11-18-19

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 | November 18, 2019 ­| Volume 110 | Issue 86

PITT STUDENT’S TRIAL SET FOR LATE JANUARY

WRESTLING OUT A WIN

Jon Moss

Assistant News Editor Pitt student Ethan Kozak will face a non-jury trial on Jan. 29, 2020, for three criminal counts, one each of ethnic intimidation, terroristic threats and harassment, following a Friday pre-trial conference.

Kozak, a junior political science major, admitted in late June to sending violent and derogatory messages to D.J. Matthews, a 20-year-old black Pittsburgh resident who does not attend Pitt, which led to the counts of ethnic intimidation and terroristic threats. Matthews posted screenshots of the messages on Twitter on June 26.

According to the criminal complaint filed by Mt. Lebanon police officer Ty Kegarise in July, the accusation of harassment is related to a series of threatening messages Kozak sent to Colin Welling, a student at the Indiana University of Pennsylvania.

The messages Kozak sent to Matthews circulated widely on social media and led to outrage on In the 133-pound weight class, No. 4 redshirt sophomore Micky Phillippi recorded one of Pitt’s four individual wins campus over the summer. A group of 27 student during Friday’s match against Ohio State. Pitt fell 23-12 overall, winning four of 10 total matches. leaders sent a letter to top Pitt administrators on July Bader Abdulmajeed | senior staff photographer 5 calling for Kozak’s expulsion. The letter also asserted the Student Code of Conduct does not properly address students who “incite violence” against other students on the basis of race, ethnicity, gender, tion’s other shows on the Petersen Events Center’s film classes have access to its professional equipment national origin, sexual orientation or certain other Benjamin Nigrosh jumbotron during the first ever UPTV Live event and set. About 30 chairs were filled at the event at classifications, as none of the conduct’s 40 violations Staff Writer specifically mention them.

UPTV, Pitt’s student-run television station, has Sunday. Pre-recorded clips were introduced by host the Pete Sunday, but that’s not the only way students Provost Ann Cudd and Vice Provost and Dean been producing the late night talk show “Pitt To- Jacob Mahaffey, a junior film major. The station col- watched. UPTV also broadcasted the event on its of Students Kenyon Bonner said in a response is- night” for four years, but it’s never been on a screen laborated with Pitt Studios — a multimedia and film University TV channel 68. production center unveiled in the Pete in October In the “Pitt Tonight” clip, Andrew Dow, the sued the following day, July 6, they were thankful for this big before. show’s host, sat down with Chancellor Patrick Galstudents writing to them and appreciated the calls to The station broadcasted a new “Pitt Tonight” 2018 — on the event.

Though the studio space is often used for sports “continue creating a respectful, peaceful, diverse and interview and a number of new clips from the staSee UPTV on page 2 broadcasts, student organizations like UPTV and safe learning environment.”

LIVE FROM PITT STUDIOS … IT’S UPTV

News

PITT UPDATES SANCTIONS FOR 3 GREEK LIFE ORGS Jon Moss

UPTV partnered with Pitt Studios for its first live broadcast from the Petersen Events Center, which included 10 UPTV shows. Benjamin Nigrosh | contributing writer

UPTV, pg. 1 lagher in his home to talk about student well-being, access to disability resources and the purpose of business on a university campus.

Ciera Thomas, a senior media and communications major, is the station manager for UPTV. She and the rest of UPTV held this event to give students a feel for what they do at UPTV, she said.

“We’re a lesser-known group on campus, so this is a great way for people to get to know who we are,” Thomas said. “We want to let them know that we’re important, we’re here and we deserve as much recognition as every other group on campus.”

The teams that produce each of UPTV’s shows created short films for the event in different genres, including horror, drama and satire. Though the club didn’t have the resources to organize the event last year, they are hoping to make it an annual event in the future, Thomas said.

Max Bruce-Rudge, a sophomore film production major, said that this space is a big change from what UPTV is used to. Ordinarily, UPTV broadcasts shows from its small studio in the William Pitt Union.

“Our space is basically a closet as it is now,” Bruce-Rudge said. “We have a lot more members than can fit into our space right now.”

Despite the close quarters, several new shows have been added to the roster this semester including “Femme,” a show written and directed by the female staffers. “Femme” debuted its short, “What If,” a story of a female student walking home alone at night.

