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THURSDAY, FEB. 13, 2020 VOLUME 94 ■ ISSUE 38

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LA VIDA

SPORTS

Networking goes digital, students learn skills online.

Tech finds rhythm in second half of Big 12 play.

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OPINIONS Planning affordable date ideas for Valentine’s Day.

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INDEX

Check out today’s Word on the Street about student’s Valentine’s Day plans.

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CAMPUS

Early preparation impacts exam performance

By ADÁN RUBIO

News & L a Vida Editor Depending on how classes are scheduled, some students may be preparing for their first exams.

Even if they are not, certain learning techniques may be helpful to get ready for their first or next exam.

Utilizing campus resources to get ideas on how to properly manage time and study may be a method students use.

Patrick Bohn, associate director of Texas Tech Support Operations for Academic Retention and the Learning Center, said the department is all about resources for students. The Learning Center offers free tutoring for students in certain classes.

In addition, one can make appointments with an academic coach on the Learning Center website.

“Sometimes, I don’t think students realize how many resources they have available to them be-

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cause they’re so focused on classes,” he said.

Along with not realizing what resources are available on campus, Bohn said some students have a negative mentality toward tests.

Some students may go into an exam thinking they will fail.

“You’re already setting yourself up for that to be the more likely realization with that mindset,” he said. “If you go into it going ‘You know what, I may not ace this, but I think I have enough knowledge and content that I’ve spent enough time on that I’m going to do well. There’s a more likely chance you’re going to do well with that mindset.”

In addition to being positive, Bohn said being proactive is the biggest thing.

“Start building up to that today rather than waiting until March and going ‘Oh man, that test is tomorrow. I’ve got to cram this whole thing,’” he said regarding students who procrastinate studying.

A student should set aside

studying time between classes when the brain is functioning, not at night when one is tired, Bohn said. For those who need to visualize their schedule with time set aside for studying, he said it is preferable to write a weekly schedule.

“What’s funny is it makes sense for all of us, but the hardest part is for us to actually do it,” he said regarding properly scheduling classes, studying and other time commitments, “and that’s hard, like I said, at any age.”

Whatever class a student takes, proper engagement during the class and preparation leading up to the exam may be necessary.

Justin Louder, associate vice provost for Tech eLearning and Academic Partnerships, said students should make an effort to plan out their assignments for online classes.

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FRIDAY, FEB. 14 Texas tech baseball outfielder Max Marusak steals third base in the bottom of the eighth inning against Oklahoma State during game three of the Lubbock CHASE SEABOLT/The Daily Toreador Super Regionals last season. Marusak is returning for his sophomore season after appearing in 48 games last year.

ECONOMY

Stock market trends hard to foresee

By ELIZABETH HERBERT Assistant News Editor

Although the stock market is incredibly difficult, if not impossible to predict, seeking to understand its fluctuations may help one limit uncertainty.

Xiaohan Ma, an assistant professor in the department of economics, said that from an economic perspective, the stock market is viewed in the same way as any other aggregate market.

“So, from the economic perspective, the stock market is like all the other markets in the economy,” he said. “So, if you look at, for example, the GDP (Gross Domestic Product), the aggregate product itself, so it has cycles. I mean, the longrun trend is increasing, but occasionally there may be fluctuations around the trend so that, you know, sometimes there is up, sometimes there is down.”

It may be impossible to pinpoint the causes of these fluctuations, but Ma said some factors, called fundamentals, influence what happens in the market.

“So, generally speaking, like in economics, you really think that there may be something called fundamentals, so economic fundamentals, that are the driving force of those ups and downs,” he said.

The stock market may be an indica-

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The Learning Center offers free tutoring and academic coaching to Texas Tech students. Students can visit the center in Drane Hall Room 164 or go to its website for more information.

tor of how well the economy of a country is doing, Ma said.

“So, nowadays, like the financial market itself, you can think of that as a fundamental for the overall economic growth,” Ma said. “So, the recent — the Great Recession was just due to some disturbance in the financial market, in the housing market, so the real GDP in the end declined, the economy experienced a recession; but then for the stock market, the fundamental of that is, some say, is like the future profitability of firms.”

Ma said when the general public expects a firm to do well, the firm’s stock price tends to increase, corresponding with an increase in the stock market overall. If people expect a stock to fall, it tends to fall because people refuse to invest in a stock with little odds of profitability.

Some people, Ma said, may believe the stock market repeats itself over time.

“So, now I think people may believe that the current situation is like last year, so before the market crashed — or I would say, before the index declined,” Ma said. “So, the situation is similar, so people might think that, you know, history will repeat, so we might have another kind of decline.”

