working on exciting new legislation. Earlier in November, RHA passed a resolution supporting the initiative by the Department of Resident Life to begin a pilot program on gender-inclusive housing in the residence halls, a program which would determine which halls are structurally feasible to implement mixed-gender floors.

RHA will keep track of the progress of the pilot program and will seek out input during the implementation phase to ensure the student voice is heard.

From Thanksgiving-themed hall and area council events to important legislation, the RHA has been hard at work for on-campus students.

We are so thankful to all of you for your input, and will continue to serve you and work toward making your ideas and suggestions come to life.

We hope your last few weeks of the semester are as stress-free as possible, and we wish you the best of luck on your final exams.

Meenu Singh is the public relations officer for RHA. She can be reached at meenuksingh92@gmail.com.

POLICY: Signed letters, columns and cartoons represent 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.

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2012 | THE DIAMONDBACK

5

Features

CROSSWORD

ACROSS 1 Joined the chorus 5 Corn storage 9 Godzilla’s land 14 Wedding-cake part 15 Paddy crop 16 Pedro’s pal 17 Comics pooch 18 Three oceans touch it 19 Change the clock 20 Easel partner 22 Lower in esteem 24 Ringlet 26 Miss Piggy’s word 27 Ranch or meal 30 Sprained an ankle 35 Bedside noise 36 Transvaal trekker 37 German import 38 Gas-pump abbr.

39 Machines for hoisting 42 Turn down 43 Be a party to 45 Auction shout 46 Ms. LaBelle 48 Pause 50 Hair foam 51 Work out 52 Cozy corners 54 Shoulder ornament 58 Salty snack 62 Not express 63 Throw off heat 65 Forum site

66 Carried 67 Actress -- Freeman 68 Chits 69 Winning 70 Flake off 71 Kind of prof.

41 Ladder rung 44 Border town 47 Freud’s homeland 49 Pealed

50 Not a god 53 Conjecture 54 Napoleon’s island 55 Bear of little brain

DOWN 1 Grind to a halt 2 Verdi princess 3 Mr. Armstrong 4 Hand shaker 5 Ready to ship 6 Swells, as a river 7 Here, in Le Havre 8 Droplet 9 Lingo 10 New World 11 Leaning Tower site 12 Made cheddar better 13 Quick letter 21 Hike 23 Common abrasive 25 Puffed up 27 Vaughan or Bernhardt 28 Annapolis frosh 29 Comes unglued 31 Tall stalk 32 Seeks out 33 Proofreads 34 Civil War anthem 36 Pat dry 40 Meter reading

© 2012 United Features Syndicate

PREVIOUS DAY’s puzzle solved:

Today’s crossword sponsored by:

56 Realty unit 57 Weather info 59 Monkey havens 60 Green-egg layers

61 Perchance 64 “Simpsons” bartender

B

HOROSCOPE STELLA WILDER

orn today, you have a kind of mischievous, even naughty personality, and you are likely to get into more than your share of trouble when you are young. Fortunately, you are so charming and have such a way with words that you are not likely to remain in trouble very long, for you will be able to talk yourself out of almost anything if given the chance.

When older, you could parlay your “bad boy” or “bad girl” image into a kind of professional success that others both admire and imitate -though you are, in truth, one of a kind.

You will very likely learn at an early age that there is something to be gained from keeping secrets -- especially when they have to do with what you are doing or planning. You don’t like to put your cards on the table until the betting is through, and you know you have a winning hand.

Also born on this date are: Anna Nicole Smith, model and reality TV personality; Jon Stewart, comedian; Judd Nelson, actor; Ed Harris, actor.

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.

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 29 SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) -- You may be able to control those who refuse to be controlled better than most -- but you must

COLLEGE INTUITION RICHIE BATES ROGER DOES COLLEGE

know that the odds are not with you!

