The Mercury 01/11/16

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January 11, 2016

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Presidential hopefuls gear up for another race, attempt to connect with millenials NIDHI GOTGI

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Managing Editor

s the nation prepares to cast ballots on Nov. 8, the race for the presidency is beginning to take shape.

Democratic candidates currently running for presidency

include former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, former Governor of Maryland Martin O’Malley and Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont. Twelve candidates are in the race as Republicans with Donald Trump, Senator Ted Cruz of Texas and Senator Marco Rubio of Florida leading in the polls.

According to a study by the U.S. Census Bureau, the voting participation percentage for 18 to 24 year olds rose between 2000 and 2008, but dropped drastically between 2008 and 2012. Political science professor Thomas Brunell said he believes this election could show a similar trend to the previous one.

“We’re kind of reverting back to pre-Obama numbers,” he said. “It depends on who the Republicans nominate. I assume they’re going to nominate a straight-forward political type like Jeb Bush, and that’s just going to be another Bush versus Clinton election.”

Brunell said millennials have always had a small showing within the eligible electorate on voting day and this year will be no different because there is not much spicing up the current election. → SEE ELECTION, PAGE 4

SOURCE: CNN

* DATA ONLY SHOWN FOR LEADING CANDIDATES NIDHI GOTGI | MANAGING EDITOR

Although it is still relatively early in the race, early favorites have already made their mark on the contest. For the Democrats, Hillary Clinton is the current favorite to get the nomination, while the Republicans are divided between Donald Trump, Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio.

Rising through the rubble

Rowlett man pushes to recover, repair home, find temporary housing after tornado causes destruction to families’ house had happened.

“It’s a one in a million chance your house gets hit by a tornado,” he said. “You see it on TV — you just When John Rivera and his family first heard about don’t ever expect it to be you.”

He said seeing the damage that the tornado did the tornado that struck their home on Dec. 26 in to his house and neighborhood is Rowlett, they were out of town at his the hardest thing he has ever gone father’s house. That distance, however, It’s a one in a through. couldn’t spare them from the destrucRivera couldn’t sit and dwell on tion the storm brought to their lives. million chance the situation or he said it would The Riveras’ house was one of the your house gets break him down. After spending many that were struck when a series years as a contractor as a side job, of tornadoes wreaked havoc in DFW hit by a torhe knew enough to get started. He just one day after Christmas. Rivera left nado. You see got to work and began to focus his dad’s house soon after his neighbor it on TV — you on salvaging what he could from called saying that their homes had been his house. hit, but the journey back was far from just don’t ever “I can’t sit there and feel sorry normal. expect it to be for myself and I’m not,” he said.

“I had to drive an hour to get to “I’m not that kind of man. I’m Rowlett, and then it took me two-andyou. going to say, ‘OK, if this is my a-half hours to get from Rockwall to my cross to bear, my God made me neighborhood because the police had it — John Rivera with big shoulders and I’m going closed down because of gas leaks and to carry it and I’m going to fix possible looters,” he said. this.’”

When he finally got back home, His insurance wouldn’t cover the costs of all the Rivera saw nothing but houses reduced to rubble and repairs, so Rivera focused on tearing out all of the he feared the worst.

Luckily, although his home had been badly dam- insulation and sheet rock to prevent rotting of the aged, it was spared the fate of others. → SEE TORNADO, PAGE 4 Still, Rivera was shocked by everything that ESTEBAN BUSTILLOS Editor-in-Chief

RAUL OLIVARES | COURTESY

John Rivera (center) stands with a group of volunteers who came to his house to help with recovery efforts after it was struck by a tornado the day after Christmas. Rivera’s house was one of a countless number around his neighborhood that were damaged by the storms.

