As of 5PM, March 26, 2018, there has been 292 votes cast in the Student Government Elections*. The current leaders are as follows:

President – Natalie Barton

Executive VP – Arjeet Tipirneni

Academic VP – Gregory Imhoff

VP Communications – Tie; Kacey Engler and Madelyn Walsh

VP of Finance – Max Giard

Chief of Staff – CJ Isom

The Southern Staff will provide live updates as soon as they are made available.

*according to Florida Southern Student Government

Let it grow

Spring has sprung! Flowers are blooming, grass is growing … and so is our body hair.

I was born with a full crop of hair on my head — thick and brown. The nurses fawned over it. My mom said she could always tell who had a bald baby based on how they reacted to my hair.

Funny how that changes when you get older and the hair starts to grow somewhere it “shouldn’t be.”

I was a freshman in high school the first time I felt embarrassed by my body hair. In my English class, we were acting out the murder scene from William Shakespeare’s “Julius Caesar.” We were all instructed to don “togas” — roll up our sleeves and wrap ourselves in white bedsheets — when I realized that I hadn’t shaved my armpits recently. I kept my arms glued to my sides, terrified that someone would spot my stubble and be grossed out.

Even my parents, who still reminisce fondly on my adorable baby hair, don’t find my current hairstyles so cute anymore. Now they despise the fact that I celebrate my body hair in my decision to let all of it grow freely.

When I first came back home from my sophomore year of college with fully grown leg and pit hair, my parents read me the riot act. My father called it flat-out disgusting. But when I asked why it’s gross on me and not on him, he had no answer aside from the fact that “it just is.”

If I don’t shave my legs or pits, you can bet that I don’t do any sort of “maintenance” to my pubic hair. So yes, it is a bush. I don’t trim, shave or wax because I don’t like to — it makes my whole downstairs area super itchy and uncomfortable.

And even if it didn’t, I’d still prefer to go au naturel. I love that full-bodied bush — the curly hairs make me feel like a woman.

Generally, I can maintain this preference with no trouble. If I’m not fucking anybody, it’s not like anyone is going to see it. But things get “hairy” when someone’s trying to get in my pants.

Honestly, I feel like the state of my pubes shouldn’t be that surprising — if I’ve got other body hair, you should be able to conclude on your own that I’d have a healthy bush below the belt. And yet, so many of my partners entered a state of absolute shock when they began probing their hands under my waistband.

I tend to get a response of “Wow, that really is a lot of hair you’ve got there …” as their minds spin at the potential of getting their nose and mouth all up in it.

In high school, my boyfriend convinced me to trim. I was young and eager to please, so I put up with it for a while to make him happy. But these days I tell most of my partners to get over it — particularly if they don’t partake in any form of mane management themselves.

Really, what’s the worst that can happen? It’s not like the hair is going to come for you in your sleep. Should you get a hair in your mouth while munching muff, pause for a moment and use your fingers to take it out. Whoop-de-freakin’-doo.

Nevertheless, some of my partners can’t get over their qualms about hair. So I move on to other partners who can. I’ve come across a few of these wonderful people in my time who don’t bat an eyelash when they get a glimpse of my growth. I’ve had some fantastic fuck sessions with them, because my inhibitions on how they perceive me disappear.

Ultimately, decisions about your hair are just that: yours. Don’t be afraid to re-evaluate if you change your mind on what you want, as long as whatever hairstyle you have makes you happy.

I might shave my legs and armpits for spring break and commencement, but only if I feel like it — not because my family asked me to, a partner prefers it or society expects it of me. And my pubes aren’t going anywhere. I’m happy enough to tromp around in my hairy-as-fuck bikini body because I’m not embarrassed by my hair anymore — it’s a natural part of my body, and there’s nothing wrong with it.

So don’t worry so much about “spring cleaning” — you’d be surprised at the beauty you can find in letting go and letting it grow.

Rebecca Martin writes the Tuesday column on sex. Contact her at sex@dailycal.org and follow her on Twitter at @beccasexontues.

The Daily Californian

The Oregon Ducks lost 5-1 to the San Francisco Dons in a one-game series on Monday afternoon at PK Park.

