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November 29, 2016
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The Towerlight print edition is published by students of Towson University on Tuesdays. The Towerlight is owned by nonprofit Baltimore Student Media Inc., BaltimoreStudentMedia.com. The Towerlight’s advertising deadlines are firm: Wednesday noon for space; Friday noon for art. Cllassifieds appear onlline and in print and are self-service at TheTowerlight.com/classifieds. We encourage letters to the editor and online feedback. Commentaries, letters to the editor, editorial cartoons and other editorials express the opinions of their authors and not necessarily the views of the newspaper. The Towerlight does not discriminate based on age, color, condition of handicap, marital status, national origin, race, religion, gender or sexual orientation. ©2016 by The Towerlight, 8000 York Rd, Towson, MD 21252. All rights reserved.
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Opinion
November 29, 2016
Feminists are not swamp monsters Whenever I go to write a new article, I like to browse around the web and see what’s going on. I do this even if I already have an idea in mind that I’d like to talk about because there could be something more time sensitive or important that needs to be discussed. Let me just say, I’m not a very advanced searcher. I’ll sit at my computer and search broad areas by typing “feminism” or “women” into Google, hitting the news button and weeding out all the not-so-credible sources. I’m a little embarrassed about how simple that is, but I wouldn’t tell you my shameful news searching techniques if I didn’t have a point. Usually what happens is I’ll be linked to news stories that don’t really
offer what I’m looking for. Things like “Woman Slips in Best Buy Parking Lot” or the definition of feminism. Sometimes I’ll find something great that I’ll share with you all, and other times I’ll find things that are fun to read, like “10 Feminist Songs You Need to Listen to RIGHT NOW,” but wouldn’t make sense for me to write a second time. This time was different. The three headlines that popped up first under the “news” section of Google were “Feminism Makes Weak Women,” “3 Millennial Women Explain How You Can Be a Feminist and Vote for Donald Trump,” and “Megyn Kelly Fails to Fit the Feminism Mold -- and That’s a Good Thing.” Whoa. Hold the heck up. What just happened? Of all the times I have used this little technique, which is pretty darn often,
I have never seen so much negativity. This is an absolute backlash, much like what happened in the 80s and 90s after the prominence of feminism in the 60s and 70s. It’s becoming popular to demonize and misuse the word “feminist” so that people won’t identify themselves as such, and the movement will, eventually, die out. And, look, don’t tell me we should just start a new movement with a less heated word, because that word will become demonized, too, and we will be right back here again. First of all, you are just not a feminist if you voted for a man who thinks you can grab women by the p***y. I mean, come on. Second of all, being a feminist simply means you believe in equality -the equality and empowerment of all women. That includes women of color, women of all socio-economic classes and
trans women. In what world is someone fighting for their rights and the rights of others “weak” or a bad thing? Not in my world, folks. But it’s becoming so in the world America is creating for itself. We need to stand our ground as feminism becomes a dirtier word than it already has been because that’s an attempt to shut it down. It’s an attempt to erase the progress women have made and the rights we’ve obtained. Don’t be afraid to say you’re a feminist. I know I say this so often, but now more than ever, it is extremely important in keeping the movement alive. If someone talks down to you because of it or says they’d never be a feminist, explain to them what it actually means. Explain to them that a feminist is someone who wants equality for all women. That’s it. Well, not “that’s
it” because that’s a whole lot, but “that’s it” as in feminists aren’t swamp monsters crawling out of the puddles of hell to bring the next plague to your doorstep. Or are we? No, no. We aren’t. But that’d make a pretty decent B-list movie. Being a feminist makes you strong. Empowered. It’s proof that you are fighting for a better life not only for yourself but for all women. You can’t worry about what other people think of you when you know in your heart that you’re fighting for what’s right. It’s hard, y’all. And it’s going to keep getting harder. But the more we stick together, the harder we push, and the more people we can get proudly proclaiming themselves as feminists, the stronger we will be. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got a terrible movie to write.
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Opinion
November 29, 2016
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Our campuses Stop this “White America” talk are still unsafe Columnist says term is over-generalizing
File photo by Cody Boteler/The Towerlight
A student chalks a retort to “not my president” art posted in Freedom Square before the Nov. 14 walkout demonstration against bigotry that was held in response to Donald Trump’s electoral win. DYLAN BRENNAN Columnist
I’m going to start this article off with a lighthearted quote from Towson’s second-most famous graduate, Mike Rowe. “Somebody’s gotta do it.” Over the past few weeks since Trump won, I’ve heard this term used often by the liberal left for the miserable political climate we’re in: White America. I’ve heard a lot of my friends and family scoff at this term and say why people shouldn’t use it, so here I am to speak their minds as well as mine. I am writing this column because I want to highlight the hypocrisy of using the term “White America,” and how disappointed I am that even our vice president of Student Affairs has used this phrase without understanding how inaccurate and, dare I say, inflammatory it is. Let’s get straight to the point here. The word is a blanket insult, mainly because it’s almost always used by white people who just so happen to exclude themselves from this “White America” they’re talking about. The reason is because they
mean it in a derogatory way, saying that most, if not all, white people (except themselves and their friends) are ignorant, racist hicks who don’t know anything. This would be the equivalent of saying “Black America” is comprised of only criminals or “Muslim America” is a terrorist cell. It’s a disgusting generalization, and if you think that’s a hyperbolic exaggeration, they highlight how “White America” is basically in that same category, because they follow the “they’re one of the good ones” logic for excluded Caucasian members, such as themselves. I understand that Deb Moriarty, our vice president of Student Affairs, didn’t mean it in a derogatory way, as she was insisting on listening to “White America,” but she shouldn’t have used the term. I have many non-white Trump supporter friends, who range from Armenian to one who is biracial Mexican-Japanese. Stop pretending that it’s just “White America”
who supports Trump, and stop using a blanket term to describe Trump supporters, especially since it doesn’t even fit. Painting with broad brushes hardly ever makes a presentable piece of art, and the art of speech is the most important skill to bridge the political divide. I don’t want an apology from Vice President Moriarty, since I know she genuinely didn’t mean it as an insult. But there are too many people out there that could not care less, like Laci Green, who we nearly had on campus and blamed “White America” for giving us “fascist” rule, going back on her heartfelt tweet stating we had to unite under our next president before the election was over. If we are to come together after Trump’s victory, we have to start by stop stereotyping and insulting the people who voted for him. You can debate them, criticize them, or even argue with them. But until we stop using the term “White America,” we won’t be respecting them.
