Western Courier| February 22nd, 2019 by The Western Courier

Sports: Deion Thompson in action in Western's loss

Sports: Western baseball heads to Southest Missouri

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Friday, February 22, 2019 - Vol. 119 Issue 58

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Multicultural Center hosts Black History Month event. By Karla Foster courier staff

felicia selmon/courier staff A group of students (above) view a documtary shown by Stephanie Hovesplan (bottom)

When we are born, we are born with a soul. A gift not only to be brought back after death for some, but also a state of consciousness for others. Our souls help express our thoughts, feelings, lives and personality. Our souls help us dive into topics with a deeper meaning like love or hate. Stephanie Hovsepian hosted Monday’s Black History Month event from the Women’s Center located in the Multicultural Center. In the 2008 documentary “The Souls of Black Girls,” the main topics that were addressed was attraction and representation in society. The producers had a chance to speak with a group of girls, mostly AfricanAmerican, who shared their thoughts and feelings on the subject. Actresses, activists and musicians also had a chance to explain their idea on the matter. The concept of representation is pressing in this documentary because while Africian-American women in the media have representation, most representations have been stereotypical. During that time, you would mostly see black women being oversexualized, “ghetto” or obnoxious. However, you would rarely see a black woman as a doctor, nurse or even a teacher. To continue having these negative stereotypes can influence future generations of black girls into believing that what makes a black woman popular is these sterotypes, and that it is not accurate. The speaker encourages society to influence the next

generation to be better than the last, just like what the previous generation has been doing, and the generation before them. If each generation did not change from the one before it, we would still have a lot of negative things happening like segregation and laws against certain marriages. Many students who viewed the documentary during the event provided some feedback based on their own personal lives and experiences. Some students found the event relatable based on their lives as minorities. “I felt that they were thoroughly explaining stereotypes in media,” one student said. “It reminded me of the influences that they would show on TV and it would usually be the ones you see on TV,” another student said. While it's for certain that we are not quite at the proper representation of African-American women yet, we can at least thank and celebrate the ones we have so far like; Susie from the “Rugrats”, Bumblebee from “Teen Titans” and Cleo from “Tutenstein.” There are also a large amount of real-life positive representation of black women in the media, like Oprah Winfrey, Regina King, Beyonce and Whoppi Goldberg. Since African-Americans make up only 12.3 percent of the country, and there are not a lot of black producers, animators or directors, it is very important that we have more positive role models, because the future generations will see it and won’t see themselves as jokes, sex objects or gangbangers, and that is not what we want to see.

Opinions: "I know this contradicting weather has started this year off on a gloomy note, but aside from midterms, spring break is right around the corner."

NEWS

WesternCourier.com

Friday, February 22, 2019

Student Government Association resumes regular schedule. By Marc Ramirez edge editor

josh purnell/ courier staff

Student Government Association meets after a three-week break.

WC 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

The Student Government Association opened up their weekly meeting with guest speaker Associate Provost Russ Morgan as outlined in Wednesday’s paper. Following the opening speech, business was conducted with introductions of all new and returning senators in the room. Introductions began with Speaker of the Senate Aaron Steele and ended with Chief Clerk Tolulope Olupona. Each introduction began by the senator introducing themselves, the college or organization they represent and things they are involved in around campus. This helped not only aquaint everyone in the room, but help give everyone the opportunity to learn others constituents to help spread the word of events or work on legislation to benefit students. Following introductions, the association went into cabinet reports starting with President Grant Reed. He began by speaking about the Office of Student Judicial Programs and the revisions of the Student Code of Conduct. “The Office of Student Judicial Programs reached out to us and they are going to review the Student Code of Conduct policy and they are looking for one to two members, specifically from Student Government to represent us on their review committee,” Reed said. “Their meetings will actually begin tomorrow so if anyone has free time on Wednesday from 11 a.m. they said they should meet for about an hour.” No experience is needed to be on this committee, it was stated that they will teach students through the process. They want to have more representation of student voices when reviewing the documents that govern students on campus in terms of policies related to behavior, drug and alcohol violations and similar things of that nature. This is being done to ensure that the campus environment is proactive and safe for all students.