“I wonder what it’s like to be able to listen to music past 10 p.m.,” the narrator said in “Femme”’s short. “Jesus, look at him! Wait, no, look around you.”

Other shows produced by UPTV this semester include “Bully PulPitt,” a political news-in-review

pittnews.com

show, and “The Muse,” the network’s home for original, parody music videos.

There was also room for long-time favorites like the “Pittiful News Network,” a satirical news show.

“Our field reporter is on the scene of a kidnapping in Schenley Park right as we speak, talking to a few witnesses that were at the scene,” one of the anchors of the satirical show said.

“Oh, that’s good stuff!” the other replied.

In one transitional period between two clips, Provost Ann Cudd sat down with Mahaffey to talk about her effort in Pitt’s Year of Creativity during this academic year. This University initiative is focused on giving students access to more creative spaces on campus and partially funded the UPTV Live event.

“I think creativity is really an important thing,” Cudd said. “It unites us all. Whether you’re in medicine or engineering or studio arts, creativity is really essential to having new ideas, to discovering things, inventing things.”

Livia Rappaport, a sophomore film studies major, is the secretary of UPTV and co-executive producer of the event. According to Rappaport, UPTV has been working with Pitt Studios since April to prepare for the event. After several months, she said she is proud that UPTV Live has been given the opportunity to show the potential of the club to a wider audience.

“I don’t think they know about us as a resource for entertainment for people who want to create things together,” Rappaport said. “We have groups that do comedy, groups that do horror, we have a political science group. I don’t think that people know that we are such an extensive organization.”

As the UPTV team celebrated after their film debuts, the group wanted to make one thing clear, Rappaport said. They’re just getting started.

“We’re a group of really talented, really dedicated people and we can do something big,” Rappaport said.

Assistant News Editor Four Greek life organizations at Pitt — Delta Sigma Phi, Chi Omega, Phi Kappa Theta and Phi Gamma Delta — faced hazing probes and suspended new member education beginning in early October of this year. The University updated sanctions and closed investigations for three of these organizations Friday, in addition to placing sanctions on the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity.

The University placed Pitt’s chapters of the Delta Sigma Phi and Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternities, and the Chi Omega sorority, on “Restriction of Privileges — Participate in any social event or other activities where alcohol is present” status on Friday. Delta Sigma Phi’s sanctions will last until the end of spring 2020, while Sigma Alpha Epsilon and Chi Omega are sanctioned until next January.

Pitt previously placed Delta Sigma Phi and Chi Omega on “Interim Loss of Privileges — New Member Education” status on Oct. 23, after the University received anonymous reports for possible involvement in new member hazing. Sigma Alpha Epsilon was in good standing with the University until the Friday sanctions.

University spokesperson Kevin Zwick did not respond to questions about what led to the new sanctions for the Greek life organizations.

Delta Sigma Phi President Martin Klena said Friday the University found his fraternity guilty of violations of the Student Code of Conduct and the Fraternity and Sorority Life Guidelines, but declined to go into detail about the violations. He added that he was using the investigation as an opportunity to

November 18, 2019

introspect on Greek life at Pitt.

“I think whenever you have any serious accusations like this, it’s a good time to look at your organization, look at Greek life as a whole and think about, ‘What are we doing? Is there a reason behind these things? Are they unfounded?’” Klena, a senior computing engineering major, said. “Sort of try and make whatever internal improvements you can and move forward.”

Pitt placed Phi Gamma Delta in good standing Friday after the hazing probe concluded. Phi Kappa Theta, which has temporarily ceased all organizational operations, is now the only Greek life organization at Pitt to be under investigation for alleged new member hazing.

Representatives from Chi Omega, Sigma Alpha Epsilon and Phi Gamma Delta did not respond to requests for comment.

The five total investigations come two years after a string of hazing and alcohol incidents in spring 2018. Vice Provost and Dean of Students Kenyon Bonner placed all Greek life organizations on modified social probation in January 2018. He lifted the probation in August 2018 and released a community action plan with the goal of changing the culture of Greek life on campus.

At the time he released the plan, Bonner said responsibility for Greek life organizations ultimately lies with students.

“At some point, you’re all adults, you’re all leaders, you’re all responsible people — and I think reasonable people — and you have a responsibility to manage your organizations,” Bonner said.

Pitt community members can report hazing and other crimes via the Pitt police anonymous tip form.

