Welcome back by USF Oracle

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A letter to our readers By Grace Hoyte E D I T O R

I N

C H I E F

Since 1966, The Oracle has diligently reported on the University of South Florida. In that time, we have sought to bring the best news coverage directly to the students. As we continue toward that goal, we must accept that more readers are looking to their smartphone, tablet and computer for daily news updates. And as we look to the future, we are determined to reach more students with increased emphasis on our digital coverage. Beginning today — the first day of the spring semester — The Oracle will print a physical newspaper twice a week, Monday and Thursday, but will continue with daily coverage on our digital platforms. The Oracle’s new mobile app and website will include fresh news and video content, as our staff continue to report and write

throughout the week. The Oracle’s mobile app, USF Oracle, went live in November, and we hope to focus more energy than before to improve our digital product to make it appealing and competitive with other online news sources. We have always covered breaking stories online, and our commitment to news remains unchanged, but with more readers looking to their smartphones for daily news, we want to strengthen our connection with students through our app and website. On the Internet, usforacle. com will be the premier source for on-campus news, editorials, sports updates and all the content you care about, without exception. The new mobile app, USF Oracle, is available on iTunes and in the Google Play store. The app has a userfriendly interface that works very much like the website. We want to be the main source of information for the

campus community. But we need to hear from you to make that possible, so comment on stories, Facebook message or tweet us, and make your voice heard. The Oracle welcomes students from all majors to contribute, and with a greater online presence, we will remain a forum for diverse voices and opinions. Keep an eye out for push notifications. We will be ready to meet you where you are: in print and on all your mobile devices. Grace Hoyte is a junior majoring in English Literature

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Expelled veteran’s case gains national attention By Abby Rinaldi C O - N E W S

E D I T O R

Former U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Clay Allred just wants to finish his education at USF, according to Hillsborough Circuit Judge Gregory Holder. However, Allred has found himself in a complicated situation in his effort to return to the university after his expulsion. The veteran was involved in an incident on Aug. 21, 2014 at a Fowler gas station about a mile or so from USF’s Tampa campus. According to Holder, Allred entered the gas station and asked to use the restroom. The clerk, Qadratullah Hassan, a Muslim, told him the restroom was closed. Allred urinated on the floor and told Hassan “I don’t like you people.” According to the Tampa Bay Times, Hassan, a Muslim, followed Allred out to his Jeep “to get his tag number and Allred pulled an AR-15

rifle from his Jeep and held it at his side.” Holder emphasized Allred did not point the gun at Hassan. He then fired into the air three times and drove away. Allred was arrested for the incident and served time in jail, during which, Holder said, USF offered Allred a hearing, which Allred was unable to attend due to his incarceration. In the end, he was expelled from the university. His case, according to Holder, was referred to the Veterans Treatment Court (VTC), which is able to martial resources for rehabilitation and reintegration. After entering a plea agreement, Allred went through adjudication, community control (house arrest) and is now on probation. He has received treatment from Veterans Affairs (VA), required by his sentence, for addiction, post-traumatic

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Smoking ban may face peer enforcement difficulties By Miki Shine C O - N E W S

E D I T O R

Students will no longer find a cloud of smoke when talking past the side of the Library or Cooper hall. Starting a week ago, the campus has become a smoke- and tobacco-free area. “Much like e-cigarettes, hookahs would fall under the line of smoking,” Beverly Daly, Director of Environmental Health & Safety at USF said in an interview last November. “Smoking whether tobacco based or not tobacco based will be prohibited.” This ban is the last leg of a task force formed in 2011 that was responsible for the creation of 24 designated smoking areas around the campus. However, the USF system-wide ban started in 2009 with USF Health and the Moffitt Cancer Center. “One of the recommendations the task force made was that the university continue to offer programs not only for

tobacco cessation and smoking cessation but also smoking and tobacco prevention,” Daly said in an interview last November. “It’s always better to keep them from ever smoking or chewing tobacco than trying to assist in the future for stopping.” Following the recommendation, the university set up programs and partnered with other businesses in the area to offer support for students to stop smoking. These programs are still available for students to aid in the transition into the ban. Isabelle Lima, a freshman majoring psychology, said she supports the ban but also understands why some people would be upset about it. “Honestly, I kind of like it,” she said. “I’m not a smoker personally, but I can see why people who are smokers don’t like that they have to go all the way off campus

