The Lantern – Jan. 14, 2020

TUESDAY

SHAPE-SHIFT

THURSDAY

Tuesday, January 14, 2020

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Ohio State researchers develop new material that can change shape.

OHAYOCON

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Ohio State wushu club performs martial arts at anime convention.

FITNESS

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New year motivates students to get back into fitness routines.

MEN’S BASKETBALL

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Ohio State looks to address its issues against Nebraska.

The student voice of the Ohio State University

Year 140, Issue No. 3

Beyond the background check Ohio State alumnus gives people with criminal record place in job market OLIVIA ALBERT Lantern reporter albert.228@osu.edu

Harley Blakeman received an interview for every job for which he applied after graduation, but not a single job offer. With an impressive resume, a position at the top of his class and letters of recommendation, there was only one thing holding him back: his criminal record.

Because of this, Blakeman, a 2017 Ohio State alumnus, created a web-based marketplace for companies to connect with people who have a criminal history and are now seeking work.

Blakeman said he started HonestJobs in October 2018 because he realized if it was that hard for him to find a job years after being released, it would be even harder for people coming straight out of jail or prison.

“I had been to prison, and people are just scared of the idea of hiring that,” Blakeman said.

Blakeman grew up in North Central Florida and dropped out of high school when he was 16 due to a drug addiction. He started selling drugs to make a living, and eventually became homeless.

He was arrested in Georgia in

justice system,” Blakeman said.

HonestJobs is a job board equipped with custom-built software and algorithms to help companies reduce the risk of hiring ex-convicts whose convictions might conflict with job duties.

Blakeman said their PassCheck technology allows employers to connect with job seekers who fit each company’s unique policies.

COURTESY OF HARLEY BLAKEMAN

Harley Blakeman, a 2017 graduate of the Fisher College of Business, started a website to help employers connect with people who have a criminal history seeking work.

2010 and sentenced to 14 months in prison for trafficking and distributing prescription drugs, shoplifting and theft. After being released, he moved to Ohio for a fresh start.

“All I wanted to do really was just be different,” Blakeman said.

“I wanted to get my life back on track and get an education and get a job and change my life.”

Blakeman was accepted to Columbus State Community College before transferring to Ohio State in 2013. He graduated in 2017 with honors from the Fisher College of Business with a degree in operations management.

Blakeman said he started HonestJobs because of the many Americans who have been convicted of a felony and are looking

for a job, and he saw a huge lack of technology addressing the social issue.

According to the National Criminal Justice Reference Service, there are more than 600,000 Americans released from prisons and jails each year.

“Ultimately, our goal is to create a better job-hunting experience for people affected by the

“I wanted to get my life back on track and get an education and get a job and change my life.”

HARLEY BLAKEMAN 2017 Ohio State alumnus and founder of HonestJobs

The service is free, but employers have the option to pay for special features, such as creating multiple job postings. The service is free for those looking for a job.

HONESTJOBS CONTINUES ON 2

FAFSA and the draft: What students need to know about Selective Service SARAH SZILAGY Lantern reporter szilagy.3@osu.edu Recent social media fervor about an impending “World War III” has warranted a refresher course in civics and military history.

“You’d much rather have people who are there because they want to do it.”

JOHN MUELLER Adjunct professor of political science

After a U.S. airstrike killed Iranian Maj. Gen. Qassem Solei-

mani Jan. 3, about 33,800 Twitter users began raising questions about a potential military draft. In fact, Google searches for the term “FAFSA draft” reached peak popularity Jan. 4, according to Google Trends.

College students in particular, who may have been required to register for the Selective Service System — which may be used in the event of a draft — when filing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, are wondering whether their status as federal aid recipients puts them at immediate risk of being drafted.

The short answer is no. Involuntary conscription ended in 1973 and can only be reinstated if approved by Congress and signed by the president, something John Mueller, adjunct professor of political science at Ohio State, said is neither likely nor preferable.

“The United States does have a very large military, volunteer military, and can handle, I think,

SARAH SZILAGY | LANTERN REPORTER

Student Academic Services handles concerns regarding the Free Application for Federal Student Aid.

almost any imaginable contingency without having to use a draft,” Mueller, a senior research scien-

tist at the Mershon Center for International Security Studies, said.

“It generally prefers volunteers to

draftees because they’re there because they want to be there as opFAFSA CONTINUES ON 3

2 | Tuesday, January 14, 2020

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Researchers develop new shape-shifting material JACK LONG Special Projects Director long.1684@osu.edu A small magnetic rose sits in between two coils of copper wire in Ohio State’s Scott Laboratory. In the background, an electromagnet flips on and begins to beep. The rose’s gray petals start to slump open like the scales of a pinecone after it rains. Suddenly — the beeping stops.

Then, a high-pitched tone takes over the lab and the petals pull back upright. Another magnet turns on, and the rose whips around a few degrees clockwise.

This small rose was a demonstration of a new shape-shifting magnetic material developed by Ohio State researchers that will be used in biomedical devices, antennas, artificial muscles and robotics. The material can squeeze and grab objects and change its shape and temperature when electromagnetic fields are applied, according to the research paper published in December in the journal Advanced Materials.

