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NEWS

ARTS & CULTURE

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Legislative hearing to be held for campus carry bill

Best Picture-nominated “Hidden Figures” movie review

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THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN THURSDAY, JAN. 26, 2017 | VOLUME 133 ISSUE 04

THE STUDENT VOICE SINCE 1904

KU athletes among witnesses in rape investigation KANSAN STAFF @KansanNews

F

ive Kansas men’s basketball players are listed as witnesses in the investigation of an alleged rape of a 16-year-old girl in McCarthy Hall. The incident allegedly took place sometime between 10 p.m.

Dec. 17 and 5 a.m. Dec. 18, just after the end of finals week.

The police report regarding the incident from the University’s Office of Public Safety lists Frank Mason III, Mitch Lightfoot, Lagerald Vick, Tucker Vang and Josh Jackson as witnesses. The report is available to the public and was obtained by the Kansan on Wednesday for $2.

PSO Deputy Chief James Anguiano said being identified as a witness means that they supplied information and could have been present before, during or after the incident.

Two females, both 19 years-old, were also witnesses. Neither of their names are found in the University’s public student database, although one is listed as residing at 1632 Engel Road, the same address as University dormitory Hashinger Hall.

When asked if any of the witnesses could be sus-

Sarah Wright/KANSAN A rape reported at McCarthy Hall, pictured above, in December is still being investigated. Members of the men’s basketball team are among those listed as witnesses on the police report.

pects, Anguiano said the investigation is ongoing and that a suspect has not been identified. No charges have been filed.

According to a PSO press release, the girl who was allegedly raped was visiting McCarthy Hall, an on-campus apartment complex in which the men’s basketball team resides, along with some upperclassmen and non-traditional students.

The girl also reported no physical injury, the release said.

According to Diana Robertson, the director of student housing, 38 students live in McCarthy Hall, 17 of which are scholarship athletes. Two student housing employees live in McCarthy Hall, a resident assistant and a complex director. Robertson said that, according to the housing

handbook, all guests must be accompanied by residents, but because of the multiple entrances to the building, guests are not checked in at the 24-hour front desk.

As for security features of McCarthy Hall, Robertson said there is biometric scanning that allows residents to scan into their floors and rooms.

The report also lists ad-

ditional allegations of providing alcohol to a minor; possession of drug paraphernalia; and contributing to a child’s misconduct, which, according to the Kansas Legislature website, is related to encouraging a minor to commit a crime, participate in illegal activity or be a runaway.

Two glass smoking devices were also confiscated, the report said.

KU Athletics is cooperating fully with the investigation, Jim Marchiony, the associate athletic director of public affairs, said in an email Tuesday night.

Sean Lester, deputy athletics director and the sport supervisor for men’s basketball, is listed as “other” on the report. Anguiano said the classification means that Lester is participating in the investigation, but not as a witness.

Joe Monaco, the University’s director of strategic communications, did not offer a comment on the incident, beyond to say that the investigation is ongoing and being handled by PSO. The team had a game in Kansas City, Missouri, on the night of Dec. 17.

The Kansan will continue to follow-up on this story as more information becomes available. Check back at Kansan.com for further coverage.

Chandler Boese, McKenna Harford, Amie Just and Lara Korte contributed to this report.

— Edited by Candice Tarver

Darreon Jackson ‘no longer among’ KU football recruits AMIE JUST @Amie_Just

Andrew Rosenthal/KANSAN Students enrolled in engineering classes will see a big change in the way their final grades are decided starting in the fall. The School of Engineering is implementing a plus/minus grading scale.

Plus/minus grading coming to School of Engineering in fall HAILEY DIXON @_hailey_dixon

Although many University students are familiar with the plus/minus grading scale, the School of Engineering will be introducing it to its students beginning in fall 2017.

Lorin Maletsky, associate dean for undergraduate programs, said next semes-

ter, faculty in the school will have the choice to use or not use the new grading system.

“We are in the process of converting every course offered through the school to have the ability to have the plus/minus, just like the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and other people are able to use,” Maletsky said. “So every faculty member could use the plus/mi-

INDEX NEWS............................................2 OPINION........................................4 ARTS & CULTURE..........................................5 SPORTS.........................................12

nus system as they assign final grades.”

Each faculty member is encouraged to emphasize what grading system they decide on in their syllabuses, he said.

Engineering Student Council President Aubrey Jeffries, a junior from Leawood studying petroSEE ENGINEERING PAGE 2

Darreon Jackson, a safety who verbally committed to Kansas football this week, is no longer being recruited by the football staff.

Jackson was suspended for six months by Boise State in May 2016 in regard to an alleged sexual assault.

“David Beaty has told us that [Darreon Jackson] is no longer among the prospects Kansas is recruiting,” Jim Marchiony, associate athletic director of public affairs, told the Kansan on Wednesday.

Blair Kerkhoff of the Kansas City Star first reported the news of Kansas football rescinding its interest in Jackson.

Jackson began attending Boise State in 2015, but in May 2016 was given a year-long suspension from the school in regard to an alleged sexual assault that occurred the previous

KANSAN.COM SOCIAL MEDIA: Read about Royals players traveling to Yordano Ventura’s funeral on Kansan.com

semester, according to the Idaho Statesman.

After an appeal, Jackson’s suspension was reduced to a semester. No criminal charges were filed against Jackson before he transferred to Coffeyville Community College, where he played in the 2016-17 season.

Two other Boise State players, Marquis Hendrix and Donzale Roddie, were expelled from the university in connection with the same alleged sexual assault incident.

Jackson was allegedly involved in one of the three incidents cited in the investigation, according to the Statesman.

In the incident, the victim, a woman who was in a consenting sexual relationship with Hendrix, was allegedly told that she “need[ed] to do a favor” for the football team. One of the players on the team allegedly told her that they needed her to “show [a recruit] a good time.”

Both Hendrix and Jackson allegedly met her in a

Contributed by Boise State Athletics

residence hall stairwell on Oct. 2, 2015. Jackson allegedly smacked her behind and she was taken to a room where the recruit was. The victim said she felt trapped.

Jackson denied blocking the door and denied making physical contact with her. He also said, per the Statesman, “nobody forced her to do anything,” but that she had performed oral sex on multiple football players.

— Edited by Erin Brock

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Students present chancellor wishlist

NEWS MANAGEMENT

Editor-in-chief Lara Korte

MCKENNA HARFORD @McKennaHarford

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Business manager Tucker Paine Sales manager Mitch Tamblyn SECTION EDITORS

News editor Chandler Boese Associate news editor McKenna Harford Sports editor Amie Just Associate sports editor Skylar Rolstad Arts & culture editor Omar Sanchez Associate arts & culture editor Courtney Bierman Opinion editor Vince Munoz Visuals editor & design chief Roxy Townsend Photo editor Missy Minear

Missy Minear/KANSAN University students and faculty will attend a hearing on Senate Bill 53, which would allow for some buildings to be exempt from the campus carry law, Thursday morning.

Faculty to testify for new campus carry bill NOLAN BREY @NolanBrey

A hearing on a bill that would allow the University to exempt certain buildings from the campus carry law will take place Thursday at 9:30 a.m.

Several University faculty and students will attend the hearing for Senate Bill 53. Ron Barrett-Gonzalez, professor of aerospace engineering and president of the Kansas Chapter of American Association of University Professors, plans on speaking.

Barrett-Gonzalez believes that the campus carry bill — which would allow guns in dorms, libraries and lecture halls — threatens the lives of students and faculty.

Copy chiefs Candice Tarver Brendan Dzwierzynski Ashley Hocking

“If somebody is being threatened or exposed due to the threat of violence, then there is no academic freedom in that environment,” Barrett-Gonzalez said. “It stifles discussion.

It ends debate. The GTAs, faculty members and students are no longer free to discuss what they want the way they want, and that runs counter to the founding principles of the AAUP.” Under SB 53, a post-secondary institution’s governing body — or, the chief administrative officer, if no governing body exists — could exempt buildings from the campus carry law, by explaining why the exemption is needed — such as inadequate security at public entrances — and

then notifying the Kansas Attorney General of the reasons.

The bill was introduced Monday, but has not left the Senate Federal and State Affairs Committee.

Barrett-Gonzalez has delivered letters of testimony from both University students and faculty, and said that some faculty members will join him tomorrow. He also encouraged students to attend, though he predicts that the discussion tomorrow will be “quite contentious” due to the presence of advocates from both sides of the campus carry debate.

The hearing will be open to the public.

