Opinions: Keep a level head during finals week.
Sports: The NBA is full of suprises.
Sports: Swim wraps up season.
Monday, December 3, 2018 - Vol. 119 Issue 41
AWARD-WINNING STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF WESTERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY. SERVING MACOMB SINCE 1905.
Professors organize Discussion on election results By Juan Casas courier staff
Last Thursday, the Department of Political Science held a three-panel discussion event at Western Illinois University. The panel consisted of three political science professors at Western: Dr. Keith Boeckelman, Dr. Jonathon Day and Dr. Jongo Lee. The discussion took place in Morgan Hall 101. The panel is a tradition in the political science program, and it’s where the department has analyzed mid-term election results and their implications for the past decade. Lee began his presentation
by declaring that there were only two possible outcomes from the election that could have been foreseen. The first is what he calls “conventional wisdom.” In this scenario, the president’s political party would win or lose seats based primarily on the president’s national approval rating. Lee stated that this system is almost always certain, in that if the president’s approval ratings were low then they could expect his party to lose seats, and if they were high, we would expect to see a gain. Historically and traditionally, this is true. The second possible outcome is what Lee named the “Lib-
eral, Democratic and media allies” scenario. This is where the presumption was of the total objection of the president’s views. In other words, a blue wave, in which most elections would go to the Democratic emblem. This was the popular expectation amongst Democrats and Independents. Yet, it appears that what happened closely resembled the traditional, conventional wisdom scenario instead of the blue wave theme because it was not a total republican wipeout. Instead, Lee called the election results a “blue tied, if not a wave, met with a Republican wall, producing a split decision or a nor-
mal mid-term correction.” The president was not completely defeated (albeit he did not lose the house) and that his message still holds strong in the minds of Conservatives. Overall, Lee’s analysis is that the American voter remains moderate. Day was the second professor to present his analysis. He asked the audience what we should have expected from the results. He then introduced what the Department of Political Science uses: a formula for predicting midterm election results that are based on various variables, like the president’s approval rating or the state of the
economy. Day explained how to use this method which allows him to successfully come within proximity to the actual results. This further cements the importance of the equation. Boeckelman gave the final presentation, where he detailed the historical context of the midterm elections of the past decade. For example, he illustrated how, in the midterm elections in 2010, the then-Democratic President, Barack Obama, lost more than 900 seats across the country to Republicans.
Panel page 2
Morris named October Advisor of the Month By Marc Ramirez news editor
devon greene/editor-in-chief
Kelly Morris (middle), Office of Academic Services Advisor, was awarded the October Advisor of the Month Award by her students for continuous support.
Kelly Morris, Office of Academic Services Statistician and Academic Advisor, was awarded the October Advisor of the Month award. Morris advises students who are enrolled through the Office of Academic Services. She, alongside the other advisors, guides students who show academic potential but don’t meet regular admission requirements upon applying. “Advisors within the program not only serve as mentors and advocates but also
offer students encouragement and join with them in celebrating their many successes,” the philosophy of the Office of Academic Services reads. Morris attended the University of Northern Iowa where she received her bachelors in elementary education and masters in math education. She went on to begin her teaching career as an elementary teacher in Aurora, Colo.
Morris page 2
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NEWS
Panel from front page
Even prior to this, the Republican Party has dominated state elections and governments. Bringing the subject up to date, Boeckelman reminded the audience of the recordbreaking fundraising and campaign financing of Democrat J.B. Pritzker, who will be the next Governor of Illinois. The Governor-elect spent more than $170 million of his own dollars to win. Boeckelman also believes the political spectrum is changing. He says the votes indicate that Democrats, for the first time in a very long time, appeared to have won over middle-class suburban women. Suburbs across the
Panel from front page
She did this for a few years before realizing her true place is working in higher education, where she’s been since 1991. Nominated by multiple students for the award, they all believe this is the place for her. “[She] builds positive relationships and treats students with sensitivity and fairness,” one student said on the nomination. She assists students in skills beneficial to creating a successful academic environment such as study skills,
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
Monday, December 3, 2018
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country have historically been Republican strongholds, but they turned to Democrats in the 2018 midterm election, which could be attributed to the President’s poor approval ratings amongst highly educated, white middle-class households. It was obvious that women played a larger role than normal in the 2018-midterm elections, according to the panel. They concluded that the record-breaking number of women who ran for office and won all across the nation, is forever changing the political landscape for generations to come. “It is a pleasure to come together after an election to discuss the results,” Boeckelman said. time management, test-taking strategies and note taking. By doing this, she is able to put together data on the OAS student and measure their performance at the end of each semester. In doing this, she’s learned to help students navigate their educational careers. “It is particularly gratifying to walk alongside (and sometimes guide) students as they are experiencing the 'Aha' moment,” Morris said. Morris was honored with a certificate and trophy. The award is determined by a committee that considers the winners each month.
