The Student Printz November 19, 2015

Thursday, November 19, 2015

Volume 100 Issue 25

www.studentprintz.com PAGE THREE

PAGE FIVE

NEWS History

Professor honored for leadership, contributions.

PAGE EIGHT

PAGE SIX

F E AT U R E

OPINION

S P O RT S

Campus community discusses possible smoking policy.

New movement aims to increase working class wages.

Golden Eagles blown out in first home game, 78-60.

Tobacco

Fast food

Basketball

University to honor legendary musicians Nan Beauti Printz Reporter

Two legendary musicians that met on The University of Southern Mississippi’s Hattiesburg campus 40 years ago will be commemorated Nov. 21 at the very spot they first encountered each other.

Jimmy Buffett and Greg “Fingers” Taylor, who together created the famous Coral Reefer Band, met at Shoemaker Square in the early 1970s.

The ceremony will honor the musicians with a bronze marker outside The Hub at 10 a.m.

Saturday, prior to the USM and Old Dominion football game.

Some say it was destiny that the two musicians met and became one of America’s most prized musical collaborations. Buffett graduated from USM in 1969. Shortly after, he met Taylor, who was still enrolled at the time. This meeting occurred on the front steps of The Hub. Buffett was on campus to play his guitar for a group of students in between classes, and Taylor, known for his confidence, asked if he could join in.

Their chemistry sparked a friendship that led to their renowned collaboration, which created the band’s hit songs, including “Margaritaville” and “Cheeseburger in Paradise.” Fervent fans of the Coral Reefer Band are named “parrotheads” who continue to support and be inspired by their music. The legacies of Buffett and Taylor will be recognized on Saturday by a platoon of groups associated with Southern Miss, including the Kappa Sigma fraternity. Buffett was a member of Kappa Sigma during his undergraduate career.

Rick Diamond/Courtesy Photo of Jimmy Buffett

Buffett earned a degree in history in 1969 and performed in a band called The Upstairs Alliance. He began to perform solo and with the band at local gigs and student hangouts on campus.

Buffett has recorded over 30 albums, eight gold and nine platinum. Buffett received a Grammy nomination and wrote three books that made The New York Times bestseller list. Taylor was a member of the Coral Reefer Band from the mid-1970s to 2001 and recorded more than half a dozen albums of his own. Both Buffett and Taylor are inductees in the Mississippi Musicians Hall of Fame.

“Buffett is the party,” said Loyd “Hurricane” Munn, alumnus and Kappa Sigma member who attended USM with Taylor. “He is his own industry, and he has his own sound people want to mimic. I don’t know anyone that wouldn’t want to be Jimmy Buffett.”

Considered to be the greatest second-generation harmonica player in the country, Taylor received his nickname “Fingers” for being a piano player.

“They all had nicknames in high school and his name came from him being a very proficient piano player, not a harmonica player,” Munn said.

Taylor collaborated on nearly 60

CDs with a host of celebrities and produced six of his own CDs. He was a writer on some of the songs Buffett performed.

Not only was Taylor a skilled harmonica player, but he was also a proficient blues musician.

“It amazed me how much he knew about music,” Munn said. “He looked at me and said ‘silence is a musical note.’”

Both Buffett and Taylor provided significant influence in Mississippi.

The ceremony will recognize the legacies they have created.

“It’s good to know where it all began like any artist and sometimes the story isn’t what you think it is,”

Munn said. “Jimmy has tons of friends from USM who he is still friends with today.”

Munn is a local musician and has shared the stage with Taylor.

“I tell people there’s nothing (more neat) than to be driving to a gig, listening to the radio and hearing a song on the radio and 30 minutes later take the stage with the same artist you heard on the radio and have the same guy playing three feet from you.”

“I’m seeing this story being picked up in California, overseas, Hawaii– the story has been picked up by the press across the world, so this is not just a local event,” Munn said.

Buffett was said to be thrilled about the ceremony and has sent a video for audiences to view during the football game. Speculation claimed that Buffett would attend the ceremony, but his schedule conflicts with the event.

“We don’t know whether he’s going to be here,” Munn said. “We don’t have a clue. I wouldn’t go and expect to see Jimmy (Buffett), but he is Jimmy Buffett and can do what he wants.”

Jim Warren, a 1986 USM graduate and former member of the Kappa Sigma fraternity, said that he ran into Buffett in the Bahamas,.

