UH guard Kyler Edwards scored a team-high 18 points in the Cougars’ loss to Wisconsin on Tuesday . | Courtesy of UH athletics

Trailing by 20 points at halftime, UH men’s basketball’s comeback efforts came just short as the Cougars fell to Wisconsin 65-63 in the Maui Invitational semifinal on Tuesday evening in Las Vegas.

The Cougars entered the contest having not trailed in their last 118 minutes of game time but quickly fell behind the Badgers.

Wisconsin’s Johnny Davis began 3 for 3 from the field, scoring a quick eight points to go along with two blocks to help the Badgers jump out to a 13-0 start.

Davis nearly outscored the UH men’s basketball team by himself in the first half, scoring 18 points compared to Houston’s 20 points.

The Cougars shot 25.9 percent from the field in the half compared to the Badgers 57.1 percent shooting, including going 7 of 15 from 3-point range.

UH junior guard Marcus Sasser, who entered the game averaging a team-high 19.8 points per game, struggled mightily in the first half, scoring just three points while committing four turnovers.

Senior guard Kyler Edwards got hot to start the second half, hitting three 3-pointers to quickly cut the Cougars’ deficit in half.

As a team, the Badgers went cold but forward Tyler Wahl kept Wisconsin ahead by double digits midway through the second half, scoring nine points in that span.

Sophomore guard Jamal Shead cut the lead to eight after blowing by his man for an easy layup followed by coming up with a steal and two more fast break points.

Sasser’s first points of the second half cut the Wisconsin lead down to five with seven minutes left in regulation.

Another Sasser 3-pointer a few minutes later and the Wisconsin lead, which was at 20 to begin the second half, was down to three.

Down five within the final minute of regulation, Edwards hit his sixth 3-pointer of the game to cut the deficit to two.

On the next possession, Davis missed a shot with under 10 seconds left, giving UH a chance to tie or win the game. But the Cougars were unable to get a shot off before the clock hit triple zeros, as Wisconsin survived to hand UH its first loss of the season.

Edwards led the UH men’s basketball team with 18 points while Davis led all scorers with a career-high 30 points.

sports@thedailycougars.com

—
“No. 12 UH falls to Wisconsin in Maui Invitational semifinal” was originally posted on The Cougar

Welcome to the first installment of Trojan Eats, where podcast staff members explore food and beverage places around the USC area. In this episode, staff members Andrew Kerner, Brooke Soriano and Nikhita Datar visited three popular boba places near campus – Pot of Cha, Cup O’ Joy and Factory Tea Bar. Take a listen for recommendations and reflections!

The post Trojan Eats: Boba edition appeared first on Daily Trojan.

Minneapolis added an overnight shift for traffic control officers starting Oct. 4 to free up resources and time for Minneapolis Police Department (MPD) officers to respond to priority calls.

Minneapolis traffic officers currently respond to parking violations, abandoned vehicles and parking complaints during daytime hours on Mondays to Fridays. By adding a night shift, city officials hope that police officers will have more time to respond to higher priority calls instead of spending time on parking violations.

“A parking problem is a very low priority,” MPD Officer Garrett Parten said. “When [traffic control officers] are not working, those parking calls get sent to our Minneapolis dispatch and the squad has to go out. If it’s an issue that requires a tow, then the officer has to sit there and typically wait for a tow truck and clear the problem out.”

Under the new pilot program, traffic control officers can issue citations for parking violations but will not be able to give traffic citations such as speeding tickets. They field calls from 911 dispatch and the non-emergency dispatch line to respond to parking violations.

Three agents and one field supervisor respond to calls during the night shifts. The data from the pilot program will be used to determine if more officers should be added during the shift and if the shift should be full time. The program does not have a set end date because they are receiving ongoing funding.

Minneapolis officials implemented the pilot program because of the citywide crime increase, so that more MPD officers can respond to violent crimes. Violent crime in Minneapolis has increased by 33% during the past two years. Within the past year, crime rose by nearly 60% in the Marcy-Holmes neighborhood.