STAFF MEMBERS editor-in-chief Devon Greene DJ-Greene@wiu.edu news editor Steven Barnum

proofreader Amanda Wandachowicz

SS-Barnum@wiu.edu

A-Wandachowicz@wiu.edu

opinions editor Allison Young

photo editor Becca Langys

AN-Young@wiu.edu

RE-Langys@wiu.edu

sports editor Bradley Piros

assistant photo editor Sara Remar

BJ-Piros@wiu.edu

SE-Remar@wiu.edu

assistant sports editor Chris Bean

production manager Jimmy Pierson

CR-Bean@wiu.edu

JM-Pierson@wiu.edu

edge editor Marc Ramirez

business manager Faith Rucker

MA-Ramirez3@wiu.edu

F-Rucker@wiu.edu

copy editor Brie Coder

advertising manager Jacob Day

B-Coder@wiu.edu

JD-Day@wiu.edu adviser Will Buss WJ-Buss@wiu.edu

All of those interested should reach out to Reed. The committee will only meet three times, therefore it will not be a semester long commitment. Reed also spoke on behalf of the Office of Admissions and their Experience Western Program on March 4 and April 8. A sign up sheet was passed around the room for senators to take action and show prospective students what a day in the life of a Leatherneck is like. “Experience Western is a program where students who are accepted but maybe not committed to coming to Western come to campus, spend a few days and get set up with a mentee who is a current student on campus,” Reed said. “They go around and listen to different discussions and panels and talk to different students and staff members about Western.” A component Admissions would like to add would be an activities fair portion similar to the one from the Office of Student Activities. They want to show prospective students what they can get involved in at Western to ensure they have the best time at Western. Director of Academic Affairs Colton Markey gave his report on Faculty Senate meetings next. Markey spoke about about the discussion of a Budget Comparison Analysis on both the Macomb and Quad Cities campuses, approved the addition of new classes and majors and a bike sharing program that may come to Western. Daria Levchenko, Director of Student Services, gave her report on a parking forum that will be held Thursday from 6:30 - 8 p.m in the Sandburg Theatre. This gives students the opportunity to address issues that they may have with parking on campus in addition to what they think can be improved upon by the University to better the lives of students. Chief of Staff Rachel Greene was tasked with filling empty committee positions across campus. In efforts to do this, she has constructed a graphic for senators to send

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.

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.

to their constituents and get students all across campus more involved. Director of Finance Michael Harmon announced that the Finance and Special Projects committee will be going over two expenditure reports that were brought to his attention during the SGA Cabinet Meeting immediately before the general assembly. “We will be looking at donating $500 to cover the cost of bracelets for Dance Marathon on March 30 and $250 to cover the cost of a student for Alternative Spring Break,” Harmon said. Vice President Madison Lynn was next to speak about the Mayor’s Roundtable meeting Thursday at 6 p.m. in City Hall. The meeting is scheduled to cover emergency preparedness with members of the fire department coming to speak. She also covered the fact that the SGA Newsletter will be sent out soon and that Student of the Month applications will be due soon. The last report given was by Advisor Michelle Janisz about the upcoming Office of Student Activities Leadership Awards and other upcoming events on campus. “Every spring semester one of the largest leadership award ceremonies we have on campus will be taking place in the Ballroom on the 22nd of April,” Janisz said. “Nomination forms are out now and are due March 8. On the front page of PurplePost on the OSA website is where you can find the criteria of all the awards.” Janisz encouraged senators to go and read each description and consider nominating themselves, friends, organizations and advisors for these awards. She made it clear that the Office of Student Activities wants to honor the hard work that students and organizations on campus do, but in order to do that nominations need to be made.

SGA

page 3

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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.

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Friday, February 22, 2019

NEWS 3

Guest speaker brings mental health awareness to Western. By Kayla Curless courier staff

On Monday, Western Illinois University’s Agriculture Department and the Andrew Wedekind family presented guest speaker Sam Eaton for a Night of Hope. Eaton is an elementary school music teacher from Minneapolis who started the Recklessly Alive program. Recklessly Alive is a suicide prevention ministry nonprofit. Eaton started the program so people would start a conversation about depression and for people to know that suicide is not the answer. Eaton has been dealing with his depression since childhood. He grew up with an alcoholic father and dealt with verbal abuse. In high

SGA

from page 2

In addition the all-major internship and career fair will be taking place March 5 form 12-3 p.m. in the Ballroom. Students interested in connecting with possible internships and job opportunities they are encouraged to attend the event. “There is a great speaker coming to campus that same day, his program is called “Suicide the Ripple Effect” at 6:30 p.m. in the Sandburg Theatre,” Janisz said. “The speaker for that is a young man who made a fateful choice, fortunately lived to then share his story, he actually survived jumping from the Golden Gate Bridge trying to commit suicide. He thankfully survived and now he goes around and shares his story not only about survival but what his life is like now and how he chooses to live his life differently.” Following committee times, the general assembly came back together and discussed their work. The Operational Policy committee presented a bill to decrease the amount of Senators at Large from five to three with the decrease of students and residence halls on campus. The Appointments committee appointed Rome Hamm, previous Director of Technology to the CSCR committee and the drafting of a weather cancellation document to present to the Faculty Senate. The Finance and Special Projects committee approved the $250 appropriation for a student to attend an Alternative Spring Break and the $500 appropriation for Dance Marathon with a vote of 5-0-0. The Legislative Development Committee also reiterated that the Parking Forum will be taking place Thursday and encouraged students to attend.