Buffett was wearing a Southern Miss cap.

“I walked over to ask about the cap only to find out it was Jimmy Buffett,” Warren said. “Buffett was flying his colors when he didn’t have to be and even asked how everything at USM was going. It’s about time that a ceremony on behalf of him and Greg Taylor has (been) done because they both deserve it and so does the university.”

ON CAMPUS

New Wi-Fi expands students’ Internet access Alexis Ware Printz Reporter

The University of Southern Mississippi revamped its wireless services by switching to a new Wi-Fi network. The new network, Eduroam, provides the same features and is similar to the former network. It is available now for all faculty, staff and students.

Eduroam is short for “education roaming” and is part of a global WiFi network that began in Europe.

Keith Hill, director of operation and infrastructure for iTech, said

Eduroam offers many benefits to students, faculty and staff.

“Eduroam is a group all over the world,” Hill said. “It allows you to use your same credentials (to access the Internet) when you visit another campus like (Mississippi State University, Louisiana State University) or in Europe.”

Many surrounding universities are among Eduroam users, including The University of Mississippi, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Tulane and many more. The Eduroam website presents a map of

universities that are part of the program.

Using Eduroam at USM provides full USM network access. However, when browsing Eduroam at another university, users only have minimal Internet access. This is the same for visiting students using Eduroam at USM. “We’ve had people (from visiting universities) connect to our network,” Hill said. “It gives you the same access if you use the USM network. Visitors can only use Internet and not access internal USM information. Whenever you

go to one of those visiting sites, you can only use their website.”

The new network will benefit USM students studying abroad by providing Internet access while they travel if there is a university that uses Eduroam.

The former USM network is still available for use. However, it and other networks will cease by the end of the spring semester. This will include USM, USM Help and USM Guest Access.

The two networks available will be Eduroam and USM Public.

An email sent to students gave

information on how to best handle the new network.

“The EagleAir Network will remain active however hidden from discovery and is intended for those devices which cannot authenticate to Eduroam,” said an email sent out to USM students and staff. “Please make the switch to Eduroam at your earliest convenience. If you need assistance, go to the iTech website, or call the Help Desk at 601-266-4357.”

Eduroam provides USM users with Internet access all over the world.

Page 2 | Thursday, November 19, 2015

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NEWS

Thursday, November 19, 2015 | Page 3

ON CAMPUS

USM history professor receives humanities award Nan Beauti Printz Reporter

History professor Matthew Casey has been named The University of Southern Mississippi’s recipient of the Mississippi Humanities Council Teacher of the Year Award.

He will deliver a public lecture entitled “Connected Histories: Cuba, Haiti and the United States, 1900-1940,” on Nov. 20 at 5 p.m. in the Liberal Arts Building, room 108. The lecture will be followed by a reception in the LAB lobby.

Casey joined the Department of History in 2011 and has made major contributions to the department in several ways. He currently serves the department’s director of undergraduate studies, which includes chairing the Undergraduate Studies Committee that oversees

undergraduate curricula, the development of new courses and supervising academic advising. He is the co-chair of the Center for the Study of the Gulf South, which entails sponsoring guest lecturers (most recently, the Cuban writer Roberto Zurbano) and administering a special development fund that supports research activities by the Center’s affiliated faculty.

Casey was selected to serve on the Provost Search Advisory Committee, which recently concluded successfully. Casey also authored his first book on the experience of Haitians who circulated between their home country and on the experience of Haitians who circulated between their home country and eastern Cuba in the early 20th century, which has been accepted for publication by Cambridge University Press. Among his accolades include the awards he

Courtesy Photo

received for his research from the Association of Caribbean Historians and the USM Faculty Senate. “(Casey) very much deserves

this award,” said Douglas Chambers, a history professor.

“He is the model of the active scholar-teacher whose work exemplifies the highest standards of our profession, even as he is in the early stages of his career as a professor. We are proud of (Casey) and so glad that the Mississippi Humanities Council chose to recognize this young professor so early in his career.”

Casey teaches courses in Latin American and Caribbean history as well as the HIS 102 course that most students are required to take.

“In all of my classes, I try to emphasize the skills in reading, writing and analysis that come in a history class, not just the details of the past events themselves,” Casey said. “I have had the opportunity to see many of my colleagues in the classroom, and I’m always impressed by the high

level of teaching effectiveness.

This makes the award that much more of an honor to receive.”

