Massachusetts Daily Collegian: November 13, 2014 - Basketball Special Issue

UMass eyes return to NCAA tournament

By Mark Chiarelli Collegian Staff

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hen Derrick Gordon assesses the 2014-15 Massachusetts men’s basketball team, he acknowledges the team’s aspirations in a firm, matter-of-fact way.

Little has changed for UMass in a calendar year in terms of goals and aspirations.

The Minutemen are locked in on returning to the NCAA tournament and building upon last year’s breakthrough success. A year ago, UMass earned a No. 6 seed in the NCAA tournament, capitalizing on a 24-9 season until a sudden 86-67 loss to Tennessee in the second round.

So it’s only natural that a return is on UMass’ expanded horizon.

“We want to make it to the Final Four,” Gordon said.

Gordon followed by acknowledging that before the team can focus on games played in March or April, it must focus on the present, which is the season opener on Friday against Siena. But it’s not difficult to hypothesize about the potential of a UMass team which believes it deserves a place in the national landscape.

“It’s a long season,” Gordon continued. “But we definitely talked about it a little bit and we know if we stay together and do what we’re supposed to do on the court, it can happen.”

The Minutemen have the end solution to their complex problem figured out. But getting there, that may take some time to determine. Because the method UMass used a season ago can’t be replicated.

“At the end of the day, this team is definitely a lot different than last year’s team,” Gordon said.

Gordon has cited improved team chemistry throughout the preseason, but it doesn’t take long to see differences on the court this season. The focal point of UMass’ attack last season was doeverything senior point guard Chaz Williams. The Minutemen must replace his 516 total points and 229 assists, as well as determine who will fill his role in commandeering crucial offensive possessions.

UMass must replace two other starters in Raphiael Putney and Sampson Carter as well. Roles will be redefined; remaining players will take on larger roles. see RETURN on page A6 If everything goes according to plan, it will be a truer team effort.

INSIDE THIS ISSUE The rebuild

Derek Kellogg is set on bringing UMass back to its standards from the 1990s.

Filling into his role

p. A2

Cady Lalanne put on 40 pounds of muscle in hopes of creating a dominating presence.

UMass expects contributions from 2013 recruits

p. A3

Seth Berger, Zach Coleman and Demetrius Dyson are filling new roles.

p. A3

Shooting higher

UMass’ schedule will dash NCAA tournament dreams

Minutemen built to return to NCAA tournament

Derrick Gordon aims to prove doubters wrong. p. A5

Mark Chiarelli argues that the Minutemen will not return to the NCAA tournament.

Andrew Cyr writes that UMass is primed to return to the Big Dance. p. A6

On the defensive

Heads of the class

Taking charge

UMass women’s basketball enters the season with a new philosophy on defense. p. A7

Emily Mital and Kim Pierre-Louis are set to lead the Minutewomen in their senior seasons. p. B7

Kim Pierre-Louis looks to build on a successful junior year in her final season with the Minutewomen. p. B7

p. A6

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Thursday, November 13, 2014

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THE REBUILD

Derek Kellogg returned to a once-proud program fallen on hard times. He withstood bumps in the road, created his own style and brought UMass back.

By Mark Chiarelli

M

Collegian Staff

assachusetts men’s basketball coach Derek Kellogg reclines his 6-foot-3 frame into his black office chair, clasping his hands behind his head and glancing around his office.

The corner office on the third floor of the Mullins Center overlooks the entire arena, floor-toceiling glass separating Kellogg from rows of maroon seats, which cascade down to the court. Kellogg will walk out onto this floor Friday when the newest installment of the Minutemen host Siena in the season opener.

He’ll walk out of the tunnel to a presumably raucous crowd that’s eager to see UMass in its first meaningful action since the Minutemen concluded their most successful season in two decades eight months ago.

On most game nights, the student section is packed wall to wall, which Kellogg is responsible for. Pre-game theatrics will preach mantras such as “P.A.I.N.” and UMass brotherhoods, which is Kellogg’s doing, too.

What many in the stands will see is the closest variation of Kellogg’s finished product. This is UMass basketball at its highest point since he returned seven years ago to rebuild a program so dear to him, to recapture the glory days of UMass basketball that he took part in.

The program wasn’t always upbeat and engaging, however, especially before he arrived. There were losing seasons and identity issues, talent deficiencies and close calls.

He’s remained through it all.

On this particular October day, Kellogg’s chief responsibility is yet another day of practice, another day of evaluation. The Minutemen are generally young and untested, a team only scratching the surface of its possible potential.

“I’ve seen some good signs,” Kellogg said. “We haven’t put it all together yet … This year it’s more piecemeal. We can do one thing well at a time.”

Kellogg’s in the process of creating a certain level of expectation surrounding the Minutemen. Last season, UMass posted a 24-9 record and reached the NCAA tournament for the first time in 16 years. The Minutemen even flirted with the AP Top 25 polls, reaching as high as No. 13. The hope is that a similar season can be repeated.

Kellogg’s no stranger to creating, reaching and fulfilling expectations.

He’ll embark on that challenge again this season, and now has a wealth of experience to rely upon.

‘You’re trying to survive’ Bruiser Flint holds Kellogg in the highest of regards as he recalls his time at UMass.

Flint, who was the head coach of the Minutemen from 1996 to 2001 and an assistant at UMass under former head coach John Calipari from 1989 to 1996, personally recruited Kellogg to UMass to play point guard.

Originally, he caught some heat for doing so.

“When we signed him, (the press) killed us,” Flint said. “They absolutely murdered us about Derek not being able to play there. There was honestly a quote in the paper saying

we were wasting taxpayers’ money by giving Derek Kellogg a scholarship.

“And he ended up being one of the best players we coached there.”

Kellogg turned out to be a threeyear starter and accumulated 453 assists in four seasons, helping UMass become a regular in the NCAA tournament.

“As a player he was an overachiever,” former UMass assistant John Robic said. Robic, who currently coaches with Calipari at Kentucky, coached Kellogg at UMass and later worked with him at both Youngstown State and Memphis.

“He just kept working at it and working at it and waited for his opportunity. He did the same thing in getting the (coaching) job at UMass. He’s a people person, he’s a player person, he’s fun to be around.

He’s a heck of a coach and he’s proving that right now.”

When Kellogg arrived in Amherst as head coach in 2008, he was eager to prove it then, too. Fresh off an eight-year stint as an assistant at Memphis under Calipari and coaching stops at both George Mason and Youngstown State, he hoped to turn around a once-proud UMass program with a breakneck style of basketball in his first head coaching gig.

But it didn’t start out that way.

“You come in with these grandiose plans because you think we’re going to be a certain way,” Kellogg said. “Then you go over your personnel as you’re trying to do all that and we didn’t have enough bodies when I first got here to really play that way.

“I was never really able to implement exactly all the things I want-

CADE BELISLE/COLLEGIAN

Derek Kellogg coached UMass to a 24-9 record and the program’s first NCAA tournament appearance in 16 years a season ago. ed to do, really for survival. You’re keep people interested in the protrying to survive and win enough gram.” games and keep people positive so you can go recruit. You’re trying to see KELLOGG on page A8

Graphic by Randy Crandon | Front page design by James Desjardin|Front page photos by Alec Zabrecky and Cade Belisle

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Thursday, November 13, 2014

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CADE BELISLE/COLLEGIAN

Cady Lalanne averaged 11.9 points, 8.9 rebounds and 2.3 blocks per game in 2013-14. UMass will rely on Lalanne to replicate that production and improve on his consistency this season.

FILLING INTO HIS ROLE

Cady Lalanne has gained 40 pounds of muscle, grown more vocal as a leader and is primed to become the mainstay for the Minutemen.

By Andrew Cyr

T

Collegian Staff

here was no doubt that “the guy” for the Massachusetts men’s basketball team last year was Chaz Williams.

His sidekick? 6-foot-10 center and rim protector, Cady Lalanne.

But this year it’s different. Now, it’s Lalanne’s team.

“I’ve seen a spark from Cady that I’ve never seen before,” teammate and backup center Tyler Bergantino said. “He’s an animal now.”

The 2013-2014 season was a breakout one for Lalanne, who averaged 11.9 points per game, 8.1 rebounds and 2.3 blocks while shooting 57 percent from the field.

He finished with 10 double-doubles on the year, good for second in the Atlantic 10 and 30th in the nation.

Lalanne started all 33 games for UMass at center last season, with his best performance coming in the season opener against in-state

rival Boston College at TD Garden.

Lalanne finished with 27 points on 12-for-16 shooting and 12 rebounds against the Eagles.

He opened last season performing as well as any big man in the entire country, scoring in doublefigures 15 of the first 18 games for UMass – nine of those games he recorded a double-double.

The second half of the season wasn’t as promising for Lalanne, however, as he failed to score in double figures in the Minutemen’s final seven games of the season, including a poor performance against Tennessee in the NCAA tournament game.

“His numbers weren’t as good as they were in the beginning of the year,” UMass coach Derrick Kellogg said. “There are a lot of factors that go into why his numbers were down and I think the biggest reason though was that teams started keying in on him.”

“I just need to have confidence throughout the entire season,”

Lalanne said. “I need to be better throughout the whole season. I’ve been coming both before and after practice to work on my game.”

According to Sports Illustrated’s advanced metric projection system, Lalanne is projected to average 13.6 points and 9.2 rebounds per game. This same system believes Lalanne’s 9.2 rebounds per game would be the highest average in the country.

“That’s great and all and I’m very honored to see that, but at the end of the day I have to be the one to make that happen,” Lalanne said.

“He’s got a lot of weight on his shoulders to play like the way he did in the first half of last year, for all of this season,” Kellogg said.

room that was, at times, harmonious, and at others, divided.

With their departure, not only is it Lalanne’s team on the court, but he’s now the leader of the troops off it.

“He’s a senior now and he knows it’s his last year,” Kellogg said. “I’ve asked him to be more vocal now because that’s one of the things we are weaker at. At times we don’t talk and communicate enough.”

Lalanne said he noticed the difference in the team’s camaraderie shortly after UMass’ lost to the Volunteers in the second round of last season’s NCAA tournament. Over the summer, he was pleased with how much the team had matured from last season and felt the team was closer than ever.

Although Lalanne has enjoyed Taking the Reigns the challenge of becoming a leader Last season, Williams, along both on and off the court, he’s more with fellow seniors Raphiael concerned about how his leaderPutney and Sampson Carter, were ship was going to help take his undoubtedly the leaders in a locker game to the next level.

“It’s nice knowing all the younger guys look up to us to be leaders,” he said. “Especially with me playing in the back where I can see everything I need to be talking the guards and wings, and that will make everything run smoother.

They know if they try to make a gamble on a play I’ll be right behind them to help out.”

Said Bergantino: “He knows this year it’s now or nothing.

Everything he’s doing, he’s going through it likes it’s his last time.”

When it comes game time Friday, UMass’ season opener against Sienna, Lalanne knows the spotlight will be on him. But Lalanne isn’t as concerned with his own personal performance. He wants a more balanced attack from the Minutemen, as one of the biggest problems that struck the team was lack of ball movement and players holding onto the ball too long during possession. see

LALANNE on page A7

UMass expects contributions from 2013 recruits

By Andrew Cyr Collegian Staff

Derek Kellogg’s 2013 recruiting class was a spoiled one.

Seth Berger, Demetrius Dyson and Zach Coleman were spoiled with the experience of reaching the NCAA tournament, the Massachusetts men’s basketball team’s first trip to the big dance in 16 years.

With a year of experience under their belts, the trio is now asked to rise to the occasion. All three are expected to play significant roles for the Minutemen in the 2014-15 season, filling the holes left

by Chaz Williams, Raphiael Putney and Sampson Carter.

“Getting a little taste of last year in the few games I played, I got to experience the atmosphere and see how much fun that was,” Berger said. “To know that I’m going to have a bigger role in that is really exciting and I’m looking forward to the challenge it brings.”

“I’m hoping those guys can make the jump from just being on the team last season to just being there and understanding how we play.”

Derek Kellogg, UMass coach Berger appeared in 18 games for UMass last season, scoring eight points and grabbing nine rebounds.

Dyson appeared in 21 games, scoring 20 points and tallying eight rebounds in 3.9 minutes per game. Coleman redshirted last season after suffering a stress fracture in his foot that sidelined him for the first six weeks of the year.

Now that the three have a year of experience under their belts, Kellogg not only expects them to fill minutes, but to be significant contributors as well.

“I’m hoping those guys can make the jump from just being on the team last season to just being there and understanding how we

play,” Kellogg said.

Berger was the No. 38 ranked small forward in the country and the No. 4 player in the state of Washington as a senior in the class of 2013, according to UMass Athletics. Kellogg will ask Berger, who was named the Minutemen’s fifth starter for Friday’s season opener against Siena, to alternate between the small forward and power forward positions. The 6-foot-7, 210-pound forward will solidify a thin frontcourt of Cady Lalanne, Maxie Esho and Tyler Bergantino.

Berger also shared the injury bug with Coleman early this season, missing time this preseason with injuries to both shins and

his right wrist. But as the season nears, he’s regaining as much of his health as possible.

“I’m not 100 percent but I’m definitely getting better.

I guess that’s just basketball,” Berger said. “Ask me after the season again and I might be able to say 100 percent. Getting through preseason is the hardest part of the season.”

Coleman was also recruited as primarily a small forward who had little experience playing inside both in high school and AAU. Coleman was the No. 56 small forward in the 2013 recruiting class, but will see the bulk of his minutes at power forward. “(Berger and Coleman) are definitely going to get some minutes,” Kellogg said.

