Sports: Women's basketball falls short during first home game.
Opinions: The importance of recognition.
AWARD-WINNING STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF WESTERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY. SERVING MACOMB SINCE 1905.
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Wednesday, November 22, 2019 - Vol. 120 Issue 40
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Western recognized as Outstanding Chapter of the Year
Delegates from Western Illinois University's National Residence Hall Honorary Society brought home two awards from their annual GLACURH conference.
By Tea Wheat courier staff
At 8 a.m. on Nov. 15, 10 students from Western Illinois University, along with two advisors, loaded up two university vehicles and departed from Macomb. These students and advisors were headed to the Great Lakes Affiliate of Colleges and University Residence Halls (GLACURH) Leadership Conference to represent the on-campus leaders at Western. This year, the GLACURH regional leadership conference was hosted at Indiana University in Bloomington, Ind. The Great Lakes Affiliate of College and University Residence Halls is a student-run organization that was created in 1996. According to the website for this organization, they work “to promote and improve student life on college and university campuses across the region, including Michigan, Ontario, Wisconsin, Illinois and Indiana.” With over 50 schools
in attendance at the regional leadership conference, this conference served as a phenomenal opportunity for student leaders to share what Western Illinois University is doing to better our institution and learn what other colleges and universities are doing as well. Then, students have the opportunity to bring back the ideas and knowledge that they have gained from other institutions and incorporate that here at Western. The delegates that attended the conference included Adam Blue, Brooke McDaniel, Jamel Adams, Jenny Simon, Megan Orsini, Sandra Torres, Brooke Barnes and Vanessa Rosales. These delegates were selected and led by Conference Coordinators John Porn and Téa Wheat and were overseen by Complex Director Andrew Haugen and Assistant Complex Director Jacob Livingston. “The spotlight and the late nights with little sleep were all worth the life changing experience,” McDaniel, a first-
time delegate and a presenter at the regional leadership conference said. McDaniel, along with the other first-time delegates all participated in attending programs and networking with other delegates from institutions throughout the region. It is important to note that four of these eight delegates were accepted through an application process to present at GLACURH 2019. Barnes and Orsini co-presented the program “Growing with Others,” created by Barnes, which focused on the importance of taking time for yourself and empowering not only yourself but also those around you. As the program description states, “It’s one thing to grow by yourself, it’s even more fulfilling to grow others.” McDaniel and Torres copresented the program “Constructing Our Rails,” created by McDaniel. This program focused on the different paths that leaders take. It allowed individuals to walk
along their own tracks and see who they would meet along the way. As the program description reads, “The tools you already have can support another in building their rails.” Both of these programs were extremely well-received, with many delegates expressing the impact of the programs. This year, Western Illinois University won two awards at the regional level. These awards were the NRHH Outstanding Chapter of the Year award for the Caroline Grote Chapter and the President of the Year Award for Inter-Hall Council’s past president, Killian Tracey. The NRHH Outstanding Chapter of the Year award focuses on an NRHH chapter within the region that has proven to uphold and go above and beyond with the NRHH core values of service and recognition. This is the highest honor an NRHH chapter can receive at the regional level. The President of the Year award recognizes a president
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of an organization that has gone above and beyond for their organization, and for their institution as a whole. It is evident that Tracey had done just that throughout her time as an undergraduate at Western. In addition to these awards, National Residence Hall Honorary-Communication Coordinator Téa Wheat received a Four-Year Service Pin. This pin recognizes four years of service within the residence halls at a student’s home institution and is a great honor at the regional level. The entire delegation worked tirelessly throughout this experience, from writing bid award nominations to creating spirit items, all the way to the long nights and presentations at the conference. The hard work and dedication of the Western Illinois University delegation paid off tremendously upon arriving at home sweet home, GLACURH, the celebration of a lifetime.