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VETERAN

Continued from PAGE 6

stress disorder (PTSD) and a traumatic brain injury. “It’s a slippery slope for these men and women,” Holder said. According to Holder, Allred’s sentence was imposed in March of 2015 and has since become a model in the community control and probation system. Additionally, according to Allred’s VA mentor, retired Col. DJ Reyes, Allred has exceeded his service requirements. He is currently doing very well as of late, Holder said. “He’s a different person,” the judge stated. Allred wants to return to USF, as he has 17 credit hours remaining towards his bachelor’s degree in criminal justice. Holder, himself a veteran, wrote to USF on Allred’s behalf. The university responded poorly. “This university has not only a legal obligation but a moral obligation consistent with its stated goals of rehabilitation and reintegration,” he said.

In a letter to Holder, USF Director of the Office of Admissions David Henry said the university does not offer exclusive online program but would support efforts made by Allred to transfer his credits to another institution. “The University of South Florida shares the Court’s commitment to assisting veterans seeking to reach their academic goals either at the University or in the appropriate alternative setting,” Henry wrote to Holder. USF does offer online courses, but not exclusive online programs. However, a USF criminal justice professor emailed Holder telling him she could quickly arrange four online courses for Allred if the university approved them. USF Public Affairs Manager Adam Freeman said USF’s lack of an exclusive online program is because of a lack of measures in place to prevent them from coming on campus or interacting with other students or faculty. Holder requested to speak to the USF Board of Trustees (BOT) about Allred. The BOT heard him speak but did not

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take any action. “Clearly, part of his treatment is to finish his education,” Holder said. This same sentiment was expressed by Rebecca Schwartzberg, a staff psychologist with the James A. Haley

“This university has not only a legal obligation but a moral obligation consistent with its stated goals of rehabilitation and reintegration” Gregory Holder Hillsborough Circuit Judge

VA Medical Center in a letter she wrote on behalf of Allred as part of a series of documents Holder sent to the university in support of Allred’s readmission. “In fact, allowing him to return to his passion of studying and to obtain his degree will give a needed sense of

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accomplishment, as well as give a much better chance to be successful in the future,” she wrote. In December, U.S. VA Secretary Robert McDonald wrote to USF President Judy Genshaft commending USF’s work for veterans but also saying he believes “there is still more work to be done.” He requested to meet with Genshaft. Genshaft replied to McDonald, agreeing to meet with him. She also mentioned, as the university has done in multiple public statements, that USF has been ranked as the number one school in the U.S. for veterans by Money magazine and second in the U.S. by Military Times. In statements from the university, USF has talked about its appreciation for veterans and the current success of its student veterans. “USF respects and appreciates the service of all of our nearly 2,000 student veterans,” USF said in a statement. “We honor that service daily with our support and assistance through wellestablished resources like the

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Office of Veterans Success, which has served the needs of student veterans and their families since 1973. With a 90% employment rate to go along with high retention and graduation rates, the success of USF’s student veterans is undeniable.” “There is nothing more important to the university, and to me personally, than providing a path to a productive future through education while maintaining a safe environment for all our students,” Genshaft wrote. McDonald’s response was brief but not hostile, saying he would “love to visit you on one of my trips to south Florida and learn more about what you have done to be so Veteran-friendly.” The two have yet to come up with a date for their meeting. Holder said it never should have come to this. The problem is that, as Allred has been expelled from the university, his readmission would be an exception to current USF code. Freeman said once a student is expelled from USF, the student is per-

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Lifestyle

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA

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New movies for the new year By Jasmin Faisal L I F E S T Y L E

Zootopia: March 4

E D I T O R

As the new year progresses, we are greeted by an array of new 2016 blockbusters. If your New Year’s resolution is to spend more time with the people in your life, here are some upcoming movies to see with just about every type of moviegoer. To watch with the “Inner Child” Kung Fu Panda 3: Jan. 29 The third installment of this beloved series follows everyone’s favorite Dragon Warrior, Po (Jack Black) the panda bear, as he is reunited with his birth father (Bryan Cranston), who takes him to a secret sanctuary of pandas. Meanwhile, a dangerous opponent named Kai (J.K. Simmons) threatens China, and it is up to Po and the rest of the pandas to stop him. In this movie, Po must make the transition from warrior to teacher in order to train his people in the ancient ways of Kung Fu.

