04/12/2019

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FRIDAY, APRIL 12, 2019

CULTURE | PAGE 8

VOL. 111 NO. 18

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NEWS

News Editor: Jessica Truby – J.L.Truby@iup.edu Lead News Writer: Emily Loose – E.D.Loose@iup.edu

IUP Takes Back The Night

(Ashley Lutz/The Penn) Students carried signs bearing powerful statements Wednesday at the Take Back the Night (TBTN) event.

Student organizations march in support of victims, survivors HEATHER BAIR

Lead Culture Writer H.Bair@iup.edu @ThePennIUP

(Ashley Lutz/The Penn) IUP’s Take Back the Night event started just before dusk in the Putt-Delaney courtyard, and students marched through campus to the Hadley Union Building (HUB).

News

Hundreds of students gathered on IUP’s campus Wednesday night to support victims and survivors of sexual and domestic violence.

Take Back the Night (TBTN), an international event to spread awareness and support survivors of sexual assault, as well as domestic violence, started in 1976. Since then, the event has occurred annually in more than 30 countries.

Throughout the week, sidewalks have been decorated in chalk with phrases such as “Yes means yes, no means no,” “You are not alone” and “TBTN 2019.”

IUP’s event started just before dusk in the Putt-Delaney courtyard.

Students arrived early for free T-shirts reading, “It’s On,” as well as gathering picket signs if they hadn’t made their own.

Many signs were bearing powerful statements, such as “Yes means yes,” “’No’ does not mean ‘convince me,’” “Stop the violence, stop the silence,” “Whatever we

April 12, 2019

wear, wherever we go, yes means yes, and no means no” and “What they were wearing was not consent,” as well as others.

The event kicked off at 8 p.m. with President Michael Driscoll speaking. One of the night’s chants was started by him.

“1, 2, 3, 4, this is what we’re marching for. 2, 4, 6, 8, no more violence, no more rape.”

Students and faculty marched as they carried signs and chanted as loudly as possible.

Another chant rang through the crowd.

“This is our power, this is our right, these are our streets, take back the night.”

At the end of the march, which was through the Oak Grove toward the Hadley Union Building (HUB), students returned borrowed signs and plastic, lit candles in order to convene in the HUB Ohio Room for the “Speak Out,” in which survivors and victims could share their stories in a safe place filled with supporters.

Indiana has resources for those who have endured violence.

The Haven Project, dedicated to ending domestic violence and sexual assault, can be reached at 724-357-3947. It is located in the Suites on Maple East, Suite G-2.

Jennifer McCroskey, sexual violence prevention educator, can also be reached at 724-357-3192, as well as at her e-mail, jmccrosk@iup.edu.

The Alice Paul House, whose mission is to promote awareness of domestic violence, sexual assault and victimization in the community, can be reached by 724-349-4444 or 1-800-435-7249. The Alice Paul House’s official website is www.alicepaulhouse.org, and the email to reach support through is info@alicepaulhouse.org.

Also for IUP students, a new app called “Just in Case” was recently released. The app offers contact information and resources to help students with urgent needs.

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April 12, 2019

SGA announces new midterm grade policy SGA Chief Justice Demir Moore Staff Writer said.

J.W.Stout2@iup.edu Elections for the executive board @ThePennIUP will open Tuesday on Crimson Connect with the results being The Student Government Asannounced April 23. sociation (SGA) meeting Monday Provost Timothy Moerland gave confirmation to a change in provided Title IX pamphlets to SGA midterm grading.

The University Senate voted on Vice President Alex Fefolt (history) the change at its last meeting, now after Moerland’s visit two weeks making it so all grades are to be ago when there was discussion reported at midterms, not just “Ds” about problematic experiences that and “Fs.” This policy some students were facing. will take effect in the fall These pamphlets will be but with the caveat that handed out by various there’s no punishment members of SGA. for professors that do not Fefolt said in his report report grades. that he had also met with Next week’s SGA David Chambers, political meeting will be preemptscience chairman, to possi(Crimson Connect) ed by the debates for the bly continue “IUP’s Year of upcoming executive board Free Speech” into the next elections. year. If this extension happens, it The debate will feature those would be in conjunction with SGA. running for the two contested SGA also recognized the club executive board positions, presi“Students for Sensible Drug dent and chief justice, and will be held Tuesday in the Humanities and Policy.” The club looks to educate people on the effects of drugs Social Sciences Building in Room without “moralizing” the issue. The B-10 Tuesday. club officers said that they want to There are two positions that curprovide quantitative evidence to rently have no one in the running, students, so they can be aware of treasurer and vice president. the effects drugs will have on their “We need people to take our bodies. spaces and be the next leaders,” JEREMY STOUT

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Keppich moves from Stouffer Hall to Sutton Hall EMILEE HOWELLS

Staff Writer E.M.Howells@iup.edu @ThePennIUP

Former temporary faculty member of IUP’s Department of Communications Media Stephanie Keppich began her new position as IUP’s assistant director of media relations March 18.

In the communications media department, Keppich was the director of the Center for Media Production and Research (CMPR) and taught classes in the department, including the Digital Sports Production class, which gave students hands-on experience with live production during both basketball and football seasons.

In her new position with the media relations department, Keppich will be working alongside Michelle Fryling, who currently serves as the executive director of media relations.

“When I first heard the university had committed to expanding the media relations department, I was thrilled administration was committed to bolstering IUP’s media relations footprint,” Keppich said. “Managing the external and internal communications is not a job for one person, and Michelle has done an amazing job with the resources she has.”

Keppich said she is hopeful that in her new role she is able to keep the strong relationships she has

(IUP Website) Stephanie Keppich recently began her new role as IUP’s assistant director of media relations.

made in the department and in the IUP community to continue telling IUP’s story, as “there is so much to be told.”

“IUP has so many great stories happening concurrently from a Fulbright Scholar, to graduate students teaching the community about cyber security or the success of the women’s basketball team

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and students interning at Fortune 500 companies,” Keppich said.

Although this position allows for a more traditional schedule and security, Keppich said she will truly miss the day-to-day interactions with students as their professor.

“I moved to Indiana 10 years ago with no idea I would be able to teach,” she said. “I sincerely enjoyed being involved with students and watching them grow into young professionals.”

Keppich earned her master’s degree at IUP in 2009 and had temporarily worked in the media relations department 10 years ago as the creative services manager.

She has a background in broadcast journalism, as well as having been an anchor, reporter and producer in five television markets across the country, and a background in media relations at a hospital in Virginia.

Throughout her time in the communications media department she has received awards for her success, including the Silver Telly Award and the Faculty Award for Experiential Education Teaching.

