Many fans of the No. 15 Creighton men’s basketball team can undoubtedly name each of the 10 scholarship players included in head coach Greg McDermott’s regular rotation. e team’s success has generated increased attention for the program on both a local and a national level, so much so that sophomore forward Doug McDermott is quickly becoming a household name. ere is no doubt that these 10 men deserve all the recognition they’ve received for what they have accomplished thus far. However, they are not the only players on the team. is year’s roster goes 18 names deep, and while the other eight players don’t see the court very oen, they are still vital to the team’s success. ose eight players not included in the 10- man rotation make up the scout team and play an important role in the program. “eir role is to show up every day, give us great energy, prepare the guys that are getting the majority of the minutes for what they are going to see in the next game, and our guys do a great job of that,” assistant coach Darian DeVries said. e scout team players study game tape and bring what they learn about the opponent’s oense and defense to the practice court for the scholarship players to get a look at and to practice against. ey also keep the rotation players fresh, something DeVries doesn’t take for granted. “I think it’s vital for our program,” DeVries said. “If you didn’t have them, you’d be using other guys and throughout the season it just wears down your team. You can’t practice at that high of a level every single day and get the reps we need to get without having a group of guys that can give you a good look. ey have to be able to give you as close to a duplication of what they are going to see on game night, and that’s a big challenge sometimes to get them motivated every single day to do that.” Walking on at Creighton is not easy. Players are student-athletes with the emphasis on student, meaning they have all stresses and responsibilities that come along with being a college student. “We always tell our walk-ons ‘Come here because you want to go to school here and then if you want to be a part of the team, then great,’” DeVries said. But they also have basketball to worry about. Walk-ons have to put in as much work if not more than the scholarship players with all the scouting they have to do, yet they are rarely rewarded with playing time. “To be honest, it’s a pretty thankless job,” DeVries said. “What I appreciate about them the most is they come with a great attitude every day, THE C REIGHTONIAN One columnist tests friends by turning oher Facebook birthday notication. OPINION Girl Scouts camp out in Skutt this week selling their famous cookies. SCENE TURN TO “WALK-ONS” PAGE 2 AD MAJOREM DEI GLORIAM “FOR THE GREATER GLORY OF GOD” e Rev. Timothy R. Lannon, S.J., tells students about spirituality. NEWS Photos courtesy of Creighton University Athletics. Walk-ons sacrifice for betterment of team Sports Reporter Creighton’s Founder’s Week is usually spent celebrating the memory of the Creighton brothers and their spouses who helped found the university. In addition to these activities, however, this year Creighton has the privilege to celebrate the Native American who founded the land before this university ever existed. A historical marker was presented to Creighton University on Tuesday that acknowledges Native Americans, past and present, who were here before the university. A dedication and Native American memorial prayer service recognized the seven tribes and nations who have been an important part of the history here in Omaha. Most markers only acknowledge the past, but there are still native people and people of all cultures on the campus today, director of the Native American Studies Program the Rev. Raymond Bucko, S.J., said. “Everyone has heard about Creighton’s background and mainly about the Creighton brothers, but no one thinks about the people who founded the land before them,” Bucko said. “ere was a tradition before Creighton.” Bucko played a vital role to get the historical marker for the campus. He said it was an important issue not just because he looks at every situation through the eyes of a Jesuit and an anthropologist, but because it had support from the Creighton community. Bucko was able to raise the money for the marker in just a few days. “is is one step of visibility,” Bucko said. “One problem is most markers use past tense: while [Native Americans] are still a part of the population, they are still a part of the Creighton Community.” Historically, the Omaha native people have lived in the city for hundreds of years, professor of Native American studies, sociology and anthropology, Rudi Mitchell said. “ere is no marker in the city as far as I know that gives tribute and recognizes the native people that once lived here before the rst immigrants came to Omaha,” Mitchell said. “is marker and the dedication will pay tribute to the native people that once lived here and those native people that are still here.” News Reporter Creighton dedicates Native American historical marker Creighton oers its graduate students a unique opportunity to study the business side of science while pursuing another degree, working or holding an internship. e Professional Science Masters, or PSM, is an innovative two-year accreditation designed to prepare students for science careers in business, government and nonprot organizations. ere are 246 PSM programs across the country, and Creighton’s PSM degree in bioscience management is one of only three oered nationwide. e general objective of Creighton’s PSM degree is to oer students a set of courses, half from bioscience and half from a general business curriculum, that includes leadership, nance and marketing. “We call it an MBA for scientists,” Dr. Trent Wachner, the PSM faculty program director and professor of marketing, said. Business development director Steven Kelly said that even though the acceptance for the program is low, Creighton would like to expand certain areas of study. “e accreditation process is extremely selective, but once you get it to your university, it is very easy to add additional programs as long as you meet the curriculum requirements,” Kelly said. “We would really like to grow in the eld of energy science as well as pharmacology.” Wachner said that there are certain advantages to this program News Reporter TURN TO “PROGRAM” PAGE 2 Photo by Trina Pham.
Transcript
Many fans of the No. 15 Creighton men’s basketball team can undoubtedly name each of the 10 scholarship players included in head coach Greg McDermott’s regular rotation.
!e team’s success has generated increased attention for the program on both a local and a national level, so much so that sophomore forward Doug McDermott is quickly becoming a household name. !ere is no doubt that these 10 men deserve all the recognition they’ve received for what they have accomplished thus far.
However, they are not the only players on the team. !is year’s roster goes 18 names deep, and while the other eight players don’t see the court very o"en, they are still vital to the team’s success.
!ose eight players not included in the 10-man rotation make up the scout team and play an
important role in the program.“!eir role is to show up every day, give us
great energy, prepare the guys that are getting the majority of the minutes for what they are going to see in the next game, and our guys do a great job of that,” assistant coach Darian DeVries said.
!e scout team players study game tape and bring what they learn about the opponent’s o#ense and defense to the practice court for the scholarship players to get a look at and to practice against. !ey also keep the rotation players fresh, something DeVries doesn’t take for granted.
“I think it’s vital for our program,” DeVries said. “If you didn’t have them, you’d be using other guys and throughout the season it just wears down your team. You can’t practice at that high of a level every single day and get the reps we need to get without having a group of guys that can give you a good look. !ey have to be able to give you as close to a duplication of what they are going to see on
game night, and that’s a big challenge sometimes to get them motivated every single day to do that.”
