March Madness 2019

the pitt news

pittnews.com

March 18, 2019

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March 18, 2019

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Cover: Thomas Yang Assistant Visual Editor

March 18, 2019 | Volume 108 | Issue 122

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL TOP 10 MOMENTS

PITT MEN'S BASKETBALL: A SEASON IN REVIEW Coach Jeff Capel relied on senior Jared Wilson-Frame (4) to bring experience to the backcourt. Knox Coulter | staff photographer

Stephen Thompson Staff Writer

The story of the 2018-19 Pitt men’s basketball team cannot be told without also telling the story of the debacle that took place a season ago.

An 8-24 overall record, 0-18 in conference play, eight losses coming by 20 points or more and eight players requesting to transfer led to what many saw as overdue and inevitable –– the firing of head coach Kevin Stallings on March 8, 2018.

So thus began the rebuild.

The search for his replacement did not last long. After multiple high-profile names like Dan Hurley and Sean Miller floated around Oakland for a few weeks in early spring, Athletic Director Heather Lyke announced one that few saw coming –– Jeff Capel. The then-first assistant to Mike Krzyzewski at Duke was named Pitt’s head basketball coach on March 27, 2018, less than three weeks after Stallings was fired.

From the moment he was introduced, Capel’s reputation as a capable recruiter was put to the test. Not only did he have to sell recruits on his vision for the program, but the current players as well. Capel got straight to work trying to keep potential transfers in Pittsburgh.

For the most part he was successful, but not everyone saw his vision. First-year guards Parker Stewart and Marcus Carr, Stallings’ most promising young players, transferred to the University of Tennessee at Martin and the University of Minnesota, respectively, in the spring of 2018.

Other than Carr and Stewart, Capel was able to retain much of what could be loosely defined as Pitt’s core. Sophomore Khameron Davis and

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senior Jared Wilson-Frame brought some, albeit limited, experience to the backcourt. Junior Kene Chukwuka and sophomore Terrell Brown made up the undersized and undermanned big man crop.

Despite Wilson-Frame’s limited experience at the Division I level, Capel relied heavily on him for his maturity and leadership. Wilson-Frame’s eager acceptance of Capel’s vision helped aid that relationship.

“Jared is a guy who believed right away when I got the job,” Capel said. “When there was a lot of uncertainty in the program, he was certain in his beliefs in me, us, the future and the direction.”

Capel continued to prove his recruiting chops through the spring and into the summer, picking up three top-150 recruits: Xavier Johnson, Trey McGowens and Au’Diese Toney. In addition to his trio of first-year players, Capel was aided by the return of junior forward Malik Ellison, who sat out last season due to NCAA transfer rules.

Capel had his squad, but he also had a long way to go before they were ready to play ACC basketball and it showed. From the first workout, returning players noticed a serious uptick in intensity. As Ellison told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette in September, the difference in energy is not only impactful emotionally but physically.

“It’s night and day,” Ellison said. “I think that this year, the intensity is just on another level. It’s not even close. Each and every practice, every workout, I’m dead tired afterward because we literally give it our all, 110 percent.

Our bodies, we empty out the tank. That’s the

Senior forward Kauai Bradley (14) earned her career-high 17 points against Clemson on Jan. 20. Thomas Yang | assistant visual editor

Laura Sosovicka For The Pitt News

The Pitt women’s basketball team witnessed a season of ups and downs in 2018-19. In April 2019, Lance White replaced Suzie McConnellSerio as head coach. While both coaches had similar records and conference wins, White still seems to have positively impacted the team in his first year. The Panthers saw major setbacks when senior guard Aysia Bugg and junior Alayna Gribble found their way to injured reserve.

Bugg was diagnosed with blood clots and Gribble struggled with concussions.

Without two of their prominent players, the team lacked rhythm, which brought massive struggles during the second half of the season when conference play started. These setbacks provided obstacles that the Panthers could not overcome as they finished the season in 14th place in the ACC Division.

While most of the season was a struggle, there were some bright spots to it. These are the top 10 moments of the women’s season.

1. NOLA Edged Out at the Pete The Panthers received their first win at home this season when they hosted the New Orleans Privateers. This was Pitt’s first time playing the Privateers and the first win for White. PromiSee Review on page 7 nent figures included Cassidy Walsh, Gribble,

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Danielle Garven and Kyla Nelson –– all four scored points in the double-digits. The Panthers came into the game hot, making the score 50-18 heading into halftime. Gribble and Walsh were the top two scorers of the game: Walsh scored 21 and Gribble scored 17. Pitt topped the Privateers in rebounds, assists, steals and blocks for a 90-38 win.

2. Bearing a Win Bugg exceeded limits offensively with 23 points, recognized as the top player when Pitt faced the Cincinnati Bears at home. Her performance motivated Walsh, who scored 14 points, and Garven, who scored 13 points. Additionally, sophomore Cara Judkins reached a career-high 13 rebounds within 25 minutes. The Panthers took the lead in field goals (25-19), 3-pointers (6-2), free throws (9-8), rebounds (48-31) and blocks (4-3) over the Bears. Gribble showed her skill for 3-pointers in the second half, giving Pitt the victory. An 8-0 run into the fourth quarter launched the Panthers ahead of the Bears, ending the game with a score of 65-48.

3. Pitt Makes Noise in Music City The Panthers rattled the court on the final night of the Robin Tournament by snatching a win against Tennessee State, helping Pitt improve to 4-4 overall while leaving Tennessee at See Women’s Basketball on page 8

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BEST FIRST-ROUND NCAA TOURNAMENT MATCHUPS Trent Leonard Sports Editor

With the 2019 NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament bracket officially released, it’s time to start parsing through the opening matchups to look for the best entertainment value. The seeding system ensures that the best teams won’t face each other until later in the tournament, but the first round still offers plenty of excitement in the form of upset potential, talented players and unique team identities. Let the Madness begin.