2 NEWS
Friday, November 22, 2019
WesternCourier.com
Western unveils new social media lab
By Tea Wheat courier staff
As many students and faculty at Western Illinois University may have noticed, there have been many new additions and improvements to the campus. One of the most recent additions is a new social media lab. The brand new social media lab is housed in Western’s Department of Communication. The lab is designed to help students learn and engage more with social media. The lab currently has three computers that all link up to a mounted flat screen, helping to make collaboration easier. While space was made with students in mind, it is actually for both University personnel and community members. The lab was invented by the Department of Communication and Associate Professor Josh Averbeck. Per the West-
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
ern Illinois University news release, Averbeck talked about how the lab was made because of student interest and expertise of our faculty. “Many of our students graduate with an interest in social media, but lack hands-on experience,” Averbeck said. Starting this upcoming spring semester, students will have the opportunity to sign up as research assistants to help work with the department. The Department of Communication has an ambitious agenda and will require the help of multiple research assistants. The research assistants will work to produce content for the Department of Communication’s own social media accounts, provide consulting services to the community, as well as write monthly reports related to social media in the region. “We have experts here and we should find as many ways to share our knowledge as
possible,” Averbeck said. “We will also offer consulting and social media audits for regional businesses and organizations for their social media campaigns." The course is intended to complement the ComputerMediated Communication course that the WIU Department of Communication offers. While many may feel that social media is a nuisance and a destructive force to society, others see social media as new way to learn and engage with others worldwide. If you are interested in checking out the new Social Media Lab, it can be found in Memorial Hall. The new Social Media Lab also has a Facebook page, that the Department of Communication is using for all lab updates, and much more. This Facebook page can be found at: https:// www.facebook.com/pg/WIUSocialMediaLab/about/? ref=page_internal.
UNIVERSITY RELATIONS
Western Illinois University's Social Media Lab can be found in Memorial
STAFF MEMBERS PUBLISHING AND CIRCULATION editor-in-chief Devon Greene DJ-Greene@wiu.edu
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Friday, November 22, 2019
NEWS 3
JIMMY PIERSON/ PRODUCTION MANAGER
By Jelen Evans
courier staff On Nov. 14, the jazz band at Western Illinois University performed a variety of jazz musical numbers inside of the College of Fine Arts and Communication Recital Hall. The concert started at 7:30 p.m. and ended around 8:15 p.m. At the beginning of the concert, the band performed a random musical number to grab the crowd’s attention before the director, Matt Hughes, came out to kick off the concert. When Hughes walked out on the stage, he walked over to the stand and started conducting the band to start the first number that they performed which was entitled, “Take the A Train.” In this number, the texture was very thick because there were 17 musicians, which made the sound very broad and loud. The stage was set up with the saxophone players in the
front row, the trumpet players behind them, the trombones following behind them and the rhythm section on the left side of the stage. After the first selection, the director walked to the microphone to properly introduce all of the musicians that were playing in the concert for the night, in each section, before introducing the next selection that would be played. The next selection was entitled “Goodbye Pork Pie Hat.” In this selection, the texture was also very thick. The timbre of it was very different. It started off with the bass player Brett Doughtery. He started off the song with a few beats that led to the other musicians playing along with him to kick the song off. After finishing that number, the next one that they played was entitled “Hatian Fight Song.” This selection was in between thick and thin as far as texture. The rhythm was sort of slow and
then began to pick up. Sometimes the sound would be loud, turn quiet and then it would grow into a crescendo and become loud again. Before finishing out the concert there was another selection that was played. This selection was entitled “I’ve got you under my skin.” In this song, the texture was extremely thick, there were several walking beats and there was a soloist. The soloist was Tiana Thakur, who also was playing the piano before this selection. Her voice was very unique and she was very expressive through the lyrics when she sang the song. The way the musicians backed her up gave it more of a jazz vibe than how it started out as. Lastly, the band concluded the concert with another number that was not scheduled on the program to get everyone in a good mood, as they were coming to an end.