— Edited by Allison Crist

10,886 students and faculty were surveyed in 2015 about their opinions on concealed carry laws on campus. Source: Kanas Board of Regents Employee Gun Survey and Kansas Board of Regents Student Advisory Committee Gun Survey.

Faculty

Students

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KANSAN.COM/NEWS | THURSDAY, JAN. 26, 2017

82%

37% 70%

64%

(Depends on cost)

61% 58%

23% Do not want concealed carry handguns on campus

FROM ENGINEERING PAGE 1 leum engineering, said she was informed about the policy change last semester.

“Most undergraduate students who I have talked to, or if not all of them, do not necessarily agree with it, because all of us are used to not having the plus/minus grading policy within the School of Engineering,” she said.

Students are concerned that with the new grading system being implemented they may not be able to keep their engineering scholarships, Jeffries said.

Maletsky said he understands students’ concerns, but thinks the change will allow faculty members that choose to use the new grading system the opportunity to distinguish performances among students.

“I don’t expect the students’ GPAs to go down overall,” Maletsky said.

“There will certainly be individual cases where a single student’s GPA will go down.

But I expect that there will be just as many students’ GPAs will go up as result of this.”

Would be okay with additional security fees from KU

Would let concealed carry affect their decision to attend or work at KU

Maletsky said there is no A+ on the grading scale. He said he thinks that it will effect the B and C students as their GPAs may shift a little.

ly voted on [at] the faculty level.”

Even though it was passed to include the plus/minus grading within the school, not all faculty approves of it, and may not use it.

“Many faculty who don’t like the plus/minus system, and there are a number of faculty who were vocal about not liking that, felt like they just wouldn’t use it, but they didn’t want to stop a fellow faculty member from using it if they thought they would get benefit from it,” Maletsky said.

Jeffries said that students like herself are just waiting to see which faculty decide to implement the new grading policy.

“It’s a waiting game,” Jeffries said.

Maletsky said it is unknown how many faculty members will end up implementing it within the school.

Students that are unhappy or are concerned with the new grading system are strongly encouraged to talk and express opinions to the faculty members who are going to teach the courses in the fall, both Maletsky and Jeffries said.

“

Most undergraduate students who I have talked to ... do not necessarily agree with it.”

Aubrey Jeffries Engineering Student Council president

“Unfortunately, for our top students, our A students, I understand their complaint that it is sort of unfair because there is no A+; they would only go from an A to an A-,” he said.

Maletsky said a faculty member presented a proposal for the plus/minus grading system to the Academic Standards committee.

“I didn’t initiate this, the administration didn’t initiate this, nor could we institute it,” Maletsky said. “This came up through the faculty and was discussed at the faculty level, and ultimate-

About 20 students gathered in the Union on Monday night to share their thoughts with the search committee representatives about what they wanted to see in a new chancellor.

Students expressed a need for a chancellor who would focus on issues of diversity and innovation in the University’s future.

The input from the forum will be used to make a job description for applicants, which should be out next month, according to David Dillon, the chair of the search committee. This is the second public forum where the committee has solicited input from the community.

Multiple students spoke about the need for a chancellor who would recognize and support the issues of underrepresented and marginalized students. One student specifically addressed access to education due to rising tuition rates.

Brittney Oleniacz, a Ph.D. student from Phillipsburg, New Jersey, said she hopes the new chancellor will address graduate student issues, especially first generation students transitioning to graduate programs.

“Graduate students have become islands and it’s detrimental to the graduate student experience,” Oleniacz said. “We need a chancellor that will force the offices across campus to recognize the needs of the 20 percent of the student body who are graduate students.”

Dillon agreed that candidates would need to consider diverse student populations when addressing issues like tuition, retention, and access to resources.

“We want to pick someone with a sensitivity to those issues and has the

“This is another great talking point to bring up to professors because in the end, they are the ones who are solely affected by this change, and they’re going to do what they end up wanting to do,” Jeffries said. “But

ability to go approach the legislature in a meaningful way,” he said.

Dillon also said the committee will be looking for candidates who are respectful of the University as a space for freedom of speech and expression, but who could balance that with maintaining a safe campus.

“I would be shocked if we were to pick a candidate to recommend to the Regents who didn’t share the overall view of free speech and free thought that is the basis on which universities were founded,” Dillon said.

“But any president, any chancellor is going to feel strongly about being respectful to other people in the community.”

Brylan Donaldson, a senior from Wichita, said he hopes the next chancellor will create a more entrepreneurial campus and help the University continue to innovate. “[The] chancellor is looking to maintain an ecosystem that’s modular, where the schools are separate, or are we looking to create a future that resembles the actual workplace where things are cross-functional and interdisciplinary,” Donaldson said.

Jonathan Ehrlich, a second-year law student from Creston, Iowa, said he also hopes the next chancellor will “build morale,” and move the University forward.

The committee is made of 25 members, including three students. They will recommend three to five candidates to the Board of Regents, who will make the final decision before Chancellor Bernadette Gray-Little leaves in July.

— Edited by Casey Brown

if they have [the students’] views on the policy, they can take those factors into account when they decide whether or not they want to implement the policy in their grading system in their classroom.”

3

NEWS

KANSAN.COM

Grant will help paleontology students gain field experience

Savanna Smith/KANSAN The University has received a grant to give paleontology students an opportunity to gain field experience in Wyoming and abroad in Turkey.

TANNER HASSELL @thassell17

A

$100,000 grant from the David B. Jones Foundation will provide University paleontology students with an opportunity to gain field experience in Wyoming and abroad in Turkey, according to a University press release. The grant will also help train students in finding and excavating prehistoric mammals.

K. Christopher Beard, a professor of ecology & evolutionary biology, said the federal grant will provide undergraduate and gradu-

ate students with a unique opportunity to gain field work, without traveling across the globe.

“One of the most important things that students of paleontology need is real world experience,” he said.

“That can actually be pretty expensive, to put on a field expedition.”

Graduate student Spencer Mattingly, from Richmond, Kentucky, said field experience is the only way aspiring paleontologists can venture into the field.

“Being able to go to a dig site and actually do this stuff hands-on is really the only way we can advance

our careers,” he said.

Beard said the grant will fund two field experiences: the first in the Rocky Mountains of Wyoming, the second in Turkey.

“

One of the most important things that students of paleontology need is real world experience.”

K. Christopher Beard professor of ecology & evolutionary biology

“Part of this project will be a dig here in the United States, in Wyoming. We’re hoping to use that as an initial field experience for some of these students, before they work abroad in Turkey,” he said.

Students participating in the digs will also receive specific training on finding the fossils of prehistoric mammals, according to Beard. Unlike dinosaurs, Beard said mammal fossils are very small and hard to find.

“It seems like there is this obsession in the field and in the media with finding the new biggest, ugliest

dinosaur,” he said. “With mammals though, it’s almost exactly the opposite.

Often with mammals the smallest specimen you find is the most interesting.”

Mattingly worked in the field under Beard during the summer of 2015. He said much of his time in Wyoming was spent looking for teeth.

“It was actually my first field experience, I had just graduated in May,” he said.

“I had the opportunity to study rock formations and learn about the environment these early mammals lived in. With mammals, the teeth are often the only

trace left, so we spent a lot of time learning about the structure of teeth and how to identify them.”

Mattingly said his field experience was not only valuable, but necessary for his career.

“Field work is critical to the field in general though.

We have to find and dig up new specimens for there to be paleontologists.”

— Edited by Erin Brock

opinion FREE-FOR-ALL ›› WE HEAR FROM YOU

KANSAN.COM | THURSDAY, JAN. 26, 2017

“Is it even still called school, or do we just say class now?” Deeps morning thoughts brought to you by the girl next to me on the bus.

Professor boasts about teaching a class for 20 years, yet has handwriting worse than a surgeon, and doesn’t make PowerPoints. can i just say packs of people who take up the entire sidewalk are not appreciated @ the fraternity boys in front of me “It’s not ‘stress eating’, it’s ‘stress consumingwhatever’s-in-mypath’” “Poorly written erotica is my brand.”

I’m that annoying liberal friend on facebook and I’m okay with it honestly

illustration by Erica Gonzales

Adamson: The benefits of making a bucket list

3 p.m.: I could sleep for 17 hours straight rn. 12:02 a.m.: Let’s get a jump on next month’s homework The rec is playing some great throwback jams rn. I’m very pleased.

I want to be wined and dined by chicago pizza, but new york pizza is a one night stand. going out less and practicing more: a concept for KU basketball players “KU parking has completely given up on me, but that doesn’t mean I’ve given up on KU parking.”

