Massachusetts Daily Collegian: March 5, 2014

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Wednesday, March 5, 2014

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Blood drive protests FDA ban

“I’ve learned that Bernstein spoke about reality contest if you have an idea that is truly innovaBy Josh Darling tive, people are going Collegian Correspondent to be wary of it.

Sports marketing pioneer J.B. Bernstein gave Their ‘no’s’ aren’t bea firsthand account of his experience as one of cause it’s a bad idea. the creators of the realIt’s because their ity contest “The Million Dollar Arm,” which vision hasn’t caught searched India for prospective professional baseup with yours.” ball talent, on Tuesday evening at the University of M a s s a ch u s e t t s ’ Student Union.

Bernstein, a 1990 graduate of UMass, spoke to the audience about his innovative TV show, which gathered 38,000 contestants from across India.

The winning pitcher was promised a $1,000,000 grand prize, along with professional training and a shot at playing in the major leagues. Bernstein’s story and the story of the winning contestants, Rinku Singh and Dinesh Patel, were documented in the soon-to-be-released Disney film, “The Million Dollar Arm.” Bernstein will be played by “Mad Men” star John Hamm.

The first season’s “Million Dollar Arm” winner, Singh, is now a promising young pitcher in the Pittsburgh farm system.

Already the first Indian athlete to be signed to a U.S. professional sports contract (at the minor league level), he stands to become the first Indian player in major professional American sports.

Bernstein and his cohorts’ tale is one filled with setbacks and strife, each of which he battled with perseverance.

“When I first came to

J.B. Bernstein people with this idea, they thought I was nuts. The head of MLB International actually told me that it was the worst idea he had ever heard,” Bernstein recalled. “I’ve learned that if you have an idea that is truly innovative, people are going to be wary of it. Their ‘no’s’ aren’t because it’s a bad idea. It’s because their vision hasn’t caught up with yours.”

Bernstein’s struggles began with his first dealings with Zee TV, the channel that aired his program.

“Doing business in India is … definitely something you have to get used to,” Bernstein said. “I detailed every aspect of my plan for (“The Million Dollar Arm”), went through various business models, and when I finished, the executive just said, ‘I like it. It shall be done.’ When I asked where the contracts I should sign were, he said, ‘Contracts?

Don’t you trust me?’”

Similar cultural differences proved to be obstacles when shooting.

Bernstein described the Indian business climate as a “crazy dance of bureaucracy and red tape, but at see

BERNSTEIN on page 2

CADE BELISLE/COLLEGIAN

David Dyson tells blood donor Christoph Krumm about the FDA ban prohibiting gay and bisexual men from donating blood.

Banned4Life aims to raise awareness

By Marie Maccune Collegian Staff

Crampton House was filled with donors and volunteers as the University of Massachusetts’ Stonewall Center and the UMass Red Cross Club held a community-wide Banned4Life blood drive on Tuesday.

According to its website, the Banned4Life Project focuses on repealing the FDA’s MSM policy, which bans men who have had sex with another man at least once since 1977 from donating blood for life. The FDA’s website cites increased risk of HIV, hepatitis B and other infections as the reasons for the policy.

“The club originally decided to become involved with the Banned4Life cause because several UMass Red Cross Club members and

other UMass students were discouraged by the FDA ban on gay men from donating blood,” said Kristin Cheney, a senior biology major and president of the UMass Red Cross Club. “The policy banning men who have sex with men from donating was put in place over 30 years ago and needs to be updated.”

“We are always excited at the chance to work with another organization to raise awareness about LGBTQ issues on campus, and we want to do our part to end the ban,” said junior political science and communication major Eric Smith, who is an undergraduate staff member at the Stonewall Center.

Matt Martel, a junior BDIC student concentrating in event management and entrepreneurship, has been volunteering with the American Red Cross for five years and coordinated the event.

As social media chair

for the UMass Red Cross Club, he reached out to both Blake Lynch, founder of the Banned4Life project, and the Stonewall Center to collaborate on a blood drive.

Martel hopes the event will help overturn what he sees as a discriminatory policy by raising awareness of the issue.

“Since tabling at the dining halls, more and more people have been taken aback about the policy and coming up to me, trying to get involved,” Martel said.

“Now almost every time I’m in Southwest, someone says to me, ‘The Red Cross doesn’t want my gay blood.’

And it’s almost like we’re being attacked for being part of the Red Cross when in reality it’s not a Red Cross policy, but an FDA one,” he continued. “It’s so sad because these students who are banned are healthy, they can save lives.”

In fact, Martel said, “(The)

Red Cross is totally ready to go ahead with this,” in terms of repealing the MSM policy.

“If this was uplifted, this could save so many lives.

Every two seconds, someone needs blood,” he said.

Tony Tran, a junior psychology major, was a volunteer at the drive with the Stonewall Center and said they saw a great turnout.

“I hope the ban gets overturned,” Tran said. “Years ago, homosexuality was associated with promiscuity, but now we’re coming into a time when people realize that members of the LGBTQ community are just like anyone else who walks down the street and wants to save a life.”

Student donors who attended the drive were passionate about doing their part to help others.

Jennifer Raichel, a sophomore studying environmensee

BAN on page 2

UMass HTM to host 40th Skipping class comes at annual Career Day today a price for UM students

65 companies will be in attendance

By Taylor gilMore Collegian Correspondent

Recruiters from more than 65 companies will be at the University of Massachusetts on Wednesday for the 40th annual Hospitality and Tourism Management Career Day, the largest student-run hospitality career fair in New England.

The event will take place from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Campus Center Auditorium. In addition to globally renowned Marriot, Hyatt and Starwood Hotels, there are 10 first-time companies registered for this year’s event. The HTM Career Day Committee is expecting faculty from

Isenberg and the hospitality program as well as over 200 students to attend throughout the day.

“It’s a hospitality career fair but it’s technically open to all students,” said Marketing Chairperson of HTM Career Day Alissa Mendelsohn. She added that it is a great opportunity for students looking to get involved in the field of hospitality because recruiters will be seeking students of all levels of experience for internships and management-in-training programs.

The HTM Career Day Committee began planning for the event in the fall. The committee is composed of nine undergraduate students, who went through an interview process to earn their positions. Collectively, they are responsible for

researching, contacting and registering companies, publicizing the event and hosting the annual senior reception.

Mohegan Sun and MGM Grand are two new companies that will be in attendance this year, giving students the opportunity to break into the casino industry.

“I think it’s great casinos are moving to Western Massachusetts because it will give students the opportunity to gain experience in casinos without having to leave the area,” Mendelsohn said. “In past years, many HTM students have been given internships and job placements either at Career Day or during corresponding interviews with recruit-

see

CAREER DAY on page 2

Costs of sleeping in can add up By laura DiaMonD Collegian Correspondent

For some students, skipping a class here and there might not seem like a big deal when catching up on sleep and assignments become a priority. The truth is, however, that students who skip class may be wasting more money than they think.