Ruike Zhao, an author of the paper and assistant professor in the mechanical and aerospace engineering department, said the researchers embedded two types of magnetic particles into a soft material called a shape-memory polymer.

At room temperature, the soft material is rigid, like acrylic, she said. But when it comes within a magnetic field, the iron oxide particles heat up, softening the material so it’s like rubber, through a process called induction heating — the same technology used in some home cooktops.

When the magnetic field is turned off, the soft material will lock in place, turning rigid again as the temperature decreases. The other neodymium particles are

pumps to be powered wirelessly through skin and muscles using small antennas, called RFID — the same antennas that make wireless phone charging and contactless payments possible.

Guo’s research, which was also published in December, uses a laser beam to cut out patterns on soft film material to accomplish certain functions, such as crawling or squeezing, when an electrical current is applied.

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COURTESY OF SHUAI WU

Ohio State researchers developed a new shape-shifting material to be used in biomedical devices and antennas.

used to control the movement of the soft material and change its shape.

Previous generations of soft materials needed a constant supply of energy, Zhao said.

“Once we deformed the [earlier] material, if we wanted to lock its deformed shape, we have to keep the external stimulation, which is not energy efficient,” she said.

Ohio State’s new material is more efficient and can lift an object 1,000 times its own weight, Zhao said.

Soft materials have existed for several decades, Liang Guo, an assistant professor in the electrical and computer engineering department, said. However, this new type of soft material with embed-

“I have the idea of the application, and she has the novel materials. When the needs meets the technology, we have a good collaboration for a new project.”

LIANG GUO Assistant professor in electrical and computer engineering

ded magnetic particles is the first to be controlled wirelessly by magnetic fields.

Guo and Zhao previously worked together to create an insulin pump using soft materials that is one-third the size of current battery-powered pumps.

“I have the idea of the application, and she has the novel materials,” Guo said. “When the needs meets the technology, we have a good collaboration for a new project.”

Soft devices cause less stress on the surrounding skin and muscle tissues than similar mechanical devices, Guo said. They also require less energy than similar mechanical devices. The lower energy consumption allows the battery to be removed and the

The Ohio State team worked with researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology to develop the polymer material, Zhao said.

“We envision this material being useful for situations where a robotic arm would need to lift a very delicate object without damaging it, such as in the food industry or for chemical or biomedical applications,” Jerry Qi, a researcher at Georgia Tech, said in a press release.

Georgia Tech researchers used the new soft material to develop prototype shape-shifting antennas that can change what frequencies they transmit or receive, Zhao said. These antennas could be used for flexible electronics or in new-generation medical implants that previously relied on multiple antennas to communicate.

“We are not just to publish papers and build some prototype device,” Guo said. “We actually want to build something useful.”

HONESTJOBS FROM 1

SCREENSHOT

HonestJobs.co is a free online service that helps people with criminal histories find jobs.

Blakeman said HonestJobs finds employers to post jobs on the site through cold calls and recommendations. They currently have 220 clients and companies such as Speedway and White Castle are among employers who came to HonestJobs through word-ofmouth recommendations.

Raven MacDaniels, senior recruiter for HonestJobs client Pioneer Human Services, said the site is easy to use and a great way to move individuals forward after being released from prison.

“It is an excellent platform for those who have been justice-involved to find second-chance employers out there,” MacDaniels said.

John Dyer, owner of Wash Bucket cleaning services, another company who uses the program, said he started his company with bad credit and no support, so he values HonestJobs’ mission.

“Every one of us has a past — whether good or bad,” Dyer said.

“With the way the economy is going, we need everybody’s contribution in this society that wants to work and learn a new profession.”

According to a 2018 Society of Human Resources Management survey, 82 percent of managers of companies who have hired employees with criminal records rate the employee’s performance the same or higher as those without records.

“We’re providing a really valuable service at a time when the labor market is extremely tight,” Blakeman said. “People are struggling to find entry-level employees. We provide a real solution to that.”

Blakeman said he hopes to work more closely with local government in the future.

“We can save the government so much money and help so many people across Ohio,” Blakeman said.

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CAMPUS AREA CRIME MAP LILY MASLIA Outreach & Engagement Editor maslia.2@osu.edu An assault was reported to Columbus Police as having occurred at 2:30 a.m. Wednesday at 4th Street Bar and Grill. According to the online police log, the victim said she was assaulted by a group of suspects.

A theft from a motor vehicle was reported to Columbus Police as having occurred between 7 and 8 p.m. Wednesday on East Third Avenue and North High Street.

According to the online police report, an unknown suspect smashed the rear window of the victim’s car and stole $2,000 of property, including a laptop and briefcase.

A motor vehicle theft was reported to Columbus Police as having occurred at 10:04 p.m.

Wednesday on North High Street near East Eighth Avenue. According to the online police log, the victim parked his car with his keys inside the vehicle and unknown suspects took the vehicle.