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JUST THE FACTS

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OPINION

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JAN. 11, 2016 | THE MERCURY | UTDMERCURY.COM

The PERFECT STORM Damage brought to community from tornadoes brings goals, objectives into perspective as new year dawns ESTEBAN BUSTILLOS COMMENTARY

People spend most of their lives fixating on trivial things like how big their house is, what kind of car they drive or what brand of clothes they wear. If we sit down and think about it, that materialistic search is what consumes most of our time and causes most of our stress.

What’s funny is how quickly all of that can be taken away.

On Dec. 26, a series of tornadoes ripped through the metroplex. Twelve people were killed in storms that stretched from Copeville to Rowlett and Garland.

Millions of dollars worth of damage destroyed homes and ruined lives.

Several months ago, my family and I moved from the Garland/Rowlett border to Dallas. We lived just miles away from where much of the damage occurred. I woke up the day after the tornadoes and was stunned by just how much destruction had been brought upon my former home. I’m sure anyone who caught a glimpse of the aftermath felt the same.

Going out there, however, was different. Seeing the devastation firsthand was one of the most sobering experiences of my life. Homes that once stood as proud testaments to people’s lives’ work were reduced to mere piles of brick and glass. I’m not exaggerating when I say that Rowlett looked like London during the Blitz. It felt like I was walking through a war zone.

I felt a sense of uselessness while viewing this destruction. There were so many people that needed help and so much that needed to be done that it was impossible to figure out where to start. I couldn’t even begin to imagine what it must have felt like for the people that actually lived there.

During the cleanup, I quickly saw the way people were prioritizing the effort. Nobody cared if they lost TV’s or Playstations, they were more worried about whether or not their cats and dogs made it out alive.

Family photos and mementos — which were easily scattered throughout the rubble — became more valuable than gold.

I also saw just how quickly people let down the barriers they held between one another. Complete strangers, no matter the race, religion or political affiliation, came together and bonded over their shared effort to help their fellow man.

Looking back on how people reacted to the destruction, I realized just how screwed up our priorities can be. So often our society teaches us that more is better and that to consume is to live. The house, the cars, the money, the status — that’s what we’re taught is important. That’s why we’re going to college, isn’t it? To eventually obtain all of those and claim them as our own.

But what happens when that is taken away from

MIKE BUSTILLOS | COURTESY

The damaged remains of a house sit in Rowlett the week after the tornado hit. This house is just an example of the countless other homes that have been damaged beyond repair across North Texas after a series of tornadoes struck the day after Christmas.

COMET COMMENTS

us? Some of the houses that were destroyed were all that people had. Everything that their owners had worked for — all of the hours they had put in — were wiped away in one chaotic instant.

I had a moment of clarity standing among those who had lost everything. Even in the midst of such profound destruction, they still stood up and found something more: each other.

Looking around, people could care less about the material items. All they cared about was that their family and loved ones were OK. What was even more astonishing was seeing people who had lost everything still be willing to give to others who were in need.

I realized that all that we think is important really isn’t. We spend so much time building up walls to form our own little bubbles and chasing our dreams

of success that we often forget that all of the money in the world won’t save us. We forget that all of our treasures mean nothing by themselves; they only matter if we have people to share them with.

I also realized just how much time we spend dividing ourselves. Politics, race, religion and a slew of other useless barriers are so often used to make us feel like we’re different and, therefore, superior to others. Out in the streets of Rowlett, I saw that none of that mattered. It didn’t matter if you were black, white or Hispanic; Christian, Muslim or Hindu.

All that mattered is that you were willing to lend a helping hand.

As we enter into a new year that will be dominated by a presidential election, it’s important to remember just how short life is and just how much we have in common with complete strangers. There’re going to

be many men and women on TV telling us how bad the “other side” is, but maybe that’s not true. At the end of the day, all anybody really wants is a roof over their heads, food in their bellies and for their families to be safe. That’s what real wealth is.

The storms that ripped through the metroplex have subsided and people must now deal with the reality of starting over. It will be harder for some than for others, but the people of towns like Rowlett will make it. They’re strong and proud and aren’t the type to give up.