Walking on at Creighton is not easy. Players are student-athletes with the emphasis on student, meaning they have all stresses and responsibilities that come along with being a college student.
“We always tell our walk-ons ‘Come here because you want to go to school here and then if you want to be a part of the team, then great,’” DeVries said.
But they also have basketball to worry about. Walk-ons have to put in as much work if not more than the scholarship players with all the scouting they have to do, yet they are rarely rewarded with playing time.
“To be honest, it’s a pretty thankless job,” DeVries said. “What I appreciate about them the most is they come with a great attitude every day,
THECREIGHTONIANOne columnist tests friends by turning o# her Facebook birthday noti$cation.
OPINION
Girl Scouts camp out in Skutt this week selling their famous cookies.
SCENE
TURN TO “WALK-ONS” PAGE 2
AD MAJOREM DEI GLORIAM“FOR THE GREATER GLORY OF GOD”
!e Rev. Timothy R. Lannon, S.J., tells students about spirituality.
NEWS
Photos courtesy of Creighton University Athletics.
Walk-ons sacrifice for betterment of teamSports Reporter
Creighton’s Founder’s Week is usually spent celebrating the memory of the Creighton brothers and their spouses who helped found the university. In addition to these activities, however, this year Creighton has the privilege to celebrate the Native American who founded the land before this university ever existed.
A historical marker was presented to Creighton University on Tuesday that acknowledges Native Americans, past and present, who were here before the university. A dedication and Native American memorial prayer service recognized the seven tribes and nations who have been an important part of the history here in Omaha.
Most markers only acknowledge the past, but there are still native people and people of all cultures on the campus today, director of the Native American Studies Program the Rev. Raymond Bucko, S.J., said.
“Everyone has heard about Creighton’s background and mainly about the Creighton brothers, but no one thinks about the people
who founded the land before them,” Bucko said. “!ere was a tradition before Creighton.”
Bucko played a vital role to get the historical marker for the campus. He said it was an important issue not just because he looks at every situation through the eyes of a Jesuit and an anthropologist, but because it had support from the Creighton community. Bucko was able to raise the money for the marker in just a few days.
“!is is one step of visibility,” Bucko said. “One problem is most markers use past tense: while [Native Americans] are still a part of the population, they are still a part of the Creighton Community.”
Historically, the Omaha native people have lived in the city for hundreds of years, professor of Native American studies, sociology and anthropology, Rudi Mitchell said.
“!ere is no marker in the city as far as I know that gives tribute and recognizes the native people that once lived here before the $rst immigrants came to Omaha,” Mitchell said. “!is marker and the dedication will pay tribute to the native people that once lived here and those native people that are still here.”
News Reporter
Creighton dedicates Native American historical marker
Creighton o#ers its graduate students a unique opportunity to study the business side of science while pursuing another degree, working or holding an internship.
!e Professional Science Masters, or PSM, is an innovative two-year accreditation designed to prepare students for science careers in business, government and nonpro$t organizations. !ere are 246 PSM programs across the country, and Creighton’s PSM degree in bioscience management is one of only three o#ered nationwide.
!e general objective of Creighton’s PSM degree is to o#er students a set of courses, half from bioscience and half from a general business curriculum, that includes leadership, $nance and marketing.
“We call it an MBA for scientists,” Dr. Trent Wachner, the PSM faculty program director and professor of marketing, said.
Business development director Steven Kelly said that even though the acceptance for the program is low, Creighton would like to expand certain areas of study.
“!e accreditation process is extremely selective, but once you get it to your university, it is very easy to add additional programs as long as you meet the curriculum requirements,” Kelly said. “We would really like to grow in the $eld of energy science as well as pharmacology.”
Wachner said that there are certain advantages to this program
News Reporter
TURN TO “PROGRAM” PAGE 2
Photo by Trina Pham.
THE CREIGHTONIAN 10 February 2012
Page 2 “You don’t think your beloved would enjoy having a cockroach named after him or her?”
“The Dating Scene” columnist April Payne, page 4.
MVC Tournament tickets on sale soon
Tickets for the 2012 State Farm Men’s Basketball Missouri Valley Conference Tournament will go on sale Monday at 9 a.m. Tickets can be purchased at the Creighton Ticket O%ce and are $10 each. !e tournament will be held March 1-4 at the Scottrade Center in St. Louis. Creighton students can purchase up to three vouchers with a valid Creighton student identi$cation.
!e Creighton Ticket O%ce is located at the Ryan Athletic Center in the D.J. Sokol Arena, which is on 19th and Webster streets. O%ce hours are 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays.
In order to redeem the vouchers, students must present them at the Scottrade Center Box O%ce with your valid Creighton student ID. !e voucher is good for one general admission ticket for a seat in the student section.
Creighton updates its social media
!ere is now a new source for all Creighton University news.
Creighton recently consolidated several separate sources of university information onto one Facebook page.
Creighton Student News said that the reason for this move was to “help external audiences get the most information about Creighton.”
!e new University fan page is located at www.facebook.com/creightonuniversity.
!e move was part of a new University branding e#ort that will not only help make the pages easier to $nd, but will provide more advanced and complete information.
Scout team players take diverse path to Creighton University
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Editor in ChiefMatt Entringer
News EditorJosie Bungert
Ad ManagerDakotah Braun
Head Copy EditorAlex Kane
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they don’t really ask for anything and they work hard. Yet they’re expected to do all the conditioning and things that are hard enough to do when you know you’re going to play 30 minutes, it’s really hard to do when you know you’re not going to get out there.”
Senior forward Matt Dorwart admits walking on is a di%cult thing to do, but it is not without rewards.
“It’s de$nitely tough because I haven’t really played meaningful minutes in a game since high school but at the same time it’s like the other day I got in the game and got to make a shot and everyone’s reaction, that was enough, that made it cool and made it kind of worth it,” Dorwart said. !e four active walk-ons did get a nice treat recently in a game against Indiana State University that was shown nationwide on ESPN2. !e Jays held a huge lead late in the game and McDermott sent the walk-ons into the game for their two minutes of fame on national television.
Each scout team player has taken his own unique path to arrive at Creighton.
Dorwart is a try-out success story a"er not even planning to play basketball when he arrived at Creighton. !e senior said he sees himself as a leader on the team, and whose experience and knowledge of opposing teams’ schemes are his main contribution to the team.
