Sports: Women's basketball closes out Thanksgiving break with a win.
Opinions: Black Friday shopping creates a hectic materialistic society.
AWARD-WINNING STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF WESTERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY. SERVING MACOMB SINCE 1905.
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Monday, December 2, 2019 - Vol. 120 Issue 41
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The National Residence Hall Honorary Searches for the Top
1%
JIMMY PIERSON/ PRODUCTION MANAGER
By Tea Wheat courier staff
The National Residence Hall Honorary, NRHH, is an honorary that accepts the top one percent of student leaders on campus. The organization focuses on values of recognition and service and also encourages growth for their members in leadership, scholarship and networking. On a national level, NRHH falls under the National Association of College and University Residence Halls (NACURH). NACURH is a non-profit organization that strives to create environments that empower, motivate and equip residence hall leaders by providing them
with skills and resources in order for them to excel and positively impact their campus communities. “A leadership-based honorary comprised of exemplary residential students who value recognition and service,” The national NRHH website reads. The Caroline Grote Chapter of NRHH at Western Illinois University strives to live up to both the values of NRHH and NACURH, through many different initiatives. Each year the organization puts on the annual Dodgeball for Diabetes tournament, which was just held in November. Additionally, the organization works with the service initiative New
Life for Old Bags, as well as St. Baldrick’s. This year, NRHH will be hosting the University’s annual St. Baldrick’s event, as it has been adopted by the organization from the previous host, Tanner Hall. NRHH’s service initiative spans the campus and community in numerous efforts. Additionally, recognition efforts are expressed through “Of the Month’s” which are short essays about why someone or something was extraordinary during a given month. The organization also works toward other recognition efforts on campus within residence life. NRHH also provides personal and professional development opportu-
nities for its members such as conferences and workshops during meetings. NRHH is a community of students leaders that work together to improve residence life on campus, while focusing on the values of recognition and service. To be eligible for membership in the National Residence Hall Honorary, one must currently live in the residence halls, plan on living in the residence halls the semester after the application is submitted, have a cumulative GPA of 2.75 and candidates must be in good academic and judicial standing with Western Illinois University. While the organization is made up of the top one per-
cent of leaders on campus, freshmen are highly encouraged to apply, as the organization is just as interested in the incoming top one percent of leaders as it is the current top one percent of leaders. If you are a strong leader on campus and are interested in joining a diverse group of individuals who focus on taking leaders and making them even stronger, the application can be found on the NRHH Purple Post Page, additionally there is a nomination form which can also be filled out through the NRHH Purple Post Page. Any questions about NRHH can be directed to current NRHH President, Katlynn Davis at km-davis5@wiu.edu.
ingTuesday this Tuesday. “Giving Tuesday, often stylized as #GivingTuesday for the purposes of hashtag activism, refers to the Tuesday after U.S. Thanksgiving in the United States,” Wikipedia. com reads. “It is a movement to create an international day of charitable giving at the beginning of the Christmas and
holiday season.” The global campaign showcases philanthropic efforts made by people donating or giving back in ways large and small. Western encourages alumni to join their official campaign page where they can give a secure online gift and have the opportunity to join their wall of donors.
People are also encouraged to promote the campaign and share their support across social media platforms by sharing the hashtags: #GivingTuesday, #LeathernecksGive and #WIU. Donations can be given at bit.ly/WesternGT2019. "Giving Tuesday has become a year-end tradition of sup-
port and generosity among our alumni and friends, as well as our faculty and staff," Western Director of Annual Giving Tim Hallinan '95 said in an interview with University Relations.
