The Student Printz January 24, 2016

Monday, January 25, 2016

Volume 100 Issue 30

www.studentprintz.com PAGE THREE

PAGE FOUR

NEWS Online

Fans take to Twitter to weigh in on head coach’s departure.

PAGE EIGHT

PAGE SIX

F E AT U R E

OPINION

S P O RT S

University community struggles to keep up with rising rates.

Saturday night show falls flat for local rockers.

Southern Miss drops fifth in a row to Bulldogs.

Housing

Music

Basketball

Monken leaves USM for Tampa Bay as OC Julius Kizzee Sports Editor

Head football coach Todd Monken resigned Sunday afternoon to become the offensive coordinator for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

“It’s been a privilege to lead this program over the last three years,” Monken said. “We have accomplished a lot in rebuilding the Southern Miss program, and we did it together.”

After going 4-20 from the years 2013 to 2014, Monken completed a turnaround for the ages as he led Southern Miss to the Conference USA Championship game behind a 9-5 record.

“It’s difficult news, but at the same time I’m happy for coach Monken,” said athletic director Bill McGillis. “Coach did an incredible job here of rebuilding our program.”

Most pundits and fans predicted Monken would leave after this season, after going 9-5 in one of the most bizarre turnarounds in recent college football history.

When numerous jobs opened up, Monken’s name was floated as a candidate for the respective positions. But Monken said he could not refuse this job opportunity.

“I’m at peace it’s the right decision for me and my family,” Monken said. “Perhaps the hardest part about it is probably the timing of it, which I something I couldn’t control.”

ON CAMPUS

Fadi Shahin/Assistant Photo Editor Southern Miss Golden Eagles head coach Todd Monken during the game against the Old Dominion Monarchs.

Monken will take charge of a Buccaneers offense that placed fifth in yards per game, but placed 20th in points per game.

He credited leaving the move for newly hired head coach Dirk Koetter, who worked with Monken with the Jacksonville Jaguars from

2007 to 2010.

“I’ve known Dirk a little under ten years and I have the utmost respect for him as a coach and a man,” Monken said. “After much reflection, we decided this was a position I couldn’t pass up.”

Specifically, he will take charge

of the maturation of former No. 1 overall pick Jameis Winston.

Winston completed 58.3 percent of his passes as a rookie and finished 41st overall in quarterback rating. As a rookie, Winston has a long way to go in his development as a quarterback.

Monken will leave behind capable leaders to take the mantle in his place. Defensive coordinator Dave Duggan will stay as well as senior quarterback Nick Mullens. Mullens will specifically have to grab this situation by the horns if he wishes to capture a C-USA championship next year during his senior season.

“We have a lot of momentum with this team and with this program,” McGillis said. “That’s why the job is going to be so attractive.”

With Monken leaving, Southern Miss will search for their fifth head coach in the past five seasons.

USM will again be looking to pick up the pieces as they quickly search to fill the vacancy.

“I want to find a head coach that can win in 2016 because we are going to have a championship football team,” McGillis said. “We would love to have a head coach who could be here for the next 18, 20 years.”

Monken’s successor will have a sizable pool of talent to compete for a spot in the C-USA Championship.

Mullens, Dylan Bradley, D’Nerius Antoine and D.J. Thompson, among others, will return in the black and gold, regardless of who is in charge.

“Those goals are still out there,” Mullens said. “Whoever our next leader may be [this team] is also team-led and thats what its going to be about [my] senior year.”

The search for the new head coach at Southern Miss has begun.

Firewall flatlines pirating, DMCA notifications Joshua D. Starr News Editor

Approximately a year since the USM’s technical services department, iTech, installed a new firewall system to the university’s computer networks, notices to students of digital media copyright violations have flatlined. iTech technology security officer Bob Wilson said that prior to the changes to the university’s firewalls, the university would receive about four Digital Millennium Copyright Act notices - notices issued for illegally downloading songs or other media - per week, and though most were good faith notifications, some were

punitive, charging a flat rate and threatening legal action if not paid.