“Being that I have worked in the department temporarily 10 years ago, I knew then there was a need for more outreach to media,” she said.

April 12, 2019

News

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Holocaust survivor discusses horror of WWII EMILY LOOSE

Lead News Writer E.D.Loose@iup.edu @ThePennIUP

“Love is stronger than hate. Love is easier than hate.”

The words of Judah Samet were heard by more than 100 people Monday in the latest Six O’Clock Series – put together with help by the Holocaust Remembrance Committee – where he recounted his time in the Holocaust.

Titled “The Dangers of Hate: A Panel Discussion With Holocaust Survivors and Scholars,” the discussion told of the true horrors faced in World War II, featuring the committee, Holocaust Museum employees and a panel of four Holocaust survivors.

The oldest survivor of the four was Moshe Baran, 98, who joined the resistance group, the Revengers. Because of this, he had been able to save part of his family and

(Ashley Lutz/ The Penn) Monday’s Six O’Clock Series featured a panel of four Holocaust survivors.

move his mother from place to place throughout the war.

He told the audience how he

had met his wife when she had come to a barrack he was in. She had just spent 18 months in a con-

Director holds workplace workshop

(Tyler Noel/The Penn) Students learned how each generation understands society, education, leadership and technology, as well as how it impacts the ways in which they interact in the professional workplace in a workshop presented by Zach Clark, director of student activities and assessment for the Student Cooperative Association.

centration camp, but she did not let that get the better of her.

“She had one task – to teach people not to use the word ‘hate,’” Baran said, saying it was one lesson that she had taught him.

Another survivor was Samet, who not only survived the Holocaust, but he also survived the Tree of Life Synagogue shooting that occurred in Pittsburgh last year.

When telling his story, he spoke about his mother’s bravery during the war and how she managed to save hundreds of Jewish people.

When they had been loaded onto the train, she spoke to the soldiers, despite the fact that Jewish people were not to speak to them unless asked a question. The soldier held a gun to her head, but they kept her alive because she could speak fluent German and could act as a translator.

She persuaded them to supply the cart with more supplies, helping more people survive.

Throughout the war, she had been resourceful and helped all four of her children survive.

“My mother was always there; she was fearless,” he said. “She was an actual Wonder Woman.”

Shulamit Bastacky had been just a baby during the war. During this time, she had been hidden in a basement by a nun and later put into an orphanage where she was found by her parents.

Bastacky was placed in care to learn to walk and talk but devel-

oped quickly. She now goes to different schools and talks about her experience.

Much like Baran’s wife, she does not say she hates those who caused her suffering.

“It takes energy to hate,” she said.

When she was 20 years old, Bastacky bought her first toy, a teddy bear. In time, she had collected 20,000 of them and gives them to different causes. She asked the audience to do the same.

“Reach out to somebody you don’t know,” she said.

Solange Lebowitz had survived the war with her whole family. She met her husband later on, and after moving to the U.S., she said she still found that hate existed.

When asked how she felt about the Nazis in America, Lebowitz recalled driving with her husband in the 1990s and seeing a young man with a swastika tattoo. She said she was mortified by it.

“I could not imagine small-town, modern America having Nazis flourishing,” she said.

Samet said that he could not compare what they were like to those he remembered from his childhood.

“They did not kill us with bullets,” he said. “They killed us with starvation.”

Recalling the thousands of bodies he had seen, Samet said that he is not surprised with the bad people in America, but everywhere has bad people. He said he still believes America to be the greatest country in the world.

“The worst in the U.S. is still 10 times better than the worst in Germany,” he said.

In Bastacky’s case, she said it made her feel “sick to her stomach,” but she could not let it bring her down. Instead of getting angry or harming them, she said there were better ways.

“We fight back by educating ourselves,” she said. “We have to be the winners against the hate.

Words can kill; words can also heal.”

As the program wrapped up, Baran said that he hopes a holocaust will not happen again but gave advice for those who find themselves in any bad situation.

“Don’t decide that this is the end,” he said. “Once you’ve decided, there is no hope.”

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April 12, 2019

News

OPINION

Fetterman everything an honest candidate should be When the U.S. government was created, the point of having elected representatives was to truly represent the best interests of the majority of the people when creating policy and law for the country.

As the years have gone by, however, many in the political game no longer cater to the citizens that elected them, rather going by the interests of lobbyists and people or businesses with deep pockets. In a lot of ways, politics has become almost entirely about money.

That’s where a guy like John Fetterman differs from your average politician.

Fetterman, a Democratic,

(TNS) Lt. Gov. John Fetterman is touring Pennsylvania counties gathering opinions on the legalization of recreational marijuana.

6-foot-8, tattooed former mayor of Braddock, was elected Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania in November as part of Governor

Tom Wolf’s re-election. Endorsed by a variety of big names, including Bernie Sanders, one of the biggest parts of Fetterman’s campaign to earn the Lieutenant Governor spot last April revolved around the potential legalization of marijuana recreationally in the state.

In modern politics, you might consider someone to just use this or some other popular idea, or perhaps a saying, maybe even a chant, to rally around a base of supporters to vote them into office. Once elected, however, many politicians don’t bother with the people who got them there.

Again, that’s where Fetterman differs.

Just months after being elected, Fetterman is on tour of the state, making a stop in every single county in Pennsylvania to gather public opinion regarding the marijuana legalization issue.

He has visited 35 counties thus far, and plans to stop Sunday evening in Indiana County. Even if you can’t make it to one of the stops, there’s an online form where people can offer their opinions on the issue.

Nowadays, it’s so rare to see this out of anyone in politics.

Outside of the campaign trail, how often do politicians actually actively gather the opinion of any and all of the people they’re governing? Once they’re elected, it’s

off to Washington (or the state’s capitol) and off with the interests of the average American. After so many lies and empty promises from politicians left and right, it’s refreshing to see someone in politics actively working with and for the average working man or woman to solve issues.

No matter what you think about the topic at hand, we have to applaud John Fetterman for doing what any politician should do: represent the interests of the majority.

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Opinion

April 12, 2019

(Chandler Bouton) “The first image of a black hole was captured by the Event Horizon Telescope in the Messier 87 galaxy. The algorithm that allowed the image to be taken was developed by computer scientist Dr. Katie Bouman.”

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Culture

Culture Editor: Steven Langdon Jr. – S.Langdon@iup.edu Lead Culture Writer: Heather Bair – H.Bair@iup.edu

(Facebook) Pita Pit announced April 25 will be the final day it will be open.

