Thursday 03/21/19

Michigan State’s Independent Voice

WHO RUN THE WORLD? GIRLS.

After a 2018 women’s wave, Lansing has more women than ever before PAGES 4-5

IT’S TIME FOR MADNESS AGAIN Winston looks to take MSU deep into March PAGES 7-13 T HU R S DAY, MA R C H 2 1, 2 019

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Allocation from ASMSU to renovate Student Legal Services office fails

BY JAYNA BARDAHL JBARDAHL@STATENEWS.COM

The office that houses Student Legal Services — a program sponsored by the Associated Students of Michigan State University, or ASMSU, and the Council of Graduate Students — hasn’t undergone a full renovation since the program was established 35 years ago.

A bill introduced in ASMSU’s finance committee March 14 would have allocated $32,500 of the remaining $41,918 left in its budget to update the Student Legal Services office, located on campus.

But with five in favor and seven against, the bill failed due to concerns about the limited amount of money that would be left in ASMSU’s budget following the allocation.

Through a private law firm — Jeffries and Associates, PLLC — that consists of attorneys, legal interns and other staff, the student government sponsored program offers free legal services to MSU students. Attorney Brian Jeffries has worked with MSU since 1984 and made an appearance at the meeting, stressing the importance of renovating their office.

“This isn’t just a beautification, there’s really functionality that is involved and safety for my employees,” Jeffries said to the committee. He mentioned falling bookshelves and an overcrowded front desk area as two of the main issues that are in need of attention.

College of Business representative Oscar Gar-

ner, who introduced the bill, drew attention to the relevance of this service that assists up to 2,500 students annually in both civil and criminal legal issues.

“These guys have helped us establish a connection with our students, with the university as a whole and bolster what we are as an organization,” Garner said. “This money is an investment in them, an investment in our students and an investment in us.

This is an opportunity to support probably the best service that we provide.”

However, ot her members of finance The Student Legal Services office is pictured on March 20, 2019 at the Student Services Building. PHOTO BY SYLVIA JARRUS committee voiced concern with the fact that allocating $32,500 to Student Legal Services If such a limited amount of money is left, ASM- this point, it’s been a year coming and there’s no would leave less than $10,000 in ASMSU’s budget. SU President Cookie Rifiotis highlighted that oth- guarantee at that point that the next (General er bills allocating money in the upcoming weeks Assembly) is going to be able to do that.”

Jeffries also voiced opposition to delaying the to the Council of Racial and Ethnic Students, the Council of Progressive Students, a new student bill, saying current renovation plans have “been election system, a pilot laptop rental service and an ongoing process for almost a year and a half.”

“They have submitted design budgets and I a pilot spring organization fair would no longer don’t think we can keep continuing dragging be within the budget.

Others suggested splitting the allocation up them along,” Jeffries said. “It’s either going to between this year’s session of ASMSU and the happen or it’s not.”

In a final argument for his cause, Jeffries next one, or putting the bill on hold until the addressed ASMSU’s finance committee directly. next session. Representatives pointed out that “In government, there is always more need than and Associates is guaranteed to continue providing services for the next six years since their there is money,” Jeffries said. “It’s an issue of how contract was just renewed with no buyout option. are you going to place your priorities and where “I think a more feasible way going forward is to are you going to put the money at.

“As for student legal services, you don’t really do this in chunks instead of a large $30,000 allocation to renovate one room,” Vice President for understand the value of those services until you walk in there as a client and you’re feeling that Finance and Operations Dan Iancio said.

In response, Vice President for Academic Affairs day that your life is at the end. And that’s what Dylan Westrin, who seconded the bill, drew atten- we do — we repair that.”

The bill did not pass and money will not be allotion to past debates ASMSU has had about renovating the office — specifically efforts that were cated toward renovating the Student Legal Services office. Jeffries and Associates will continue discussed last year but not carried out.

“It’s just putting it off again,” Westrin said. “At to provide free legal services to MSU students.

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THURSDAY, MARCH 2 1 , 2 01 9

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Vol. 109 | No. 23

THURSDAY, MARCH 21, 2019

Tyce Frye, 9, cries after Ypsilanti Lincoln wins during the MHSAA Division 1 final game between Ypsilanti Lincoln and Detroit U-D Jesuit on March 16, 2019, at the Breslin Center.

The Lincoln Railsplitters won 64-62 winning their first ever title. “I feel really happy,” he said. PHOTO BY SYLVIA JARRUS

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Marie Weidmayer

CONTACT THE STATE NEWS 517-295-1680

MANAGING EDITOR Matt Schmucker

NEWSROOM/CORRECTIONS 517-295-5149 feedback@statenews.com

CAMPUS EDITOR Mila Murray

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COLOPHON The State News design features Acta, a newspaper type system created by DSType Foundry.

DESIGN Lauren Gewirtz Shelby Zeigler Courtney McKown This week’s cover was designed by Daena Faustino.

The State News is published by the students of Michigan State University on Thursdays during the academic year. News is constantly updated seven days a week at statenews.com.

State News Inc. is a private, nonprofit corporation. Its current 990 tax form is available for review upon request at 435 E. Grand River Ave. during business hours.

IN TODAY’S PAPER

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Avenue 6 Michigan developments

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A $250 million development could reshape the LansingE.L. border.