LAUREN ADAMSON @LeAdamson

I started my new year by drinking far too much peach Schnapps, riding public transport without a ticket (to be fair, the ticket machine was broken and the gate was open) and eating a McDonald’s

Overheard in Wescoe: “reading that article was like level 1 of Dante’s inferno” “I do not need this shit today,” - me everyday A dude on a skateboard tried to hold onto the end of a bus and ride along with it I felt like I was in tony hawk pro skater 4

To send in an FFA, text 785-289-8351

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been hanging on my fridge.

My planner is organized, so that I can stay on top of my academics and finally check off that “last semester 4.0” box. The scratch-off map I got for Christmas serves as a persistent reminder of all 178 countries I have yet to visit. Add that to my adventure list, my adrenaline-junkie list, my foods-to-try list and my famous-people-to-meet list (if anyone has Barack Obama’s phone number, please reach out).

I have thousands of things to look forward to.

Of course, being able

to accomplish all of these things will require me to be more in shape, more knowledgeable, more kind and more patient. All around better. But, framing my goals as a set list of things that I want, and can feasibly accomplish within a set time frame, puts a positive spin on how to approach the rest of my personal goals.

Instead of waking up every day dreading how much work I have to do, I get to start my day looking forward to something, even if my only plan is to soak up the sun by Potter Lake after

class. As the cliché goes, mind over matter. Writing down my bucket lists and posting them where I am constantly reminded of how much is ahead of me, has given me the freedom to explore, experiment and do something new every day to challenge myself.

Lauren Adamson is a senior from Leawood studying economics and political science.

—Edited by Mara Kubicki

Befort: Trump shouldn’t disregard climate change

I wish the guillotine were still around.

Submitted my discussion questions with 30 seconds left to spare. Darn right I’m celebrating with an Oreo.

Quarter Pounder for breakfast.

With that, my vague, non-committed New Year’s resolution to be “all around better” was pretty much thrown out the window.

However, with my inbox full of “new year, new me, new sale” emails, I felt the need to mark the beginning of a new year with some sort of productive proclamation.

So, I made a bucket list.

Actually, I made quite a few. As it’s my last semester in Lawrence, the KU and Lawrence list of must-see sights and experiences has

BRIDGETTE BEFORT @bridgettebefort

Friday’s inauguration signaled a shift in leadership and policies for the country. While Donald Trump was becoming the 45th President of the United States, a physical change was taking place within the White House as the Oval Office prepped for its new resident.

But the Oval Office was not the only thing getting a makeover: the official White House website also transitioned to its new Trump administration format, including Trump’s positions and policies.

Under Obama’s administration the White House website publicized the issues the former President stood for, including a commitment to mitigating cli-

mate change. However, on Friday, many of these policies no longer appeared on the website, including, disturbingly, the page for climate change.

Apparently, reducing climate change for the benefit of both humankind and the natural world is no longer considered an issue worthy of the president’s support.

In fact, the White House is now taking the stance that policies aimed at reducing climate change are actually harming Americans economically.

According to the official White House website, President Trump believes that eliminating climate change policy will benefit Americans, as deregulation will save businesses money, allowing them to invest in American workers.

This stance is not a surprise given Trump’s history with climate change.

In 2012, Trump suggested climate change was a hoax created by China to harm the U.S. manufacturing industry. He has claimed climate data was manipulated by scientists, which later was proven to be false.

Trump has also never agreed that humans are the major contributors to climate change, although authoritative groups from the United Nations to NASA have agreed current climate change is overwhelmingly the result of human activities.

“

Trump’s personal viewpoint is discredited by science worldwide.”

It is understandable that different administrations with different political backgrounds and philosophies should differ in approach to issues. However, it is not acceptable for presidential administrations to ignore widely recognized facts, especially about an issue that has the potential to significantly impact Americans (and the rest of the world).

So here are some basic facts which should be recognized: climate change

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is happening, as shown by data from many reputable scientists worldwide. In a 2007 report, the U.N.’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change stated there was a, “95 percent probability that human-produced greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide have caused much of the observed increase in Earth’s temperature over the past 50 years.”

Climate change is a problem with harmful effects on humanity, including changes in precipitation patterns, stronger and more severe storms, drought and rising sea levels, which can affect global agriculture and lead to significant sections of countries being covered in water. All of these effects of climate change have the potential to lead to problems with human health, infrastructure and resources, and will also have significant impacts on the nonhuman natural world.

This all leads to the conclusion that we must take steps to mitigate climate change and its effects. Trump may claim to

CONTACT US Lara Korte Editor-in-chief lkorte@kansan.com

Tucker Paine Business Manager tpaine@kansan.com

be helping Americans by setting a tone of climate change skepticism on the official White House website.

In the end, though, if Americans lose their livelihood due to complications from climate change which could have been prevented had the U.S. taken steps to reduce climate change, they will not be thanking Trump for his short-sighted policies with the purported intent to help the common man.

Trump's personal viewpoint is discredited by science worldwide. The president of the United States must be willing to accept a competing, substantiated viewpoint if it is better and will help Americans more in the long run, even if that viewpoint makes him unpopular with his base.

Bridgette Befort is a junior from Topeka majoring in chemical engineering.

— Edited by Ashley Hocking

THE KANSAN EDITORIAL BOARD Members of the Kansan Editorial Board are Lara Korte, Christian Hardy, Tucker Paine and Vince Munoz.

arts & culture HOROSCOPES ›› WHAT’S YOUR SIGN?

KANSAN.COM | THURSDAY, JAN. 26, 2017

Foodies flock to LFK for Restaurant Week HANNAH COLEMAN @hecoleman33

Aries (March 21-April 19) Take on new responsibility, and your status rises.

Things may not go as planned. Fact and belief clash. Secure the ground taken with help from friends.

Taurus (April 20-May 20) Travel is a distinct possibility. You’re spurred to motion... virtually or physically, either works. You’re making a good impression.

Business may interfere with romance.

Gemini (May 21-June 20) Changes necessitate budget revisions. Mull it over.

Consider your partner’s view, when making decisions. Stand up for what’s right. Physical exercise reduces stress.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) Spend time with someone attractive. Avoid silly arguments. Let go of the small stuff, and stay in communication. Friendship and love are more important.

Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) Your work is in demand.

Find support to manage the flood. Schedule farther into the future? Get allies to assist with the demand?

Accept assistance.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) Love is the bottom line.

Spend precious time with people you cherish. Soak in the emotional support.

Romance flowers naturally.

Add candles and flowers.

Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) Family matters have your focus. Collaborate on a project. Don’t forget an important job. Clean closets, drawers and attics. Find support from far away.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) Practice your creative skills. Don’t gamble with an upcoming deadline.

Edit your words carefully and get done early. Share and publish your strongest work.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) Pass on being a party animal. There’s extra income available, if you work for it. Your morale rises with your account balance. Your discipline is admirable.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Launch a personal venture.

Not everyone will like it.

New ideas don’t always work. Each mistake leads to deeper understanding.

Do the groundwork for unfolding success.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) Slow down and take time to contemplate your next move. Gathering with loved ones is highly recommended. Share photos and memories. Remember what’s really important.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) Adjust to changes with a group effort. Remain flexible, and assume new responsibility. Invite participation. Keep the project’s vision in mind. Work out details together.

R

esidents and tourists arrived this weekend for the beginning of Downtown Lawrence Restaurant Week, which started Friday, Jan. 20. The third annual event celebrates culinary creativity and will last until the end of Saturday.

The restaurants participating in this event, the majority of them located on Massachusetts Street, put up their specials and deals for the week on the official Restaurant Week website.

Popular options include 715, Free State Brewery, Genovese, RND Corner Grille, The Jayhawker, Ramen Bowls, and many others.

Many restaurants are experimenting with new creative menu items as well as three-course meal options that come with a set price per person.

Port Fonda, a Mexican food restaurant located on New Hampshire Street, is featuring a three-course meal for lunch and dinner: appetizers, a main entree and dessert for $15 per person for lunch, and $33 per person for dinner.

The manager of Port Fonda, Jen Young, said its unique menu has received high praise throughout the busy weekend. Some of its Restaurant Week exclusives include a chimichanga with braised chicken and a seared salmon served with Mexican grits.

“We created a menu, we’ve brought on some more staff for each day and night to prepare, and just prepping food and making sure we have employees that are ready to roll because it’s been a bit busier, so that’s kind of cool,” Young said. “The specials have been really catching on, we’ve had a really busy weekend.”

