1-28-20

The Pitt News

T h e i n d e p e n d e n t s t ude nt ne w spap e r of t he U niversity of Pittsburgh | PIttnews.com | January 28, 2020 ­| Volume 110 | Issue 208

RINGING IN THE YEAR OF THE RAT

THE SECOND COMING

Charlie Taylor Staff Writer

Lines form in the Petersen Events Center as students await the return of Chick-fil-A to Pitt’s campus on Monday morning. Caela Go staff photographer

Nationality Rooms director retires after 54-year career Mary Rose O’Donnell Assistant News Editor

Maxine Bruhns’ day used to start at 4:30 a.m.

She watched the international news on BBC and Al Jazeera America, looking for developments to fill her staff in on. Each morning, according to her assistant Maryann Sivak, she greeted those working in her office with a salutation in a different language, and then she taught them the correct response. Her life before becoming the director of Pitt’s Nationality Rooms shaped the legacy that she will leave behind.

Maxine Bruhns, Pitt’s former director of the Nationality Rooms, officially retired on Jan. 1 after a 54-year career at the University. Bruhns, 96, is the second person to ever hold this position. According to Cristina Lagnese, Nationality Rooms scholarship administrator and head of nationality room committee relations, a job posting will be available soon and then the vetting of candidates will begin. Bruhns did not respond to interview requests for this piece, though many of her colleagues and friends described her impact at Pitt.

E. Maxine Bruhns, originally E. Maxine Moose — of Grafton, West Virginia — attend-

ed West Virginia Wesleyan College for one year before leaving to work in an aircraft factory after the Pearl Harbor attacks. She received a philosophy and psychology degree from the Ohio State University in 1946.

After college, she met and married Fred C. Bruhns. Together, they traveled around the world while Fred worked for the International Refugee Organization to resettle refugees.

While traveling — living in places like Lebanon, Jerusalem, Vietnam, Cambodia, Iran, Greece and Gabon — Maxine taught English, learned the native languages and acted in loSee Bruhns on page 2

Pitt students and faculty stepped away from their dreary, beige cafeteria and breakroom lunches to usher in the New Year among false cherry blossoms and pops of red.

The festivities were part of the annual Lunar New Year celebration hosted by the Institute for International Studies in Education from their temporary location on McKee Place. The event was one of many gatherings held throughout Pittsburgh to mark the start of the Year of the Rat on the lunar calendar, which officially began Jan. 25.

Unlike the Gregorian calendar, with which most Americans are most familiar, the lunar calendar tracks time based on the cycles of the moon rather than the movement of the earth around the sun. Yiting Chen, a Chinese instructor at Pitt, said this system has its roots in ancient agrarian practices.

“Ancient Chinese people used [the lunar calendar] to track what to plant in their fields, so this is the way they functioned [with the cycles of the moon] back in the old days,” she said.

Although the Lunar New Year is often referred to as “Chinese New Year,” the holiday is celebrated in countries all across Asia, including Vietnam, Korea and Indonesia. Featuring food from a range of cultures — like Banh Tet, a staple food of the Vietnamese celebrations — Thursday’s event was a panAsian celebration aimed at celebrating diversity, according to IISE director Maureen McClure. She said the festivities were planned almost entirely by students, who come from a broad range of backgrounds.

“The organization, the planning, the inSee New Year on page 6

News

Judge dismisses charges against Pitt sophomore pittnews.com

Bruhns, pg. 1

cal theaters. The couple moved to Pittsburgh in 1965 so that Fred could finish his Ph.D and teach at Pitt’s Graduate School of Public and International Affairs. According to Sivak, it was at this time that Maxine became the second director of the Nationality Rooms.

Michael Walter, the Nationality Rooms tour coordinator, the advisor to the Quo Vadis club and a 1994 Pitt studio arts alum, said Bruhns revamped the position into what it is today.

“Once she got the position, it became her entire life. At the time, the Nationality Rooms program was kind of moribund. There weren’t new rooms being created, there wasn’t reaching out into the communities and forming new committees,” he said. “[Maxine] had described it to me as a part-time, two-day-aweek job in a broom closet in Bruce Hall. And then from there, she transformed it into a living program again.”

Under her tenure, 12 new Nationality Rooms were built, including the Israel heritage, Armenian, African heritage, Ukrainian, Austrian and Japanese rooms. Two more rooms — the Finnish room and the Iranian room — are currently in the works. Bruhns traveled to almost all of the countries that now have rooms, aside from Wales, Switzerland, Korea and the Philippines.

Dr. Heinz Kunz, a professor emeritus at the University’s medical school and former member of the Swiss room council, said Bruhns always made time to get to know international ambassadors and students so that everyone could have the opportunity to learn about other cultures.