FIND US ON @westerncourier THE WESTERN COURIER
STAFF MEMBERS editor-in-chief Devon Greene DJ-Greene@wiu.edu news editor Marc Ramirez MA-Ramirez3@wiu.edu assistant news editor Steven Barnum SS-Barnum@wiu.edu opinions editor Allison Young AN-Young@wiu.edu sports editor Haley Richards H-Richards@wiu.edu assistant sports editor Bradley Piros BJ-Piros@wiu.edu edge editor Jonathan Lynch JJ-Lynch@wiu.edu copy editor Brie Coder B-Coder@wiu.edu
proofreader Amanda Wandachowicz a-wandachowicz@wiu.edu proofreader Chance Darby ca-darby@wiu.edu photo editor Becca Langys RE-Langys@wiu.edu assistant photo editor Sara Remar SE-Remar@wiu.edu production manager Jimmy Pierson JM-Pierson@wiu.edu business manager Faith Rucker F-Rucker@wiu.edu advertising manager Jacob Day JD-Day@wiu.edu adviser Will Buss WJ-Buss@wiu.edu
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Monday, December 3, 2018
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NEWS 3
Final Exam Schedule - WIU Fall 2018
Classes Meeting T, TH, or T TH ONLY
all other classes
Begins
EXAm
Begins
EXAm
8 a.m.
tuesday, 8 a.m.
8 a.m.
monday, 8 a.m.
9 or 9:30 a.m.
Thursday, 8 a.m.
9 a.m.
wednesday, 8 a.m.
10 a.m.
tuesday, 10 a.m.
10 a.m.
monday, 10 a.m.
11 a.m.
thursday, 10 a.m.
11 a.m.
wednesday, 10 a.m.
12 p.m.
monday, 1 p.m.
1 p.m.
Wednesday, 1 p.m.
2 p.m.
monday, 3 p.m.
3 p.m.
wednesday, 1 p.m.
4 p.m.
Friday, 8 a.m.
12 or 12:30 p.m.
tuesday, 1 p.m.
1 p.m.
thursday, 1 p.m.
2 p.m.
tuesday, 3 p.m.
3 or 3:30 p.m.
Tuesday, 3 p.m.
4 p.m.
Friday, 10 a.m.
Monday evening
monday, 6 p.m.
tuesday evening
tuesday, 6 p.m.
Wednesday evening
wenesday, 6 p.m.
thursday evening
Thursday, 6 p.m.
friday evening
friday, 6 p.m.
Now Hiring at
Western courier news writers
wanted
if interested please contact
Devon Greene
dj-greene@wiu.edu
4 OPINIONS
Monday, December 3, 2018
WesternCourier.com
Take time yourself before final I WANT YOU... to start taking your job seriously!
JIMMY PIERSON/PRODUCTION MANAGER
JIMMY PIERSON/PRODUCTION MANAGER
At the beginning of the semester I started a new job as the opinions editor at the Western Courier. This job has provided me many opportunities and has taught me so much about working with people. Some days my job can be very challenging due to the lack of responses I receive from writers. I think that my biggest pet peeve about this job is that people do not choose to communicate with me until the last minute or they do not communicate with me at all. Every week I try to send out an email on Sunday with the schedule for the week; it does not always get out on Sunday but I always have an email out by Monday. I never in a million years thought that I would have so many problems with college students turning in things on time. All of my writers know that I am pretty flexible but I do not feel like any of them take advantage of it. If my writers ever have any problems all I ask is to have open communication and let me know what’s going on. There have been more than a handful of times when I do not get emails until right before things are due.
Words do not even express how frustrating this is as a boss. I take my job very seriously at the Courier and I feel as if some of my writers do not. It is a slap in the face to me and it is hard to fill space in the paper when I do not receive my articles. I find this behavior to be unprofessional and I am fed up with it. Personally, I would not go out into a job and not do what I am getting paid to do. Trust me I have had the position of a writer before, and I know that things come up and life happens. But the professional and responsible thing to do is have open communication about it. Ultimately, I love my job and I have learned so many skills from working with others. Not all of my writers are irresponsible, and I appreciate those people who take their work seriously. Having only nine people write for the opinions section each week can be a struggle but most weeks we make it work. I am always looking for new people to write for me and if anyone is interested please shoot me an email. I love working with all of my writers even though it is a bit stressful some days.
Contact
AN-Young@wiu.edu
Having a job can be stressful.