Each award recipient is required to deliver a public lecture, and Casey’s lecture will focus on periods in history of Haiti and Cuba that few people know about. He will try to illustrate how deeply connected they are to the history of the United States.

“This will involve a close look at U.S. foreign policy between the world wars–which was obsessed with both countries–as well as a recognition of the effects of U.S. policies on the lived experiences of people in Haiti and Cuba,” Casey said.

In addition to being recognized for his work and leadership at Southern Miss, Casey received a $300 honorarium from MHC. He will be honored among other recipients at the MHC’s annual awards banquet and ceremony in Jackson next spring.

ON CAMPUS

Student-athletes ‘SAAC Hunger’ through food drive Lora Lavigne Printz Reporter

With the arrival of fall weather and the holidays approaching, people begin to prepare for Thanksgiving festivities.

Southern Miss studentathletes prepare for the holiday season by hosting a canned food drive on the Hattiesburg campus in an attempt to make everyone’s Thanksgiving traditional and fulfilling.

The Southern Miss StudentAthlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) is currently holding its annual “Let’s SAAC Hunger” food drive, which ends Nov. 22.

Conference USA member institutions participate in the initiative through conferencewide community outreach. SAAC and the Center for Community and Civic Engagement invites all student groups, faculty, staff, alumni and area residents to participate.

Danielle Block, vice president of SAAC, coordinates the majority of the organization’s outreach events and has set up collection dates as well as donation sites to promote the canned food drive to both students and Hattiesburg residents.

“I think it is very important to be part of something bigger than just your group of friends or your individual organization on campus,” Block said.

Block expressed the drive’s success in past years and hopes to continue its service for years to come.

“Community service events like the canned food drive are a great way to unite all students

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on campus with the purpose of making Hattiesburg a better place,” Block said.

In addition to networking with respective organizations on campus and in the community, C-USA also partners with

YouGiveGoods, a for-profit company that facilitates online food drives. This partnership allows C-USA student-athletes to reach a much larger audience.

“As a student-athlete, it means a lot to me knowing I

can give back to my community, a community that supports me and what I do so much,” said Shawn Brickley, a wide receiver for the Golden Eagles.

Brickley described his feeling of gratitude for the people of

the community and encourages others to get more involved.

“A bunch of athletes hosting a food drive is a start, but we need more,” Brickley said.

“We need everyone from every organization and every part of campus to unite and find more ways we can give back to our society.”

All canned goods donated at Southern Miss will directly benefit the local community. Christian Services, a member agency of the United Way of Southeast Mississippi, will distribute the canned goods immediately after weigh-ins take place. The goods will be provided to those in need throughout the Hattiesburg area.

“We hadn’t set a specific goal as to how many cans we wanted to collect, but we are trying to collect as many cans as possible by the end of the drive,” Block said.

Last year, C-USA collected more than 62,000 pounds of canned goods leaguewide, equating to about 53,000 meals.

SAAC is accepting canned items from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays until Nov. 22 at the Duff Athletic Center. They also offer fans the opportunity to win free game vouchers at any particular home event if they are to bring five canned goods to upcoming sports events.

Fans can also donate canned items at the final Golden Eagle regular-season home football game against Old Dominion, Nov. 21, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m or online through the YouGiveGoods page.

The “Let’s SAAC Hunger” food drive will end Sunday, Nov. 22.

Page 4 | Thursday, November 19, 2015

FEATURE

LOCAL

Photo project showcases pet personalities Cam Bonelli Printz Reporter

A picture of a boxer adorns the wall of volunteer coordinator Ginny Sims’ Southern Pines Animal Shelter office. The dog’s warmth radiates from the 8-by10 frame and strikes curiosity in visitors.

Photographed by the members of the Southern Pines Animal Shelter Pet Photography Project, Hurricane Hercules smiled down as Ginny Sims recounted how a onceisolated boxer found a home and embodied the photography project’s goal.

“He lost his owner in a traumatic way, and he was a behavior case,” Sims said. “We took this picture of him because he is happy and relaxed, and you can see him after the struggles.

The response was huge. Before he came to the shelter, his other option was euthanasia in a boarding facility.”

Like Hurricane Hercules, many animals at Southern Pines whose pictures have been taken through the Pet Photography Project resulted in adoption. The group, established independently of the shelter on Sept. 8, 2011, set out to demolish the “arms of an angel” Sarah McLachlan guilt tactic for adoptions–such as in commercials that show abused and sickly animals–and started photographing happy, relaxed potential pets.