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STUDYING CONTINUED FROM PG. 1 “What I recommend to students, especially students taking more than one online class, is making sure that you sit down and, either using a calendar in Outlook or a calendar on your phone or something, and map out when discussion posts are due, when initial posts or follow-up posts are due on discussion boards, when assignments are due and making sure that you have all of that in mind,” he said.

With upcoming major grades, such as exams, Louder said students need to keep these factors in mind in order to not get behind in studying.

Whether it be in person or online, the days prior to the first, or even the second, exam may require more than just planning time for classwork and studying.

Donell Callender, head of research instruction and outreach at the Tech Library, said she has taught the RaiderReady course, which consists of preparing students for a college environment in and out of

ECONOMY CONTINUED FROM PG. 1 The market may fluctuate for various reasons, some of which may be unknown. Ma said two of these reasons include firms becoming profitable and increased optimism in the market or profitability.

“So, you know, when people are over-optimistic about the market,” he said, “then they may believe that if they invest now, they will earn more in the future, but by investing in the stock market, then when a lot of people go to the market, it’s like the demand for the stock will increase. So, as a result, the price will increase — that is the index.”

If firm profitability is the cause of a market increase, Ma said he would expect the stock market would not decline in the near future.

It is when people are overly

that downtime, give your brain a break. I think that’s important too.”

Along with downtime, one should be sure to eat right and get enough rest each day, Callender said.

For some people, fewer hours of sleep may not be too bad, but others should be mindful of the number hours that are sufficient, Callender said.

LEARNING CENTER “I think all-nighters are something you can do • Free services are on occasion, but I wouldn’t offered to all enrolled do it for every test, for undergraduate every project, for every final,” she said. “Getting students at Tech to a good night sleep is difhelp them achieve ferent for everyone.” academic success Utilizing one’s time out• Open 8 a.m. to 8 side of classes is an aspect of p.m. Monday to preparing for exams, but enThursday, 8 a.m. gagement in the classroom to 5 p.m. Friday may be effective as well. and noon to 6 p.m.

Attending class is half Saturday and the battle, Callender said.

Being in class allows stuSunday dents to hear announce• Located in Drane ments regarding informaHall Room 164 tion about exam deadlines • Call 806-742-3664 and content. But, one should for more information make an effort to go beyond “That’s not good for you the information given dureither. You need to have ing class, she said.

“Knowing when to get balance in your life,” she said. “You need to do things help,” she said regarding you enjoy, you need to have another factor to consider

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the classroom. Teaching students proper studying techniques is one aspect of the course.

People need to enjoy their school life in order to be at their best, Callender said.

Studying too much or focusing too much on class assignments could be detrimental if a student does not take time for themselves.

optimistic in the market that a “bubble” may form.

“Then, when the bubble breaks, you know, it means the stock market actually will decline,” he said.

Then, when the bubble breaks, you know, it means the stock market actually will decline.

XIAOHAN MA ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF ECONOMICS

Aside from local influences, Ma said foreign happenings such as the Coronavirus and fear of the virus may also

influence the global market, which in turn may likely impact the market in the United States.

“But the stock market, you know, is affected by the level of risk,” he said. “So, if people believe that there is a higher level of risk due to that virus, then it may have a bigger impact on the stock market compared to other financial markets.”

Risk and expectation play a role in stock market fluctuations. Assistant professor from the department of economics Julian Ludwig said the mood, or animal spirit, of people explains how likely one is to invest.

“So, when animal spirit is low, that means nobody wants to invest anymore,” Ludwig said. “There might be investment opportunities, but nobody is in the mood to invest, and therefore firms shrink, the

FILE PHOTO/The Daily Toreador

Students study at the Texas Tech Learning Center in Drane Hall Room 164. The Learning Center provides a variety of free resources and services from online tutoring to one-on-one academic coaching. when needing to prepare for an exam. “There’s no shame in getting a tutor. There’s no shame in asking a fellow student or friend for help.”

A student’s professors are not the only source of

information, Callender said.

There are a lot of resources on campus dedicated to helping students in their educational journey.

“Along with school, life happens, right, and some-

economy shrinks, people lost their jobs and so on.”

The spirit animal term was coined by British economist John Maynard Keynes to describe the psychological aspects of one’s decision to either invest or not invest in the market when uncertain, according to the Investopedia website.

To encourage economic growth when the animal spirit of people is low, Ludwig said the government may intervene.

“For example, the Federal Reserve lowers the interest rate which makes saving money less attractive,” he said, “so if the interest rate is low, then you get very little money from your bank account, so you don’t want to put your money in the bank account anymore; you want to put it into the economy, and then you start buying businesses, you start consuming more, investing more and so on, and then that should help get the animal spirit up again.”

The animal spirit may fluctuate for a few reasons, one of which Ludwig said is simply random mood changes.