Basketball’s run through the Big Ten Tournament

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Photographer Matt Zubik documented their championship run through the Big Ten.

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FROM THE COVER

RELIGIOUS DIRECTORY

WOMEN

BY KARLY GRAHAM

KGRAHAM@STATENEWS.COM

Stay up to date at: www.statenews.com/religious

All Saints Episcopal Church 800 Abbot Rd. (517) 351-7160 Sun. Worship: 8am, 10am, & 5pm Sunday School: 10am www.allsaints-el.org Ascension Lutheran Church 2780 Haslett Road East Lansing (517) 337-9703 Sunday worship: 10:00am Sunday Bible study: 8:45am Thursday Bible study: 2:00pm www.ascensioneastlansing.org Wed Lent Services @ 7:00pm Greater Lansing Church of Christ 310 N. Hagadorn Rd. (Meet @ University Christian Church) (517) 898-3600 Sun: 8:45am Worship, 10am Bible Class Wed: 1pm, Small group bible study www.greaterlansing coc.org Hillel Jewish Student Center 360 Charles St. (517) 332-1916 Services: Friday night 6pm, dinner @ 7, September–April www.msuhillel.org

The Islamic Society of Greater Lansing 920 S. Harrison Rd. (517) 351-4309 Friday Services: 12:15-12:45pm & 1:45-2:15pm For prayer times visit www.lansingislam.com/ Martin Luther Chapel Lutheran Student Center 444 Abbot Rd. (517) 332-0778 Sun: 9:30am & 7pm Wed: 7pm Mini-bus pick-up on campus (Fall/Spring) www.martinluther chapel.org The People’s Church Multi-denominational 200 W Grand River Ave. (517)332-6074 Sun. Service: 10:30am with free lunch for students following worship ThePeoplesChurch.com Riverview Church- MSU Venue MSU Union Ballroom, 2nd Floor 49 Abbot Rd. (517) 694-3400 Sun. Worship: 11:30am-ish www.rivchurch.com

The state Capitol was moved to Lansing in 1847, and the city was officially founded in 1859. Since then, women have been integrated into universities, granted the right to vote

St. John Catholic Church and Student Center 327 M.A.C Ave. (517) 337-9778 Sun: 8am, 10am, Noon, 5pm, 7pm M,W,F: 12:15pm T & Th: 9:15pm www.stjohnmsu.org

and served in public office.

From the first woman representative to the first woman governor of Michigan, here’s a timeline of how we got to where we are today.

1950 - Ruth Thompson First Michigan woman to serve as a U.S. Representative

In 1950, Thompson was elected as a Republican to represent Michigan’s 9th Congressional District.

She was reelected twice and served from 1951-1957. In addition to being Michigan’s first woman in Congress, she was the first woman to serve on the House Judiciary Committee.

University Luthern Church (ULC) Lutheran Campus Ministry at MSU 1020 S. Harrison (517) 332-2559 Sun. Worship: 8:30am & 10:45am (Sept–May) Summer Worship: 9:30am www.ulcel.org University United Methodist Church 1120 S. Harrison Rd (517) 351-7030 Main Service: Sun: 11am in the Sanctuary Additional Services: TGiT (Thank God its Thursday): Thur: 8pm in the Chapel of Apostles universitychurchhome.org office@eluumc.org WELS Lutheran Campus Ministry 704 Abbot Rd. (517) 580-3744 Sat: 6:30pm msu.edu/~welsluth

ABOVE: Oxford resident Debbie Holland listens to Elissa Slotkin speak during Michigan Congressional candidate Elissa Slotkin’s watch party on Nov. 6, 2018 at the Deer Lake Athletic Club in Clarkston.

PHOTO BY SYLVIA JARRUS

Religious Organizations:

Don’t be left out of the Religious Directory!

Call (517)295-1680 to speak with an Account Executive today

RIGHT: Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel speaks during a press conference at the G. Mennen Williams Building in Lansing on Feb. 21, 2019. PHOTO BY ANNTANINNA BIONDO

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FROM THE COVER

IN POLITICS

TOP: Pratiksha Boinapally, 17, of Grand Ledge, chants during the Women’s March MSU/Lansing on MSU’s campus on Jan. 20, 2019. PHOTO BY NIC ANTAYA MIDDLE: Gretchen Whitmer makes her way through the crowd talking with protesters during the Women’s March on Jan. 21, 2018, at Michigan State Capitol. PHOTO BY CJ WEISS BOTTOM: Detroit resident Holden Regner, 2, attempts to grab Valerie Shinkle’s hat during the Women’s March on Jan. 19, 2019 at the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History in Detroit. PHOTO BY SYLVIA JARRUS

1998 - Jennifer Granholm First woman Attorney General of Michigan

2002 - Jennifer Granholm First woman Governor of Michigan

After defeating James Blanchard and David E. Bonior in the Democratic primary, Granholm faced Dick Posthumus in the 2002 general election.

She was sworn in Jan. 1, 2003, as the first woman to be elected as governor of Michigan, and the third governor that was not a U.S.-born citizen.

In her first term, she pushed for education reform and encouraged parents to do more to help their children during early development.

She focused on education from birth to five years old with Project Great Start.

