The Student Printz December 3, 2015

Thursday, December 3, 2015

Volume 100 Issue 28

www.studentprintz.com PAGE THREE

PAGE FIVE

NEWS

Greek Life

Fraternities, sororities collaborate for annual charity event.

PAGE SIX

PAGE EIGHT

F E AT U R E

OPINION

S P O RT S

USM staff recommends self-care during exam week.

Ash brings his boomstick to the small screen.

Golden Eagles prepare for conference championship.

Finals Week

Evil Dead

Football

SGA event lights way to holiday season Nan Beauti Printz Reporter

Ringing in the holiday season, the ninth annual Lighting the Way program took place at The University of Southern Mississippi Wednesday evening, sponsored by the Student Government Association.

The traditional program started at 5:30 p.m. at the Aubrey K. Lucas Administration Building South Lawn.

Activities at the event included musical performances, the lighting and decorating of the Southern Miss Christmas tree and a photo-op with Santa. USM mascot Seymour made an appearance, and free hot chocolate and chili were served at the event.

Serving as a community philanthropy event, Lighting the Way raised $1,500 that will go to SGA-sponsored charity Homes of Hope for Children, a nonprofit organization meant to support children in crisis.

This year, SGA sold lanterns and accepted donations to raise profits for the charity. Homes of Hope for Children serves children in crisis throughout Mississippi by providing strong Christian homes to every child living on campus while ensuring that each child is loved unconditionally and has their physical, spiritual and emotional needs met.

“The Christmas tree is lit up, and all the lanterns at the front to campus look great, but the best part is we’re able to give to one of the local charities,” said Jeffrey George,

SGA President. “It’s great that we’re able to help them, especially during the holiday season when charities are in such great need.

“Other than what we’re able to give to the community through our donation that we make, the best part is that we welcome the community on to our campus, we invite local schools and churches to be come and enjoy this and be a part of Southern Miss.”

Holiday music was performed by the Southern BelleTones, the AfroAmerican Student Organization gospel choir and Spirit of Southern ensemble.

“We have been rehearsing every Sunday and Tuesday for the past three weeks getting the performance together,” said Anthony Humphries, junior music education major and member of the Afro-American Student Organization gospel choir.

“Our gospel songs bring diversity to the event, because it’s something not everybody is exposed to everyday.”

SGA judicial board member Daniel Glover said students enjoyed the activities, and many organizations participated in the event.

“Lighting the Way is a great opportunity for giving back,” Glover said.

A variety of activities for all ages and the holiday spirit brought the community together. The evening was culminated with the lighting of the university tree by interim Vice President for Student Affairs Thomas Burke.

Courtland Wells/Photo Editor Attendees gather around the Christmas tree at the Lighting the Way event at The University of Southern Mississippi campus Wednesday.

LOCAL

Documentary seeks to exonerate Hattiesburg native Hiba Tahir

Printz Reporter Gary Donatelli, a seven-time Emmy Award winning director and cameraman, hopes to clear the name of Hattiesburg native Larry Floyd with his new grassroots documentary project, “Clearing Larry Floyd.”

At age 16, Floyd was wrongfully indicted for murder and forced to spend nearly 30 years in the Mississippi State Penitentiary after his own father forced him to sign a guilty plea.

“He said, ‘Just sign this and trust me,’” Floyd said in the film. “I signed what he told me to sign. I didn’t know what it was.”

Floyd’s father, Junior Floyd, was Hattiesburg’s first black police officer. He was a powerful and well-respected hero in the black community, but Floyd knew him to be an alcoholic who regularly engaged in domestic violence.

Nevertheless, Floyd looked up to Junior and aspired to be just as successful. When Junior told him to sign a guilty plea and assured him that he would have to spend only two years in jail before he would be allowed to return home, Floyd trusted that his father knew what he was doing.

After 30 years behind bars, a grisly escape attempt and a decade in solitary confinement later, Floyd was paroled thanks to a letter writing

Larry Floyd/Courtesy Photo

campaign that reached more than 150 politicians. Since then, he has worked two jobs to make ends

meet, raised a family and served the community as a security guard.