“The other theory is that people anticipate future growth,” he said, “so people are in a good mood for a reason because they know that new technology is going to come up or investing now is particularly attractive because they have some information about the future — that the future is good.”

Fall in new cases raises hope in virus outbreak BEIJING (AP) — The number of new cases of the coronavirus in China dropped for a second straight day, health officials said Wednesday in a possible glimmer of hope amid the outbreak that has infected over 45,000 people worldwide and killed more than 1,100.

Dr. Mike Ryan, the head of emergencies for the World Health Organization, said it is “way too early to try to predict the beginning of the end” of the crisis in China. But he said: “The stabilization in cases in the last number of days is very reassuring and it is to a great extent the result of the huge public health operation in China.”

China has locked down an unprecedented 60 million people in an effort to curb the spread of the virus, which has hit hardest in the city of Wuhan and surrounding Hubei province.

T h e c o u n t r y ’s N a tional Health Commission said 2,015 new cases were counted on Tuesday, the second straight daily decline and down from nearly 3,900 a week ago.

Commission spokesman Mi Feng said the situation

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times, life throws you a curve,” she said. “Well, you got people here that are here that want to help and make sure you get through those difficult times.”

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is still grim but “we have seen some positive changes.”

WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in Geneva that the numbers “must be interpreted with extreme caution,” adding: “This outbreak could still go in any direction.” At the same time, he noted that the number of other countries reporting cases — about two dozen — has not changed since Feb. 4.

All but one of the deaths recorded so far have been in China, as have more than 99% of all reported infections in the world.

“In principle at the moment, there’s no evidence out there that this virus is out there causing efficient community transmission in other countries,” Ryan said. “We have a window of opportunity to shut this virus down.”

At the end of a two-day meeting aimed at speeding the development of new tests, drugs and vaccines for the new virus, WHO said scientists had agreed upon a set of global research priorities but warned it could still take considerable time before any licensed products might be available.

In other developments: ECONOMIC FALLOUT Chinese President Xi Jinping promised tax cuts and other aid to industry as the ruling Communist Party tries to limit the mounting damage to the economy.

The country is struggling to restart its economy after the annual Lunar New Year holiday was extended to try to keep people home and contain the virus.

Traffic remained light in Beijing, and many people were still working at home.

Companies are facing increasing losses because of the closing of factories, offices, shops and other businesses in the most sweeping anti-disease measures ever imposed.

A large cluster of cases in Tianjin, a port city southeast of Beijing, has been traced to a department store, Chinese state media said. One-third of Tianjin’s 104 confirmed cases are in Baodi district, where the store is situated, the Xinhua News Agency reported.

A salesperson in the store’s home appliance section was the first diagnosed on Jan. 31, Xinhua said, and a series of cases followed. None of those infected had visited Wuhan recently, and with the exception of one married couple, they worked in different sections of the store and did not know one another.

Meanwhile, organizers of the world’s biggest mobile technology fair — the annual Mobile World Congress show, set for Feb. 24-27 in Barcelona, Spain — canceled the event because of worries about the viral outbreak.

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CAREERS

LA VIDA

Page 3 Thursday, feb. 13, 2020

Networking goes digital, students to learn skills online

By EMMA SIPPLE

technique point of view, like proper communication etiquette, addressing the alumni or whoever they’re talking to, you know, in a professional way, so proofreading, emails, proofreading, tell me about yourself elevator pitch kind of things,” he said. “We will assist.”

Copy Editor

With the rise of jobs in remote locations and sites like LinkedIn, students have more options to have jobs across the country and globe.

With all these jobs comes a change in the traditional idea of networking.

“You can connect with people from around the w o r l d i n s t a n t l y, a n d have connections,” Jay Killough, director of the University Career Center said. “I think with social media and with other types of professional sites like LinkedIn would be a primary service that students can use. I think it’s a great way for people to make a c o n n e ct i o n , meet with somebody from around the world that they’ve never talked to you before.”

LinkedIn also lets students be more passive in job hunting as employers can search for them, Lisa Low, an assistant professor of practice in public relations, said.

“Students will learn in my course and upload it to their LinkedIn and all of a sudden they get someone who’s

NEXT RESUME CRITIQUE DAY • • • FILE PHOTO/The Daily Toreador

Donna Srader, assistant director of student development, critiques freshman Austin Phillips’ résumé on Résumé Critique Day in the University Career Center. The Career Center offers a variety of events to help students improve networking skills looking for someone who has experience with Hootsuite or social media certification,” she said. “That kind of thing happens very frequently.”

In regard to networking, Low said the rise of sites like Slack, Yammer and Microsoft Teams allow for personal relationships and communication across offices and time zones.

Low said she and the public

relations department try to get students comfortable with using networking sites.