Junior guard Ross Ferrarini transferred to Creighton a"er spending his freshman season at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Ferrarini
has a reputation as a shooter who is not afraid to let it go from anywhere on the court, and that is the role he said he plays on the scout team.
Sophomore point guard Taylor Stormberg turned down other opportunities to play for his hometown Bluejays a"er a stand-out career at Omaha Creighton Prep. He said as a lead guard he takes pride in making sure the team is “running 100 percent” in practice.
Freshman forward Alex Olsen impressed the coaches enough with his play at Abraham Lincoln High School in nearby Council Blu#s, Iowa, to earn a spot on the team, and is preparing to step in and $ll the gap le" by the soon-to-be-departing seniors on the scout team.
Senior guard/forward Derek
Sebastian and freshman forward Mogboluwaga “Mo” Oginni each came to Omaha from out-of-state schools to suit up in the white and the blue and bring versatility to the scout team.
!is year’s scout team even includes two scholarship players in Texas natives and redshirting freshmen center Geo# Groselle and guard/forward Nevin Johnson, who are taking a year o# from active participation to work on their bodies and games before stepping into the rotation next year.
In addition to Johnson and Groselle, Olsen and Oginni are also redshirting. While these four are prohibited from taking part in games this season, they are still allowed to practice with the team. Olsen called the adjustment from being a star in high school to not playing
at all in college “di#erent, but is still doing what he can to make a contribution to the team.
!at attitude is perhaps the most important quality coaches look for in a prospective walk-on.
“For us, it’s more about having somebody that we feel is capable of competing in practice every day and understands what that role might means, speci$cally a lack of playing time.”
!e four active walk-ons are Dorwart, Sebastian, Ferrarini and Stormberg. Unlike the redshirting freshmen, these four are able to take part in games.
Last season, Stormberg saw increased playing time a"er the transfer of guard Andrew Bock. Point guard depth was very shallow for the Jays behind now senior Antoine Young. Stormberg appeared in 16 games last season as a redshirt freshman, and many of his minutes came when Young needed a breather and the outcome was still very much in doubt.
“It was a dream come true for me, that’s for sure,” Stormberg said. “I was always dreaming of playingDivision I basketball, and it de$nitely came true last year.”
!e scout team’s teammates are fully aware of what the walk-ons do and are quick to give them praise. A"er a 70-60 win on the road against the University of Alabama-Birmingham Blazers, Doug McDermott credited the scout team with running UAB’s o#ense better in practice than the Blazers did in the game.
“It’s nice to hear that because obviously they get all the press and everything like that, but we’re behind the scenes guys and doing everything that people on the &oor don’t necessarily see,” Stormberg said when told about McDermott’s compliment. “Even if it’s a matter of one play, that can change the game.”
that had been non-existent in the past. “!e beauty behind expanding the PSM
programs o#ered here at Creighton is that students from across the science disciplines can take their business classes together, and you can create collaboration across $elds,” Wachner said.
Another aspect that makes the program
unique is that it operates on a weekend format, so students take classes on Friday a"ernoon and all day on Saturday for one year. Creighton currently has nine students enrolled and 31 students have graduated from the program.
Reine Black is currently enrolled in the program and also pursuing his MBA at Creighton.
“!is program has opened my eyes [as well as] many doors for opportunities for me to be a part of the science community without isolation in a lab,” Black said. “I now have the ability to work with scientists and the people involved in the business aspect of that scienti$c development.”
New program lets students receive training in multiple $elds
WEEKLY CAMPUS
SAFETY REPORT
43
4
3
January 31, 2012 – 1:32 p.m. !e Omaha Police were searching for an allegedly dangerous, suicidal individual and barricaded 32nd Street south of California. A CUAlert was issued. !e apartment house was searched and it was determined the individual was not in the area.
January 31, 2012 – 12:19 a.m. An intoxicated woman driving on Ware-ham Parkway sideswiped seven parked cars and damaged an air handling sha" on the south side of Criss II. !e woman was arrested by the Omaha Police and her vehicle was towed from the scene. !e 23 year-old woman’s 10 month-old and two year-old children who were in the back seat of her vehicle were turned over to relatives. !ere were no injuries.
January 31, 2012 –3:15 p.m. A student reported that the license plates were missing from his vehicle which had been parked west of Criss II.
January 31, 2012 – 1:32 p.m. Two sta# members reported their vehicles parked on the south side of Becker Hall had been damaged by ice sliding o# the roof.
January 31, 2012 – 1:32 p.m. A con man asking for change bilked an employee out of $50 in the Harper Cen-ter.
January 31, 2012 – 1:32 p.m. A room search was conducted in Davis Square. Suspected marijuana and drug paraphernalia were con$scated.
Where he grew up: Omaha, Neb.
College: Arts & Sciences
Major: Public Relations and News
Position: Guard, Basketball team
Favorite hobby: Sports
Favorite TV show: “Modern Family”
Favorite Band: “Dave Matthews Band”
Most memorable sports moment: I had a shot at the buzzer to beat Millard West in high school.
Plans for after college: “I may go into coaching or work for a Public Relations company.”
Favorite part of being on the basketball team: Being such good friends with everyone on the team.
For more information and to download an application visit: www.adriansmith.house.gov
As part of the current Founder’s Week festivities, the Rev. Timothy R. Lannon, S.J., gave a talk on Sunday to students, faculty and alumni about the impact of Jesuit spirituality on his life and how its presence at Creighton continues to inspire him today.
Lannon touched on his childhood, college and vocational experiences, explaining the great impact that his Catholic faith played throughout his life.
“I have done things in my life that I never thought possible or imagined. I’ve become a person that I never thought possible or imagined, and that person who I am is so rooted in my faith but also so rooted in my life as a Jesuit,” Lannon said.
While Lannon described a few experiences and anecdotes in his childhood and teen years where others could see him eventually becoming a priest, he did not truly consider it until getting to know the Jesuits at Creighton.
“I didn’t think I was holy enough to become a priest until I met the Jesuits, ” Lannon said. “I thought, ‘If these guys can do it, I can do it.’”
Choosing to attend Creighton University for college instead of the University of Iowa, his original plan, played a signi!cant role in his decision to become a Jesuit.
“If I had not come to Creighton, more than
likely I would not be a Jesuit today, ” Lannon said.
As a student at Creighton, Lannon got along well with the Jesuits and became friends with many of them. What he loved most about them was that they were approachable, willing to engage in conversation, “provocative” (in the sense that they forced him to think deeply about his faith) and fun.