Leathernecks prepare to give back
By Marc Ramirez news editor
Western Illinois University will be kicking off their return from Thanksgiving Break by giving back to the community and inspiring Leathernecks everywhere to give back. Western will be participating in #Giv-
#GivingTuesday
page 3
2 NEWS
Monday, December 2, 2019
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Campus Crime Reports
Legend
Alcohol by a Minor
Burglary/Theft
Fire Alarm
Other Report
Cannabis
•On Nov. 5 at 9:02 p.m. OPS and the Macomb Fire Department responded to a fire alarm in Corbin Hall. The alarm was activated by a fire extinguisher being activated in a laundry room, causing smoke. No injuries were reported. •On Nov. 6 at 1:25 p.m. a student reported the theft of $88 from her wallet in the 10th floor lounge of Washington Hall. The incident is under investigation. •On Nov. 8 at 1:30 p.m. a student reported that he left his wallet, containing $27 cash, in the Thompson Hall Dining Center. The wallet was turned in; however, the cash had been removed. •On Nov. 11 at 10:57 a.m. a student reported the theft of his wallet, containing $40 cash and a money clip, from Thompson Hall. The wallet was turned in; however, the cash and money clip had been removed. •On Nov. 12 at 11:05 a.m. a sign with racist implications was found posted in a computer lab on the third floor of Currens Hall. The incident is under investigation. •On Nov. 12 at 2:07 p.m. a student reported damage to his car, estimated at $250, while it was parked in the Corbin Hall parking lot. The incident is under investigation. •On Nov. 14 at 9:51 a.m. OPS
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
and the Macomb Fire Department responded to a fire alarm in Horrabin Hall. No smoke or fire were found and no injuries were reported. •On Nov. 15 at 11:16 p.m. one student in Thompson Hall was judicially referred for fighting. •On Nov. 15 at 11:58 p.m. Miguel Garcia, 18, of 1418 Thompson Hall, was arrested in Thompson for illegal consumption of alcohol by a minor. He was transported to the McDonough County Jail at 12:03 a.m. where he was lodged pending bond. •On Nov. 16 at 4:30 p.m. the Macomb Fire Department was called to the University Union for a fire alarm on the first floor. It was determined that someone had falsely activated a pull station. The incident is under investigation. •On Nov. 19 at 7:45 a.m. OPS and the Macomb Fire Department responded to a fire alarm in Sherman Hall. No smoke or fire was found and no injuries were reported. •On Nov. 19 at 8:14 a.m. OPS and the Macomb Fire Department responded to a fire alarm in Olson Hall. No smoke or fire was found and no injuries were reported. •On Nov. 19 at 12:16 p.m. OPS and the Macomb Fire Department responded to a fire alarm in Olson Hall. No smoke or fire was found and
no injuries were reported. •On Nov. 20 at 1:32 a.m. three students in the Sherman Hall circle were judicially referred for behavior. •On Nov. 20 at 11:19 p.m. non-student Christopher M. Booker, 32, of Chicago, was arrested near the intersection of Adams and Charles streets on two warrants for failure to appear in court. He was lodged in the McDonough County Jail at 11:53 p.m. pending bond. •On Nov. 21 at 6:14 a.m. OPS and the Macomb Fire Department responded to a fire alarm in Corbin Hall. No smoke or fire was found and no injuries were reported. •On Nov. 21 at 11:44 p.m. OPS and the Macomb Fire Department responded to a fire alarm in Grote Hall. Two fire extinguishers had been emptied in the building. No smoke or fire was found and no injuries were reported. •On Nov. 22 at 12:32 a.m. Hunter Hasenjaeger, 19, of 306A Grote Hall, was arrested near Washington Hall for consumption of alcohol by a minor. He was lodged in the McDonough County Jail at 1:39 a.m. pending bond. •On Nov. 26 at 1:19 a.m. OPS and the Macomb Fire Department responded to a fire alarm in Corbin Hall. No smoke or fire was found and no injuries were reported.
STAFF MEMBERS PUBLISHING AND CIRCULATION editor-in-chief Devon Greene DJ-Greene@wiu.edu
proofreader Mary Kilbourne
news editor Marc Ramirez
MC-Kilbourne@wiu.edu
MA-Ramirez3@wiu.edu
photo editor Becca Langys
opinions editor Allison Young
RE-Langys@wiu.edu
AN-Young@wiu.edu
assistant photo editor Sara Remar
sports editor Bradley Piros
SE-Remar@wiu.edu
BJ-Piros@wiu.edu
production manager Jimmy Pierson
assistant sports editor Chris Bean
JM-Pierson@wiu.edu
CR-Bean@wiu.edu
business manager Janiya Haynes
edge editor Rachel Greene
J-Haynes2@wiu.edu
R-Greene2@wiu.edu
assistant business manager Nash Miller
copy editor Amanda Wandachowicz
NK-Miller@wiu.edu
A-Wandachowicz@wiu.edu
advertising manager Tyler Hoffman
proofreader Alexis Lowe
TE-Hoffman@wiu.edu
AL-Lowe@wiu.edu
adviser Will Buss WJ-Buss@wiu.edu
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NEWS 3
#GivingTuesday from front page
UNIVERSITY RELATIONS
"For many alumni, Giving Tuesday is a chance to give back to the scholarship fund that helped them earn their degree. Others choose to support their academic program, University Libraries, our athletic programs or the Centennial Honors College, to name a few." Students are also encouraged to participate in acts of philanthropy by giving back to organizations on campus or around the community. For example, Western’s
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Dance Marathon program, RockyTHON, will be having a holiday initiative to raise money for children in the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals located in St. Louis, Mo. RockyTHON will be hosting a 25 Days of Christmas challenge to encourage donors this holiday season. On #GivingTuesday, each participant will try to raise $2 to their fundraising page. Leathernecks from all around are encouraged to give back to the Western community in some way this #GivingTuesday.
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YOU COULD BE THE NEXT WESTERN COURIER PRODUCTION MANaGER! The Western Courier is now hiring their next Production Manager for the Spring 2020 Semester.