Similar to the popular

Caitlynn Salazar/KANSAN Port Fonda restaurant experimented with new creative menu items as part of Downtown Lawrence Restaurant Week, which started on Jan. 20.

Restaurant Week in Kansas City that occurred last week, Lawrence has attracted attention advertising its event by posting signs on windows of all of the participating restaurants. Lawrence Restaurant Week is a growing event, with only 17 restaurants participating last year and now up to 23 participating in 2017, according to its website.

Rachel Buckner, a manager at Limestone, a pizza kitchen on 814 Massachusetts St., has made an effort to make sure her staff is well trained to inform customers of their menu specials and make them aware of the event’s unique features.

“Our chef decided to feature locally grown ingredients,” Buckner said. “In past years we have done a three piece style menu, and this particular year they decided for Lawrence Restaurant Week that they would stop making that a requirement.

We decided to offer our fea-

tures as individual, à la carte style.”

“

We’re expecting a lot more people to be coming in the door throughout the week.”

Rachel Buckner Manager at Limestone

In preparation for the week, Buckner went over specific Restaurant Week training with the staff and opened the specials Friday night, which she said brought in a large crowd.

“I would say that a lot of people have started catching on, and especially at the beginning of this week, and we’re expecting a lot more people to be coming in the door throughout the week,” Buckner said.

Buckner said she believes this culinary event should

be recognized as a unique opportunity to discover rare dishes and a meal that intentionally aims to make dining an experience. For Buckner, one of those unique meals has been a chicken confit pizza.

“The idea of having local food and having a reason to go out is something special,” Buckner said. “It’s something different, something we don’t normally do.”

Other specials that Limestone will offer throughout the week include a bowl with local pork, hominy, oven fired tortillas and other fresh ingredients. Their special menu also features a “snack” which allows you to choose a daily selection of three-tofour cheese bites on a plate.

Kendra Strum, a customer dining at Port Fonda on Monday night, also feels that Lawrence Restaurant Week has been a rare opportunity to experiment with different dishes.

“I think [Restaurant

Week] is great, I think it’s fun to try a lot of different dishes that I wouldn’t normally try,” Strum said. “This is our third restaurant this week, we’ve been hitting them all.”

Carol Dodge, a Kansas City local, started her restaurant week at Fuzzy’s Taco Shop at 1115 Massachusetts St., where she ordered the special menu item, a Colorado green chili burrito, stuffed with either chicken or pork for $8. Dodge intends to visit Genovese’s and The Mad Greek later in the week.

“I looked it up, and there seemed to be a good variety of deals,” Dodge said of Lawrence Restaurant Week.

“This special is very good, and so is the martini.”

Downtown Lawrence Restaurant week will last until Saturday, Jan. 28. All participating restaurants with their menus and specials can be found on their official website.

— Edited by Casey Brown and Erin Brock

‘Balloonacy’ at Arts Center JOSH MCQUADE

@L0neW0lfMcQuade

The Lawrence Arts Center showcased the children’s production “Balloonacy” on Jan. 21 to raise money for its Financial Aid Fund, which allows children in need to attend the Center’s art-based preschool and kindergarten programs as students.

Linda Reimond, who has been the director of early childhood education at the Lawrence Arts Center for more than 30 years, said that 20 percent of students within the program qualify for financial aid, an important option for parents hoping to expose their children to art in the community.

“The play did not only benefit the financial aid fund,” Reimond said. “It also allowed the children to engage with a live theatre performance appropriate for them.”

The Center gave children in attendance a front row seat for “Balloonacy,” allowing them to come onstage in order to view the entire show up close, while parents stayed in their seats.

The story of “Balloonacy” featured an old man on his birthday, whose neigh-

Associated Press Janelle Monáe (left), Taraji P. Henson (center), and Octavia Spencer (right) star in 20th Century Fox’s “Hidden Figures”

Sarah Wright/KANSAN Bruce Smith looks happily at a balloon as it returns with a newspaper in “Balloonacy.”

bor played the soundtrack to his life. A balloon that is shown to be alive appears at the man’s house and begins to annoy him. However, throughout the play, the man and the balloon begin to bond over a variety of games and tricks.

Linda Reimond Director of Early Childhood Education

ful in drawing both parents and other adults. The director of the show was Samaria Fleig, technical director and production manager at the Lawrence Arts Center. Fleig intended for the show to be interactive for the children, but also touch the adults emotionally. “[Balloonacy] was a wonderful experiment for the entire group together,” Fleig said.

Like the production of “Ballonacy,” the Center’s education programs are interactive and hands-on for the students. They receive various opportunities to work with actors, artists and chefs in class.

The show was success-

— Edited by Allison Crist

“

It also allowed the children to engage with a live theatre performance appropriate for them.”

Review: ‘Hidden Figures’ inspires CAMERON MCGOUGH @cammcgough

With the current prevalence of technology, it’s strange to think back to a time when computers, as we know them today, did not exist. During such a time, the human brain, alone, was responsible to process complex information.

In the 1960s, it was up to talented engineers and mathematicians to crunch the numbers that would open the door for NASA to put a man into space.

Academy Awardnominated “Hidden Figures” tells the story of three AfricanAmerican women who, through insurmountable odds, helped NASA achieve that goal.

The film’s spotlight is rightfully placed upon Taraji P. Henson’s character, Katherine Jackson, an exceedingly gifted mind who breaks down racism and sexism in the workplace, while managing to outperform her white male colleagues.

Katherine, along with her friends Mary Jackson (Janelle Monáe) and Dorothy Vaughn (Octavia Spencer), were known by NASA as “colored computers.” Considering this time in history, it’s surprising to see that NASA acknowledged their skill, despite the color of their skin or their gender (even though they still called them “colored computers”).

SEE HIDDEN FIGURES PAGE 7

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Chinese New Year Gala returns to Lied Center JOSH MCQUADE

@L0neW0lfMcQuade

A

Chinese New Year celebration is coming to Lawrence for the fourth year Saturday at the Lied Center The Chinese Students & Scholars Friendship Association (KUCSS-FA) will host a free show followed by a free meal at 7 p.m. on Jan. 28.

Before the show, the KU Center for East Asian Studies will be providing activities from 5-6:30 p.m. in the lobby of the Lied Center.

The theme of the event is the “Beauty of China ”and will feature performances by the CSSFA, University Dance Company, KU School of Music, Jasmine Flower Dance Club, Point B Dance Studio and the Kansas City Lion Dance Company, according to the event description provided by the KUCSSFA. The CSSFA is a group of Chinese students that assist incoming students with getting acclimated to the Lawrence community.

“The mission of our association is to provide a home away from home for Chinese students,” gala producer Max Jiang said.

The Chinese New Year Gala, which will have the theme “Beauty of China,” is returning to the Lied Center after being held at the Ballroom in the Kansas Union for the past four years, according to Max Jiang.

The larger amount of space allows for the KUCSSFA to have more events throughout the night.

There will be multiple

HIDDEN FIGURES FROM PAGE 5 In a move of desperation to catch up to the Russian’s space efforts, the Space Task Group, headed by Al Harrison (Kevin Costner), recruits Katherine to the team. This turns out to be an issue for her (and her bladder), as she is the only black woman in the room. Not only does she face discrimination, but she also faces great humiliation each day when she’s forced to run over half a mile — in

performances portraying Chinese culture, including a fashion show, traditional singing and dancing, music and even a production of “Butterfly Lovers,” the Chinese equivalent to “Romeo and Juliet,” Max Jiang said.

“

The mission of our association is to provide a home away from home for Chinese students,” Max Jiang Gala producer

The chair of promotion for the event, Jinhang Jiang, said that the goal of the show is to bring all of the Chinese residents in the Lawrence area together in order to celebrate the New Year and to share their culture with the public.

Derek Kwan, executive director of the Lied Center, expects interest from the University and Lawrence communities. The Lied Center aims to support any group looking to celebrate any event.

“One of our primary goals is to serve as a great communal gathering space for celebration,” Kwan said.

The KUCSSFA received funding from the Student Senate in order to bring the show to the Lied Center, according to Kwan.

The Chinese New Year will begin on Jan. 28, the day of the Gala.

— Edited by Erin Brock

Contributed photo The Lied Center is hosting the Chinese Students & Scholars Friendship Association’s Chinese New Year Night on Jan. 28.

high heels — to the nearest bathroom designated for “colored” women, the bathroom she left behind with her old job.

The bathroom escape scenes become rather monotonous. They convey Katherine’s hardships in a unique way, but drag the film.

