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125th YEAR | ISSUE 32 @REFLECTORONLINE f /REFLECTORONLINE

FEBRUARY 4, 2014

TUESDAY

REFLECTOR-ONLINE.COM

Three suspected in Starkville burglary ring

BY PRANAAV JADHAV Staff Writer

An Starkville Police Department release said the department, along with the Oktibbeha County Sheriff ’s Department, investigated an alleged rash of auto and residential burglaries throughout the city and county during recent months.

Detective Brandon Lovelady, who investigated this case, said the three were arrested on possession of stolen property on Thursday.

“We are still investigating the case. There was property recovered both by the city and county, and other charges are expected,” Lovelady said.

Caroline White, who is an

intern with Mississippi State University’s Reformed University Fellowship, said during Christmas break she was a victim of residential burglary.

“My roommate happened to come through Starkville and stopped by our apartment on her way to Tupelo and saw that the door glass was totally busted, and they had gone

through all our stuff. The whole apartment was in complete disarray. The burglars stole mostly the electronics — three TVs, two DVD players, all our DVDs almost a hundred of them and they stole our heater. Fortunately no jewelry or clothing was taken, just all electronic things,” White said.

SEE BURGLARY, 3

Student’s DUI charge reduced

BY ANNA WOLFE News Editor

According to a report by WCBI, aggravated DUI charges have been lessened against a Mississippi State University student after he drove a vehicle that killed another student.

Sawyer Steede, 19-year-old, was arrested on Sept. 17 after Kaleb Barker was thrown from the bed of his pickup truck when he backed over a curb in the McDonald’s parking lot on Hwy 12.

The Oktibbeha County grand jury reduced the aggrivated DUI charge to first offense DUI after evidence Steede revealed by Steede’s attorney Rod Ray suggests Steede did not press the accelerator, but the truck moved on its own, according to WCBI. No trial date has been scheduled for the DUI.

Professors adapt to varying degrees of technology

BY PRANAAV JADHAV Staff Writer

In the technology-centered education system of the 21st century, professors at Mississippi State University face a challenging time getting things to work, but the administration works equally hard to equip every classroom with state-of-the-art equipment.

William Kallfelz, instructor in the department of philosophy and religion, said IT Helpdesk is usually quite responsive when it comes to tech-related issues, and IT sends someone over to the room in a timely manner. However, he said it still can be an annoying distraction.

“It ‘rains on the parade’ for any teacher who has spent hours planning their ‘show’ with slides and videos,” he said. “The main problems I’ve encountered have to do with workstations (e.g. the laptop in Etheredge 223A) being cluttered with new updates, which can sometimes spontaneously appear and blue-screen out everything in the middle of my teaching.”

Kallfelz said the workstation is formatted with the latest Windows version, which can be cumbersome and user-unfriendly.

Julia Hodges, associate vice president for academic affairs at MSU said the administration is aware of the instructional technology needs across the MSU campus and addresses them as it can.

“Since we do not have the financial resources to update all of our technology classrooms at once, we are working on them in phases as recommended by an instructional technology committee that meets with Mr. Rackley, the chief information officer,” Hodges said.

She said this committee has representation from across the campus, and Rodney Pearson is this year’s chairman.

Kallfelz said he has faced similar issues with technology in different building across campus.

“In terms of other workstations I have used, e.g. podiums in lecture halls in particular, some rooms like Simral 129 have some really clunky late-1990s workstation with its own special local network password, not the same as the usual user ID granting one access to MyState, etc. I found this out the hard way when I first began teaching in that room,” Kallfelz said. “Also, the podium workstation in McCool 212 almost, I hate to say, seemed ‘demonically possessed’ when I taught there last fall. Frequent shut-downs, shut-outs, i.e. user ID and password suddenly not working and freeze-ups occured.”

SEE TECHNOLOGY, 3

ANNA WOLFE | THE REFLECTOR

MSU’s first African-American student delivers speech Tuesday

BY LACRETIA WIMBLEY Staff Writer

Forty-nine years ago, Richard E. Holmes significantly created history at Mississippi State University as the first African-American student at MSU and he returns as an alumnus Tuesday at 6 p.m. in the Foster Ballroom of the Colvard Student Union.

The Holmes Cultural Diversity Center at MSU sponsors the free public program, “Leading Out Front: A conversation with Dr. Richard Holmes.” HCDC, originally titled the Office of Minority Affairs, was re-named in honor of the Starkville native in 1991.

Admitted to MSU on July 19, 1965, Holmes simply sought a higher education, with no desire of a public spotlight. In 1969, Holmes received his liberal arts degree

MSU grant gives greater transparency to suicide issue

BY ANNA WOLFE News Editor

PUBLIC AFFAIRS | COURTESY PHOTO

Richard E. Holmes, Mississippi State University’s first AfricanAmerican student, visits Tuesday to discuss his experience at MSU. Holmes became a student in 1965, receiving his liberal arts degree in 1969. He also served as a physician at the Longest Student Health Center beginning in 2003. from MSU. After finishing and receiving his master’s in microbiology in 1973, Holmes suc-

cessfully proceeded to become a medical doctor in 1977 at Michigan State University.

Leading suicide researcher Thomas Joiner presented his lecture “Why People Die By Suicide” at Mississippi State University Monday. The event is just one way MSU uses the Garrett Lee Smith Campus Suicide Prevention Grant, funded by the United States Department of Health and Human Services Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, to raise awareness about the issue.

According to MSU’s dean of students office, nine students have committed suicide in the last five years, which accounts for 20 percent of student deaths occurring in that time period.

Michael Nadorff, assistant professor of psychology and pri-

SEE HOLMES, 3

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mary investigator on the grant, said an important aspect of the program is to bring a major speaker, like Joiner, to talk about suicide. Joiner is the author of “Why People Die By Suicide” and “Myths About Suicide.”

“He’s one of the preeminent scholars in the field, so I was very pleased when he agreed to come because he’s kind of a big deal in the field,” Nadorff said.

Joiner’s theory, called the interpersonal-psychological theory of suicide, suggests most people who suffer from suicide ideation often do not die from suicide.

Joiner said these individuals contemplate suicide because of two factors: perceived burdensomeness and thwarted belongingness.

Joiner said perceived burdensomeness is the idea that one’s death is more valuable than his or her life.

SEE TRANSPARENCY, 3

DEATHS BY SUICIDE

AT MSU 2008-2009

2009-2010

(0 percent of deaths that year)

(22 percent of deaths that year)

2010-2011

2011-2012

(40 percent of deaths that year)

(0 percent of deaths that year)

0 suicides 2 suicides 4 suicides 0 suicides 2012-2013

3 suicides (27 percent of deaths that year)

For more information on suicide, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-TALK (8255).

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2 | TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2014

THE REFLECTOR

Pulitzer Prize winning writer visits campus

By Julia V. Pendley Staff Writer

This week, Pulitzer Prize winning author Robert Olen Butler visits Mississippi State University as the Institute for Humanities’ first writer-in-residence.

Shalyn Claggett, program coordinator for the Institute for the Humanities, said the institute brings Butler on

campus to give students the opportunity to interact with him both formally and informally.

During the week-long residency, Butler will participate in a reading tonight beginning at 7 p.m. in McCool Hall’s Taylor Auditorium as well as hold office hours.

Claggett said Butler’s writing discusses topics that are relatable to the people of the

TRANSPARENCY “It’s a sad and tragic state of mind, but I think it’s one of the key states of mind in the moments and minutes and hours preceding death by suicide,” Joiner said.

Joiner said those with thwarted belongingness find it difficult to connect with others.