Contact the editor-in-chief devon greene at dj-greene@wiu.edu
4
OPINIONS
This past weekend marked one of the biggest ironies that occurs in America each and every year. This irony is that of the Thanksgiving-Black Friday combination. Only in America could we turn a once-meaningful holiday focusing on being grateful into a fight-to-the-death shopping spree. As the years have passed, the irony has only grown, as the beginning of Black Friday has continued to inch further and further into Thanksgiving. Considering this, I believe it is time that we remember the value of the Thanksgiving holiday, and give it the respect it deserves. Now, I know that the history behind Thanksgiving isn’t perfect. The depiction of pilgrims and Indians sitting around a smorgasbord of food and singing kumbaya isn’t quite how it happened. However, I do believe that the
Monday, December 2, 2019
general themes surrounding Thanksgiving are important for a healthy society. These themes being an appreciation of the things we have, and an understanding that our success is not merely our own. Thanksgiving reminds us of the things that really matter in life, like our family and friends. It also reminds us of the importance of having basic needs like food and shelter met. Thanksgiving humbles us by reminding us that everything we have is a blessing and that nothing in this world is guaranteed. Reflections like these play a vital role in maintaining a strong and united society. It reminds us that there are others around us who don’t have some of the blessings that we do, and makes us more receptive to supporting the less fortunate around us. Unfortunately, instead of fo-
cusing on these themes, our attention has shifted onto what more we can buy and what deals we can get. Black Friday brings out such terrible qualities in people, like valuing material things over others. We are encouraged to think only about ourselves and our own desires. This encouraged greed has led to 12 deaths and 117 injuries over the Black Friday “holidays.” People have literally been trampled, shot and beaten up during Black Friday sales. All of this damage to acquire things that we really don’t need, and that really don’t bring us lasting joy. Although the Thanksgiving holiday is over for this year, I hope that people will remember the value in the meaning of Thanksgiving. That we should be thankful for what we already have, and that family, friends and faith (things we cannot buy) are far more valuable than anything we can find in a store. These are the truths we should be living by both on Thanksgiving, and on every other day of the year. If we did, we would find ourselves living in a more supportive and respectful society.
WesternCourier.com
FLICKR.COM
Black Friday shopping has become uncontrollable in past years.
Take care of yourself before finals Thanksgiving is a time to give us college students a chance to relax and to have some home cooked food, but what no one talks about is how exhausting Thanksgiving break can be as well. I don’t know about everyone else, but I am absolutely spent from traveling and staying up late with family. I know not everyone goes out of town, but some people do, and it can be a lot to take on.
I did not get nearly as much sleep as I would have liked to, so I do not feel refreshed or as if I even had a break at all. If you are feeling the same way, then I may have a few solutions to get you back on track. I was working on homework the whole time I was on break and I felt stressed out. I still have so much homework to do and it is not even finals week yet. These last
two weeks of school are going to be a struggle and we all could use a little help to get by. The most important thing you can do is to put yourself on a schedule. If you stick to a daily schedule and plan out your days to be productive, you are more likely to get more accomplished. But, there needs to be a few hours of relaxation time added to that schedule as well. If you do not allow yourself to have a break here and there, you are going to get burnt out even faster than usual. Getting enough sleep at night is also essential to getting through these next few
stressful weeks. On average, most college students probably get around five or six hours of sleep a night. Now, some people require less sleep than others, but when you are already struggling to keep up, I highly suggest that you start going to bed a little earlier than normal. If you start going to bed at the same time every night, your body is going to feel way healthier and you are going to be more productive. But, when I say go to bed, I do not mean going to your room and sitting on your phone for two hours or watching Netflix. I mean reading a book for fun for
about 30 minutes, limiting your screen time and going to sleep. This is going to help your brain decompress from the long day and get a good night of sleep. So, if you are like me and you did not really get a “break” during Thanksgiving, then by changing your routine you are going to be able to get back on schedule and not break down before finals week. It is especially important to take care of yourself to be successful. Take the time to change your habits so that you have the best ability to get good grades on all of your finals.