2

Opinions

CLIMATE CHANGE SHOULD NOT BE A PARTISAN ISSUE

Paige Lawler

Shruti Talekar | staff illustrators

Staff Columnist

During the most recent bout of California wildfires earlier this month, President Donald Trump tweeted the Democratic governor of California, Gavin Newson, accusing him of “[doing] a terrible job of forest management” and saying that he must “‘clean’ his forest floors regardless of what [Newsom’s] bosses, the environmentalists, DEMAND of him.”

This accusation is grounded in the idea that the forest fires are caused by poor upkeep in the California forests, when in reality the main cause of the annually increasing intensity of the forest fires is climate change.

Newsom, in response to Trump, tweeted “[y]ou don’t believe in climate change. You are excused from this conversation.” While perhaps not the most diplomatic response, this exchange is reflective of typical relations between parties on issues relating to climate change. Often, the climate crisis is written off as a problem solely on the liberal agenda when, in reality, it is all encompassing.

Climate change is an urgent issue that requires aggressive and immediate action from politicians — and citizens, though they have less influence on policy — regardless of their partisan affiliations.

A survey conducted earlier this year suggests that only 21% of Republicans believe that Congress should prioritize finding solutions to climate change, while 67% of Democrats believe the same. The large margin between the two parties is typical of most surveys and studies on climate change, with Democrats routinely polling higher on questions concerning the importance and urgency of fighting climate change. This divide is perhaps the biggest obstacle to enacting the policies needed to effectively counteract climate change.

Thoughts on climate change were not always divided down the party line. During

pittnews.com

his 1988 campaign, George H. W. Bush addressed the issue of climate change, which was just becoming relevant to the public.

“Our land, water and soil support a remarkable range of human activities, but they can only take so much and we must remember to treat them not as a given but as a gift,” he said. “These issues know no ideology, no political boundaries. It’s not a liberal or conservative thing we’re talking about.”

Bush was absolutely correct in making this statement. Now it is more important than ever that politicians overcome their differences and find a way to compromise on policies to combat the climate crisis, especially as the situation is only worsening.

Though there is a constant debate between parties on the subject, some Republicans are on the right track in terms of climate change policy. While this is certainly encouraging as it indicates a shared desire between parties to actively combat climate change, the Republicans’ proposed actions are nowhere near radical enough.

A group of Republicans — including

former secretaries of state James Baker and George Shultz, as well as former Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson — proposed a carbon tax of $40 per ton in 2017, with the plan to increase the tax over time and distribute the collected revenue back to American citizens. This plan seems moderate enough to garner support from different politicians and — considering the promise of a dividend around $2,000 to be distributed annually — would likely appeal to the American public.

More recently, Republicans in Congress have been preparing plans that would call for reduced greenhouse gas emissions without decreasing dependence on fossil fuels or making a full switch to renewable energy.

The United Nations International Panel on Climate Change predicted that the effects of climate change would be irreversible by 2030. This means, as we approach 2020, that we have only a decade to reduce carbon emissions and make the switch to clean and sustainable energy sources. As such, there is no time for passive solutions to climate change, or solutions that will become gradu-

November 18, 2019

ally more serious. If we are going to combat this crisis, we need to do it aggressively.

While a carbon tax is certainly a viable option — and is especially useful for holding corporations accountable and getting them to reduce their emissions — it will not be enough on its own. We need solutions that help us convert to renewable energy and decrease reliance on fossil fuels, despite hesitations Republicans may or may not harbor.

That’s why liberals are calling for the Green New Deal.

The Green New Deal is a plan to combat the effects of climate change by converting from fossil fuels to 100% renewable energy by 2030 — the final year before the 12-year timeframe predicted by the IPCC runs out.

For those who are worried about the cost of the Green New Deal — estimated to cost between $51 trillion and $93 trillion — the implementation of a carbon tax similar to the plan proposed by Republicans in 2017 could help offset the costs. Perhaps, rather than distributing a dividend to citizens, the collected funds could be used to support the proposed transition to clean, renewable energy and away from fossil fuels.

I will be the first to admit that some aspects of the Green New Deal are too radical to garner universal support on Capitol Hill.

It would be a tough compromise to hash out, especially considering that it is often termed a “socialist nightmare” by right-leaning politicians and citizens alike, and perhaps it will not “largely [pay] for itself in health care savings from the prevention of fossil fuel-related diseases,” but it certainly will be beneficial in the long run.