“The idea is that when you feel those two states of mind — perceived burdensomeness and thwarted belongingness — simultaneously, then you’ll develop a desire for suicide. However, and here’s a key point of the work, that desire is not sufficient to culminate in suicide,” Joiner said.

Joiner said to die by suicide, one must not only have the desire of suicide, but the capability. Joiner said people who are capable of suicide, who have had prolonged exposure to pain and a fearless attitude toward their body, do not usually desire suicide.

“When people get used to the idea of bodily harm, when they lose nature’s natural warning signs, danger signals, alarm bells about pain injury and death, that’s one important precursor to death by

suicide,” Joiner said.

Joiner said people who experience both characteristics at the same time are at risk of dying by suicide.

“When these two processes — desire and fearlessness — co-occur in the same individual, that’s when you see these catastrophes that are deaths by suicide,” he said.

Nadorff said 1,000 faculty, staff and students will learn how to identify those at risk of suicide through Question, Persuade, Refer (QPR) training over the course of the three-year, $300,000 grant.

He said he places importance on awareness of the warning signs and resources available to those at risk of suicide.

“The number of people here that are mental health professionals is rather small, and the person that may identify someone in crisis may not be the counselor. It may be the person that cleans the dorms and realizes, ‘This person has not moved from that corner in a long time,’” Nadorff said. “So you need to have people trained to be aware of these things — not just your mental health staff, but everyone.”

Nadorff said the training does not teach how to provide treatment to those contemplating suicide, but how to refer those people to the proper resources to get treatment.

Another aspect of the suicide prevention grant, according to Nadorff, includes connecting each department that provides mental health services at MSU to one another to make sure all mental health professionals are interacting.

Kim Kavalsky, coordinator of

Starkville and MSU community.

“His fiction and nonfiction writing addresses themes that I think are important to members of this community,” she said.

In his Pulitzer Prize winning short story collection,“A Good Scent from a Strange Mountain,” Butler uses several different Vietnamese narrators who live in Louisiana.

Claggett said the collection views the South through perspectives outside of the American South and becomes part of the global South.

“It contextualizes living in a rural setting within a larger world conversation,” she said.

Claggett said Butler’s experience in the Vietnam War helped him create this work from the point of view of its Vietnamese narrators.

Claggett said she hopes students will take advantage of Butler’s presence because the writer-in-residence program intends to serve students, first and foremost.

“As the inaugural event we’re hoping for a really large turnout because that will determine if we will be able to sustain this,” she said.

Claggett said she hopes to repeat this program every year

and bring in a range of creative writers.

If the program does well, students will potentially have Butler the ability to interact with four different writers throughout their time at MSU. see BUTLER, 7

continued from 1 “Sometimes it doesn’t always come across like that. When someone’s depressed they may be very angry and irritable, so you may not know immediately that this is depression,” she said.

Counseling services is located in Hathorn Hall, where an on-duty counselor is available for walk-ins Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

“So, students who are in crisis that can’t wait till tomorrow or next week to see a counselor, who need to see a counselor as soon as possible, they can walk in and see that counselor,” Kavalsky said.

Kavalsky said she recognizes the importance of immediate attention for those in need of help — even after hours.

“For most people, crises don’t leon carrubba | the reflector MSU student Courtland Barrett and Thomas Joiner talk after his “Why Do People always happen Monday through Die by Suicide” speech Monday. Joiner explained his well-known suicide theory. Friday eight to five,” Kavalsky said. “We can always be contacted mental health outreach for health situations involving a person who know that they’re coming there for through campus police.”

Nadorff said he hopes to inservices.” education and wellness at MSU, may be suicidal.

Kavalsky said that counselors are crease awareness of suicide through “If they can identify, ask the said counseling services have been involved in the suicide prevention right questions, persuade them not trained to ask students who seek the events and training sessions to do that and then get them to the counseling if they have had suicidal hosted during the grant, allowing measures of the grant. “(QPR) is recognizing what are right people--if we’ve saved one life, thoughts. She said counselors assess people to become better informed the warning signs, what to look then it’s made all the difference in students’ responses in order to bet- on how to help.

“It’s something that happens ter advise them. for. And then how do you ask that the world,” Mullen said.

“It’s very common for people to among college students, and I Kavalsky said counseling serquestion? How do you raise a very uncomfortable subject for most vices sees students who deal with have had that thought. That’s not don’t think a lot of students realize people? And really just put it out a variety of issues from problems abnormal. It’s just not something that or realize the magnitude of suithere and express concern for that with relationships and school to se- we often talk about as a society,” cide,” Nadorff said.

Those experiencing thoughts of person you care about. And then vere cases of depression and panic Kavalsky said.

Kavalsky said signs someone suicide are encouraged to seek imgetting them connected to the attacks.

“We provide individual therapy may be depressed and at risk of mediate help through the National right people that can help them,” and group therapy. Both are free to suicide can include an increase or Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800Kavalsky said.

Tabor Mullen, assistant dean of full-time students, and they’re also decrease in either appetite or sleep 273-TALK (8255). MSU’s camstudents, said prevention training confidential,” Kavalsky said. “That patterns, sadness, tearfulness and a pus police can be reached at 325is important because students are means that their family members, lack of interest — but symptoms 2121 and can connect students to counselors at all hours. not typically equipped to handle their professors and peers will not do vary.

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2014 | 3

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MSU in the running to open new chapter of prominent honor society

BY PRANAAV JADHAV Staff Writer

Phi Beta Kappa, the oldest honor society for the liberal arts and science with 280 chapters across the United States, is considering Mississippi State University’s application for opening its chapter. Only about 10 percent of the nation’s institutions of higher learning have Phi Beta Kappa chapters. MSU first applied for the honor society’s recognition in 1979.

A five-member Phi Beta Kappa delegation visited MSU’s Starkville campus Wednesday and met with different groups while on campus. They began their first full day with a meeting with President Mark Keenum followed by a meeting with Provost Jerry Gilbert.

Other meetings included the dean and associate

deans of the College of Arts and Sciences, representatives from the Center for Teaching and Learning and ITS, administrators from the Division of Student Affairs, department heads within the College of Arts and Sciences, members of promotion and tenure committees, members of the University Committee on Courses and Curricula, leadership of the Faculty Senate, the Dean of the Library and her leadership team, representatives of the Athletic Department, Student Association President Michael Hogan, the Dean of Students, the leadership of the Shackouls Honors College and MSU faculty who are Phi Beta Kappa members.

Executive Vice President and Provost Jerry Gilbert said in an email he believes MSU presented a positive picture of a university that

HOLMES Holmes has received accolades that merit his work and outstanding status. He was recognized as alumnus of the year in 2006, received an honorary doctorate of science in 2011 and became a staff physician at the Longest Student Health Center in 2003.

Timothy Fair, program coordinator for HCDC, said Holmes’s visit will feature a discussion where Holmes will talk about his life, journey and experiences, and a session will follow with an opportunity for questions and answers from those attending.

“He is a very unassuming man, very humble, full of wisdom, very practical and easy to approach,” Fair said. “It gives me hope for the future of Mississippi and the country that we’re constantly changing to be inclusive to groups. I think his visiting MSU helps to further shift evolution in everyone’s thinking.”