But only for women MEGAN HUMPHRIES Student
You would think that, over time, college campuses would become more safe, with the increasing amounts of money being poured into the university system year after year. The funds are going to better lighting on campuses, more police presence, and modern security and technology that in essence would keep students feeling safe. Many students HAVE reported feeling more safe in recent years, but there is a trend to the safety of our colleges and universities: only men feel safe. Female college students, however, still worry every single day, because even with all of the increased funds to make a campus safer, the larger problem is widely ignored: the sexual assault of women on college campuses. Sexual assault on college campuses have recently been brought into the light through the likes of recent court cases like Brock Turner and films like “The Hunting Ground.” However, the reason why these sexual assaults happen so frequently in a university setting is still unknown to the majority of policy creators and university staff. Colleges and universities work to make the lighting better on campus and have an increased police presence, but it’s not that walking down the street is what makes women feel unsafe anymore. The random stranger in a dark alley is not the perpetrator of these extreme body violations. It is their friends, their classmates, their acquaintances, even their boyfriends or girlfriends that are sexually assaulting these young women every single day. Women are now afraid of everyday settings like fraternity parties, bars and even their dorms’ community lounge, because these are the places where sexual assaults are not expected to happen, but do happen. Why does sexual assault happen so often in colleges, where there are young adults put together without a parental presence for the first time in their lives? Why is it that a friend or boyfriend is most likely to be the person that hurts a girl so terribly? Why is it that a young woman might become afraid of her own bed because of what happened there one night? Boys and girls are socialized from a young age to believe certain gender
roles that lead to our rape-prone society. Starting from birth, girls are told that if a boy teases you or is mean to you, then she should be flattered because he likes you. Boys’ actions are played off because “boys will be boys.” Images in our popular media, like movies and music videos, display these aggressive behaviors that condone sexual assault. Our minds are so preoccupied with how we ‘should’ look and act that we are blind to the fact that these exact roles are causing the pain and suffering of many women worldwide. In a university setting, these gender roles combined with the newfound freedom of young adults, the party culture at colleges, and the role of alcohol and drugs in these students creates an environment where a sexual assault is most likely to happen. Our society needs to change the ways it approaches relationships, hookups and the role of women and men in general. Brock Turner was found sexually assaulting an unconscious girl behind a dumpster and received only a short jail sentence because the criminal justice system did not want his reputation as a man to be tarnished. Even more men and boys are not held responsible at all for their assaults against women. And so many victims do not even disclose their assault because they know that the response will be unsatisfying. Our new President-elect Donald Trump admitted on video to sexually assaulting a woman, and his behavior was brushed off as “locker-room talk.” This behavior from men is not only ignored in our society -- it is accepted and even expected. The changes in colleges and universities to create a safer environment for women does not need to come from an increased lighting or police presence on campus. There needs to be education for the male student population about what specifically constitutes sexual assault and how they should treat women (especially when there is alcohol involved). There also needs to be a shift in the way our society raises its children. There needs to be less of a focus on rigid gender roles, because they are only contributing to these beliefs that sexual assault is okay. -- To read the rest of this letter online, visit thetowerlight.com.
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News
November 29, 2016
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Unpacking Towson as a “sanctuary campus” A petition that’s addressed to Towson President Kim Schatzel, demanding that Towson University become a “sanctuary school” started circulating online before Thanksgiving break—and students are still pushing for action. According to Student Government Association President Taylor James, the SGA is planning a vote to urge the University to make a public statement and take measurable action in defense of students who are undocumented immigrants. “This isn’t my issue, I’m not going to be directly affected so it’s difficult for me to speak to it,” James said. “[But] I think it’s important that we follow through on ensuring [students can] continue to get their education and learn and live in a place that’s going to be conducive to their education.” The petition was started by the Latin American Student Organization (LASO) and the SGA is supporting the efforts. A “sanctuary school,” or “sanctuary campus,” would mirror the policies of “sanctuary cities,” municipalities, including Baltimore, that limit city employees and police from inquiring about a person’s immigration status and may choose to prohibit officers from initiating police action with the goal of discovering a person is an immigrant in the United States illegally. The petition calls on TU to prove its commitment to diversity, as demonstrated through the #NotAtTU cam-
paign, by “immediately develop[ing] a protocol for making our school a sanctuary campus.” Towson University officials published a post reviewing University System of Maryland guidelines and guidance related to undocumented immigrants on USM campuses Nov. 22, shortly before the break and after the petition began to circulate. In the post, it was reiterated that the USM and USM institutions “need not, and shall not,” engage in the following activities related to immigration: • Permit immigration enforcement authorities to enter campus without a warrant, unless there’s an extenuating circumstance, like an immediate national security concern or risk of death or physical harm. • Partner, voluntarily, with immigration enforcement authorities to aid in enforcement actions. • Detain an immigrant at the request of enforcement authorities. • Request immigration information during a campus arrest, or: • Give information to enforcement authorities without a “lawfully issued” subpoena or other court order. The petition makes demands that Towson not grant permission for Immigration and Custom Enforcement to enter campus, to refrain TUPD from getting involved in immigration enforcement and to not share information about members of the TU community for immigration enforcement without a warrant. When the post from TU officials and the demands in the petition are reconciled, the only demand that is not wholly met is preventing immi-
Cody Boteler/ The Towerlight Students participate in an on-campus demonstration Nov. 16 organized by Towson’s chapter of LASO. gration enforcement officials from entering campus. The petition calls for TU to “not grant permission,” while the post from University officials says that immigration enforcement authorities will not be permitted to enter campus without a warrant or exigent circumstance. The petition also calls for Towson University to “develop measures that explicitly support” students who may be affected if President-elect Donald Trump cancels the immigration policy Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals—an executive order signed by President Barack Obama that allows immigrants in the United States before their sixteenth birthday and before June 2007 certain privileges to protect against deportation. The petition calls for TU to make
arrangements that could include providing financial support for immigration fees, facilitating legal services for undocumented students and their families and developing scholarships that are open to undocumented students. In a statement posted around 5:30 p.m. Monday, Schatzel said she was signing a national letter in support of DACA program students and undocumented students. “We will continue our commitment to all of our students whose divers backgrounds greatly enhance our campus and most importantly our classrooms,” Schatzel said in a statement, Breya Johnson, a campus activist who has allied herself with LASO to help them with this issue, said that the response from the University lately is “not nearly enough.”
Johnson said that the time between when the petition started circulating and the release from Schatzel was too long. “Her silence is speaking volumes,” Johnson said. Johnson also called for a greater level of allyship from the University leadership, including Schatzel. She’d like to see Towson’s president at a LASO meeting, for example. “You can’t just keep sending [administrators from the] Center for Student Diversity,” Johnson said. “That’s not gonna cut it.” On the night of Nov. 16, LASO organized an on-campus demonstration as a part of the national movement to claim university campuses as sanctuaries for students who are undocumented immigrants or who are in the U.S. under DACA.