One of Lannon’s key experiences at Creighton was a time during his junior year when he deeply questioned church doctrine and whether what he believed as a Catholic made sense to him.
“What I liked about that experience, looking back, was that I was provoked and challenged by my theology classes to think about these things,” Lannon said. “I think for all of us, in our lives, we need to make that transition because most of us arrive here with our parents’ faith. I le" here eventually with my faith.”
Another formative Creighton experience came in the form of a setback for Lannon when he applied for medical school but was not accepted because of low grades. His over-involvement in
campus activities was the main reason.#e experience was a turning point that
forced Lannon to truly consider what he was going to do with his life and where he was going to go from there.
“All in all, I think the most important thing that happened to me at Creighton, when it comes to my life and the way I’m trying to live it, is that I became much more re$ective here,” Lannon said.
It was this re$ection and a growing
fondness for Creighton that led Lannon to join the Jesuits in 1974 a"er graduating from Creighton in 1973. Yet a"er two years of discernment and deep re$ection, Lannon le" the Jesuits, convinced it wasn’t for him. He spent the next two years feeling “lost” as he decided what to do.
“It was during those two years when I felt lost that I felt myself being drawn closer to the Lord and was reminded how much I needed God in my life,” Lannon said.
A"er much re$ection, Lannon rejoined the Jesuits in 1976. He served as the president
of both Creighton Preparatory School and St. Joseph’s University before he became the 24th president of Creighton University last July.
As a Jesuit and college president, Lannon re$ected on the role of the two vocations in his life.
“I’m a Jesuit !rst, college president second,” Lannon said. “My life is with the Jesuits; however, I think I’m becoming a better person, a better Jesuit and a better Christian by being a college president. It’s the challenges and the
pressure of being a college president that really remind me of my need for God.”
Lannon’s passion for Jesuit spirituality and love of Creighton stirred up much conversation between current students, sta% and alumni following the talk. #ey agreed that the Jesuit values present at Creighton inspired them to live for and serve others.
“Fr. Lannon’s experience is very identi!able,” Arts & Sciences sophomore Katie Kuhns said. “Like him, I’ve struggled with my faith, but by being at Creighton, my faith has become the most driving force in deciding what
I want do with my life.”
Several alumni noted that the experiences and challenges Creighton provides to current students are incredible opportunities that will open them up to the world and encourage them to live out those Jesuit values emphasized on campus.
“ C r e i g h t o n [has] helped me determine what
faith means to me and the emphasis it puts on service has really challenged me to !nd the causes of social justice problems in society so that I can make it better for the future,” Arts & Sciences sophomore Kelly Sullivan said.
Lannon’s talk encapsulated for many what Creighton University is all about: A passion for being men and women for and with others through service, faith and love.
Hearts on Fire: A celebration of Jesuit spirituality
Students learn tips for job hunting
For many students, the transition into the working world can be both challenging and confusing. With the economy slowly recovering from the economic downturn, students of all levels are seeking new ways to gain an edge in a competitive job market.
For this reason, the Creighton Career Center held Career Cram Sessions in order to give students some tips on how to be both successful and e&cient in their job search.
Senior director of the Career Center Jim Bretl decided to host this event because he said he felt students needed it.
“We host !ve [Career Cram Sessions] at the beginning of every semester because we think students really need to get [their job search] launched, and a lot of students don’t know where to start,” Bretl said.
During the Career Cram Session, Bretl provided attendees with information about today’s most prominent job markets, common mistakes students make when searching for jobs and how to overcome these mistakes.
In order to be successful in !nding a job, Bretl encouraged attendees to spend a bit more time navigating the “hidden job market” as more people are getting jobs through referrals and asking around than through applying for highly publicized jobs posted online.
“You can’t just apply for jobs based on online openings anymore,” Bretl said. “You really have to get in there and get referred and call people you might want to work for.”
Bretl feels it is most important for students to know that the job search is a process consisting of little experiences that ultimately help to develop future careers. He also emphasized the fact that students must begin familiarizing themselves with the job market as soon as possible in order to have
a series of worthwhile jobs that eventually translate into a successful career.
“We need to reach people at an earlier age because internships are just beginning to become more and more important in building careers,” Bretl said. “It’s not just about the senior walking in when they’re getting ready to graduate, students have to do it all four years now.”
Arts & Sciences senior Katie Kastl was one attendee at the Career Cram Session. Kastl decided to attend this event because she wanted to receive some quick tips on how to improve her job search.
“Since I’m a senior, I’m starting to get really serious about my job search,” Kastl said. “I thought [the Career Cram Session] would be a great 30 minute session on how to start.”
Kastl found this event to be very bene!cial because it opened her eyes to several di%erent ways to go about obtaining a job that she had never considered before.
Kastl also found the information discussed at the Career Cram Session to be very informative and would recommend that students attend at least one session before they graduate.
As an education major soon to receive her degree, Kastl found Bretl’s recommendation about using referrals to !nd jobs to be most applicable to her job search.
“I know a lot of teachers, so I will start emailing and calling them to ask if they know if a position is opening up, or if they can put a good word in for me with the principal,” Kastl said.
For more information on the Career Cram Session and the Career Center, please log on to: www.creighton.edu/careercenter.
“I’ve struggled with my faith, but by being at Creighton, my faith has become the most driving force in deciding what I want do with my life.”
-Katie Kuhns
Ross FerrariniSenior guard for men’s basketball team
BRITTANY BALDWINNews Reporter
ANNE FERGUSONNews Reporter
Photo courtesy of White & Blue Review.
Above: The exterior of Wholner’s, located in Midtown Crossing. Below: Some of the fresh produce offered in the bright interior. Photos by of Molly Miller.
No holiday has more of a love-hate connotation with people than Valentine’s Day. It great to have an entire day devoted to showing someone how much you care about them. What isn’t great is that people tend to focus on the presents involved with the holiday rather than the overall feeling of the day.
Valentine’s Day is actually kind of awkward. A lot of couples wait to o!cially begin dating until a"er Christmas break, so Valentine’s Day is their time to exchange gi"s. A present from a new squeeze on Valentine’s Day usually consists of a few DVDs, di#erent kinds of candy and something along the lines of perfume or cologne. None of this is bad, it just doesn’t seem that special.