“Our students are all required to create a LinkedIn profile,” she said. “They are required to make that robust in terms of, you know, how to write a headline, how to have a headshot that is going to be on the professional side rather than the

unprofessional side.”

Her students use either Slack, Microsoft Teams or Yammer to collaborate on classwork in her graduate courses, she said.

It takes practice learning how to be professional while networking and the Career Center can help students, Killough said.

“I think it’s more of a

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Jussie Smollett takes new hit with revived charges CHICAGO (AP) — He’s stopped posting to his Twitter account, his last Instagram post was eight months ago, and his acting and singing careers appear to be at a standstill.

Former “Empire” actor Jussie Smollett has all but vanished from public view in the year since Chicago detectives accused him of paying two brothers to stage a racist and anti-gay attack on him because he was unhappy with his salary and wanted to promote his career.

But Smollett was thrust back into the spotlight on Tuesday after a grand jury indicted him for a second time on charges of lying to the police, in a case that drew worldwide attention.

David E. Johnson, the CEO and founder of Strategic Vision PR Group, an Atlanta-area public relations firm that has no ties to the case, said the new charges couldn’t be worse news for Smollett if he had any hopes of reviving his career.

“It brings everything back,” said Johnson. “Nobody was really talking about it. ... Now, unless

he’s acquitted and totally vindicated, this is the end of his career.”

“Even people who were giving him the benefit of the doubt for so long” would not be able to defend him, Johnson said.

But Eric Rose, a partner in the public relations firm Englander Knabe & Allen, said that how the actor responds to the latest charges could determine whether he can recover.

“The public is extremely forgiving and allows people to make mistakes, but you have to own up to your mistakes and apologize in sincere fashion, and he has done none of that,” said Rose, who specializes in reputation management a n d c r i s i s c o m m u n i c ations. He said he doesn’t believe Smollett’s claims of innocence.

Smollett, who is black and gay, originally was charged with disorderly conduct in February 2019 for allegedly staging the attack and then lying about it to investigators.

His story — he said two men beat him up, shouted racist and anti-gay slurs, threw bleach on him and

put a noose around his neck — fell apart when brothers Abimbola and Olabinjo Osundairo, who were bodybuilders and aspiring actors whom Smollett knew from the “Empire” set and the gym, told police the actor had paid them $3,500 to stage the attack.

Even so, the charges were abruptly dropped last March with little explanation, angering police officials and then-Mayor Rahm Emanuel, and leading to the appointment of a special prosecutor to review the decision.

Special Prosecutor Dan Webb said in a statement

Tuesday that Smollett faces six felony counts of disorderly conduct stemming from four separate false reports that he gave to police.

Smollett, who has maintained his innocence, has spent the past year in legal fights with the city of Chicago, which sued him in an attempt to recover more than $130,000 in overtime that was paid to officers involved in investigating Smollett’s report. Smollett’s attorneys have said the city should not be allowed to recover costs from Smollett because it accepted $10,000 from the actor “as payment in full in connection with the dismissal of the charges against him.”

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He said the best way for students to get jobs is through networking and connections.

“The more connections you have and the more people you know in the industries that you’re wanting to get into, the better your chances are

having a résumé looked at in that company,” he said.

“If I know you and I’ve got positions open, you apply to me, you know, I can refer you up.”

Killough said being able to introduce oneself professionally and state one’s goals is also key for job opportunities.

Low said the skills are important to learn since networking will only continue to grow digitally.

“You’re seeing a lot of the rise of remote workers and we need we must be comfortable. Even if we end up working in the same building with our teams,” Low said. “It’s important to be able to work virtually no matter where you are on the planet, you should be able to, you know, login to whatever technology you’re using and be productive, contributing member of a team.” @EmmaSippleDT

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COLUMN

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Planning affordable date ideas for Valentine’s Day

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have often heard the phrase “Valentine’s Day is every day if you’re with the right person.” While this is true, I feel as though the day still has a deeper, special meaning. No matter who you are or how long you’ve been dating, almost everyone wants to feel that specialness that Valentine's Day brings.

The extra love and sweetness in the air, the fresh-cut roses that sit in the aisles of your favorite market and the Michael Bublé love songs can really get someone feeling warm, fuzzy and eager for a special night out. However, being in college can sometimes affect the amount we spend on a nice, fancy date, and even more so, chances are that your favorite restaurant is already booked up for the night. In this case, what do we do to ensure that our significant other can experience a romantic night that they’ve been wanting (or secretly wanting)?

Angela Contreras is a senior public relations major from Sabinal.

While a fancy dinner date sounds like the normal and most popular thing to do for Valentine’s, I want to assure you there are many other affordable, creative and cute ideas for you and your partner to do to celebrate your love and time together.

The first and perhaps most affordable idea is a classic at-home romantic dinner.

