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January 30, 2020 | Vol. 94, No. 16

Morant’s jersey to be immortalized in Murray State basketball history

Gage Johnson Sports Editor gjohnson17@murraystate.edu

On Saturday, Feb. 1, former star Racer Ja Morant will have his No. 12 jersey retired at halftime of the men’s basketball game against SIUE at the CFSB Center.

Morant, who played at Murray State from 2017 to 2019, will be the 11th men’s basketball player to have his number retired and is the first one since 2018.

During his two years with Murray State, Morant was a key player in the Racers winning back-to-back OVC championships as well as

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earning two NCAA Tournament appearances. In the 2019 NCAA Tour nament, Morant led the Racers to an 83-64 win over Marquette, finishing with the ninth triple-double in NCAA Tournament history.

Murray State went a dominating 54-11 overall and 32-4 in OVC play during Morant’s career. He averaged 24.5 ppg, 5.7 rpg and 10 apg in his sophomore year and became the first player to average 20 points and 10 assists since the NCAA made assists an official stat in 1983.

Additionally, Morant set both the points and assists single-season record f or

Murray State, was a 13-time All-American selection and was the OVC’s first consensus All-American selection since 1971.

Head Coach Matt McMahon, who coached Morant during his Racer career, had nothing but positive words to say about Morant.

“From 2017 to 2019 we had the great privilege of coaching one of the best players in college basketball history,” McMahon said. “His unique combination of explosive athleticism, intelligence, unselfishness and relentless competitive drive enabled him to lead the Racers to back-to-back championship

seasons and countless magical moments on the court.

He is the ultimate winner, an elite teammate and an absolute joy to coach. We look forward to seeing Ja Morant’s No. 12 Murray State jersey drop from the rafters on Saturday night. He is so deserving of this special honor.”

Because of his stellar career at Murray State, Morant was drafted second overall in the 2019 NBA Draft to the Memphis Grizzlies. He became the highest NBA draft pick from the OVC in the conference’s history.

Morant’s jersey retirement ceremony will begin at halftime of the men’s basketball

game against SIUE. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 1, at the CFSB Center.

“We are incredibly honored and privileged to welcome Ja, and his family, back to campus for this special ceremony,” said Kevin Saal, Murray State’s Director of Athletics.

“Ja’s impact on Murray State University, the Athletics Department and basketball program cannot be overstated.

Racer Nation has an opportunity to experience a truly historic event at halftime of Saturday night’s game, as we welcome the Morant family back home to Murray and pay tribute to his legacy in the rafters of the CFSB Center.”

BFSA diversifies faculty and staff on campus

Lakers Legend gone too soon

Cable on campus: Save it for the students who use it

Former student visits all seven continents

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January 30, 2020

4:38PM

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Public intoxication was reported in the Curris Center parking lot. Subject was arrested.

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can improve upon specific tasks and skills.

“The Black Faculty Staff Association has created a sense of community in an area you will not see many African Americans,” Duffy said.

Before Duffy was in charge, the previous president of the BFSA was Crystal Coel, senior lecturer in the department of organizational communication.

“I worked with one of the best executive board teams,” Coel said.

A fire was reported in the College Courts after a stove accidentally caught on fire.

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- Carruth Kitrell, Administrative Assistant

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We are promoting diversity, so it is here to promote the awareness of diversity as well as it is met, and to let the other students know we are here for them.

When Coel was president BFSA made sure that not only were all the black and minority faculty and staff involved, but there were also deans involved as well. They do not exclude anyone from participating in what their goal to help students.

BFSA was started on campus in 1988 with seven black employees. They had the desire to network and discuss the issues of the black community when it came to personal development and employment.

That is when Charles Houston came up with an organization that could address their concerns. It has not only helped the faculty and staff, but it has helped students along the way as well.

For one of Murray State’s new black staff members, Deadrick Brooks, the data analyst for institutional effectiveness BFSA has become a home for him.

“At my other job there was no black faculty and staff group, and sometimes you can feel alone at times,” Brooks said. “Here you get to mingle with each other and know you are not alone. I just love it in the sense that there is a black faculty staff group.”

The BFSA meets once a month to discuss bringing more diversity to Murray State. If a faculty or staff member would like to join BFSA, they can send an email as well as pay a small fee to join.

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After a brief hiatus, the Black Faculty Staff Association is now under the direction of Camisha Duffy, executive director for Institutional Diversity, Equity and Access, and the group is making a comeback.

The BFSA returned to campus in 2006 and currently has 31 members: 12 faculty and 19 staff members. The organization was created to bond and help black students succeed.

It is used as a way for the black and minority faculty and staff to get to know one another and venture out of their respective departments. The organization also helps students in the Office of Multicultural Initiatives and the surrounding community, both on and off campus.

The BFSA is also used as a support system to the minority students whether that be someone to talk to or receive help with classes. They offer book scholarships, tutoring, read-ins and any other campus needs for the black and minority students on campus.

“We come together as a support group for each other, for visibility to be known, to assist students and to be here for other faculty,” said Administrative Assistant Carruth Kitrell. “We are promoting diversity, so it is here to promote the awareness

of diversity as well as it is met, and to let the other students know we are here for them.”

Duffy said it started with small informal gatherings just to meet all the minority faculty and staff members.

These eventually evolved into faculty members asking themselves how they

12:23AM

Rape was reported in a Residential College after unwanted sexual contact by an acquaintance occured on Jan. 13. The investigation is still open.

A vehicle was struck by another vehicle that left the scene of the accident. The investigation is still open.

Possession of marijuana was reported in H.C. Franklin College after it was found in a room. Subject was referred for administrative action.

Assault was reported at H.C. Franklin College after unwanted physical contact between two people resulting in minor injury on Sept. 17, 2019. The investigation is still open.

Theft was reported at the CFSB Center after a cell phone was taken on Jan. 23. The investigation is still open.

Theft was reported at the CFSB Center after a cell phone was taken on Jan. 23. The investigation is still open.

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Possession of alcohol by a minor at the Dorm Circle. Subject was referred for administrative action.

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Miyah Watford Contributing Writer mwatford@murraystate.edu

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BFSA diversifies faculty and staff on campus

Brock Kirk/The News

The BFSA is comprised of 31 members and meets monthly to discuss diversity on Murray State’s campus.

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A parked vehicle was struck by a vehicle that left the scene in the Curris Center parking lot. The investigation is still open.

Police Beat is compiled with material from the Murray State Crime and Fire Log. Not all dispatched calls are listed.

Colton Colglazier/The News

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January 30, 2020

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The News named top newspaper Megan Reynolds Editor-in-Chief mreynolds12@murraystate.edu The Murray State News made its way to Lexington Friday, Jan. 24, for a conference with the Kentucky Press Association, winning first place in general excellence both for news and advertising.

Setting out before the sun had even begun peeking above the horizon, and dressed in their business best, the student journalists were ready and excited for the day ahead of them (even if a little tired).

KPA, as well as the Kentucky Intercollegiate Press Association, offers journalists from across the state a chance to be recognized for their hard work in various categories. There are also sessions in which participating journalists can learn and solidify their knowledge of their field.

Not only was Murray State represented by students at KPA, but professors Melony Shemberger and Stephanie Anderson were also in attendance. Shemberger was a presenter for the conference, and Anderson is chairwoman of KIPA and on the KPA Board of Directors.

Presenting for KPA sessions is no small task; it requires much preparation and in-depth research.When preparing for her session on investigative reporting and divisive issues, Shemberger thought back to her time as a student.

“I will never forget my journalism days at Western Kentucky University when

attending public meetings was stressed in my coursework and on the newspaper staff,” Shemberger said.

“Therefore, when I was preparing for the KPA session, I tapped into my memory bank of my WKU years because those lessons are what helped me become a successful journalist.”

Shemberger said she believes that journalists, both student and professional, need to continue learning and training in their field so they can continuously develop their “watchdog” responsibilities. At KPA, and in many of Shemberger’s classes, journalists are referred to as the watchdogs of the people.

Reflecting on her session, Shemberger was pleased with the outcome.

“I was encouraged to see a room full of student journalists at my session,” she said.

“Investigative reporting on university and college campuses is necessary, but this kind of work requires patience and persistence.”

Students participating in KPA were just as enthusiastic with the results of KPA. “KPA is always a really amazing experience because I get the chance to meet and collaborate with other student journalists,” said Daniella Tebib, news editor for The News.

Tebib said KPA is a refreshing experience; seeing other students that are just as dedicated to solving the campus issues they see (often the same issues Murray State runs into) was an amazing experience for Tebib.

Others had similar senti-

ments.

“I enjoy KPA because of the opportunity to spend time with my co-workers, but also to get to collaborate with other student and professional journalists, as well,” said Gage Johnson, sports editor for The News.

“It’s a great way to further my knowledge in all aspects of the world of journalism while also offering some knowledge that I have, also.”

Tebib and Johnson had previously attended KPA in past years, but for other student journalists, this was their first time.

“I didn’t really know what to expect going into my first KPA, in all honesty,” said Bryce Anglin, The News’s production manager. “I was pleasantly surprised by the wide variety of topics the several seminars covered.”

Cady Stribling, opinion editor, felt similarly.

“This was the first time I attended KPA, and I had a great time,” Stribling said.