Fair said he recalls meeting Holmes during training for HCDC’s peer mentors in August 2013.

effectively meets the intellec- MSU Phi Beta Kappa faculty tual and social development members who submitted the of its students. current application,” Gilbert “We have a said. “I think supportive and we definiteI believe challenging enly made an vironment in outstandthat they which students ing effort to were also learn and mapresent our impressed ture while comcase in the pleting a degree with the quality best possible and preparing of our students light. I am to be leaders for optimistic the future. Most and our faculty’s about the apuniversities and dedication to plication and colleges that student success.” the visit.” are approved to In addishelter a chap- -R. Gregory tion to the ter of Phi Beta Dunaway, meetings, Kappa have sub- MSU College of Arts the delegamitted multition toured ple applications and Sciences dean the campus before gaining and visited final approval. a number MSU has submitted a num- of buildings, including Lee ber of applications, the first Hall, which, once its renoone being in 1979. We had vation is complete, will rean outstanding group of house the Department of

continued from 1 “What first struck me about Holmes is that he’s not someone who carries their weight around, and he’s comfortable in his skin,” Fair said. “When you meet him, you’ll learn he didn’t enroll to make a statement or to cause controversy. He was truly seeking a higher education.”

Having never been acquainted with Holmes, Megan Bray, a peer mentor of HCDC’s P.A.W.S. program, said she is looking forward to meeting the man.

“Although I am not African-American, I feel that it always takes that person to take the first step,” Bray said.

“Holmes made it comfortable for students to follow in his footsteps. He made it easy for students of other ethnicities to come to this school as well. It challenged MSU and Mississippi with a new way that had been paved.”

Chris Payne, peer mentor for HCDC’s P.A.W.S. program, recalls Holmes’s light and humorous personality upon meeting Holmes last August.

“My shirt was tight and he

pointed to my arms and asked if I worked out,” Payne said.

“He’s a pretty funny guy, but what makes him special involves more than simple history and the organizations. It’s about what he stood for without trying to stand for anything.”

Payne said Holmes shared a story of his grandmother of importance of education within him, something that motivated Holmes to come to MSU. “He just did what he thought was right, and it turned out to be a great sentiment,” Payne said Jerell Colston, executive member of HCDC’s P.A.W.S. program, said HCDC tries to invite Holmes every spring semester specifically for his advice about the political climate and his input regarding HCDC. “To move forward you have to know where you came from before you know where you’re headed,” Colston said. “MSU really pushes for diversity, and with people like Dr. Holmes visiting it really gives you motivation to keep pushing forward.”

English and the Department of Classical and Modern Languages and Literatures.

Hogan said the delegation was an extremely friendly group with a true interest in learning about all the university has to offer.

“I had the opportunity to speak on my personal experiences throughout my years here at State while also touching on student life on campus,” Hogan said. “I believe our meeting went well and that our students representing us through the delegation’s visit made a positive impression.”

R. Gregory Dunaway, dean of MSU College of Arts and Sciences, said in an email the site visit went well and the delegation was impressed with MSU’s commitment to the ideals and values of Phi Beta Kappa.

Dunaway said the Col-

BURGLARY

lege of Arts & Sciences and other administrative offices are supporting the chance of opening a MSU chapter of Phi Beta Kappa.

“I believe that they were also impressed with the quality of our students and our faculty’s dedication to student success. I know that they were also very appreciative of how well organized their visit was. President Keenum has made PBK a priority and our provost has been extremely supportive of this effort and the goal of liberal arts education,” Dunaway said. “This level of support resonates throughout the College of Arts & Sciences. Ultimately, we are dedicated to the principle of achieving excellence in higher education through the liberal arts and sciences while also being committed to the legacy of our land grant mission at MSU.”

continued from 1

The number of burglary Sulagna Saha, Starkville incidents in Starkville has resident, said she was a victim prompted some property of a burglary incident several owners to resort to safety years ago. measures.

“Our old Lynn Spruill, house on I try to owner of Spruill Plum Road Properties, said got broken notify our one of the reginto more tenant ular features the than once. whenever properties have This all hapare security of- there are pened when ficers who serve indetifiable threats we were away as a deterrent to or concerns to the from home. unlawful activity The first time and a comfort to community.” they stole a -Lynn Spruill, neighbors. sandalwood “I try to no- Spruill Properties box where I tify our tenants kept monwhenever there owner ey. The secare identifiable ond time threats or conthey stole my cerns to the community. We bike. The third attempt, they keep an updated email list to climbed in through our bathsend out that information. I room window, since it was do not feel intimidated by the a sliding window, while we activities but stay alert to the were not at home. They broke possibilities of crime in any my piggy bank and stole all form and act accordingly,” the cash and money we had Spruill said. along with my dad’s office

camera and some video games of mine. The whole house was a complete mess,” Saha said.

Ceci Land, Starkville resident, said the recent burglaries around Starkville do not intimidate her.

“I do the usual, lock my doors, etc. Plus, my neighborhood nearly always has someone at home day or night. If I saw anything strange going on, I call the management company. I imagine that other residents would do the same,” Land said.

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NEWS

4 | TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2014

THE REFLECTOR

Thursday, Jan. 30 • 1:43 p.m. A visitor reported his spare tire to his vehicle was punctured by an unknown person while parked at the Fiji Fraternity House.

• 11:14 p.m. A student reported she was assaulted at the Sanderson Center.

Friday, Jan. 31 • 9:58 a.m. A student was transported to OCH from the Longest Student Health Center for medical assistance.

• 10:47 a.m. A visitor was arrested on Stone Boulevard for speeding. A Justice Court citation was issued.

• 12:14 p.m. An employee reported a metal pole damaged by an 18-wheeler on R.L. Jones Circle.

• 1:19 p.m. A student reported her vehicle was damaged while parked between Howell Hall and Evans Hall.

• 11:08 p.m. A student was transported to OCH from the Sigma Alpha Epsilon Fraternity House for medical assistance.

• 11:35 p.m. A student was arrested outside the Sigma Alpha Epsilon Fraternity House for minor in possession of alcohol and a fake I.D.

Sunday, Feb. 2 • 1:25 a.m. A shuttle bus sign was missing from the front of Griffis Hall.

LEON CARRUBBA THE REFLECTOR • 11:30 p.m. A student reported someone stole his truck keys (Left to right) Chelsea Capleton, Ashley Madison, Jake from the Kappa Sigma Fraternity House. |

SUPER BOWL WATCH PARTIES FOR THE WIN

|

Citations:

Pyatt, Anthony Scalfani, Cory Norwood and Ebony Toliver gather in the Oak Hall lobby to watch the Super Bowl on Sunday night. Residence halls hosted Super Bowl watch parties to • 22 citations were issued for speeding. offer their tenants a chance to mingle with other residents while watching the football game. • 17 citations were issued for disregard of a traffic device.

TECHNOLOGY Hodges said the reason there are different technologies in different classrooms across the campus relates to the technology that was available at the time those classrooms were equipped.

“We are now working with a standard approach as we continue our classroom

updates, so over time, the faculty members should not be faced with having to be familiar with such different technologies. We agree that uniformity is desirable, but even this can be a challenge sometimes since technologies change,” Hodges said.

Kallfelz said he did not

continued from 1 have any problems teaching in Allen Hall.

“It’s also true that in the majority of tech classrooms I’ve taught and in particular, those in Allen Hall, their workstations worked well and smoothly, like a well-fed horse,” Kallfelz said.

Brian Shoup, assistant

professor in the Department An instructor from the of Political Science and Pub- department of political scilic Administration, said his ence who chose to remain problems are anonymous with the Blacksaid the first In fairness, c l a s s r o o m board system and the interface for she teachI am not the new system es in has the most is not very intua monitor technically- that itive. does “In fairness, I gifted person, but not work, am not the most I am not sure if and she technically-gifthas to twist ed person, but I I should have to around to am not sure if I attend a class in use the proshould have to order to learn how jector screen attend a class in to post a syllabus as the moniorder to learn tor. how to post a and PowerPoint “The othsyllabus and lectures for my er classroom Poweroint lec- students.” has an HD tures for my stu- -Brian Shoup, projector, a dents. Luckily, huge screen one of my grad MSU assistant and a nice students saved professor computmy bacon on this er, but you and showed me cannot raise how it works,” the screen Shoup said. “I honestly feel up for the giant whiteboard like my 65-year-old moth- without turning the projecer who can’t figure out her tor off. So I can’t write on voicemail. Come to think of the board and use the proit, I haven’t really figured out jector without difficulty,” my office voicemail either.” she said.