Wilson said iTech received these DMCA notices on a regular basis until sometime in the spring of 2015 when the university updated its network protocols to block unauthorized content.

“It’s decreased over time,” Wilson said. “We recently changed the border firewalls, and when we changed these firewalls, these firewalls handle peer-to-peer traffic much more aggressively.

So what we’re seeing is an almost complete reduction in DMCA notices as a result of us pretty much not allowing any peer-to-peer clients.”

Though iTech does not

Bob Wilson

Courtesy Photo

typically record network activity, iTech director of operations and infrastructure Keith Hill provided a report of usage activity for a period demarcated at noon Nov. 16 and 4 p.m., Nov. 17.

According to the report, during that period the university firewalls blocked service to 56.6 million

internet connections through access control lists and deep packet inspection protocols, methods used by ISPs to block unauthorized and illegal content like that accessed by BitTorrent users.

Wilson said that prior to the changes to the university’s firewalls, the university would receive about four DMCA notices per week, and though most were good faith notifications, some were punitive, charging a flat rate and threatening legal action if not paid.

“There’s been a couple that say, ‘Hey here’s a link to this website,’” Wilson said. “The website says, ‘Pay us $15 or $20 — it’s about that range for each infraction — and if you do that,

we’ll just forget about it; and if you don’t, you might get sued.’”

Wilson said one such DMCA representative, Rightscorp, Inc., sent 213 punitive notices to the university in 2014, 13 in 2015 and zero since the firewalls were changed.

Early last decade, the Recording Industry Association of America aggressively sought and notified college students that the RIAA was ready to sue, and they better pay up thousands of dollars for sharing is copyrighted material. By July 2006, the RIAA had sued over 20,000 individuals for file sharing.

Wilson said this practice fell out of its motis operandi, and he FIREWALL, SEE PG. 3

INFORMATION

Page 2 | Monday, January 25, 2016

MEET THE STAFF OF SPRING 2016

EDITORS & STAFF

Ardan Thornhill

Julius Kizzee

Aubrey Sanders

ardan.thornhill@eagles.usm.edu

julius.kizzee@eagles.usm.edu

aubrey.sanders@eagles.usm.edu

Executive Editor

Sports Editor

Design Editor

Jack Hammett

Hunt Mercier

Hanna Schloemer

jesse.hammett@eagles.usm.edu

patrick.mercier@eagles.usm.edu

hanna.schloemer@eagles.usm.edu

Managing Editor

Photo Editor

Assistant Design Editor

Joshua D Starr

Fadi Shahin

Katherine Frye

joshua.starr@eagles.usm.edu

fadi.shahin@eagles.usm.edu

katherine.frye@eagles.usm.edu

News Editor

Assistant Photo Editor

Advertising Designer

Nan Beauti

Jules Peralta

Lesley Sanders-Wood

afnan.beauti@eagles.usm.edu

jules.peralta@eagles.usm.edu

lesley.sanders@usm.edu

Copy Editor

Web Editor

Jonathan Urbina

Chuck Cook

jonathan.urbina@eagles.usm.edu

chuck.cook@usm.edu

Entertainment Editor

Printz Adviser

Advertising Manager

Advertising e-mail printzad@usm.edu

On the Web

• • •

Managing editor Jack Hammett dives into Spice World, the Porn Hall’s sister venue.

Staffer Nicolas Kubicki details upcoming USM School of Music events.

Staffer Mary Alice Truitt previews Musical Gumbo, an event featuring faculty performances.

Police Contact Information

When reporting, the following information should be provided: • Nature of the crime or emergency • Name, address and phone number of the caller • Location of incident • Description of the scene and suspects • Description of any vehicles involved, especially license plate numbers University Police 911 (emergency) 601-266-4986 (non-emergency) Bond Hall, First Floor West

Contact Us

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The views represented in The Student Printz’s columns and editorials do not necessarily represent those of the faculty, staff or administration of The University of Southern Mississippi. We welcome letters to the editor representing similar and contrasting opinions.