“They’ve done a great job in practice so far this year and even down the stretch of last year. They’ve earned their minutes and I’m excited to see what they can bring.”

CADE BELISLE/COLLEGIAN

UMass will rely on its underclassmen to play significant minutes in 2014-15.

Dyson’s job is much simpler than Berger’s and Coleman’s.

Unlike the two forwards, Dyson will play primarily as an off-ball guard on the wing. Although he won’t be forced to switch positions on the fly, his job is pretty selfexplanatory: shoot the ball.

Between Williams, Putney and Carter, UMass is losing

120 made 3-pointers from a season ago. Dyson’s ability to knock down the outside shot will be one Kellogg will constantly rely on.

“It’s definitely a huge confidence booster knowing I have to make shots to help my team win,” Dyson said.

“We need another guy that can make shots which is see

YOUTH on page A7

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Thursday, November 13, 2014

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THE ‘BROTHERHOOD’

CADE BELISLE/COLLEGIAN

From left to right: Maxie Esho, Jabarie Hinds, Trey Davis, Derrick Gordon and Cady Lalanne will be asked to lead a young UMass team this season.

ALEC ZABRECKY/COLLEGIAN

Zach Coleman redshirted as a freshman for UMass last season.

CADE BELISLE/COLLEGIAN

Sophomore Demetrius Dyson will be a threat as a shooter off the bench.

CADE BELISLE/COLLEGIAN

Donte Clark sat out as a non-qualifier last season.

Graphic by Randy Crandon

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Thursday, November 13, 2014

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SHOOTING HIGHER Derrick Gordon is out to prove he’s a different player, one jump shot at a time.

By Mark Chiarelli

D

Collegian Staff

errick Gordon shoots, because he is a man who made a commitment to him-

self.

He aims to become a consistent threat as a shooter, and is motivated to prove those who believe he can’t wrong. He’s encouraged by his improvement, something those around the program point to as a marked development in his game.

But those who don’t see Gordon shoot daily can’t see his improvement, and that bothers him.

Opposing coaches and players still see Gordon as a non-threat as a shooter. They disrespect him, he says. To them, he’s still only a defensive standout.

So he shoots more.

After every Massachusetts men’s basketball practice concludes, Gordon remains on the court.

During a recent practice, the rest of the team ends early. Most players abandon the Mullins Center court quickly. A few stragglers remain in addition to multiple team managers, who chase down loose basketballs and collect equipment.

UMass forward Demetrius Dyson finds a loose football and throws it to Gordon, who obliges and deviates from his routine to play catch for a minute or two before returning to his post-practice shooting.

Soon, it’s just Gordon and two team managers acting as his personal rebounders. He launches right-handed jump shot after righthanded jump shot, counting his made baskets under his breath. He shoots from the baseline, one … two … three, until a missed jumper disrupts his rhythm.

Eventually, he reaches 10 made shots from every position on the court. Only then does Gordon slowly grab a water bottle and walk off the floor.

“I do it every day,” he says, sitting courtside and fidgeting with a maroon band of tape on his right knee. “I made a commitment to myself back in September that every day, after practice, I’m going to shoot. Even on good days or bad days.”

On this day, it was a bad day.

But that’s alright, he says, because he’s faced bad days before and will undoubtedly face them again.

Gaining confidence To hear Gordon speak about bad days is profound, because Gordon’s

spoke of them before.

Gordon’s spoken about countless days eating alone at dining halls on campus. He’s spoken of crying himself to sleep some nights in his dorm room, of pulling back into a spiraling, intimidating world of isolation.

The worst days were the ones where Gordon lived with the secret that he is gay.

He operated in peril, fearing that the wrong person would grab ahold of such intimate, personal information and accelerate his downward spiral. The idea of carrying the burden of living with such a secret created such a strain that Gordon contemplated quitting basketball, a sport he’s played since he was 4 years old.

That is, until April 9, the day Gordon told Outsports.com he took off his mask and told the world who he really was. That he is gay.

He smiled on that day, a broad, toothy grin. He donned a fitted, black t-shirt with the hashtag #BETRUE printed across the chest in rainbow colors. He bounced from interview to interview, television spot to television spot, declaring his happiness and his relief.

He said he felt like he could jump higher, that he felt like he could exude confidence for the first time since arriving in Amherst.

Gordon refers to April 9 by its exact date. It’s a milestone day for him and a milestone within multiple communities, too. He remains the only openly gay active Division I men’s college basketball player.

And it catapulted him forward.

“My confidence is through the roof,” Gordon said. “The coming out thing, it helped a lot because that was something I was hiding a lot. Now, when I get to playing, I’m not thinking at all – I’m just reacting. It’s helping me play a lot better.”

UMass center Cady Lalanne also saw Gordon’s plunge into isolation. The 6-foot-10 forward said he’d often “pick” at Gordon about why he failed to hang out with his teammates, something he noticed even when Gordon visited UMass as a potential recruit and Lalanne acted as his host.

It wasn’t until this season that Lalanne saw happiness from Gordon.

“I’m happy that he’s happy,” Lalanne said. “That’s my teammate, that’s my brother and that’s my friend also. To see him happy, that just makes me feel good.”

Illustration by Caroline O’Connor Gordon spent the past summer traveling across the country, visiting California four different times and also visiting Portland, Oregon, on multiple occasions for events.

“I was just living it,” Gordon said with a smile.

He said his favorite place to visit was Hollywood, California. He said the “chilled, laid back” environment suited him well.

“It’s the best place ever, I believe, to go,” Gordon said. “It’ll change your life.”

Gordon returned to Amherst a happy man and it quickly spilled over into life with his teammates.

He said he spends time with his teammates more frequently, will eat meals with them and even play video games as well.

It didn’t take long for Lalanne to see the change in Gordon either, or rattle off the multitude of reasons why UMass needs Gordon. Lalanne said that Gordon’s ability to dive for

loose balls, bring energy and provide toughness is both infectious and critical to the Minutemen.

But for Gordon, all of those things weren’t enough.

Armed with a renewed confidence and a desire to prove his basketball self-worth, Gordon set out to change his game.

The commitment Earlier this year, Gordon wrote himself a simple message on a sheet of paper.

“Hard work makes talent when talent doesn’t work hard,” Gordon scrawled out to himself. He then signed it, making it an official commitment.

“I just had to really sit down and think of what I wanted to accomplish this season,” Gordon said.

“It was all about me just actually looking at myself in the mirror and asking what I really want from this season.”

What Gordon wants is respect.

But respect needs to be earned, and Gordon’s proficiency as an outside shooter garnered little reason to respect a jump shot from the 6-foot-3 guard. Last season, Gordon attempted just four 3-pointers (he made none) and shot just 53 percent from the free-throw line.

With a helpful nudge from UMass coach Derek Kellogg, Gordon embarked on an extensive shooting program, specifically around developing his 3-point shot.

His goal is for those watching to take notice of it, quickly.

“I want to showcase that I can shoot because a lot of coaches last year always said sag off me or go under the screens,” Gordon said.

“And I felt that was disrespectful to me. They’re basically saying ‘You can’t shoot.’ And if you can’t shoot in college basketball, that’s a problem.”

Lalanne said last season, teams would often allow Gordon to roam see

GORDON on page A7

Graphic by Randy Crandon

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Thursday, November 13, 2014

THE MASSACHUSETTS DAILY COLLEGIAN

UMass’ schedule will dash NCAA tournament dreams

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he message emanating from players on the Massachusetts men’s basketball team projects confidence and clarity.

The goal is simple – to get back. UMass tasted national success last year, slicing through 16 years of shortcomings and long waits to return to the NCAA tournament.

And as quickly as the Minutemen Mark had that eluChiarelli sive success, it was gone, blowing up in smoke to the tune of an 86-67 thrashing at the hands of Tennessee.

Players wrote it off as a team that froze in the spotlight. Coaches cited a game that, despite UMass not playing to its potential, was still in reach.

So this year, things will be different.

“I felt like we laid an egg,” UMass center Cady Lalanne said. “First thing on my mind is getting to the (Atlantic 10 tournament), winning the A-10’s and then getting back to the tournament and making a move in the tournament.

Actually dancing in the tournament instead of just being there.”

It sounds ideal, the perfect rallying cry for a team ready to break through and become a mainstay. And come March, the Minutemen will have plenty of time to practice dancing on their own.

But it won’t be at the NCAA tournament.

It’s not necessarily the fault of the Minutemen.

UMass has enough skill to compete at the NCAA tournament level. Lalanne is a walking double-double and a more vocal and engaged leader.

Guard Derrick Gordon can score in a variety of ways and describes himself as a defen-

RETURN

sive “bulldog.” Blink, and sixth-man Jabarie Hinds is already past you, a blur moving up and down the court.

But part of the deal the Minutemen made with themselves a season ago – putting it all on the line for a shot at finally dancing – rears its ugly head now.

While the players are saying the right thing – you’d certainly hope so in October – question marks loom in every corner of the Mullins Center.

Is Lalanne the superstar who scored 27 points against Boston College in the seasonopener last year, or the center who seemingly combusted down the stretch?

Can Trey Davis and Maxie Esho – two key reserves a season ago – provide the same spark in a starting role? Who will fill those roles now?

UMass dresses a litany of unproven youngsters with potential – Zach Coleman, Donte Clark, Demetrius Dyson and C.J Anderson come to mind –but are they just that, still potential works in progress?

So many questions surround the Minutemen. But as the famous adage goes, there’s so little time.

Some of those questions will be solved organically – over time. But for a team on the NCAA tournament bubble, time is of the essence.

Especially when UMass embarks on the gauntlet that is its non-conference schedule.

Remember last season’s 16-1 start? The demolition of the Charleston Classic, the crucial home victories against Louisiana State and Providence? The schedule was daunting then, but a veteranladen Minutemen team navigated the course.

Now, a team with much uncertainty must return to those same waters. And for their sake, I hope they bring life boats.

UMass must face Harvard, LSU, Brigham Young and

Providence on the road. Two more staunch out-of-conference opponents – Florida State and Notre Dame – await the Minutemen at Mohegan Sun in neutral site contests.

Mid-major potholes await UMass around every corner, as Florida Gulf Coast, Siena and Manhattan travel to Amherst. The Minutemen even have a rough go of it within the conference, as they must travel to face conference favorites Virginia Commonwealth and George Washington on the road.

It’s a scheduling gauntlet.

When UMass played a similar schedule last year, it faced a number of teams early in the season that couldn’t match the Minutemen in terms of experience and skill. Now, UMass is the team which needs time to develop and find its identity.

Combine that with the always unpredictable landscape of the NCAA tournament bubble – not even Joe Lunardi can predict at this time whether it will feature a deep crop of potential tournament teams – and the Minutemen have challenges facing them.

Part of the discussion following last year’s season centered around whether that was the peak of UMass’ success or the beginning of a new era in Amherst. The Minutemen will play the schedule of an NCAA tournament team and operate with the expectations that it belongs.

But unless UMass can gel early or blaze a path through the Atlantic 10 tournament, the Minutemen’s schedule does little to inspire confidence or offer much clarity.

Instead, it provides a challenge UMass may not be ready to handle.

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

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Banner graphic by James Desjardin

Minutemen built for return to Big Dance, and more

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ith the exception of maybe “The Godfather Part II” and “The Dark Knight,” most sequels rarely meet the expectations of its predecessor.

Last year, The Massachusetts Daily Collegian titled the Massachusetts men’s basketball team’s anticipated bid at the NCAA tournament Andrew “Time to Dance.” The Cyr Minutemen achieved that goal, making the tournament for the first time in 16 years.

So it would only be fitting if, as the UMass attempts to return this season, this year’s title was “Time to Dance 2.”

But wait; didn’t the Minutemen lose their electric, play-making point guard and the program’s all-time assist leader, Chaz Williams?

Sure did.

What about long-time starters Raphiael Putney and Sampson Carter? Aren’t they gone too? Yeah, so what?

Although UMass has three large voids to fill left behind from last season, it’s not going to matter. The Minutemen will be dancing again when March rolls around.

This season’s success starts from the middle, with 6-foot-10 center Cady Lalanne back for his senior season.

Lalanne has not only stepped into the role of vocal leader for his teammates, but also supporting a slimmer, more agile frame.

Lalanne is not only one of the few remaining “true centers” in the Atlantic 10 this season, but in all of college basketball as well. Although he’s proven this preseason that he has the ability to hit an outside shot, don’t expect Lalanne to be venturing away

from his beloved paint too often.

Sports Illustrated’s projected to Lalanne to lead the nation in rebounds per game (9.2). It’s safe to say that Lalanne is the best big man UMass has seen – certainly on a national level – since Marcus Camby.

I’m not saying Lalanne has the ability to lead the Minutemen to the Final Four, but with the weapons around him, they undoubtedly have the ability to make it to the tournament again this season.

Along with Lalanne, shooting guard Derrick Gordon is the only other returning starter returning for Derek Kellogg. Since announcing he was gay on April 9, there’s been an aurora surrounding him that he’s not only more comfortable as a player, but has a newfound confidence that was lacking from his game last year.

Gordon makes his living at driving to the basket and finishing around the rim. This year, the off-ball guard has added an outside jump shot to his repertoire.

If Gordon can at least keep defenses honest with his shot, his game is poised to take a step to the next level.

Maxie Esho and Trey Davis join Gordon and Lalanne as the only other two who have legitimate experience playing for UMass. Both players came off the bench last season for Kellogg as spark plugs. With their increased roles as starters, look for the Minutemen to be firing out of the gate more often this go around.

The biggest improvement that UMass will notice from last year’s tournament team will be it’s increased depth.

Last year, Kellogg hardly went deep into his bench, using primarily a seven-man rotation.