Additionally, Granholm pushed students to consider post-secondary education and implemented The Michigan Merit System, which increased high school graduation standards.

Granholm won reelection in 2006 against Dick DeVos and used her second term to focus on the economy.

In 2007, she proposed the No Worker Left Behind Act, which provided two years of community college or free training to unemployed workers.

Granholm also responded to a resolution passed by the Detroit City Council in May to have Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick removed from office, which resulted in his resignation.

Granholm was term-limited and she was succeeded by Rick Snyder in 2011.

“

2018 - The Women’s Wave

Gretchen Whitmer, Dana Nessel, Elissa Slotkin, Haley Stevens and Rashida Tlaib are some of the women that were elected into office in 2018 and began their terms January 2019.

Whitmer defeated Republican Bill Schuette for governor, receiving 53.3 percent of the votes. She campaigned on road repairs, lowering the costs of post-secondary education, and protecting the healthcare of people with pre-existing conditions.

In her first State of the State address, she called for bipartisanship to ensure progress will be made during her tenure as governor.

Joining Whitmer in 2018 was Dana Nessel, who defeated Republican Tom Leonard for Attorney General and began her term on the first of this year.

Nessel is the second woman to hold the office of Michigan Attorney General after Granholm and is the first openly gay person to be elected into state office in Michigan.

Since taking office, she has joined federal lawsuits against a 2017 change to the Affordable Care Act that exempted religious groups from providing birth control coverage for employees.

Additionally, Nessel plans to reverse the loosening of environmental regulations in the state after a 2018 lame-duck session.

Jocelyn Benson took office Jan. 1 after defeating Republican challenger Mary Treder Lang.

She was inspired to run for the office after working with Secretaries of State from around the country while researching for her book, “State secretaries of state: Guardians of the Democratic Process,” published in 2010.

The 2018 elections resulted in a record five women serving as members of the state’s US House delegation. Debbie Dingell and Brenda Lawrence were both sworn into office in 2015, and were reelected in Michigan’s 12th and 14th Congressional districts, respectively.

This year marked the beginning of Elissa Slotkin, Haley Stevens, and Rashida Tlaib’s first terms in office, serving in Michigan’s 8th, 11th and 13th districts respectively.

Rashida Tlaib is the first Palestinian-American woman elected to Congress, and joins Minnesota’s Ilhan Omar as the first Muslim women in Congress.

“

After her win against then-US Attorney John Smietanka in 1998, Granholm was sworn into office in January 1999. She succeeded Attorney General Frank J. Kelley, a Democrat who served nine terms in the position.

In office, she established Michigan’s High Tech Crime Unit to focus on internet crimes, and encouraged state agencies to continue the fight against terrorism after the 9/11 attacks.

She also imposed regulations to prevent gasoline prices from rising too dramatically.

“We have seen such great strides, strides I never would imagine would happen from one election. But we have work to go” GRETCHEN WHITMER MICHIGAN GOVERNOR

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CITY

Michigan Avenue could look very different in 5 years A rendering of the planned Red Cedar development project. COURTESY OF CONTINENTAL/FERGUSON LLC.

BY EVAN JONES EJONES@STATENEWS.COM

A $30 million drain restoration project and a $250 million development project pending approval could drastically reshape the Michigan Avenue corridor, bringing big changes to the Michigan State community and the border between Lansing and East Lansing.

RED CEDAR REDEVELOPMENT AWAITS CITY APPROVAL

MSU Trustee Joel Ferguson and Frank Kass, partners in Lansing-based developer Continental/ Ferguson LLC, are spearheading the Red Cedar Development Project.

Before construction can begin, the Lansing City Council must approve a brownfield plan.

Councilmember Jody Washington represents Lansing's 1st Ward, where the proposed project resides. She said residents have been excited about the proposal’s prospects for a long time.

The council approved a comprehensive development plan for the project in 2014, but the project has experienced some major delays before the city's Brownfield Redevelopment Authority approved it last month.

Washington said disagreements stemmed from developers requesting more reimbursement and public bond money than the city was willing to give. Negotiations resulted in less tax money available for use by the developers and the elimination of public bonds in the project's implementation.

“There’s been a lot of back and forth, a lot of disagreement," she said. “We are now at the final stages.”

The developers will be reimbursed for infrastructure improvements to the site through Tax Increment Financing, or TIF, subsidies if the brownfield plan is approved. An estimated 400 full-time jobs and 1,000 "indirect" jobs will be created, according to a project plan submitted to city council Feb. 12.

TIFs can encourage investment in brownfield areas — project sites that had previous developments on them — because developers are reimbursed from the increase in property taxes as the value of the redeveloped property rises.

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Taxes that would otherwise go to the city go to the developers instead, helping them pay for infrastructure improvements or other eligible activities unrelated to the development itself.

The project plan estimates its completion by 2024. Taxes from property value would be reimbursed over 30 years, with developers capturing an estimated $123 million in TIF subsidies.

The Lansing City Council has a March 25 public hearing and an April 8 vote scheduled on the brownfield plan.

“In my opinion, this is a good brownfield,” Washington said.

While Washington supports the plan, she isn't so certain about the necessity of further student housing developments.

“I fear that we are hitting a student housing bubble,” she said.

Washington said similar fears prompted the developers to roll out student housing in two phases. If one student housing complex fails to fill up, then the second building could be appropriated for office space.