The majority of the film involves similar scenes of similar action and content that could bore some viewers. Watching someone sit down and do math equations (even with a dramatic underscore) can only be en-

tertaining for so long. With a running length of two hours and seven minutes, “Hidden Figures” could have been shaved down to a much more succinct version.

“

‘Hidden Figures’ proves to be revelation of empowerment and inspiration.”

One of the film’s many subplots includes a love story

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between Katherine and Jim Johnson (Mahershala Ali), which is not entirely consequential to the film’s success.

However, it does allow a removal from the mathematic toward the romantic.

While Katherine is busy in her new position, Dorothy is busy trying to convince her superior, Vivian Mitchell (Kirsten Dunst), to promote her to supervisor, which is a role she already assumes without the title or extra pay.

Mary has dreams of being an engineer. Despite external objections, Mary finds it

housing

within herself to keep fighting. One trip to the county court allows her to take the necessary night classes so she can apply for her dream job at NASA. “Hidden Figures” proves to be a revelation of empowerment and inspiration. It’s difficult to believe that such a story was largely unknown to the public before the release of the film. Henson gives one of her best performances, while Monáe makes a strong addition to her new career avenue as an actress.

Spencer portrays a similar

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character to that of her Oscar-winning performance in “The Help,” though she does it without copying herself.

The trio has such a lovable, enticing chemistry. Although these actresses weren’t adults during the Civil Rights Movement, they made it all believable.

“Hidden Figures” is incredibly prescient for today, and its message carries a reminder that anything is possible.

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Professor’s book examines narratives across cultures GUS HUNNINGHAKE @gushunninghake

A

ssociate professor Antonio Luciano de Andrade Tosta’s recently-released book examines cultural history from a perspective not usually seen in modern literature.

Tosta, an associate professor of Brazilian literature and culture, said that his background and his upbringing played a major role inspiring him to write the book — “Confluence Narratives: Ethnicity, History and Nation-Making in the Americas” — about history and its varying viewpoints.

“My experiences as an immigrant, as someone who arrived here 19 years ago, who had to see himself differently racially and ethnically, are what drew me to study literature that was related to immigration and the presentation of immigrants,” Tosta said. “That’s how it first started.”

“

My experiences as an immigrant, as someone who arrived here 19 years ago, who had to see himself differently racially and ethnically, are what drew me to study literature that was related to immigration.”

Antonio Luciano de Andrade Tosta Associate Professor

“Confluence Narratives: Ethnicity, History and Na-

tion-Making in the Americas,” according to a University press release, takes Native American, African-American, Jewish-American and Japanese-American novels and compares them with a novel from Brazil, Tosta’s native country.

Tosta said that his English studies as an undergraduate student fueled his desire to learn more about history from different cultures.

“I actually studied more U.S. literature back in Brazil than I studied Brazilian literature,” Tosta said. “So my background was much stronger in English literature.”

While studying English, Tosta found a connection between fiction and history and began to question how fiction can represent or be a part of history.

“How is it that the fiction in some literature represents the history?” Tosta asked.

“There were these groups of novels that were representing history in a similar way, beginning with colonization, then the arrival of the European explorer.”

Tosta said that his findings inspired him to examine historical novels from different ethnic backgrounds that took a critical standpoint in their depiction of certain major events.

“These are post-colonial novels that are looking at the history of colonization, and they are critical of that history and how that history affects us today,” Tosta said.

— Edited by Casey Brown

Contributed photo The cover of associate professor of Brazilian literature and culture Antonio Luciano de Andrade Tosta’s recently-released book, “Confluence Narratives: Ethnicity, History and Nation-Making in the Americas.”

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9

basketball gameday Saturday, Jan. 28, 5:15 p.m., ESPN

BRIAN MINI

@brianminimum

2.

AT A GLANCE Kansas just lost its first game of the conference season, an 85-69 road affair against No. 18 West Virginia. It’s just the Jayhawks’ second loss all year, and the first in 17 games. They now hit the midway point of an impossibly tough stretch, facing three ranked opponents in as many games.

After falling to the Mountaineers, Kansas will look to rebound against Kentucky, who’s looking to recover from a recent loss as well.

Frank Mason III, senior, guard For Kansas to win, Mason will need to have a big game; there’s not really any way around it. He’s taken over in many of the Jayhawks’ most impressive wins this year, such as hitting the game-winning shot against Duke or leading the second-half comeback against Oklahoma. Against a highly-talented Kentucky team in a game that seems destined to be close, Mason will need to turn on his superstar mode like he has several times this season.

Kansas is still the worst free throw shooting team in the Big 12, hitting just 63.2 percent of their shots from the line. They struggled mightily in this area against West Virginia, shooting 40 percent from the line in the loss. In what’s sure to be a close contest against Kentucky, the Jayhawks don’t want the game decided by late free throws. Should the Wildcats choose to send them to the line, the Jayhawks will need to hit, or else they’ll be in trouble.

@JordanWolfKU

(15-4)

STARTING FIVE

STARTING FIVE

Frank Mason III, senior, guard Mason enters the game off another solid individual performance, posting 15 points in the loss to West Virginia. He has established himself as a strong contender for national player of the year awards, as he averages 19.9 points and 5.2 assists per game. With a strong performance, capped with a game-winner against Duke earlier this year, expect him to try and right the ship against another blue-blood opponent in Kentucky.

De’Aaron Fox, freshman, guard Fox was sidelined against South Carolina with an ankle injury, but returned against Tennessee to drop 17 points. Fox isn’t much of a threat from outside, but his 16.2 points per game is something that Kansas’ guards will need to limit. Fox is turnover-prone at times and if his injury flares up again, Kentucky might need to rely on its other two guards.

Devonte’ Graham, junior, guard Graham has scored 35 points combined in the last two games, with all but seven of those points in the first half. He’s been unfathomably inconsistent, showing absolute dominance at times, but completely disappearing at others. If the Jayhawks want to bounce back against Kentucky, they’ll need Graham to keep his level of play consistently high all game.

?

Can Kansas hit its free throws?

4. KENTUCKY

(18-2)

★★★★★

★★★★★

PLAYER TO WATCH

QUESTION MARK

KANSAS

JORDAN WOLF

Isaiah Briscoe, sophomore, guard Briscoe’s made a huge jump from his freshman year. Aside from some disappointing games against Mississippi State and South Carolina, Briscoe’s seen an uptick in scoring and efficiency, even with his minutes decreasing slightly. His biggest problem seems to come from inconsistency as highlighted by his seven turnover performance against South Carolina followed up by a 14 rebound game against Tennessee.

★★★★★

★★★★★

Svi Mykhailiuk, junior, guard Mykhailiuk didn’t score the ball well against West Virginia, earning just six points on 2-of-9 shooting, but he did dish out seven assists. Kansas will need his strong shooting to return against the Wildcats, as his seven misses from three-point range against the Mountaineers led to serious problems in the team’s offense.

Malik Monk, freshman, guard Monk is one of the best scorers in college basketball, which obviously presents an issue to opposing teams. Against Kansas, however, his 15 shot attempts per game might be a little high considering how likely it is that Kentucky will be looking to feed its forwards. Monk is hard to keep in check from three-point range, but his 3-for-13 game against Tennessee shows that the key to pulling off the upset is making sure Monk doesn’t get going.

★★★✩✩

★★★★★

Josh Jackson, freshman, guard Jackson had a game-high 22 points against West Virginia, but also fouled out and had three turnovers. That’s kind of how the entire season has gone for Jackson thus far — high scoring and effective offense but sloppy play elsewhere. Against Kentucky, Jackson will find one of his first real tests in the national spotlight. If he can stay composed, he’ll likely fill out the stat sheet nicely, as he has all year.

★★★★★

Wenyen Gabriel, freshman, forward Gabriel isn’t a great scorer, but his ability to hit threes and not turn the ball over makes him a valuable asset on offense. Defensively, he averages 1.2 blocks per game and stays out of foul trouble, which gives Kentucky a decent defensive stopper when Adebayo is on the bench. At just 21 minutes per game, Gabriel has to split some time with senior forward Derek Willis, but Gabriel is a much better rebounder, which makes him a tougher matchup.

★★★★✩

BY THE NUMBERS

7 — Kansas has seven all-

time wins over Kentucky.

11 — It has been eleven

years since the Jayhawks have won in Rupp Arena.

Kentucky boasts one of the best starting lineups in the country, led by Malik Monk. Like Kansas, none of Kentucky’s losses are all that surprising, even its most recent loss at Tennessee. The Wildcats can score from anywhere on the floor and their athleticism makes them a tough matchup on both ends of the court.