warms audiences hearts
When my 9-year-old niece explained the new Frozen movie as “harsh,” I was left a bit awestruck. What exactly made the movie so “harsh,” as she had explained to me? Despite the fact that she felt the movie was harsh and dark, she still gleamed with excitement when talking about it and singing the songs from the new movie. I had already known that I wanted to go see the already popular sequel to the Disney franchise move Frozen. Layout by: Jimmy Pierson
CONT. E.2
Written by: Tea Wheat
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Frozen 2 warms audience's hearts
I ran into many obstacles when trying to see the new film, even the weekend after opening weekend. All theatres within a 30-minute radius were sold out, or had only a couple of seats free scattered around the theatre, and the only theatre that seemed promising as far as getting a seat had no power. So, after a long search to find a theatre, I was finally able to see Frozen II once the theatre by my house regained power. After seeing the film, I can completely understand why a nine year old would explain the movie as “harsh," though I would rather use the words “dark” or “heavy” to explain the newest addition to the Frozen franchise. Frozen II introduced a new and enchanting storyline that was full of magic, love and adventure. Though, with this new mystical addition, there were also underlying storylines and messages
that involved growing up, change, death, grief and acceptance of others. The film was empowering and exemplified that sometimes, what you are searching for in the world is yourself. Frozen II allows viewers to see all their favorite characters from Frozen in a new adventure and a new light, which was like a breath of fresh air as a viewer. According to CNBC, “Disney’s ‘Frozen II’ catapulted to the top of the weekend box office with a $127 million openingweekend haul in the United States. Internationally, the film sold $223 million in tickets, bringing its global total to $350 million for its first three days in theaters.” This film did very well in sales on opening weekend and continuing on into the next week as well. Though, the film’s reviews are not as positive as they may have been for the original film.
The original film received a 90 percent rating by critics from Rotten Tomatoes, and the sequel has received a 76 percent from the same critics. While it is known that sequels never live up to the expectations the original movie sets, this film does a fine job at testing that. Critics at Rotten Tomatoes stated on their website that while “Frozen II can't quite recapture the show stopping feel of its predecessor, it remains a dazzling adventure into the unknown." While the critic score of Frozen II was particularly low, the audience rating was a 93 percent, which is quite high. While Frozen II was not as upbeat, happy and positive as the original Frozen, I absolutely loved it. I really enjoyed the real-life messages that the movie contained, and the new magical storyline that was both mysterious and intriguing.The movie made me laugh and cry, and really opened my eyes to new things. Frozen II is a movie well worth the trouble of finding a theatre that has power and isn’t sold out, and I would go through the trouble of being able to see the film again in a heartbeat.
Familiar characters from the first film return to the screen after a six-year hiatus.
COSMOPOLITAN.COM
The story of sister duo Anna and Elsa continues in this family-friendly sequel.
MOVIES.DISNEY.SG WIKIPEDIA.ORG
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Monday, December 2, 2019
WesternCourier.com
An iconic decade of Taylor Swift
When Taylor Swift started her music career, she was a 10 year old who loved to sing karaoke at local businesses. At age 11, Swift sang the national anthem at a Philadelphia 76ers game, and the rest was history. At the same age, she took a demo tape to countless record labels in Nashville and was rejected again and again. Her passion from a young age was what got her where she is today, it was not who she knew, nor what she knew, but her persistence
that helped her reach her goals. Swift’s parents supported their child so much that they picked up and moved from Pennsylvania to a town in Tennessee so that Swift would have the access to Nashville that she would need to become a star. It was at age 17 when Swift released her first self-titled debut album, as well her first single, “Tim McGraw.” This young country singer was extremely talented and her work caught the attention
of many around the nation extremely quickly. Since that first album, Swift has only gained more and more popularity. Today, Swift has countless albums and a net worth of over $360 million. She is one of the highest paid celebrities and has fans all over the world who look up to her as a role model. This month, Swift took another huge step as a musician as she won the “Artist of the Decade” award at the American Music Awards (AMAs). Artist of the Decade was not the only award that Swift took home after this year ’s AMAs, she also won five other awards. These awards included Artist of the Year, Female Artist of the YearPop/Rock, Album of the
Year- Pop/Rock for Lover, Artist of the Year- Adult Contemporary and Video of the Year for Swift’s You Need to Calm Down music video. These awards are just six of Swift’s 29 AMA awards between the years of 2008 and 2019. This decade has encompassed almost the entire career of Swift to date, which is one reason that the Decade of the Year award is both very surprising and very suiting for Swift. Michael Jackson, the King of Pop, held 23 AMAs during his lifetime. After this year ’s AMAs, Swift surpassed even his record. One thing that Swift always stands by is her gratitude. It is a common practice of Swift to thank her fans, friends, family members and
supporters for her success. After her big night at the AMAs, she posted on her Instagram a photo of her performing at the AMAs as the Artist of the Decade. The photo was captioned, “I was up there because of you and I know that every minute of every day.” When Swift won the Artist of the Year award she stated, “This year has been a lot of good, a lot of really complicated, so on behalf of my family and me, thank you so much for being there and caring,” addressing her many fans. From the very beginning, Swift has always acknowledged that her success was because of all her fans and supporters, and it is beautiful to see her doing that even today, 29 AMAs later.
STEREOGUM.COM
Swift poses with her six awards from the night, including Artist of the Decade.
CNN.COM
Swift performed a medley of some of her most iconic hits from the past decade.