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4
OPINIONS
Friday, November 22, 2019
WesternCourier.com
Why does recognition matter? Recognition is a hard subject for many to comprehend. The word itself can seem foreign, and make the task at hand seem even farther out of reach. By dictionary definition, according to the Oxford dictionary, recognition is the “acknowledgment of something's existence, validity or legality.” This definition can make it seem even more strange; acknowledging someone’s existence? How might we do that? Why does it matter? Well, to myself and many others, recognition is a bit different from the dictionary definition and what the word may mean at face value. Recognition is
when you make others around you know that they are valued and appreciated, that you see everything they are accomplishing and you are proud of them and happy for them and their accomplishments. Recognition has such a monumental value. It is proven through many studies that when workers feel underappreciated or not valued, that is when their motivation begins to die. You could have the happiest, most excited person for a job, and after months of not being recognized for what they are doing and the effort they put in, they will become burned out. Recognition is
something that makes people keep pushing and doing well, even on a hard day. Who doesn’t love being valued and appreciated for all that they do? Exactly. No one, because everyone loves a little recognition now and then, even those that may never voice that opinion. There are many ways to recognize someone. These ways can go from verbal words of affirmation or writing notes of appreciation, all the way to gifts or taking someone out for dinner. There is no “best” way to recognize someone, because everyone is different in what kind of recognition they receive the best. What some may prefer as recognition may not be the same as what their best friend may prefer. Personally, I prefer words of affirmation or a nice letter to a gift of monetary value, but again that is all based upon my personal likes and dislikes. A
good way to gauge what the best way to recognize someone, may be through asking them in passing, or through a process of trial and error. Recognition does not have to be a huge “to-do,” a simple note will normally be enough to make any person feel valued. One way that you can recognize amazing things and wonderful people on campus is through an “Of the Month” or an OTM, which is something that an organization I am a part of does. It is (simply put) a small essay on how someone went above and beyond in a given month. The individual you write the OTM for gets to read what you write, and it can even move on the regional and national levels. How amazing would it be to recognize a friend or co-worker, and then they also get recognized on a regional or national level? If you’re interested in learning more about rec-
ognition in general or about OTMs, feel free to reach out to me at te-wheat@wiu.edu. Unfortunately, many people have the best ideas and intentions for recognition, but just can’t seem to find the time to do it. One important thing to keep in mind when you are feeling too burnt out or just can’t find the time to recognize someone, is to think of what it would feel like if in that moment you were recognized for all you are doing. It’d probably feel pretty great, because being recognized does feel amazing. It is the gift that keeps on giving. So, the next time you are thinking of how amazing someone in your life, work or organization is – tell them! Whether it is through a simple note, an OTM or something else, find your style of how you want to recognize others and roll with it. You won’t regret it.
more than 100,000 people running for president, but in the era of Donald Trump, anything is truly possible. Even then, Buttigieg brings a uniqueness to his candidacy that I never really thought about. For one, he’s very religious and deeply cares about his faith. Usually, Republicans are characterized as the party of Christianity, but Buttigieg completely dismantles that characterizaion when he talks about what his faith means to him. Ironically, he’s also openly gay which people generally don’t coincide religion with. Buttigieg expresses how proud he is of his sexuality
by openly presenting his relationship with his husband for the world to see and has even talked about having children in the future. For me, the one thing that really makes Buttigieg’s record look impressive is his military servcie, enlisting in the Navy Reserve in 2009. I think those who have military service can truly attract voters who love and feel a sense of pride of politicians who have served and who truly understand the responsibilities of being commander-in-chief of the U.S. military. As much as I do admire Mayor Pete, his flip-flop on posi-
tions have been worrisome for me. When Buttigieg first announced, he projected himself as a strong supporter of Medicare for all, but now he has changed that proposal as Medicare for all who want it. As Buttigieg’s support increases, I hope his positions won’t suddenly change for political gain. Buttiggieg is leading in Iowa and while his support and resources seem to be gaining, he still has a lot of work to do, in particular to black voters where he’s polling at 0 percent; you can’t win the Deomocartic nomination for the presidency with numbers like that.