Sims, a former member of the Pet Photography Project, explained that the organization

wanted to photograph the animals out of their cages.

“They didn’t want the bars to be in the way,” Sims said. “They wanted people to be able to picture the animals as pets. They would get to know their personality (and) photograph them in a way someone can visualize that pet in their home.”

Founders of the project Gus Bowering, Dorothy Ricks and Beth Bice conceived the idea and brought it to the shelter. The group started garnering attention from local photographers through word of mouth. Now, more than four years later, approximately 30 photographers and animal handlers compose the group.

Amanda Rester, Pet Photography Project chairperson, said the goal of the group was to photograph animals in a positive way and change the way people approach pet adoption.

“I liked the idea that the group didn’t focus on taking photographs of animals that looked like Sarah McLachlan should be singing in the background, but instead the animals (were) playing and interacting with people naturally,” Rester said. “I’ve seen firsthand how this group has changed the way people view shelters and adopting animals from shelters.”

Photographers and handlers observe the animals’ personalities by playing, walking and interacting with the potential pets before photographing them. Once the animals are relaxed and happy, the handler helps pose the pets while the

photographer shoots.

Sims said the Pet Photography Project produced great results.

“Every animal on the property had their picture made,” Sims said. “All of a sudden, the animals were happy, and so people were happy to look at more pictures. At any given time, (the animals) were getting viewed by hundreds of people on Facebook. It gave the animals a new outlet to be showcased.”

Paige Odom, a senior biology major and member of the Pet Photography Project, said that it was nice to be able to help animals, especially those in shelters.

“Lending a hand to the shelter, even if it’s just holding a puppy for a picture, brings me so much joy,” Odom said.

“These animals just want to be loved and to love someone in return. If having their picture taken helps them find a home, then I’m happy to have been a part of that process.”

The Pet Photography Project cultivates the idea that shelter animals are not always battered and abused animals. The photographers’ efforts allow the animals to expose their personalities on an intimate level. The project gives second chances to animals like Hurricane Hercules.

The Southern Pines Animal Shelter Pet Photography Project is recruiting more volunteers. For more information regarding volunteering for the project, visit the Facebook page or email volunteer@ southernpinesanimalshelter.org.

Courtesy Photo

Cam Boneli/ Printz

Name: Diamond Species: Dog Breed: Bulldog, American/Mix Age: 5 years 4 months Sex: Female Size: XL Color: White/Red Spayed/Neutered: Yes Declawed: No Housetrained: Yes

FEATURE

Thursday, November 19, 2015 | Page 5

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ON CAMPUS

SGA moves toward smoke-free campus Joshua Starr Printz Reporter

By the end of November, the USM Student Government Association expects to submit a refined draft of the smoke-free policy legislation for review by the faculty senate and staff council.

SGA President Jeffrey George said upon receiving input for the policy from the faculty staff and senate, as well as from the university’s police and human resources departments, the policy will be submitted to USM’s Executive Cabinet.

“By the point it would get to the Executive Cabinet, the members of the cabinet would review the policy and approve or deny it or essentially make a recommendation to Dr. Bennett to approve or deny the policy,” George said.

Upon approval, smoke-free policy legislation, which is targeted to go into effect fall 2016, would become formal policy to make USM a smoke-free campus. If approved, the policy would further limits to tobacco use on campus and reflect a national trend toward smoke-free campuses.

Tobacco-Free College Campus Initiative, a nonprofit promoting tobacco-free policies, said the number of campus-wide smokefree policies in the U.S. has more than doubled since 2012, from 744 to 1,547, nine of which are located in Mississippi.

While more than two-thirds of those campuses are fully tobacco free, USM’s policy would only explicitly prohibit smoking on campus.

Smoker and USM Police Chief Bob Hopkins said USM will continue the smoke-free trend because its purpose corresponds with the university’s holistic approach to improving the quality of life of its students.

Hopkins said that while USM has not officially become smoke-free yet, he and others know it is on the horizon.

“The trend is to become more healthy in mind and body, and to do that you’re going to have to address those issues that can adversely affect you,” Hopkins said.

According to the Surgeon General’s 2012 report “Preventing Tobacco Use Among Youth and Young Adults,” college campuses offer a unique opportunity to curb lifelong smoking habits as peak tobacco use is by college-age adults 18 to 25.