A TALE OF TWO CITIES

The project proposes a pedestrian walkway connecting East Lansing to Lansing through the Lansing River Trail. East Lansing residents mentioned a lack of connection between the two cities in a February parks and recreation public input meeting.

“Right now, there seems to be this invisible barrier between the two cities,” Washington said.

Christopher Stralkowski, executive project manager for Ferguson Development, said previous student housing developments were further away from campus because people heavily relied on cars and living close to campus wasn’t considered desirable.

“Expectations have changed; the market has changed,” he said. “Development has to fall in line with that.”

Councilmember Washington said there has also been increased commercial interest in the Michigan Avenue corridor.

“I think in the next ten years, we’re not even THURSDAY, MAR C H 2 1 , 2 01 9

going to recognize what we have,” Washington said.

IMPROVING WATER QUALITY IN THE RED CEDAR RIVER

Ingham County Drain Commissioner Pat Lindemann works to provide construction, maintenance and improvement of public storm drains in the county.

Lindemann has already received approvals to redesign the Montgomery Drain, which funnels stormwater runoff into the Red Cedar River at the location of the proposed development.

This project was first introduced in 2016. Lindemann said the project design was about 95 percent finished, and construction is set to begin this summer and last for 2.5 years.

The need for the redesign stems from the fact that the watershed at this location is 80 percent impervious, meaning the asphalt and concrete surrounding Lansing's Frandor Shopping Center permits polluted water to reach the river with little obstruction.

Lindemann said that of the 246 discharges into the Red Cedar River, the Montgomery Drain is the worst source of pollution. Between 50,000 and 75,000 pounds of pollution flow into the river annually, according to Lindemann.

“The project is designed to interrupt the flow to the river and extract the pollution from the flow before it gets to the river,” Lindemann said.

The Red Cedar River flows into the Grand River and eventually Lake Michigan.

Potential solutions include a series of ponds, filtration systems and waterfalls across the corridor.

Lindemann said stormwater runoff that reaches ponds reduces pollution into the Red Cedar River because dissolved heavy metals sink the bottom of ponds rather than continuing to flow into the river. It's then much easier to periodically clean the ponds than to remove pollution from the river.

Using the right plants, pollutants can be filtered as nutrients, preventing pollution from reaching the river, Lindemann said. The goal

C I T Y @ STAT E NE WS .COM

is to increase dissolved oxygen in the river so microorganisms can biodegrade some pollutants.

Plants can take on water pollutants like iron, copper and zinc. They can also process organic matter like pieces of food or lawn clippings.

Other pollutants would be removed as they hit the rocks on the planned waterfalls, adding more oxygen to the flow of water.

“The waterfalls might look pretty, but that’s not why we’re doing it,” he said.

HOW THE TWO PROJECTS RELATE

The redevelopment project and the Montgomery Drain redesign will occur in the same corridor, but they are separate undertakings.

“Whether the development happens or not, I’m doing this project,” Lindemann said.

The Drain Commissioner's office would like to see the development project go through, because it would take on nearly one-third of the drain project's overall costs.

“It would be silly for the city not to allow that project to go forward,” Lindemann said.

Drain improvements will cost between $32 million and $34 million, Lindemann said.

The drain office's plan includes 2.5 miles of walking path, a cost the Red Cedar developers agreed to take on if their project is approved.

Before buildings can go up, developers would also be required to remove contaminants from the soil.

“If we didn’t have that development going, then that ground pollution would still be there,” Lindemann said.

Even if the redevelopment project fails and isn't able to contribute to the costs of the drain redesign, Lindemann said his office’s low-impact plan would still be a cost-effective solution to the area's pollution problem.

He said wastewater treatment plants can cost up to $90 million and require ongoing operating costs and maintenance.

“This project would be twice as much money, or even three times as much in some cases,” he said.

SPARTANS DANCING March Madness preview: Men’s team wins Big Ten tournament, receives No. 2 seed in NCAA Tournament; women’s team will play as No. 9 seed

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IZZO: ‘I’VE NEVER BEEN PROU Junior guard Cassius Winston cuts down the net in celebration after winning the Big 10 Tournament.

Freshman forward Aaron Henry is embraced by his teammate after winning the Big 10 Tournament Championship.

L D U O CK O G T A R N S! A P S

I

t was a St. Patrick’s Day to remember for Tom Izzo and the Michigan State men’s basketball team. ‘Go green, go white’ chants rang through Chicago’s United Center as the Spartans defeated

Michigan, 65-60, to take home their sixth Big Ten Tournament title after wins over Ohio State and Wisconsin.

After a season plagued by injury, Izzo will remember this team regardless of

Sophomore forward Xavier Tillman (23) forces Michigan’s Jordan Poole into turning the ball over during the Big 10 Tournament Championship.

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SPORTS

UDER OF A TEAM IN MY LIFE.’ Junior forward Nick Ward (44) shoots the ball against Wisconsin.

how March plays out.

“I’ve never been prouder of a team in my life,” Izzo said.

Soon after the win, the now-No. 5 Michigan State team received its

22nd-straight NCAA Tournament bid.

The Spartans are the No. 2 seed in the East Region, facing No. 15 Bradley March 21 in Des Moines, Iowa.