Kent Kramp, the vice president of the Dinkytown Business Alliance, said he wanted the city to implement more safety measures in Marcy-Holmes.

“We saw an increase in police presence during the beginning of the school year between the University of Minnesota Police Department and the county sheriffs, and it really changed the feel of the neighborhood,” Kramp said. “It felt safer almost instantly.”

Abdirizak Bihi is a community leader in Cedar-Riverside and ran for the Ward 6 council member position in the 2021 election. Bihi advocated for shifting some responsibilities away from the police, such as mental health calls, so that officers could focus on responding to violent crimes.

“We’re hoping to see police deal with violent crimes and investigations and have the resources and the time for that,” Bihi said.

Ahmed Adow, director of traffic control in Minneapolis, said the program has only been around for a month, so they do not have enough data to determine the success.

“We still need more time to at least collect more data to actually pinpoint whether it’s really needed,” Adow said. “Based on the data that we will be collecting from this pilot program, we should be able to determine whether there’s a need to have a full, permanent overnight shift for traffic control.”

Adow said the current officers working the pilot program are officers that worked for the department already.

“The overnight shift was really a win-win situation operation-wise because we had existing officers who actually know the city and who also know the procedure of handling complaints,” Adow said.

Emory University hosted one of the 2021 NCAA Division III Women’s Volleyball regionals from Nov. 11-13 at the Woodruff Physical Education Center. While Emory’s volleyball team was able to play at home and advance to their 11th straight regionals, the Eagles fell short to the No. 12 Berry College (Ga.).

On their way to regionals, the No. 14 Eagles dominated Southern Virginia University in three straight sets (25-17, 25-19, 25-13) in the round of 64 and followed to conquer the University of Texas at Dallas (25-20, 25-11, 22-25, 25-18) in the second round. While the Eagles were excelling in their matches, Berry was also skating by competition, defeating Transylvania University (Ky.) in the first round and Southwestern University (Texas) in the second round.  

Since 2011, Emory has had a successful history against Berry. Emory’s won 16 of their last 20 matches against Berry; in their most recent matchup on Oct. 30, though, the Eagles fell to the Vikings in three sets.  

During regionals, Berry brought the same strength from Oct. 30. The Eagles defended their chance of winning until the end, creating a brief lead during the third set. Despite the Eagles’ best efforts, the Vikings finally claimed victory, winning 25-19, 25-13, 28-26, across the three sets. Berry finished the match with a .396 hitting percentage compared to Emory’s .204 and had twice as many aces.

However, the Eagles did not leave empty-handed as junior setter Cassie Srb and senior outside hitter Tara Martin received the All-Regional Championship Team certificates out of the six awards handed to players from the participating teams. Adding to their success, Martin achieves a second consecutive selection to the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) All-American Third-Team. Likewise, Srb got a second consecutive Honorable Mention All-American honor recognized by the AVCA.

Sophomore outside hitter Carly Wallace had a strong performance despite the loss. With a career-high 10 kills, two service aces, six digs and a total of .400 hitting percentage. With their 28-2 record, Wallace acknowledged that Berry is one of their toughest matchups.

“They were obviously a really good team,” Wallace said. “They played very well. They played pretty good defense and obviously were swinging hard. I had a hard time with them tonight obviously.” 

But she is optimistic as her main takeaway from the season is to “get better and make sure this doesn’t happen again.” 

Freshman libero and defensive specialist Deborah Hong also impressed in her NCAA Tournament debut with 13 digs. Hong shared Wallace’s optimism for future seasons.  

“[We’ll] keep fighting through adversity like either from COVID, injuries or anything,” Hong said. “We can battle back from whatever.” 

Despite the rough night for the Eagles, the gymnasium was packed with energy from the fans, including Eagle and Viking supporters, and Emory President Gregory Fenves. Emory students did not fail to pump up the Eagles during the game as they filled the air with “Go Eagles!” chants and made the stands shake with their energetic stomps. Even before the match, Emory’s student section pretended to read the Wheel while the opposing team was introduced. 

