The Maneater Volume 86 Issue 11

M THE MANEATER The student voice of MU since 1955

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Vol. 86 Issue 11

November 6, 2019

HOUSING

RESEARCH

Housing costs on the rise in Columbia

Psychology professor, students provide comprehensive research on arrogance

The 2020-24 consolidated plan will be implemented over the next five years to combat the trend.

AUSTIN WOODS

Student Politis Staff Writer To combat increasing housing costs, Columbia’s Housing Programs Division has developed a plan to be implemented over the next five years.

According to the Columbia Missourian, the 2020-24 consolidated plan involves spending $5.3 million on programs belonging to three categories.

The categories are homelessness, rental assistance and homeownership/home rehabilitation.

Randy Cole, housing programs manager for the city, played a role in developing the plan. He said the rising home prices in the city is reflective of trends happening on the national level, including new buyers entering the market and putting pressure on it.

“You have a lot of pressures on the market from a demographic standpoint,” he said. “A lot of baby boomers are downsizing their homes and oftentimes living in smaller homes. A lot of people in the upper years of Generation X felt the pinch from the housing market crisis of 2008 and [now] went back into renting … because things are better.”

In addition to demographic trends, Cole said market trends and policy trends are also at play. For example, due to factors like tariffs and recent natural

ENGINEERING

disasters, the costs of raw materials needed for construction have increased.

The plan will address these issues in various ways, including assisting firsttime homeowners with up to $10,000 of down-payment assistance, funding the development of affordable housing and establishing a 24-hour resource center for the city’s homeless population.

Cole said the homelessness measures will be important for helping people find stability in their personal lives.

“In the past, a lot of homeless shelters or programs wouldn’t serve people who were intoxicated or had criminal issues or had some of those personal issues,” he said. “But people are recognizing that you can’t solve those problems without a home.”

MU professor Nelson Cowan organized a team of graduate students and CITY | Page 4 postdoctoral fellows to provide one of the first comprehensive literature reviews on arrogance.

Shamrock refurbishment project repairs long standing home of MU tradition

JESSICA FITZGERALD

University News Staff Writer

A team of psychology researchers provided one of the first literature reviews on arrogance and divided it into three different categories.

The work on the Engineering Shamrock Plaza looks to repair the concrete around the shamrock and add two new benches.

ALEX FULTON

University News Assistant Editor The College of Engineering stone shamrock will soon be displayed in a revitalized Engineering Shamrock Plaza, with an estimated completion and dedication deadline of Engineers’ Week 2020 in March. But for now the shamrock is relocated to Steve Borgelt’s backyard.

Borgelt, who is a chancellor’s professor in the Department of Biomedical, Biological and Chemical Engineering, is spearheading the three phase shamrock refurbishment project.

Demolition began on Oct. 19 in the Engineering Shamrock A gate blocks off the Engineering Courtyard as it is currently undergoing Plaza located between Lafferre and Switzler halls. This construction. The refurbishment of the Engineering Shamrock is expected to involved taking out the gardens in the plaza and using a be completed by March of 2020, in time for MU Engineering Week. device to remove all of the concrete in order to extract the | PHOTO BY PHOTOGRAPHER ANDREW MOORE 98-year-old shamrock in one piece, which was then moved to Borgelt’s residency. that area. The third phase focuses on work to the east of the The first phase involves putting a concrete pan underneath Engineering Shamrock Plaza. to make the paver stable, cutting it in an angle pattern and In an email, Whitney Harlan, director of advancement of adding two new tribute benches on the opposite sides. The the College of Engineering, said the phase one project will be second phase involves similar paver work on the area to the west as well as repairing the plaques of veteran memorials in

HOME | Page 4

| GRAPHIC BY EMILY MANN

Nelson Cowan, a curators distinguished professor of psychological sciences,

PSYCH | Page 4

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INSIDE THIS THE MANEATER The Student Voice of MU since 1955

Vol. 86 Issue 11 2509 MU Student Center • Columbia, MO 65211 573.882.5500 editors@themaneater.com www.themaneater.com

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*in a British accent* “Fuck ‘em” Reporters for The Maneater are required to offer verification of all quotes for each source. If you notice an inaccuracy in one of our stories, please contact us via phone or email.

Page 17 Senior guard, Amber Smith begins fourth year with Missouri basketball.

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University News Editor Laura Evans

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Books Are Magic!

Graphics Editor Emily Mann

Online this week: Retraining the immune system to fight cancer, Engagement Week and more at themaneater.com

HOUSING

CAMPUS

Students consider advantages, disadvantages of living near campus over farther away

Students take more caution on campus in wake of recent sexual violence

Housing closer to campus means easier walks to class, but housing farther away brings cheaper prices.

LUCY CAILE

University News Staff Writer After sharing a room with another person for a couple of months, many MU first-year students start the search for housing away from the dorms within the first semester.

Students have a large selection of options around Columbia, but decisions regarding how much to spend and where they want to commute from play a role in the way they choose housing.

For some students, living close to campus is the most viable option as it gives them a short commute and easier access to campus amenities as well as downtown.

A wide variety of apartments span the

downtown area by campus. U Centre on Turner and Brookside being two of the larger complexes.

Brookside Downtown consists of apartments with four beds and four and a half baths starting at $724 per room.

It advertises the community feeling that comes with living in the heart of Columbia and so close to MU. The rate includes gym and pool access.

The District Flats, though not as large of a complex as Brookside still has many of the same amenities like a game room and outdoor patio. Rates for four beds and four baths starts at $719 per person.

For those wanting smaller units with a different feel, the Menser Building offers a “luxury boutique apartment for the sophisticated student.” With only nine 4 bed, 4 bath units on the Historic Register, prices start at $695 per room.

Menser offers laundry services and ease of access to downtown but lacks the gym and community areas that Brookside and the District Flats offer.

U Centre on Turner, only a short walk from Greektown and the School of Journalism, gives students their own space while still having the benefits of living close to campus.

“Living close to campus is needed when you’re a student and you can’t really drive anywhere on campus,” freshman Erin Martise said. “U Centre is nice because it’s only a five-minute walk from the main buildings on campus compared to a 15-minute walk if you’re on the edge of campus.”

Closer campus living also means higher rent per month. An apartment at U Centre on Turner starts at $799 a month per bedroom in a four-bedroom and bath apartment.

Downtown offers a wealth of other options for students to explore but most apartments stay within the $650-750 price range. If students want something a bit more spacious and at a lower

home | Page 5

SCIENCE

HEALTHCARE

Science journalist Miles $1.2 million federal grant expands internship program, O’Brien speaks about allows doctoral students to covering climate change As research over the past few decades fight opioid crisis head-on has shown, climate change is a real and The MU Department of Health Psychology is working toward providing more healthcare to rural Missouri as a way to fight the opioid crisis.

LAUREN HINES

University News Staff Writer A $1.2 million federal grant was given to the MU Department of Health Psychology to help expand the department’s program that trains interns to fight against the opioid epidemic in rural Missouri.

“This will enable us to

train interns to intervene early before opioid use disorder occurs among high risk populations,” Laura Schopp, department chair and professor of health and psychology, said.

The Graduate Psychology Education program gives hands-on internships to doctoral psychology students and allows them to work in rural areas where access to mental healthcare is difficult. The grant will allow an additional 21 predoctoral interns to join the program over the next two years.

“We are finding ourselves needing to work hard to catch up with the demand for

crisis | Page 5

prevalent danger. But, the way it's covered by journalists needs to change.

COLIN MCELDUFF

Student Politics Reporter Peering through his black, square glasses, Miles O’Brien, science correspondent for PBS NewsHour and producerdirector for NOVA, looks out to a Fisher Auditorium full of journalism students and faculty alike before speaking on science journalism and its role in covering climate change.

Despite having studied history at Georgetown University, O’Brien began covering science journalism after hearing CNN wanted to hire a science correspondent. Though not having much knowledge on the subject at the time, he was able to snag the job by convincing his interviewers that while he may not know a lot about science, neither did the American public.

Therefore, O’Brien saw himself as the best candidate to try to explain scientific news and make it interesting. This is what he is continuing to do now with climate change and speaks as a part of the AAAS Kavli Science Journalism Award

NOVA | Page 5

Despite preventive measures put in place to avoid sexual violence, students still feel hyperaware when walking around certain areas.

LUCY CAILE

University News Staff Writer Every student receives emails from MU Police Department about crime notifications on campus.

Some may choose to ignore them, while others may take increased caution.

In the past couple of weeks, there has been a steady rise in emails regarding sexual assault on campus.

Notifications on Sept. 29 and Oct. 15 warned campus about sexual assault incidents around College Avenue Hall.

The emails contain advice from MUPD on how best to avoid a sexual assault that include trusting one’s instincts if a situation feels uncomfortable and always finding a safe ride home.

But despite the amount of programs that MU has in place to deal with these situations, the notifications still leave students uneasy.

“I think that it’s this constant idea of you’re walking on eggshells,” freshman Juliana Cole said.

“You can choose to be afraid of it or you can choose to take precautions to make sure you’re safe and make sure you’re prepared, but I think there is that element of I always have to watch what

CRIME | Page 5

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PSYCH

has been conducting research on working Continued from page 1 memory, or the small amount of information one can hold in the mind, since before 1980. He has noticed there are a number of ways in which human beings have imperfect information.

“They have false memories,” Cowan said.

“They have flaws in the reasoning and judgment and so forth. Many people are not sufficiently aware of these limitations that humans have.”

This inspired Cowan to organize a team of graduate students and postdoctoral fellows to complete the project he had been working on his entire career.

“For most of my career, I’ve been thinking about the limitations in how people apply their thinking and how they probably could be fair to other people that they’re discussing things with,” Cowan said. “These different research findings led me to want to investigate something like arrogance, which I thought would be helpful for the world because there hasn’t been very much research on arrogance.”

Cowan realized the topic of arrogance was huge due to it involving cognitive, social and clinical research. He thought the only way to synthesize the different areas was with a lot of help, so he decided to make it the topic of a graduate-level class.

During the class, Cowan and his students spent time talking about the readings he brought to class. They realized there are different domains of arrogance, which led the students to conduct more research and give Cowan their writings on their discoveries.