“She continued, her staff too, that these rooms became known to not only sight-seeing people, but to the young people around, to the students,” Kunz said. “I think that the way the world is right now, the ups and downs everywhere, especially in politics, I think it’s important that students learn the cultures of other countries.”

The Nationality Rooms scholarship program was created by Ruth Crawford Mitchell, the founding director of the rooms. But under Bruhns’ direction, the amount of Scholarships for Summer Study Abroad recipients grew

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Maxine Bruhns served as the Nationality Rooms director for 54 years before retiring in the beginning of January. Image courtesy of Tommy Altany from three to 54, plus several grants, in 2019. stop at the Nationality Rooms scholarship proLagnese said Bruhns loves to go out and gram. She personally donated more than $2.5 experience the world herself and attributes million to Pitt, as well as funding four scholarthat to the growth in the scholarship program. ships to her high school alma mater, Bridge“Before there was study abroad, she went port High School, for women in their senior to those different countries, and she looked up year and four summer study abroad scholarprograms, put together programs in different ships at West Virginia Wesleyan College. countries,” Lagnese said. “And so, she familiarBruhns spent time not just educating peoized herself with the programs when, at that ple, but also building personal relationships time, they were far and few in between.” with them. Jennie-Lynn Knox, whose father Sivak said Bruhns’ commitment to edu- was one of the founding members of the Irish cating students about other countries did not room, said that Bruhns was more than just a

January 28, 2020

colleague to many — she was a close friend.

“When there were events going on when I was little, I used to tag along with Dad, so I was always with them. She’s so much fun — her quirkiness is just grand,” Knox said. “She’s one of those people who says ‘jump,’ I say ‘how high.’ She’s made me a stronger woman. She believed in me.”

Mark Nordenberg, Pitt’s chancellor emeritus, recounted that at each chancellor’s concert in December, Bruhns would introduce him to international students on scholarship.

“That may seem like a little thing, but you know, even in that social setting, she was so committed to making certain that those students made connections with everyone they could and got the most out of their experiences here at Pitt,” Nordenberg said. “That really is reflective of the approach Maxine took to her work.”

Maryann Sivak has been the assistant to the director of the Nationality Rooms since 2012. She said Bruhns was ahead of her time in her style of directing the Nationality Rooms, in that she greatly valued diversity at the University.

“She was very open-minded and she always said that we all came from somewhere to America and that we need to see the richness that the immigrants, each culture, brought to enrich American culture,” Sivak said.

On the Cathedral of Learning’s third floor, there is a display documenting Bruhns’ life and her work at the University. In her days of retirement, according to Sivak and Walter, Bruhns plans to stay busy by writing a book, creating a foundation, editing articles and papers for those in the department and continuing to donate to charities, especially those focused on animal rights.

Nordenberg said the legacy Bruhns is leaving behind is a major part of University history.

“She also will be leaving the power of her own example, of how to maximize the presence of these rooms in order to build relationships that will be beneficial in a range of ways,” Nordenberg said. “She has had an ability to bond with all kinds of people, to connect them to the University and the programs of the University that is distinctive and certainly will be missed.”

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Opinions

columns

TRUMP’S LAX REGULATIONS There’s so many THREATEN STREAMS, WETLANDS fish in the sea,

why get a human?

Nina Santucci

For The Pitt News

Promiti Debi staff illustrator

Paige Lawler Staff Columnist

In light of the recent impeachment proceedings, all eyes have been on President Donald Trump as Americans follow his trial. The antics in Washington, D.C., have drawn the public’s attention away from any policy updates or changes that are occurring.

However, an important update occurred within the last week — the implementation of a new policy called the Navigable Waters Protection Rule.

This rule — a replacement to the Waters of the United States rule that was repealed in September 2019 — is a massively inferior update to the policy it replaces and is the latest of Trump’s careless environmental policies.

WOTUS was an Obama-era policy that placed federal regulations on many different bodies of water, thus protecting them from sources

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of pollution such as pesticides and fertilizers that can cause harm to ecosystems if they run off into nearby bodies of water.

The NWPR greatly weakens the original protections laid out in WOTUS by refining what is defined as “waters of the United States.” In this updated policy, protections are stripped from a number of water sources, limiting the scope of protected bodies of water to four categories — “territorial seas and traditional navigable waters; perennial and intermittent tributaries that contribute surface water flow to such waters; certain lakes, ponds, and impoundments of jurisdictional waters; and wetlands adjacent to other jurisdictional waters.”

These categories restrict jurisdiction to a set of water sources that is massively limited and puts far more sources at risk of pollution. The new rule also clarifies which sources and bodies are now See Lawler on page 4

In remembrance of Cosmo, a good fish.