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Opinions

Opinions expressed in The Student Printz are those of the writer and not necessarily those of The Student Printz, its publication manager, USM, the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning or the USM Board of Student Publications.

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NEWS

NATIONAL

Monday, January 25, 2016 | Page 3

Social media reacts to Monken’s departure Julius Kizzee

Twitter erupted after sports fans caught a whiff of Sunday’s top story in Hattiesburg.

It was not that residents would see Peyton Manning defeat Tom Brady for a trip to Super Bowl 50.

It was not even the commitment of Wyatt Richtofen to Southern Miss, one of the best offensive linemen in Louisiana standing at 6 feet 5 inches tall.

It was the devastating news that head football coach Todd Monken would be leaving USM to become the offensive coordinator for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

“It’s been a privilege to lead this program over the last three years,” Monken said. “We have accomplished a lot in rebuilding the Southern Miss program and we did it together.”

Immediately following the announcement from various news outlets, dozens swarmed to social media to weigh in on coach Monken’s decision to leave the confines of Hattiesburg.

“Todd Monken left Southern Miss Football better than he found it,” said senior business administration major Deshon Walker in a written letter on his Twitter account. “For that we HAVE to be grateful!”

The players at Southern Miss were the first ones to find out about Monken’s departure after an emergency team meeting was called just before 3 p.m. Several players were seen around the Jim & Thomas Duff Athletic Center after the meeting frustrated and visibly sad, while others kept their emotions in check with their heads held high.

“Thankful for being able to play for such a great coach & even better man,” said junior defensive

back Cornell Armstrong on Twitter after the team meeting.

“I wish u nothing but the best @CoachToddMonken.”

Players all across the roster expressed appreciation of what Monken did for them. Although most of the players did not publicly comment, some made it known how much Monken meant to them.

“Came here to be a part of something special,” said sophomore Walden Davis. “That’s exactly what happened and will continue to happen because of @CoachToddMonken #SMTTT” In addition to Twitter, Monken support spread across the social media spectrum. Specifically on Facebook, many fans expressed their understanding of Monken’s reason for leaving Southern Miss.

“A lot of people hating on him for taking this gig, more so the timing of him taking the gig. I don’t fault him one bit,” said Samuel Burke, executive director of St. Vincent de Paul Community Pharmacy.

“Quick reminder folks, he took an 0 and whatever team and had them competing for a conference title 3 years later. I say here’s to you Coach Todd Monken. Job well done!”

Some fans were critical of Monken leaving, especially considering the timing. Monken is set to officially resign from his position just ten days before National Signing Day — a critical day for collegiate football programs across America.

On Twitter, former USM AllAmerican punter Luke Johnson said, “Todd Monken just lost a lot of respect in my book for leaving #SouthernMiss 2 weeks before Signing Day. #SMTTT” After going 9-5 last year,

Monken became a hot commodity on the coaching circuit.

After the news broke about Monken going to Tampa Bay for the offensive coordinator position, some fans in the Florida area were ready to welcome Monken with open arms. “ @ C o a c h To d d M o n k e n welcome to the @TBBuccaneers!

Looking forward to big things! #SiegeTheDay #GoBucs,” said on-air personality “Froggy” of the Elvis Durant show.

While the online community largely attributed the Golden Eagles’ drastic turnaround to Monken’s leadership, many still have faith in the remaining coaching staff and players. The departure will leave a dark cloud over the program for the next few days, but the future will be all right according to running backs coach John Simon.