No. 5 Marquette vs. No. 12 Murray State When: Thursday, 4:30 p.m.

Where: XL Center in Hartford, Connecticut The tournament selection committee just couldn’t help itself. With Ohio Valley Conference champion Murray State earning an automatic bid and once highly seeded Marquette floundering down the stretch, the opportunity to create this 12-5 matchup was something the committee couldn’t pass up.

That’s because fans will get the chance to

see the tournament’s top two scorers — Marquette junior guard Markus Howard and Murray State sophomore guard Ja Morant — face off in a battle of pure offensive firepower.

Howard leads all tournament players with 25 points per game, while Morant isn’t far behind at 24.6 points per game.

The two get their buckets in different ways.

Howard, at 5-foot-11, is the prototypical modern point guard, eschewing shots close to the basket in favor of 3-pointers. On the season, he attempts about as many shots from beyond the arc (8.6) as he does from within it (8.8).

The strategy pays off — he shoots a slick 40.8 percent on 3-pointers and had 10 games of 30 or more points, including three games of 45 or more points.

Morant, on the other hand, is from an older school of thought that prioritizes power over finesse. He’s an average 3-point shooter at 33.6 percent, but his sheer physical domiJa Morant (12) of the Murray State Racers reacts after tipping in a shot in nance caused him to rise rapidly up NBA draft the second half against the SIU-Edwardsville Cougars at CFSB Center on Feb. 9 in Murray, Kentucky. Murray State won 86-55. joe robbins | tns See Matchups on page 13

HIGHS AND LOWS OF PITT’S TIME IN THE TOURNAMENT Trent Leonard Sports Editor

For the better part of the 21st century, March has been a time for Pitt basketball fans to look forward to the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament with a mixture of high hopes and preparative disappointment. The Panthers made the Big Dance 13 out of 15 times from 2002 to 2016, an unprecedented run of success started by former head coach Ben Howland and continued under Jamie Dixon.

But the Panthers have failed to make the tournament for three straight seasons since Dixon left in 2016, leaving Panther fans twiddling their thumbs and sitting idly by as another Pitt-less March Madness unfolds. With no Pitt basketball to look forward to, we can only look back — so let’s take a trip down memory lane and reminisce on the highs and lows of Panther tournament yore.

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Final Four appearance (sort of) The first semblance of a national college basketball tournament popped up in 1939, when Ohio State head coach Harold Olsen came up with the idea for a single-elimination bracket to determine a champion. However, it was a far cry from the 68-team pool we know today — only eight teams made the tournament for the first 11 years of its existence The Panthers, coached by legendary head coach and Naismith Hall of Fame inductee Doc Carlson, made the tournament while it was still in its infancy in 1941. They took down the UNC Tar Heels in the first round, 26-20, thus advancing to the “Final Four,” where they lost to the eventual national champion Wisconsin Badgers 36-30.

Sure, this lone Final Four appearance stands Ben Howland took over as Pitt’s Men’s Basketball head coach in 1999 and out as mostly a formality considering it only took built the Panthers into a contending team on the national stage. via neon tommy | wikimedia commons See Tournament on page 15

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Labor board affirms Pitt grad students to unionize & Pitt files response to Rose suit, read at pittnews.com

PREVIEW THE SCHEDULE FOR WOMEN’S EMPOWERMENT WEEK

Maureen Hartwel Staff Writer

Who run the world?

Since Beyonce first posed this question in 2011, many have searched for an answer. This week, it’s a topic of discussion during Pitt’s third annual Women’s Empowerment Week.

Hosted by the Student Government Board, WE Week 2019 begins Monday, March 18, and ends Saturday, March 23. Sydney Harper, 2016-17 SGB vice president, started the tradition in March 2017 to celebrate women’s achievements and highlight female empowerment.

This first WE Week included six different events, including a comedy show by Leslie Jones, a screening of the movie “Girl Rising” and an art gallery with feminist themes. This year, SGB has partnered with organizations across campus to host eight different events, including lectures, art exhibitions and workshops.

Body Autonomy Exhibition Monday, March 18 11 a.m.-4 p.m.

WPU Ballroom This exhibition, hosted by Pitt Unmuted, will feature artwork and writing samples from students all across campus sharing what body positivity means to them.

Maggie Medoff is the vice president of Pitt Unmuted, an organization which provides online and verbal platforms for survivors of sexual assault. Medoff, who previously worked for The Pitt News, said Unmuted encouraged students of all different races, genders and backgrounds to submit work to ensure that the display is intersectional.

“I think an event like this really challenges us to ask questions about different kinds of women and different kinds of people,” Medoff said.

According to Medoff, students in past years were hesitant to discuss topics like sexuality or body positivity in such an open way. But this year, Medoff said, the organization has received many submissions from people who openly talk about their race, gender and identity in ways not seen in previous years’ exhibitions.

Krithika Pennathur, founder and president of Unmuted, said the event aims to push away from cis- and hetero-normative representations of body

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Leslie Jones performed at the first Women’s Empowerment Week in March 2017. tpn file photo . positivity.

“Reflecting on who’s not in the room allows us to ask ‘what perspectives are we missing?’”

Pennathur said. “Women’s Empowerment Week hopefully starts a conversation, but it’s not the end of the conversation.”

Salary Negotiation Workshop Tuesday, March 19 5-7 p.m.

WPU Lower Lounge Pitt’s American Association of University Women, Society of Women Engineers and Women in Business club will cohost a workshop providing tips on expressing personal value to employers, giving persuasive responses in professional settings and negotiating salaries. SGB President Maggie Kennedy said the event will simulate a professional meeting, teaching students how to identify their worth in the workplace and negotiate for a higher salary.

She said the event focuses on women-specific tips because college women don’t always recognize their own value, which can complicate the process of negotiating for a higher salary.

“The point is to tell women ‘You deserve a space in this higher education,’” Kennedy said.