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) -- You may not wholly understand the central issues facing you, but if you follow your instincts you can surely acquit yourself well.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) -- Take care that you don’t let another’s ignorance get to you; you must be patient with those who do not know as much as you do.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20) -Why engage in an argument with someone who is ill-equipped to do the same? Now is no time to waste your time or energy in such a way.

ARIES (March 21-April 19) -- Difficulties you encounter can enable you understand the plight of another -- and that, in turn, will let you know what you can do to help.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20) -What lies ahead may not be crystal-clear, but you’ll have the sense that what you want is somewhere out there in front of you.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20) -You’re waiting to get started with

something big, but a member of your team may not be working at the same pace, and must catch up first.

CANCER (June 21-July 22) -What you have to offer cannot be equaled by anyone else at this time -- but this is no reason for you to become cocky or overconfident.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) -- Are you aware of what others are doing around you? It’s important for you to use your peripheral vision -- and any other available senses.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) -While there are those who think that you’ve just arrived on the scene, others are aware that you’ve been in the thick of things for a while.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) -- You must strive for peak efficiency, or expect to accomplish only a fraction of what you’ve got on the docket. Timing counts for much.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) -- Express yourself honestly and openly and you may be rewarded by someone who is eager to give you precisely what you want.

COPYRIGHT 2012 UNITED FEATURE SYNDICATE, INC.

Today’s HOROSCOPE sponsored by:

Max Siskind

su | do | ku © Puzzles by Pappocom

Fill in the grid so that every row, column, and 3x3 grid contains the digits 1 through 9.

PREVIOUS DAY’s puzzle solved:

DEGREE OF DIFFICULTY:

MEDIUM

Today’s SUDOKU PUZZLE sponsored by:

6

THE DIAMONDBACK | wednesDAY, november 28, 2012

Diversions

ON THE BLOG

PROBLEMATIC PIZZA

2Amys is a well-known pizza place that’s received rave reviews from names as big as The Washington Post. But The Diamondback’s Jennifer Himmelstein thinks there are far better places to go to satisfy your Italian inclination. For more, visit diamondbackonline.com.

PREVIEW | MARYLAND FILMMAKERS CLUB WINTER FILM FESTIVAL

just like the oscars

Maryland Filmmakers Club’s Friday night film festival will present 10 student-directed films that cover all genres — from mockumentary to comedy to drama

By Beena Raghavendran Staff writer The stars are dressed in snazzy clothing. The red carpet is rolled out. The films are projected on the big screen.

The Maryland Filmmakers Club presents the Winter Film Festival Friday night featuring 10 short films — all student-produced. 2012 marks the third year of the on-campus film festival, which is now biannual.

Audience members receive ballots at intermission to vote for their favorite film as the recipient of the audience choice award.

This year’s selection features dramas, comedies and mockumentaries, many of which are set in a college environment, said club president Peter Garafalo.

Here are a few of the highlights.

God’s Will — This comedy shifts the function of the word “will” from a desire to a tan-

algorithm

Directed by Tessla Wilson Director of photography Ambily Bose, director Tessla Wilson and club member Eli Shindell work on shooting a film about a young time-traveling physicist. photo by peter garafalo

chology major who’s gible object; God dies, writing and directing so Jesus, Satan and the film.

Death are sitting in The idea for the film an office having his came to him just before will read to them. he took a nap on McKBut these personas eldin Mall. It exemplifies aren’t your normal the absurdities in colleJesus-Satan-Death giate life, he said. personas — Jesus is “ E s s e nt i a l ly, t h e a frat star, Satan is a overall theme is the “sad sack” and Death cutthroat, competitive is a Willy Wonkanature of college itself,” e s q u e c h a ra c te r, Hammer said. said director Daniel Lerner, a sophomore Directed by Alexander Hammer Almond Joy — This Director of photography Steward Beckham and writer and psychology major. mockumentary centers director Alexander Hammer film a scene starring lead actor around a campus squirAssurance — This Daniel Frank (middle) along with supporting actors Ben Wills col lege student and Luke Councell in their take on film noir. photo by karen rust re l e nt hu s i a s t who spends her time prowhodunnit is about a guy who’s framed for murdering his room- moting squirrels and student activism for their mate. He knows the leader of a gang really preservation. But the student body isn’t recepdid murder the roommate, so in order to save tive and in the end, it starts taking a toll on the himself from conviction, he has to find evi- student’s mental health.