school he never felt good enough and his symptoms got worse from there. Eaton was a 23-year-old college graduate when he contemplated his suicide attempt. He remembers asking himself the question, “have you given life everything you’ve got?” After being unsatisfied with his answer he decided to put down the pills and to live life to the fullest. Wayne Wedekind, however, lost his son Andrew, to his battle with depression. Andrew was an agriculture student here at Western five years ago when he decided to end his life. Wayne is a 65-year-old hog farmer from Butler, Ill. He spoke at the event and told students about his son’s story and said, “suicide is a long term solution to

a short term problem.” What is depression? Depression is a common but serious mood disorder. Depression is the 10th leading cause of death in adults in the United States. It affects how you think, feel and handle daily activities such as sleeping, eating or working. Symptoms of suicide may include: weight gain or loss, irritability, decreased energy or fatigue, difficulty sleeping or oversleeping and thoughts of death or suicide. Not everyone with depression experiences every symptom. The severity and frequency of symptoms and how long they last will vary depending on the individual and his or her particular illness. Symptoms may also vary depending on the stage

of the illness. More than just a bout of the blues, depression is not a weakness and you cannot simply “snap out” of it. Even the most severe cases can be treated. The earlier the treatment can begin, the more effective it is. Depression is usually treated with medications, psychotherapy or a combination of both. If you feel depressed, make an appointment to see your doctor or mental health professional as soon as you can. If you are reluctant to seek treatment, talk to a friend or loved one, any health care professional, a faith leader or someone else you trust. Eaton hopes his talk will start a conversation at Western among students and faculty. He says instead of

committing suicide to “do one thing every day that makes your life better or makes the world a better place and photograph it.” Eaton says that this system helped him through his journey and helped get him to a better place. If you experience any signs of depression or are thinking of committing suicide there are mental help services you can utilize on campus. The Beu Health Center offers medical and parttime psychiatric services. The University Counseling Center is open Monday through Friday or you can call the WIU student-run hotline at 309.298.3211. Western Illinois University encourages everyone to be safe and to choose life.

NOTICE OF EXAMINATION MACOMB POLICE DEPARTMENT

The Board of Fire & Police Commissioners of the City of Macomb, Illinois hereby gives notice that examinations will offered to all eligible applicants to create an Eligibility List for hiring for positions with the Macomb Police Department. At time of application, applicants must be at least 21 years of age and no more than 35 years of age. Military veterans may extend the age limit one year for every year if active duty, not to exceed ten years. Applicants must have a high school diploma or equivalent; must have completed 60 semesters or 90 quarters hours from an accredited academic institution; must posses valid driver’s license. To move forward in hiring processes, applicants must have physical and written exams, medical and psychological evalutions and background investigations; must have visual acuity 20/20 each eye corrected (minimum) with normal color vision and depth perception; must have good habits and be of moral character. Proof of U.S. Citzenship and if hired; McDonough County residency is required.

STARTING SALARY as of 05/01/18, $47,078.76 per year. Forty-hour work week with time and a half for all overtime. Applications packets may be obtained at the Mayor’s Office, City Hall, 232 E. Jackson St., Macomb, Illinois 61455, Phone (309) 833-2558, or on-line at: https://www.macombpolice.com/application-requirements/ All applications and attachments must be completed, signed and on file by 4:30 P.M., Tuesday, March 12, 2019. If sumbitting the application packet by mail, it must be postmarked on or before the application deadline date AND received at the Mayor’s Office within five (5) calendar days of the deadline. Late or incomplete applications will not be considered. Testing date is March 30, 2019. Applicants should report to Brophy Hall, on the Western University campus at 7:30 A.M.

The City reserves the right to require reimbursement of training expenses on a pro-rata basis if an officer resigns within the first two years of employment. The City of Macomb is an Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Employer Minorities and women are encouraged to apply.

OPINIONS

Friday, February 22, 2019

WesternCourier.com

Spring break is right around the corner I know this contradicting weather has started this year off on a gloomy note, but aside from midterms, spring break is right around the corner. So, it’s time to start planning for some fun in the sun, hopefully. Now, for some us, spring break may be every week or when we feel the need to take a break from being college students and or adults. However, this designated time is specifically for us to not only get some rest but to heighten our senses and surround ourselves with new

sight. Yes, I’m talking about traveling and sightseeing. Take this time to see the world and plan for a future somewhere beyond the norm. Yes, many of you are probably thinking, “this sounds nice and all, but traveling is expensive, London.” And while that may be true, planning accordingly and in advance can supply you with inexpensive travel plans and or maybe some great deals on rooms for your desired budget. Don’t allow money to be the reason that you halt your goals