The Dons (16-8) used a total of seven pitchers to hold the Oregon offense to just six hits in the game. Oregon finally cracked the scoreboard in the bottom of the eighth inning.

Three consecutive singles by Jakob Goldfarb, Gabe Matthews and Kenyon Yovan loaded the bases, putting pressure on the Dons. Alex Andranovich entered the game for the Ducks to pinch hit and drew a run-scoring walk. However, flyouts by Daniel Patzlaff and Jonny DeLuca ended the Ducks final scoring threat of the afternoon and stranded its 10th base runner of the game.

The Ducks (14-9) also went deep into their bullpen, using nine pitchers in this game. Only Parker Kelly pitched longer than one inning, and he only pitched 1.2 innings and surrendered the most hits with four. No other pitcher gave up more than two hits all game, and Jesse Hobaica had the most strikeouts with three.

Ross Puskarich ripped a run-scoring double in the first inning to take the early lead. But no team scored again until the seventh inning when a single, a walk and a fielder’s choice loaded the bases for the Dons. James Acuna surrendered a run-scoring walk in the next at-bat and then two straight singles increased the Dons lead over the Ducks to four runs.

The Dons looked to increase their 4-0 lead in the top of the eighth inning. With runners on second and third base, Kelly got the batter into an 1-2 count and the Ducks made another pitching change. Ryne Nelson entered the game and surrendered a base hit that allowed the Dons to score the fifth run of the day.

The Ducks now embark on a four game road trip starting Thursday against the Stanford Cardinal before facing the Dons again on April 2.

Follow Zak Laster on Twitter: @zlast3445

The post Oregon baseball struggles offensively in loss to San Francisco appeared first on Emerald Media.

Charlotte player anticipates the pitch. Photo by Chris Crews

The Charlotte 49ers kept their winning ways going as they collected their fourth series of the season, winning two out of the three games against the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders.

Game 1: Charlotte 4, Middle Tennessee 0

Charlotte first got on the board in the 4th inning when sophomore Drew Ober hit a double down left field. Later in the inning, with two outs, Hunter Jones hit a ground ball down third base which resulted in a Middle Tennessee error and a 1-0 lead for the 49ers.

In the sixth inning, Jake Whitcomb delivered a double down center field and moved to third base after a wild pitch by the Blue Raiders. Jones would set Whitcomb up for the run after hitting a line drive to center.

The Niners kept the momentum into the ninth inning as Jackson Mims lead off the inning with a triple down center before junior Harris Yett smashed a two run down left field to give the 49ers a 4 – 0 win. With the hits, both Mims and Yett extended their hit streaks to six.

Pitching was key for the Niners as senior Josh Maciejewski had a strong start on Friday, throwing seven innings with seven strikeouts to get his third win of the season. This was the first road shut out for Charlotte since April of 2017.

Game 2: Middle Tennessee 12, Charlotte 2

The Niners got off to a hot start as Tommy Bullock, Reece Hampton,  Mims, and Yett delivered four straight singles with Yett getting the RBI and Drew Ober hitting a sacrifice fly to get an early 2-0 lead.

Blue Raider Aaron Antonini began the rally for Middle Tennessee in the third inning, starting off with a lead-off single, and two batters later, junior LA Woodard hit a double down left field to tie the game.

In the fourth inning, Middle Tennessee’s Blake Benefield smashed a two-run homer to give the Blue Raiders the lead. Another two-run home run would come in the fourth, this time by the bat of Kevin Sullivan.

Middle Tennessee kept the momentum rolling in the fifth inning with LA Woodard, Blake Benefield, and Austin Dennis each collecting RBI’s. Three more runs came in the seventh inning led by a two-out, three-run double by Aaron Aucker to cap off the day.

“We were ready to go and had a really good start,” said Charlotte coach Loren Hibbs. “But we played very poorly in the middle innings, Middle Tennessee got on a roll and we couldn’t get the momentum stopped.”

Game 3: Charlotte 7, Middle Tennessee 5

Scoring began in the third inning with an infield single by Jake Whitcomb, a sacrifice bunt by Bullock, and Mims having a two-run double hit into left field.