Linda Morse, director in the Center for Teaching and Learning at MSU, said tech podiums maintained by ITS have specific instructions for faculty to reference.

“ITS also has a quick response to classroom problems when the Help Desk number is called, and faculty can request individual instruction from the Center for Teaching and Learning on using a tech podium,” Morse said.

Hodges said when a department head is aware of particular equipment needs in classrooms used by the faculty in that department, he or she can bring those needs to the attention of Rackley and the committee.

“We will continue to update as many classrooms each year as our resources will allow us to do. I am also pleased to tell you that the classrooms in our new classroom building, which is to be built behind the YMCA building, will be equipped with current instructional technology,” Hodges said.

OPINION

THE REFLECTOR

OPINION EDITOR: ALIE DALEE | opinion@reflector.msstate.edu

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2014 | 5

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DELVING A LITTLE DEEPER

EDITORIAL BOARD

Net neutrality cases are An argument against the debate of creation vs evolution anything but neutral A

I

conian scenario to unfold with some ISP (Internet Service Provider), we would vigorously protest and encourage our members to demand the open Internet they are paying their ISP to deliver.”

We agree the Internet is a public entity provided by free citizens.

We pay our providers for the broadband each month to view the content we, as individuals, provide. We see no reason this arrangement should change.

If it is indeed decided broadband providers can control to whom and where they provide broadband, we are concerned for the preservation of economic equality.

If left to the providers, we worry the vast majority of broadband will reside in areas made up by the upper class economic demographic, and those who are projected unable to pay the providers’ prices will be left with less broadband.

It is our hope that economic profiling will not be a result of this court case. Instead, as broadband begins to be monitored it will be done equally across America.

There is much debate as to whether or not net neutrality is an adversary to free enterprise.

We do not believe free enterprise is the issue at hand. As long as individuals pay for broadband provision then it remains a symbiotic relationship between provider and consumer. If anything, net neutrality is an aid to the underdog, a medium which allows small businesses to flourish. We do not see a harm to free enterprise in net neutrality.

As a staff we do not uphold the idea that Internet is a function comparable to television cable.

Cable is a luxury, whereas the Internet is a necessity in today’s society (unless the U.S. government would like to explain to us how to buy health insurance without it). We acknowledge the Internet’s relationship with broadband providers and that their provision to end user subscribers’ ability to view edge providers’ web content is complicated and likely will serve as a complex debate in the coming months. However, it is our hope that the public’s interest and the protection of free speech remain the integral concern in all future court cases which surround net neutrality.

n a ground-breaking D.C. circuit court case, Verizon v.

FCC, the FCC’s anti-blocking and anti-discrimination laws were annulled from the Open Internet Order, a 2010 order released by the FCC which outlines rules on net neutrality. This pivotal decision has unlatched a pandora’s box of hypothetical concerns for the American public.

If this decision stands, we, as a staff, are concerned for the preservation of free speech. At the heart of Verizon v. FCC lies an argument of ownership. Do broadband providers have the right to control which sites their consumers view, or is the Internet a public entity in existence for the practice of free speech?

We feel the Internet cannot be simplified down to a common carrier in the same way phone lines can. In the same way the Internet is a public service for citizens of the world to contribute their thoughts, ideas and commerce. The content that makes up the Internet is provided by human free speech, and much of it sans any monetary gain. In this way the Internet cannot be compared to television cable. If in the aftermath of this decision broadband providers begin to filter what their consumers can and cannot view to increase their own marketing dividend, then we as a public are worried about the sanctity of free speech, a stipulation guaranteed to us in the first amendment of the United States Constitution.

The main characteristic that sets the Internet apart from its media counterparts is its ability to remain largely uncontrolled. Man cannot control the Internet in the same way a single individual cannot control humanity. Since the Internet is daily created anew by millions of individuals, we have created a savage beauty, a paradox, an entity created by man, yet uncontrollable by man. We rely daily on an entity outside of our control. To try to control the Internet is to try to control man. Netflix is one company who has already spoken out against Verizon’s attempt to control the Internet.

In a letter to investors reported on by The Washington Post, CEO Reed Hastings and CFO David Wells said, “Were this dra-

The Reflector editorial board is made up of opinion editor Alie Dalee, news editor Anna Wolfe, assistant news editor Mary Kate McGowan, sports editor John Galatas, entertainment editor Daniel Hart, copy editor Emma Crawford, multimedia editor Zack Orsborn, photo editor Emma Katherine Hutto, managing editor Kristen Spink and editor in chief Kaitlyn Byrne.

s you may have heard, famed Bill Nye “The Science Guy” will debate creation versus evolution with prominent face of young earth creationism Ken Ham today. Now, generally speaking, I’m game for a good debate. Either you support gay marriage or you don’t, you approve of the ACA or you don’t, you support capital punishment or you don’t, etc. With these types of issues, there really is not much of a middle ground. However, when it comes to creation and evolution, this is not exactly the case.

Unfortunately, without the ability to travel through time to witness the actual act of creation, and short of having a one-on-one interview with God, the best we can do is bring the two sides of this debate together to find a history that makes sense and fits well with the biblical narrative and scientific evidence.

Those who are bold enough to actually break the ludicrously childish maxim to never talk about money, politics or religion generally fall into one of the two camps: creationists and evolutionists. A 2012 Gallup poll estimates 46 percent of Americans believe in creationism, while 37 percent regularly attend church (Pew Research, 2013). It should be safe to say

creationists are on some level viewed since the early part of religious individuals. Other the last century, which means Gallup polls show an associa- that not only have God-feartion between evolutionism and ing scientific experts uncovatheism. For the sake of argu- ered remarkable evidence using ment, I will generically catego- thoroughly tested techniques rize evolutionists as atheists. and theories, but these results So, what we have is a face-off have been examined by othbetween religion and science er God-fearing (and non, of — wait a minute, not so fast. course) experts before publicaWho said these two must be tion. To dismiss these methods as unreliable amounts to telling mutually exclusive?

Over the years, I’ve heard tens of thousands of people evangelicals complain scien- they fail to follow faithfully tists’ ultimate goal is to prove such biblical scripture as Colossians 3:23: God does not “Whatever you exist and that do, do heartily, they want to Scientists as for the Lord lead people seek the and not for away from the truth. The men.” word of God. Let’s suppose First, this is Bible claims atheists are simply not true, to be the truth. ... I right for the as about half of moment and scientists be- believe God would agree God does lieve in a higher prefer we devote not exist. They power (Pew Re- debating energies believe humans search, 2009). to finding the truth are the ultimate Next, let us achievement of agree these sci- together — not the process and entists have fighting over it.” that all beings conscientiously that came befollowed God’s fore are less adcall to become foremost experts in their fields. vanced. This obviously allows Prior to the 20th century, cre- that humans can continue to ationists may have had a point evolve further. Although we when questioning scientifically have not yet detected advanced accepted constants. However, life beyond this planet, this nearly every published scien- does not mean it doesn’t exist tific finding has been peer-re- or has never existed. It is there-

JAMES TRACY James Tracy is a graduate student in physics. He can be contacted at opinion@reflector.msstate.edu.

fore quite feasible that such a being has existed beyond our current natural perception. To flat-out deny God’s existence then becomes a self-conflicting point of view.

