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NEWS

News Editor: Jessica Truby – J.L.Truby@iup.edu Lead News Writer: Emily Loose - E.D.Loose@iup.edu

(Danielle DiAmico/The Penn) Students who wrote thank-you notes to donors received a free T-shirt Thursday in Stapleton Library.

(Danielle DiAmico/The Penn) James (left) and Stephanie (right) Jozefowicz of the economics department made speeches about philanthropy at the beginning of the event Thursday.

Students say ‘thank you’ at Philanthropy Day EMILY LOOSE

Lead News Writer E.D.Loose@iup.edu @ThePennIUP

At one point or another, college students might receive scholarships and grants that help them continue their paths to receive their dream career; however, more often than not, students don’t know who gave them the money.

Instead of keeping quiet, the Student Philanthropy Organization (SPO) at IUP decided to do something about it.

Thursday marked IUP’s annual Philanthropy Day celebration.

Held at Stapleton Library from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., students could come by and grab a free T-shirt after writing a thank-you note to one of the school’s various donors.

Tables were set with balloons, so students had a place to sit as they wrote out their postcards.

Examples of other notes were at each table in case students had any difficulty formatting their letters.

Morgan Stewart (senior, biology) is the SPO president. According to Stewart, the group holds

News

(Danielle DiAmico/The Penn) IUP’s annual Philanthropy Day was held from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday in Stapleton Library.

the event as a way to get students able to say thank you to donors easily.

“Philanthropy Day is a chance to offer due thanks, as well as educate our entire campus community about the impact that philanthropy has on us all,” she said.

Before festivities began, Drs. James and Stephanie Jozefowicz of the economics department

made speeches about philanthropy.

Dozens of students filled the library during the event, writing and socializing.

“It is important to give back to the community, especially if you were once on the receiving end,” Caitlin Trettel (nursing) said of the event.

Trettel was at the event as a

March 5, 2019

volunteer, using the time to go towards the chance at getting the Sutton Scholarship, given to students who perform different community service acts. Trettel said she is a big believer in philanthropy and was happy to help the organization.

Along with saying thank you for donations to the school, students could also donate to the new Help a Hawk project. Help a Hawk’s goal is to provide a food pantry to students with food insecurity.

Alumnus Terry Serafini said he will triple any student’s donation of $5 or more. The project’s goal is to make $25,000. As of Sunday,

Help a Hawk has raised $13,212.

“It is an important event for students to learn how they can make a tangible impact here on campus,” Stewart said.

Students also had the chance to use the photo booth and eat food catered by Aramark. They could also be entered to win an Amazon gift card by using the Philanthropy Day Snapchat filter.

Philanthropy Day is held every year in the library. Anyone who missed out can still make donations to Help a Hawk. More information about the project can be found at http://www.iup.edu/helpahawk.

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News

Haven Project looking to hire peer educators JEREMY STOUT

Staff Writer J.W.Stout2@iup.edu @ThePennIUP

The Haven Project is currently in the process of hiring peer educators.

Students that are interested in the position should contact the Haven Project with their resumes.

Jessica Miller, Haven Project director, said that the No. 1 thing students need to succeed at the job is “passion,” as well as other basic organizational and responsibility requirements.

“Haven peer educators are responsible for spreading the message of sexual violence prevention on IUP’s campus through classroom presentations, workshops, and awareness campaigns — such as Take Back the Night and RAINN Day,” Miller said.

While interviews for the fall semester have already been completed, Miller said that Haven is “always open to passionate volunteers,” and those interested can still submit their resumes

(Facebook) The IUP Haven Project works to help survivors of sexual assalut violence and helps raise awareness through events such as Take Back the Night.

to haven-project@iup.edu.

The Haven Project is an organization at IUP designed to increase and improve counseling and support services for students who experience sexual violence. The Haven Project also offers prevention education about stalking, domestic/dating

violence and sexual assault.

The program offers several services to students and the Indiana community.

On campus, it offers to assist survivors with their safety and well-being. That can be providing new housing assignments, rearranging class schedules and

safety planning. The program also offers confidential counseling and will assist survivors through the conduct process.

Off campus, the program offers crisis intervention through a 24-hour hotline, provides support to survivors seeking medical attention and helps survivors

through the criminal justice system.

For more information on the Haven Project and the services it provides, contact 724-3573947, haven-project@iup.edu or visit the office at the Center for Health and Well-Being in Suites on Maple East.

Police Blotter Robert S. Dougherty 724-349-8588

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Noise violations • Scott Sefarin, 21, of Northern Cambria, was issued a citation for Indiana Borough Code for noise after loud music and obscenities could be heard coming from Sefarin’s residence at 11:56 p.m. March 1 in the 700 block of Klondyke Avenue, according to the Indiana Borough Police.

Alcohol Violations • Sergio Benitez, 18, and Joshua Kruger, 19, both of Pittsburgh were cited for underage drinking at 4:36 a.m. March 2 at the Sheetz at 768 Wayne Ave. after Benitez reported his vehicle stolen, later determining he moved his vehicle and parked it at a different location, according to borough police.

• Olivia Hammond, 19, of Scottsdale, was charged with DUI, underage drinking and related traffic offenses, at 12:15 a.m. Feb. 15 in the 00 block of South Seventh Street,according to borough police.

Hit and Run • An unknown vehicle struck a legally parked vehicle sometime between Feb. 28 and 4:30 p.m. March 2 in the 300 block of Blairton Avenue and left the scene. Anyone with information regarding the incident should call borough police at 724-349-2121.

News

March 5, 2019

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News

Professors share some of their favorite excuses HEATHER BAIR

Lead Culture Writer H.Bair@iup.edu @ThePennIUP

Professors and teachers everywhere have heard excuses of all different kinds, but some of them take the cake when it comes to ridiculousness.

With classic excuses such as “the dog ate my homework” or “my alarm didn’t go off in time,” students will try anything to get away with turning in overdue assignments or showing up to class late. Even when the excuse seems too fishy to believe, professors still enjoy hearing what students can concoct.

Some excuses fall under TMI – too much information.

“Students will sometimes go into detail about how sick they are, even saying ‘I threw up in the shower,’” said Dr. Lynn Shelly, English department associate professor.

“I guess they figure the more details they give, the more per-

suasive the excuse is.”

One very detailed excuse was from a student who missed class due to having an ingrown pubic hair. Suffice it to say, that was not need-to-know, and while professors love getting to know their students, that’s a bit too

SCHOO L EXCUS E:

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was, ‘I’m in jail because I was cited for underage drinking, public intoxication, public urination, disturbing the peace, vandalism of a new white couch by vomiting on it after breaking and entering into a house that belonged to an Indiana Borough police officer,’” journalism professor Randy Jesick said.