The Niners extended their lead to five in the fourth, all with two outs on the board. It all started with a Jones single and a walk to Whitcomb. Bullock then hit one down left field to score Jones. A wild pitch then followed that allowed Whitcomb and Bullock to score on the same play.

The Blue Raiders finally got on the board in the sixth inning by a lead-off double by Myles Christian and a Woodard ground out to short to set up the score by Christian. The Niners immediately got the run back in the seventh by adding two to the scoreboard. Middle Tennessee almost came back in the eighth by scoring four in the inning to cut the lead by two, but that was all that was left in the tank.

Starter Joey Cooner had a great start Sunday, taking a no-hitter into the sixth inning and having career high nine strikeouts.

The Niners will be back in the Queen City on Tuesday, March 27 when they take on North Carolina at BB&T Ballpark. Game time is set at 7:05 P.M. and can be seen on beIN Sports and be heard on ESPN 730.

The cold touch of winter’s rain and snow came to an end on March 20. While rainy season still awaits, the longing for daylight is over. When we turned back our clocks over spring break, we bade farewell to seasonal affectivity and embraced longer days. As flowers bloom and animals shed their winter fluff, it’s time to return our layers of padded outerwear to the backs of our closets. To prepare for the pollen galore and warmer days, the Wheel takes a look at Spring 2018 fashion trends.

Futuristic frames

The space age is back. Recent snapshots of street style and celebrity sightings have captured sometimes funky, other times sleek revisitations of ‘90s-era futurism. Slim, geometric sunglasses aesthetically reminiscent of “The Matrix” have become a recent favorite of high-profile celebrities, particularly Bella Hadid. A decided departure from the bug-eyed frames popularized by American socialites during the 2000s, the new tiny eyewear trend is defiantly nonchalant. While “Matrix”-esque mini shades probably won’t keep the sun out of your eyes while you walk to and from class, they’ll definitely keep people staring. And you can rest assured knowing your cheeks will be safe from sunburn.

Low-rise pants

Legwear is hot on the heels of sunglasses in joining the ‘90s wave. Heroin chic and new punk movements are returning in the form of lower waistlines as millennials and Generation Z-ers grapple with similar sentiments of unrest and rebellion.

Follow in the footsteps of Rihanna’s neon Fenty x Puma spring 2018 ready-to-wear show, which featured high-cut swimwear with ultra low-rise track pants for a part-industrial, part-space age spin on the classic waistline. Or go the route of Tom Ford, who helped popularize the look in the ‘90s, and choose monochrome palettes and classic fabrics for a subtler take. To play proportions, ditch the bodysuit or swimwear for a high-cut crop top and own a belly-baring look. You won’t be distracting anybody who matters.

Scrunchies

Students with longer hair might already have noticed scrunchies creeping back onto the accessories radar. The hair accessory trend follows the tail end of the recent ‘90s craze. If Mansur Gavriel’s Fall 2017 runway at New York Fashion Week wasn’t enough of an indication of the scrunchies’ cozy appeal, recent celebrities have been revamping the accessory for the red carpet with slicked high ponytails and luxe looks.

If you’re rushing out the door five minutes before class, channel Gavriel and let your scrunchie spare you the worry of denting your hair. And if Spice Girl-style glam seems too high-maintenance, pop on a quietly classy scrunchie a la notorious scrunchie devotee Ruth Bader Ginsburg for an elegant look.

Plastic

Kanye West arguably spearheaded a Perspex wave when he introduced his Yeezy Lucite Heels in 2016. Later, in 2017, eminent fashion house Chanel debuted its own thigh-high Perspex boots. Though fashion has been circulating plastic for decades, the recent space-age revival has found newfound interest in the aforementioned Perspex and longtime mainstay PVC.

While incorporating plastic into your spring wardrobe guarantees you a sleek shield from April showers, the combination of increasing temperatures with bare skin and plastic clothes can easily turn your polished look into a greenhouse-like cage. To combat fog, layer classic clear plastic over pastel tones for a pretty Pantone effect, or pair clashing prints for an edgier route. Alternatively, wear printed PVC over heavier patterns.

If you want to subtly brag about your recent intellectual foray into Karl Marx, follow in the footsteps of Celine or Burberry and tote your books to class in a translucent plastic purse. Nobody has to know it’s required reading.