$en you have the couples that have been together for quite some time. Between Christmases, anniversaries and birthdays, they are running out of ideas of what to get each other. If you just got your girlfriend some great jewelry for Christmas, you are probably groaning at the thought of already buying her another special gi". In situations like this people o"en turn to ideas like gi" certi%cates. Again this is thoughtful and everybody loves a good massage, but it doesn’t seem like a lot of e#ort was put into the idea.
Personally, I like Valentine’s Day. I just hate how people give gi"s just because they know it’s expected. People will run out and drop tons of money on a gi" that didn’t require much time or thought.
I always encourage the use of chocolate and &owers. Let’s be serious, I treat dark chocolate like a required food group. But I encourage gi"s like chocolates or beautiful bouquets to be given on March 22 or June 1. I think gi"s like that should be given on a random day because it would be more appreciated when it
is unexpected.I encourage you to take time this year
to give a gi" that is unique and special as the person you are dating.
So if you’re dating a girl who is a Twi-hard and makes you watch something from the Twilight saga every time she gets to pick the movie, I honestly question your judgment. But if you’re into her and she’s into vampires, maybe you should look into ordering the new “U-Star Novel” called “Blood Lust.”
Now instead of constantly talking about the sparkling Edward Cullen, you can be the starring vampire in her life. “U-Star Novels” are books where you send in information about yourself and your signi%cant other and they print a book using your names and physical descriptions. $ere are more kinds than just vampire stories though, so if your gal is a bookworm of any kind this could be something to look into!
Or if you’re dating an animal lover, you can elaborate on that. Look up places where you can “adopt” an animal. I have been an elephant fanatic as far back as I can remember, so I’d go weak at the knees for a certi%cate from a zoo saying I was the proud new adoptive mother of an African elephant. Even if your boo isn’t as vocal as I am about his or her favorite animal, this is still a good option to look into. Maybe
your %st kiss happened while watching “$e Hangover,” so you could “adopt” a jungle cat for your sweetheart. $e possibilities are endless!
College students are notoriously broke so I looked into some less pricy Valentine’s Day present options. My original Google search for “inexpensive gi"s to give” brought up a lot of good options, but I feel like all of them might be a little awkward if you were to say “Oh babe, now let me show you what I read about in ‘$e Creightonian.’”
Maybe you like the idea of these previously mentioned “adoptions” but you don’t quite have the money to make it happen. Let me suggest adopting a cockroach. I’m not kidding. $e Bronx Zoo is allowing people to “adopt” and name roaches and they send you a certi%cate con%rming everything. What? You don’t think your beloved would enjoy having a cockroach named a"er him or her? Name it a"er something or someone they despise! It will show how much you listen and care about the things they say.
Another inexpensive option would be to tap into the elementary school days and buy a box of kids Valentine’s Day cards. On each card write something special, anything from what physical feature of theirs you admire most to inside jokes that you share.
Or buy a calendar and circle one night in each month and label it “date night.” Also %ll in important dates like your anniversary, your birthdays and anything else. Just remember, this gi" idea only works if you can actually plan and follow through with twelve di#erent date ideas. $is also might not be the best option if you feel your relationship has been a bit shaky lately. If you think things might end before you ever reach one of the marked “date nights” on the calendar, you could be talked about for years to come as the person who gave him or her a scribbled-on calendar for Valentine’s Day.
Clearly all of these ideas are rather cheesy, just as the day as a whole tends to be. So you can always suggest foregoing the gi"-giving and just spend the evening enjoying each other’s company because in any good relationship, that is always the best gi" of all.
THE CREIGHTONIAN 10 February 20124 Scene
Located in Omaha’s Midtown Crossing, only a block o# of Creighton’s shuttle route, Wohlner’s provides a great dining option for students. Whether you want to pick up groceries or grab something to eat from their café, a variety of foods are available for all di#erent tastes. Free Wi-Fi also makes this a great study spot.
With breakfast, lunch and dinner served around the clock, there is always hot food ready to go. $eir daily café menu has choices ranging from breakfast phillies to linguini marinara, along with various soups and salads.
“I go there for lunch between classes every once in a while,” Nursing junior Megan Mahoney said. “My food is always ready fast so it’s nice for when I don’t have much time.”
$eir meal options are a#ordable, making this a great alternative for students looking to eat o# campus. Breakfast can be purchased for around $3.50, lunch for $5 and dinner for $7, with a la carte options available as well. $ey also carry a di#erent entrée daily for just $1.99.
$is local spot also has a unique dining option that you don’t really see in Omaha. Customers can pick a cut of meat from Wohlner’s deli and have them cook it right in front of you, just the way you like it. $ey only carry USDA Choice or better, and their meat and deli counters were voted Best of the Big O! Readers’ Choice in 2011.
Wohlner’s made its debut in 1918 as Omaha’s %rst grocery store. Its original location was on 32nd and California, and it moved to 52nd and Leavenworth many years later. Today it calls two of Omaha’s newest developments home: Midtown Crossing and Aksarben Village.
While the store has changed a bit throughout the years, Wohlner’s commitment to keep everything local and in the family hasn’t. As the third generation owner, Mike Schwartz explained that he holds the same standards for the store as his grandfather did when it opened in 1918.
“We carry specialty meats which we trim ourselves, and also have an in-house sourdough bakery where we make our own bread daily,” Schwartz said.
“Plus, we buy local fruits and veggies in the summer.”With their wide variety of grocery items, including
gluten-free and vegetarian choices, free Wi-Fi and a convenient location, Wohlner’s is a great spot for students to check out.
Wohlner’s offers variety to students
Tiny cars. High stakes.$ose four words alone are what
motivated me to go to the Waiting Room on Tuesday. to see the Tiny Car Racing Club championship races, which concluded a nail-biting tournament that had spanned the previous %ve weeks.
Essentially, tiny car racing is a social sport. However, when you see a man giving his wife a pep talk/back massage before her race and when you see 20-something-year-old men performing numerous test runs to warm up, you start to wonder: is this for real?
Oh, it’s for real. $e Tiny Car Racing Club has existed for the last three years but has recently seen a dip in the number of participants due to the unseasonably warm weather. Let’s be honest, would you make it a point to go to the Tiny Car Races in a dark concert venue if it was beautiful outside?
$e set up was minimal: just a straight, lonely Hot Wheels track sitting in the middle of the concert venue on the ground in front of a stage. What was cool about the track was the technology enabling spectators to see who won.