Amber Krzys: Body Positivity Tuesday, March 19 6-9 p.m.

WPU Assembly Room The University of Pittsburgh Panhellenic Association, the umbrella group for all sorority life on campus, will host body positivity speaker and founder of various self-love organizations Amber

Krzys to perform her keynote, “Fierce Loving: For Your Body.” Following her speech, attendees will participate in a photo shoot for the “bodyheart” campaign, in which they put a heart somewhere on their body that needs love.

Beyond the Buzzword: Intersectionality in Real Life Wednesday, March 20 8-10 p.m.

WPU 548 Beyond the Buzzword, hosted by Pitt Program Council, Rainbow Alliance and Black Action Society, will facilitate a discussion on intersectionality and how it affects people from all walks of life on and off campus.

“We want to look at the folks around us and ask how we can be aware of our privilege,” Kennedy said. “Instead of being caught up in guilt of our privilege, we want to encourage using it to uplift others.”

Kennedy said the event aims to reach students who want to learn more about intersectionality and diversity.

Take Back the Night Thursday, March 21 7-9 p.m.

WPU 918 Hosted by Pitt FEM and Asian Students Alliance, this event is a march against domestic violence, sexual assault and street harassment, which goes through the streets of Oakland. The first “Take Back the Night” at Pitt occured in 2015, in tandem with a national collegiate movement that occurs annually.

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The event advocates for women to feel safe while walking around at night, highlighting the prevalence of street harassment on college campuses. Following the march, attendees can participate in an information session and discussion to explore such topics.

Who Run the World Friday, March 22 5-7 p.m.

WPU Ballroom This event, hosted by Pitt Girl Up and the Nursing Student Association, will focus on women internationally, highlighting cultural organizations, global health and refugees. Shreya Thakur, President of Pitt Girl Up, said the event will include a slideshow presentation, dance tutorials, a henna fundraiser and international snacks.

Girl Up, an international organization that partners with the U.N. to empower and educate women, focuses on teaching girls about sexual and reproductive health and how to work towards their goals. Thakur said the event will align with the club’s mission by educating attendees on health issues affecting women in the global sphere.

“We are hoping to shine a light on different health disparities that women are facing, especially refugee women,” Thakur said.

On the Basis of Sex Screening Friday, March 22 9-11 p.m.

WPU Assembly Room Attendees of this event will view the film “On the Basis of Sex,” which details the life of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Doors open at 8:15 p.m. and snacks will be provided.

Empowered Women Empower Women: Leadership Summit Saturday, March 23 2-4 p.m.

University Club Ballroom B This event provides attendees the opportunity to network with women leaders across campus.

This summit will also present a student with the second annual Patricia E. Beeson Women’s Empowerment Award, an award available to any woman student on campus.

“We want to honor those women who work hard and really don’t get the recognition they deserve,” Kennedy said.

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Editorial: Rise in white nationalism fed by politicians, read at pittnews.com

DEBATE AND DISNEY:

VIGNETTES FROM SPRING BREAK

from the stress that most people associate with spring break, but it was bizarrely cathartic. Would I rather have been sipping a slushy in some tropical climate? Surely. But getting to revisit my old stomping grounds helped me recognize just how much my first year of college has changed me.

I’m more mature. I’m more educated. I’m more prepared to take on any challenge, whether that be remembering how to drive after months of relying on Port Authority or determining which 15-year-old made a more convincing argument about the state of Venezuelan politics.

The Pitt News Staff Julia Kreutzer, Staff Columnist

While it seems all of my friends spent their breaks indulging in snacks by the pool or exploring exotic travel destinations, my spring break reverted me back to my prime form: high school speech and debate competitions.

In high school, I spent weekend after weekend competing in various events at an assortment of tournaments. Now, with all of the wisdom of a second-semester first year, I am apparently qualified to judge the very students whom I competed against just months ago. I spent four of my seven days of break sitting in classrooms, analyzing argument after argument made by the most talented competitors in the state.

It may not have been the reprieve

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Inside the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston. photo courtesy of delilah bourque | senior staff columnist

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Delilah Bourque, Senior Staff Columnist See Vignettes on page 16

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Review, pg. 3 emphasis with this staff.”

By November, it was clear that the newlook Panthers were poised to right the ship after a disastrous 2018 campaign. The electricity surrounding the Petersen Events Center was driven by Pitt’s four high-profile newcomers –– Capel and his trio of star recruits.

The first time the Panthers took the court, the three first-years were immediately impactful. Johnson and McGowens combined for 24 points in a 78-59 exhibition victory over Pitt Johnstown.

The Panthers would open the regular season by winning their first six contests — thanks in part to their obvious talent advantage over mid-major teams like Colgate and New Orleans — but they were also using a brand of scrappy defense and fast play that completely juxtaposed their sluggish pace from a year ago.

What was likely most telling about this year’s iteration of Pitt Basketball was its first loss. In early December the Panthers traveled to Iowa City to take on No. 14 Iowa. A stunning first half saw the Panthers lead by six before eventually falling by one to a Hawkeye rally after Johnson’s last-second layup rimmed out.

Despite the loss, the team appeared to be headed in the right direction. What was expected to be a long, painful rebuild appeared to be ahead of schedule all the way through the non-conference schedule. But Pitt was handed a rude awakening at the beginning of ACC play.

In front of a sellout crowd, the first at the Petersen Events Center since February 2016, the Panthers were handed their 23rd consecutive conference loss by the then-No. 15 UNC Tar Heels, who won by 25.

The Panthers then won two of their next three conference games, with the lone loss coming on the road to NC State. The duo of McGowens and Johnson combined to average 51 points per game in the two wins, and the Panthers were out of the ACC cellar for the first time in more than two years.

However, those wins offered only temporary respite from their losing ways. The Panthers dropped their next 13 straight and returned to their familiar place at the bottom of the ACC standings.

The Panthers once again found themselves in dead last when senior day rolled around.