Conclusion

‘90s nostalgia has been gathering force for the past few seasons and hardly seems ready to stop. As spring settles upon campus and the semester draws to a close, end the year with a bang.

The post Nineties Nostalgia: Cyberpunk, Scrunchies appeared first on The Emory Wheel.

Cameron Burrell again anchored the 4x100m relay team to one of the top times in the world, but this time it was against Team USA. | Courtesy of UH Athletics

This weekend, the track & field team was split between the Victor Lopez Classic and the Prairie View A&M Relays. Regardless, records were again broken and top times/marks were set nationally.

The biggest story of the weekend came from Prairie View where the Cougars participated in a special showcase: UH vs Team USA. In both the men’s 4x100m and 4x200m relay teams, the Cougars, along with Texas Southern and the Shreveport Speed Track Club, were pitted against three separate USA relay teams.

This was a test between the defending relay national champions and the best USA Track & Field has to offer.

The Cougars sent a 4x100m squad near identical to that which won the NCAA Outdoor Championship in June. Juniors Mario Burke and John Lewis III partnered with seniors Elijah Hall and Cameron Burrell, Hall being the only change from the national championship team.

Among those they ran against from Team USA were World silver medalists Mike Rodgers and Wallace Spearmon and class of 2016 Cougar LeShon Collins.

Regardless of who they were facing, the Cougars rose to the challenge and outran their competitors with a time of 38.95s. At the time it was the No. 1 time in the world but has since been surpassed, though it is still good for No. 3 in the NCAA.

The 4x200m relay was no different from the first. Junior sprinter Kahmari Montgomery joined Burke, Hall and Burrell as the lone collegiate team against Team USA Red and Team USA Blue. The 4x200m is seldom ran, as it is not an event at the NCAA Championships.

The Cougars outran Team USA Red with a time of one minute, 21.19s. Their time is currently the fastest in the world at any level.

The other top story from Prairie View came from John Lewis III. Lewis was the only other Cougar to run in the individual events. He ended up running 10.13s in the men’s 100m, currently the No. 2 time in the NCAA.

At the Victor Lopez Classic the Cougars also had a strong showing. For the women, sophomore Samiyah Samuels had a personal best mark of 6.29m in the long jump. Her mark was good enough to win the event and shoot her up to No. 5 in the country.

Freshman Quivell Jordan won the men’s 400m hurdles race with a time of 51.11s, No. 4 in the NCAA.

However, the top individual performance of the whole weekend belonged to senior distance runner Brian Barraza. Barraza broke the fifth school record of his career, this time in the 3000m steeplechase. Barraza set the fastest time in the country by finishing the race in eight minutes, 41.58s, nearly five seconds better than the previous best time.

The team is back in action this Wednesday as they travel to Austin for the Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays.

sports@thedailycougar.com

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“Cougars outpace Team USA, claim fastest relay time in the world” was originally posted on The Daily Cougar

Citing illness, Rapper Jeremih abruptly canceled his Frontier Fiesta performance a little more than two hours before he was set to take the Bud Light Stage on Saturday night.

“We were told that he has fallen ill,” chair Andrew Bahlmann said. “Unfortunately it’s nothing anyone can control, and it’s just an unfortunate circumstance.”

Attendees did not react kindly to the news that the chart-topper would be missing his performance.

“I was looking forward to it,” said nutrition junior Amy Isadahomen. “Now I feel like I kind of just wasted my time.”

Some said they were attending Frontier Fiesta — once billed the “Greatest College Show on Earth” during UH’s early years — exclusively to see Jeremih.

“We like his music, and I feel like I wasted my time because he didn’t even show up,” chemical engineering alumna Bhavini Patel said.

Typically, Bahlmann said, the University allows Frontier Fiesta to negotiate contracts with performers that pay out after their concert or set. The concerts are paid for with student fees, and though Jeremih’s band and DJ are still set to take the stage, the contract will not be paid in full.