“Cigarette smoking by youth and young adults has immediate adverse health consequences, including addiction, and accelerates the development of chronic diseases across the full life course,” the report said.

SGA Vice President Kyle Stoner said students made it clear they wanted a smoking-free campus, passing the smoke-free resolution during the 2014 general election with a 76-percent approval rating.

He said that as the executive council considers its measure, the SGA still has a lot to consider before the policy is enacted.

“We have a one-year grace period to figure out the exact wording of the policy, the exact grants that are available, the services that are available, as well as how to nail down the enforcement with UPD and other bodies on campus,” Stoner said.

Stoner said the grants and services the SGA is organizing are intended aid students, faculty and staff in compliance and cessation.

He said in this respect he would not expect an easy transition to the new policy. He said he instead expects backlash and non-compliance. “(We are) making sure students understand that this wasn’t an initiative to take something away,” he said. “It was an initiative to foster a better sense of health on campus.”

Hopkins said offenders of the proposed policy can expect the penalties of the current smoking policy, which permits smoking in designated zones, to carry over to the smoke-free policy if approved.

Though he thinks the $50 fines are an effective deterrent, Hopkins said he does not think enforcement will be much of an issue.

“I think we’ve seen a lot less smoking on campus,” he said.

According to the university police records as of September, only five citations have been issued for smoking violations in 2015.

Hopkins said continued enforcement efforts would actually be aided by the complete ban.

“We’re in the middle of going from smoking zones to a non-smoking campus,” he said. “It would be much easier for identification of a violator.”

Creating a smoke-free campus would also resolve a number of the complaints concerning zoned smoking.

Stoner said when the senators presented the smoke-free legislation, they reported that one of the major complaints coming out of the student body at the time was that the current policies were not being adhered to. The lack of signage and ashtrays that indicate the location of smoking zones may contribute to compliance problems, he said.

Smoker and political science associate professor Kate Greene said she thinks the lack of signs at smoking zones confuses smokers. According to Greene, the Liberal Arts Buidling and the area behind Seymour’s are about the only places with designated smoking zone signage.

Greene said another problem with the zones is the litter.

“They just put their cigarettes out and throw them on the ground when there are garbage cans probably no more than six or seven feet away from them no matter where they are in the smoking zone,” she said.

Another smoker, LAB custodian

Margaret Craft, said though it would be nice if smokers cleaned up after themselves she doesn’t really mind.

“They could put it in the (cigarette) holder, but they give me a chance to go outside if they throw something on the ground,” she said.

Hopkins said another problem with the zones is that they’re easily movable, and are sometimes moved to covered areas in compliance with state law excluding smoking near entrances to public buildings.

Greene said, as a smoker, when the zones were first established their location was a problem for her.

“My problem was that the zones wee all out in the open and exposed, so if it was raining or cold, you had to get wet and freeze,” she said.

Despite the dysfunctional state of the current policy, Greene said she would prefer to keep it in place. And she said even if the university does do away with smoking, it might not effect that much change.

“We’ll probably still sit out here and sneak cigarettes or walk across the street to the apartment parking lot,” she said.

The USM Student Health Services maintains a list of cessation resources that provide free services to the public to held students quit smoking.

For more information, visit https:// www.usm.edu/student-health-services/smoking-policy.

Page 6 | Thursday, November 19, 2015

OPINION

NATIONAL

Obama’s policies not enough against ISIS J.D. Rimann Printz Reporter

Even before the attacks in Paris last week, the chances of increased American intervention in the conflict with the Islamic State were on the rise.

At the end of last month, the White House announced that it was going to send a contingent of about 50 Special Forces soldiers into Syria to advise, assist and train the local forces battling the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria.

While Republican lawmakers were quick to criticize the decision as (in the words of House Armed Services chairman Mac Thornberry) coming “too little, too late,” the White House was

adamant that they are not.

White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest attempted to downplay those thoughts.

“The President does expect that they can have an impact in intensifying our strategy for building the capacity of local forces inside of Syria for taking the fight on the ground to ISIL in their own country,” Earnest said. He referred to the Special Forces as an “important force multiplier anywhere around the world (where) they are deployed.”

