Western Courier | February 26th, 2020 by The Western Courier

Opinions: Learn how to sniff out fake news.

Sports: Men's basketball drops final home game.

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Wednesday, February 26, 2020 - Vol. 120 Issue 60

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McDonough Co. NAACP president working to address racial issues

By Devin Brooks NEWS3 reporter

MCDONOUGH CO., Ill. (NEWS3) — As local leaders work to improve race relations in the area, the local NAACP branch is making efforts to be a main part of moving the community forward. The president of the McDonough County NAACP branch sat down with NEWS3 in an exclusive interview to explain how he’s working to build the divide. “We have some issues,” McDonough County NAACP President Byron Oden-Shabazz said. “I don’t expect it to change overnight, but what I do expect, is

how to bring about that change.” Oden-Shabazz said he is focused on changing how people experience being in the community. “We have no black police officers, no black firemen,” he said. “We have maybe one of two teachers in the school district. We don’t have any representation. Taxation without representation.” He said he’s working with local leaders to help turn around issues people care about. OdenShabazz said officials need to start by diversifying their force, so a number of people are at the table to sort out issues. “We have to start getting officers in there of color,” he said. “We have to get some ranking of-

ficers, so when these things happen, they can look at whoever the chief is and say, yes, but did you consider this.” He said the current climate, where groups are speaking out over allegations of misconduct and mistreatment by police with people of color, is a big concern to him. “As a black person and a proud black man, clearly, when I hear it… I’m like, okay, we need to know what’s happening here,” he said. Oden-Shabazz said the issues the community is facing right now needed to be addressed long ago. “Macomb hadn’t been very good about addressing or show-

ing themselves differently,” he said. He said he’s focused on bringing solutions by building relationships first. Such as having regular talks with Macomb Mayor Mike Inman, Macomb Police Chief Curt Barker and McDonough County Sheriff Nick Petitgout to keep their attention on being a part of the solution to help make people feel welcome and treated fairly. “There has not really been a place where the black community here has gotten together and said, here are the things we want to see changed..now what steps do we need to go about doing that,” he said. “And that’s what I’m looking at establishing with

the NAACP.” Oden-Shabazz said heading up the McDonough Co. NAACP branch is a starting point he’s hoping to build upon to bring people together. He said he’s planning events to help bring different groups together for discussion about race relations. “Out of love and responsibility, I would much rather resolve these issues,” he said. “These are fixable things.” Oden-Shabazz said he encourages anyone to reach out and sit down with him to talk about issues in the community.

NAACP

page 2

Winter weather causes accidents, cancellations around Macomb By Devon Greene editor-in-chief

After a weekend where temperatures hit the low 50s, snow came back with a vengence on Sunday night and Monday morning. Illinois State Police responded to two seperate accidents on US 136 on Monday morning and shared photos on Facebook, warning drivers to take extra precautions when driving traveling anywhere. “Roads are beginning to get slick. Slow down and lights on! Be safe!” one post read. Another post warned drivers to slow down, keep their lights on, move over and turn cruise control off when driving in the slick,

snowy condiditons. As for events cancelled around Macomb, Western Illinois University's Student Government Assosiation was scheduled to meet on Tuesday at 7:15 p.m. and the meeting was called off due to forecasted snow. The Student Government Association was scheduled to vote on a student fee increase that will affect incoming students. The proposed student fees increase will include a $1.98 increase. The funds will go toward GoWest buses, technology fees and facilities fees. Students currently enrolled at WIU will not be impacted by the changes.

A vehicle drifted off of the road on US 136.

Sports on Page 6: Women's basketball fights for playoff seeding.

COURTESY OF ILLINOIS STATE POLICE

Opinions on Page 4: The impact of Mother Nature has on us.

Wednesday, February 26, 2020

NEWS

WesternCourier.com

No quorum held for Macomb City Council

NAACP from front page

The branch’s latest monthly meeting was held Saturday to discuss their current standing, fill positions and announce upcoming events. The Illinois NAACP chapter President Teresa Haley, who also runs the Springfield branch, also attended the meeting in hopes of moving the branch forward with starting work in the community. “The past is the past, let’s leave it there and move on,” Haley said. Haley and Oden-Shabazz announced to members that the NAACP annual state convention will be held in Macomb on Sept. 11-13. Oden-Shabazz also said he’s working to bring the Illinois Police Chief’s Association World Cafe to town. The police chief’s event would focus on bringing police chiefs and sheriffs from around the country to talk about the ten shared principles for police and the community that involve trust and community policing. OdenShabazz said he also plans on hosting a women’s leadership conference this spring at WIU. Also during the meeting, members Laila McCloud, Maureen Bezold and Erin Marth filled open committee positions. McCloud will chair the education committee, Bezold will chair the health committee and Marth will chair the religious committee. Haley mentioned that the branch is out of money at the time, but they’re talking with national NAACP officials regarding funding. Oden-Shabazz said the number of current members in the branch is unknown until he meets with other NAACP officials. He said it’s time for members to renew their $30 memberships and the branch must have at least 50 members by membership drive time.