What has yet to be seen is if we can weather the storms inside of all of us that make us lose focus on what’s really important. If we can’t get a grip on our priorities and fight for what really matters, the damage the tornadoes brought will be nothing compared to the damage in our hearts.

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→ ELECTION

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

“If Trump gets the nomination and he continues to be crazy, maybe that will be a driving force for more people to turn out, but I don’t think that’s going to happen,” he said.

Although young people haven’t actively voted in the past, Brunell explained that it doesn’t mean they’re apathetic to political affairs.

“They involve themselves (and) participate in non-traditional ways like volunteering, like engaging in protests (and through) social media,” he said. “But as people get older, they vote more.”

The 2016 election is shaping up to be centered on economic issues as 86 percent of Americans polled by Gallup on last May ranked it their primary concern.

However, political science junior Nancy Fairbank, who spent the fall semester in Washington D.C. with the Archer Fellowship Program, pointed out that social issues like criminal justice, gun control, LGBT rights and abortion will be what determine the way college students vote.

“I think right now there is a lot of activism going on on college campuses that is going to encourage students to go out and (participate) in the election,” Fairbank said.

Racial issues haven’t had as big an impact on UTD’s campus as they have in schools like the University of Missouri, where hunger strikes and boycotts by the football team were organized to fight against concerns of racism brought up by Mizzou Student Body President Payton Head. However, Fairbank said that discrimination can impact another big demographic at UTD — international students.

“It’s difficult because our international students don’t have a say in the national elections, so it’s up to us as native students to go to the polls and support them,” she said.

The rise of ISIS is another key issue, as acts of terrorism have brought backlash against Muslims within the country, with the Council on AmericanIslamic Relations documenting at least 42 instances of anti-Muslim violence after the Paris attacks.

“We are at the potential brink of another war depending on what the next president decides to do (about ISIS), and if we entered another war it would be our generation fighting that war and dealing with the economic repercussions,” Fairbank said.

Brunell said college students’ attention has been roused by Senator Sanders’ proposals to make public universities free of cost and to raise the minimum wage, but he doesn’t believe Sanders’ ideas are realistic.

“It doesn’t sound feasible to me,” he said. “The states have been cutting back on how much money they give to state universities, so that’s necessitated an increase in tuition. I’ve looked a little bit at his proposals. If somebody tallied up his proposals, this would cost $18 trillion — which is a lot of money.”

Despite his far-fetched policy proposals, Sanders is able to garner support among young voters because of how he makes them feel, Fairbank said.

“I think sometimes what’s more important in an election than just specific policies is generally how a candidate inspires the American people,” she said. “Some people would disagree with that and say we should focus more on specific policies, but you never know what’s going to happen with policies in Congress.”

Brunell drew on examples of extreme candidates from past elections like Barry Goldwater in 1964 and George McGovern in 1972 who experienced landslide losses because of their far-right and far-left platforms to explain why individuals like Trump, Cruz and Sanders may not make it to the general election.

“Cruz is a little too far right and Sanders is a little too far left,” he said. “These people usually don’t get the nomination.”

Fairbank said that she found it surprising that, as a liberal, she was able to agree on a number of topics with her conservative peers in her courses as an Archer Fellow.

“We agreed on gun control issues (and) issues of student activism on campuses,” she said. “We really seemed to agree on a lot more than politicians on a national level are agreeing on. Hopefully our votes will affect that.”

I think right now there is a lot of activism going on on college campuses that is going to encourage students to go out and participate in the election.

— Nancy Fairbank

→ TORNADO

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

structure. Even though the repairs were minimal compared to others, they still amounted to over $140,000.

For Rivera’s neighbors, however, the option to even try to repair the damage wasn’t available to all.

Rivera said while there are those who have chosen to cut their losses and move on, there are those who are simply too traumatized to return.

Around the neighborhood, there were signs of people coping with the disaster in different ways.