Relationships are so hard. Like really, really hard. Most of the time, when things don’t work out, it’s simply because the two people have different perceptions of love. Love is not a definite concept.

When people have different ideas of love, they can prompt expectations that are tiring to meet. Just because someone’s perception of love is different from someone else’s does not make it wrong. But why deal with any of that complicated mess when you can have the most consistent, unquestionable love — a fish.

You will never really know what your fish is feeling, but you can assume it’s undying love, as you’re the sole reason that it’s still alive. Even if you do something wrong, your fish will forget, due to its very short memory span. Not only will a fish be totally satisfied being part of your life, it’ll actually benefit your life. It’s proven that having a pet fish can benefit mental health, which isn’t always the case in a human relationship.

A fish requires the most minimal of things — food, water and a little room service now and then. If provided, then you’re already doing enough. This little creature relies on you, and it’s difficult to let it down unless you really try to neglect it, which is pretty sadistic, so don’t do that.

Either way, don’t overwork yourself in order to express love when a fish reminds you that the amount of love you’re able to give right now is enough for it.

It’s always said that if someone loves you, then they will show you. This expectation to prove love can be exhausting. In a busy college life — balancing school, work, clubs and the rest of life — it can

January 28, 2020

be hard to put enough effort into a relationship to make it work. The reality of it is that we can’t put our everything into a relationship when a relationship isn’t our everything. Bloop.

Someone should be able to give what they can in a relationship and be appreciated for it, instead of only being acknowledged for what they can’t give. If you’re tired of giving it your all and your all not being good enough, then be tired no longer. A fish is what you need.

Something a relationship requires and a fish doesn’t is communication. Texting and calling someone to talk about your day is nice. It’s always nice to have someone listen and care. After coming home from a long day, tired as all hell and dreading the work you have yet to do, venting to someone who immediately wants to say how it will get better, what can be done to make it better, to keep your chin up and all the other non-helpful etceteras isn’t helpful. Instead, you can relax next to a non-talkative, non-judgmental fish and shamelessly let out every emotion.

You don’t have to worry about sounding like a pessimist or a lost cause, because a fish cannot process what you’re saying anyway. You’re much more likely to find relief by letting your problems out completely and honestly than by relying on the not-so-helpful words of someone else. Your fish will always listen. Your fish will always care.

For years, studies have shown overwhelming evidence that pets are good for mental health, specifically anxiety and depression. But, aside from service animals, students aren’t permitted to have cats, dogs or other pets of that kind in the dorms. Most landlords don’t allow pets, and even if they do, caring for a cat or a dog can be quite a feat for a college student. But there’s no rule See Santucci on page 4

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Lawler, pg. 3 excluded from protection, including, but not limited to, groundwater, ephemeral streams and man-made lakes and ponds.

Excluding these waters from the new rule puts vulnerable ecosystems at risk to damage from harmful chemicals and pollutants that can now be disposed of without any federal regulation or interference. The exclusion of ephemeral streams — or streams that flow only after precipitation — from the protected categories is particularly worrisome, as ephemeral streams are vital to the health and overall well-being of river systems.

Changes implemented by the NWPR will seriously impact southwestern regions as these streams are prominent in the mid and southwestern regions of the United States — for example, about 95% of streams in Arizona are ephemeral.

As such, without the proper legislative protection, these streams have greater potential to be negatively impacted by pollution. Given that they make up so much of the region’s waterways, states in the mid and southwestern regions would be the most sensitive to the negative effects of the lessened protections.

New Mexico has possibly the most at stake as the NWPR goes into effect. It is estimated that, due to now-limited federal regulations, in addition to a lack of regulations on the state level, 96% of New Mexico’s water bodies and wetlands will be left unprotected.

Also at risk in New Mexico are the major tributaries flowing into the Rio Grande and the Santa Fe River, the latter being a main source of drinking water for the city of Santa Fe. As such, unregulated pollution in the connected tributaries could seriously impact the health and safety of citizens by contaminating their drinking water.

Wetlands are proven to positively affect the quality of waters found downstream from them by nature of their function as a natural filter or buffer that helps to eliminate pollution. However,

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under the NWPR’s narrowing scope of jurisdiction, only “adjacent wetlands,” or those that directly border or have a direct surface connection to a body of water that is protected by federal jurisdiction, will maintain their protected status. This is concerning, especially as wetlands are known to influence the condition of nearby waters, even when they lack a direct surface connection.

Another concerning aspect of the NWPR is Trump’s apparent misunderstanding of the policy’s consequences. In an address at the annual convention of the American Farm Bureau Federation, Trump stated that “[Waters of the United States] was a rule that basically took your property away from you.”