TUPD stresses prep in wake of OSU shooting While the circumstances surrounding the Ohio State University shooting aren’t, at the time of writing, entirely clear, one thing is—Towson University Police officials are prepared, and have been preparing, for emergency scenarios on campus. “I don’t know how well it’s known, but our police officers were being trained on how to respond to active shooters even prior to the Virginia Tech shooting,” Chief of Police Bernie Gerst said. And, recently, that training has been extended to the entire campus community, through a program known as
Citizen Response to Active Shooter Events (CRASE). Through CRASE, where participants are trained to “avoid, deny and defend” in active shooter situations, TUPD has trained over 1,500 TU employees, faculty and staff and over 900 students. Gerst said that, though CRASE uses terminology that’s a little different than the standard “run, hide, fight” used on other campuses— including OSU—the meaning is essentially the same. You “avoid” the situation by running or evacuating, “deny” the assailant access by hiding and, “as a last resort, that’s when you may need to defend yourself, or as a group, defending the room full of people,” Gerst said. “Fighting, if for some reason, avoid
and deny don’t work.” TU Police offer monthly CRASE training on a regular schedule. Offices, residence hall floors, departments or other groups can request training, though, and someone from TUPD can come to a specific location. “If we’re going into your building, that way we can look around your workspace where you’re working, your environment, and give you hands-on, room-specific recommendations,” Gerst said. To arrange a place-specific training, Gerst said individuals or groups can contact Cpl. Joseph Gregory at 410704-5951 or call the TUPD non-emergency number (410-704-2505) and be connected to someone. “I will never become complacent
about any of this,” Gerst said. “On a comparative basis, I like to think we’re pretty good to others. We will continue to work [and] we will continue to train.” Towson University is on the frontend of emergency preparedness in other ways. The TUPD are planning for what Gerst called a “family assistance center,” where family members of students could congregate for support and information in the event of an emergency on campus. Towson is also working to create a hospital liaison program, so that if there were to be a mass casualty event on campus, a team of trained TU representatives could be dispatched to area hospitals to set up communication with the University. That way, any par-
ents or family members going to area hospitals looking for their students would see and have a TU presence at the hospital. Police officials are also working to designate “triage” areas around campus and in different buildings, to assess students who may be physically or psychologically harmed after a campus emergency—or to find students who may have witnessed anything. Officials are also working to retrofit doors around campus so that they can be locked from the inside. Gerst said that, when some of the buildings on campus were constructed, there wasn’t a need to put locks inside classroom doors. -To read the rest of this article online, visit thetowerlight.com.
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News
November 29, 2016
SGA partners with It’s On Us MSA tackles myths of women in Islam On Nov. 15, Towson’s Student Government Association announced that it has partnered with It’s On Us, a nationwide campaign that launched in Sept. 2014 to raise awareness about sexual violence on college campuses. Towson originally joined the campaign in Nov. 2014 when the university encouraged students to sign the It’s On Us pledge and filmed short videos about sexual violence. Now, as an It’s On Us Campus Innovation Partner School, Towson will be part of a network of 27 other partner schools learning how to strengthen its work around the campaign’s three core pillars: consent education, increasing bystander intervention and creating an environment
that supports survivors, according to Sexual Violence Prevention Educator Kailah Carden. As a partner school, SGA will participate in workshops and monthly phone conferences, and will have access to branding materials and It’s On Us resources, SGA Director of Health and Wellness Missy Ronan said in an email. SGA will also work with Culture of Respect, an organization that provides a framework and tools to universities to assess and improve efforts to eliminate rape and sexual assault from their campuses, according to the organization’s website. Student leaders at Towson and the other partner schools will connect with each other to combat sexual violence. In an email, Ronan said that this semester, SGA has advocated for apps such as Safer Mobility, which connects students to TUPD, and Circle of 6, which increases accountability within
friend groups to stay connected. SGA is also working on reaching out to bars in Towson’s uptown area to go through training to become “safe bars.” Safe Bars is a bystander education program that trains bar staff to stand up to signs of sexual violence or potentially threatening situations. “It’s also up to our students to be active bystanders in the prevention of sexual violence and understand resources and how to speak up when they see something,” Ronan said. SGA will have a kickoff event Dec. 6 to reintroduce It’s On Us to Towson, according to a press release from the University. According to Ronan, the event will be the first effort for the campaign to become a constant presence on campus. -To read the rest of this article online, visit thetowerlight.com.
TU increases awareness of need Students, faculty encouraged to donate While some of their peers were gearing up for Thanksgiving feasts, other Towson University students worked to draw attention to domestic hunger and homelessness earlier this month. TU’s participation in National Homelessness and Hunger Awareness Week, which began Monday, Nov. 14, kicked off with students posting signs
adorned with hunger statistics near the Union patio that afternoon. Students were also able to donate canned goods and clothing that were later given to local organizations. “We didn’t expect to accept donations, but we kind of created a box and they went to the FoodShare program on campus,” Coordinator of Community Service Corinne DeRoberts said. On Tuesday, the Office of Civic Engagement and Leadership held a panel on homelessness in the West
Courtesy of Community Service at Towson University Donation boxes sit in the Union during National Homelessness and Hunger Awareness Week starting Nov. 14 on campus.
Village Commons. Guests talked about their work in their communities, their own experiences with homelessness and what students and staff could do to get involved. DeRoberts said the Office of Civic Engagement aimed to “really to expose homelessness to the Towson community.” Two different events held on Wednesday were geared toward helping those in need. Beginning in the morning and going into the early afternoon, students put together care kits containing small luxuries like hygiene products that home less people might otherwise be without. At the second event, which occurred in the evening, students joined Habitat for Humanity representatives in making blankets for shelters and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for food banks. All day Thursday, students could donate a meal to the FoodShare program by telling the dining staff member at the register that they wanted to donate a meal. Thursday night, a screening of “The Pursuit of Happyness,” starring Will Smith, told the story of a father and his son who fell upon hard times after the father’s girlfriend, Linda, leaves them. “I think these events impacted students by hopefully making them more aware right before Thanksgiving,” DeRoberts said.
“More Muslim women are challenging the status quo”
Courtesy of Simon Enagonio Zainab Chaudry speaks at Jewels of Islam Nov. 19 in the Chesapeakes.
An outreach manager for the Council on American Islamic Relations debunked myths about Muslim women Nov. 19 and railed against the idea that all women within the culture are oppressed. “There have been so many people who have spent so much time defining who we are -- speaking for us without allowing us to speak for ourselves,” Maryland Outreach Manager Zainab Chaudry said. “But more Muslim women are challenging the status quo. We’re reframing the narrative that boxes Muslim women in this very black and white, one-dimensional or two-dimensional dichotomy.” Chaudry spoke on campus during the Muslim Student Associationhosted “Jewels of Islam” discussion of female Muslim identity and increased Islamophobia following this year’s presidential election. Chaudry delivered the event’s keynote address, which came after a group Isha prayer, the fifth and final prayer acknowledged by practicing Muslims within one day. A handful of Muslim-majority countries have had female heads of states, but America still has yet to welcome a female into the oval office, Chaudry reminded attendees. “A lot of people think a woman’s place is in the house, and I don’t
entirely agree with that,” Chaudry said. “I think a woman’s place, regardless of her religion, is in the house -the House of Representatives that is -and the Senate, and the Oval Office.” During her address, Chaudry tackled misconceptions related to violence and other human rights violations. According to Chaudry, “there is absolutely no basis in Islam that supports either honor killings or forced marriages,” and Islam does not support female genital mutilation, an ancient practice that pre-dates the religion. Some cultures that have embraced Islam have also performed female genital mutilation, but Chaudry cautioned against confusing culture with religion. According to MSA Community Service Chair Lyric Harris, the organization planned “Jewels of Islam” in order to address women’s rights and their roles in Islam. Harris said a lot of people came up to her and asked what her role in Islam was after the election. Chaudry said that she suspects marginalized groups will face a very challenging time throughout the next four years, but she encouraged members of those groups to stand together in solidarity and rise from intolerance. “The challenges that we’re facing right now and the challenges that we’re going to be facing in the future are an opportunity for us to work together and become stronger in our identity as Muslims, as Americans, and to be able to build stronger coalitions,” she said.