One family had spray painted “God is good all the time” on what remained of their front wall. Others gathered on the street corners and reminisced about what happened the night the twisters came.

What was common for everyone, however, was the overflow of relief workers and volunteers who were in the streets helping with the clean up. People from all around the metroplex came and did whatever they could to salvage and repair the homes and belongings.

This was one of the things that surprised Rivera the most.

“It was very overwhelming and comforting,” he said. “At first it was hard to accept (the help). I’m a very prideful man. I’ve always done things on my own … I quickly realized that this is God helping me. These are God’s children opening their hearts and showing me love.”

He said the community, friends and family who showed up to help are what got him through the first week of recovery efforts, where Rivera was pushed to the limit running the repair operations of his house.

“My whole life over the last 20 years led up to this week,” he said. “All the experience of managing people and learning how to communicate and having the patience to explain how we needed to do things and be a director, you know, it really paid off.”

As Rivera and others like him try to move on with their lives, there are many obstacles that still stand in the way. Day-to-day life is going to be different as his family returns to work and school, all while the repairs to the house are being done.

He said he will have to stretch his budget as the repairs are made and he pays for temporary housing for his family. Although he was able to find a rental house not too far from where his home is that he can rent for six months, other residents have not been as lucky.

Rivera said there are many houses available that are only being rented out 12 months at a time, which puts displaced residents at a disadvantage if they finish their repairs before then. He said it could lead to a situation where people end up paying two mortgages at the same time.

“We need to get the word out that these investor groups, these rental companies need to be a little accommodating for some of us,” he said. “I wish I had an unlimited bank account. I wouldn’t care, but I work every day for every dollar I get and I’ve got to make it stretch.”

Still, despite the uncertainty on the road ahead, Rivera has shown resilience. He said he has told his family to keep their heads up and keep moving forward.

“This is just temporary, life moves on,” he said.

“We’re Mexican. We’re going to fix this. This is not what defines us, it’s how we behave and act that defines us.”

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LIFE&ARTS

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JAN. 11, 2016 | THE MERCURY | UTDMERCURY.COM

GETTING EXPOSURE

Club works with web show to spread word on tech innovations

UX CLUB | COURTESY

Members of the UX Club help to produce Expose UX, a show that brings together innovators in the tech world.

BHARGAV ARIMILLI Mercury Staff

The User Experience Club at UTD is on the path to national recognition due to a partnership with a new web-based show called Expose UX. The show, which had origins a web-based comedy, brings innovators and user experience (UX) judges together to help startups launch apps and services.

Established two years ago, the UX Club seeks to be a gathering space for students interested in the intersection of arts, technology and marketing. The club hosts lectures, conducts workshops and brings in design agencies to critique the design portfolios of members.

“At UX Club, we try to promote the idea of human-centered design, as opposed to technology or business-centered design,” said Emiola Banwo, the

president of UX Club.

Human-centered design focuses on simplifying the interaction between an individual and a product, brand or person.

“User experience isn’t just about design, but it’s also about design aspect,” said Lina Moon, marketing manager for the club.

While design focuses purely on aesthetics, design aspect incorporates functionality to provide a seamless experience for users.

UX Club enjoys a close relationship with the Dallas chapter of the User Experience Professional Association and the greater Dallas design community. Members of the club regularly volunteer at UX conferences in Dallas throughout the year.

→ SEE UX, PAGE 6

CHAD AUSTIN | MERCURY STAFF

Difficulty

PINPOSSIBLE

Cost

Apple Cider

Taste

LINDA NGUYEN | MERCURY STAFF

T

his winter has been an abnormally warm one, but we have seen our share of colder weather, and my inner romantic loves the idea of settling in for cold weather with a book and a hot drink. Unfortunately, I don’t have a fireplace, so I just have to settle for curling up in my chair with a book and something warm. Some of my favorite drinks for these evenings is some warm apple cider or warm wassail (which is made of apple cider).