Nevertheless, he remains a paroled criminal and a convicted murderer.

Donatelli hopes to change that through his documentary, which explores Floyd’s dramatic story and advocates for his exoneration and complete restoration of citizenship through gubernatorial pardon from Gov. Phil Bryant.

“I was initially brought to Larry’s story by a former student I had mentored who was part of a group trying to put together a motion picture based on Larry’s life story,” Donatell said. “The film fell apart, but I met (Floyd) at that time and was very taken by the fact that (Floyd) and his family were so adamant that he was

not guilty of the crime he spent 24 years in prison for.”

Donatelli was also surprised by the weight the Floyd family name carries in Hattiesburg, particularly in black communities. Floyd himself is well aware of that weight.

“To me, freedom is exonerating my name,” Floyd said. “If I die today, I will be dying as a convict. I don’t want to die like that. I want my name cleared, because that’s the only way that I can ever be free.”

As part of the movement, he regularly speaks at various campuses, NAACP meetings, churches and youth boot camps.

Earlier this semester, he spoke to Honors College students at The FLOYD, SEE PG. 3

Page 2 | Thursday, December 3, 2015

INFORMATION MEET THE STAFF OF FALL 2015

Editorial Policy

The views represented in The Student Printz’s columns and editorials do not necessarily represent those of the faculty, staff, or administration of The University of Southern Mississippi. We welcome letters to the editor representing similar and contrasting opinions. To be eligible for publication, all submissions must include name, class distinction, major, phone number, and email address. Submissions should be emailed to printzeditors@gmail.com by 5 p.m. on the Friday before publication. Please limit them to 500 words or less. The Student Printz reserves the right to refuse publication or edit any material on the basis of clarity, space, or journalistic ethics.

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Expressed in The Student Printz are those of the writer and not necessarily those of The Student Printz, its publication manager, USM, the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning or the USM Board of Student Publications.

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NEWS

Thursday, December 3, 2015 | Page 3

ON CAMPUS

Chi Omega raises money to grant wishes Lora Lavigne Printz Reporter

The Epsilon Delta chapter of Chi Omega Sorority at The University of Southern Mississippi kicked off the holidays by hosting its 64th annual Songfest competition.

The free event was held on Tuesday at Reed Green Coliseum, where hundreds of students gathered to compete and support Greek Life’s participation.

Songfest is one of the oldest philanthropic events held on the Southern Miss campus.

According to the university’s website, Songfest is held to raise money for the Mississippi chapter of the Make-A-Wish Foundation. The event allows multiple organizations to get involved in helping the wishes of children all over the country come true.

In an attempt to raise money for the foundation, Chi Omega received profit shares from participating restaurants Which Wich and Buffalo Wild Wings, hosted a silent auction and took donations.

Sophomore Chi Omega Brandi Bufford said Songfest is about more than just coming together for a sorority event and is instead about changing lives through their support and efforts.

She said her favorite part is when the Make-A-Wish participant or family member speaks.

Bufford said, “Hearing what an impact we made on their attitude and lives gives me chills.”

Sophomore Chi Omega member Chaise Gilbert said she enjoyed watching Greek Life participating in the event.

“My favorite part about Songfest is seeing all the beautiful lights and decorations,” Gilbert said.

Most of the Greek organizations on campus

Hunt Mercier/Assistant Photo Editor Concluding Songfest, members of the Epsilon Delta chapter of Chi Omega sorority present a check for Make-A-Wish Foundation.

participated in Songfest and took part in a musical performance competition.

The competition winners were selected by a panel of judges, which included USM football coach Todd Monken’s wife, Terri Monken.

Every year the chapter invites

another very important judge: a child who has received a wish through the Make-A-Wish Foundation, such as this year’s judge, Lauren.

Lauren was granted her wish of going to Disney World this year thanks to the foundation To conclude the event

in traditional fashion, Chi Omega sorority sang a series of Christmas songs before presenting a ceremonial check of the money raised, $44,000, to the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

For more information on how Chi Omega’s philanthropy, visit the sorority’s website.

FLOYD CONTINUED University of Southern Mississippi.