“Some other excuses include, ‘I couldn’t find the first floor of Davis Hall,’ ‘My fraternity brother fell off the roof of the porch early this morning,’ ‘My roommate’s cat peed on my feature story; that’s why it’s damp,’ and ‘I can’t get to class because I’m at the emergency room having my stomach pumped because I had too much to drink,’” Jesick said.

A student also used the “my grandmother passed away” excuse three times in one semester.

However, most excuses, even if

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personal.

“One excuse a student gave

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they are believable, are easy to see through. Either students give away tells of saying a fib or just aren’t creative enough.

“The best worst excuse I ever had was from a few years ago,” said Dr. Michele Papakie, journalism department chairwoman.

“The student wrote to me and said something like, ‘Dr. Papakie, I’m sorry I wasn’t in class today. I woke up all bloody and didn’t know where I was.

Attached is my homework.

“I can always tell when a student is lying. They think I can’t.

I can. The longer the email, the bigger the lie; that’s my theory.”

While some excuses are outrageous claims of sickness, others

can be quite bland.

“Some lame, frequent excuses include ‘my power was out,’ ‘I slept in,’ ‘my car wouldn’t start,’ ‘my cat is sick,’ ‘my dog is sick,’ ‘my roommate is sick,’ ‘my boyfriend broke up with me,’ ‘I had a family emergency,’ ‘I couldn’t find parking,’ ‘I am having girl problems’… and the list goes on,” Papakie said.

“Most of the excuses I can think of are lack of accountability and responsibility,” said Dr. Annah Hill associate professor and disability services program director.

Some excuses, while seemingly extreme, can be touching or sad.

When it comes to a family member being sick, professors are usually understanding and willing to be lenient.

Some professors understand when it’s a sick family member, and even animal, even if the reason is a bit out there. Professors are usually very understanding when the reason for missing a class or being late is something that couldn’t be avoided.

Honesty, as always, is the best policy.

And if you do have an outrageous excuse, be sure to have some proof.

March 5, 2019

News

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SGA focuses on student retention, engagement JEREMY STOUT

Staff Writer J.W.Stout2@iup.edu @ThePennIUP

The Feb. 26 Student Government Association (SGA) meeting featured an open discussion with IUP President Michael Driscoll and focused on student retention, as well as student engagement once new students get to campus.

Driscoll said that near the top of importance in terms of helping with retention is making sure students feel “part of the community” and that they can effectively “build connection and engagement with others.”

This segued into discussion about the cost of meal plans and students who live on campus.

Driscoll said that some of the reasons for Aramark not making much money at IUP is attributed to students living off campus.

He also attributed a lot of stu-

(IUP Website) IUP President Michael Driscoll was a guest at the Feb. 26 SGA meeting.

dent success to being ingrained in the college culture.

“Students who live on campus have a higher [average] GPA,”

Driscoll said. “Students tightly connected to campus tend to be more successful.”

He also said that students with

a meal plan tended to have a more balanced diet.

Another drawback to student social success is the setup of the newer residence halls. While the suites are more attractive to prospective students then the old dorms, they have a drawback in how they tend to isolate people with students staying in their rooms, Driscoll said. “[We need] to figure out what will get people out of their rooms,” Driscoll said.

Administration is trying to improve the early student experience and offer more support for those just arriving to help with retention. Driscoll said the most important time for student retention is in the first three months.

The meeting also featured Elaine Wood, APSCUF student liaison, discussing the possibility of a joint event between APSCUF and SGA. She said that the event could possibly be a cookoff or

board game night with faculty and would be designed to encourage students to interact with faculty. “[It’d] create the atmosphere that we’re all in this together,” Wood said.

Her presentation also mentioned cards that students could fill out in support of the “PA Promise” that would then be sent out to Gov. Tom Wolf.

Nathan Zisk, SGA treasurer, gave an update on the logo design. It’s now a competition between students with a prize of Subway gift cards.

SGA also voted to recognize the “Ranger Challenge” club as a formal on campus organization, and three students were confirmed for senate positions.

Those students were Isatu Weaver, senator for Greek life; Noah Saylor, senator for the honors college; and Jessica Bulkley, on-campus senator.

Musk tweets plans to unveil long-awaited Tesla Model Y crossover RUSS MITCHELL

Los Angeles Times (TNS)

When it comes to cash, Tesla is running out of range. And a recharge in the form of deposits on a new-model introduction just might be the way to add some juice.

On Sunday, Chief Executive Elon Musk tweeted that he’ll unveil a new car called the Model Y on March 14. The car, a crossover sport utility vehicle version of the Model 3 sedan, would be about 10 percent bigger and cost about 10 percent more, Musk said.

If the car gets built, it would create a new market segment for Tesla and potentially boost sales dramatically. The company currently sells the Model S luxury sedan, the Model X luxury SUV, and the Model 3 sedan. It lacks a crossover SUV, the style that has emerged as one of the hottest vehicle styles throughout the entire automotive industry.

The Model Y unveiling will be held at Tesla’s L.A. Design Studio on March 14.

But Musk didn’t say where the cash-short company will get the money to pay for a project expect-

(TNS) A Model 3 sat on the showroom floor at a Tesla dealership in Chicago.

ed to cost hundreds of millions of dollars at a minimum.

Musk announced last week he is closing the company’s Tesla retail

stores and moving toward online sales, with an untold number of Tesla employees losing their jobs.

The company also had been

cutting research and development and capital expenditures as its cash reserves dwindle.

The company reported having $3.7 billion in cash at the end of 2018. Last Friday, $920 million in bonds came due, with an additional $183 million due in April.

Just over 20 percent of that $3.7 billion – $792 million – came from the pockets of potential customers in the form of deposits on Tesla vehicles, including those for a Tesla semi-truck and and a highend roadster sports car, neither of which yet exist except in prototype form. Tesla hasn’t said when they’ll be available.

The company can add to that deposit account with customer reservations for a Model Y. Last week, the company announced the availability of a bare-bones $35,000 version of the Model 3 and began taking nonrefundable $2,500 orders for the car, with delivery promised sometime between two weeks from now and the end of June.

Higher-priced versions of the Model 3 typically cost near $60,000 with options. The bare-bones version has a range of 220 miles is

available only in black and comes without the company’s Autopilot driver-assist system.

In the past, the company has raised cash for growth through the public markets, with issues of bonds and stocks.