Indiana Pita Pit announces its close in coming weeks EMILY LOOSE

Lead News Writer E.D.Loose@iup.edu @ThePennIUP

Best Bar Bracket reaches closing time

NICK MACIA Staff Writer the-penn@iup.edu @ThePennIUP And here we are, the championship match of IUP’s Best Bar Tournament Bracket.

After two rounds filled with blowouts and tightly contested matchups, the Final Four were set at the stools. And now, only two remain just before closing time.

Brunzies, a more upscale bar designed for chilling and getting a great meal while catching the game with friends, will face off with The Coney, the classic college bar that has been the favorite up to this point, to determine who is IUP’s best bar.

The Coney, which breezed

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through the first two rounds, easily defeating Steelworks and Al Patti’s by wide margins.

However, the No. 1-seeded Coney just barely managed to escape Twisted Jimmy’s with a score of 53-47 percent after trailing with less than a day left of voting.

Thanks to the voters, The Coney and Twisted Jimmy’s were able to bring the close game late in the tournament that we wanted to see.

Brunzies, which came into the tournament as the third seed, had a slightly different journey making it to the championship game. After easily defeating Noble Stein Brewing in round one, Brunzies was able to survive a possible upset from Boomerangs in the second round.

Brunzies pulled out to an early lead and didn’t look back as it defeated H.B. Culpepper's 64-36 percent. Brunzies has been rolling through the tournament with ease week after week, coming in with no less than 64 percent of votes in every matchup.

It is difficult to envision the end result of the championship game. Both bars have done exceptionally well in the polls to this point. We can only hope for a close matchup in the final rounds of what has been an exceptional tournament.

Will it be the classic college bar and club experience or the newer, more laid-back bar that’s crowned IUP’s Best Bar? Stay tuned with The Penn, and don’t forget to cast your vote.

April 12, 2019

A local Indiana foodie favorite will be closing its doors later this month.

Pita Pit, at 740 Philadelphia St., will be serving the community for the last time April 25. Known for its variety of flavors and its lowered $4.20 price every April 20, the store is left to close due to franchising problems.

Though two people have reportedly shown interest, the closing date remains the same.

The sign on the door says they may close even sooner if they run out of supplies quickly.

The Indiana Gazette reported that the Pita Pit USA company does not want to keep the stores corporate-owned any longer.

After learning of the news, students at IUP and locals of Indiana were not happy.

Casey Doyle (sophomore, anthropology) was shocked by the announcement. She said she was a fan of its gyro pitas and is sad to see the store close. Though she did have a few issues with it, she found it to be one of the better places to eat in Indiana.

“Honestly I feel like the prices are a little high, but the whole variety of vegetables for the pitas

is great,” she said.

Doyle, a member of the fencing club, said she will remember going to Pita Pit with the rest of the team after practices or just to hang out.

“It was just something different from the food places close to campus,” she said.

Indiana resident Sue Kownacki said she enjoyed going there whenever possible and finds the closing to be “an end of an era.”

“I’m really sad that Pita Pit is closing,” Kownacki said. “I have a lot of memories of going with friends there when I was a student.

It’s going to be weird now knowing we cannot go to it anymore.

“Pitas are great, and there aren’t other places around who make them.”

When questioned about their closing, Pita Pit made no comment.

The Pita Pit in Indiana has been a part of the area since 2005 and will not be the only one closing down. Many across the U.S. have already shut their doors due to the franchising concerns.

Anyone interested in franchising the store can visit the website pitapitusa.com or email franchising@ pitapitusa.com for more information.

The sign on the door also states that inquirers can learn more details in the store.

Culture

April 12, 2019

Culture

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HSS Building ranks among best bathrooms on campus of space and a chair to lounge in if waiting for a stall to open up. It also has a lovely window that is partially inside the handicap stall so you can relieve yourself while watching students filter through the parking lot.

6. Hadley Union Building (HUB), Next to the Monongahela Room This bathroom is great because it is so rarely used due to its location. It has lots of stalls to choose from, hand dryers, paper towels and metal bins in every stall to dispose sanitary products in, and its clean, modern amenities are always a plus.

7. Stouffer Hall, Basement (Autumn Dorsey/ The Penn) The Humanities and Social Science (HSS) Building’s fourth floor women’s restroom ranks as the top women’s bathrooms on campus.

MEGAN DONNY Staff Writer M.Donny@iup.edu @ThePennIUP

This article contains opinion.

Most girls have different priorities than boys when it comes to public bathroom standards.

While cleanliness is definitely a leading factor, whether or not stalls have places to dispose of sanitary products and if there is a floorlength mirror can affect bathroom quality.

To help the women who are looking for the highest quality bathrooms on campus, and to avoid the ones that may induce feelings of claustrophobia or invoke a gag reflex, here are The Penn’s top women’s bathrooms on campus for 2019.

1. Humanities and Social Sciences Building (HSS), Fourth Floor This bathroom has all the qualities women should look for when choosing a bathroom to use. It is always clean and usually empty, has a variety of Bath and Body Works soaps to choose from and has a good selection of stalls to occupy, as well as a cute basket of free sanitary products to take in case of an emergency. Most girls definitely appreciate the free products since most of us have had at least one traumatic situation before with no sanitary products available.

To top it off, the bathroom has

a floor-length mirror for women to examine themselves head to toe.

2. Johnson Hall, First Floor Even though this bathroom is small, it is packed full of many essentials. Inside, there is a bin full of beauty products and supplies for anyone to use. The bin contains hairspray, sanitary products, bobby pins, safety pins, Band-Aids, hair ties, mints and hand lotion. What more could a girl ask for?

3. HSS, Fifth Floor Like the fourth-floor bathroom, this one is almost always empty and clean. The best part about this bathroom would be the lovely smelling soaps and lotions provided “to bring a smile to your day.”

4. Ackerman Hall, First Floor This bathroom is the signature pink color many other older campus bathrooms are. While it may look straight of out the ‘70s, this bathroom is always well-lit and has a huge floor-length mirror to take “outfit of the day” selfies in. Fashion merchandising students have even used it for photoshoots.

5. Stright Hall, Second Floor While Stright might not be everyone’s favorite building to frequent, the second-floor women’s bathroom is definitely one of the best on campus. It has only three stalls, but it has quite a lot

Though this bathroom may be relatively small in comparison to others on campus, it has a lot going for it. The window inside has a nice view, and the bathroom overall is very spacious.

(Personal testimony: I’m not going to lie. I did peek inside the boys’ Stouffer Hall basement bathroom since it was rated at the top of the boys’ list. Personally, I didn’t see what was so great about it after experiencing the luxuries

in the fourth- and fifth-floor HSS bathrooms.)