As the Eagles look into the future and end their season with a 25-6 overall record, head coach Jenny McDowell is not making any excuses for the team’s early tournament exit. 

“[I’m] not going to use COVID as an excuse because we have certain standards by which we want to establish our program,” McDowell said. “I think we gotta get back to that and hopefully we’ll continue to really recommit ourselves.”

Emory volleyball against UT Dallas on Nov. 12 in the first round of the NCAA Division III volleyball tournament. (Ally How/Photo Editor)

The post Volleyball’s NCAA championship run comes to a close in regionals against top-ranked Berry College appeared first on The Emory Wheel.

On Nov. 18, the University of Utah’s School of Dance premiered its ballet showcase “{En}compass.” The showcase featured student-created works by the Ballet Choreography III & Production course. Innovative and versatile, “{En}compass” exemplifies the range of movement style and commitment to artistry of School of Dance students. 

Students Shine 

Each piece of “En{compass}” was unique — from movement style to sound and lighting — creating an exciting atmosphere of experiment. 

“Regimen or Ritual”, choreographed by Aubrie Nield Holman, featured dancers moving together with hive-like precision, reflecting the precision of routines we create in our lives. The lighting created a layered physical space on the stage. In one moment light was projected in a pattern on the floor, in another dancers enshrouded in darkness looked like shadows in the background of the stage. 

Mindy Lasko’s “Photosynthesis” subverted musical expectations for a traditional ballet performance. The piece is set to Mort Garson’s “Plantasia” and “Symphony for a Spider Plant,” for an electronic and hypnotic experience of ballet. 

“Моя Україна,” choreographed by AJ Maio, blended elements of Ukrainian folk dance, character dance and ballet. Dancers wore traditional Ukrainian dresses, crowns with long, colorful ribbons and black heels. The communal aspect of Ukrainian folk dance was reflected when the dancers performed as a group. 

Annastasia Beller’s “HeartStrung” was an intimate dance of two. It featured moments of tender embrace and caring — one of the dancers helped the other take off their pointe shoe — exploring the closeness we can develop in our relationships. 

Reflecting On the Return to Dance

“En{compass}” did not only showcase the innovation and artistry of students but also provided a think-space for complex ideas about re-establishing our relationships in a post-pandemic world — our relationship to others and to ourselves. 

Luna Esmerode’s “Te Quiero Te Quiero Te Quiero” explored what it means to feel connected to one’s heritage. Confusions about heritage and identity can cause us to experience isolation from our communities, but this piece exemplifies how we can embrace all the parts of ourselves and push past feelings of disconnection.

Hannah Huang’s “Tenderly” — a duet performed by a man and woman — challenged the viewer to view the piece through a platonic lens, rather than a heteroromantic one. It created the opportunity to witness a tender platonic relationship and question narratives that hold romantic relationships to be the most fulfilling and intimate relationships.

“{En}compass” was a thought-provoking joy and moment of witness to the hard work and dedication of School of Dance students. The showcase is an important milestone in the experience and meaning of dance in a post-pandemic world.

Upcoming School of Dance performances include: “Graduate Concert” which runs from Dec. 2-4. For more information on upcoming performances, visit the School of Dance website. To stream future School of Dance performances free of charge, visit dance.utah.edu/virtualshows.

t.georgieva@dailyutahchronicle.com

@tervela_g

The post ‘{En}compass’ Showcases Student Innovation and Artistry in School of Dance appeared first on The Daily Utah Chronicle.

More than a year after the University of Minnesota cut three men’s sports programs as a result of financial insecurity stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic, student athletes, former coaches, administrators and alumni are aiming to move forward and take action to help those most impacted by the decision.

These groups are finding alternative ways to keep the sports on campus and preserve the legacy of the programs. Numerous new clubs have started over the past year, allowing athletes to participate in competitions not affiliated with the University. Others are collaborating to raise awareness among state legislators and donors on the impact of the decision.