Facing Notre Dame, a fellow cellar dweller, the Panthers had an opportunity to capture one of the biggest symbolic victories of the season –– a non-last ACC finish.

On a cathartic afternoon in Pittsburgh, the

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Panthers pulled out a 56-53 victory over the Fighting Irish and secured a second-to-lastplace finish for the first time since 2016. The Panthers carried that momentum into the ACC tournament, where they routed Boston College in the opening round before falling to Syracuse for the third time this season.

It’s often not possible to fully evaluate a team’s season while it’s still happening. But with the 2018-19 season officially in the books, we can finally address the ultimate question — has Pitt improved — to which the answer is, undoubtedly, yes.

Not only is there clear evidence in the counting numbers –– a win total improvement of six games overall and four games against conference opponents –– an increase in overall attendance, a stretch of seven consecutive sellouts in the Oakland Zoo and two sellouts for the entire arena on the year, but there is also some evidence that goes beyond what shows up on the box score.

Even in their losses, the Panthers showed incredible tenacity, toughness and desire to win. This is not the same team that was suffering 20- and 30-point losses on a nightly basis.

The buzz around Pitt basketball is back, and it was brought back by Capel and his young stars. Johnson, arguably the least highly touted of the three incoming first-years was the only player not wearing “DUKE” across his chest to make the ACC All-Freshman team. McGowens has shown superstar potential and Capel has shown that he has the ability as a coach to turn his available talent into results on the court.

A summer of work for Pitt’s already rapidly improving young core plus the addition of blue-chip recruits Gerald Drumgoole, Justin Champagnie and Karim Coulibaly –– with more certainly to come –– offer signs that Pitt will take an even bigger leap in year two of the Capel era.

Patience is a virtue and Pitt fans should temper their expectations when making predictions about the coming season of Pitt basketball, but all signs point to the return to greatness built during the Howland and Dixon eras. Capel emphasized that fact following their season-ending loss to Syracuse.

“I hate that it ended like this,” Capel said.

“Our season is abrupt. It ends abruptly. Our season ended today, but I will remember this group for the group that gave this program hope again.”

The NCAA tournament might be a longshot for 2020, but who knows? These Panthers don’t like to be told what they can’t do.

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Women’s Basketball, pg. 3 0-7. Despite teammates Bugg and Gribble’s absences, the ladies regrouped and stood firm in keeping their winning streak alive. The team’s performance mirrored the previous night when they beat Arkansas 61-54. White was pleased with the team and their spark of energy as the Panthers outscored the Tigers 18-8 at the end of the first quarter. The first half wrapped up with the Panthers heading the score 41-21. They set the bar higher with a score of 61-38 in the third and created a 25-point lead with seven minutes remaining

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in the game. The Panthers defeated the Tigers at 78-56. An invitation was extended to senior Garven to join the All-Tournament Team.

Garven obtained a 44-point total in the tournament and 17 points versus Tennessee.

4. Fourth Time’s the Charm The Panthers clinched their fourth straight win against Fordham University and ranked (6-4) overall for the first time this season.

Jasmine Whitney led the team with an impressive season best of 18 points in scoring.

Garven followed with 16 points while senior forward Kauai Bradley brought in 13 points.

The game was a nail-biter as the Panthers were behind the Rams by one with two minutes left.

Pitt called a timeout and plotted a different approach, resulting in Whitney’s layup and two free throws. This put the Panthers ahead of the Rams with a close score of 65-62.

5. Panthers Seize the Game The Panthers took everyone by surprise against the UNCW Seahawks as they clawed their way to victory. Judkins dunked a personal-best 16 points with seven rebounds and three blocks. Walsh raked in 15-points, a career-high eight rebounds and five assists.

Down by eight with seven minutes left, the Seahawks forced the Panthers to strengthen their game strategies. Garven and Judkins drilled in threes to give the Panthers a 16-12 lead over the Seahawks. The ladies dominated the rest of the game with a multitude of shots over UNCW. The Panthers established their most memorable catch-up win of the season, considering they were lagging behind by 13 points at one point in the game.

6. Showing the Locals Who’s Boss The Pittsburgh Panthers owned the court and cut their losing streak against their rival, the Duquesne Dukes, for the first time since 2013. This win featured significant accomplishments including the Panthers turning 12 Dukes turnovers into 12 points of their own. Whitney earned herself 23 points, marking the first time this season a player scored more than 20 points in two straight games. Walsh shot 14 points and Judkins reached her career-first double points with 10. The third quarter ended on a sour note for the Panthers with Duquesne leading 43-34, but Whitney and Walsh answered by tying up the game, 48-48. Walsh powered through two 3-pointers which set the Panthers in the lead.

The game ended with a score of 66-58 and put the Panthers at (9-5) overall.

7. Justified in Strength At the Petersen Events Center, the Panthers entered the first half against the Clemson Tigers See Women’s Basketball on page 9

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Women’s Basketball, pg. 8 looking for blood and victory. Bradley broke three scoreless minutes with a triple while Walsh forced a 10-2 run for the Tigers in the first quarter. The defense was strong during the second quarter as the Tigers suffered 11 turnovers, where Pitt grasped the lead 33-28 at the half. The Panthers made every effort to control the game, but the Tigers caught up and took over. Clemson defeated Pitt with a score of 6559. Enduring a hard loss also brought another upside: Bradley earned a career-high 17 points in the game.

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8. Thinking Pink Against Miami Even though they lost to the Miami Hurricanes, the Panthers can say they lost admirably. Hosting the 12th annual Pink the Petersen event in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness, the stands and court were flooded with a sea of fans and players decked out in pink. The ladies wore pink jerseys and handed out pink T-shirts to the 2,495 fans who showed up for the annual event. The profits from tickets sold were donated to Susan G. Komen Pittsburgh. Garven was the leader of the offensive category with 13 points across the span of 29 minutes of play. Overall, the ladies struggled

offensively for the duration of the game and fell to Miami with a score of 65-51.