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November 29, 2016
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News
November 29, 2016
HRL advocates for philanthropy Initiative raises $3,000 for food insecurity fund
OneCards in order to eliminate the stigma of going to a food bank. This allows them to “have dinner with their friends… without having to worry about where their next meal is In a new effort called “No Hunger November,” Towson’s Presidential coming from,” she said. Ambassadors have partnered with Christina Olstad, program manager Housing and Residence Life to encourof the Food Insecurity Support Fund, age students to give to the universisaid about 23 percent of Towson stuty’s recently-developed food insecurity dents would qualify for some sort of support fund, which assists students emergency aid—though fewer than a with little access to food. dozen students have so far worked The initiative raised over $3,000, with her to receive it so far. according to the Presidential “I know there’s a need,” Olstad Ambassador’s Instagram page. said. “We haven’t had as much According to Student Philanthropy demand as we know is out there.” Manager Conor Reynolds, over 400 Olstad said that all a student has Towson Run apartment-dwellers are to do is reach out to her through her involved in this effort, and students email or office phone number to meet will compete by floor to raise the most with her and see what kind of aid they money for the fund. may qualify. Presidential Olstad is able to Ambassadors have put an “emergency” been tabling and $25 on a students’ I know there’s a reaching out to resOneCard once per idents in Towson semester if they qualneed. We Run to educate them ify. haven’t had as about the food securiDirector of the much demand as ty fund and ask them Annual Campaign to give. Presidential Brittany Shaff conwe know is out A m b a s s a d o r firmed that a camthere. Philanthropy Co-Chair pus survey will be Megan Touhey said going out to assess CHRISTINA OLSTAD that fundraising efforts Towson’s current Program Manager have been “going really needs. well so far.” In October, Presidential Touhey acknowledged that most Ambassadors introduced the Greek students are unaware that a fund Philanthropy Challenge, which exists that helps provide assistance encouraged Greek fraternities and to Towson students. Once they sororities to raise money for the food learn about it, she said they usually insecurity fund. “are more than willing to give $5 Chapters in each of the five Greek toward it.” Life councils competed to have either The food insecurity fund is a sup100 percent participation or the highport system for students who are est donor participation within their food insecure, meaning that they have respective councils. “limited or uncertain access to adeThe chapters with the highest quate food,” according to the United participation won $250 in their States Department of Agriculture. SGA accounts. Touhey said that the students most Reynolds reported that seven affected by food insecurity come from chapters won the challenge, includlower income families or are first gening Alpha Gamma Delta from the eration college students. Panhellenic Association, Iota Phi With the high cost of higher eduTheta from the National Panhellenic cation, day-to-day purchases such as Council, Chi Phi and Zeta Beta Tau food can be foregone in the face of from the Interfraternity Council, other expenses. Lambda Theta Alpha and Sigma Touhey explained that the accuLambda Gamma from the Unified mulated money in this fund is disGreek Council and Alpha Kappa Psi from the Independent Council. bursed to qualifying students on their
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Arts & Life
November 29, 2016
Weezy freed at SECU
Chris Simms/ The Towerlight Students flocked to SECU Arena on Nov. 19 to watch Lil Wayne let loose as the headliner at FallFest. He performed his verses from hits like “Forever” as well as singles like “Lollipop.”
Spring ‘17 theatre preview TAYLOR DEVILLE Associate Arts & Life Editor @artvandelady
Towson’s Department of Theatre Arts is currently working to put together three main stage performances for the spring semester. The first two are part of the department’s regular program, with the last performance, commissioned by the New York-based Acting Company, having been in production for the last two and half years, said professor and chair of the Department of Theatre Arts Robyn Quick. The first show, "Polaroid Stories” directed by Towson associate professor David White, is an adaptation of Ovid’s “Metamorphoses” by Naomi Iizuka. It "brings together classical storytelling with contemporary stories,” said Quick, by combining figures from “Metamorphoses” with “the real-life stories of kids living on the street yearning for transcendence,” according to its summary. “Metamorphoses” is an epic poem that tells the plotless-but-historically-chronological account of over 250 myths dating back to the Roman Empire. “Polaroid Stories” is structurally similar, following the stories of a number of “dreamers, dealers and desperados” surviving on the outskirts of a city, according to the play’s summary. Tickets will be available in the spring. “Polaroid Stories" begins with a preview on March 8 and runs until
March 16. The spring musical, “Cabaret,” directed by professor Stephen Nunns, promises to “reflect on politics,” said Quick, in a way that seems more relevant than it might have been even just a year ago. Guided by the Emcee, the audience will be taken to the seedy Kit Kat Klub in 1930’s Berlin. The Tony-award winning show follows the story of the alluring Sally Bowles and the infatuated write Cliff Bradshaw as they navigate an increasingly turbulent political and social climate during the beginning of the Third Reich. Audience members can expect to laugh at provocative songs like “Two Ladies,” tap their toe to the catchy hit “Money,” and find themselves caught off guard by the poignancy of “I Don’t Care Much” and “Cabaret.” “Cabaret” begins May 4 and runs until May 13. Tickets will be available in the spring. Towson has been pleased to host The Acting Company, a classical touring company that has commissioned award-winning poet Marcus Gardley to write “X: Or, Betty Shabazz vs. the Nation” to be performed in conjunction with “Julius Caesar,” directed by Devin Brain. Directed by Towson theatre arts graduate Ian Belknap, “X: Or, Betty Shabazz vs. the Nation” focuses on the assassination of Malcolm X. The show draws upon the “themes and structure” of “Julius Caesar,”
and the two shows are “meant to live in conversation with each other,” said Quick. Towson and The Acting Company have been working on the project for two and a half years, according to Quick. The Acting Company developed a new model of touring in which they building relationships with communities they visit over time. With Towson as the “anchor institution,” they partnered with Morgan State, Bowie State, and CCBC as well as some local high schools to use artistic residencies and outreach “as a way to generate conversation about politics, about rhetoric, about government, about social change,” Quick said. The interconnected themes of “Julius Caesar” and “X” have to do with both men being assassinated due to, it’s believed, a coup, as well as themes of tenuous political climate, leadership and social justice. “We might be talking about [these themes] in different ways than we thought we would years ago, when the project was first started.” Quick said. The Acting Company will be at Towson for artistic residencies as well as community outreach in the spring. “X” and “Julius Caesar” will be performed on March 3 and 4, respectively, in Stephens Hall. Local high schools will be invited to see a matinee of the shows on March 6 and 7. Tickets will be available in the spring.