Stacey Ready, Honors College assistant to the dean, said she helped Donatelli find students to assist with the project.

“We met Larry and heard his story firsthand and got to know him as the humble, kind and sweet person that he is,” Ready said.

Donatelli contacted Ready last summer because he knew he wanted to film in Hattiesburg.

Ready was eager to help and immediately found several willing students. Among them, junior kinesiotherapy major Shelby Auer volunteered to help with the movement after she was brought to tears listening to Floyd tell his story.

“With everything this man had been through, he still had faith,” Auer said. “All he was asking was for our help so that he could clear his name.”

Auer spread information about the movement on social media and even wrote a small portion of Larry’s clemency application.

“What (Donatelli) was doing sounded ground-breaking,” she said. “It was something I wanted to be a part of. I think this is something local that a lot of people still don’t know about and should be aware of because it is happening right in their backyard.”

Through his involvement in the project as an Honors College ambassador, sophomore biochemistry major Sam Gearhart said he was exposed to “an injustice that we can all help right.”

He said, “I am happy to be a part of the project because I know I am helping make a difference in a life that was wrongly taken away from someone who has proven himself to be an upstanding citizen.”

Donatelli and Floyd are actively searching for signatures on their “Petition for Justice” to Gov. Bryant. The petition can be viewed and signed on http:// www.clearinglarryfloyd.org, the movement’s official website.

ON CAMPUS

USM professor receives distinguished award Southern Miss Now

The National Association for Gifted Children recently chose Frances A. Karnes, retired Distinguished University Professor in the Department of Curriculum, Instruction and Special Education at The University of Southern Mississippi, as the recipient of its 2015 Legacy Award. Karnes is founder of the University’s Karnes Center for Gifted Studies.

The award is given to prominent individuals who have devoted their energies and professional talents to enhancing the lives of gifted and talented learners to preserve the theories of eminent leaders and honor them, their

memory, and their contributions for future generations.

“It is an honor and privilege to receive this award,” Karnes said. “I thank the NAGC for this recognition and for its work to advance the field of gifted education.”

NAGC’s 62nd annual Convention and Exhibition was held Nov. 12-15 in Phoenix and on Friday, Nov. 13, The Portraits in Gifted Education: The Legacy Series and The Conceptual Foundations Network presented “Reflections on the Work and Contributions of Dr. Frances A. Karnes.”

During the event, background information on Karnes and The Frances A. Karnes Center for Gifted Studies was shared

Courtesy Photo

and a panel of Karnes’s former doctoral students reflected on her contributions, legacy, and impact on their lives. The panel included Kevin Besnoy, University of Alabama; Kristen Stephens,

Duke University; Debra Troxclair, Lamar University; Pola Jakacki, Southern Miss; and Elizabeth Shaunessy-Dedrick, University of South Florida.

The Karnes Center for Gifted Studies was established in 1979 to further the education of gifted students and those with leadership abilities through teaching, research, and services.

Emphasis is also placed on these areas for those interested in the gifted: teachers, parents, administrators, psychologists, counselors and other concerned citizens.

Many services are offered through the Center. Instructional programs are provided for intellectually gifted students in

grades pre-kindergarten through twelve. A program to develop leadership concepts and skills is offered for students enrolled in grades six through eleven. A three-week, intensive program is offered to students who have earned qualifying SAT or ACT scores as a seventh grader.

Teacher training and staff development are provided for regular education personnel and for teachers who specialize in gifted education. A conference for parents of gifted youth and other concerned adults is provided on an annual basis. In addition, research is conducted in rural and urban schools in response to issues in the field of gifted education.

Page 4 | Thursday, December 3, 2015

FEATURE

INTERNATIONAL

Paris remains ‘best student city’ after attacks Lindsey Adkisson Printz Reporter

Quacquarelli Symonds released its 2016 Best Student Cities list. Despite recent events, Paris was ranked No. 1 on the list.

The list is comprised of the top 75 prime urban regions in the world for students abroad.

The cities are ranked based on five categories: university rankings, affordability, student mix, desirability and employer activity.