9. Hail to the ACC Conquest White can proudly say he gained another notch on his belt as first-time head coach for the Panthers when his team went head-tohead against the North Carolina Tar Heels.

The team grabbed their first home ACC victory since January 2018 and White’s first as head coach. Garven gathered 27 points while Walsh followed with a total of 22 points. The 91 points contributed by Pitt is their highest since joining the ACC Conference back in 2013 and their best score since 2014. The

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Panthers triumphed over the Tar Heels 9178.

10. WBB Give Us Another Reason to Love Them A touching moment of this season was when the Women’s Basketball team visited cancer patients at UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital in February as part of their annual tradition prior to the Pink the Pete game.

The ladies of the group handed out free tickets and pink hats to the patients. Many patients were Pitt alumni and the Panther’s trip was a reminder to anyone watching just how closeknit the Pittsburgh community is.

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2019 NCAA TOURNAMENT

1 Duke 16 NCC/NDAKST 8 VCU 9 UCF

Virginia 1 G-Webb 16 Ole Miss 8 Oklahoma 9 Wisconsin 5

5 Miss. State 12 Liberty 4 Va. Tech 13 Saint Louis 6 Maryland 11 BELM/TEMP 3 LSU 14 Yale 7 Louisville

SOUTH

EAST

Purdue 3 Old Dominion 14 Cincinnati 7 Iowa 10 Tennessee 2

10 Minnesota 2 Michigan St. 15 Bradley 1 Gonzaga

Colgate 15 N. Carolina 1 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP MINNEAPOLIS APRIL 8

16 FDU/PVIEW 8 Syracuse 9 Baylor 5 Marquette 12 Murray St. 4 Florida St. 13 Vermont 6 Buffalo 11 AZST/STJOHN 3 Texas Tech

Oregon 12 Kansas St. 4 UC Irvine 13 Villanova 6 Saint Mary’s 11

Iona 16 Utah St. 8 Washington 9 Auburn 5 N. Mex. St. 12 Kansas 4

WEST

MIDWEST

Northeastern 13 Iowa St. 6 Ohio St. 11 Houston 3

14 N. Kentucky 7 Nevada

Georgia St. 14 Wofford 7

10 Florida 2 Michigan

Seton Hall 10 Kentucky 2

15 Montana

Abilene Chr. 15

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APO Service Fraternity College Democrats Resident Student Association College Republicans

Pittbracket20 18 2019 vote online at pittnews.com

Pitt Swing Undergrad econ. society Pitt Veterans Pitt Ruckus Pi Kappa Phi

Women’s Volleyball

Challah

Outdoors club

Men’s club soccer

CHAARG

Hindu Students Council

PPC

women’s ultimate

Pittiful News

Pittsburgh Attacks cancer

Dhirana

Club Triatholon

Pathfinders

Avaaz

PDM

Planned Parenthood Wpts Redeye Theatre Project

Black Action Society

The winning organization will receive

$300 in gift cards to hello bistro

Controlled Chaos

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imagination project Women in Business Hillel JSU

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Matchups, pg. 4 boards throughout the season, with most projections considering him a lottery pick.

The 6-foot-3 Morant terrorized Ohio Valley Conference foes all season long, racking up highlight-reel dunks while also leading the nation in assists at 10 per game.

Combined with the fact that neither team is elite on the defensive end — Murray State ranks 77th in the country, allowing 67.8 points per game, while Marquette is 120th at 69.1 — this game should be a fast-paced frenzy of buckets, making it a must-watch event for basketball fans. Clear your schedule for Thursday afternoon.

No. 7 Wofford vs. No. 10 Seton Hall When: Thursday, 9:40 p.m.

Where: Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Florida The Wofford Terriers enter March as the hottest team in the tournament, having won 20 straight games with their last loss coming Dec. 19. Neither their school name nor mascot necessarily instill a sense of fear, but make no mistake — these Terriers are not to be trifled with.

Wofford has fully embraced the post-

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Curry era of basketball. The Terriers rank sixth in the nation in 3-pointers attempted at 10.9 per game, and convert them at a second-best rate of 41.6 percent. Senior guard Fletcher Magee perfectly embodies Wofford’s style — his 4.6 3-pointers per game leads the nation, and he knocks them down at a hyper efficient 42.8 percent clip.

Yes, the Terriers come from the pedestrian Southern Conference. They haven’t faced the best competition yet, and their best win was over UNC Greensboro — and they didn’t stay within single digits of any ranked team they faced. But this is Wofford’s chance to instill some pride in the conference. Never before has a Southern Conference team been granted such a high seed in the Big Dance.

Seton Hall is a perfectly formidable opponent, having notched wins over topranked teams like Kentucky, Villanova and Marquette. In all likelihood, they should be favored to beat Wofford despite being the lesser seed. But the story to watch in this one is a small school from a small conference looking to make the selection committee proud for taking a chance on them.

Dog mascots fared well in the tournament last year (ahem, UMBC Retrievers). This

March, it could be Terrier time.

No. 5 Wisconsin vs. No. 12 Oregon When: Friday, 4:30 p.m.

Where: SAP Center in San Jose, California Someone in Wisconsin’s program must’ve made an enemy of someone on the selection committee. Typically, the 12-5 matchup features an established big-conference team matched up against a weakerconference foe. This holds true for the three other matchups in this year’s tournament, with 12 seeds like Murray State, New Mexico State and Liberty. So imagine the dismay at Wisconsin’s watch party when the Badgers found out they had to take on the Pac12 champion Oregon Ducks.

Okay, so it was a historically bad year for the Pac-12 conference. They placed no teams in the top 25 at season’s end, with only Washington coming close. Oregon rose from the scrum to win the conference tournament as the No. 6 seed, saving its season to earn an automatic bid in the tournament.