Stribling found the sessions offered to be very enriching, and each speaker had something new to bring to the table. Like Johnson, she was excited to have time with her co-workers.

“It was great to spend time with my co-workers and refreshing to meet other students around Kentucky who are passionate about journalism,” Stribling said.

The chief photographer for The News, Brock Kirk, came into KPA with a unique perspective, getting the chance to see the world of journalism through a reporter’s eye instead of through a camera lens.

Photo courtesy of Charles Stribling The News staff places in several categories at KPA.

Photo courtesy of Stephanie Anderson Melony Shemberger leads a session about investigative reporting at KPA.

“I always enjoy attending KPA as it allows me to experience a different side of the news,” Kirk said. “I am allowed to learn about what reporters do throughout their workflow for producing stories whether features related, sports-oriented or even breaking news.”

Success in Awards The Murray State News took home 37 awards across six categories: 13 first place awards, 14 second place awards and 10 third place awards.

In student publication class one, The News took home first place in general excellence for the news, as well as first place in general excellence for advertising.

Elizabeth Erwin, “public relations manager, took home first place for best breaking news coverage. Erwin also earned a first place with staff writer Ciara Benham for best general news story.

Stribling won first place for best feature story.

Blake Sandlin, former sports editor, as well as former editor-in-chief, won a first place award for best sports feature story. Sandlin also took home a third place award he earned with Johnson for best video.

Richard Thompson, photographer, won first place for best general news picture, as well as second place for best picture essay (breaking, general or feature).

Thompson also took home a third place award he earned with Kirk and Sandlin in the same category.

Autumn Brown, former cartoonist and artist for The News, won a first and second place award for best graphic.

The whole staff of the paper won first and second place in best video and best front page. They also took home a third place award for best use of social media, as well as best front page.

Camryn Clift, contributing writer, won a second

place award for best general news story. Clift also took home a second place award she earned with Alexis Schindler, copy editor, and Bri Hunter, contributing writer, for best ongoing/extended coverage story.

Tebib won a second place award for best enterprise or analytical story, as well as a third place award for best general story.

Claire Smith, features editor for The News, took home second and third place awards for best feature story.

Megan Reynolds, editor-in-chief, took home second place for best columnist.

Keenan Hall won second place for best sports feature story.

Miranda Carpenter, former staff writer, was awarded second place for best investigative story or series.

Johnson took home a second place award, earned with Sandlin, for best use of social media or multi-media. Johnson also won third place for best sports feature story and best headline writer.

Grant Dillard, staff writer, won third place for best ongoing/extended coverage story.

Mackenzie O’Donley, photographer, was awarded third place for best feature picture.

Bryce Anglin took home two first place awards, as well as two second place awards for advertising.

Anderson, adviser to The News, was pleased with how her students did.

“I am incredibly proud of all the student journalists at The Murray State News for their esteemed accomplishments at this year’s conference,” Anderson said. “Our students are among the top not just in Kentucky but in the country. Their hard work to produce a quality newspaper, online content and an online newscast while also maintaining a high level of academic success is impressive.”

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January 30, 2020

Distracted driving Murray State Police talk safety tips

Jillian Rush/TheNews

Sarah Mead Staff Writer smead@murraystate.edu A recent analysis of government statistics suggests that Kentucky is the third-most dangerous state for distracted driving.

“MoneyGeek analyzed federal statistics to determine which states have the highest rates of distracted driving,” said Doug Milnes, CFA of marketing and communications at MoneyGeek. “Intriguingly, the deadliest places were states with wide-open spaces, and not the gridlocked states of California, New York and Florida. The five most dangerous states for distracted driving [include] New Mexico, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana and Hawaii.”

In 2017 and 2018, there were 6,083 fatalities in the United States that were attributed to distracted driving.

“For those two years, Americans racked up 6.45 trillion ‘vehicle miles traveled,’

according to the Federal Highway Administration,” Milnes said. “That equates to a rate of 0.94 deaths per billion vehicle miles.”

In contrast, Kentucky reported 279 total deaths due to distracted driving. This number equates to 2.8 deaths per billion miles driven, a statistic that is 197 percent higher than the national average.

“I feel [that distracted driving is] definitely a common thing, especially on campus,” said Montanna Roby, sophomore from Elizabethtown, Kentucky.

“I know I won’t even mean to be distracted, but I don’t really know my way around Murray so I’ll use my GPS on my phone. I’m distracted because I’m trying to pay attention to it and where it wants me to go.”

Ryan Orr, field operations captain with Murray State Police Department, shared that the best way to prevent distracted driving is through increased education.

“I feel like education and awareness of the dangers of

using an electronic communication device while driving would be the best preventative method of combating distracted driving,” Orr said.

“Increased enforcement and more restrictive laws addressing operating a communication device while driving would help to reduce the number of distracted driving incidents.”

Increased awareness seems to be helping, as the data shows a decline in deaths from 2017 to 2018 for both the United States and for Kentucky.

However, experts warn that it is possible that this data is faulty.

“There aren’t any reliable estimates of crashes, fatal or otherwise, caused by distracted driving,” said Russ Rader, a spokesman for the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

“It’s difficult to say there’s any downward trend.”

While tests exist to determine if accidents were caused by drunk driving or mechanical failure, it is much harder to prove if distracted driving was the cause. Rader shared with

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MoneyGeek showed that motorists often deny irresponsible behavior, especially in accidents that result in fatalities.

“I see people on their phones [all the time],” said Halie Smith, junior from Mount Washington, Kentucky. “It doesn’t make it any better that vehicle companies are now making it compatible for people to bluetooth their phones to their car. It’s ‘handsfree,’ but I still believe that it’s distracting.”

Smith also believes that playing loud music on a phone while driving can cause the driver to be distracted.

“Loud music is also a huge distraction,” Smith said. “If they don’t like the song, they have to pick up their phone to change it. When people drive and have headphones, [it] is not safe at all. If they have music in their ear, they cannot hear if a cop or someone is coming up around them.”

Though Kentucky has banned texting and driving, motorists are still allowed to

hold their phones behind the wheel.

“I know for sure people still text and drive,” Roby said. “I feel like our generation doesn’t really recognize [that we do it] because it’s just a common thing to use your phone while you drive. But honestly, it’s not just younger people that do it. I feel like it’s also older people that [text and drive].

I feel like it’s not stressed enough how dangerous it really can be.”

Orr encouraged students to make safe decisions while driving.

“If you are going to use your cell phones while driving, please utilize a handsfree system,” Orr said. “No text message or phone call is worth the loss of life. If you need to check a text or make [a] phone call while driving, find a safe place and pull over to do so.”

The Murray State PD can be reached at (270) 809-2222 in the case of an accident.

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January 30, 2020

Daniella Tebib News Editor dtebib@murraystate.edu Superbowl Sunday is fast approaching, but it’s important to remember to practice safety during festivities.

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet’s Office of Highway Safety and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration teamed up to spread the “Fans Don’t Let Fans Drive Drunk” campaign. With the campaign, they hope to urge football fans watching the Superbowl to practice safe driving habits.

“We want everyone to have a good time watching and celebrating the Super

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Super Bowl sparks conversation Bowl,” said KYTC Secretary Jim Gray. “All we ask is that if you plan on drinking alcohol, make the right choice and plan for a designated driver before the party begins.”

Ryan Orr, Murray State Police Department Field Operations Captain, shared several safety tips to practice during Superbowl celebrations.

“If you plan on consuming alcohol this Sunday, preplan on how to get back to your residence,” Orr said. “This could include a cab, friend or family member who have not consumed alcohol. If you do not have a way to return to your residence, if possible, stay where you

are and sleep it off until you are sober. If you drive your vehicle to the event, give your keys to an individual you trust who has not consumed alcohol, know your limits and be attentive to how much alcohol you consume.”

According to the Murray State Crime and Fire Log, 26 incidents involving alcohol have been reported since January 2019. These incidents include driving under the influence of alcohol, public intoxication and underage drinking.

The KYTC reported preliminary numbers indicate 121 Kentuckians died in car crashes involving a drunk driver in 2019.

“These are not just numbers,” Gray said. “These are people—mothers, daughters, sons, fathers—who never made it home to their loved ones due to someone’s choice to drink and drive.

Any number above zero is unacceptable.”

To help prevent drunk driving incidents, Murray State PD plans to increase its presence in the community.

“We do this to deter unsafe vehicle operation and prevent accidents that could result in the loss of life,” Orr said. “We also try to educate the Murray State community by providing alcohol education and safety programs. These

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programs help educate the individual on having a safe alternative to driving if they plan on consuming alcohol during these events.”

If drivers are caught driving under the influence of alcohol, Orr said the department will not take it easy on them.

“It’s illegal to drive with a blood alcohol concentration of .08 or higher,” Orr said. “When it comes to drinking and driving, law enforcement doesn’t throw a yellow flag; they throw the book at you. You’ll get pulled over, arrested and prosecuted.”

If incidents do occur, Murray State PD can be reached at (270) 809-2222.