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Monday, December 2, 2019
WesternCourier.com
Blue's Clues returns I’m going to admit that this article is hard for me to write because it’s my final one. What started out as an opportunity from Baylee Cochran (Brynteson) before the 2018 Spring semester continued on as a favor to her after she graduated. I was very blessed to be able to write for this paper and entertain you, the readers. With me graduating, I want you to remember a simpler time when your goal in life was to help some guy and a variety of talking inanimate objects to figure out what a cartoon puppy wanted to do. Blue's Clues was awesome, as were the characters and the lessons that were taught. I still remember the order of the nine planets (Pluto was a planet at the time). Blue's Clues premiered in 1996 in Nickelodeon's preschool block. Nick Jr.’s Blue's Clues was one of my goto shows when I was younger, I even watch it now when it's on. The
characters are so loveable and you actually learn a lot. There is some comedy and every once in a while, drama (for kids). As I got older, it was fun to play off the show, meaning when Steve or Joe asks, “Will you help?” I say no, and they respond “great.” Well, the show that we all knew and loved returned earlier this month with new host, Josh (Steve and Joe’s cousin). I was able to watch an episode in my room the other day and it seemed very familiar. I have a weird memory where I remember things that aren’t really important, and if it involves a TV show or movie and I hear something familiar, I can quote it, and there were a few things that gave me a bit of Deja Vu. I didn’t really think anything of it, I chalked it up to just one episode being similar. Earlier this week, I saw another episode and I saw yet another thing that was very familiar. I will say this, though, the nostalgia in the first
The reboot stars Joshua Dela Cruz, who is intoduced as the cousin of former star, Steve.
episode where we get to see Joe and Steve living their dreams, working at the present store and running their own detective agency, respectively, was really nice. It’s always good to see Steve again. I guess it’s nice that they modernized it a bit. The notebook now has a smartphone on the back of it, and the telephone that was on the side table drawer is gone. The mailbox is still there, but it appears that emails will replace letters. I do like how they show the host drawing the clues in their handy dandy notebook again; towards the end of Joe’s era, they drew themselves. Pretty much all the episodes I’ve seen are virtual remakes with little changes here and there. The small alterations are nice, but to have the same exact episodes, clues and answers is just bad. Since they redid the vast majority of the animation, they surely could have changed it up a bit. If they do the “Birthday Candle Dance” for Blue’s Birthday party, I might lose it. Oh
well, hopefully they will get more creative in the second season, and I hope for more cameos from Steve and Joe. You can watch Blue’s Clues and You on Nickelodeon and on Nick Jr.
KIDSCREEN.COM
Familiar characters, props and themes reappear in a new version of an old fan favorite.
NICKJR.COM
OPINIONS 5
Monday, December 2, 2019
@WesternCourier
Our modern architecture is lacking creativity Cameron Dillefeld Opinions Writer
The story of a city or a country can be described with the art surrounding it. Rome has ancient works that provide a backbone for its culture, Egypt has the pyramids, Paris has the Eiffel Tower and Chicago has the Willis Tower as their most notable sight. Each carries the essence of the place, yet every symbol does not accurately describe the ambiance of the location. Way back when, when people were designing the architecture for cities, it took an artist to truly reflect how the times were and how the citizens wanted to be perceived. Buildings and sculptures took a long time to build because the people wanted their designs to last and possibly stand the test of time. Everything told a story and was interwoven beautifully. Nowadays, buildings are designed in a hurry with dull metal and glass that show no true artistry. They are lacking in char-
acter and built for function, not form. When things are designed for function instead of form, it clearly shows. What could have been an amazing new building for the public, such as a library for the community, has now turned into a grey slab that matches all the other grey slab buildings which lack color and expression of humanity. The buildings look dull and lifeless, which in turn makes people reflect that feeling internally or externally. Why bother going out and exploring the city when all the buildings look alike? Cinder block, glass or odd curvatures are normal in today's age that does not truly reflect the times we are living in. People want their community to express who they are, and making every building a cardboard cutout of each other takes away people’s voices from now and long after they are gone. Each ancient city tells a story. What will ours be?
FLICKR.COM
Cinderblock buildings have become all too normal.