By Bradley Piros sports editor MACOMB, Ill. – The regularly scheduled City Council meeting was pretty short this week. That’s because not enough Aldermen showed up to even have a quorum. Macomb Mayor Mike Inman, and Alderman Mike Wayland, Thomas Koch and Dennis Moon were all present. John Vigezzi, Tammie Leigh Brown Edwards, Annette Carper and Gayle Carper were all absent. Annette Carper missed the meetind due to illness and Gayle Carper was on vacation. Due to the many Alderman be-

ing absent, Inman declared that there be no quorum and that all business be held until next week. On the agenda, the Council was set to discuss the authorization to purchase new fuel pumps at the Public Works building. They were also going to discuss on approving the Engineering Services Agreement with Maurer-Stutz for the design and permitting of an additional reserve Osmosis Well. Finally, they were supposed to discuss other business as well as give an update on the Complete Count Census. All will be discussed next Monday.

5 Day Weather Forecast sourced by

WEDNESDAY THURSDAY

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H 34 / L 17 H 36 / L 20 H 35 / L 19 H 50 / L 28 H 49 / L 36 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 grammar, and we do not guarantee publication of all letters.

2020 Spring Semester Editorial Board

Edge Editor - Rachel Greene Editor-in-Chief - Devon Greene Opinions Editor - Allison Young

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

STAFF MEMBERS editor-in-chief Devon Greene

proofreader Mary Kilbourne

DJ-Greene@wiu.edu

MC-Kilbourne@wiu.edu

news editor Devon Greene

photo editor Becca Langys

DJ-Greene@wiu.edu

RE-Langys@wiu.edu

opinions editor Allison Young

assistant photo editor Sara Remar

AN-Young@wiu.edu

SE-Remar@wiu.edu

sports editor Bradley Piros

production manager Brandon Trost

BJ-Piros@wiu.edu

BL-Trost@wiu.edu

assistant sports editor Chris Bean

business manager Janiya Haynes

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J-Haynes2@wiu.edu

edge editor Rachel Greene

assistant business manager Nash Miller

R-Greene2@wiu.edu

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copy editor Amanda Wandachowicz

advertising manager Tyler Hoffman

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TE-Hoffman@wiu.edu adviser Will Buss WJ-Buss@wiu.edu

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Wednesday, February 26, 2020

NEWS 3

Women’s History Month to kick off early

By Devon Greene editor-in-chief

As Black History Month comes to a close, Women’s History Month will follow with a packed month of events for students to attend all over campus. The first of the events kicks off on Thursday as a joint Black History Month and Women’s History Month event empowerment workshop will take place in the Multicultural Center. The workshop entitled “Worth It: Guiding Principles for Women of Color at Predominantly White Institutions and Beyond,” will be led by Western Illinois University Alum Tristen Johnson. Women’s History Month has an annual theme and this year ’s is “Valiant Women of the Vote.” According to womenshistory.org, the theme is meant to honor “the brave women who fought to win suffrage rights for women, and for the women who continue to fight for the voting rights of others. Last year ’s theme was “Vision-

ary Women: Champions of Peace and Nonviolence,” where they honored women who led efforts to end war, violence and injustice and pioneered the use of nonviolence to change society. Much like Black History Month, there will be plenty of things to do to highlight strong and powerful women that have helped pave the way for today’s women. One of the most anticipated events taking place at Western is the conference that will be held by the WIU Women in Business. The one-day conference will feature several female leaders from all walks of life and will aim to promote equality among females and bridge the gap to meet women's needs and achieve success no matter the starting point. The keynote speaker of the conference will be Illinois Sen. Jil Tracy. Western has their own theme for this year ’s Women’s History Month, “Women em(POWER)ed.” This theme was selected by the Women’s Center and those in the community who are involved with the organization.