Climate change will hurt all of us, no matter which political party we identify with.

If we want to find a solution, we cannot treat it like a partisan issue.

Paige Lawler primarily writes about environmental policy and politics for The Pitt News. Write to her at pml36@pitt.edu

3

from the editorial board

Remove menstrual product taxes Germany announced late last week Menstrual products in the United that, starting Jan. 1, it would begin States have a flat tax rate of 7%, and taxing tampons and other menstrual essential items — like food and preproducts as an essential item — like scription medications — are not food and clothes — rather than a taxed at all in most states. Only 15 luxury item. states don’t tax menstrual products.

Rather than a 19% tax, menstrual Menstrual products are a necessity, products will now be taxed at only not a choice. Taxing them as if they 7% — the lowest rate possible in Ger- are a choice is inherently discriminamany. It’s high time, too. In Germany, tory and dangerous. Pennsylvania — the essential products category also along with all other states — should includes theater tickets, newspapers, cut the tax. cut flowers, paintings and collectible Unlike the United States as a coins, according to The New York whole, many countries have already Times. stopped taxing menstrual products Lowering the tax on menstrual and acknowledged them as necessiproducts wasn’t easy for people who ties. Kenya was the first country to mensturate in Germany either. It took eliminate the tax in 2004 — largely a petition of more than 10,000 signa- because many people who mensturtures, the support of men in Parlia- ate could not afford to buy the prodment and a lot of political lobbying. ucts otherwise. Canada slashed the Still, Germany is more progressive tax in 2015, and Australia, India and FOR RELEASE 18, 2019 than some parts of the United States. NOVEMBER Malaysia subsequently dropped it in Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle

2018.

Viagra — used for erectile dysfunction — and Rogaine — which men use for hair regrowth— are both not taxed in Pennsylvania. While these products might improve the quality of one’s life, they aren’t necessities, and the user’s health does not hinge on the availability of the product. Menstrual products are a different story. Menstruation occurs monthly without choice, and their ability to function during this time depends on whether or not they can afford pads and tampons. In the United States, impoverished people who mensturate have been known to trade food stamps for tampons and use unsanitary rags when they cannot afford menstrual products.

Blood, as it stands, is a biohazard.

This means that the microorganisms and bacteria in blood put humans in

the environment at risk for infection.

Thus, taxing menstrual products and making them more difficult to access puts not only the woman, but everyone at risk.

“This is not a luxury,” Saint Louis University professor Anne Sebert Kuhlmann said of menstrual products. “It’s a need. It affects a woman’s sense of self, her sense of dignity and her ability to participate in life.”

Cutting the tampon tax might seem like an insignificant amount of money, but it adds up. especially when we consider that the average woman has her period for 2,535 days of her life.

But regardless, it’s the principle of taxing female hygiene necessity that should outrage us. People who menstruate have no choice but to purchase menstrual products. The tax laws should reflect that.

The Pitt news crossword 11/18/19

Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Lewis

ACROSS 1 Aquarium 5 Yeshiva teacher 10 Dance in a pit 14 Iranian money 15 For all to hear 16 Baja’s opposite 17 Swashbuckling leading man of Hollywood’s Golden Age 19 Precious 20 Delivers, as a conventionopening speech 21 Donny or Marie 23 Hairstyles 24 Art Deco designer 25 Barbara of “Mission: Impossible” 27 German shepherd of ’50s-’60s TV 32 Beach headturners 33 Forest moon that’s home to the Ewoks 34 Dedicated poem 35 First chip in the pot 36 Tokyo’s country 37 Pinot __: white wine grape 38 Geol. or chem., e.g.

39 Nattily dressed fellows 40 Fortune-teller’s card 41 North Vietnamese leader with a trail named for him 43 City near Provo 44 “SportsCenter” channel 45 Gear tooth 46 “Peanuts” newspaper section 49 Jeep model named for a tribe 54 “I get it now!” cries 55 Hotel chain since 1952 57 Trap fluff 58 __ Oyl 59 Advance, as money 60 Enemies 61 Package sealers 62 Pre-revelry nights

pittnews.com

THE UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH STUDENT EVENT CALENDAR SPONSORED