PIXABAY
With it being almost the end of the semester all I can think about is all the Christmas lights around my town, all the homemade food my mom will be making and the stressless days I will be having without schoolwork. But before I even begin fantasizing over such great things, I am still drowning in three projects, five final exams tests, a project and tons of homework. So with the last few weeks of the semester being the most stressful of them all, what are the best ways to destress? Western is well aware that these few weeks are filled with ice coffees, allnighters and late library stays, which is why Western is bringing back certified therapy dogs. The WIU inter-hall council sponsored this event as they hope that this will bring some joy and smiles to students who are overwhelmed with school work. On Wednesday from 2- 4 p.m., Golden Retrievers will be in the Malpass Library in the library’s Garden Lounge, which is located on the second floor. The main purpose for these therapy dogs is to help students take a break from all the hard work and stress they are putting into school and relax. So what is it about cute dogs that make us automatically feel calm? Is it their soft fur, or how cute they are? Personally it may be all those answers. So if you are feeling stressed and want to take a study break, make sure you stop by and say hello to the happiest Golden Retriever dogs during finals week! Although it may seem like
everyone loves dogs, that may not be the case. In some cases, dogs may not cut it for you when destressing. In that case, what do you do? One of my favorite ways to de-stress is catching up on my favorite Netflix shows or bingewatch 2000’s romance movies. The great part about Western is that each dorm offers a handful of new movies that you can rent out right from your dorm. All you need is your school ID card, go to the front desk or your residence hall and rent out any movies that they have on DVD. Movies are a great way to just lie around, eat snacks and hangout with your friends. If you are one who likes to destress by themselves and clear your mind, a simple thing you can do is just take a nap. No one loves naps more than college students because it is by far the most refreshing thing to do, especially after a long stressful day. In order to be refreshed and ready to study more, taking a nap can prepare you for that. By turning on a candle and making your room smell good, this will help you become more relaxed and will help you fall asleep faster. After a nap you will be up, alert, and ready to keep on studying. Whatever works best for you to destress do it in order to not overwhelm yourself. Finals week can be a tough week, but you will get through it. Let’s kick finals butt Leathernecks!
With the holidays just around the corner and a new year upon us, what better way to close out the current year with something to look forward to in 2019. According to Metal Hammer, the Des Moines natives, Slipknot, will head to the recording studio in January to record their sixth studio album.
Written by: Brie CODER
CONT. Page 2
Layout by: jimmy Pierson
E2 EDGE
Monday, December 3, 2018
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WIKIPEDIA.ORG
Slipknot
from E1
The last time these masked heavy metal icons recorded an album, was back in 2014 with “.5: The Gray Chapter.” During their four-year break, lead vocalist Corey Taylor went back to his other band Stone Sour, and recorded “ Hydrograd,” which was released last year. At this time Taylor is touring with Stone Sour, and will be wrapping up their tour on Dec. 11, in Anaheim, Calif. Once the tour concludes, it's back to the studio for Taylor.
While Taylor was away, other members of Slipknot have been tuning up their instruments and laying down some tracks. At the moment they are just waiting for Taylor’s astonishing lyrical content and off they go towards making another masterpiece album. Fans got a taste of what their new album may sound like back on Halloween, when the group released their single “All Out Life.” A music video was also produced for this song by co-founder and percussionist of Slipknot, Shawn Crahan also known as “Clown.” “All Out Life” made me conclude
that Slipknot has not missed a beat since their four-year break. The group is back and heavier then thier last album. Crahan’s percussion skills on this track is on fire. It’s fast, edgy and very distinct. Taylor goes back and forth between rapping and growling the words “old does not mean dead, new does not mean best. No hard feelings, I’m tired of being right about everything I’ve said.” This song once again proves why this band got as big as they did decades ago. They make music based off all the controversies
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going on and challenge those who listen to change it. Along with stop following the herd and lead your own path. In an interview that Taylor did with Metal Hammer, he has outlined that this new album is what it would sound like if their second album “Iowa” made back in 2001 matured. In addition he has gone on the record saying that this album will tackle a lot of personal things each member of the band has gone through, including Taylor’s divorce from his second wife, Stephanie Luby. With a new album being cre-
ated the next thing fans want to know is when is the Slipknot tour going to begin. The tour will kick off this upcoming summer, but will start in Europe. Don’t be bummed though, the group will be playing at the Iowa State Fair Grandstand on Aug. 10, 2019. That could be the beginning of their North American tour. More information will be announced once the new year starts and more dates will follow. In the meantime, set back and enjoy the song leaks dropped here and there, and what could be Slipknot’s heaviest album yet.