My point is that instead of debating the separation between the theories, we should work to blend them. Nye and Ham have this issue all wrong.

They shouldn’t debate; they should work together. Even the Catholic Church takes the official stance of “theistic evolution,”or evolution guided by God. Scientists seek the truth. The Bible claims to be the truth. It is possible for both to be right and agree. I believe God would prefer we devote debating energies to finding the truth together — not fighting over it.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Rock the vote: Your vote counts in SA elections

S

ome of you may be wondering what all of this #VoteAnything business is about. You see, we’ve noticed a big problem with student elections over the years, and those of us on the Student Association’s Executive Council (who aren’t running for office) are working to raise awareness about the personal impact of every student’s choice to vote.

I serve as the chief of staff in the SA, and I see firsthand how much influence these elected candidates truly have. Every day I see wild ideas from their election platforms slowly take shape. This year, a freshman senator decided we needed to replace water fountains around campus with water bottle filling stations. She contacted other schools who do this, worked with cabinet members who

would be interested in helping gan did to become SA president. and convinced administrators While being Homecoming this would be a beneficial use of queen has been an incrediour university’s budget. SA Pres- ble honor, I can’t help but feel ident Michael Hogan decided that I’ve done more good for last year that our our university students would in my role as appreciate cell chief of staff This year phone charging for the SA. As your vote stations, and chief of staff, can sincerely I’ve been givthose are bemean ing installed en more inover the next anything you sight to the few weeks. The workings of want it to mean. people you elect our university, for the SA are Get involved, stay more opportuthe same people informed and most nities to speak who handpick importantly, vote.” on behalf of the person who my friends and works all sumcertainly more mer to plan Bulldog Bash, the say in what we can do to imlargest free concert in the state. prove student life on campus.

But here’s the problem — I I loved being your homecomreceived more votes to become ing queen — but I urge you to homecoming queen than Ho- utilize your vote for these po-

Jenni Brown currently serves as the 2013-2014 Student Association chief-of-staff and 2013 homecoming queen.

sitions that are so much more important than a walk across the football field. Get invested in these candidates. Form opinions about their platforms. Go to the debate (Wednesday at 6 p.m. in McCool 124) and ask them hard questions. Your vote is incredibly important in shaping what our SA represents and works toward every year. Make sure that your voice is heard this year on Feb. 11. The SA is ready and willing to represent anything that you see fit. This year, your vote can sincerely mean anything you want it to mean. Get involved, stay informed and most importantly, vote.

INTERNATIONAL INK

California drought opens questions

about U.S. enivoronmental sustainability

I

Managing Editor

Editor in Chief

News Editor

Kristen Spink

Kaitlyn Byrne

Anna Wolfe

Multimedia Editor

Life Editor

Opinion Editor

Zack Orsborn

Daniel Hart

Alie Dalee

Sports Editor John Galatas

Photography Editor Emma Katherine Hutto

Copy Editor Emma Crawford

CONTACT INFORMATION

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Editor in Chief/Kaitlyn Byrne

Letters to the editor should be sent to the Meyer Student Media Center or mailed to The Reflector, PO Box 5407, Mississippi State, MS. Letters may also be emailed to editor@reflector.msstate.edu.

Letters must include name and telephone number for verification purposes. The editor reserves the right to edit or refuse to publish a letter.

325-7905 editor@reflector.msstate.edu Managing Editor/Kristen Spink 325-8991 managing@reflector.msstate.edu News Editor/Anna Wolfe 325-8819 news@reflector.msstate.edu Opinion Editor/Alie Dalee opinion@reflector.msstate.edu Sports Editor/John Galatas 325-5118 reflectorsports@gmail.com Life Editor/Daniel Hart 325-8883 life@reflector.msstate.edu Photography Editor/Emma Hutto 325-1584 photo@reflector.msstate.edu Multimedia Editor/Zack Orsborn multimedia_editor@reflector.msstate.edu Advertising Sales/Alex Anthony 325-7907 advertise@reflector.msstate.edu

CORRECTIONS

EDITORIAL POLICY The Reflector is the official student newspaper of Mississippi State University. Content is determined solely by the student editorial staff.

The contents of The Reflector have not been approved by Mississippi State University.

The Reflector staff strives to maintain the integrity of this paper through accurate and honest reporting. If we publish an error we will correct it. To report an error, call 325-7905.

n what could be the first signs of a catastrophic drought on the west coast, some serious questions are raised. Is California prepared to face one of the worst droughts in history?

The last drought of this magnanitude that hit California was reported in 1884, reports suggest.

The New York Times, in a report on Sunday, said with no sign of rain, 17 rural communities providing water to 40,000 people are in danger of running out within 60 to 120 days. State officials said the number was likely to rise in the months ahead after the State Water Project, the main municipal water distribution system, announced on Friday it did not have enough water to supplement the dwindling supplies of local agencies that provide water to an additional 25 million people. It is the first time the project has turned off its spigot in its 54year history.

“This is the most serious drought we’ve faced in modern times,” Felicia Marcus, chairwoman of the State Water Resources Control Board, told the Associated Press. “We need to conserve what little we have to use later in the year, or even in future years.”

In his State of the Union address last week, President Obama mentioned the drought when he said, “We have to act with more urgency because a changing climate is already harming western communities struggling with

drought and coastal cities dealing far-reaching impacts,” Bergman with floods.” said.

California Governor Jerry The U.S. Seasonal Drought Brown said at a press conference Outlook expects the drought to last week the state’s dry spell persist and possibly intensify at could turn into a mega-drought. least through the end of April.

“Make no mistake ... this There are two important disdrought is a big wake-up call and tinctions to be made in this stoa reminder that we do depend on ry — first is the media coverage natural systems,” Brown said. and second is the public awareCrystal Bergman, PhD can- ness. Few may link up the two of didate at the National Drought these, but there are important inMitigation Center at University dependent questions to be asked. of NebrasDoes the ka-Lincoln media cover who researches this crisis on In my early drought manthe scale that days in the agement, said it should, United States, the drought and are the coming from a in California Californians caused 2013 country where in some aware of the to be the driest parts people walk a few crisis that has year on record hit home? for a large miles to get their daily In my earportion of the drinking water, I was ly days in the state.

United States, appalled by reading a “Drought ofcoming from line in every restroom, ten does not a country get the media ‘American Standard, a where in attention that gallon per flush.’ Is now some parts other natural the time for the world people walk hazards rea few miles ceive because hegemon to rethink the to get their it often devel- environment-friendly daily drinkops and sub- sustainable choices?” ing water, I sides slowly, was appalled and impacts by reading a are usually line in every non-structural, making them dif- restroom, “American Standard, ficult to quantify. Drought does a gallon per flush.” Is now the tend to be more costly than other time for the world hegemon to natural hazards, however, due to rethink the environment-friendly its often large spatial extent and sustainable choices?

PRANAAV JADHAV Pranaav Jadhav is a junior majoring in communication.

He can be contacted at opinion@reflector.msstate.edu.

A “Voice of America” report on Jan. 27 said a drought such as the one in California has a greater impact now than it did 50 years ago because of the growth in population and economic development. The state is the biggest food producer in the U.S. in terms of dollars of produce sold.

The White House said the National Drought Resilience Partnership coordinates the federal response amd the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Agriculture Department are involved in the effort.

In the coming weeks, we can expect a few communities to run out of water. Seventeen of them are very close to being out-ofwater. As a nation, we can pray for rain in California along with closing the running water tap and conserving water wherever possible. The rest of it remains out of human control or reach.

THE REFLECTOR

6 | TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2014

AN IN-CLASS DISTRACTION ...