The University of Massachusetts charges $2,062 for one credit. This number includes tuition and the mandatory curriculum, service and activities fee. The cost of three credits is $2,205 and the cost of four credits is $2,275.50, according to the Office of the Bursar. Because most students take three- and four-credit

classes, this can really add up.

Skipping just one threecredit class that meets three times a week will cost you $52.50, while a four-credit class will cost $54.20. If your class only meets twice a week, it’s even more expensive. Skipping one three-credit class is equivalent to throwing away $78.75, while one fourcredit class is like losing $81.30.

But many students remain unaware of these figures when choosing to stay in bed on those early mornings.

Michael Cole, a junior psychology major, said he often skips class for a variety of reasons.

“If I’m tired or I pulled an allnighter the night before or if I didn’t do the homework for the class then I don’t see the point in going,” Cole said. Recently, Cole said he skipped class to watch the Sochi Olympics.

Anthropology Professor Eric Johnson said he tries to encourage students like Cole to attend class as much as possible. In his lectures, Johnson takes attendance using individual slips of paper on which students sign their names and hand in at the end of class.

With 132 people in Anthropology 208, his system works well enough for him to easily identify which students haven’t been attending the lectures. Johnson said he will send those students an email in the first half of the semester to reiterate that attendance counts toward their grades.

Johnson had a different method when he taught an 8 a.m. class, knowing it would be difficult to get students to attend. As an incentive, those who came see

SKIPPING on page 3

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THE MASSACHUSETTS DAILY COLLEGIAN

Wednesday, March 5, 2014

THE RU N D OW N ON THIS DAY...

In 1933, President Franklin Roosevelt declared a “bank holiday,” closing all banks and freezing all financial transactions in an attempt to prevent “bank runs,” or people withdrawing all of their money in a panic.

AROUND THE WORLD

South Africa PRETORIA, South Africa — A neighbor of Olympian Oscar Pistorius told the High Court in Pretoria on Tuesday that she thought she heard a woman loudly arguing with someone the night the athlete shot dead his girlfriend, model Reeva Steenkamp.

Estelle Van der Merwe, who lives less than 100 yards from Pistorius’ house said she was was awoken at 1:06 a.m. by the sound.

About two hours later, she told the court, she heard four loud bangs. Van der Merwe said she asked her husband what the sounds were and he told her they were gunshots.

Pistorius killed Steenkamp in the early hours of Valentine’s Day last year when he shot through the closed door of the toilet, off the bathroom. According to prosecutors he fired four shots, including one that hit her head.

Los Angeles Times

Egypt CAIRO — Authorities detained and then turned away a San Franciscobased political activist after she arrived in Egypt with the intention of traveling to the Gaza Strip, Egyptian officials said Tuesday.

The activist, Medea Benjamin, boarded a return flight to Istanbul, where her organization said she planned to seek medical treatment for injuries suffered while in Egyptian custody.

Benjamin is a co-founder of Code Pink, which describes itself as a grassroots social justice movement.

Benjamin had tweeted from a holding cell at the Cairo airport that police had broken her arm after holding her overnight.

Later, the Bloomberg news agency quoted her as saying by phone that police had “pulled my arm out of the socket.” Egyptian authorities denied any maltreatment.

Los Angeles Times Distributed by MCT Information Services

CAREER DAY

ers they networked with at the event.”

Networking, internships and career fairs seem to be all the buzz on campus in recent weeks, but Mendelsohn said it’s nothing to stress about.

“Don’t be afraid to interact with recruiters because they are here to connect with up and coming industry professionals,” she said, adding that students should always “dress appropriately in business professional attire at any career event.”

“You want to make a good impression,” she said.

Junior HTM major

BAN

continued from page 1

Stephanie Colangelo said she is eager to attend the event to network with recruiters and see what options are available in HTM for postgraduates.

“I’ve attended the event for the past two years,” she said. “It’s a great learning experience. The face time you get with recruiters prepares you for interviews and gives you practice for when you are searching for a job or internship. It’s beneficial to students at any point in their college career.”

Taylor Gilmore can be reached at tgilmore@umass.edu.

continued from page 1

tal science, is a 12-time donor. “I donate blood because I’m not an organ donor and this is my way to do my part,” she said.

“By just donating blood, you save three lives,” freshman accounting major Bill Sennott said. “People think that as one person, you can’t really make a difference. But that’s not true.

To those three lives, you’ve made all the difference.”

The Banned4Life project began when Lynch was turned away from donating blood for a friend because he was gay. The

goal of Banned4Life blood drives are to raise awareness about the MSM policy, and for eligible donors to give blood in honor of those who cannot.

“Banned4Life is more than a rights movement,” Lynch said in a press release. “It is a reminder that everyone can be affected by simple policies put forth by those who fear change.”

Marie MacCune can be reached at mmaccune@umass.edu and followed on Twitter at @MarieMacCune.

BERNSTEIN the end of the day, everyone just wants a buck.”

Bernstein specifically recalled an instance in which technical oversights, corrupt politicians and the lack of local knowledge on fuses led to Bernstein shelling out $12,000 to fix a broken radar gun.

Bernstein noted the startling contrast of extreme wealth bordering extreme poverty, a phenomena that can be easily observed in most metropolitan areas of India.

“People of all creeds are truly happy with their lives in India,” Bernstein said. “Rich people don’t look down on poor, and poor people aren’t jealous of rich. There is a harmony there that could never exist in the United States.”

Bernstein recalled an Indian man asking him what he believed to be the purpose of life.

Too stunned to respond, Bernstein turned the question on its asker. According to Bernstein, the man said, “We’re all just a link in the chain. We maintain what comes before, improve it a little and pass it on.”

Bernstein took the lessons he learned in India to heart, and took a special interest in ensur-

continued from page 1

ing the success of Singh and the runner-up, Patel. A third winner was named, but could not continue to the U.S. Bernstein entertained the audience with lighthearted stories about the culture shock experienced by the contestants – Indian farm boys one day, playing baseball in major U.S. cities the next.

He described the pair as “the sons he never had” and maintains weekly contact with each of them.

In addition to his success with the “Million Dollar Arm,” Bernstein is an accomplished individual. After graduating from UMass with a degree in political economics, he went on to get his MBA from the London School of Economics. Upon graduation, Bernstein got a job in brand management at Procter & Gamble. Since then, he has worked for Upper Deck Memorabilia, and is the agent of sports legends such as Barry Sanders, Barry Bonds and Emmitt Smith. He also currently has three books awaiting publication.

Josh Darling can be reached at jmdarling@umass.edu.

DailyCollegian.com

Putin: Russia has right to use ‘all means’ in Ukraine Vows to protect Russians in Ukraine

By Carol J. Williams Los Angeles Times

KIEV, Ukraine — Ru s s i a n P re s i d e n t Vladimir Putin insisted in a televised interview Tuesday that he has the right to use “all means” necessary to protect Russians in Ukraine, but said he had yet to deploy additional forces to the Crimean peninsula where Russia maintains its Black Sea naval fleet and other military installations.

The Kremlin leader said he did not recognize the authority of Ukraine’s parliament and considered fugitive ex-President Viktor Yanukovich, now taking refuge in Russia, to be the legitimate leader of Ukraine. Putin’s comments were his first since Russian troops seized strategic Crimean venues, setting off an international scandal.