They decided to put their writing in a journal and submit it. Upon receiving feedback from

CITY

Additionally, Cole said he plans on continuing his efforts to rectify racial disparities in homeownership.

“We started the Columbia Community Land Trust and we fund nonprofit developers that partner with the land trust to build new single-family homes,” he said. “We try to market those to the communities we’re trying to serve.”

MU economics professor Saku Aura said he doesn’t think the rising home prices in Columbia will be a long-term problem.

“I truly don’t believe that there could be a long-run appreciation trend that would continue for many years because the incentives to build and develop will become so large that it will self-correct,” Aura said.

However, he said he believes that the increased rent might take longer to go back to normal because, at this point in time, outside investors may not be willing to speculate that the university’s upward blip in enrollment is a trend.

He said he thinks the rental market in Columbia can be divided into three segments.

First is the “the student market,” which constitutes student housing complexes.

Second is the “the short-term rental market,” which is composed of duplexes primarily occupied by graduate students. Finally, there’s the “market for low-to-moderate income individuals” who generally are longtime Columbia residents.

Aura said it’s hard to speculate on the future of the first segment, as it largely depends on future enrollment and the MU’s investments into new housing. Furthermore, he said supply is meeting demand in the second segment.

He is mostly concerned about rent for the third segment, but he said he is confident with the 2020-24 consolidated plan’s ability to address it.

“I think some of the programs will address that because it’s a market where at least some of the potential tenants use different types of public assistance and need rent guarantees

external reviewers and revised it to what it is now.

In the journal, the team concluded there are three different categories of arrogance with two types in each category. The three categories are individual, comparative and antagonistic arrogance.

Individual arrogance is a distorted opinion of oneself, while comparative arrogance is a distorted opinion compared to others.

Antagonistic arrogance is contempt of others based on one’s view of their own worth.

The team started to look at how different kinds of arrogance relate to each other. They specifically learned what it is in the human brain that makes a person susceptible to one kind or another.

Cowan discovered many factors in arrogance, including a cognitive limitation like realizing when someone is arrogant.

Another factor is motivation, and whether or not the person is motivated to feel better than someone else due to feelings of inferiority.

The framework of the research aims to figure out to what extent this is a cognitive problem and to what extent it is a social or emotional problem. Additionally, there are different solutions the team ran across that could help people in their conversations.

Katie Threlkeld, one of the graduate students, hopes that many people will get a lot out of the research and that more people will want to study more about arrogance in the future. “[There] was a limited amount of current research that looks at arrogance,” Threlkeld said. “Hopefully this can provide kind of a framework and start to have more people studying this area and influence people every day in their day-to-day life.”

Edited by Laura Evans levans@themaneater.com

HOME

under construction through the winter.

Initially Borgelt just wanted to revitalize the Continued from page 1 shamrock itself by replacing the ceramic tiles and repairing the cracked clover surrounding the monument.

“First I was hoping we could just revitalize what's there,” Borgelt said. “[We] haven't been able to find anybody that would redo those ceramic tiles that were there ... It wasn't very uniform in color, or even the blocks, the shape of the squares, some of them were squares and some of them were rectangles.”

Blueprints of the plans for the Engineering Courtyard next to Switzler Hall.

The iconic Engineering Shamrock is expected to return to the courtyard once renovations to the area are completed, which is estimated to be prior to MU wEngineering Week in March. | COURTESY OF COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER KARLAN SEVILLE

After this, the plan of the project began to evolve.

“Next I thought to replace the shamrock and the concrete around it, because of the non-uniform age and shapes of the surrounding concrete patio,” Borgelt said. “Finally I decided that commissioning a landscape architect to develop a design that was classical and updated was better, so the process has taken longer than I had imagined” Borgelt has raised over $35,000 for the first phase of the project with 51 donors, including himself. In addition to serving as a chancellor’s professor, Borgelt is involved with the St. Pat’s Board and the Engineering Student Council.

At meetings for both organizations, Borgelt discussed the project and announced his lead donation and that he would match their donations. He began accepting donations for the project during Giving Day last year on March 14.

“I want to keep trying to show them what we're going to do and [how that] has kind of evolved through time, so they could see why it's taken a little longer,” Borgelt said. “It's exciting to have that much money raised, but it's [also] exciting to me to have that many people interested in donating.”

Faculty, staff and advisers were instructed by Borgelt to send out emails to engineering students to inform them that | GRAPHIC BY JACOB LAGESSE the stone shamrock was going to be temporarily removed. to be able to rent in the first place,” he said.

Off-Campus Student Services representative The email told students there would be several days that Kristen Temple helps advise students on week with nice weather if they wanted to take pictures with the components of living in an off-campus the monument.

“The day before they ripped it out I went out and took building, like signing a lease and budgeting.

Temple said one of the most important a picture,” mechanical engineering junior Julia Ensor said. things students can do in the face of rising “Then the next day, I walked out and was like, ‘oh, there's a housing and rent prices is be educated hole here now.’ I'm excited to see what it's going to be like, consumers. but it's kind of weird not having it right now.” “[We want] to get the word out to students Forty out of the 51 donors of the first phase were first-time about the things they need to think about and donors, either current engineering students or recent alumni. work through before they enter into a lease While the phase one budget has been secured, Borgelt hopes or a contract,” she said.

Temple said she encourages students to that future donations will help secure funding for the next use the advising resources offered to them two phases.

“Engineering students, as they graduate, they're the ones by the Off-Campus Student Services office to ensure they’re making good decisions when that are making great changes for our world,” Borgelt said. searching for off-campus living.

“I want them to remember what makes us unique, [our] “Our office is important because we can traditions here on campus. It's been very rewarding to me have individual conversations with students to work with the student leadership to do that to remember about their priorities and what’s important where we came from as we build the future.” to them,” she said.

Edited by Laura Evans Edited by Ben Scott levans@themaneater.com bscott@themaneater.com

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HOME

price point, getting a house farther away from campus is Continued from page 3 another possible option.

A little farther off campus but not quite too far, The Den offers four bed, four bath apartments at a lower price than those downtown. Starting at $435 per person, renting an apartment at The Den also includes a heated saltwater pool, yoga room and hammock lounge.

Students who want to make an even bigger step out of the dorms can opt to rent a house. Grayson Cottages, a few minute drive from campus, offers four bed, four and a half bed lodges starting at just $370 per person.

CRISIS

Continued from page 3

services in this area,” Schopp said.

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, the rate of opioidinvolved overdose deaths in 2017 was higher in Missouri than the national rate. Schopp said this might be due to Missouri having a high rural poverty rate, a higher prevalence of serious mental health issues and difficulties in growing its prescription drug monitoring program.

However, it’s the lack of access rural Missourians have to healthcare that’s making the opioid epidemic so impactful.

“The cities are pretty well covered in terms of health care, but the rest of the state is kind of on its own, and that presents challenges for patients and providers,” John Lace, Saint Louis University doctoral student, said.

To earn his Ph.D. in clinical psychology, Lace has to complete

NOVA

Continued from page 3

Lecture Series.

For decades, scientists have understood the severity of climate change. The Keeling Curve, published in 1960, has accurately predicted the increasing concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere as it correlates with increases in global temperature.

Numerous scientific articles have been published confirming the reality of the crisis, like this one

CRIME

Elevate 231 is only a 10-minute drive off campus. It has much of the same amenities as U Centre on Turner—like a pool and workout center —but comes at a much lower price. Housing at Elevate 231 for four bedrooms and four and a half baths costs $375 a month per bedroom.

With lower rent comes higher gas prices due to the drive back and forth from campus every day.

Freshman Paige Pieper said that she didn’t mind the drive when it came to considering housing for next year.

“Even though it may be more difficult to get to classes, my roommates and I decided to live further off campus to find cheaper rent,” Piper said. “It will also let me feel more at home at Mizzou and closer to my roommates.”

Whether on or off campus, moving out of the

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dorms provides students with a greater degree of autonomy than what they experienced freshman year. Most apartments and houses give students their own rooms and allow them to make food for themselves in their own kitchens.

Though many MU students still do choose to stay in the dorms all four years, maybe even applying to be a Residential Advisor to earn free room and board.

Expansive housing options cater to all possibilities for student living. The question stands then as to whether or not students will pay more for the convenience of housing closer to campus or save the dime and move further off campus.

Edited by Laura Evans levans@themaneater.com

“I’ve seen patients from as far away as four and a half hours down from the bootheel that come up here for services since they’re so far away,” Lace said.

Even though rural areas face distance barriers, urban areas face problems as well.

“There are not enough treatment providers, especially treatment providers who can treat high-need, low-income patients,” Schopp said.

This program is trying to solve that.

“Twenty one interns alone, 21 newly minted psychologists will not address this issue for | GRAPHIC BY JACOB LAGESSE Missouri, but it will a year-long internship working in certainly provide a cadre of trained the field. Lace was matched up with psychologists who can lead in MU’s program and is now working ensuring that we provide the right with Schopp and the Department of access in the future,” Schopp said.

Schopp said 80% of the interns that Health Psychology.

have gone through the program have gone on to work in these underserved regions.

“The biggest thing I’ve learned is how to integrate rural healthcare and mental healthcare into my practice,” Lace said.

Lace and other interns in the program go through “intensive” training, as Schopp puts it. They learn brain behavior relationships and management of chronic health conditions from a behavioral health perspective. The program has interns looking closely at neurological disorders since people with those disorders are often at risk for chronic pain symptoms and therefore substance abuse.

“I find a lot of personal value in being able to connect with people who need help with one thing or the other, being able to be really present with them in that moment and acknowledge them in their difficulties and then actually help them out,” Lace said.

Edited by Laura Evans levans@themaneater.com

from 2004 that analyzed pre-existing scientific literature to demonstrate the scientific community’s consensus that climate change is happening.

However, O’Brien said this is not enough.

“When it comes to climate change, it is this sense of false equivalency,” O’Brien said. “The problem is that journalists tend to think in terms of Democrats versus Republicans; get the left, get the right and at the end you get a balanced story.”