of seeing the world beyond these Illinois confines. Explore your horizons now, because final exams will be all that’s left after March if you aren’t graduating in May. Enjoy these given breaks while you can. Also, don’t wait on your friends to explore the world in hopes that they will get their affairs in order by the time you’re ready to make your moves. I’ve come across a lot of people who miss out on the opportunity to take trips and vacations waiting on their friends and associates to get their funds in order and take the time off work so that they can travel together only for things to not turn out that way. Yes, it’s smarter and safer to travel in packs especially to places you know noth-

ing about. However, sometimes you just have to do what works for you and make the journey. This world has some of the most beautiful places that I myself have yet to visit, but that won’t stop me from seeing them one day regardless of who’s willing to accompany me and it shouldn’t stop you either. We get an entire week to enjoy great weather hopefully somewhere warm, so don’t miss out on such an opportunity worrying about funds and friends that can momentarily be replaced with new sights, various foods and warmer climates. Now, if you are someone who under some circumstances are not able to travel, that is perfectly fine too. Some

things just can’t be done to navigate around such limits. However, a week of no classes is what we as college students consider “me time.” Take time out to pamper yourself at home, treat yourself to a movie or even a lunch or dinner date. Just because traveling is ideal for spring break doesn’t mean that is all there is to do. Living in Macomb has allowed many of us to step outside the box and find activities and events around us to occupy our time allowing us to accommodate our traveling needs one new small town at a time. So, regardless of your plans come March, just make sure to make them count, as each day is a fresh start to do something you’ve never experienced, positively.

Do people complain too much? If there’s one thing that people have in common, it’s complaining. Not everyone complains about every detail in their lives, but some people do. Some people complain about things that are out of their control, and some people complain about things that can be changed with a simple removal from the situation. Whatever the case may be, it is safe to say that people complain way too much and it is an issue that needs to stop. It is okay to complain sometimes, but there is a point where it can be too much. People constantly complaining is not healthy. Obviously people have their own battles but complaining has become a norm. The crazy thing about it all is someone is always going to be worse

off than someone else. Not everyone has a roof over their head, transportation to get from point A to point B, healthcare, etc. Complaining too much can make a person become super negative. When they become this negative. It is not only hard to be around them, but hard to get along with them. When people are around people who complain all the time and who are super negative they might become that person too and that is never a good situation. Instead of being surrounded by all the negativity in the world, people should surround themselves with positive people. They should surround themselves with people who see the light in things. It is a lot healthier to be around people who bring

other people happiness than those who bring negativity all the time. Waking up to another day in life is something that people often take for granted. Yes, every day may not be for somebody but that is okay. Instead of complaining about every little thing that goes wrong in one’s life, people should try to see the positive. Things can always be worse than they are. Another thing about complaining that the problem is not always fixable at the moment. If one is not happy about how long their hair is, they can try growing it out. If someone is unsatisfied with their weight, they can try to make lifestyle changes to gain and/or lose weight. Instead of complaining, people should try to change what they are not happy about. If it is something that is not able to be changed, they should try to look on the bright side of things because people always have it a lot worse off.

Editorial Policy

The editorial views of the Western Courier shall be confined to this editorial and are to be separate from news coverage otherwise noted. The editorial presented is based on the ideas and views of the WC editorial 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.

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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.

2019 Fall Semester Editorial Board

Edge Editor - Marc Ramirez Editor-in-Chief - Devon Greene Opinions Editor - Allison Young

OPINIONS 5

Friday, February 22, 2019

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VS JIMMY PIERSON/PRODUCTION MANAGER

Grape, fruit punch, mint, crème brûlée and mango-such flavors are synonymous with sweets and delicacies, but now are becoming increasingly popular flavors among electronic cigarettes and vaping products. Throughout my years in high school and now in college, I’ve observed an exuberant amount of teenagers using vaping products. I’ve witnessed it in classrooms, during lunch, passing periods and even people stealing vaping products from others. The reason I’m writing this article is because I am curious and concerned about people my age becoming so dependent on vapes. Many argue that it's better than cigarettes and therefore is safe and efficient. If our generation continues down this road, we may see many people suffering from serious health problems long-term. According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), 93 harmful or potentially harmful products, such as ammonia and carbon monoxide, were found in tobacco cigarettes. With such discoveries about tobacco cigarettes, such smokers were encouraged to to try e-cigarettes as an alternative to smoking since it was found to be less harmful. Unlike tobacco cigarettes which require an ignition of fire, the liquid in an e-cigarette is heated up in the device and inhaled as vapor. Since it did not have tobacco, e-cigarettes were being marketed as an alter-