8. Uhler Hall, First Floor Aesthetic color schemes make bathroom experiences so much more enjoyable. That’s why this one in Uhler Hall is so nice. The tones of teal and blue used with the chrome metal stalls and the lighting from the large window makes it a very nice bathroom to use.

9. HSS, Basement

restroom, this one is not usually very populated, making it perfect for after you devour your Chickfil-A meal and milkshake.

Some of the Worst Library, Second Floor From the dewy smell to the muted, yellow color of the bathroom and the multitude of unflushed toilets, this bathroom is definitely one to avoid.

Weyandt, First Floor

This restroom most likely has more stalls to choose from than any other bathroom on campus.

Since it is so large, there is almost always a stall available. People who have certain stall preferences, like the ones closest to the wall or located toward the middle, will definitely enjoy the selection in this restroom.

This bathroom is by far the worst on campus. First, it is usually pretty dirty, and many of the toilets are usually unflushed. The handicap stall is the size of a normal stall, except slightly longer. Trying to fit a wheelchair inside that stall would involve a lot of tricky maneuvering.

10. HUB (TV Room)

Stouffer, First Floor next to Beard Auditorium

Located conveniently right above the food court in the HUB, this bathroom is great to use when you may have eaten too much and need to relieve yourself. Unlike the downstairs

You’d expect a bathroom positioned next to an auditorium used for events to have more than one stall. Sadly, this bathroom has only a single stall to use.

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April 12, 2019

Culture

Country Meets Hip-Hop: The curious case of ‘Old Town Road’ SETH WOOLCOCK

Editor-In-Chief S.M.Woolcock@iup.edu @Swool15

This article contains opinion.

Imagine: You’re at a bonfire this spring.

No, scratch that.

You’re at Wolfie’s Country Night when you hear it.

“But, it can’t be,” you think to yourself as you finish your remaining $7 vodka cranberry bucket.

Oh, but it is. Country has met rap, and its name is “Old Town Road.”

Traditional country music fans were distained when country music duo Florida Georgia Line began shaking up the country music scene in the early 2010s with pop-sounding choruses and features from hip-hop artists like Nelly and Jason Derulo.

But if they only knew what was to come down the old town road.

Lil Nas X, a 20-year-old rapper from Atlanta released his rap, country song “Old Town Road” Dec. 3.

After the song became increasingly popular on TikTok, the social video sharing app, Lil Nas X signed with Colombia Records, which now distributes the song.

The song continued to trend as Texas Tech’s men’s basketball team advanced to the NCAA’s National Championship game, celebrating every victory with “Old Town Road.”

After working its way up to No. 19 on Billboard’s Hot Country Chart, Billboard removed the song after releasing the following statement: “Upon further review, it was determined that ‘Old Town Road’ by Lil Nas X does not currently merit inclusion on Billboard's country charts.

When determining genres, a few factors are examined, but first and foremost is musical composition.

While ‘Old Town Road’ incorporates references to country and cowboy imagery, it does not embrace enough elements of today's country music to chart in its current version.”

Following Billboard’s statement, Apple Music and Spotify also removed the song from their country charts.

While Lil Nas X is now known for attempting to trailblaze the country/ rap genre, he was far from the first to take a crack at it.

On Jason Aldean’s 2010 hit “Dirt Road Anthem,” listeners can find Aldean’s first attempt at some twangy-sounding rap verses. The song, written by Brantley Gilbert and Colt Ford, a man who’s made

(Facebook) The Kovalchick Convention and Athletic Complex (KCAC) will host Gary Allan Saturday.

Gary Allan to be “Watching Airplanes” at the KCAC HEATHER BAIR

Lead Culture Writer H.Bair@iup.edu @ThePennIUP

(Facebook) Lil Nas X (top) has been in the news lately with his release of the song “Old Town Road” (bottom).

his entire career in the country, rap genre, reached No. 1 on Billboard’s U.S. Hot Country chart and became the best-selling song by a male country solo artist in digital history with more than 4 million downloads.

After Aldean’s continued effort to occasionally incorporate rap into his music, other country artists followed the trend.

Granger Smith did it with his alter ego Earl Dibbles Jr. Keith Urban did it in 2016 when Pitbull and Nile Rodgers joined him on the track “Sun Don’t Let me Down” off his 2016 album “Ripcord.”

And lesser-known artist Dallas Davidson had his first and only breakthrough hit, “Laid Back,” make some noise when he added rap artist Big Boi to one of the verses.

Some would argue that Blake Shelton’s 2013 ”Boys Round Here (feat. Pistol Annies & Friends)”

also had elements of rap/country throughout the song.

But it seems that Lil Nas X took country, rap to a whole new level, sounding closer to rap than country.

Some even suggested that his song mocked country music.

But that’s not how dozens of other artists saw Lil Nas X’s work as they showed support across various social media platform, including country singer and father of Miley Cyrus, Billy Ray Cyrus.

In fact, Cyrus felt so strongly about “Old Town Road” that he and Lil Nas X released the first official remix April 5.

Currently, “Old Town Road Remix feat. Billy Ray Cyrus” and the original are leading Apple Music’s charts, sitting at the No. 1 and 2 spots, respectively.

It also finds itself No. 1 and No. 3 on Spotify’s charts, as well.

A country star who’s been coined as a modern-day outlaw is performing Saturday at the Kovalchick Convention and Athletic Complex (KCAC).

Gary Allan, who has been writing and singing country music since 1996, has started a tour across the U.S. With nine albums and more than 30 singles released, Allan has been a country music star for the ages.

After being born into a family with musical talent in abundance, he began playing in honky-tonks with his father at the age of 13. At 15, he was offered his first recording contract with A&M Records but declined due to his parents wishing him to finish his education.

After graduation, Allan played bars with his band, The Honky Tonk Wranglers. Allan seemed to get his jumpstart in the music career thanks to his side job, selling cars. After he placed a demo tape in the glovebox of a car bought by a wealthy couple, they gave him a check for $12,000, which he used to get to Nashville, Tenn.

Allan’s recordings with Javelina Studios brought several responses from major record labels, including Mercury, RCA and Decca. He later went on to sign with Decca, releasing his first debut studio album “Used Heart for Sale” in 1996.

The album would move to the top 20 charts and be named “Best of the Month.” The first single, “Her Man,” rose Allan to his first

“Top 10 Country Hits” advance on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. Unfortunately, other tracks were not as successful.

Allan was named “Country Music’s Sexy Star” by People Magazine in 1998, thanks to his description as “dark and dreamy” in Entertainment Weekly, as well as Playboy calling him “soulful and rough around the edges.” Rolling Stone added in by deeming him a “maverick.”