2-4-14

BULLETIN BOARD CLASSIFIEDS POLICY

The deadline for Tuesday’s paper is 3 p.m. Thursday; the deadline for Friday’s paper is 3 p.m. Tuesday. Classifieds are $5 per issue. Student and staff ads are $3 per issue, pre-paid.

Lost and found: found items can be listed for free; lost items are listed for standard ad cost.

FOR SALE

Classic rock albums for sale in Starkville. Beatles, Eagles, AC/DC, Boston and more.

Over 5,000 comic books, mostly 1970s and 1980s, bagged and boarded. Over 20,000 baseball cards in 800 and 3,200 count boxes. Call 662-312-2402.

deadline for Friday’s paper is 3 p.m. Tuesday. MSU student organizations may place free announcements in Club Info. Information may be submitted by email to club_info@reflector.msstate. edu with the subject heading “CLUB INFO,” or a form may be completed at The Reflector office in the Student Media Center. A contact name, phone number and requested run dates must be included for club info to appear in The Reflector. All submissions are subject to exemption according to space availability.

WESLEY FOUNDATION

FOR RENT

One bedroom apartment for rent, 615 University Drive, $510 per month. Call 662-323-1678.

CLUB INFO

The deadline for Tuesday’s paper is 3 p.m. Thursday;

Insight Bible study and worship Tuesdays at 8 p.m. at 286 East Lee Blvd. next to Campus Book Mart. Follow on Twitter @MSStateWesley or on Facebook.

STUDENTS FOR A SUSTAINABLE CAMPUS

Care about the environment?

Solutions for 1-31-14

Love activism? Come join SSC on Thursdays at 6 p.m. in McCool 111 to make a difference. Follow on Twitter @MSU_SSC. YOGA MOVES CLUB

School or work stressing you out? Get moving into Yoga Moves. Try our moves to get into shape and our relaxation techniques to handle the stress. Yoga Moves meets at the Sanderson Center in Studio C, Thursday evenings from 5:30-7 p.m. Like Yoga Moves Club-MSU on Facebook.

SCUBA DAWGS

Ever wanted to try scuba diving? Now you can. Come out for Discover Scuba on Feb. 11 and 12 at 5:30 p.m. in the Sanderson Center pool for just $5. All gear will be provided. Follow @MSUSCUBADawgs on Twitter or like us on Facebook.

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2014 | 7

REFLECTOR-ONLINE.COM

LIFE EDITOR: DANIEL HART | life@reflector.msstate.edu

LIFE & ENTERTAINMENT

Seeking spiritual sounds:

Seeker & Servant takes Christian worship music to unexpected places

BY NUR-UL-HUDA MUJAHID Staff Writer

One fan’s YouTube comment may explain Seeker & Servant’s combination of folk and electronic influences best: “Fleet Foxes meets M83.”

The Jackson-based band, a new arrival on the Christian music scene, began to produce music in late 2012 and brought its refreshingly atypical sound to the worship genre.

Brothers Cameron and Chandler Wood — and later Kody Gautier, senior educational psychology major at Mississippi State University — form Seeker & Servant.

The band was formed when Cameron Wood, lead singer and keyboardist, and Chandler Wood, his brother and guitarist, began to write worship songs for a church they helped establish in Flowood, Miss.

Because of their roots in the music world, Chandler Wood said writing music came to them effortlessly.

Chandler Wood said although he and his brother had experience crafting songs, they were not exactly equipped to write more worshipful lyrics.

“We both had previously played in another band that had traveled a good bit, so writing music wasn’t new to us at this point, but writing more worshipful songs was,” he said. “We just wanted to strip away all the big sounds of a full-band and focus on truly writing music and lyrics from our heart.”

As the brothers wrote music, they sought out a third member who would be able to help shape the percussion in the songs.

Chandler Wood said their desire for innovative beats and drum patterns was what led

them to reconnect with childhood friend Gautier.

“We didn’t really have any idea of what we wanted, but we know we wanted something different, not like normal percussion. As we looked and prayed on it, I happened to come across an old childhood friend’s (Gautier) SoundCloud account where he posted some beats and programming stuff he did. I had no clue he even did music, and we had not talked to him in probably 10 years or more,” he said. “Nonetheless, we were pleased with his stuff, so I reached out to him over Facebook and within the next month we all were working together on music.”

Gautier joined the band and made the trek from Starkville to Jackson every time Seeker & Servant had a show. Gautier said that he, Christian Wood and Chandler Wood worked

SEEKER & SERVANT | COURESY PHOTO

Brothers Cameron Wood (left), keyboardist and lead singer, and Chandler Wood (right), guitarist, began to form Seeker & Servant when writing worship music for a church they helped start in Flowood, Miss. The brothers later heard the work of Kody Gautier online, and once Gautier joined the band, Seeker & Servant was complete.

BUTLER “It’s a very wonderful opportunity,” Claggett said.

Becky Hagenston, associate professor of creative writing, said Butler’s “Tabloid Dreams” is her favorite book. In this collection of short stories, Butler used headlines from newspapers as titles and built stories around the headlines. One of the short stories is called “Jealous Husband Returns in Form of Parrot” and tells the story of a man trapped in a parrot’s body.

Hagenston said Butler’s work mixes comedy with re-

together to create sound unlike anything in the genre of Christian music.

“They liked what I did, so we continued to work together writing new songs,” he said.

“Eventually the work of the three of us together formed a brand new sound that was original for the worship music scene, and we decided to record an album.”

Chandler Wood said he and SEEKER & SERVANT | COURESY PHOTO his brother admired Gautier’s MSU student Kody Gautier plays drums and handles work ethic and knew with him percussive elements for Seeker & Servant. Gautier they could succeed.

“Cameron and I loved that said the band has influences that range from Arcade determination and commit- Fire to M83, and the members hope to express joy ment that Kody had, and above all else through the band’s diverse tunes. that’s what really let us know that this was all going to work time. The rest is history,” he our own creation,” he said. and could go further than any said. “Everything moved fast “To describe our sound in a project we’ve had our hand in for us, but it’s been one of the broad, general sense, we have best, if not the best, experi- an electronic, indie rock, folk previously,” he said.

The band began to write ences we’ve ever had. It’s all blend.We have been compared to bands such as Arcade songs together in April 2013. God.” The band released its first- Fire, Rend Collective ExperiWhile Chandler Wood said he and his brother had some res- full length record, “Into Your ment, M83 and others.”

Chandler Wood said ervations about writing the band desires for liswith a new member, it Our songs and our teners to relate to its turned out Gautier was sound are made songs and experience a great addition to the reverence for and awe of with joy for others writing process.

Christ.

“We weren’t exactly to share in that “When people listen sure how it was going same joy with us. to our music, we want to go because Cameron them to experience the and I have always been We want to leave people with love of Christ and to feel really exclusive when it hope and joy when listening to a realness, like they can came to writing music our music.” feel comfortable with and lyrics, but it came - Kody Gautier, our songs enough to out that writing with where they can just let go Kody was one of the best Seeker & Servant percussionist and relate,” he said. “At experiences we’ve had writing,” he said. “Kody is an Love I Go,” on Jan. 7. Seek- the end of the day though, we absolute genius and contrib- er & Servant’s self-described, don’t make music for our own uted so much to the process. ambient/electronic/folk/wor- gain, we make it so that Christ It was just incredible because ship, music can be heard in is glorified, so we hope people we all were excited about the the album’s eight songs. will worship him through it stuff we were writing, and Gautier said the band’s and see him through it.” we all supported each other’s tunes are immediately pigeonGautier said Seeker & Serthoughts and ideas.” holed because of its worship- vant creates each song with Chandler Wood said suc- ful lyrics but that sounds from joy, and the band wants all cess happened quickly for the various syles inform Seeker & listeners to witness and expeband because of the broth- Servant’s music. rience that same joy. erhood the three members “Our songs and our sound “Our music could be conformed. sidered Christian worship mu- are made with joy for others to “We truly all became a part sic merely because of its lyrical share in that same joy with us. of a brotherhood, and because content. Musically, however, We want to leave people with of our amazing connection, it’s an original blend of many hope and joy when listening we continued to write all the different sounds coming from to our music,” he said.

continued from 1 ality to pleasing results.