native to decrease the amount of individuals who smoked each day and gradually used it as a way to encourage people to quit smoking products altogether. Unfortunately, a product that was intended to ease adults off tobacco cigarettes has only seen more teenagers use such vaping products at an alarming rate. “I am officially declaring e-cigarette use [vaping] among youth an epidemic in the United States,” Dr. Jerome Adams, the current U.S. Surgeon General said. It’s plausible for such a declaration to be made; in 2018, 11 percent of high school seniors, eight percent of 10th-graders and 3.5 percent of eighth-graders reported using vaping products, according to a survey by the University of Michigan. Vaping products are consuming our generation. When teens are surveyed or even in my personal experience when I’ve asked friends if they were aware of such health risks associated with e-cigarettes, they seemed almost oblivious to such information. The one chemical in e-cigarettes that is profoundly addictive is the use of nicotine. Nicotine causes people to crave smoking and consists of withdrawal symptoms when the person attempts to stop. According to Juul Labs, a company that produces the popular Juul vape, five percent of nicotine in one Juul Pod is roughly equivalent to a pack of tobacco cigarettes. In August 2018, Juul’s prod-

uct accounted for 72 percent of ecigarettes in the market. When presented with the facts, many individuals may argue that they haven’t experienced such negative effects since consuming e-cigarettes, but similar to tobacco cigarettes, such effects could be felt on a long-term basis. Diacetyl is a chemical that can cause bronchiolitis obliterans, which is a lung disease commonly known as “popcorn lung.” This results in tiny air sacs being scarred in the lungs which thickens and narrows the airways. Dicatly is unfortunately found in many vaping flavors, such as popular flavors like grape and mint. The consumption of these flavors may taste sweet and provide an instant sensation, but such effects long term can cause an increase shortness of breath, constant coughing and fatigue that was never intended when using these products to begin with. Vaping products and e-cigarettes are easily accessible, especially in states like Illinois when the legal age to purchase a product is only 18. But the reason I’m writing this article is my level of concern and our willingness to ignore such important information in order to enjoy a head-rush. No matter what a person decides to do in their life, I am in no position to impose or force a person to conform to what I believe. It is my astonishment that numerous people my age haven't learned from the previous generation the disastrous effects of smoking such as lung cancer, heart disease and tuberculosis. Whether its tobacco or mango flavored, the long-term effects are increasingly eroding our generation and will need to be addressed one way or another.

Friday, February 22, 2019

Sports

Basketball from back page

Higginbotham got a double-double in the game with 16 points and 10 boards; however, it was not enough to close out the fourth quarter. Golden Eagles were giving the Leathernecks a comfortable lead thanks to their sophomore guard Keni Jo Lippe. Lippe scored 14 of her 26 points in the second half,creating problems for the Leathernecks and securing a win for her team. Furthermore, they were everywhere on the court, out rebounding the Leathernecks and getting 17 steals off 23 of our turnovers. Gravina can tell the team’s rebounding has gotten way better since they’ve played, so he plans to emphasize attacking their pressure to help minimize turnovers. “I don’t like us to get scared of turning the ball over, but attacking their pressure, which will help minimize our turnovers.” “I think we’ve gotten better (at our rebounding) since playing them, so I am hoping that

will carryover. If our defensive rotations are a little bit better, that puts us in a better rebounding position ” The Leathernecks were 2-3 in their first five games of the season. Now, they are 4-1 in their last five games and have played their best basketball at home, going 8-4 on the season. We sit in third place in the Summit League, hoping to clinch this spot heading towards March Madness. Following this matchup, they are on the road next week for games against fourth seeded Denver and top seeded South Dakota State. Gravina knows his team can compete with just about anyone if the shots are falling. Nonetheless, this Saturday will be a thriller! Leatherneck fans are expected to be loudest we have been this season. Despite the hype of this conference rivalry, it is more so about the fact that we will see Higginbotham play her very last game in Western Hall. Tip-off begins at 4:30 p.m. as we expect the entire city of Macomb and Leatherneck fans all over to attend this homegoing celebration for our lone senior!

Taylor Higginotham prepares to take free throw.

MY'ANNA PURDUE

CLASSIFIEDS

For Rent

Submit a classifieds ad to JD-Day@wiu.edu

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: Leasing season has officailly begun, and we’re showing properties now! 1-5 bedroom houses close to campus are ready to be leased for this upcoming school year! Call our office at 309-833-5995 to schedule an appointment! Stay updated with us on Twitter @Western_Invest STC Investments now leasing for the 18/19 school year. We have 1-6 bedroom apartments/houses ready for you to call home! Check out our selection at www.stcinvestments.com. You can also find us on Facebook to see daily posts!