After a hiatus, Allan re-signed with Universal Music Group Nashville in 2016, which supported him for 20 years. His last album, released in 2013, “SET YOU FREE,” topped the Billboard 200 Pop Chart, something that had never happened before, as well as debuted at the top of the Billboard Country Album chart for the fourth time in a row.

Allan has also appeared on several shows, such as “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno,” the “Late Show with David Letterman,” as well as “Jimmy Fallon,” and “Live! with Kelly and Michael.” Most recently, he’s been on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!”

In 2004, Allan lost his third wife, Angela, because of suicide.

The two had only been married three years. Due to the grief and impact it had on Allan, he took a year off, putting his career on hold. However, he realized the way to help himself was through the 2005 album, “Tough All Over,” an extremely personal album.

Tickets for Allan’s upcoming performance are on sale and available at the KCAC Box Office, as well as online at iuptix.com and by phone.

The prices range from $25 to $99.

The performance is at 8 p.m.

April 12, 2019

Culture

11

The Scourge Pit Welcome the warm weather with these metal albums CHANDLER BOUTON Cartoonist C.Bouton@iup.edu @ThePennIUP

This article contains opinion.

(Facebook) “Hellboy” releases Friday.

‘Hellboy’ review: Reboot is a violent, vulgar mess RAFER GUZMAN TNS Newsday

This article contains opinion.

Before superheroes became the funny, flippant, sometimes freakish figures we know today, there was Hellboy, a cult favorite from comics author Mike Mignola. A burly demon with red skin, sawedoff horns and a sense of humor, Hellboy got picked up by director Guillermo del Toro for two visually inventive and unexpectedly soulful movies in the mid-2000s. These, too, were destined for cultdom rather than blockbuster success, but in hindsight they were prophetic – visions of a future in which everything from snarling raccoons to carnivorous parasites would become box-office superheroes.

Today, "Hellboy" is the franchise that could have been – and, judging by an execrable new reboot, probably never will be.

"Hellboy" shares its title and several characters, but little else, with the first film. Our hero is still a paranormal gumshoe but he's no longer played by Ron Perlman, who gave the role a crusty, hangdog humor. Gone is Hellboy's fishy friend Abe Sapien (Doug Jones, of "The Shape of Water"). Gone, too, is Liz Sherman (Selma Blair), the Goth girl whose literally fiery temper sent Hellboy's pulse a-racing.

In other words, gone are everything and everyone that made the first films so compelling.

Hellboy is now played by

David Harbour (Netflix's "Stranger Things") as a disappointingly straightforward action hero. He'd be right at home in "The Expendables," except that his one-liners have a supernatural bent. ("Didn't your mother teach you not to play with dead things?" he hollers at a warthog clutching a human limb.)

This Hellboy has machismo but no sense of romance. The only woman in his life is Alice (Sasha Lane), an annoying psychic whose twin powers are vomiting up ghosts and hurling an obscenity.

The rest of the cast is a mixed bag. Ian McShane adds a touch of class as Hellboy's adoptive dad, Professor Broom, while a deadpan Thomas Haden Church plays the campy superhero The Lobster.

Daniel Dae Kim, a Korean-American actor who took the role of Major Ben Daimio after the non-Asian actor Ed Skrein respectfully bowed out, may be wondering whether that was a victory.

"Hellboy" is written by Andrew Cosby and directed by Neil Marshall (HBO's "Game of Thrones") with a focus on extreme gore. Extreme may even be an understatement: We're talking about impalements, decapitations, ripped torsos, spilled entrails, you name it. Milla Jovovich, as Nimue the Blood Queen, spends most of the movie in pieces (the warthog is trying to reassemble her). The movie ends with hints of a sequel, of course, but let's hope not. Even Hellboy's fans might wish this incarnation would go back where he came from.

For those of us born in the cold months and drawn to weather that reflects the inner cold, the dawn of summer can be a frightening time.

A sense of impending doom and dread may descend on the bitter and shivering husk that your decaying soul inhabits. It may be an even more trying time for black metal fans.

I, like you, love my black metal cold and windswept, but in these months of vile heat, sometimes it fills me with a sense of longing for the frigid days recently passed.

These albums aren’t necessarily bright or sunny. Some are fairly somber. They’re all here though, because they have some sort of sun-drenched or warm atmosphere.

If you’re someone who has an affinity for frozen wastelands, it might be time to fill your ears with the sounds of the deadly sun.

Deafheaven – “Sunbather” (2013) Just to get the obvious one out of the way and to annoy the purists who won’t read past this, Deafheaven’s “Sunbather” is a great black metal and shoegaze album to listen to in the summer.

Yes, it’s partially because the name has “sun” in it, but the atmosphere that the album creates is sun-drenched, and the guitar melodies feel warm and embracing.

The cover of the album displays the color of the inside of the eyelids when your eyes are closed and your face is aimed towards the sun’s light. The warm feeling this sensation gives reflects the sound of the album to me.

Panopticon – “Kentucky” (2012) Another album that is not strictly black metal.

There are heavy traditional Americana folk elements here, which, if you’re familiar with Panopticon, shouldn’t surprise you.

That element of folk gives the

(Facebook) Enjoy albums like “Sunbather” as the weather warms up.

album a light-hearted, summer feel, combined with the atmospheric and powerful black metal that Austin Lunn is known for.

The overarching theme of the album is disaffected and displaced coal miners in Kentucky – this is a pro-labor album, not a pro-use-ofcoal album. The folk parts are just as gritty as the extremely well-composed and performed black metal.

The folk sections are not totally separated from the heavier ones though, such as on “Killing the Giants as They Sleep,” the strings that underlay the aggressive guitars contort the ear drums wonderfully.

Weakling – “Dead as Dreams” (2000) The oft unsung heroes of atmospheric black metal, Weakling, were a massive influence on Wolves in the Thone Room, and it’s easy to see why.

Their sole album, “Dead as Dreams,” is a colossal work of dreadful and soul-searing black metal that never relents for its 76-minute runtime.

It also serves as a great summer, black metal album. Whereas “Sunbather” is apt for a gentle sunny day with a light breeze, “Dead as Dreams” is the skin-dissolving flame of a late August sun.

Alcest – “Les Voyages d’lame” (2012) I can’t say enough about this album, and anything I can say has already been said.

It’s a gorgeous and evocative work of blackgaze that is dear to my weary heart.

The fairy-like vocal harmonies on “Beings of Light,” Neige’s tortured shrieks, the drumming, the beautiful guitar melodies. Everything on this album comes together perfectly, creating a warm and loving atmosphere.