Putin laid out his position on the recent tumult in Ukraine as U.S. Secretary of State John F. Kerry flew to the country to show support for its new leaders, who filled the power vacuum in Kiev after Yanukovich fled the capital city on Feb. 21.

In a small gathering with journalists from Russia’s state-controlled media, Putin said he rejected the authority of Kiev’s newly named interim government, accusing the recently empowered opposition politicians of having staged “an anti-constitutional coup.”

Putin echoed the line of Russia’s U.N. ambassador, Vitaly Churkin, on Monday, when he said the parliamentary authorization for use of force

by Russian troops on Ukrainian territory had been requested at the urging of Yanukovich. The ousted Ukrainian ex-president has been seen only once since fleeing what he contends were threats to his life 11 days ago, at a press conference in the southern Russian city of Rostov-on-Don, near the border with Ukraine.

Both Putin and Churkin indicated that the Kremlin’s support for Yanukovich is lukewarm at best. Putin said the Ukrainian’s political career was “finished” and that Moscow granted him asylum to save his life.

Yanukovich spurred the three-month rebellion that eventually drove him from power when he refused to sign an association agree-

MCT

Lt. Col. Oleh Shapoval stands with a Ukraine national flag on the road leading to his unit’s airport captured by Russian troops on Tuesday.

MCT

Russian soldiers stand guard next to a Ukrainian military base in the town of Bakhchisarai in the Crimea. ment with the European Union that had been under negotiation for three years. Ukraine’s urban and Western-oriented residents want closer ties with Europe, while the Russianspeaking east wants to maintain the country’s traditional dependence on economic integration with Russia.

Russian politicians and media have cast the protests that turned Kiev’s Independence Square into a deadly face-off with Yanukovich’s corrupt government as a “bandits’ coup.” They say the Russian minority in the country - about 17 percent of Ukraine’s 46 million people - were exposed to reprisals by the victorious opposition forces.

No incidents of ethnic violence have been reported, but Moscow’s constant drumbeat of warnings about dangers posed by “radicals” and “fascists” now running Kiev instilled widespread fear and rebellion among Russians, who are a majority in Crimea.

Putin said in his news conference that he didn’t believe he would need to deploy troops to eastern Ukraine, where cities such as Kharkiv, Donetsk and other industrial strongholds have also been wracked by pro-Moscow demonstrators in recent days.

The Kremlin also

announced Tuesday that military exercises involving 150,000 troops ordered last week had concluded and Russian forces were returning to their bases.

The announcement of an end to the military maneuvers, which had been scheduled to run only through Monday, may have been an attempt to mollify Western governments that have insisted Putin take steps to de-escalate the dangerous armed face-off gripping Crimea.

On Tuesday, an Israeli journalist videoed a confrontation between Ukrainian military troops marching on a Russian armed patrol around the Ukrainians’ air force base in the town of Belbek, near Sevastopol.

The troops demanded that they be allowed back in to their posts. A handful of Russian troops were standing guard at the base entrance and fired warning shots over the Ukrainians’ heads, threatening to shoot at their legs if they tried to get by the roadblock.

In a further sign of the eroding relationship between Russia and Ukraine, the Gazprom energy behemoth announced that it was cutting its 30 percent subsidy to Kiev on gas exports because the country is in arrears on payments for past shipments to the tune of $1.55 billion.

THE MASSACHUSETTS DAILY COLLEGIAN

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SKIPPING

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to every class got their lowest exam grade dropped.

“I hope others will adopt this system,” Johnson said. “It’s really discouraging to give a lecture to a half-empty room.”

Michael Lombard, a sophomore history major, said he almost always goes to his classes. The only exception, he said, is if the slides are posted online. Similarly, Alex Papas, a freshman biochemistry major, said he tends to skip his morning courses if the lectures are online. However, he’s adamant about attending his classes that use iClickers, as well as his smaller classes.

“I think it’s important to go to smaller classes because the teacher would be more likely to give you a recommendation when you need one,” Papas said.

Ryan Weitz, a teaching assistant for an Accounting 221 discussion section, passes around a sheet of paper for students to write down their names and Spire IDs. He said there are usually only one or two students missing each week out of the 20 in his section.

Alternatively, Biology Professor Ben Normark takes attendance using iClickers. In a lecture hall of roughly 350 students, other methods might prove to be more difficult. However, for Normark, the iClickers aren’t solely an attendance grade.

“We expect people to participate with the clickers so if you don’t show up, you can’t participate,” he said.

Laura Diamond can be reached at ldiamond@umass.edu.

Wednesday, March 5, 2014

3

Republicans oppose Obama’s budget

By Lisa Mascaro Tribune Washington Bureau WASHINGTON — Congressional Republicans quickly erected a wall of opposition to President Barack Obama’s proposed 2015 budget, establishing election-year battle lines over which party can best handle the nation’s finances and address rising income inequality.

It’s no surprise Republicans oppose Obama’s signature priorities in the budget - shoring up the Affordable Care Act and pursuing a comprehensive immigration law overhaul.

But as both parties try to appeal to middle America heading into the fall midterm elections, each is seek-

ing arguments focused on the pocketbook issues that continue to worry many Americans in the sputtering economy.

Obama’s ideas for raising the minimum wage to $10.10 an hour and extending unemployment benefits for long-term jobless have already run into dead-ends in Congress.

Added to that list Tuesday were the president’s proposals for expanding tax breaks for the working poor, the Head Start preschool program and Pell Grants for college students. Those all face strong resistance from Republicans.

Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., a possible 2016 presidential contender, took particular aim at Obama’s plan to

expand the Earned Income Tax Credit, which is essentially a cash-back tax refund for the working poor. Obama proposes doubling the refund for those without children to $1,000. Currently, childless workers receive a much smaller tax break than single parents and families.

“We should be reforming this flawed approach to helping low-income workers, not expanding it,” Rubio said.

Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., the House Budget Committee chairman, also wants to limit such initiatives, not expand them. He cited some of the programs highlighted

by Obama among the more than 90 anti-poverty programs on the chopping block for possible cuts.

He called Obama’s budget

“another disappointment,” in large part because it fails to address long-term safety net spending and bring the nation’s revenue and spending into balance.

“This budget isn’t a serious document; it’s a campaign brochure,” Ryan said.

House Republicans have promised to respond with their own 2015 budget proposal, even though their document, and the president’s, are largely theoretical exercises this year.

Thanks to a budget accord reached in December between Ryan and Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., his counterpart in the Senate, spending levels for this year and next have already been approved by Congress and signed into law.

Opinion Editorial THE MASSACHUSETTS DAILY COLLEGIAN

“I’m out there Jerry, and I’m LOVIN’ every minute of it!” - Cosmo Kramer

Wednesday, March 5, 2014

UMass Commonwealth Honors College housing promotes classism The other day I visited the Roots Café located within the UMass Commonwealth Honors College housing area

Ian Hagerty to grab a tea. Just like revolutionaries at the start of this nation, this tea incited thoughts on the subject of discrimination. I’d been there before, but today I paid closer attention and I’m glad I did.