This drink brings back memories of being in high school and attending Denton’s annual wassail festival in the square with my friends. It also reminds me of cold mornings in undergrad when professors would bring apple cider into the newsroom to try to get us to drink less coffee. Apple cider is surprisingly easy to make, and the delicious smell of apple cider is an added plus for my apartment.

WHAT YOU NEED - 12 apples of assorted types (I used Red Delicious, Granny Smith and Gala apples) - 2 oranges - 4 cinnamon sticks - 1 whole nutmeg - 1 tablespoon whole cloves - 1 teaspoon whole allspice - 1 gallon of water - sweetener

INSTRUCTIONS

2. Add all the spices.

3. Fill the pot until almost full with water.

4. Put the pot on medium-high heat until it’s at a simmer.

5. Lower the heat to medium low and cover. Let it simmer for two hours.

6. Using a masher or the side of a spoon, mash the apples and oranges.

7. Let simmer for another hour.

8. Strain the mixture into a clean container.

9. Stir in sweetener, if needed.

When it says use a large stock pot, it really means use as large of a pot as possible.

I made the mistake of using too small of a pot and it overflowed quite a bit, then I couldn’t make as much apple cider as I wanted. I think I ended up with about 2 liters of apple cider at the end of it all. The other caveat to this recipe is how expensive and hard it is to find whole nutmeg. I think I had a container of four or five of them for $12, which is probably one of the most expensive spices I've ever had to buy. I also used honey to sweeten my apple cider, but it was sweet enough on its own.

1. Quarter the apples and oranges and place in a large stock pot.

Every issue, The Mercury’s craft connoisseur will scour Pinterest and craft blogs in search of the best and worst DIY projects. Show us your results on social media using #pinpossible and @utdmercury.

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THE MERCURY |JAN. 11, 2016

→ UX

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5

One prominent member of UXPA, Chirag Gupta, launched a comedy show called UX Roast in which startups present their apps or services to a panel of UX judges, who provide feedback and criticism.

Richard Brevig, another UX designer and UTD alum, took inspiration from UX Roast and launched Expose UX. Like UX Roast, Expose UX is broadcasted over the Internet. Filming of the pilot season was completed in November 2015 and the pilot episode has already been aired on Expose UX’s website.

However, Expose UX is different from UX Roast because of the level of interaction between startup founders and UX experts.

“The design process is a very iterative process — you create something, test it, push it out to users, get feedback and redesign it over and over again until you have something solid,” Banwo said. “Expose UX gives you a chance to do an iteration alongside a team of UX experts. For a brief twenty-minute period, you’re going to have some of the best Dallas area designers work on your project with you.”

The partnership between Expose UX and UTD

LIFE&ARTS

began in early 2015 when Brevig came to a UX club meeting in search for volunteers for his show.

Since then, members of the club have been helping as production assistants, setting up cameras and conducting post-show interviews.

UX Club hopes to strengthen the link between UTD and Expose UX. Cassini Nazir, a professor in the ATEC program who teaches interaction design and advises UX Club, was featured on the show as a judge. Jainan Sankalia, an ATEC professor teaching UX design for games, also served as a judge.

In addition to providing opportunities for design professors, Expose UX gives students skilled in areas such as filmmaking and marketing a chance to hone their skills.

Banwo said he hopes the show will tap into the network of talented students in the club.

“When some of our members graduate, they go on to work at design companies,” he said. “I’d like to see them become experts on the show.”

For Moon and Banwo, the future of UX Club and Expose UX is closely tied to the future of the UX community as a whole.

“I see the show as evangelizing the UX field,” Moon said. “Expose UX is going to help get the word out there about this burgeoning field.”

UTDMERCURY.COM

New walkway closures

UTD | COURTESY

The walkway that cut between the Student Union and Founders opened on Dec. 21 after landscaping renovations closed it down for most the Fall semester.The walkways behind the SLC and in between the ECS building and the SU will be close for similar renovations until late Spring.