In a world where the human population is replaced with anthropomorphic animals. Moviegoers follow Judy Hopps (Ginnifer Goodwin), the first rabbit police officer of Zootopia, and her unwilling witness, the con artist fox Nick Wilde (Jason Bateman), as they try to solve the case of why certain animals have turned savage. With only 48 hours to solve the case, the stakes are high in this lively film. To watch with the “Action Aficionado” Pride and Prejudice Zombies: Feb. 5

and

This film is not your average classic British tale. In an interesting spin on the famous story, instead of being trained to wed, the Bennet girls are bred for combat, battling the zombies that have taken over 19th century England. Moviegoers will watch with baited breath to find out if Elizabeth (Lily James) and Mr. Darcy (Sam Riley) put aside their differences and survive long enough to discover their love for one another.

To watch with the “Fanboy” Deadpool: Feb. 12 Who hasn’t heard of the infamous Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds), slicing his way through foes and friends, with his smart mouth and triggerhappy attitude? Deadpool’s erratic character is easily enjoyable in this fast-paced, actionpacked comedy that most superhero movie lovers are so eager to see. This newest origin story is sure to be full of laughs, thrills and kills. Sporting an R rating for violence and sexual content, the movie promises to be edgier than the typical comic book popcorn fest. Batman V Superman: March 25 Although this movie may seem to be a long way off, it is one of the most highly anticipated movies of the new year. Two of the most iconic DC heroes are pinned against each other in a battle for the ages. We are introduced to old characters and new ones, as the two heroes square off. With cameo appearances from other

superheroes such as Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Cyborg and The Flash, this movie promises not to disappoint. To Watch with the “Scream Queen” The Boy: Jan. 22 When Greta (Lauren Cohan) is hired to be the nanny for the son of a mysterious family, things are not as they appear. She soon finds the child she is to care for is actually a doll. Armed with a list of instructions, Greta must be weary, as she finds that if she doesn’t follow the rules, creepy things start happening, causing her to be convinced that the doll is, in fact, alive. The Witch: Feb. 19 When the infant of a small, Puritan family in New England goes missing, a Witch, against whom they must try their best to protect themselves, terrorizes the family. Having won in the 2015 Sundance Festival for Directing in the category for U.S. Drama, this thrilling film promises to leave watchers enthralled in the brutal, reli-

gious decay of this family as the unknown plagues them. To Watch with the “Fellow Comedian” Ride Along 2: Jan. 15 The sequel to Ride Along, Ben Barber (Kevin Hart) along with his fellow officer, and soon to be brother-in-law, Detective James (Ice Cube), are sent to Miami in order to investigate a drug lord. Zoolander 2: Feb. 12 Zoolander 2 is another comedic sequel that left those who saw its trailer in tears. Nowout-of-fashion supermodels Derek Zoolander (Ben Stiller) and Hansel McDonald (Owen Wilson) return in this film to aid in Interpol’s investigation into the deaths of the world’s most beautiful celebrities, all sporting Zoolander’s iconic Blue Steel pose. Zoolander and McDonald must infiltrate the world of foreign high fashion in order to stop whomever is behind these attacks, as well as Zoolander’s nemesis, Jacobim Mugatu (Will Ferrell), whose evil plans were previously foiled in the events of the first movie.

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VETERAN

Continued from PAGE 12

manently unable to attend the university. “The key point here is that USF has established process for admissions … per USF policy, when a student gets expelled, their privilege to attend the university is permanently terminated,” Freeman said. “So, the online only discussion, you can’t get to that point if you’re focused on the expulsion.” Reyes said the whole situation, however, begs a bigger question about inclusion and diversity. “it is our moral obligation as a nation to help them heal … (and) help them reintegrate back into the very communities that they swore to defend and protect,” Reyes said. “I think we owe them nothing less.” Reyes talked about the humanitarian work Allred did as part of a Special Forces team in Afghanistan and said it bothers him when people talk about Allred as though he hates certain people or