A felony assault was reported to Columbus Police as having occurred between midnight and 12:05 a.m. Thursday at the intersection of Grandview Avenue and West Third Avenue. According to the online police log, two victims were shot by unknown suspects.

Both victims were in critical condition. Columbus Police Crime Search Unit investigated the area and found shell casings.

An assault was reported to University Police as having occurred

Jan. 6-12

MOTOR VEHICLE THEFT ROBBERY

ASSAULT MOTOR VEHICLE THEFT ASSAULT

ASSAULT

MOTOR VEHICLE THEFT

FELONY ASSAULT

THEFT FROM MOTOR VEHICLE GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION BY KELLY MEADEN | MANAGING EDITOR FOR DESIGN

between midnight and 1 a.m.

Thursday at the Wexner Medical Center at Ohio State.

A robbery was reported to Columbus Police as having occurred at 2:30 a.m. Thursday on East Norwich Avenue and North Fourth Street. According to the online police log, the victim was attempting to complete a delivery when two unknown suspects

presented a gun while the victim was still in his car. The victim was able to drive away from the suspects.

A motor vehicle theft was reported to Columbus Police as having occurred between 2:30 and 2:40 a.m. Friday on East Patterson Avenue near North High Street. According to the online police log, the victim’s vehicle

was stolen from its parked location.

A motor vehicle theft was reported to Columbus Police as having occurred between 8 a.m. and noon Sunday on East 17th Avenue Avenue near Summit Street. According to the online police log, the victim returned to find his car missing.

An assault was reported to

Columbus Police as having occurred at 8:06 p.m. Sunday on North High Street near East Lane Avenue. According to the online police log, the suspect asked the victim if he called the Row One van—a service that transports intoxicated people to safety and shelter. The victim said yes, and the suspect punched him and knocked out several teeth.

System.

“You’d much rather have people who are there because they want to do it. Some are going to wash out, and some are not going to be very good, and some are going to become disillusioned, but nonetheless, it’s not people who are forced against their will, pulled out of college or high school,” Mueller said.

As opposed to a draft, the Selective Service System is an emergency database of potential troops to be called to serve in times of war. Men aged 18-25 are required to register with the system by the Military Selective Service Act. According to the Selective Service System’s website, only the depletion of volunteer troops — including the Reserve Components of the Armed Forces — would warrant a draft reinstatement.

According to the website, to facilitate compliance with the Military Selective Service Act,

federal and state agencies have made Selective Service registration a requirement for male students seeking financial aid, which is why when men file the FAFSA, they must answer a question regarding their registration status and can opt to automatically register upon submission of their application.

so are not eligible for state of Ohio’s tuition subsidy,” the University Registrar website states.

Still, some students, such as Josh Leopold, a first-year in music composition at Ohio State’s Lima campus, feel the Selective Service System enlistment requirement for financial aid — and the Selective Service System in general — is not explained clearly when students file the FAFSA. “I’m not quite sure what the difference between the Selective Service and the draft is,” Leopold said. Leopold, a transgender woman who was required to register with the Selective Service because of her sex assigned at birth, said no one explained the implications of Selective Service registration for her financial aid.

Students can check their Selective Service registration status by going to https://www.sss.gov/ Registration/Check-a-Registration/Verification-Form.

Design Editor Victoria Grayson Assistant Design Editor Richard Giang Social Media Editor Shelby Metzger Engagement Editor Lily Maslia LTV Special Projects Director Jack Long Oller Reporter Jasmine Hilton Miller Reporter Emma Scott Moran

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FAFSA FROM 1

COURTESY OF TNS

The Department of Education is responsible for governmental financial aid distributed through FAFSA.

posed to being forced to be there.”

To Mueller, a military made by force opens the door to disillusioned and ineffective soldiers.

And he sees the current U.S. armed forces — whose active per-

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sonnel, according to the Department of Defense’s 2019 Agency Financial Report, totals roughly 1.3 million — as sufficient to navigate foreseeable conflicts without utilizing the Selective Service Editor in Chief Kaylee Harter Managing Editor for Content Abhigyaan Bararia Managing Editor for Design Kelly Meaden Managing Editor for Multimedia Casey Cascaldo Copy Chief Anna Ripken Campus Editor Sam Raudins Assistant Campus Editor Lydia Weyrich LTV Campus Director Akayla Gardner Sports Editor Griffin Strom Assistant Sports Editor Andy Anders LTV Sports Director Brian Nelson Assistant Sports Director Khalid Hashi Arts & Life Editor Nicholas Youngblood Assistant Arts & Life Editor Ashley Kimmel LTV Arts & Life Director Oliver Boch Photo Editor Amal Saeed Assistant Photo Editor Cori Wade

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THE LANTERN Additionally, in order to qualify for Ohio State’s in-state tuition, Ohio residents otherwise required to register with the Selective Service must do so. University spokesperson Ben Johnson referred The Lantern to a statement from the University Registrar outlining the requirement.

