Feb. 7, 2012 College Heights Herald

f aQ&A for with band Dr. D Dog see page 3

WKUHERALD.COM

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2012 • College Heights Herald • Vol. 88, No. 5 • Western Kentucky University

ABBY O’BRYAN/HERALD

The women’s cheerleading squad used pink pompoms in support of breast cancer awareness during the Lady Topper basketball game Feb. 4 in Diddle Arena. Assistant Coach Joni Hall was diagnosed with breast cancer in May 2011 and is still going through chemotherapy treatments. “Being a coach has made the past year a lot easier,” Hall said. “I’ve gotten a lot of support from the team and their families.”

‘Let's go. Let's fight.’

WKU Cheerleaders stand against breast cancer

By ANNA ANDERSON diversions@wkuherald.com

Saturday’s WKU women’s basketball game wasn’t about red and white. Instead, the color of the day was pink — for breast cancer awareness.

Players and fans alike donned pink to show their support for the cause. Even the All Girls Cheer Team traded out their usual red-andwhite pompoms for fuchsia.

For the cheerleaders, this game was personal. Breast cancer had touched the life of one of their own.

Last May, WKU All Girls Cheer Assistant Coach Joni Hall was diagnosed with stage one breast cancer. After preliminary tests last March, Hall said she knew something was wrong when the doctors weren’t telling her the whole story.

When she finally received the news, Hall said she was ready to take on the disease.

“I said, ‘Let’s go. Let’s fight,’” she said.

In fact, Hall scheduled her surgery for the very next day. A wife and mother of twin teenage boys, Hall knew she couldn’t waste any

time. She said she also wanted to attend her cheerleading squad’s try-outs in a few weeks.

Once plans were made, Hall called Josh Bewley, the head coach of the WKU All Girls Cheer Team. Bewley told the girls on the squad.

WKU Junior Lani Kuegel, an Exercise Science major from Owensboro who has been on the squad for three years, said she was concerned about her coach.

“We took it hard,” Kuegel said. “But she was positive, not like most people would be.”

After Bewley broke the news to the squad, Hall said the squad reached out to her with phone calls and Facebook messages.

By late July 2011, Hall was in the midst of treatments. Yet she was still keeping up with the squad’s activities as much as she could. She was even able to attend part of the camp held by both the all girls and co-ed squads of the Topper cheerleaders.

When she arrived at the camp, Hall found both squads ready to greet her in pink T-shirts Bewley and Tom Jones, the head coach, had made as a tribute to her.

MICHAEL RIVERA/HERALD

Joni Hall, assistant women’s cheer coach, was diagnosed with stage one breast cancer last May. After undergoing treatment, she has been in remission since September 2011.

SEE CANCER, PAGE 3

WKU works to bring WKU proposes changes to Panda Express to campus Gen. Ed. requirements

By MICHAEL MCKAY news@wkuherald.com

WKU is working to bring variety to campus with a new dining option — one that isn’t a chicken restaurant or a Mexican grill.

Panda Express, a Chinese fast food chain, is in the process of being brought to the Garrett Conference Center and is currently being planned to take the auditorium space above the food court.

Bryan Russell, director of Planning, Design and Construction, said the new Panda Express will be open for the start of the new school year with a tentative date of Aug. 1.

“Suits me just fine,” Russell said. “I love Chinese food.”

Because the WKU Catering Group has

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moved to the Carroll Knicely Conference Center, the Garrett Food Court will expand out into area previously taken by Catering.

Originally, Panda Express was going to move into the expanded Garrett Food Court.

Gary Meszaros, assistant vice president for Auxiliary Services, said the auditorium space will better serve Panda Express.

“It looks like because that space has been way underutilized by the University that they would rather put that in there permanently and give it a nice, big space,” Meszaros said. “It would just be another venue like Einstein’s or DaVinci’s or Subway. So it’s not exactly part of the food court, but it’s close.”

SEE PANDA, PAGE 2

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By NATALIE HAYDEN news@wkuherald.com

A proposed change to WKU’s general education requirements will lower the number of general education hours required to graduate from 44 to 39.

If passed, these changes could go into effect as soon as 2014.

Of the 39-hour program, 30 hours will be lower-division classes and will be divided between two categories, while 9 hours in a third category of upper-division classes will be added.

According to WKU’s General Education Review Task Force report, the first category of the lower-division classes will be 18 hours and includes

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English, communications, math and history.

The second will be 12 hours and includes arts and humanities, social and behavioral sciences and natural and physical sciences.

The third category will be called Connections and “theoretically can be in any subject,” said Larry Snyder, associate dean of Potter College of Arts and Letters.

The purpose of the Connections courses is to help students understand “individual and social responsibility,” according to the report.

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FEBRUARY 7, 2012

COLLEGE HEIGHTS HERALD

a thousand words

Photo & Story by MICHAEL RIVERA

MICHAEL RIVERA/HERALD

Members of Kappa Sigma participate in a car-bashing during official Inter-Fraternity Council recruitment week at WKU. Kappa Sigma was originally founded at WKU in 1965 and returned in 2005 after being kicked off campus.

It starts with a swing, and then it’s off. The windows go out first, then the tires, and then it’s no longer recognizable.

Students gather at the Kappa Sigma fraternity house to participate in the “Car Bashing,” a fraternity rush event to recruit WKU students for Kappa Sigma.

“Kappa Sigma was originally founded in 1965 and returned in 2005,” President Robert Whittley said.

Kappa Sigma consists of 37 members.

This event was one of the many WKU rush events during the official Inter-Fraternity Council recruitment week.

WKU has a total of 19 fraternities that students can rush.

The fraternity and sorority community has been a part of the student experience at WKU for the past 45 years.

And over 1,800 students join these groups in hopes of networking and learning better leadership skills.

“The Kappa Sigma event had about 15 potential members and they were all participating,” Whittley said.

Senior Kappa Sigma member Barrett Severance has participated in the car-bashing event for several years.

“It’s a sober event every guy is going to like,” Severance said.

The car was bought from a local junkyard with the effort to bring in more recruitment for Kappa Sigma.

The car was demolished after each new recruit as well as members got a swing at the car.

A sledgehammer was the instrument of choice for members to bash the car.

“It was a night of getting to know the Kappa Sigma brothers and bashing a car, “ Whittley said.

Health Services expands patient numbers, services

By CAMERON KOCH news@wkuherald.com

Whether it be for a flu shot, a checkup or a sprained ankle, WKU’s Health Services Center is looking to become the first choice in non-emergency medical care for both WKU faculty and students.

Since Health Services moved into its new facility in 2008, the center has served almost double the number of patients — growing from 11,647 patients served in 2007 to nearly 21,000 in 2011— according to a report given at January’s Board of Regents meeting.

