Opinions: New show coming to Netflix this February
Opinions: Take notice of Black History Month.
Sports: Women take down Golden Eagles
Monday, February 5, 2018 - Vol. 118 Issue 52
By Nicholas Ebelhack editor-in-chief
Two rooms. Two groups of people. One man running back and forth between the rooms for hours at a time. That’s where Western Illinois University and the University Professionals of Illinois (UPI) Local 4100 Chapter at Western currently stand. According to Associate Pro-
By Bradley Piros courier staff
The Western Illinois University Department of Art is back this semester, continuing to put on the first “First Wednesday” event of the spring semester. If you haven’t heard of it before, it’s an “open house” put on by some of
vost for Budget, Planning & Personnel Russell Morgan, after four months of mediation, progress is being made towards reaching a contract between the two groups, but more work is expected with two planned mediation sessions left in February. “What happens is that the mediators bring supposals back and forth between the two teams, but occasionally we do sit down in pairs and
talk things out with each other,” Morgan said. “I suppose it has been helpful in that it makes us be creative and I think we have made good progress. I’m not satisfied with it just yet since we don’t have a contract but we have made progress.” “Supposals” is the term Morgan uses because it is more appropriate for how the two parties are currently exchanging ideas with
one another. “In mediation, the term that use is called a ‘supposal,’ we so that when you are trying to be creative, working off the record and not using any binding language, so we go back and forth saying ‘suppose we did this.’ This allows us to bounce some ideas back and forth off of each other and move us along to an agreement.” While the ongoing of feder
ally mediated sessions have been kept confidential, Morgan in a memo posted on Jan. 26, 2018, said that the information presented in a recent UPI was inaccurate because the last on the record proposal dated back to September of 2017.
the art department’s professors and faculty, as well as at least 15 other students most nights. It consists of many hands-on art activities for the public to partake in, as well as the excellent University Art Gallery. The department has put on this event for almost three years now, and it continues
to get bigger with growing popularity. People of all ages, especially students, are encouraged to come on over to the Heating Plant Annex and Garwood Hall to participate in the numerous activities. These activities include, but are not limited to printmaking collographs, silkscreen t-shirt making (participants
are advised to bring their own shirts), ink and stick drawings, sculpting, pressed metal valentines, and many more. They also put on several art activities for the kids. Professor and Head of the Art Department, Kat Myers, said that eight to ten professors come out with two or three student helpers of their
own, totaling to 15 students. Myers specializes in metal and jewelry art, but each and every other professor has his or her own area of expertise that adds to each participants experience during the montly event.
Negotiations page 2
Art page 2
2
Friday, February 5, 2018
NEWS
Art
from front page
“It’s definitely a group effort, everyone gets involved,” Myers said when explaining what has gone into organizing this event and keeping it running. The professors might be the backbone of the event, but Myers agrees that the students are a vital key to the success of
the occasion. Along with the activities, the University Art Gallery will be open that night as well for anyone to walk through and visit all of the exhibits. Some of the art on display at the gallery is Laken Bridges’ “An / other” and Dustin London’s “Inside Out.” Currently, these are the only two exhibits open in the gallery, as they change every six to eight weeks.
PORTLAND, OR. - Police are currently on the lookout for the “Portland Pooper”, who has been defecating all over southwest Portland
This is the first of four events this semester, where there are other opportunities to join in. Anyone interested but has questions is advised to contact the Art Office or find the WIU Department of Art page on Facebook. “It’s a lot of fun. We all enjoy doing it but it’s the people that come out who are the ones that make it what it is. Art is fun and necessary,” Myers said.
WesternCourier.com
Negotiations from front page
“There has been a lot of change on our side and some change on their side and although I can’t talk about the specifics of those, they know full well that we have moved a lot,” Morgan said. “I don’t expect them to, and I appreciate that neither side has talked about what has happened during mediation for the sake of confidentiality, what I hoped to hear is something acknowledging the fact that we have been working towards agreement.” Among issues that have been talked about over the previous months have been minima lanes, to which Morgan said have been a factor in the development of creative supposals. “We have tried to move from those proposals, and one of the things we have heard in the fall is that people really don’t want to give up the minima,” Morgan said. “We have tried to create proposals that would create some restructuring of the increases that people get such as promotions without giving up the minima lanes, creative things that would try to benefit both sides based around that.” To Morgan, these mediation
MEANWHILE...
CHICAGO, IL. - The rancid smelling corpse flower is expected to bloom after 12 years of care at the Chicago Botanical Gardens
WC
editor-in-chief Nicholas Ebelhack NA-Ebelhack@wiu.edu
sports editor Devon Greene DJ-Greene@wiu.edu assistant sports editor Haley Richards H-Richards@wiu.edu
Located on the third floor of the Heating Plant Annex on the south end of campus across from Sherman Hall. Mail: 1 University Circle, WIU, Macomb, IL 61455 Phone: 309-298-1876 Fax: 309-298-2309 Hours: 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays E-mail: micour@wiu.edu Member: Illinois College Press Association, National Association College Press
NORTH DEVON , ENGLAND — Rob Tibbles was taking pictures at a local wind farm. After going home and closely examining the pictures he noticed a grey-colored, oval-shaped UFO.
STAFF MEMBERS
RP-Zurek@wiu.edu
edge editor Baylee Brynteson BM-Brynteson@wiu.edu copy editor Brie Coder B-Coder@wiu.edu proofreader Valerie Clemens VN-Clemens@wiu.edu
JINAN SHANDONG, CHINA — Two massive naked Buddhas were erected last Sunday in a busy shopping street, but were removed after an outcry on social media website Sina Weibo.
JAPAN — A recently shown rerun of “Let’s Play in Japanese” caused more that 4,000 retweets of the penis shaped main charactor.