The Ducks’ season was nothing to write home about — they stumbled into mediocrity after losing star first-year center Bol Bol in mid-December. But this is an estab-

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lished program, one that made the Final Four just two seasons ago. They have one of the greatest coaches in Pac-12 history in Dana Altman, and they finished the season red-hot, winning their final eight games.

That’s why it’s such a shocker that the committee would give Oregon a 12-seed and put them up against a consistently great Wisconsin team. It’s a lose-lose for both teams because they shouldn’t have to face such a quality opponent so soon.

But it’s a win for the fans because we get a matchup with second-round caliber talent in the very first round.

Wisconsin senior Ethan Happ (17.5 points per game, 10.1 rebounds per game and 4.6 assists per game) headlines the individual players in this matchup, and he’ll look to finish his illustrious college career on a high note by willing his team to victory. His game is old school and consists almost solely of post-ups, baseline spin moves and reverse layups. But if the Ducks keep the game close, they won’t have to worry about defending Happ in crunch time — his awful freethrow shooting (46.5 percent) makes him a liability for head coach Greg Gard in late-game situations.

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Tournaments, pg. 4 one win to get there. But give this Pitt team some props for making this highly selective tournament at all. The Panthers proceeded to miss the tourney entirely for a program-record 15 straight seasons afterward, making this accomplishment appear all the more impressive.

First Sweet 16 under Ben Howland When the tournament expanded to its modern 64-team format in 1985, the Panthers settled into their role as a perennially decent team under head coach Paul Evans. You could count on them to make the tournament, but never advance past the second round. Then, Ralph Willard took over in 1994, and the program took a nosedive into mediocrity, failing to make the tournament in each of his five seasons.

Ben Howland took over in 1999 and slowly but surely built the Panthers into a contending team, going 13-15 then 19-14 before breaking through with a 29-6 record in his third year.

With junior guard Brandin Knight leading the way, the third-seeded Panthers stormed their way to the Sweet 16 before finally falling to Kent State in overtime, 78-73.

This appearance signified to the college basketball world that Pitt would be a contender on the national stage for years to come, and it jump-started a run of two consecutive Sweet 16 appearances that followed. Howland left Pitt for greener Los Angeles pastures in 2003, but the success he built continued under his protege Jamie Dixon.

Scottie Reynolds at the buzzer The year was 2009, and the Panthers entered March Madness with the fearsome trio of Sam Young, DeJuan Blair and Levance Fields. This should technically qualify as a high moment for the program. After all, it was Pitt’s first ever No. 1 seed in the tournament, and they finally made it past the Sweet 16 for the first time in modern tournament history.

But as any Pitt fan will tell you, there’s a reason this season is often regarded with a sense of sorrow rather than pride. Two words — Scottie Reynolds.

After cruising through their first three games, the Panthers faced third-seeded Villanova with a trip to the coveted Final Four on the line. The two teams battled evenly for 39 minutes and 54.5 seconds, and Fields sunk two clutch free throws to tie the game at 76 with 5.5 seconds remaining.

The rest, as they say, is history. Villanova inbounded the ball to a player at midcourt, who immediately dished the ball off to junior

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guard Reynolds, who was streaking down the sideline. Reynolds pried his way into the paint and put forth a contested floater that sunk gently through the net with just 0.5 seconds left on the clock, crushing the hearts of Pitt fans everywhere. Young and Fields graduated in the spring, and Blair declared for the NBA in the offseason, making this their final college appearance. Making the Elite Eight is a feat in itself, but Pitt’s most talented team ever deserved a better send-off.

Second-round loss to Butler The Panthers found themselves with championship aspirations once again two seasons later, snagging a No. 1 seed heading into the 2011 NCAA Tournament with a 28-6 overall record. Pitt fielded a supremely wellbalanced team led by sharpshooting point guard Ashton Gibbs, although the Panthers entered the tournament on a shaky note after being on the receiving end of a soul-crushing Kemba Walker stepback in the Big East Tournament.

That upset loss to eventual national champion UConn should’ve been a sign that fate did not favor the Panthers. But they went ahead and played anyway, meeting the eighth-seeded Butler Bulldogs in the second round of the tourney. What followed was one of the more bizarre endings ever seen a basketball game.

Following a back-and-forth battle throughout, Butler took a 70-69 lead on a layup with 2.2 seconds left, dealing what should’ve been a fatal blow to the Panthers.

But Butler guard Shelvin Mack pressured Pitt guard Gilbert Brown a little too close on the inbound, committing an absent-minded foul that sent Brown to the foul line with a chance to win the game.

With 1.4 seconds on the clock, Brown made the first free throw to tie but couldn’t convert on the second one to take the lead.

The ball fell into the hands of Butler forward Matt Howard, and Pitt junior Nasir Robinson inexplicably fouled him with 0.8 seconds left.

Howard stepped to the line and made the game-winning free throw to put Butler up for good, 71-70.

Certain singular events often outweigh entire careers, and unfortunately for Robinson, he’s remembered as the guy who made the mistake that cost Pitt yet another Final Four opportunity. Butler and UConn — the last two teams to beat Pitt — would meet in the national championship, embodying the kind of tough luck the Panthers have experienced throughout their tournament history.

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Vignettes, pg. 6 For my spring break, I treated myself to a five-day trip to one of my favorite cities: Boston. A good friend of mine attends Boston University, which had break the same week as Pitt.

Boston has great museums and attractions, and I got to see lots of them.

My favorite was the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, which displays the vast collection of art gathered by its namesake, an early 20th century philanthropist. The museum contains a gorgeous indoor courtyard, where plants and flowers were lush and green even in the 30-degree Boston weather.

The Boston Museum of Fine Arts is currently running a special exhibit on Frida Kahlo and her relationship with indigenous Mexican art, called arte popular, which was fascinating.

The MFA showcased some of Kahlo’s own art, parts of her arte popular collection and pieces by other artists in the movement.