PHOTOS BY MATT ZUBIK

Senior guard Matt McQuaid (20) shoots the ball against Ohio State.

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‘Win the weekend’ goal for MSU as NCAA Tournament opens

BY CASEY HARRISON

CHARRISON@STATENEWS.COM

The goal for second-seeded Michigan State is clear as it heads to Des Moines, Iowa, this weekend for the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

However, it’s a goal the Spartans (28-6) haven’t accomplished since the 2014-15 season, when they reached the Final Four as a No. 7 seed. Despite entering the tournament with the momentum of Big Ten regular season and tournament championships, the task at hand is to “survive the weekend.”

And that hasn’t been easy for MSU in recent years: a historic upset to No. 15 Middle Tennessee in the opening game of March Madness after winning the conference tournament in 2016, a forgettable second-round bounce by Kansas the season after that and another improbable exit in the second round to Syracuse last March despite two NBA lottery picks on the Spartans’ roster.

“The only thing we’re focused on is winning this weekend and we’re going to focus on it Thursday, (and) hopefully Saturday,” coach Tom Izzo said at a news conference Monday. “We’ll come home with another set of goals.”

The Spartans’ first-round opponent this go-around is No. 15 Bradley (20-14), winners of the Missouri Valley Conference tournament.

Bradley finished sixth in the conference but put together close wins against Missouri State, Loyola-Chicago — which made the Final Four

“It’s never easy in this tournament and you worry about every single game, but I think at least in a short period of time we’ll be very prepared for Bradley.”

Tom Izzo Basketball coach

last season before losing to Michigan — and Northern Iowa in three straight days to punch a ticket to the Big Dance.

What stood out to Izzo most about Bradley, who also beat Penn State in November, were Darrell Brown, Elijah Childs and Nate Kennell, Bradley’s top-three leading scorers. Brown — the team’s leading scorer at 14.7 points per game — and Kennell (9.4 ppg) are Bradley’s leading shooters from 3-point range, hitting 43.9 and 40.3 percent, respectively. Childs (12.2 ppg) leads Bradley in rebounding, averaging 7.8.

Izzo went as far to compare Brown to former MSU great Mateen Cleaves. But he also thinks MSU will be plenty ready for Thursday’s tipoff (2:45 p.m. EST/CBS).

“Darrell Brown is a strong, Mateen looking-like guard who can really shoot it from long range,” Izzo said. “Nate Kanell also shoots it any time in the building, and a forward named Childs who I think is long, athletic, 6-foot-7 and can do a lot of things, has a great mid-range game. ... It’s never easy in this tournament and you worry about every single game, but I think at least in a short period of time we’ll be very prepared for Bradley.”

Sophomore forward Xavier Tillman remembers last season’s loss to Syracuse in Detroit. The Spartans were held scoreless the final 3:33 while the Orange went on a 7-0 run to seal the game.

Tillman, who’s started the last eight games, said he’s excited for another chance to make a deep run.

“We have expectations for ourselves as far as making a deep run, but you can’t make a deep run if you lose in the first weekend,” Tillman said after practice. “So our goal is to win the first game, win the second game, then move on.”

Izzo said he finds significance in MSU’s accolades before the start of the tournament even the Las Vegas Invitational tournament win during Thanksgiving weekend. He noted how tangible assets can make postseason goals

clearer in March.

And given on-the-court adversity — season-ending injuries to juniors Joshua Langford (foot) and Kyle Ahrens (ankle) — Izzo said the team has exceeded his own expectations coming into the postseason. “(My) motivation is for this team to accomplish what I think this team can accomplish,” Izzo said. “And I’ll be honest with you: beginning of the year, I did not think this team would be where we’re standing. I thought we could be a very good team. I didn’t think we could be an elite team that won three championships.”

But after two conference titles, junior point guard Cassius Winston said he thinks the team has learned to win in all types of scenarios.

“We know what it takes to win and we’re just going to stick to what we do,” Winston — the consensus Big Ten Player of the Year and conference tournament MVP — said. “We know what we’ve been doing all year and it’s been successful for us all year, so we’re going to stick to that.”

According to fifth-year senior Kenny Goins — who was redshirted the year of MSU’s last Final Four run — the key to surviving Bradley and accomplishing the team’s goals is to take things slowly.

“We think we have a really good chance to win a couple games here in the first weekend and hopefully more after that,” Goins said. “We’re not looking past anyone. We’ve got to take care of this first game.”

Goins said if the team’s primary goals are met, he’s certain bigger things will come.

“Well, we were a No. 2 seed and a lost to a No. 15, so I’ve been on both sides of it,” Goins said.

“A Big Ten Championship, tournament championship is great, but a Final Four outlives that by three times. It’s so much higher than a Big Ten championship. It’s not that we haven’t done a lot this year, it’s just a whole different stage, a whole different pedestal.”

Columbia, SC

As of March 20, at 2:30 p.m., according to ESPN Tournament Challenge, these are the percentage of bracket-makers who have the Spartans winning each round in their region:

OUR THING.

San Jose, CA Jacksonville, FL

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Round of 32 16 NC Central/ND St.