To be fair, any of Alcest’s albums are fit for a bright summer’s day, however, this one is, in my opinion, the best for such a thing.

Heretoir – “The Circle” (2017) This is another blackgaze band, this time from Germany, that deserves recognition for their 2017 album, “The Circle.”

This is similar in sound to that Alcest album, and rightfully so, Neige is featured on the track, “Laniakea Dances.”

“The Circle” is incredibly impassioned and soul-stirring with its range of vocal styles and its melodic brutality. It has slight elements of metalcore that add to the aggression of the album, but this never detracts from its beauty and elegance.

Lantlos – “Melting Sun” (2014) This might be the least black metal sounding, but Lantlos is essential, even if it isn’t this album.

Their other albums are more blackened than this one, but this one is called “Melting Sun.” It’s more summer-y, and this is my column, so I do what I want here.

Unlike the rest of these choices, as well as the rest of Lantlos’ discography, this album doesn’t feature shrieks or rasps, but fairly sparse, melodic singing. Lantlos are credited, along with Alcest and other bands, with defining blackgaze.

This is for good reason, as the band perfectly melds the bitter energy of black metal with the ethereal drifting of shoegaze. On the track, “Melting Sun IV: Jade Fields,” the repetition of the line, “I am the sun,” is how I feel I should begin approaching the warm summer months, the same way this album warmly embraces me.

Sports

Sports Editor: Elliot Hicks – E.Hicks@iup.edu Lead Sports Writer: Brad O’Hara – B.L.Ohara@iup.edu

Crimson Hawks Roundup

(IUP Athletics) The IUP men’s golf team took first place at the Cottrell Invitational.

ELLIOT HICKS

Sports Editor e.hicks@iup.edu @ehicks39

New Athletic Director Announced: IUP has named Todd Garzarelli as its new director of athletics, as announced by IUP President Michael Driscoll Wednesday.

Garzarelli has more than 20 years of experience working in collegiate athletics, most recently holding the athletic director position at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater.

“Todd brings an incredible depth and breadth of experience to the athletic director position at IUP,” Driscoll said. “Under Todd’s leadership, IUP Athletics will be ready to move to the next level of success.”

The Western Pennsylvania native was one of three candidates who came to campus recently to participate in open forums.

He will take over for interim athletic director Samantha Traver May 13.

12

Baseball: IUP baseball took part in a game for the ages Tuesday afternoon, suffering an 18-17 loss to Lock Haven in 10 innings.

At least one run was scored in eight different innings, and the unbelievable scoreline was certainly helped by the teams combining for 36 total hits and 12 errors.

Both teams traded runs in the first inning, with the Crimson Hawks holding a 3-1 lead into the fourth and a 5-3 lead after five, but all hell began to break loose in the sixth.

The Bald Eagles scored five runs to take a 7-5 lead, but IUP came right back to score seven runs of its own. Lock Haven still didn’t go down without a fight, reclaiming a 13-12 lead.

The Crimson Hawks scored in the ninth to tie the game at 13, but the Bald Eagles wasted no time in the 10th scoring five runs. As IUP could only bring home four, Lock Haven walked away with the victory.

The 8-20 Crimson Hawks take on

(IUP Athletics) Ally Burrows (senior, biology) has scored 42 goals this season.

Gannon in a home-and-home series Friday and Saturday.

Indiana Country Club.

Lacrosse: Golf: A pair of dominant performances, along with a strong team effort, led IUP golf to its first tournament victory since September, as the Crimson Hawks finished 12 strokes ahead of runners-up Gannon Monday and Tuesday at West Chester’s Cottrell Invitational.

Matt Cocorikis (senior, accounting) took first place with a 2-over144, tying the tournament record on the first day, shooting a 2-under-69.

Jack Buccigross (freshman, marketing) was just three strokes off Cocorikis’ pace, earning his best finish of the season with a tie for second place.

Nicholas Ward (freshman, marketing) tied for seventh, while Jeremy Eckenrode (junior, finance) tied for 13th.

IUP will host the Spadafora Invitational Sunday and Monday at the

April 12, 2019

IUP women’s lacrosse has built a three-game winning streak, rallying behind Ally Burrows’ (senior, biology) seven goals Wednesday to defeat Gannon 19-8.

The No. 25 Crimson Hawks equaled their season high for goals scored, as did Burrows, who now has 42 goals this season and eclipsed 200 goals for her career during the game.

IUP had control throughout, starting the game with nine consecutive goals. Following a trio of goals to put the score at 9-3, the Golden Knights never came any closer to taking the lead.

With five games remaining in the regular season, IUP will look to continue its winning streak Saturday at Shippensburg.

Softball: IUP softball split a doubleheader Tuesday at Seton Hill, taking a 5-4

victory in game one before dropping the second game 3-1.

Renee Wall (sophomore, criminology) extended her hitting streak to 11 games, going 4-for-7 in the doubleheader.

The first game saw four scoreless innings prior to IUP earning a pair of runs over the next two.

Lauren Zola (senior, employment and labor relations) earned the victory, striking out six and giving up four earned runs, three of which coming from a home run in the sixth inning.

Game two saw the Crimson Hawks score in the first on a Griffins error, but Seton Hill scored two runs in the bottom half of the inning, and IUP wasn’t able to score again, stranding runners on base in multiple innings.

The 9-20-1 Crimson Hawks also defeated Pitt-Johnstown in a Thursday doubleheader, taking victories of 2-1 and 12-6.

IUP will face winless Clarion at home Saturday.

Sports

April 12, 2019

Sports

13

NBA playoffs about to begin; West more competitive than East JEFF HART

Staff Writer J.R.Hart2@iup.edu @ThePennIUP

The NBA playoffs will be underway Saturday with action you won’t want to miss.

Contrary to what many may think, the Western Conference is more interesting than it appears.

One of the most interesting matchups of the entire conference has to be Portland vs. Oklahoma City. The Trail Blazers are coming back from last year’s postseason in which they were swept by the New Orleans Pelicans. With Damian Lillard averaging close to 26 points per game this season, it is no surprise to see them seeded third.

Their first-round matchup is no joke.

The Thunder have former MVP Russell Westbrook and MVP candidate Paul George on their squad.

OKC has a point to prove of its own after being bounced out of the playoffs last year by the Jazz.

Both squads have all-star power and potential to do damage in the playoffs. Portland has become the victim of late-season injuries with C.J. McCollum and Jusuf Nurkic.

Luckily, they will have home-court advantage against OKC in this one..

The other playoff series you would be remiss to skip is the Spurs vs. the Nuggets.