MEXICO CITY, MEXICO — Guillermo Reyes’ pet parakeet ratted him out at an alcohol checkpoint. After taking a breathalyzer, Reyes and his bird were taken to jailand placed in the same cell for the night.
opinions editor Ryan Zurek
sessions have been helpful, and while the mediation sessions are scheduled to end soon there are multiple avenues both parties can take after Feb. 28. “I think we really don’t have a timeline at this point, at this point we have (two) more mediation sessions. That takes us up all the way through the end of February on the 28th and at that point we can decide to either continue mediation, which doesn’t have to end at that point. We can also go back to face-to-face proposals or even do both together, or we can move in a number of other directions.” As both sides move forward, Administrators and UPI members will continue to meet on Feb. 15 and 28. Whether there is an end in the near future though is uncertain. “We have moved a long way and I think that the administration has taken into account the feedback we have seen from both the administration side and from the community.” As of Feb. 2, Western has published their current proposal at http://www.wiu. edu/provost/negotiationsup date.php. Tuesday’s Western Courier will analyze the proposal in-depth as this coverage continues.
proofreader Alexis Lowe AL-Lowe@wiu.edu proofreader Tacuma Venzant T-Venzant@wiu.edu photo editor Becca Langys RE-Langys@wiu.edu production manager Jimmy Pierson JM-Pierson@wiu.edu business manager Faith Rucker F-Rucker@wiu.edu advertising manager Patryk Mazur P-Mazur@wiu.edu adviser Will Buss WJ-Buss@wiu.edu
PUBLISHING AND CIRCULATION
The Western Courier is published Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays during the regular school year, excluding holidays, finals week and semester breaks. The WC updates the website weekly during the summer. All content reflects the editorial discretion of the students operating the newspaper and must be interpreted as unofficial university communication. While every attempt is made to determine the validity of advertising contained herein, the advertising in the WC is not to be construed as endorsements of any specific products or services. The WC assumes no responsibility or liability resulting from the content of paid advertisements. Subscription price is $36 per year mailed third-class bulk rate from Macomb. The WC is printed by The Galesburg Register-Mail in Galesburg, Ill.
COPYRIGHT 2017
No reproduction or reuse of material is permitted without written consent of the WC. All rights reserved. To request permission to reprint any material from this publication, please contact Nicholas Ebelhack or Will Buss at 309-298-1876.
ADVERTISING POLICY
The WC does not knowingly accept advertisements that discriminate on the basis of sex, race, creed, religion, color, handicapped status, veteran or sexual orientation, nor does it knowingly print ads that violate any local, state or federal laws.
One copy of the Western Courier is free. Additional copies $1.
CORRECTIONS AND CLARIFICATIONS The WC needs your help to maintain accuracy. If you find a factual error, call the WC office at 309-298-1876 between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. weekdays. Please ask to speak to an editor to ensure the inaccurate information can be corrected as quickly as possible.
@WesternCourier
Monday, February 5, 2018
NEWS 3
Chili cook-off brings the heat
JOSH PURNELL/COURIER STAFF
The Western Illinois University School of Agriculture hosted its annual chili cook-off Thursday at the Macomb American Legion, serving hot dogs, chili, deserts and drinks while chefs competed for the golden ladle, awarded to the best chili. Proceeds from the event will go towards offsetting the costs of the annual Ag Awards Banquet.
NOW HIRING! Assistant News Editor Assistant Photo Editor News Editor
Positions compensated with salary and tuition wavier Contact Nicholas Ebelhack for more information na-ebelhack@wiu.edu
Monday, February 5, 2018
4 OPINIONS
WesternCourier.com
Take time to reflect on black history Do you know what the month of February includes? Yes there is Valentine’s Day, and many people may have a birthday, and on the 29th which only comes every four years there is a leap year. But there is more significance to the month of February besides those aspects. February is the month for the Blacks! It is Black History Month. Black History Month to me is an important time to remember where you came from, who you are around, your history, and to be humble because you never know what people went through before you.
Clearly not everyone will understand because they aren’t black, and maybe even some different racial families owned slaves. But that’s not the point. I think that there is still racism today and it needs to be addressed. It’s not as bad as when Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King Jr. were around, but there’s still some people who truly don’t understand. It’s not necessarily the person’s fault that being racist is just part of their implicit beliefs. It’s what they were taught and they don’t know any better. It just bothers me how freely people use the N word with and without the hard
R. Sometimes people can be joking, but in my opinion, I don’t find that funny at all. I can go on and on about that, but that’s not the point of me writing this. I'm simply writing this to address the common issues in today’s society. I don’t think people take Black History Month very seriously, and think it is a joke. People like Obama, Rosa Parks, MLK, and many others have done so much for this country and should be recognized for the accomplishments that they have made. Yeah Obama doesn’t have a holiday named after him, but when he was in office, he accomplished many things. For goodness sake, he was the first African-American President of the United States, and if you ask me, that’s a great accomplishment to have. There are so many public fig-
ures who are of color who have been recognized for many accomplishments throughout their lifetime. Not only famous people, but people in your local community. So many things have been done in order for people of color and white people to be able to do things together. Yet there is so much hate still going on that if it keeps up, we might go back to being segregated, which would not be a good thing. Kendrick Lamar is a famous rapper. He just won several grammys for his album “DAMN.” Throughout the album he talks about the Black Lives Matter movement and how we all need to come together as one. He talks about how black people need to stick by each other and forgive but not forget. In one of his older songs called “Alright,” one of the lines is “And we hate po po.
Wanna kill us dead in the street fo sho. I’m at the preachers door, my knees getting weak and my gun might blow but we gone be alright.” This is when the Black Lives Matter movement was the most relevant and goes to show people that this holiday is important to remember. There’s a lot that goes on today that may be perceived as racist and culturally unjust when it comes to black people. This holiday is super important because it’s when people of color come together to celebrate the freedoms that were given to them and their family. Together as one, united we stand, we all should be treated equally. What does Black History Month mean to me? It means that whatever color you are, you should be able to see past that color and remember where you come from.
Even NFL players face consequences This past weekend the NFL Honors announced the newest inductees into the NFL Hall of Fame. The 2018 inductees included: Randy Moss, Ray Lewis, Brian Urlacher, Terrell Owens, and Brian Dawkins. This was a fun year for me to watch because I remember watching these players when I was younger. I remember how amazing and dynamic they were, especially with Urlacher being with the Chicago Bears, and leading the
journey to the Super Bowl in 2006. In fact Moss, Lewis, and Urlacher were always part of my go-to team in my first football video game growing up. This got me thinking about the other players that were on my team and where they are in reference to Canon, Ohio. Michael Strahan and Ladamian Tomlinson were inducted into the Hall Of Fame back in 2014 and 2017 respectively. Champ Bailey will be eligible for the first time next year and is expected to be a first-
ballot inductee. Offensive lineman Olin Kreutz could possibly be a Hall of Famer in the future but it is a much harder journey to make it into that position. All that was left from my dream team was Michael Vick. Michael Vick is probably the only player on this list that has no chance of seeing the Hall of Fame. The sad part is that he had the potential and skill, he was just as dynamic as the other players named who also brought the same amount of excitement, if not more than the rest of them. He was dominant in the early 2000’s and his versatility made him very hard to play against. What killed his career, reputation, and legacy
was his bad decisions off the field. I’m going to assume many of you probably cringe when reading his name because you have at least heard what he did that got him sent to prison. Vick was part of an illegal dog fighting ring and even admitted to using some of his own money for gambling purposes. This heinous behavior shocked the NFL community and even the country when the story broke and put dog fighting rings in the national spotlight. Vick ended up going to prison for almost two years which was not even half of the maximum sentence he could have received. Vick tried to restart his career after prison but except for a
few brief moments, the magic was gone. A single bad decision can kill your future, your relationships, or even your life. They don’t have to be as terrible as running a dog fighting ring either. Making a decision after you’ve had too many drinks or acting on something before you really think it through, can be all it takes to leave a big permanent mark on your reputation. If you work in the public spotlight or are in a position where you look after people and they depend on you, one bad decision could be all it takes to kill your career. So please, think before you act, you might do something you regret.