The Student Program Board announced Jeremih as the headlining artist for Frontier Fiesta on March 16, just over a week before he was scheduled to take the stage.

news@thedailycougar.com

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“BREAKING: Rapper Jeremih cancels Fiesta performance” was originally posted on The Daily Cougar

On Wednesday, March 21, the four candidates for student government president

squared off for a debate in the North Pod of the Memorial Union. With a full audience, the candidates answered questions from a panel as well as some audience questions at the end.

The first candidate was John Kay, who is a third-year in the business school and Honors

College. He used to play football for UMaine and is a sector head in Spiffy, the Student Portfolio Investment Fund through the business school.

The second candidate was second-year Taylor Cray. She studies political science and women’s, gender, and sexuality studies and is the co-chair of the feminist collective. She is also the student manager at the University of Maine IT Center.

The third candidate was second-year Logan Armando. He is currently the Vice President of Student Government and is a brother of Sigma Phi Epsilon. He studies mechanical engineering and is a member of the Sophomore Owls.

Second-year Jacob Bradshaw was the final candidate. He has been a student senator for two years on the student senate and is a brother of Beta Theta Pi. On campus, he is also involved in intramural soccer and the Sophomore Owls. He studies business finance.

The debate began with Corey Claflin, Chair of the Fair Election Practices Commission and moderator of the event, introducing the panel made up of a representative from the Orono Town council, the Maine Campus and Campus Activities and Student Engagement. The panel read off questions submitted by students and some that Claflin created, with each candidate having between 45 seconds and a minute to answer. They took turns going first for questions.

The first question of the night was in regards to how the candidates planned to change the current practices regarding the use of finances, and Kay was the first to answer. He talked about finding the best way to allocate resources and looking at the return that comes from each investment made.

Cray was next, and she expressed an issue the process of applying for funding has been a confusing topic for students and that this was a big thing that needed to be cleared up. She also thought that there was a potential to work with Residence Life to fund as many groups as possible.

Armando used his experience as vice president to talk about how the return is currently analyzed. He said his goals would be to increase the information about funds, but also put on more events for students. Bradshaw wanted to make it easier for groups to get funding and to make sure all the funding was used more efficiently, citing the purchase of medallions for the student government office as an example of what didn’t need to be spent.

Throughout the questions of the night, many topics were touched upon including working with the administration on issues such as sexual assault and safety, working with diverse students, making Maine Day more positive, helping students with mental health concerns and establishing a relationship with the new president.

All of the candidates talked about a need for better communication between the government and the student body and Cray brought up the idea of having a newsletter about what the clubs are doing. Bradshaw also suggested trying to help students with more parking and more food options on campus.

Throughout the discussion on mental health on campus, the candidates discussed that the counseling center was too busy and that they are looking for a non-mandated counselor for the Women’s Resource Center to have another resource on campus for students.

When talking about safety, Bradshaw made a comment about stationing a security guard at the library, which resulted in a follow-up question from the audience about this idea. Bradshaw said, “My overall goal is to promote the culture of being more safe on campus.” He went on to explain that the security guard idea was just about having safer practices and having a more safe-minded campus.

In regards to safety, Kay said, “If it’s not broke, don’t fix it.” He suggested focusing on lighting the campus more instead, but did say if issues arise then maybe a security guard would need to be at the library.

Cray said that we should focus on security within the campus, not from outside because not all students feel safe on campus. She proposed more trainings and conversations with students.

Armado talked about lighting on campus and how UMPD works to make sure places are well lit. He also spoke of offering more trainings to ensure that students on campus have the resources that they need.

Some other questions brought up were about being registered to vote and being active in the political scene outside of UMaine, having to make hard decisions, working with Greek life and funding political clubs. All of the candidates registered to vote when they turned 18 and Kay spoke of going through the process to become registered to vote in Maine instead of Massachusetts.

The candidates also spoke of the leaders that Greek Life produces and their plans to work with Greek Life. Kay said that although he is not involved in Greek Like, he knows many people that are, including his own friends. In the position, he would look to see how they could increase marketing to make sure that the image of Greek Life stays positive. Cray suggested that they could also work with Greek Life to improve relationships and improve the handling of sexual assaults. Bradshaw also planned on talking with fraternities and sororities about what they should and should not be doing to ensure that they have a positive image.