The tea served there was loose-leaf style, very tasty and 50 cents more expensive than other teas I had grabbed at the Procrastination Station and other coffee shop style cafés on campus. On top

ment, found that there was a positive impact on the education of school age children in wealthy families due to ability to pay for educational resources that require “substantial financial investment.”

If children from wealthier families have a likelihood of producing more apt students, then what are we saying to the scholars of less fiscally sound families? Are we telling them that even though they overcame obvious adversity and earned their grades, that now they cannot even afford the prestige of living with the honorable?

It’s like we are forcing

“But how and why should our school ever represent the varying class structure system of life that the outside world does?” of that, this café had several exotic sounding sugar styles, such as raw turbinado sugar, served with a spoon, not a packet – nothing too fancy, just more expansive than the options at the other eateries I had mentioned. To top it off, the food options at Roots simply looked more appetizing than other options I usually see on campus.

Delving into the subject a bit more, I looked up the price difference of the Commonwealth Honors College Residential Community dorms (CHCRC) compared to some other more common dorms on campus on the Residential Life website. The prices of the CHCRC dorms ranged from $3,107 to $5,195. Sylvan Residential Area ranged from $2,552 to $3,708. Even the cheapest dorms in the CHCRC are $555 more than the cheapest in Sylvan. This is not to say that the dorms in the CHCRC aren’t nicer, and therefore value more in rent, but is this really the image the school wants when tempting students with such an illustrious award for their high GPA? I don’t think so, and this is why.

Let’s consider for a moment, the role of class and societal privilege in educational opportunities. It isn’t hard to imagine that as a student, if you were to lose some of your privilege now or when you were growing up, it might have been difficult to fully apply yourself to your education. Without wealthy parents, you would have to work more. Without more freedom in your life to pursue your dreams, it is easy to fall below the bar, especially with the high expectations of schools today.

In an article published in Science Daily, researchers measured the relationship between family wealth and child educational develop-

them to stay within their own class, indefinitely.

There should be a comparable price option for an honors area dorm.

Think about the University of Massachusetts as if it were its own little city area. I’m from Connecticut, so the New Haven area comes to mind. There are some neighborhoods with higher property value and less crime and you wouldn’t be hard pressed to find a few Starbucks within them, lavish with drinks that seem to have no price limit, especially around Yale. Then you travel a bit across town and come to a lower socioeconomic center. You’d most likely have difficulty finding a coffee shop at all, but eventually you may find a Dunkin Donuts. These businesses aren’t placed randomly.

They are placed strategically to match the demographic of buyers. People often cross lines to buy drinks, but the majority will consume what is served. I buy my tea in the CHCRC and I don’t live there.

But how and why should our school ever represent the varying class structure system of life that the outside world does?

We all pay our tuition and we all deserve a campus that serves the community equally. The school wouldn’t necessarily need to change the CHCRC or its café in any way to serve its students properly. They could lower the cost of housing to match dorms that aren’t in the CHCRC. That way, living in the honors college would be an actual reward for good grades, avoiding a circumstantial divide. On a smaller level, the cafés around campus could serve the same food options. These are just a couple ways that equality can be attained at UMass.

Editorial@DailyCollegiancom

Luck of the Irish: a brief history of St. Patrick’s Day Many minor holidays in sheep in the countryside. the United States get turned A voice told Patrick to go into celebrations of great back to Britain to return to his family, and then Karen Podorefsky to Ireland where he was ordained as a priest from proportions. Most that a bishop, and went back originated around food and to spend his life trying to prayer have turned into a convert Irish citizens to socially acceptable excuse Christianity. to eat massive amounts of Patrick used the three food, see family and friends leaves of a shamrock to and have a day off from explain the Christian holy school, if you’re lucky. trinity: the Father, the Son Our lives get crazy, hec- and the Holy Spirit. Each tic and busy, and a special leaf symbolizes a separate day, no matter how spe- being that together are all cial it is supposed to be, part of the Supreme Being. gives people something to We now view it as a symlook forward to annually. bol of luck, hence the sayAn example is St. Patrick’s ing “luck of the Irish.”

Day, which is right around the corner on the calendar.

The number of American college students, or even Americans in general, who would actually celebrate St. Patrick’s Day if it didn’t revolve around beer and myths of gaining some sort of luck, is probably very low. But they love the excuse to have fun.

However, many celebrators’ knowledge of While the traditional Irish St. Patrick’s Day is limit- shamrock only has three ed to wearing green and leaves, the four-leafed cloinvolves leprechauns, clo- ver is luckier because it is vers, rainbows, pots of gold an uncommon mutation to and everything else Irish. find.

American culture has It also gives us an excuse to have a milkshake from deemed these symbols and McDonald’s, as long as it is the holiday to be a big deal.

Ever since I was young, the Shamrock Shake.

Contrary to popular on St. Patrick’s Day, my belief, St. Patrick wasn’t friends always wore green even Irish. He was born to school, and in younger in Britain around A.D. 390 grades pretended that there to an aristocratic Christian were leprechauns running family. He had no interest around the hallways and in Christianity as a young classroom. It hasn’t always boy. When he was 16, he been like this, though. was kidnapped and sent to According to John Roach Ireland as a slave to tend of National Geographic

Irish stout brand, are consumed around the world.

On St. Patrick’s Day, that number more than doubles to 13 million pints, said Beth Davies Ryan, global corporate-relations director of Guinness.”

This is crazy, but the bars must love it. Their businesses have a constant flow of customers all day and night, especially in cities and college towns. The morale is high while people celebrate.

There are multiple websites that rate the best college St. Patrick’s Day parties in the United States.

Bro Bible rated Blarney Blowout at the University of Massachusetts No. 9 out of 15. Not bad for a large state school. The post includes photos, a YouTube video and a few student quotes. It sure was a blowout last year, causing problems at the Townehouses.

That is bound to happen with a couple thousand students packed into one area. popular event to attend and It’s important to have often falls during college fun on St. Patrick’s Day, students’ spring breaks. So and follow the traditions, if you’re like me and not but it’s also important to going to a tropical place, be safe. We have a name to you could head to the uphold. The school’s and streets flooded with a sea your own reputations are of green. just as important as comAmericans have many memorating and thanking traditions for St. Patrick’s St. Patrick for his legacy, Day, like parades in largely along with thanking those Irish immigrant cities such who have blown the holias Boston, Philadelphia day up so much to make and Chicago. The Chicago it almost as much of a fun River is dyed green. Pints American holiday as an and pints of Guinness are Irish one. drank. Roach emphasizes the large number, “On any Karen Podorefsky is a Collegian given day 5.5 million pints columnist and can be reached at of Guinness, the famous kpodoref@umass.edu.

News, “Until the 1970s, St. Patrick’s Day in Ireland was a minor religious holiday. A priest would acknowledge the feast day, and families would celebrate with a big meal, but that was about it. ‘St. Patrick’s Day was basically invented in America by Irish-Americans,’ (Phillip) Freeman said.”