This year Kellogg plans to

support a 10-player rotation with an increased emphasis on playing faster and up and down the court more often.

Transfer Jabarie Hinds from West Virginia is eligible and will likely serve as the sixth man.

Similar to Williams, Hinds is a sub 6-foot guard.

Although his outside shot isn’t what Williams’ was, he has the ability to slice-anddice between defenses while getting to the rim.

Sure, the Minutemen’s schedule is a doozy. True road games at Harvard, Louisiana State, Providence Brigham and Virginia Commonwealth will certainly trip up UMass along the way. Not to mention the Minutemen start the season with five games in 10 days.

The schedule will be a tough test for an inexperienced team, but they are more than capable to rising up to the challenge.

This is a defining season for UMass and arguably one of the most important in school history. A return to the Big Dance combined with the new performance center set to open in June 2015, the Minutemen can solidify themselves as a real deal in the ranks of college basketball and Kellogg’s program will skyrocket.

Kellogg has laid the foundation and this team’s success holds the key to the future of basketball in the Bay State. Another tournament appearance for the Minutemen and heads will start to turn outside of the Pioneer Valley.

But before we get too far ahead of ourselves, let’s appreciate the now.

UMass basketball is back on the map, and maybe this time it will be able to dance to more than one song.

Andrew Cyr can be reached at arcyr@ umass.edu, and can be followed on Twitter @Andrew_Cyr.

continued from page A1

The Minutemen return two starters in Gordon and center Cady Lalanne. Gordon averaged 9.4 points per game last season, and worked throughout the offseason on developing a more consistent jump shot to add to his offensive arsenal with the expectation he’ll take on a larger offensive role.

Lalanne is UMass’ centerpiece. He averaged 11.3 points per game a season ago to go along with 7.9 rebounds. He admittedly struggled with consistency in the second half of last season, but the 6-foot-10, 253-pound center expects to shoulder more

responsibility this season.

Behind those two are Maxie Esho and Trey Davis – UMass’ first two reserves from a season ago. Minutemen coach Derek Kellogg relied on Esho and Davis to provide energy minutes last season, and both must now translate into starting roles. Esho is a dynamic dunker and slashing threat, while Davis is the best pure shooter on the team.

From there, it’s a relative unknown for Kellogg.

Jabarie Hinds, a junior transfer from West Virginia, is expected to fill the role of UMass’ sixth man. He’s lightning quick, but sat out all of

“This may be a season where we perfect things as we go.”

Derek Kellogg, UMass coach last season. Kellogg expects to use sophomore Seth Berger as his fifth starter, but Berger played sparingly as a freshman and must prove himself. Behind those two is a combination of forward Zach Coleman and wing players Demetrius Dyson, Donte Clark and C.J. Anderson.

“The next group of guys, they’re all playing pretty well,” Kellogg said.

“Hopefully that’s a good thing; hopefully we’ve got a bunch of good guys that are all competing for playing time.”

While the roles of UMass’ reserves are still ambiguous, Gordon said he’s encouraged by the overall depth of the team.

“They look great,” Gordon said. “They’re all rookies, but they don’t play like rookies.

They’re playing like they’ve been here before and they’re playing with a lot of confidence.”

Who steps up and develops into reliable depth players will go a long way in determining UMass’ success this season. It’s a much different feeling for the Minutemen – last year, roles and expectations were clearly defined – and Kellogg anticipates a different progression.

“I’m excited,” Kellogg said.

“I’m a little, I don’t want to call it apprehensive, but you still feel like there’s a ton of things that we still could get better at and work on. This

may be a season where we perfect things as we go.”

Ultimately, Kellogg must balance integrating new pieces with building on last year’s experience, because the goal remains the same.

“We obviously didn’t play our best basketball against Tennessee,” he told the Daily Collegian in an October interview. “But I think lessons are learned. And if we’re fortunate enough to back to the tournament, we’ll learn from it.”

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

THE MASSACHUSETTS DAILY COLLEGIAN

DailyCollegian.com

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

ON THE DEFENSIVE

LALANNE “We want everyone to be involved, everyone talking, everyone passing the ball,” Lalanne said. “We don’t want to rely on one guy, we want everyone to do it the whole season.”

Bulking Up

CADE BELISLE/COLLEGIAN

Rashida Timbilla and the UMass women’s basketball team look to improve upon its 4-27 record from a season ago.

UM enters year with new-look defense

By Frank Corona Collegian Staff

When the Atlantic 10 women’s basketball preseason poll was announced on Oct. 21, the voters pegged Massachusetts to finish as the 14th seed out of 14 teams within the conference. But to coach Sharon Dawley, all the ranking did was provide extra motivation.

“I don’t think I’ve ever really reacted to those polls, whether if we were first or last they don’t matter,” Dawley said. “I think all it does it put pressure on the (No. 1 seed) and inspire the last, and that’s what it’s doing to us.”

Under Dawley, who returns for her fifth year with the Minutewomen, the team is coming off a season in which it finished with a 4-27 record (1-15 A-10). Last season also included an egregious 17-game losing streak spanning from Dec. 19 through Feb. 23.

In order to rectify the situation, UMass shifted a lot of its focus to a new defensive mentality with hopes that a non-traditional approach, known as “junk defense,”

GORDON

will provide different looks the Minutewomen can use against their opponents.

“I think we’re also going to have to play multiple zones and we have some stuff in now so that as the season progresses, we’ll have more zones,” Dawley said. “To be successful this year we have to do multiple things well and be able to have different looks for different opponents.”

According to Minutewomen forward Rashida Timbilla, the team has the talent needed to implement this defensive strategy effectively.

“I think we have a lot of people who can lock people up and collectively, if we can do that, it’ll make the game easier for us and we can create turnovers,” the junior said. “But it’s good, I like it and it should be fun once we start playing other teams.”

UMass’ 2014-2015 campaign will start with two weekend games against Western Michigan and Central Michigan Friday and Sunday.

Even with last season’s lack of success looming over

continued from

the perimeter and instead focused on double-teaming other UMass players. That angered Gordon, who is dead set on making his mark offensively.

The redshirt junior said he’s put in “crazy amounts of work” this season, and said his workouts are even more intense than his midnight workouts from a season ago. Gordon would routinely post on Twitter and share Instagram videos in reference to midnight workout routines which took place in the Curry Hicks Cage.

Now, he’s upped the ante yet again, and for good reason. Gordon not only needs to improve for his team, but for himself and his future.

Handling his business For Gordon, basketball is both the reason he’s positioned himself to be where he is today and the ticket to life moving forward.

He enters the season with personal aspirations. He wants to score in bunches, utilizing his current offensive game centered on attacking the basket while adding that long-range jumper. He wants

them, the Minutewomen made some key additions to balance out their roster and improve their coaching staff.

Learning from the best UMass’ biggest offseason acquisitions was the hiring of Yolanda Griffith as a new assistant coach.

Griffith is an eight-time WNBA all-star, 1999 WNBA defensive player of the year, 2005 WNBA champion and Finals MVP, first-ballot Hall of Famer and twotime Olympic gold medalist for the United States in the Olympics in Greece and Australia.

She is regarded as one of the greatest professional women’s basketball players of all time, and will be on the sidelines for the Minutewomen’s rebuilding process.

Rising stars On the court, two freshmen stand out in particular for the Minutewomen.

Freshmen Cierra Dillard was a three-star recruit according to ESPN coming out of Gates Chili High

School in Rochester, New York.

At Gates Chili, Dillard was the school’s leading career scorer and finished as one of 20 women in New York Section V women’s basketball history to accumulate over 2,000 points. The guard was also nominated to the 2014 McDonald’s AllAmerican game, along with her now-teammate and fellow freshman Ciara Rosten.

Rosten, a native of Maryvale High School in Cheektowaga, New York, was a 2013-2014 All-New York to go along with her 2014 McDonald’s All-American game nod. At Maryvale, Rosten joined the 1,000-point and 1,000-rebound mark in her junior year, to go along with an average of 19.9 points a game and 18 rebounds.

The young talent has the rest of the team excited for the upcoming season, according to Timbilla.

“We did lose a lot of people but the people we lost just didn’t fit here and we wish them luck,” Timbilla said. “With the new people see

DEFENSE on page B7

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Thursday, November 13, 2014

When Lalanne arrived four years ago as a freshman from Orlando, he looked like he had never seen a weight room before.

He weighed a measly 215 pounds in 2011, and lacked the size to battle with the other centers in the conference.

Since then, he’s gained nearly 40 pounds of muscle. The most notable difference came between his sophomore and junior season, when he gained 23 pounds over one offseason.

He now checks in at 253 pounds.

Despite saying he hasn’t lost any weight, Lalanne enters the 2014 season noticeably leaned and more agile. Lalanne spent most of the summer focusing on his conditioning, and, most importantly, his diet.

“I’ve been working out now for two years and this is the best I’ve ever felt,” he said. “I focused a lot on my conditioning and cutting out a lot of the bad carbs.

I’m actually still at the same weight, I just toned

YOUTH

continued from page

down a lot more and have more energy than I’ve had over the past two years.”

Lalanne’s slimmer physique has not only sparked his game, but his teammates as well. Both Bergantino and Seth Berger have also noticed a difference. Not from looks, but from going up against him in practice every day.

“Now that he has 10 to 15 pounds on me, it’s pretty rough. He’s always been rough but he’s a really strong and good player.

I’ve been saying that since my sophomore year of high school,” said Bergantino, who also joined Lalanne in slimming down this offseason.

“It’s certainly not easy, I’m just lucky to go against one of the best big men in the A-10,” Berger said.

“I always think to myself if I can score against him in practice, I can score against any big man in the conference.”

The hardest part of Lalanne’s offseason transformation? Laying off his beloved sweets.

“I love cookies,” he said.

“Oreos, Chips Ahoy, give me anything. I’ll eat any kind of cookies you give me.”

Andrew Cyr can be reached at arcyr@umass.edu, and can be followed on Twitter @Andrew_Cyr.

continued from page

traditionally why Demetrius is here,” Kellogg said.

Although Berger and Dyson played a part in UMass’ return to the NCAA tournament –both appeared in the game against Tennessee – Coleman sat and watched from the sideline. He was present on every road trip and practice every day.

Watching from afar was difficult for Coleman.

However, he believes his redshirted season will benefit not only his game, but also the program in the long haul.

“It definitely helped me out a lot,” Coleman said. “I was able to sit back and see

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what I should and shouldn’t do. I learned how to practice everyday and now I’m trying to come in and be successful and help the team.”

Although Berger is currently listed as a starter, all three will most likely see fairly similar minutes throughout the course of the season. The trio is ready to take the next step forward in college basketball, and more than eager to get the season underway.

“I’m just ready to take someone else’s blood,” Dyson said.

Andrew Cyr can be reached at arcyr@umass.edu, and can be followed on Twitter @Andrew_Cyr.

FOR MORE WOMEN’S BASKETBALL COVERAGE, SEE PAGE B7.

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to win, because, as he says, other people notice those who are winners.

And Gordon needs to be noticed.

“I want to be one of the top players in the country, not just the conference,” Gordon said.

“In high school, I was always overshadowed by Kyrie Irving and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist,” he continued, referencing his former high school teammates who are now playing in the NBA. “I never had a role as one of the top 50 recruits or top 25 recruits and I always had a chip on my shoulder.”

As Gordon’s played his way through college, he’s realized the avenue to the highest level of basketball can come with detours. Before transferring to UMass, Gordon played at Western Kentucky in the Sun Belt Conference.

It was there that Gordon faced current Orlando Magic guard and former LouisianaLafayette star Elfrid Payton.

Payton advanced to the NBA through the Sun Belt, an unorthodox but ultimately successful route to the same platform Gordon wants

to reach. In Gordon’s mind, there wasn’t much separation between him and the ninth overall pick in the 2014 NBA draft.

And Gordon’s vision is locked squarely on making it to the NBA. According to Gordon, he owes it to his family to provide for them. His brother Darryl was recently released from prison after spending over five years imprisoned for attempted murder, and isn’t expected to carry the burden of providing for a family, at least right away.

Gordon doesn’t want his parents to carry that pressure either.

So it falls on him. And he knows getting to that point won’t be easy.

“At the end of the day, I’ve risked a lot,” Gordon said.

“Honestly, before I came out (as gay), I didn’t want it to have an effect on if I get drafted or not. I didn’t want it to be initial as far as ‘oh yeah, we can’t draft him because of his sexuality.’

“I don’t want that to be the case,” Gordon continued. “I don’t think it will be. I think it’s going to be more of my

CADE BELISLE/COLLEGIAN

Derrick Gordon spent the offseason working on his jump shot in hopes of becoming an outside threat for UMass. game rather than they worry about my sexuality. I can’t be too worried about that. I can’t control that at the end of the day, I can only control what I can bring to the table.”

Gordon said he’s heard via his coaches that at least one NBA team is intrigued by his potential as a professional prospect. It’s a start, but he’s

still not satisfied.

So he shoots after practice and shoots on his own.

He shoots to better himself, to impress those who are watching and those who have doubted him in the past. He’s evolving as a player just as he’s evolving as a person, both because he can and because he has

too.

“My future’s bright if I handle my business,” Gordon said. “It’s there for the taking. It’s a matter of me taking advantage of it.”

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

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THE MASSACHUSETTS DAILY COLLEGIAN

Thursday, November 13, 2014

KELLOGG

continued from page

DailyCollegian.com

A2

The Minutemen weren’t achieving and weren’t playing the type of basketball Kellogg envisioned.

They weren’t playing the type of basketball fans remembered from the last time Kellogg’s permanent address was in Amherst either, which was part of the problem.