PLAYER TO WATCH

Bam Adebayo freshman, forward Ever since freshman forward Udoka Azubuike went down to injury earlier this season, Kansas hasn’t found it’s answer to opposing forwards. As was the case with Texas’ Jarrett Allen and West Virginia’s Esa Ahmad, someone on Kentucky’s frontcourt is bound to have a big game.

The easy bet is on Adebayo.

QUESTION MARK

?

Will Wenyen Gabriel or Derek Willis step up next to Bam Adebayo?

Adebayo is a lock to impact the game but the question remains who will assist Adebayo in the frontcourt.

Willis is slightly bulkier, but other than that the two have almost identical builds. If Lucas is tasked with guarding Adebayo, whoever Kentucky plays beside him will need to find a way to get around Kansas’ Jackson.

BY THE NUMBERS

22

— Kentucky is 22-7 against Kansas all-time.

92.3 — Kentucky aver-

3 — It has been three sea-

sons since Kansas lost twice in a row (2013 – at Colorado, at Florida).

AT A GLANCE

Landen Lucas, senior, center The only things certain in life nowadays are death, taxes and Landen Lucas getting double-digit rebounds. He’s only scored four points total in his last two games, but that’s much less of a concern when considering he’s grabbed 24 rebounds across those two games as well. Since regaining the starting job, he’s averaging 11.3 rebounds per game. He’ll likely be lined up against Kentucky forward Bam Adebayo, one of the best rebounders in his conference. They may not put up flashy numbers, but expect Lucas vs. Adebayo to be one of the pivotal battles of this game.

ages the third-most points in college basketball at just over 92 points per game.

Bam Adebayo, freshman, forward Adebayo is a bigger, more physical and frankly, more talented forward than Gabriel. Adebayo uses his size and strength to easily score inside. His 62 percent shooting isn’t a fluke, and against a team without a true rim protector, the freshman will probably exceed his average of eight attempts per game. From a pure talent standpoint, Adebayo is the best forward the Jayhawks will have faced so far this season aside from Texas’ Jarrett Allen.

★★★★★

★★★★★

Beat Writer Prediction: Skylar Rolstad: Kansas 94 Kentucky 84 // Jordan Wolf: Kentucky 80 Kansas 76 // Brian Mini: Kansas 82 Kentucky 78

2,222

— Kentucky has won 2,222 games in program history, the most of any Division I school.

SPORTS

10

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Brew: Embiid ‘trusts the process’ in All-Star social media campaign RAELEY YOUNGS @raeleyy

P

hiladelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid has emerged as one of the top big men in the NBA, and possibly even as a leading candidate for Rookie of the Year. The massive amount of attention he has drawn, aside from his athletic talent, comes from the social media buzz he's cultivated.

Embiid has amassed a following of over 1.1 million users combined on Twitter and Instagram through the use of clever and often comical posts, which most recently have boosted his campaign for an All-Star Game appearance.

The authenticity professional athletes like Embiid display on social media lead fans to feel a

closer bond with them.

Embiid has been a trending topic on Twitter since being drafted to the NBA. Whether it’s making his teammate Jahlil Okafor, a former Duke star, wear Kansas gear, posing with Drake or sending a shout out to Tim Duncan’s wardrobe, Embiid always finds a way to keep people interested in what he’s going to post next.

Embiid's spearheaded social media efforts may have earned him a place in the NBA All-Star Game. He averages an impressive 19.8 points per game and 7.8 rebounds per game, but it's been the Twitter hype that really sets him apart from the rest.

Support for Embiid has come through numerous endorsements from athletes and celebrities, such as actor and comedian Kevin Hart,

Angels center fielder Mike Trout, and WWE's Triple H in the push to make the AllStar Game.

With 922,174 fan votes, Embiid placed third among frontcourt players in the Eastern Conference, trailing only Cleveland's LeBron James and Milwaukee's Giannis Antetokounmpo.

He also finished ahead of many household names, including Cleveland's Kevin Love and New York's Carmelo Anthony, who have played in the league since Embiid was a teenager.

Embiid is undoubtedly talented, averaging nearly 20 points per game, though it is rare for a first-year player to have such a large amount of votes. The last Rookie of the Year who placed in the top 10 in All-Star votes was Kyrie Irving in 2012.

A year ago, the fan voting

Associated Press Philadelphia 76ers’ Joel Embiid reacts during the final minutes of a game against Toronto on Wednesday, Jan. 18.

results alone would have secured Embiid a starting spot in the All-Star Game.

Due to changes in rules this season, as stated by the NBA, fans account for only 50 percent of the vote, while all current players and a media panel account for 25 percent each.

“The fans are going stick up for who they love, and I

love that,” Embiid told CSN Philly, regarding the voting results.

However, Embiid still has a chance to appear in the game; reserves will be announced Thursday. If selected, it would make him the first rookie to make an All-Star Game roster since Blake Griffin in 2011.

It is clear Joel Embiid

is still trusting the process, and surely his time to be named an All-Star will come, whether it be this season or in the future. Either way, he will continue to improve on the court, and will become an even bigger favorite among NBA fans.

— Edited by Brenna Boat

George: Closers, outfielders highlight otherwise lethargic MLB offseason MITCH GEORGE @MitchLGeorge

At times, the MLB offseason can prove to be just as interesting, if not more, than the regular season.

Teams engage in trade talks and contract negotiations with hope that these deals will improve their clubs for the upcoming season.

With regard to free agent signings and trades, this offseason has progressed in a lethargic manner.

The position group that provided the most excitement, however, was closing pitchers.

All-Star closers Mark

Melancon, Aroldis Chapman and Kenley Jansen headlined the offseason as three top-tier closer options. Historically, back-end bullpen pitching talent finds its way to contending teams. This offseason proved to be no outlier, as Melancon inked a deal with the Giants, Jansen re-signed with the Dodgers and Chapman returned to the Yankees from his ring-yielding field trip. In addition to these signings, the Kansas City Royals traded Wade Davis to the Chicago Cubs.

Out of these transactions, the Melancon deal will have the biggest impact on its rel-

ative club. Santiago Casilla, the man who previously occupied the closer role for the Giants, blew an MLB-leading nine saves last season. Melancon was tied for the least blown saves among closers with four.

Another interesting market segment was the group of free agent outfielders.

As expected, All-Star outfielder Yoenis Céspedes elected to re-sign with the Mets. He was handsomely rewarded with a four-year contract worth $110 million. This caliber of contract was expected for Céspedes, but his position teammates weren’t as fortunate.

Blue Jays slugger José Bautista made it clear he was looking for a large, long-term contract. After rejecting his $17.2 million qualifying offer, he was embarrassingly forced back to Toronto due to the lack of interest from other clubs. Ultimately, he signed for one year and $18.5 million with mutual options in the future.

Two-time All-Star Mark Trumbo is another player that witnessed a lack of interest on the open market.

After leading the MLB with 47 home runs, there were rumors that he could receive a contract in the ballpark of $70 million. Instead, he was

also forced to re-sign with his original team, the Baltimore Orioles, at the modest dollar amount of $37.5 million for three years.

It’s strange that no other teams were willing to give Trumbo a longer deal with more money involved. In comparison to Bautista, Trumbo’s numbers are superior in every offensive category, yet Bautista is making $5 million more per year. There is, however, value in staying with your previous team, especially if that team plays in a hitterfriendly ballpark like Oriole Park at Camden Yards.

One theory is, as teams

move toward sabermetric-based statistics, they are also taking into account open market theory by waiting for other teams to establish the market before making an offer of their own. By way of this mentality, players such as Trumbo and Bautista returned to their original ball clubs because the market never established itself.

The only true way to tell which party is receiving the greater benefit is through experience. As the season progresses from spring training into the regular season, it will become clear if the organizations correctly valued their players.

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11

DAILY DEBATE: Who will win, Kansas or Kentucky?

MIKE MAICKE @MJ_Maicke

Since the creation of the Big 12/SEC Challenge in 2013, media and fans alike really had one matchup in mind, the clash of two historical college basketball powerhouses: Kansas and Kentucky.

Last season’s overtime thriller did not disappoint, despite a Kentucky team that was far from its usual self. The Wildcats came into the Fieldhouse ranked a lowly No. 20, far from their usual seemingly reserved spot in the top 10, still played at a highenough level to get to overtime in Allen Fieldhouse.

If not for former Kansas guard Wayne Selden Jr.’s heroic, career-high 33-point effort, Kentucky very easily could have handed Kansas a rare home loss.