The decision to cut the men’s gymnastics, tennis and indoor track and field programs, approved by the Board of Regents in October 2020, was contested among students and administrators alike. Many student athletes and administrators opposed, with some protesting the decision due to the relatively low amount of money cutting the programs would save.

The elimination of these three programs annually saved $1.6 million, as the University as a whole faced a budget deficit of $172 million. The University cited the need to comply with Title IX policy as another reason for eliminating the programs.

At the September 2021 Board of Regents meeting, University of Minnesota athletics director Mark Coyle provided an update on the financial status of the athletics department and reflected on the cutting of the programs last year.

“I hope the public … and members of the board would understand we went through an extensive process and we exhausted all that we could exhaust in terms of what we needed to do, and how we needed to do it,” Coyle said.

When the sports were canceled last fall, the athletics department faced a projected financial deficit of $65 to $75 million. As a result of the revenue produced from airing football on television last year, this deficit was revised to $45 million.

As of June 2021, the athletics department still faced a $21.5 million budget deficit resulting from losses accrued due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Coyle and the University’s athletics department declined requests from the Minnesota Daily to comment further on last year’s decision.

Loss of program opens new doors for gymnastics student athletes

Since the elimination of the programs, many student athletes at the University are finding other ways to stay engaged in their sports. One gymnast, Shane Wiskus, even went on to compete in the 2021 Tokyo Olympic Games following the program cut.

Second-year gymnast Evan Ng, filed a lawsuit against the athletics department in response to the elimination of the program. Ng is suing the University for sex discrimination based on the fact that only men’s programs were cut last year.

“[The purpose of the lawsuit] is mostly just to try and reinstate the sport. Not even just for myself, but for kids in the future that are training to compete at the NCAA level as well,” Ng said.

Ng said he filed the lawsuit because he had “the most to lose eligibility-wise.” As a first-year student, he would have been able to compete with the team for multiple seasons if the program was not cut.

Kellen Ryan, a first-year University student, considered attending the University for gymnastics prior to the elimination of the program.

“[The program being cut] affected pretty much all of my life,” he said.

When the University cut their men’s gymnastics program, Ryan decided to join the University’s club program through the Gymnastics Association of College Teams (GymACT) this year. GymACT allows athletes to participate in collegiate competitions even if they are not sponsored by a major University’s athletics program.

As a result, Ryan said he is now able to get the typical freshman experience, as he lives in a dorm and is meeting students he may not have been able to if he was part of the gymnastics team.

“I think in terms of where we’re at after getting cut last year, I think we’re in a great place honestly. The only way it could be better is if they brought back the program,” Ryan said.

Since the University now only has a competitive club gymnastics program, first-year student Ben Hays had the opportunity to continue competing as a “lower-level athlete.”

Hays planned to try out for the University’s official team prior to its elimination. Even if he did not make the team he still planned to attend the University, he said.

“[Changing to a club team] has definitely been beneficial for me,” Hays said. “But I think it also cut off a lot of opportunities for some of the gymnasts who are better than me who could have had an opportunity to be on athletic scholarship, so I think it’s kind of a win-lose situation.”

Hays said the transition from an official University team to an independent club team has been a change of pace. In addition to undertaking fundraising efforts to support the team, they now have to commit time to setting up meets and equipment.

Former coach speaks out

In addition to student athletes working to return to a sense of normalcy since the programs were eliminated, former coaches are aiming to move forward as well.

Former gymnastics coach Mike Burns said he is trying to “keep a footprint of gymnastics” on campus despite the elimination of the program.

“We’re trying to evolve and maintain a program here at the University and we’ve done a lot since this whole thing went down last year,” he said.

The University’s gymnastics team hosted the NCAA championship and finished fifth in the nation at the conclusion of last season, in addition to being one the highest ranked teams in the University’s athletic department. Burns said he hopes the club team will continue to compete with this level of success in the future.

Although the University is continuing to honor all athletic scholarships awarded to athletes whose sports were cut last fall, Burns said the club team is now trying to get a hold of the other funding designated to the men’s gymnastics program last year.