Super Bowl LIV February 2, 2020 Hard Rock Stadium Miami Gardens, Florida Gage Johnson Sports Editor

Daniella Tebib News Editor

Dr. Anderson Faculty Adviser

Cady Stribling Opinion Editor

Simon Elfrink Sports Writer Nick Kendall Sports Writer Josh Embry Sports Writer

Staff Picks

Jon Dunning Sports Writer Bryce Anglin Production Manager Megan Reynolds Editor-in-Chief Photo courtesy of Flickr.com

Sports

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January 30, 2020

Lakers legend gone too soon Kobe Bryant, daughter and eight others killed in helicopter crash

August 23, 1978 - January 26, 2020 Photo courtesy of @TopDawgEnt/Twitter Kobe Bryant walks through a tunnel to the locker room in a game against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

games, I could never deny his Gage Johnson work ethic and his heart. He Sports Editor gjohnson17@murraystate.edu had an unmatched determination combined with an unstopAt 1:32 p.m. on Jan. 26, I pable fadeaway jumper and checked Twitter for the first that killer “mamba mentality.” time that day and saw the Sean Grande, the radio playwords “not Kobe.” After learn- by-play voice of the Boston ing the news, in that moment Celtics, said it best. my heart fell to my stomach “As Celtics fans, we didn’t and the sports world didn’t just think Kobe Bryant could break our hearts one more time,” freeze, the whole world did.

TMZ first reported the tragic Grande said. “We were wrong.” news that Kobe Bryant, the for- After I saw that tweet, I wantmer Los Angeles Laker, died ed the news to be fake so badin a helicopter crash in Cala- ly. I wanted this to be one of basas, California. He was 41 those times where a news organization slipped up—but it years old.

I was the opposite of a big wasn’t.

Lakers or Kobe fan growing Bryant was an 18-time Allup. I’m a Boston Celtics fan, so Star, an 11-time All-NBA First naturally I wanted the purple Team member, nine-time NBA and gold to fail. As a fan, I was All-Defensive First Team memthrilled for him to lose in the ber, five-time NBA Champion, NBA Finals in 2008 and I was so four-time NBA All-Star Game upset when he and the Lakers MVP, three-time NBA All-Deruined the Celtics’ title chances fensive Second Team member, two-time NBA Finals MVP, in 2010.

But through the many other two-time All-NBA Second Team incredible performances he member, two-time All-NBA put on display in the both the Third Team member, two-time big rivalry matchups between NBA scoring champion, an NBA the two teams and all his other Slam Dunk Contest Champion,

an NBA All-Rookie Second Team member and an NBA MVP—but he was more than all of his achievements.

That’s what makes this cut so deep—Bryant was so much

“As Celtics fans, we didn’t think Kobe Bryant could break our hearts one more time. We were wrong.”

-Sean Grande, radio voice of the Boston Celtics. more than just a basketball player. You didn’t have to be a fan of his; heck, you didn’t even have to be a fan of basketball to know the name Kobe Bryant.

He was the guy that showed everyone what it meant to be passionate about something and give it 110 percent.

With all the stories that have been shared by friends, teammates and colleagues, as well as the ones we all saw unfold throughout his career, he was the type of guy that would go out of his way to have an impact on someone’s life.

He was fluent in both Italian and Spanish, and dabbled in other languages, as he recently surprised Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic at a game by speaking Slovenian to him.

Bryant was someone who devoted as much as he could to help as many people as possible whether it was through charity or basketball.

Bryant created the VIVO foundation—which later turned into the Kobe & Vanessa Bryant Family Foundation—to improve the lives of so many young people.

Kobe and his wife Vanessa provided many domestic and international youth with scholarships for the Kobe Bryant

Basketball Academy, in which he was a mentor and trainer for athletes from the ages of 8 to 18. The two also provided minority college students with international enrichment experiences.

Through the KVBFF, they collaborated with Los Angeles-based programs such as Step Up on Second, My Friend’s Place and United Way in order to help decrease the number of homeless youth in the area.

While it was still the VIVO foundation, Bryant invited eight boys from New Orleans to come to his basketball academy in LA and go on a red carpet tour of the LA area following Hurricane Katrina.

To help continue Kobe’s legacy and support the KVBFF you can donate to the foundation by visiting http://kvbff.org/ getinvolved/.

Bryant contributed time to the Make-A-Wish Foundation, NBA Cares and The Boys & Girls Clubs of America, while serving as an ambassador for After-School All-Stars.

Sports

January 30, 2020 Bryant was an advocate for the WNBA, women’s college basketball and women’s basketball in general. He went to games, watched on TV and coached the next generation, including his daughter. He was so much of an advocate that Los Angeles Sparks forward Chiney Ogwumike said the Sparks were considering practicing at his basketball academy.

He was the guy who immediately tried to help the victims and help redirect traffic after witnessing a major car accident in Newport Beach weeks ago.

Bryant was someone who was looked up to whether you were a basketball player or not, hence the countless tributes throughout the week.

Whether it was the many NBA teams taking 24-second shot clock violations and eight-second violations to remember him and the numbers he wore, Neymar dedicating his goal to him by putting up the numbers 24 with his fingers, the many social media posts, the flowers and jerseys hung outside the Lakers practice facility, the multiple tributes at the Grammys from Bryant’s jerseys being illuminated at the Staples Center or the powerful tributes from Meek Mill, Roddy Ricch, DJ Khaled and John Legend who honored the late Nipsey Hussle and Kobe Bryant—two L.A. legends—the impact Bryant left on so many people shone across the world.

But most of all, Kobe “Bean” Bryant was a model husband and father, which only made the already dark day so much more upsetting when it was reported that his 13-yearold daughter Gianna “GiGi” Bryant died in the helicopter crash as well.

Nobody should lose their life before it has even truly begun, and no parent should ever have to watch their child’s life come to an end.

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I couldn’t even begin to imagine what Vanessa and their first born, 17-year-old Natalia Bryant, are going through and how much it must hurt that Kobe barely got to see the beginning of the lives of 3-year-old Bianka Bryant and the newborn Capri Bryant.

GiGi seemed to resemble her father in so many ways.You could see Kobe’s personality coming out of her in all the little moments you’d see on social media and on

“Have a good time. Life is too short to get bogged down and be discouraged.

You have to keep moving.You have to keep going. Put one foot in front of the other, smile and just keep on rolling.”

- Kobe Bryant, former Los Angeles Laker

TV, as well as with the many stories told about her.

And she was more than ready to show the world that she was going to be the next great Bryant on the hardwood as well.

She already had his trademark turnaround jumper down pat and wanted to go play for the University of Connecticut and then the WNBA in the future. GiGi wanted to carry on the legacy that Kobe had built.

Kobe said it himself on Jimmy Kimmel Live once.

“The best thing that happens is when we go out and fans will come up to me and she’ll be standing next to me and they’ll be like‘Hey,you gotta have a boy, you and (Vanessa) gotta have a boy—somebody to carry on the tradition and the legacy’ and (GiGi) will be like‘Oy,I got this.We

Photo courtesy of @UConnWBB/Twitter UConn women’s basketbal remembers GiGi Bryant with a custom jersey.

Photo courtesy of nypost.com

don’t need a boy for that. I got this,’” Kobe said.

GiGi loved basketball with a passion and went to many NBA games with Kobe.Trae Young of the Atlanta Hawks was her favorite player.

Knowing that made it so hard to hold back the tears when seeing that Young had 45 points and 14 assists on 24 shot attempts (Kobe’s number) while shooting 81% from the line (Kobe had an 81-point game) and being the first player to have a 45-point double-double with under 25 field goal attempts against the Washington Wizards, since Kobe Bryant on December 17, 2006.

So, just as much as people are mourning the death of Kobe Bryant, it’s disheartening to know that the world is mourning the death of his daughter as well. It hurts to watch someone with so much eagerness and passion that had so much life left to live be gone so soon.

As the day went on the news only became worse.

It was reported later in the evening that Orange Coast College baseball coach John Altobelli, his wife Kerri and daughter Alyssa, Christina Mauser—an assistant girls basketball coach at a private elementary school in Orange County—pilot Ara Zobayan, Payton Chester and her mother Sarah Chester had all died in the crash.

So now three kids and six adults are gone in an instant while on their way to a basketball game.

The pain their families must be feeling is unbearable and I can’t even begin to describe what they’re going through. All we can do is give them our thoughts

Photo courtesy of @JaMorant/Twitter Morant remembers Bryant with an autographed jersey in his locker.

and prayers as they deal with this tragedy.

Murray State women’s basketball Head Coach Rechelle Turner said this in a postgame press conference when asked what its win against Tennessee State on Saturday, Jan. 25 meant for team morale going forward and this statement couldn’t hit harder at any moment than it does now.

“There’s a lot of things in this world going on that’s a lot bigger than wins and losses, but to see them happy, to see them smile and see them enjoying it and being able to celebrate with them after the game—that’s everything,” Turner said.

Sports is an escape for many.It was one of the reasons it’s such a huge part of my life, as it is many others. Sports are a part of who I am—who I call my friends and some of my best memories in life I have made through sports.

So while I think it’s important to remember all the crazy accomplishments and moments of joy Kobe Bryant brought us through

the game of basketball,I think it’s even more crucial to remember the type of person and father that he was.

We can all learn from the life that Bryant led and I hope that’s what sticks with people more than anything.