WesternCourier.com

Zion Williamson injured in shocking upset to UNC

Wednesday night saw the “Blue Bloods” battle it out for the first time this season when the University of North Carolina Tarheels took on the Duke University Blue Devils. Duke came into this game the No. 1 while UNC is ranked at the No. 8 spot. UNC won the game 88-72 after an early exit from freshman forward Zion Williamson in the first 40 seconds of the game. Duke came into the game 9.5point favorites but couldn’t get the job done without Williamson on their home court of Cameron Indoor Stadium. This was only Duke’s third loss of the regular season, the other two coming from at the time No.3 Gonzaga and unranked Syracuse. Duke lost those games by two points and five points, respectively. The loss against UNC marks their biggest of the season of 16 points. RJ Barrett and Cam Reddish tried to pick up the slack for Duke without Williamson, but their efforts weren’t enough. Barrett dropped 33 points and picked up 13 rebounds while playing all 40 minutes. Reddish picked up 27 points in 35 minutes. Duke had three main problems, only nine points coming off the bench, shooting only 20.5 percent from beyond the arch, and overall falling apart without Williamson. On the other hand, UNC

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seemed to be doing everything right. Senior forward Luke Maye put up 30 points and 15 rebounds in another dominant performance from him, while senior guard Cameron Johnson dropped 26 points, seven rebounds and four assists. Sophomore forward Garrison Brooks put up 14 and freshman guard Coby White had nine. UNC only had seven points from the bench and shot only 10 percent from the three-point line, but still picked up the upset victory because they evenly distributed the workload. Duke this year has been a team that relies on their big three freshman, Williamson, Reddish and Barrett. These are all premiere talents, but the Blue Devils can’t get the job done if one of them goes missing. Williamson left the game in the 33rd second with a suspected knee injury. As of now, he is listed as day-to-day but only time can tell when he'll make his return to the court. He’ll need to get back soon though if the Blue Devils have any hope of not getting upset during March Madness. Duke falls to 23-3 on the season and will look to bounce back tomorrow night at Syracuse, the team that upset them earlier this season. Meanwhile, UNC will host No. 16 Florida State University tomorrow afternoon and look to improve on their now 21-5 record.

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Sports 7

Friday, February 22, 2019

@WesternCourier

Champions League breakdown and predictions Last Tuesday was a special day for soccer fans. It was the first day of the round of 16 in the UEFA Champions League. The entire tournament showcases the most skilled and dynamic teams that professional “football” has to offer. The group stages are great, but only half of the teams competing go on, with the top two teams moving on from each of the eight groups. What makes this tournament interesting is that it isn’t a bracket style. There are live draws to ensure that your next opponent is completely random. That’s how it is for the round of 16 teams. Of all the teams that went on in the tournament, their club name would be drawn from a bowl to determine who they play. The round of 16, quarterfinals and semifinals are all played on aggregate, a home and away series of two games, away goals being the tiebreaker. Now that that’s all out of the way, what went down in the round of 16 first leg? AS Roma (Italy) hosted FC Porto (Portugal) to kick things off, and it did so in an exciting way. The first half played out to a 0-0 draw, but it was the second where the drama came in. All three goals were scored in under

nine minutes from one another. Nicolo Zaniolo struck first to open the scoring and then doubled the lead all by himself only three minutes later. Porto would respond, but Adrian’s goal in the 79th minute proved to be too little, too late as his side fell 2-1 while away. That same day was Manchester United (England) hosting Paris Saint Germain (France). This, in my opinion, is the most exciting draw of this round. With PSG’s exciting front three of Neymar, Edison Cavani and Kylian Mbappe going up against the likes of Juan Mata, Paul Pogba and arguably the best goalkeeper in the world, David Degea, there is absolutely no lack of talent. It was PSG getting on the board first from 23-yearold Presnel Kimpembe in the 53rd minute. Nineteen yearold Mbappe doubled their lead seven minutes later. Ending the game, though, was Pogba picking up his second yellow card of the match, leading to a red and his ban from the second leg. This one should be interesting. Matchday two kicked off with Ajax (Netherlands) playing host to Real Madrid (Spain). Madrid holds the record for the most Champions League titles

with 13, but with the transfer of Christiano Ronaldo (aka Mr. Champions League), they will be wondering if they still have it in them to make it 14. Spoiler alert: they do. Karim Benzema scored first for Madrid in the 60th minute but Ajax would respond 15 minutes later to tie the game and make their opposition sweat a little. Ajax hearts were broken though as Marco Asensio scored a late 87th minute dagger to escape Amsterdam with a 2-1 victory. The other match of the day was the Tottenham Hotspurs (England) hosting Borussia Dortmund (Germany) at their temporary home of Wembley Stadium while their home pitch White Hart Lane continues renovations. Some people say that the Spurs have the best striker in the world in Harry Kane; I’m not one of those people. His side still shutout Dortmund 3-0 but not with his help. Three second half goals from Son Heung-Min, Jan Vertonghen and Fernando Llorente lifted the English side past the German giants. Matchday three saw to be relatively boring as both games played out to 0-0 draws. Liverpool (England) hosted FC Bayern (Germany) at Anfield back on Tuesday. Liverpool made it to the Champions League final last year, only to fall to Real Madrid, but I have them getting back there this