By attempting to represent both sides equally, journalists fail to demonstrate the overwhelming support climate change has within

anything could be,” O’Brien said.

Instead, by highlighting the ways in which people can improve the world using available resources, journalists can encourage people to be more engaged.

“Our role as journalists is to always recognize that, and not forget, the reality of what’s happening right now and the possibility that we can guide people to see some solutions,” O’Brien said. “And I’m hopeful that … slowly but surely we will move the needle.”

Edited by Ben Scott bscott@themaneater.com

I’m doing to make sure that I’m taking the right steps.”

Continued from page 3 MU has several available precautions for students on campus to feel safe regarding sexual assault. The Relationship and Sexual Violence Prevention Center has programs like Green Dot, Relationship Violence Awareness Month in October and National Sexual Assault Awareness month in April that allow students to be actively aware of the ways in which they can prevent personal violence.

MUPD also offers self defense classes like the Rape Aggression Defense class for women to feel

the scientific community. This has the power to misrepresent the arguments being made and their legitimacy as valid claims. Instead, O’Brien said journalists have a responsibility to get as close to the truth as possible.

“It’s not necessarily that 50-50 balance,” O’Brien said. “But I think that ultimately serves the public much better.”

Additionally, O’Brien said that journalists need to be able to give the public solutions instead of focusing solely on the grim consequences climate change could have.

“If we just tell the doom and gloom stories, it’s disempowering as

more safe in their abilities to fight off an attacker.

Despite the many preventive measures put in place to avoid sexual assault, students still feel that there is more that can be done to address the issues.

“I think that Mizzou isn’t talking about it as much as they should and I think that they’re not bringing enough information and light to what’s going on,” sophomore Sami Sandt said. “I’ve heard of a lot more assaults and attacks on both men and women that have not been talked about in the last semester.”

With each email sent out, MU repeatedly states that sexual assault is never the fault of the victim, and within recent years the university has put many more measures in place to make sure this

is known. Students are required to undergo Title IX training before the start of the school year, and MU expresses a zero tolerance policy for any sexual assault.

Despite programs put in place to prevent such instances, emails still persist and sexual violence remains prevalent.

“I think the scary part of it is that it’s always going to be an element of life, unfortunately,” Cole said. “I think that’s the biggest part is you could be in trouble and you don’t know about it or you could be fine, so it’s such a toss up of no matter what precautions you take, you just don’t know.”

Edited by Laura Evans levans@themaneater.com

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MAGAZINE

Former editor-in-chief of Teen Vogue visits MU to give lecture Welteroth talked about her time in both black and mainstream media.

JOY MAZUR

Student Politics Reporter Elaine Welteroth, former editorin-chief of Teen Vogue, paid a visit to MU on Friday, Nov. 1 to speak to students about her life and career in media. Students gathered in Jesse Auditorium to hear Welteroth impart her wisdom and life lessons.

Welteroth began her work in black media through Ebony magazine.

She managed to land an interview with Harriette Cole, former editorin-chief of the magazine, and the two connected over a 45 minute conversation meant to last only 15 minutes. She left her dream internship at Essence magazine to work as Cole’s assistant and eventually ascended to the position of beauty and style editor.

“What if I gave up? What if I wasn’t relentless enough?” Welteroth said while addressing her persistence.

“There’s a universe that is better than anything you could dream up,

but you have to do your work first.”

Welteroth talked at length about her time in black media and the challenges she faced there. According to the former editor, she and her coworkers became familiar with working harder, longer and with fewer resources only to generate less revenue than more mainstream and less diverse companies. Mainstream companies would not promote their work or issues prevalent to their audience.

“Working in black media epitomizes discrimination in America,” she said.

Welteroth said that black media gave her unique experiences, like working on shoots with former First Lady Michelle Obama and the professional tennis player Serena Williams. Although difficult, she believes that the work was important.

She added that black media is the only outlet where many young children can see themselves represented.

Welteroth is most known for her role as the youngest Condé Nast editor and the second African American to hold the title.

She described the difficulty of being pigeonholed into black media and navigating an office where she

was in the minority.

“I had a really hard time crossing over [from black media],” she said.

“It was hard, once I was on the other side, to find my voice.”

Welteroth worked to turn Teen Vogue into a platform where politics and pop culture blurred. She found that it accurately portrayed the conversations many teenagers were having on social media platforms that were never picked up by mainstream media, like Tumblr.

“It felt like our responsibility to create a platform [about] how intersectional this generation is,” she said.

Through her work, Teen Vogue transformed into a more socially aware platform, which encouraged its readers to become engaged in politics.

But Welteroth does not stand alone; she gives credit for her success to the many female role models that presented themselves in her life including Cole, Ava DuVernay and many of her mentees. She highlighted the importance of female friendship as a driving factor for success.

Welteroth continued her success after leaving Teen Vogue in 2018;

Elaine Welteroth, a former editor-in-chief of Teen Vogue, discusses her life and career as a journalist in Jesse Auditorium on Nov. 1. | PHOTO BY PHOTOGRAPHER NATALIE RADT

she has a published memoir, “More Than Enough,” and is now a judge on “Project Runway.”

When answering questions from the audience, the editor reassured students of their own ability and prowess.

“Success is about a marathon, not a sprint,” she said. “This is the most liberating time to be a creator.”

Edited by Ben Scott bscott@themaneater.com

LGBTQ

LGBTQ

Artifacts form MU LGBTQ Resource Center showcase LGBTQ history at MU

Queer Liberation Front welcomes variety acts in annual drag show

MU’s LGBTQ Resource Center displayed events throughout LGBTQ history at the university

The tour included MU’s role in many prominent points of recent LGBTQ history in the U.S., such as Ellen DeGeneres’ coming out and the murder of University of Wyoming CAITLIN DANBORN student Matthew Shepard. Both Student Politics Staff Writer Shepard’s mother and DeGeneres spoke at MU. MU’s LGBTQ Resource Center held In 2011, the Residence Hall a self-guided tour of LGBTQ history at MU on Oct. 28 in Memorial Union. Association passed a resolution The annual event featured archives calling for a gender-neutral housing from the LGBTQ Resource Center option at the university. However, a detailing various aspects of LGBTQ gender-neutral housing option was history at MU from 1948 to the not introduced to the university until present. Artifacts ranged from The Maneater articles, letters and event 2015 when College Avenue added an posters as well as the annual Pride option for transgender and genderphoto which has been taken in front nonconforming students. of the MU Columns every October The tour also featured events since 1997. close to the MU community such Starting in 1948, archives showed the history of MU’s LGBTQ community as MU football player Michael Sam as well as MU’s reaction to national coming out as gay in 2014. Sam came events and debates throughout recent out publicly in February 2014 after LGBTQ history in the U.S., like the graduating from MU and became the murder of Matthew Shepard and first openly gay player to be drafted debates over gender-neutral housing.

The tour began with the case of in the NFL. “My hope is that people will learn E.K. Johnston, an MU professor who was arrested on charges of sodomy in that LGBTQ people have always May 1948. According to the archives, been an important part of Mizzou’s Johnston’s arrest and subsequent history,” Eli Kean, coordinator at dismissal from the university sparked the LGBTQ Resource Center, said. a gay witch hunt at the university.

Documents detailed the struggle to “I also hope people come away include sexuality and gender identity from the exhibit understanding the in MU’s nondiscrimination clause, continuous struggle for recognition which was added in June 1990. and acceptance that LGBTQ people However, the Board of Curators removed the phrase five years later have fought for at Mizzou.”

Edited by Ben Scott and it was not added again until 2003. @themaneater.com

The scarcity of drag performers leaves the Queer Liberation Front to expand its popular drag show event.

ELISE DIESFELD

Student Politics Reporter Stand-up comedy, original music and vibrant dancing graced Stotler Lounge as the Queer Liberation Front hosted its annual drag show and variety acts Thursday, Oct. 31.

The drag show is the most-attended event hosted by the Queer Liberation Front. However, Queer Liberation Front President Brody Butler said the show is a hassle to organize.

In the past, the drag show was hosted twice a year.

“It’s been very difficult to have people actually participate rather than just attend,” Butler said. “We switched this year to doing one [show] a year and having it be a variety show and a drag show to get the message out that you can do whatever you want.”

The variety show addition resulted in the group’s highest number of performers, but Butler regrets leaving drag show in the show title. Only two of the six performers identified themselves as drag performers.

“It has become so hard to get people to do drag shows,” Butler said. “I think it’s from a lot of anxiety and people are just busy. It’s not easy being queer at Mizzou.”

Despite this challenge, Butler said drag is still a crucial component of

the LGBTQ community.

“Drag has a very long history in the LGBTQ community especially in spaces for people of color,” Butler said. “That’s why we’ve had so many drag shows in the past and why it goes back so far.”

Although the event has lost its drag emphasis, the shift from a drag show to a variety show encouraged performer Sam Martin to finally participate in the event.

“I have mixed emotions about drag,” Martin said. “There is an issue with drag when it comes to representing trans women and people of color in general. A lot of African American vernacular is stolen and a lot of credit is not given to black creators within the community.”

Martin performed an original stand-up comedy set that elicited many laughs from the audience as she humorously conveyed her struggles and encounters as a transgender female.

“The event built my confidence,” Martin said. “I was happy to be on stage and have people react positively to the script that I wrote.”

Like Butler, Martin hopes that with time more people will be willing to participate and attend the drag show.

“I would definitely love it if we could be more of a presence on campus so that other organizations, other teachers and other groups of educators on campus would be aware of us and be able to direct people to our events because I feel like it’s important to highlight joy in our community,” Martin said.

Edited by Izzy Colon icolon@themaneater.com

7 Participants in the classes offered by Goat Yoga of Missouri go through various stretching exercises while surrounded by goats. The sessions are created to help people relax and clear their minds. | COURTESY OF GOATYOGAOFMISSOURIMO.NET

FITNESS

Relax with goats on your back: Local farm hosts goat yoga sessions The popular trend of goat yoga has shot off in the last few years. Now, those living in Columbia are able to experience it themselves.

ELIZABETH PRUITT MOVE Culture Staff Writer

instructor Sarah Judd to teach the sessions. Judd enjoys coming to these events and loves all of the goats around her.