Buttigieg has the edge! Almost a year ago, South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg had announced his candidacy for president, and outside of South Bend, nationwide not a lot of people knew who he was, yet alone knew how to say his name. As Buttigieg became more familar with people, we learned that he enlisted and served in Afghanistan in 2009, speaks at least seven languages, is very reli-
gious and most importantly, is openly gay and married. Once people got to know more about “Mayor Pete,” the more people started to support him. Now in November 2019, Buttigieg is in first place in Iowa, the first caucus/primary contest. When Buttiggieg first came into the race, I honestly thought he wouldn’t last; I never heard of a Mayor governing a town with a population of a little
OPINIONS 5
Friday, November 22, 2019
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Winter weather worries Cameron Dillefeld Opinions Writer
As we near the end of the semester, colder temperatures are on the horizon. This is fun for snowmen and getting into the Christmas spirit, but winter weather can bring its own problems. It's all of our responsibility to take steps to prepare for the winter. Whether you have a vehicle or choose to walk around campus, minimizing the risks we take can bring a more joyful holiday season. Those from Chicago or other big cities will realize that cen-
tral Illinois does not have the same budget for road clearing projects. If you choose to leave Macomb, know that roads will still have snow and ice on them. The train is a good way to get around in bad weather. If you are like me and are going to have to drive home over dirt roads to go to a farm, having basic winter gear can make a big difference. I keep things like a flashlight, jumper cables, a lighter, crackers, a blanket and a small candle in my vehicle in case I get
stuck or stranded. With heavy snowfall, drifting and sliding off the road is a real possibility and happens to thousands of people around the U.S. each year. FEMA suggests having a source of heat, light and food to last one person for three days in your vehicle. Heavy snowfall can make it extremely difficult to find and rescue stranded or injured drivers. If you are in a crash, the first thing to do is stay calm. Then assess yourself for any injuries and where you are at. Try to call the police, your friends or your family to let them know where you are. An important step to keep in mind is to check your exhaust pipe. If the exhaust pipe is packed with snow and submerged,
CO2 can begin to fill the inside of your vehicle. Breathing enough of this can be fatal. Staying warm and staying put are the two biggest concerns. Unless you can physically see a house near you, staying in your car is the safest thing to do. Prepping your vehicle for this winter ’s weather is another important part of having a safe holiday season. Ice, slush and snow can be very difficult to maintain control of your car on. Old tires that are losing tread provide much less traction than a newer set. Two years ago, I blew a tire on my truck and almost crashed into a ditch. I was able to park in a lot and take the tire off. My truck was on a jack for a week
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because no one was shipping tires on Christmas. Being prepared will save you a lot of headache if something does happen. Simply being a more cautious driver is a small thing that has a huge impact. Driving slower on slippery roads, not taking turns too sharp and maintaining a larger distance between you and the driver in front of you can seriously reduce the risk of a collision. We all want to get to our classes on time, but no grade is worth getting seriously hurt or worse over. So, this winter, make a list of things you can do to prepare for anything the season with throw our way. Share ideas with your friends and family so we can all spend this holiday together.
Contact Allison Young
AN-Young@wiu.edu 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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2019 Fall Semester Editorial Board
Edge Editor - Marc Ramirez Editor-in-Chief - Devon Greene Opinions Editor - Allison Young
6
Friday, November 22, 2019
SPORTS
Football takes on UNI in season closer
By Christopher Gibson courier staff
The Western Illinois Fighting Leathernecks (1-10) head to Cedar Falls for the last game of the season against the Northern Iowa Panthers (7-4). The game kicks off at 1 p.m. and can be seen on ESPN+. The Panthers head into the game sitting at fourth in the Missouri Valley and are coming off of a loss to South Dakota State by a score of 38-7. They are led by redshirt freshman quarterback Will McElvain. McElvain has thrown for 2200 yards on the season and has 18 touchdowns to go along with the passing numbers. The man to watch out for receiving dimes from McElvain is redshirt sophomore, Isaiah Weston. Weston has 10 of the 18 receiving touchdowns on the season and averages 98 receiving yards per game. The Panthers defense has been active in the turnover column this season, forcing 13 interceptions with 14 forced fumbles to go with it. Look for the defense to come in strong against the Leathernecks. The Leathernecks are coming off of a loss at home to Southern Illinois by a margin of 45-21. The season hasn’t been very kind to Western who has only managed to win one game on the season. The key to victory for the Leathernecks for this game is to limit the damage through the air by McElvain. They need to force him to make mistakes just like he did last
BECCA LANGYS / PHOTO EDITOR
Connor Sampson launches a throw down field.