SPORTS

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JAN. 11, 2016 | THE MERCURY | UTDMERCURY.COM

Love of the game Junior forward forced to give up basketball during cancer battle, becomes women’s team’s go-to player PABLO JUAREZ Sports Editor

Following the roster turnover from last season’s NCAA tournament squad, junior forward Micaela Gonzalez has been burdened with the responsibility of filling the void her former teammates left behind.

The added pressure, however, doesn’t faze her — she’s already beaten cancer.

Around Thanksgiving of 2010, Gonzalez noticed a lump right above her collarbone. At the time, she was a 15-year-old sophomore attending McKinney Boyd High School.

At first, Gonzalez and her family believed the lump was a cyst. It was not biopsied until January of 2011.

“We didn’t think (the lump) was a tumor or have any real concerns,” Gonzalez said. “I didn’t have any symptoms. Nothing was wrong with me. On the outside, I was perfectly normal.”

Following the biopsy, the lump proved to be Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Gonzalez’s initial reaction was a slight chuckle.

“I thought, ‘Just my luck,’” she said. “I was never really scared. I never thought I was going to die. My (next) reaction was, ‘OK, what’s next? What do we do now? Where do we go from here?’”

The eldest of two siblings, Gonzalez said the support she received throughout her treatment was immense.

“We had family, friends and teammates that would cook us dinner just so my mom wouldn’t have to worry about it,” she said. “My friends would help tutor me with my school work.”

Gonzalez received chemotherapy every two weeks for three months.

She took a small break, then received radiation for a week straight.

Following that week, she continued her normal chemotherapy dosage for the next three months.

“The best way I can describe getting chemo is like getting injected with the flu every two weeks,” Gonzalez said. “My brother described me as being depressed. I wasn’t, but I would come home after treatment and just lay in bed for three days straight. I couldn’t really function. I was too sick to do anything.”

Because Gonzalez needed to receive around-the-clock treatment, attending school like a normal sophomore was next to impossible.

To remedy the situation and avoid falling behind in her curriculum, Gonzalez transitioned to an all-online format.

Gonzalez was not able to take a full course load, but the three classes she was enrolled in were not something to take lightly. However, the prospect of not graduating on time with all her friends was not an option. She was able to complete the minimum number of credits needed to graduate.

Since Gonzalez had a surgically implanted metaport on her chest where she received her chemo, she was forced to relinquish the game she grew up loving to play. She said having the game of basketball ripped away from her like that was one of the hardest things she’s had

CHRIS LIN | MERCURY STAFF

Junior forward Micaela Gonzalez calls out defensive assignments against Sul Ross State on Jan. 4. Gonzalez is posting game averages of 11.5 points and 8.3 rebounds.

to endure.

In July of 2011, Gonzalez was given the news that she was finally in remission. She said she felt genuine happiness.

Now Gonzalez, a 5-foot-11 forward, is the go-to player for the women’s basketball team. Head coach Polly Thomason said it’s a responsibility Gonzalez has taken head on.

“Last year, she really had the luxury of being in the shadow of our

seniors and not really having a lot of pressure on her,” Thomason said.

“Now we’re really relying on her to be the best she can be.”

Gonzalez is currently averaging 11.5 points per game and grabbing 8.3 rebounds a night — both team highs. She said she has done her best to fill the void the seniors left behind.

“It’s definitely not easy,” she said. “I’m doing the best I can. I don’t

→ SEE GONZALEZ, PAGE 8

Women’s basketball Comets find success shoots to demolish with distinct offensive past defensive records style, unselfish play Comets among best teams in conference with defensive play Four players currently averaging double-digit points per game

MERCURY FILE PHOTOS

Altough they haven’t been able to match the offensive firepower of last year’s team, the Comets have been able to suffocate their opponents with a stout defense. The team currently limits other teams to only 61.3 points a game, the second best performance in the ASC. PABLO JUAREZ Sports Editor

CHRIS LIN | MERCURY STAFF

Junior guard Dapo Ogunfeitmi goes head-to-head with Sul Ross forward Jacob Dawson. Ogunfeitmi, one of head coach Terry Butterfield's offensive weapons, averages 10.1 points per game.