Junior marketing major Belinda Shao, dence the crime boss did it.

The day sophomore Waill Essa, enrolled in writer and director of the film, said the moral letters and sciences, was writing the film, he was of the story is to accept the more eccentric listening to mysterious classical music. It drove people around us.

She also said the film used an exorbitant him to write a twisted murder story, he said.

“It’s more of a serious drama mystery,” he amount of peanuts, so if anyone’s seen squirsaid. “I keep it strictly dramatic so you can feel rels gathered around a large pile of crushed nuts in the last few weeks, that’s thanks to for the character.”

Case of the Campus Corpse — A twist her and her crew. on a 1950s film noir, it’s a murder mystery Algorithm — In this film, a young physiset in modern times with five characters cist goes back in time for one moment with his who dress and act like they live in the ’50s. younger sister, who was killed in a car accident Among them is Tim, a detective and college a few years ago. student who’s being blackmailed by a fraWriter Jessica Esteves, a senior English ternity. Those contradictions fuel the piece, major, said the idea for the film came to her said Alexander Hammer, the junior psy- one day during class.

case of the campus corpse

“I wanted to write a film that people can connect to, because I feel like everybody has that one person that they wish they had a little bit more time with,” she said.

Non Sequitur — It’s a set of 10 to 12 comedy sketches (along the lines of sketch comedy group The Whitest Kids U’ Know) that are all offensive and absurdist.

Freshman economics major Hugh Monahan had tons of material from writing comedy for open mics in Baltimore, so he decided to put it to use, he said. Filming so far has been an adventure — to set up a scene, Monahan had to jump into a Dumpster.

“I hope they say, ‘What?’ at the end,” Monahan said.

The Maryland Filmmaker’s Club’s Winter Film Festival is at Hoff Theater on Friday. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. and the films start at 6 p.m. diversionsdbk@gmail.com

all photos courtesy of maryland filmmakers club

god’s will

Directed by Daniel Lerner Writer and director Daniel Lerner models “sad sack” Satan’s horns while working with editor Kai Keefe and club member Wes Allbright on his Jesus-Satan-Death film. photo by karen rust

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2EVEN WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBer 28, 2012 | SPORTS | THE DIAMONDBACK

THE DIAMONDBACK THE DIAMONDBACK | XXXDAY, | FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER AUGUST XX, 31, 20127

VOLLEYBALL | SEASON IN REVIEW

What could have been

Despite strong start, rash of injuries leaves Terps short of achieving postseason aspirations

By Aaron Kasinitz Staff writer The Terrapins volleyball team made a resounding statement on Sept. 21. In the squad’s first ACC road match, it beat a more highly touted Clemson squad, 3-0, dominating a team that would finish fifth in the conference.

The victory was the team’s fourth in a row, improved its overall record to 9-4 and had the Terps playing at their best heading into the bulk of their conference schedule.

That momentum wouldn’t last, though. In fact, it was halted the same night the Terps earned arguably their most impressive victory of the season.

“We got that fi rst concussion late in the Clemson match,” coach Tim Horsmon said Sunday. “After that, we struggled to stay healthy. It made everything a challenge.”

A day after beating the Tigers, last year’s kills leader Mary Cushman was diagnosed with a concussion.

Outside hitter Kamrin Gold suffered a sprained ankle in practice a few days later, and the two starters were sidelined for the next month.