“The goats are always adorable and they add a special element to yoga,”

Judd said. “Some people get this calm face during yoga but for goat yoga, everyone’s just smiling and having a good time.”

The guests all have their fun with the goats jumping from one back to

another in hopes of being rewarded treats. They are also able to pet and play

Goat yoga is a relatively new and unique experience that has appeared

with the goats as much as they want. After the yoga session, Baker gives

Jessica Baker started her own program in her family’s barn. Goat yoga is

to balance a yoga pose using a goat. Guest Andrea Sellers went for the first

across social media. After noticing its growth in popularity, local farm owner

guests time to interact with the goats more freely now that they aren’t trying

especially unique with its relaxation methods of trying to balance with a

time on Nov. 3 and enjoyed being able to play with the goats.

small goat on your back.

“I would say my favorite part is just how much people laugh,” Baker said.

“It’s so unexpected and we’ve never had a class where it’s not just constant laughter.”

Baker clears out a space in her family’s barn and decorates it nicely. She

offers hot cocoa, coffee and some snacks for those that attend. She also sells

goat milk-based products like hand lotion and soap bars. Baker calls in yoga

“I love that they’re just mingling [with] you,” Sellers said. “It’s very

relaxing and entertaining at the same time.”

Yoga is very beneficial to the body and is a good way to relax. It gets

interesting, however, when an animal is involved. Goat yoga is just the right amount of chaotic and relaxing for anyone willing to try.

Edited by Janae McKenzie

jmckenzie@themaneater.com

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MUSIC

Fabled experimental rock band Swans head in new direction on ‘leaving meaning.’

The 15th studio album from the legendary post-rock group continues its lengthy string of successes.

JACOB LUEBBERT

MOVE Angles Columnist

New York-based post-rock outfit Swans is a group known for change.

They are known not only for their constantly rotating cast of members throughout the band’s mind-blowing 37-year-long lifespan, but also for their constant ability to redefine their sound.

Their 1983 debut “Filth” is known as a brutal, confrontational and defining moment in the no wave movement. In 1987, they released “Children of God,” which shifted the band into more of a gothic rock direction. Nine years later, they changed their sound yet again, releasing their first post-rock album, “Soundtracks for the Blind.” It’s credited as a masterpiece, an album many consider mandatory listening not only for prospective postrock fans, but also for fans of rock in general.

So, it only makes sense that Swans would reinvent themselves yet again on their newest album, “leaving meaning.”

Michael Gira, Swans frontman and only constant member, has pushed the band back toward its early ‘90s output sonically, featuring more neofolk and gothic influences on this new album while attempting to maintain most of the elements from Swans' post-2010 work. It’s a welcoming change from a band known for many changes. On “leaving meaning.,” Gira and company scale back the enormity of Swans' last two records and add just enough folk to give the album a haunting beauty when it’s at its best.

Straight from the get-go of “leaving meaning.,”

Swans tips their hand. The album’s first true song “Annaline” is noticeably more subdued than Swans’ previous material, with its dulcet tones and soft ambiance. In usual fashion, Gira’s deep voice cuts through the recording, but it’s noticeably calmer this time around.

Other songs, like the fourth track “Amnesia” give this album “things I shouldn’t be listening to alone at 2 a.m.” status. A minute and a half through the otherwise standard folk song, Gira’s lone acoustic guitar stops, and seconds later we are greeted with loud, scratchy but most of all terrifying violins. This is all accompanied by Gira’s booming voice yelling “Amnesia” for 10 seconds.

Soon the song returns to normal, but when it happens again about halfway through the track, you realize that frantic bit is actually the chorus.

The anticipation and build-up this creates asserts “Amnesia” as one of the single most unsettling songs I’ve ever heard.

The sixth song “Sunf-----” isn’t quite as scary, but the high-pitched vocals, which sit under the mix, evoke cult-like imagery, and Gira’s awkward vocal delivery on this track doesn’t make things any less upsetting. About halfway through the song, after a lengthy single-note drone, the frightening moments from the first half of the track are abandoned for a pounding drum beat and Gira chanting, “Believer, believer, believer, believe or not,” which only adds to the cult-like nature of the track.

It’s on tracks like “Sunf-----” and “Amnesia” where Swans are at their best, with their dynamic buildups and haunting textures. Unfortunately, not all of “leaving meaning.” is that good.

My only real grievance with "leaving meaning." is its tendency to drop dynamic compositions and buildups Swans are known for, instead opting for boring nothingness. "Cathedrals of Heaven" is this album's worst offender, a track that doesn't really

“Leaving Meaning”, the newest album by Swans, was released on Oct 25. | COURTESY OF APPLE MUSIC

do anything in its lengthy eight minute runtime.

Multiple times while listening I felt myself yearning for a signature Swans movement, only to be greeted with more of the same monotonous drone.

Luckily most of the album avoids this issue, but it's present enough to greatly diminish this otherwise incredible album.

With "leaving meaning.," Swans have continued their long streak of successful records, even if the album can become a bit tedious at times. It's mindblowing that Gira still has the creative ability he does almost four decades since the start of the band. Through Gira's vision, Swans has become one of the most consistent and loved experimental bands of all time, and "leaving meaning." does nothing to change that.

Edited by Joe Cross jcross@themaneater.com

MUSIC

Student Composer Recital gives students opportunities to perform compositions The concert allowed for compositions made by students to be heard by friends and family.

CATHERINE POLO MOVE Culture Reporter Students in the School of Music had a chance to have their work heard by

the public. At 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday Nov. 5, the Whitmore Recital Hall hosted the Student Composers Recital. The free event showcased works written and performed by students.

Composition major Isabelle Borchardt was one of the composers who was a

part of the recital. Borchardt and two of her fellow freshman students wrote a piece in the “exquisite corpse” style of music.

“It’s called ‘Numerous Class Suites,’ which is also an exquisite corpse

phrase, and it’s actually really cool,” Borchardt said. “It turned out really

well ‘cause we started with field recordings that we had of everyday sounds.

Like recordings we had from buses, an elevator, squeaky shoes, like a nuclear power plant and then we all took those recordings and went with them on our own. The product is actually really fun and really modern.”

Sophomore Sam Whitty heard his song “Grocery Mom” performed, which

showcased a rhythmic dance beat. He also worked on Borchardt’s exquisite corpse project.

“I’m not playing in [Grocery Mom] and I’m really excited to hear it ‘cause

I think it’s always fun when you get to hear your pieces while they are being

played, and not just having to play them,” Whitty said. “You [don’t] just have to rely on the recordings, but it’s really fun.”

Niko Schroeder was the producer for last year’s concert and this year has

three students performing a piece he wrote. Schroeder praises the event for the great opportunities it provides students to bond with one another and build a sense of community.

“Production experience can be hard to come by … it plays a crucial role

in the environment of music in the 21st century,” Schroeder said. “It's very

important that we have those skills so that we go out in the world and we’re putting together our own chamber concerts; we already have those

experiences before. I think it fosters an appreciation for what our event staff [does] every day for other concerts at the school.”

The Student Composer Recital was an event that allowed students to show

off their compositions to their friends and family and also get a glimpse of the behind-the-scenes nature of a concert.

Edited by Janae McKenzie

jmckenzie@themaneater.com

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CULTURE

Diwali celebrates South Asian history, promotes pride in diverse identities An upbeat and celebratory event hosted by South Asian Students Association on Oct. 27 brought together many traditional elements of Diwali. Students of many backgrounds became in touch with their heritage on campus.

MADDIE SCHUCK MOVE Culture Staff Writer Across the globe, people of the Hindu, Jain, Sikh and some Buddhist faiths celebrate Diwali each fall. They enjoyed a week of honoring the triumph of their ancestors in the symbolic battle between good and evil. On Oct. 27, MU students were able to honor and share their traditions through a Diwali festival open to everyone.

Among South Asian cultures, different communities recognize varying origins of the holiday, but the story of Rama, the seventh reincarnation of the deity Vishnu, is commonly cited. His return from a 14-year exile symbolizes the prevalence of good over evil, knowledge over oppression and light over darkness. To commemorate this, families often perform cleansing rituals, decorate their homes, gather for feasts and light fireworks during Diwali.

The South Asian Students Association carried out many of these traditions and more at its annual Diwali celebration. Around 6 p.m., SASA opened the doors of Memorial Student Union to students and faculty wishing to take part in the festival and learn more about the holiday.

Guests enjoyed a lineup of presentations, crafts, a traditional Indian meal and a high-energy performance by Mizzou Masti. The Bollywood fusion dance team was enjoyed by many and drew sophomore Sevanna Rowland back to Diwali this year.

“I went last year and it was a lot of fun,” Rowland said. “I like watching the dancers and the presentation. It helps me learn a lot, being white or

Caucasian, by going to different events of different cultures.”

Education about Hindu traditions and symbols was a predominant theme of the night. SASA Design Chair Puja Halder felt that having a hand in the event helped her become more in touch with this part of her identity.

“I started coming to more events and now I’m on exec,” Halder said.

“There’s just a lot more opportunity for me to embrace my heritage and meet other people like me.”

Other members of SASA, including President Poonita Sheevam, echoed this sentiment. Sheevam has been involved with the organization since her sophomore year and always finds meaning in her ability to celebrate her heritage on campus.

“I made a lot of friends and felt like this was someplace my time and energy is worth putting in,” Sheevam said. “It’s great because it shows to me that people are interested in learning not just about me but about South Asian identity in general.”

Sheevam and other SASA members worked hard leading up to the event, making sure everything from the table decorations to the meal was in order.

Beyond the decorative and ritualistic aspects of Diwali, guests enjoyed dishes like a deep-fried vegetable dish called pakora and both chicken and tofu tikkas, which are variations of curry. All of these experiences were punctuated with lively fellowship, another important component of the holiday.

“I think that’s the most important part is that people see Diwali as an opportunity to have a good time, relax and enjoy what you have in the moment,” Sheevam said.

Following some acknowledgements and gratitudes from SASA, guests were invited to stay to socialize, dance or go back for seconds of their favorite menu items. The celebration is SASA’s largest production during the fall semester, and guests stuck around to enjoy its hard work until the evening eventually drew to a close.