While no one has expressed doubts about the capability, courage or combat abilities of the legendary Green Berets, it is fair to question the ability of 50 soldiers to truly make an impact in a regional conflict as

large as the one that is currently engulfing Syria and Iraq. If it is found—as many experts expect it will be—that these troops are not enough, then what? The answer is likely to be to send more troops–not many more, but more. After all, Obama has favored an incremental approach to conflict escalation throughout his seven years in office, and it is unlikely that he will abandon that course now.

The most likely outcome of this route of action is a gradual increase of troops in Iraq and Syria with little overall strategy from The White House or Pentagon for what they are should be focused on doing there, because the plan was never to deploy large-scale forces in the first place.

That is at some level what happened in Vietnam, another conflict which started with small-scale, incremental deployments of Special Forces under a Democratic president.

However, there was never an overarching strategy in place for winning that war, just as there does not appear to be an overarching strategy in place to defeat ISIS. Instead, troops were committed piecemeal to the conflict for political rather than military considerations, and eventually there were over half a million Americans in Vietnam with no true strategy guiding their actions other than “kill lots of the enemy”–which is a slogan, not a plan.

The Obama Administration’s foreign and military policy has

been characterized by a sense of mission creep and reactionary responses rather than proactive actions. It is a fallacy to think that we might end up with half a million troops in Syria or Iraq, but it is no fallacy to say that the president is staring down a particularly slippery slope in terms of escalation in Syria.

A comprehensive plan to defeat ISIS needs to be put together and executed by the Obama Administration. So far, neither Obama nor his cabinet nor any of the individuals running to replace him have offered one. Until someone does, it seems that incremental mission creep will continue to be the name of the game for the United States in Syria and the Middle East.

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NATIONAL

People justly ‘Fight for $15’ Hiba Tahir

Printz Reporter On Nov. 10, workers in Jackson participated in a nationwide “fast food strike” to demand higher wages and union rights.

The strike joined many others occurring nationwide and was organized by the union-backed movement “Fight for $15.” Jackson joined 270 cities participating in the strikes that continue to gain momentum.

During the strikes, workers typically walk off their jobs for 24 hours and demand a $15-per-hour pay raise in addition to the right to organize a union.

Critics call the movement ridiculous. After all, why should anyone support a cause that allows people with no skills, expertise or education to earn roughly $29,000 a year?

There are far more complex jobs that pay less. My first job (although it was only an internship) paid $10 per hour, and I was certainly expected to do far more labor-intensive work than the typical fast food employee.

And yet, in light of recent statistics, I cannot automatically dismiss the “Fight for $15” argument.

For one, the stock market is at a record high, but minimum wage purchasing power remains at a low that has been maintained over the past several years.

According to the movement, multi-million dollar corporations like McDonald’s are typically to blame.

Bloomberg Business revealed in a report last year that fast food CEOs are some of the highest paid executives in America, with average compensations of $26.7 million in 2012.

Fast food workers, with an average hourly wage of $9.09, are among the lowest paid. This disparity between high and low classes seems to grow larger and larger with every passing year, and it won’t be soon before the middle class is likewise affected.

As the cost of living in most American cities continues to increase, is it really fair to expect fast food workers to get by on so little?

The National Employment Law

Project revealed that over 26 percent of fast food workers are parents raising children. Is it right to deny them the basic needs of familial life over something as trivial as a disagreement over what encapsulates hard work?

Republicans in Congress continue to oppose social welfare programs that provide such people assistance. However, with their minimal wages, these people have no option but to rely on government charity. A common argument against raising the minimum wage is that these people should’ve worked harder to earn more–but if they spend their lives crippled by debt, how can they? It is a catch-22 that feeds itself and subsequently results in no opportunities for growth and no way out for anyone involved.

Ultimately, the implications are dire for all of us. If left unchecked, economic inequality and disparity among classes could undermine the entire industry and damage the overall economy.

SPORTS

Thursday, November 19, 2015 | Page 7

FOOTBALL

USM two wins away from C-USA championship game Joshua Campbell Sports Editor

Southern Miss (7-3, 5-1 Conference USA) is just two wins away from playing in the conference championship game for the first time since 2011.

The Golden Eagles’ first challenge comes this Saturday when they host Old Dominion (5-5, 3-3 C-USA) in their final regular season home game. There is a chance USM could host the conference championship game, but the odds are very slim.

USM would need to beat ODU and Louisiana Tech, have FIU beat Western Kentucky this week, WKU beat Marshall next week, then end up ranked higher than the Hilltoppers to host the championship game.