Those would not be the last injuries, either. Over the next three weeks, contributors Emily Fraik, Kaitlyn King and Caitlin Adams all suffered their own ailments and joined the team’s stars on the sidelines.

Subsequently, a battered Terps squad lost eight of nine matches following the win at Clemson, shifting the course of a once-promising season.

“It’s unfortunate because we had

WILDCATS From PAGE 8 out and getting a road win,” Wells said. “Just coming out and getting this win in this atmosphere, it’s a great win for us as a team. It’s going to bring us closer, and we just want to build off this.”

It wasn’t a fi rst half either team necessarily wants to remember, though. Neither squad shot better tha n 36 percent from the field, and they combi ned for just 54 points at the break.

The teams traded baskets early before the Terps managed a 9-0 run midway through the half. The Wildcats responded with a 7-0 spree of their own,

COach Tim Horsmon and the Terps were derailed by injuries this season. Two starters missed significant time and three others also suffered injuries. charlie deboyace/the diamondback been playing very well,” Horsmon said. “The kids battled hard and we didn’t make excuses, but there just wasn’t much we could do in terms of putting a full team out there.”

The injury-riddled stretch had left the squad’s ACC record at 2-9. It also brought back memories of last year’s team, which lost 15 of its fi nal 16 conference matches and fi nished with a 4-16 league record.

But as soon as Cushman returned to the lineup, the similarities between the two teams began to fade and the season changed course once again.

though, and the Terps didn’t score a field goal over the fi nal 5:45 of the half.

Turgeon’s squad entered the break with a tenuous 28-26 lead over a 3-point shooting team that was just 3-of-16 from beyond the a rc. A nd once again, the Terps owed it to sloppiness. They tallied 11 turnovers over the first 20 minutes, while Northwestern coughed up just two.

Despite the Terps’ struggles, there was no inspiring speech from Turgeon at halftime. The second-year coach told the Terps to calm down, continue to guard and execute the game plan.

“It really wasn’t anything special,” Turgeon said. “But it seemed to work.”

This time, for the better.

In the outside hitter’s second match back in the lineup, the Terps won at American, snapping a season-long six-match losing streak. After that, the team picked up where it left off in Clemson, S.C., a month earlier.

With a lineup that was finally getting healthy again, the Terps went on to win seven of their final 10 matches. Five of those victories came against teams the Terps lost to while dealing with injuries earlier in the season.

“I think getting healthy as a team

The Terps emerged from halftime focused and efficient. They attacked the rim with ease, piecing together a string of dunks and layups that culminated in a 19-6 run.

When Northwestern coach Bill Carmody called his second timeout in a stretch of less than two minutes, the Wildcats’ two-point deficit had ballooned to 13.

The Terps then turned to a host of contributors to put the game out of reach. Guard Logan Aronhalt hit three key 3-pointers. Wells muscled his way to the basket, hitting layups with seemingly little difficulty. Faust connected on timely free throws.

The Terps (5-1) also benefited from Northwestern’s shooting woes. The Wildcats missed attempts early in the shot clock, allowing the Terps’ bigs to haul in defensive rebounds and start the fast break. Turgeon’s squad finished with a 47-19 rebounding advantage over Northwestern (6-1), a team that averages more than double that total.

“You’ll never win when you get outrebounded like that,” Wildcats guard Dave Sobolewski said. “We just had to improve on the defensive end and especially on the glass.”

CORNHUSKERS From PAGE 8 three freshmen ready for that element.”

So far, the Terps have had just one real road test — a 50-49 loss at St. Joseph’s on Nov. 17 — and the next two games against Nebraska and UConn not only put the Terps in hostile environments, but also place them on the national stage. They’re 5-0 all-time in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge and have won nine straight games against future conference foes.

“We realize it’s going to be a really tough week, but we just got to buckle down, take things one game at a time and focus on ourselves,” forward Alyssa Thomas said. “It definitely gives us a look at ourselves to see where we match up against top teams in the country.”