Women’s history month THursday Feb, 27 - 6 p.m. - multicultural center “Worth it workshop: Guiding principle for women of color at PWIs and Beyond.”

Tuesday, March 3 - 5 p.m. - 6 p.m. - Sandburg lounge “Thank you cards with the Latin American Student organization.”

Wednesday, march 4 - 12:30 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. - Multicultural center “wednesday’s with the women’s center”

Wednesday, march 4 - 6:30 p.m. - Multicultural center “harriet movie screening with discussion”

Thursday, March 5 - 1:30 p.m. -2:30 p.m. - Multicultural center “Empowerment yoga hour”

Tuesday, march 17 - 3:30 p.m. - sandburg theatre “’girl rising’ documentary on the movement of malala yousafzai”

Wednesday, march 18 - 12:30 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. - Multicultural center “’wendesday’s with the women’s center”

Wednesday, march 18 - 4:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. - Malpass garden lounge “’Valiant Women of the vote’ panel discussion”

Thursday, march 19 - 6 p.m. - multicultural center “’networking with women leaders”

saturday, march 21 - 8 a.m. - university union “’midwest women in business conference”

Sunday, march 22 - 4:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. - Wiu Recreation center “’women on weights”

monday, march 23 - 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. - multicultural center “’Clothesline Project t-shirt making”

follow the rest of the events on purple post!

OPINIONS

Wednesday, February 26, 2020

WesternCourier.com

BRANDON TROST/PRODUCTION MANAGER

Knowing what’s going on in one’s community, country and the world is important. But with so many different ways to get information about current events, from social media sites like Facebook and Snapchat, TV channels like NBC and Fox News, newspapers like The New York Times and your local paper, not to mention from friends and family, it’s hard not to be bombarded with tons of unreliable information. How do you decide what to believe, what to ques-

tion and what to just plain ignore? Do you have confidence in your ability to distinguish between fact and opinion? Every time you go online, people are competing for your attention. Friends, strangers, businesses, political organizations, charities and news websites all serve up a constant stream of eye-catching pictures, videos and articles, wherever you might go looking for information. However, in the race to catch your eye, not all of these media sources

feel like they have to tell the truth, and you can’t always rely on social media platforms to filter out the falsehoods. The result is fake news, stories that are specially designed to mislead or deliberately misinform people. This semester, I am in an English class and our professor is adamant about distinguishing fake news from the truth. In this course, we identify fake news from the truth and it is an especially useful skill. The world we live in today is not as concerned about finding the truth as they are about getting a reaction out of the public. This makes it especially difficult to identify what is fact and what is fiction. In this class, we also learned about different biases people

we access them during this time of the year? Beyond the obvious physical benefits that come from being active outside, research has indicated that nature has many positive impacts on our social, psychological and emotional health. Several studies looking at the impact of viewing nature documentaries or breathtaking images found that doing so increased participant’s positive emotions of awe, wonder, gratitude and reverence. It was also found that viewing nature leads to greater prosocial tendencies (such as generosity, cooperation and kindness and that these social benefits

may result from the reminder nature provides that we are part of something that is greater than ourselves. Research has also found that the presence of nature can reduce stress. One study by Thompson et al. in the U.K. found that individuals that lived near green spaces reported lower levels of stress and had greater declines in cortisol levels (a hormone released when stressed) over the course of the day. Another study found that participants viewing awesome nature images were more likely to report feeling they had time to “get things done” and that their lives were not “slipping away” from them than participants viewing other pleasant images. Considering the hectic lives and immense stress we experience as college students, the benefits of having time to be

have. One bias in particular aids in explaining why some people are inclined to believe these fake news stories: confirmation bias. Confirmation bias is when your existing beliefs cause you to believe something that might not even be true. For instance, if you are a Hillary Clinton supporter and you are scrolling through social media and see an article about how Donald Trump spit on a puppy, you might be more inclined to believe the article because of your political beliefs. While this is an extremely dramatic example, fake news stories like this circulate regularly. During the 2016 presidential election, fake news stories were circulated about Clinton and a good amount of people

believed them just because of their confirmation biases. To truly know the difference between fact and fiction, you have to investigate the sources that present these claims. Reliability of sources and extremely important when determining whether or not a source is presenting factual information or just fake news. For instance, if you just see news on social media, you absolutely need to do more research into the topic before making a judgment on whether or not to believe it. While the information on social media could be true, it can also be extremely exaggerated or fabricated. We live in a generation where it is absolutely vital to investigate the information we come across online.