MONDAY // 11 - 18 SCHOOL SUPPLIES DONATION DRIVE

NOV. 18TH - 24TH 11/18/19

By Kurt Krauss

DOWN Long haul Suffix with billion __ a soul: no one Ice cream bar named for a Yukon river 5 Rapids transports 6 Fashion monthly 7 Pop music’s Backstreet __ 8 Pastry that might be sticky 9 Ralph Kramden’s pal 10 Drama set at an advertising agency 11 Bread spread 12 Laurel seen with Hardy 13 Difficult 18 Diving birds 22 Swizzle 24 Hyphen-like mark 25 Con game 26 Bit of high jinks 27 Transfer to memory, as data 28 Best way to sign 29 MLB exec Joe 30 “Take the cake” or “cream of the crop” 1 2 3 4

Posvar Hall (Nov. 18th - Dec. 6th)

WEDNESDAY // 11 - 20

Saturday’s Puzzle Solved

SAFE SELF-DEFENSE CLASS 6:00pM

THURSDAY // 11 - 21 Have an upcoming event? ©2019 Tribune Content Agency, LLC

31 Home on a branch 32 Diner fare 36 Basketball scoring technique 37 Grotesque architectural figure 39 Part of DVD 40 Irish lullaby start 42 Thieves’ bank jobs

11/18/19

45 Hands over 46 Cow kid 47 State east of Indiana 48 Horse hair 49 Paper holder 50 Bee home 51 Ukraine’s capital 52 Feminine suffix 53 Breaks off 56 Suffix with pay or Cray-

submit online or by email advertising@pittnews.com

CONTROLLED CHAOS FREE HIP HOP CLASSES Peterson Events Center (Dance Studio) 9:00pM - 10:00pM

WWW.PITTNEWS.COM/EVENTS

November 18, 2019

4

pittnews.com

November 18, 2019

5

Sports

Better know a nonconference opponent: Monmouth pittnews.com

WEEKEND SPORTS RECAP: VOLLEYBALL SALVAGES SOUR RESULTS

Dalton Miller

For The Pitt News Pitt Athletics found itself on the wrong end of a disappointing weekend. While both cross country teams failed to qualify for the NCAA Championship meet, women’s basketball and wrestling compounded those losses with stinging defeats. The second-ranked volleyball team provided the lone bright spot of the weekend, picking up an ACC title and a spot in the NCAA Tournament with a win over Duke.

Volleyball Following a four-set win over Clemson last Sunday, No. 2 Pitt volleyball traveled to Durham, North Carolina, to take on Duke on Saturday. The Panthers pummeled the Blue Devils, sweeping them in three sets and beating them in every stat except blocks, which were tied at five apiece.

The top performers of the match were junior right side hitter Chinaza Ndee, who recorded a match-high 12 blocks, and redshirt senior libero Hali Hillegas, who led the match with 15 digs.

With this win, Pitt continued its best start to ACC play in program history, extending its record to 15-0 in conference play and its road winning streak to 14 matches. This monumental victory clinched Pitt’s third-straight ACC title and secondstraight outright conference title. Along with an ACC title, it also claimed an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament, for which it will need to wait

pittnews.com

until the selection on Dec. 1 to find out its seed.

But now the Panthers look ahead and will try to set new records next Friday when they host Florida State in the Petersen Events Center.

Wrestling No. 15 Pitt hosted No. 3 Ohio State on Friday, but ran into a buzz saw. It suffered a tough 23-12 loss to the perennial powerhouse Buckeyes.

The Panthers started out slow, dropping the first three matches and falling behind 10-0. They managed to claw back and grab a win in the fourth match before dropping the next two. They then grabbed two wins in the final three matches, but it was not enough to complete the comeback.

Redshirt junior Jake Wentzel, redshirt sophomore No. 4 Micky Phillippi, redshirt senior No. 13 Taleb Rahmani and redshirt sophomore No. 9 Nino Bonaccorsi each grabbed wins in their matches, with all four wins coming by decision.

The Panthers will look to bounce back with a win next Sunday when they travel to Bethlehem to take on Lehigh.

Women’s Basketball After overcoming a 17-point deficit at the half in their last game against Central Connecticut State, the Panthers sought their second win in a row on Saturday, when they hosted Georgetown at the Petersen Events Center. Pitt entered the fourth quarter with a one-point lead, but fell apart in the final frame and lost by the score of 66-56.

Senior guard Aysia Bugg led the Panthers in scoring 17 points while shooting 4-8 from behind the arc. They also got valuable performances on the glass from two first-year players, guard Amber Brown, who pulled down 10 boards, and forward Rita Igbokwe, who snagged 11.