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cultures. Training, recommended edu- rience PTSD.” “To me, I believe, that was cation of professionals and With this in mind, Holder not (Allred) talking; that was non-professionals about how and Kelley agreed education is his symptoms, that was the to understand the minds of important. Those effected by maladies he was suffering veterans. Most people, Kelly PTSD and traumatic brain injuthat was talking,” Reyes said. said, are not subjected to the ries are part of the communi“That’s not Clay Allred … He’s kind of stress veterans are. ties around us, Holder said. a soldier and he cares about She said predisposed biases “… They walk among us,” people.” towards veterans can create a Holder said. “They are us.” Holder said the VA will look hostile environment. Hassan expressed in an for other avenues and uni“You’re setting a prece- interview with the Tampa versities as Tribune his the discussion “It was a hate crime, and if it was a civilian sympathy for with USF con- I wouldn’t have taken it so bad, but it was Allred, but tinues. Holder also his relief and Reyes said a veteran and that hurt my heart. At that that the BOT Allred would did not allow still jump at moment, I thought my life was over and I Allred back the chance into USF. He was just asking God for a miracle.” to go to USF said the expeagain if he rience left him Qadratullah Hassan could get readwith his own Muslim gas station clerk mitted. nightmares. “You see “It was a dent by this action or lack of photos in the newspaper and action,” Kelley said. hate crime, and if it was a what’s he wearing? A USF Kelley said students can civilian I wouldn’t have taken Bulls shirt,” Holder said. “Mr. help other student veterans it so bad, but it was a vetAllred is very proud of the on campus by listening and eran and that hurt my heart,” education he has received at avoiding biases against them. Hassan told the Tribune. “At the University of South Florida Disorders like PTSD and addic- that moment, I thought my life and wants nothing more than tion effect veterans more and was over and I was just asking to finish his education and more, according to Holder. God for a miracle.” move on with his life as a proFriday, Allred received an According to military.com, ductive member of society.” email from USF Admissions approximately “30 percent of Sharon Kelley, CEO of the the men and women who have Prior Conduct Review Team Alliance for Global Narcotics spent time in war zones expe- Chair Maria Zale stating his

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application would not be allowed to move forward in the admissions process because of his previous expulsion, the severity of the incident and his current status of probation. The email stated he can appeal within a period of ten days. “This is not about egos,” Holder said. “This is not about personal desires. This is about doing what’s right.”

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â&#x2014;?

T H E â&#x20AC;&#x2C6; O R AC L E

The Oracle is looking for photographers and videographers. If you are interested in getting experience and having your work published, email the editor in chief, Grace Hoyte, at oracleeditor@gmail.com.

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Opinion

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA

the Oracle the University of South Florida’s student newspaper since 1966

Managing Editor Adam Mathieu oraclemeditor@gmail.com

Breanne Williams COLU M N I ST

USF Tampa is now officially tobacco free, just like the St. Petersburg and Sarasota-Manatee campuses. The facts are irrefutable: smoking kills. But the effectiveness Opinion Editor of this ban has yet to be seen. Breanne Williams The number of smokers has drasoracleopinion@gmail.com tically decreased in the last 50 years due to discoveries on the medical Lifestyle Editor repercussions tobacco causes, but Jasmin Faisal 18 percent of Americans still paroraclelifestyleeditor@gmail.com take in the substance, according to tobaccofreecampus.org. Copy Editor USF is attempting to combat this Zach Lowie by offering free nicotine replacement patches, gum and lozenges Graphic Artists as well as free community, workAshley Barzaga site and clinic groups through the Luke Blankenship student health center. They also offer ongoing counseling for relapse Advertising Sales prevention. Lauren Alford But realistically, not everyone will Rachel Carpenter be able to suddenly go cold turkey Destiny Moore and relinquish his or her personal Dylan Ritchey liberty at the drop of a hat. Some Adriana Covate students who struggle with this addiction have no desire whatsoever to quit. The Oracle is published Monday through Thursday Smaller campuses like St. Pete during the fall and spring semesters, and twice and Sarasota-Manatee are able to weekly, Monday and Thursday, during the summer. effectively implement the ban due The Oracle allocates one free issue to each student. to one overwhelming feature: their Additional copies are $.50 each and available at the Oracle office (SVC 0002). size. If students or faculty experience the need for a smoke break, BY PHONE Main . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 974-6242 they simply walk across the street Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 974-5190 and then return to their education. News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 974-1888 USF Tampa is one of the 20 Sports ................ 974-2842 largest universities in the nation Lifestyle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 974-2398 spanning over 1,700 acres. If the Advertising . . . . . . . . . . . . 974-2620 need arises, someone would have Classified . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 974-6242 to exert a large effort to leave and Website: usforacle.com smoke elsewhere. It’s not like the Facebook: facebook.com/usforacle trip across Fowler is a short walk Twitter: @USFOracle from class. Most students or faculty CORRECTIONS would have to utilize a car or a bus The Oracle will correct or clarify factual errors. to transport them away from camContact Editor in Chief Grace Hoyte at 974-5190. Sports Editor Jacob Hoag oraclesportseditor@gmail.com