“The Most Important Play is the Next Play,” Simon said on Twitter after Monken’s departure. “Stay focused on the Future. #SMTTT” Moving on from Monken will not be easy for many Southern Miss fans, but the transition will not be as rough for athletic director Bill McGillis. According to several news outlets, McGillis should have his next head coach named by National Signing Day on Feb. 3.

“I want to find a head coach that can win in 2016 because we are going to have a championship football team,” McGillis said. “We would love to have a head coach who could be here for the next 18 to 20 years.”

Although the names have not been released of potential candidates for the next head coach at Southern Miss, the fan base in Hattiesburg and beyond will be patiently waiting on their next USM football leader.

FIREWALL CONTINUED thinks he knows why: It made for mad press, and the RIAA grew tired of getting a black eye in the media. “[The RIAA] had a judge say, ‘Hey, we have someone that’s breaking the law, and we want to know who it is,’” he said. “They really don’t do that anymore.’”

Wilson said copyright holders and their representatives generally use a different tack nowadays when issuing DMCA notices.

“Now they’re saying, ‘[iTech,] you’re the [Internet service provider, so] could you pass this message along to your user and make the content unavailable,’” Wilson said.

Rightscorp CEO Christopher Sabec declined to comment for this article.

According to the Rightscorp website, when someone receives a DMCA notice from the company, its software has identified recipient’s

computer as hosting or downloading copyrighted material and automatically notified the ISPs of a digital copyright infringement.

The website warns, “Many infringers who do not pay are disconnected by their ISPs.” Wilson said the university never made a habit of blocking users from accessing the network. And he said if he received a notice from a company like Rightscorp, he probably would pay.

“I wouldn’t pay it because, to me, that’s just sketchy,” he said.

Dobronski said though she was not torrenting in during the RIAA’s aggressive DMCA campaign, she has since began torrenting files. She said she is not worried about getting caught.

“I know there’s consequences if I get caught, [...] but it’s harder to pick one person out of the whole community than it is to get the people who have

the websites,” she said.

Dobronski has, however, taken her file sharing activity off campus and did so prior to the university’s security upgrades. She said despite her own online activity, she thinks the university’s efforts to limit piracy is good.

“In terms of trying to get people not to [violate copyright law], I think so,” she said.

Dobronski does not think the new firewalls will put an end to file sharing on campus, however.

“There’s definitely ways to get around it,” she said.

Dobronski said from her person experience in high school, she has learned that if people want to access files bad enough, they will find a way.

“We used to download all the time, so they set up a firewall so we couldn’t get through it and that just made everyone want to get through it more,” she said.

Sports Editor

FEATURE LOCAL Student renters faced with inflated rates Page 4 | Monday, January 25, 2016

Nan Beauti Copy Editor

As on-campus housing rates and meal plan costs increase, students are deciding to move off campus for lower living costs but are finding themselves trapped in a fiscal dilemma due to the rising cost of rent in the Hattiesburg area.

Some students feel driven to seek more affordable housing alternatives, whether they are moving off campus or switching from one apartment to a cheaper one.

The prices for on-campus room and board have risen in recent years. In 2010, this average cost rose from $8,000, according to Forbes.

When housing on campus is more than the cost of tuition, many students no longer value the convenience of walking to class everyday.

According to the 2012 Trends in College Pricing report from CollegeBoard, the average cost for room and board at public four-year institutions was $9,205. Students who have the responsibility of financing their undergraduate education have to closely pay attention to costs.

As the community grows, so do rental rates. Rates last May were up 3.5 percent from a year earlier, the U.S. Labor Department reported.

Compared to the 1.6 percent price rise for food and the 1.5 percent drop in clothing costs, rent prices are soaring because of inflation.

“The Hattiesburg market has been very favorable for renters as far as comparing that to national averages,” said Chamberlan Carothers, asset manager at Southgate Realty.

Carothers said that rent is rising because utilities are simultaneously rising in Hattiesburg, including water, power, oil and gas.

“The expenses keeping up with these properties have jumped much higher than the inflation numbers are showing,” Carothers said.