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week when he threw three interceptions. If the Leatherneck defense can be aggressive and force some mistakes, that might just be what they need to win. It’s what was prevalent in their last win and it needs to show up if they want to win this week. The Leathernecks also need to figure out a way to get the offense going. With the exception of two games this season, they haven’t scored more than 24 points. But, the two games where they were able to pass that mark, they either won or went to overtime. The best way to get the offense going to where it needs to be is to look towards junior quarterback Connor Sampson to light things up through the air. He just needs to be careful to not air it out too much against the defense, who will make him pay for any little mistake. Obviously, this wasn’t the kind of season that anyone was expecting, but there have been some highlights for this squad with the gameclinching interception against South Dakota is the most memorable. This last game won’t be a walk in the park, but the Leathernecks can still come out on top. This is the last game for a majority of the seniors who are graduating, so a win this week would help to send them off on a high note. Hopefully, the team will be able to get that win. They weren’t able to do that for the last time the seniors played on Hanson Field, but they have a chance to correct that mistake this weekend in Cedar Falls.
BECCA LANGYS / PHOTO EDITOR
Tony Tate carries the ball during a home game.
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Friday, November 22, 2019
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Sports 7
Potential quaterback options for Bears in offseason
It’s been a dreadful, worstcase-scenario type of season for the 2019 Chicago Bears. As a team who once had Super Bowl aspirations heading into September, they’ve now fallen to a record of 4-6 after dropping five of their last six contests (four games back from the NFC North-leading Packers). While the team’s defense has remained its biggest strength, a despicable offense has led to their demise. The Bears’ 262.7 offensive yards per game ranks thirdworst in the NFL, just behind the Washington Redskins and New York Jets. They’re also bottom-five in points scored per game. There are several areas to blame, whether it be the suspect play-calling by head coach Matt Nagy, porous offensive line play, or wideouts’ inability to reel in balls thrown their way (Chicago’s wide-receiving corps leads the league in dropped passes). However, the biggest factor that has stalled the development of this offense in year two under Nagy has been the incompetent quarterback play of former second-overall pick Mitchell Trubisky. After tossing 24 touchdowns in 2018 and being selected as a Pro Bowl alternate, the 25-year-old was fully expected to take that next step in his development. He’s taken a step, but it’s been in the
wrong direction. Trubisky has appeared to be just a shell of his former self, as his passing yards per game, quarterback rating, completion percentage and yards per attempt all rank in the bottom-five amongst all starting signal-callers. The North Carolina Tar Heel has been under heavy scrutiny ever since entering the league in 2017, many arguing his 13 total college starts (all in his junior season) weren’t enough to warrant such a high-capital draft selection. It’s left fans around the league scratching their heads as to why general manager Ryan Pace would opt to take Trubisky instead of someone with prestigious college credentials like Deshaun Watson or reigning-MVP Patrick Mahomes. Needless to say, it’s come back to bite them. Even in his third season in the league, around the time many young quarterbacks take the proverbial leap, Trubisky still struggles mightily with decision-making, reading defenses and most of all accuracy. His flaws have been thrust under the spotlight this season with Nagy seemingly trying to mold his quarterback into one that would better fit his offense instead of playing to his strengths like in 2018. Last season, the Bears (and Trubisky) saw success by
Philip Rivers yelling at the refs.
Teddy Bridgewater giving his signals to his wide recievers.
establishing the run with an above-average offensive line, allowing their quarterback to roll out of the pocket a multitude of play-action passes where he could find open receivers or use his underrated rushing ability to move the chains. Nagy was also able to disguise his plays exceptionally well, throwing defenses off guard. However, as we’ve seen with Sean McVay and the Los Angeles Rams as well, defenses always catch up to those sorts of things with time in the NFL. Whether or not you believe most of the blame for this season’s struggles should be pinned on Trubisky, one thing is clear: he is not the longterm answer at the helm for Chicago. He has six games left this year to show he has any type of resilience, but realistically, this team will all but surely be in the market for a new quarterback this offseason. When fully healthy, the Bears still pose a championship-caliber defense, and it would be foolish for them to waste a competitive window by continuing to roll with Trubisky. Luckily, there are several names set to be available in the spring that could help right the ship in the Windy City. The first option the Bears have, and also the most unappetizing option, is to bring in a low-end, game-manager type of quarterback that could at least efficiently run Nagy’s offense. The names that come to mind that fit this category are veterans: Andy Dalton, Philip Rivers and
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Marcus Mariota. If Chicago would opt to take this route, they could keep Trubisky on the team's roster as a backup, and at the very least, it would mean someone is challenging him for snaps. Both Dalton, 32, and Rivers, 37, have proven to be effective quarterbacks throughout their careers, but fans would have to wonder what either of these guys have left in the tank. The next option they’ve got, which seems like the likeliest scenario, is to break out the checkbook and sign a younger veteran to a large, multi-year deal. Both Cam Newton and Teddy Bridgewater land in this category. While Newton will still be under contract with the Carolina Panthers, the Bears could swing a trade to bring the former MVP to Chicago. He would almost certainly be greeted with a new contract if this were to happen. Last week, it was reported by NFL insider Ian Rapoport that Newton would “welcome” an opportunity to suit up for the Navy and Orange if “everything worked out.” Now 30 years old, it should be noted that he’s currently rehabbing on what’s been a nagging foot issue. If (and only if) he’s healthy come March, this would be the ideal move for the Monsters of the Midway. Although, Te d d y Bridgewater wouldn’t be a bad consolation prize. The 27-year-old has played his way into a lofty contract after leading the New Orleans Saints to a flawless 5-0 record
Cam Newton stares into the crowd.