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USF’s new tobacco ban is unrealistic

Editor in Chief Grace Hoyte oracleeditor@gmail.com

News Editors Miki Shine Abby Rinaldi oraclenewsteam@gmail.com

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pus and then repeat the process to return. Even if most students were able to arrange their class schedule to include these smoking expeditions, it would be naive to believe that everyone will rearrange their lives to comply with the new rule. It goes without saying that many students — and I would go so far as to presume faculty, as well — will be disregarding this ban. It can only be assumed that people will linger behind buildings or hide in isolated areas in an attempt to get their nicotine intake, which begs the question: who will be enforcing this new ban? USF security and police department have enough responsibilities on their hands working to successfully keep the campus safe. Is a special enforcement group really going to be scouring the campus for wrongdoers? While cigarettes leave evidence behind that would inform this new prosecution squad of offenders, there are other forms of ban-breaking rebellion that do not. E-cigarettes, for example, do not leave behind a burnt out stub proudly announcing to all that someone is larking about breaking the rule. Once a user finishes his or her artificially flavored vaporizer session, they simply store their cigarette and walk away. The super sly enforcement group will have to literally catch them in the act, which considering the monumental size of the campus, will be nearly impossible to do. A tobacco-free campus would ultimately be ideal and perhaps even plausible if we lived in a tobacco-free world. Unfortunately, addiction is real, and to believe this ban will effectively be enforced by peers is rather absurd. People are going to be smoking, and USF should focus its efforts on other more pressing issues than trying to force students to suppress their addictive urges until they arrive home. Breanne Williams is a junior majoring in mass communications.

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What you said

The Golden Globes were Sunday night and many crowd favorites were up for best series. Opinion Editor Breanne Williams asked students who they thought would win Best Television Series for a Drama.

“Empire. It has to do with music and everyone loves music, so it’s relatable.” - Jamiya Taylor, a freshman majoring in business

“Game of Thrones. I haven’t watched it, but I’ve heard a lot of hype about it.” - Rachel Peet, a senior majoring in political sciences

“I’ve heard a lot of people talk about Game of Thrones and Empire, so probably one of those.” - Theo Myrie, a senior majoring in chemistry

“Game of Thrones. I hear a lot of talk about it.” - Ashley Evans, a freshman majoring in communication sciences and disorders

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Sports

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA

The Rundown Outside USF

Bengals planning to hold on to Lewis

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T H E O R AC L E

Bulls fall flat ●

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Report: Despite an 0-7 playoff record in Marvin Lewis’ tenure, the Cincinnati Bengals don’t plan on firing the man who has coached them since 2003, according to ESPN. Lewis The Bengals were in prime position to notch their first playoff win since January of 1991 on Saturday night. But a fumble in Steeler territory and two costly personal foul calls allowed Steelers’ kicker Chris Boswell to drill a 35-yard gamewinning field goal, sending Cincinnati home in the first round for the fifth straight year.

What you missed

USF football coach Willie Taggart recieved a five-year extension worth $9 million. The new deal includes an increased assistants pool and a significantly increased buyout price.

Sophomores Bo Zeigler (bottom) and Laura Ferreira (top-left) along with freshman Kitija Laksa (top-right), put up solid numbers, but found themselves on the losing side on Sunday. ORACLE PHOTOS/ADAM MATHIEU

USF loses Miami Beach Bowl 45-35 to Taggart’s former team Western Kentucky. It was USF’s first bowl appearance in five years.

Freshman Kitija Laksa scored a season-high 38 points for USF women’s basketball Thursday in an 83-56 rout of SMU.