Edited by Janae McKenzie jmckenzie@themaneater.com

LOCAL ART

Playwrights produce one-act plays as part of local festival The Starting Gate Play Festival gives the local community a chance to be a part of the playwriting process.

BEN WICHE MOVE Culture Staff Writer The latest in local theater will be on display when Talking Horse Productions hosts its annual Starting Gate New Play Festival, Friday, Nov. 8 through 10. The festival, now in its fifth year, will showcase six new one-act plays from three up-andcoming playwrights. Each play will follow the prompt, “Win or Lose.” Local playwright Hartley Wright, Missouri Valley College student Makayla Rodgers and Val Verde Unified School District substitute teacher Kyle Beckedahl are this year’s playwrights.

“The

playwrights

do

not

necessarily

see

“You still have a very developed play with some

themselves as writers,” Brietzke said. “Most of our

very deep meaning in it, but your point of attack

past playwrights remain active in mid-Missouri,

has to be almost from the get-go, and your end has

not just in the theatre community but also in

to be that abrupt,” Kenison-Scott said in a 2017

their chosen profession. Our volunteers ... are all

interview with Vox Magazine.

professionals in other aspects.”

From start to finish the plays are a community effort. Throughout the year, the plays are criticized

Whether through editing, writing or producing, the festival allows locals the ability to let their creativity shine.

at workshops that are open to the public. Audience

“The best part though is seeing how a script

members will also be allowed to give feedback to

goes from an idea to a full production,” Brietzke

the playwrights during the festival.

said. “It’s a great reminder that everyone has

Nathan O’Neil knows first hand the effects of Starting Gate. He wrote plays for last year’s festival, and is now a board member for Talking Horse Productions.

creativity brimming inside of them, they just need the outlet and opportunity to express it.”

Wright has seen from the start how Starting Gate has changed over the years.

“It’s a great opportunity for the community to

“I was in the very first Starting Gate,” Wright

see new works in production and be part of the

says. “With each year they’ve really honed in on

process,” O’Neil said in a 2018 interview with

establishing the work of the playwright more and

KBIA.

more”.

Talking Horse artistic director Adam Brietzke

The plays are approximately ten minutes long.

notes that the festival allows outsiders the ability

According to Angel Kenison-Scott, a playwright

to get involved in directing, acting and producing

for the 2017 Starting Gate Festival, the time limit

plays.

provides its own challenge.

The festival runs at 7:30 p.m. on Nov. 8 and 9, and at 2 p.m. on Nov. 10.

Edited by Janae McKenzie mckenzie@themaneater.com

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PSYCHIC

Britney Lyn Buckwalter isn’t spooked by talking to dead people Mediumship is a controversial vocation, but Buckwalter sees it as her calling RACHEL BEHRNDT MOVE Culture Reporter Talking to dead people, understandably, draws a lot of skeptics.

Britney Lyn Buckwalter, the self-titled “Missouri Medium,” came to The Blue Note on Oct. 28, to get people in the Halloween spirit and connect attendees with dead loved ones.

For Buckwalter, 31, who first began giving readings when she was 27, talking to dead people as a profession wasn’t something she began lightly.

“I built up my confidence by going out of state and setting up my table at psychic fairs, reading strangers,” Buckwalter said.

questions and she’s open to convincing any skeptics, but she says there’s one

Buckwalter paced around the stage, moving between talking to the dead and the living.

I’m reading,” Buckwalter said to a showrunner. “I don’t want to sound needy; I hate making people work for me.”

She remained earnest throughout her reading, using terms of endearment Two sisters who were read had been to Buckwalter’s show

group of people she’s not interested in attempting to change.

“Being skeptical is super normal, it’s healthy,” Buckwalter said. “Anytime

“Can we get it as cool as possible in here because I tend to get hot when

like ‘sweetie’ or ‘babe’ with the people she was reading.

Britney Lyn Buckwalter, also known as the “Missouri Medium”, made an appearance at the Blue Note on Oct. 31 giving spirit readings to various audience members. | COURTESY OF FACEBOOK VIA @THEBLUENOTE

we pay for services anywhere we should be skeptical, so there’s nothing wrong with that. But if you’re cynical, there’s nothing I can do to change your mind. There’s no reason for changing people’s minds to be my job.”

Edited by Janae McKenzie jmckenzie@themaneater.com

one time before. Buckwalter connected them with their deceased father. She presented initials, dates and method of death in order to establish who she may be talking about.

She then went into details, things like specific memories, or symbols from the deceased person’s life.

Jessica Pullman, one of the sisters, became emotional while receiving her reading and said hearing from her father is invaluable.

“It’s amazing, you hear things that other people may not understand but you understand,” Pullman said.

Buckwalter discussed how being a medium has affected her own life. Her two children, ages 5 and 3, know of their mom’s career as “helping people,” Buckwalter said.

Some people aren’t as accepting as Buckwalter’s children.

The medium explained how her children’s events can quickly turn once she mentions her profession.

“It’s always awkward when my kid is invited to a pastor’s kid’s birthday party,” Buckwalter said. “I always know I’m going to have to overcompensate with a huge present.”

Despite some people’s reservations, the concept of spirituality has become more relevant in the lives of Americans. According to the Pew Research Trust, 59% of Americans report a sense of

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spiritual connection and well-being.

“The pendulum is swinging, it’s moving, things are changing in this world and spirituality is becoming huge … [mediumship] is bringing awareness to it,” Buckwalter said.

For those attending, this was more than a “spiritual journey” though, it was a chance to reconnect with people they’ve lost.

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Mediums have been criticized by skeptics as taking advantage of vulnerable people who are grieving.

Buckwalter explained how she understands that people have

2019/2020

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FILM

David Michôd deserves no crown for his work in Netflix’s ‘The King’ The new Netflix film was highly anticipated but fails to rise to fan expectations.

RACHEL PICKETT

MOVE Angles Columnist David Michôd’s “The King” begins in the same way that many gritty period pieces do: with a prince who is unexpectedly forced to take the throne after the death of his father. In this particular piece, the drunken and wayward Prince Hal (the phenomenal Timothée Chalamet) becomes King Henry V of England.

Hal inherits a country that is desperate for war and bloodshed despite the monarch’s own desire to make peace. With vengeful advisors and a taunting King Charles VI, Hal is eventually forced to enter into war with France which is led by the Dauphin (Robert Pattinson, who uses the most outrageous French accent).

The film, which is adapted from Shakespeare’s Henriad plays, follows Hal’s descent into war and violence. With no one he can trust besides his faithful friend Falstaff

(Joel Edgerton), Hal is left to make decisions on his own that will impact his country’s future. Unlike many rulers of his time, Hal takes these decisions seriously. He knows that he has lives in his hands and tries his best to minimize bloodshed.

Unfortunately, he can only put off the bloodshed for so long. Eventually, the two armies come head to head in an epic battle scene. The scene is well done but will look almost too familiar to “Game of Thrones” viewers who are familiar with the show’s famous Battle of the Bastards.

While the battle is the climax of the film, the true beauty of the piece lies in Chalamet’s acting. With a bowl cut and a fresh English accent, Chalamet proves once again what a star he is and how lucky we all are to watch his rise to fame.

That is not to say that Chalamet is the only actor who shines on screen.

Edgerton is a competent and mysterious Falstaff and Pattinson’s Dauphin is electric even when he is over the top. Despite these good performances, the best supporting actor is certainly Lily-Rose Depp, who only has

The Netflix original movie “The King” features Timothée Chalamet playing a young King Henry V, the wayward prince and reluctant heir to the English throne. The movie was released on Netflix on Nov. 1. | COURTESY OF IMDB

a few scenes at the end but dominates the screen with her grace and flawless bone structure.

The acting and battle scenes are perhaps the only thing that “The King” has going for it. Many were hoping this film would be proof of the potential that Joel Edgerton has as a screenwriter, but like his previous film, “Boy Erased,” “The King” is both flat and uninteresting.

Instead of digging into the psyche of a young king

forced to take his country to war, the film focuses much of its time on establishing side characters who are working behind the scenes to compromise or help the war effort. This wheeling and dealing within the palace walls is both confusing and feels inconsequential when compared to the battle scenes.

At its core, the story of King Henry V is not about war or politics, but about power, greed, corruption and

coming of age in a precarious time. Unfortunately, the film loses track of these themes along the way. By failing to focus on Hal’s role in the story, the film wastes the talents of its actors on a plot that feels familiar and dull.

Hopefully, Chalamet’s next leading role in Denis Villeneuve’s adaptation of “Dune” will prove to be a better use of the young actor’s talent and charisma.

Edited by Joe Cross jcross@themaneater.com

MUSIC

Rex Orange County’s ‘Pony’ encourages hope amidst feelings of dejection Rex Orange County’s new album “Pony” spreads a message of hopeful self-improvement.

EMMA BOYLE

MOVE Angles Columnist Rex Orange County’s new album “Pony” opens on a string of cheery synth beats masking lyrics that commence an honest portrayal of his journey in self-help. Lines such as “I feel like a five, I can’t pretend / But if I get my s--- together this year / Maybe I’ll be a ten” set the mood for the rest of the album. Rex, whose real name is Alexander O’Connor, informs the audience very early on that he is trying to improve and make himself better in areas where he was previously struggling.

This message continues as the album progresses, the majority of songs being slower and jazzier.

In one of these slower songs, titled “Always,” Rex admits that “there will always be a part of me that’s holding on / And still believes that everything is fine.” This confession again demonstrates the artist’s candor in an age where sincerity seems increasingly difficult to come across. By acknowledging his desire to ignore what troubles him, Rex further allows the listener into his headspace and establishes a connection with the audience that endures throughout the album.

Aside from the album’s lead single “10/10,” a few songs that stand out audibly are “Face to Face,” “Never Had the Balls” and “It Gets Better.”

Rex Orange County released his newest album, “Pony” on Oct. 25. | COURTESY OF APPLE MUSIC

Focused less on Rex himself and more so on a long-distance relationship, “Face to Face” seems to lyrically stand apart from the rest of the album’s story and themes. Comprised of a soft, quick beat and shallow vocals, the musician laments the struggles of being away from home and having faith in those that were left there.