This funding would be used to pay for travel costs, new grips, mats, uniforms and other necessities to help the program stay afloat, Burns said.
“It’s not just about trying to reinstate our sports but it’s also about how do we come up with new models for how college athletics is going to have to exist because things are changing,” Burns said.

Getting legislators involved

Burns said he does not feel the concerns of student athletes and coaches are being considered by the University’s board, President Joan Gabel and Athletics Director Mark Coyle. As a result, Burns has been in contact with Minnesota state legislators, who are responsible for designating funding to the University each year.

“Right now it’s about creating new allies,” he said.

University track alumni Bill Smith is working with fellow alumni to form the Minnesota Athletics Alliance. The organization is also working to advocate to state legislators on behalf of student athletes and to support the sports programs financially.

The alliance holds weekly meetings to discuss legal action to investigate and engage legislatively, Smith said.

“Our mission is to advocate for athletes at the University of Minnesota when these sorts of things happen,” he said. “We’re just not going to throw in the towel and go away.”

Smith said the group is currently working to implement a hearing process that will educate legislators on how the regents make decisions at the University. One goal of the alliance is to tell the story from the perspective of the impacted student athletes.

“We are working now to build support across the House and the Senate so when the funding comes up, we can advocate for a different funding model at the University of Minnesota for non-revenue sports,” Smith said. “My hope is that we can get current athletes engaged.”

Board of Regents weighs in

In 2020, Regent Darrin Rosha was one board member who supported student athletes while their programs were being eliminated. Rosha said he voted against the decision to cut the sports last year due to the lack of established principles on why the University can maintain certain sports programs, while eliminating others.

Rosha said the eliminated sports received significant financial donations that could have continued to support the programs amid the athletics department’s budget issues. Rosha said other sports could have been eliminated to save more money in the athletics department’s budget rather than the tennis, gymnastics and track and field programs.

“The most significant basis for me was the cost savings were so minimal, in fact maybe nonexistent,” Rosha said.

Rosha also said he believes Title IX was not a valid reason for cutting the sports programs.

Several other athletics supporters indicated they did not believe Title IX was a valid reason to eliminate the sports programs as well.

Former Regent Michael Hsu, who also voted against the decision, echoed these thoughts and concerns. Hsu said he was concerned the termination of the three sports programs last fall may lead to more programs being cut in the future.

“It was a bad decision then and it’s clearly a bad decision now,” Hsu said.

Throughout the past year, the University has said they are continuing to consider the best interest of students as they make decisions.

“We are focusing on the future as we move forward with our department and continue to make sure we provide a great experience for our student athletes, our coaches, our staff and our parents who support our program,” Coyle said.

Although the athletics department is not currently in a financial position to add sports, coaches, students and alumni said they will continue to take action into their own hands to preserve the legacy of the eliminated sports.

“I’m a little feisty, a little crusty around the edges and just kind of keep digging my heels in and keep fighting for this thing, because I think it’s the right thing to do,” Burns said.

Food insecurity climbs among Bay Area college students as COVID-19 pandemic continues

Jamie Scott/Staff

More than 40% of college students have experienced food insecurity in some form or fashion, according to Feeding America — however, a vast number of food shortage cases fly under the radar due to the embarrassment many feel.

The Bay Area has become difficult to afford, a problem only expected to get worse due to rising inflation from the pandemic. The average cost of renting an apartment in the Bay Area is $3,140 each month, while the minimum wage in the Bay remains $16.32 — meaning that someone would have to work more than 190 hours per month in order to pay rent while working minimum wage, without accounting for other costs such as food, transportation or school supplies.

Berkeley Food Pantry director Dharma Galang said multiple food banks across the Bay, including the Alameda County Community Food Bank, are struggling to maintain the needs of people at very low food security and need it the most.

Campus director of strategic equity initiatives Ruben Canedo said meal programs such as the Berkeley Food Bank have stated people continually visiting the meal program had no signs of stopping their visits and said many have been limited due to the lack of funds for grocery products under rising inflation. Meat products, for example, have seen some of the most extreme cases of price inflation.