Irish charitable organizations originally celebrated St. Patrick’s Day with banquets in places such as Boston, Savannah, Ga., and Charleston, S.C. This tradition has continued in Boston, as the St. Patrick’s Day parade is a

“However, many celebrators’ knowledge of St. Patrick’s Day is limited to wearing green and involves leprechauns, clovers, rainbows, pots of gold, and everything else Irish.”

Ian Hagerty is a Collegian columnist and can be reached at ihagerty@ umass.edu.

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The Massachusetts Daily Collegian is published Monday through Thursday during the University of Massachusetts calendar semester. The Collegian is independently funded, operating on advertising revenue. Founded in 1890, the paper began as Aggie Life, became the College Signal in 1901, the Weekly Collegian in 1914 and the Tri–Weekly Collegian in 1956. Published daily from 1967 to 2013, The Collegian has been broadsheet since January 1994. For advertising rates and information, call 413-545-3500.

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Arts Living THE MASSACHUSETTS DAILY COLLEGIAN

Wednesday, March 5, 2014

“John Stamos just passed us, and I said, ‘Have you seen ‘Full House of Cards?’’” - Kevin Spacey

Arts@DailyCollegian.com

OSCARS REVIEW

Academy Award winners, fashion and the ‘McConaissance’ A night of pizza, selfies and stars

By AlexA Hoyle Collegian Staff

The 86th Academy Awards took place Sunday at Hollywood’s Dolby Theater with Ellen DeGeneres assuming hosting duties. And from the big winners to the big fashion statements there’s certainly a lot to talk about.

First things first, let’s jump into the night’s biggest winners. The statue for Best Actor in a Supporting Role was awarded to Jared Leto for his role as a cross-dressing AIDS patient in “Dallas Buyers Club.” He then charmed the audience with a heartfelt ode to his mother in his speech. The winner for Best Actress in a Supporting Role was the lovely Lupita Nyong’o for her role in “12 Years a Slave.” This welldeserved win for the firsttime nominee was met with a standing ovation and more than a few tears.

The Oscar for Best Actress in a Leading Role was awarded to Cate Blanchett for her role in “Blue Jasmine.”

Blanchett’s win was widely presumed by most, but it was certainly earned nonetheless. Plus, we were treated to Blanchett, known for her

classy demeanor, telling Julia Roberts to “suck it.” The award for Best Actor in a Leading Role went to Matthew McConaughey for “Dallas Buyers Club.” While many were hoping this would be the year Leonardo DiCaprio would finally win his Oscar, it just wasn’t in the cards considering he was put up against McConaughey’s superb performance as Ron Woodroof.

Matthews “McConaissance” is complete. Alright, alright, alright.

The biggest award of the night went to “12 Years a Slave” for Best Picture. The film’s powerful and honest depiction of slavery has been receiving rave reviews for months and an Oscar win was all but guaranteed. It provided a director-best picture split after the award for Best Directing went to Alfonso Cuarón for “Gravity.”

With the winners out of the way it’s time to discuss the fashion. Nyong’o has been dominating her very first awards season and it culminated in a gorgeous Prada dress on Oscar night. Nyong’o stunned in a Cinderella-blue gown and sparkling headband, solidifying herself as a force to be reckoned with in the fashion world.

Nyong’o wasn’t the only lovely lady on the carpet, though. Among the best-

dressed were Angelina Jolie in Elie Saab Couture, Jennifer Lawrence in Dior and Amy Adams in Gucci Couture. And while there are usually some notable fashion disasters on the carpet, this year was full of relatively well-dressed ladies and gentlemen. Well, except for Pharrell Williams and his shorts – stick to pants next time, buddy.

Regarding the actual show, DeGeneres provided hilarity, per usual, as an amiable host.

And while she was entertaining enough, it seems that her good-natured brand of comedy was a direct response to last year’s controversial host, Seth MacFarlane. DeGeneres may have made a joke about a certain part of Jonah Hill’s body, but she mostly stuck to safe comedy – like taking selfies with actors in the audience and having pizza delivered to the theater.

DeGeneres did a fine job, all in all, but the same can’t be said for many of the presenters. Could anyone correctly read the teleprompter? The answer to that question is no, they could not. Constantly watching the presenter’s trip over their words became quite distracting as the telecast went on. Also distracting was the endless amount of montages – I think we’ve pinpointed why the show went so long!

FILM REVIEW

FILIPPO/FLICKR

This year’s Oscars ceremony garnered 43.74 million total viewers, the highest in 14 years.

It wasn’t all bad, though.

Pink’s beautiful rendition of “Somewhere over the Rainbow” from “The Wizard of Oz” was haunting, and proved to be a wonderful way to pay tribute to the film. And on a sillier note, we were honored with one of the best pictures of all time as DeGeneres took a selfie with a hodgepodge of celebrities. This picture is also known as everyone’s desktop background come tomorrow

morning – oh, and the picture that crashed Twitter and garnered the most retweets of all time.

There’s one last component of the Academy Awards that’s a little bit absurd – and that’s the gift bags. Included in this year’s bag, valued at $85,000, are “luxury condoms,” $250 of maple syrup, $1,500 worth of supplements for your pet, and a Mace pepper gun – all essential items, of course. So at least if you

lose at the Oscars you really go home a winner.

Underneath the glitz, glamour and dramatics, the Oscars remain the pinnacle of achievement in the film industry. While the wins are thrilling to watch, after the show is over it’s time to see what these Oscar winners are going to do next. Who knows who’s going to be up at that podium next year.

Alexa Hoyle can be reached at ahoyle@umass.edu.

TELEVISION

Epic set pieces can’t save Fallon reinvigorates late night Tonight Show’ the disaster that is ‘Pompeii’ ‘The back in New York

A derivative mess of a blockbuster

By Alex FrAil Collegian Staff

Savor the first shots in “Pompeii” of ashen corpses locked in eternal embraces – they’re the last of any artistic value. Not even 10 minutes in, the movie devolves into a messy, jarring action flick that forgets to develop any characters, build any cohesive storyline or engage us at all. It’s not so much a disaster movie than a disaster of a movie.

“Pompeii,” directed by Paul W.S. Anderson, tells the story of the Celt (Kit Harington), a young man who’s sold into slavery after his family is murdered. He works his way to fame in the gladiator ring, wins the love of a noblewoman and challenges the Roman despot responsible for his family’s death. Sound familiar?

Probably because every sentence I’ve written describes 2000’s far superior “Gladiator.” In “Pompeii,” Vesuvius lurks in the backdrop of each scene, but that’s about the only difference between the films.

The plot never lands on its feet. It’s sort of about the Celt’s revenge. It’s kind of about the Celt and Cassia’s (Emily Browning) romance.

It’s almost a story of liberation. But in the end, the only reason this film exists is so the CGI guys could rain lava on a bunch of random people.

Harington plays the Celt as a brooding gladiator with perfect hair and Gerard Butler-like abs. As strong as he is as Jon Snow in “Game of Thrones,” Harington proves he cannot carry a bigbudget film on his shoulders.