Feburary 5, 2018
Page 1
by: Emily Kenney Grab some popcorn and get comfy, because Netflix is coming out with some new TV shows and movies that you will not want to get up for unless it’s to use the bathroom. If you are a series type of person, then February is for you. Netflix has come out with 30 different original movies, tv shows, and specials; most of which are television series. Two big Netflix series include the new show “Altered Carbon,” starring Joel Kinnaman, a gritty sci-fi/ crime thriller based on a lone surviving soldier fighting among others whom were defeated trying to stop the uprising of the New World. He must also solve a murder. Or will “Mute,” starring Alexander Skarsgard, steal the show? “Mute” takes place in a Berlin of the future, a mute bartender’s search for his missing lady lover takes him deeper and deeper into the city’s criminal central. So who will win? “Altered Carbon” was released Feb 2, 2018 and “Mute” is set to release Feb 23, 2018. Cont. on E2
E2 EDGE
Monday, February 5, 2018
movies entering the leave throughout the month. If nothing in February Netflix Universe. from E1 Movies such as “American has you jumping for joy, a Some other new Netflix Pie 1 & 2,” “Kill Bill Vol. 1 preview of what you can Originals include: & 2,” “Ocean’s expect in March include “Coach Snoop,” “Queer Eleven,” “Twelve,” and shows like “13 Reasons Why” Eye,” “Everything “Thirteen,” and “Hurt and “Marvel’s Iron Fist.” Along with some movies Sucks!,” “Seven Seconds,” Locker” plan to arrive at and many more. the beginning of the month. you can expect to see, include One of my personal Along with those who “Pandora and Deidra,” favorites is “Bates Motel.” like Disney, Ella Enchanted and “Laney Rob a Train.” Like many other students, will also be assigned in The next few months have a lot in store for the Netflix we don’t have time to sit the line up. down during a sched- With all of the new movies community. There are a lot uled time and watch each and shows coming to Netflix of new Netflix series to keep programs new episode. this month, means they have you busy for hours on end. So grab all of your Many others to make some room. Some pillows and blankets that and myself can binge of the movies that watch the entire fifth sea- will no longer be on Netflix you have, and make son of Bates Motel while include; “Project X” and sure your snake bin full, because working on home- “The Benchwarmers.” is you will not want to get work on our own time. Along with what is leaving out of bed unless If sitting down for more this month, shows like class. than eight hours at a time “Family Guy” Season 1-8, it is to go to Sit back and relax, and doesn’t float your boat, no “Brain Games” Season 3-4, enjoy all of the new Netflix fear there are some great and many more are set to shows they have to offer.
WesternCourier.com
Netflix
Entertainment
‘The Post’ proves tenacious writing is not out of style
“The Post” is the “Rocky” for journalists. This captivating biopic both captures the scrutiny sustained by the Press, and glorifies the tenacity of good journalists. The film begins with a brief scene of the Vietnam War, and Daniel Ellsberg (played by Matthew Rhys) is introduced. Ellsberg is the military informant for the New York Times, as well as good friends with a writer at the Washington Post. The controversy begins when Ellsberg exits a plane from Vietnam, along with Secretary of State Bob McNamara. McNamara, as we know, is the main culprit in the defense conspiracy. Moving ahead to Meryl Streep’s character,
Katherine Graham, who is the heir to the Washington Post, and is in the midst of taking the business public. Ben Bradlee (Tom Hanks) is the Editor in Chief, and fears the paper is in jeopardy without good leads. While Bradlee mulls over options of leads (Nixon’s daughter’s wedding being his biggest headline), the Post gets a break. Ellsberg turns the 7,000page McNamara Papers over to the Post’s Ben Bagdikian (Bob Odenkirk). Ellsberg held on to them, risking felony charges, knowing they needed to be released. While this story is a papersaver, it is possibly illegal to run, and certainly a fire-starter. Graham is now torn between losing inves-
tors and friends (McNamara), while also doing the journalistic duty promised by her company’s statement of faith. The Post runs the story, gets sued by the government and is taken to the Supreme Court. The court ruled 6-3 in favor of the Post and the rebellion of the Press VS. the Government began. That brings me to this: The McNamara Papers and Watergate were the beginning of Government distrust by the public. First of all, the questionable position the United States had in Vietnam was confirmed pointless. Also, the Nixon administration blew two major holes in their reputation. That being said, did the journalists at the Post hold back because they had friends in Office? No! This film is a testament to the ultimate journalistic obligation. The writers at the Post risked prison-time in order
to do the ethical, and ultimately the right, thing. Writers ought to take this film’s premises to heart. It is important to realize the hardduty journalists owe to the public. The government may accuse the press of “Fake News” or slander. The truth hurts, and it will make enemies, but the most important thing is honor. Today, the press sees more scrutiny than ever before. Networks are divided by political agendas, while the public is left to fall complacent. In order to return the reputation of journalists back to where it was 50 years ago, we must continue to push. Push harder than before to write what is true, and what is fair. Politicians won’t like it, and they will claim it is false, but as long as we write with the public’s interest in mind, we take one step closer to reclaiming journalistic integrity.
Want to write for EDGE? Contact bm-brynteson@wiu.edu
E3 EDGE
Monday, February 5, 2018
WesternCourier.com
Smashing Pumpkins reunite in 2018
In the past two years we have seen some of the greatest 80’s and 90’s bands reunite and introduce their sound to younger generations. There was one band in particular that 90’s music fans were curious to see reunite, that band being the Smashing Pumpkins. Last Saturday lead vocalist/ guitarist of the Smashing Pumpkins, Billy Corgan, announced on social media that him, percussionist Jimmy Chamberlin, and guitarist James Iha are coming together to make their tenth studio album.