PABLO JUAREZ Sports Editor

The mantra ‘pick your poison’ is often heard in the scope of organized sports in reference to a potent, multi-faceted team. The men’s basketball team is the true embodiment of that phrase.

The Comets (8-3, 2-2) are currently tied with the ASC East favorite, East Texas Baptist, for first place in the division.

The Comets’ early season success can be attributed to their balance as an offensive unit and, in particular, the playmaking ability of the plethora of weapons at their disposal.

Currently, four players on the team average double digit points on a nightly basis. However, none of those players rank in the top 25 among leading scorers in the conference. Among the team’s

11 games thus far, there have been five different leading scorers and no single player has led the team in scoring in back-to-back games.

“I think it’s a characteristic of our team,” said head coach Terry Butterfield. “We have very solid players, but I don’t know that we have one player that’s exceptional above the others. We have good balance and anyone can be a leading scorer on any given night.”

Since any given player can heat up on any night, Butterfield said the team tries to exploit that occurrence as much as possible while keeping the nightly game plan intact.

“Well, we try to be aware of who’s producing offensively for us,” he said. “Obviously we want to

→ SEE MEN’S BBALL, PAGE 8

Since the introduction of the three-point field goal and its increasing reliability in professional sports, many teams now live and die by the three.

The women’s basketball team, however, puts more stock in its defense.

Despite a sluggish offensive start to their season, the Comets (8-4) are four games over .500, in large part because of their suffocating defense.

The team is second to last in the ASC in three-point shooting and overall field goal percentage, showing a shooting percentages of 25.5 and 33.4, respectively.

Defensively, the Comets remain one of the best teams in the conference limiting their opponents to 61.3 points per game — the second best in the ASC. “We see teams in our conference almost scoring 100 points (against) each other and then they play us and they might not even get 60 that game,” said junior forward Micaela Gonzalez. “It’s just

a shock to other teams. It shouldn’t be an element of surprise. Teams should play defense, but they’re always shocked when they do finally play a good (defensive team).”

Since head coach Polly Thomason took the reins of the program in 2005, defense has been the cornerstone of the program’s strategy.

“We’ve been really committed to (defense) the last six, seven, eight or so years,” Thomason said. “The core principles of that is rotating and helping early, not letting (opponents) drive middle, finishing each possession with a defensive rebound and really contest every shot that we can get to. Those are the four things that we really harp on everyday in practice … and want to make sure we’re committed to every possession.”

Surrounded by inexperienced youth following the departure of a nucleus of senior starters from last season’s conference championship squad, Thomason said she believes the defense can only improve from here on out.

“Our defense has definitely been good,” she said.

→ SEE WMEN’S BBALL, PAGE 8

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THE MERCURY | JAN. 11, 2016

→ WMN’S BBALL

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 7

“I’m happy with where we’re at right now, but I still think we can get better. I still think there are situations and there are still rotations that we’re slow on.”

The Comets wreak havoc in the passing lanes, more so than previous UTD basketball teams. The team is forcing their opponents to commit 25.4 turnovers per game — an ASC best. If this historic pace continues, the team will shatter the program’s single season record of 21.1 turnovers forced per game that it posted in 2002.

“I think it’s a big result of picking up more fullcourt than we have in the past,” Thomason said.

“I think we’ve been a lot more aggressive on the ball and (with) our help side defense forcing more turnovers. With the way our offense has been going, we’ve needed these extra possessions to win ball games. It’s a great change for us as far as the style goes.”