Tesla raised no new capital in 2018, and Musk said he didn’t want to. But even if he wants to now, the Justice Department, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation, is investigating the company, which could impede any new efforts to raise money.

The Securities and Exchange Commission last week filed contempt charges against Musk for allegedly violating an agreement signed in September to settle fraud charges stemming from a false claim by Musk that he had secured funding for an $80-billion deal to take the company private.

The agreement barred Musk from making material statements about Tesla on Twitter or any other public forum without prior approval of a company securities lawyer.

Musk has been ordered to file a brief defending himself before a federal district court judge March 11.

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March 5, 2019

News

Former professor, Borough Council President running for re-election JESS TRUBY

News Editor J.L.Truby@iup.edu @jesstruby

Peter Broad has represented Indiana Borough’s First Ward since 2012 and has announced that he is running for re-election in the May primary as a Democrat.

A professor emeritus of the IUP Department of Foreign Language, Broad looks forward to continuing to represent the residents of Indiana for another four years. He has served as Borough Council president since 2016, and, in that capacity, represents the borough on several community projects.

Before his election to the Borough Council, Broad was a professor at IUP for 25 years, including several years as a department chair and four years as University Senate chair.

Broad said that one of the most satisfying aspects of his role on the Council is helping residents of his ward in their interactions with the borough government, whether their concerns might be a code issue, a sign or even a pothole.

In the time of his term as Council president, the borough has hired a new manager, promoted a new police chief and made improvements to the parking garage and

(Facebook) Peter Broad, Indiana Borough Council President, is running for re-election in the May primary.

metered parking — including accepting credit cards as a form of payment.

There has also been progress made on stormwater issues, including a plan for how best to proceed over the next several years.

While on the board, Broad has

supported Inhabit Indiana, an initiative taken by the sustainability program, managed by borough manager Michael Foote, to encourage people to buy homes in Indiana. Other initiatives include the hiring of a communications and grants officer to actively pursue grant funding for projects that

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borough residents need but can’t afford to pay for directly.

Broad has focused the need for government representatives and community groups to work closely together. He is an ex officio member of the Downtown Indiana board of directors. He serves on the steering committee for the Indiana County Sustainable Economic Development Task Force.

He also represents the borough on the Stormwater Education Project — a collaborative effort

of the borough, White Township, the Conservation District, the Evergreen Conservancy, IUP and the League of Women Voters.

He also serves on the Indiana County Active Transportation Advisory Committee, which is responsible for the modified multi-modal project, and on the Indiana Area Collaborative Team, which makes plans for response to the high celebratory events at IUP.

OPINION

Focus on fun, not appearance this spring break Spring break stereotypically encompasses three things: relaxation, sun and bathing suits.

As numerous IUP students leave the snowy, below-30 weather at the end of this week and embark on their trips to a warmer climate, it’s necessary to focus on the ugly part of spring break and the negative feelings it brings to those who might feel the need to prepare for it for months in advance.

It would probably be a pretty good guess to say that if you booked a trip to Florida, Myrtle Beach or somewhere tropical, you most likely stepped into the HUB Fitness Center multiple times in the past few weeks and an especially excessive amount of times this past week.

Don’t worry. You’re not alone.

But it does raise some concern to think about how spring break is the motivation many use to “get in shape.” Or is it just to look good in a bathing suit?

Opinion

(TNS) Myrtle Beach, S.C., is a popular spring break destination, as are other beach and tropical locations. Myrtle Beach is averaging 54 percent cheaper than other spring break areas.

While the two sometimes seem to go hand in hand on the surface, working out and dieting for the wrong reasons can lead to an entirely new set of problems.

Last week was National Eating Disorder Awareness Week, with

this year’s theme being “Come as You Are.” Eating disorders are more prevalent than ever, and you most likely know someone going through this.

Though eating disorders are extremely complex, you have to pay attention to what you (and your friends!) are eating. Paying attention to portions and becoming obsessive about calorie counting can be warning signs of something worse coming in the future.

Some of it might stem from the way you view yourself.

According to a Georgetown study, as many as 74 percent of females and 46 percent of males of a normal weight reported being unhappy with their weights or appearances.

Especially in the teen and college years, people are extremely susceptible to developing body and self-esteem issues. These issues pop up many times in the summer due to more revealing seasonal clothing, but spring break provides people with a reason to question their images even earlier than usual.

Everyone will be posting

March 5, 2019

pictures on Instagram about their adventures, and it’s not going to make you feel the best when you see a post by someone who seems to rock their bathing suit better than you think you would in that situation. If you start to see a lot of posts that bother you, you might want to reconsider the people you’re following and what that’s doing to your mental health.

Also, with diets nowadays that make absurd claims that you can lose 10 pounds in a week, it’s no surprise that people go to such unhealthy lengths to try to lose those last few pounds before they have to wear a bathing suit.

The good news in all of this is that most people feel this way, so you’re not alone. In fact, if you’re sitting on a beach, people are more likely to be concerned with how they look in their bathing suits than how you look in yours.

So take advantage of that cheat day, don’t sweat it if you convince yourself not to go the gym on a day you promised yourself you would and, most importantly, enjoy the well-deserved break from classes, IUP.

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Culture

Culture Editor: Steven Langdon Jr. – S.Langdon@iup.edu Lead Culture Writer: Heather Bair - H.Bair@iup.edu

The Penn’s campus restroom power rankings SETH WOOLCOCK

Editor-In-Chief S.M.Woolcock@iup.edu @Swool15

JAKE SLEBODNICK (Facebook) Students at IUP agree that Indiana needs more clothing stores like Forever 21.

Students speculate about empty Indiana spaces HEATHER BAIR

Lead Culture Writer H.Bair@iup.edu @ThePennIUP

This article contains opinion.

With so many empty buildings and locations around Indiana, from the new outlets on Fourth Street to the empty Giant Eagle on Seventh Street, students have their own ideas as to what could fill them.

For about a year, a rumor about Panera Bread coming to Indiana has been swirling around. While the constant response is “coming soon,” most have given up hope that it will ever come at all.

Some students would enjoy a Panera Bread; however, others wish for different stores as well to fill in the empty spots.

“I’d like to see more clothing stores, like Forever 21,” said Emily S. Miller (senior, speech pathology).

“There’s a lot of young people here and not a lot of anything to choose from. We have an American Eagle in the mall, but that’s about it. T.J. Maxx can be expensive at times. I’d like a few more options.”

Even with some downtown clothing stores, students prefer stores they recognize and can get their clothing at for good prices, especially on a college student’s budget.

With some stores raising prices, that can be hard to find.

“A store I would like to see here would probably be a Torrid,” said Ellen Dusbiber (sophomore, child development and family relations).