Facing death, he does his best to look serious, but just

looks seriously constipated.

“Pompeii’s” problems grow from there.

Browning (“Sucker Punch”) and Kiefer Sutherland (“24”) round out the main cast as the Celt’s love interest and an evil Senator, respectively. Browning fails to emote anything, donning the same expression for both excitement and terror.

Her voice never fluctuates whether she’s embracing her parents or escaping from the erupting volcano. Sutherland rocks the same haircut as he did in “24” and everything else he’s ever been in. He’s Jack Bauer as Julius Caesar.

Sutherland takes a stab at a British accent, but must’ve realized how bad he was at it, because midway through the film, he completely drops it.

To make matters worse, the actors stumble over the uneven script like a high school English class over Shakespeare. Unfortunately, Carrie-Anne Moss, who was awesome as Trinity in “The Matrix,” ranks among the worst of these offenders.

Her British accent makes Sutherland’s sound legit.

In a movie about gladiators, I would’ve expected some compelling duels or battles. My hopes were dashed. The swordfights are as exciting as C-SPAN, while you might miss the major showdown of all the gladiators – the one every character drones on about throughout the movie – if you happen to blink.

When the volcano erupts, the movie finally approaches blockbuster territory. You can feel the magma crackle and the Earth tremble under your seat. It’s a spectacle to behold. There’s no doubt “Pompeii’s” visuals are stunning, but so are the visuals of every other blockbuster out there.

Last year’s “Pacific Rim”

had a similarly simple premise, but at least all of its characters weren’t so paper thin. Charlie Day lent humor and even a bit of intrigue to “Pacific Rim,” setting it apart from other action duds. This movie is missing its Charlie Day. The only saving grace of “Pompeii” is Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, who stars as Atticus, a spiritual African gladiator who befriends the Celt and helps him to find his humanity once more. His performance offers a few laughs, but ultimately, he’s one working cog in a broken machine.

His efforts are further undermined when you consider that his role is a carbon copy of Djimon Hounsou’s role in “Gladiator.”

What the writers didn’t realize is that you can’t just blow up a volcano to make a movie. If the viewers know the ending, they need a reason to care about the beginning and middle, a reason to connect with the characters and to fear for them as they face impending doom. A decade ago, when blockbusters were few and far between, plots weren’t so necessary.

People just wanted to see the new epic. Now there’s an epic for every week of the year.

Visual effects alone just don’t have the same draw as they did years ago.

Maybe this one goes down as a cult guilty pleasure, but I don’t give it much of a chance. Someone in middle school could’ve written the script, the acting is as flat as week-old soda and the direction is scatterbrained and ineffective. A few pretty visuals elevate it near the epic territory it aspires toward, but like the city itself, no one can save “Pompeii” from ruin.

Alex Frail can be reached at afrail@ umass.edu.

By NAtHAN FroNtiero Collegian Staff

With the lift of a blue curtain, Jimmy Fallon began a new era in primetime entertainment.

“The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” premiered just over two weeks ago, and the new host was humble and ecstatic as he took the reins from Jay Leno, who was the host for the past 22 years.

Sidekick and announcer Steve Higgins and house band The Roots followed Jimmy from “Late Night,” and the “Saturday Night Live” alum continued to employ his boyish charm throughout the debut.

“The Tonight Show” is back in New York for the first time in over 40 years, and NBC noticeably improved Studio 6B, which Fallon used previously for “Late Night.” The new digs are gorgeous, mixing neutral blues for the curtain and couch with wooden accents throughout the stage.

Fallon’s desk sits against a beautiful carved wood miniature of the New York skyline.

The Roots have a larger platform that fits every member on the floor level (the “Late Night” set perched the keyboard players above the rest of the band). The whole set emanates a warm, fresh glow.

Fallon entered to rapturous applause, introduced the format of the show, thanked his parents, fans and Jay Leno and then ran back behind the curtain to re-enter for a proper monologue. Although it mostly consisted of Olympic jokes – oh, that lovely corporate network influence – Fallon’s monologue was just as sharp and deadpan as it has always been. Clad in a gray suit, the comedian was noticeably subdued throughout the premiere, although later in the week Fallon hit his stride,

MCT

Fallon is right at home on late night’s biggest stage. building on and bettering everything that made his last show great for five solid years.

Taking a break from the somewhat excessive self-deprecation, he made light of his new job and declared to the camera, “To my buddy who said that I’d never be the host of ‘The Tonight Show,’ and you know who you are, you owe me $100,” prompting a parade of celebrities from behind the curtain. Robert De Niro, Tina Fey, Joe Namath, Rudy Giuliani, Mariah Carey, Joan Rivers, Kim Kardashian, Seth Rogen, Mike Tyson, Lady Gaga, Lindsay Lohan, Tracy Morgan and Sarah Jessica Parker entered one by one to drop a Benjamin on Fallon’s desk. Stephen Colbert walked on last with a bucket of pennies, dumping them all on the host before producing his iPhone for a selfie. Colbert finally offered Fallon the sentiment, “Welcome to 11:30, bitch!”

Fallon has made plenty of famous friends, as evidenced by his first week of guests.

Will Smith and U2 stopped by for the debut episode. The band, as is par for the course, slightly upstaged the modest host, but Smith gave Fallon some honest, touching words on how to handle the new pressure. Come night No. 2, Fallon was clearly back in the groove. He brought forward bits from his last show

and turned in an all around improved, more confident effort. Jerry Seinfeld delivered a great set as the first featured stand-up comedian on the new show. He sat down for an interview, leading inevitably to some more reflection on Fallon taking the reins of the show.

The energy never wavered, though. Fallon’s varied musical and comedic sensibilities kept the show looking forward throughout its opening week.

He sang R. Kelly’s “Ignition” with his barbershop quartet, The Ragtime Gals. He brought Justin Timberlake back for “History of Rap 5.” He also continued his hilarious Friday night tradition of writing “Thank You Notes.”

Fallon demonstrated the talents that made him a solid choice to succeed Leno, the talents that will make him an excellent host behind his new desk.

The new show will thrive because of his charisma, his humility and his earnest attitude toward his work. This host is always excited to step out from behind that curtain, and if its premiere week is any indication, “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” will continue and successfully build on the legacy of latenight television.

Nathan Frontiero can be reached at nfrontiero@umass.edu.

6

Wednesday, March 5, 2014

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I took that bus ride yes I did.

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TEMPO

Wednesday, March 5, 2014

DUQUESNE

continued from page 8

score.

But as the season’s worn on, UMass’ frantic pace is beginning to wear down.

Over their past 11 games, the Minutemen have exceeded 71 combined possessions just three times.

They raced to 86 against VCU, 76 in an 11-point loss to George Mason and 72 in a 67-61 victory over George Washington.

According to guard Chaz Williams, who shines in games which teeter on the edge of fastpaced and out of control, thinks the solution is pretty straightforward.

“We just gotta lock in on the defensive end,” he said Monday.

Kellogg pointed out that plenty of the defensive pressure will start with Williams, who can be a menace for opposing ball-handlers.