WIKIPEDIA.ORG
E3 EDGE
Monday, December 3, 2018
WesternCourier.com
JIMMY PIERSON : PRODUCTION MANAGER
Growing up in the 90's I feel like some of us had an advantage that older generations and the current generation don't have. ”Today” made a blanket statement that said Happy Holidays is used not only to take away from Christmas, but Hanukkah (Chanukah) and Kwanzaa as well. Not only that but every year it seems like we have more Harry Potter and Pixar movies and less of the classic holiday films. I know about Hanukkah and Kwanzaa because of Nickelodeon, “Rugrats” and “Blue Clue's” both
mentioned the other holidays. “Rugrats” had a Chanukah Special (how they spelled it), which happens to be my favorite. They also were probably one of the first shows to have a Kwanzaa special probably the only reason some of us know anything about it. “Blue's Clues” had an episode where Steve and Blue were making a quilt; they went to a few of their friends’ houses to deliver presents. The first was given to a friend who was celebrating Christmas, and she explains what Christmas is before giving Steve and
Blue a Christmas patch for their quilt. The next friend's house they go to is celebrating Hanukkah they then explain what Hanukkah is about before giving them a Hanukkah patch for their quilt. The final friend's house they go to is celebrating Kwanzaa, they explain what it is and give them a Kwanzaa patch for their quilt. This is something that I really appreciate now because I know I am more informed about other cultures and customs, and that is a very good thing to be. There were a few other shows from the late '80s to early 2000s that had at least one episode of a show mention the other holidays, but don't go in depth. This is something that is really missing today, and it is a shame that we are not
teaching children about all the holidays including the true meaning of Christmas. I could name multiple shows that this would work in; “Paw Patrol” comes to mind because of the diverse cast. “The Loud House” could also get away with it, but it might be a stretch. Holiday specials don't have to be canon. I also think “Peppa Pig” would also be a good show to have this happen. Pretty much any show could have a holiday special. I believe this would be a great thing that would bring people closer together at a time we desperately need to be together. It is also just good business. Hallmark has hundreds of Christmas movies that seem like they play year around, why not have a couple for the other holidays they would be just as
good (or bad if you don't like them). It’s very easy to make using the same tropes and everything. Some people might say this is politically correct nonsense but I disagree. I think acknowledging the other two major holidays is a lot better than making a blanket statement. I saw a picture on Facebook and I'm going to paraphrase I don't understand what the big deal is. If you celebrate Hanukkah tell me Happy Hanukkah. If you celebrate Christmas tell me MerryChristmas. If you celebrate Kwanzaa tell me Joyous Kwanzaa. If you don't prefer those tell me Happy Holidays. I will not be offended. I will be thankful that you took the time to say something nice to me. So, let's bring back the Chrismahanukwanzakah specials.
WIKIPEDIA.ORG
“Thank U, Next” breaks YouTube records If you haven’t heard of Arianna Grande's new song titled “Thank U, Next,”then there is a high probability you may be living under a rock and just haven’t realized. This record-breaking song was released on Nov. 3 and since then has been a common area of discussion. Preceding its release date, the song flooded the Internet placing a new record for most plays in a single day by a female artist. “Thank U, Next” is a powerful song about
self-love and break-ups; in this anthem Grande pays tribute to her exes such as Pete Davidson, Ricky Alverez and Big Sean. Though, the most talked about ex mentioned in this song is Mac Miller, who passed away earlier this year. Grande states, “Wish I could say thank you to Malcom, cause’ he was an angel.” This song is nonetheless one of the most iconic songs of 2018, and the music video is just as iconic. On Nov. 30, Grande released the music video for
“Thank U, Next” and it literally broke the Net. After it’s release, comments flooded in so fast that YouTube was unable to process and post them for a few hours. This music video broke the record for most views within 24 hours on YouTube, having 46 million views in the first 24-hours that it was posted. The “Thank U, Next” music video was built on references to some of the most popular 2000’s movies such as “Mean Girls,” “Bring it On,” “13 Going On 30” and “Legally Blonde.” The video begins with a montage of people bragging about trying to be like Grande, very similar to the montage in “Mean Girls.” From there, the music
begins to play as many different parts of these iconic movies are reenacted. The most talked about parts of this video are the “Burn Book” of Grande’s exes and the reenactment of the Santa’s Helpers talent show dance from mean girls, along with the “bend and snap” scene from “Legally Blonde.” In the “Burn-Book” that Grande creates of her exes, Miller is not included. Many feel this is a sign of respect to Miller. The Santa’s Helpers talent show dance is the final scene in the video and its flawless, making most fans feel quite nostalgic. At the end of the scene, Kris Jenner is featured as the cool mom and shouts “Thank You Next” end-
ing the video entirely. Finally, the “bend and snap” scene is wonderfully done and features original actor Jennifer Coolidge, who played the role as Paulette. “Thank U, Next” has become the song of the season, and has captivated the hearts of nations. “Thank U, Next” has not only been number one on the US charts, but also on multiple countries’ charts. There has been so much talk about going back to the simple times, and Grande takes her fans there with the “Thank U, Next” music video. Both the video and the song are extremely influential, and fans are more than excited for the entire album to come out before the end of the year.