As soon as a little light &ashes green, competitors step down on a pedal and watch their chosen tiny cars zip down the track and through two gates. Each gate has a red light that only turns on when a car has gone through it. $e principle is pretty much identical to the Slip ’N Slides that the coolest kids had in elementary school with the gates at the end. $e %rst gate to light up red is the winner.
$ere are diehard followers of the annual tournament with nicknames like “Mr. Red,” and I’ve been told that there’s actually quite a bit of reaction time/athleticism involved in timing your pedal-push. Not everyone can be a tiny car-racing champion; it takes skill.
$e Tiny Car Racing Club races are scheduled for 6 p.m. but actually start at 7 p.m. due to a social hour/pot luck that precedes the main event.
While my friend and I were treated to homemade chili, jambalaya, gourmet cupcakes, a ra'e and a long conversation with the event coordinators, we couldn’t help but notice how welcoming everyone was. For some reason I had imagined a more exclusive club-like atmosphere.
What I’m saying is, when you think there’s nothing to do in Omaha, and there’s crappy weather outside, look a little harder. $ere are possibilities everywhere. $e activity might be weird and pointless, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be fun.
APRIL PAYNEScene Columnist
SARA GENTLZERAssistant Scene Editor
MOLLY MILLERScene Reporter
Send a sweet idea this Valentine’s
This week’s CU at the movies trivia question:
Which movie has the most
nominations for this year’s
Academy Awards?
Tweet your answer to @cu_scene
for a chance to win a pair of
tickets to Aksarben Cinema
We’re looking for enthusiastic people to facilitate fun, hands-on activities in science, technology, engineering, and
math (STEM).
For more information contact:Sheena Kennedy
Outreach Specialist, Girl Scouts Spirit of Nebraska402.312.5344 or [email protected]
��������� ��������� �������
�����������
!is four-part series is designed to develop interest in STEM careers in girls grades 9-12. Experience in STEM is welcome, but not required to volunteer.
Time commitment ranges from 2-8 hours total.
Volunteers will work with others to guide girls through activities such as:
extracting DNA from a banana building a trivia game buzzer designing an oil spill cleanup
THE CREIGHTONIAN10 February 2012 5 Scene
!e women of Pi Beta Phi have always been sweet on philanthropy, but they have taken things to a whole new level lately by selling Girl Scout cookies in the Skutt Student Center.
!e members of the sorority volunteer with Girl Scouts at Kellom Elementary where they are the troop leaders for four di"erent levels of Girl Scouts: Daisies, Brownies, Juniors and Cadettes.
“!is is probably my favorite service event we do all year,” said Arts & Sciences junior and Pi Beta Phi’s Vice President of Philanthropy, Carolyn Campbell. “It’s really great to show the Creighton community what we do behind the scenes with the Girl Scouts.”
Pi Phi selling the cookies on behalf of their troops helps their troop members receive their cookie badges. !e actual Girl Scouts will be joining their Creighton leaders to make sales in the Skutt Student Center March 12-16 while they are on spring break.
“We go to the warehouse and pick out the cookies and then bring them to Skutt to sell,” Campbell said. “We’ve really stocked up because on our #rst day of sales the !in Mints ran out almost immediately. !e Caramel Delights are another fan favorite so we have lots of those stockpiled as well.”
!ere has been some confusion with Creighton students because the cookie names vary based on what region of the country they are sold. Many students have come to the table asking for Samoas and are handed a box of Caramel Delights. !is is because di"erent licensed bakers throughout the country make the cookies, and they are allowed to choose what name to call them. Each licensed baker must make eight types of cookies, and three types of cookies are required to be made: !in Mints, Peanut Butter Sandwiches/Do-si-dos and the Shortbread/Trefoils.
Regardless of the cookies’ names, everyone at Creighton is loading up on the famous treats.
“I love Girl Scout cookies because they are so delicious,” Arts & Sciences senior Robert Hougas said. “I love !in Mints, but I’ve never really cared for the other ones. I’ll eat them while I’m writing a paper, so that makes writing the paper at least slightly more enjoyable.”
Sales have been high for the Pi Phis because people always look forward to Girl Scout cookie season. !ey load up on cookies, because there are only a few weeks in the year when you can buy them.
“Like a bear, I have to stock up for the winter and I know that a lot of other people have been stockpiling these cookies too,” Campbell said.
Students are even going out of their way to purchase the beloved cookies.
“I was willing to spend the extra $1.50 for the ATM withdrawl fee because it’s for the kids,” Arts & Sciences junior Jay Klimes said.
!e sisters of Pi Beta Phi have been working together to make sure the cookie sales are a huge success.
“Our last day of selling was kind of last minute, but it was incredible the way all of the Pi Phis pitched in and made it turn around so quickly,” Campbell said. “We’ll probably even schedule an extra day to sell just because business has been booming.”
So if you don’t have any !in Mints stored in your freezer just yet, be sure to stop by the Pi Phi Girl Scout cookie booth when they make their return in March.
Cookies for a good causeLate Night Recess, CU A$er Dark’s #rst
program of the semester, took over the KFC with Zumba marathon, a three-point contest against members of the women’s basketball team, sumo wrestling, jousting and a series of ‘Minute to Win It’ games based o" the game show.
!e program, which took place last Friday night, included many di"erent activities to entertain all di"erent types of students.
“I think it [was] a great program,” said Nursing feshman Eden Sell. “On a snowy night, it’s a great thing to go to.”
Many of the games evoked a competitive edge in players.
“We designed [the ‘Minute to Win It’ games] to look easy, but they are actually di%cult to master,” said Jason Gant, assistant director of intramural sports.
Contestants earned tickets for attempting the games and received a bonus for winning. With the tickets they won contestants could put them in a ra&e for several prizes, including gi$ cards to movie theaters and restaurants around town valued at $100, gi$ baskets and a Creighton basketball jersey. “!e event is meant to be a fun alternative to alcohol,” Gant said. “!at is what we are looking for with CU A$er Dark, every so o$en mixing it up and doing something new and fresh.”
!e atmosphere at the event seemed to re'ect these intentions with many students staying at the event for a while, trying out the games multiple times.
“!e event was a success,” Gant said. “Hundreds of students came out and had a great time. We are hoping to have this event again next year.”