Consideration for ranking requires the city to have a population of at least 250,000 and have at least two universities in the area. Various attributes are also assessed, such as whether an institution contributes to the attractiveness of the city.

According to calculations, only about 116 cities actually meet this standard.

This is Paris’ fourth year to top the charts for best student city. Paris is home to 18 universities and is home to many world-leading institutions.

Its continuous hold on the No. 1 spot has largely contributed to its universities’ international prestige, despite the recent terrorist attacks it faced.

Although it continues to hold the top spot, is Paris still safe

for international students and study abroad in the aftermath of terrorist attacks?

Several universities with students abroad responded to the recent terrorist attacks by immediately sending students back home. Furman University had a program in Brussels and was among the many to evacuate students from Paris. Brussels’ program officials decided it was in the students’ best interest to cut the program short since they could not attend classes or internships because of recent terrorist activity.

Other universities, such as Winston University in WinstonSalem, North Carolina, sought confirmation of their students’ safety by sending out mass emails to identify the whereabouts of students.

Many universities are developing emergency protocols and promoting safety for their students abroad.

Although the dangers of studying abroad in Paris are potentially extreme, it will not stop students like Amber Smith from chasing her dreams.

“I believe that Paris will continue to be ranked highly for study abroad simply because of its history,” Smith said.

“The recent attacks in Europe will affect the eagerness to

travel abroad period, but there will continue to be people, like myself, who will still jump at the opportunity to experience Europe through these programs.”

Smith plans to study abroad in Paris in the spring and claims the recent terrorist attacks had zero impact on her decision to study abroad. She believes people cannot live life in a “what-if world” based on tragedies that can occur anywhere in the world. Smith said she feels safe in the hands of the university and disregards any belief that the supervisors would put her or any student in danger.

“Are there dangers with studying abroad?” Smith said.

“Yes, but there are also dangers of getting in a car every day.”

Smith plans to be safe by staying with groups and friends with whom she will travel. She will also be alert and listen to her advisors on safety protocols.

Audrey Kelly, another USM student studying abroad in Paris next semester, also believes that the ranking of Paris as the best student city should still apply regardless of recent terrorist attacks.

Kelly said that due to the recent attacks on Paris, she believes many travelers

Courtesy Photo

are hesitant to visit France.

However, her decision to study abroad in Paris was made after the terrorist attacks had occurred.

“I believe the experience will still be just as beneficial as it would have been before the terrorist attacks,” Kelly said.

“I feel safe traveling to France because of the increase in security in response to the terrorist attacks that occurred recently and the measures taken to prevent such actions

from occurring again.”

Like Smith, Kelly plans to keep in close contact with people in the program, listen to the advice of her supervisors and closely monitor news outlets to ensure protection for herself and her peers.

For more information about the QS Best Student Cities list, visit the top universities website. For more information about study abroad programs at USM, visit the fourth floor of the International Building.

Courtesy Photo

FEATURE

HEALTH

Thursday, December 3, 2015 | Page 5

The healthy way to stress over finals

Courtesy Photo

Camille Myrick Printz Reporter

As finals begin, all kinds of stressful feelings will arise despite how much students have studied.

Some will avoid studying altogether until the panic sets in the night before. Others will pore over notes, listen to lecture recordings and still not feel adequately prepared. In truth, there is no stress-free way to survive finals week, but there are plenty of ways to tackle that stress.

The first step is for students to change their expectations when presented with an exam. Willie Tubbs, a journalism instructor, said finals are not punishments, but assessments of how much information students have absorbed.

“Exams are important and typically count for a large portion of your grade,” Tubbs said. “Rather than think of the exam as the professor’s chance to punish you for not mastering everything, think of it as your chance to show the professor how much you’ve learned and grown as a part of her or his class.”

It is helpful when students approach studying with the intent of actually learning something beneficial, whether or not they have much interest in the subject.

“I’ve found approaching any exam, whether a standard final or the GRE or comprehensive finals, with a positive attitude makes a world of difference,” Tubbs said.

“That isn’t to suggest you need not study or push yourself. Exams are not meant to be taken lightly.