“I want Chaz to get back to pressuring the point guard and making it hard on those guys,” Kellogg said. “I thought in spurts, we did (vs. Dayton). But in hindsight, we could’ve turned it up a little bit more.”

Turning up the defensive pressure comes in various shapes and sizes for the Minutemen. The team predominantly plays conventional man-to-man defense in the half court. But Kellogg employs a multifaceted full court press at times, utilizing his roster’s length at the forward position to give opposing guards a different look.

According to Pomeroy, UMass is holding opponents to a 96.9 adjusted defensive efficiency rating, which estimates the points the Minutemen defense would allow against an

GALLOWAY

continued from page 8

for Wednesday, the Minutemen have a chance to refocus before some of the most important basketball in Amherst in over 15 years.

And don’t be surprised if they turn up the pace.

play defense, it just brings that much more out of us and our energy is through the roof and we get more stops that lead to fast-break opportunities.”

But one thing that has been a constant in recent losses for UMass has been the inability to continuously establish a presence down low. In the first half against the Flyers, the Minutemen got Cady Lalanne and Sampson Carter involved early, but once it stopped, scoring the ball became harder for them.

Against Duquesne, if UMass wants to continue to find production on offense, it needs to be willing to go inside to Lalanne and Carter and keep attacking the rim.

“My focus is that we’re not pushing tempo enough,” Kellogg said. “We’re not getting the ball up the floor fast enough, which means the defense has been set and then they’re not wearing down energy wise because we’re not attacking. … We have to get the game to a certain number of possessions because then everyone gets a little touch of the ball.”

Wednesday’s game is scheduled to start at 7 p.m. at A.J. Palumbo Center.

Mark Chiarelli can be reached at mchiarel@ umass.edu and followed on Twitter @Mark_ Chiarelli.

Patrick Strohecker can be reached at pstrohec@umass.edu and followed on Twitter @P_Strohecker.

TAYLOR C. SNOW/COLLEGIAN

Chaz Williams (3) believes UMass can play more effectively on both sides of the ball with an improved transition game. average Division I offense. The NCAA average is 104.5.

Defensive pressure creates offensive opportunities for UMass. If the game has flow and ample transition basketball, the Minutemen usually flourish.

“It’s easier (in) transition, a lot of easier baskets,” Williams said.

“When we play defense, it just brings that much more out of us

continued from page 8

overs and missed 3-of-4 3-pointers in the opening eight minutes.

The Colonials then went on an 8-0 run to take the lead in the game, thanks to forwards Isaiah Armwood, Garino and Kevin Larsen. Both teams traded baskets and after four lead changes and two ties, the Colonials carried a 26-24 advantage into the break.

Maurice Creek went on a 3-point shooting rampage for George Washington to open the second half. Draining three shots from

7

downtown in the opening two minutes, George Mason trailed by 11 and was forced to take a timeout.

Creek led the game in scoring with 22 points. Armwood contributed a double-double, recording 11 points and 14 rebounds in 37 minutes. George Mason’s Erik Copes got into double figures in rebounds with 12.

Marc Jean-Louis can be reached at mjeanlou@umass.edu and followed on Twitter @ marc_jean93.

and our energy is through the roof.”

With just two games remaining between UMass and postseason play, it understands what it needs to do to be successful. As Kellogg noted, sometimes all a team needs to do is refocus on its strengths.

“Last game woke everybody up, taking that loss down at Dayton,” Williams said.

With a trip to Duquesne on tap

UPSET

continued from page 8

poured in 18 points and graduate student Danni Jackson contributed 17 points and 12 assists. Edwards paced Dayton with 22 points.

“It’s really an exciting day for Meg and myself,” Jackson told the The Washington Post. “We’ve been through so much here at GW, so to beat Dayton at home while they’re the number one seed in our conference and regular season champs, it felt really good.”

Both Dayton (No. 1 seed) and George Washington (No. 4) receive

byes in the first round of the A-10 Tournament, which begins Wednesday in Richmond, Va.

Dayton’s Hoover earns A-10 Player of the Year Hoover received the 2014 Atlantic 10 Conference Player of the Year award on Tuesday.

Leading Dayton to a regularseason conference title, the junior guard averaged 16.9 points per game, which was fourth most in the conference.

Flyers coach Jim Jabir told the Richmond (VA) Post-Dispatch that Hoover is not marvelously athletic, but her intangibles more than compensate.

“She gets the most out of everything she has, probably because she’s the toughest kid I’ve ever been around,” Jabir said. “We tell her what we need her to do and she tries her best to do it.”

Yoni Monat can be reached at jmonat@ umass.edu.

THE MASSACHUSETTS DAILY COLLEGIAN

Wednesday, March 5, 2014

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MEN’S BASKETBALL

EYEING THE FINISH

UM aims to renew fast pace

By Mark chiarelli Collegian Staff

TAYLOR C. SNOW/COLLEGIAN

Cady Lalanne attempts a layup against Rhode Island. Lalanne is averaging 12.4 points per game and 8.4 rebounds per game in 29.8 minutes a night.

UMass hits road for final time, faces Duquesne

By Patrick Strohecker Collegian Staff

It might not look like the toughest test on the schedule for the Massachusetts men’s basketball team, but Wednesday’s game at Duquesne isn’t one it wants to overlook.

Coming off a loss at Dayton on Saturday, UMass will travel to face a Dukes team that is fresh off a 71-64 upset victory over Saint Louis. That win for Duquesne (12-15, 4-10 Atlantic 10) showed that it has talent, which is something the Minutemen (226, 9-5 A-10) can’t overlook.

“It’s taken them a little while to get the kinks out and work their lineups together,” UMass coach Derek Kellogg said. “And now, later in the season, they probably have a higher ceiling to improve than some teams that are more mature.”

Following the loss to the Flyers

“It’s taken them a little while to get the kinks out and work their lineups together. And now later in the season, they probably have a higher ceiling to improve than some teams that are more mature.”

Derek Kellogg, UMass coach last weekend, Kellogg stressed the importance of tightening up the defensive side of the ball for his team.

The Dukes possess some of the best pure scorers that the A-10 has to offer, with hybrid big man Ovie Soko averaging 18.1 points per game and Micah Mason shooting an outstanding 57 percent on 3-pointers. Both players pose threats inside and outside for the Minutemen, making matchups and defensive assignments even more important.

“He’s a tough matchup,” Kellogg said of Soko. “He’s big

enough to be a five, but he plays like a four. He’s kind of like a hybrid with a little more length and size. We’re just going to hope our UMass basketball plan can overcome some of their individual matchups.”

As for Mason, he poses a completely different set of problems.

He’s a threat from deep and doesn’t need much of an opening to knock down a shot. Against the Billikens, he led all scorers with 22 points, going 4-of-5 from 3-point range. The threat of him scoring and creating opportunities will most likely force UMass

A-10 MEN’S BASKETBALL

guard Derrick Gordon to match up against him defensively.

“He sounds like the type of guy that on any given night he can just catch fire,” Gordon said.

“So my job is to make it as hard as possible for him not to do that.