Health Services administered more than 1,500 flu shots last year. From the end of December 2009 to the end of summer 2010 more than 1,700 H1N1

vaccines were given to patients.

President Gary Ransdell said the program has come a long way and will continue to grow.

“I’ve watched our Health Services program go from only serving a few students and not having a business model at all to now serving thousands of students and faculty and staff and having a strong business model,” Ransdell said.

The revenue streams collected from insurance and money made from use of the facility will allow it continue to grow and expand, he said.

Ann Mead, vice president for Finance and Administration, said the growth of Health Services gives it room to offer more services in the future.

PANDA CONTINUED FROM FRONT

Meszaros said salespeople from Panda Express and ARAMARK must give final approval of the project before engineers and architects can survey Garrett.

“The goal is still Aug. 1, that they have that thing up and running,” Meszaros said.

The decision to add the Asian restaurant was made in part by a 16-week research process from ARAMARK called MarketMATCH, which reviewed the dining options on campus. Panda Express was one of the suggestions for campus that was made after the review.

Louisville sophomore Desireé Johnson said she loves Chinese food and eats at the Garrett Food Court al-

“I would like for it to be the first destination of choice for faculty and staff for day-to-day routine health care needs" —Gary Ransdell

most every day.

“It would be nice to have one on campus,” Johnson said. “I usually go to the mall for one.”

Louisville senior Lusie Cuskey said she isn’t opposed to the new Panda Express.

“It’s another option,” Cuskey said.

Cuskey said she would be at WKU for another year, “taking a victory lap” so she said she may eat at the restaurant.

“Theoretically, if I’m not in rehearsal all of the time,” she said.

Meszaros said getting the Panda Express program off the ground has been something WKU Restaurant and Catering Group has been working on for a while.

“That would probably be here, even if we didn’t do this whole Downing Center thing,” Meszaros said.

EDUCATION CONTINUED FROM FRONT

“The idea behind these courses is as the name suggests,” Doug McElroy, associate vice president for Academic Enrichment and Effectiveness, said. “They should help students make connections between courses, between their majors and gen. ed. requirements.”

McElroy said the classes that may fulfill the Connections requirements are yet to be determined, and will be decided upon by a committee just as the gen. ed. courses now are.

The proposal was presented at the University Senate meeting Monday night to determine when it will be brought to the senate floor, Snyder said.

What happens after the senate dis-

“You don’t just have to provide basic primary care, there is the ability to provide additional services,” Mead said. “They try to be able to see what else does the campus need, and they try to accommodate.”

Ransdell said he believes that Health Services caters an essential need at WKU — a healthy campus.

“I’m looking for them to lead the way in creating a healthy campus environment,” he said.

A healthy faculty and staff in turn lowers insurance premiums for employees, he said.

“It operates like a true health center,” Ransdell said. “I would like for it to be the first destination of choice for faculty and staff for day-to-day routine health care needs.”

■ CORRECTION Due to a Herald error, the number of students enrolled in the Best Expectations Program was incorrectly identified as 868 students in a front page article about retention in the Feb. 3 issue.

There are currently 1,370 enrolled in the BEP for the spring semester. The Herald regrets the error.

The College Heights Herald corrects all confirmed errors that are brought to reporters’ or editors’ attention.

Please call 745-6011 or 745-5044 to report a correction, or e-mail us at editor@wkuherald.com.

CRIME REPORTS Reports

■ Sophomore Noel F. Belcher, Keen Hall, reported on Feb. 5 that someone entered his room while he was sleeping and stole his iPhone 4 and $100. The value of the theft is $350.

■ Freshman Riley K. Hall, Keen, reported on Feb. 5 that his laptop, Playstation 3, wallet and several textbooks were stolen from his room. The value of the

cusses the proposal cannot be determined yet, McElroy said.

Snyder is chairman of the task force, which began work four years ago to change the requirements.

He said were three reasons for the changes.

First, the number of general education hours is not proportional to the total number of hours required to graduate.

Brian Meredith, associate vice president of Enrollment Management, said that in 2010 WKU changed the total number of hours required to graduate from 128 to 120. However, there was no change to the number of general education hours.

“This upped the percent of gen. ed. hours, so now we’re proposing a reduction in the number of gen. ed. hours to even it out,” Snyder said.

theft was $1,630.

Arrests ■ Senior Tyler Davis, Owensboro, was arrested and charged with alcohol intoxication in a public place on College Street on Feb. 5.

■ Freshman Tyler Flint, Louisville, was arrested on Feb. 3 and charged with having an expired registration plate, failure to produce insurance card and a DUI.

Additionally, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools was concerned with the current general education program.

SACS is the institute that accredits the university and does a report every ten years.

“The program was not coherent enough as a program. It didn’t function well and was random,” Snyder said.

“We couldn’t document consistent student learning.”

Finally, the changes also came because the state passed a new general education transfer agreement in June, which will allow for more collaboration between two-year and four-year universities.

For more information on the general education changes, the report can be found on the University Senate’s website.

FEBRUARY 7, 2012

COLLEGE HEIGHTS HERALD

3

Q&A with Philly-based band Dr. Dog

By CHRIS RUTLEDGE news@wkuherald.com

Q. Are there any specific themes on the album?

Philadelphia-based rockers Dr. Dog release their new album “Be The Void” today. Singer/bassist Toby Leaman recently took the time to talk with The Herald about the album and their upcoming show at the War Memorial Auditorium in Nashville on March 3.

Q. What

were some of your goals while working on “Be The Void?”

A.

It was definitely a goal to make a more upbeat record. That was something we talked about before we even started recording the record. The songs that were working were those types of songs, so those are the ones that got put on the record. But there was kind of a purposeful thinking behind it.

A.

No, I would say that this record is sort of more like our earlier records in that it’s really just a collection of songs. There’s no real thematic thread between the whole thing, which I’m fine with as long as all the songs sound good. There might be something you can read into. Just because we didn’t intend it, doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist. So people that come up with something, it’s there.

Q.

Your studio albums have a live feeling to them. Is that something you strive for?

A.

I’m a firm believer that anything that’s recorded or documented should be just that, a document. It should be a representation of the reality of what was actually hap-

pening. I feel like for a band like us, we put out records and we tour. So what should our record be? It should be what we were doing when we were making the record.

Q.

You recently added multi-instrumentalist Dmitri Manos and drummer Eric Slick to the band. How has that impacted your sound?

A.

I don’t think it can be overstated how much they’ve changed the band. Our drummer is better than pretty much anyone in the band, and he makes everyone better.

He plays harder. He’s really fast in the studio.