This first one makes dining together still the center of your night festivities while being a little less hard on the wallet and a little more intimate. This idea is wonderful because both of you still get to dress up fancy and share a nice meal together.

Pick you and your partner’s favorite meal like steak,

Valentine’s Day

the same amount of fun but are just a bit pricier. With bowling, there is time for fun, easy foods and some easy competition. There are some great bowling places out there that even offer cool things like lights-out bowling.

A third option similar date option to keep Valentine’s Day low-key is taking a trip to the skate rink.

Skating together falls under a more cost-effective outing ,just like bowling. However, it can take some more skill, but you’ll get more falls and of course more laughter. This is a great way to experience something new and challenging with your partner. Having to either rely on one another to ensure you don’t fall or show off how great you are skating can create some laughs and good memories.

Another amazing way to save money while still creating a romantic experience is a DIY wine tasting. Wine tasting can

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shrimp fettuccine or even a nice slow beef roast along with some desert and wine— and cook it at home. For more fun, you two can cook it together. Or, you can have your significant other come over after you have cooked, set the table, lit a candle and set the flowers. This still provides a romantic mood and even allows you and your partner to enjoy more private time rather than being out with a multitude of other couples trying to enjoy dinner.

Another cute date idea to try out; bowling. No matter how long you two have been together, a little competition is a great way to add some fun to your relationship and allow you to get to know one another even more. I mention bowling because it has been one of the most cost-effective outings that I have experienced yet. However, there are many other activities such as mini golf, movies, go-kart racing and etc. that allow for

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be so fun, but it can also be so pricey. The silver lining is to create your own wine tasting at home. You can make it romantic with the things mentioned in our first at home idea, or you can make it completely goofy and fun.

With this idea, you can both go to the store and pick out multiple cheap bottles of wine and some groceries for dessert making. When you get home, label the bottles by number and start tasting. At the end of your wine tasting, separately write down your favorite wines by the number and then compare your list to each other's. If you are not the wine type, feel free to do this will specialty beers or margaritas.

Last but not least, who says Valentine’s Day is just for romantic partners? You can be single and still experience the magic of Valentine’s Day with people that are close to your heart. Last

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year, my friend group of both males and females got together and enjoyed a game night. We each brought an appetizer or a dessert, some beverages of our choice, and got together to just enjoy each other’s company. We laughed, ate and drank and just enjoyed making new memories together while playing games. Valentine's Day is a celebration of love for everyone—not just those in romantic relationships.

Whatever you choose to do for Valentine’s, I’m sure it’ll be great. You can utilize any of these ideas or gain some new ideas from them. Just remember that whatever you do—it should be unique to your relationship or friendship. If you’d rather stay in and be comfy or go out and enjoy the night, whatever you choose is perfect for you and yours. Stay safe and have a happy Valentine’s Day. @AngContrerasDT

Marcus Gutierrez is a sophomore creative media industries major from Houston.

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COLUMN

Debating if Valentine’s Day should be celebrated

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alentine’s Day has been the most publicized day for couples to make extravagant plans and go on expensive dates, but why?

Over the past 15 years, I have had nothing but bad experiences with the holiday

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Marcus Gutierrez is a sophomore CMI major from Houston.

whether it be botched dates or canceled plans. Sure, it can be seen as a just personal experience that turned out bad, but I still fail to see the true value in the holiday.

In the eyes of a person in a relationship, shouldn’t every day be dedicated to your significant other and the relationship you both share? I find it unnecessary for there to be one special day when there already are so many. Whether it be birthdays or anniversaries, couples already have many special days for each other.

Valentine’s Day was originally a day to show love to everyone and present them with a small token of appreciation and equal affection.

This has changed with the turn of the century to a day dedicated random dating or the costly dinners that have tainted the holiday with desperation and anxiety.

Not only that, with the pressure to provide the onslaught of

gifts and dinners, the holiday can get a bit expensive for the everyday worker and drive any person into a state of stress.

Whereas a couple is supposed to be with each other and enjoying their time together, they now are left wondering what they did wrong or what they forgot to buy.

With the passing of time and our generation getting older, we have been introduced to the start of our adult lives and we have to focus on that.

That may sound bad but where we are in life, we have responsibilities to ourselves to ensure a better future instead of wasting so much energy on a single day of the year.

In reality, this holiday has little significance. It should be an appreciation for you and your significant other, but it’s been muddled by the stress put on people to go out of their way to make extravagant plans. All in all, this holiday has lost its true meaning, and is not worth celebrating. @MGutierrezDT

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espite its capitalist and profit-centered roots in the United States, Valentine’s Day still has a sweet connotation that can be used as an excuse for lovers and family members alike to go out of their way to spend time with one another and remember their feelings for one another.