“It’s a clothing store for plus-size women that I shop at back home in Pittsburgh. They have clothes I’m

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comfortable in, and they have nice fashionable clothes as well.”

“I’d also like an Ulta Beauty. I love makeup, and that’s one of my favorite stores.”

“I’d like to get a Forever 21 or a Ross,” said Amber Huffman (sophomore, business management).

“Both are cheaper clothing stores that aren’t too close to Indiana.”

Ross, a store which offers more bang for your buck, has a location in DuBois, a little more than an hour’s drive from Indiana. The closest Forever 21 store is in Monroeville, about the same distance from IUP as DuBois.

A new store, Harbor Freight, opened in a section of the Indiana Mall back in September. The store offers high-end tools for low prices.

While most stores such as makeup and clothing stores seem to take the cake, some students are eager for a new restaurant to try.

With Valley Dairy, Eat’n Park and fast food places slowly losing students’ interest, a new restaurant would be welcomed among students and professors alike.

“I’m excited for Panera Bread,” Miller said. “I just wish it’d get here.”

Dusbiber agreed, but said she’d like a Texas Roadhouse as well.

“I love their food, but I also love Panera Bread’s, too,” she said.

“Their bread bowls are the best.”

Huffman agreed, saying a Panera Bread would be nice to have.

So while Indiana continues to decide on what new stores to give the community, students at IUP are continuing to place bets as to what new business will be arriving in town.

Production Manager J.C.Slebodnick@iup.edu @slebby24

This article contains opinion.

If you’re like some students, you might find yourself on campus enough to the point where you have no choice but to use the public restrooms.

To assist you in the almost random game of choosing a bathroom, and to try to help you avoid restrooms that smell like an amphibian aquarium like Weyandt Hall or make you feel like you’re in a tiny elementary school bathroom like Uhler Hall, here are The Penn’s top campus restrooms for 2019. *Disclaimer - these restrooms are ranked based on men’s restrooms.*

1. Stouffer Hall, Basement

The diamond in the rough, the Steph Curry from Davidson.

Walking into this restroom makes you feel like you’re walking into an episode of “That 70’s Show.”

And with a pleasant view of the courtyard through the window and it always being well-maintained, it was the clear-cut best restroom on campus.

2. Hadley Union Building (HUB), TV Room

Watching that famous IUP-TV “Polka Pride” in the HUB, but you feel a bowel movement approaching? This is the place for you to express that movement. The Co-Op staff knows how to keep it clean and hygienic for students at any time of day.

3. Sutton Hall, Ground Floor

For a place as rustic and populous as Sutton Hall, the bathrooms are well-kept, convenient and a great place for that Friday midday bowel movement (you know, the

March 5, 2019

(James Neuhausel/ The Penn) The Hadley Union Building (HUB) TV room is one of the top 10 bathrooms at IUP, according to The Penn’s power rankings.

one that’s most relaxing). It is a quiet place where one can concentrate on the task at hand.

4. Hadley Union Building (HUB), Next to the Monongahela Room

How about that Co-Op staff?

Here is just another prime example of them doing an amazing job maintaining a beautifully crafted restroom. With a plethora of urinals and stalls to chose from, you’ll avoid any potential bro awkwardness, making this lavatory one of the best.

7. Writing Center Elkin Hall, Ground Floor

The writing center’s bathroom made the power rankings? IUP has a writer center? Both have the same answer: absolutely, yes.

8. Stright Hall, Second Floor

Let’s face it, people give Stright Hall a bad reputation. But the second floor bathroom gives oldschool vibe. Take a step back in time to see how relieving yourself can be groovy.

9. Davis Hall, Fourth Floor

5. Humanities and Social Sciences Building (HSS), Fourth Floor

Personal testimony (Jake): I had to execute a bowel movement one evening while editing a video. Someone had occupied the basement stall at the time, and I needed something at the moment. I took the elevator to the fourth floor, let my body do its thing and felt superior. No one in sight or even on the top floor, I felt like I was taking a duke with the gods.

6. North Dining Hall

10. Humanities and Social Sciences Building (HSS), fifth Floor

The HSS fourth floor bathroom is the perfect combination of comfortability and cleanliness.

Always being fairly empty makes it a solid choice for any visit to the washroom. But beware, just one floor below on the HSS’s third floor, you learn the difference what one floor will make. Those kids are animals.

Now, I understand that when you eat, you’re thinking about taking food in, not putting it out. However, North Dining Hall gives students a convenient place to relieve themselves before or after a meal with a bathroom placed in between the dish station and the gelato station.

Talk about convenience.

The HSS’s fifth floor is home to IUP’s English department. It is also home to one of the most underused and underrated restrooms on campus. Give it a whirl if you’re ever heading to the rooftop garden…oh wait.

Culture

March 5, 2019

Culture

(Facebook) Some students travel to places such as Disney World over spring break.

Students working, traveling, sleeping over spring break JAKE SLEBODNICK

Production Manager J.C.Slebodnick@iup.edu @slebby24

This article contains opinion.

Spring break, the favored holiday of students campus-wide, and precursor for IUPatty’s, will last from the end of classes Friday until Sunday, March 17.

But how will students be celebrating their spring breaks away from school?

The most common answer was staying home and catching up on sleep, and assignments or rank on Call of Duty.

Liam Noble (sophomore, communications media), William Torres (sophomore, communications media) and Emily DuHaime (sophomore, criminology and criminal justice), who all reside in different areas of Philadelphia, shared common plans for the week.

“I’m going to Philadelphia to spend time with family and friends that I haven’t seen in forever because of the distance,” Noble said of his plans. “It will be great to see them again and catch up.”

Torres said he will be spending his time “binging movies and eating at my favorite ramen shop, Yamitsuki, while also studying periodically.”

Meanwhile, DuHaime looks to master her sharpshooter skills and visit family.

“I’m not doing much during break, but I’m going into the city (Philadelphia) on Saturday, and then I’m going to the shooting range later in the week,” she said.

“But other than that, I’m just going to probably relax and see my friends from home.”

While break can mean an opportunity for fun, it can also be a very

beneficial time for students. Since the semester can be a stressful time, they oftentimes lose sleep.

Some students look to count some sheep while they have the time.

Hunter Mitchell (freshman, nursing) put it bluntly when sharing about his spring break activities.

“I plan on sleeping all day, every day,” he said.

A few students plan on putting their time to good use by earning some spending money, working the majority of their breaks.

Kaitlyn Dotts (junior, communications media), a student employee on campus, said her break will be “lame, since I’ll be working on campus. It’ll be like I never left.”