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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
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Monday, December 2, 2019
SPORTS
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Breaking down the first couple of weeks in NCAA Basketball The NCAA basketball season is a couple weeks in and there have already been some major upsets, the type of upsets expected during March. A couple of conferences have looked strong, while others have failed to live up to expectations. Let’s take a look at the action through the first couple of weeks. The conference that not a whole lot of people were talking about before the season but has sneakily had teams slide into the most recent rankings is the Pac 12. Oregon and Arizona are the top dogs in the conference, with Oregon having come into the season with great expectations. The Ducks were hot last season and finished in the Sweet 16 last year, losing to the eventual National Champions Virginia. They are looking to make it all the way to the championship this year and it’s not a farfetched goal. They have some imposing big men in Francis Okoro and Shakur Juiston that can really impact the game. Look for them to make it far this season. Arizona wasn’t really expected to be as good as they have been so far through the season. The Wildcats were projected to do well enough to make it to the Big Dance, but not make it much past the second round. However, they have looked amazing so far through their eight games. The main reason for this success is the freshmen. Arizona was able to recruit three freshmen that have looked like juniors so far. Josh Green, Nico Mannion and Zeke Nnaji have shot the ball efficiently and effectively, while not turning it over. This is something that most freshmen take almost a third of the season to adjust to when making the leap from high school to college, but the trio has done just that. This is a squad that I think could make a run come March. Overall, the Pac 12 has four teams in the top 25 and I’d expect those four to make the tourney in March. The Big Ten came into the season with four, maybe five top teams and the rest were going to be fighting it out for bragging rights over the rest of the bottom teams. This expectation has been lived up to for the most part with Michigan State leading the way in the confer-
ence. Tom Izzo’s team has certainly impressed so far with Cassius Winston heading the charge. Winston has looked impressive so far this season, averaging 17.9 points and six assists and leads the team in both categories. This is even more impressive considering that his brother passed away after the first game or so. This is a team that should make the Final Four come March. Another team that came into the season with high expectations was Maryland. Led by guard Anthony Cowan Jr. and forward Jalen Smith, the Terrapins are undefeated through their first seven games and are ranked fifth in the nation. This is a team that, if they are hot at the right time come March, could give a lot of other teams some big trouble. A sneaky dark horse from the Big Ten are the Illinois Fighting Illini. Brad Underwood’s team had trouble last season with experience and size, but this season has fixed both of those items. They returned all but one from last year ’s team and added four star center Koffi Cockburn, who has gotten a double-double in every game so far this season but one. If this team can pull off some big wins in the conference, they could make a deep run. The ACC, known for their abundance of great basketball schools, has done well so far this season. However, there have been some major bumps. The most notable was Duke losing at home to Evansville, making it the first time since 1992 since Duke has lost a non-conference game at home. Even with that slip-up, the Blue Devils are in a good spot and will be a team that a lot of people will pick to make the Final Four. Also in the ACC is Virginia, the defending National Champions. Virginia is undefeated so far on the season and currently sit at the seventh spot in the national rankings. If they can beat the big dogs in the regular season, it could help give this team a major confidence boost come the tournament. Overall, the first couple of weeks have been wild. Both Duke and Kentucky have lost to schools that shouldn’t have beaten them, which can be a huge confidence booster for smaller schools come March. There is still a lot of time left before it comes time for the tournament and a lot of things can happen. Hopefully there will be some new faces in the Big Dance and who knows, maybe Western will be dancing this year as well.
Francis Okoro celebrates after a basket.
DUCK SPORTS
ARIZONA DESERT STORM
Josh Green throws up a shot.
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Monday, December 2, 2019
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Sports 7
Five Fantasy Football MVP candidates for 2019 Each year in fantasy football, there are several players that would qualify as a steal, exceeding all expectations and taking your fantasy squad to glory. With every dynamic player taken in fantasy drafts, however, there comes a player that falls flat and becomes a headache to the roster. The difference between the two generally indicates whether you’ll be taking home that first-place hardware at the end of the season or coming up short-handed. With only a few short weeks left to play in most leagues, everyone has a pretty good idea of who exactly those difference-makers were. With that being said, let’s look at some of the biggest names that should be considered Most Valuable Player in fantasy football for 2019. In doing so, these players are analyzed by looking at their total fantasy points scored in points-per-reception (PPR) scoring formats relative to their average draft position (ADP) at the beginning of the season. 1. Lamar Jackson, Quarterback – Baltimore Ravens Second-year quarterback Lamar Jackson has been a revelation this season for the Baltimore Ravens, leading them to a sparkling 9-2 record including impressive victories versus the New England Patriots and Los Angeles Rams. For fantasy football purposes, he’s been even better – especially considering where you could have grabbed him in drafts back in August. According to Fantasy Pros, Jackson was taken on average with the 118th overall pick, giving fantasy’s No. 1 scoring QB incredible value. Over 11 games, Jackson has accrued a total of 306.7 fantasy points. His 27.9 fantasy points per game are over five points more than the next-highest scoring QB, Russell Wilson (22.8). In 2019, Jackson’s running ability is what has really set him apart. His 876 rushing yards and six rushing touchdowns are unheard of in his position, putting him well on pace to shatter Michael Vick’s single-season rushing record of 1,039 yards. Jackson has shown the ability to sling the rock with the best of them, too, tossing five touchdowns in a single game on two separate occasions this season while posting a 66.9 completion percentage. He may not only be the fantasy football MVP, but the real-life MVP as well. 2. Christian McCaffrey, Running Back – Carolina Panthers It’s impossible to have a fantasy football MVP list without mentioning Christian McCaffrey. While there are plenty of spectacular young running backs in today’s game – Ezekiel Elliot, Saquon Barkley, Alvin Kamara, Dalvin Cook – no one has been quite as impactful as McCaffrey. While he may not have the ADP value of Lamar Jackson (selected as a consensus top-three pick), this simply does not matter. In PPR formats this season, the Stanford alum’s production has been unmatched, totaling a ridiculous 336.9 (30.6 fantasy points per game) through just 11 games. His current torrid pace would put him at 489.6 fantasy points on the season, which would be the most scored by an RB since LaDainian Tomlinson’s 31-touchdown campaign back in 2006. Handling 26.2 touches per game, McCaffrey is the definition of a true NFL workhorse. He’s been especially valuable in PPR formats, having reeled in 10-plus passes in three games this season. If you were lucky enough to draft him this season, you’ll likely be enjoying a trip to your league’s championship game.