For the Terps’ three freshmen, it’ll be their first expo-

was huge,” Cushman said earlier this season. “It allowed us to play the way we wanted to play again.”

Cushman wasn’t the only one leading the team to success after her return.

Setter Remy McBain’s leadership and versatility kept the Terps afloat all year long. The senior fi nished the season in the top four on the Terp’s kills, assists, blocks and digs lists.

Sophomore Ashleigh Crutcher played a major role in the Terps’ success, too. The outside hitter fi nished third in the conference in kills per set and became the fi rst Terp se-

lected to the All-ACC team during Horsmon’s five-year tenure.

With McBain and Crutcher leading the way, the Terps (17-15, 8-12 ACC) won five of their fi nal seven conference matches and would fi nish with eight league wins, twice as many as the year before.

“Obviously those six matches [during the losing streak] killed us,” McBain said. “But we stuck together through it, and I think even with that we had a really good season.”

T hei r season record may look good thanks to their success over the past month, but the 2-9 start to ACC play hurt the Terps’ RPI and eventually kept them out of the NCAA tournament.

Sure, the Terps missed some opportunities to boost that RPI while healthy. They lost a winnable match against Boston College early in the season and couldn’t win a single set at No. 12 Florida State or No. 23 Miami two weekends ago.

Still, Horsmon believes his team was even better than its modest 17-15 record indicates.

And maybe, he said, the Terps’ season would have had a different ending if injuries hadn’t sidelined nearly a third of the team’s roster and derailed the Terps’ mounting momentum two months ago.

“We were really close to being a tou rna ment tea m th is yea r even with all we went through,” Horsmon said. “We think we were good enough to be there.” sportsdbk@gmail.com

Forward Dez Wells (left) and guard Nick Faust celebrate during the Terps’ 77-57 victory at Northwestern last night. Wells finished with a game-high 23 points on 9-of-11 shooting, and Faust added 10 points and six rebounds. photo courtesy of meghan white/the daily northwestern No late-game heroics would arrive for the Wildcats. With about eight minutes remaining, the Terps led, 66-45. All that was left was a repeat of the Terps’ previous handful of games: allow a deep bench to continue wearing down a team with few reserve contributors and put the fi nishing touches

on a convincing win.

T he Wildcats put up a f i g ht, of c o u rs e, t ra d i n g buckets for the remainder of the game. But it was of little consequence. When the final buzzer sounded, the Terps had what they trekked more than 700 miles for.

They had the first blowout

road victory of the Turgeon era, and they earned a confidence boost that should hold them over for the remainder of an unimposing nonconference slate.

“Last year, we had only one road win,” Len said. “I think it was huge for us.”

sure to an elite opponent in a road environment on national television. With depleted depth due to the season-ending injuries to guard Brene Moseley and center Essence Townsend, Frese will need her freshmen to keep the same consistent production they’ve had all year.

It begins at point guard, where Chloe Pavlech is slated to make her second career start. In her first start against A merica n a week ago, the Cincinnati native dished eight assists while turning the ball over just twice in 26 minutes.

A fter using T homas and guard Laurin Mincy out of position through the first three games, Pavlech gives Frese a primary distributor in an offense teeming with scorers.

“It’s been a rea l ly ea sy tra nsition just hav i ng my tea m m ates, becau se t hey trust me,” Pavlech said. “As a freshman, I’m making a lot of mistakes here and there,

but having Coach B telling me that it’s OK and I have to act like a quarterback. If he throws an interception, he has to get over it because the next play is important.”

While Pavlech is just getting her career started, her Cornhuskers counterpart represents a stark counterpoint.

Guard Lindsey Moore is slated to make her 105th consecutive start for Nebraska and is coming off a performance in which she scored 17 points in the final six minutes to lead her team to a win over USC. “She’s playing really well, as seniors should,” Frese said.