year. Liverpool had the majority of the possession during the match but were unable to put one in the back of the net. Luckily for them, neither was Robert Lewondowski and FC Bayern. It will take a great effort for Liverpool to beat Bayern at Allianz Arena, one of the hardest places to play in the world. The other match was a real shocker. My favorite team FC Barcelona (Spain) traveled to Olympique Lyonnais (France) but were unable to break the deadlock. This result completely baffled me. How does the best player in the world Lionel Messi get shutout? I didn’t get to watch this one, but shout out to Lyon’s defense for shutting down not only Messi, but Dembele, Suarez and Rakitic. It’s one thing to shutout FC Barcelona at home, but it’s a completely different task to go in and blank them at Camp Nou. Matchday four saw the most goals being scored in some exhilarating matchups. First up was Atletico Madrid (Spain) hosting Juventus (Italy). Juve is one of the most exciting teams to watch right now with pairing Ronaldo and Paulo Dybala, but they were blanked 2-0 while away. Two second half goals from Jose Gimenez and Diego Godin sealed the deal as Atletico takes a nice lead into Italy. The final match of the bunch

saw Schalke 04 (Germany) host Manchester City (England). Man City has the best striker in the world, Sergio Aguero. He scored first in the 18th minute, but this game was far from over. Schalke were awarded two penalties in the 38th and 45th minute, and they cashed in on both to take a 2-1 lead into halftime. A late comeback began in the 85th minute from Leroy Sane. Five minutes later, Raheem Sterling regained the lead in dramatic style, to ensure the 3-2 comeback victory. So, who am I picking to make it into quarterfinals? Most of these are pretty easy. I think FC Porto will win at home and go through on away goals. I don’t see PSG choking away a 2-0 lead at home. I also don’t see Tottenham losing a three-goal lead, even though Dortmund is a hard place to play. Real Madrid will go on because of course they will. FC Barcelona will win at home and go through. Liverpool will “upset” FC Bayern on the road and go on. I think Ronaldo and Juventus will come back from the 2-0 loss and move on and lastly, I don’t see Manchester City losing at home. The eight best clubs in the world will go on, but which of the eight will make it all the way? We’ll all find out in two weeks’ time as the second legs for all these matches begin March 5.

Basketball looks to spark winning streak By Michael Harms courier staff

OMAHA- Neb. — The Western Illinois University Leathernecks could not stop the rolling Omaha Mavericks who dominated at home winning, 77-63. Coming off of a dominant week the Mavricks beat South Dakota State on a buzzer beater and then conquered Purdue Fort Wayne to move into a tie for first in the Summit League standings. It was senior night in Omaha and the players decided to go out with a bang. The entire starting five of their lineup had double-digit points. Senior guard Zach Jackson led the way. Even though Jackson was co-Summit League player of the week, he dropped 21 points, four assists and two steals to lead his team in each category. The only other senior in the lineup, Mitch Hahn, scored 12 points and corralled five boards in his last home outing. For Western, they just couldn’t find their groove. Going 2-10 from beyond the arc in the first half set up a poor shooting night for Western who couldn’t find a way to break the seal off the rim. Kobe Webster did his

best shooting 7-13 and dropping a team high 17 points, but it was the freshman who dropped the ball this contest as Zion Young and Ben Pyle went a combined 1-12 from the field with just two points. The Purple and Gold will look to rebound quickly after their fifth straight loss this weekend as they suit up for one last time at home against Oral Roberts. Western Illinois will say goodbye and celebrate four seniors this year; Ryan Maas, Otis Dortch, Jordan Hughes and Brandon Gilbeck. Maas, Dortch and Hughes average less than five minutes a game, but are essential to the team. Their demeanor and work ethic is something head coach Billy Wright has talked about in the past and every game, you can see their presence has an effect on all of their fellow teammates. Overall this game will be one last farewell for the machine from Spring Green, Wis., the seven-footer, Gilbeck. There will be one last chance to see a posturizing slam or an emphatic rejection in Western Hall. This is a game that he will remember for the rest of his life. This game is important for the Leathernecks as they sit at the bottom of the

Summit League standings just three games away from post-season play. Only one game ahead of Denver, the Leathernecks must stay disciplined and focused to make it to the tournament held in Sioux Falls, S.D. During this five-game skid, Western has lost production from Isaac Johnson who is averaging 8.5 points per game in that span down from his 11.3 average. It has cost him to be taken out of the starting lineup as Wright looks for answers. Standing in their way are the Golden Eagles (10-19, 6-8), who come into town looking to avoid injury and keep a hot hand headed into the final games of the season. Their player to watch will be Emmanuel Nzekwesi who averages 14.9 points per game and 8.3 rebounds per game, which is fourth in The Summit League. He will be up against Gilbeck down in the paint, so he will have his work cut out for him. This is the Leathernecks last chance to show their fans what they have, and how good it can be. Hopefully their performance can spark a run and a hot streak in March as the Summit League tournament is just a few weeks away.

Brandon Gilbeck slamming it down against Omaha.