The power nature has on our lives

The warmth of this past weekend brought with it a reminder of the blessed reprieve that spring brings each and every year. Like many people, I took advantage of this short burst of warm weather to go outside and take in the fresh air. As I hiked through the woods, I was almost immediately reminded of the calming power that nature possesses. Although it can be difficult to find time to enjoy the outdoors in the middle of winter, research shows that being out amongst nature can have many positive impacts on a person’s health. But what are those benefits, and how can

“one with nature” are obvious. Unfortunately, it can often be difficult to achieve this due to limitations in time and the harsh conditions present during the winter months. So how can we receive the benefits that nature has to offer? One way is to periodically check the projected forecast for warmer days. Being in the midwest, our temperatures often fluctuate in the winter, and there are usually a few nice days here and there. If you are aware of those days in advance, you can plan some “nature time” into your schedule beforehand. It also helps to be aware of where you can go to see some truly beautiful nature (cause let’s be honest, the scenery here can be pretty bleak in winter). A few good spots near Macomb include Spring Lake north of town and Argyle State Park near Colchester.

Another option made evident in the literature is simply viewing images or videos of awe-inspiring nature. Many of the studies found benefits present whether the presence of nature was authentic or not. So, if the weather is poor you can always utilize the variety of nature videos available on streaming services or simply browse through nature images on Google. This might be particularly beneficial when you feel stressed studying for an exam or working on a project (rather than browsing social media on your breaks). So, as the season begins to change and the weather improves, I encourage you to schedule some time to become one with nature again. You’ll be surprised at just how powerful an impact it can have on your perspective and your life.

@WesternCourier

OPINIONS 5

Wednesday, February 26, 2020

The increasing benefits of electric cars After years and years of people speaking about the next age of electric vehicles, I believe that this decade may be the first to really make electric cars into a commodity. Tesla, a completely electric company, has cemented themselves so firmly in the automotive industry, that they are the seventh richest car company in the world. Tesla was founded in 2003, meaning in less than 20 years, they managed to eclipse companies that have been competing with one another for more than a century.

Now, to be honest, there are about 12 to 14 companies that run the world, and that is in no small part to mergers and companies creating luxury brands of cars or buying the luxury brands that we all know and love. For instance, Audi, Lamborghini, Bugatti, Porsche and Bentley are owned by Volkswagen, and Ferrari is owned by Fiat. So even with these companies having a stake in just about every single car we own or want Tesla has climbed the ladder with electric cars. Tesla has created a marketing

scheme and business model that has allowed them to take advantage of our modern digital world. Free marketing or publicity can be hard to come by even when you have a good product. Tesla, however, has mastered the art of free publicity by creating mission statements and objectives that are pro-planet and continuously innovating. The CEO of Tesla, Elon Musk, is also very well known and likable which can also be critical to how people perceive the brand. Tesla is so confident in their products and customer service and the effect of word of mouth that they frequently spend nothing on advertising through commercials and social media. Another benefit Tesla has is people are becoming more

aware of the negative effects cars have on our environment. This means that consumers will be willing to convert to an electric vehicle to feel empowered that they are doing better and look cool doing so. The interesting thing is that Tesla is not the only electric manufacturer that has been making headlines. Rivian is an electric company that is making strides in its own right as well. Rivian recently had Ford and Amazon give a combined investment of around $1 billion. The reason these companies would do that is to cash in on the current niche market of electric cars and whatever success Rivian may have down the road. Interestingly enough, Rivian has taken the approach of typical car man-

Write for Opinions

ufacturers while Tesla boasts their success on a tech company mindset. Rivian currently makes electric SUVs and trucks and want to not only make a splash in the electric market but also the outdoors and traveler market. Rivian has entered many competitions with their concept models to gain a footing in the off road enthusiast market. The vehicle’s coolest feature is a complete tank turn which allows the vehicle to sit in place and do a 360 turn. Currently, Rivian is in development but that can’t stop you from preordering the vehicles. Tesla won’t have to worry about Rivian overthrowing them any time soon, but as a consumer, we can rejoice that there is hope for an electric future.