“Students who are required to register with the United States Selective Service and have not done

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FAITHFUL FRIENDSHIP Students with different religious experiences expand viewpoints of the world. | ON PAGE 5

Wushu club in its element with TV-inspired demo AARON LIEN Lantern reporter lien.47@osu.edu An Ohio State kung fu club proved that “Avatar: The Last Airbender” continues to draw crowds, finding its largest audience yet with a themed panel showcasing traditional martial arts at Ohayocon.

Students from the Dragon Phoenix Wushu team performed in front of roughly 1,000 people in the Hyatt Regency Ballroom during the 20th-annual Ohayocon anime convention Saturday. The performance featured live demonstrations of martial arts styles and techniques that inspired the Nickelodeon series “Avatar: The Last Airbender.”

“Directly translated, ‘wushu’ just means the Chinese martial arts, but you probably know it as kung fu,” Natalie Lucas, a thirdyear in neuroscience and wushu

club vice president, said during the panel.

“Avatar: The Last Airbender” is an American-made animated series that draws heavily from Chinese martial arts and imagery, with an art style similar to Japanese anime. The show follows the titular Avatar, Aang, the only person capable of controlling water, earth, fire and air, as he tries to bring peace across the four nations of the world. Each of the elements is controlled using a different form of kung fu, which were each demonstrated in the performance.

The panel began with a performance set to the show’s opening theme song. Then, club members took turns demonstrating their wushu and weapon skills while educating the audience on the traditional martial art. Featured weapons included spears, fans and straight swords.

Lucas said this was her first

AARON LIEN | LANTERN REPORTER

Natalie Lucas, a third-year in neuroscience, performs a martial arts demonstration.

AARON LIEN | LANTERN REPORTER

Thomas Bozzi, a third-year in aerospace engineering, performs a martial arts demonstration.

time organizing and hosting a panel for the con, but she has been attending Ohayocon since age 12. She said watching “Avatar: The Last Airbender” when she was 13 initially inspired her to pursue martial arts, and the idea for the panel came from wanting to merge two of her interests.

After spending three years learning Northern Shaolin kung fu before coming to Ohio State, Lucas said she found that the wushu club was the only kung fu club the university offered. She said she has been in the club since her first year.

“We were all really nervous when people started filing in, but in the end, this is a performative martial art, and we’re here because we love putting on a show for people,” Lucas said. After the panel, Lucas walked the con floor cosplaying Suki, a fan-wielding character from the show.

Thomas Bozzi, a third-year in aerospace engineering and the club’s president, said that compared with other performances, nearly every club member was

able to participate in some way at Ohayocon. He added that he was happy to see so many members getting involved.

“This is definitely the largest crowd we’ve had, by far,” Bozzi said. “Hopefully we can come back next year.”

Bozzi said that when coming to Ohio State and looking for

enjoy martial arts,” Bozzi said.

Lucas said wushu has kept her sane as she faces stress from her STEM major. She said many of her closest friends at the university are on the team, and she always has the club to center herself and exercise both her body and mind.

“Wushu, to me, it means community. It means activity, exer-

“We were all really nervous when people started filing in, but in the end, this is a performative martial art, and we’re here because we love putting on a show for people.”

Natalie Lucas Third-year in neuroscience

clubs to join, he wanted to try a new martial art that is performance-based instead of ones that are more practical.

“I have a lot of fun. I really enjoy going on stage, I really enjoy performing, and then I also just

cise, family,” Lucas said. “It’s comfort.”

Dragon Phoenix Wushu meets from 7 to 9 p.m. every Monday, Wednesday and Friday in the RPAC Multipurpose Room 3.

Tips to keep 2020 fitness goals in focus ALANA VAN SLOVIS Lantern reporter vanslovis.1@osu.edu

A new year brings with it the promise of a new beginning for people looking to make a lifestyle change, but resolutions to get in shape physically can fade fast.

Campus fitness facilities often flood with students looking to get fit for the new year, but the numbers drop fast, according to previous Lantern reporting. However, fitness instructors and enthusiasts at the university can offer advice on how to stick with goals for the new decade.

For Mitchell Miceli, personal training coordinator at the RPAC, making plans and establishing consistency is a way to stick with fitness.

“With whatever program you

set out for, set goals and benchmarks,” Miceli said. “As long as you have something to strive for, it helps you actually reach those goals.”

Alexis Loebick, a third-year in arts management, is follow-

“The new year symbolizes a fresh start and a new semester,” Loebick said. “If I add fitness as a priority to my routine at the beginning of the year, I’m making a point to see it through for the rest of the semester.”

“The new year symbolizes a fresh start and a new semester. If I add fitness as a priority to my routine at the beginning of the year, I’m making a point to see it through for the rest of the semester.”

Alexis Loebick Third-year in arts management

ing this tip. She said she plans to maintain a routine as opposed to toning specific body parts.

She said her mentality is focused more on her overall health.

She added that she has a goal of working out four to five days a week during the semester in order to build her endurance. Ultimately, she said she wants to be able

CORI WADE | ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR

The RPAC sees a rush of students at the beginning of the new year.

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to run for more than 30 minutes without stopping by spring.