MY'ANNA PURDUE

Baseball raises the stakes against Redhawks By Jacob Vanzuiden courier staff

GOLEATHERNECKS.COM

Deion Thompson tags out a runner.

Bailey Montgomery stays calm and collected in the batter box.

JOSH PURNELL

After jumping out to an early lead in each of their last two games, the Western Illinois baseball team was unable to finish off their opponent. It was a tough go-around in their first three-game series of the 2019 season, but this squad will look to right the ship this week against Southeast Missouri State. A team with multiple veteran leaders returning from last season, the Leathernecks will look to improve on its 17-31 record in 2018 and secure the program’s first above.500 season since 2007. In their upcoming matchup against Redhawks, the Purple and Gold will continue to look toward senior utility-man Bailey Montgomery to lead the offensive charge. Montgomery has been a bright spot through three games, leading the team with three base hits, three runs scored and four total bases. Also standing out thus far is the Leathernecks’ baserunning success. Through just three games, the group has a total of eight stolen bases. Leading the bunch are senior Deion Thompson and junior Kevin Raisbeck, who have each swiped two bags in the early-going. While 0-3 isn’t the ideal spot that the team envisioned to begin the year, there is still plenty of baseball to be played (49 games to be exact). Most importantly, head coach Ryan Brownlee said after the game that his team had a good understanding of what they’ve done wrong and how they can improve on these mistakes next time out. He reiterated the importance of finishing close games. “The team also commented on good energy but mentioned that we need to

sustain it from the first pitch to the last pitch,” Brownlee said. “It took us a little bit to get comfortable at the plate. We showed more of what we are going to be late in the game. Once we relax as a unit and shrink the hitting area in our counts, the numbers will come.“ Western’s opponents, Southeast Missouri State, isn’t going to make things easy. The Redhawks have been scorching-hot out of the gates, averaging over eight runs per game. Their offense’s ability to click has been their recipe for success, having five different players with at least 4 hits through four contests. One Redhawk to keep an eye on in this matchup is sophomore Tyler Wilber. He’s currently either tied for the lead or leading Southeastern Missouri in hits (six), runs scored (five), batting average (.500) and on-base percentage (.611). Behind him in the batting order is a proven power-punch with five different players already with a home run under their belt. Needless to say, the Leathernecks will have to be on top of their game. The Purple and Gold will be forced to give their utmost effort in order to avoid dropping to 0-4, falling further down in the Summit League standings. Since their current record isn’t where they would like it to be, they certainly won’t let it define them. They’ll take their underdog status coming into Saturday’s game in hopes of using it to their advantage as a motivation factor. After wrapping up their three-game bout against SEMO, the Leathernecks will hit the road again, but won’t have to travel far this time. On March 1, they’ll face the Southern Illinois Salukis in Carbondale, Ill. for their first in-state series of 2019.

Women's basketball host ORU on senior night By Kejuan Rucker courier staff

It will be an emotional evening in Western Hall this Saturday, as the Leathernecks go into battle with conference foe, Oral Roberts Golden Eagles. The theme is “Senior Night” as Leatherneck players, coaches and fans show their love and support for our lone senior, Taylor Higginbotham. Higginbotham is the only senior on the team this season, so everyone will be embracing her while she tries to keep her emotions bottled in and focuses on the game. “This school has given me so much. It was always a huge dream of mine to play Division 1 basketball, and I got that chance thanks to coach Gravina and coaching staff." "It’s been a whole bunch of fun ever since I committed and got on campus. Knowing that I was able to give back and perform for the school and the community that has done so much

for me is a pretty cool thing,” Higginbotham said. She is not the only one trying to hold back tears. Gravina knows that senior night is an emotional time, especially for the lone senior. He has coached Higginbotham for four years, growing a bond with her on and off the court. Gravina explains how he’s watched her grow from her first year on the team, till now. “She’s been such a big part of my life for the past four years. She’s seen me go from being a father of one to a father of three," Gravina said. “In the past, I think she did not have to be that much of a leader because of many older athletes ahead of her. It’s hard for a player to step into that role her senior year, and I thought she’s done a really good job.” Higginbotham has become a great leader indeed, yet she does not want all of the credit. She says that her teammates are significant in her success as a leader. Higginbotham knows

the moments where she has to step up and lead the charge, but hopes her leadership is remembered by being a great teammate and friend. “It’s really about being a good teammate first and good friend, and just hopes that the leadership shows through that.” “It’s not about trying to be bossy or acting like you know what you are doing because I’m still learning too. There is always new stuff to learn and develop, so I just try to be the best advice giver.” With emotions running high, the Leathernecks cannot look away from the fact that the Golden Eagles are looking to spoil senior night and move up in the conference. The last time these two teams faced off, Oral Roberts took one in a close game, defeating Western 68-64 in Oklahoma.

Basketball page 6

BECCA LANGYS / PHOTO EDITOR

Taylor Higginbotham defends inside Western Hall.