Contact Allison Young

AN-Young@wiu.edu

Editorial Policy

Letters & Local Forum Policies

2020 Spring Semester Editorial Board

Edge Editor - Rachel Greene Editor-in-Chief - Devon Greene Opinions Editor - Allison Young

Wednesday, February 26, 2020

SPORTS

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Women’s basketball looks to fight off ORU in The Summit League standings By Michael Harms courier staff

becca langys / photo editor

Olivia Kaufmann looks to make a cross-court pass.

becca langys / photo editor

Evan Zars dishes open teammate.

the

ball

MACOMB, Ill. — The Western Illinois Fighting Leathernecks (15-12, 9-5) look to complete the season sweep against the Oral Roberts Golden Eagles (1215, 7-7). The first meeting at Western Hall ended with the Leathernecks easily winning 75-61. This contest has no bearing on who will enter Summit League Tournament play but could potentially change the seeding in the tournament. The Leathernecks currently look like the third seed in the tournament, only behind nationally-ranked South Dakota and their rivals South Dakota State University. Oral Roberts is two games behind Western for the third spot. After losing to the Golden Eagles in the tournament last year, the Leathernecks know that this team represents a potential playoff match-up. Of course, it will not be easy as Oral Roberts’ only losses at home are to the best two teams in The Summit League and a non-conference match-up that they lost in the final moments against Houston Baptist. The only away win with some merit for the Leathernecks was against the North Dakota State Bison. That game took two overtimes to decide a winner. Now, Western will need to learn how to play well in away territory as they have played their last game at home. The Summit League tournament will be in a technically neutral stadium, but it is in the backyard of both South Dakota teams.

For the Leathernecks, they will need a big performance from Olivia Kauffman. The junior guard for the Leathernecks continues to climb into the history books and now ranks 14th in Western’s all time scoring list. She is a mere three assists away from a total of 300 which would make her just the sixth player to record both 1,000 points and 300 assists. She is also a dominant figure in The Summit League ranking fourth in both points per game and assists per game. She is second in total steals with 56 and third for free throw percentage. Her last time out she scored 17 points to lead all players in a huge win on Senior Night for the Purple and Gold. The player to match Kauffman for the Golden Eagles will be junior guard Kenni Jo Lippe. She leads her team in free throws, rebounds, assists, points and steals. She has earned just one Summit League Player of the Week award just two weeks ago. She has dominated The Summit League and will almost definitely be in the player of the year conversations. She leads The Summit league in points per game with 18.9. She is also fourth on the list for rebounds per game. She works hard, moves all over the court and will be a match-up nightmare for JD Gravina. Last time against the Leathernecks she totaled 16 points and 10 rebounds. This time she will look to do just a little more in order to change the result. With playoff seeding on the line look for both teams to come out swinging, just like Fury and Wilder. Tip off is 5 p.m. Thursday.

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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.

LARGE STUDENT RENTALS 5 and 6 Bedroom Homes are still available!! Ask for our $1000.00 Discount program! First come first serve for the last large homes that are open for the fall.

Westen Investments has only two 4-Bedroom brich houses available. Call our office at 309-833-5995 to schedule a showing! We will show to 2-3 person groups as well!

Small 1BR apt near campus and downtown. All utilities included. (Electric, Water, DISH, Garbage) $500/month, $300 deposit. Available immediately. Also have 2BR, you pay electric. $600/month, $350 deposit available September 1st. Please contact 309-255-4367 for a showing.

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!

Westen Investments has just one 3-Bedroom ALL UTILITIES INCLUDED (Water, Sewer, Trash, Gas, Electric, and Internet) Apartment left! That’s right you just pay for rent, and the rest of it is on us! Call our office at 309-833-5995 to check it out.

Available now: Close to campus, clean studio apartments, excellent condition, reasonable rent, and partly furnished. Ceiling fans and a/c. Professionally maintained. No pets. Semester leases offered. Call 309 837 4369 and leave your phone number if not there. Email: MandKhousing@gmail.com NEGOTIABLE RENT!!! NiCE, CLEAN, WELL MAINTAINED 1-6 BEDROOM HOUSES FOR 2020-2021 Our houses have hardwood floors, central air, washer and dryer and lawn service. All are close to campus with plenty of parking. We offer a ten month lease. Please call 309-255-1959 for a showing.

For Rent: Little Swan Lake, 30 min from campus. 2br, 2bth, heated double car garage with work area. $600 per mo. (309) 335-2206 after 6:00 pm, may leave message anytime. ALL APARTMENTS - ALL INCLUSIVE Get control of your budget. Know exactly what you are spending each month. Each apartment includes free a/c, free heat, free electricity, free water, free cable tv, free hi speed internet, and free off street parking. Laundry on site. No noise policy. Bus stop across the street. Close to campus. Well maintained. Studios are $460/mo, One bedrooms are $620/mo. Call Doug at 309-255-8179 for an appointment.

becca langys / photo editor

Elizabeth Lutz takes a moment to stop and look around.

becca langys / photo editor

Danni Nichols sprints up into the offensive zone.