“The new year definitely pushed me to get back into a fitness routine,” Loebick said. “I love using the new year as a motivator to jumpstart what I might have let die down in the past year.”

Mara Sanderow, a first-year in industrial and systems engineering who recently became a fitness instructor at Ohio State, said resolutions can become long-term fitness habits if set for reasons centered around making your body healthier.

“These goals tend to last longer when people find a healthy balance and fitness exercises they enjoy,” Sanderow said.

Miceli said it is recommended that people exercise for about 150 minutes a week, which could be distributed Monday through Fri-

Tuesday, January 14, 2020 | The Lantern | 5

day for about 30 minutes a day.

Exercises such as walking, jogging or going to the gym can accomplish that goal.

“I get all of the client requests and see what kind of goals people are aiming for in the new year, the biggest ones being body composition, losing weight, as well as people trying to stay healthy,” Miceli said. “This can increase their immune system, help them sleep better and help them have a healthier lifestyle, which I think is a really good trend for people.”

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The RPAC sees a rush of students at the beginning of the new year.

Faithful friendships: Study examines interfaith connections

TWINKLE PANDA Lantern reporter panda.16@osu.edu In a diverse world, research shows that interfaith friendships have the capacity to encourage understanding and tolerance.

A recent report from the Interfaith Diversity Experiences and Attitudes Longitudinal Survey highlights the importance of college friendships across religious lines. IDEALS was founded by Matthew Mayhew, an Ohio State professor of educational administration, and Alyssa Rockenbach of North Carolina State University to figure out how to encourage diverse interactions among college students, according to Interfaith Youth Core, a national nonprofit that is part of conducting the survey.

“If we know that college is a place where students can get together to understand each other’s worldview differences, to understand how religion works in their lives, we hope that students will graduate with the skills needed to work together across nation states, across different religious differences, in order to provide global solutions,” Mayhew said.

The study examined how college students form interfaith friendships and offers advice to higher education institutions on

how to encourage those relationships. By creating spaces that foster connections between individuals of different worldviews — such as through shared meals or residence life programming — and encouraging students to reflect on the differences their friends have, they can discover kinship with people of different faiths and beliefs, according to the study’s findings.

Mayhew said IDEALS collected longitudinal data about student identities and friendships through surveys, case studies, focus groups and interviews with education institutions.

The research included more than 7,000 students in 122 higher education institutions across the United States from 2015 to ’19.

Mayhew and Rockenbach collected information from students three times throughout their college careers: entering their first year, after their first year and entering their last year.

Musbah Shaheen, a first-year Ph.D. student in educational studies, analyzes qualitative data from IDEALS, such as case studies. He said the data is concerned with understanding pluralist orientation — identifying how people feel about interacting with difference — and with understanding how students figure out who they are as people.

TWINKLE PANDA | LANTERN REPORTER

The multicultural center offers programs to foster interfaith relationships on campus.

“We need to talk across our differences and we need to make sure that when people get out of college, they are ready and they have the skills to navigate a very, very diverse world.”

Musbah Shaheen First-year Ph.D. in educational studies

“I see a lot of division. I see a lot of, like, ‘This is the time when we need to talk,’” Shaheen said.

“We need to talk across our differences and we need to make sure that when people get out of college, they are ready and they have the skills to navigate a very, very diverse world.”

Shaheen said he grew up in Syria in a predominantly Muslim environment.

“When I came to college, I had literally not met anyone who is different from my religion,” Shaheen said. “Breaking bread

with people or meeting people down the hall from me who have a different worldview or a different religious experience, and that helped me really expand my viewpoint of the world.”

Mayhew said interfaith friendships can help change the world, and he wants collegiate education to be a place that fosters that change. Mayhew said that as an evangelical Christian, his interfaith friendships and research in higher education opened his mind to think differently.

“The more friendships that

students have with folks of difference, the more likely students are to develop higher appreciation for that particular religious tradition that their friend holds,” Mayhew said.

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New season serves questions for Ohio State ERIC AMERINE Senior Lantern reporter amerine.21@osu.edu

tive, however, is that they’re coming in with a fresh mind and look forward to being here every day.

The sky is the limit for this team.”

Ohio State has four players ranked in the top 40 singles, and freshmen Robert Cash and McNally are the No. 2 doubles pair in the country.

The Buckeyes may have lost four players, but they brought in the No. 2 recruiting class in the

Ohio State men’s tennis returns to the court in an unusual spot.

The Buckeyes enter the season ranked No. 6 by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association — Ohio State’s lowest ranking in four years.

“I’m actually pretty excited to see what happens because the past couple of years we have gone into the season knowing that we were one of the big dogs,” junior John McNally said.

The biggest Buckeye question marks surrounding the upcoming season stem from the loss of significant players such as former No. 1 JJ Wolf and 2018 doubles All-Americans Martin Joyce and Hunter Tubert.

The young roster also raises questions. Ohio State has only one senior, Kyle Seelig, and five freshmen, including Cannon Kingsley, the No. 16 singles player in the nation.