As a young, rebellious teenager, I always questioned the purpose of the holiday. What’s the point of having a specific day of love when we should be loving those in our lives every day?

To an extent, I still agree with this sentiment. We should absolutely be showing our loved ones they are valuable and dear to us—at the very least, this is what we should strive to do. Our loved ones should never be questioning their importance in our lives.

On the other hand, as an adult I’ve come to realize not many people intentionally neglect those around them.

Most of the time, we just get

Gloria Matheson is a senior political science major from Round Rock.

too busy and comfortable in our day to day lives and only remember every once in a while to make our loved ones feel important. The reality of adulthood is we get too caught up in mundane parts of life. Whether it be work, school or taking care of the home, there is always an excuse, always something stopping us from going the extra mile.

Valentine’s Day is the perfect time to be intentional about the time we spend on others and recommit to being better partners, better friends, better children to our parents, better people overall. Even though we should be doing these things every day, sometimes it’s nice to have something specific to remind us of this.

That being said, I still don’t think the traditional capitalist notion of the holiday is the right way to go.

There’s no need for an over-

priced meal, a bouquet of roses or huge heart-shaped box of chocolates from the Hershey Company. Valentine’s Day should be so much more than those things, so much more than what it was in the past.

Valentine’s Day is a valuable holiday because it’s about the connection between loved ones. It should be about quality time, intentionality and devotion to loving one another well.

There is a lot that can be derived from celebrating this holiday. The main issue lies with its marketing, which continues to perpetuate the notion that only couples can celebrate, that it can only be enjoyed if we have that “someone special” to spend it with.

This couldn’t be further from the truth—Valentines Day should be about celebrating all of our loved ones to remind them just how much they mean to us. @GMathesonDT

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Opinions Editor Gloria Matheson opinions@dailytoreador.com Multimedia Editor Audrey Kerr photo@dailytoreador.com Digital Content Manager Mallory Rosetta online@dailytoreador.com Copy Editor Akhila Reddy Emma Sipple online@dailytoreador.com

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SPORTS

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MEN’S BASKETBALL

Page 5 Thursday, Feb. 13, 2020

Tech finds rhythm in second half of Big 12 play

By JAY STRADER Staff Writer

With the losses the No. 24 Texas Tech men’s basketball team has suffered this season, it may seem as though the team is in worse shape than last year. But at this point last season, Tech had lost five games and was ranked at No. 14 in the country. This year’s team is not far behind from a record or rankings standpoint.

Tech will go into Saturday night’s matchup against Oklahoma State with a 16-8 record, in part due to a three game losing streak at the beginning of conference play when Tech was without its best offensive player freshman Jahmi’us Ramsey.

Still, Tech has played well at times this season. The Red Raiders beat No. 1 Louisville in Madison Square Garden by 13 points. Tech lost to No. 15 Kentucky and No. 3

Kansas by a combined five points, but head coach Chris Beard said Tech played good basketball for 40 minutes in each of those games.

The Red Raiders’ current three-game win streak may not look that impressive on the outside looking in because they beat lower tier Big 12 teams, but if one looks deeper, they are some of the best wins Tech has put together all season.

The game against Oklahoma ended with a 69-61 victory by Tech led by TJ Holyfield and Kyler Edwards’ 38 combined points. The Sooners were coming off a 13-point win over Oklahoma State three nights before and had momentum going into the game. Oklahoma had a one-point lead at the half and was shooting well from behind the arc. But in the second half, Tech held the Sooners to just 4-14 from beyond the arc and went on

a 13-5 run at the five-minute mark when the game was tied to win the game.

Oklahoma gave No. 1 Baylor everything it had a few weeks prior to the Tech game and lost by only four points. The Sooners bounced back from the Tech game and beat No. 14 West Virginia by 10 points.

Tech then traveled to Austin to take on the Longhorns in the first meeting between the two squads. Texas got a 16-point lead early and went into halftime with 31-19 lead.

But, Tech flipped a switch and exploded for 43 secondhalf points to complete the comeback. Tech’s second half defense again made its presence known as the Longhorns shot 2-11 from the threepoint line in the second half.

After that game, Tech came back to Lubbock and dismantled TCU in route to a 46-point victory, its largest margin of victory in Big

12 play ever. TCU shot 26 percent from the field and 16 percent from beyond the arc and did not make a field goal for nearly 10 minutes in the second half of the game. Tech shot 60 percent from the field and from the three-point line as five Red Raiders finished with double-digit points.

Tech is now third in the Big 12 standings behind Baylor and Kansas, but leads the conference in three-point percentage, assists per game and is second in field goal percentage.

Last year the Red Raiders finished Big 12 play on a nine-game win streak and went on to win a share of the Big 12 championship.