This statement paints a twisted view of the former policy, attempting to make out the NWPR as a win for farmers and industries as it supposedly gives their land back to them and frees them from federal interference. However, the original WOTUS rule didn’t necessarily restrict the use of land, and according to Section 404 of the Clean Water Act, many activities are generally permitted in the presence of wetlands. For example, the EPA does not restrict farmers from performing typical agricultural functions — such as plowing, harvesting and maintenance of dams, ponds or ditches — on protected lands.

Due to this fact, Trump’s claim that the WOTUS rule infringed on landowners’ access to their own property is invalid, especially because the actual jurisdiction on taking land or restricting access comes from a different piece of legislation.

While Trump’s implementation and portrayal of the NWPR may bolster the faith his political base has in him — specifically the farmers, industries and other landowners who may feel they have regained control over their land — it will inevitably have negative effects on areas that are susceptible to pollution and damage from now-unregulated pollution.

Santucci, pg. 3 against fish in residence halls, and, surprisingly, they’re just as beneficial to one’s mental health. A study conducted by Plymouth University found that people who watch swimming fish have lowered blood pressure and a reduced heart rate, which correlates with decreased anxiety.

And one thing you’ll certainly never have anxiety about is trust. “[Trust] is absolutely fundamental for a healthy, close relationship,” relationship counselor Andrea Bonior says. “And yet it is far easier, and takes a lot less time, to lose trust than to build it back up. The rebuilding of trust takes time, patience and work, just as it does to establish it in the first place.”

Trusting someone is a very intense thing to do, considering that loyalty seems to be becoming increasingly more rare. Why subject yourself to overthinking all day about why he hasn’t called you yet, who she’s with or if he’s tongue-deep down someone else’s throat? There’s no need to spend any more nights crying alone wondering why you weren’t good enough or why they left, because there’s an obvious solution.

A fish will never leave. It literally cannot or else it will die, and unless it’s a Betta fish — which are notorious for jumping out of tanks — you won’t have to worry much about them walking out. A fish will never cheat on you, unless you put another fish in its tank, because you are the only creature it loves — to whatever extent fish can love. When you come home every day, your fish will be there to reassure you that you’re not alone and you are enough.

We’ve all experienced heartbreak in some form, and breakups tend to be the worst because we end up blaming or devaluing ourselves.

Breakups aren’t ever easy, even for the one doing the breaking. It hurts to let everything go and deal with the pain of losing someone and parts of oneself with them. But it has to happen. How

January 28, 2020

can we ever expect to find the right person unless we let the wrong people go? It’s a hard decision to make, and it’s not always the easiest, but it is the best.

A relationship that you never have to worry about ending is one with a fish. Even cats and dogs can be horrible and make you feel like a bad owner, but it’s quite difficult to get those vibes from a fish. You love your fish correctly — perfectly, even — without having to experience any of the ups and downs of making a relationship work.

Sadly, your fish may die. It could live for a few months or a few years, but any time in such a stable relationship comes with heartbreak. It’s a simpler one though, inevitable — the circle of life. Your fish may break your heart, but knowing you provided it with the best love and nurturing you could will make letting it go much easier.

If you don’t think your fish loves you, that’s okay. You don’t need to be loved by someone else to be valuable or important, and your fish proves that to you. Your fish will help you realize your ability to love and care. Maybe it’s meant to be shared with other people, and maybe it’s only meant to be shared with a fish, but the most important relationship for you to focus on is the one with yourself.

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Culture

Asian Student Association hosts annual culture fair pittnews.com

PERFORMANCE COLLABORATIVE

BRINGS STUDENT PRODUCTIONS TO LIFE

Matthew Monroy Senior Staff Writer

This year’s University of Pittsburgh Mainstage lineup is filled with awardwinning writers and highly lauded works. A Broadway musical from a Tony Award-winning writer and a play from a Pulitzer Prize finalist playwright fill out the impressive schedule. But what you won’t find in that list are small plays and musicals written, directed, composed and staged by an entirely student-run crew.

This is more the work of The Performance Collaborative, a student-run club in the University’s Theatre Arts department. Launched in 2011, the club focuses on promoting student-created and lesser-known work through a variety of workshops and festivals.

Emily Rothermel, a sophomore majoring in nonfiction writing, serves as the chair of PC and said the organization is an avenue for showcasing diverse works of all types.

“We’ve opened up more of a platform for student’s works to be performed,” she said. “Those things are harder to get done by the department because they’re busy with so many other projects.”

The Performance Collaborative upholds this vision with events like 20/40, held each year during orientation week.