In contrast, “Never Had the Balls” and “It Gets Better” preach messages of hopefulness amidst self-doubt and potential rejection. The cheery, fast-paced tempo of “Never Had the Balls” matches

Rex’s realization that “if I had to live a life / Only being polite, I’d be giving in” leading to his decision to “never … do it.” Between the rhythm and vocals of the song, this track marks a shift in tone from the rest of the album.

A few songs later, “It Gets Better” leads with a groovy mix of instruments, pulling the listener along as Rex proclaims that “She changed the world I know / And it’s better for it.” This continues the aforementioned mood change in the span of “Pony,” with Rex emulating a hopeful attitude for the future that lifts up the listener as well.

The album closes appropriately with a track titled “It’s Not the Same Anymore.” To put it best, the song is satisfying in that it is a reflection on growing up and the disappointment that accompanies the changes this brings. Rex’s honesty is once again striking, especially with lyrics such as “I can’t wait to hit the bed / But tomorrow makes me scared.” While it starts on a more melancholic note, the piece progresses with the assertion that “It’s up to me, no one else / I’m doing this for myself,” affirming Rex’s desire to improve.

As a whole, “Pony” relays the idea that there is hope in spite of the darkness that can sometimes loom and take control of our lives. Although this gloom exists and may seem impossible to get rid of, Rex assures us it is possible to defeat as long as we are determined in trying to do so.

Edited by Joe Cross jcross@themaneater.com

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Local drag queen Autumn Equinox reads Britta Teckentrup’s “Moon,” at Skylark Bookshop on Oct. 31. Drag storytime has become a tradition of Skylark Bookshop, which organizes these events to encourage community participation and inclusion. | PHOTO BY REPORTER TONY MADDEN

CULTURE

Funny, clumsy, sad: Drag queen Autumn Equinox talks performing in Columbia, drag storytime With a sparkling wit and undeniable talent, the comedy queen is taking mid-Missouri’s drag scene by storm.

TONY MADDEN

MOVE Culture Staff Writer With pink hair and a glittery scepter in hand like Glinda the Good Witch herself, Columbia drag queen Autumn Equinox makes her way to the front of Skylark Bookshop. It’s the Halloween celebration of a now established tradition at Skylark: drag storytime.

“The moon is so much better than the sun, I can’t,” Equinox said while reading Britta Teckentrup’s “Moon,” warranting a laugh from the audience.

Equinox works closely with Skylark manager Carrie Koepke in organizing drag storytimes to the great appreciation and enjoyment of the bookshop and its patrons.

“Because of Autumn, we have a regular event with high community involvement,” Koepke said. “These events are more than just storytimes, and each member of the audience is able to take from the event many layers.”

Koepke went on to add how important these events are for families to experience together.

“It is undeniable that every child and every adult experience two important things,” Koepke said.

“Exposure to books and exposure to people being comfortable in their

own skins. And amazing outfits.”

Drag storytime is only one example of Equinox’s lively role in the Columbia drag scene.

On Oct. 24, she finished as the first alternate winner in the Yin Yang Drag Race competition at Yin Yang Night Club. Fellow Columbia queen Lorilie, who won Yin Yang’s October Drag Race competition, expressed her admiration for Equinox.

“Whenever she performs, she encapsulates the audience,” Lorilie said. “She has a sunny disposition, a professional attitude and a drive to her. I’m excited to see where she goes with drag and what she’ll do in the future.”

But Equinox’s drag roots don’t lie in mid-Missouri. They’re found in Seattle, where Equinox knew from a young age that the art of drag was meant for her. Specifically, it was when she saw the 1995 classic drag film “To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar.”

“It was just this transcendent thing,” she said.

Before ultimately performing in clubs, Equinox cites her first real drag performances as those she performed with the Murder Mystery Company in Seattle, complete with dinner parties and audience interaction.

“My makeup was terrible,” she said. “My outfits were terrible and it was hilarious. But I had a lot of fun.”

Gigs began to dry up in Seattle amid struggles with elitism and general exclusivity, and Equinox took a short hiatus from drag. It was the move to Columbia that paved the way for Equinox to fall back in love with drag. She found an active

local drag scene at Yin Yang Night Club and a tight-knit community to become an integral part of.

“We all sort of gravitate around each other and enjoy each other's company as best as possible,” she said.

With a background in drama and theater, Equinox has found drag to be an amalgam of all the things she loves. Even more so, she’s found it to be a saving grace from the often homophobic or otherwise queer-oppressive woes of standard media and theater. A particularly troubling misconception of standard performing arts communities for Equinox is that they’re inherently “gay-friendly.”

“It's gay-friendly if you can act straight,” Equinox said. “I don’t do that. So drag is a way for me to express myself theatrically. You can sing. You can dance. You can perform. You can do comedy. You can create your own work, like I do.”

The exclusivity of standard media is not the only challenge Equinox has faced in her drag career. She described her apprehension in helping to organize drag storytime in Columbia after hearing stories of protests and even threats from those who find drag storytimes with young children to be inappropriate.

“Queer people, in general, are pervert-ized and sexualized to the point where non-queer people perceive us as a threat to the innocence of children,” she said.

“The belief that we’re all perverts, right? You know what's a threat to the innocence of children? School shootings.”

She went on to say that in a world where children are no longer safe from violence in their own schools, the debate over drag queens reading to children should not be of such high concern.

At the end of the day though, the challenges are worth it. Equinox describes her drag character as “funny, clumsy and sad.” She finds herself performing numbers that parody and poke fun at conventional drag culture. A prime example is her “Death Drop” number, in which Equinox gets more and more injured with each death drop, hair flip and split.

Drama and theater are still an active part of Equinox’s life, and she intends to keep it this way. When not performing at Yin Yang Night Club on Thursdays and Saturdays, she can be found working on her one drag queen show, in which her character drunkenly crashes her cousin’s wedding. She hopes to make these original performances a large part of her portfolio.

In terms of drag, Equinox isn’t going away any time soon. She jokes that since her ship has sailed to be a virgin sacrifice and thrown into a volcano, she’ll stick around like 89-year-old drag queen Darcelle XV of Portland, Oregon; the drag legend has regularly performed for decades.

“I want to be painting makeup on my wrinkles,” Equinox said. “I just want to enjoy the time I have on this planet.”

Edited by Janae McKenzie jmckenzie@themaneater.com

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THE DOUBLE TAKE

COLUMN: Minimalism is classist The recent trend of minimalism is meant to focus less on material goods, but it actually does the opposite.

to 78% of American workers live

paycheck to paycheck each month.

The same article states that one in

four workers don’t set any savings

aside on a monthly basis. A large part of minimalism is spending money on higher quality products so you

ELIZABETH OKOSUN

don’t have to repeatedly buy cheap

Opinion Columnist

Elizabeth Okosun is a sophomore journalism major at MU. She is an opinion columnist who writes about social issues.

products. Yet, if the majority of Americans can’t even afford to live off of savings, how are they expected

to pay an exuberant amount of money on items that look unfinished?

The

minimalist

movement

is

steeped in privilege. The “KonMari

method,”a popular minimalist tactic catapulted to fame by Netflix and

Less is more.

Unless, of course, you can’t afford

Amazon, is an example of this

topic over the past few years. It is

Marie Kondo, encourages followers

lifestyle

rampant

no longer spark joy in their lives.

Joshua Fields Millburn and Ryan

fleeting emotion is a luxury that

all about owning less material things,

can someone spend their hard-earned

the choice to live a simpler life, the

more” approach should be taken

fad?

used to is visible in the price tags

to mention that if you have less than

it. Minimalism has been a trending

privilege. The creator of the method,

meant to serve as an alternative

to rid their spaces of items that

consumer

to

Getting rid of items based on a

Nicodemus of The Minimalists, it’s

many people cannot afford. How

to

America’s

culture.

According

thus saving money and “find[ing] happiness, fulfillment, and freedom.”

However, minimalism is simply an

overrated hashtag meant for a small portion of people who can afford it.

When

you

peruse

the

many

photos that capture the aesthetic

of minimalism, it typically features

seemingly bare faces with hundreds

of dollars worth of makeup on and plain t-shirts and sweaters the price of a plane ticket. The furniture that

paychecks simply to toss it due to a The

ability

of

choosing

to

purchase something only to get rid of it is a privileged choice. People

don’t have a hard time letting go of things because they have a hoarding problem or emotional issues. They hold onto things because they are not

their simple approach and outrageous prices.

A

movement

centered

certain things because you don’t know

because most people can’t afford what it means to be a minimalist.

According to CareerBuilder, up

The minimalism hype hasn’t just

either; makeup and clothing brands

cost way too much for what they’re marketing.

Perhaps

you’ve

come

across

followers, the brand that minimalists

have the choice to have everything.

It’s that privilege of having choice

because society has become too

not for those who aren’t wealthy

stripped-down lamp for $300.

it’s easy to want nothing when you

different for those who are well off:

on material goods and the excesses

excessive price tag. It’s also clearly

daybed for more than $1,200 and a

Glossier

that makes minimalism hypocritical.

of capitalism seems to have quite an

home” features an unfinished looking

purchase them in the future. Yet, it’s

around

living simply rather than focusing

“furniture and décor for the modern

are selling simple, basic items that

whether you’ll have the money to

minimalism have gained traction for

home brand that calls their items

When you’re on a limited income,

repurchase it later in the future.

be worth the same amount as a Everlane, basic brands who embrace

of the items they purchase. CB2, a

affected the home décor industry

it makes sense for you to hoard

mortgage payment. From Glossier to

past opulence that minimalists are

sure if they will be able to afford to

minimalists use don’t have much furnishing, yet they could easily

| GRAPHIC BY EMILY MANN

They preach to let go of things focused on material goods. However,

when you can afford to buy any

material good you want, getting tired

of all the things you have isn’t all that difficult.

Despite all the talk of making

while

scrolling

through

your Instagram feed; with 2 million love has gained a cult following

over recent years for their “Skin

first. Makeup second” approach to cosmetics.