Chris Godwin warms up before a game.
CBS SPORTS
3. Austin Ekeler, Running Back – Los Angeles Chargers At the beginning of the 2019 season when Chargers’ starting running back Melvin Gordon held himself from action in an attempt to get a new contract, Austin Ekeler filled his role in a big way. In Week 1, Ekeler busted out of the gates with 39.4 fantasy points, scoring three touchdowns against the Indianapolis Colts. In fact, he was fantasy football’s No. 2 running back from Weeks 1 through 5, posting 22.5 fantasy points per game. In the preseason, nobody knew exactly how well Ekeler would perform with an extensive workload in Gordon’s absence, allowing owners to select him with the 64th overall pick on average. Like McCaffrey, Ekeler possesses some of the best receiving chops in the league at the RB position. His 65 receptions are the second-most behind only McCaffrey. Gordon returned to the team back in Week 5, but that didn’t cause Ekeler to simply go away. He showed enough promise early in the season to remain a staple in L.A.’s offense. While he hasn’t been the same 20-point machine he was early on, he’s still mustered a respectable 15.8 fantasy points per game with Gordon on the field. Owners who took a shot on him in the seventh rounds should be grinning from ear to ear. 4. Chris Godwin, Wide Receiver – Tampa Bay Buccaneers The first wide receiver to crack the list, Chris Godwin has done wonders for fantasy owners in his first season with Bruce Arians as head coach. After showing promise in his sophomore season by catching 59 passes for 842 yards and seven touchdowns, Godwin has taken another step forward into the group of fantasy elites. The Penn State alum is currently the second-highestscoring wide receiver in fantasy, scoring an average of 21.3 fantasy points per game. Shockingly, his teammate, Mike Evans, places third on the list, scoring 19.1 fantasy points per game. Tampa Bay’s offense has been clicking on all cylinders in 2019, passing the ball for 288.1 yards per game, fourthmost in the NFL. They’ve had no choice but to sling the rock playing from behind in a majority of their matchups. The Buccaneers’ defense has left much to be desired, but this bodes greatly for fantasy football, as their top offensive players have thrived off sheer volume. Godwin is an absolute steal for where owners drafted him, which as of August, was 51st overall in the sixth round. 5. Dalvin Cook, Running Back – Minnesota Vikings Vikings’ running back Dalvin Cook is the third ballcarrier to make the list. In fantasy football, the running back is without a doubt the most valuable position due to the volatility of other positions and lack of depth outside the top-20 RBs. While Cook is another player who was drafted, on average, around the back of the second round, he’s taken a gigantic leap in Minnesota’s new run-heavy offensive approach. In his age 24 season, the Florida State product has posted an average of 23.3 fantasy points per game, second-most amongst all tailbacks. Cook has been a touchdown machine, scoring 14 times already in 2019 (11 rushing, three receiving) while carrying a respectable 4.75 yards per carry. The third-year pro has been impossible to bring down, evading a leaguehigh 74 tackles with 11 breakaway runs (fourth-most in the NFL). It’s safe to say that Cook has emerged into one of the most explosive, well-rounded backs in the league, something that’s led to ample fantasy success this year.
Dalvin Cook points towards the crowd.
PIONEER PRESS
Lamar Jackson runs with the ball.
BLEACHER REPORT
HOLLYWOOD LIFE
Christian McCaffrey walks off the field.
BOLTS FROM THE BLUE
Austin Ekeler heads to the locker room.
Women's basketball victorious over break in front of record setting crowd
By Bradley Piros sports editor
MACOMB, Ill. — While students and faculty were back home for Thanksgiving Break, the Western Illinois women’s basketball team still had some work to do before the holiday. They took on Drake University back on Nov. 24 and Missouri Baptist University on Nov. 26 picking up a tough loss and a bounce back win. The Leathernecks ended their difficult four-game stretch against Indiana State, Purdue, Bradley and finally Drake. The Bulldogs were victorious 94-75, handing Western their fourth loss of the season. Senior guard Olivia Kaufmann led the attack with her 20 points, but also had the most turnovers in the game with six. Twelve of those points came from the three-point line as she went 4-10 on the night and 8-17 from the rest of the field. Following close behind was redshirt sophomore guard Danni Nichols. She notched a season high 17 points, five assists and four rebounds. As always, sophomore forward Evan Zars was racking up the rebounds, this time with 17 to go along with her four points. She’s averaging 10.7 rebounds and seven points per game.