Instead of being produced like a typical Mainstage production with one show, 20/40 is a collection of 20 student-written short plays — all of which are done in 40 minutes. The event mostly uses older plays written by theater department members that the PC keeps in their repertoire.

One sketch describes the colorful struggle of navigating your way around South Oakland parties to the tune of the popular kid’s song “We’re Going on

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Performance Collaborative is a student-run club in the University’s theater department that focuses on promoting student-created work. Image courtesy of Performance Collaborative a Bear Hunt.” Cal Behr, a sophomore theater major who serves PC as the vice chair and creative lead for 20/40 said the event is a fun way to introduce new students to the theater department.

“It’s a nice little way for students who come to Pitt and have just arrived to get a sense of what it’s about,” Behr said.

For students who may want to grow even more involved with the theater de-

partment, the PC’s Playwriting Festival allows students the opportunity to submit their own plays for judging. Now in its fifth year, the festival accepts an unlimited amount of submissions, but only three are chosen by a panel of judges for the festival. The three plays are assigned a director and staged in front of an audience at the Playwriting Festival, which is typically held in the first couple weeks of

January 28, 2020

January.

The winner of the Playwriting Festival is chosen based on a combination of audience and judge votes. The winning play is then given a full production budget and staged the following school year, complete with a director, full cast, props and costumes. This year’s winning play was “Daylily” by Cassie Maz. The runner-ups were “Saag Paneer” by See Collaborative on page 6

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is represented by one of 12 animals, the first of which is the rat. According to Chen, a popular Chinese legend says that the gods held a race to determine which animals would represent which years. The rat knew he couldn’t beat the cat, so he decided not to tell the cat about the race in order to win for himself. Chen said this legend explains both why the rat is the first animal in the Chinese zodiac and why cats appear to hate rats.

Still, the rat is associated with more than just deceit. According to Chen, the rat is

known for his speed and cunning, and the Year of the Rat brings careful planning and increased wealth.

“Even though in this story, the rat is not a good symbol because he cheated his friends, the rat is fast and agile, and in the Year of the Rat, you will have a very meticulous year,” she said. “And rats also bring fortune and money.”

Although the official date of the Lunar New Year has already passed, there are still opportunities to enjoy New Year’s festivities

and support Asian culture in Pittsburgh.

Marian Lien, the president of the Organization of Chinese Americans, said there will be two events in early February that focus on the New Year. Artist Jordan Wong, whose work combines traditional New Year themes with questions of Asian identity, will host a talk at MuseumLab in the North Side on Feb. 8 at 3 p.m., during which he will discuss his experiences navigating a creative career.

Lien said it’s important for artists like Wong to engage in dialogue about their background because they may not be actively encouraged to pursue creative fields.

“Society has these stereotypes about what Asian Americans are,” she said. “And not just the greater society, but with our own communities not knowing how to support our artists.”

The OCA is also putting on a parade showcasing 25 Asian cultural organizations, including Thai dancers and representatives of the Pittsburgh Dragon Boat Festival on Feb. 9 in Squirrel Hill. Lien said the parade is an opportunity for Asian Americans in Pittsburgh to come together and forge a deeper sense of community.

“Any organization that has a tie with the Asian community will be coming out, showcasing who they are, and celebrating with the community,” Lien said. “My hope is that Pitt students will find it inspiring to come out and support these individuals.”

piece,” Coyle said. “But it was really, really fun and really good and encouraged me to push myself and expand.”

Rothermel’s mission this year has been to increase the schedule of events CP offers beyond the traditional yearto-year happenings. One planned event — the upcoming “New Works Showcase” — has Rothermel extremely excited.

Described as a “fringe festival” — an event featuring experimental and atypical performances — the showcase in March won’t be limited to just plays or musicals. The event will be centered on the theme of “Forgetting/Remembering” and open to any type of creative performance. Rothermel said she hopes to make this event an intersection of music, theater and spoken word.

“We’re gonna invite bands, dance groups, slam poets — areas and communities that have crossover with performance art but don’t necessarily interact with the theater department all that

much,” Rothermel said.

For Rothermel, this event has been a goal of hers for a long time. In high school, she was an assistant stage manager for the Reading Theater Project, where the 5-Minute Fringe Festival is a popular event.

“I’ve wanted to bring something like this to the theater department ever since I arrived on campus my freshman year,” Rothermel said. “It’s why I ran for the board of PC, because I knew that this club would be the right platform to produce something like this.”