The only original member who will not be joining the reunion is bassist D’arcy Wretzky. Not only are fans excited to hear the band is back, but also knowing that Rick Rubin will be producing their new album. For those who don’t know who Rubin is, he is a wellknown rock and hiphop music producer. He has worked with artists such as: The Beastie Boys, Run DMC, Slayer, Johnny Cash, and Red Hot Chili Peppers, just to name a few. The alternative rock band began their career in Chicago in 1988. Corgan and Iha were
Evan Williamson
staff writer On March 29, 2015, at WrestleMania 31, “Rowdy” Ronda Rousey the undefeated UFC Women’s Bantamweight Champion entered the WWE ring for the first time. At the behest of Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, she would Judo throw Triple H and shove down Stephanie McMahon after teasing an armbar in a WrestleMania moment that would be talked about for days. Speculation grew that the plan was to have The Rock and Ronda Rousey take on Triple H and Stephanie McMahon at WrestleMania 32 in front of over 100,000 fans next year. Later that year Rousey suffered her first loss in the UFC. It was after this that she disappeared from the limelight for a while. Leaving WWE fans to wonder if she would still appear in the WWE. When WWE allowed Brock Lesnar to fight at UFC
200 in exchange for a favor (a favor that has yet to be cashed in), Rousey’s name came up as a possible candidate among fans to be the one to return the favor. She returned to the Octagon Dec 30, 2016, where she lost by TKO in 48 seconds. After two devastating losses, the question remained would she return to the UFC or join pro wrestling? During the Mae Young Classic, a WWE all women’s wrestling tournament, Rousey and two of her friends came to support their friend who was a part of the tournament. The group of friends were, Shayna Baszler, Jessamyn Duke, and Marina Shafir who are known as the Four Horsewomen of MMA for many years. It was during this event that speculation started to grow as members of the WWE’s Four Horsewomen the group of Charlotte Flair,
the first two members to form the band. Their first album was released in 1991 called “Gish.” The group received positive feedback from the album from music critics, as well as the fans. It sold one million copies, and received a platinum award from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). In 1993, “Siamese Dream” was their second studio album, but the first album that brought the group mainstream success. Some songs off that album are “Cherub Rock,” “Today,” and “Disarm.” The song “Today,” was a song inspired by Corgan’s long battle with depression, which softened the already heavy sounding group. Within two years, Smashing Pumpkins released what
would be their greatest album, “Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness” in 1995. The two-disc CD, was certified a diamond award by the RIAA, with over 10 million copies sold. Most people who are introduced to the Smashing Pumpkins usually hear songs off of this album including: “Zero,” “Bullet with Butterfly Wings,” “Tonight, Tonight,” “1979,” and “ThirtyThree.” The album was based around growing up and saying goodbye to your younger self, and learning to grow up in a very complex world. Like any other rock band in the 90’s, the Smashing Pumpkins had their great share of success, as well as downfalls. Drugs, toxic relationships, and fame got the best of them, which caused for the
original members to split up in 2000. The Smashing Pumpkins tried to reunite once again in 2006, but the sound was not the same. With so many members transitioning into the band and others leaving, it caused major chaos and a decrease in album sales, due to fans not being able to keep up with the changes. After settling their differences along with getting sober, Corgan, Chamberlin, and Iha have decided now is the time to come together, make amends, and create another masterpiece album. What makes the Smashing Pumpkins such a great band is their diverse sound, and realistic lyrics. Let’s hope that the album will be released sooner than expected.
Becky Lynch, and Bayley (Sasha Banks is also a member but was not involved) Shayna Baszler during one of her tournament matches. Then during an interview with Rousey, Duke, and Shafir on Sep 5, 2017, they were interrupted by three of the Four Horsewomen of the WWE. Rousey said, “You name the time, you name the place” “we’ll be waiting to hear from you”. This sent wrestling fans into a frenzy the new rumor was it would be Four Horsewomen versus Four Horsewomen at Survivor Series in what some assumed would be UFC’s part of the 2016 deal. Survivor Series came and went without any more confrontations between the two teams. In December rumors started that Rousey had been meeting with Triple H and was seen training at the WWE’s performance center. By the end of the month, it was said by multiple outlets that Rousey was close to signing a deal with the WWE. After Stephanie McMahon
announced the first ever all women’s royal rumble match. The general consensus among WWE fans was that she would debut as an entrant in the royal rumble match and possibly win it. She put those rumors to rest Jan 25, 2018, in an interview with TMZ saying she was leaving for Colombia to finish shooting “Mile 22” and wouldn’t be back in the states until mid-February. She also said she hadn’t signed a deal with WWE. Jan 28, 2018, was a night where history was made with the 31st annual Royal Rumble event. The main event was the women’s royal rumble match With Asuka winning the match she stood in the ring with Alexa Bliss and Charlotte Flair the Raw Women’s Champion and the Smackdown Live Women’s Champion respectively. It appeared that Asuka would decide who she was going to face until some unfamiliar music started to play. To the fans excitement, Rousey stepped through
the curtain wearing a T-shirt and jacket that resembled “Rowdy” Roddy Piper’s, who she got permission from to use the nickname “Rowdy” when she first started in MMA. She entered the ring and pointed to the WrestleMania sign effectively shattering the internet. Ronda Rousey told ESPN that “ This is my life now. First priority on my time line for the next several years. This is not a smash-and-grab; this is not a publicity stunt. Now the question remains what is she going to do when she becomes a full-time WWE Superstar after she returns from filming Mile 22, which should conclude mid-February. She will be at WrestleMania but whether they put her in a title match, which I think it is too early to do, the Four Horsewomen (MMA) vs. Four Horsewomen (WWE) match that they are still teasing, or the match that we have been waiting for since Wr e s t l e M a n i a 31. It will be an awesome ride. The Road to WrestleMania just got Rowdy.
E4 EDGE
Monday, February 5, 2018
WesternCourier.com
New Man finds the Perfect Wife
A love story beginning in a class room and growing to find itself rooted in fame and cats. Ed Sheeran, an English singer, songwriter, guitarist, and record producer, has finally found his perfect match. Ed Sheeran’s hit song “Perfect” was inspired by his then girlfriend, now fiancé. Though the engagement took place just before the new year of 2018, news of Sheeran’s engagement to girlfriend Cherry SeabornhitthemediaonJan20,2018. Upon releasing the engagement on Instagram, Sheeran stated that, they are
“very happy and in love” and that their “cats are chuffed as well.” Fans and cats alike, many have fallen in love with this couple’s love story in the days following the announcement. Some are wondering, who exactly is Cherry Seaborn? This is a fair question from the general public and even from fans of Sheeran, as the relationship has been kept very private. Minimal photos of Sheeran and Seaborn have been taken, and minimal articles on them have been written throughout their time together. Believe it or not, Seaborn, is someone that
Sheeran has known since High School. Seaborn and Sheeran originally met at Thomas Mills High School in Framlingham, Suffolk. Upon graduating from high school Seaborn followed her dreams of moving to the states and attended Duke University in North Carolina, and is now known for her Hockey playing skills. Various sources believe that Sheeran and Seaborn have been in a relationship since 2015, as their good friend Taylor Swift threw them a one-year anniversary party in 2016, though it is rumored that Sheeran had a crush on Seaborn even in high school. As of late Sheeran has grabbed the attention of fans and the media, not only with his newly announced engagement, but also due to
his absence at the Grammys. Rumors began to fly on social media about why Sheeran may have “ghosted” the Grammys, but Sheeran quickly ended the rumors before they could begin. The real reason Sheeran did not attend the Grammys? He was asleep. Though Sheeran may not have attended the Grammys, that did not hold him back from winning awards for both the best pop vocal album category and the best solo performance for number one hit “Shape of You.” Sheeran shared a photo of his cat the next day, saying, “Woke up to the news I won two Grammys last night. Thank you.” As the speculation simmered down, Sheeran also shared that his cat was
doing a “celebratory dance” and sent his undying love to all his fans. Sheeran may have spent the night with his fiancé and cats rather than at the Grammys, but his love for his fans and his music will never fade. Though the hearts of many hopeful fans have been crushed by the news of Ed Sheeran’s recent engagement, it is evident that Sheeran is unbelievably smitten with his fiancé. Through many years of being together, Sheeran and Seaborn have persevered, and now raise a wonderful family of cats. As Sheeran stated, “I think when you have cats that’s kind of it.” This New Man has finally found himself the Perfect woman, who will forever be on his A Team.