Mary Heiple (sophomore, biology), who has a job back in her hometown, has her own motivation to work.

“I’m broke as ever,” she said as her reason for working over break.

Another student assumes double duty at home. E.J. Fabiszewski (freshman, communications media), will be working two jobs.

But there were a few students that have other ideas.

Lauren Eylicio (freshman, theater) plans to travel and visit some historic landmarks down South.

“I’m going to Virginia to visit Thomas Jefferson’s house and other historical sites,” Eylicio said. “Essentially, it’s an educational vacation.”

On the other hand, some students plan on spending their breaks with all play and no work.

McHale Baden (sophomore, theater) plans to have a very magical break.

“I’m actually going to Disney World with my family over break,” Baden said. “Since the semester can be hard, we figured a getaway filled with fun, laughter and warm weather is what we needed.”

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Culture

(Facebook)

How to properly plan for next year’s spring break To save money, take advantage of cheap airplanes tickets by going Spirit during their spring break.

SETH WOOLCOCK

Editor-In-Chief S.M.Woolcock@iup.edu @Swool15

This article contains opinion.

While it’s probably already too late to plan a spring break trip for next week, it's never too early to start planning one for next year. The best trips are often the ones that are planned with diligence in advance.

So, here are some tips, specific for IUP and surrounding schools, that could ensure that your 2020 spring break is the one you dreamed about as a teenager.

Know the dates of Spring Break This could be the most crucial part of any spring break trip planning. Especially if you are planning on taking the trip with students from other colleges, even the fellow state schools, make sure you know the dates of everyone's school’s spring breaks.

Did you know that other state schools including Edinboro and Clarion are already on their spring break?

So, save yourself some cancelation fees and a very awkward moment when you and your boys from ‘Boro realize you have different spring break weeks, and do your research on your specific spring break dates.

Know the Different Housing Options

(Facebook) Students could enjoy trips to places such as Colorado Springs (top), Miami Beach (middle) and Toronto (bottom) during spring break.

Unless you happen to be one of those lucky students who has a relative with a place that can serve as your getaway, you’ll most likely need to find some housing for your trip.

There are three mainstream options that have good shots at hitting most students’ budgets and tastes.

1. Use a student rental group: Student City, STS Travel and Student Universe are three of the biggest known rental groups. While these packages are often fairly expensive, they often offer event and drink packages. So, if you’re willing to pay the price for Migos on the beach, go ahead and plan ahead a time as you can save a ton if you book up to six months in advance.

Just be aware before you call to get quotes that these student groups can be very annoying and will continue to call you even if you are not interested in planning a trip with them anymore.

2. Motel or Hotel: Who said you can’t have fun kicking it at the Holiday Inn with your friends during the break?

While you often lack many amenities like a kitchen and a large space to hang indoors, hotels are often in prime position on the beach and close to the night life attractions.

3. Airbnb: Its motto is that “unforgettable trips start with Airbnb.” And they might just be right.

Airbnb is a site where you can rent homes, apartments, condos and any form of housing, from a house boat to a tree house, directly through the owner with no pestering reality services. This can lead to discovering some amazing homes at very reasonable choices.

One of the only down falls there could be with booking an Airbnb for your spring break is not finding one directly in your preferred location.

Pick a strategic Location When it comes to picking where you want to spend your spring break, it’s all about the people.

If your group is the type that can have a good time anywhere, the possibilities are literally endless.

But if you’re trying to follow one of the main streams of spring break destinations, the most popular U.S. destinations include Panama City Beach, Fla., South Padre Island, Texas, Miami Beach and Colorado Springs if you don’t mind the cold.

If you have a valid passport and the extra cash, many students travel to Canada, Mexico and Jamaica, as there are certain things that college students enjoy that are legal there but illegal in the U.S. Again, the biggest factor with picking a location is picking the right one for the people and the budget. After all, you don’t need to be on a luxurious spring break to make it count.

Use Spirit Airlines when applicable Spirit Airlines is a small airline that flies out of numerous cities in the U.S., the closest to IUP being Latrobe. Spirit, while slightly limited in destinations, has ridiculously priced flights, including round trips to Florida for less than a $100.

While flying doesn’t always have to be in the cards, when it is, you can look to Spirit to help you save on transportation. It does surprisingly offer flights to possible spring break destinations, including Cancun, Mexico and Toronto.

Don’t worry Fear of Missing Out (FOMO) is a real thing, especially now with social media. But even so, a trip doesn’t have to occur during spring break. Many local establishments are actually hurting for work over the break because of so many student workers leaving for the break, so if you hang around, maybe you’ll save up enough to do a trip in the summer.

March 5, 2019

Culture

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IUP welcomes special showing of ‘The Independents’

(Facebook) New items in the cultural world to hit this week include the “Blade” remake (top left), “The Sandlot” television series (top right), Sony’s PlayStation Vita (bottom left) and the HBO documentary “Leaving Neverland.”

The World of Culture: See what’s new STEVEN LANGDON JR. Culture Editor S.Langdon@iup.edu @ThePennIUP

The world of culture is always producing more content for people to digest. This week provided more than enough stories, including one on a diseased superstar.

But, more on that later.

Here’s a rundown of some top stories to hit the culture world.

Movies: When isn’t Marvel in the news?

A rumor surfaced Sunday afternoon that a new rated-R movie was in the works. The movie is allegedly “Blade.”

That was not the most shocking part of the story since there have been talks about it for years. The part fans may find surprising is that Wesley Snipes is in the movie.

Snipes played the vampire-slaying hero in the original movies, the last of which was released in 2004.

In 2008, Snipes was convicted of three misdemeanor counts of failing to file tax returns. He was sentenced to three years in prison, which he served in McKean Federal Correctional Institution in Pennsylvania.

Whether Snipes will be reprising his role or will play a mentor figure remains to be determined. Fans of the “Blade” trilogy have been calling for a remake in recent years.

Marvel does have several projects in the making and now has the rights to the previously owned Fox characters, such as the X-Men and Fantastic Four.

Television: Sunday also provided news for fans of a classic movie. “The Sandlot” cast is about to reunite in a new television series.

The director of the original movie, David Micky Evans, announced the project on the baseball podcast “The Rain Delay.” The show, based off the 1993 film, is preparing for the first two seasons but does not yet have a of release date.

The show will act as a continuation of the original movie.

It will take place in 1984, 22 years after the movie leaves off.

Technology: Sony announced Monday that it will discontinue the production of the PlayStation Vita. Since its introduction in 2011, the handheld console has sold more than 10 million systems.