“Large price increases for beef, pork, and poultry are driving the recent price increases consumers are seeing at the grocery store,”  states a White House press release from September 2021. “Together, these three items account for a full half of the price increase for food at home since December 2020. Since that time, prices for beef have risen by 14.0%, pork by 12.1%, and poultry by 6.6%.”

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture Economic Research Service Food Access Research Atlas, which tracks food insecurity in all cities in the country, the majority of UC Berkeley students are in a low-income and low-food-access area of Berkeley.

Campus freshman and Bay Area resident Karla Aguilar shared her experiences during her first semester at UC Berkeley. Like many, her eating habits changed drastically upon arriving on campus.

“I dropped 5 pounds from the first month I was here,” Aguilar said.

Aguilar added she primarily used her electronic benefits transfer, or EBT, because she was worried about stories she had heard about campus dining halls.

EBT cards can be used to redeem public assistant benefits from the state. These may include food and cash aid benefits such as CalFresh, which provides people who meet income eligibility rules with benefits that can be redeemed at grocery stores or farmers markets for food products, according to the California Department of Social Services website.

When asked if she had heard of any campus resources for food insecurity, such as the Basic Needs Center, and other food pantries provided, she admitted she had only heard of the Berkeley Food Pantry.

Aguilar shared the expenses of food around the campus had been a large part of her lack of eating and said she applied for EBT to combat the high prices.

“I feel a lot more drained constantly; I will be in a class and just fall asleep if I haven’t eaten anything,” Aguilar said. “It puts me behind and it is not beneficial.”

Aguilar also called attention to the lack of affordable dining for low-income students around campus, saying such students had fewer food options.

The problem, Aguilar alleged, is that the campus’s resources for food-insecure students are insufficient. She alleged that because students from higher economic classes are not directly affected by food insecurity, they would be less inclined to care or help the administration understand the struggles lower-income students face.

Aguilar also noted that the stores nearest to the campus, Safeway, Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods, are all higher-income food stores, which has affected her EBT.

She explained that no food she buys can go to waste due to high prices at these stores and said she must shop extremely carefully.

“$200 seems like a lot, but when looking at the prices at Trader Joe’s, only one item is $7,” Aguilar said. “They’ve generalized that everyone that goes here has a prestigious f— life.”

Aguilar also questioned the number of fast-food restaurants near campus when many college students do not have enough money to pay for fast food over groceries.

As she finishes her first semester of college, Aguilar’s feelings about school had drastically changed from those of excitement to frustration.

“I was so naive to being an adult when I first came here. I don’t think I was prepared enough to come here,” Aguilar said. “It’s so much more difficult and complicated than just going to class.”

Her indignation with the lack of food security for students on campus, she said, deeply upset her and ruined the illusion she had of campus.

In addition to her food struggles in Berkeley, Aguilar shared that her family faces similar circumstances, making her issues on campus all the more difficult to handle.

“They have made the living conditions here impossible,” Aguilar said. “I remember when COVID-19 made the prices of food insanely high, and they still are.”

To remove some of the monetary weight that comes with living on campus, Aguilar emphasized that the Berkeley Food Pantry could help a lot of students dealing with food insecurity.

The Berkeley Food Pantry is open to these students and others on campus dealing with food insecurity. The pantry allows community members to receive groceries in an emergency at no cost. Located at 1600 Sacramento St., the pantry is open Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. for walk-ins or appointments.

Another resource for students struggling with food insecurity is the Berkeley Student Food Collective. The collective works to bring food to students dealing with food insecurity on campus.

Located on Bancroft Way next to RareTea Berkeley, it is accessible from Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. and weekends from noon to 7 p.m. for students who sign up to visit. The collective accepts EBT and offers subsidized prices based on the financial situation of students.

Students may also visit the Basic Needs Center, which is open to the entirety of the campus community. Throughout the pandemic, it has remained open on the first floor of the MLK Jr. Student Union building. In an effort to assist students during the pandemic, the center began delivering food to students who are positive with COVID-19 or who cannot afford to pay for groceries.