A Department of Numbers report shows the country’s median gross rent in 2013 was $905. Hattiesburg was reported at $746, which is still above the state’s median at $708.

Deciding on a place to live and how to pay for that place is a common struggle students face on top of academics, jobs, transportation and other responsibilities. Every year, college students are looking for more affordable apartments to live in, but when the school year rushes back each semester, many find themselves forced to sign the lease for an apartment that was not on the top of their list. Due to lack of availability, time strains or cost restrictions, students sometimes are forced into signing a contract with certain housing complexes.

Student housing apartments like Eagle Flatts, previously known as University Edge, have increased rent prices, just slightly, but plan to continue this steady increase in rates.

“Prices change all the time depending on the market,” said Eagle Flatts representative Renard Elliott. “When the new company took over, we went up just a little bit; nothing drastic that would hurt residents financially.”

Eagle Flatts has recently became under a new management called the Capstone Real Estate Service. The four- bedroom

was $350 for rent and is now $355, a value still below the market rate.

Senior therapeutic recreation major John Marcus lives in a two-bedroom apartment in a complex called Pearl Place under McMahan Realty.

Marcus now pays $490 for rent after his roommate moved out, but the split cost between the two had him paying $245 a month. This is a stark difference compared to Vie at Hattiesburg’s $609 a month per person for a two-bedroom.

“It’s still one of the best prices around since I searched all over town, plus there’s the convenience of being basically on campus,” Marcus said. Rent increased from $470 in August.

Vie at Hattiesburg is a popular student housing complex that features many extra amenities for its residents including a 24-hour fitness center, a swimming pool area and a private shuttle service.

The Vie increased its rent as well. The four-bedroom price rose from $439 to $449 and is continuously increasing in prices due to renovations and market inflation.

“We renovated for completely new floors, put in stainless steal appliances and improved security,” said Deanna Cheathem, a leasing consultant at Vie Hattiesburg.

“Nobody likes it when prices go up, but we are just wanting to do more for the residents.”

“They go up each year,” said Jason Borges, a representative of The Cottages in Hattiesburg.

The Cottages’ two-bedroom rent price, $625, is higher than the rent at The Vie. “Naturally, there will be people who are upset when there is a price increase,”

Borges said. “It’s not like we are the only ones. All of housing increases each year.”

Undeclared sophomore Demarcus Miles lives in The Reserve at Park Place and pays $445 for the price of a two-bedroom and commutes to campus.

“The price has gone up and paying it can be hard for some when you don’t have the money for extra stuff you have to cover like utility bills and the cost of furniture and food,” Miles said.

“I was kind of forced into this.

If I would have taken my time, I could’ve found something better and cheaper.”

Students have personal reasons to complain about the high costs of student housing like Vie at Hattiesburg, The Cottages of Hattiesburg and Boardwalk at Dewberry Landing, among others.

What was discovered, however, is that students at other Mississippi institutions have the right to be complaining about the high costs of living.

Oxford, home to The University of Mississippi is the most expensive town for Mississippi college students in terms of living.

For example, single-family homes with three bedrooms in Oxford averaged approximately $1,143 per month, in Starkville approximately $1,000, and Hattiesburg was the lowest at approximately $959. When it comes to apartments, the average price per room in Oxford is about $504 per month, in Starkville it’s about $377 per month, and Hattiesburg is even lower at roughly $334 per month. Gross rent in Hattiesburg steadily rose from $658 in 2005 to $746 in 2013.