The Vita is a successor to the PlayStation Portable. For fans of Sony, this was the system to compete with the king of the handheld market, Nintendo. The system, on the other hand, fell well short of expectations.

Sony has announced that there are no expectations for a new handheld device in the near future.

Instead, all the focus will be on its next generation console.

The Vita will be most known for its indie games. The system did not have many exclusive titles, but they were more successful than the exclusive titles on the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4.

(Richard Loftus) One of the guests at the showing was actor Brian Chartrand.

Music: The “King of Pop” is in the news?

Michael Jackson seems to have never left. Most of the time when people think of the music icon, it’s for the good things he did. A new documentary “Leaving Neverland” will touch on his dark side.

The Home Box Office (HBO) documentary talks to two individuals who spent time with Jackson as children. Wade Robson and James Safechuck reveal their stories on how Jackson sexually abused them.

The two-part documentary premiered Sunday and Monday.

Upon release, many have varying opinions on the whole situation.

Many reports when Jackson was still alive surfaced that it could have been a possibility, but it was not 100 percent known.

The Jackson family sued HBO for defamation following the release of the documentary.

(Richard Loftus/ The Penn) The IUP Communications Media Department had a special showing of “The Independents” Friday. The event took place in the Beard Auditorium in Stouffer Hall.

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March 5, 2019

Culture

Sports

Sports Editor: Elliot Hicks – E.Hicks@iup.edu Lead Sports Writer: Brad O’Hara - B.L.Ohara@iup.edu

(Autumn Dorsey/The Penn) The IUP men’s basketball senior class posed with head coach Joe Lombardi prior to the team’s Saturday game.

Senior night win caps off record season for men’s basketball JEFF HART

Staff Writer J.R.Hart2@iup.edu @ThePennIUP

Saturday night was an evening of emotions for the IUP Crimson Hawks men’s basketball team.

In a stellar 72-59 win against the Seton Hill Griffins, the Hawks hosted their senior night. It was the last regular season game for a star-studded group of seniors.

It was truly something to behold as seniors Greg Bearer (sociology), Willem Brandwijk (marketing), Jacobo Diaz (economics), Todd Fetsko (history), Marko Krivacevic (information systems) and Dante Lombardi (finance) were honored before tipoff.

Sports

The game started with a cathartic presentation of milestone basketballs to Lombardi and Diaz for their lifetime accomplishments in the program. And in the sold out, 5,000-seat KCAC, this presentation felt like the end of an era in Crimson Hawks basketball history, honoring a senior class that never failed to win the PSAC West with a 97-22 record over four seasons.

The game was a battle of wills throughout the first half and part of the second half. Neither team allowed the other to pull away in the game.

It was tied 12-12 within the early goings of the game. But the Crimson Hawks took flight and went on a 12-3 run; however, the Griffins did

not take it sitting down. Seton Hill responded with a run of its own and tied things up 27-27.

When halftime arrived, the Crimson Hawks held a slim 31-30 lead.

Out of the break, it was tight for a short time when neither team could definitively pull ahead of the other.

After a few minutes of this backand-forth affair, the seniors seemed to take over. Lombardi and Diaz came alive and went on an unstoppable scoring run.

The two seniors combined for 47 of IUP’s 72 points. It seemed as if they could not miss. When all was said and done, Lombardi notched 27 points, two assists and a steal.

Diaz finished the game with 20 points, six rebounds and an assist.

March 5, 2019

With this being such a momentous night, emotions played a role in the performance of the seniors.

“My emotions were all over the place,” Lombardi said about senior night. “Once the game started, it felt just like another game.”

This win gave the Hawks their 26th win on the season, giving them a 26-2 regular season record.

This season was one of complete dominance for the Crimson Hawks.

Aside from a two-game slump in mid-season, the Hawks have been unable to lose.

Their eminence this season has come with some major benefits.

The Hawks have grasped homecourt advantage throughout the PSAC playoffs in the upcoming

weeks. IUP’s phenomenal season has also allowed the university to become heavy favorites to host the Division II Atlantic regional tournament at the KCAC. This game seemed to be the perfect ending to an astonishing regular season for the men’s team that tied for the best record in program history.

While one door has closed for IUP, a new one has opened. The Crimson Hawks now have their eyes set on the PSAC playoffs and are hungry to bring home a title.

IUP will host the winner of the Pitt-Johnstown vs. Gannon matchup Wednesday. If they win, the remaining games would be hosted at the highest East seed.

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Sports

(Autumn Dorsey/The Penn) The IUP women’s basketball team posed with the senior class before the team’s Saturday game.

Women’s basketball drops final regular season contest to Seton Hill BRAD O’HARA

Lead Sports Writer B.L.Ohara@iup.edu @ThePennIUP

The IUP women’s basketball team lost its last regular season

game to Seton Hill on Saturday.

The 59-71 loss was the Crimson Hawks’ first senior night loss since 2014 and their second loss in the past three games.

Prior to the game, the senior

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class of Carolyn Appleby (safety sciences), Ana Hollen (kinesiology), Kendall Hunter (special education), Brittany Robinson (education) and Lauren Wolosik (business) was honored.

The seniors have gone 98-23 over four seasons, winning two PSAC West titles, the 2017 PSAC championship and the 2018 NCAA Atlantic Region title.

Going into the game, IUP had already clinched its spot as the No. 1 seed in the PSAC playoffs and won the PSAC West division. Seton Hill was in the same boat as it had already clinched the fourth seed in the postseason.

This game was simply to build momentum going into the playoffs and to improve their seedings for the national Division II tournament.

The game started with both teams trading blows. The first half of the first quarter had the game tied with both teams making multiple shots from 3-point range.

However, Seton Hill did not slow down for the rest of the quarter while IUP struggled to make its shots. The Crimson Hawks made

only two of their last nine shots, giving Seton Hill a 22-16 lead at the end of the first quarter.

The second quarter was a much slower burn with both teams playing even basketball.

Anytime Seton Hill started to build the lead, the Crimson Hawks stepped up and brought the game closer. But this back-and-forth basketball allowed for the Griffins to retain an eight-point lead going into halftime.

All momentum began to shift with the start of the second half, and IUP finally began to play the level of basketball that we have come to expect from the team.

The Crimson Hawks did not struggle with their shot efficiency in the third quarter and brought the game within two points halfway through the quarter and three points by the end of the third.

That same momentum carried IUP into the fourth quarter. With slightly more than five minutes left in the game, the Crimson Hawks had regained the lead.

Sadly, the Crimson Hawks almost immediately lost that lead and nev-

er saw it again.

IUP made only two of its last nine shots as Seton Hill took over to defeat IUP 71-59.