Finding an identity UMass basketball was synonymous with Calipari’s name when Kellogg played in Amherst, and remained that way long after both men left as well.

Calipari built UMass into a national power. The Minutemen reached the Final Four in 1996, were ranked No. 1 nationally multiple times and were titans within the Atlantic 10.

So it was only natural that the hope was for Kellogg to navigate UMass back to success and out of the downtrodden postCalipari years.

Kellogg first experienced the quicker tempo which is commonly associated with current UMass teams in his two years at George Mason coaching under Jim Larranaga, who would regularly extend his defense into full-court presses and try to achieve maximum tempo.

Initially, Kellogg holstered his visions of speed.

He believed he had no other choice. He didn’t yet have the necessary pieces to operate, and with college basketball’s competitive environment, he needed to hang on to his job. So he slowed down.

“I had to change out of pure necessity,” Kellogg said. “That’s not really how I wanted to do things, but I also wanted to try to win.

So sometimes you have to be smart … I didn’t want to do that for a whole season, but I wanted to keep the games close.”

Flint, like Kellogg, filled the vacancy left behind

by Calipari. Flint believed there was an expectation that coaches needed to do things a certain way because it worked before.

That meant bringing Calipari’s signature half court, dribble-drive offense back to Amherst. In an effort to adapt, Kellogg tried to implement an offense similar to his close friend and mentor, despite tussling with the allure of playing a faster, more explosive style of offense.

The result? Three seasons without a winning record.

“One of the things about being at UMass is everybody wants you to be like Calipari,” Flint said.

“I remember one night, me and (Kellogg) had a phone call and a phone conversation,” Flint said.

“I told him, ‘One thing I learned from following (Calipari)? Do things the way you want to do it. If you don’t do it the way you want to do it, you’re going to be upset if it doesn’t work.’”

Flint continued: “In the end, they’re going to fire you, not (Calipari). So from that point on, (Kellogg) went and did it the way he wanted to do it and that’s why he had the success he’s had.”

The turning point The most important night of Kellogg’s professional career occurred following the 15-15 season, in the first night of his fourth year coaching the Minutemen.

UMass hosted Elon in a Friday night season opener in November 2011 in front of a capacity 3,093 person crowd at the Curry Hicks Cage.

“Opening night, my fourth year, was probably

COLLEGIAN FILE PHOTO

Derek Kellogg signed a contract extension before the season that made him the highest-paid state employee in Massachusetts.

ALEC ZABRECKY/COLLEGIAN

COLLEGIAN FILE PHOTO

Derek Kellogg was hired to coach the Minutemen in 2008. the turning point for the program and my career to a certain extent,” Kellogg said. “That was the year we needed to do something or you probably start feeling some heat, because that’s just the way it is in this business.”

UMass entered the season off the heels of a lukewarm campaign the year before. Kellogg made wholesale changes to the program, bringing in his strongest recruiting class to date, adding a strength coach and debuting new style of play.

It didn’t take long to see the results.

In his first game, diminutive guard Chaz Williams scored 18 points in 32 minutes. Sampson Carter and Terrell Vinson added 17 points each. The Minutemen ran Elon out of the gym, winning 85-67.

It was finally the start of something golden.

“I knew at that point, we’re going to have a good team,” Kellogg said. “We needed to be good that year, we had to be good and we had to play a certain style and we did.”

“He always wanted to press,” Robic said. “He always wanted to play fast, he always wanted to run because that fits his personality. He finally got the players to do that.”

Identifying talent Kellogg also knew entering that season that he needed a specific player to run his offense.

“I identified that we definitely, unequivocally, needed a point guard,” Kellogg said with a chuckle. “A lot of the stuff that we were doing needed a leader or facilitator.”

The facilitator came in the form of Williams, a 5-foot-9 transfer from Hofstra seeking a fresh start. In a sense, so too was Kellogg.

“We had a definite need for what he was looking for,” Kellogg said. “It was a match made in heaven to a certain extent, so it worked out perfectly. At that point, I was committed 100 per-

cent to, ‘this is how we’re playing from here on out.’”

Williams was Kellogg’s centerpiece, the nucleus to a growing product. From there, he identified talent to fill in around Williams.

The approach jumpstarted UMass to a 25-12 record and a Final Four appearance in the NIT. It was a sizable jump, and for the first time Kellogg knew the program was panning in the right direction.

A unique blueprint Part of the success was the manipulation and unorthodox approach to building his roster.

Kellogg redshirted forward Raphiael Putney when the forward arrived in 2009. He tabbed center Cady Lalanne, a Florida native whose plans to attend Georgia disintegrated, to enroll as a nonqualifier. Guard Trey Davis arrived in Amherst following a similar situation in which he nearly enrolled at George Washington.

Forwards Sampson Carter and Maxie Esho developed alongside Williams and Putney.

Recently, Kellogg went the route of transfers yet again, bringing in guard Derrick Gordon from Western Kentucky and guard Jabarie Hinds from West Virginia.

The homegrown coaching product recognized that in order to build again, he’d need to go outside and bring that within.

“We’ve had success with transfers and redshirting guys,” Kellogg said. “Schools are looking and saying, ‘UMass has a unique blueprint.’”

Part of that blueprint came from the necessary nature of adapting to the environment.

“There’s a definite market right now of people that are recruiting transfers, it’s almost as tough as recruiting high school kids now,” Kellogg said.

According to Lalanne, Kellogg’s recruiting pitch to him was simple: come aboard and help bring the program back to the level it

Derek Kellogg played point guard at UMass from 1991-1995. was under Calipari.

“Everything that is happening right now, he was telling me that this was going to happen,” Lalanne said. “He just needed the pieces, the right players to come along.”

On the brink Kellogg sensed he was on the brink of something special in July 2013, something Amherst hadn’t seen in quite some time.

He knew he was guiding a team finally capable of shattering expectations and returning UMass to the highest level of basketball.

The question became not necessarily how to coach the Minutemen, but how to pace them.

“I had a group of guys that had done it already it in college,” Kellogg said.

“There wasn’t a question if Chaz was a good player or Maxie or Cady or Putney or Sampson or Derrick Gordon or Trey.”

It didn’t take long for Kellogg to see a necessary level of cohesiveness, either.

Players had Kellogg’s practice drills and routines figured out, executing at a nearly flawless level. In the opening scrimmage of the season against American International, Kellogg said he saw four-minute flashes of an NCAA tournament team, the same type of flashes he saw in a closed scrimmage a week earlier against a proven NCAA tournament team in Harvard.

He then turned his attention to cultivating that talent.

“I felt I had to keep those guys energized and motivated and ready to go,” Kellogg said. “That was the biggest thing; I thought the key for me was to make sure they were hungry.”

The Minutemen opened the season like Kellogg starved them.

UMass began the year with a 16-1 record, soaring to No. 13 in the AP top 25 polls and carved up a booby-trapped out-ofconference schedule which

Kellogg fretted over entering the season.

The start embedded UMass in the minds of the nation and, despite finishing the year 8-8 and tumbling out of the top 25, built up enough lasting power in the minds of the NCAA tournament panel.

For the first time in 16 years, UMass could dance in the NCAA tournament.

Its tournament appearance in Raleigh, North Carolina, was bittersweet – the Minutemen were steamrolled by Tennessee 86-67 – and left a sour stain on a breakthrough season.

But on so many levels, returning to the NCAA tournament validated years of effort and patience. It validated the vision Kellogg sold to countless recruits, and validated his reliance on staying the course even when the course tried to stray from him.

Even when discussing the NCAA tournament appearance, Kellogg already had one eye on the future. Sure, he broke through, but how does he remain? How does he sustain success?

“That’s the grail of coaching, to get to the NCAA tour nament,” Kellogg said. “I think that’s how your teams are judged, which, fair or unfair, that’s what people ask.”

He’ll cite the daily process, the importance of creating something reliable, to build a foundation.

He’ll restart that process every year, each team littered with new complications and new battles.

But when people ask about UMass basketball, they’ll no longer ask when it will get back, or what the Minutemen will need to do to turn it around.

Because Kellogg found that answer.

Sustaining success Kellogg’s again reclined in his office chair, now discussing a conversation he had with Calipari.

Upon accepting the UMass job in 2008, Kellogg said he and Calipari walked

together across the UMass campus while discussing the future.

“His thing was always, ‘Make UMass the next job so you don’t have to leave for the next job,’” Kellogg said. “I think it’s slowly but surely becoming the next job, it’s a desirable place to be.”

Kellogg’s essentially renovated the program from the ground floor up, remodeling it in a way that creates consistent success.

Recently, he was rewarded for his efforts, signing a contract extension worth nearly $1 million annually through the 2018-19 season, which makes him the highest-paid state employee.

The contract extension signaled stability, but Kellogg had provided that long before he signed his name on that dotted line.

UMass is sustaining success again, exactly like Kellogg envisioned a long time ago.

According to Kellogg, there were two fundamental aspects to building a program that he learned elsewhere. He learned the importance of loyalty from Calipari, and found it fruitful to surround the program with people who could be trusted from within.

He learned the art of scheduling and organization from Larranaga, observing his former boss’ methodical nature of running a program.

But ultimately, Kellogg figured much of it out by staying true to his instincts and directions.

“There were some bumps in the road along the way,” Kellogg said.

“There were some times where you were up against it, but I thought we fought our way out of it. I thought we continued to stay the course.”

That course led to the revitalization of UMass basketball.

“I think we represent the University the right way,” Kellogg said. “We’re graduating players, the guys do a good job in the community and I think we play a fun style that’s fun to watch.”

He’s confident in his approach now. There isn’t any wavering about the style of play, or the direction of the Minutemen.

According to Kellogg, they’ll do it fast, aggressively and the right way.

And it’s forcing people to take notice.

“Not only do you have to win, but you have to play a fun, exciting style,” Kellogg said. “It’s no longer good enough to just win the game, you have to play up and down and get the fans excited and get the students involved.”

With the energy back, the quality of play improving and interest within the program at an all-time high, there’s plenty riding on this season. Unlike last year, there’s more uncertainty with this team, and the expectations both internally and externally point directly at making it back to the NCAA tournament and creating another famed era of UMass basketball.

And Kellogg wouldn’t have it any other way.

“It’s great,” Kellogg said. “The kids that we recruited, you tell them how it was in the ‘90s when we played here and now we’re getting back that way. To see it all come to fruition, for me, it’s satisfying.

“Now I’d like to keep it that way.”

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

THE MASSACHUSETTS DAILY COLLEGIAN

Thursday, November 13, 2014

News@DailyCollegian.com

@CollegianNews

UM participates in EPA challenge APD receives a $300,000 grant Domestic violence prevention funded

By Patrick Johnston Collegian Correspondent

CADE BELISLE/COLLEGIAN

Volunteers collected 833.5 pounds of recyclables Wednesday night after the tailgate as part of the national EPA Game Day Challenge.

Recyclables collected after tailgate Wed.

By Sarah Robertson Collegian Staff

Vo l u n t e e r s from Sustainable UMass, the Eco-Rep program and the Student Government Association collected 833.5 pounds of recyclables as of Wednesday night in the aftermath of the night’s tailgate as part of a national recycling competition called the EPA Game Day Challenge.

Volunteers collected and weighed bottles and cans from the tailgate in an effort to reduce the waste and cost of cleanup from the homecoming tailgate. Sustainable

UMass will report the weight of recyclables to the EPA which will later be used in a national ranking against other colleges participating in the EPA Game Day Challenge.

Once measurements are reported, all recyclables will be donated to the women’s club soccer team to help fund their trip to Nationals in Memphis, Tennessee.

Some student volunteers drove around golf carts equipped with recycling bins while others canvassed the parking lot on foot in search of recyclables.

Students participating in the tailgate were eager to recycle when the tools to do so were readily available.

“It has been really successful, more successful than I anticipated,” said

“I am so grateful for all the volunteers that participated and how enthusiastic they were to be involved. And the people who tailgated who were really supportive too.”

Jordan Chan, SGA secretary of sustainability Jordan Chan, secretary of sustainability for the SGA and Waste and Recycling fellow at Sustainable UMass.

“Students are receiving us really well.”

Chan first developed the idea to bring the Game Day Challenge to UMass and organized the event alongside Campus Sustainability Manager, Ezra Small.

“I am so grateful for all the volunteers that participated and how enthusiastic they were to be involved,” Chan said. “And the people who tailgated who were really supportive too.”

By 7 p.m., two hours into the tailgate, volunteers had already collected 212 pounds see

TRASH on page b2

The Amherst Police Department, in collaboration with the University of Massachusetts Police De par tment, UMass’ Center for Women and Community and the Nor thampton Police Department, has received a $300,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office on Violence Against Women.

This grant will continue funding a program, which began in October 2010, to fight domestic violence in Amherst, Northampton and at UMass.

This is the third in a series of grants to fund the program. The first, awarded in 2010, was worth $174,000 and was used to fund the efforts of Ilana Gerjuoy , a civilian advocate for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault.

The second grant, worth $300,000, was awarded in 2012 to further fund Gerjuoy’s efforts, and allowed a second parttime civilian advocate to be hired.

This newest grant is meant to last three years instead of two, as the previous grants did, so a domestic violence special investigator’s position, held by Det. Janet Lopez, will be eliminated Nov. 28.

Lopez will be reassigned to general investigation.

This newest grant will fund the two civilian advocates, both of whom are employees of the CWC. They will con-

Every member of UMPD has gone through courses focused on effectively understanding and handling domestic violence and sexual assault cases. tinue to provide services to victims of domestic violence for another three years. According to a press release, more than 350 survivors have been directly served by the civilian advocates since the program began.