Boston also has an amazing food scene, and I bankrupted myself on

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fresh pasta, authentic Irish food and sweets from the Boston location of chef Christina Tosi’s Milk Bar. I also got to experience Eataly, a massive Italian grocery and restaurant in Boston’s Prudential Center.

I could not have asked for a better spring break location. Though tropical destinations like Florida and Punta Cana are favorites for college students on break, my foray into Boston was unforgettable.

Ana Altchek, Staff Columnist Upon arriving in Florida for spring break, my phone inexplicably lost service for the next six days. After a week of strenuous midterms, this was the last thing I wanted to spend time worrying about.

While I was initially concerned, the problem turned out to be exactly what I needed. My next few days were full of utter relaxation as a result of being completely disconnected from everyone else.

When I arrived in Fort Lauderdale, I stayed with four friends for the first

five days, sharing one full-sized bed for the duration of the trip due to a strict budget. Upon our departure, the condition of our room may have been slightly compromised. Nonetheless, since we never returned to our room before 3 a.m., we surprisingly managed to sleep soundly each night.

We spent our time together at the beach, exploring different areas and surviving on granola bars and iced coffees from the Starbucks next door.

Throughout the trip, I was entirely focused on maximizing my own experience, and didn’t spend time comparing it to anyone else’s on social media.

After my fifth day with my friends, I visited my grandmother in Delray Beach. Not only was I glad to be reunited with her, but I was rather content — and certainly ready — to sleep in my own bed, eat a home-cooked meal and give my inflamed skin a break from the beating sun.

By the time I arrived back home, I had completely forgotten about my phone issues, and was brought back to reality with a surplus of notifications from my email and text messages.

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What began as a catastrophic nightmare actually turned into an unforgettable adventure — and a much needed break. In fact, I encourage everyone to start their next vacation by turning their phone off — it’s worth it.

Devi Ruia, Staff Columnist Feeling exhausted and a little defeated right after finishing up a Comparative Politics midterm, I left campus and headed for the Pittsburgh International Airport. One uneventful flight later, I was able to shed my jacket and sweatshirt for jeans and a Tshirt, trading the snow on the ground in Pittsburgh for the humidity of Orlando, Florida.

One of my best friends from back home is interning at Walt Disney World this semester, working in attractions at the Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith ride in Hollywood Studios. He invited me and a couple of our other friends to spend half of our spring break down there with him. My See Vignettes on page 17

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Vignettes, pg. 16 mood immediately shifted once I was around friends whom I hadn’t seen in months, especially in warm and sunny Orlando.

We stayed up late many nights watching Food Network and spent our days waking up early to visit the various theme parks in Florida. Nothing made me feel more relaxed and like a kid than reexploring Disney with my friends, although the highlight of the trip was definitely going to Universal Studios Florida and checking out The Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

I was almost reluctant to head back home to Washington, D.C., after five days of 80 degree weather, although getting to see my dog (and also family, I suppose) was incentive enough to go back. Now I’m hoping that maybe Pitt won’t be quite so cold in the month-long stretch leading up to finals — but I know it’s not going to match the fantastic Florida weather anytime soon.

Across from Philadelphia’s 69th Street Transportation Center, there’s an Asian market called H Mart with a food court on the second level that has our favorite bubble tea shop. During spring break, we spent five hours there, chattering about every little thing that’s happened that we missed.

We banged on the tables laughing, lamented our current studies and shared chocolate cake. It wasn’t a crazy, sun-soaked beach vacation of a break, but it made me happy.

Grace McGinness, Staff Columnist We all know that trying to plan a time for a group of old friends to get together is like completing advanced trigonometry when you barely passed basic algebra. For spring break, I languished for six hours on a bus to get to my hometown of Havertown and see my high school squad.

Since high school graduation, each of us has bustled off to different universities to prepare for a broad spectrum of careers, but we still love each other to bits and pieces and we try our hardest to still get together every break.

It hardly ever works out.

That’s adult life. You only get to see your friends once every six months for a few enjoyable days, then back to work. Usually for spring break, I would come home to catch dinner with one friend and then talk until 4 a.m., briefly text with those who aren’t home and hope that this time that plans won’t fall through and everyone can come together.

This year the stars finally aligned.

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The Pitt News SuDoku 3/18/19 courtesy of dailysudoku.com

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I N D E X

Rentals & Sublet • NORTH OAKLAND • SOUTH OAKLAND • SHADYSIDE • SQUIRREL HILL • SOUTHSIDE • NORTHSIDE • BLOOMFIELD • ROOMMATES • OTHER

For Rent North Oakland 3 BR Apartment on 732 S. Millvale Ave. Available August 1, 2019. $1320‑$1630 +gas & electric.

412‑441‑1211. info@­ forbesmanagement.­ net. www.forbesman­ agement.net Newly renovated, fully furnished, 4 & 5 BR, 2‑1/2 BA houses. Located near Pitt Dental School and Carlow Univer­sity.

Laundry ser­vices available. Rent $600/ mo per unit, which includes utili­ties. 5 BR available immedi‑ ately, 4BR available Aug. 1. Contact Chris 412‑656‑5693.

Two ‑ 4BR apart­ments available Au­gust 2019. 4821 Cen­tre Ave. Photos on­line, check out www.­ forbesmanagement.­ net, or call 412‑441‑1211. Apt. #1

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Employment • CHILDCARE • FOOD SERVICES • UNIVERSITY • INTERNSHIPS • RESEARCH • VOLUNTEERING • OTHER

‑ $2690+gas/electric.

Apt. #2 ‑ $2580+gas/­ electric.

South Oakland 1,2,3,4,5,6 bedroom houses in South Oak­land. Available Au­gust 1st or May 1st. Newly remodeled.

Bouquet, Meyran, At­wood, Semple St. Call 412‑287‑5712 for more information.

2 and 3 bedroom lo­cated on Meyran.

Newly renovated, air‑conditioning, dish­washer, and wash­er/dryer. Avail‑ able Summer 2019.