RENT COSTS OVER THE LAST 7 YEARS* 2013 U.S. $905 MS $708 Hattiesburg $746 2012 U.S. $897 MS $676 Hattiesburg $728 2011 U.S. $900 MS $712 Hattiesburg $734 2010 U.S. $910 MS $715 Hattiesburg $746 2009 U.S. $909 MS $695 Hattiesburg $696 2008 U.S. $914 MS $708 Hattiesburg $697 2007 U.S. $875 MS $676 Hattiesburg $711 2006 U.S. $881 MS $675 Hattiesburg $712 * according to the Department of Numbers

ON CAMPUS

Cook Library installs new iMacs Andrew Dutton Printz Reporter

iTech, USM’s technical services department, has installed eight new 21-inch iMac 2015 desktop computers in the Learning Commons.

David Sliman, the chief information officer at iTech, said the decision to increase the number of Apple computers was due to requests from students on campus.

Each computer is installed with Microsoft Word, Microsoft Powerpoint and Excel but lacks any Mac-preferred programs, such as Final Cut or Adobe Suit.

“Funding for this project was made possible by [education and general] funds, which is designated by the state to support day-today operations for our campus,” Sliman said.

According to Apple, the

desktop computer costs around $1,300. Sliman said the iTech department paid around $1,249 for each computer. iTech also purchased the AppleCare extended protection plan for $119 per computer.

The total purchase price for all eight computers amounted to $10,944. iTech saved more than $800 standard pricing due to the University’s Apple education agreement.

Prior to this purchase, there were already iMacs in the Learning Commons. However, the preexisting models were dated, and the performance specifications were inferior to that of the new iMacs.

Each new iMac in the Learning Commons of Cook Library has a 2.8 gigahertz Intel Core i5 processor, one terabyte of storage and eight gigabytes of onboard

memory configurable up to 16 gigabytes.

The new iMacs are comparable to the older Dell Windows 7 model computers that fill the rest of the Learning Commons.

While the older Dell model has a more powerful processor — 3.2 GHz Intel Core i5 — it also dates back to 2009 and is filled with programs that use up more of the computer’s resources, resulting in slower performance.

Some students are perfectly fine with these older PC models.

Bernie Virei, a junior polymer science major, enjoyed the experience of the older Dell models.

“They’re pretty good. They are library computers, but they’re pretty good,” Virei said.

Virei does not believe he can really feel the difference between the newer iMacs and the

Austin Sylvest/Printz USM students use the new iMacs installed Jan. 6 in the Learning Commons.

older computers.

“I’m not prepared to feel the difference. I go there and do some paperwork like Word or Excel,” Virei said.

Currently, the 21-inch iMac computers hold a four star rating

with reviewers from CNET and PC Magazine. Reviewers say the computer has a faster processor compared to older models, but criticize the new processors for still lagging behind Intel’s latest processors.

FEATURE

LOCAL

Monday, January 25, 2016 | Page 5

Big Bleach welcomes diversity in punk scene

Cam Bonelli/Printz

Hattiesburg punk group performs a set at Spice World on Jan. 21.

Cam Bonelli Printz Reporter

A funky purple and black border and four familiar faces adorn the front of Big Bleach’s latest tape, “Under the Bleacherz.” The cassette was available at the band’s homecoming performance at Spice World, the latest addition to the doit-yourself punk scene. It is evident from the heightened intensity of the crowd why Big Bleach commands the scene.

The band members not only engage the audience while performing, but will call crowd members by name and give them a “thanks, man” after the show. It is their unmitigated hospitality in Hattiesburg and on tour that continues to expand the local music scene beyond local performances.

Big Bleach’s successful performance at Spice World on Jan. 21 resulted from their recent 10-day tour spanning across nine states. During the set, the band received praise that reciprocated their performance’s intensity.

The tour influenced more than their amplified performance ability. According to the band, punks from all over are talking about Hattiesburg.

Some out-of-state bands want

to deliver their own unique punk brand to the Hub City.

Big Bleach guitarist and Baghead singer Hampton Martin shared his personal thoughts on how the tour has positively impacted the punk scene in Hattiesburg and at large.

“More punk bands wanting to play in Hattiesburg can only be a positive thing,” Martin said.