“A young team is a positive and a negative,” McNally said.

“A negative because they’re inexperienced in college tennis, and college tennis is different than playing normal tennis. At times, you are up against 25-year-olds from different countries. A posi-

“I’m actually pretty excited to see what happens because the past couple of years we have gone into the season knowing that we were one of the big dogs.”

JOHN MCNALLY Ohio State junior

nation.

“We think it’s the best in the country,” head coach Ty Tucker said. “We think Justin Boulais and Cannon Kingsley are top 25

in the country every day.”

Ohio State will have a chance to establish its identity early in the season, with matches against No. 2 defending national champion Texas, No. 3 USC and No. 25 Arizona State.

The Buckeyes have won 14 consecutive Big Ten regular-season titles and entered this past year’s NCAA tournament as the No. 1 seed.

The team has high expectations for this season.

“The goal of ours is always to win a Big Ten title and win a national championship, and that’s what we’re gonna try to do this year,” Seelig said. “For me, it’s my last year, and I am the only senior. It’s a new experience to know that this is my last shot at playing for the Buckeyes, and every match is super important to me.”

McNally, ranked No. 24 in singles, is a player to watch this season. He won the singles and doubles titles at the ITA Midwest Regional Championship in 2019.

“In the fall, I didn’t meet my expectations really, struggling with some mental stuff, but now I’m healthy and in a good place mentally and physically. I am enjoying tennis again and I am coming off a good tournament and having some confidence,” McNally said.

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55. Snob 56. Feta 57. Honed 58. Tide 60. Tyke 62. Tam 63. Rbi 65. Elmo 67. Elders 69. Sen 70. Boar 71. Plans 72. Tag 73. Tnt 74. Todd

Answer Key for Jan. 9 Down 1. Baltic 2. Ail 3. Snags 4. Herr 5. Arr 6. Lotus 7. Awes 8. Reproves 9. Aye 10. Meg 11. Count 12. Cabana 14. Collar 19. Apo

21. She 23. That 25. Skin 27. Hemi 28. Orts 30. Carl 31. Fame 33. Mugs 35. Deli 37. Dirs 38. Inon 39. Scooting 40. Bite 42. Expo

45. Bettor 48. Fbi 50. Ray 52. Intend 53. Tears 54. Adms 56. Felon 57. Hello 59. Debt 61. Kept 63. Rst 64. Bea 66. Mat 68. Dad

Across

49

36

33

22

37

51 55

58

59

68

69

66

47 52

56 60

61

62

63

67 70

72 41. ____ Boothe Luce

39

43

54

65

38

42

50

64

1. Consumer protection gp.

4. Passing fancy 7. Pre-1991 world power 11. Slangy negative 13. Author Oscar 15. Urgent request 16. Not any 17. Social cream 18. Sloping passage 19. Female ancestor 21. Crochet stitches 23. Mamie’s husband’s nickname 24. Supermodel Banks 25. Wow 29. Fourth letter 31. Highchair part 34. Locust’s kin 36. Hangs back 38. Buzzing insect 40. Pharmaceutical

32

10

15

31

46

71

9 3 7 5 8 6 1 2 4

30

45

53

7

29

40 44

9

24

35

48

9

21

34

6

6 5

27

8

18

20

26

fully showing my coaches and the rest of the country that I can play and try to live up to the level of JJ and [Mikael Torpegaard],” McNally said.

McNally and the young Buckeyes start indoor play Wednesday against Northern Kentucky and 7

14

23 25

6

17

19

8

5

13

16

3

McNally went undefeated in conference play this past year and helped the Buckeyes reach the quarterfinals of the NCAA tournament with a singles victory against Columbia junior Jack Lin, who ranks No. 22 in singles.

“I am looking forward to hope-

3

11

Puzzles

COURTESY OF OHIO STATE ATHLETICS

Ohio State junior John McNally, a first team All-Big Ten selection the past two seasons, waits to return a serve.

43. “It’s ____ big misunderstanding!” (2 wds.)

44. Middle (abbr.)

45. Guitarist Atkins 46. Flattens 48. “Hell ____ no fury...”

50. Emerald, e.g.

52. Concise 53. Los Angeles Angels’ symbol 55. Slight height (abbr.)

57. “Maria ____” 59. Feeling great sorrow 64. States of excitement 65. Functions 67. Mrs., in Munich 68. ____ B’rith 69. Use a broom 70. Clever people 71. Food containers 72. Israel’s neighbor (abbr.)

73. Tippler

73

Down

1. Vampire’s tooth 2. Couturier Christian 3. Moffo of the Met 4. Shot a movie 5. “I cannot tell ____” (2 wds.)

6. Banned insecticide (abbr.)

7. Hubbub 8. Rebuff 9. College divisions (abbr.)

10. Knocking sound 12. Number of bowling frames 13. Frail 14. Hard to hold 20. Conked out 22. Food scraps 24. Salty drop 25. “Back in Black” band 26. Hilarity 27. Certain Honda 28. Zig’s partner 30. Make joyous

32. More skilled 33. Hollers 35. Disgusted German cry 37. Flyaway hair tamer 39. Alleviate 42. “The ____ Movie” (2014) 43. Broad street (abbr.)