Admittedly,

Glossier’s

aesthetic is quite attractive if you’d

like to spend $26 on a face tint that’s

not meant to cover anything on your face whatsoever.

The fashion industry has had

somewhat of a minimalist makeover

as well. Forbes mentions a “less is

when shopping for fall, but it fails most in your wallet, these brands are

not for you. The article lists Helmut Lang as a minimalist brand to keep on your radar. On the brand’s website, they feature a white t-shirt for $150.

At less than $150, one could easily buy four to five complete outfits at

a thrift store, which is much better for the environment than buying new clothes.

The minimalist trend is nothing

but a new fad for the wealthy to

buy into. It preaches focusing on the things in life that matter while

leaning into aesthetics and branding

that the average American can’t afford. It’s traction online has created room for even more items and ideas

to be bought and sold by consumers, the complete opposite of what it’s allegedly about.

Although

consumer

culture

in

America should be addressed, it won’t be fixed by hypocritical influencers and their unattainable ‘must-haves.’

Edited by Bryce Kolk

bkolk@themaneater.com

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SOFI SAYS

Column: Educational benefits of political involvement start at a young age In recent years, younger generations have been getting more politically involved and the benefits of this are evident.

SOFI ZEMAN

Opinion Columnist Sofi Zeman is a first-year Journalism major at MU. She is an opinion columnist who writes about politics and government.

In a world where any and all news relating to the government can be found at the click of a button or via a status update, political involvement has begun to start at a younger age. Today, political activists as young as 6 years old are known to engage in the important conversations that are weighing on the world today. With a U.S. Congress that is regarded as one of the oldest in history, it’s clear that a growing youth involvement poses an opportunity for a fresher mindset to enter Capitol Hill.

Outside of the political atmosphere, there are countless things that younger generations can teach those senior to them. With the technological

and educational advantages that the youth of America have been granted, a younger presence in any environment poses the opportunity to introduce innovative thinking, faster learning and a change in perspective. This is no exception in public affairs.

After holding a seat for decades, older members in Congress often lose the drive that they once had for change. In an effort to keep things the way they have always been, outdated opinions frequently get in the way of social progress. It’s likely for this reason that it took as long as it did for same-sex marriage to be legalized.

Younger generations still see a need for progress and change because worldly initiatives and newly signed laws will directly impact them in the near future. While they can introduce efficiency and new ways of thinking, youth can also teach older generations an extremely valuable lesson: attitude.

More than anything, the youth of America want to teach policymakers how to care about what’s going on in the world and how to act on that.

Age draws attention to serious issues.

Environmental activist Greta Thunberg captured the attention of the UN, as well as the world, with her speech that called action to the ongoing climate

crisis. The fact that a 16-year-old girl can stand up for the planet while legislators and voters beyond her years fail to do the same directly points fingers at the lawmaking system. Thunberg is not alone in the fight to hold policymakers accountable for their lack of action. Parkland student and survivor Emma Gonzalez, who spoke in favor of gun control following the Parkland shooting, has also done this, among a myriad of others. A change of perspective is also making its way into Congress through progressive representatives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the youngest woman to be elected into the House of Representatives at the age of 30.

The world currently has an attitude problem, one where today’s important issues are often overlooked in exchange for political gain. The engagement of younger people within the world of politics is drawing attention to the ongoing fight for change, with the ultimate goal of teaching legislators to care about what really matters. As students at MU, even we are able to get involved in making this cause a reality through exercising our right to speak our minds on the issues that are troubling the world today.

Edited by Bryce Kolk bkolk@themaneater.com

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BASKETBALL

Two different basketball teams enter season with high hopes While the men's roster stays largely intact, the women's roster sees changes.

BEN PFEIFER

Reporter

Missouri's men's basketball looks famliar.

Its only damaging departure from

be reliable, relied upon and not look at that as pressure.”

The Tigers hope to improve on a disappointing 2018-19 campaign, blemished by star sophomore Jontay Porter’s preseason ACL tear. Missouri finished the season with a 15-17 record, far from good enough to secure an NCAA Tournament berth.

If Missouri hopes to shatter its tempered expectations this season, it will need a leap from its junior big

been a dominant presence and he’s really put pressure on the defense,” Martin said. “He defends in practice without fouling. He did it a lot last year without fouling. But again, it’s just when the lights come on, the focus level has to be high.”

Though Tilmon will be a focal point in the middle, 2019 is the year of the guard for the Missouri Tigers.

“I think in most cases, we’ll have four guards on the floor,” Martin

Smith brings to his team. “If he led us in scoring, I wouldn’t be surprised,” Martin said. “I wouldn’t be surprised if he was fifth on the team in scoring just because he does so many other things and I think that’s where his value is.”

Missouri returns an important backcourt partner of Dru Smith in Mark Smith, who missed half of the season due to an ankle injury. Smith shot 45% from deep last season and

The Missouri men's basketball team breaks its huddle before its Nov. 1 exhibition aganist Central Missouri. | PHOTO BY ANDREW MOORE

last season’s roster was Jordan Geist, a pesky senior guard. Aside from him, the 2019-20 Missouri Tigers resemble last year’s squad.

With this year’s roster returning almost 65% of the team’s points and minutes, head coach Cuonzo Martin has had time to focus on reinforcing his culture.

“I think they want to win,” Martin said. “I just think when you build a program, the guys understand the accountability and what it means to

man, Jeremiah Tilmon. Playing in more minutes due to Jontay Porter’s injury last season, Tilmon posted a solid 10.1 points and 5.9 rebounds, shooting 54.5% from the floor.

Though the Tigers have high expectations for Tilmon, there is one crippling flaw he must correct to elevate his team: fouling. Fouling 5.9 times per 40 minutes, Tilmon too often couldn’t help his team because of foul trouble.

“When you watch him now, he’s

said.

Heading the guards is redshirt junior guard Dru Smith, a transfer from Evansville who sat out the 2018-19 season.

At Evansville, Smith showcased his truly unique versatility and efficiency. In his sophomore season, he posted 13.7 points, 4.6 assists, 3.5 rebounds and two steals per game, shooting 57.8% from the field and 48.2% from deep.

Martin understands the versatility

played stout defense on the other end.

With Mark Smith on the floor, the Tigers went 10-9 last season. Without him, they finished 5-8.

Alongside Dru and Mark Smith, sophomores Javon Pickett, Torrance Watson and Xavier Pinson will rotate on the perimeter. “X [Pinson], Torrence and Javon played a lot of major minutes, took some lumps,

dru | Page 18

T H E M A N E AT E R | S P O RTS | N OV E M B E R 6, 2 0 1 9

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BASKETBALL

Amber Smith provides consistency during season full of changes With key seniors gone from last season, the Tigers look to returning seniors to lead the way.

KAYLEE SCHREINER

Staff Writer

As basketball season swings into full gear, the big concern for Missouri’s women’s basketball team seems to be who is going to step up now that some key seniors have graduated.

Last season, the Tigers posted a record of 24-11, 10-6 in the SEC, making it into the second game of the NCAA Tournament before losing to the University of Iowa, 68-52. The team relied heavily on its seniors with 6-foot-1-inch guard Sophie Cunningham and 5-foot-7-inch guard Lauren Aldridge each starting all 35 games played.

Aldridge averaged 6.5 points a game with the third-most points scored all season at 228. She played a total of 1,095 minutes, second only to Cunningham’s 1,199.

Cunningham, who now plays for the Phoenix Mercury of the Women’s National Basketball Association, led the team in points averaged (17.8) and total points (624). On the season, she shot 48.1% from the field and had a 3-point average of 40.3%.

Ideally, Missouri hopes to function as it has these past few years when Aldridge and Cunningham were on the team; the seniors are expected to step up, know the game, the system and the standards of the team. On a team where captains are not elected, the senior class is responsible for molding them together.

Just because some key players are gone does not mean Missouri should be counted out of the running.

“Somebody asked me the other day at a speaking engagement, ‘Is it a rebuilding year?’” coach Robin Pingeton said. “I almost took offense to that. We don’t look at it that way at all. The expectations we have of our program are that we continue to raise the bar and compete for championships.”

Although Pingeton has said this year is almost like a new era with many players leaving and entering the program, there are certainly some factors that remain constant. One of them comes in the form of senior guard Amber Smith.

Smith looks to begin her fourth year on the Missouri basketball team, her record thus far speaking for itself. Smith was Freshman of the Year for the Southeastern Conference in 2017, making the SEC All-Freshman Team that same year. In the 2018-19 season, she made the All-SEC Preseason Second Team.

This past season, Smith scored 435 points on the season, averaging 12.4 points a game, second in both categories to Cunningham. She led the team in rebounds both offensively and defensively, recording 68 and 175 for the year with a rebounding average of 6.9 per game.

Smith is the only player outside of Aldridge and Cunningham who started all 35 games in the 2018-19 season.

“Amber’s had an incredible career so far,” Pingeton said. “To me, what we need from Amber this year is that consistency with the doubledouble, because she can score the ball again on three different levels.”

Smith is one of six returning seniors who are looking to step up this season. According to Pingeton, with an athletic freshman class and a tough non-conference schedule to start the season, the Tigers are looking to get challenged early on to prepare for SEC play.

“I don’t think we have a lot of personal goals, we just want our team to go further than we’ve ever gone before,” Smith said.

In the absence of a lot of big names like Cunningham and Aldridge, Smith may be the person the team looks toward to take the lead.

“For her work ethic, for her focus in practice, what she brings to the table for us has been really consistent so far and we need that out of our seniors,” Pingeton said.

For Smith, however, leadership is more than promoting a focused, hardworking atmosphere during practices and games.

“Being able to be that leader off the court as well as on the court, making sure that everyone gets to class and stuff and that we’re focused going into practice [is what’s important],” Smith said.

In her first exhibition game of the season, Smith contributed 13 of the 94 points scored by Missouri and shot .417 from the field, playing a total of 22 minutes. Missouri beat Truman State 94-55. In a Preseason Coaches’ Poll, Smith received All-SEC preseason honors for the second year in a row and was named to the Preseason All-SEC First Team.

With Missouri’s season officially underway and starting lineup spots still somewhat up for grabs, history points to one thing: Smith can be counted on in the starting five.