Western trailed 49-34 at the half in a game that only had four lead changes. Drake just never let up and the deficit was too much for the Leathernecks to come back from. Luckily, their schedule is a little smoother sailing now until Summit League play. Western’s last contest was against Missouri Baptist at home last Tuesday. They were able to bounce back and pick up a 90-69 win. They did so in front of the largest crowd Western Hall has ever seen with 1,624 fans packed inside for Elementary Day. The Leathernecks sent those fans, as well as head coach JD Gravina, home happy with a dominant 21-point victory before the holiday. “What a great event inside Western Hall,” Gravina said in an interview with WIU Athletics after the win. “It's amazing to see so many young people excited about WIU and our women's basketball program.” The game saw three double-digit scorers for the Leathernecks including Nichols, junior guard Grace Gilmore and redshirt senior guard Annabel Graettinger. Zars once again recorded a two-digit figure with 11 rebounds to go along with her five points. Nichols finished the afternoon with 21 points, which was another season high.
She’s playing at her best right now and went nearly perfect (9-10) from the field. Gilmore racked up a team leading 3 three-pointers on her way to scoring 13 points on the day. Finally was Graettinger who recorded11 points and three assists. Western never trailed during this game and was in complete control the entire time. Thirty-four points were scored off turnovers and it was exciting to watch with 42 points being scored on the fast break. Either way, the Leathernecks were making baskets and were able to get the win at home. Western will have two more games, both on the road, before they settle down for finals week. They'll be pitted against the Illinois State University Redbirds on Wednesday and the Chicago State University Cougars on Saturday. Both games are absolutely winnable as they look to improve upon their 4-4 record. After the road trip, Western will play six games over break and open up their conference play against South Dakota at home on Dec. 29. They have a long way until then, so for now they’ll have their sights set on the Redbirds. Tip off against ISU is scheduled for 6 p.m. on Wednesday. Twitter: @bradjp08
BECCA LANGYS / PHOTO EDITOR
Olivia Kaufmann takes the ball down court.
BECCA LANGYS / PHOTO EDITOR
Evan Zars looks to make a pass.
Men’s hoops drops close game to UMKC Kangaroos By Brendan Reidy courier staff
BECCA LANGYS / PHOTO EDITOR
Kobe Webster dribbles the ball.
Ben Pyle posts up.
BECCA LANGYS / PHOTO EDITOR
The Western Illinois Fighting Leathernecks (2-5) traveled to Kansas City to take on the UMKC Roos (5-4). Western Illinois traveled into their crossover matchup in the WAC conference riding a twogame winning streak after falling in their first four contests of the season. The Leathernecks rode this streak into the second year of the conference crossover. For UMKC, they came into this one all knotted up at .500 starting the year off 4-4, and were looking to get over the .500 hump by defeating the rolling Leathernecks. It was a back and forth contest all game, and went right down to the wire late. It seemed as if when one team was starting to gain a lead, the other would answer right back. In a game highlighted by defense, the lone bright spots on the Leathernecks were Kobe Webster and Ben Pyle. Pyle was magnificent, especially in the second half, where he dropped 16 points to pull the Leathernecks back from a 21-point deficit. Pyle finished with 21 total points, a career high for the promising sophomore forward.
Webster had his usual day being the leader for the Leatherneck offense. He finished with eight points, but hit by far the biggest shot of the night in the dwindling moments of the game. He cashed in on a very tough jumper to put Western up 68-67 with eight seconds remaining. However, a foul within the final seconds sent the Roos to the free throw line to ice the game, defeating the Leathernecks 68-67. UMKC was led by Jashire Hardnett who finished with 19 total points on the day. After the loss, coach Billy Wright had this to say about the final seconds of the game. ‘We had a couple of options, and the final was to have [Kobe] iso at the top of the key where he's been very, very effective all year, all his career,” Wright said in an interview with WIU Athletics. “He made a tough shot, and obviously if we get one stop, one rebound we win. They went down and hit two free throws to go up by one. It was a back-and-forth game. We just can't start games like that.” Western Illinois will look to get back on track this Wednesday against Evansville on the road. It won’t get any easier, as Evansville defeated No. 1 ranked Kentucky earlier in the season. Tip-off is set for 6 p.m. in Indiana. Twitter: @breidytv
CJ Duff shoots a three.
BECCA LANGYS / PHOTO EDITOR
BECCA LANGYS / PHOTO EDITOR
Zion Young looks to make a move iin the paint.