So, definitely study, but don’t overstudy. Pulling all-nighters might make for great stories 20 years from now, but in the present, you’re actually hurting yourself if you don’t sleep.”

So step two is hitting the sack. Dr. Philip Alapat, a medical director at Harris Health Sleep Disorders Center, said in an article for Harris Health that those students who get

shuteye the night before an exam will definitely do better.

“Memory recall and ability to maintain concentration are much improved when an individual is rested,” Alapat said. “By preparing early and being able to better recall what you have studied, your ability to perform well on exams is increased.”

Sleep deprivation affects how much information a student will retain. All-nighters might help a little, but the longer students stay up, the less they tend to remember.

“Any prolonged sleep deprivation will affect your mood, energy level

and ability to focus, concentrate and learn, which directly affects your academic performance,” Alapat said.

Lastly, reducing stress levels will also increase performance. Megan Weyrauch wrote for the test preparation organization Kaplan, on methods for reducing stress and why it is important.

“Stress is a normal physical response to events that make you feel threatened or upset your balance in some way,” Weyrauch said. “When you sense danger, your body goes into fight-or-flight reaction mode in order to protect

you. This is great for emergency situations, like slamming on your breaks to avoid an accident, but it is not so wonderful for studying.”

She goes on to recommend remedies for the health effects stressful studying can induce on the body. Engaging in physical activity, getting outside of the house or dorm and journaling thoughts are effective ways to relieve stress.

Doing something enjoyable, like playing piano or other hobbies, can also help students relax.

The Cook Library on campus is providing some stress-busting activities this year: a stress relief

zone with puzzles and coloring books for students who need to reset before they hit the books again.

Robert Valentine, a freshman marine biology major, took advantage of this resource by working on one of the puzzles.

“It’s good to get away,” Valentine said. “It’s good to get out of your head a little bit. I think it’s cool they are going out of their way to make everything a little more chill for everybody.”

As well as the stress-free zone, Cook Library has adjusted its hours for those studying. It is now open 24/7.

Page 6 | Thursday, December 3, 2015

OPINION

NATIONAL

Carson down, Trump leads in university poll J.D. Rimann Printz Reporter

The latest national polls have brought some early Christmas cheer to a few Republican presidential contenders and a dose of cold reality to others.

According to the most recent Quinnipiac University poll, Ben Carson plummeted a whopping seven points from his position last month to tie Texas Sen. Ted Cruz in third place at 16 percent. Moving into Carson’s second-place position was fresh-faced Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, taking 17 percent of the pie. Meanwhile, fellow Floridian and former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush has maintained his spot at five percent, placing

the man who was projected as the probable front-runner at the start of campaign season in a tough spot. The actual frontrunner, stymying Bush’s rise (and needled him ceaselessly on the debate stage), is reality TV star and real estate mogul Donald Trump, who polled at 27 percent.

The poll is a victory for Rubio and Cruz, the two young senator-contenders, especially.

Both were polling in single digits for the last several months before ramping up their campaigns after the third Republican debate. Both have turned in strong debate performances.

And both benefit from a public desire for top-down change, as well as a shift in feelings toward

establishment figures following the Paris bombings.

With his membership in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and foreign affairs expertise, Rubio has benefitted in particular from the rising profile of foreign policy on the campaign trail and in th media following the Paris attacks, the Russian intervention in Syria and the downing of a Russian jet by the Islamic State.

Cruz, known for his staunch anti-immigrant stance, has benefitted from the talk surrounding the potential relocation of Syrian refugees to the United States, as some voters have looked for a candidate to rally behind to oppose this measure.

Carson has suffered because

of this rise in the importance of foreign affairs on the campaign trail. Carson has admitted before that he is unaware of news events. Between that and making several gaffes in press conferences when discussing foreign nations–such as claiming that the pyramids were not tombs but actually ancient grain silos—Carson was already playing with a handicap.

Voters appear to be turning away from Carson because he seems unable to keep America safe in an increasingly dangerous world and lacks the expertise and message discipline optioned with other candidates.