Furthermore, the grant has enabled 260 community and campus professions to receive training on issues such as stalking technology and survivors with disabilities.

Ian Cyr, UMPD deputy chief of operations, described the role of these advocates in cases of domestic violence.

“They bridge the gap between the victim, survivor and the police department,” Cyr said. The advocates benefit both the victims and the department by helping both to better understand each other.

Cyr explained that cases of domestic violence are “delicate and complex,” and that the civilian advocates can effectively explain the options available to the victims and help police officers better understand how to help the victims.

They also act as a “comsee

GRANT on page b3

Study shows negative effects of Website gives students chance binge drinking by adolescents to earn money for their notes Memory, impulse decisions affected

By Kathleen Kirk Collegian Correspondent Graduate student Wanette Vargas said she has always been startled by the amount of alcohol consumed by adolescents, especially college students.

She has chosen to study the biological effects of excessive alcohol consumption for her research as a doctoral student in the neuroscience and behavioral program at the University of M a s s a ch u s e t t s.

Her findings show that the amount of alcohol consumption in early adolescence has profound negative impacts on the brain, particularly when it comes to myelin in the prefrontal cortex.

Her findings were recently published in the Oct. 29 issue of The Journal of Neuroscience, where she detailed her research process and results.

In an email to the Daily Collegian, Vargas said, “There are areas of our brains, like the prefrontal cortex, that are still developing through our twenties.

This means that college students should think carefully about the potential risks of drinking alcohol, especial-

“Alcohol may negatively affect brain development and have long-term consequences on areas of the brain that are important for controlling impulses and making decisions.”

Wanette Vargas, UMass graduate student ly binge drinking. Alcohol may negatively affect brain development in humans and have long-term consequences on areas of the brain that are important for controlling impulses and making decisions.”

Vargas began studying the effect of adolescent drinking as a student at the University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez. She dedicated her undergraduate research to studying patterns of alcohol consumption among adolescent, Hispanic minorities in the United States.

She came to UMass just over four years ago, and under the tutelage of Dr. Heather Richardson, she has been researching the biological effects of alcohol consumption.

According to a University press release, Vargas worked with Dr. Richardson, the principal investigator of the lab, Lynn Bengston and Brian Whitcomb of UMass, and Nicholas Gilpin of

Louisiana State University.

The researchers believe their study is the first to show voluntary alcohol consumption has negative effects on the development of adolescent brains.

The study received funding through a two-year grant from The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.

The NIAAA defines binge drinking as a pattern of drinking that brings the blood alcohol level to 0.08. This occurs after four drinks for women and five for men over a period of two hours. The NIAAA reports that four out of five college students drink alcohol. Of those students, about half consume alcohol through binge drinking.

The researchers conducted a series of experiments using adolescent male rats.

Each experiment looked at the effect of binge drinking on different parts of see

DRINKING on page b3

By Shelby Ashline Collegian Staff

Across the country, college students are getting paid for doing what they do on a regular basis – going to class, taking notes and studying.

Flashnotes.com, a website that was founded in 2010 by Mike Matousek, allows students to buy and sell digital notes, study guides, flash cards and other learning aids.

Matousek, who is also the company’s CEO and co-founder, said he came up with the idea for the site while taking a required statistics class at Kent State University where he majored in finance “I switched majors a couple of times and when I finally settled on finance, I had already taken a statistics class, so I understood statistics,” Matousek said.

“For whatever reason, there was just a disconnection where the other students couldn’t learn or understand the concepts from the professor’s teaching. So I started creating study guides and I sold (them for $10 each) and I made over $1000.”

Matousek’s personal experience led him to consider how he could expand this friendly sharing of knowledge to all college

students who struggle to understand the subject matter of their courses.

“My main vision for (Flashnotes) was to give students a voice in how they study and learn,” Matousek said. “We’re not using this for any other reason than to truly make a difference in the number of students that don’t graduate. We believe having focused, course-specific, high-quality content can actually make a difference when students are walking out of class thoroughly confused about what’s going on.”

According to Matousek, three months ago, he and his employees redesigned Flashnotes, making it easier for users to find content and providing sellers with “additional tools to help promote their content.” A significant change was the addition of a “live video component” by which students can directly pose individual questions to other users.

Backed by $11.2 million from two venture firms, Stage 1 Ventures and Cengage Learning, the site is currently run out of Boston by 22 employees. There are over 100,000 users from 1,600 colleges and universities across the country, most of whom are buyers.

What a user pays for a piece of studying material is left up to the seller.

Sellers set their own prices for their work based on its quality and educational value.

Although the average is $31 per hour (meaning an hour spent either in class or organizing notes outside of class), student salaries range from $1.99 per hour to $36 per hour depending on the content’s worth in the eyes of the seller.

Sellers receive 70 percent of what buyers pay.

The remaining 30 percent goes to the company.

To date, student sellers at the University of Massachusetts have uploaded 323 items to Flashnotes. UMass student Kristen Sarno has sold 63 copies of the 9 items she has made available since she first started selling with Flashnotes on Oct. 28.

Sarno, an undeclared sophomore from Plainville, said Flashnotes helps her afford the expenses of living off-campus and helps her pay for college while still spending a lot of time learning her class material.

“Flashnotes lets me focus more on my classes see

FLASHNOTES on page b2

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TRASH

THE MASSACHUSETTS DAILY COLLEGIAN

FLASHNOTES

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of recyclables. An hour later that number rose to 440.

The real work, however, began after students left the parking lot at 8 p.m. and volunteers began cleanup.

Chan said they expect to report over 1,000 pounds of recyclables collected after they tally the totals from all the other recycling bins around the stadium.

It cost the University of Massachusetts $28,000 to clean up over 22,000 pounds of waste on the ground after the Homecoming tailgate earlier this season. UMass did not participate in the Game Day Challenge during the Homecoming tailgate.

The Newman Catholic Center tent helped keep volunteers warm with cups of chowder. Volunteers also received free $10 food vouch-

Chan said they expect to report over 1,000 pounds of recyclables collected after they tally the totals from all the other recycling bins around the stadium. ers, tickets to the game and were entered to win one of five gift certificates to local businesses.

This will be the only Game Day Challenge UMass participates in this year, as the only remaining home game will take place when students are gone over Thanksgiving break.

In the future the SGA, Eco-Reps and Sustainable UMass hope to continue to participate in the Game Day Challenge and someday hope

DailyCollegian.com

to make the “Zero Waste Wall of Fame” for 90 percent waste diversion from landfills.

“The goal is to continue this for future years,” Chan said. “We hope that after this success, that all the departments involved will be enthusiastic to help out and keep this program going.”

Sarah Robertson can be reached at srobertson@umass.edu.

than if I were to work 25 hours a week somewhere else,” Sarno said. “My grades have definitely improved since starting it too.”

By selling notes, study guides and flash cards for two of her classes, communications 287 and classics 100, Sarno estimated she has earned about $490. She said she usually spends four to five hours preparing a piece of material for the site. One of her study guides is 30 pages long, double-spaced.

“I don’t skimp,” Sarno said. “I want people to do really well. I don’t want them to pay for something and not get a good product.”

However, Sarno said she has received mixed reviews

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of her work. On the other hand, some of her classmates have thanked her and asked her to put up more study materials, having noticed an improvement in their grades after using them.

“Other people get really upset that they have to pay for it,” Sarno said. “(But) if you didn’t understand the material you’d end up going to a tutor. That would cost way more than using a $10 study guide or $8 flash cards.”

Sarno said she would recommend Flashnotes to both buyers and sellers because of the site’s benefits, convenience and ease of use.

“Making an account is really easy and simple to do,” Sarno said. “The

Flashnotes people are really nice to work with … They’re really helpful if you have any questions.”

Matousek encourages all students who have a good understanding of their class material to get involved with Flashnotes, both for their own benefit and for their classmates’ benefit.

“We always want to target the best sellers and we really encourage students that do have a great grasp (on their class topics) to join,” Matousek said. “Not only can you make the additional money, but our sellers really do make a difference for other students in their class.”

Shelby Ashline can be reached at sashline@umass.edu.

THE MASSACHUSETTS DAILY COLLEGIAN

DailyCollegian.com

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mon thread” between UMPD and the Amherst and Northampton Police Departments.

Money from the grant will also go toward training police officers who may have to handle cases of domestic violence.

Since 2010, almost 200 officers, between the three departments, have received training.

According to Cyr, every member of UMPD has gone through courses focused on effectively understanding and handling domestic violence and sexual assault cases.

“Since 2010, all the officers in the police department have received yearly training,” Cyr said.

So far, Cyr said he thinks the program has

been successful. He also emphasized the importance of the civilian advocates by saying, “A better understanding of domestic violence and sexual assault is imperative.”

When asked about future plans, Cyr said UMPD hopes to begin a relationship with the Center for the Study of Men and Masculinities to address the issue of domestic violence against men, as well. Statistically, women are the victims in domestic violence cases the majority of the time, but the problem isn’t exclusive.

Patrick Johnston can be reached at pejohnston@umass.edu.

This week on DailyCollegian.com Five Reasons Why: You Should Watch UMass Basketball Inside the Park with Marky Mark – November 7, 2014 – Marc JeanLouis and Jesse MayfieldSheehan team up to discuss North Dakota State football, African Americans in Major League Baseball and the controversy of NFL policy through the fining of Colin Kaepernick.

Panel on torture questions US

By John Zarocostas McClatchy Foreign Staff

GENEVA — The United States came under heavy scrutiny Wednesday from U.N. experts investigating whether it had violated the terms of a global treaty that prohibits torture.

The panel quizzed Obama administration officials not just on the treatment of suspected terrorists held at CIA so-call “black sites” during the administration of President George W. Bush, but also the practices of U.S. police officers and prison guards. Among the topics were prolonged solitary confinement in prisons and the sexual abuse of inmates.

Mary E. McLeod, the acting legal adviser to the U.S. State Department, acknowledged that in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, “We did not always live up to our own values, including those reflected in the convention,” a reference to the 1984 U.N. Convention against Torture, which the United States and 155 other nations have signed.

“As President Obama has acknowledged, we crossed the line and we take responsibility for that,” she said.

But McLeod also told the panel, “There should be no doubt, the United States affirms that torture and cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment and punishment are prohibited at all times in all places.”

The session was part of the periodic review of U.S. compliance with the anti-torture convention. The U.S. was last reviewed in May 2006.

U.S. officials are expected to respond Thursday to questions from the 10-member panel on whether the United States has a “specific plan and timetable” for closing the detention center for suspected terrorists at Guantanamo

Bay, Cuba, and whether the United States intends to release 28 videos of the forced feeding of Guantanamo prisoners who were on a hunger strike. A federal court in Washington has ordered the administration to make the videos public.

The panel also sought an explanation for why the United States has refused to allow the U.N.’s special rapporteur on torture to meet privately with detainees at Guantanamo.

Alessio Bruni, an Italian who is one of two investigators for the panel, also pressed for comment on whether the U.S. had made any effort to condemn the alleged kidnappings by the CIA of an estimated 100 people on European Union territory who were then sent to other countries for questioning.

U.S. officials also faced questions on police practices and prison conditions from the other investigator, Jens Modvig of Denmark. Modvig pressed the 27-member U.S. delegation on what the U.S. government has done to review police practices, particularly those in Ferguson, Mo., which was wracked by weeks of unrest after a police officer shot and killed an African-American teenager in disputed circumstances.

Modvig also questioned the delegation on the distribution of military equipment to local police forces and on what independent oversight exists to prevent the excessive use of force by police.

David Bitkower, deputy assistant attorney general with the U.S. Justice Department’s criminal division, told the panel that the department’s civil rights division has opened over 20 investigations “into systemic police department violations

over the past five years.” He added, “We have prosecuted over 330 police officers for misconduct.”

Bruni also asked the U.S. delegation why some prison inmates are kept in their cells alone for as long as 23 hours a day, and he noted that news stories have said some prisoners in Louisiana have been in solitary confinement for more than 30 years. He said such treatment causes “anxiety, depression and hallucinations until their personality is complete destroyed.”

Modvig also pointed to reports that as many as 40,000 adult inmates and 1,390 juveniles had reported being sexually victimized by prison staff and asked the U.S. delegation to provide details of how many such cases are investigated each year in the United States.

Bitkower said the Justice Department “is continuing to work to prevent, detect and respond to abuse in U.S. prisons.”

He said the Justice Department last year found that Pennsylvania’s use of “long-term and extreme forms of solitary confinement” violated U.S. law and noted that U.S. federal courts “have interpreted the Eighth and Fourteenth Amendments of the U.S. Constitution as prohibiting the use of solitary confinement under certain circumstances.”

But the U.S. delegation also said in its report to the commission that “there is no systematic use of solitary confinement in the United States.”

The anti-torture panel is scheduled to present its findings on Nov. 28.

DRINKING the brain. The researchers gave the rats access to sweetened alcohol – sweetened water in the control – over a period of two weeks.

The rats would push a lever to access the sweetened beverage. By pressing on this lever, it shows the rats voluntarily consumed the alcohol.

The press release further explained the rats that consumed alcohol as adolescents had reduced levels of myelin – a fatty coating that wraps around neural fibers in the brain – in the prefrontal cortex when compared to the control rats. The researchers also looked at the rats after several months and found that rats exposed to alcohol in adolescence had reduced levels of myelin in adulthood.

The study shows that early experience with alcohol can physically alter brain structure. Vargas

Thursday, November 13, 2014

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explained, “We found that alcohol damaged and reduced myelin within the frontal lobes, or more specifically, the prefrontal cortex – a brain region extremely important for high order functions such as working memory, impulse control and decision making.”