Movie Review: Fantastic Beasts
Fantastical, magical beasts MATT MCDONALD Columnist
Since 2011, fans of the unforgettable “Harry Potter” series have waited and wondered whether J.K. Rowling would continue the phenomenon, and this year they got their wish. With the release of “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them,” the first of five in a new series, diehard fans have dusted off their robes and pulled out their wands for another five years of exciting magic and adventure. “Fantastic Beasts” stars Eddie Redmayne as Newt Scamander, a magizoologist -- a person who studies magical creatures -- who comes to America in the early 1920s to return one of his many magical creatures he was looking after. When his case of magical creatures gets switched for Jacob Kowolski’s briefcase, some of Scamander’s creatures get loose in New York City. With the help of Jacob and ex-Auror -- or elite dark wizard-catcher -- Porpentina Goldstein, he must recapture the creatures before the “no-maj’s,” or non-magic people, become suspicious of the underground wizarding community. All the while an Obscurus, a dark force of explosive magic developed by wizards and witches who try to suppress their magic, causes chaos and destruction on the city.
Out of all of the characters that Redmayne has played, I firmly believe this is his best yet. He gives Scamander such charm in his introversion and love of his magical creatures, as well as in his skill with a wand and knowledge of potions. The story he’s thrown into is brilliantly written and detailed, coming from none other than the mind behind the series itself, J.K. Rowling. A number of subplots, including the rise of the infamous dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald in Europe, are interwoven with such precision that it is not overwhelming, and yet the audience is not spoon fed exposition. I consider myself a huge “Harry Potter” fan, and, while I thoroughly enjoyed this movie, there were a few problems. First, because both the Obscurus and one of Scamander’s creatures can turn invisible, it can be hard to distinguish one from the other at times. Second, I felt that Percival Graves, a security officer for MECUSA, was an incoherent character. There are many moments in which he suddenly decides something that creates a jarring turn in the story without explanation. There is also a certain twist that, while it makes sense, seems to have been rushed and could have been further set up. --Read the rest of this column online at www.thetowerlight.com
Arts & Life
November 29, 2016
15
Remembering lost trans lives Uncovering today’s “All-American” boy MCKENNA GRAHAM Columnist
Kristin Helf/ The Towerlight Poet and percussionist “Vita E.” performed hip hop and poetry about her experiences as a black trans woman. KRISTIN HELF Associate Arts & Life Editor @kristinelise_
While Transgender Day of Remembrance is celebrated nationally Nov. 20, the Center for Student Diversity invited students to acknowledge the occasion with spoken word and discussion Nov. 17, before campus started shutting down for Thanksgiving break. “A lot of times when we think of LGBTQ+, we do different kinds of programs but we forget our trans community,” CSD Associate Director Mario Rodriguez said. “So this is a national day where we really try to create awareness of what different trans populations are going through.” During the event, hosted in the West Village Commons, poet and percussionist Vita E. performed hiphop and spoken-word poetry and shared her experiences as a black trans woman with neurodivergence, meaning that she has multiple mental illnesses. “I wanted to make sure this was centered very much around the trans experience,” she said as she introduced her first poem, ‘To Name a Flower.’ “This one is about names, and how names are very important to trans people.” In her poem, Vita shared a memory of being rung up at a drugstore makeup counter, and having the cashier trying to guess her nick-
name based on her legal, male name on her ID. Vita left the store, by giving the cashier “the furthest thing from my truth and the closest thing I know she’ll expect,” she recounted. She communicated to the audience how powerful both names and pronouns are for trans people. “A lot of the time we don’t know when we have a student who might be in transition, and I think that’s why gender pronouns are really important,” Rodriguez said. “You know, I can look like a man, perceived as a man on the outside, but what are my gender pronouns, and really the way that I feel? I think that’s what’s important, because we don’t talk about it as often. Everything’s very binary: male, female. Programs like this really create awareness of things we don’t talk about on a daily basis.” In a later poem, “Rx,” Vita E. played a percussion drum while shaking pill bottles like maracas, and spoke about the stigma of mental illness. She also recited poetry about identity, and her personal experience being non-binary, or not exclusively masculine or feminine. She says she’s trying out a new label called “stud-femme.” “I’m often told my femme is only validated when I wear a skirt… Does my gender norm have a face?” she asked the audience. “I am not a gender rubric waiting to be graded.”
Her poetry and hip-hop reflected not only her experiences with identity and stigma, but also black trans erasure, and the struggle of being both black and trans. “The black lives that never get riots…Building safe spaces that we are not welcome in,” as she put it. After reading her poems, she rapped the names of the transgender people who have lost their lives this year to violence and hate crimes. “It’s really powerful to hear the stories and even within ourselves, really see how these identities have similarities but also differences, in things that we may never have experienced, but it is someone’s experience, so being open to that,” Rodriguez said. “Some of us don’t have the same privileges as [others] do.” Rodriguez said that students wanted to hear from a member of the trans community and an activist in the Black Lives Matter movement, which is why Vita was booked. The event was also organized so that a Q&A discussion preceded her performances, instead of following it. “A lot of times people might not be familiar with the trans community, so we wanted to make sure people felt comfortable to ask questions, and that’s why we flipped it around,” Rodriguez said. “We really wanted to focus on getting to know the artist first, [and] her getting to know our Towson community.”
Book: “All-American Boys” Authors: Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely Genre: Contemporary Rating: Four stars I waited to write this review until after the walkout on Nov. 14, because I thought I could find a way to tie the novel and the event together. This book is a conversation about systemic racism and police brutality and how a community can come together or be torn apart—either way, changed—by these things, and it is definitely relevant to the walkout’s purpose. Yet, two hours after the rally has ended, I’m still unable to put together what I want to say. I can’t just talk about the book, because it’s so much bigger than that. This book does not tell a story. It sends a message. The writing of this story is mediocre (hence the fourstar rating) and sometimes the characters sound like they’ve been written by adults who haven’t been teenagers for twenty years imagine today’s teenagers to be (which they were). There’s more than one cringe-y line thrown in, presumably in an effort to make these characters more relatable, but that’s unnecessary. The situations that these characters face are real, and maybe not every part of the story is, but this is enough. Let me be frank here: I am white. I have never once experienced racism or police brutality or anything of the sort, but I have heard enough, from friends and from the news—story after story of Dontre Hamiltons and Eric Garners and Michael Browns. being assaulted and murdered by police officers who have evidence stacked against them and yet haven’t been charged. One author of this novel is black; the other is white. They split the narrative, each telling the story from opposite but complementary points of view—the black kid, Rashad, gets assaulted and hospitalized. The white kid goes through a period of realization and then takes action. There is a protest at the end. I cried. But this is not a story. This is not meant to be a novel—writing is merely the vehicle by
which the authors’ message is delivered: to black people and minorities, the authors say stay strong, be safe, speak up, fight back. To white people and those in positions of privilege, they say wake up and do something. This book is not a story about police brutality. It is a message. The characters of this novel are, for the most part, two-dimensional, unmemorable (I must confess I’ve already forgotten the white kid’s name), and easily replaced. But this is the key—this isn’t lazy writing or underdeveloped characters, this is a point being made that anyone and anyone can and will be put in these positions. A lot of us are in danger, and a lot of us can do something. One of the white kid’s best friends is the younger brother of the police officer. The white kid grows up with the officer in question as a sort of brother figure, and while he struggles to reconcile the fact that he has grown up sheltered and ignorant, Rashad struggles to reconcile the fact that he’s lucky to be alive. Two different struggles, one life-changing and the other life-threatening, coexist without becoming entangled—the book shows each position the other position’s perspective, allowing the white kid to (arguably literally) walk a mile in the black kid’s shoes. The title of this book has a meaning that changes from the beginning to the end. One of the very first chapters we get from Quinn (I looked up the white kid’s name) has him asking himself what it means to be “all-American”—as the son of a reputable and honored military veteran, his community places on him the burden of role model. By the end of the book, we see that he has taken this burden and turned it into an opportunity, and we have the chance to wonder which of these two has been the “all-American,” or whether that idea should still exist at all. To recap: the writing was okay, the characters were bearable and the message was phenomenal and necessary. Other than these points, I don’t have a lot to say about this book. It was a little cliché sometimes, and it tried a little too hard at other times, but for the most part it served itself well. I got the message. I’m awake. I’m doing something. Are you?