“All I can say is I think he’s fantastic,” she said. “His stories are hilarious and inspiring.”

Butler has authored six short story collections and 14 novels. He has received a Guggenheim Fellowship, a National Endowment for the Arts grant, and he was a finalist for the PEN/Faulkner Award. He is a Francis Eppes Distinguished professor at Florida State University. He also has a personal connection to MSU through his wife, Kelly, who graduat-

ed with an M.A. in English from MSU. The College of Arts and Sciences, the Institute for the Humanities, the Judy and Bobby Shackouls Honors College, the Mississippi Humanities Council and the Office of the Provost sponsor the Writer-in-Residence Program, which has also been partially funded by the National Endowment for the Humanitities.

For more information visit ih.msstate.edu or call the Institute for the Humanitites at 662-325-7095.

Village Cycle Center, Inc. 13000 MS HWY 182 Starkville, MS 39759

The Music Scene in Oxf ord Trinidad James-Friday Feb. 7 Granger Smith-Thursday Feb. 13 Migos - Feb 5 Robert Earl Keen - Feb 21

Big Gigantic - March 4 The Dirty Guv’nahs - March 20 Turnpike Troubadours - March 27 Drew Holcomb and The Neighbors

- April 3

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The Revivalists and Moon Taxi

- April 10

Cherub - April 24 Open 12-5 Wed-Fri Tickets available at www.thelyricoxford.com 1006 Van Buren Ave Oxford, MS 38655

April 4

p. 662.234.5333 the lyric oxford www.thelyricoxford.com Yonder Mountain String Band

SPORTS

8 | TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2014

SPORTS EDITOR: JOHN GALATAS | reflectorsports@gmail.com

THE REFLECTOR

STAT OF THE DAY: The next MSU Men’s basketball home win will be its 400th win at the humphrey coliseum.

Bulldog softball sets high expectations in year three under Stuedeman’s direction

By John GalataS Sports Editor

After its most successful season in 10 years, the Mississippi State University softball team returns to the diamond for the third season under head coach Vann Stuedeman.

After finishing the 2013 campaign with a 32-24 record and winning its first postseason game since 2008, Stuedeman said her coaching staff set high goals for the 2014 squad.

“We are looking for another Vanntastic season,” Stuedeman said. “We have some high expectations of this group. We are very senior-heavy, and we have a strong freshmen class.”

After an early exit to last year’s NCAA Tournament, Stuedeman said the Bulldogs seek to improve and still hold championships as a season’s goal.

“This year, it’s the same team basically. We do have a little different pitching staff, but beyond that, we’re one year smarter, one year wiser, and I look for really big things,” Stuedeman said.

“I’m not going to set a limit on this group. The sky is the limit for this group, and they’re going to go as far as they want to go.”

Stuedeman also said a key to success for the season will be the leadership of the seniors. The Bulldogs return 13 letterwinners from a year ago, including seven seniors.

Stuedeman said having

out the season. If there is an injury, we’ll have plenty of players to go to.”

MSU was picked to finish No. 12 in the SEC, which had eight teams voted in the top 25 preseason poll, and with six conference series against preseason-ranked opponents, Stuedeman said facing a difficult schedule prepares the Dogs for the NCAA Tournament.

“It’s why you come to school here. It is exactly why I coach in the SEC. It’s an incredible opportunity to play the best and be one of the best,” she said. “It’s about confidence. The biggest thing is to keep your girls confident, keep them focused on their skills and not who the opponent is.

The opponent is the game. I think it might be harder to win the regular season SEC championship than it would leon carrubba | the reflector be to win the World Series.

Alison Owen (left) winds up for a pitch, and outfielder Jessica Offutt (right) stands at the plate during a fall scrimmage against Our conference prepares us for postseason, which is Itawamba Community College in October. The Bulldogs begin their season this weekend against Mississippi Valley State. the way we look at it. Every her veterans play a role in coaching and teaching.” man class coming in and With the addition of sevweekend we’re going into a coaching is essential to the Senior catcher Sam Lenthey bring a lot to the table en newcomers, senior outSuper Regional. We are ready underclassmen’s developahan returns as the squad’s and have a lot of potential. fielder Jessica Offutt said the for the postseason when the ment. leader in batting average, I think we’re definitely going Bulldogs continue to build postseason comes along.”

“This group of girls have doubles, RBIs and on-base to Super Regionals and bedepth, which will pay off The Bulldogs start the been here three years with percentage. Lenahan said yond this year. That’s one of down the stretch of a long season Friday with the 2014 me now. We always tell them the Bulldogs have set high our goals.” season.

Bulldog Kickoff Classic. that as soon as they start standards for the new season MSU welcomes six fresh“We have seven outfieldMSU will host Mississippi coaching the team and as and work toward advancing men and one junior college ers out there, but three of Valley State and Northern soon as they become an exfurther than it has ever been. transfer to the team. them can play infield. We Kentucky Friday at 3 p.m. tension of the coaching staff, “I think we’re going to Freshman infielder Carohave a lot of players that are and 5:30 p.m. The Dogs will we know we’re headed in the go further this year than we line Seitz and pitchers Alexis really versatile and can do a return to the diamond Saturright direction,” she said. have in the past. We have Silkwood and Mackenzie lot of things,” she said. “Our day against Northern Ken“They’ve got to continue doa great senior class. It’s our Toler seek to make an imfreshman class is very athtucky and Jacksonville State ing what they’re doing, keep third year under Vann, and mediate impact in their deletic. They’re very talented before closing the weekend getting better every time we’ve learned a lot,” she but season in the Maroon and work very hard. Depth against Jacksonville State on they go out there and keep said. “We have a great freshand White. is really important throughSunday.

Lady Bulldogs knock off Georgia, set eyes on nationally-ranked Gamecocks in the Hump

By Quentin Smith Staff Writer

After upsetting the then-No. 11 ranked University of Georgia a year ago at home, the Mississippi State University Lady Bulldogs duplicated that same success Sunday as they tamed the Georgia Bulldogs 80-67 at the Humphrey Coliseum.

With the win, the Lady Bulldogs have now won three of the last four in this series at home.

Their record now improves to 16-7 and 3-6 in conference play.

MSU has now won back-toback home conference games for the first time since 2010, and will try to go for a threepeat this Thursday when they host the No. 7 South Carolina Gamecocks.

Head coach Vic Schaefer said he liked the poise his team played with throughout the game.

“I’m really proud of my kids,” Schaefer said. “I thought everyone on our team that played today made a play when we needed it.”

The Lady Bulldogs displayed one of their best offensive out-

MSU VS. SOUTH CAROLINA

Thursday, 7 p.m.

Humphrey Coliseum

ings all year Sunday. Offensive efficiency was at its highest, as they shot 52 percent from the field, 67 percent from the threepoint line and 77 percent from the charity stripe.

With this great offensive production, the team was able to get three players in double figures.

Sophomore center Martha Alwal led the way with 20 points. She also snagged down seven rebounds, which moves her into ninth place on MSU’s all-time rebounding list with 704 total.

Senior guard Katia May also contributed in a major way, as she scored 17 points — setting her career high.

Despite coming up short in a few close games this year, it is evident that this Bulldog team is a completely different team from a year ago.