This won’t be something that will be easy to get over for so many people for a long time.You won’t find me attempting to block anyone yelling“KOBE”and shooting something into a trash can anytime soon. However, Kobe Bryant himself provided us with a message in an interview with CBS that we can apply to help grieve during this dreadful time and use it just as well in our lives going forward.

“Have a good time,”Kobesaid.

“Life is too short to get bogged down and be discouraged.You have to keep moving.You have to keep going. Put one foot in front of the other, smile and just keep on rolling.”

8

Sports

January 30, 2020

Photo courtesy of @hollyrpeete/Twitter These are the nine victims of the helicopter crash in Calabasas, California.

Photo courtesy of @ESPNFC/Twitter Neymar of PSG puts up Bryant’s number after scoring a goal in a Ligue 1 Conforama game.

Photo courtesy of @Tayo_Legend/Twitter Nipsey Hussle and Kobe Bryant are remembered after a tribute performance at the Grammys.

Photo courtesy of @Chiney321/Twitter A memorial in remembrance of Kobe Bryant stands outside the Lakers’ practice facility.

Sports

January 30, 2020

9

Racers look to build on 2019 success Softball voted to finish fourth in OVC Preseason Poll

seven-inning perfect game Nick Kendall against Belmont.

Staff Writer Amundson was surprised nkendall1@murraystate.edu

by James’ performances and The Murray State Softball expects her to contribute team is preparing to be a even more this year.

“She’s [James] absolutely big competitor in the upexpected to, and I think incoming season.

The Racers are expect- terested in, obviously haved to finish fourth in the ing that same role,” AmundOVC this year per a presea- son said. “She is in some son poll. Head Coach Kara ways a veteran on our staff Amundson said the ranking because she has a ton of innings under her belt already is not all that surprising.

“At the end of the 2019 even as a, as a sophomore.”

Senior Taylor Makowsky season we were essentially tied for second in the is another name that should conference and we got the turn heads when the season fourth place seed in the begins.

Makowsky recorded a OVC tournament,” Amundson said. “I think most of 2.93 ERA and held oppothe preseason rankings are nents to a .238 batting avmatched up pretty closely erage in her junior stint and with how everyone finished also earned a spot on the OVC All-Newcomer Team. last year.”

Amundson also hopes that Sophomore pitcher Hannah James will be a key Makowsky can keep up the to this year’s success as high-level play this season.

“Taylor’s story is obvishe was named 2019 OVC Freshman of the Year, and ously a little bit different received All-OVC Second than Hannah’s,” Amundson Team honors as well as a said. “She came in last Janspot on the OVC All-New- uary and didn’t have much breathing time to figure it comer Team.

James also finished her out. I think my players that f r e s h m a n s e a s o n w i t h a were already here took her 2.58 ERA and held her op- in with open arms and she ponents to a .256 batting just settled in and has been average. She also earned a huge impact for us.”

Many names will filter herself a 4.24 K/BB ratio w i t h 1 2 0 s t r i k e o u t s a n d through as the season prog2 9 w a l k s a n d r e c o r d e d ress, Amundson believes; Murray State’s first ever N a m e s l i k e s o p h o m o r e

Gage Johnson/The News Head Coach Kara Amundson gives a sign to the hitter and baserunners.

Lindsey Carroll, junior Sierra Gilmore, junior Jensen Striegel, freshman Mashea Glover and freshman Willie Fisher, who all bring important elements to the team.

Amundson wants her team to know early rankings aren’t that important. Instead,

what matters is being high in the rankings later in the season.

“There’s no reason we can’t be higher than that but if we don’t show up there’s no reason we’re not going to be lower than that either,” Amundson said. “So I think it’s just a new story for now

and hopefully we can find a way to be better than four even.”

The Racers begin their season at the Doc Halverson UNI Dome Tournament where they will play the South Dakota State Jackrabbits at 11:15 a.m. on Friday, Feb. 7, in Cedar Falls, Iowa.

Racers compete in Don DeNoon Invitational Jon Dunning Staff Writer jdunning1@murraystate.edu The Murray State track and field team traveled to Carbondale, Illinois, on Friday, Jan. 24, and Saturday, Jan. 25, to compete in the Don DeNoon Invitational at Southern Illinois University.

Day one of the competition began with a pentathlon, in which Murray State athletes gave outstanding performances, with redshirt junior Jessikha Ribeiro placing first and sophomore Ashly Oren placing second.

Ribeiro took wins in the 60-meter hurdles with a time of 9.19 seconds, and Oren placed second in the event with 9.35 seconds. Ribeiro and Oren both won in the high jump, as both Racers jumped 1.65m.

Sophomore Anna Vollet and freshman Maddie Dahlberg competed in the pentathlon as well. Vollet took sixth place, while Dahlberg placed eighth.

Racers participated in other events on the first day, including weight throw, high jump, triple jump and pole vault.

Murray State’s highlights from these events include senior Jewel Wagner taking

fifth in the weight throw with 18.04m. This distance is Wagner’s new career-best and the third-best distance in the OVC this season.

Freshman Meghan Fletcher took third place in the high jump with a height of 1.65m, while Sophomore Brooke Misukonis placed second in the pole vault with a height of 3.65m.

Murray State saw significant success on day two of the Don DeNoon Invitational, with sophomore Rachel Hagans placing first in the long jump with 5.54m and redshirt senior Jabreuna Brimlett taking first in 60-meter hurdles with 8.65 seconds. The Racer 4x400 relay team placed first as well with a time of 4:01.76. The relay team included Hagans, freshman Kenia Seals, freshman Lucia Herrero Yanez and sophomore Kemya Owens.

To Murray State Head Coach Adam Kiesler, these performances are indicators of the strength of the Racer track and field team.

“I think overall it was definitely a step in the right direction,” Kiesler said. “Rachel Hagans had yet to long jump for us at Murray State. It was good to see her out there competing

[and] learning things like that to be able to possibly help us at the OVC championships.

[Jabreuna Brimlett] running the hurdles was good for us.

It’s good to see her run before outdoor. Then the relay was just comprised of kids who wanted to run and compete, so they did well for themselves.”

Sophomore JaKayla McSwain placed second in the 400-meter dash with a time of 58.13, while senior D’Myia Thornton took second in the 800-meter run with a personal-best time of 2:22.28. Senior Amanda Parker also took first in the 3,000-meter run with a personal-best time of 11:01.49.

Overall, the whole event served as an indicator to Kiesler that the Racers are on the right course for a successful season.

“I think that things like our training and things like that are paying off,” Kiesler said. “I think for the most part all the pieces that we are trying to put in place throughout the season are kind of coming to fruition, so it’s going to be a battle moving forward. I think that we accomplished most of our goals coming out of the weekend.”

The Racers have a two-week gap between the Don DeNoon

Photo courtesy of Racer Athletics Sophomore Sydney Houseal throws in the John Craft Invite.

Invitational and their next meet at the Marshall Invitational on Friday, Feb. 7, and Saturday, Feb. 8, in Huntington, West Virginia. Kiesler views this period off as a way for the team to heal and improve as they start to think more about a championship run.

“Since we don’t have a meet this weekend, I think there’s two or three things that are kind of happening this week,” Kiesler said. “Bangedup kids hopefully are going to get some rest. Kids who need

a little bit more work can get that. When you have a meet on the weekend, it kind of dictates your practice schedule, so this time we can have a few more practices. Once February hits, then it’s really championship mindset. Marshall’s kind of a meet where we’re really going to start putting kids in place so they can see success in their main events.”

The Racers will compete at the Marshall Invitational starting Friday, Feb. 7.

January 30, 2020

10

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January 30, 2020

11

2020 PRESIDENTIAL LECTURE

welcomes

Admiral William H. McRaven Thursday, February 13, 2020 7:30 p.m. | Lovett Auditorium

We have special prices on drinks!

McRaven is a retired U.S. Navy four-star admiral whose career included combat during Desert Storm and both the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. He commanded the troops that captured Saddam Hussein, rescued Captain Richard Phillips, and is credited with leading the Osama bin Laden mission.

He is the author of the #1 New York Times bestselling book Sea Stories: My Life in Special Operations. McRaven’s father, Colonel Claude ‘Mac’ McRaven, ‘41, was a decorated World War II fighter pilot, a standout football player and track star, and was inducted into the Murray State Athletics Hall of Fame in 1975.

Tuesday & Thursday:

This event is free and open to the public. Attendees are also invited to a dessert reception at Pogue Library immediately following the lecture.

Monday & Wednesday:

Small margarita: Imported beer: buy one at 23oz $3.50 12oz regular price $2.50 From 3 and get the p.m. to close. second one for only 25 cents. #murraystate #students #discount All Murray State students get 10% off with student ID.

THE CURRIS CENTER THEATER PRESENTS

FRIDAY JANUARY 31 7:00 P.M.

SATURDAY FEBRUARY 1 1:00 P.M.

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THESE FILMS ARE BASED ON HIS STORY.

Sports

12

January 30, 2020

Tennis voted to finish second in OVC Nick Kendall Staff Writer nkendall1@murraystate.edu The Murray State women’s tennis team has been voted to finish second this year in the OVC after finishing last season 12-9.

Last season, the Racers finished 12-9 overall with a 6-2 conference record that earned them the three-seed in the tournament. Murray State was upset in the first round by the UT Martin Skyhawks 4-3.