Although Baylor and Kansas sit comfortably at the top of the conference with just one combined Big 12 loss between them, the Red Raiders’ strong play as of late should be a good sign for Tech fans. @JayStraderDT

MADELINE DIFFEE/The Daily Toreador

Freshman guard Jahmi’us Ramsey shoots a one handed jumper during the Texas Tech Men’s Basketball game against Texas Christian University Monday, Feb. 10, 2020, in the United Supermarkets Arena.

The Red Raiders defeated the Horned Frogs, 88-42.

FOOTBALL

Wells hires two new coaches for Tech football staff

By MAX HENGST Sports Editor

Over the past week, Texas Tech football head coach Matt Wells added two coaches to the Red Raiders’ staff.

Wells hired Kevin Cosgrove as Tech’s linebackers coach on Tuesday, according to a Tech Athletics news release.

Cosgrove will head to Lubbock after spending the 2019 football season as LSU’s lead defensive analyst. The Tigers went on to win the national title after an undefeated season.

“I am thrilled to have the

opportunity to coach at Texas Tech,” Cosgrove said according to the release.

The 2020 season will mark Cosgrove’s 40th year of collegiate coaching, according to the release. Of his 39 seasons coaching, Cosgrove was a defensive coordinator for 22 seasons.

As well as coaching in 19 bowls games, he has also coached over 50 players who continued their careers at the professional level.

Of those players, he coached four NFL first-round draft picks and 16 All-Americans.

Along with hiring Cosgrove, Wells added Derek Jones as the

program’s associate head coach, co-defensive coordinator and secondary coach on Wednesday, according to the release. This will not be the first time Wells and Jones have coached next to one another. Jones worked with both Wells and defensive coordinator Keith Patterson at Tulsa in 2006.

“Coach Jones has long been one of the top defensive backs coaches in the country, and we couldn’t be happier for him to join our staff,” Wells said, according to the release.

Jones has been coaching for 22 years, spending time

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with defensive backs his entire career, according to the release.

Jones will head to Lubbock after coaching 12 seasons at Duke. In his final two seasons with Duke, Jones served as the Blue Devils’ associate head coach.

Before arriving at Duke, the Blue Devils were a bottom-tier football team. After Jones’ arrival, Duke won an ACC Coastal Division title and have gone to six bowl games in its last eight seasons. The Blue Devils also set a school record in wins and recorded its first bowl win since 1961 under Jones’ guidance.

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6

SPORTS

FEB. 13, 2020

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BASEBALL

Lineup changes occur, Tech set to open season

By MAX HENGST Sports Editor

As the 2020 Texas Tech baseball season approaches, the team has seen several changes compared to last year ’s College World Series team.

One major change is the absence of the Red Raiders’ top three offensive players.

Last year, Cameron Warren, Josh Jung and Gabe Holt played their last season at Tech as they were selected in the 2019 MLB Draft. One of the main reasons the three went pro was their consistency at the plate.

Warren led the Red Raiders in almost every offensive category, recording a teamhigh .355 batting average,

86 hits, 79 RBI and 18 home runs, according to Tech Athletics. His RBI total led the Big 12 as he also ranked second in the conference in batting average and home runs. Jung ranked second on the team with a .343 batting average, 58 RBI and 15 home runs while leading the team with 23 doubles. Holt was the Red Raiders’ leadoff hitter for both of his seasons at Tech. Last year, Holt led the team with 28 steals and ranked second with 83 hits.

Along with their absence on the offensive end, the Red Raiders will look to replace the trio at first base, third base and right field defensively. As the season nears, head coach Tim Tadlock said there are no official start-

ers and several players are capable of filling the spots.

With a new season, Tadlock said several returners have practiced playing different positions.

“We like to ask these guys to be baseball players and they’ll play a few places,” Tadlock said. “You’re really just trying to be as complete as you can when you move guys around.”

To fill Jung’s role at third base, Tadlock said junior Dylan Neuse is in the running to play the position after spending last season in center field. Juniors Parker Kelly and Easton Murrell could also be seen at third as they each earned a few starts last year. Josh Jung’s younger brother Jace Jung

is also capable of filling the role, Tadlock said.

Last season’s team never had a true starter at shortstop, resulting in Josh Jung starting the end of the season at the position. This season, Tadlock said freshmen Cal Conley and Jared Cushing have a good shot at playing the position.

At second base, senior Brian Klein is expected to keep his starting spot. Although Klein has been at second base since his freshman season, Tadlock said Jace Jung has shown he is capable of playing the position as well.

To fill Warren’s spot at first base after he started 65 of his 66 games playing at the position, Tadlock said

there are several players.

He said he would like to see sophomore Cole Stilwell or redshirt freshman T.J. Rumfield start at first. Freshman Nate Rombach could also have a chance at playing first when he is not behind home plate.