Taggart to be part of ESPN megacast For tonight’s National Title game, USF coach Willie Taggart will join ESPN’s Film Room on ESPN2 during the game along side fellow college coaches Larry Fedora (North Carolina), Jim McElwain (Florida), Will Muschamp (South Carolina) and Pat Narduzzi (Pittsburgh) to provide in-depth details as they happen.

Women’s Basketball

Men’s Basketball

USF unable to slow down top-ranked Connecticut in front of record crowd

Ample turnovers overshadow stout defensive effort in loss to Cincinnati

By Chuck Muller C O R R E S P O N D E N T

A record 6,634 fans bedecked in blue and green funneled into the Sun Dome on Sunday, with hype and excitement comparable to March Madness. The USF women’s basketball team (10-4, 3-1) came out of the gate firing on all cylinders, appearing up to the challenge of hosting perennial No. 1 UConn (14-0, 4-0). But the early emotion of the first meeting between ranked teams at the Sun Dome was soon replaced with the familiar sense of control for which the Huskies

have become notorious, as UConn pulled away from USF in the end for a 75-59 victory. “(You’ve got to) hand it to them,” USF coach Jose Fernandez remarked after the loss. “That 9-0 run in the fourth quarter that extended (the lead), and then it exploded to 21-22, and we cut it to 12. But we’re not going to beat them shooting 32 percent from the field like we did.” Taking a page out of the Huskies playbook, the Bulls came out fast, going on a 14-6 run to start the game.

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By Jacob Hoag S P O R T S

E D I T O R

s the final shot left the uncontested hands of senior guard Nehemias Morillo with USF down three, coach Orlando Antigua hopefully watched, yearning for just one big shot to finally fall. Sunday was not that day. USF fell to Cincinnati 54-51 in the Sun Dome on Sunday afternoon, but even after committing 18 turnovers, the game was within their grasp. “Just drop for me please;

pretty please with sugar on top,” Antigua said of Morillo’s potential game-tying 3-pointer that ricocheted off the rim. As he’s seen all season, when the game is on the line, the shots just don’t seem to find the net. But in one of its best shooting performances of the season, it was USF’s defense that kept the Bulls in the game. The Bulls held the Bearcats (12-5, 2-2) to a measly 24 percent shooting in the first half (30.9 overall). Shooting 51.1 percent them-

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SMOKING

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choice.” However, for freshman Continued from PAGE 10 Sarah Ortiz, support of the ban stems from medical con… for something that’s hard cerns — mostly for secondfor people to stop. I do like hand smoke. “I think it’s a good thing, it because walking past those smoking sections, it’s just a especially for people who wave of smoke, which is hard have asthma,” Ortiz said. “I know that I have asthma and to handle.” Freshman Aurora McClure, a couple people in my hall do, and they’re who is currently working on “As adults, given the like, ‘it’s hard quitting, was requirement to live for me to walk around.’ It adamant about how the ban on campus, it inter- helps people stop that habit limits student freedom. The feres with — I want because they can’t really do pre-nursing major argued to say individuality it on campus.” While the adults have the but that’s not right. p e e r - e n fo rc e right to make their own deci- In any case, we’re ment element of the policy sions. adults.” has yet to be “As adults, clarified, the given the Aurora McClure faculty mainrequirement Freshman majoring in pre-nursing tains support to live on camfor the plan. pus, it inter“Given the feres with — I want to say individuality but large number of visitors every that’s not right. In any case, day, you may come across people who are smoking who we’re adults,” McClure said. “You can’t smoke in build- may not realize the university ings, we all know that, so they has restricted it,” stated the go outside. But I don’t under- university on its website, usf. stand banning, especially with edu/tobaccofree. “Please give everyone the the e-cigs — that’s not smoke, it’s water vapor,” McClure benefit of the doubt and said. “In the medical facili- respectfully share that USF is ties, it makes sense but on the now completely tobacco and campus at large … we have to smoke free, including e-cigalive here and it takes away our rette use.”