APRIL PAYNEScene Reporter
Students enjoy recessDAVE FUXAScene Reporter
Members of Pi Beta Phi selling Girl Scout Cookies. From left to right: Arts & Sciences senior Katie Grohs, Arts & Sciences junior Carolyn Campbell, Nursing sophomore Mary Beth Schroeder, and Arts & Sciences freshman Carly Docter. Photo by Trina Pham.
If you’re one of my 931 “friends” on Facebook, you’ve just participated in my !rst social media experiment.
I’ve been dreading turning 20 years old for a long time. I’ve already determined that I will probably be one of those women who claims she’s 39 when she’s actually far past 40.
So when the clock struck midnight last Monday (aka my 20th birthday), it’s safe to say that
I wasn’t exactly a happy camper. I was turning into an old lady and I could practically feel the wrinkles
forming on my face.Depressed, I logged onto Facebook, expecting to see a few wall posts
wishing me a happy birthday. By 12:03 a.m. however, I hadn’t gotten any wall posts. I had gotten a few texts from close friends, but my Facebook wall was empty.
It suddenly occurred to me that my birthday was hidden on Facebook. A few days before my birthday, my evil suitemates changed my birthday on Facebook and I was forced to hide it before I could change it back. When I changed it back to the real date, I never un-hid it.
Most teenage girls would freak out at this point. I, however, was no longer a teenager. Instead, I decided to play a little game called “Who could remember it was my birthday without a Facebook noti!cation?”
My friends thought I was crazy. “You don’t like getting a million Facebook noti!cations on your birthday?” they asked.
Of course I like it — who doesn’t enjoy feeling extremely popular for a day? I !gured that the fun I’d have doing this experiment would outweigh a hundred Facebook wall posts from random people I don’t even talk to anymore. It turns out that I was right.
I continued to sit and stare at my home page. A friend had !nally written on my wall, and soon enough, more and more wall posts started appearing.
Was this because the people who wrote them had seen that !rst wall post and followed suit, or was it because they actually remembered that it was my birthday? My gut tells me to go with the !rst guess.
As I sat on my friend’s futon, I looked to my Facebook chat list and noticed that one of my best friends (and my ex-boyfriend) from high school was online. I did some Facebook “stalking” and also noticed that he had posted a “happy birthday” on one of our friend’s wall but not my own. He hadn’t texted me either. Instead of whining about how he had forgotten my birthday, I began to laugh hysterically.
"roughout the day, very few “happy birthdays” were uttered in conversations I had with my peers. Several people would see me at one point, see that people had posted birthday wishes on my Facebook wall, post on it themselves and then see me later in the day and apologize for not knowing it was my birthday.
"ere were even some cases when I would tell people it was my birthday and they didn’t believe me because “it wasn’t on Facebook.”
Was I o#ended by this experiment? Absolutely not. Why? Because I, believe it or not, am terrible at remembering birthdays without Facebook. If I didn’t have Facebook as a reminder I wouldn’t know hardly anyone’s birthday except for my closest friends’ and family members’.
What’s even funnier is the fact that people continued to post “happy birthday” on my wall the following day. Every time a new wall post appeared I had to laugh.
It’s strange to think about what life would be like without social media. How did people keep track of others’ birthdays before Facebook? Did they, heaven forbid, write the dates down on a real calendar?
I frequently vocalize that my iCal is my best friend, but if you look at my iCal it’s !lled with meeting reminders and events to attend. Nowhere on my iCal will you !nd upcoming birthdays. In my opinion, that’s Facebook’s job.
Yes I could have made my birthday visible on Facebook and received a ton of noti!cations from random “friends” wishing me a happy birthday. "is birthday, though, I learned that birthdays aren’t about the number of wall posts you get.
And though I didn’t get many wall posts on my 20th birthday, there is one thing I also thankfully didn’t get: wrinkles.
Opinion6 Opinion THE CREIGHTONIAN 10 February 2012
-Christy LairdArts & Sciences sophomore
Compiled by Natalie KillionPhotos by Trina Pham
“Which celebrity would you want to have a
Valentine’s Day dinner with?”
“Johnny Depp.”
creightonian.com
Created By Katie Thompson
“No”: it’s a pretty universal word in every language. It’s easy to communicate and understood by many. Unfortunately, it seems to have taken on a negative connotation.
“Yes” is positive, therefore “no” must always be negative. Not so! "ere can be many instances where saying “no” can be a good thing. Wanna try heroin? “NO!” You get the idea.
I’m spending so much time on this word because I think Creighton students need to use it more o$en. My experiences and interactions with most Creighton students is that we are super
involved and we feel obligated to say “yes” to many of the opportunities that come our way.
Saying “yes” initially is a good thing because maybe we will !nd something that we really enjoy and never thought about trying. However, saying “yes” to everything won’t help you narrow down and !nd those things that are more worth your time.
Plenty of people have a mantra of never saying “no,” which makes them seem like carefree spontaneous people, and in the long run it helps emphasize what really matters in life. But on the %ip side, saying “no” can do the same thing.
It’s de!nitely not easy to say “no,” and it takes courage. Saying “yes” is the easy way out, but it can come back to bite you if you don’t think carefully about your decisions.
Whether it be saying “no” to your friends who are advocating the abandonment of your to-do list in favor of a fun night out, or saying “no” to the adorable Girl Scout who wants you to buy cookies, but you know you shouldn’t because you’re a broke college kid who needs to save it for gas, real food, etc. Either way, di#erent situations call for the use of “no”
and I think using it wisely is acceptable.I am not advocating for a lazy, “nah, don’t feel like it” attitude, nor
am I advocating for people to back out of their obligations because they simply don’t want to. "ere are those things in life that we should say yes to because we know it’s right. "is isn’t a call for %akiness — say “no” when it really matters.
Let’s begin with a Creighton student — bio/pre-med junior, an RA, holds an executive position in her sorority, volunteers regularly on a weekly basis and is in the Arts & Sciences senate (I don’t know if this is feasible in real life, but let’s roll with it).
Now let’s say admissions approaches her and says, “You’ve been recommended to be a CU Star, are you interested?” Naturally she would be thrilled someone recommended her, which initially would encourage her to say “yes.”
What should she do? Say “yes” and be a Creighton superstar but secretly want to cry every night because her planner has no white space? Or say “no” because she is a rational human being and knows that saying “yes” would be foolish?
As a hypothetical friend of hers, I would strongly recommend that she say “no” because she will go insane and have more panic attacks than usual (which are sometimes warranted in times of stress, but shouldn’t happen every other day).