The Performance Collaborative has continued its new events with Play Clubs, a twice monthly event designed to increase student’s awareness of lesserknown plays. The first Play Club took place last Wednesday and saw PC members reading from “The Little Match Girl,” a Japanese play adaption of Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tale. Anyone who was at the event was welcome to

read from the play as one of the characters, and after they discussed the play and what its abstract characters and vague storyline could mean. It’s this kind of unrecognized theater that Rothermel said the club seeks to promote.

“We definitely have a focus on works that aren’t as well-known or new and emerging works,” Rothermel said. “Our two goals would definitely be exposure and education.”

And the process of educating newcomers isn’t limited to just PC’s audience. Behr said that his work in curating pieces for PC has made him more conscious of lesser-known theater that still fits the club’s mission.

“It’s been a great experience for me to try to find things that it I think people will enjoy while also staying true to what our club is,” Behr said. “And it has been difficult at times, but I think that we’ve found our footing and are gonna grow exponentially from here.”

New Year, pg. 1 vitations — everything is pretty much done by students,” McClure said. “And that’s really important because we have a very diverse group of people that work with IISE.” Decor for the event was primarily red, the traditional color of the New Year. Chen said families decorate their homes in red because of an ancient Chinese myth, similar to the story of the zodiac. According to the story, a monster named Nian emerged only during the new year to terrorize humans until an old man sent by the gods revealed that Nian was afraid of the color red.

“Nian only comes out once a year, which is the time of the Chinese New Year,” Chen said. “[People] put red things outside their house and write some blessings [on signs] on New Year’s Eve to scare Nian away.”

Thursday’s celebration also featured Chinese-language music performed by IISE program coordinator and education instructor Jorge Enrique Delgado. Delgado is from Colombia, but said he was inspired by his students and colleagues to start learning songs in Chinese.

“I only know a few words in Chinese,” he said. “I learned my songs from [students and classmates], and they improved my pronunciation, and they taught me the meanings [of the lyrics].”

Each year in the Chinese lunar calendar

Collaborative, pg. 5 Samir Yellapragada and “Signs” by Kayla Bradley.

Last year’s winner was a one-act musical called “Storied,” written by nowPitt graduate Mohit Patel. The musical centers on the Greek gods Apollo and Dionysus as they try to put on an original show together. PC composed the music to accompany Patel’s lyrics over the summer and gathered a group of musicians to play for the show.

For Josee Coyle, a junior majoring in theater and psychology, interacting with more experimental theater with PC through the Playwriting Festival has pushed her to expand her artistic boundaries. She said the process of directing an extremely abstract show at last year’s Playwriting Festival was difficult, but rewarding.

“There were puppets, there were 35 characters and 5 actors — it was a crazy

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Shruti Talekar staff illustrator

January 28, 2020

6

Sports

+ Capel comments on Bryant’s death + Toney’s 2020 statistics at pittnews.com

Rocky road ahead for Pitt pursuing tournament Joe Melillo

For The Pitt News After a surprisingly competitive start to the season, all of Oakland has one thing on their minds — March basketball for the Pitt Panthers.

Pitt sits with a 13-7 overall record (4-5 in the ACC) after Saturday’s 69-61 loss at Syracuse. The team boast quality wins over Florida State, Rutgers and UNC, yet also have some discouraging losses against Nicholls State and Wake Forest. As it stands, Pitt has a chance to earn an at-large bid in the March Madness tournament — provided it keeps winning. Here are three keys to getting the University of Pittsburgh at the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament in March.

1) Win 20 Games This year’s top 25 rankings have been more volatile than any year in recent memory. Evansville beat then-No. 1 Kentucky in October and ever since, several teams have occupied the top spot over the course of this wild season. This is why it is absolutely imperative that Pitt hits the 20-win mark.

In recent years, almost all tournament teams that received at-large bids won 20 or more games over the course of their season. It seems that the only teams who sneak into the tournament with less than 20 wins are the teams who receive automatic bids from winning their conference — something that is probably out of reach for the Panthers.

This would mean that Pitt would have to go 7-4 for the rest of the season — a pretty daunting task when you consider the fact that it has games against Florida State, Duke, Notre Dame, Virginia and Syracuse left on the schedule. Winning 20 games would almost ensure that the Panthers would have to win a few games as underdogs. It makes this year’s losses to Nicholls State and Wake Forest sting even more.

Pitt’s men’s basketball team has the opportunity to earn an at-large bid in the March Madness tournament if the team can keep winning for the remainder of the season. Joy Cao staff photographer

improve in order to get a tournament nod.

In past years, the Panthers could have relied on the strength of the ACC to boost their resumé — most years, a .500 ACC record would be quite impressive to the tournament selection committee. This year, however, traditional conference powers like Duke, UNC and Louisville have suffered tough losses. In other words, the ACC does not boast its usual top-tier strength. This is why the Panthers must differentiate themselves and prove that they can win in what looks like a fairly average conference this year.