16 29,29, 2016 16November November 2016
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● Freebies: Fill in single-box cages with the number in the top-left corner.
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Arts & Life
“Freakshow” director talks identity, otherness
Alex Best/ The Towerlight Student actors rehearse “Freakshow,” a play about otherness, self-determination and discovery. “Freakshow” will run Dec. 1-10 in the Center for the Arts’ Studio Theatre. Towson theatre professor Steve Satta is directing “Freakshow,” a play by Carson Kreitzer that will hit the Center for the Arts’ Studio Theatre in early December. The following is a Q&A with Satta regarding Towson’s production of “Freakshow” and how the play might fit into our lives—personally, politically and otherwise. Freakshow runs Dec. 1-10.
What is “Freakshow” about? The plot is pretty simple in many ways. It’s a play about a freak show, Mr. Flip’s Freak Show and Traveling Jungle, which meant that in addition to the freaks—I’ll just keep using that word because it’s the word the play uses, although we all know we don’t call people with abnormalities or physical disabilities ‘freaks’—that in addition to the freak show, there were also animals and other kinds of curiosities. So it was somewhere between a circus and a freak show. And these were really popular at the turn of the last century and the late 1800s, P.T. Barnum made them really popular. So it’s Mr. Flip’s Freak Show and Traveling Jungle, and the world of the play is the freak show itself. And the characters in the play are dealing with personal challenges. Some of them are done being a part of the freak show and want to move on and feel like they can’t. Some of them are going to continue to be part of the freak show because they really don’t have any other options, and they’re dealing with what that means in terms of their perception of self and their perception of their ability to be self-determined in their life. What are your options if you have no arms or legs? And of course this is all a really big allegory for all of us in life who have to make choices about the extent we will work to fit in, the extent to which we don’t desire to fit into the mainstream, and the extent to which we feel like we can enter the mainstream but continue to be who we are. So it’s really about otherness, and it’s really about personal determination — self-determination of your life. You make choices that allow you to move forward in the world while still maintaining what is unique about yourself.
What do you want Towson students to take away from this play? There are several moments in the play that have very specific sexual language. I think all of those moments are very important to the play—they’re not extraneous, they’re not there for shock value. They’re there because they’re saying something very specific, particularly about women and their sexuality. So I would, first of all, hope that students look past that specific topic to look at the larger thing that’s being said about gender, about sexual power, about sexual agency — how sex fits into life as an integrated and healthy part. And at this moment in time, I really hope people on campus take away the extremely powerful and positive femininity that’s presented in the play… Given everything that’s been happening around women’s rights, how women are treated, perceived, I hope that people come away from that with a kind of understanding and a depth of thought around those issues that will help them personally navigate what we are continuing to navigate as a society. - Compiled by Kristin Helf. Read more of this Q&A online at www.thetowerlight.com.
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18
Winter Sports Preview
November 29, 2016
19
sights set high
Photos by Stephanie Ranque/ The Towerlight
Senior forward William Adala Motto drives to the basket in practice. He led Towson in scoring and rebounding last season by averaging 13.9 points and 8.3 rebounds per-game. Senior forward John Davis attempts a free throw in a contest against Robert Morris. Davis finished the game with 18 points, but Towson fell to Robert Morris 67-66 at SECU.
JORDAN COPE Sports Editor @jordancope26
Since the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) Tournament was brought to Baltimore in 2014, Towson has suffered heartache and defeat on the big stage. This year, the tournament will be moving to Charleston, South Carolina, and the team hopes a new location will come with a new result. “This year we are focused,” senior forward Arnaud William Adala Moto said. “Winning the CAA, trying to get to the NCAA Tournament. That’s the goal this year.” The Tigers captured 20 wins last season and are be bringing back the nucleus of that team. Along with Moto, junior guard Mike Morsell and senior forward John Davis will be back on the hardwood. Moto led the team in scoring last season, averaging 13.9 points per game.
Morsell wasn’t far behind, averaging averaged 13 points per game. “I know I can score the ball,” Morsell said. “It’s just a matter of taking the right shots and knowing when to go and knowing when to pull back.” Davis, who started 29 games for the Tigers last season, averaged 10.3 points per game and made a difference on the boards. He ranked 17th in the CAA with 5.5 rebounds per game. Towson will also see junior guard Deshaun Morman in action this season. Morman transferred from Cincinnati and had to sit out last season due to the NCAA transfer rules. “At Cincinnati, I just felt like it wasn’t a family,” Morman said. “When I took my visit here I just had a good connection with all the coaches, and it just felt as one. Since I’ve been here, it’s just been a lot of support.” Before starting conference play, Towson faced a difficult non-con-
ference schedule. The team played, Boston College, Stony Brook and in-state rival University of Maryland. “We scheduled aggressively trying to play good teams in non-conference,” Head Coach Pat Skerry said. “You want to win every game, but you also got to make sure you keep getting better so that when the guts of the conference season is there that you’re playing your best level of basketball.” Towson was picked to finish second in the conference behind the reigning CAA champion, UNC Wilmington. The Tigers will begin their conference schedule against the Seahawks on Dec. 31 at SECU Arena. Towson will conclude conference play with a contest in Williamsburg, Virginia, against William & Mary before heading to Charleston. “We’re just excited,” Skerry said. “We know that we can be very good. We just talked about staying consistent and staying connected.”