He doesn’t really mess up. That definitely would have a huge influence on making the record, because a lot of the songs are really visceral songs that work right off the bat. And that was because of his ability to sort of get in the pocket and drive it home. And then Dmitri, he’s got a really good sense of things that

are great. It’s just a really positive force in the band. He works as hard as anybody, and he comes up with great ideas pretty much all the time. The addition of those two guys has made a huge difference, and it’s made the band really fun.

Q.

What does Dr. Dog have in store for Nashville?

A.

Nashville’s always been good to us. We play really well in Nashville. I think we’re playing a new room I’ve never been to, but I know it’s going to be a blast. I love that town, there’s a lot of good people down there. We’re going to be playing a ton of new stuff, so people should brush up on the new record. We’ve been touring the old record for over a year and half, so just let them know — let them know when they come to the show they’re going to hear a [expletive] ton of new stuff, and they’re going to love it.

ICSR will keep its space during DUC renovations

By TAYLOR HARRISON news@wkuherald.com

The Institute for Citizenship and Social Responsibility’s meeting with President Gary Ransdell last Friday went better than expected.

ICSR arranged the meeting to voice concerns and discuss with Ransdell the potential move from Garrett Conference Center to Cravens Library during the Downing University Center renovations. Seventeen people showed up in support of ICSR, including Student Government Association members.

However, at the beginning of the meeting, Ransdell said ICSR would no longer be moving. Student Activities, which is currently located in DUC, and was slotted to take over ICSR’s space in Garrett, decided to move into Cravens instead.

Ransdell said he had been informed of the decision about a week ago.

Charley Pride, director of Student Activities and Organizations, said SAO made the decision to move to Cravens because at this time, moving to Garrett was not the right thing to do.

Pride said SAO would've done things differently if it had the space in Garrett. They will have to make some changes and work more diligently in Cravens.

As to why SAO did not inform ICSR right away, Pride said they passed their decision along to the administrators involved and left it at that.

CANCER CONTINUED FROM FRONT

“It was a sea of pink,” Hall said.

The support shown from the cheerleaders, along with her family’s strength helped her to keep fighting, she said.

In September 2011, doctors told Hall she was officially in remission. Although she will continue taking a low-dose form of chemotherapy for the next five years and will see an oncologist every four months, Hall said she’s confident she’ll stay positive no matter what happens.

In the mean time, Hall and the Topper cheerleaders are working to raise awareness for breast cancer.

During October, the All Girls squad participated in a flash mob in Dillard’s department store in Greenwood Mall. The cheerleaders danced to Michael Jackson’s “Beat It” to collect donations for the Susan G. Komen for the Cure foundation.

Jones said this isn’t the first time the WKU cheerleading squads have helped raise awareness and money for disease research.

Several people made the decision, including Pride and Howard Bailey, vice president for Student Affairs, Pride said.

Ransdell said he was pleased Student Activities made this decision because it solved a problem. However, he also said it will probably be more difficult for them to work from the Cravens space.

Rebecca Katz, a student worker for ICSR, said they did not want to put anyone out, and also that ICSR was open to sharing the space with Student Activities and still would be.

Ransdell said it would probably be best for ICSR to take the deal and keep their space.

ShéRohn Draper, a graduate student working at ICSR, said during the meeting that one of the main problems they had with their potential move was the lack of transparency in the decision making.

Draper pointed out that a decision impacting the ICSR’s future had been made at least a week before they were informed about it.

Even though things worked out for them this time, Draper said he thinks it is important to work out a more sustainable solution for situations like this in the future.

“The whole issue here is that there was a lack of communication,” Katz said.

She proposed setting up a student task force to help make complex decisions in the future.

Katz said she wishes there had been more discussion about the issue rather than it ending abruptly.

“We try to get out in the public eye,” he said.

Jones said this includes participating in events such as the Alzheimer’s walk in September and “Relay For Life.”

Bewley tells his squad that they’re representatives of WKU for the surrounding community.

“First and foremost, they’re ambassadors for the university,” he said.

Hall wanted to use the squad’s position to show support for breast cancer awareness.

She said she vowed to buy the team pink pompoms while she was lying in a hospital bed during her treatments last year.

“I’m a fighter,” Hall said. “And I’m a planner.”

Kacey Shepherd, a Murfreesboro, Tenn., freshman on the All Girls squad, said she was happy to use the new props at the game.

Hall said she tells her squad to make sure they get regular breast exams.

“Especially if you have any history in your family,” she said. “You can’t play.”

Shepherd said she’s also looking forward to doing more to raise awareness in the future.

“We’re so close to someone who has had it,” Shepherd said. “It impacts a lot of people.”

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2.7.12

College Heights Herald • Western Kentucky University

people

STAFF EDITORIAL

SGA should, could do more POLL

What was your favorite Superbowl commercial?

THE ISSUE: After having two relativelyshort meetings and no new plans on the agenda this semester, it appears SGA hasn’t been on the ball.

OUR STANCE: The Herald fears SGA will keep up this trend and end the semester without accomplished much. We strongly urge them to do more.

In a perfect world, the student government serves its students and has several things going on at all times.

For WKU’s SGA, however, things have been a lot less than ideal.

One of the most crushing events was losing the Provide-A-Ride service and not finding a replacement provider, despite there being an offer on the table from Parking and Transportation Services.

SGA has said that it will work toward getting a new Provide-A-Ride service but admitted it wasn’t entirely feasible before the semester ends.

Provide-A-Ride, a service of good use in a college town such as Bowling Green, should have been found as soon as possible and should be one of the first priorities for SGA right now.

The Herald encourages SGA to do more about Provide-A-Ride, or at the least, do something.

Last semester, SGA had to pay a $15,000 bill from the previous administration for owed payment on Provide-A-Ride.

SGA had to enforce its attendance policy this semester after nearly one-third of its 36 senators had to go through judicial review because of excessive absences last semester — two were even removed from office.

It seems the negatives have outweighed the positives this year, which is unfortunate for the students who should be benefiting from their student government.

Yes, they had a successful Cage the Elephant concert (with the help of Campus Activi-

CONNOR STRANGE Bowling Green freshman

“The M&M’s. The red one took his coat off and acted like he was naked.”

CAITLYN MASON Auburn freshman

“The Coca-Cola one with the polar bears mainly because that’s the one I’ve always watched since I was little.”

ties Board), but what happened to the Croakies they were supposed to hand out before the Homecoming game? What about the “I Voted” shirts on election day (which were not available as planned)? What about the iPads they were supposed to start loaning out?

SGA has plenty of inventive ideas. But this year, when it has come to putting those plans into action, things become stagnant. As the government for the student body, they should do more. WKU students need more than a free concert and bluebooks.