Jake Fromm celebrates a big play.
while Drew Brees was on the shelf for five weeks. A former Minnesota Viking, Bridgewater has experience playing in the NFC North and is the type of high-floor, low-risk guy that could help turn Chicago’s offensive woes around. The only problem is, he will likely demand upwards of $25 million per year. Last but not least, they’ve got the draft, which is going to be difficult to land a bigtime arm talent without a first-round pick (sent to the Raiders in the Khalil Mack trade). Someone that could fall to them in round two, however, is the University of Georgia quarterback Jake Fromm. Fromm doesn’t have the biggest arm, which is perhaps the only thing holding him back from being a firstrounder. He’s shown precision accuracy throughout the year, consistently squeezing passes through tight windows and throwing his receivers open. Fromm also possesses big-game experience, taking the Bulldogs to the CFB National Championship in 2018. The Bears have a plethora of options on their hands to fill their biggest need heading into 2020. Which route Ryan Pace will take is anyone’s guess, but landing the right guy could vault them back into contention as soon as next season. As a team that’s only seen the playoffs once in almost a decade, this fan base deserves a gunslinger that can take them to the promised land.
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Women's basketball loses big at home against Bradley Braves By Devon Greene
unbreakable Brave defense did right. “Everything,” Gravina said. “A lot of it was adjusting to editor-in-chief their physicality. They took one player and really helped at MACOMB, Ill. - The Western Illinois women’s basketball the basket. We didn’t do a good job of finding the player team took on one of their toughest opponents of the season that they weren’t guarding.” on Wednesday night in the form of the Bradley University The Leathernecks were outrebounded 59-35 in this game Braves. They were unable to outduel the Braves and lost their first home game of the season in an 84-49 route. Bradley opened up the game with an avalanche that left the Leathernecks on their heels. The Braves took a 25-11 lead into the second quarter and only kept their foot on the pedal into halftime. Head coach JD Gravina spoke about the Braves’ early push and what was different from what he saw in the film room during preparation for the game. “The first thing is that they were a lot better than I expected and better than I thought they looked on film,” Gravina said. “That happens early in the year but especially their starting group or top six, they were way more physical than they looked on film. I thought they just came in and kind of manhandled us, both on the defensive end and on the boards.” Bradley extended the lead to 46-19, holding the Leathernecks to only four made shots in the first half. Gravina has taken pride in his coaching on the mental aspect of the game during his entire coaching career but he felt his team did not weather the storm on their home court. “I just thought we kind of looked like deer in the headlights,” Gravina said. “They came out and punched us in the face, metaphorically. How you react to that is like a BECCA LANGYS / PHOTO EDITOR boxer. You get punched once in the face that first time, you get startled and step back on your heels which we were, Evan Zars guards the paint inside Western Hall. or you come back swinging. I think by the time we actually came back out swinging, it was too late and we were and they were outrebounded 56-34 in their previous game completely out of rhythm. We didn’t really know how to against the Purdue University Boilermakers. Sophomore do it in the appropriate manner. You fight back by setting forward Evan Zars is the team’s top rebounder and she a good quality screen, not just hacking and reaching. So, I was only able to pull down 8 in the game. Her counterpart was pretty disappointed by the mental aspect of it and it’s from Bradley, senior forward Chelsea Brackmann, snagged 12 in the matchup. Rebounding was an area where something we have to get better at.” The Braves defense was one of the most suffocating the Gravina felt they improved this season but he said that the Leathernecks have faced all season and it showed on the frustration of the game and shock of being down hurt their shot chart as they shot only 13.3 percent in both the first rebounding numbers. and second quarter. Gravina spoke about what went “The frustrating thing was, sometimes you just get out wrong on the offensive side of the ball and what the nearly jumped or out-muscled for the ball but we just looked like