“She’s leading her team at that position. Obviously, we’ve got to do a really good of knowing where she’s at, being able to lock down defensively, make her have to take difficult shots.”

Moore is joined by 6-foot-2 forward Jordan Hooper, who enters tonight averaging 16.5 points and 9.0 rebounds per

game. Both Moore and Hooper are on the Naismith women’s basketball early season watch list, joining Thomas, Mincy and forward Tianna Hawkins.

It’s the first time all season the Terps have faced a talented inside-outside combination like Nebraska’s.

It’s the sta rt of a n ea rly season test for a Terps team looking to solidify itself in the nationa l conversation after an uneven start. But g a m e s l i ke t h e s e a g a i n s t elite competition are why her players came to College Park, Frese sa id. W hat happens now cou ld have a positive impact come conference play and tournament time.

“The best teams want to play the best teams,” Pavlech sa id a f ter t he Ter ps b e at American on Nov. 21. “We just want to go out there and make a statement.”

sportsdbk@gmail.com

sportsdbk@gmail.com

STATLINE Terps men’s basketball center Alex Len’s performance in a 77-57 win at Northwestern

13 13 2 Points

Rebounds

Blocks

Sports

DIGGS TABBED ACC’S NO. 2 ROOKIE

Terrapins football wide receiver Stefon Diggs finished second in ACC Rookie of the Year voting. For more, visit diamondbackonline.com.

PAGE 8

ON THE BLOG

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2012

TERRAPINS 77

57 WILDCATS

Behind BIG TENemy lines

Wells, Len lead Terps in win over future conference foe Northwestern

By Connor Letourneau Senior staff writer

Daunting slate starts with No. 21 Nebraska Cornhuskers provide Terps’ toughest test yet

EVANSTON, Ill. — Mark Turgeon told reporters Monday his Terrapins men’s basketball team was anxiously awaiting an opportunity to face an undefeated squad this week.

Not because the Terps were taking on a future Big Ten counterpart. Not because they were coming off a string of imperfect performances.

They were just excited for an opportunity to prove their worth on the road against a quality Northwestern team in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge, to show a nationally televised audience how far they’ve come since winning just one road game last year.

It showed last night. After a turnovermarred first half, the Terps used their overwhelming size and depth to notch a memorable 77-57 win before a hostile crowd of 6,009 at Welsh-Ryan Arena.

They used stifling defense to hold the Wildcats to just 34 percent shooting and leaned on a near-flawless night from forward Dez Wells. The Xavier transfer, who was coming off a five-turnover showing against Georgia Southern, led three Terps in double figures with 23 points on 9-of-11 shooting. Center Alex Len continued a string of noteworthy performances, chipping in 13 points and 13 rebounds.

“Home games are really, really good wins, but there’s nothing like coming See WILDCATS, Page 7

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

By Daniel Gallen Senior staff writer Though its season is still relatively young, the Terrapins women’s basketball team tips off a week of games tonight that could provide a distinct gauge of where the team will end up.

A fter taking on No. 21 Nebraska in Lincoln, Neb., tonight, the Terps travel to Hartford, Conn., to face off with No. 2 Connecticut on Monday.

T hree days later, the team returns to College Park to open its ACC slate against Virginia.

Those three games — squeezed into a nine-day span — should give coach Brenda Frese a clear indication of where her No. 11 Terps stack up nationally, starting with tonight’s matchup with the Cornhuskers at the Bob Devaney Sports Center in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge.

“Obv iously, you’l l fi nd a lot out about you r tea m, where you’re at early on, how you handle adversity, all the different elements about going on the road in these talented venues that we’re going in,” Frese said. “What we wanted to do is prepare us for conference play and use this to get our Center Alex Len and the Terps held Northwestern to 34 percent shooting in a 77-57 victory last night. photo courtesy of stephen j. carrera/northwestern athletics

See CORNHUSKERS, Page 7