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Winter Sports Preview
November 29, 2016
tigers look to grow under geckeler DESMOND BOYLE Staff Writer
Towson won just seven games last season, but, with a talented young group and Head Coach Niki Reid Geckeler entering her third season, the team will look to make strides in the right direction. The Tigers will be relying on defense this season as they attempt to improve. “It’s defense first,” sophomore guard Sianni Martin said. “You know defense helps our offense. If we start off good defensively, it will help our whole team offensively.” The Tigers’ biggest loss from last season was their lone graduating senior, and the team’s second highest scorer, starting shooting guard Dominique Johnson. Johnson averaged 13.4 points per game for the Tigers last season. Another concern for Towson this season will be getting wins outside of SECU Arena, something the team only managed to do once in 15 games last year. Towson will look to senior shooting guard Raven Bankston and senior forward Briana Bush to lead
and help reverse the team’s record from last season. Last season, Bankston led the Tigers in scoring by averaging 15.5 points per game, while Bush finished with 71 points and 67 rebounds.
“
It’s defense first. You know defense helps our offense. If we start off good defensively, it will help our whole team offensively.
guards Mariah Gray, Nukiya Mayo and Etalyia Vogt. Junior college transfer Mary Cuevas will also join the Tigers this season. At ASA, Cuevas averaged 7.3 points per game and shot 53.5 percent from the field. The Tigers will hope to improve on their poor conference record from last year and make a mark in the CAA tournament. “When we play good defense we can stay in games longer and it’s easier for us to score,” Geckeler said. Only time will tell if this Towson team is up to the task.
SIANNI MARTIN Guard
Bankston stressed her relationship with teammates Martin and her sister, redshirt junior guard Raine Bankston, as crucial to her success. “Me and [Martin], along with my sister, have really great chemistry and just try and play off of each other,” Raven Bankston said. The Tigers will have four newcomers this season. Freshmen
Jordan Cope/ The Towerlight
Senior guard Raven Bankston drives to the basket in Towson’s game against George Mason Sunday at SECU Arena. Towson won 79-75.
Tigers aim for continued success Head Coach Mike Jackson looks to lead the team to success MUHAMMAD WAHEED Contributing Writer
Mike Jackson is preparing for his second season as head coach at Towson and hopes to lead the team to continued success. The Tigers first event this season is Thursday, Dec. 1, in Annapolis. The Tigers will compete in the Navy Lid Lifter. The Tigers won’t compete again until the Towson Tiger Invitational Saturday, Jan. 14, in New York City. Towson will compete in six more indoor track and field contests throughout the season, and three of the six events be in-state.
The Tigers will look to qualify their athletes for the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Division I Indoor Track Championships. The ECAC will run March 3-5 in Boston. Towson will have its last chance to qualify athletes for the ECAC Feb. 25. Last season, eight Towson athletes qualified to compete in the 2016 ECAC at Boston University’s Track and Field Pavilion. The team placed 29th out of 44 teams. The Tigers indoor track and field team had a successful season last year after competing in the ECAC and now have the challenge of performing at a similar level this upcoming season.
File photo by Alex Ziolkowski/ The Towerlight
Towson track and field competes in the Towson Invitational last spring at Johnny Unitas Stadium.
Winter Sports Preview
November 29, 2016
21
strong start, high expectations KARUGA KOINANGE Staff Writer
After a strong start to the beginning of its season, Towson returns to action for a three-day meet at the Bucknell Invitational on Dec. 2 at Kinney Natatorium. “We really look at the Bucknell invitational that we are going to as our midpoint of the season,” Head Coach Jake Shrum said. The Tigers will compete against Navy, Delaware and James Madison. They will also participate in the three-day Nike Invitational meet at Chapel Hill starting Feb. 3rd. Towson’s final competition at home will be Jan. 14, when the women’s team faces off against Bowling Green at Burdick Pool. “We’ve had a large portion of each team have a series of terrific swim meets,” Shrum said. “Some people are still trying to figure out how to feel out some of their better events, but we are in a really good place from a training standpoint.”
On the men’s side, sophomore Jack Saunderson and senior Dominic Breschi have had impressive seasons. Saunderson broke school records for the 100 and 200-yard fly with times of 47.60 and 1:45.02, respectively. Breschi set the school record for the 100-yard backstroke with a time of 47.66 and was recently named CAA Swimmer of the Week. On the women’s side, juniors Jacy Icard and Kendall Krumenacker have led the team so far this season. At Towson’s most recent meet against George Mason, Icard set the school record for the 100-yard backstroke with a time of 54.62, while Krumenacker placed within the top-three of three events. With almost three weeks to key in on improvements, Towson hopes to return to competition revamped and fully focused. “Our mentality will be to maintain and improve our speed and conditioning through exams and winter break before coming back during minimester to continue to develop our speed and our endurance at peak speeds,” Shrum said.
File Photo by Chris Simms/ The Towerlight
Towson competes against Colonial Athletic Association rival William & Mary at Burdick Pool
Tu hopes added depth will help JESSE BAIRD Staff Writer
Towson is hard at work preparing for the 2017 season, which begins with a season opener against Southern Connecticut Jan. 7, at SECU Arena. The Tigers are led by Head Coach Vicki Chliszczyk, who is entering her seventh season. She is banking on an expanded roster to help spread out the workload among team members. “This year we are looking at the extra depth as a tool to help us game plan. It will allow for us to pick and choose who is best for each event, which helps keep the team well restt ed,” Chliszczyk said. The expanded roster includes
“
McKellar looks to make NCAA 19 Tigers -- six new members and 13 returning members. This is the regionals for a third year in a row largest roster the after competing in allTigers have had around competition at in the history of This year we are regionals as a freshman the program. and sophomore. looking at the extra Sophomore Freshman Melissa Mary Elle Arduino Temkov, a Canadian depth as a tool to and junior Tyra help us game plan. It National Champion, McKellar are is looking to make an will allow us to pick impact in her first season leading the way for the Tigers as and choose who is at Towson. they head into the best for each event, Assistant Coach Jay season. Ramirez will aid the team Arduino looks which helps keep the this season after helping to build off her team well rested. the team sporadically last impressive freshyear. VICKI CHLISZCZYK man season, The Tigers will have Head Coach during which she 11 meets this year -- five was named a balance beam specialist at home and six away. This year for the Athens Regional. includes an added home meet,
which is a chance to allow the students to have another chance to support the team. “Support from the students is very important,” Chliszczyk said. “These girls work hard day in and day out and having students there to cheer them on helps fuel the team.” In addition to the 11 meets, the Tigers will participate in the EAGL Championships in March, where they placed sixth in 2016. The team also hopes to qualify for the end of the season’s NCAA regional championships. “Building off our performance the last few years, a team goal of ours is to qualify for the NCAA regionals as a team,” Chliszczyk said. “We have had individuals qualify for regionals the last few years and feel that if the
girls perform to their true potential this is a doable task.”