Sweet Sixteen

8 Virginia Common.

9 Central Florida

Elite Eight

5 Mississippi State

Des Moines, IA 10

1 Duke

THURSDAY, MARCH 2 1 , 2 01 9

12 Liberty 4 Virginia Tech.

EAST

13 St. Louis 6 Maryland

Final Four

Washington, D.C.

11 Belmont 3 Louisiana State 14 Yale

20%

7 Louisville 10 Minnesota

78%

2 Michigan State 96% 88% 15 Bradley

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SPORTS

Focus shifts now on Brown

BY CHASE MICHAELSON

CMICHAELSON@STATENEWS.COM

At the beginning of the season, Michigan State was in an ideal situation at the wing spot.

The team captains, junior guard Joshua Langford and senior guard Matt McQuaid, were two starters at the shooting guard and small forward positions. Redshirt junior Kyle Ahrens was an experienced back-up with motivation to play, having redshirted the previous season due to a lingering foot injury. Then there were two promising freshmen, Aaron Henry seen as a defensive specialist and Gabe Brown, a natural-born shooter.

Fast forward to the NCAA Tournament, which begins on March 21, and things look wildly different.

Langford is out for the season after suffering a stress injury in his left foot Dec. 29 against Northern Illinois.

Ahrens has battled back injuries all season, but was not ruled out until a scary ankle injury sustained March 17 in the Big Ten tournament final against Michigan. Ahrens was in a great deal of pain, and many feared that the ankle was broken, but X-rays were negative and the diagnosis is a bad sprain. Either way, MSU coach Tom Izzo said he will not play in the tournament barring “some miracle cream.”

Izzo acknowledged at his press conference Monday what a huge loss Ahrens was for MSU’s tournament hopes.

“Everyone feels comfortable with Kyle in the game, that he knows what he’s doing,” Izzo said. “So we’re probably gonna have to reinvent it today.”

Where will the depth at the wing spot come from now?

Ahrens was giving Henry a bit of a break when he suffered the injury at the 4:34 mark of the first half against Michigan. After Henry was re-inserted at the moment of the injury, he and McQuaid were not taken out for the remainder of the game.

Henry has started all but one game since the Jan. 13 win over

Penn State and McQuaid has started every game he has been healthy for this season. With Langford and Ahrens unavailable for the tournament, Izzo will be forced to go deep into his bench to give the two wing players some relief.

“What do we do at the (small forward position)?” Izzo said.

“Gabe is going to get some looks. We could put Kenny (Goins, a senior forward that has not played at small forward this season) there some. He’s capable of playing there. So it’ll be another let’s-see-whatwe-can do.”

Brown, the freshman from Ypsilanti, did not play in the Big Ten final. His career high in minutes, 22, came March 5 against Nebraska in a game where Ahrens did not play in, but the stakes then were quite different than they will be in the NCAA Tournament.

“That gave me a little more comfort out there, especially on the defensive end,” Brown said. “I feel like I picked things up that game and it translated into getting better and better in practice.”

At this point, however, Brown is the only scholarship wing left on the bench. He will have an expanded role in the biggest games of the season.

“Whenever I get in, I want to show the coaches I can go out there and compete,” Brown said. “Do the things I can do offensively and defensively, and show the whole world that I’m ready to play.”

Brown said Ahrens gave him a pep-talk Monday.

“He just said, ‘Be prepared to step up.’ He always had faith in me ever since day one,” Brown said. “He taught me the ropes of the game.”

When Brown plays, he said he wants to emulate Ahrens’ defense. Brown has been criticized publicly and privately by the coaching staff for not being an engaged defender during practice and his infrequent game action.

“Off the ball stuff, I’d say that

“Everyone feels comfortable with Kyle in the game, that he knows what he’s doing.

So we’re probably gonna have to reinvent it.”

Tom Izzo

Basketball coach

Coach Tom Izzo embraces senior forward Kyle Ahrens after he was injured in the first half of the Big 10 Tournament Championship. PHOTO BY MATT ZUBIK

was the main thing (to work on),” Brown said. “Coming in, I’m thinking ‘I’m so long, I’m athletic’, I’m thinking ‘I’m gonna come in and just block some shots’ (Brown is listed at 6-foot7). But it’s really a process.”

With junior forward Nick Ward back from a hand injury, after returning March 15 against Ohio State, the rotation is supported up at the big spots. Ward will rotate with Goins and sophomore forward Xavier Tillman, with freshman Thomas Kithier making occasional appearances in case of foul trouble.

Freshman point guard Foster Loyer made his biggest contributions of the season during the conference tournament, scoring a career-high 14 points in the quarterfinal against Ohio State. Loyer gives Izzo a competent option behind Big Ten Player of the Year Cassius Winston.

T he only question now remains how much of a spark Brown can provide. McQuaid and Henry both played career highs in minutes against Michigan. As Izzo said in his press conference, players get less effective when they’re overworked.

“I gotta pick up the pieces where (Ahrens) left off,” Brown said. “He did a lot of things for this team and been a warrior for this team, and I gotta do those things too.”

Brown’s career-high in points came Dec. 16 against Green Bay, when he scored 11. He is averaging two points per game.

However, he said he is confident in his shot, which helped him become a four-star recruit out of Belleville High.

“That’s something I’m never shy about. I’m confident in my shot, each shot I take. I love it.”

His mindset is crystal clear.

“Going into the tournament, I want to be as locked in as possible,” Brown said.