Denver has had a spectacular season finishing second in the

(TNS) Russell Westbrook and the Oklahoma City Thunder face the Portland Trail Blazers in the first round.

Western Conference with 54 wins, just three behind the Warriors.

They have utilized the talent of star center Nikola Jokic, who averages seven assists per game, ranking first among active centers.

The San Antonio Spurs crept into the playoff picture as the seventh seed and has been heavily underrated by many fans. Last season, the Spurs lead by 20 against the Warriors at halftime before Kawhi Leonard was injured in the first

game of their playoff series. Greg Popovich is a five-time champion and knows how to take a team all the way.

A game seven would be played in Denver, which many experts say give the Nuggets a competitive edge. This series could truly go either way and promises to be a stellar matchup.

Moving to the Eastern Conference, the playoff picture is significantly less interesting than the

West. Many have the East being a four-team race between Milwaukee, Toronto, Boston and Philadelphia.

With the bottom four teams in the Eastern Conference barely above .500, it is not shocking to see why many think the first round will be uneventful.

There are high expectations to see whether Boston can pull its team together. With the Celtics finishing second in the East last year

without Kyrie Irving and gordon Hayward, they have underachieved due to chemistry issues. Many claim Boston has the deepest bench in the NBA, underwhelmingly taking fourth in the East this year.

They will now have to try and make it through the first two rounds without guard Marcus Smart, who suffered an oblique injury. He is expected to be sidelined for about 4 to 6 weeks, lasting until at least the start of the Eastern Conference Finals.

If Boston is unable to pull its team together, it may give way to either Toronto, Milwaukee or Philadelphia.

Toronto is aware of the growing rumors that star forward Kawhi Leonard may leave for the Clippers next year. With them being second in the East and Lebron in the West, the time is now for the Raptors to grab a championship.

Milwaukee is an obvious contender. It is first in the East with 60 wins on the year, and it has the likely MVP in Giannis Antetokounmpo.

The Bucks have been able to game plan around their revolutionary MVP candidate. It will be interesting to see if they can translate their success into the post-season.

This year’s NBA playoffs will certainly be enthralling. While many believe it is all a futile attempt to beat the star-studded Golden State Warriors, the playoff picture is more competitive than many are believing.

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14

April 12, 2019

Sports

(Facebook) Max Holloway (left) and Dustin Poirier will fight for the interim lightweight title at UFC 236.

Lightweight, middleweight belts up for grabs at UFC 236 BRAD O’HARA

Lead Sports Writer B.L.Ohara@iup.edu @ThePennIUP

UFC 236 this upcoming weekend will showcase two fights for interim title belts, as well as multiple fighters looking to make it into the title picture.

The main event of the evening will be between Max Holloway

and Dustin Poirier for the interim lightweight title. While Khabib Nurmagomedov is suspended, a new champion must be crowned for the division.

Poirier is currently on a streak as he has not lost in his last five fights and lost only one of his last 10. The fighters that Poirier has recently beaten are top-tier fighters that have prepared him well for

an emergence into the title scene.

Four of Poirier’s last five fights have come against former champions and fighters ranked in the top five of the division.

However, Max Holloway has just as many top-tier wins to his name.

Holloway beat Brian Ortega to hand him his first loss, Jose Aldo twice, Anthony Pettis, Charles Oliveira and multiple other well-

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known fighters as well. In fact, Holloway has been so dominant in his position that he has not lost since August 2013.

Now that he has accomplished so much in the featherweight division, Holloway is looking to become the fourth fighter in UFC history to hold the title for two weight divisions at the same time.

The co-main event of the evening is a bout between Kelvin Gastelum and Israel Adesanya for the interim middleweight title.

Originally the fight was supposed to be between Gastelum and Robert Whittaker for the belt back in February, but an abdominal hernia quickly took Whittaker out of action and left the division open for the taking.

Between injuries and cancelled fights, it has almost been a year since the last time Gastelum has fought. His last fight was in May 2018 when he faced Ronaldo Souza in Brazil.

Each of Gastelum’s last three wins have come against veteran fighters in the division, including

Souza as well as Tim Kennedy and former champion Michael Bisping.

Now Gastelum looks to step away from taking out veterans and set his sights on a much younger target in order to be crowned the king of the division.

Israel Adesanya is seen as the next major star in the UFC. His last fight was a decision win against UFC legend Anderson Silva, which many saw as the passing of the torch.

Adesanya is currently undefeated and has shown his ability to stay energized deep into fights. However, he is very much still a knockout threat as his height and reach are a strong advantage for the Nigerian.

In the Gastelum fight, his reach and height advantage will be on display as Adesanya will have a seven-inch height advantage and an eightand-a-half-inch reach advantage.

Despite the outcome of either fight, we are setting up for the rebuilding of two divisions at UFC 236. At this event, we will not only crown the king of the division, but will also put a target on his back.

Sports

April 12, 2019

HOT TAKE JAKE

15

Hot takes, predictions for first round of NHL playoffs JAKE TAYLOR

Staff Writer J.M.Taylor8@iup.edu @JakeTaylor8726

There are few perfect things in this world: good friends, cold beer and playoff hockey.

The upcoming NHL postseason will certainly not change that.

April brings the best two and a half months for any hockey fan. The matchups are official, and the madness is about to begin.

The Stanley Cup is the hardest trophy to win in all of sports. The National Hockey League is deeper than ever.

Will any teams make another miracle turnaround like Nashville in 2017? Will Tampa Bay complete the greatest season in hockey history? Will the Capitals repeat? Or will one of the six playoff teams that have never won hoist the cup in June?

You can either watch and find out or take Hot Take Jake’s word for it.

TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING vs.

COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS The saddest part about this matchup is how much Columbus bought in to be a contender.

The Blue Jackets have traded away five of their six picks in the first three rounds of the next two drafts. All this to match up against (so far) the best hockey team to ever skate on ice, Tampa Bay. Well, Columbus fans, there’s always next year. 4-1, Tampa Bay. BOSTON BRUINS vs.

TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS A rivalry for the ages. A repeat of last year’s first round. A series that went to seven games.

Let’s focus on the biggest differences from then until now.

Boston came into the postseason the hottest team in the league, being led by David Pastrnak. This year they come into the playoffs lukewarm but not nearly as frigid as Toronto.

The Leafs have made many personal changes that upgraded their

(TNS) Nikita Kucherov and the Tampa Bay Lightning face the Columbus Blue Jackets in round one.

team, being John Tavares and Jake Muzzin, but Boston always has the upper hand. Mike Babcock can rally his troops, and the Maple Leafs will be able to change the narrative and finally knock out the Bruins. 4-3, Toronto.