The researchers also looked at working memory, which is the ability to hold onto information for a given period. They found that the more alcohol the rats consumed in adolescence, the worse they performed on the working memory test as adults.

Vargas explained this study is part of her doctoral dissertation. She noted that the research process took a long time. She said it requires a lot of thinking, planning and trouble shooting. She also explained how Dr. Richardson provides crucial guidance through-

out the process, as well as the undergraduates working in the lab with her.

According to her, it truly is a team effort.

“It took us several years to complete all the experiments in order to answer our research questions.

The brain processing takes quite awhile because labeling myelin is tedious and so are the many, many hours at the microscope,” she added in the email.

Vargas pointed out that it can be difficult at times, but she finds it rewarding to answer questions relating to the effects of alcohol on the brain. She is interested in understanding what makes people vulnerable to alcohol abuse disorders and the underlying mechanisms by which alcohol affects myelin and white matter.

Kathleen Kirk can be reached at klkirk@umass.edu

Opinion Editorial THE MASSACHUSETTS DAILY COLLEGIAN

Thursday, November 13, 2014

“I think that people who read the tabloids deserve to be lied to.” - Jerry Seinfeld

Editorial@DailyCollegiancom

China and Japan begin thawing frozen relations This week, the current to understand the conflict leaders of the second and between the two countries third largest economies in and how their relationship will shape the future.

Eliot Decker The origins of the SinoJapanese tensions are very the world met face to face for complex. However, most the first time ever. Due to the contemporary distrust conflict over the Senkaku stems from the actions of Islands (Diaoyu in China), the Japanese Empire in the China and Japan severed early 20th century. All of all political ties in 2012. The East Asia was affected by the meeting between Chinese Empire, but China bore the President Xi Jinping and brunt of the suffering. Since Japanese Prime Minister the end of the Chinese Civil Shinzo Abe may have only War, the Communist leaderbeen 25 minutes long, but it ship has used anti-Japanese marks the end of this long sentiments to inspire nationperiod of diplomatic silence alism among its people. between the two nations.

Though it has now been 69 Although no real prog- years since the collapse of ress has been made, a move Imperial Japan, its effects towards a more coopera- are still well ingrained into tive China and Japan would the minds of all those affectgreatly alter the political and ed. economic climate for Asia After WWII, Japan comand the globe. Because of pletely reinvented itself as these dire implications, it a peaceful power. Not only is important for the world did the country undergo an

image-change, but rapid economic reforms took place as well. Japan would later become the world’s second largest economy, confirming what many researchers called “The Japanese

has directly taken action to harm the interests of the other, the conflict between Japan and China has been palpable in recent years.

Starting in 2010, China surpassed Japan as Asia’s

“The meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe may have only been 25 minutes long, but it marks the end of this long period of diplomatic silence between the two nations.”

Miracle.”

Its passive approach to success created a sense of pride among Japanese people, in that they had moved beyond the darker imperial days. But because this clashed with the Chinese and Korean view on Japan, political tensions remained.

Though neither country

largest economy. While the change wasn’t much of a surprise to anyone, it did serve as a wakeup call to Japanese leadership.

In 2012, the same year Shinzo Abe was elected Prime Minister, the Japanese government purchased the Senkaku Islands from their previous private owner. As

Appreciating the power of literature Every now and then I’ll to share this beautiful lanbe reading something and guage with somebody. But I’ll find myself pausing to as a night owl, I am the only one awake and have to tuck Maral Margossian the sentence away to share it later. reread the line. Not out of Despite my efforts to confusion or clarification, carve the quotes into my but out of sheer pleasure. memory, it always slips These “double takes” don’t away. That doesn’t matter. always occur when I’m read- These excerpts served their ing a novel. In fact, more purpose. They remind me often than not, they come why I love to read and why from newspaper articles – literature is such an impornews, opinion, feature, it tant part of my life. I love doesn’t really matter. These hearing or reading about snippets of writing make why writers write because me smile and remind me of they all tell a slightly altered why I love language. version of the same reason – Without fail, these lit- to share some aspect of the tle gifts arrive at the most human condition. Through needed times. At some literature, the notions and moment during every ideas about the intercon-

who choose not to read. I want my friends who don’t read to experience the overwhelming power of simple letters arranged in certain ways. I have nothing against those who choose not to read – I get it. It’s a long process, easy to fall out of habit of, and it’s daunting. But those moments that resonate with you on a fundamental human level and make you want to stop and read the passage out loud are enough of a reason to read.

We still read Shakespeare hundreds of years later because we continue to find meaning relevant to our lives in his plays.

Translated literature reach-

5 1 2 3 4 5

China has laid claim to the islands consistently, the two countries cut ties in order to avoid a direct conflict.

Additionally, China has used its new fiscal power to become a strong military investor, further straining the situation. The results of the escalation of tensions are apparent. According to a BBC poll, 73 percent of Japanese view China negatively. 90 percent of China’s population perceive Japan in a negative light.

Because of the intense political nature of the SinoJapanese disputes, both countries currently seek expansion of their economic relationships. Due to these rocky relations, Japanese investment in China decreased 45 percent in the first half of 2014. Despite the close proximity and potential of Chinese economy, China only made up 5 percent of

Japanese global investments in the first two quarters this year. Leaders of both countries recognize that this is a huge missed opportunity for mutual gain. This also is what made the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation summit an appropriate place to begin the thaw.

Furthermore, the two countries jointly released a four-point plan in which they agreed to set their past differences aside in order to focus on the future. Most important of the commitments was the official restart of diplomatic discussions on disputes between the two nations. Should this trend continue, it will create a safer and more economically sound Asian sphere for the world’s benefit.

Eliot Decker is a Collegian columnist and can be reached at ecdecker@ umass.edu.

reasons why

YOU SHOULD WATCH UMASS BASKETBALL

To watch Derek Kellogg’s hair and expressions We made it to Round 2 NCAA March Madness last year It’s more exciting than UMass Football

Coach Derek Kellogg is the highest paid state employee in Massachusetts Basketball was invented 30 minutes away – the only thing to be proud of Springfield for

“Through literature, the notions and ideas about the interconnectedness of the human experience morph from abstractions into palpable realities.” semester, all my heavy duty assignments, be it projects, research papers, or presentations, pile up with back to back due dates, sparing no moment to breathe. I feel overwhelmed, stressed and just about ready to hibernate until the next semester. But then, in the stupor of late night readings, I begin to notice the words, phrases and sentences.

When I come across these eloquent sentences, I try to etch them into my memory. I pick apart the words then dissect their sounds as if these words and their meanings were physically tangible. At some point, I look up from the page, eager

nectedness of the human experience morph from abstractions into palpable realities. The stories I read become part of my own experiences and shape my character.

When we read, we become the characters and their stories play out in our minds as if they are our own. The more we read, the more our capacity for empathy increases. We begin to see ourselves in others and the essence of the meaning “shared human experience” becomes clearer.

But in these spontaneous moments of appreciation for literature, I end up thinking about all those

es the hearts of people outside those who speak the language it was originally published in because there are certain experiences that transcend cultural lines and language barriers.

The English alphabet consists of 26 letters. Yet through various combinations and permutations of these finite letters, we have amassed libraries teeming with great works of literature. These works depict countless narratives, each wonderfully unique, yet universal in their reflection on humanity.

Maral Margossian is a Collegian columnist and can be reached at mmargossian@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 2014, The Collegian has been broadsheet since January 1994. For advertising rates and information, call 413-545-3500.

PRODUCTION CREW on staff for this issue NIGHT EDITOR - Patrick Hoff COPY EDITOR - Jaclyn Bryson WEB PRODUCTION MANAGER - Claire Anderson NEWS DESK EDITOR - News Staff O p /E d DESK EDITOR - Maral Margossian ARTS DESK EDITOR - Cory Willey SPORTS DESK EDITOR - Anthony Chiusano COMICS DESK EDITOR - Tracy Krug GRAPHICS DESK EDITOR - Graphics Staff

Arts Living THE MASSACHUSETTS DAILY COLLEGIAN

Thursday, November 13, 2014

“Mankind was born on Earth. It was never meant to die here.” - Cooper (‘Interstellar’)

FILM REVIEW

Arts@DailyCollegian.com

FILM FEATURE

‘Interstellar’ finds soul amongst the stars Marvel Studios’ Nolan’s latest is narrative woes emotionally charged

By Nathan Frontiero Collegian Staff

“Interstellar” surprised me. I walked into the theater last Thursday night expecting to see a bombastic space exploration flick. I did not expect the film to bring me to tears, as it did. The plot is centered on the final frontier, but Christopher Nolan’s latest is more than that. There’s a soul beneath the science-fiction spectacle.

Love, mortality and the tragedy of lost time coalesce into an intricate, emotionally resonant narrative.

Nolan doesn’t pin down when exactly the film takes place. The director introduces a bleak vision of the near future, but establishes the timeline implicitly. Earth’s resources have dwindled too low to support the human population. Governments have collapsed. Dust storms ravage the barren streets. Nolan and cinematographer Hoyte van Hoytema frame the ravaged Earth with an appropriately muted color palette. Above sprawling fields of corn (the last surviving crop), the faded purple of the twilight sky looks hopeful.

The first act features occasionally heavy-handed speeches from older characters, as they lament generations of people who all wanted too much. Humanity’s future hinges on the discovery of a new habitable world. And so a team of astronauts, led by former test pilot Cooper (Matthew McConaughey), blasts off on a journey to find

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Hathaway and McConaughey as explorers Brand and Cooper, respectively. humanity a new home in the heavens. As a fictional reminder of the devastating effects of climate change, the sequence is foreboding.

But “Interstellar” isn’t a message movie. Nolan’s storytelling motivations are rooted more deeply in pathos than in politics this time around.

Gone are the heavy undertones prevalent throughout “The Dark Knight” trilogy.

The reality of environmental destruction merely serves as the broader baseline for a more intimate narrative.

At the film’s core is the story of a father willing to cross the universe to see his daughter again. As Cooper, McConaughey embodies that deep yearning. Every one of Cooper’s decisions is based on that goal of returning to her.

The actor anchors the story’s loftier science with the gravity of a father’s love. When Cooper realizes the distance that has come between them, it’s heartbreaking.

The entire cast delivers an affecting, committed effort.

Alongside McConaughey,

Anne Hathaway, Jessica Chastain and Michael Caine elevate the film beyond its broader conflicts. They break down the mission to save the human species into a far more interpersonal struggle. Each character naturally evokes empathy. I have enjoyed most of the director’s films, but never before have I cared so much about his characters.

With “Interstellar,” Nolan finally reached me on a human level.

The film reaffirms Nolan’s preference for realism. The deep reaches of space are stark and impenetrably vast.

Nolan collaborated with theoretical physicist Kip Thorne to create visuals that accurately represented the distortion of light around celestial bodies with huge gravitational fields. Sound design masterfully augments the convincing images. Nolan depicts the lack of sound in the vacuum of space, and the silence is chilling. Every shot of the massive black void is terrifying.

Hans Zimmer’s score adds immeasurably to the film’s

immersion. The composer and frequent Nolan-collaborator completely changed his style for “Interstellar.” He abandons his trademark broody string motifs in favor of blaring pipe organ and piano melodies.

The music’s relentless energy is hypnotic. I found myself entranced by every scene. The director and composer have seamlessly integrated sound and image. Every musical cue gives the drama onscreen an added heft.

Nolan’s grand vision made me feel small again. I was captivated by the film’s sheer audacity, misty-eyed in pure childlike wonder. Movies have the power to transport audiences to other realities. They offer, in essence, a momentary escape. Nolan completely convinced me that I had left this world.

Three hours flew by in an exhilarating rush. Later, after returning to my dorm, I looked in the mirror. My face looked the same, but I felt that this cinematic journey had aged me. An entire chapter of my life seemed to have passed by. After travelling beyond the celestial horizon, returning to Earth was beautifully disorienting.

“Interstellar” is an odyssey into the unknown, but it’s also a tale about the transcendent power of human connection. The film confronts the inevitability of death with an inspired hopeful eye, and its genuineness carries the weight of its sound and fury.

For Christopher Nolan, the secret to touching the viewer’s heart was somewhere in the stars.

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

FILM REVIEW

‘Birdman’ sets course for Oscars Keaton soars in a very personal role

By Sutton Bradbury-Koster Collegian Correspondent

“Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)” is a brilliant and gripping cocktail of social satire and existential melodrama that every movie theater in America and elsewhere should be serving.

The feature film opens with a quote from Raymond Carver, the protagonist’s idol.

“And did you get what you wanted from this life, even so?

I did. And what did you want?

To call myself beloved, to feel myself beloved on the earth.”

This quote speaks to the core of Michael Keaton’s character as he struggles to find his purpose during the turmoil that is his career and life. We are then introduced to a series of disorientating images, flashes of pictures that later become important.

The score is terrifying and beautiful, riddling you with suspense until all goes quiet and we are left with a shot of Riggan (Michael Keaton) meditating and floating in his dressing room. He is literally levitating (in his tighty whities no less). The movie projects this level of comedy right from the start. We expect some level of emotional energy, but instead we are greeted with an underdressed, middle-aged floating man. Riggan’s supernatural abilities go completely unexplained throughout the whole movie, a topic that seems like it merits addressing. Later,

we begin to understand that his “superpowers” are a metaphor, hinting that celebrities transcend the human race and are capable of otherworldly powers. The movie not only mocks actors, but also blockbuster hits, like one scene in which literally everything blows up.

The satire doesn’t end just there – this movie is riddled with irony from start to finish.