This was the first time that the debate has been held in at least four years and the oldest members of the Student Senate had never seen one take place.

At the end of the event, Claflin encouraged everyone to vote on March 29, saying people could vote from their phone or laptop. Voting will be done through the UMaine Portal from 9-5 on March 29 and is available anywhere with internet access.

As the voices of young students rang across the Rhode Island State House lawn on Saturday, a crowd comprised people of all ages gathered to listen and respond. The Rhode Island politicians who spoke kept their statements brief, seeking to center the student activists in a gun control movement that has been led by young people — particularly the group of teens that mobilized following the shooting that left 17 dead at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. Feb. 14.

“My generation has had enough,” said Victoria Richard, a ninth grader from Smithfield, Rhode Island. “Enough of thoughts and prayers and no change. Enough of children my age being shot in school.”

“Today feels different,” said Gov. Gina Raimondo. “And why does it feel different? Because of you.”

The protest — organized by Sophia Capalbo, a senior at Johnson and Wales University, and attended by an estimated 3,000 people, according to police — was one of more than 800 “March for Our Lives” protests held in cities around the world. In Washington, D.C., hundreds of thousands turned out to stand behind the survivors of the Parkland shooting.

In Rhode Island, student speakers from the Rhode Island School of Design and local high schools called on legislators to enact stricter gun control laws, and to limit the sway of money from lobbyists like the National Rifle Association over Congress.

“Indifference should not be the only element that is holding these United States together,” said Tyler Alexander, a junior at Coventry High School.

Lawmakers echoed the students concerns.

“Remember that the NRA would not have the power that it does in Congress if it were not for the power of money in Congress,” said Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I. to the crowd.

“Until we change Congress, we’re not going to change the gun laws in this country,” said Rep. David Cicilline ’83, D-R.I., while addressing the crowd. He was met with cheers of “Vote them out.”

Last month, Cicilline introduced a bill to ban assault weapons, The Hill reported. And on Friday, the Justice Department ruled to ban bump stocks, a gun accessory that can accelerate the firing of semiautomatic weapons.

“It is not too much to ask for universal background checks to keep guns out of the wrong hands. It is not too much to pass an assault weapons ban,” said Rep. Jim Langevin, D-RI, who was badly injured as a child in a gun accident that left him paralyzed.

Whitehouse urged voters to carry the momentum from the protest forward into the November midterm elections. “Remember why you are here today and remember how you feel today through November,” he said.

Some of the students present participated in a nationwide 17-minute student walkout March 14.

Vanessa Thompson and Jackie Emby, both 15, said that they were disappointed by their school’s walkout and hoped that the State House rally would jumpstart more meaningful action. At their high school in North Kingstown, a student rally for gun control turned into a memorial service for the 17 victims of Parkland, a shift Emby and Thompson said was spurred by the school’s administration in the hopes of making the protest less political.

“It was kind of embarrassing,” Thompson said. “You want to make a change, but you can’t do anything.”

Today, Emby and Thompson’s voices were heard. Though they were in fifth grade at the time of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, their lives have constantly been shaped by the fear of gun violence. “It’s something that you think about and plan in your head when you’re little,” Emby said.

Since Columbine High School Shooting in 1999, the United States has seen an average of 10 school shootings per year, according to the Washington Post.

Still, Judy Kain, an active member of the Rhode Island Women’s March movement, said that this moment feels special. “It builds and builds until the outrage becomes something you can no longer overlook,” she said.

She feels guilty that she didn’t do more to protest after the Sandy Hook shooting, she said.“The reason I am out and have been out is that I should have been out. I should have paid better attention,” Kain said. “With President Obama in office, it was such a moment of victory. I fooled myself.”

Protesters shouted down President Donald Trump’s proposals to arm teachers with weapons. On Friday, Trump signed a $1.3 trillion spending bill that would make some improvements to background checks and provide grants to schools for gun violence prevention.

Trump is currently spending the weekend at Mar-a-Lago, his resort in Palm Beach, Florida. The White House released a statement Wednesday reaffirming Trump’s commitment to keeping children safe and applauding young Americans for exercising their first amendment rights.