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Senior Breanna Stewart (left) and senior Courtney Williams traded blows in their top-25 matchup combining for 38 points and 25 rebounds. ORACLE PHOTO/ADAM MATHIEU wards Morgan Tuck and Katie Lou Samuelson to go up 62-44 with Continued from PAGE 24 eight minutes left in the game. “It’s UConn; they go on runs. Freshman guard Kitija Laksa, the hero from Thursday’s win against You just have to answer,” senior SMU, came out with a 3-pointer guard Courtney Williams said. “We knew what we were getting that got the Bulls into an early rhythm in the biggest regular sea- into; we knew they were going to son test on this side of the new go on runs. I think all we had to do was answer, and we couldn’t year. USF looked for players like do that.” The Bulls continued to fight, Laksa to step up in the absence of the program’s all-time leading responding with three quick threes rebounder, senior forward Alisia that cut the game to 69-57 with Jenkins, who sat out her second 3:34 remaining. The late rally by straight game after sustaining a left USF proved to be too little too late as USF was unable to get within leg injury versus UCF. As the first quarter came to an single digits in the final frame. UConn extends its winning end, the pace began to slow, allowing UConn to get into its offensive streak to 49 games, dating back sets and eventually take a 33-28 to November of 2014 when the Huskies lost on the road in overlead into halftime. The Huskies took that momen- time to Stanford. Prior to that loss, tum and the lead into the second UConn held another 49 game winhalf, remaining in control for the ning streak. Today’s 12-point loss did prove majority of the third quarter, until to be the closest margin of victory a string of uncharacteristic fouls called against UConn — who have for the Huskies since joining the committed the least number of American Athletic Conference, givfouls in the country — allowed USF ing the Bulls something to hang their hat on. to fight back into the game. “I think we have to look (at the The Bulls were able to pick up on loss) in a positive light,” Williams their torrid start shooting the ball in the first half, cutting the game said after the game. “We just played the No. 1 team to a 9-point deficit after closing the third quarter on two more Laksa in the country. When tournament time comes around, we’ve already three-pointers. However, those baskets were played the best of the best three quickly forgotten, as the Huskies times. So I think we’re prepared to opened up the fourth quarter play anyone in the country now.” with a trio of threes from for-

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Senior guard Nehemias Morillo scored six points in 26 minutes with his potential game-tying shot falling just short. Morillo also had three giveaways including a costly one with under two minutes remaining. ORACLE PHOTO/ADAM MATHIEU

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TURNOVERS

Continued from PAGE 24

selves, the Bulls were poised to finally break through and end their six-game tumble. The only thing to stand in their way was themselves. Prior to taking the potential game-winning shot, Morillo committed one of two costly turnovers that could have given USF a better chance at squeaking out a win. As he dribbled baseline toward the basket, Morillo lost control of his dribble and the ball fumbled out of bounds with 1:16 remaining. The second came a minute later off an errant pass from senior center Jaleel Cousins. “They gave us all of the opportunities to win this game,” freshman guard Jahmal McMurray said. “We just have to execute better. Towards the end there, not everybody was on the same page with the play we were running. … We just have to execute better in the clutch.” USF averages 15 turnovers per game — good enough for last in the conference. Pair that with their inability to force opponents into mistakes and

you get a 3-14 record with no conference wins in four attempts. Even with its mindboggling struggles holding onto the ball, when it came to crunch time, USF was within reach. Despite allowing a 20-6 run to

“They gave us all of the opportunities to win this game. We just have to execute better in the clutch.” Jahmal McMurray Freshman guard

open the second half, the Bulls thwarted the Bearcats offense down the stretch. USF forced a five-minute scoring drought — Cincinnati missed 10 straight field goals — to end the game on a 15-3 run, including six points from McMurray.

McMurray finished as the game’s leading scorer with 16 points and five rebounds. He has carried the load with sophomore guard Roddy Peters out on a foot injury and leads the conference with 34 minutes played per game. But when it came down to the final shot, McMurray decided he didn’t need to “be the hero.” “For a freshman to make the right play at the end of a game when he’s the one guy on the team that I would allow to take a crazy shot or hero shot, but he didn’t,” Antigua said of McMurray opting to pass on the final shot. “He made the right play.” Morillo, the recipient of McMurray’s pass, finished with six points in 26 minutes. This game will be hard to swallow for Antigua and company; but knowing they were one shot away, they look to build off the strong showing. “We still had the same amount of turnovers that we had in those blowout games as we did in this close game against a good team,” Cousins said. “Eliminate those turnovers and we could’ve won.”

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