Last semester, SGA ended without any groundbreaking work. Their effort on the DUC renovations can be commended, but that was left behind when they started talking about changing the name of our university center.

The Herald feels that this semester SGA should become more involved and hopes this trend of 10-minute meetings and purposeless business ends soon.

This editorial represents the majority opinion of the Herald’s 10-member editorial board.

ANTHONY BELL Indianapolis. sophomore

“The baby and the Doritos. The grandma had the baby, and she flung the baby across, and the baby stole the Doritos.”

COMMENTARY

Response to recent cartoon overblown I’d like to take a moment to respond to the first paragraph of Anne Heintzman’s commentary on the Jan. 31 Editorial Cartoon. I say “first paragraph” because that is the only thing in which I hold issue with. The rest of the commentary I felt was very well-written and reasonable in its arguments.

It’s time that a cartoonist comes forth and defends her trade...

As the previous cartoonist for the College Heights Herald, I have been called racist, sexist, prejudiced against sculpture artists and sculptures, prejudiced against small-town Kentuckians, and then my personal favorite, prejudiced against “Ducks Unlimited.” Anyway, the point of this is that every single time I was accused of being prejudiced against something, someone or some group of peoples, it was over things that, frankly, shouldn’t have been overreacted about. And with Darren’s cartoon, the reaction was no dif-

ferent.

Why is it that when someone draws a picture of a monkey in a newspaper it’s automatically seen as a racist thing? Whoever said anything about race in that editorial anyway? People are taking a CARTOON way too out of context. Why can’t the cartoon simply be what the article was talking about? The article didn’t say “We don’t like *insert race here* getting in our school.” It just stated their reasonable opinion on the admission standards of WKU. The cartoon nor the article had anything to do with a particular race.

Would people have been less offended if one of Kentucky’s hillbillies I was talking about earlier was drawn? Or how about a blonde cheerleader? Or a football player?

Nobody would complain if he drew an upper-class white kid holding a 0.5 GPA slip. Fact is, he didn’t draw any of these.

He drew an animal. Not a metaphor for anyone. Just an animal that is commonly

seen as unintelligent (and before you argue that, go watch YouTube videos of monkeys for 10 minutes).

You know what? I have an idea: How about people stop making all carANNIE ERSKINE toonists out to be Former Herald prejudiced jerks Cartoonist all the time. We’re not that bad! I promise! This happened to me when I was a cartoonist, it happened to cartoonists before me, and it will continue to happen to cartoonists after me. It got to a point where I was literally told NOT to draw people of color in fear of backlash of people thinking I was racist. I was told to just take it in stride and be quiet about how these ridiculous accusations against cartoonists make me feel. But considering

I’ve passed the mantle of cartoonist onto a GREAT and TALENTED young man, I think I’m tired of being quiet while cartoonists are continually bad-mouthed at this school. I’ll be darned if I’ll sit back and just stay quiet while people make false accusations or even stir up trouble by saying how something could possibly come off as wrong. It’s like when people point out something perverted in a kid’s cartoon that wasn’t intended to be perverted at all. It’s your own warped minds making things out to be this way. Stop seeing the world as some dark, evil place where all political cartoonists are prejudiced against *insert complaint here* just because they’re in a newspaper.

Get over it. Stop whining. It’s JUST a cartoon.

This commentary doesn't necessarily represent the views of the Herald or the university.

college heights herald Cole Claybourn* editor-in-chief Kayla Golliher* managing editor Tessa Duvall* news editor Emily Patton* diversions editor Brad Stephens* sports editor Chris Wilson* photo editor Sam Oldenburg * assis't photo editor

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@dewayneneeley: At this point, I don't see why Ray Harper doesn't get the job. Seems like an obvious choice, which prob mean it's not. #WKU #KeepCoachHarp -sent 2/5 @RossBjorkAD: Agreed....... let's keep it going! “@JoshuaGNewman: This is the way I like to see Diddle! #WKU @RossBjorkAD” -sent 2/5

@FahndersWKU: Tonight was how Diddle Arena needs to be every night! #WKU played their hearts out!

Hilltoppers are rockin under Harper! #TeamRayset #GoTops -sent 2/4 @keden2000: I have heard stories about Diddle Arena...tonight I understood what it was all about. #WKU #GoTops -sent 2/4 @_geewiz: wku's radio station is the best station ive ever heard easily -sent 2/5

@FindHim_TweetME: Roses are red violets are blue im at WKU &' there is nothing to do... -sent 2/3 @Short_Stuff21: Looking at my pic from when I first got to WKU in '08...man I've had some good times... wouldn't trade these memories for the world! -sent 2/3

ACROSS 1 Get-up-and-go 4 Small fragment 9 __ milk; nonfat beverage 13 Way out 15 Team director 16 Take apart 17 Diminish 18 "__ Pokey"; children's dance song 19 Malicious look 20 Cruel 22 Heroic action 23 Church service 24 Debtor's note 26 Self-centeredness 29 Judas __; traitorous apostle 34 Furious 35 Move about furtively 36 Mongrel 37 Show courage 38 Piece of plywood on an interior wall 39 Have a meal 40 Actress Arden 41 Gave a good-bye gesture 42 Tango or twist 43 Savior 45 Signs someone else's name 46 Insurance co. employee 47 Banana casing 48 Havana's land 51 Residences for envoys 56 Raw metals 57 Cut of beef 58 New Jersey basketball team 60 Meanie 61 Select few 62 Merriment 63 Transmit 64 Discourage 65 Hot tub DOWN 1 Church bench 2 Test 3 Evergreen tree 4 Religious split 5 Loses heat 6 Gather leaves 7 Highest cards 8 Thorough medical exam 9 S, in the lab 10 Leg joint 11 Notion 12 Comedian Sahl

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14 Wood-eating insect 21 In __; as a precaution 25 Shade tree 26 Large sea duck 27 Serious 28 Rowed 29 __ city; central section of town 30 Kernel 31 Cake decorator's goo

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32 1/16 of a pound 33 Elm and palm 35 Rescue 38 Catered to the every whim of 39 Sweetheart 41 Very small 42 Bucks' mates 44 Wiped away 45 Become more irritated; rankle

47 48 49 50 52 53 54 55 59

Craft class stickum Pigeon sounds Egg on Swiss capital Burrowing animal Fishing lure Snakelike fishes Ladder rung Caribbean __

Lone Star Rodeo, L.D. Brown Agricultural Exposition Center, 2 p.m.

Faculty Recitial: The Pursuit of Happiness featuring Beth Pope, Nancy Cron and Julie Pride, Music Hall’s Choral Rehearsal Hall, 3 p.m.

Do you have campus events you would like to be included in the 'TAKE A BREAK' calendar?