Looking to avoid another upset, Head Coach Jorge Caetano has been making the proper adjustments.

“I think the biggest adjustment we are making this year is learning how to handle the pressure and uncomfortable moments better,” Caetano said. “We have been working a lot on that and hopefully it will show throughout the season.”

Senior Claire Chang and junior Stasya Sharapova received spots on this year’s OVC Preseason Top 10 Players list.

Chang, the Kaohsiung, Taiwan, native, finished last season 5-3 in singles play and earned All-OVC Second Team honors, solidifying her No. 3 spot on the Top 10 players list.

Sharapova, the Astana, Kazakhstan, native, also finished 5-3 in singles play last season and grabbed the No. 9 spot.

Caetano applauds the two for their efforts and believes everyone can make a strong presence come game time.

“All returners have been working extremely hard,” Caetano said. “I can tell they are very hungry and can’t wait to compete this season.”

Freshmen Natalie Slezakova, Marit Kreugel and Samantha Muller will add some more depth to the team.

Kreugel, from Vleuten, Netherlands, reached as high as seventh in the tennis National Junior Rankings. Slezakova, a Zlin, Czech Republic, native, held the fifth ranking in the same junior rankings of her home country. Muller, from Johannesburg, South Africa held the seventh spot in the National Senior Rankings.

Caetano is ready to see the freshmen keep their level of performance high now that they’re on the college scene.

“They have shown that they love to compete,” Caetano said.

“Dual-match season is completely different, but I have total trust in them and believe they are going to win a lot of matches for us.”

The trio, along with the rest of the squad, won their first two matches of the season on Saturday, Jan. 25.

Murray State swept IUPUI 7-0 in game one and defeated Bradley University 5-2.

Photo courtesy of Racer Athletics Junior Staysa Sharapova returns the ball against Bradley.

Finland native Kiuru looks to help Rifle in postseason Josh Embry Contributing Writer jembry3@murraystate.edu

Earlier this month, freshman

Matias Kiuru came to the United States for the first time in hopes of helping the Murray State rifle team grab its fifth straight OVC Championship.

Kiuru came quite a long way, as there are 4,761 miles of ocean and land separating Murray, and Kiuru’s hometown of Helsinki, Finland.

However, before Kiuru found himself making the trek to the U.S. to compete in collegiate rifle, he spent years crafting his shot.

Kiuru first started shooting at a young age and has been shooting competitively for the last six years.

“I guess this is my tenth or eleventh year,” Kiuru said.

“I’ve been shooting [competitively] since 2014, I guess. That was kind of the tipping point for me.”

In 2016, Kiuru became the Finnish Champion in the junior men’s class and received the bronze medal in the 2017 Junior World Championships.

Kiuru received multiple offers from different universities, but he chose Murray State after having discussions with Head Coach Alan Lollar and former foreign Racer alumni.

“Coach [Lollar] was the main difference,” Kiuru said. “The other thing was the Swiss shooter, [Barbara] Schläpfer, with whom I exchanged messages from the get-go and she told me that this was a great place

how much warmer the weather is here compared to in Helsinki.

“It’s a little bit warmer here than [in] Finland but the wind just makes it so cold,” Kiuru said.

Another difference Kiuru no-

things are easier [and] some things are harder.”

While it’s taking some getting accustomed to, Kiuru said Murray has treated him well in his first month here and has made him feel like he is back home in

Photo courtesy of Racer Athletics Kiuru and teammate Shleby Huber line up their shots.

to be.”

Having left his home and stepping foot on American soil for the first time, Kiuru has had to get used to small-town Murray before truly diving into the rifle season.

The first thing the 21-year-old Finn noticed about Murray was

ticed between the two cities was the different class times and the difficulty of certain aspects of curriculum.

“It’s a little bit different,” Kiuru said. “Classes are shorter here than in Finland—50 minutes here and 75 in Finland.

That’s a big difference. Some

Helsinki.

“People here in Murray in general, especially the team, have made me feel like home here from the day one,” Kiuru said.

Although Kiuru is on a different continent, he has still been able to put up great scores like

he did for years overseas. In his first three matches with the Racers, Kiuru shot the highest aggregate and smallbore score of any Murray State shooter.

Lollar has not been surprised

by Kiuru’s stellar shooting, knowing beforehand that he had the skills to instantly shine.

“We knew he was a good shooter,” Lollar said. “He’s pretty much doing what we expected that he would do.”

With Kiuru’s sharpshooting, his scores bump the team’s overall score so the Racers have a greater chance of making the NCAA Tournament.

“Bringing in somebody that is towards the top of your order basically bumps out a low scorer’s [score] so it’s more than just his score,” Lollar said. “It’s the fixing of the team’s scores.”

Despite all the individual accolades Kiuru might obtain while at Murray State, his primary goal is to bring a championship back to Murray for the first time since 1987.

“The first thing is to ensure our place in the NCAA [Tournament] and train hard and shoot the good score there as a team,” Kiuru said. “It would be great to be national champions.

That’s a top priority during my time here.”

Murray State will compete in the 2020 OVC Rifle Championships on Saturday, Feb. 8.

Sports

January 30, 2020

13

Racers look to build off of TSU win Josh Embry Contributing Writer jembry3@murraystate.edu After earning their first win since Saturday, Jan. 4, Murray State women’s basketball will look to continue its winning streak this week when it takes on Eastern Illinois and SIUE. Murray State The Racers lost 86-56 at the hands of Belmont on Thursday, Jan. 23, but ended their five game losing streak on Saturday, Jan. 25, when they defeated Tennessee State 100-62 at the CFSB Center.

Murray State is coming off its first 100-point game of the season and the 28th in the program’s history. This marked the first time the team eclipsed the 100-point mark against a Division I team since 2014 and the first time against an OVC opponent since 2006.

Head Coach Rechelle Turner was pleased with the outcome on Saturday night and knows that a win like this boosts the team’s morale and confidence heading into the week.

“Saturday night was big for us [and] big for the morale of our team,” Turner said. “It was great to see our kids enjoy playing the

game of basketball and realize that when we do things that we know we’re capable of doing and do them, we can put good results on the court.”

Three Racers finished with a double-double in Saturday’s contest, with both sophomore guard Macey Turley and sophomore forward Alexis Burpo dishing out 10 assists.

Turner said the team’s playmaking has been there all season but unlike the games prior, the team was able to make their shots on Saturday night.

“The sharing of the basketball was tremendous Saturday night,” Turner said.

“The extra pass was there but one thing that I think gets unnoticed is those good passes and good setups had been there all year.

We just haven’t finished the play at the end.”

Burpo has emerged as the team’s primary facilitator in the last couple of weeks, averaging 5.2 assists over the last five games.

“Right now, one of our struggles is that we do not have enough players on our team that can create for others,” Turner said. “Alexis is one of those players that can do that. She’s always been a really good passer.

She sees the floor extremely well [and] she’s unselfish.”

Although the Racers are coming off a dominant win, they moved to only 9-10 overall and 2-6 in conference play. Therefore, Turner knows these last 10 games are crucial to their chances of participating in the OVC playoffs.

“We’re going into the next 10 games [with the mindset that] we gotta win them,” Turner said. “We’ve gotta figure out a way to do that. It’s not going to be easy. Nothing about this is easy. We know, going in, that we gotta step up and we’ve gotta be able to be consistent in the things that we do.”

players averaging 10 or more ppg. Junior guard Karle Pace (14.9 ppg), sophomore forward Abby Wahl (11.8 ppg and 5.4 rpg) and freshman guard Laria Washington (10 ppg and 5.4 rpg) lead the team offensively.

The Racers will have to find ways to generate points as Eastern Illinois has stifled offenses, allowing only 60.6 ppg in the OVC, second best in the conference. They are also one of th e best three-point shooting teams in the conference and are fourth overall in field-goal percentage.

“Eastern Illinois is a very good basketball team,” Turner said. “They’ve alEastern Illinois ready beaten Tennessee Martin this year [and] they Eastern Illinois is coming score the basketball exto Murray with an 11-8 re- tremely well so it should be cord, the fifth-best record a difficult task for us.” in OVC play, going 5-3 thus far.

SIUE Last season, Murray State lost 75-67 in the teams’ SIUE will come into Satfirst matchup but exacted urday’s outing with Murray revenge the second time State on Saturday, Feb. 1, around in an overtime thrill- after traveling to Clarkser where the Racers won 60- ville, Tennessee, to take on Austin Peay on Thursday, 51 at the CFSB Center.

The Panthers lost their last Jan. 30.

The Cougars enter the game 77-65 to SEMO but handed a stout UT Martin week with a 3-16 record and team their only loss in the are 1-7 in OVC play. They OVC so far, winning 74-70 are losers of six straight and earned their one conferat home.

The team has balanced ence win against Tennessee scoring without, with four State on Saturday, Jan. 4.

Murray State split victories against SIUE last season, losing their first matchup 54-71 away from home.

Two weeks later, the Racers managed to secure an 81-75 victory at the CFSB Center.

The Cougars have struggled all year offensively, as they average a conference low 56.8 ppg and own the worst free throw, threepoint and overall field goal percentages in the OVC. Junior guard Allie Troeckler leads the team in points and rebounds with 11.7 ppg and 7.2 rebounds. Freshman forward Mikayla Kinnard (7.4 ppg) and junior guard Christen King (6.9 ppg) round out the top scorers for SIUE. Turner knows the Cougars have had a disappointing season so far but knows that does not mean the team should count them out come Saturday night.