MSU is a 2-seed, opening the tournament in Des Moines, Iowa, against 15-seed Bradley Thursday at approximately 2:30 p.m.

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“Whenever I get in, I want to show the coaches I can go out there and compete. Do the things I can do offensively and defensively, and show the whole world that I’m ready to play.”

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SPORTS

CASSIUS WINSTON:

LEADING IN HIS ROLE

BY LAUREN DEMAY LDEMAY@STATENEWS.COM

Cassius Winston was named a semifinalist for the Naismith Trophy Men’s Player of the Year award March 6, but the Detroit native didn’t make the finalist cut March 19.

Despite losing the Naismith trophy, Winston was named Big Ten Player of the Year and a finalist for the Cousy Award, given to the top collegiate point guard. The junior point guard is also on the top-20 watch list for the Wooden Award and was one of 12 players selected to the Oscar

Robertson Trophy final midseason watch list, both given to outstanding collegiate players.

Winston leads the team with 18.9 points per game and has a 47.2 field goal percentage. Winston averaged 32.9 minutes per game. He is tied for second in the Big Ten with Purdue’s Ryan Cline with a 2.6 assist-to-turnover ratio.

The Spartans kick off NCAA Tournament play March 21 playing Bradley at 2:45 p.m. EST.

CASH ON THE RISE

MPG

2018-19

32.9

18.9

7.6

2017-18

28.1

12.6

6.9

2016-17

20.7

6.7

5.2

Big Ten Player of the Year

PPG

No. 4 in the Big Ten

APG No. 3 in NCAA, leads Big Ten

GRAPHICS BY LAUREN GEWIRTZ

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SPORTS

‘That’s my alma mater,’ Spartan, Chippewa coaches share past

BY MAISY NIELSEN MNIELSEN@STATENEWS.COM

“This time of year, anything can happen,” Michigan State women’s basketball head coach Suzy Merchant said after the NCAA Women’s Tournament bracket was leaked on March 18.

It revealed the Spartans’ first round matchup would be against Central Michigan University.

“That’s my alma mater,” Merchant said. “I played there, so (it’s) even stranger.”

Merchant, a four-year starter and three-year captain for CMU (1988-91), held the school’s record for assists until senior guard Presley Hudson broke it this past season.

“Obviously Presley Hudson’s a great player for them. They space the floor well, they have good inside game, they attack the boards, they do what they do, they know who they are,” Merchant said after scouting the in-state rival this season. “I remember seeing them and obviously I keep up a little because (of) being an alum.”

“I think it’s great, especially for the state of Michigan, to have two great teams get into the NCAA Tournament and play each other,” senior center Jenna Allen said.

In kind, CMU head coach Sue Guevara has ties to MSU. Guevara served as an assistant coach for nine seasons (1986-95) under coach Karen Langeland and was promoted to associate head coach for her tenth season with the Spartans.

“When you’re in a profession long enough, people move around and recycle, especially in coaching ranks. She’s done a great job there, no question,” Merchant said of Guevara. “They’re a very good team.”

CMU finished the season with a 25-7 record and had a notable win against No. 24 Miami.

They were the regular season champions in the Mid-American Conference.

“(They) have proven themselves last year too, and a lot of those kids are back so they know the drill and in a lot of ways they’re more experienced than we are.” Merchant said.

Many of Merchant’s players have yet to experience the pressure of a the tournament atmosphere.

“I feel like with that mentality, one-and-done, I feel like everyone’s going to play their best basketball,” Allen, the lone senior on the team, said.

“We have Central Michigan, an in-state school.

They’re going to be pumped up to play us and us the same.”

The Spartans finished the 2018-19 season ninth in the country in assists per game with 18.

They built their postseason-worthy resume with wins over No. 3 Oregon, No. 16 Iowa and No. 9 Maryland.

“I think we’re a very unselfish team … I feel good about our offense, I feel good about our kids,” Merchant said.

Merchant thinks MSU has had an advantage all season because of the depth of the bench.

“You have to play and turn around pretty quickly,” Merchant said. “It’s a Saturday-Monday … so you have a day to prepare. That depth does end up helping you. Certainly we have players who play significant minutes, but it’s nice knowing you can go onto your bench and reach down there and get kids to relieve kids if we get in foul trouble.”

Merchant had one last thing to say about the month of March.

“We’ve got great chemistry, it’s just a matter of putting it together this time of year,” she said.

“The team that does it gets moving in the right direction and anything can happen.”

The first-round match will take place at 1 p.m. at the Joyce Center in South Bend, Indiana March 23.

“I think it’s great, especially for the state of Michigan, to have two great teams get into the NCAA Tournament and play each other.”

Jenna Allen Senior center S P ORTS @ STAT E NE WS .COM

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PUZZLES

ACROSS 1 Stick on the ground 5 “Notes on a Scandal” Best Actress nominee 10 Legal suspension 14 “How awful!”

15 Villa on the Volga 16 After the bell 17 *Hobby shop purchase 19 Rte. 66 goes through it 20 African capital with a metro 21 *World Wildlife Fund symbol 23 Health care org.