45. Martial artist Jackie 47. Kitchen or major ender 49. Dissertation 51. “Little Miss ____” 54. Edicts 56. Speak like Cindy Brady 57. Ferber or Best 58. Banking service 59. Overcast, in London 60. Org. for ex-GI’s 61. Purple flower 62. Treaty org.

63. Burst of wind 64. As easy as ____ 66. Pained shouts

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Tuesday, January 14, 2020 | The Lantern | 7

COLUMN FROM 8

“You’re not surprised with anything.”

Holtmann’s statements from the first several weeks of the season now seem prophetic, as the third-year coach warned that the team wasn’t as far along as the 2018-19 iteration.

That proclamation alone should’ve sounded bells. This past year’s team couldn’t score in transition and was hard-pressed to hit a consistent 3-ball, not to mention suffering from a lack of depth at the four and five.

Though he was a serviceable scoring guard with the capability to heat up fast, outspoken lament for the loss of C.J. Jackson wasn’t coming in spades, and interjected with three four-star prospects coming out of high school, it simply sounded absurd that this year’s team wouldn’t quickly surpass its predecessor.

And the Buckeyes appeared to with 25-point wins against top 10 programs like Villanova and North Carolina, an obliteration of Penn State and another top-tier win against Kentucky.

But it was another warning from Holtmann that should have prompted a tempering of expectations.

He said he didn’t think his team’s red-hot 3-point shooting was going to be sustainable all season, and he was right.

Ohio State shot well above 50 percent from 3 against Villanova and Penn State and sank 10 triples against North Carolina. In each of those games, sophomore guard Duane Washington hit four 3s, and it appeared the streaky scor-

CASEY CASCALDO | MANAGING EDITOR FOR MULTIMEDIA

Ohio State head coach Chris Holtmann questions a foul called by a referee in the first half of the game against Penn State Dec. 7, 2019. Ohio State won 106-74.

er –– and the program as a whole –– was in the midst of a serious breakthrough.

But such a drastic change indicated a switch flipped too quickly for the stark improvement to be permanent.

“The way we were shooting early was not realistic,” Holtmann said. “You can’t sustain that over a long season.”

After returning from a twogame absence due to a rib injury, Washington has shot 28 percent from 3 and only a hair better from the field.

Washington’s decline in performance culminated in Saturday’s loss to Indiana, where Holtmann

sat him for most of the game, and he didn’t attempt a single shot after shooting 30 the past two games.

“I thought his effort was really poor. I thought his attention to detail was really poor,” Holtmann said. “I said to him, ‘Where are you? You gotta be more locked in than what you are. We need more from you right now.’”

Ahead of the season, Holtmann said senior forward Andre Wesson was shooting the team’s highest percent from 3 in practice.

But Wesson is hardly a 3-point specialist or an excellent spot-up shooter, and the ramifications of the team’s streaky shooting has

reared its head.

The excitement surrounding the freshmen –– explosive guard D.J. Carton and athletic forwards E.J. Liddell and Alonzo Gaffney –– has dissipated as it becomes more evident that the trio won’t become consistently heavy contributors until further down the line.

It reaffirms what Holtmann said ahead of the season: This team will go as far as its older players –– not its freshmen –– take it.

The problem isn’t with Andre Wesson or his brother, junior center Kaleb, though, who both have played well despite a frustrating lack of offensive assertiveness in

key spots.

Alongside Washington, sophomore guard Luther Muhammad is dissapearing on offense like he did in his first year, hitting a whopping 16 percent of his shots during the losing streak while losing a starting spot.

Redshirt junior CJ Walker should be a calming presence with command of the offense as an upperclassman starting point guard, but his play can be erratic as he often looks to create his own shot more than facilitating for others.

But Carton, the only other point guard on the team, has racked up 10 more turnovers than assists during the streak, while shooting 30 percent from the floor.

Sophomore forward Justin Ahrens, occasionally inserted in the lineup in hopes of hitting a 3, is shooting 18.7 percent from behind the line in his past eight games amid a season of setbacks.

Ohio State scored less than 70 points just once during its first 12 games. It has scored less than 60 in each of the past four games.

“We’ve been too predictable, and part of that is maybe some guys struggling,” Holtmann said.

“It’s allowed defenses to game plan for one specific thing. We need more diversity. We need more production from more guys.”

Holtmann may not be all that surprised by his team’s struggles, but disappointment will soon become a word that understates the feelings of Buckeye supporters if Ohio State can’t retake shape.

“Quote goes here and is made up of the words that someone important said please write quote here.”

Person who said quote Person’s title

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SPORTS

8 | Tuesday, January 14, 2020

MEN’S TENNIS

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Buckeyes looking for Big Ten title and national championship for spring season. | ON PAGE 6

Column

SNAPPING THE STREAK Early Ohio State searches for its footing against Nebraska

signs foretold Buckeye skid GRIFFIN STROM Sports Editor strom.25@osu.edu

AMAL SAEED | PHOTO EDITOR

Ohio State sophomore guard Duane Washington Jr. (4) dribbles the ball down the court during the second half of the game against Villanova Nov. 13. Ohio State won 76-51.