Finally, Trump seems to be enjoying success in part due to his response to the recent spate

of ISIS terrorist attacks, saying that he will bomb “the shit out of them.” While this might make for a good sound bite, it is certainly not a strategic plan and continues to demonstrate and illuminate not only Trump’s own ignorance, but that of the 27 percent of Americans who seem to think that a Trump presidency is a good idea.

While it is useful to track the polls, it is important to keep in mind that we are still a couple of months out until the Iowa caucus and New Hampshire primary. Foreign affairs is currently at the top of the agenda, but it is anyone’s guess what will be the most important issue when the voting actually begins.

REVIEW

Dead still evil, Campbell still awesome Joshua D. Starr Printz Reporter

Especially in an opinion-rich environment like The University of Southern Mississippi, topics of interest are never in short supply around the proverbial water cooler or in Sorkin-esque walk-and-talks between classes or, dare I say it, while smoking a sweet, sweet full-filter cigarette on the back patio of the Liberal Arts Building. But here’s one more for you: “Ash vs Evil Dead,” now airing its first season on Starz.

For those already acquainted, Bruce Campbell is back in full form for the titular role. Armed with all the improvised weaponry you’d expect, the show’s well-suited supporting cast also shares a solid comedic foil to Ash, an intriguing dynamic and enough conveniently opportune skills and knowledge to keep the plot chugging along. Consequently, they’ll likely have a longer life expectancy than the handful of randy campers Ash has shared the screen with on three separate occasions.

Among those on the billing is Lucy Lawless, who proves she’s kept the moves and sultry ferocity of Xena, the warrior princess.

Here’s hoping NBC has the good sense to cast her in the Xena reboot. (Yes, NBC reportedly has a comeback in the works.)

For those unacquainted, “Ash vs Evil Dead” is the continuation of a cult phenomenon comprised of the 1981’s indie favorite “Evil Dead,” ‘87’s “Evil Dead II” and ‘92’s “Army of Darkness.”

And, despite lacking creator Sam Raimi’s direction, the 2013

“Evil Dead” remake did feature a Campbell cameo, so we can generously call it canon as well.

Together, Raimi and Campbell are magic, having perfected a signature combination of quirky camera action, horror tropes and campy gore. As a likely inspiration for the 2012 hit movie “The Cabin in the Woods,” the Evil Dead saga similarly fits the comedy/horror genre. The difference being Evil Dead goes all in, abandoning suspense for continuous fun.

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So when “Ash vs Evil Dead” pulls you in and makes love to your eyeballs, seeing Ash’s boomstick will be like the first time all over again. This show is everything you want from an “Evil Dead” movie: more—which you’ll likely only get if it gets the numbers. So get off your lazy bum, turn on the television and tune into “Ash vs Evil Dead” on Saturday at 8 p.m. on Starz.

And then get back on your lazy bum because you look weird just standing there.

SPORTS

Thursday, December 3, 2015 | Page 7

MEN’S BASKETBALL

Golden Eagles remain winless after falling at Troy Deantae Smith Sports Reporter

On Tuesday night, the Troy Trojans jumped out to a 13-0 run in the opening minutes, and the Golden Eagles (0-5) could not recover as they lost 69-59, remaining winless in this young season.

The Golden Eagles’ first basket came with 15:52 remaining in the first half by Keljin Blevins. Following two more baskets, the Trojans pulled away a little more with a 15-point lead with 5:56 remaining in the first half.

“The first five minutes got us in trouble,” said head coach Doc Sadler. “We need to take control in the first five minutes of the basketball game. You can’t give teams a double-digit lead and then play catch up the whole ballgame, especially

on the road.”

Troy led Southern Miss 3121 at halftime. Blevins ended the first half with seven points, leading all of the Golden Eagles scorers.

The Golden Eagles came out scoring in the second half, narrowing the gap to four points with back-toback three-point field goals from Khari Price and Quinton Campbell. After the opening baskets of the half, the Golden Eagles went cold and allowed Troy to extend their lead back to double-digits.

The Golden Eagles began to rely on their three point shooting to get back in the game. Following a Robert Thomas III three pointer, Southern Miss reduced the gap to 38-30.

That would be the last singledigit margin the Golden Eagles

faced for the final 16 minutes as the Trojans pushed their lead to as many as 22 points.