Its toughness and competitive mentality have now opened eyes to everyone around the league, including UGA head coach Andy Landers, who said he was impressed with the MSU Lady Bulldogs team.

“They’re a good basketball MSU 16-7 3-6 74.5 41.3 31.5 71.0 40.5 15.5 16.0 10.7 4.0

team. They’re very solid. They have good guard play and good inside play,” Landers said.

The Lady Bulldogs have multiple scoring options they can rely on and have been receiving key contributions from everyone on the team all season long.

The team has been getting great production from its bench as well, which is one of the main improvements from a year ago.

Alwal said having a different variety of scoring options makes things a lot easier for the team when game-time comes.

“We can all score, and we all bring something different to the table. When one person goes down, we know we have someone else who can come right in and contribute right away without skipping a beat,” she said.

Schaefer said the team’s chemistry and cohesiveness is a big difference between this year’s team and last year’s team.

“My returners have an appreciation for our new kids,” he said. “They appreciate the fact that they are skilled, can play and they’re helping us become better and win ball games.”

Record Conf. Record Scoring FG Percentage 3-Point FG Percentage F Throw Percentage Free Rebounding Avg. Assists Turnovers Steals Blocks

SC 20-2 8-1 75.2 49.1 36.8 65.0 41.0 16.0 14.5 7.0 6.9 zack orsborn | the reflector

leon carrubba | the reflector

Guard Katia May takes a shot (top) and drives the lane (bottom right), and guard Dominique Dillingham pulls up for a jump shot (bottom left) in the 80-67 win over Georgia Sunday. MSU seeks to continue its success against No. 7 South Carolina.

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2014 | 9

SPORTS

REFLECTOR-ONLINE.COM

Hear from Head Coach Rick Ray ZACK ORSBORN | THE REFLECTOR

BY JOHN GALATAS Sports Editor

Q: On the Vanderbilt loss: A: I thought we had our opportunities there but shot ourselves in the foot with the 18 turnovers. I thought we defended really well to hold a team like Vanderbilt to 55 points on their home court.

We just didn’t give ourselves an opportunity to win the ball game when you give away 24 points off turnovers. And the thing that was disappointing is that they were unforced turnovers. Vanderbilt didn’t pressure us and packed it in man-to-man and mostly with the zone. We just have to find a way to not have those unforced turnovers, and then the other thing is the past two ball games we’ve gotten to the free throw line six times a piece. We’ve got to get back in that attacking mode and get to the free-throw line.

Q: On how veteran players answer the losing streak: A: I think it’s just different for those guys because they were all incoming guys who were freshmen and newcomers as far as junior college guys, so you really didn’t have the expectations of what was going on because they didn’t know the system — they didn’t know what SEC basketball was all about. They really didn’t have any answers. Now, the expectations are higher. We expect to win some of these games. Once you know what your expectations are and you lose some of those games, now how do you address what the actual issue

is? I think last year we didn’t A: I think it’s a couple know the issue. things. One, teams are just Q: On the margin of error playing zone. I’ve never seen for a poor defensive outing: so much zone in my career, A: First of all, I think we and what we have to do is we were fourth in the SEC in have to find a way to get peoscoring offense ple out of the before this zone by knockweek. I think, ing down some Coaching first of all, (Vanshots. But I derbilt head think what is not just coach) Coach the X’s and we can’t do, Stallings is an though, we excellent coach, O’s; it’s also being can’t settle. I and his game a psychologist, too. think when plan and the What you have to people play a way he prepares zone, we setdo is you have to his team is probtle for shots. I ably the best in make sure you’re think we need the SEC along getting your guys to continue to with (Florida recognizing what probe and athead coach) tack the zone.

Billy Donovan. their mistakes were When we’re I think when and what their (facing) a manyou’re on the opportunities were to-man, we road and you but not letting it have a lot more have those dedriving lanes fensive break- go into your next and there is downs, but the game.” more opportubiggest thing on -Rick Ray, nity to attack that is, it’s hard MSU men’s those lanes. to guard turnBut I still think overs. If you basketball head we have some driving lanes look at (Van- coach in the zone, derbilt’s) points and we have to in the second do a better job half and their 55 percent field-goal percent- as a coaching staff of exposing age, it mostly came off the fact those driving lanes and giving that we were defending our our guys an opportunity to see own mistakes. When you’re them.

Q: On fighting back when defending your own mistakes, you tend to have more trailing late in games: A: I think part of that was defensive breakdowns. But I thought when our defense was Jacoby Davis did a good job set and we weren’t running during that (late-game) span. down turnovers, I thought we He knocked down a couple of were pretty good defensively. threes and did a really good Q: On earning trips to the job of finding some driving free-throw line: lanes in the zone and giving

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some other guys some other opportunities for shots. I think he played a part in that.

We’re still talking about, and I don’t want to harp on this as being excusable, but we’re still talking about a very young and inexperienced team, because with everybody you want to turn to to make a play, it’s a sophomore or freshman.

Q: On restoring the team’s confidence: A: Well that’s the thing you have to make sure of. Coaching is not just the X’s and O’s; it’s also being a psychologist, too. What you have to do is you have to make sure you’re getting your guys recognizing what their mistakes were and what their opportunities were but not harping on those things and not letting it go into your next game. What we have to do is address our errors and what we did wrong, but we don’t want to beat our guys down with those mistakes. We have to get them ready for the next game.

Q: On Fred Thomas’s performance: A: We need Fred to be a good basketball player for us because he plays a lot of minutes. I think he’s become our best perimeter defender of our wings. I think it’s important for him to have some sort of flow to his game. The thing I want when it’s all said and done is I want Fred out there playing with some excitement and some exuberance, even if he’s not scoring. I just don’t want that to be the reason Fred Thomas is out there flying around because he’s scoring a few buckets. I want him

flying around regardless of the situation. I want him to have a great demeanor every time he steps foot on the court and not worry about the scoring.

The scoring will come.

Q: On difficulties of playing on the road: A: I think it is familiarity for the home team. I think every home team feels much more comfortable playing in their own venue, so they have more confidence. Now you’re traveling on the road, and you have to make sure that you have that situation where you can knock down that level of confidence. It’s been ingrained in everybody that you win at home and have problems on the road. Kids think that going into the situation regardless of what you’re telling them.

Q: On experienced teams winning on the road: A: No question about it.

I think the teams that I’ve had success with in the past have been experienced, veteran-laden teams. I think what’s also happened too is as your guys get more accustomed to being in those venues — like for our guys that are freshmen and sophomores, it’s the first time they ever played at Kentucky or the first time they ever played at Arkansas — but by the time they’re juniors and seniors, it’s almost like it’s an old habit because they’ve played there before; it’s not a new experience and they’re never in awe of that.

Q: On balancing outside shooting and driving the lane against zone defense: A: I think the one thing you

have to make sure you do — you want to be in attack mode in transition. The first key in being in that attack mode in transition when you’re playing a team that plays zone is getting stops on the defensive end. Most people, what they try to do, is they try to be in some sort of zone on makes, for sure, then on misses they feel like they can’t get back to their zone responsibilities, so they don’t go back to a zone.

If you can get stops and get in that attack mode in transition, I think that’s the first key in having some success against the zone. I think the second thing is, once you attack in that zone, it now becomes a shot clock situation. Do you want to flow into some sort of zone offense or do you want to do a set play? Now we have to figure out which one we want to do as a coaching staff against that particular team. I think the last thing is making your guys feel good about making plays against zone. I think guys feel really comfortable about making plays against man-toman because that’s what they have done their whole life and whole career, but making those plays against zone sometimes makes things a little bit complicated for them.

10 | TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2014

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