Tongue-in-cheek jokes galore punctuate every scene. Even those that are fueled by emotion and drama can end with the deliverance of an off-hand joke that goes almost completely unnoticed. However, the greatest irony comes from the plot itself. Keaton is portraying an actor who once was involved in a multi-billion dollar comic book movie franchise and is attempting to regain some of his former glory by directing and starring in a Broadway musical. Sound familiar? It should be because Keaton played Batman in Tim Burton’s interpretation of the tale back in 1989 and has since become rather reclusive. He has starred in many movies since, but none of them became real box office smashes or critically acclaimed performances. Essentially, Keaton is playing a glorified version of himself, one that he embodies perfectly.

There was talk about Keaton’s excellent performance and his eligibility for the Academy Award for Best Actor at the upcoming 87th Oscars. Whether these are rumors or not, it is certainly a topic of interest as Keaton delivers arguably the best performance of the year. While the rest of the cast can be

MCT

Riggan (Keaton) struggles to find a career after his famous role as “Birdman.” described as nothing less than star-studded, Keaton, without a doubt, takes the cake, the frosting on top and everything in between. Zach Galifianakis, Emma Stone, Edward Norton and Naomi Watts all perform at top-notch, but nothing compares to Keaton’s range of emotion and believability.

Keaton’s triumph is aided by the cinematography. The movie appears to be one continuous shot. Let that sink in for a moment. Shot in realtime, some actors would have to perform pages upon pages of script without fail. This choice allows for the audience to become completely immersed in the art, further driven by occasional fourth wall breaks where the actors appear to directly address the audience. It feels like you are following these people around as opposed to watching a movie. An atmosphere is established that allows for the acting to seem so much more believable and genuine. Keaton is a troubled man attempting to salvage his

career, fiscal life and family life. He plays every emotion on the spectrum from blinding fury to unbridled happiness and forlorn depression to unhinged insanity.

This movie may not be for everyone as it can be a bit artsy and easy to misunderstand certain aspects, such as Riggan’s superpowers. If you can accept these aspects, then you’ll love the film and you won’t be able to look away.

Even if you aren’t head over heels for it, you can do nothing less than respect it. Making a film appear to be one continuous shot is an audacious feat that this film accomplishes splendidly. The drum score compliments the atmosphere and the cast backs up everything else. Everyone can at least find something to enjoy about this film and if the acting, satire and cinematography don’t get you and your friends talking, the ambiguous ending certainly will.

Sutton Bradbury-Koster can be reached at sbradburykos@umass.edu.

MCU focuses too much on spectacle

By Eli Fine Collegian Correspondent Editor’s Note: The following is article is part one of a two-part feature on the phases of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. This article contains spoilers for the films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

climax sequence where Loki’s never-before-mentioned huge army of flying alien-robots destroyed New York.

At this point, I could no longer connect with anything that was happening in these movies.

The stakes were just way too high and not relatable on any level. Moreover, I really didn’t like “The Avengers” very much.

From its boring opening sequence to its quipping dialogue to its meaningless climax, it felt very much like a bad episode of a Joss Whedon TV show.

Now on to Phase Two. For “Iron Man 3,” Jon Favreau stepped down as director and the reigns were handed over to Shane Black. As a result, the movie was a weak shadow of the first two installments, and ended up a mishmash of nonsense with no discernable narrative or plot.

The first act of the movie wasn’t half bad, to be honest. Ben Kingsley played The Mandarin, a threatening villain not unlike terrorists we’ve seen in the real world. Then, halfway through the film, it is revealed that Kingsley’s character is just a fool being manipulated by another character played

by Guy Pearce, who is just about as bland as it gets. Not to mention he can breathe fire. It’s all downhill from there. The “Thor” sequel was even worse than the original, and the “Captain America” sequel, while not terrible, was convoluted and gimmicky.

“Guardians of the Galaxy” seemed at first to be an anomaly for Marvel.

Director James Gunn adapted it from an obscure comic book and cast the terrific Chris Pratt in the lead role. Ultimately though, “Guardians” followed the “Avengers” formula – the group chases down some nondescript rare artifact while an extremely unremarkable villain (Lee Pace), whose motivations are vague at best, tries to recover it so he can use it to destroy the world.

“Avengers: Age of Ultron,” again directed by Whedon, is guaranteed to destroy at the box office, but is unlikely to rise above the first Avengers movie in terms of quality.

The next Marvel movie on the schedule, “Ant-Man,” is an important one. It had real potential for a while when the great English director Edgar Wright was attached, but once he dropped out due to creative differences, most of that potential disappeared. However, because of the unexpected casting of Paul Rudd and the fact that “Anchorman” director Adam McKay was brought in to rewrite the script, “Ant-Man” could still rise above the pack.

While it couldn’t possibly be as good as if Wright was directing, there is some hope that it could at least be an interesting variation on the standard Marvel movie.

We can all agree that the best Marvel movie to date is “Iron Man,” can’t we? Personally, I don’t find it at all surprising that the very first Marvel Cinematic Universe film is also the best. For one thing, Marvel was taking a real risk at the time by kick-starting their cinematic universe with Tony Stark, a relatively unknown character. For another, they were taking a chance casting Robert Downey Jr. in the lead role – he hadn’t starred in a successful blockbuster since his downward spiral in the 1990s. Luckily, they had hired an imaginative, ambitious and capable director in Jon Favreau.

Favreau had a great vision for the film, and he insisted that Downey was the right choice for the role. This proved to be a smart move. Downey gave a fantastic performance with just the right ratio of humor to pathos. The movie turned out great and made a ton of money at the box office.

Unfortunately, though, it seems like Kevin Feige and the people at Marvel have decided they’ll never take another risk again, with one or two possible exceptions. Let’s take a look at Marvel’s Phase One (entitled “Avengers Assembled”).

Whereas they casted a dynamic and intriguing lead in “Iron Man,” Marvel cast three extremely bland, generically handsome white guys in “Thor,” “Captain America” and to a certain extent, “The Incredible Hulk.” Marvel also hired three essentially characterless directors to helm these movies. As a result, “Thor,” “Captain America” and “Hulk” were tedious, badly written and had absurdly high stakes, unlike “Iron Man,” which had intriguing secondary characters, humorous dialogue and relatable, human stakes.

I leave “Iron Man 2” off of this list because, despite no question that it was a much safer movie for Marvel to make than the original, I actually enjoyed that film.

The one thing that they did get right in this batch of films was casting Tom Hiddleston as Loki, the villain of “Thor.” He became an immediate fan favorite and broke out as the only redeeming quality in “Thor.” Because the people at Marvel had given up on risk-taking at this point, they decided to take Loki, newly established as their most popular character, and make him the villain in the Phase One culmination movie, “The Avengers.” “The Avengers,” directed by TV veteran Joss Whedon, Eli Fine can be reached at elazended with a gigantic arfine@gmail.com

B6

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Thursday, November 13, 2014

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Though there has been wild advances of technology in this world, a USB music port in B y R yan N orth a car is still pretty awesome.

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B7

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL PREVIEW

Development of freshmen, Pierre-Louis preparing to seniors drive Minutewomen provide senior leadership Newcomers aim for starting roles

“I like the four newcomers we have a lot.

We’re working out the kinks, we’ve got a couple of practices, but I’m sure there will be a couple of freshmen in the starting lineup.”

By Arthur Hayden Collegian Staff

The numbers do not lie – the Massachusetts women’s basketball team has won a combined seven games over its last two seasons.

However, coach Sharon Dawley said she is energized and optimistic heading into her 21st season at the helm with a slew of young talent and a core of senior leaders at her disposal.

The promising development of the Minutewomen’s five freshmen has Dawley confident about her team’s prospects this season and beyond. Cierra Dillard, Leah McDerment, Maggie Mulligan and Ciara Rosten are all expected to contribute in their first years while Alyssa Lawrence enters as a redshirt freshman after sitting all of last season due to transfer policies.

Aside from pure talent, the group of freshmen add much needed size. Three of the five stand at 6-foot-1 or taller, which bodes well for a UMass team that ranked second to last in the A-10 in rebounding margin last season.

“I like the four newcomers we have a lot,” Dawley said. “We’re working out the kinks, we’ve got another couple of practices, but I’m sure there will be a couple of freshmen in the starting lineup.”

Coming off a 4-27 season, the Minutewomen may have found new life in a freshmen class that comes from winning high school programs – players that have the poten-

DEFENSE

Sharon Dawley, UMass coach tial to change the face of UMass women’s basketball.

With that said, Dawley said that UMass’ duo of senior leaders will account for the freshmen’s lack of collegiate experience and allow the newcomers to continue to develop.

The Minutewomen have three returning seniors, including two who have been with the team for three years.

Senior Kim Pierre-Louis led the team in scoring last year, averaging 13.1 points and 6.6 rebounds per game.

After a big jump in production in her junior campaign, the generally soft-spoken forward said she is ready to be a full-time leader.

“I definitely think of myself as a leader on this team. As much as I don’t like to be in that position, I am, so I definitely have to step into the role,” PierreLouis said. “I try to tell (the younger players) what has made me successful and try to teach them how to communicate with the coaches and be a good student of the game.”

With the departure of 2014 graduate Kiara Bomben, Pierre-Louis will get most of her playing time at forward, while fellow senior Emily Mital will continue to lead the UMass backcourt.

Mital led the Minutewomen in minutes per game last season (32.2) while starting every game.

continued from page

Rashida Timbilla led UMass with 7.4 rebounds per game in 2013-2014.

Familiar Faces The four new members won’t be without help from the Minutewomen’s experienced corpse of upperclassmen. UMass is returning three of its starters from last season, along with eight letter-winners from the 20132014 roster.

With the new gameplan primarily focused on defense and protecting the ball, the Minutewomen are particularly hoping that Timbilla

Arthur Hayden can be reached at awhayden@umass.edu.

A7

COLLEGIAN FILE PHOTO

and they bring a lot to the team.”

Dillard and Rosten are joined by fellow freshmen Maggie Mulligan and Leah McDerment.

All four freshmen have wasted no time in making an impact on the court and impressing the coaching staff in the process.

“I like the four newcomers we have a lot, in fact, they’ve all been in key positions in our first two scrimmages and we started a couple of them,” Dawley said.

“We could potentially start four of them to be honest,” she said. “We’re working out the kinks. We have a couple more practices, but I’m sure they’ll be a couple freshmen in the starting lineup.”

“I’ve been here since I was a freshman, so I’m one of the only ones besides (PierreLouis) that has been here for three years,” Mital said.

“I had a lot of playing time the last two years, so I consider myself a leader on the floor and off the floor, in terms of work ethic and vocal leadership.”

With the influx of young talent, Mital’s leadership skills will be in great demand, something that she says she is accustomed to and ready for. Mital added that her method of motivating and mentoring the younger players is simple.

“Leading by example,” Mital said. “In the beginning of the season, being vocal through drills, encouraging them ... showing them how things are done.”

As a senior who will likely handle the ball more than anyone else on the team, Mital said she is also responsible for setting the pace of the game.

“One of our goals is to come out at the jump ball and not get in a hole,” Mital said. “In our past scrimmages we’ve been kind of coming out slow so I would say our main goal right now is to come out and throw the first punch. Then we’ll have more of a chance to gain confidence and take that through the game.”

can pick up where she left off in terms of rebounding and getting teammates involved.

The guard/forward led the team with 7.4 rebounds per game and had a team-best 3.1 assists per game last season.

“I think rebounding and passing are two of my strengths, so if I can set up other people for easy shots, that makes the game easier for me,” Timbilla said. “Then with rebounding, the more opportunities we could get, the better it was for us keeping the opponents to one possession.”

Timbilla also contributed 25 blocks on the season and had a double-double in the UMass’ final game of the season in the first round of the A-10 tournament against George Mason. Timbilla finished the finale with 17 points and 14 rebounds.

When asked about her goals for the upcoming season, Timbilla shared the wealth almost as well as she shares the rock.

“We just want to rack up as many wins as possible early on in the nonconference schedule because that’ll build up to conference,” she said.

“And personally, whenever the team has success, that’s good enough for me.”

The most notable return in terms of the Minutewomen’s offense is senior forward Kim Pierre-Louis, who led the team with 13.1 points per game last season.

Pierre-Louis notably improved her shooting between her sophomore and junior year after only averaging 4.4 points during her sophomore campaign. She also ranked fifth in the Atlantic 10 Division in field goal percentage (.483) last season.

Even with the emphasis on defense this season, PierreLouis’ offense in the post is expected to be a strength for UMass. She recorded doubledigit scoring numbers in 22 of her 31 appearances last season, including 15 in the final 18 games.

Also helping out on offense is fellow senior Emily Mital. Her shooting helped the Minutewomen greatly, as she led the team in free throw percentage in each of the past three years. The guard is also ranked seventh in Minutewomen history in career 3-pointers.

The Frisco, Texas native is coming off a career-best 8.4 points per game last season and scored 18 points on three occasions.

With an upgraded and experienced coaching staff, impressive acquisitions of young talent, a new defensive oriented game plan and the return of key upperclassmen, the Minutewomen head into their season opener with some optimism.

“This season (our goal) is to be aggressive on both ends of the floor,” Dawley said.

“I want to be proud of our defense and to be able to say, ‘Wow that was a battle and we made it a battle because we played such good defense.’”

Frank Corona can be reached at fcorona@umass.edu.

COLLEGIAN FILE PHOTO

Kim Pierre-Louis drives toward the basket in a game last season against St. Bonaventure on Feb. 8. The senior forward led the Minutewomen with 13.1 points per game in 2013-2014.

Forward looks to build on jr. year

By Tom Mulherin Collegian Staff

The Massachusetts women’s basketball team finished the 2013-2014 season with a first-round exit from the Atlantic 10 tournament and a forgettable 4-27 overall record.