Be sure to let us know!

Email your events to editor@wkuherald.com

Pesticide licensing exam, L.D. Brown Agricultural Exposition Center, 10 a.m.

Toastmaters, DUC 341, 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

2012 Ogden Career Fair- Resume Review, EST Lobby 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.

Extreme Couponing Class, Glasgow 169, 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Black Classic Film Series: Scarred Justice, DUC 340, 7 p.m.

Greek Week Overall Committee, DUC 226, 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Relay for Life 2012, DUC 341, 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.

Physics and Astonomy Public Activity Evening, Thompson Complex Central Wing, 7 p.m.

Creative Writing Series: Sarah Gorham, Cherry Hall 125, 7 p.m.

Kentucky Live Series: Georgia Powers: A Grassroot Civil Rights Leader in Kentucky, by WKU sociology professor Anne Onyekwuluje, Barnes & Noble, 1680 Campbell Lane, 7 p.m.

LECTURE: Shades of Blackness: Understanding Black Identity by Howard Bailey, DUC 226, Part of 2012 Black History Month, 7 p.m.

Lone Star Rodeo, L.D. Brown Agricultural Exposition Center, 8 p.m.

Exhibit Opening: Elizabeth Richardson Quilt Gallery, Kentucky Museum, 9 a.m.

WORKSHOP: Beginning Knitting: All the Basics. Kentucky Museum, Fee is $8, 10 a.m.

Kentucky Association of Adult and Continuing Education, Gary A. Ransdell Hall, 10 a.m.

Winter Super Saturdays, various campus locations, 12:30 p.m.

Lone Star Rodeo, L.D. Brown Agricultural Exposition Center, 2 p.m.

Lone Star Rodeo, L.D. Brown Agricultural Exposition Center, 8 p.m.

PRESENTATION: I Don’t Even Know My Name, Beginning African American Genealogy

by Nancy Richey, Kentucky Library, Part of 2012 Black History Month, 6 p.m.

Interest/Member Opening Meetings for Club Tennis, DUC 3rd floor, Lounging Area, 6 p.m.

CONCERT: Orchestra Kentucky’s The Sounds of Music, Van Meter Hall, 7:30 p.m.

CLASSIFIEDS advertising@wkuherald.com Classifieds Manager: Alex Weires

FOR RENT 8 blocks from campus.

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Deadline for application is March 5th.

For more information, visit our website at www.ca.uky.edu/4-h/camp and apply online at UK Jobs at www.uky.edu/hr/working.

Interviews will be scheduled for March 8th.

City of Bowling Green

AQUATICS/TENNIS SEASONAL POSITIONS Applications are currently being accepted for the following Parks and Recreation Aquatics positions for the Sims Aquatic Center.

Hours, salaries and job requirements will vary, depending upon position.

Pool Attendants I & II Pool Lifeguards Swim Instructors Concession/Admission Manager Recreational Staff Assistant I Pool Manager Assistant Pool Manager Laborer

Interested applicants should obtain an employment application and additional information from the Human Resources Department in City Hall, 1001 College Street or from our website at www.bgky.org The City of Bowling Green is an Equal Opportunity Employer and a Drug-Free Workplace.

City of Bowling Green

CODE ENFORCEMENT INSPECTOR Perform on-site inspections of structures and premises to ensure compliance with codes and ordinances Responds to citizen complaints regarding property maintenance Associates Degree or 3-5 years relevant experience Must possess valid Driver’s License and ability to obtain ICC “Property Maintenance & Housing” and HUD “Housing Quality Standards” within one year Starting salary $34,554 Interested applicants should obtain an employment application from the Human Resources Department in City Hall, 1001 College Street, Bowling Green or from our website at www.bgky.org.

Completed applications must be submitted by 4:00 PM, February 17, 2012.

The City of Bowling Green is an Equal Opportunity Employer and a Drug-Free Workplace.

Note to Readers: The College Heights Herald screens ads for misleading or false claims but cannot guarantee any ad or claim. Please use caution when answering ads, especially when asked to send money or provide credit card information. The College Heights Herald is not responsible for the content or validity of these paid classified ads.

6

COLLEGE HEIGHTS HERALD

FEBRUARY 7, 2012

FEBRUARY 7, 2012

COLLEGE HEIGHTS HERALD

Richmond murder remains unsolved two years later

By SPENCER JENKINS news@wkuherald.com

More than two years after the murder of 51-year-old math professor Martha “Bettina� Richmond, police continue investigating the case.

Bowling Green police are still submitting evidence to the state, said Ronnie Ward, public information officer for the Bowling Green Police Department. “The state only accepts so many pieces of evidence at a time, and they have to process it,� he said.

Police found Richmond dead in her vehicle, which was parked in the Bowling Green Parks and Recreation parking lot just before 11:30 p.m. on Nov. 22, 2009.

According to the autopsy report, Richmond died of multiple stab wounds.

Ward said there have been several leads that have been investigated concerning suspects, but none have shown as viable suspects. “It’s still an ongoing investigation, and it’s very much active,� Ward said.

Ward said the lead detective on the case, Detective Melinda Jones, eats, sleeps and breathes Richmond’s case but can’t be contacted for comment.

Although Ward can’t comment on the status of evidence, he said that there’s so much that it’s hard to attach a number to the quantity of it.

Some of the evidence includes the van where Richmond’s body was found, a tancolored Honda Odyssey and Richmond’s WKU ID that was found in a mailbox in the 1100 block of Crewdson Drive.

Police are still looking for people to come forward with information about the death of the 23-year veteran WKU professor, Ward said.

Richmond’s husband is also a math professor at WKU but was unavailable for comment. If anyone has information, the police ask that they call BGPD. “We’d like to say ‘Yes, we have a suspect,’ but we don’t,� he said. “You never know — tomorrow we may get the phone call or Monday the evidence will come back and say, ‘Here’s your guy.’�

Dr. Mike Schmoker

Focus: First Things FIRST for the 21st Century Designed for Educators and WKU Students, Parents, and Community

Monday, February 13

7:00-9:00 pm GRH Auditorium on the campus of WKU

(Parking at Chestnut Street South Lot)

Dr. Mike Schmoker is a former school administrator, English teacher and football coach. He has written ÂżYH ERRNV DQG dozens of articles for educational journals, newspapers and for TIME magazine.

He also writes a monthly column for the Phi Delta Kappan.

Tuesday, February 14

8:30-11:45 am Carroll Knicely Conference Center WKU South Campus Free and open to the public

His most recent book is the best-selling FOCUS: Elevating the Essentials to Radically Improve Student Learning. +LV SUHYLRXV EHVWVHOOHU LV RESULTS NOW: How We Can Achieve Unprecedented Improvements in Teaching and Learning, which was VHOHFWHG DV D ¿QDOLVW IRU ³ERRN RI WKH year� by the Association of Education Publishers.