This is an attainable benchmark for Pitt.

With 11 games left to play, the team would have to finish 6-5 to ensure a .500 record, and every additional win would help the Panthers separate 2) Finish with a Winning ACC Record themselves in a wide-open ACC. This requires The first two keys on this list are pretty close- the Panthers to win the games they are supposed ly related, as Pitt only has ACC opponents left on to — Miami, Georgia Tech and Clemson should the schedule for this season. The Panthers own a all be wins. But this year isn’t fit for guarantees.

4-5 record in the ACC, a mark that will have to 3) Win at least a game of the ACC Tourna-

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ment Should Pitt fail to accomplish either of the first two keys, this is an area where it can make up serious ground. Losing in the first round of the ACC tournament would be disastrous and could possibly derail a team with 20 wins and a positive ACC record. It is imperative that Pitt wins in the first round and prove that it’s among the ACC’s up-and-comers this year.

Should the Panthers have 20 wins and win two rounds of the ACC tournament, they are virtually a lock to earn an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament. It’s no easy task, but advancing in the ACC tournament looks to be a major swing factor for a Pitt team that projects to the bubble for this year’s NCAA Tournament.

provement in Capel’s second year has been stellar already. This was a team that could not win a single ACC game two years ago and now is sitting on the bubble for the NCAA Tournament — that is a remarkable result for such a small amount of time. The Panthers are poised to improve again as Trey McGowens, Xavier Johnson and Justin Champagnie gain another year of experience and star recruits Noah Collier and John Hughley arrive in the fall.

With that being said, I believe that the Panthers will just miss this year’s tournament and end up with a NIT bid. This team as a ton of potential. However, it needs another year of experience to start closing out tough games and becoming a force in the ACC. Capel has assembled a stellar 2020 recruiting class that figues to fill some huge personal needs of the Final Verdict current team. Pitt figures to be on track for a Pitt has a young team, highlighted by three tournament bid next year and to be a very seriunderclassmen starters. The program’s im- ous contender the year after.

January 28, 2020

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I N D E X

Rentals & Sublet • NORTH OAKLAND • SOUTH OAKLAND • SHADYSIDE • SQUIRREL HILL • SOUTHSIDE • NORTHSIDE • BLOOMFIELD • ROOMMATES • OTHER

For Rent North Oakland 214 N. Craig Street.

Safe, secure build­ ing. 1BR, furnished.

Newly remodeled, no pets. Rent $850 and up, including heat. Mature or Graduate students.

412‑855‑9925 or 724‑940‑0045. Email for pictures: salonre­ na@gmail.com Apartments for rent. 2 and 3 bedroom apart‑ ments available. Some available on Dawson Street, At­wood Street, and Mc­kee Place.

Newly re­modeled.

Some have laundry on site. Min­utes from the Univer­sity. For more info please call Mike at 412‑849‑8694 North Oakland. Up to 5 bedroom available.

Bus line and walking distance. Multiple properties, all east side of Pittsburgh!

More info at www. na­tionalbuilderspitts­ burgh.com

South Oakland **August 2020, Oak­land Square. We have Studios, 1, 2

pittnews.com

Employment • CHILDCARE • FOOD SERVICES • UNIVERSITY • INTERNSHIPS • RESEARCH • VOLUNTEERING • OTHER

& 3BR apartments avail­able. Clean, walking distance to campus. Great location. $600‑$1300 ALL UTILITIES IN­ CLUDED! Off‑street parking available.

No pets, smoking or parties. Call 412‑882‑7568 or email tsciul­li123@ gmail.com 1‑2‑3 bedroom apart­ ments available for August 2020. Owner Managed. 40+ years on campus. Fully fur­ nished or unfur­nished, most units are newly remodeled Kitchens and baths , located on Atwood, Semple, Oakland Ave., Ward, Mckee Place, Juliet.

Call or text Tim @ 412‑491‑1330 www.­ TMKRentals.com 11 Virgila Place, Pittsburgh, PA. Beau­ tiful 3BR, 1 bath.

Fridge, Stove, Dish­ washer, Washer and Dryer. $1600/mo plus utilities. Call Peggy 724‑877‑7761 2 BR apartment, newly painted, hard­ wood floors, appli­ ances. Private home ‑ 2 & 3rd floor. 2,000 sq. ft. Rent in­cludes all utilities. $790/mo.

412‑498‑7355.