By forcing four more turnovers per game than the program’s next best per game average, the team is getting four more extra possessions on a nightly

→ GONZALEZ

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 7

mind the pressure or the responsibility.”

Aside from boasting career high averages, Thomason said the biggest area she has seen Gonzalez grow in is in her leadership ability.

“She has to do a lot for us,” she said. “She has to score and play really strong defense.

It’s been a complete 180 for her as far as what her role has been.

She’s leading our team on and off the court.”

SPORTS

basis and, as a byproduct, it’s leading to roughly a 12-point maximum swing in favor of the Comets.

Whenever the team is not able to force a turnover, they have been able to secure the defensive rebound at a high clip. The Comets average the fourth most rebounds per game in the ASC while allowing their opponents to grab the second fewest, leading to a plus-5.9 rebounding differential — another ASC best.

Boasting a conference-leading 73 percent defensive rebounding percentage, the Comets are one of the best teams in the ASC at limiting opponents’ second chance points.

“I really think it comes down to who wants it more,” Gonzalez said. “It takes a lot of effort, especially if you’re out around the perimeter, to crash and sprint to get the rebound over defenders, especially when they have the inside position.”

Thomason believes that once the team gets more acclimated as the season continues, the defense will get better and the offense will also begin to pick up the pace.

“Settling in and getting more comfortable taking the shots we need to take is something I hope we really figure out too,” she said.

UTDMERCURY.COM

→ MEN’S BBALL

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 7 try to get a lot of shots for a guy that’s sort of ‘his night.’”

However, behind the balanced attack is the team’s ability to make the extra pass, fully confident in each other’s prowess to make a play or knock down an open shot.

The Comets only trail Ozarks in the ASC in assists per game, averaging 17.9 per outing. Also, they are posting a 1.2 assist to turnover ratio — third best in the conference.

“I’m very pleased with our passing,” said sophomore forward Reagan Keogh. “When we can execute and are all on the same page, we’re pretty much unguardable. Everybody’s so together on and off the court. We have a lot of chemistry and we know where guys’ best spots to score on the floor are.”

As a forward, Keogh possesses the unique ability to facilitate for his teammates, averaging 2.5 assists per game, the second best mark on the team.

Keogh likes to operate mostly from the free

throw line and at the elbows, giving the offense an added dimension whenever he’s involved in the pick-and-roll, or even when working out of the low post.

“I’ve always tried to be an unselfish player,” he said. “I know a lot of teams have those post players where they get the ball and it’s never coming back out. Just based on how our offense works, we get a lot of back cuts and cuts from the rim, so when I have the ball at the elbows a lot of times I’ll be skipping the ball to open shooters.”

Butterfield said some areas where he would like to see improvement are in the number of turnovers committed, sustaining early leads and the team’s overall defense.

However, he feels that in order to be successful, continued growth must occur in all aspects of the game.

“As the season progresses, your team has to evolve to a higher level of performance,” he said. “All of our good teams that we’ve had in the past have been able to look at the beginning of the season and seen how we’ve grown towards the end of the season. It’s not about how you start … it’s about where you are at the finish of the season.”

Having basketball taken away from her has made Gonzalez appreciate the game that much more — and it’s something she’ll never forget.

“It was a huge part of my motivation,” she said. “My junior season, the year after all my treatment was finished, was by far my best year of basketball in high school just because I wanted it more than I ever wanted it before.”

Gonzalez is now four years in remission.

Once she reaches the five-year plateau in July of 2016, she will officially be considered cured.

(Gonzalez) has to do a lot for us.

She has to score and play really strong defense.

It’s been a complete 180 for her as far as her role has been.

— Polly Thomason

NUMBERS ON THE BOARD

CHAD AUSTIN | MERCURY STAFF

COMICS&GAMES BACK TO SCHOOL

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HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS

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LIFE OF TEMOC

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TIME WELL SPENT

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SUDOKU

MAZE

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