With this loss Pitt falls to 1-2 on the season. It will attempt to turn it around on Tuesday when it hosts Fairleigh Dickinson.

Cross Country Coming off of disappointing finishes in the ACC Championships two weeks ago, both the men’s and women’s cross country teams traveled to Bethlehem on Friday to compete in the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional.

The women’s team finished 15th out of the 31 women’s teams at the event. They were led by senior Sam Shields, who finished 55th overall with a time of 21:29.8, and sophomore Devon Hoernlein, who finished 72nd with a time of 21:46.9.

The men’s team managed a seventh-place finish out of the 25 teams competing. Despite the poor overall results, the Panthers still boast a few impressive performances with a 15th place finish from senior Nick Wolk, who ran the 10k race in a time of 30:37.9, and from junior Zach Lefever, who ran a 30:47.3, which was good for 23rd.

This meet marked the end of the season for both First-year guard Amber Brown pushteams as neither team nor any individual runner was es through Georgetown’s defense.

Carolyn Pallof | staff photographer selected for the NCAA Championship meet.

November 18, 2019

6

IS PITT BASKETBALL’S GLASS HALF EMPTY OR HALF FULL? Trent Leonard Sports Editor

After an ugly second half that saw Pitt basketball fall 68-53 to West Virginia on Friday, it’s hard to tell how the Panthers (2-2) will fare from here on out. For a team that has beaten ACC foe Florida State but also fallen to little-known Nicholls State, there have emerged two opposing outlooks. Which you choose depends on your own point of view.

Glass half empty Pitt can’t seem to put the ball in the basket.

The Panthers rank 277th out of 353 Division I schools with a team field goal percentage of 38.7%.

Most schools below them are either branch campuses (see University of Texas at Arlington, University of Illinois at Chicago) or have a directional modifier in their name (see South Carolina Upstate, Central Connecticut). The only major conference schools shooting worse than Pitt are Washington State and Florida.

Most worrisome of all is the fact that sophomore point guard Xavier Johnson, Pitt’s leading scorer from last season, has seemingly regressed.

His season has been a nightmare so far — he ranks seventh on the Panthers in field-goal percentage (31.4%) and fourth in points per game (8.5), both significantly down from last season’s averages of 41.5% shooting and 15.5 points per game.

Maybe these first four games will go down as Johnson’s worst slump, a distant memory by season’s end. But while his current numbers are inevitably due for improvement, there’s also reason to believe that his struggles will persist throughout the season.

For starters, Johnson lacks a clean jumpshot with which he can keep defenders at bay. His jumper looked funky last season and it still has a noticeable hitch. There’s no fluidity from his knees to his release — he keeps the ball close to his chest for a split second at his apex, erasing all momentum from his legs and resulting in a forced motion with his shooting arm.

Oddly enough, Johnson is actually shooting better on 3-pointers (33.3%) than from the field in general this season. But that largely speaks to his knack for picking and choosing only the most open outside looks than it does his sharpshooting ability.

Defenders know Johnson isn’t going to pull up off the dribble with much regularity or success, allowing them to take a step back and crowd the paint.

This has negated Johnson’s elite slashing ability, and

pittnews.com

Xavier Johnson ranks seventh on the Panthers’ with a field-goal percentage of 31.4%. Kaycee Orwig | senior staff photographer though his first step is still as quick as anyone’s, defenses are figuring out how to play him.

Johnson’s numbers are due to come up over the next couple weeks, especially with a soft slate of non-conference games. But his fundamentally flawed shooting form puts a cap on just how much his game can progress.

Perhaps overshadowed by Johnson’s struggles is the fact that his once highly touted classmate, sophomore forward Au’Diese Toney, has become borderline unplayable. He’s shooting 22.7% from the field, including a combined 0-11 against Pitt’s top two opponents, FSU and WVU. It’s vital that Toney and Johnson — along with first-year forward Gerald Drumgoole Jr., who entered the season as a starter but has fallen out of the lineup after shooting 1-7 on the season — use the weeks before ACC play as confidence-builders. If their collective struggles continue over that time, Pitt fans should be genuinely concerned about the Panthers living up to their 10th-place projected finish in the ACC. Oh, and the Panthers also can’t rebound.