“Offset” uses controversial word in song Jasmine Yates
staff writer
Earlier this week Offset was featured on YFN Lucci song “ Boss Life” and got a lot of heat on the words he chose to say. Both rappers talk about the glamorous life they have and also about the women in their lives. “I cannot vibe with queers (uh-uh), I got the heart of a
bear (huh), Bustin’ them down by the pair (bust down).” Offset said. The word queer, which by definition means “strange; odd,” offended many people. Twitter star MNEK called Cardi B, Offset fiancé for not speaking on the subject. “Offset saying he doesn’t
vibe with queers while constanly wearing and PARADING clothes by gay designers is the REAL gag.” MNEK said. Offset stated that he didn’t know what queer meant and that he didn’t mean to offend anyone. Offset also stated that he didn’t know that the word would offend anyone. He respects all kinds of people and they have also influenced his love for fashion. Offset isn’t the first person to use words like this, even
though the hip hop genera have a history of homophobia. Rappers use words like queer without fully understanding the meaning behind these words. Cardi B defended him and many people didn’t like that she was taking his side on this issue. The word Queer has a history in the LGBTQ community of standing for not being straight. For a while, “queer” had a lot of connotative uses as well, implying that people were
drunk, giddy, or happy. Artist such as Eminem, Tyler The creator used similar sensitive terms in their rap songs. They have all gotten criticism from the LGBTQ community because of the language they use. The LGBTQ community wants to inform people about the words that may offend their community. People should educate themselves on the LGBTQ community so we don’t run into problems like this.
“The Underground Cabaret”steals the show “The Underground Cabaret” is a talent showcase in honor of Professor Maughan McMurdie. The Dorthy and Maughan McMurdie scholarship began in 2004 by alumni Don and Kay Norton. The scholarship was founded to honor the many years of life changing service that Maughan McMurdie gave to Western Illinois University, and the Macomb community. McMurdie was a Professor of Fine Arts for 23 years at Western Illinois University, directed for Western’s summer musical theatre, and additionally sang in opera p ro d u c t i o n s . Maughan McMurdie’s legacy
continues to live on through this scholarship, which is awarded to two Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) majors who are exceptional representatives of the BFA program. This year’s recipients are Sam Anderson (Senior) and Libby Crawford (Junior); these recipients have both been involved in the Fine Arts department at Western, showing their dedication and love for the Fine Arts. This years Underground Cabaret was presented on Friday February 2 , and Saturday February 3 in the Simpkins Theatre. Constructed by an amazing group, the Cabaret was
an absolute success. The audience was comprised of people of all ages, majors, and of both Western Illinois University students and Macomb residents. The production consisted of multiple musical theatre pieces, showcasing the outstanding talent of those in the Fine Arts Department at Western Illinois University. While this show was successful due to the talent that it showcased, I greatly appreciated how aspects of social justice were craftily weaved into the production. Whether it was done intentionally or by grand design, this was a very powerful aspect of the show as well. During the performance of “When You Say Vegas” there were many references to women’s rights,
which as a woman, made me very pleased. Additionally, there was activism and support for the LGBTQA+ community, which was shown in a number of acts, but especially highlighted during the performance of “Musical Theatre Boys.” The show covered a wide variety of topics and emotions, going from serious to hilarious in a heartbeat. The final song, “You Will Be Found” was such a beautiful and powerful piece. I feel this song conveyed a message of hope, understanding, and belonging that so many people (especially college students) need. The song itself addressed the issue of feeling alone, but reminded audience members that “You Will Be Found.” Toward the end of this song not only were the perform-
ers on stage singing, but voices from the back of the room began to accompany them, as the entire cast joined on stage to sing this final piece together. The choir of voices from all around, singing such a powerful song truly felt as though the music was reaching out and hugging the entire audience. “The Underground Cabaret” was an astonishing production and displayed the talent of the entire cast. Audience members enjoyed many different emotions, styles of dance, and music genres. This showcase was a very strong representation of the talent that lies within the Bachelor of Fine Arts students at Western Illinois University, which often goes unnoticedbut was brought to the full attention of the audiences both Friday and Saturday evening.