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Sports
November 29, 2016
are you bucking kidding me? Buck Showalter had every reason to save All-Star closer Zach Britton JORDAN COPE Sports Editor @jordancope26
More than a month has gone by since Blue Jays first baseman Edwin Encarnacion hit a walk-off home run off of Orioles starting/ relief pitcher Ubaldo Jimenez in the American League Wild Card game, and it still pains me to talk about it. Major sports personalities have questioned Orioles manager Buck Showalter for bringing Jimenez out of the bullpen instead of All-Star closer Zach Britton, who was having a historic season. Sports are always full of what-if scenarios, but the Orioles loss had more to do with the fact that Britton was not brought into the game. Orioles starting pitcher Chris Tillman, who got the nod in the do-or-die ballgame, surrendered two runs over just 4.1 innings of work. That is an ERA of 4.15. Tillman was the Orioles go-to
starting pitcher all throughout the regular season, and he simply didn’t show up in his biggest start of the year. Although Tillman pitched poorly in the game, what really killed the Orioles was the inability of their lineup to produce runs. Baltimore mustered just two runs off of the bat of slugger Mark Trumbo, who hit a homerun in the fourth inning. Baltimore was held scoreless for the rest of the game and left six runners on base. The Orioles relied on the long ball all year, and it came back to bite them in the playoffs when they couldn’t figure out how to manufacture runs. From the dugout, Showalter saw
that this was going to be a tight ballgame that came down to the wire, and he wanted to save his star closer to shut the Blue Jays down if his team took the lead. For that reason, I don’t blame Showalter for not bringing in Britton. I blame the lack of starting pitching and mostly the team’s inability to manufacture runs. In postseason baseball, starting pitching and pushing across runs is what it takes to be a World Series team. Until the Orioles get the right pieces in place they will only be a good ballclub, not a great ballclub.
Courtesy of Bleacher Report
Orioles closer Zach Britton takes the mound for Baltimore. Britton posted recorded 47 saves and a 0.54 ERA this season for the Orioles.
Sports
November 29, 2016
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tigers keep rolling TU advances to 5-0 for first time since ‘08/‘09 Jordyn Smith
Women’s Basketball Redshirt junior forward Jordyn Smith recorded 18 points and shot 87 percent from the field in Towson’s 79-75 victory over George Mason Sunday at SECU Arena. Smith also tallied three assists and forced two turnovers on the defensive end. Jordan Cope/ The Towerlight
The Towson women’s basketball team breaks the huddle before the game Sunday at SECU Arena against George Mason. Towson went on to defeat George Mason 79-75 for its fifth straight victory of the season.
DESMOND BOYLE Staff Writer
Towson continued its unbeaten start to the season with a 79-75 win over George Mason Sunday at SECU Arena that improved the team’s record to 5-0 for the first time since the 2008-09 season. “It was a very balanced attack by our young ladies and that is what I am very excited about,” Head Coach Niki Reid Geckeler said. “When you talk about growth and development and maturity along the season, I think that when we get everyone playing well together that chemistry shows.” The opening minutes featured a constant series of lead changes as both teams battled for control. Sophomore
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guard Sianni Martin broke the gridlock with a three pointer that gave Towson a 13-10 lead. However, George Mason went on a 12-5 run to end the quarter. A 10-point run for the Patriots extended their lead to 32-24 with just over three minutes to go in the second quarter. Seniors Raven Bankston and Brianna Bush helped contribute six and seven points, respectively, to spark a late 13-4 run for the Tigers. “Our defense leads our offense,” Bankston said. “That’s been our motto the whole season.” George Mason took a 40-37 lead into the break after shooting 49 percent from the field, while Bankston was the game’s highest scorer with 12 points. After an even start to the second half, the Tigers went on a 17-6 run thanks to redshirt junior Jordyn Smith,
who had eight points in that stretch. The run helped Towson take a 62-58 lead going into the final quarter. “I didn’t have a great first half,” Smith said. “I just knew I had to come out and do what I had to do for the team. We needed a leader, so I stepped up and filled that role.” After a three-pointer from Bankston in the fourth quarter, the Patriots went on a 6-1 run to pull within one point with just under three minutes to play. Smith then sealed the game for Towson with four straight points as the team went on to secure a 79-75 victory. Towson will look to extend its winning streak to six games when the team hosts Georgetown Wednesday at noon. “We’ve just got to play our hardest and keep playing how we’ve been playing,” Bankston said. “It’s been working for us.”
It was a very balanced attack by our young ladies and that is what I
am very excited about. When you talk about growth and delevopment and maturity along the season, I think that when we get everyone playing well together that chemistry shows.
NIKI REID GECKELER
Head Coach
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Sports
November 29, 2016
A tale of two days Jordan Cope/ The Towerlight
Senior forward William Adala Moto looks to dish the ball Saturday night at SECU Arena against Robert Morris. Moto recorded 10 points in Towson’s 67-66 loss to Rober Morris. Junior guard Mike Morsell drives the lane in the Tigers contest against the Colonials at SECU Arena. Morsell finished the game with 15 points, two steals and one block. JORDAN COPE Sports Editor @jordancope26
Towson split a pair of non-conference contests at SECU Arena this weekend, falling to Robert Morris Saturday but defeating Stony Brook Friday. The Tigers (3-3, 0-0 CAA) fell to the Colonials (2-5, 0-0 NEC) 67-66 Saturday. “Hats off to Robert Morris,” Head Coach Pat Skerry said. “I can just say it’s the most disappointing loss I’ve ever been a part of here. We didn’t guard, you know that’s on me. We didn’t have good leadership, that’s on me. I’m just really surprised, especially in our veteran guys, that weren’t ready to play tonight.” In the first half, Towson took a 16-9 lead over Robert Morris when junior guard Deshaun Morman got behind the Robert Morris defense and slammed the ball into the basket. Later in the half, the Tigers opened
up a 29-20 lead. However, the Colonials went on a 5-0 run to make it a 29-25 game going into the locker room. In the second half, Towson jumped out to a 37-29 lead thanks to a pair of layups from junior guard Mike Morsell and senior forward John Davis. Towson continued to build upon its lead, but Robert Morris mounted a late comeback. The Colonials took a 62-61 lead over the Tigers when senior forward Billy Giles hit a jumper in the paint. Robert Morris managed to further its lead over Towson to 65-61 when senior forward Kavon Stewart banked a three-pointer off the glass with 58 seconds left in the game. The Colonials managed to make their free-throws down the stretch and earn their second victory of the season. “Just a disappointing, putrid performance by our entire operation” Skerry said. “Unless we figure it out, we will fall short of where we want to get to. I don’t mind starting the season with some unknowns, but you can’t finish
the season with unknowns. We had a lot of guys that just didn’t show up to play tonight.” The Tigers used a late run in the first half of Friday’s game to defeat the Seawolves (1-4, 0-0 AEC) 88-63. “I think our guys were pissed about [the Maryland and Boston College games],” Skerry said. “They responded the right way tonight.” Towson started off the first half sluggish, but went on a 32-2 run to take a 50-28 lead into halftime. The second half was a much closer battle, but the lead that the Tigers built in the first half proved to be insurmountable. Morsell led the way for Towson in scoring with 21 points. Morman added 18, Davis added 13 and sophomore forward Alex Thomas added 12 to help the team cruise to its third win of the season. The Tigers will be back in action Wednesday night against Goucher. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. inside SECU Arena.