“SIUE has kind of been in the same boat we have,” Turner said. “They’ve struggled a little bit but we know that everyone is hungry for victories at this point.”

When and Where

Murray State will face off against Eastern Illinois at 5 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 30, and SIUE at 5 p.m. on Saturday, Feb.1, with both games being played at the CFSB Center.

Gage Johnson/The News Sophomore guard Macey Turley calls out an offense to run against TSU.

Sports

14

January 30, 2020

Men’s basketball to take on EIU, SIUE Gage Johnson Sports Editor gjohnson17@murraystate.edu After moving to 8-0 in OVC play, Murray State men’s basketball will look to extend its winning streak to 11 games with matchups against EIU and SIUE ahead.

Murray State The Racers are coming off double-digit wins against Belmont and Tennessee State, holding on to the top spot in the conference.

Junior forward Devin Gilmore was a key contributor to Murray State’s success last week, particularly to its 76-64 win against the Tigers.

Gilmore was the definition of efficiency, shooting a perfect 6-for-6 from the field for 13 points to go along with 10 rebounds for a double-double.

This kind of precision on the offensive end is nothing new to Gilmore. Head Coach Matt McMahon said it’s his constant effort that allows him to make such a large impact on both ends of the floor.

“Well I think we all know he brings great athleticism to the team,” McMahon said. “We’re always trying to push him to play with [a] great motor and great energy so he can showcase all of his abilities. What you’ve seen this year is just really incredible offensive efficiency from him.”

Redshirt freshman guard DaQuan Smith has also

continued his solid play as of late, putting up 11 points and four assists against Belmont and 10 points and eight assists against TSU. Smith has also continued his hot shooting from beyond the arc, sitting at 47% since the start of OVC play. McMahon attributes elevation in his jump shot and him gaining confidence to the guard’s recent success.

“He’s shot the ball so well since the beginning of OVC play,” McMahon said. “I think you just see his explosiveness and getting more and more comfortable and confident. He’s really bouncing up off the floor on his jumpshot, getting great elevation which I don’t think you saw back in November and early December. I think you see him getting more and more comfortable being the guy running the team.”

Continuing to be led by so ph omo re guard Tevin Brown, who’s averaging 19.7 ppg in OVC play, Murray State will look to come away with wins against EIU on Thursday, Jan. 30, and SIUE on Saturday, Feb. 1, at the CFSB Center.

EIU After a rough start to the season, Eastern Illinois has turned things around and is riding a four-game win streak after defeating UT Martin and narrowly defeating SEMO. The Panthers sit at 11-9 overall, with an OVC record of 4-4.

Gage Johnson/The News Redshirt freshman guard DaQuan Smith dribbles to the wing to run the offense against TSU.

McMahon credits their turnaround to being done with a long road stretch and becoming more comfortable with a more solidified rotation after dealing with injuries.

“It’s probably a combination of both,” McMahon said.

“They got stuck where their last three non-league games were on the road and then first

Sophomore guard Tevin Brown isolates himself at the top of the key against TSU.

Gage Johnson/The News

four conference games were on the road and then they got to go back home and I believe they’re undefeated at home this season overall. They also had an injury toward the middle of December that changed their rotation a little bit, so I’m sure [they’re] just getting more comfortable with each other there.”

The Panthers are fifth in the OVC in scoring and are led by junior guard Josiah Wallace, who has ramped up his play since the beginning of conference play. Wallace is averaging 18.3 ppg with a 52% clip from the floor. “[He] was an all-league player a year ago,” McMahon said. “He’s played terrific their last 10 games or so. His production is way up. I think coach Jay Spoonhour always does a great job of identifying really good Junior College players who’ve come in and impacted his program.”

Another key contributor for EIU is junior guard George Dixon who is averaging 12.7 ppg and 8.7 rpg as a 6’5” guard. “[He’s] a really good player,” McMahon said. “[He’s] very skilled, can score in the post, is an outstanding offensive rebounder—top-five in our league—[has] long arms, [is] really active [and] a physical player.”

The Panthers’ offense is rounded out by junior guard Mack Smith (13.2 ppg) and junior guard Marvin Johnson (9.4 ppg).

EIU also boasts one of the best defenses in the conference, allowing opponents to average 68.1 ppg.

This will be the first matchup between the two this season, as Murray State won both matchups in the 2018-19 season.

SIUE

The Cougars are coming off of matchups against SEMO and UT Martin, splitting the two to move to 5-16 overall and 2-6 in OVC play.

SIUE currently sits at 12th in the OVC, with its lone conference wins coming against SEMO and the conference powerhouse Belmont. Thanks to outscoring the Bruins 5139 in the second half and five players finishing in double figures, the Cougars came away with a 79-69 win.

The Cougars have the 10th best offense in the conference and the eighth best defense, averaging 67.7 ppg while allowing opponents to average 73.4 ppg.

Offensively SIUE is led by junior guard Zeke Moore who is averaging 15.6 ppg in OVC play. Senior guard Tyrese Williford (12.1 ppg) and sophomore guard Cam Williams (11.8 ppg) are also key contributors on the offensive end, averaging double figures.

This is the first matchup between the two this season, with Murray State claiming both games in the 2018-19 season.

When and where

Murray State will look to stay undefeated in OVC play as they take on EIU at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 30, and SIUE at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 1, at the CFSB Center.

Opinion

January 30, 2020

15

The staff editorial is the majority opinion of The Murray State News Editorial Board.

Cable on Campus Save it for the students who use it

SpectrumU TV, the cable streaming service provider for Murray State, certainly has its benefits for those students who utilize it. Supplied for people living in the residential colleges, SpectrumU TV is a great way for students to come together to enjoy live sports, entertainment and news.

Murray State works hard to provide various types of entertainment on campus and genuinely listens to student preferences so they enjoy their home away from home. Cable is one of these great services, and many thoroughly enjoy it. Yet, not everyone in the residential colleges use cable.

Currently, cable is provided in each residential college room and lobby, as well as the College Courts. The University pays a substantial amount for cable access to these areas.

Shawn Touney, executive director of marketing and

communication, provided the exact amount the University spends for SpectrumU TV. “The University pays approximately $9,000/month for cable services to each residence hall room,” Touney said. “The agreement also includes cable services for the lobby of each residence hall but not for the study or lounge areas of each hall.”

Excluding the three months of summer break, this totals to $81,000 per school year.

Touney said the contract is based on the number of connections provided.

Therefore, if every room in the residential colleges isn’t fully occupied, the room still has access to SpectrumU TV. Also, if a student doesn’t utilize the cable serviced to their room, they still pay for it.

A Facebook poll conducted by The Murray State News asked if students use on-campus cable in the residential colleges. The sam-

ple showed that 63% of the 73 students who voted do not use on-campus cable and 37% do.

Likewise, a Twitter poll showed that out of the 37 students who voted, 56.8% do not use the service and 43.2% do.

Despite the majority declining to use cable, a significant portion of students do enjoy the services they pay for. Since a large quantity of people use cable, it should not be discontinued on campus, but assessing how most do not utilize the service, it’s understandable to see why they wouldn’t want to pay for it.

A few members of The Murray State News Editorial Board said they use cable services every once in a while, but not enough to be devastated if it were to be discontinued. Other members only use streaming services such as Netflix and Hulu.

Cade Utterback/The News

As of October 2019, Touney said SpectrumU TV is not under current consideration for elimination. And it shouldn’t be eliminated, considering a substantial number of students do use and enjoy cable. However, it’s a hefty price that ultimately falls on students to pay when only a portion utilize it.

If feasible, perhaps housing could offer cable in half of the rooms, or a smaller number of rooms, in each residential college. Then, the rooms with cable could be chosen by students who want it. The ultimate goal is for students who use cable to continue and those who don’t use it not pay for it. This also might benefit the University as it would cut costs.

Streaming services are predicted to become the

new cable. Major television networks are struggling to compete with streaming platforms, which tend to draw in younger audiences who are attracted to the unlimited content without commercials.

According to Forbes, streaming platforms neared $20 billion in 2018 and subscriptions continue to rise.

Younger generations have been blamed for killing cable by turning to the convenience of streaming services and even YouTube. According to the World Economic Forum, 73% of Millennials use online streaming services with Netflix and Amazon in the lead as of 2018.

Whether people cut the cord on cable, it’s great that Murray State students still utilize cable as much as they do.

Megan Reynolds Daniella Tebib Claire Smith Gage Johnson Cady Stribling Editor-in-Chief

News Editor Features Editor Sports Editor

Opinion Editor mreynolds12@murraystate.edu dtebib@murraystate.edu csmith110@murraystate.edu gjohnson17@murraystate.edu cstribling1@murraystate.edu

Editorial Board

Bryce Anglin Jenna Carnes Production Manager Chief Copy Editor

zanglin@murraystate.edu jcarnes2@murraystate.edu

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Opinion

16

January 30, 2020

Kenneth Starr and “That Woman” Dylan Doyle Contributing Writer ddoyle2@murraystate.edu

Discussions

The impeachment trial of Donald Trump seems intent on sucking up all of our attention, like the president himself so often does. Music’s biggest night pausing to honor our culture’s premiere voices with gilded grammophone trophies; Thousands of miles of fires ravaging Australia (and perhaps, soon, the world); Even the tragic passing of Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna and several others aboard that helicopter cannot have a single news cycle to allow us to grieve what was lost without a fresh batch of revelations from some self-dealing Trump orbiter to distract us.