@WesternCourier
Monday, February 5, 2018
Waking up in the morning seems to be the greatest challenge I face every single day. I hit my snooze alarm multiple times, and then have to rush to class because I am too lazy to wake up. A nap is a part of my daily routine and without it, I would probably not make it through the second half of my busy day. So why is it that I feel like I never get enough sleep? I know that I cannot be the
have found that taking a vitamin D pill is extremely helpful. Another thing that gives me energy is going to the gym. Starting your morning at the gym is one of the best ways to get your day started. It might be hard to wake up ,but it is so much easier to get through the day if you make yourself get up and go. The second thing I have found that changes my energy level is drinking water throughout the day and avoiding junk food. When I eat junk food I never have any energy to do anything and that is when I feel the need to nap. Although napping is my fa-
OPINIONS 5
Stop slamming that snooze button only one that feels this way. After some experimenting and time spent on the Internet I found ways to improve my energy, and hopefully I can give others tips that have worked for me. First of all, the winter weather takes a toll on all of us. We all tend to be a bit more lethargic because we are not exposed to as much sunlight as we would be during the summer. So to help out with this I
Take advantage of resources on campus Growing up, school has always been a challenge for me. I've had many learning disabilities cognitive disabilities and emotional disabilities that prevented me from doing my best and being the best. One of my most embarrassing times when it comes to academics is math and science. I am extremely dyslexic and when to comes to algebra, I cannot understand it. No matter what I do and no matter what I try, it just does not come natural to me as it does to many others. In high school I was an honors student, but I had to work three times as hard as anyone else in order to achieve the GPA that I wanted. But when I was in high school there was minimal tutoring offered and if I need extra help I would have to pay a lot of extra money which I did not have. There were some tutoring options offered in the office at certain times, but those were times in which I had class as
well as sport every season and various other clubs. This can become overwhelming to some because how are you supposed to strive for perfection and greatness if you have no time to get help because the only time you have to get help is when you're in class? This was a lot different when I came to college because there were several options to get tutored in a subject that you do not understand and there's more than one tutor in case you did not like the one that you have. I think this is awesome because I've always needed extra help and I'm willing to take the extra time in order to achieve the grade that I want, and it's beneficial that there are several tutors to help me reach that goal. Also unlike high school there are tutors for almost every subject that you need help whereas in high school if I needed help in history, math, science, and spanish there would only be a math tutor. Here they pro-
vide tutors at all times of the day. Sometimes there's tutors offered at night depending on the subject and there's other tutors offered every day even on the weekends. The best part about the tutors here at Western Illinois University are that they are offered in several locations. Sometimes they are offered in the dorms, sometimes they are offered in the specific building which the subject is the main building,and they're even offered in the library. There's even an option to Skype a certain tutor if you're not available to meet during those times or if they are not able to meet during those times. The tutoring here is a great resource and will work the best that they can with you on a first come first serve basis. If you need to make an appointment it's pretty easy and they will be there on time. All you have to do is take the initiative and the outcome will be great. I'm glad I found a school like Western that wants me to strive for perfection and greatness in my career even with the learning disabilities that I have. I am able to get the help that I need in order to achieve a degree.
vorite hobby, I do not get anything productive done afterwards. The days I choose to eat healthy are the days that I see the difference in my energy levels versus the days when I chose to eat badly. The most important factor on getting through your day is to get enough sleep. The average person should get eight hours of sleep a night. Obviously as busy college students that does not always happen, but it is not a healthy habit to get only four or five hours of sleep every night. I have found that if I go to the library and do my homework after class I do not have to stay up super late at night to get everything done.
Getting a good night’s sleep is the best thing you can do to have enough energy for the long days at school. Although it may be challenging to stay in a routine, all of these tips have changed my lifestyle tremendously. I still struggle to stay awake and motivated on some days, but with these few changes I feel like I can get through my day without a nap. There are numerous other ways to gain more energy, but these ones seem to have the best results for me. Not all of these things may work the best for you; but at least give new things a try and see what works best for you.
Editorial Policy The editoral views of the Western Courier shall be confined to this editorial and are to be separate from news coverage otherwise noted. The editoral presented is based on the ideas and views of the WC editoral board.Columns are the opinions of the columnists alone and should not be construed as the opinions and beliefs of the WC staff as a whole.
Letters & Local Forum Policies E-mail letters to the Editor and Local Forum messages to micour@wiu.edu. Letters should not be more than 350 words in length. The author’s name and phone number must be included for verification purposes. Failure to include such information will lead to the letter being discarded. The WC staff will edit letters in cases of timeliness, obscenity length and grammer, and we do not guarantee publication of all letters.
2018 Spring Semester Editorial Board Editor-in-Cheif - Nicholas Ebelhack Edge Editor - Baylee Bryntesson Opinions Editor - Ryan Zurek News Editor - Isaiah Herad
Monday, February 5, 2018
6 SPORTS
Women from back page
USD is currently 10-0 in league play and is on a 13-game winning streak. South Dakota State University is ranked second with a conference record of 8-1. Western Illinois follows behind both teams and is still ranked 3rd in the Summit League. Three of our Leathernecks are amongst the top scorers in the conference. Clemens is ranked second for points per game at 18.1. She is currently behind redshirt junior guard Macy Miller of South Dakota State University with 18.3 points per game. Higginbotham has the third spot with 17.2 points per game, and Blumer takes 5th with 14.3. Higginbotham
is also ranked fourth in the conference for rebounds per game at 7.2. Western Illinois only has five more regular season games left, four of those five games are Summit League matchups. Next up, the Leathernecks will face the Mavericks of the University of NebraskaOmaha. The Purple and Gold has already faced this team and defeated them by a score of 90-51 in early January. Conference play will be held in Sioux Falls, South Dakota this year and is held from March 3-6. As of now, the Leathernecks are in a good position to look to repeat what they accomplished last year. Twitter: hayfourrr
WesternCourier.com
Men
from back page
Ancrum put points on the board early in the game, that ensured the Golden Eagles would have an extremely tough time coming back for the victory. Not only did the Leathernecks bring momentum to the court that helped them maintain their lead, they also brought a strong shooting game as well. Western’s shooters shined throughout the second half of this match. Leading the Leathernecks offensively, both Ancrum and Webster earned a total of 11 points for the Leathernecks. Closely following was Gilbeck with a total of 10 points. Delo Bruster also put his name on the board, earning a total of seven points. Defensively Gilbeck led the team again earning a total of
Add us on Snapchat:
westerncourier
CLASSIFIEDS
WC
For Rent
For Rent
Submit a classifieds ad to Micour@wiu.edu
1 & 2 bedroom apartments, new $250 signing bonus on 10 and 12 month leases. Two blocks from campus. Bus stops nearby. Free water, garbage and parking. Laundry onsite. Clean, well maintained and secure. Call Ted 309-837-5600 or visit markertrental.com. Spacious 2-5 bedroom homes for rent. 10 month lease available. Great locations, close to bus stops, plenty off street parking, all new windows, AC, energy efficient furnace, hardwood and ceramic tile floors, free washer/dryer. Well maintained (24 hrs.) by local landlord. Call 309-255-1233. Houses for Rent 2016/2017: A&D Real Estate has several 3, 4 and 5 bedroom houses for rent, all with at least 2 bathrooms, recently rennovated and located close to campus. Call for a tour or visit our website at www.wiucollegerentals.com. Local landlord with a focus on clean and updated housing with personal service for your college housing needs. 309-313-1122. FALL INTO SAVINGS with Charleston Boulevard Apartments! Now offering SPECIAL RATES through Dec. 2017! Call for specific details 309-833-4545!. NICE, CLEAN, WELL MAINTAINED 1 TO 6 BEDROOM HOUSES FOR 2016-2017 Our houses have hard wood floors, ceramic tile, central air, washer and dryer and are close to campus with plenty of parking. We offer a ten month lease so you don’t pay for the months you aren’t here. Please call 309-255-1959 for a showing. Now showing for 2017 & 2018 year 2, 3, and 5 bedrooms homes all close to campus. Call 309-331-4565. Westen Investments has only two 4-Bedroom brich houses available. Call our office at 309-833-5995 to schedule a showing! We will show to 2-3 person groups as well!