“The entirety of the punk DIY subculture revolves around live music [and] always has. Without the music and these bands, [the scene] could never evolve into something greater. More bands mean more shows, and more shows can mean a lot of things.”

It is more than the music.

The scene’s expansion allows for a wider array of diversification. The welcoming environment of both the Porn Hall and Spice World cater to the band’s mentality to inspire everyone around them to join. Martin commented on the idea of expanding the punk scene not only in terms of sound but the people involved.

“There’s been a huge push in the punk scene for a greater representation of the non-white male,” Martin said. “Seeing a band that does have [a member who is] black, trans, female or whatever — it can be super important to someone and give

them that push to want to join the greater punk scene.”

Big Bleach’s determination has not gone unnoticed by frequent venue participants. Hattiesburg resident punk head Jordy Boof said the Porn Hall, its residents and the people who frequent it are the new generation of local freethinkers who have an ability to impact their surroundings for the better.

“I can honestly say they’re some of the most motivated, determined group of young adults I’ve had the pleasure of knowing,” Boof said. “With all of the incarnations of all of their bands, they’ve certainly done a lot for the local scene. They’re the last vestige of DIY in this godforsaken town.”

The impression Big Bleach has made on people around the country engage them to talk about Hattiesburg’s music scene. Their success as a subculture gives people hope and that is why it is imperative to expand the scene.

Big Bleach bassist Harley White said there was an almost overwhelming sense of hospitality in every city they visited.

“It has done a lot for our scene in Hattiesburg because we have met so many people that had no idea that Hattiesburg was the rock and

roll capital of the Southeast,” White said.

Evidence suggests that Big Bleach’s warmth has a residual effect on everyone who participates in its shows or shows

hosted at its venues. The value of the punk subculture in Hattiesburg has extended to the national scene.

By this merit, local artists’ significance will only grow.

OPINION

Page 6 | Monday, January 25, 2016

LOCAL

Bands ‘more deserving’ than Hippo crowd’s reaction Jack Hammett Managing Editor

On Saturday, the Thirsty Hippo saw a turnout of approximately 40 attendees for a three-set performance. Bands slated to play were May Queen of Grenada, Carlos Danger of Oxford and Hattiesburg’s own Nossiens. The show began at around 10:20 p.m.

I’ll tell you what: The night was of the strangest caliber, a sort of halfbaked rocket sneezed out of Satan’s giant nostril. We skipped across town from one venue to another like a stone across a lake. It took a lot of haggling and more than a couple of shakedowns to find a proper show to mess up.

Before 9 p.m., we had a run-in with some Zach Galifianakis-looking character, a girl doing scissor kicks with a beer in her hand and a whacky tour van with the words “THE NEW ERA OF ROCK!” plastered on its side in cheesy yellow font. It was due to fortune that we made it to the Hippo on time.

May Queen started the night with a few lengthy numbers that teetered on rock’s progressive end. It was sad to see the glazed-over looks on crowd members’ faces because the band’s technique was intricate and fascinating in terms of sheer listening quality. It was clear that these were seasoned musicians.

Nossiens’ Hal Kalodney leans into the music during the night’s final set on Jan. 23.

However, I had the harsh feeling that the show’s energy had somehow burned out before starting, but this was clearly the audience’s disinterest. I have an idea that some bands are like novels and others are like movies. The novel types are rich, explorative and offer height-

ened experiences when engaged.

But it’s too often that people would rather see the movie.

May Queen is the novel type.

They invite the listener to engage them from within his or her own headspace. Vocals were low and had little variation, a clear stylistic

Cam Bonelli/Printz

choice that fit the set’s sobriety. The brighter numbers — of which there were only a few — seemed to settle with the audience a little better.

At the end of the day, the set was great and certainly more deserving of its crowd reaction. It must be noted, though, that half of a perfor-

mance is the visual aspect, which is something that severely needs exploration on the group’s part whenever possible.