WASHINGTON CAPITALS vs.

CAROLINA HURRICANES Do not let the defending Stanley Cup Champions fool you; the Capitals are the epitome of choking in the playoffs.

In no world should any human being believe the Washington Capitals are a surefire win. Carolina is coming into the playoffs for the first time in six years. They would really be the underdog team to root for, except their post home victory “Storm Surge” celebration makes you never want to watch hockey again. 4-2, Washington.

NEW YORK ISLANDERS vs.

PITTSBURGH PENGUINS Since John Tavares’ double OT winner sent the Islanders to the second round in 2016, the Pen-

guins have won two Stanley Cups.

Granted, this is not the Islanders team of years past, but it is the Penguins team of years past.

The tandem of Anders Lee and Matt Barzal have a combined 113 points and plus-15 goal differential, compared to Sidney Crosby and Jake Guentzel’s 176 points and plus-31 differential.

In Crosby We Trust. 4-3, Pittsburgh.

CALGARY FLAMES vs.

COLORADO AVALANCHE Calgary has been trying to get it together the last five years, and now under coach Bill Peters, they seem to be clicking. Finishing a top the Western Conference with 107 points, they look to win their first cup in 30 years.

Colorado making the playoffs can only mean one thing: Nathan MacKinnon is more valuable than Taylor Hall. After getting robbed of the Hart trophy last season, MacKinnon proved again that he should be considered one of the best players under 24 in the NHL. However,

the depth on the Flames will melt the Avalanche. 4-1, Calgary.

SAN JOSE SHARKS vs.

VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS The San Jose Sharks have arguably the best roster in hockey.

The Vegas Golden Knights have a ragtag team of gritty, hardworking players who caught some “house always wins” luck last season. Although, Vegas is not a team who will back down from a fight.

San Jose’s duel wield offense packs too big of a punch. With a d-core of Braun/Burns, Dillon/Karlson and Ryan/Vlasic, I cannot see a lackluster Vegas offense perform better. 4-1, San Jose.

NASHVILLE PREDATORS vs.

DALLAS STARS Surprisingly enough, the NHL’s “key factor stats” heavily favor the Dallas Stars. Contrary, if you actually watch hockey, you would know that Nashville is the better team.

They won the Western Conference in 2017, won the Presidents’ Trophy in 2018, added a few more

pieces in 2019 and eased the pressure off. Dallas straddles into town with the top-heaviest scoring in the league. Not to mention, the Stars’ best defenseman wouldn’t even see ice time if he played for the Preds.

Dallas better take their horse to the old town road because Nashville’s gonna ride ‘til you can’t no more. 4-1, Nashville.

WINNIPEG JETS vs.

ST. LOUIS BLUES These teams tied in points.

Winnipeg had more regulation victories, so they claimed home ice advantage. Bell MTS Place can be a very tough environment to go into and win.

Be that as it may, St. Louis fought back from last place in January to one win away from winning the Central Division. The Jets come crashing into the postseason with a losing record in their last 10 games.

The Blues sit at 8-1-1 in their last 10.

The hotter goalie always wins.

The hotter team always wins. 4-2, St. Louis.

Sports

April 12, 2019

16

Virginia, with luck on its side, takes national championship JAKE ROUSE

Staff Writer J.A.Rouse3@iup.edu @ThePennIUP

The Virginia Cavaliers can now claim the title 2019 NCAA March Madness National Champions.

It was a historical comeback from last year’s tournament, when the Cavaliers were the first ever No. 1 seed to lose in the first round.

Luck, and maybe the refs, were on their side in this year’s go around.

The Final Four matchups were not the anticipated of many bracket fillers back on selection Sunday.

Virginia faced off against Auburn in the semifinals of the tournament and merely survived the upset. In the final seconds – 1.5 to be exact – Auburn was ahead 62-60. On a last chance catch-and-shoot attempt in the corner from Kyle Guy of Virginia, the whistle blew just before the buzzer rang and the shot was missed.

The refs called a foul on the Auburn defender, who did not touch Guy’s shot but didn’t give the shooter just enough room to land.

It was a 3-point-shot attempt. After review, the refs put 0.6 seconds on the clock and sent Guy to the line for three, of which he made all, and the Cavaliers advanced.

In the other semifinal matchup that evening, Texas Tech was able to control the game against Michigan State. After miraculously defeating Duke in the Elite Eight, Michigan State’s late game push against the Texas Tech Red Raiders was not enough.

Tech defeated Michigan State 61-51 to advance to the National Championship game, the first National Championship game in program history for both the Texas Tech Red Raiders and the Virginia Cavaliers.

The National Championship game did not disappoint. It was a back-and-forth game between the Red Raiders and Cavaliers for all 40 minutes of regulation, with Virginia having a couple points on Tech

(TNS) The Virginia Cavaliers won the 2019 NCAA Men’s Basketball National Championship, defeating Texas Tech 85-77.

for the majority. Texas Teach really made a push in the final four minutes to take the lead.

In the final minute, Texas Tech was down one and made an important block on Virginia. Tech came down the floor with the ball, and with 39 seconds left, the Big 12 Player of the Year, Jarrett Culver, drove to the basket, made a spin move on the defender and laid in two points off the glass to give Texas Tech the lead.

Tech increased the lead to three with a 68-65 game in the final 20 seconds. That’s when De’Andre

Hunter made a kick-out three in the corner for Virginia to tie the game at 68 and force overtime.

Overtime was even more exciting than regulation.

Virginia scored, then Texas Tech scored twice, then Virginia scored twice, at least for the first three of the five minutes in overtime. Virginia pulled away in the final two minutes, and the few shots Tech made were followed by quick fouls that didn’t help the Red Raiders.

One of the deciding factors was a turnover after review by the Red Raiders, where Texas Tech had the

ball poked out of bounds by a Virginia defender. The refs went back to look at it, and after zooming in as close as possible on the ball, it appeared to have barely graced the pinky finger of Davide Moretti of the Red Raiders before going out of bounds.

To many, it was inconclusive evidence as it was only seen from one, maybe two camera angles after full zoom and slowed down frame by frame. Virginia managed the remainder of the game, caught the final rebound and dribbled out the clock before storming the court as

the 2019 National Champions.

Basketball fans question with the Cavaliers’ success down the stretch how much was earned and how much was given.

In the Elite Eight, Virginia was down three with five seconds remaining and won. In the Final Four, Virginia was down four with 17 seconds remaining and won. And of course, in the championship, it was down three with 12 seconds to play in regulation and won.

Despite the skepticism, it’s the best college basketball team this year and deserves respect.