Field goal efficiency was one of the main issues plaguing IUP in its loss. In the first half alone, the Crimson Hawks missed 20 of their 31 shot attempts and made three of eight from 3-point range. Despite a slight increase in production in the third quarter, IUP made fewer than 30 percent of its shots in the fourth quarter.

“I think going into the next game we need to make sure we play IUP basketball for 40 minutes,” Wolosik said. “We will prepare the same way and continue to improve collectively as a whole.”

Now, IUP will look toward the postseason as it will have its first game of the PSAC playoffs at home Wednesday.

The Crimson Hawks will either have an immediate rematch against Seton Hill or will take on Pitt-Johnstown, depending on the winner of that matchup. IUP has home-court advantage throughout the entirety of the PSAC tournament.

Sports

March 5, 2019

17

Playoff race heats up as monthly stars are announced TYLER COMO

Staff Writer T.D.Como@iup.edu @ThePennIUP

With an NHL playoff race this close, each week can crown a new champion of the rankings.

After another week, the standings have rearranged in minor ways in terms of the wild card spot. The rest of the higher playoff seeds will remain more so the same.

The Eastern Conference is a tight battle between Pittsburgh, Montreal, Columbus and Carolina. Each of these teams is in a five-point range.

The Hurricanes lead the way with 78, then the Habs and Pens with 77 and the Jackets with 75.

After the weekend, the Blue Jackets went 0-for-4 in points attainable, first being shut out by the Edmonton Oilers 4-0, then losing their next game against Winnipeg.

Columbus is still a playoff contender, but they will need two big wins against Pittsburgh this coming weekend.

In the Jets-Jackets matchup, an even match most of the game changed with the surge from Jets captain Blake Wheeler in the third period.

Wheeler recorded a hat trick against Sergei Bobrovsky, as well as an empty netter, to ensure a win for the Jets. Wheeler may have found his stride against the Blue Jackets, but the rest of these players found theirs throughout the entire month of February.

The NHL-awarded third star of the month resides with the St. Louis Blues. Vladimir Tarasenko helped the Blues go 12-1-1 to match a franchise record in a calendar month.

He tallied his fourth hat trick against the Nashville Predators, who went from being ranked last Jan. 3 to third place in the Central Division.

The second star slot belongs to the Chicago Blackhawks’ right wing, Patrick Kane. He managed to put a point on the score sheet for every outing of the month, claiming a point streak of more than 20 games. Kane presently sits second in the NHL in goals (40) and points (94) through 63 games so far.

(TNS) Tampa Bay’s Nikita Kucherov has emerged as one of the NHL’s premier players.

The first star is really no surprise: Tom Kuhnhackl was the lone Nikita Kucherov, right wing of the goal scorer for the Isles early in the Tampa Bay Lightning. first. Then, after a no-score second From early in the season, period, the Caps rallied in the third, Kucherov remained high in the scoring three unanswered goals to leader boards. During the month claim a win. of February, he recorded his 100th It was a much different case with point in his 62nd game. He helped Sunday’s game against the Philabring his team to a commanding 13-point lead on the entire NHL. Kucherov is on pace to tally 131 points, looking to become the first NHL players to break 130 points since Mario Lemieux (161) and Jaromir Jagr (149) in 1995-96.

After going on a three-game win streak to start the month, the Los Angeles Kings wound up on a 10game losing streak to finish February on a low note. But it seemed the Kings felt a surge against the red-hot Kane and the Blackhawks Saturday.

The Kings were fed up with losing, and it showed as they held Kane to only six shots on net with zero points in the game. The Kings would double Chicago’s score and prove victorious, 6-3.

The New York Islanders sat in first place for a most of the month of February. But after facing off against two division rivals, the Islanders couldn’t hold onto the glory.

Prior to Friday’s game between the Capitals and the Islanders, New York shutout Washington 2-0.

This time was a different outcome.

delphia Flyers. New York couldn’t find the net for most of the 60 minutes of the game. However, they did manage to score with less than five minutes left in the game, after the Flyers have already tallied four goals.

The Ottawa Senators were on

a seven-game losing streak, and things weren’t looking pretty.

Over the weekend, management decided to make a change by firing head coach Guy Boucher. For the time being, Marc Crawford will serve as interim head coach.

On a positive side, the Senators’ losing streak came to an end playing against the Florida Panthers.

Ending on a somber note, Ted Lindsay, a long-time player for the Detroit Red wings, died Monday at age 93.

Lindsay was one of the starters of the NHL’s players union in April of 1950 and started the tradition of carrying the Stanley Cup around the ice. He played for Detroit for 14 seasons, then three with the Blackhawks. He tallied nine All-Star appearances and won four Stanley Cup titles over his career.

He was inducted into the NHL Hall of Fame in 1966. His No. 7 jersey was retired in 1991. The Ted Lindsay award is given yearly to the league’s most outstanding player.

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March 5, 2019

HOT TAKE JAKE

Sports

The more NHL playoffs change, the more they stay the same JAKE TAYLOR

Staff Writer J.M.Taylor8@iup.edu @JakeTaylor8726

This article contains opinion.

As spring approaches and the snow begins to melt, the ice around the National Hockey League begins to heat up.

Playoff hockey is right around the corner, so that means the best two months of the year are near.

This may even be the first time in 10 years that the Chicago Blackhawks or the Pittsburgh Penguins are not the clear-cut favorites to win.

Instead, the favorites are the ultimate underdog story of 2017.

The last seed Predators Zamboni-ed every Western Conference

(TNS) Johnny Gaudreau and the Calgary Flames may return to the postseason in 2019.

team in the playoffs and won the President’s Trophy the following year. Now they’re making big mid-

season acquisitions to make that final step to win it all.

Over in the East is quite possibly

the greatest team to ever assemble on ice. The Tampa Bay Lightning is the fastest team to reach 50 wins in NHL regular season history. This is very surprising considering how uneven the competition was until the late ‘90s.

Nikita Kucherov, the league’s soon-to-be MVP, is tearing apart opponents with no signs of stopping. However, if I were a sensible man, I would clearly bet against this Tampa team due to its constant playoff blunders.

They have blown 3-2 game leads to both the Penguins and the Capitals in the conference finals, which saw both these teams move on and win the cup.

In a sport where the playoffs are rarely ever chalk, will these powerhouses actually meet up in the fi-

nals to play one another? Probably not.

That’s what makes this the greatest sport. Sidney Crosby has been the league’s hottest player as of late, Winnipeg just traded for Kevin Hayes, Toronto has all the pieces and Johnny Hockey is living up to his name in Calgary. This NHL season could go to absolutely any team that makes the playoffs.