This year marks a clean slate for the Minutewomen, as they look to reverse last year’s outcome and make some noise this upcoming season. At the forefront of UMass’ preseason optimism is senior Kim Pierre-Louis.

Despite coming off the bench for the majority of games in her junior campaign, the 6-foot forward led the Minutewomen with 13.1 points per game in 2013 and finished with 6.6 rebounds per game, good for second behind Rashida Tambilla.

After shedding 25 pounds in the offseason, PierreLouis is now preparing for a more consistent starting role in 2014.

“I anticipate she will lead us again in points this year,” coach Sharon Dawley said. “She’ll be able to play extended minutes this year, as she’s in the best shape she’s ever been in.

She dropped a significant amount of weight and got stronger. She’s more agile now and will be a big minute kid.”

Weight and conditioning restricted the forward’s role on the team in the past, which reflected in limited minutes in her first three years. However, PierreLouis said she made it a point to improve, which led to her rising role in the system last year. This year, Pierre-Louis said she worked particularly hard on getting in even better shape to help her agility.

“I worked a lot on my fitness,” she said. “I was working really hard, getting in great shape, great running shape. It’ll definitely be easier for me to run up and down the court now.”

Another part of PierreLouis’ offseason rebuilding process could be seen by whoever regularly played basketball at the recreation center on campus, as she said she started playing there during the spring semester following the A-10 tournament loss.

“I think what helped me a lot with playing against the boys at the (recreation center) was that I had to play out of my position,” she said. “I can’t play in the post because the guys

BITTERSWEET in the second quarter, when Minutemen running back Lorenzo Woodley scored on a 1-yard touchdown run. The score was set up by a 50-yard pass from Frohnapfel to Marken Michel on the play before.

UMass’ Logan Laurent chipped in a 24-yard field goal as the first half expired to give the Minutemen a 17-7 lead entering halftime.

Frohnapfel threw a pair of interceptions in the first half. His first came on

continued from page

are usually bigger than me, so I got to work out in the guard spot. It’s also good to go there to get some extra lifting in.”

While the senior did a lot to get in better shape in the offseason, PierreLouis has some constant attributes that have already proved beneficial to the Minutewomen.

On the court, PierreLouis is a big, strong scorer that often gets offensive rebounds. Last season, exactly half of her 206 total rebounds came on the offensive end.

Off the court, Dawley said that Pierre-Louis’ personality leaves many of her teammates smiling and in a good mood, a positive trait for a leader to have. PierreLouis, on the other hand, said she believes her high energy serves most beneficial to the team.

“I think the biggest thing is that I bring a lot of energy,” she said. “I will get very excited and (hyped) during the game. Sometimes that will work against me, but I do get very (hyped). I’ll always be the first person in someone’s face after they make a good play. I can be a good spark.”

Tom Mulherin can be reached at tmulheri@umass.edu.

B8

UMass’ third drive of the game. After maneuvering the Minutemen into the red zone, Frohnapfel was intercepted by Ball State safety Dedrick Cromartie on a pass intended for Sharpe who was running a crossing pattern.

It appeared the Cardinals would capitalize on the turnover, until Milas fumbled a snap at the Minutemen’s 12-yard line, which was recovered by Seals.

Frohnapfel completed 28-of-44 passes for 424 yards and two interceptions.

“This game meant the world to every single player and every single coach and anyone who has anything to do with this university,” Sharpe said following the game. “We just wanted to show people what we were made of.”

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

CADE BELISLE/COLLEGIAN

Tajae Sharpe makes one of his 13 receptions in UMass’ win Wednesday, tying his own school record.

THE MASSACHUSETTS DAILY COLLEGIAN

Thursday, November 13, 2014

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FOOTBALL

BITTERSWEET VICTORY

Frohnapfel leaves with right leg injury Sharpe finishes with 239 yards

By Andrew Cyr Collegian Staff

CADE BELISLE/COLLEGIAN

Starting quarterback Blake Frohnapfel was carted off the field in the fourth quarter of UMass’ 24-10 win over Ball State Wednesday night.

Minutemen’s victory over Ball State dampened after loss of Frohnapfel

By Mark Chiarelli

his right leg.

Backup Austin Whipple The Massachusetts foot- entered as his replaceball team made its mark ment, and Mark Whipple Wednesday night, but may said Austin would start if have suffered a significant Frohnapfel cannot play movsetback in the process.UMass ing forward. knocked off Ball State 24-10 Frohnapfel’s injury overin a game that lacked the shadowed a UMass victory typical offensive prowess the highlighted by an impressive Minutemen have produced defensive performance and on a weekly basis throughout individual presentation from the year. But UMass took an receiver Tajae Sharpe. even larger hit in the fourth The Minutemen held the quarter when quarterback Cardinals to 282 total yards while standBlake Frohnapfel out Ball limped off the field UMass 24 running State back following a third Jahwan Edwards down scramble.

Ball St. 10 rushed for only “I don’t think 36 yards on 18 it’s good, but I don’t carries.

The know for sure,” Minutemen Cardinals scored just three coach Mark Whipple said.

Frohnapfel was seen in points in the second half. obvious pain and on crutch- “I think it bodes well es on the sideline and was for the future here that the then loaded onto the back defense stepped up today and of a cart and transported off played well against a pretty the field where trainers and good team,” Whipple said. medical personnel examined UMass linebacker Trey Collegian Staff

Seals especially stood out.

The junior forced a fumble, recovered a fumble, added a sack and intercepted Ball State’s quarterback Jack Milas in the fourth quarter as the Minutemen clung to a 17-10 lead.

“We put a lot of pressure on ourselves to come out on national television,” Seals said. “We wanted to come out and show everyone what we were made of.”

UMass answered on the ensuing drive following Seals’ interception, when wide receiver Elgin Long scampered into the endzone for a 7-yard rushing touchdown out of a “Wildcat” package to make it 24-10.

Sharpe was Frohnapfel’s go-to target throughout the game, finishing with 13 catches for 239 yards, including a 61-yard reception. The performance gave Sharpe the fourth-most receiving yards in Minutemen history,

passing Victor Cruz.

The game opened at a breakneck pace. UMass received the opening kickoff and needed just 62 seconds and three plays to score the opening touchdown.

Frohnapfel found Sharpe on the second play from scrimmage on a 61-yard pass, setting up a 3-yard touchdown run by Shadrach Abrokwah on the ensuing play.

But Ball State responded quickly. Milas was perfect on the Cardinals’ first drive, completing six straight passes for 63 yards, capped off by a 33-yard touchdown pass to Jordan Williams.

It was 7-7 less than five minutes into the game.

From there, both offenses sputtered, committing multiple drive-killing penalties in a fairly sloppy first half. Neither team scored again until the 9:06 mark see

BITTERSWEET on page B7

If coach Mark Whipple is reason 1A behind the Massachusetts football team’s turnaround, then quarterback Blake Frohnapfel is reason 1B. With just over 10 minutes remaining in the fourth quarter on a third-andnine play from Ball State’s 19-yardline, Frohnapfel stepped up in the pocket for a two-yard scramble to center the ball perfectly between the hash-marks to set up a 34-yard field goal for Logan Laurent.

Frohnapfel gingerly limped up and took his usual position as the holder for the field goal unit.

Laurent’s ensuing field goal attempt missed wide left.

But that wasn’t the worst thing to happen on the field though.

Frohnapfel was carted into the locker room following the play to get an x-ray on his right leg.

Whipple had not yet spoken to Frohnapfel prior to the press conference following the Minutemen’s 24-10 win over the Cardinals.

“I just told him to keep his head up after the injury regardless of what the x-rays said,” receiver Tajae Sharpe said after his quarterback came off the field.

Entering the game, Frohnapfel ranked sixth in the nation with 2,191 passing yards. He had also thrown for 23 touchdowns this season with just eight interceptions – after UMass quarterbacks combined for nine touchdowns in each of its first two seasons in the FBS. Frohnapfel finished Wednesday’s game 28-for44 with 424 yards and two interceptions. Despite not finishing with a touchdown pass, Frohnapfel marched the Minutemen downfield on multiple occasions, setting up scoring plays from Shadrach Abrokwah (3-yard run) and Lorenzo Woodley (1-yard run).

Although he injured his leg on the slide, Whipple also confirmed that Frohnapfel

suffered a contusion in his leg earlier in the first half.

“We kept asking him if it was all right,” Whipple said.

“We were going to do some things to move the pocket.

So I don’t know exactly, we won’t know until his x-rays and all that.”

Austin Whipple took over at quarterback following Frohnapfel’s injury.

Whipple did not attempt a pass as the Minutemen ran out the clock in the final eight minutes, 46 seconds he was in.

With Frohnapfel’s return for Tuesday night’s game at Akron being uncertain, Austin Whipple will be the starter if Frohnapfel is unable to play, according to Mark Whipple.

Sharpe’s big day Prior to the 2014 season, not many people were familiar with Sharpe, UMass’ leading receiver.

The 6-foot-4, 200-pound receiver was predicted to be the “go-to” guy for Frohnapfel but was on the outside looking in, in regards to the conversations about the top receivers in the Mid-American Conference.

Shar pe f inished Wednesday’s game with 13 receptions for 239 receiving yards. His 13 receptions tied a personal and school record while his total yards marked a new career-high.

Whipple credited Sharpe’s open looks to the added attention that 6-foot-7 tight end Jean Sifrin puts on opposing defenses.

“I like one-on-one challenges. You always want to prove that you’re better than the man that’s going against you,” Sharpe said.

“No matter what the defense throws at us, even if they do want to throw guys my way I know we have other guys on the offense that can step up and make plays too.

However it comes we’ll be ready for anything.”

Sharpe’s 239 receiving yards also put him at 1,204 total yards for the season, ranking him fourth amongst FBS receivers.

Andrew Cyr can be reached at arcyr@ umass.edu, and can be followed on Twitter @Andrew_Cyr.

MEN’S BASKETBALL

UMass prepares for Friday’s season-opener against Siena

Berger expected to be fifth starter

By Andrew Cyr Collegian Staff

By now, the hype around the 2014 Massachusetts men’s basketball season has reached its climax and fans just want the season to get underway.

There’s excitement and jubilance in the air, but when the lights turn on, the Minutemen have to prove that they are for real this season.

The first challenge for UMass is certainly no easy win as it hosts Siena in the season opener Friday night.

“They’re a team that’s probably a 20-something win team and I’m hopeful that at the end of the year, we’re going to look back and say that was another high RPI game,” said coach Derek Kellogg.

The Saints finished last season 20-18 and were the winners of the College Basketball Invitational. Jimmy Patsos

took over last season as Siena’s coach following the dismissal of Mitch Buonaguro, who had a 35-59 record in three seasons at the helm.

The Saints return last year’s top scorer Rob Poole (14.6 points per game) and forward Brett Bisping (11.5) as the only two players to score in double-figures last season. Poole, the 6-foot-6 shooting guard, plays on the wing alongside 6-foot-7 guard Lavon Long.

“Their two-guard is probably about 6-foot-6 and their three is 6-foot-7, 6-foot-8.

They’re not small,” junior Derrick Gordon said. “They’re a good basketball team. This game, we’re definitely going to have to focus in on the defensive end and making sure we defensive rebound and offensive rebound.”

While forward Maxie Esho will try to limit Bisping on the wing, Siena’s frontcourt will be without Imoh Silas after the Saints announced Tuesday

that the 6-foot-9 center tore his ACL, ending his season.

Silas’ absence in the post leaves a favorable matchup for Cady Lalanne, who led the Minutemen in rebounds last season (8.1).

Gordon and point guard Trey Davis man the backcourt for Kellogg as the only returning guards with significant experience for the Minutemen.

Gordon started at shooting guard last year and will likely be tasked to cover Poole.

Along with Gordon, Davis, Esho and Lalanne, sophomore Seth Berger will likely be named the fifth starter after filling that role in the preseason scrimmages against American International College and American University.

“Coming from where I was last year to this year, I’m really excited for the opportunity,” Berger told Masslive.com.

“I’m going to take full advantage of it, but I’m not satisfied.

I’m ready to take the next step.

That was preseason, now it’s

time for the real season.”

One new thing on display for UMass this season will be its use of its second unit, as Kellogg has significantly increased the number of players he implements in his rotation. Jabarie Hinds will serve as the team’s sixth man and more importantly as a spark off the bench for Kellogg. Zach Coleman will be the primary reserve for the frontcourt while Tyler Bergantino will give the Minutemen a few good minutes of energy every night at center.

Demetrius Dyson will serve as the team’s sharpshooter while freshmen Donte Clark and C.J. Anderson will see sprinkled minutes throughout the game as well.

“They look great. They’re all rookies, but they don’t play like rookies. They’re playing like they’ve been here before and they’re playing with a lot of confidence,” Gordon said.

“That’s something that we need. Last year we didn’t have

CADE BELISLE/COLLEGIAN

Jabarie Hinds will serve as UMass’ sixth man against the Saints Friday. that next group or wave coming in that plays like the starters. This year, we got it.”

“We have a lot of players that can do a lot of different things that we’re going to need,” Gordon said.

Kellogg said with the lack of experience returning to his team this year, he’s just simply going to improvise on the fly.

“I don’t want to call it

apprehensive, but you still feel like there’s a ton of things that we still could get better at and work on,” Kellogg said. “This may be a season that we kind of perfect things as we go.”

Friday’s tip-off is set for 7 p.m. at the Mullins Center.

Andrew Cyr can be reached at arcyr@ umass.edu and followed on Twitter @Andrew_Cyr.