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Employment Employment Opportunities For Early Childhood, Teaching and Education Majors - Part-Time or Full-Time Work. Monday though Friday 6:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Have your weekends and evenings free. Gain valuable experience with children 0-12 years for your resume. We are open year round. We are looking for mature, dependable adults that enjoy working with children between the ages of 0-12 years old. Must pass a physchical exam and an extensive background check. Preference given to those submitting transcript with 60 study hours of college education and 6 study hours of child development. Applications can be found on our website at www.CatchAStarLearningCenter.com

Wednesday, February 26, 2020

@WesternCourier

Jordan shares emotions about Kobe Bryant josh purnell courier staff

It’s rare to see Michael Jordan shed a tear in the public eye. On three different occasions, we have seen Jordan cry in public. The first time was when a photographer captured an iconic photo of Jordan and his father sitting next to him as Jordan gripped the Larry O’Brien championship trophy with tears running down his face after winning his first NBA Championship. The second time was when he fell to the middle of the floor in tears after winning his fourth NBA Championship in 1996 against the Seattle Supersonics. It was the first championship he won after his father passed away. Jordan told the media that the championship was for his father. The last time was during the 2009 Hall of Fame ceremony. Jordan stood at the podium before all the NBA legends with tears running down his face while everyone gave him a standing

ovation. It was clear that all of those moments meant something to him. So, as Jordan stepped on the stage at Staples Center on Monday at “The Celebration of Life” for Kobe and Gianna Bryant, he could barely begin his speech as tears ran down his eyes. Only a tragedy like Bryant’s death could bring Jordan into the public spotlight like that. “What Kobe Bryant was to me was an inspiration that someone truly cared about the way I played the game or the way he wanted to play the game,” Jordan said. “He wanted to be the best basketball player that he could be, and as I got to know him, I wanted to be the best big brother that I could be.” It may come as a surprise that Jordan and Bryant were even close friends. From the outside looking in, no one could have ever known. As we vividly remember the 2003 All-Star Game, Jordan and Bryant going head to

head was something amazing to see. Having two competitive players that play the same position and both are champions compete against each other. Jordan called Bryant a dear friend and explained their relationship, like big brother and little brother who were two basketball players with a passion to be the best and win championships. Part of being the best is learning from the best. Bryant knew Jordan was the right person to talk to and learn everything he can. “He used to call me, text me 11:30 p.m., 2:30 a.m., 3 o’clock in the morning, talking about post-up moves, footwork and sometimes the triangle,” Jordan said while laughing. The triangle offense was a scheme created by Phil Jackson. Jackson coached the Chicago Bulls 19891998. In a span of nine years, Jackson and Jordan won six NBA Championships together. So, when Jackson left the Bulls and went to Los Angeles to coach the Lakers in 1999, Bryant wanted to learn everything he could. He knew where he wanted to go and where he wanted to be. If that means

he has to text Jordan in the middle of the night, then he will. Bryant was obsessed with being great. “At first, it was an aggravation,” Jordan said. “Then, it turned into a certain passion. This kid had passion like you would never know.” That passion was something Jordan understood because he knew he was the same way when he was young as well. People may think Jordan is not paying attention to what is going on in the media, but he is for sure watching. As he continued his speech, he cracked a little joke about memes. “Now, I have to look at another crying meme for the next … I told my wife I wasn’t going to do this because I don’t want to see that for the next three or four years. That’s what Kobe Bryant does to me,” Jordan said. Nonetheless, Jordan shared what Bryant's death really meant to him. “When Kobe Bryant died, a piece of me died,” Jordan said. I’m sure whether you liked or disliked Bryant, everyone could agree with Jordan.