It has never truly been like that this past decade. It’s either the Penguins, Blackhawks, Capitals, Kings or whatever random team gets hot down the stretch.

Not this year, though.

Talent is dispersed across the league, great goaltending is becoming easier to find and the game is evolving quickly.

April can’t come soon enough.

STAT STORIES

Odds for NBA MVP narrowing down to a pair ANDREW PIERSON Staff Writer A.W.Pierson@iup.edu @AndrewPierson23

This article contains opinion.

With around 20 games remaining for each team in this NBA season, there are a few interesting season-ending prop bets to take a look at – the most notable being the MVP race.

At the beginning of March, we can see that the MVP race has been narrowed down to a tight one between Giannis Antetokounmpo (-125) of the Milwaukee Bucks and James Harden (+110) of the Houston Rockets.

Antetokounmpo is averaging 27 PPG over 12 boards and almost six assists per game. Harden on the other hand is averaging a league-leading 36.2 PPG while also managing to dish out 7.6 assists per contest and grabbing 6.6 boards per game.

If you were to just take a look at

(TNS) Houston’s James Harden and Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo are the top contenders for the NBA MVP award.

these main statistics, it would be easy to put your money on Harden, but let’s take a deeper look.

So far this year, Harden is shooting only 44.3 percent from the field,

while Antetokounmpo has been much more efficient, shooting 57.7 percent from the field. That might play a huge part in the deciding factors seeing that Harden has

been shooting much more than Antetokounmpo but at a much lower rate.

What I think will be the difference in the contest is the overall

team records. The Rockets are sitting at 37-25 overall, putting them in fifth place in the Western Conference standings, while the Bucks are 48-15 with the best record in the NBA. Over the last 18 seasons, there has been only one MVP winner on a team with a winning percentage under 68 percent; that being Russell Westbrook during his first historic triple double season. With the Rockets sitting way below the that mark at 59.7 percent, it seems like a long shot in my eyes that Harden would be able to take the MVP crown away from a more efficient player on a better team.

The only other player that has any relevance in the MVP race is Paul George (+600) who is having a career season. Although George is having a lot of success, it would take a legendary finish to the year for George to steal the MVP. So, if you’re going to take any advice from me, I’d put my bets on Antetokounmpo.

Sports

March 5, 2019

19

(TNS) LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers may find themselves out of the playoffs.

Lakers’ inability to finish might bring end to playoff chances BILL PLASCHKE

Los Angeles Times TNS

They needed this one. They had this one.

LeBron James dunked through two defenders, then nailed a three-pointer over all of them, and suddenly the Milwaukee Bucks were back on their lightning-quick heels, the Lakers leading by two with barely two minutes left.

They stumbled over this one.

They blew this one.

Rajon Rondo threw a lousy pass.

James backed into a charging foul.

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope threw a horrible in-bounds pass.

The Bucks made layups. The Bucks hit free throws. The Bucks hit threes. The Bucks made them pay.

On the verge of an energizing victory over the team with the best record in the NBA, the Lakers showed again Friday night how they could finish this season as the biggest disappointment in the NBA with a 131-120 loss at Staples Center.

They ended what was once a

splendid evening being outscored 15-2 in those final minutes, and when the bulldozing stopped, it felt not just like the end of a game, but possibly the end of a season.

The Lakers have 20 games remaining, and they are three games out of the Western Conference’s eighth and final playoff spot, and they have to jump over two teams to get there, and do you think they can pull it off?

At this point, it appears not. After a perfect chance for a stolen moment was handed away Friday night, it appears this mountain might finally be too high. The light at the end of that 30-32 tunnel might finally be too distant.

How many wins is it going to take to make the playoffs?

In the last five years, the eighth seed in the Western Conference has averaged 44 wins. That means the Lakers, with their 30 wins, are going to have to reasonably go 14-6 to get there.

That’s 14 wins. In five weeks.

With a team that needed three months to record its most recent 14 wins.

Do they have 14 wins in them?

From here, it doesn’t look like it.

At the end of Friday night, it didn’t feel like it.

Looking at their schedule, if they beat teams they should beat with James being James and the rest the guys playing decently, they can get 11 wins. That’s if everything goes right.

That means they need to pull three extraordinary wins out of their pocket and can they do that?

Those three wins would have come in places like Toronto, Utah or Oklahoma City, or at home against the likes of Golden State, Utah, Denver or Boston.

One of those wins could have been Friday night, but in the end, it wasn’t, and that hurt.

It hurt because Brandon Ingram had another brilliant game with 31 points, giving him an average of 29 points per game in the five games since the All-Star break.

It hurt because James put on his usual fourth-quarter push to also finish with 31 points, and Rondo was occasionally spectacular with 20 points and nine assists.

And, yeah, It hurt because the Bucks’ MVP favorite Giannis Antetokounmpo was held to 16 points with a pressing Lakers defense that finally worked.

Except it didn’t work on everybody, as Eric Bledsoe scored 31 and Malcolm Brogdon added 21 and they pretty much went to the rim at will.

These Lakers just don’t have the focus to put together 48 powerful minutes, or the manpower to finish.

“I really like the way our group competed for most of that game,” Lakers coach Luke Walton said.

“Against one of the best teams in the league, we really played well.

And then, for some reason, we kind of fell apart.”

And not only with the kids who have taken so much heat, but with veterans James, Rondo and Caldwell-Pope.

“We had our chances, we had our chances,” said James. “Too many breakdowns.”

Three turnovers and at least that many defensive breakdowns, all in those final minutes.

The Lakers inconsistent effort

was typified in the third quarter.

Ingram had a posterizing dunk over Brook Lopez with 8:18 left in the quarter to give the Lakers a 7467 lead. Then he hit a jumper, and was a scorching 12 for 14 at the time. Then Antetokounmpo was shut down on a drive and, on the other end, James turned a layup into a 3-point play to give the Lakers a 79-67 lead midway through the quarter.

They looked good, then, just as quickly, they looked lost.

Bledsoe, who agreed a fouryear, $70 million contract extension before the game, drove through for three layups.

Pat Connaughton dunked.

Connaughton hit a 3-pointer, Ersan Ilyasova scored on a layup. Ingram missed a layup, Bledsoe hit a 3-pointer, and with 3:15 left the Bucks led, 83-82.

Back and forth it went until those final minutes of the fourth quarter, and now it’s on to Phoenix Saturday to play the tanking Suns.

That will be another must-win game, coming just hours after Friday’s must-win-but-didn’t game.

Sports

March 5, 2019

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