As I write, Kenneth Starr addresses the Senate to wax nostalgic about the glory days of America before we entered this “age of impeachment,” equating the practice to big political words like “war” and “hell.” Yes, that same Starr. You know the one.

History will have much to say about John Bolton and his refusal to testify before the House of Representatives before he could collect millions in book advances from Simon and Schuster. One might even be able to draw a causal line between Trump’s inexplicable execution of Iranian general Soleimani and the procrastination of this very testimony (Bolton is famous for being an Iranian war hawk, and in a tweet about Soleimani’s death said he hopes this is the beginning of “regime change in Tehran”).

For the moment, let’s forget about Bolton and talk about Starr. President Bill Clinton was impeached at the end of 1998, a time before the average Murray State student was even born, so it’s easy for us not to know what happened with Kenneth Starr and what he did to “the woman.”

In the era where #MeToo intersects with a new impeachment, and Senate Republicans like our own dear Mitch McConnell seem intent on breezing through the trial without any witness testimony or new evidence, it seems relevant to revisit the story of Monica Lewinsky and what Starr did to her.

Thousands of pages of documents were submitted by the Clinton administration to Starr’s team of prosecutors. Perhaps the very first victim of the global-scale humiliation industry we are so familiar with today, Monica Lewinsky was a young twenty-something woman that found herself a household name for all of the wrong

with

Dylan

reasons. Starr had a team of people around him tasked with finding out the truth about the Clinton affair, a task he worked on with unusual fervor (that he was a partisan hack seems obvious in retrospect, considering he now defends Trump in the present day). People who are legally married cannot be forced to testify against each other in court, but no such protection exists for parents and their children; according to Lewinsky, Starr threatened to prosecute her mother if she refused to disclose their private conversations. He threatened to investigate her father’s medical practice. He cooperated with her now-infamous friend Linda Tripp to harvest information from her life to be used as ammunition against Clinton.

Imagine your mother being forced to take the stand and testify against you, to relay the private conversations you had with the person you trust most to the entire world, on penalty of her imprisonment.

Lewinsky, by all accounts the least powerful and most frightened party in the whole ordeal, retreated from public life for nearly twenty years following Clinton’s acquittal. It was only in May 2014 with a piece in Vanity Fair that Lewinsky made her first steps to regain control of her narrative and speak out. She discusses the incessant paparazzi harassment, difficulty finding a job and moving to the U.K. to run from her stigma.

During this time, Clinton’s approval remained as it was when he left office, and his campaign surrogacy for his wife, Hillary, in 2008 and 2016 earned him full marks from reputable press and pundits. Starr served as dean of Pepperdine School of Law before moving to preside over Baylor University. It seems the esteemed men in

the story were allowed to move on as the White House intern struggled to find her place in a world that somehow both blamed and pitied her for wearing that blue dress.

What type of man is Kenneth Starr? That depends on who you ask, but we do know a few things for certain. He certainly spent 2007 defending billionaire Jeffrey Epstein in court against numerous charges of statutory rape of underage girls. He was certainly ousted from Baylor in 2016 after it was discovered he mishandled more sexual assault cases than can be reasonably attributed to human error or ineptitude. The man who impeached a president for lying about a consensual sexual relationship did not have any qualms about burying reports of Baylor athletes committing sexual assault.

I’m perfectly sure it’s a coincidence that Starr went after Lewinsky with such vigor, and none of these incidents color him as a misogynist partisan actor only concerned with maintaining his proximity to power even at the expense of justice and the law.

But even with all of that said, what does it mean that we find Starr, in 2020, defending the president from impeachment? Well, for one thing, it means the best legal minds in the nation are certainly not beating down Trump’s door to defend him. For another, it means that though our nightmare soap opera of politics never seems to run out of new subplots, it frequently dredges up your least favorite characters from five or six seasons ago. Next time Republicans have to bring someone in front of the Senate to bemoan how divisive impeachment is for the country, they would do well to choose one of the 7.53 billion people on the planet not named Kenneth Winston Starr.

January 30, 2020

Features

17

Alumna visits all seven continents Claire Smith Features Editor csmith110@murraystate.edu

Where does life take students after they leave Murray State?

One former student’s life has taken her to all seven continents.

Sarah Clark, who attended Murray State from 2001 to 2004 and now resides in California, began traveling after graduating from pharmacy school in 2008.

“I’ve had the desire to travel for as long as I can remember,” Clark said.

For her first trip she visited Athens, Greece, and has been traveling ever since.

“Over the past few years, I’ve tried to visit some more untouched areas of the world,” Clark said.

Clark’s time in the Galápagos Islands has been her favorite trip so far.

While in the Galáopagos Islands, Clark noticed that the travel company also offered trips to Antarctica.

At the time Clark had visited six of seven continents on various trips.

“I departed on a boat from Argentina in November 2019 which then spent a couple of days crossing the Drake Passage before arriving in Antarctica,” Clark said.

“We made a few stops visiting penguin and seal colonies then flew from Antarctica to Chile.”

Clark loves experiencing new places and cultures.

“I’ve met some great people along the way in my travels,” Clark said. “I’m also grateful for the ways travel has changed me and my outlook on the world.”

In the summer of 2020 she is returning to Spain and Portugal and has plans to visit Cairo, Egypt, Budapest, Hungary, and Copenhagen, Denmark, in the fall.

“Egypt has been on my list for several years so I’m looking forward to finally making the trip,” Clark said.

Most of her trips are usually solo adventures but on some occasions she has traveled with friends.

“With work schedules and other demands, it’s not always possible to find people to come along,” Clark said. “I won’t let the intimidation of solo travel keep me from seeing the world.”

Photos courtesy of Sarah Clark Antarctica was the seventh continent that Sarah Clark visited.

Photos courtesy of Sarah Clark A friegatebird Clark photographed during her time on the island.

1201 Payne Street Murray 270.761.4800 @future_grounds on Instagram Photos courtesy of Sarah Clark During her travels Clark has climbed the Sydney Harbor Bridge in Sydney, Australia, and Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania.

Features

18

January 30, 2020

The Speech and Debate Union poses with some of the awards they won while competing in three qualifying regional tournaments.

Photo courtesy of the Murray State Speech and Debate Union

Speech and Debate Union wins 20 awards Megan Reynolds Editor-in-Chief mreynolds12@murraystate.edu

The Speech and Debate Union, run by Crystal Coel for the past 25 years, has been in the midst of a very successful season, raking in award after award.

Competing in three national qualifying regional tournaments, the SDU faced off against over a dozen different universities.

Coel said the tournaments consist of three core genres

that break down into smaller, more distinguishable categories: speech (public speaking), debate and dramatic events.

Students in the Union often specialize in a specific area and eventually may build up enough repute in that specialization to coach.

Rachel Fischer, the vice president of the Union, is one of these such students.

“I have competed in several different events over the past few years,” Fischer said.

“The one event I am most

focused on now is impromptu speaking.”

Not only is Fischer focused on her performance in impromptu speaking, she also coaches others in the SDU in the category. Fischer experiences such success in impromptu speaking that she placed third in a regional tournament in the category last semester.

Christopher Stewart, president of the SDU, also experienced great success at the tournaments last semester.

Alongside debate partner

Brennan Hughes, Stewart won third place in varsity debate.

Stewart takes pride in his team, knowing that they are striving for greatness at each and every competition.

“Overall, the team that I represent always feels like an underdog story,” Stewart said. “We go up against powerhouse schools like Alabama, Morehouse and WKU every single year. These teams expect nothing but total victory against smaller teams like Murray, but we never fail to rise up to the occasion and

show them that dedication can take you extremely far even from a smaller program.”

As for Coel’s work with the Union, she pours her heart and soul into her work and calls her efforts with the students “tough love.”

“What I remind them is no one person is greater than the team,” Coel said. “Either we will live up to the brand of the Union or we need to step down because no one person is greater than the Union.”

For the full story, visit thenews.org.

Cinema International focuses on women in film Ciara Benham Staff Writer cbenham@murraystate.edu

For over 30 years, Cinema International has brought a slice of the world to this corner of Kentucky, but this semester there is a new spin.

In spring 2020, the institute is showing movies that focus on women in film.

Cinema International is an institute at Murray State that shows an array of international films each semester.

This institute was created under the Global Languages and Theatre Arts Department in conjunction with the Institute for International Studies.

Under the direction of professor Therese Saint-Paul, the institute chooses a theme for the films they show each semester.

“Each semester I collaborate with other groups, and a lot of our support comes from women’s groups such as the Women’s Faculty Caucus,” Saint-Paul said.

Saint-Paul worked with the women’s group, as well as others in her department,

to decide on this semester’s cinema theme.

“We decided this time to highlight issues that women are facing today and support those issues,” SaintPaul said. “Women always play a central role in these movies.”

Cinema International chose to do this by selecting 12 feature films in which women play a primary role.