They’re currently one of the worst teams in the country at keeping opponents off the glass, ranking 327th with a defensive rebounding percentage of 64.2%. Below them is Central Arkansas, above them is South Alabama — again, not the type of company you want to keep.

Terms like hustle, grit, heart and toughness are typically considered sports cliches. But these are concrete characteristics that the Panthers, specifi-

cally their big men, simply lack right now.

Pitt isn’t the tallest team, but size isn’t necessarily the issue. Junior center Terrell Brown and graduate center Eric Hamilton, standing at 6-foot-10, 235 pounds and 6-foot-9, 230 pounds, respectively, should theoretically match up fine against most opponents.

The problem is that they’re getting flat-out bullied by opposing players who simply seem to want it more.

WVU rebounded 19 of its own misses on Friday, led by eight offensive rebounds from first-year phenom Oscar Tshiebwe. That’s an unacceptable number, even if Wilt Chamberlain rose from the grave and played for the Mountaineers.

Again, there’s no reason to expect that Pitt will get better at rebounding throughout the season. Its big men aren’t going to magically put on 30 pounds each or develop higher motors at this stage of their careers. Sophomore guard Trey McGowens, at 6-foot-4, currently leads the team with 6.0 rebounds per game and, sadly, he might finish the season as the team’s leading rebounder.

Glass half full For all the numbers and statistics going against Pitt right now, there’s a very important one that remains overwhelmingly in its favor — 1-0 in the ACC. The Panthers have struggled, yes, but the optimist will note that those struggles came against non-conference opponents WVU and Nicholls State. What’s the point of non-conference games

November 18, 2019

anyways, if not for a team to get acclimated and work through the kinks?

Pitt isn’t competing for an ACC title, but one of the foremost goals of any team is to place well within its conference. The Panthers are still on track to do that, with a one-game advantage on seven other ACC teams.

And though several Panthers have underachieved, a few more have outperformed expectations so far.

Junior guard Ryan Murphy has been everything Pitt could’ve asked for and then some, leading the team with 15.5 points per game on an efficient 47.6% from the field and 42.9% from three. With the ability to make shots in all three facets of the game, he’s easily the team’s most complete offensive player.

First-year forward Justin Champagnie has also been a pleasant surprise, stepping in as the most productive newcomer. His 8.8 points per game ranks third on the team, and that’s in spite of going 1-6 against Nicholls State and 4-13 against WVU. Those showings brought his efficiency numbers down, but his smooth shooting form indicates that better results will come.

First-year forward Abdoul Karim Coulibaly could be another bright spot moving forward. He was expected to contribute instantly for Pitt but inexplicably played only four minutes in the team’s first three games. Coulibaly got his chance against WVU and displayed an encouraging amount of suaveness, making two contested layups. At 6-foot8, he occupies a singular niche for the Panthers and should see more run at the four-spot with Toney struggling.

And though the Panthers can’t rebound right now and will likely struggle all season, help is on the way in the form of 2020 recruit John Hugley. By all accounts, the 6-foot-9, 240-pound Hugley embodies the “junkyard dog” archetype of a ball-hawking big man. He should instantly eliminate many of the Panthers’ rebounding woes, though fans will have to wait another year to see him in action.

For now, Pitt fans can be optimistic knowing that the season is only four games in. Assuming Pitt’s breakthrough stars stay productive and its underachievers use the non-conference slate to get back up to speed, the Panthers are still in line for an improved season in the ACC — and that improvement should only continue next season.

7

I N D E X

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

For Rent South Oakland ** 3 Bedroom Town­house, fire‑ place, LAUNDRY, DISH­WASHER, off street parking, patio, yard, clean. Partially Fur­nished. Located on Blvd of Allies & Dawson Street. PITT Shuttle stop, only 15 minute to PITT CMU. $1995+. Avail­able 8/1/2020. NO PETS. Coolapart­ments@ gmail.com video tour at tinyurl.­com/blvdo‑ fallies ** 5 Bedroom/2 full

bath; HUGE HOME‑

duplex style, three sto‑ ries. COM­PLETELY REMOD­ELED,

2 living rooms, 2

kitchens, 2 dining

rooms, LAUN­DRY,

DISH­WASHER and

a huge yard to enjoy!

Huge Bedrooms!

Located on Dawson

Street. PITT Shuttle

stops di­rectly in front of house, only 15

minute level walk to

PITT/CMU. $3,595­+.

Available 8/1/2020.