Now, the Jayhawks lose their statistically proven best home court advantage and travel to another hostile venue, Rupp Arena, for a heavyweight rematch with Kentucky.

And this time, the Wildcats have a whole new look and come into the contest ranked No. 4 in the nation.

It’ll be physical, it’ll be insanely competitive, and at the end of the day, it will be a signature road win for the second-ranked Jayhawks.

There’s something to be said about the value of an upperclassmen backcourt, which is what Kansas gets with junior guard Devonte’ Graham and senior Player of the Year candidate Frank Mason III. The possession, hell the entire offense, starts with the guards. When you have

KANSAS

BRENDAN DZWIERZYNSKI @BrendanDzw

KENTUCKY

players who have experi- teams excel, with the two There’s no denying close game. enced some of the most programs coming in the the fact Kansas vs. KenSecondly, and more raucous environments in top 20 in both rebounds tucky is a marquee game. importantly, the most college basketball, it leads per game and assists per A showdown between the important standings will you to believe the intangi- game. two winningest programs not change regardless of bles the Kentucky crowd But the defense on both in the history of the game, this game’s outcome, and brings to the game Satur- sides has been questionboth of which are currently that’s the Big 12 standings. day may be neutralized. able, with Kentucky giving top-5 teams in the country. While a loss to Kentucky First, let’s talk perime- up 72.6 points per game, There’s impressive tal- would be hard to swallow, ter scoring. The three-point while Kansas allows 71. ent on both sides of the it doesn’t change anything line, as it typically is, will be If the Jayhawks can court, and while Kentucky in conference play, which an enormous factor in this contain the Wildcats’ may be a flashier team, is what truly counts at this game. It’s undeniable that weapons around Malik Kansas’ veteran leadership time of year. the Jayhawks’ frontcourt Monk, rebound the basand dominance from threeAs always, the Wildhas been the foremost ketball and shoot a decent point range establishes the cats roster is stacked area of concern, especially percentage from beyond Jayhawks as a national title with talent, most notably after losing freshman for- the arc, the Jayhawks will contender. in the backcourt. Freshward Udoka man guards Azubuike in De’Aaron the nonconFox and Maference sealik Monk are son. two of the But what most excitKansas lacks ing players in the tradiin the nation this season. tional interiAveraging or scoring, it 16.2 and makes up for 21.9 points on the peper game, rimeter. The respectiveJayhawks ly, Fox and are shooting Monk crean elite 41 ate matchup percent from problems beyond the for any team arc this seathey go up son, while against. Unalso holding doubtedly, opponents Missy Minear/KANSAN this includes to 35 percent Then-sophomore guard Devonte’ Graham celebrates in the second half against Kentucky on Jan. 30, 2016. The Jayhawks defeated the Wildcats 90-84.

Kansas. from three.

Earlier in Kansas is led In the end, after what the week, Fox’s health was

by Mason, who’s shooting be in a great position to should be another thrill- a major concern entering a ridiculous 52.8 percent take down an elite team on their own court. ing game between these the Big 12/SEC Challenge. from the three-point line.

It’ll be one of the best two programs, Kentucky is However, after playing 25 Kansas needs to shoot going to edge past Kansas minutes in Kentucky’s loss well to win this game, and games of the year, and a and pick up the victory. on Tuesday versus Tennesstatistics tell us that they game that will test the inIn all honesty, it see, it appears as though he normally do. At this point trinsic value of upperclasswouldn’t be a particularly is ready to go for Saturday. in the season, there is not man leadership. bad loss for Kansas. First With that in mind, the a single Jayhawks player of all, there’s no shame in two-dimensional threat shooting under 45 percent losing to one of the best of Fox and Monk togethfrom the field. teams in the country on er on the floor could be Rebounding and passthe road, especially if it’s a devastating for a Kansas ing are areas where both

Kansas 78 | Kentucky 75

defense that has allowed some high-scoring performances this year. In front of a home crowd at Rupp Arena, expect a big game from the star Wildcats freshmen.

On the Kansas side of things, this game comes in the middle of the most arduous stretch of the team’s schedule this season, going head-to-head with three top-20 teams in nine days, two of them on the road.

After a deflating loss to West Virginia on Tuesday, Kansas has little time to recover for another hard matchup.

Kansas’ main flaw, if it can be called that, is its depth, playing with just a seven-man rotation. That depth could be problematic against Kentucky, which plays nine players at nearly 10 minutes per game or more. The Wildcats will be able to cycle more players off and on the court, while Kansas players run themselves into exhaustion.The Jayhawks’ talent covers this deficiency well, but it will be hard to keep up with a Wildcats team with a similar talent level.

Expect this game to replicate last year’s Big 12/SEC Challenge game between these two storied programs, rather than the 2014 edition in the Champions Classic. Both teams have plenty of talent, and both are legitimate championship contenders, but Kentucky holds the advantage this time, thanks to a home-court advantage and a deeper bench.

— Edited by Ashley Hocking

Kentucky 81 | Kansas 73

Jayhawks fall at OSU in tight conference battle JARED ANDERSON @JAnderson_383

Sitting at the bottom of an elite conference is frustrating. Unfortunately, Kansas has again taken on that role in the Big 12.

It has been nearly two years since Kansas won a regular-season conference match. Although its win drought has been lengthy, Kansas (6-14, Big 12 0-9) entered Wednesday’s battle against Oklahoma State (136, Big 12 3-5) with a surplus of determination.

Despite their valiant efforts down the stretch, the Jayhawks fell to Cowgirls 74-70.

“

It’s a tough league, and our players are learning and understanding how important every possession is.”

Brandon Schneider coach

The score was tied 54-54 with just 7 minutes and 23 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter. Oklahoma

Missy Minear/KANSAN Junior guard Jessica Washington attempts a shot under the basket on Jan. 4 against Texas. Kansas fell to Oklahoma State, 74-70, on Jan. 25.

State went on a swift 11-2 run, increasing its lead to nine points. Still, that lead was short lived, as Kansas fought its way back. With just 27 seconds remaining, a clutch three-pointer from redshirt junior Jessica Washington brought Kansas within one point.

Nevertheless, it was Oklahoma State that held

onto the win behind last second free throws, forcing Kansas to postpone its first conference win.

“It was tough in the first half without having [Washington],” Kansas coach Brandon Schneider said.

Washington, Kansas’ leading scorer this season with 15.9 points per game, kicked off the night with

just three points heading in to the half. Despite her early struggles, the poor start didn’t phase Washington, as she unleashed a monstrous 23-point showing in the second half. The 5-foot-8 guard notched 26 points, four rebounds and two assists on the night.

“So much of our offense goes through her,” Schnei-

der said. “23 points in the second half, that’s a pretty good indicator of how important she is.”

Even with Washington’s strong play, Oklahoma State possessed too many scoring threats. Junior center Kaylee Jensen was outstanding for the Cowgirls, scoring 19 points while grabbing 13 rebounds. Sophomore guard

Karli Wheeler also added 22 points, while Mandy Coleman contributed 19. In comparison, Kansas’ next two highest scorers were McKenzie Calvert (13 points) and Kylee Kopatich (10).

Unlike previous games, the Jayhawks were able to stay near the Cowgirls’ 43 percent field goal percentage, connecting on 25 of their 70 shots.

“It’s a tough league, and our players are learning and understanding how important every possession is,” Schneider said.

All season long, Kansas has had difficulty manufacturing quality scoring opportunities.

Schneider believes that in order to improve on the offensive end, they must create more chances.

“It’s so hard for us to score, and our only chance is to create some extra possessions,” Schneider said.

Kansas will look to implement those extra possessions this Saturday against Texas Tech inside Allen Fieldhouse.

“We’re going to get some of these teams at home, and hopefully we’ll make enough plays to just get over the hump,” Schneider said.

sports KANSAN.COM/SPORTS | THURSDAY, JAN. 26, 2017

Opposing Sidelines: KU-UK preview SKYLAR ROLSTAD @SkyRolSports

N

o. 2 Kansas comes off its first conference loss of the season to take on No. 4 Kentucky on Saturday in one of this season’s most-anticipated matchups. Kansas lost to No. 18 West Virginia and Kentucky lost to unranked Tennessee, both on Tuesday.

The Kansan spoke with Chris Angolia — associate sports editor of the Kentucky Kernel, Kentucky’s student newspaper — about the game on Saturday.

Kansan: What did you think about Kentucky’s loss to Tennessee?

Angolia: I wasn’t fully surprised. I was a little surprised. I just didn’t think [Kentucky] played well.