That is a lot that needs to fall their way, so the most likely scenario is USM winning out and playing the winner of WKU and Marshall on the road.

But first things first, they need to beat the Monarchs.

ODU has had an up-anddown season, and a lot of it stems from having to bounce between quarterbacks.

“It all starts this week with Old Dominion,” said head coach Todd Monken. “They lost their quarterback and have gone between two different guys at quarterback. They are both good players and the team has won two in a row.”

Shuler Bentley was the starter to begin the season, but injuries and inconsistent

play led to David Washington getting a chance to run the offense, which he has done a much better job of. Washington is completing just under 60 percent of his passes, much better than Bentley’s 50.5 completion percentage, and has tossed eight touchdowns to just three picks. Bentley had just six touchdowns and five interceptions in more playing time.

Washington is the guy who will be taking snaps under center for ODU Saturday after winning the job following a monster performance against Charlotte to end a three-game losing skid. The quarterbackturned wide receiver-turned quarterback could be a handful for the Golden Eagle defense.

He has a live arm, stands tall in the pocket and is dangerous as a scrambler outside of the pocket. His favorite target is Zach Pascal, who has caught 56 passes for 758 yards and four touchdowns this season.

Pascal had the game of his career against Marshall as well with 231 yards and three touchdowns on 11 catches.

In the last three games with Washington as quarterback, he has gone over the century mark and totaled 29 catches.

The Monarchs feature a strong running game as well with Ray Lawry having 1,128 yards and 11 touchdowns. Their offense certainly has bright spots, but Southern Miss can easily shut it down as it has time and time again this season.

The Golden Eagles currently

are ranked first in the conference in total yards, both offensively and defensively, but Monken reiterates every week, as he did again this week, saying stats don’t carry over. While stats are used as solid evidence in the sports world, he’s right. It all comes down to how you play on the field, not how the stat sheet says you played.

And this Southern Miss team has looked great on the field the past four weeks. It’s not just the offense or the defense.

The Golden Eagles have come together as a complete team, special teams included. Monken said he is most happy for the guys who decided to stick around through the hard times and be a part of a good program here at USM. “Not many guys stayed around,” Monken said. “They didn’t buy into this university or in us, but these guys did. They didn’t know when it would turn or when the fruits of our labor would pay off.

“It’s like when you are in sales and you go to a door and don’t make a sale seven or eight times. And how many people would throw in the towel? And these guys didn’t. So they will always be and should be special to this university.

They will always be special to our staff and this fan base for sticking by it. I’m happy for them that they will have a chance to make a run at a conference championship or the very least end their career going to a bowl game.”

Monken is spot on. This team deserves credit for sticking

Courtesy Photo Head coach Todd Monken challenges fans to pack The Rock as part of Sellout Saturday.

around through the hard times to reap the rewards of being a good football team. And that success will likely continue this week as USM appears to be the better team. Expect for the Golden Eagles to be

playing for C-USA West division crown next week when they travel to Ruston, Louisiana.

But be assured that Monken has his team focused on the task at hand, beating Old Dominion.

Kickoff is at 2:30 p.m.

VOLLEYBALL

USM to take on Rice in conference tourney Deantae Smith Sports Reporter

The Conference USA postseason tournament will be hosted by Texas-San Antonio this weekend, Nov. 20-22.

The seeding for the tournament was determined by the top eight teams following the regularseason. The winner will gain the league’s automatic bid to the NCAA Championship.

The Golden Eagles faltered after getting off to the best start in school history, dropping to the sixth seed.

The Golden Eagles were tied for second in the conference just three weeks ago, but a 2-3 stretch in conference play to end the season ended their hopes of earning a firstround bye.

In the first round, the Golden Eagles will take on third-seeded

Rice Owls on Friday at 2 p.m. In the only matchup between the teams, the Owls defeated the Golden Eagles 3-0 on Oct. 29.

The top seed and defending champ, Western Kentucky, only dropped one match during conference play, to Rice. The Hilltoppers finished the season 28-3 overall and will face Marshall in their opening round match.

Marshall, the eighth seed, finished the season 16-13 and were below .500 in the conference at 7-9. The Thundering Herd enter the tournament on a positive note, as they beat Middle Tennessee State, 3-2 in their regular season finale.

The host, UTSA, is the number two seed, finishing 21-8 overall during the regular season. UTSA will face Florida International in the first game of the tournament at noon.