Dr. Schmoker has keynoted at hundreds RI VWDWH QDWLRQDO DQG LQWHUQDWLRQDO HYHQWV and has consulted for school districts and VWDWH DQG SURYLQFLDO HGXFDWLRQ GHSDUWments throughout the US, Canada and $XVWUDOLD +H QRZ OLYHV LQ 7HPSH $UL]RQD with his wife Cheryl.

No registration or RSVP is required for either event.

For more information, please contact pamela.petty@wku.edu or 270-745-4664.

7

Students asked to turn ideas into cash

By MONTA REINFELDE

diversions@wkuherald.com

Dr. Wilburn Clouse created the Business Plan Competition at WKU three years ago in hope of finding the next Bill Gates.

Clouse said that there are more than 50 people who have applied this year already, and they are hoping to attract even more students to participate. “We are interested in stimulating new and innovative ideas on campus,� said Clouse, who is the Executive Director of the Center of Entrepreneurship and Innovation at WKU. Business plan contestants can turn their idea into money and win up to $5,000, Clouse said. However, he said the best thing is that the winners on campus will also compete at the state level. “There is $100,000 available at the state level for new business plan ideas,�

Clouse said.

The Business Plan contest is for WKU graduate and undergraduate students with creative business ideas and is sponsored by the Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation the Gordon Ford College of Business.

Applications are accepted until Feb. 23. The actual competition with presentations will start the week of March 15, and the winners will be announced the week after the competition.

Participants will be competing in four categories: undergraduate concept and graduate concept — which means having a good, workable idea — and undergraduate business plan and graduate business plan, which means a workable plan for a business start-up.

This contest is not only for business or entrepreneurship majors, Clouse said.

There are people participating from all around the campus. “It is amazing that we have 26 different majors who have indicated an interest in this,� he said.

One of the participants in the Business plan Competition is Cincinnati junior Abby Egbers, who is a theatre major. This is the first time Egbers is participating in this competition, she said. “This is a free opportunity to get not only a feedback on ideas but also a possibility to win $5,000,� Egbers said.

Her ultimate goal is to open her own art center, Egbers said. However, she knows it’s not that easy and that she needs help from somebody who knows better. “Someday I hope to make it a business, but right now I just want better ideas on how I can make it a business,� she said.

Bowling Green senior Justin Henderson is an entrepreneurship major.

He participated in the Business Plan Competition last year. Henderson said he and his friend Jeff DeJarnette, a Bowling Green senior and engineering major, didn’t win the competition. However, they got a great lesson that could help other students to succeed in this competition, Henderson said. “The actual business plan was important, but I feel that presenting idea was the focal point of the competition,�

Henderson said. “Practice before you go there. Don’t just try to wing it. That is never a good idea.�

Egbers said she is confident that it is worth participating. “What do you have to lose?� she asked.

To get more information about the competition, email will.clouse@ wku.edu, krist.schell@wku.edu or jppropertiesbg@gmail.com.

Study Abroad partners with ISEP

By NOLAN MILES news@wkuherald.com

The International Student Exchange Programs has partnered with the WKU Office of Study Abroad and Global Learning in an effort to provide students with more opportunities to travel abroad.

ISEP is a non-profit organization that provides students with “affordable access to international education,� according to its website. It offers both student exchange and direct programs that give participants the chance to stay at either a host home or at ISEP-member universities. Africa, Latin America, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, Oceania and North America offer member universities for student international travel through the program.

Thomas Millington, director of Study Abroad and Global Learning, said WKU views ISEP as an excellent complement to existing study abroad opportunities, including the Kentucky Institute for International Studies, Harlaxton College and Semester at Sea. “We would like to send more students to Africa and the Middle East, and ISEP offers programs in those regions that will help us do that,� Millington said.

The Harlaxton College program in Grantham, England has seen record numbers of study abroad participation this semester, sending a total of 36 students to the manor house, according to the Honors College Facebook page. WKU has been sending students to Harlaxton College — which is owned by the University of Evansville — since 2007. “It’s a fairly unique academic experience with the [required] six credit-hour British Studies course led by British faculty,� said

I knew it would be the experience of a lifetime and this is a once in a lifetime opportunity" —MICHELLE PORTER Louisville sophomore

Clay Motley, associate director of Academics for the Honors College. “Most students like it, but find it difficult. It’s a good type of challenge and students find it to be a positive experience.�

Louisville sophomore Michelle Porter is currently studying at Harlaxton. “I knew it would be the experience of a lifetime and this is a once in a lifetime opportunity,� she said.

Millington said WKU is excited for the new partnership with ISEP, which will give students more choices and opportunities when it comes to deciding where to travel. “More and more students choose to study at WKU because of the university’s commitment to study abroad and internationalization,� Millington said. “Many WKU faculty lead short-term programs abroad, and this inspires many students to more actively pursue study abroad.�

8 TRACK & FIELD

COLLEGE HEIGHTS HERALD

FEBRUARY 7, 2012

WKU competes at Illinois Orange and Blue

By CHELA COUNTS sports@wkuherald.com

Several WKU competitors took home first-place finishes on Feb. 4 in Champaign, Ill., at the Illinois Orange and Blue Open.

Senior thrower Monteka Flowers placed first in the weight with a throw of 59-0.75. She also competed in the shot and placed third with a put of 5-3.75.

Even though she took home

first place in the weight, Flowers said she wanted to do much better.

“Throwing this weekend didn’t go the way I wanted it to go,” she said. “I wanted to do better.

I thought I was feeling well, but it just didn’t go the way that I planned.

“My coach took me, and we both walked out to my weight marks. It wasn’t far off from where I have been. He said, ‘Teka, please don’t flip out on me. Trust

REACHING CONTINUED FROM SPORTS

But WKU hit just five shots in the second half while being out-rebounded and, according to South Alabama Head Coach Rick Pietri, out-energized.

“I knew they were going to have a lot of energy in the first half, and we didn’t match theirs,” Pietri said of WKU. “…But we had a burst. It wasn’t an X-and-O issue. Just a desire issue.”

The Lady Toppers don’t get much time to figure out these problems, either.

They head to Murfreesboro, Tenn., on Wednesday for a 7 p.m. date with Sun Belt rival Middle Tennessee State, the league's best team so far in 2011-2012.

The Blue Raiders go into Wednesday’s meeting 10-0 in league play and 19-5 overall.

They’ve dominated Sun Belt play and gotten big wins outside the league, including a 70-58 win over No. 6 Kentucky on Dec. 28.