The next Cinema International film is “Miss Hyde,” one of six French films that the institute has been granted to show this semester.

This film, which is a spin on “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde,” showcases a female star in this infamous role. The film will be shown on Thursday, Jan. 30 and Friday, Feb. 1 in the Curris Center Theater.

“It is a funny but dark parody of the gothic style with modern commentaries on society and multicultural diversity,” Saint-Paul said.

These films are a great way to showcase modern day issues while enriching the culture of Murray State students. However, Cinema International is impossible

without the support of those in the campus community.

“We live on donations for Cinema International,” Saint-Paul said. “Without the money and support we would not be able to continue.”

While Cinema International has an impressive “following,” they are always looking for ways to expand. The program has an increasing problem with visibility and accessibility, so support is always welcomed.

At each screening, you can pick up a donation slip to help support Cinema International, or you can donate by contacting the Office of Development or online at murraystate.edu/givenow.

Cinema International screenings are held every Thursday and Saturday in the Curris Center at 7:30 p.m. . Screenings are on the 3rd floor in the Curris Center Theatre or the Curris Center Barkley Room.

“You don’t have to be a foreign student or involved with foreign languages,” Saint-Paul said. “There is something for everyone.”

Cinema International

Jan. 25 --> THE RETURN OF THE HERO Jan. 30, Feb. 1 --> MRS. HYDE Feb. 6, Feb. 8 --> ISMAEL’S GHOSTS Feb. 13, Feb. 15 --> MEMOIR OF WAR Feb. 20, Feb. 22 --> THE RAVEN

Feb. 27, Feb. 29 --> THE BIG BAD FOX AND OTHER TALES Mar. 5, Mar. 7 --> SPIDER THEIVES

Mar. 27, Mar. 28 --> THE UNHEARD WOMAN April 2 --> THE CAVE

April 4 --> TOKYO FIANCEE April 9, April 11--> HIDDEN RIVERS May 1 --> WHAT IS PHILANTHROPY?

Features Graduate named finalist for

January 30, 2020

19

prestigious presidential program Dionte Berry Contributing Writer dberry11@murraystate.edu

Mur ray State graduate Adam Horton was among 402 applicants out of nearly 5,000 nationwide to be selected as a finalist for the Presidential Management Fellows Program (PMFP).

Being a finalist, Horton has the opportunity to apply for positions in the federal government and work there for the two-year program.

“Once you’re selected and pass a background investigation and pass all of the interviews you start your two year long fellowship,” Horton said. “This is when you transition from being a finalist to a fellow.”

Horton started his career in public service as a Navy serviceman. He comes from a long lineage of public service members.

“One of my grandfathers was on the board of police officers and the other worked for the U.S postal service,” Horton said. “Then I have other family members that work for different federal agencies.”

After being active in the N av y f o r f ive ye a r s a n d spending three years in reserves, Horton had an idea of what path he wanted to take. This led him to Murray State which he only became aware of because of his wife.

“I didn’t know about Murray State until six months before I started there,” Horton said. “I met this woman who’s now my wife, and she said she was going to Murray State. I then applied, got accepted and started school in 2010.”

Attending Murray State helped Horton narrow his career path down to veteran aid.

“I was hired as a student worker in the veterans affairs office and during my employment we went over the entire program and retrofitted everything, making the office more functional,” Horton said.

Horton not only helped reform the VA office but also worked toward making the program more inclusive.

During his time at Murray State, Horton helped establish veteran-only classes that were taught by veteran professors.

“One of my favorite classes was a fiction writing class with a veteran prof essor and students,” Horton said.

“Classes like this bloomed into much more veteran-inclusive activities.”

Despite Murray State not originally being on his radar, he was beyond pleased

Friday, Jan. 31: Curris Center Theater presents “Zero Dark Thirty” @ 7 p.m. in the Curris Center Theater

Faculty Recital of Dr. Rea, Dr. McCann and Dr. Gianforte @ 6 p.m. in the Farrell Recital Hall of Price Doyle Fine Arts Building

Saturday, Feb. 1: Curris Center Theater presents “Captain Phillips” @ 1 p.m. in the Curris Center Theater

Photo courtesy of Adam Horton Many of Horton’s family members worked in public service.

with his experience here and the opportunities the school offered. After graduating with a bachelor’s degree in business and marketing in 2014, he became interested in the PMFP. “I was attracted to the program because I’ve never been one to stop at an office level job,” Horton said.

“I’ve always wanted to to work my way to a position where I can really make a difference.”

Although he was interested in the program, he didn’t meet all of the requirements at the time. After reading up on the program, he found that it requires to have a postgraduate degree, so he applied to a Murray State public administration graduate program.

“I’m the type of person that plans long term and the PMFP was not apart of that original plan,” Horton said.

“I looked at it and realized this is exactly what I want to do so I decided to go for my masters.”

While he was working toward a master’s degree, he was also completing the rigorous PMFP application.

“The application opens up in October for a two to three week period, and you have to provide your federal resume,” Horton said. “You’re expected to complete a series of tests and if you’re able to pass them then your application gets submitted.”

Horton next heard back from the PMFP when he was announced as a finalist one month after he submitted his application.

“It was a ver y racking month,” Hor ton said.

“I convinced myself that I wouldn’t get it the first time, and I was already planning on reapplying.”

Now being a finalist, Horton has the opportunity to apply for government jobs for a two-year fellowship.

“I’ve applied for several positions and interviewed for a few,” Horton said. “But of them all, there are two positions in D.C. that I’m hoping to get.”

With the fellowship, Horton is expecting to relocate from Paducah to a more bustling setting like Washington D.C. “I don’t mind D.C.,” Horton said. “I like it there because it’s a little bit more my speed. Paducah, Kentucky, and Murray are pretty small, so I am looking forward to the change in atmosphere and so is my wife.”

For Horton, the PMFP is part of the path toward not just enforcing change but being in a position where he can make a change.

“I don’t want to retire with the position I have now,” Horton said. “Even though it would make for a comfortable living, that’s not my goal. I want to be in a position where I can make a difference.”

Tuesday, Feb. 4: Pet Therapy

@ noon in the Oakley Applied Science Building

St. Jude No More Cancer Rally

@ 6 p.m. at 404 Briksbury Dr., Franklin, TN, 37067

Tinsel Town Tuesday “The Art of Racing in the Rain” @ 7 p.m. in the Curris Center Theater

Art Exhibit: Transmogrification featuring Donald Fodness

@ 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. in the Clara M. Eagle Gallery

Thursday, Feb. 6: German Coffee Table

@ 3:30-4:30 p.m. in the Collins Industry and Technology Center Room 206

Art Exhibit: Transmogrification featuring Donald Fodness @ 8 a.m. to 4: 30 p.m. in the Clara M. Eagle Gallery

Cinema International “Ismael’s Ghosts”

@ 7:30 p.m. in the Curris Center Theater

If you would like to see your event featured in the Calendar of Events, email the features editor at csmith110@murraystate.edu.

Colton Colglazier/The News

January 30, 2020

20

STUDENT GOVERNMENT ASSOCIATION GET INVOLVED Student Government Association applications are available on line www.murraystate.edu/sga or in the Center for Student Involvement office, 111 Curris Center.

Positions:

President - must be Junior by fall semester, 2.7 gpa Executive Vice President - must be Junior by fall semester, 2.7 gpa Vice President of Administration - 2.7 gpa Vice President of Finance - 2.7 gpa Senator At Large – 8 positions, 2.0 gpa College of Business – 3 positions, 2.0 gpa College of Education & Human Services – 3 positions, 2.0 gpa College of Humanities & Fine Arts – 3 positions, 2.0 gpa College of Science, Engineering & Technology – 3 positions, 2.0 gpa Hutson School of Agriculture – 3 positions, 2.0 gpa School of Nursing & Health Professionals – 3 positions, 2.0 gpa RCA President - 2.7 gpa RCA Vice President – 2.7 gpa RCA Secretary/Treasurer, 2.7 gpa

**ALL RCA officers must have lived in residential college 1 year prior to election

Applications due:

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2020 at NOON in the CSI office.

Candidates Meeting:

MANDATORY CANDIDATES MEETING at 4 PM in Curris Center Barkley Room

Elections:

ONLINE VOTING, MONDAY, MARCH 9, 2020 AT 12:01 AM THROUGH TUESDAY, MARCH 10, 2020 AT 11:59 PM

SGA Forum:

MONDAY, MARCH 2, 2020 at 5:00 PM in Alexander Hall Auditorium

Senate Chair:

Elections/Ways & Means – 1 position, 2.0 gpa Publications & Public Relations, 1 position, 2.0 gpa University Affairs – 1 position, 2.0 gpa Government Relations – 1 position, 2.0 gpa Diversity & Inclusion – 1 position, 2.0 gpa Enrollment Management & Student Success – 1 position, 2.0 gpa WEDNESDAY, APRIL 1 at NOON in the CSI office

Applications due: Judicial Board: Applications due:

10 members, must be a Sophomore by fall semester, 2.0 gpa WEDNESDAY, APRIL 1 at NOON in the CSI office

Campus Activities Board: Applications due:

12 chair positions, 2.0 gpa WEDNESDAY, APRIL 1 at NOON in the CSI office