we were back on our heels with rebounding. Completely reactive,” Gravina said. After a tough blowout loss to the Braves, things stay increasingly difficult for the team. That’s because they’ll be heading back on the road to take on the Drake University Bulldogs this Sunday at 2 p.m. Gravina stressed the importance of using this game as a stepping stone on the way to becoming a more complete team down the stretch this season. “Honestly, it’s one of those games we’ve got to learn from and we’ve got to get better because Drake is the exact same way but a little bit better on paper,” Gravina said. The teams have played each other three times and the Bulldogs have come out on top every time. Last year, back on Nov. 10, Drake won in a convicingly fashion with a 98-71 scoreline. The Bulldogs come into the game with a 3-1 record with wins over South Dakota State (74-67), Iowa State (86-81) and Creighton (63-53). Their lone loss was a 102-94 game against the South Dakota University Coyotes. Gravina said that the Bulldogs may be an even tougher task than the Braves and that’s because anyone on the floor can shoot the ball. Drake’s starting five all average at least 25 points per game so far. The five starters team up for a .515 field goal percentage and .367 percent from behind the arc. As a team, they average 79.3 points per game, holding their opposition to 75.8 points on average as well. Altogether, the team averages 9.3 three-pointers per game which is something the Leathernecks will have to watch out for. Statistically, Drake is an even better team than Bradley. So, expect another uphill battle from Western. They’ll have to get off to a better start this Sunday than they did on Wednesday against the Braves. “Everything that Bradley made us look bad at, Drake does as well,” Gravina said. But I think the good thing is, we want to go to Drake and get better. So, I think our frame of what is success changes. I think that, in a way, it’s a good way of preparing us because we want to go in there and show we are not the team we were tonight.” Twitter: @starewaytodevon
Leathernecks remain winless after close loss to NIU Huskies By Michael Harms courier staff MACOMB, Ill. - The Western Illinois men’s basketball team continued its poor start to the season, dropping their fourth in a row to in-state rival Northern Illinois University 86-81. Western is now 0-4 compared to the Huskies record of 5-2. The Huskies and Leathernecks acted like magnets throughout the match, getting closer and closer until the Huskies turned around and propelled themselves forward. The Huskies started with draining back-toback threes from senior point guard Eugene German. The Leathernecks battled back with a pair of threes from Ben Pyle and Zion Young. The two teams continued battling it out with Western, finding success in patches. The work was seen mainly from Kobe Webster. The flashy point guard put up 26 points in the game, 15 of them
from deep. He tied with German for the game high in points but had the game high in assists with seven. The Huskies took advantage of the many mistakes from Western. They compiled a total of 15 points off turnovers, 13 of them in the first half. They worked themselves into the lead with five minutes to go in the half, for the final time. Western got within one in the second half, but could never find the lead. Coach Billy Wright put the mistakes into a simple explanation. “We are growing up in front of you, these are growing pains,” Wright said. With a starting five containing two sophomores, and a bench consisting of almost entirely newcomers, it is understandable. They put up a solid stat line as a team with shooting 46 percent from the field, 52 percent from the three and making 11-12 free throws.
The lead never grew to an outstanding margin, but Western must learn how to win. If you take away the first half turnovers, Western played a full game of good effort and good basketball. Their next chance to prove themselves will be this weekend against Central Christian College of the Bible. Part of the National Christian Collegiate Athletic Association separate from NCAA, this will be the first game between the two. The Saints are currently 3-3 and will be playing their third game in as many days when the face the Leathernecks. A grueling schedule mixed with a lower tier of competition should be a recipe for an easy win for Western. Western will look to snap their four-game skid by putting the pieces together. After losing three straight games within single digits, the players can almost taste of victory. Tip-off is 7 p.m. in Western Hall.
Ben Pyle dribbles the ball up court against NIU.
MYANNA PERDUE