The seventh-seeded FIU Panthers ended the season at 1512, 9-7 in C-USA. The Panthers closed the season with back-toback wins against Louisiana Tech and Charlotte, winning 3-0 in each matchup. The Panthers fell 3-1 to the Roadrunners in their lone matchup this season.

The fourth-seeded Mean Green will be matched against the fiveseed, Florida Atlantic, in the nightcap of the opening round, playing at 7 p.m.

The Mean Green finished the season 19-12, 11-5 C-USA, while the Owls finished 18-10, 10-6 C-USA. In their only head-to-head matchup against North Texas, the Owls won 3-2 in early November.

If the Golden Eagles can upset the higher-seeded Rice, they will face the winner of the UTSA-FIU match.

Fadi Shahin/Printz Kylie Grandy spikes the ball for a kill in a game against UAB on Oct. 25.

Page 8 | Thursday, November 19, 2015

SPORTS

BASKETBALL

USM falls to Jackson State in home opener Julius Kizzee News Editor

The Golden Eagles (0-2) lost their first home game of the season to Jackson State Tuesday, 78-60.

This game could have been much worse, to say the least. Little went well for the Golden Eagles, and head coach Doc Sadler shared his blame in his team’s poor outing.

“I’m not getting the message across on how important things are,” Sadler said. “It’s not just on the players, it’s on me. I’m responsible for the team.”

The offense was not clicking efficiently, as it seemed that no one could score when it was needed.

The defense was atrocious, giving up 44 percent from three-point range. Raheem Watts led the Golden Eagles in scoring, which is not a bad thing by any means, but he only scored a mere 13 points.

There were too many negatives to take away from the game, according to Sadler.

“It’s not about winning, it’s about being respectable,” Sadler said.

“The benefits are down the road, and unfortunately, we don’t have time to wait.”

The lack of effort from the Golden Eagles was the main issue.

Fadi Shahin/Printz JSU’s Treshawn Bolden wins the tip over Eddie Davis III at the start of the game against Jackson State on Nov. 11 in Hattiesburg.

Numerous times during the game, the Golden Eagles were out-hustled to loose balls, beat on the defensive glass and struggled to get back in transition defense.

“We have to play tougher than our opponent every night,” Watts said.

“No matter who it is.”

Southern Miss was down 42-26 by halftime, and the margin was wide early, 34-12, with just under six minutes left in the half.

“They’re giving me everything they’ve got,” Sadler said. “They want to do good, they really do, and I feel for them.”

The second half proved well for

USM, as they closed the gap to 11 at one point. Southern Miss showed more enthusiasm and energy in the second half, even if the scoreboard didn’t show results.

With a last-minute dunk at the end, Keljin Blevins was able to take out his frustrations of the efforts of his squad.

“We dug a big hole for ourselves and we couldn’t get out,” Blevins said. “That’s what coach wants us to do. Get out in transition and run and that’s something that can spark something.”

Sadler shook up the starting lineup a little bit against Jackson

State, replacing Tim Rowe with Michael O’Donnell. The starting lineup played better this time around, but not by much. But talent is not the issue. Inexperience and a lack of identity are the things hindering USM at this point.

“With the guys (we’ve) got, we can turn this around,” Blevins said. “It’s just two games. We’ve got 27 more and we can make this positive.”

A few weeks ago, speculation had surrounded the program that Norville Carey and Kevin Holland would redshirt. To make matters worse, senior forward Jamie Chapman was also rumored to have decided to

take the year off. Now, it has been confirmed, and the Golden Eagles are paying for all three of their absences, especially Carey’s.

“We miss him a lot,” Watts said. “Just playing against him in practice, I know what he can bring to the table.”

Moving forward, the Golden Eagles will have to get it together— quickly. In their next contest against William Carey, the Golden Eagles will have to control the game from the outset. In both of the games to start the season, Southern Miss let the opposing team control the tempo of the game, which they certainly cannot do against the Crusaders.

WCU is led by honorable mention All-American guard Donta Pittman, and he easily has Division I talent.

The Crusaders’ strength is forcing turnovers and running in transition, which USM has struggled to defend early in the season. The Crusaders have a legitimate shot to upset the cross-town Golden Eagles.

USM will have to show more fight and grit against WCU and in their future contests, because it will be hard for Southern Miss to win off of pure talent alone.

Southern Miss will take on William Carey Nov. 23 at Reed Green Coliseum. Tipoff is at 7 p.m.