Carlos Danger became an instant highlight from their set opener.

Guitarist and singer Alex Thiel had brilliance in his fingers, the way he executed each number with finesse.

What came as most important for this band was not their level of depth — and trust me, they had depth — but their uncanny ability to create a sound wall. Mind you, there are only three members in this group.

Suffice to say, the performance was impressive.

Nossiens is always a pleasure for the ears and eyes. The quartet played with heat and enthusiasm and were an encouraging reminder that a show’s energy can always be sucked back in through the door just as quickly as it left. Their sound can in no way be summarized succinctly, which I think to be a great thing. Their numbers were bright and thick with melodies, and drummer Quinn Mackey complemented superbly. The guys might be young, but they’ve built a reputation for themselves as masterful artists in Hattiesburg and in Jackson.

To learn more about these bands, you can visit their respective Bandcamp and Facebook pages. The Thirsty Hippo hosts performances on a regular basis.

BASKETBALL

SPORTS

Monday, January 25, 2016 | Page 7

USM falls to La. Tech, 70-59 Deantae Smith Sports Reporter

The Golden Eagles fell to 5-12 after a 70-59 loss to the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs. Khari Price was a bright spot for the Golden Eagles as he scored 17 points in the loss.

Price scored the most points, shooting 5-of-10 from the field and 3-of-5 from the three-point line.

“I missed open shots that I think could have definitely helped us,” Price said. “All my success is predicated by the guys on the court.”

Louisiana Tech got off to a good start as they were able to capitalize on Southern Miss’ mistakes to take an early 6-0 lead. USM recorded four turnovers in just the first four minutes and fell down 10-7 in that span. Shortly after that deficit, the Bulldogs went on another run taking a 19-9 lead with 13:27 left in the first quarter.

Southern Miss ran into a scoring drought midway through the first half, missing seven consecutive shots. This drought allowed the Bulldogs to take a 31-16 lead with just under five minutes remaining in the first half.

Shortly before halftime, the Golden Eagles made a run of their own, cutting into the lead making it 3120. Unfortunately, a buzzer-beating floater scored from Louisiana Tech’s Dayon Griffin pushed the deficit to 13 points at the half making it a 38-25 Bulldog lead.

Southern Miss opened the second period on a 6-0 run, capped off by a Jackson three-pointer to cut the margin to seven at 38-31.

As the Golden Eagles grew closer to getting back in the game,

they were trailing by seven at the 12 minute mark and narrowing the margin to three at the 10 minute mark, 50-47.

The Golden Eagles were hindered by poor officiating at a crucial turning point in the game.

“The big play was the shotclock violation,” head coach Doc Sadler said. “They knocked it out of bounds and they got possession.”

Following that call, the Golden Eagles were able to hang around until missed trips to the free throw line took them out of the game.

“Free throws are easy points,” Price said. “You gotta get as many of those as you can get.”

Jackson finished the game with 12 points while Keljin Blevins finished with 12. True freshman Tim Rowe finished with 11 points, six rebounds and two blocks.

Sadler has taken notice of Rowe’s growth on the floor.

“I thought the last three games, he’s been as aggressive as you can ask,” Sadler said. “He’s just getting better guys [and] on the offensive end, he’s really helping us.”

Sadler reminded people that this is a young team that has not learned to talk yet.

“We’ve got some young dudes out there,” Sadler said. “We had three freshmen against guys who have won close to 90 games in the last three seasons.”

The Bulldogs swept the season series with the Golden Eagles and are on a five game-winning streak over Southern Miss over the past three years.

The Golden Eagles continue their home stand on Jan. 28 when they host UTEP. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m.

Southern Miss guard Keljin Blevins shoots the ball as Louisiana Tech defends their basket on Saturday.

Austin Sylvest/Printz Southern Miss guard Keljin Blevins looks to score as Louisiana Tech defends on Jan. 23.

Austin Sylvest/Printz

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