E4 EDGE
With the recent release of “The Lion King” live-action movie trailer, I think it is important that everyone knows why “The Lion King” is above the rest. One of the most important things about this movie is that not a lot of people thought it would be successful. It is well documented that Disney thought that “Pocahontas” would be the more successful of the two, so all of their top writers and artists chose to focus on that film. In fact, “The Lion King” was developed as a filler film, so fans
Monday, December 3, 2018
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WIKIPEDIA.ORG
would have something to watch before their pet project would be released the following year. Long story short those that chose to work on “The Lion King” gave it 110 percent. “The Lion King” would prove to be a huge success as it was nominated and won many awards and was the highestgrossing film worldwide in 1994. It is currently the topselling VHS tape in the US as well as the best-selling film across all formats in the US. It has been re-released a couple of times, one of which
was a 3D release that was so successful Disney re-released other great films in 3D. The fact that this movie wasn't supposed to be a success and it ended up being one of the most successful Disney movies of all time. Had they treated it like they should have, it probably would have broken even more records. Just looking at the movie itself the way they did was brilliant. The teaser trailer for the original film was released in 1993 and was over four minutes long, and it depicted the opening scene of the “Circle of Life” in its entirety. At the end, it says "To be continued June 1994.” That is just something that doesn't happen anymore and after watching this trailer on YouTube, I want
to watch it. We can talk about the characters, the songs, the animation, etc. that made it a success, but let's take a look at one interesting fact. “The Lion King” is the first animated Disney movie to show an on-screen death of a good guy character. Mufasa is shown to have died and his body is shown on screen. Understand that for a lot of children this was their first experience with death. Other Disney films have had implied deaths, but the bodies were never shown. I believe this was a very important thing to have in a movie and it was definitely different. The way they did it however just shows that they knew what they were doing. Everything is going fine and dandy
in what had already been a good film so far. We then get to the wildebeest stampede, an incredibly iconic scene. By the time it looks like everything is going to turn out fine, the world comes crashing down in the most emotional part (the lowest point) in the film. Five minutes of probably the most emotional events that kids have ever experienced before. It is right after this event that we get introduced to the comedic duo of Timon and Pumba and the song “Hakuna Matata,” which helps kids forget about the trauma they just witnessed. I don't believe this format was a coincidence. I think these reasons prove that “The Lion King” is the best Disney movie period.
Monday, December 3, 2018
@WesternCourier
OPINIONS 5
Managing mental illness is important derstand. Until you walk a mile in their shoes, you don’t know what someone is struggling with. There have been a few people in my class that, when they have to give a presentation they would have a panic attack. A lot of people were saying they were overreacting and that they just need to calm down. It’s very hard for someone to calm down when they’re having a panic attack and not very beneficial when you just say calm down. I’m in he there have been a few people my class that, when they have to give a presentation they would have a panic attack. Panic attacks are something that is very real and people are too insensitive to notice that sometimes. Having the step of this order can really affect your schoolwork. I know some people struggle test anxiety. They
Always make sure you are taking your mental health seriously.
TER S E
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Mental illness is something that a lot of people struggle with. Some people are more open about it and other keep it in the dark. Whatever the situation may be, there are a lot of people that encounter one another each day not knowing what they are going down. There are also so many different forms of mental illness and some are easier to manage than others. I know a lot of my friends have anxiety and struggling with my own battles myself, I know how challenging it can to manage everyday life with anxiety. The thing about anxiety is that people who don’t struggle with it don’t really know what it is like to deal with it on a daily basis. There’s so many different forms of anxiety and different severity levels that even if you struggle with a disorder, it’s hard to un-
can study for a test for hours upon end, but when they get to the test day, it can all go wrong. The anxiety of stress and college doesn’t help either. That’s why tests should not be the only factor for determining one's grade. This is not the only mental disorder that can mess with one’s academic ability. Having depression and going through college is one of the most challenging things to do and those who are able to get through it are the true warriors of the world. People that have depression don’t even understand other people with depression. Depression is something that is hard to understand and there are times when you can be happy and sad. It’s hard to function or care about school when you are going through an episode. It’s hard to even find the motivation to get out of bed and attend class. All in all, having depression and attempting college is very hard to do. People who can manage school with a mental disorder are the true champions.
WC
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The editoral views of the Western Courier shall be confined to this editorial and are to be separate from news coverage otherwise noted. The editoral presented is based on the ideas and views of the WC editoral board.Columns are the opinions of the columnists alone and should not be construed as the opinions and beliefs of the WC staff as a whole.
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2018 Fall Semester Editorial Board
Edge Editor - Jonathan Lynch Editor-in-Chief - Devon Greene Opinions Editor - Allison Young
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PIXABAY
Monday, December 3, 2018
6 SPORTS
WesternCourier.com
Basketball from back page
Both teams threw down baskets until hallway through the second half when freshman, Ben Pyle drilled backto-back three pointers as the Leathernecks led 52-45. SEMO fought to cut the deficit to 57-52 with 2:29 to go, but Johnson responded with a right-wing trifecta. Webster drove in for a layup with one-minute left in the game for a double-digit lead and after missing his first
attempt; Pyle clenched the game with six consecutive free throws. The Leathernecks sunk eight threes and finished 14-of-17 from the charity stripe. Pyle records his first collegiate double-double with 18 points and 11 rebounds. Johnson scored 17 points with seven rebounds while Webster added 16 points against SEMO. The Leathernecks travel to the ‘Sunshine State’ of Florida for a match against Stetson University on Wednesday at 6 p.m.
GOLEATHERNECKS.COM
Marissa Purdum catches her breathe in between strokes at a home meet inside Brophy Hall.