NO PETS. Call Jason

at 412‑922‑2141. Pic‑ tures‑ Info: tinyurl. com/­dawsonhome

***AUGUST 2020: Furnished studios,

pittnews.com

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

1, 2 and 3 bedroom apartments. No pets.

Non‑smokers pre­ ferred. 412‑621‑0457.

1‑2‑3‑4‑5 Bedroom apartments/houses.

Rents starting at $650 for 1BR. May or Au­gust availability.

412‑999‑2124 1‑2‑3‑4‑6 bedroom apartments and houses 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 and Parkview Ave. Call or text Tim @ 412‑491‑1330 www.­ TMKRentals.com 2 BR 1 BA on cam­pus bus route. Avail­able immediately. $750/ month includ­ing utilities and ca­ble.

On street park­ing. No pets. 412‑576‑8734 2‑3‑4‑5‑6‑7 bedroom apartments and houses available in May and August 2020. Nice, clean, free laundry, in­ cludes exterior main‑ tenance, new appli‑ ances, spa­cious, and located on Semple, Oak­land Ave., Mey‑ ran Ave., Welsford, Bates, Dawson, and Mckee 412‑414‑9629.

Classifieds

For sale

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

services

• EDUCATIONAL • TRAVEL • HEALTH • PARKING • INSURANCE

douridaboud­ propertymanage­ ment.com 2‑6 bedroom. All newly renovated, air‑conditioning, dish­washer, washer/ dryer, and parking.

Most units on busline and close to Pitt.

Avail­able Summer 2020. 412‑915‑0856 or email klucca@veri­ zon.net.

3 BD apartments available in South Oakland from $1195‑$1600 M.J. Kelly Real Estate mjkellyrealty@gmail.­ com. 412‑271‑5550.

3BR, 2BA furnished apartment. Dawson Street. Spacious bed­ rooms, living room, dining room, kitchen.

Washer & dryer in unit. Free parking available. Pitt bus stops at door. $1500/ mo. + all utilities.

412‑818‑9735 4 BR HOME ‑ SEM­PLE STREET, LO­CATED NEAR LOUISA. EQUIPPED KITCHEN, FULL BASEMENT. NEW CENTRAL AIR ADDED. AVAIL­ ABLE IMMEDI­ ATELY AND RENT­ING FOR MAY AND AUGUST 2020.

412‑ 343‑4289 or 412‑330‑9498.

416 Oakland Ave., Garden Court. Bright and spacious 2BR,

notices

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

1BA. Hardwood floors, laundry.

Move May 1 or Au­ gust 1, 2020. Call 412‑361‑2695.

Apartments for rent. 3 and 4 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 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 For Rent: 340 S Bou­ quet Street Pgh Pa 15213 3 bedrooms/1 bath/­ cental air/ laundry on site Contact John at 412‑292‑8928 Hudson Oakland Apartments. 2BD 1BA Located on Craft

R A T E S

Insertions

1-15 Words

16-30 Words

1X

2X

3X

4X

$6.30

$11.90

$17.30

$22.00

$7.50

$14.20

$20.00

$25.00

5X $27.00 $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

Ave, Semple St, & Cable Pl. $1,300‑ $1,495/month +elec­ tric. Within walking distance to Pitt. Tel: (412) 407‑9001 x.1 www.hudson‑oakland.­ com Now renting for Fall 2020. Apartments and houses of all sizes.

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

John C.R. Kelly Re‑ alty. 412‑683‑7300 www.jcrkelly.com Share spacious, fur­nished apart‑ ment, S. Oakland.

Living room, dining room, Washer/dryer in­cluded. $650/mo.

Rent includes gas, electric, and wa­ter/ sewage 412‑818‑9735

Employment Employment Other Comfort Keepers, a Post‑Gazette Top Workplace 2019, is seeking caring indi­ viduals to provide companionship, light housekeeping and personal care to se­niors. We offer FLEXIBLE hours and great bene­fits. Please call 412‑363 5500 to schedule an inter­ view NOW! Personal, profes­sional masseuse needed.

Long term position.

Washington County location. Call 724‑223‑0939 any time.

South Oakland Houses and Apart­ ments with Laundry and Central Air Call or Text 412‑38‑Lease 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.

Squirrel Hill Half‑double, 3 BD with garage, on bus line. Call 412‑281‑2700. Avail‑ able Now!

November 18, 2019

8