Southern Miss closed out the final 3:30 with a 15-3 run, making the game seem much closer than it actually was.

Blevins recorded the first double-double of the season, scoring 12 points and grabbing 11 rebounds. Blevins also added two blocked shots, an assist and a steal in 31 minutes of action.

Kourtlin Jackson and Campbell both scored in double figures, Jackson with 15 and Campbell with 12. Jackson’s 15 points set a career-high, previously set with nine points versus Moorehead State.

Southern Miss returns home on Friday, Dec. 4 as the Golden Eagles host Alabama at Reed Green Coliseum.

Tipoff is slated for 7 p.m.

Courtesy Photo/Joe Harper Keljin Blevins soars over defense during a shot at the basket against William Carey on Nov. 23.

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

Lady Eagles capture first road win, 69-57 Julius Kizzee News Editor

The Lady Eagles (4-2) picked up their first road win of the season Tuesday against the Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles, 69-57.

Tennessee Tech struggled for the majority of the night to get things going. Just in the first half, the Golden Eagles shot 36.8 percent from the field. In addition, no player had more than four points.

“Our pressure defense was very good,” said head coach Joye Lee-McNelis. “For the first three quarters this team grew up in a hurry to be able to get our first road win.”

With a starting backcourt of Jerontay Clemons, Brittany Dinkins and Tajanay Veiga, Lee-McNelis had a plethora of ball-stoppers to harass the Golden Eagle ball-handlers.

The Lady Eagles caused 20 turnovers and scored 26 points off of their efforts on the defensive end.

“Our transition offense was very good in that first half,” LeeMcNelis said. “You have to give Tennessee Tech credit though.

They made some adjustments and slowed us down. But we made basketball plays when that happened. It just showed this team making baby steps.”

The Lady Eagle offense was led by Brittany Dinkins, who scored 21 points on 7-of-13 shooting from the field. She also hit 3-of-6 shots from three-

point range and shot 4-of-5 from the free throw line. She made the plays when the Lady Eagles needed it, and provided leadership on offense.

“Tonight for three quarters we made some very good team plays,” Lee-McNelis said. “We passed up some shots to get better shots. We made the extra pass, we made things kind of happen for us.”

At the start of the fourth quarter, Southern Miss was up by a sizable margin of 57-38.

But, the Golden Eagles were not going to go down without a fight.

Tennessee Tech fought from 21 points down at one point, and went on a 19-8 run to end the game. Turnovers and missed shots led to the Golden Eagles being able to crawl back into the game, but when they had to, the Lady Eagles relied on Dinkins to sink three straight free throws in the final minute to ice the game.

“We lost our focus and we played in panic mode,” LeeMcNelis said. “But you have to give Tennessee Tech credit because you know they’re going to make a run and we just didn’t play real poised.”

Talented freshman Caitlin Jenkins finished the contest with a near double-double with nine points and 11 rebounds.

The combination of Jenkins and King will be crucial to the Lady Eagles’ success this year in the post, due to the overall lack of shooting.

In the game, only three Lady

Southern Miss Lady Eagle Keri Jewett-Giles (3) goes up for a lay-up against West Alabama.

Eagles attempted a shot from behind the arc. King expanded her range in the game as she hit both of her attempts, but more Lady Eagles will have to step out and take a shot from long range to become even more lethal of an offense.

“Jayla King is just Steady Eddie,” Lee-McNelis said. “Just running the floor and going that same pace and able to make some shots.”

King finished with 19 points on 7-of-11 shooting, combined with five rebounds to round out

Fadi Shahin/Printz

her stat line. King has become the most crucial and valuable Lady Eagle thus far, even more so than Jerontay Clemons to an extent.

Southern Miss will play South Alabama at home on Dec. 5 at 2 p.m.

Page 8 | Thursday, December 3, 2015

SPORTS

FOOTBALL

USM aims for sixth C-USA title Joshua Campbell Sports Editor

Southern Miss (9-3, 7-1 Conference USA) will travel to Bowling Green, Kentucky Saturday to play Western Kentucky (10-2, 8-0) for the conference championship.