In terms of just looking at all the stats, they shot terribly and they didn’t put together their customary run. There was no flow to the game. It was just out of control almost, at times. [The Wildcats] had a chance to cut it to four, and they go down and miss a wide open layup. Tennessee comes down and scores, and then [the Wildcats] turn the ball over on the next possession.

Tennessee is the most successful team against [Kentucky] in the past couple years. So this is no stranger, I just didn’t expect it with this team in particular.

Kansan: Any glaring problems with Kentucky?

Angolia: I say it’s a lack of depth. If you look at the team, they have [sophomore forward] Isaac Humphries coming off the bench, [senior guard Mychal] Mulder, [senior forward] Derek Willis, and [senior guard Dominique] Hawkins and all these guys. But

SKYLAR ROLSTAD @SkyRolSports

Associated Press Kentucky’s Malik Monk (5) is instructed by head coach John Calipari during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Auburn, Saturday, Jan. 14, 2017, in Lexington, Ky.

when you really look at it, their production is very low. They’re basically there to eat minutes and [prevent] foul trouble.

“

Mason’s unbelievable.

He’s absolutely ridiculous, and he’s probably a contender for national player of the year.”

Chris Angolia Kentucky Kernel associate sports editor

Kansan: What have you seen from Kansas this season?

Angolia: I love [Frank Mason III] and [Devonte’] Graham. I’m a big guard guy. I love watching guard play. Mason’s unbelievable. He’s absolutely ridiculous, and he’s probably a contend-

er for national player of the year. And I like Graham a lot just for what he does for the team.

The teams are really similar. When you look at it, the teams are basically carbon copies of each other. Even in last year’s game, only two guys taller than 6-foot-4 had double figures. [Alex] Poythress and Perry Ellis had double figures. So when you look at it now, it’s clearly Jackson, Mason and Graham against Monk, Fox and Briscoe.

Kansan: What have you seen out of De’Aaron Fox and Malik Monk?

Angolia: Fox is the quickest guard by far. He’s lightning, and [Tuesday night] he would do little things. He’d press, the guy would beat him and he’d sprint down the court [to defend the ball-handler.] Off the dribble, he’s insanely quick to the rim. He flies

all over the place, and for me, it’s something.

He’s worked on his jump shot, it hasn’t really been all there yet. To me, he hasn’t really put it together shooting-wise.

But he can get to the rim at will, much like your [UCLA guard] Lonzo Ball, [NC State guard] Dennis Smith, [Washington guard] Markelle Fultz, even Mason. They all just get to the rim at will, and he’s one of those guys. In terms of Monk, there’s nothing on the court that he can’t do.

He’s a freak, that’s the best way to describe it.

Kansan: John Calipari joked recently that Brad Calipari would replace De’Aaron Fox if Fox was injured because of pressure from his wife. Who do you think would win in a one-on-one game: Tyler Self or Brad Calipari?

Angolia: I’d probably say

Tyler. Brad just hasn’t played a lot of basketball recently. He’s had a lot of knee injuries. I haven’t really seen Tyler play a lot.

Kansan: What are your picks for the Final Four this season?

Angolia: Final Four: I’d definitely say Kansas, North Carolina, I’m on the fence with UCLA, if Villanova gets [Phil] Booth back, that’s a very good possibility that they get back to the Final Four.

I think a sleeper team in all seriousness is Louisville. It has a mark of a Louisville team that could go far. Because they can defend, they put up points. They put up over 100 points against Pitt.

— Edited by Ashley Hocking

Defense breaks down in Morgantown loss BRIAN MINI

@brianminimum

The Kansas Jayhawks were able to break the press, but weren’t able to finish the job as they took their second loss of the season against No. 18 West Virginia, 85-69.

Despite West Virginia’s (16-4, Big 12 5-3) press, the issue in Morgantown wasn’t ball security. Kansas’ 13 turnovers were far below West Virginia’s average of forcing almost 24.

“I don’t think it really bothered us much at all,” coach Bill Self said of the press on the Jayhawk Radio Network. “I thought we really attacked it pretty good.”

The issue for Kansas (182, Big 12 7-1) this time was stopping West Virginia’s offense.

Mountaineers sophomore forward Esa Ahmad took over the game and had no problem setting a career-high in points against freshman forward Josh Jackson.

Ahmad lead the game with 27 points against a foulplagued Kansas frontcourt.

Ahmad shot 10-for-17 and

Rolstad: Lack of depth shows in WVU loss

Associated Press Kansas forward Carlton Bragg Jr. is disappointed by a referee’s call during the second half of Kansas’ game against West Virginia. The Mountaineers defeated Kansas 85-69.

led the way at the free-throw line with nine attempts.

“I think we played tired,” Self said of the defense.

“Our bench was extra short tonight.”

Kansas’ defense faltered late in part because of foul trouble. Jackson fouled out while senior center Landen Lucas and sophomore forward Carlton Bragg Jr. both finished the game with

four fouls.

“I think guys let officiating bother them, although I don’t think that had anything to do with the outcome of the game,” Self said.

For Kansas, the offense came from the usual suspects and that was about it. The bench scored just seven points compared to West Virginia’s bench, which contributed 21 points.

After going 2-for5 from deep against Texas, Jackson’s threepoint shooting needed improvement in Tuesday’s game.

Jackson hit a season-high four three-pointers on his way to tying a season-high 22 points. He also provided a highlight reel play late in the second half, throwing down a one-handed dunk through

a pair of West Virginia defenders.

Junior guard Devonte’ Graham shot 60 percent and added 17 points while senior guard Frank Mason III struggled offensively, shooting just 6-of-16 for 15 points.

Kansas had a one-point lead with just under 10 minutes to go thanks to a three-pointer from junior guard Svi Mykhailiuk, who scored six points on 2-of-8 shooting from three-point range.

Kansas was outrebounded, but Lucas had his fifth double-digit rebounding game in the last six games. The senior finished with 10 rebounds.

Another struggle came from the free-throw line as Kansas shot just 40 percent from the line. After the game, Self pointed out that Mason didn’t shoot a free throw, which is the second time this season that the senior hasn’t made it to the line.

Kansas won’t have much time to rest with its next game coming up on Saturday at No. 4 Kentucky.

A problem the Kansas Jayhawks managed to mask all season finally rose above the surface in a devastating fashion in Morgantown, West Virginia.

In an 85-69 loss to the West Virginia Mountaineers (16-4, Big 12 5-3), there was no longer any cure for Kansas’ (18-2, Big 12 7-1) restricting lack of depth. While West Virginia’s highest scorer, Esa Ahmad, finished with 27 points and only one foul, Kansas stayed sloppy and undisciplined in the loss.

Somehow, the only player to foul out was freshman guard Josh Jackson. A couple more minutes to build on his 22 points would have been nice, however, it was too much to ask. Rather, it was the frontcourt that Jackson and the rest of Kansas’ nation-leading backcourt needed to lean on.

And lean on it would not.

Senior forward Landen Lucas came away with a respectable two points and 10 rebounds, but was shoehorned into 24 minutes of game time due to foul trouble. His partner-turned-second string down low, sophomore forward Carlton Bragg Jr., had similar foul problems. Lucas and Bragg finished the game with four fouls each. Freshman forward Mitch Lightfoot was thrown in the game for eight minutes.

One instance where Kansas couldn’t hack it with Lightfoot on the floor came with 7:56 remaining in the second half. Lightfoot remained planted under the basket while junior guard Svi Mykhailiuk rushed to defend West Virginia’s Lamont West, who made a three.

Mykhailiuk turned an annoyed eye to Lightfoot, who failed to shift over and defend West.

It’s not a freshman who averages 4.3 minutes’ fault.

It would be ridiculous to pin a loss on a freshman who hardly plays, but it serves as an example of what Kansas faces when top players fail to control their game and avoid unnecessary fouls.

When Kansas was steamrolling nonconference opponents or earning inevitable victories over Oklahoma or Texas, Lightfoot and junior forward Dwight Coleby were fine. Lucas and Bragg should have been dependable against an 18th-ranked West Virginia, and that’s concerning for Kansas fans who expect this team to go deep in the tournament.

Kansas couldn’t have suffered its first loss in months on a better night. The bench’s shortcomings don’t look nearly as painful when you compare the problems No. 1 Villanova had in a 74-72 loss to unranked Marquette. Nor do Kansas’ issues look quite as dire when compared to upcoming opponent No. 4 Kentucky and its struggles in an 84-82 loss to Tennessee.

— Edited by Frank Weirich