MTSU, which has beaten WKU in seven straight meetings, is led by Ebony Rowe, Lexington native and former Dunbar High School standout.

Rowe, the Sun Belt Preseason Co-Player of the Year, averages 17.1 points and 9.5 rebounds per game.

She’ll be matched up with the Lady Toppers’ leading scorer, senior forward LaTeira Owens.

Owens averages 11.4 points per game and scored a team-high 14 against South Alabama on Saturday on

HARPER CONTINUED FROM SPORTS

Associate Athletic Director Todd Stewart said Athletics Director Ross Bjork received a two-page email last week that listed names in support of Harper.

Someone has also created a Twitter account with the handle “@KeepCoachHarp.”

“I think it’s great. We all think it’s great,” Stewart said of the support for Harper. “When we made the move back on Jan. 6, one of the main reasons that we made the move was the program didn’t have any energy. There wasn’t really any energy in the building.

“Now that we’re seeing these type of crowds, the fact that we had one of the top 10 crowds we’ve had in the last five years (Saturday night), 950 students — that’s great.

That’s what this program’s all about. It’s great to see that kind of atmosphere in Diddle Arena again.”

The fans who have come to see the Toppers play lately have gotten a good return on their investment.

After coming up one successful possession away from a win against Troy, WKU defeated Arkansas-Little Rock by 12 before Saturday’s convincing win over South Alabama.

With a win over Florida International on the road last weekend, WKU has now won three out of its last four games.

GAME CONTINUED FROM SPORTS

It was the kind of effort that made Interim Head Coach Ray Harper tell Crook he “played like the best point guard in the conference” on Saturday.

“He’s really growing up,” Harper said.

“He’s playing with great pace.

“He knew it wasn’t there and not to force it, but more importantly, he read the guys that were open, and when they got open, he got them that basketball. That’s what good point guards can do.”

The single-year transformation of Crook shows what can happen when a player grows up, works on his weaknesses and finds a system where he can excel.

But he’s just one guy in a rotation that can usually goes nine-deep.

They may not need a dramatic, Crookstyle change-of-play shift from those other eight.

However, WKU will need each of those players to improve their games with the same enthusiasm and energy exhibited

by Crook.

The Toppers will need junior center Teeng Akol to repeat his performance against South Alabama, in which he scored 13 points, grabbed five rebounds

me, everything will be alright. We are going to get you to where you want to go.’”

Fellow field event jumper senior Suzzette Van-Lare also took home a first-place win by tying in the high-jump. She cleared her season best of 5-3.75.

For the men’s team, sophomore sprinter Marcus Winstead and senior sprinter Cailean Robinson were next in the meet to compete.

In the 60-meter dash, Winstead

earned the fastest preliminary time of 6.85 seconds, while Robinson took second in the finals at 6.89 seconds.

Robinson also ran the 200-meter dash and won with a time of 22.26.

Senior distance runner Michelle Finn won the women’s 800 meters in a time of 2:16.14.

Junior thrower Houston Croney earned second in the weight throw with a marking of 58-0.50.

5-of-8 shooting.

But when looking at the stats sheet Head Coach Mary Taylor Cowles expressed frustration that Owens was only able to take just eight shots, including just one during WKU’s second half collapse.

“We still didn’t find a way to get LaTeira Owens the basketball,” Cowles said. “And when she’s 5-of-7 in the first half and ends the game with one additional shot attempt, there’s something wrong with that.”

In addition to getting more touches for Owens, the Lady Toppers will also have to get back to their typical rebounding ways to reverse the second half trend.

WKU has dominated opponents on the glass all season, ranking second in the Sun Belt with a +6.5 per game rebounding margin.

But the Lady Jags out-rebounded the Lady Toppers 37-30 on Saturday, including a 23-11 margin in the second half.

Meanwhile, Cowles continues to look for solutions through different lineups.

Saturday, she swapped freshman guard Alexis Govan into the lineup for fellow freshman guard Ileana Johnson, who never appeared.

It was the ninth starting lineup for WKU this season.

Owens said she didn’t think the changing rotations were a factor in the Lady Toppers’ inconsistencies.

“It’s frustrating because the coaches are trying to find something that can get us going and keep us over this hump that we have,” Owens said. “It’s frustrating.

We’re going to try and figure it out in practice.”

The players said the revived fan base is paying dividends for them on the court.

“Our last couple home games, every home game our crowds have been getting bigger and bigger,” freshman forward George Fant said. “That’s just feeding us. We’ll go on our runs, and we hear our fans screaming — it just makes you want to go out there and go harder.”

Harper said following Saturday’s game that he and the players couldn’t thank the fans enough for the recent support.

“Oh wow. This is the crowd I remember,” said Harper, who grew up in Muhlenburg County and watched Topper games in Diddle Arena growing up. “This is our house, and that’s how we’re going to attack it each and every time we come to Diddle Arena. We’re not losing games at home.”

WKU will have to head on the road for its next game — a battle in Murfreesboro, Tenn., on Thursday against league-leader Middle Tennessee State.

Stewart said he’s hoping the Murphy Center will look a lot like Diddle Arena.

“I would think there would be a good contingent of the Hilltopper nation to head over there,” he said. “It might help a little more if it was a weekend instead of a Thursday night, but obviously Murfreesboro is an easy drive.

“I think we’ll have a pretty good contingent over there displaying their red and white.” and swatted four shots.

Akol’s big moment of the night was a rare 3-pointer he hit in the second half that drew grins from the WKU bench and brought Diddle Arena to its feet.

But more importantly to Harper, the player known by some fans as “GoalTeeng” because of his recurring goaltending violations, he was in the right place defensively all night.

“I thought he was so alert off the ball,” Harper said of Akol. “He helped us four or five times with baseline drives — his rotation shutting the guy down.”

Just as impressive was George Fant, who scored 12 points on 5-of-6 shooting and grabbed eight rebounds off the bench.

The more production the former Warren Central High School star can get in the post, the more open looks Crook, freshman guard Derrick Gordon and — who knows — maybe even Akol, will get for jump shots.

Fant, Akol and other Toppers need only to look to Crook for an example of a vastly improved basketball player.

Harper called Crook “our leader right now — no question about it.”

If the rest of the team follows that suddenly sharp-shooting, imaginary pistolwaving leader, WKU just might be a dangerous squad.

For the second weekend in a row, the Toppers’ 4x400-meter relay team won first in the relay with a time of 3:20.02, ending the meet on a high note.

WKU’s track and field team will separate this weekend, as some will travel to compete between the SPIRE Institute Division 1 Invitational in Geneva, Ohio and the Middle Tennessee Valentine Invitational in Murfreesboro, Tenn.