The center has focused its work into two groups to address both short-term and long-term needs for students.

“For short-term needs, the Basic Needs Center (BNC) operates the Food Pantry that is open to the entire UCB community (including undergraduate, graduate, staff, visiting scholars, students researchers, post docs, and faculty),” Canedo said in an email. “For long-term needs, the BNC provides information and application assistance for CalFresh, which is the state’s version of SNAP/EBT. CalFresh is able to award eligible students up to $250 per month for groceries.”

During the pandemic, assistance for the application for CalFresh was moved to virtual assistance to meet the needs of students who could not meet in person.

Canedo also noted that students not eligible for CalFresh are allowed to use the “one-time short-term emergency food assistance” that is a part of the Basic Needs Center’s Holistic Fund.

A select number of undocumented and graduate students who are unable to receive the Holistic Fund rewards are assisted by funds granted from the Basic Needs food awards, which provides them with a 10-month disbursement fee similar to CalFresh.

“While anecdotally we know students are benefitting from accessing these resources, we are actively working on enhancing and building out our data and reporting processes,” Canedo said in the email.

Contact Luis Saldana at nsaldana@dailycal.org.

The Daily Californian

The Boston University Pardee School of Global Studies African Studies Center hosted the film discussion.

Bears bring thunder, edge out Southern Utah in double overtime thriller

Lisi Ludwig/Senior Staff

It’s not about how you start –– it’s how you finish.

While Cal started out slow against Southern Utah, it flipped the script and turned the game into one of its best performances yet of the young season. In a double overtime thriller, the Bears toppled the Thunderbirds, 75-68.

To open the game, the blue and gold coughed the ball up five times before they got on the board. In what initially seemed like a lackluster effort, the home team couldn’t score for more than 13 minutes after missing its first seven shots.

On top of their offensive struggles, the Bears could not contain the Thunderbirds’ John Knight III. The strong, 6’3” guard effortlessly slashed his way through the paint, having himself a half to remember with 16 points on 7-9 shooting. If the Bears wanted to have any semblance of a comeback effort, they knew they’d have to take the ball out of his hands or force him into tough shots.

Yet, despite the sluggish start on both ends, the Bears remained steadfast in their effort to win, as they managed to only be down four points at halftime. However, while the namesake break usually denotes that a game is “halfway” done, little did both teams know that it had only just begun.

The second half started off similar to the first for the Bears, as they got off to another slow start. A four-point lead ballooned to a 10-point lead just more than six minutes into the half, and it looked like Cal was en route to its third loss in four games. Moreover, the blue and gold still had no answer for Knight III, as he already tallied 21 points with about 13 minutes left in the half.

“He’s (John Knight III) a matchup nightmare for us,” said head coach Mark Fox.

When all looked lost, Fox made his biggest adjustment of the game. With 13:44 left on the clock, he assigned freshman Sam Alajiki to defend Knight III.

“I thought Sam Alajiki came in and changed the entire game,” Fox said. .

From that point on, it was all Cal. The Bears stormed back with a fiery 12-2 run, tying the game at 46-all with just under nine minutes to go. It was anyone’s game, and with clutch baskets from both teams, Haas Pavilion saw two overtime periods. It’d be here that the blue and gold eventually prevailed.

Regardless of the defender, great offensive players find ways to score. The key to guarding those scorers is about forcing them into tough shots, which is what Alajiki did to Knight III.

As the Thunderbirds’ leading scorer, Knight III managed to end the game with an impressive 31 points on a respectable 12-23 clip. If we take a closer look though, Knight III shot a pedestrian 5-14 in the second half and overtime periods, thanks in large part to Alajiki’s lockdown physicality.

“We finally found someone that could match up with his (John Knight III) strength. That kid is powerful,” Fox said.

Aside from Alajiki’s standout defensive performance, the Bears also had a few impressive offensive show outs from their veterans in the frontcourt in Andre Kelly and Grant Anticevich.