322 S. Bouquet.

Huge 2 BR apart­

Classifieds

For sale

• AUTO • BIKES • BOOKS • MERCHANDISE • FURNITURE • REAL ESTATE • PETS

services

• EDUCATIONAL • TRAVEL • HEALTH • PARKING • INSURANCE

ments. Available May 1, 2020 or Au­gust 1, 2020. 412‑361‑2695 3444 Ward St. We have studios, 1, 2, and 3 bedroom apart­ ments. Bright and spacious. Free heat­ ing and free parking.

Move May 1, 2020 or August 1, 2020. Call 412‑361‑2695 Apartments for rent on Semple ‑one bed­room ‑ availabil‑ ity Aug 1 recently reno­vated and great loca­tion. $795/mo..

In­cludes heat, electric is metered sepa­ rately. Call or text 412‑720‑5023.

Before signing a lease, be aware that no more than 3 unre­lated people can share a single unit. Check property’s compliance with codes. Call City’s Per­mits, Licensing & In­spections.

412‑255‑2175.

Dawson Village Apts. near CMU and Pitt.

One bedroom apts. $935 + electric. Avail‑ able for immedi­ate move in. On bus line, close to restau­rants and shops. Contact Jerry at 412‑722‑8546 Now renting for Fall 2020. Apartments and houses of all sizes.

Conveniently located

notices

• ADOPTION • EVENTS • LOST AND FOUND • STUDENT GROUPS • WANTED • OTHER

throughout South Oakland. Rents start‑ ing as low as $620.

John C.R. Kelly Realty. Call to­day at 412‑683‑7300 www.jcrkelly.com Pet Friendly!!

Studios ‑ $695‑$705 1Beds ‑ $795‑$815 2beds ‑ $975‑$995 3beds ‑ $1,245 412‑455‑5600 or www.pghnexus.com South Oakland Houses and Apart­ ments with Laundry/ Central Air. Call or Text 412‑38‑Lease. AMO Man­agement.

South Oakland off‑campus hous‑ ing. 2,3, and 4 BR apartments/­houses for rent. Up­dated Kitch‑ ens and Bathrooms.

A/C and laundry.

Available August of 2020. 412‑445‑6117

Studio, 1, 2, 3, and 4 BD apartments avail­ able in South Oak­land from $800‑$2500 M.J. Kelly Real Estate mjkellyrealty@gmail.­ com. 412‑271‑5550.

Shadyside Brett/Thames Manor Apts. (Ellsworth

R A T E S

Insertions

1X

2X

3X

4X

5X

1-15 Words

$6.30

$11.90

$17.30

$22.00

$27.00

16-30 Words

$7.50

$14.20

$20.00

$25.00

$29.10

6X $30.20 $32.30

Add. + $5.00 + $5.40

(Each Additional Word: $0.10)

Deadline:

Two business days prior by 3pm | Email: advertising@pittnews.com | Phone: 412.648.7978

& S. Negley Ave.) near CMU and Pitt.

Stu­dio, One, Two bed­ room apts. Thames Ef‑ fecency: $790 Thames 1BD: $990 Brett 2BD: $1600 Available for immedi­ate move in.

On bus line, close to restau­rants & shops.

Con­tact Jerry at 412‑722‑8546

3 BD, 1‑1/2 BA town­house on Beacon St. Updated kitchen.

Washer/dryer on premises. Nice back­ yard. On bus line.

Per­fect for Seniors and Grad students.

Call 412‑281‑2700.

Avail­able Now!

Shadyside Manage­ ment Company seeks person w/ min 2 yrs. college, for upcom­ing spring semester, to interview & pro­cess rental appli­cants, do internet post‑ ings & help staff our action‑central of­fice. Part time or full time OK starting in January; full time over the summer. $13/ hour. Perfect job for current sopho­mores & juniors, graduating seniors set to enter grad school, returning grad stu­dents, and first year law students!

Mozart Management 412.682.7003 thane@mozartrents.­ com

Rental Other

Volunteering

Squirrel Hill

Studios, 1, 2, & 3 Bedroom apartments available August 2020 & sooner. Oak­land, Shadyside, Friend‑ ship, Squirrel Hill, Highland Park, Point Breeze. Photos & current availabil‑ ity online, check out www.forbesmanage­ ment.net, or call 412.441.1211

Employment Internships OFFICE INTERN

January 28, 2020

Animal Lifeline Thrift Store‑ 15% off all purchases w/ stu­dent ID Sat. Feb 1st 139 E. 8th Ave, Homestead.

10AM‑2PM. All proceeds go to animal rescue.

For Sale Pets FREE TO GOOD HOME,2 YORKIE PUPPIES RE‑HOM­ ING, AKC REG, CONTACT ME VIA EMAIL FOR MORE DETAILS ON:lwrnc­ marc01@gmail.com .

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