■ SPORTS BRIEF BG Ballpark to host U of L game, SBC Tourney WKU and the Bowling Green Hot Rods announced on Friday that Bowling Green Ballpark will once again host Topper baseball.

The Hot Rods, a Class A Midwest League affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays, will host WKU’s regular season matchup with Louisville on May 1 and the Sun Belt Conference Tournament from May 23-27.

This will be the third consecutive year the venue has hosted a WKU baseball game.

Over the last two seasons, WKU has played three games at Bowling Green Ballpark, posting a 3-0 record while scoring a total of 50 runs. Those games include two against Kentucky and one against Louisville.

That kind of success is what Head Coach Matt Myers said he hopes WKU will see in the continued partnership for this season.

“With the way we’ve played in the three previous games, I can guarantee the excitement and momentum our guys will have playing there,” Myers said. “When you play in a facility as nice as that, you know, it brings the best out in kids.”

This year will be the first time since 2008 that WKU has hosted the Sun Belt Conference Tournament and the first time ever to have the opportunity to host it at Bowling Green Ballpark.

— Kurt Carson

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FEBRUARY 7, 2012

COLLEGE HEIGHTS HERALD

9

WKUHERALD.COM

For game recaps of WKU's men's and women's games vs.

MTSU this week visit

WKUHERALD.COM 2.7.12

COLLEGE HEIGHTS HERALD • Vol. 88, No. 5 • WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL

COLUMN

Crook’s game a model for Tops to follow Anyone else remember the Jamal Crook of old?

The passer, the table-setter, the ultimate role-player?

There were no signs of that guy Saturday night against South Alabama.

The Diddle Arena crowd was instead treated to a budding star having a career night, scoring 24 BRAD STEPHENS points on 9-of-10 shooting.

Upon Further Review Crook's ultimate moment sports@wkuherald.com came late in the second half when he hit a stepback 3-pointer and then drew two imaginary three-finger pistols and dropped them into imaginary holsters.

WKU’s junior point guard said after the game, a 7566 Topper win, that the pistol move was one he adopted from Oklahoma City Thunder star Russell Westbrook.

But the hand slaps, body bumps with teammates and “C’mon, man” facial expressions Crook made to referees after close calls were all spontaneous, unplanned reactions of a guy having some fun.

“Man, I was just playing basketball,” said a smiling Crook when asked about his career night. “Just taking what they was giving me, and I made the best of it.”

He made the best of it all right and not just shooting.

The former Louisville Ballard High School standout dished six assists, came up with a couple of steals, stayed out of foul trouble and played good defense all night.

JABIN BOTSFORD/HERALD

Senior forward LaTeira Owens tries to take a rebound from South Alabama on Feb. 4 in Diddle Arena. WKU lost 56-52.

Reaching for answers Slumping Lady Tops head to SBC leader MTSU

By BRAD STEPHENS sports@wkuherald.com

The Lady Toppers have learned the hard way the importance of 40-minute basketball over the last two weeks.

Four times since Jan. 22 they’ve trotted off into the halftime locker rooms leading their opponents.

And all four times WKU has watched its opponent grab control of the game and send the

Lady Toppers (6-16, 3-7 Sun Belt Conference) to another league loss.

The latest second half debacle for WKU came on Saturday in a 56-52 loss to South Alabama in Diddle Arena.

The Lady Toppers controlled play for the first 20 minutes against the Jaguars, leading 29-21 at halftime.

SEE REACHING, PAGE 8

Projected MTSU starters

5 Shanice Cason

13 Icelyn Elie

21 Ebony Rowe

24 Kortni Jones

52 Laken Leonard

Fr. guard, 5-foot-6 7.8 ppg, 2.3 spg

Jr. forward, 6-foot-1 13.5 ppg, 7.5 rpg

Soph. forward, 6-foot-1 17.1 ppg, 9.5 rpg

Jr. guard, 5-foot-9 16.0 ppg, 5.0 apg

Soph. guard, 5-foot-10 4.7 ppg, 2.8 rpg

SEE GAME, PAGE 8

WKU's recent history vs. MTSU Lady Toppers vs. MTSU, 7 p.m. Wednesday, Murfreesboro, Tenn.

Last five meetings: ■ Feb. 27, 2011, Murfreesboro MTSU 64-56 ■ Feb. 9, 2011, Bowling Green MTSU 72-66 ■ March 8, 2010, Hot Springs, Ark. (SBC Tournament) MTSU 76-63 ■ Jan. 24, 2010, Bowling Green MTSU 88-63 ■ Dec. 20, 2009, Murfreesboro MTSU 68-54 Toppers vs. MTSU, 7 p.m. Thursday, Murfreesboro Last five meetings: ■ Feb. 26, 2011, Murfreesboro MTSU 57-39 ■ Feb. 10, 2011, Bowling Green MTSU 69-60 ■ Jan. 23, 2010, Bowling Green MTSU 84-74 ■ Jan. 18, 2010, Murfreesboro MTSU 47-46 ■ Feb. 28, 2009, Murfreesboro WKU 68-49

MEN'S BASKETBALL

WKU fans harping for Harper as next head coach

By COLE CLAYBOURN sports@wkuherald.com

WKU fans could hardly make it more obvious as to who they’d like to see as their next coach.

As if setting a new season high in attendance for the second time with Interim Head Coach Ray Harper at the helm wasn’t enough, hundreds of fans came to Saturday’s game against South Alabama armed with paper cut-outs of the interim head coach’s face.

As the game neared its end, students led fans in a “We want Harper!” chant.

And as the band played “Stand Up and Cheer” after the Toppers’ 75-66 win, the sounds carried off Harper cut-outs that tuba players had placed in the bells of their instruments.

“Somebody’s going be hanging those out in

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their gardens somewhere to keep the birds or whatever away,” joked an exuberant Harper after Saturday’s game. “I think my mom enjoyed it. But again, I appreciate all the support I’ve gotten from the students, the entire community.

That’s what WKU basketball is all about.”

The announced attendance for Saturday’s game was 6,407 — more than 1,000 more than the announced total of 5,172 for the Jan. 7 game against Troy, which was the season-high for attendance until Saturday. That mark came in Harper’s first game as WKU’s head coach.

The three games that WKU has played at Diddle Arena since Harper was named the interim coach have brought the three highest home attendance totals of the season.

CHRISTIAN RANDOLPH/HERALD

SEE HARPER, PAGE 8

Freshman guard Derrick Gordon celebrates a three-pointer by freshman guard T.J. Price during an 8-0 run against South Alabama, giving WKU their biggest lead of the game. at Diddle Arena on Feb. 4. WKU won 75-66 in front of 6,407 fans — the largest home attendance of the season.

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