LARGE STUDENT RENTALS 5 and 6 Bedroom Homes are still available!! Ask for our $1000.00 Discount program! Firsrt come first serve for the last large homes that are open for the fall. NICE, CLEAN, WELL MAINTAINED 1 TO 6 BEDROOM HOUSES FOR 2017-2018 Our houses have wood floors, ceramic tile, W/D, central air, and are close to campus with plentry of parking. We offer low rent and a 10 month lease to save you money! Call 309-255-1959 for a showing. Small 1BR apt near campus and downtown. All utilities included. (Electric, Water, DISH, Garbage) $500/month, $300 deposit. Available immediately. Also have 2BR, you pay electric. $600/month, $350 deposit available September 1st. Please contact 309-255-4367 for a showing. CLEAN, REMODELED, AND WELL MAINTAINED HOUSES AND APTS FOR RENT IN GREAT LOCATIONS. UTILITIES PAID FOR APARTMENTS. RENTING NOW FOR FALL 2017. ALSO RENTING TWO APTS FOR SPRING 2016. CALL JASON AT 309-221-3985. Timbercrest Apartments 1587 Riverview Drive Now showing 1 & 2 Bedroom Units. Very clean, close to WIU campus with bus stop in front of building. Washer/dryer available in most units, all other appliances included, FREE INTERNET, ceiling fans in every room, pet friendly. All units have off street parking and private decks overlooking campus. Both 10- and 12-month leases are available. Openings for Summer 2017 and school year 2017/2018. Deposit required. Phone (309)833-3192 and leave message. Westen Investments has just one 3-Bedroom ALL UTILITIES INCLUDED (Water, Sewer, Trash, Gas, Electric, and Internet) Apartment left! That’s right you just pay for rent, and the rest of it is on us! Call our office at 309-833-5995 to check it out.
three blocks during the second half of the match. The Leathernecks finished the game with an 82-56 lead over the Oral Roberts Golden Eagles. Head Coach Billy Wright was more than pleased with his team’s performance, stating, “Give our kids all of the credit, they came out and executed the game-plan on both ends of the floor." This current season has been a struggle for the Leathernecks in regards to getting some wins in conference, and finally pulling out their second conference win is an achievement that will boost the momentum of the team for future games to come. The Leathernecks will play against the University of Nebraska Omaha this upcoming Thursday in Omaha, Nebraska. Twitter: beccalangysxo
RATES $5.50 per issue (open rate) $4.00 per issue (campus rate)
For Rent Available now: Close to campus, clean studio apartments, excellent condition, reasonable rent, and partly furnished. Ceiling fans and a/c. Professionally maintained. No pets. Semester leases offered. Call 309 837 4369 and leave your phone number if not there. Email: MandKhousing@gmail.com ALL APARTMENTS - ALL INCLUSIVE Get control of your budget. Know exactly what you are spending each month. Each apartment includes free a/c, free heat, free electricity, free water, free cable tv, free hi speed internet, and free off street parking. Laundry on site. No noise policy. Bus stop across the street. Close to campus. Well maintained. Studios are $460/mo, One bedrooms are $620/mo. Call Doug at 309-255-8179 for an appointment. Westen Investments still has affordable 1-4 Bedroom Apartment/Houses available. Be sure to check out our website (www.westeninvest.com) to see our available listings, and call our office at 309-833-5995 to schedule a showing. Be sure to follow us on Facebook and Twitter to win prize giveaways! APARTMENT FOR RENT: FOR QUIET PERSON. ONE BEDROOM APARTMENT FOR RENT LOCATED AT 314 West Carroll ST Macomb, Ill 61455. Available end of August 2017-new carpeting yearly lease SMALEST FURNISHED IN MACOMB $345.00/month - HEAT & AC INCLUDED private entrance, off-street parking included call for appointment309-837-4748 or 255-5075 woodburning fireplace, ask for Paul. For Rent: Little Swan Lake, 30 min from campus. 2br, 2bth, heated double car garage with work area. $600 per mo. (309) 335-2206 after 6:00 pm, may leave message anytime. Spacious 3 Bedroom Upper in Duplex close to campus and Jackson St. All utilities furnished and appliances Includes cable and internet 18/19 school year $375.00 per Br Ph 309 255 8086 Please leave message
Sports 7
Monday February 5, 2018
@WesternCourier
Track and field dominate in meet By Brie Coder copy editor
Justin Montalto takes off in event.
ANGELICA STRACK/COURIER STAFF
CARBONDALE, Ill.—The Western Illinois University track and field teams came together and excelled during this weekends competition at the Don DeNoon Invitational, hosted by Southern Illinois University. A stellar performance came from both sophomore Michaela Busch and freshman Hailey Tranchitella breaking previously set program and school records. On Friday, Busch competed in the pentathlon and set personal records in four out of the five events, which pushed her to a first place finish. Former Leatherneck Reeni McElyea set the mark in 1984, with 3,619 points, placing No. 1 of all time in the pentathlon. Busch now holds the title of being second in program history with 3,614. Head coach Diane Wholey was quite ecstatic with Busch’s new record. “Michaela Bush placing second in school history is exciting,” Wholey said. Her score today ranks third place in [Summit League] performances, and the height she jumped in the pentathlon high jump ranks her third in conference standings.”
Busch also competed in several other track and field events during the weekend. She swept the high jump and shot put competitions with distances of 1.67 meters and 11.28 meters. Concluding the field events, she placed second in the long jump with 5.23 meters. In the running events, Busch continued to break records with second in the 800-meter race (2:31.51), and 3rd in the 60-meter hurdles (9.12). Tranchitella also held a high mark in the 1,000 meter run during the two-day competition. She also raced in at 3:01.77 to place third overall, and ranks 8th of all-time in Leatherneck history. Senior Jasmine Brown was also racking up the scores this weekend. Brown placed 6th in Friday’s long jump competition (5.41 meters), and repeated the same rank in the triple jump with a mark of 11.44 meters. In the women’s one-mile run, sophomore Abigail Richter crossed the finish line ahead of 17 others in her final. She set a personal record of 5:15.83 in the event to place ninth overall. Senior Raytoria Richardson’s sixth place finish was a personal best in the 200-meter dash with a time of 26.09. Sophomore
Nicole Beebe also had her best time in the 3,000-meter run with 10:33.20. Western’s ‘A’ and ‘B’ 4X400 teams placed fourth and seventh respectively. Team ‘A’ led by Busch, Tranchitella, senior Jamieria Stennis, and sophomore Megan Reed came in at 4:02.57. Whereas team ‘B’ consisting of Richardson, Richter, and sophomores Rachel Hilton and Jacey Roper finished with a time of 4:14.73. On the men’s side, junior Darius Patterson qualified for the 60-meter final with a personal record of 6.98. He held his own against other student athletes from Memphis, Ole Miss, and Southeast Missouri with a mark of 7.02 in the big race. Freshman Hayden Golemon placeds econd in the 400-meter run, and 18th overall in the invitational with 52.69. Freshman Dylan Smerillo finished fifth in the 200-meter final at 22.77. There will be two events next weekend that will be splitting up the men and women’s indoor teams. The first event will be this Friday at the GVSU Invitational in Allendale, Michigan, and the second event will be on Saturday at the Monmouth Invite.