Swim from back page
Marissa Purdum got a win of her own in the 50-yard freestyle, being the first to touch after 25.05 seconds. Perhaps the biggest performance for this team, however, came from Mathus in the 200-yard freestyle. She was the lone finisher under the two-minute-mark, good for another top finish. Mathus, despite their defeat as a team, remained optimistic about the future of the team and the growth they’ve seen thus far. “I am pleased to see that some of the things that we are working on in practice are starting to show up in their races,” Mathus said. “We've got a decent amount of time off before our next meet to really work on putting everything together for
our races from start to finish.” For the men’s team, they impressed right from the getgo and were particularly successful in their relay events. The squad was able to come away with wins in the 200-yard medley with a time of 1:35.30, along with the 200-yard freestyle medley where they managed a 1:26.66 mark. The team that took home the top finish in the 200-yard medley was comprised Brennan Bladel, Chance McQuigg, Samir Almhiemid and Adam Peterson. The lineup for the 200-yard freestyle medley largely featured the same members, aside from Phillip Kudela, who swam in the No. 2 spot. Their efforts came up just short against the Bulldogs, dropping the meet 142-115. Bladel, who has been arguably the team’s best swimmer this year, joined the win col-
umn for Leathernecks with two wins of his own in the 100-yard and 200-yard backstrokes. Other notable firstplace finishes from the Purple and Gold came from McQuigg and Peterson, who bested their competition in the 200yard breast stroke and 50-yard freestyle, respectively. One giant takeaway from this program near the season’s midway point is the production from Western’s freshman class. The potential this class carries for the team’s current and future success should have fans excited for what is to come in January. The Leathernecks will open the new year in Brophy Hall on Jan. 11 and 12. They are set to face off South Dakota State on Friday at 6 p.m. before a short turnaround against South Dakota and Eastern Illinois the following morning at 11 a.m.
CLASSIFIEDS
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For Rent
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Submit a classifieds ad to JD-Day@wiu.edu
Spacious 2-5 bedroom homes for rent. 10 month lease available. Great locations, close to bus stops, plenty off street parking, all new windows, AC, energy efficient furnace, hardwood and ceramic tile floors, free washer/dryer. Well maintained (24 hrs.) by local landlord. Call 309-255-1233. Houses for Rent 2016/2017: A&D Real Estate has several 3, 4 and 5 bedroom houses for rent, all with at least 2 bathrooms, recently rennovated and located close to campus. Call for a tour or visit our website at www.wiucollegerentals.com. Local landlord with a focus on clean and updated housing with personal service for your college housing needs. 309-313-1122. FALL INTO SAVINGS with Charleston Boulevard Apartments! Now offering SPECIAL RATES through Dec. 2017! Call for specific details 309-833-4545!. NICE, CLEAN, WELL MAINTAINED 1 TO 6 BEDROOM HOUSES FOR 2016-2017 Our houses have hard wood floors, ceramic tile, central air, washer and dryer and are close to campus with plenty of parking. We offer a ten month lease so you don’t pay for the months you aren’t here. Please call 309-255-1959 for a showing. Now showing for 2017 & 2018 year 2, 3, and 5 bedrooms homes all close to campus. Call 309-331-4565. Westen Investments: Leasing season has officailly begun, and we’re showing properties now! 1-5 bedroom houses close to campus are ready to be leased for this upcoming school year! Call our office at 309-833-5995 to schedule an appointment! Stay updated with us on Twitter @Western_Invest STC Investments now leasing for the 18/19 school year. We have 1-6 bedroom apartments/houses ready for you to call home! Check out our selection at www.stcinvestments.com. You can also find us on Facebook to see daily posts!
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JOSH PURNELL/COURIER STAFF
Ben Pyle shoots a layup in a home game against Knox College.
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. NICE, CLEAN, WELL MAINTAINED 1 TO 6 BEDROOM HOUSES FOR 2017-2018 Our houses have wood floors, ceramic tile, W/D, central air, and are close to campus with plentry of parking. We offer low rent and a 10 month lease to save you money! Call 309-255-1959 for a showing. Small 1BR apt near campus and downtown. All utilities included. (Electric, Water, DISH, Garbage) $500/month, $300 deposit. Available immediately. Also have 2BR, you pay electric. $600/month, $350 deposit available September 1st. Please contact 309-255-4367 for a showing. Timbercrest Apartments 1587 Riverview Drive Now showing 1 & 2 Bedroom Units. Very clean, close to WIU campus with bus stop in front of building. Washer/dryer available in most units, all other appliances included, FREE INTERNET, ceiling fans in every room, pet friendly. All units have off street parking and private decks overlooking campus. Both 10- and 12-month leases are available. Openings for Summer 2017 and school year 2017/2018. Deposit required. Phone (309)833-3192 and leave message. Westen Investments: Are you looking for an apartment? We are now showing our beautiful 1-3 bedroom apartments for this upcoming school year! Don’t like paying for utilities? Ask about our ALL UTILITIES options, and be sure to check out our website (westerninvest.com) to see our listings! Schedule an appointment with us today at 309-833-5995. The nicer apartments are going fast, excellent service- 24 hour emergency maintenance. Reasonable prices. Studio, 1-3 bedrooms, locations on/off campus available ‘18-’19 school year. Check us out at rentcollegepads.com. If interested, please call F & H Rentals 309/837-1705.