On the State House steps, speakers called the crowd to register to vote after the event. Speakers included Raimondo, Cicilline, Whitehouse, Mayor Jorge Elorza and State Rep. Aaron Regunberg ’12, D-Providence. Student activists spoke as well, including Alexander; Halima Ibrahim, a 10th grader at the Islamic School of Rhode Island; Nathan Cornell, a sophomore at University of Rhode Island; Nina Gregg, a sophomore at RISD and an alum of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School; Virginia Nault, a student from Fall River, Massachusetts; and Capalbo.

“Soon it’s going to be us calling the shots and there will be no more shot,” Alexander said.

SPOKANE, Wash. — Oregon advanced to its second Elite Eight in program history after defeating No. 11-seeded Central Michigan 83-69 on Saturday. Now, the Ducks (33-4) turn their attention toward No. 1-seeded Notre Dame (32-3), which advanced to the Elite Eight with a 90-84 win over No. 4-seeded Texas A&M.

Oregon and Notre Dame play on Monday (6 p.m. PT, ESPN) for a spot in the Final Four.

Although the practices were closed, both teams participated in media availabilities on Sunday. Here are notes from those availabilities.

Muffet with high praise for Ionescu, Hebard

In her 36 years at the helm of the Irish, Muffet McGraw has coached her fair share of standout players. During her tenure, she’s coached 2015 espnW National Player of the Year Jewell Loyd, four-time All-American Skylar Diggins, and 2001 Naismith Player of the Year Ruth Riley, among a plethora of others.

It’s safe to say that McGraw recognizes talent when she sees it, and on Sunday she had high praise for two Oregon’s two stars: Sabrina Ionescu and Ruthy Hebard.

“Sabrina is just a phenomenal player, just phenomenal,” McGraw said. “So difficult to guard. I’ve never seen a player, especially so young, already got the record for triple-doubles, but the assists is what’s so impressive to me.

“I’ve had some pretty good point guards, some good guards, but to look at the number of assists she has, really it’s a challenge to figure out how to defend them.”

This season, as a sophomore, Ionescu set the NCAA record for triple-doubles with ten. Hebard, also a sophomore, owns an NCAA record of her own: over a stretch this season, she made 33 consecutive field goals. The previous record was 30.

“To have that kind of record, I think that’s really phenomenal. She’s probably shattered the record,” McGraw said. “You know she’s going to score when she gets the ball. The question is, can you stop her from getting it. That’s going to be the challenge.”

Big Dance a continent away

The NCAA Tournament is often lauded as one of the greatest events in all of sports. Not so much, though, outside of the U.S.

Neither Maite Cazorla nor Satou Sabally, who grew up in Spain and Germany, respectively, watched the NCAA Tournament growing up. Now, each is part are of a deep run into March, which has caused some late nights for their families back home.

“My family usually stays up and watch the game,” Cazorla said. “It’s usually 2 a.m. there.”

“Yeah, my mom, my grandma, my grandpa, they are all watching the games at night,” Sabally said.

While she admitted she didn’t know much about college basketball before arriving at Oregon this season, Sabally took an added interest in the 2017 NCAA Tournament.

“Last year I started watching college basketball,” she said with a laugh. “I bought the ESPN pass for it, just for March Madness.”

Westbeld’s ankle

Kathryn Westbeld was an unlikely hero in Notre Dame’s win over Texas A&M. She was questionable for Saturdays and sported a walking boot throughout the week after spraining her ankle in the first round of the NCAA Tournament against Cal State Northridge. She ended up playing 32 minutes against the Aggies on essentially one leg but hit a midrange jumper late in the fourth quarter that ultimately sealed the victory for the Irish.

Westbeld should play against Oregon on Monday but said she’s still dealing with discomfort in her ankle.

“I mean, it feels a little bit better each day,” she said on Sunday. “The swelling goes down. Bruising kind of turns color. It’s kind of interesting to see what it looks like the next day.”

The 6-2 senior forward is averaging 7.4 points and 5.4 rebounds this season.

Follow Gus Morris on Twitter @JustGusMorris

The post Elite Eight notebook: ND head coach Muffet McGraw lauds Ionescu and Hebard, international Ducks embrace Big Dance appeared first on Emerald Media.