Rombach and junior Braxton Fulford are the two Red Raiders who are expected to start at catcher.

Behind Fulford and Rombach, Tadlock said freshman Bo Willis and Stilwell could also play behind the plate if needed.

Regarding the outfielders, Tadlock said the spots consist of relatively the same guys who played last season.

Junior Cody Masters along with sophomores Dru Baker

and Tanner O’Tremba are competing for left and right field, Tadlock said. If Neuse is not at third base, he would be in the running for center field. Sophomore Max Marusak will play in either center or right field. Tadlock said freshman Dillon Carter and junior Kurt Wilson are good defensive guys who could also be seen in the outfield.

Tadlock said the team is trying to transition Murrell to play in the outfield since his batting is up to par for the Big 12.

With Tech opening its 2020 season at 1 p.m. against Houston Baptist, 14 studentathletes will make their Red Raider debut at Dan Law Field at Rip Griffin Park. @MaxHengstDT

FILE PHOTOS/The Daily Toreador

LEFT: Senior infielder Brian Klein throws the ball to first base for a double play during game two of the NCAA Super Regionals against Oklahoma State on June 8, 2019 at Dan Law Field at Rip Griffin Park. The Cowboys walked off the Red Raiders, 6-5. RIGHT: Junior outfielder Dylan Neuse hits the ball to right field for a single during game two of the NCAA Super Regionals against Oklahoma State on June 8, 2019, at Dan Law Field at Rip Griffin Park. Both Neuse and Klein returned for another season at Tech.

BASEBALL

Tech set to open 2020 season against Houston Baptist

By MAX HENGST Sports Editor

The No. 6 Texas Tech baseball team is set to open its 2020 season on friday against Houston Baptist. The first pitch is

set for 1 p.m. at Dan Law Field at Rip Griffin Park.

Tech is coming off its deepest College World Series run in program history, getting knocked out in the semifinals. As the Red Raiders look to

make a trip to Omaha for the fifth time in seven seasons, the expectations for the team remain high.

In the preseason, the Red Raiders were picked to finish first in the Big 12 by the conference coaches.

Nationally, Tech ranked among the top-10 teams by all six of the major baseball publications.

Four of the publications gave the Red Raiders a No. 3 preseason ranking while the other team had Tech ranked at No. 6.

With the preseason praise, Tech will look to have its sixth 45+ win season under head coach Tim Tadlock. Last season, the Red Raiders posted a 46-20 overall record while going 30-7 at Dan Law Field. Tech did not lose a single series at home last season.

Houston Baptist will try to challenge the Red Raiders in Lubbock after

posting an 18-35 overall record last season. The Huskies struggled on the road last year, finishing 4-22 against teams outside of Houston.

Although the Red Raiders had a successful 2019 season, they will be without three of their top four batters. With Josh Jung, Cameron Warren and Gabe Holt continuing their careers in the pros, sophomore Dru Baker will look to continue his consistent batting this season. Last year, he ranked third on the team with a .321 batting average, adding 44 hits and three home runs. Senior Brian Klein is the only other re-

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turner who posted a .300 or higher batting average last season with a .315.

He ranked fourth on the team with 81 hits and third with 57 RBI. Houston Baptist’s top offensive player is Brandon Bena. Last season, Bena led the Huskies with a .313 batting average and 36 RBI, according to Houston Baptist Athletics. He also ranked second on the team with 60 hits and five home runs. Also returning for the Huskies is their leader in hits, Trent Franson, who recorded 61 last year. Their leader in home runs last season also remains on this year ’s roster after hitting six out of the park.

Regarding pitching, t w o o f Te c h ’s s t a r t e r s last season will return to the mound in sophomore Micah Dallas and junior Bryce Bonnin. In his freshman season, Dallas ranked third on the team with 84 strikeouts in 76 innings pitched. Bonnin threw in 64 innings, striking 65 batters out in his first season as a Red Raider after transferring from Arkansas. Dallas and Bonnin were two of three pitchers last season to be credited with at least seven wins.

For Houston Baptist, Kyle Gruller is the only returning starting pitcher. Despite being their only starting pitcher to return, Gruller was the Huskies’ most reliable arm. Last season, Gruller led the pitching staff with a 2.18 ERA after throwing in 74.1 innings.

He also led the team with 85 strikeouts, leading all pitchers by at least 31.

Overall Tech will return 20 players for the 2020 season. 14 Red Raiders will make their debut at Tech as 10 studentathletes will start their collegiate careers. Four Red Raiders transfered from another college.

Following their season-opener on Friday, the Red Raiders will play a doubleheader on Saturday against Houston Baptist and Northern Colorado at noon and 4 p.m., respectively. The weekend will end with a second game against Northern Colorado at 3 p.m. on Sunday. @MaxHengstDT