RATES $5.50 per issue (open rate) $4.00 per issue (campus rate)
For Rent Available now: Close to campus, clean studio apartments, excellent condition, reasonable rent, and partly furnished. Ceiling fans and a/c. Professionally maintained. No pets. Semester leases offered. Call 309 837 4369 and leave your phone number if not there. Email: MandKhousing@gmail.com ALL APARTMENTS - ALL INCLUSIVE Get control of your budget. Know exactly what you are spending each month. Each apartment includes free a/c, free heat, free electricity, free water, free cable tv, free hi speed internet, and free off street parking. Laundry on site. No noise policy. Bus stop across the street. Close to campus. Well maintained. Studios are $460/mo, One bedrooms are $620/mo. Call Doug at 309-255-8179 for an appointment. For Rent: Little Swan Lake, 30 min from campus. 2br, 2bth, heated double car garage with work area. $600 per mo. (309) 335-2206 after 6:00 pm, may leave message anytime. Spacious 3 Bedroom Upper in Duplex close to campus and Jackson St. All utilities furnished and appliances Includes cable and internet 18/19 school year $375.00 per Br Ph 309 255 8086 Please leave message Still have some nice large locations available at reasonable prices. Excellent service- 24 hour emergency maintenance. 1-8 bedrooms, locations on/off campus available ‘18-’19 school year. Pets at some locations. Check us out at rentcollegepads.com. If interested, please call F & H Rentals 309/837-1705. Looking for 2 roommates to share a 3-bedroom furnished house beginning in August for 2018-19. 10- to 12-month contract. New carpet, air, garage w/ storage, laundry. $300 each per month, plus utilities. Call Sharon at 309-338-3888.
Sports 7
Monday, December 3, 2018
@WesternCourier
Making sense of the NBA’s nonsense
Through 22 games, the NBA is out of control. Up is down, right is left and nothing makes sense anymore. The wild roller coaster of the NBA is full of twists and turns so far, so let’s take a minute to map it all out. First of all the Clippers are in the lead of the Western Conference. That’s right. Danilo Gallinari, Lou Williams, Tobias Harris and Montrezl Harrell are in the lead. Surprisingly this group of players are the most efficient team in the NBA right now. Leading the league in true shooting percentage and sixth in offensive efficiency is Tobias Harris. Harris is hot right now. Leading the league in effective field goal percentage, he averages over 26 points per game and is using the pick and roll to perfection. Head coach Doc Rivers has somehow found out how to beat the best teams. Back to back overtime wins against the Milwaukee Bucks and Golden State Warriors, this team went from debating how to make the playoffs to debating which playoff seed the can get, the first second or third.
Speaking of Golden State, what is going on? Before the season this team was compared to Team Monstars from “Space Jam.” A team that is now considered unfair to play in the NBA 2k game against your friends. A team so good, that it might just ruin the NBA, and yet here they are with nine losses sitting in third place. The team has shown that the locker room is fragile with such hot-headed egos like Draymond Green and Kevin Durant. They have shown vulnerability while Steph Curry was out with injury. They have proven to the world that this team is beatable. Will they be beatable come playoff time? Nobody knows the answer to that one. Whether or not Demarcus Cousins will electrify and revamp the Warriors to titan like power? While this team struggles every other team in the West will be eager to go on a winning streak to stack wins while they can. Another struggling team that before the season was expected to make the playoffs is the San Antonio Spurs. Greg Popovich said it bluntly after
losing their second straight game by over 30 points, “I have to do a better job.” Sitting at 10-12 and second to last in the standings the Spurs are losing control on their season. The defense isn’t there, the offense has too many short comings. This team will need to find some motivation to turn it around, and fast if they want to make the playoffs. The last struggling team I will evaluate is the Boston Celtics. Before the season there were three teams people debated coming out of the East the Toronto Raptors, the Philadelphia 76ers and of course Boston. While they both sit at the top of the leader board Boston sits at No. 6 only three games above .500. Gordon Hayward even said he belongs on the bench right now due to his performances. Players aren’t living up to their expectations and the defense has suffered. Surprisingly its due to the starting lineup. Jaylen Brown hinted earlier in the season that all the wings, him, Hayward and Jason Tatum all play alike. This is causing chemistry issues and giving Brad Stevens headaches. Back to the positives. Another surprising team has been the Denver Nuggets. After failing to make the playoffs in five straight years being shut down by the Timberwolves
in overtime on the last game of the season this team sits second in the West and eager to prove they can ball with the best. The youngest team in the NBA with an average age of 24.72 are playing exceptionally well. How? Let’s start with the obvious, Nikola Jokic. The European big is one of the best passers in the league with a shooting touch and a loud personality he has what it takes to prove his all-NBA talent. Meanwhile, Jamaal Murray and Gary Harris are both athletic guards who can shoot the ball well, especially off the dribble. Both players have come up clutch before and will be looked at near the end of games more often. Finally, the only veteran in their starting lineup Paul Millsap. After a win against the Trailblazers the locker room all voiced their love for Millsaps leadership. With around three minutes left in the game Millsap huddled his team and said, “We say we want to be a playoff team, it’s time to show everybody.” After that Murray hit two free-throws, Jokic made a great pass to Harris who buried a corner three. The won 113-112 and once again showed that they can win games. Most surprisingly has been their bench play. As the Nuggets are with-
out starter Will Barton, Isiah Thomas and rookie Michael Porter Jr. this team hasn’t gotten to it’s full potential yet. They still have more tricks up their sleeves, but the bench has played well in their absence. The Nuggets locker room believes Mason Plumlee is “the most underrated player in the NBA” and Monte Morris has been putting on a show. Leading the league in assist to turnover ratio 7.50:1 has earned the second-year player a permanent spot in the Nuggets rotation. Trey Lyles has multiple games scoring over 20 points as well as Juan Hernangomez. This team is playing with a huge chip on their shoulder missing the playoffs by one game last year, and each loss is a reminder of that. As the season continues to blossom into a wonderful thorny rose full of pain, beauty and confusion, each team will desperately try to find their groove and hold on to kryptonite for their enemies. Who will be holding the trophy at the end of the year? Who will avoid injury and find greatness? What underdog will make a name for himself this year? Only time will tell and if the rest of the NBA season follows the path of the first 20 games, expect some surprises.