“We’ve got to go back on the road, and we knew that would be the case,” said head coach Todd Monken. “If you want to win, you’re going to have to do it on the road. Great. We’ll be ready this week. We’ll expect (the Hilltoppers) best, and they sure as heck can expect ours.”

The Golden Eagles won the last conference championship game they played in, defeating the No. 6 ranked team in country, Houston, 49-28 in 2011.

Western Kentucky has only been an FBS school since 2009 and did not join C-USA until 2013, having never participated in a C-USA championship.

Despite the Hilltoppers’ lack of a track record, they have proven to be a dominant team this season and boast one of the most feared passing attacks in the nation. Sixth-year senior quarterback Brandon Doughty ranks fifth in the nation with 4,184 passing yards and leads the nation with 42 passing touchdowns.

Doughty spreads the ball around as five receivers have over 500 receiving yards and three receivers have over 50 catches. But his favorite target is Taywan Taylor, a 6-feet, 1-inch junior, who is a great route runner. He can line up inside or outside and wins with his quickness off the line

of scrimmage.

While Taylor is certainly a weapon to pay attention to with 15 touchdowns on the year, it’s Western Kentucky’s scheme and pace that will be a challenge for the Southern Miss defense.

The Hilltoppers spread, passfirst attack is predicated on high percentage throws, but they are always trying to set up the big play as well.

The Golden Eagle defense is going to have to come to play in order to come away with a win.

Doughty has only been sacked 14 times this season, which is a credit to how quick he gets rid of the ball.

For USM’s pass rush to be successful, defensive tackles Michael Smith and Andrew Bolton will have to be disruptive and not allow Doughty to step up in the pocket. It is a task easier said than done, but Smith and Bolton have been disruptive all season and are capable of disrupting the flow of the Hilltopper offense.

The Golden Eagles will have to play in their nickel defense for most of the game, something they are surely prepared for. When injuries depleted the linebacker corps against Louisiana Tech, defensive coordinator Dave Duggan’s hand was forced to stay in nickel almost exclusively.

The defense excelled in the nickel defense with Picasso Nelson Jr. rolling into the slot and Deshadrick Truly manning the free safety position. Truly capped off the game with a pick six, highlighting his range and athleticism. While Western Kentucky’s offense is hard to even contain, if any defense in the conference is capable of matching the Hilltoppers’ athleticism, it’s this Golden Eagle defense, which is tops in the conference.

Offensively, the matchup is favorable for Nick Mullens and company. The Hilltoppers have allowed at least 28 points six times this season and have had trouble stopping the run in particular. Luckily for USM, it has two of the best running backs in the entire country.

Jalen Richard and Ito Smith have combined for 2,048 yards and 20 touchdowns on the ground this season and both backs average at least six yards per carry. It will be very important for Southern Miss to get the ground game going early in order to control the tempo, keep its defense off the field and tire the Hilltopper defense.

When the Golden Eagles have been at their best offensively, which has been every week as

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of late, they have gashed teams on the ground and hit big plays off of play action. If USM is able to run the ball early, look for offensive coordinator Chip Lindsey to dial up a few deep passes. WKU lacks size in the secondary so senior standout Mike Thomas could be in for another big day.

This game is likely going to boil down to who wins the turnover battle as both offenses have the ability to move the ball at will. In all likelihood, this game is going to be a shootout.

But Southern Miss’ defense matches up better with the WKU offense than the WKU defense in regards to the USM offense.

So while WKU is favored, this is actually a good matchup for the Golden Eagles.

Monken believes his squad also has a mental edge with their aggressive nature as a coaching staff and as a team all together.

“There is nothing to hold back, there is nothing to be scared of,” Monken said. “You have to be aggressive and you have to be willing to go for it on fourth down. You have to be willing to do onside kicks and be willing to think you can get it in from the one-yard line.

“I know that is their mindset.

I have watched them all year. That is our mindset, being aggressive and having confidence in your players and them having the confidence in you to go for it and they will back you as the head coach.”

Come Saturday, the Golden Eagles will be looking to win their sixth C-USA title. Kickoff is at 11 a.m.