412‑915‑0856 or email klucca@veri‑ zon.net.

2 Bedroom Apart­ ment. Rent: $1690 + electric. Avail‑ able August 1, 2019 on Louisa St. 412‑441‑1211. info@­ forbesmanagement.­ net. www.forbesman­ agement.net.

2BR houses and apart­ ments available in August. Unfur­nished,

Classifieds

For sale

• AUTO • BIKES • BOOKS • MERCHANDISE • FURNITURE • REAL ESTATE • PETS

services

• EDUCATIONAL • TRAVEL • HEALTH • PARKING • INSURANCE

no pets. At­wood/S. Bouquet. Call 412‑492‑8173 3408 Parkview Ave. Studios, 1‑2‑3 BRS Available June &Aug. Pet Friendly & Park­ ing. CALL NOW! 412‑455‑5600 3436 Ward. Spacious 2‑Bedroom, 1 bath, equipped kitchen, $1,195 + electric, Heat included.

412‑271‑5550 3444 Ward St. ‑ Stu­ dio and 1bedroom apartments. Free heating, free park­ing.

Available May & August 2019 move‑in.

Call 412‑361‑2695 Apartments for rent on Semple ‑ studio, efficiency and one bedroom ‑ availabil­ ity May 1 and Aug 1 recently renovated and great location.

Includes heat, elec­tric is metered sepa­ rately. Call or text 412‑720‑5023.

Apartments for rent. 2 and 3 bedroom apart‑ ments available. Some available on Dawson Street, At­wood Street,

notices

• ADOPTION • EVENTS • LOST AND FOUND • STUDENT GROUPS • WANTED • OTHER

and Mc­kee Place.

Newly re­modeled.

Some have laundry on site. Min­utes from the Univer­sity. For more info please call Mike at 412‑849‑8694 August 2019 rental.

Studio & 1 Bed­rooms.

Heat included;­ parking. Charles Greve Company Real Estate 412‑261‑4620.

Brand new remod‑ eled spacious duplex.

5BR, 2BA, second and third floors with wooden floors.

Laun­dry room in apart­ment. $3000 +utili­ties. Call 412‑871‑5657 M.J. Kelly Realty.

Studio, 1, 2, 3 and 4 Bedroom Apart­ments, Duplexes and Houses.

N. & S. Oakland from $750‑$2500. mjkellyrealty@gmail.­ com. 412‑271‑5550. www.mjkellyrealty.­ com North/South Oakland Houses and Apart­ ments with Laundry and Central Air. Call or text 412‑38‑Lease Recently reno’ed S Oakland 3BR house,

R A T E S

Insertions

1-15 Words

16-30 Words

1X

2X

3X

4X

$6.30

$11.90

$17.30

$22.00

$7.50

$14.20

$20.00

$25.00

5X $27.00 $29.10

6X $30.20 $32.30

Add. + $5.00 + $5.40

(Each Additional Word: $0.10)

Deadline:

Two business days prior by 3pm | Email: advertising@pittnews.com | Phone: 412.648.7978

$1800/mo + utilities.

Spacious, beautiful, well‑maintained.

Dishwasher, wash­er/ dryer, central AC. Close to Pitt campus & shuttle. Off‑street parking available.

Panther Properties, 412‑328‑6236, pan­ therproperties2@ g­mail.com. pan‑ ther‑life.com/oakland Welsford St. ‑Large 6 bedroom house, 3.5 bathrooms. Recently renovated with dish­ washer, washer/ dryer. $3000/month.

724‑825‑0033

Shadyside 4909 Centre Ave. Great location for this spacious 1BR apartment located be­ tween Pitt and CMU. On buslines, near restaurants, hospital.

Rent includes heat.

Laundry, storage & parking available.

Up­dated kitchens and hardwood floors. $100 Amazon gift card upon move in. Avail‑ able spring, summer

March 18, 2019

and fall. Contact Sue at 412‑720‑4756.

Shadyside: 1 and 2BR, great location, hardwood floors.

Free heat. Immedi‑ ate occupancy. Call 412‑361‑2695

Southside A very nice 2BR apartment is avail­able with a start date of June 1. Located in a large apartment building that primar­ily houses university students, this apart­ ment is updated with skylights, appliances and it’s own laundry.

Building has a shared courtyard which has a grill and tables for re­laxing outside.

No pets, no smok‑ ing. Rent is $1299/ mo. +utilities. If inter­ested call Louis 412‑770‑4419

Rental Other Studios, 1, 2, & 3 Bedroom apartments available August 2019 & sooner. Oak­land,

Shadyside, Friend‑ ship, Squirrel Hill, Highland Park, Point Breeze. Photos & current availabil‑ ity online, check out www.forbesmanage­ ment.net, or call 412.441.1211

Employment Employment Other Comfort Keepers, a Post‑Gazette Top Workplace, is seek­ing caring individu­als.

Caregivers work alongside seniors to provide companion­ ship, light housekeep­ ing, personal care ser­ vices. Flexible hours available. If inter­ested call 412‑363‑5500 Need school year and summer help. Flexi­ble hours‑basic main­ tenance of Oakland rentals‑painting, light yard work, etc.

Some­one who can use a hammer or drill

with­out killing them­ selves. $15/hour. Dave 412.688.0533.

Team Scotti (insur­ ance broker for major league baseball) seek­ ing an information technology intern to assist in technical sup‑ port, troubleshoot­ing issues, organiza­tion and maintaining IT resources. Help with upgrading net­work equipment, as­sisting IT and other depart‑ ments with re­ports, tracking hard­ware and software in­ventory and other du­ties as assigned. Ideal candidate would have strong computer skills and a passion to learn. Fa­miliarity with Access is required.

Ability to work in a team en­vironment as well as independently is nec­essary. Contact Dave Webster at dweb­ster@team‑ scotti.com for further informa­tion.

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