UPCOMING GAMES dec. 4 - 11 a.m. woMen’s Basketball @ bradley dec. 5 - 6 p.m. men’s basketball @ Stetson University dec. 7 - all day track & Field @ early bird opener dec. 7 - 4:30 p.m. Women’s basketball vs. Eastern Illinois dec. 8 - 1p.m. women’s basketball vs. Northern Illinois
Swimming ends season on a high note By Jacob VanZuiden courier staff
Miranda Mathus competes in the butterfly event at a home meet in Macomb.
GOLEATHERNECKS.COM
KIRKSVILLE, Mo. — The Western Illinois University Leatherneck swim teams wrapped up their 2018 calendar year on Saturday, a year that has seen this squad’s individuals post elite-level production across the board. This ultra-talented young roster battled Truman State in an attempt to keep their momentum rolling into January. The Bulldogs posed a tough matchup, but Western gave it their best go, securing 11 different event wins. They faced some stiff competition last time out in the annual House of Champions dual-meet in Indianapolis, going up against schools like Cincinnati, U-Conn and Eastern Illinois, among others. The Purple and Gold flourished in the three-day event, setting at an impressive 13 top-10 school records. Record-breaking performances came with ease for this ever-improving roster. Perhaps the most eye-popping finish came at the hands
of freshman Adam Peterson, who notched a time of 20.61 seconds in the 50-yard freestyle, good for second-best all-time at Western Illinois. That was just the start of the Leathernecks’ record-setting trend. Junior Miranda Mathus’ efforts stood out as well with a 2:09.47 finish in the 200-yard individual medley, fourth-best time in school history. The Purple and Gold stayed hot in their trip to Truman State. The women’s team, while they were able to string together yet another strong outing, faced troubles with the Bulldogs. Truman State is a school known for their successful swimming program, and this year is no exception. While Western unfortunately ended up dropping this one 160-90, there were positive takeaways from several Leathernecks. One swimmer that saw herself victorious was Erica Hagen, who posted a time of 1:07.75 in the 100-yard breaststroke.
Men's page 6
Necks knotch road win against Redhawks By Taylor Jordan courier staff CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. — The Western Illinois University men’s basketball team made a late free throw to clinch the win 70-63 at SEMO on Saturday evening. Western pulled through a close game against the Redhawks, making their record 4-4. This victory marks the first road win for the Leathernecks since Nov. 22, 2017, at Southern Illinois. Western is coming off from an 83-58 victory over SIUE last Wednesday. “I give Western a lot of credit,” Cougars head coach Jon Harris said. “We knew they were a good team coming in. They have had a pretty challenging schedule.” The Leathernecks came out confident in getting another win.
“We had tough losses at Eastern Illinois and UT Martin,” head coach Billy Wright said. “All of the credit goes to our kids. They still had to go out there and do it. We had poise under pressure, took care of the ball and got defensive stops.
That’s what we need to be great at when it’s winning time. Our second unit in the second half did a tremendous job of coming in and extending the lead. I really challenged them at halftime and they gave us a lift off the bench then the started came back in to close the game.”
Kobe Webster knocked down a mid-range jumper at the 14:39 mark of the first half to build a 17-5 lead. The Redhawks entered on a 14-0 run over the next seven minutes, topped off with a Sage Tolbert layup for a score of 19-17. Western Illinois settled back into a 25-21 advantage on a right-side jumper by Issac Johnson with under four minutes left in the first half. Alex Caldwell secured the game at 27 for the Redhawks with a wing triple for halftime. Skler Hogan registered a careerhigh 18 points and Tolbert recorded a double-double of 11 points and 10 rebounds for Southeast Missouri.
Basketball page 6
Kobe Webster looks to find a shot at a home game last year in Western Hall.
FILE PHOTO