Sabrina Ionescu makes history Lew Alcindor, Michael Jordan, Oscar Robertson, Wilt Chamberlain. All of these names have been unanimously considered the best to ever step on the court in the history of collegiate basketball. Yet, there’s a young woman in Eugene, Ore. that has cemented herself as one of the most dominant players in NCAA history, Sabrina Ionescu. Ionescu became the first player in NCAA history to record 2,000 points, 1,000 rebounds and 1,000 assists on Monday in a matchup against the Stanford Cardinal. The Oregon guard doesn’t lead any individual category alone, in fact, she isn't even one of the top 25 scorers in women’s college basketball history but with Ionescu, it isn’t about just scoring, rebounding or passing, it's the combination of all of those assets that sets her apart. Before Ionescu, the NCAA leader in triple doubles was Kyle Collinsworth, who recorded 12 in his time with Brigham Young University. On Monday, Ionescu recorded her 26th. I had to Google Collinsworth because I had literally never heard

his name outside of conversations about Ionescu and that’s indicative of the legacy that he’ll leave. Collinsworth carved a nice little signature in college basketball history as one of it’s triple double leaders but after he left Brigham Young, he was just another guy on an NBA roster and only played one season with the Dallas Mavericks before being shipped off to the G-League. Ionescu is different. We’ve never seen a college basketball player like her before. Her swiss army knife of skills sets her apart from anyone else that steps on the floor with her. Ionescu was a prohibitive favorite to be the number one pick in the WNBA draft last year before eventually deciding to come back to Oregon for one final season to chase after a National Championship. Her ascent has come handin-hand with the rise of collegiate and professional women's basketball and she deserves a lot of credit for that fact. After a historic performance in the NCAA tournament last year where she became the second player ever to record multiple triple-doubles in the NCAA tournament, Ionescu put ESPN

on blast for their coverage of the tournament. “I mean it's awesome to get one in the tournament,” Ionescu said. “Probably still won't get recognized because ESPN never recognizes women's sports that are getting triple-doubles. But I'm just happy that I was able to do it.” On Jan. 22, ESPN announced that it would air all women’s basketball NCAA tournament first and second round games rather than showing them on a regional basis. Ionescu has become a leader in the fight to bring respect to the women’s game while still being the best player on the court every night. This is a battle that is unique to women’s basketball. Nobody in a men’s locker room has to fight every day to prove themselves worthy of public attention, they don’t have to deal with idiotic comments on social media telling them to “get back in the kitchen” and they certainly don’t have to fight for reasonable compensation. The burden on her shoulders is massive and she carries it with a class unlike any other player I’ve seen. Her senior season has possibly been her best yet, but it has also been the hardest. Before her historic game on Monday, Ionescu had other arrangements to attend to. She had to speak at the “Celebration of Life”ceremony that

memorialized the lives of Kobe and Gianna Bryant. Ionescu was one of many sports stars to speak at the ceremony, among names like Jordan, Shaquille O’Neal and Diana Taurasi. At the ceremony, Ionescu told a story of when she met Kobe and Gianna in 2019 and how Kobe became a mentor to the “present” of women’s college basketball. She spoke about moves that Kobe taught her and how she worked together with him and Gigi over the past year. She spoke at the ceremony on Monday morning and arrived at the stadium just under two hours before her game. Even with one of the most emotionally draining days in the history of her career, she showed exactly why Kobe decided to take her under his wing and made history. After the game, she dedicated the game to the Laker legend. “To do it on 2/24/20 is huge,” she said. “We had talked about it in the preseason. I can't really put that into words. He's looking down and really proud of me and just really happy for this moment with my team.” Ionescu has already made her name as one that cannot be passed up when discussing the history of college basketball, but she still has one thing left to accomplish while still repping the green and yellow: win a National Championship.

Sports 7

WIU golf wraps up Alabama State Spring Kickoff By Christopher Bean assistant sports editor

PRATTVILLE, Ala. – The Western Illinois men’s and women’s golf team competed at the Alabama State Spring Kickoff over the weekend, and the men’s team shot a combined 861 to claim a two stroke victory over Evansville for their first win of the season. Wyatt Spier led the way for the Leathernecks, shooting a 204 (-12) and placing in first place. “Wyatt's career-low round and individual medalist secured the team win. These scores indicate this team's potential and will help our confidence heading into spring break,” Director of Golf Lia Biehl Lukkarinen told WIU Athletic Communications. Spier recorded his second best 54-hole score with his 204. Teammates Kyle Irlbacker and Cameron Karney joined Spier ’s respectfully finishing inside the top 10. Irlbacker shot a 213 (-3) finishing tied for fourth, and Karney shot a 218 (+2) finishing tied for ninth. Parker Govern, Joe Burke and Dylan Cervantes all finished in the top 25 out of 45 competitors. They will enjoy the bye week and will prepare for the Benbow Invitational in Jacksonville, Fla. on March 9. The women’s team took third place overall this past weekend and Cassidy Jurkaites and Natalie Hooper finished in the top 10. Jurkaites shot a 237 (+21) and Hooper shot a 238 (+22). Hooper shoot a 78 in the last round to help her finish in the top 10. “The team continued to improve for our low round of the tournament, we plan to continue working on ball striking and wedges when we can get outside at home,” Director of Golf Lia Biehl Lukkarinen told WIU Athletic Communications. Teammate Katie Tanner followed behind her teammates finishing in 11th, shooting a 242 (+26). Abbie Gault, Nicole Hamilton-Cross and Emily Marrs, respectively finished 13th, 14th and 15th, helping them secure a third place finish. The women’s team will also have a bye week and travel to Jacksonville, Fla. to compete in the Benbow Invitational hosted by Butler University.