They’re going to be playing at home, so he’s going to have the crowd around him and his teammates, so my job is to go in there and stop that from happening.”

Kellogg and the Minutemen have stressed time and time again this season that good defense is the recipe for their offense to click. So much of their offense is geared around getting stops, that when they do, it makes it harder for the opposition to slow them down.

“It’s easy to transition,” senior point guard Chaz Williams said.

“A lot of easier baskets. When we see

DUQUESNE on page 7

If the Massachusetts men’s basketball team had its way, every game would unfold in a blisteringly quick manner with enough transition basketball to make an odometer cringe.

Through 28 games this season, UMass has generally received its wish. The Minutemen are a dangerous team in transition capable of playing with the fastest opponents in the nation. Against both Virginia Commonwealth and Brigham Young, UMass shifted into fourth gear, emerging victorious in two games in which the team’s combined for 86 possessions.

For UMass, the faster is truly better.

Which is why, when the Minutemen aren’t playing their quickened and intensified brand of “UMass basketball,” it becomes even more noticeable. Such was the case in their 86-79 loss to Dayton on Saturday.

“My focus has really been, we’re not pushing the tempo enough,” UMass coach Derek Kellogg told reporters on Monday.

“We’re not getting the ball up the floor fast enough, which means the defense is set. And then (opponents) are not wearing down energy-wise because we’re not attacking.”

The Minutemen have spent most of the season as the aggressors. According to Ken Pomeroy’s offensive statistics, UMass plays at the 17th fastest tempo in the nation, predicting its adjusted tempo rating was a 71.5. The Division I average is 66.6. The Minutemen average just 16.2 seconds per offensive possession, the 30th quickest average in the nation. Saturday’s game against Dayton had a pedestrian 71 possessions despite a fairly high see

TEMPO on page 7

A-10 WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

VCU tops SLU, Galloway nets 27 George Washington Rams and Hawks gain important A10 wins

By Marc Jean-louiS Collegian Staff

On Feb. 15, the Saint Louis men’s basketball team closed the door on a ferocious rally from Virginia Commonwealth, holding on for a 64-62 victory at Chaifetz Arena in St. Louis.

On Saturday, VCU had no problem returning the favor at home.

Led by a team-high 17 points from guard Treveon Graham, the Rams (22-7, 10-4 Atlantic 10) won 67-56 over No. 10 Saint Louis at the Siegel Center in Richmond, Va., handing the Billikens their secondstraight loss and fourth on the season.

Despite shooting 38.7 percent from the field, VCU benefitted from 17 Saint Louis (25-4, 12-2 A-10) turnovers, including 12 steals. The Rams jumped out to an early 8-4 lead after forcing three turnovers from the Billikens in the opening four minutes of the game.

VCU’s offense only gained steam from there. A 10-0 run later in the first half pushed the VCU lead to 15 with just over two minutes left in the frame. Saint Louis trailed by 10 at halftime.

After a slow start by both

teams to begin the second half, the Rams regained their pace again.

A 3-pointer from Graham kept a double-digit lead intact for VCU. While the Billikens cut the lead to eight in the game’s final minutes, Saint Louis never really posed a threat in the contest.

With the win, VCU extends its home winning streak to 19 games, seventh-longest in the nation.

Galloway leads Saint Joseph’s past Bonnies Langston Galloway had a career night for Saint Joseph’s, scoring 27 points while leading the Hawks past St. Bonaventure on the road Saturday, 83-74.

Saint Joseph’s (21-7, 11-3 Atlantic 10) shot 54 percent from the field and converted on eight 3-pointers.

After trailing early, the Hawks used an 11-0 run midway through the first half to take an 18-11 lead over the Bonnies (16-13, 6-9 A-10). At nine minutes, 45 seconds, the lead grew to 11 following a 3-pointer by Papa Ndao.

But St. Bonaventure cut the lead to just 40-35 at halftime and jumped out to a quick start in the second half.

Six points from forward Marquise Simmons gave the Bonnies a one-point lead with just over 15 minutes left in the second half.

From there, though, the Hawks

rolled. Two runs of 8-0 and 17-9 put Saint Joseph’s up 70-59 with less than six minutes remaining.

St. Joe’s forward DeAndre Bembry was also impressive, logging 18 points and three rebounds in 33 minutes. For St. Bonaventure, guard Matthew Wright led the way with 27 points and four assists.

On Wednesday, the Hawks will travel to the nation’s capital to take on George Washington while St. Bonaventure will next play on Saturday at VCU in the regularseason finale.

GW holds off George Mason Four players scored in double figures for George Washington, as the Colonials held off George Mason 66-58 at the Smith Center on Sunday afternoon.

George Mason (10-18, 3-11 Atlantic 10) ignited a 17-7 secondhalf comeback to trail by just a single point with 10 minutes remaining. But GW slammed the door, responding with a 15-2 run of its own to take a commanding 14-point lead. Patricio Garino and Maurice Creek led the charge, with Creek leading the game in scoring with 22 points.

The Patriots gave the Colonials (21-7, 9-5 A-10) trouble to open the game as well, as George Washington committed five turnsee

GALLOWAY on page 7

upsets No. 21 Dayton Hoover named A-10 Player of the Year By yoni Monat Collegian Staff

Three George Washington women’s basketball players recorded double-doubles as the Colonials handed No. 21 Dayton its second loss of the 2013-14 campaign on Sunday. GW eventually prevailed in a back-and-forth, 88-79 victory in the two squads’ Atlantic 10 regularseason finale.

“We had the confidence that coming in here we weren’t going to give a game away,” George Washington coach Jonathan Tsipis told The Washington Post. “We were going to try to take it any single possible way we could.”

With several players participating in their final home games, the Colonials (20-9, 11-5 A-10) became the sixth A-10 team to notch at least 20 victories in a well-balanced effort, dominating the league’s No. 2 rebounding team in the conference 49-34 on the glass, including a 19-12 advantage on the offensive boards.

GW graduate student Megan Nipe, among those playing in front of the Smith Center faithful for the last time, said that all the players

treated the game against the Flyers (21-6, 14-2 A-10) with particular importance.

“I think we prepared very well for it. We were well-rested and had a game plan that was clearly effective,” Nipe told The Washington Post. “The second we stepped onto the court, it just felt right, and we were all ready to go.”

The Colonials sprinted to a 32-18 advantage during the first half, with Nipe draining two 3-pointers during a 12-0 run. Dayton responded, trimming the deficit to 41-37 at halftime.

The Flyers trailed until Celeste Edwards and Andrea Hoover buried back-to-back 3-pointers to provide the visitors with a 56-53 edge with 12 minutes, 53 seconds remaining.

The contest remained a nail-biter with 6:33 left and GW clinging to a one-point advantage. However, the Colonials took control with a 9-2 run and never relinquished the upper hand, sinking 5-of-6 free throws with less than 30 seconds left in regulation to seal their upset victory.

GW sophomore Jonquel Jones led the team with a 22-point, 13-rebound effort. Nipe (four 3-pointers) and freshman Caira Washington (12 rebounds) each see

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