ANDY ANDERS Assistant Sports Editor anders.83@osu.edu Less than one month ago, Ohio State stared down a mountain of teams beneath it, holding a summit view of the college basketball world with a No. 2 ranking and three 25-point victories against top 10 opponents.

Few foresaw the Buckeyes plummeting off the cliff by Jan. 13, now No. 21 in Monday’s Associated Press Poll. Ohio State has lost four games in a row — two against unranked opponents — and failed to score 60 points in all four contests.

“First thing my coach said to me when I got into coaching 25 years ago is, ‘You’re gonna be happiest when you find a group you can lose with first,” Ohio State head coach Chris Holtmann said. “No one wants to lose, but the reality is in college basketball, you’re gonna lose games. And the idea is: What’s the group made of when that happens?”

Tuesday, the Buckeyes (11-5, 1-4 Big Ten) hope to snap their streak at home against Nebraska (7-9, 2-3).

During its four-game freefall, Ohio State shot 34 percent from the field and 29 percent from 3-point range.

If those were the team’s season numbers, it would rank last and No. 331 in the nation, respective-

ly.

Nebraska represents a chance to kickstart Ohio State’s attack.

The Cornhuskers are tied for No. 292 in the country for scoring defense — last in the Big Ten by five points per game — and are No. 181 in opposing field goal percentage.

good opponents to play.”

Offensively, Nebraska’s efficiency reads only slightly better.

It ranks No. 10 in the Big Ten for scoring and No. 12 in field goal percentage.

When the Cornhuskers find success, it comes from their guards. Nebraska’s top five scor-

BY THE NUMBERS

Ohio State guard statistics during four-game losing streak.

Shooting percentage Turnovers Assists Freshman forward E.J. Liddell said the team is calmly addressing its issues as the Big Ten slate rolls on.

“I remember my freshman year in high school, we won our first game and lost like seven in a row,” Liddell said. “I’ve lost before.

Past two years I’ve been winning a lot, but it’s fine. It’s nothing to worry about. We’ve got a lot more basketball to play and a lot more

29% 33 21 ers all play the position, with senior Haanif Cheatham leading the way at 13.1 points per game.

“They’ve got a really dynamic group of guards that are older and veteran,” Holtmann said. “Really dynamic point guard and wings that have a lot of experience and are really playing well.”

If Nebraska’s guards plan to make a difference in the contest, they’ll need to contend with Ohio

State’s Big Ten-best scoring and shooting defense.

Defense is one element of Ohio State’s game that hasn’t been completely shaken by the losing skid. No opponent has surpassed 67 points in the stretch, and only Wisconsin shot more than 33 percent from the field, hitting at a 40-percent clip.

Ohio State’s own guard play currently is colder than a snow cap, with the four who play significant minutes shooting 29 percent with 33 turnovers against 21 assists during the losing streak.

Sophomore guard Duane Washington, the team’s No. 2 scorer, was pulled from Saturday’s loss at Indiana by Holtmann after two minutes. The coach said his effort and defensive play were lacking.

“I felt like he was not prepared to play in a tough environment on the road,” Holtmann said. “I just did not feel like his mind was where it needed to be, and it was pretty evident, even in the short minutes that he played.”

Liddell said the consistent competition of Big Ten play is forcing players to fine-tune their game.

“Details. It’s a lot of details that you have to pick up on in Big Ten play, and how hard you have to play when you’re out there, every second,” Liddell said.

Ohio State will work to rectify its issues against Nebraska at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday in the Schottenstein Center.

Twelve games in, it looked like this Ohio State team was different.

It’s not — or so it would appear from the Buckeyes’ recent rash of rancid play.

The Buckeyes have dropped four straight after blasting past several top 10 opponents on an early season hot streak, falling to the bottom of the rankings after peaking at No. 2 in late December.

“No one wants to lose, but the reality is, in college basketball, you’re going to lose games,” head coach Chris Holtmann said. “The idea is what’s the group made of when that happens?”

It sounds all too familiar.

A season ago, the Buckeyes won 12 of their first 13 games to begin the year, but quickly dropped five straight –– and 6-of7 –– in January.

“Am I surprised to see the scores on Sunday of a couple of our Big Ten games?

I mean, you can say you’re surprised now, but not really. You’re not surprised with anything.”

CHRIS HOLTMANN Ohio State men’s basketball head coach

That team, Holtmann’s first at Ohio State, was bounced in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. With each loss, it appears less likely the Buckeyes will improve on that mark come March.

Ohio State’s free fall from college basketball’s elite tier seems alarming, but for those paying attention, there were signs all along.

“Am I surprised to see the scores on Sunday of a couple of our Big Ten games? I mean, you can say you’re surprised now, but not really,” Holtmann said.

COLUMN CONTINUES ON 7