goleathernecks,com

Wyatt Spier watches his putt role towards the hole.

GoLeathernecks.com

Kyle Irlbacker takes his time before his shot.

Men’s basketball needs a win to keep postseason hopes alive By Bradley Piros sports editor MACOMB, Ill. — The Western Illinois University men’s basketball team (5-19, 2-12) took on the University of Nebraska Omaha Mavericks (15-14, 8-6) last Saturday and were outscored 93-86 inside Western Hall on Senior Night. Although it was a tough conference loss in a time when Western really needs to be picking up some wins, all things considered, it was still a good night for two reasons. The first being that junior guard Kobe Webster broke Western’s single-game Division I scoring record by dropping 40 points, nearly half of the team’s total points in the home finale. “I am going to do whatever I can for a chance to win,” Webster told WIU Athletics Communications after the game. “If that means scoring 40 points or having 12 assists or grabbing 10 rebounds, I am out there to win.” While dropping 40 points is always going to be impressive, Webster was outshined by senior guard C.J. Duff. He may have only scored nine points on the night, but that was just enough for him to eclipse the 1,000-point mark in his collegiate career. “That is something to reflect on when the time comes,” Duff told Athletics. “It is a big accomplishment and I am very blessed since a lot of people don't get the opportunity, but I am looking at a chance to play in the postseason. That's my only mindset right now.” He's right, not a lot of people get that opportunity. Only 23 other players have reached the “1K Club” in program history, Webster being the last Leatherneck to do so earlier this season. Turning the page from Senior Night, the Leathernecks still have two games remaining and they’ll need to win at least one of them and/or receive a little bit of help from Fort Wayne if they want to make the tournament. Western currently sits tied for last place in The Summit with the University of Denver Pioneers, both with 2-12 conference records.

becca langys / photo editor

C.J. Duff tries to block a layup.

Here are the two most likely possibilities for Western to make The Summit League Tournament: Denver loses to Fort Wayne which means all Western will have to do is beat Denver on Saturday or Denver beats Fort Wayne which would mean Western will have to beat Oral Roberts and Denver. Denver plays Fort Wayne tonight so Western will know what they have to do going into Tulsa, Okla. Either way, Western needs to start winning basketball games and gaining some momentum heading toward the tournament. The Leathernecks will take on the Oral Roberts University Golden Eagles tomorrow night on the road. ORU (14-13, 7-7) currently sit tied for fifth in The Summit with the University of North Dakota Fighting Hawks. They are coming off a 100-96 overtime loss to Denver last Thursday. ORU is led by redshirt-senior forward Emmanuel Nzekwesi. He has the team’s best field goal percentage of 56.1 percent and averages a team high 17.2 points per game. He’s followed by senior guard Deondre Burns with 15.7 points per game and freshman guard Max Abmas with 14.5. The team as a whole average 79.7 points a game compared to Western’s 75. The Leathernecks will depend on Webster to have another big outing as well as sophomores Zion Young and Ben Pyle. Young is second on the team, behind Webster, with 13.4 points per game followed by Pyle averaging 11.8. The other two starters James Claar and Duff will have to step it up a little from the last game if Western wants to come away with a win. The good news is that the Leathernecks decide their own destiny. They don’t have to rely on help from anyone else. Win both games and they’re in. Lose both games and they’re out. Lose to ORU, then they rely on Fort Wayne to beat Denver. It’s all a bit crazy, so it seems like March Madness is starting a little early this year. Western takes on ORU tomorrow night at 7:30 p.m. in Tulsa and then they’ll wrap up their regular season on Saturday in Denver at 2 p.m.

becca langys / photo editor

Kobe Webster tries to stop the ball.

brandon Troust / production manager