Kelly led the Bears’ offense, tallying 29 points on efficient 11-16 shooting on the night. Meanwhile, Anticevich chipped in 15 timely points of his own, keeping the Bears ahead or within striking distance throughout pivotal moments in the game.

While this was an exhilarating match to watch, the Bears still have much to improve on. Careless play, such as unforced turnovers and nonchalant defense early in the game, is the reason why the Bears needed to mount a comeback effort. These habits may very well come back to haunt Cal against more disciplined and talented teams, which is why it must learn to keep its foot on the gas throughout all quarters.

“If we made those plays at the start of the game, then we wouldn’t have found ourselves in that position at the end of the game,” Anticevich said, “So that’s something that we’ve got to work on –– playing for the whole 40 minutes and having a good start to the game.”

In order to stave off unexpected losses, the Bears should stick to the script.

Justin Kim covers men’s basketball. Contact him at justinkim@dailycal.org.

The Daily Californian

Monday: Go For A Ride Day

Monday is a fitting holiday for your safe travels home for Thanksgiving on Thursday, as it is Go For A Ride Day. Do you have any plans for our short break this week? Today encourages you to get up and get moving, even if it’s a short ride around town. To celebrate this day, prepare by tidying up your car and curating a playlist to match the length of your trip. Pack some drinks and snacks and maybe even a car blanket so you can have a picnic, even if it’s only in your car. If you’re staying local during Thanksgiving break, pick a destination for a short road trip like downtown Belfast or Portland, Acadia National Park or Rockland. Monday is also National Cranberry Relish Day and Love Your Freckles Day. 

Tuesday: National Espresso Day

If you’re leaving on Tuesday for break, prepare for the drive with an espresso drink to celebrate National Espresso Day. Some popular espresso drinks you can try are lattes and cappuccinos, which are both made with milk, espresso and varying amounts of foam. You could also try an americano, which is made with espresso and water as a fuller-bodied coffee drink. If you’re looking for some more intensity, check out the red eye, black eye or deadeye drinks made with one, two and three shots accordingly of espresso and coffee. Check out some local coffee shops in Orono like Nest, The Store Ampersand, Aroma Joe’s and Dunkin. Tuesday is also National Cashew Day and National Eat A Cranberry Day. 

Wednesday: National Jukebox Day

It’s time to get your groove on with National Jukebox Day. Originally invented in 1889 by Louis Glass and William S. Arnold of the Pacific Phonograph Co., the jukebox gained popularity in the 1950s when it began to take its notable shape after many iterations. Even though they’re not as common today, celebrate National Jukebox Day by playing your favorite tracks across the loudspeaker and getting up to dance! Wednesday is also National Sardines Day and Celebrate Your Unique Talent Day. 

Thursday: Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving! Celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November each year, Thanksgiving is a time to come together and celebrate family and friends over a warm meal. Today is a day where you can recognize and reflect upon everything you’re grateful for, so take today as an opportunity to identify your personal bright spots in the last year. If you’re hunting for some recipe help, check out the UMaine Cooperative Extension recommended appetizers, main dishes, desserts and drinks. Thursday is also International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, National White Ribbon Day and National Parfait Day. 

Friday: Native American Heritage Day

Designated on Nov. 28 in 1990 by former President George H. W. Bush, Native American Heritage Day aims to pay respect and recognize the many injustices the Native American people have faced in the United States. As explained by their land acknowledgment statement, the University of Maine resides on the homeland of the Penobscot Nation, which is connected to other Wabanaki Tribal Nations including the Passamaquoddy, Maliseet and Micmac. Celebrate this holiday by learning about the Penobscot homeland and their peoples by visiting UMaine’s Wabinaki Center page or by attending the upcoming talk, “Raising Our Voices on Race and Racism” featuring Native American topics on Nov. 30 from 4 to 5 p.m. Friday is also National Day of Listening, Flossing Day, Fur-Free Friday, National Cake Day and Black Friday.

All holidays were found on nationaltoday.com. Be sure to keep up to date with our regularly featured holidays featured both on our Instagram @themainecampus and our website.