College sports: Harder than you think Watching sports my whole life, I have always thought there has been one consistent thing that has always been hard to accomplish. Winning on the road in college basketball during conference play, in my opinion, is the hardest thing to do in all of sports. Especially in today’s game when you have a lot of true freshmen start. For an 18year-old to go play at a place like Duke, Michigan State, Kansas, Purdue, etc. it's impossible to prepare for. Sure, it is hard to win on the road in any sport when you have 20,000 plus fans screaming at you. But there is a big difference when Tom Brady, the 40-year-old veteran, has to go play at Pittsburgh in December, versus when a freshman start like Trae Young, has to experience traveling on the road to play his rival Oklahoma State for the first time. Yes, Young had a career high of 48 points, and was ranked fourth on the Oklahoma Sooners. He went 14-39 from the field, taking a lot
of bad shots, and making critical errors down the stretch, in the loss to the unranked Cowboys. We saw the opposite from Brady in Week 15 of the regular season, when Brady led his team with the go ahead touchdown with 56 seconds to go. However, the very next game for Young, he turned his performance around, going 7-9 from the field scoring 26 points in the win against fifth ranked Kansas at home. As the season moves on to conference play in late December, you see more and more upsets. That’s because the ranked teams had to go on the road and play. The ranked teams don’t have as nearly many road games in the beginning of the season, than they do during conference play due to playing lower competition. In most conferences, teams face each other two to three times a year depending on your schedule. Since conference play started, there have been seven teams eliminated from the top 25 including: Miami, Florida
State, Seton Hall, Creighton, Minnesota, Tennessee, Texas A & M., and Texas. Texas A & M being the only team in the top five. All these teams have lost two or more games on the road in that span. Arizona State got off to a 12-0 start entering a Pac 12 play, and was ranked third in the country before. Now they are ranked number 25 with a 16-6 record, and 2-4 on the road. All the power conferences in college basketball have struggled this year on the road in conference play. ACC (23-49), Big 12 (13-32), Big East (22-28), Big (27-50), Pac 12 (22-38), and SEC (21-40). Big 12 got off to a great start on the road with an impressive 8-1 record, but since then have struggled to put anything together, going just 5-31 since that stretch. There’s also been a lot of upsets too. There’s been 39 upsets when the lower ranked team, or the unranked team hosted the higher ranked team. Fifteen of those have been in the top ten! As we reach the last month of the regular season, look for that number to reach 50, possibly even 60. Also, look for at least 25 loses inside the top ten. You never know what an upset could do for a team. It may give them a push for a run in March. Trae Young dribbles down the court.
WIKIPEDIA.ORG
Monday, August 21, 2017
Necks soar over the Golden Eagles By Haley Richards
assistant sports editor
ANGEL STRACK/COURIER STAFF
Emily Clemens searches for an open teammate.
TULSA, Okla.-- The Western Illinois women’s basketball team had a weekend on the road. This past Saturday, the Leathernecks beat Oral Roberts University by a score of 85-63 in Tulsa. They move onto 17-7 overall and 7-3 in conference play. The Golden Eagles of ORU are now 14-9 in the season and 5-4 in league play. “I'm proud of the way we battled in the first half and found a way to take a lead to the locker room,” said head coach JD Gravina. “We played a tremendous second half and really got going offensively. They are a good team and tough to beat here, so I like what this win does for us in terms of conference standings and the postseason conversation.” Senior guard Emily Clemens had herself a game and set another record for the Leathernecks. She finished with 31 points, 10 assists, and seven rebounds. The 10 assists she had now make her the alltime Summit League record holder for career assist. She passed South Dakota’s Ni-
cole Seekamp’s old record of 628 with her 633 total career assists. Clemens also passed former Leathernecks and Hall of Famer Zane Teilane for the most points in program history. Teilane had 1,547 points, while Clemens now has 1,558 points in her career so far. Junior guard Taylor Higginbotham and senior guard Morgan Blumer also helped lead the way for the Purple and Gold. Higginbotham held 16 points during the game and Blumer with 12. This was the second conference matchup between the two teams. The Purple and Gold beat the Golden Eagles by a score of 56-49 in early January. The Leathernecks were coming off of a loss against the University of South Dakota, who is currently ranked number one in the Summit League. Western Illinois traveled to Vermillion, South Dakota last Thursday and fell to the Coyotes 92-81.
Women page 6
Men’s basketball wins second conference game By Becca Langys photo editor
MACOMB, Ill.- The Western Illinois men’s basketball team took on Oral Roberts University this past Saturday. The Leathernecks secured their second conference win of the season against the Golden Eagles with a final score of 82-56, putting their overall record at 11-11. To begin the game, the Leathernecks came out strong, thanks to freshman point guard Kobe Webster who sunk a 3-point shot, earning the first points of the game for Western. The Leathernecks ran with this lead for a while until they fell behind the Golden Eagles, thanks to a dunk by Oral Robert’s player Emmanuel Nzekwesi. Western did not stay at this point deficit for very long, however, taking the lead again after a successful shot by senior guard/forward Dalan Ancrum. The Leathernecks were only down for a short period of time during the game. Once Western regained the lead over Oral Roberts, they ran with it and did not allow for the Golden Eagles to come close to regaining a winning scoring position. During the first half of this
matchup, the Leathernecks were led offensively by Ancrum, who earned a total of 14 points. Closely following Ancrum was Webster who earned a total of 10 points during this first half. Leading the Leathernecks defensively, junior center Brandon Gilbeck and junior forward Jalen Morgan both had one block during the first half of the game. The team finished off the first half with a 38-19 lead over the Oral Roberts Golden Eagles, putting them in a prime position to come out on top during the second half of this matchup. As the second half of the game rolled around, the energy coming from the Leatherneck bench was that of no other. Western came out ready to have yet another successful half, giving them the motivation that they needed to not only maintain their lead, but increase it. While Oral Roberts put the first points on the board during the half, the Leathernecks had no problem maintaining their momentum.
Men
page 6
Dalan Ancrum gets ahead of the defense for a fast-break opportunity.
FILE PHOTO