Edited by Emily Leiker eleiker@themaneater.com

Junior guard Amber Smith passes the ball in the second half of the Missouri vs. Alabama women’s basketball game on Mar. 3. | PHOTO BY ADAM COLE

18

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DRU

learned some valuable lessons,” Martin said.

Continued from page 16 Tray Jackson, a four-star and the 77th ranked recruit in the 2019 class, headlines Missouri’s freshman class. It also added two threestar recruits in Mario McKinney and Kobe Brown.

The electric McKinney will rotate on the perimeter. Jackson and Browns’ athleticism and versatility should see them playing early. “I consider Kobe and Tray as guards as well, so they will be at the four spot,” Martin said.

In a new SEC framework, Missouri looks to build on last season and make a run at the NCAA tournament.

“On the floor or off the floor, I just want to win, get to the tournament and do whatever we can to do that,” Pinson said.

Missouri's women's basketball is unrecognizable.

“It’s almost like a new era,” women’s basketball coach Robin Pingeton said. “We certainly understand that and we’ve embraced it.”

This new era is defined by the departure of Sophie Cunningham, one of the greatest players in the history of the program, to the WNBA. The first All-American in program history and one of the nation’s best players will be difficult to replace.

Along with Cunningham, the Tigers saw two other impact seniors graduate: Lauren Aldridge and Cierra Porter, sister of Jontay Porter. Three non-seniors — Akira Levy, Kelsey Winfrey and Emmanuelle Tahane — all transferred to other schools.

One familiar face from last year’s team is senior guard Amber Smith, who was named to the preseason All-SEC team.

Last season, she established herself as an offensive presence, finishing second on the team in points per game (12.4) and first in rebounds per game (6.9). This season, she’s going to be a focal point of a revamped offense.

Smith’s ability to score from anywhere on the floor — with her back to the basket, from midrange or spotting up for threes — will offer the Tigers a consistent source of offensive production.

Pingeton has high expectations for her senior star. “That’s a kid [who] should be averaging a double-double night in and night out,” she said.

Though Smith’s consistent scoring and rebounding will be important for Missouri, two newcomers could drive the team’s success.

The Tigers will bring in the 12th best-recruiting class in the country, headlined by two five-star recruits hailing from St. Louis: ninth-ranked guard Aijha Blackwell and 26th ranked forward Hayley Frank.

“They’re going to come in and make an immediate impact for us,” Pingeton said. “In particular Aijah, the most explosive and powerful athlete that I’ve coached in my … years of coaching.”

Blackwell is an elite athlete at the guard position, with the first step to penetrate and the strength to finish and draw fouls. She’s an excellent passer, with high-level vision and passing skill.

Defensively, her athleticism, effort and defensive instincts allow her to smother ball-handlers and cause havoc defending on the weak side.

In her college debut, an exhibition against Truman State, she torched the Bulldogs on her way

to 25 points, four rebounds, two assists, a block and a steal.

Frank provides an ideal counter to Blackwell’s aggressive playstyle. A smooth, versatile forward, Frank’s excellent shooting touch, passing skill and ball-handling ability for her size pair well with Blackwell.

They cover each other’s weaknesses well: Blackwell’s shooting struggles and defensive prowess compliment Frank’s sweet stroke and defensive issues perfectly. “[They play] two different styles but yet they complement each other so well,” Pingeton said.

Seniors Jordan Roundtree and Hannah Schuchts will play a significant role for the Tigers.

“We expect that our seniors definitely step up to the plate for us,” Pingeton said. “They’ve been here, they understand our system, the expectations, the standards that we have.”

During the offseason, Missouri landed three transfers: junior Ladazhia Williams, senior Shug Dickson and senior Shannon Dufficy, none of whom are currently eligible to play.

“If there was an early Christmas present, we’d be really excited, but I think at this point, where we’re at, we’re not counting on those kids being able to play immediately,” Pingeton said.

The 2019-20 Missouri Tigers hardly resemble the team that made it to the second round of the NCAA Tournament last year. Yet, optimism still surrounds the team.

“The expectations we have of our program are that we continue to raise the bar and compete for championships,” Pingeton said.

Edited by Wilson Moore wmoore@themaneater.com

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19

BASKETBALL

High school rivalry fades away for talented Missouri freshmen The Tigers’ newest arrivals have grown closer on and off the court.

ELI HOFF Reporter Before Missouri freshmen Aijha Blackwell and Hayley Frank were college teammates, they were high school rivals.

Together, they’re part of one of the program’s best-ever recruiting classes. Blackwell, the state’s top recruit, was ranked No. 9 in the country by ESPN and played with the USA U18 National Team. Frank was Missouri’s Gatorade Girls Basketball Player of the Year two years in a row and won four state championships.

In high school, they met in postseason play two years in a row. Frank’s team, Strafford, won both matchups, part of a 115-game winning streak.

Naturally, there was a rivalry.

“We had a little beef in high school,” Blackwell said. “I just think it was us wanting the same thing.”

Indeed, Blackwell and Frank did want the same thing: to play basketball at Missouri. Now teammates, Blackwell and Frank are leaving any “beef” in the past.

“It was just on the court,” Frank said. “We wanted to win, we were really competitive. I feel like outside people were what made it into more of a rivalry than it was.”

With outside factors removed, the two freshmen have grown closer since arriving on campus.

“Nothing between [us],” Blackwell said. “Me and Hayley, we’re like sisters.”

They’ll have to stay close as they adjust to the college game in Missouri’s self-professed ‘new era.’ Charged with replacing stars like Sophie Cunningham, there’s no time to waste.

“They don’t get to be a freshman,” coach Robin Pingeton said. “I know [Blackwell] gets tired of me talking about Sophie, but we make a lot of parallels. Their paths are going to be similar. She has the ability to impact our team in such a big way.”

Blackwell and Frank have already had an impact in the Tigers’ two exhibition games before the start of the upcoming season. The duo combined for exactly half of Missouri’s points in its 94-55 win over Truman State. When the Tigers defeated Fontbonne 121-40, Frank scored 17 points while Blackwell put up 16 and had nine steals.

The competition may not have been at the level the Tigers will face during the regular season, but the freshmen have already established themselves as key players within Missouri’s system.

“I’m not surprised,” Pingeton said after their first minutes in Missouri uniforms. “This is what we expect out of them … they complement each other so well.”

Based on their playing styles, Pingeton plans to use Blackwell and Frank differently within her system.

Blackwell’s powerful game is effective on offense, but her defensive abilities have shone in exhibition games. Frank brings more offensive prowess to the table as well as a “high basketball IQ” that has earned rave reviews from her coach.

“Hayley Frank is a kid who can score [from anywhere],” Pingeton said. “Aijha [is] the most explosive and powerful athlete that I’ve coached in my three years of coaching. Get out of her way, that’s all I’m going to say.”

Regardless of their roles in the upcoming season, Blackwell and Frank are primed to usher in a new era with Missouri.

Blackwell says their journey will be worth watching.

“I think our story is going to be special,” she said.

Edited by Emily Leiker eleiker@themaneater.com

Sophomore Javon Pickett talks with coach Cuonzo Martin during Missouri’s exhibition game aganist Central Missouri on Nov. 1. Pickett had 11 points in the win. | PHOTO BY ANDREW MOORE

BASKETBALL

Four takeaways from Missouri’s lone exhibition The Tigers overcame a slow first half to beat Central Missouri 80-56.

WILSON MOORE

Assistant Sports Editor It was only an exhibition, but Missouri basketball was back in action Friday night, beating Division II Central Missouri 80-56 in a sloppy, turnover-filled game. The Tigers’ regular season will start Wednesday against Incarnate Word.

Javon Pickett might be the key to this team’s success Pickett talked about gaining weight and adding muscle in the offseason, and it showed on Friday. The sophomore started the second half with 7 straight points, including a dunk and a finish through contact for an and-1. The run woke Missouri up after a sluggish first half that it ended losing by a point. Missouri didn’t trail for the rest of the game after Pickett’s first second-half basket.

“We made the necessary adjustments in the second half,” coach Cuonzo Martin said.

“I think the biggest thing in the second half was just being aggressive, being assertive, being in more of attack mode. I thought we settled for some threes, but I thought we were more aggressive.”

Martin wants Jeremiah Tilmon to be the focal point of the offense Tilmon had a quiet game, posting 9 points and 3 rebounds in 19 minutes. There were times when the junior went several possessions without touching the ball, with most of the offense running through the perimeter. Martin wants that to change in the regular season.

“The worst thing about [the game] was that we didn’t do a good job of getting Jeremiah the ball,” Martin said. “We have to do a good job with that, but on the flip side for him, if he doesn’t get the ball, [he has

to] continue to do a great job of rebounding the ball.”

Tilmon didn’t want to blame his teammates for not getting the ball in his hands.

“They felt like they had good open shot shots,” he said. “They got confidence in shooting the ball, then that’s just them. They [are] working on it, so I’m not expecting them to miss it.”

Whether turnovers will be a problem again is yet to be determined Missouri averaged 14.3 turnovers per game in conference play last season, the thirdworst mark in the Southeastern Conference.

In the first half, that problem persisted. The Tigers turned the ball over 11 times. They tightened up in the second, however, only losing the ball twice.

“We just really settled in,” Martin said.

“And for guys, [they learned] don’t try to be a playmaker. Make the right play. I think that’s the most important thing, and for the most part in the second half, we kept the ball in the point guards’ hands outside of them making a pass where the other guy can shoot or straight-line drive.”

Dru Smith is as complete as advertised Martin talked all training camp about how Smith could do it all on the court: shoot, pass, play defense, rebound, whatever the team needed. That’s pretty much what Smith provided in his first action in a Tiger uniform. The redshirt junior scored 8 points on 4-6 shooting while tacking on seven assists and six steals.

“I don’t think I’m really a volume guy by any means,” Smith said. “I don’t think there’s gonna be very many games where you see me take a lot of shots. I think I’m just trying to get guys involved, hit guys when they’re open and just try to have an impact on the game, whether that’s offensively, defensively or just in general.”

Edited by Emily Leiker eleiker@themaneater.com

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OCTOBER 10, 2019

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