24 Matter, in law 26 Burning sign 27 “Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown” channel 28 Glittery strand 30 Utter 32 Sweet and sour 36 Extremely dry 37 Common sports injuries ... and a hint to hidden words that span both parts of the answers to starred clues 41 Die down 42 Kenyan’s neighbor 43 John of England 45 Spurred 49 Showy wrap 50 Yale alum

53 Batteries for mice 54 Something to grind 55 *Florida city with over 400 miles of canals 58 Lets up 60 European range 61 *”Movin’ Out” choreographer 63 Flight unit 64 Movie toy in a cereal box, e.g.

65 Inner: Pref.

66 Hoopla 67 Early stage 68 Sauna phenomenon DOWN 1 Alley prowler 2 End of many a riddle 3 Mauritius’ ocean 4 Movie trailer?

5 Banned pesticide 6 Notable Old West brothers 7 Sweet Sixteen org.

8 Holiday dishes?

9 Ones working around the clock?

10 Disorderly sort 11 “Be well!”

12 Its 2011 landing marked the end of the Space Shuttle program 13 Pined

18 “Because we’re worth it” sloganeer 22 Relaxed remarks 25 “Anything __?”

29 Fla. University named for a pope 31 Actress Shire 33 Vikings seek them, briefly 34 Rock genre 35 Total 37 Silicon Valley city 38 Yet to be used 39 Epic tale 40 Hanger hangout 41 Online program 44 Japanese electronics giant 46 Aquafina rival 47 Puts forth 48 Coup target 51 Game most people lose 52 Novelist Shaw 53 Kate’s sitcom pal 56 Old Bruin nickname 57 Shouts of support 59 Polite interruption 62 Raid target

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CAMPUS

How MSU experts address climate change through dialogue, education

BY RAY GARCIA RAY@STATENEWS.COM

On March 15, students from schools and universities worldwide — including Michigan State — participated in the Global Climate Strike, demanding leaders to do more to limit the effects of climate change.

As a part of an initative to educate the public on this issue, several MSU professors came together and formed the Climate Outreach Team years ago. Lately, as the news surrounding climate change takes the national spotlight, the team continues to grow and foster dialogue within the MSU community.

“Our group ... is trying to find ways for communication and education of people about climate and how climate impacts people and ultimately, to try and make a more resilient system or make a system that is less vulnerable to the impacts of climate variability and change,” geography professor Jeff Andresen, who is also a weather and agriculture expert, said.

Coming from a variety of scientific fields, the educators that make up the team became especially interested in issues across Michigan, particularly with field crop production. The team includes representatives from several departments on campus, as well as each of the institutes within MSU Extension — Agriculture and Agribusiness, Greening Michigan, Children and Youth and Health and Nutrition.

The goals of the team align well with the mission and values of MSU Extension: They hope to improve the lives of Michiganders by providing their expertise and evidence-based information to the broader public.

Along with working on the team, Andresen is a climatologist for Michigan and the co-director of MSU’s “Enviroweather” system, which provides weather-based information on pests, plant production and natural resource management across the state.

Land-use problems make up a significant portion of what many on the team are concerned about. In recent years, Andresen worked on a project in the East African region studying the effects of landuse change in relation to climate change.

“With some climate simulation — climate models which try to mimic the real thing — you can show that the climate actually does change as a result of the landscape change, not even thinking about green-

“IT’S NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR PEOPLE TO RUIN OR ALTER THE ENVIRONMENT FOR THOSE GENERATIONS WHICH HAVEN’T COME YET. AND THAT’S A REASON TO SPEAK UP —

A student reads about a Climate stick during the Global Climate Strike Walkout on March 15, at the Hannah Administration Building. PHOTO BY SYLVIA JARRUS

WE HAVE TO SPEAK UP.” house gases,” Andresen said.

Instead of just informing the community, the team also aims to hear concerns and opinions on the issue.

There is not a consensus among those impacted by climate change in Michigan in terms of what problems they face and what they should be doing to fix it, according to Wayne Beyea, a faculty member and senior specialist within the MSU School of Planning, Design and Construction.

“Sometimes we come at it from the issue-based approach — (asking), ‘What are your concerns’ and then have an opportunity to have a discussion,” Beyea said. Beyea’s work with the team focuses on landuse policy and infrastructure.

Much of the Climate Outreach Team’s work focuses on local governments. Along with looking into land-use decisions, they explore economic development decisions in relation to climate change, infrastructure decisions and how communities plan for them. The impact of how humans change the land can have severe consequences, MSU Senior Extension Educator Brad Neumann said.

“Climate mitigation and adaptation are key in those areas,” Neumann, who also specializes in local government climate adaptation and mitigation and zoning issues, said.

A s a multi-disciplinar y group, the team doesn’t receive

Classified

direct funding. It is largely dependent on programs that already exist; however, the team has received grants from the Great Lakes Integrated Science and Assessment Center.

Beyea said the team has made strides in its work, and Andersen said they’re continuing to work toward their goal of tackling what they see as one of the biggest problems affecting the world.

“There is overwhelming evidence of human impact on climate and if there are no changes, it’s likely to get worse.”

Jeff Andresen Geography professor “There is overwhelming evidence of human impact on climate and if there are no changes, it’s likely to get worse,” Andresen said. “It’s not responsible for people to ruin or alter the environment for those generations which haven’t come yet. And that’s a reason to speak up — we have to speak up.”

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