As Creighton students, we need to say “no” more o$en. It’s of more value to you if time is spent with enjoyable activities and people. Doing things we don’t like and spending time with people we don’t like can help build character, but when you have the choice to cut things out, do it.
"is is a quality versus quantity situation. Personally, I would rather have two or three things on my résumé that I could spend 10 minutes explaining rather than six little random things that don’t mean much to me. Don’t stretch yourself too thin — say “no.”
It’s the type of story anyone can appreciate. One of hard work. One of dedication. One of showing up to practice early every day to shoot the same shots many would say had been mastered ages ago.
It’s a story !lled with success. Much deserved success. But if you ask sophomore guard Carli Tritz, it’s NOT an underdog story.
“I don’t see any reason why we can’t win the MVC title, and if we do, the headline of the paper the next day shouldn’t say ‘Underdog Creighton,’ it should say ‘Creighton Wins!’ because we can,” Tritz said.
"is is not wishful thinking from the leading scorer of a 12-10 team.
Instead, this is a statement of con!dence built up by success a#er success accomplished by Tritz.
It began with three state championship appearances and two state titles at Bishop Heelan High School in Sioux City, Iowa. At this school, teams were not only expected to win games, but to qualify for state. And to not only qualify for state, but to win state titles.
“It gets you ready because that pressure and those high expectations [continue in] college,” Tritz said.
And Tritz immediately stepped into the spotlight at D.J. Sokol Arena with a phenomenal freshman season that even surprised Bluejays head coach Jim Flanery.
“I knew she could be good, but I wasn’t expecting her to be that good,” Flanery said.
During her freshman season that earned her MVC Freshman of the Year honors and an MVC record nine Newcomer of the Week awards, Tritz had a realization.
“I realized I can be better than this. I can do it consistently and be a force,” Tritz said.
A#er receiving arguably the highest acclaim any freshman has ever received in Missouri Valley Conference history, Tritz strove to be even better her sophomore season.
Until it almost all went wrong.In a preseason practice, Tritz went down
with a knee injury — a torn meniscus.It was good news as far as knee injuries
were concerned, yet Tritz struggled to !nd her o$ensive groove in the !rst few games of the season.
“You can lose a lot in a month…like the feel of the game, and my mindset about things were di$erent,” Tritz said. “When you don’t play good right away, you get discouraged. I de!nitely was.”
With the support of her teammates, Tritz got out of her funk and started scoring the way she is capable of.
Simply put, Tritz found her con!dence again, the con!dence that has been averaging 15.7 points per game against conference opponents. "e con!dence that sank a game-
winning jumper at Indiana State and the con!dence with which she spoke when she said the Bluejays were NOT an underdog team.
Why are the Bluejays not an underdog team, then? Because they have anything but an underdog leading the way.
Tritz’s confidence helps Jays soar
WBB Schedule
Sat 11 @ Southern Illinois, 2:05 pm
Fri, 17 vs. Illinois State, 7:05 pm
Sun 19 vs. Indiana State, 2:05 pm
Fri 24 @ Northern Iowa, 8:35pm
Sun 26 @ Bradley, 2:05 pm
Sat 3 @ Drake, 2:05 pm
MICHAEL KOTROUS Sports Reporter
Sophomore guard Carli Tritz drives past her opponent in a game earlier this year. Tritz has become one of the Jays’ leaders on the young team. Photo by Anna Baxter.
THE CREIGHTONIAN 10 February 20128 Sports
!e Creighton men’s basketball team has had great success this year coming back to win games on the road a"er being down by double digits.
!at magic #nally ran out Tuesday night, resulting in a 65-57 setback at the Ford Center in Evansville, Ind. !e loss was the Bluejay’s fourth overall and second consecutive.
!ings did not start out great for the Jays, as Evansville jumped out to a 10 point lead in the #rst half at 31-21 before a 3-pointer and a jumper by sophomore forward Doug McDermott, as well as a 3-point play by freshman guard Austin Chatman cut the Evansville lead to two at the half.
!e second half was a back and forth e$ort, and it seemed like the Bluejays were going to pull away, up 56-52 with 5:18 remaining, but an 8-0 run by the Purple Aces all but put the game out of reach. Evansville was able to make their free throws down the stretch for an eight point victory over the No. 15 Bluejays.
!e Purple Aces were led by 15 points from Kenneth Harris and 14 from star Colt Ryan, who managed to get his points on 3-12 shooting. !e win improved the aces to 12-12 overall, with a 7-7 mark in MVC play.
!e Jays were once again led by Doug McDermott, who scored 21 points and also had eight rebounds. Junior center Gregory Echenique added 10 and Chatman added 11 for the Jays.
!is has been a rough few games at an inopportune time for the Jays, but head coach Greg McDermott is keeping a positive attitude going forward.
“Every team in the country goes through a time like this,” McDermott said. “It sometimes happens in November or December. You hope it doesn’t happen in February, but that’s where we are right now. We have to work hard to get it #xed.”
McDermott also stressed that this is not a time for the Jays to feel sorry for themselves, as there are still games to be played.
“We’re still in a position where we can
control our own destiny,” McDermott said. “But that has to be the farthest thing from our minds right now. We have to get ourselves right.”
!e loss was a disappointing one for the Jays, as it dropped them to 11-3 in MVC play and into second place behind Wichita State, whom the Jays host on Saturday, in a huge game that may determine the winner of the Missouri Valley regular season championship.
“We have to play harder and be sure we’re ready for Wichita, which will be a big game for us,” Echenique said. “We cannot go out Saturday with the same mind-set that we did tonight.”
!e game Saturday is set for a 4 p.m. tip-o$ and will be nationally televised by ESPN2.
Days earlier, a buzzer beating 3-pointer Saturday by University of Northern Iowa Anthony James was the only thing standing between the Creighton Bluejays and a 12th consecutive victory.
James, who #nished with 16 points, li"ed Northern Iowa to a 65-62 upset victory over the 12th ranked Bluejays Saturday night at the McLeod Center in Cedar Falls, Iowa.
James’ basket came just 4.6 seconds a"er Antoine Young had hit a 3-pointer from the top of the key to tie the ball game at 62 a piece. !e Panthers had a time out remaining a"er Young made his shot, but decided against it as James raced the ball up the court to try to get a good shot.
“Antoine Young made a great shot to tie the ballgame. I took a quick glance at the clock and saw we had enough time to get the ball up the court and get at least a decent shot” James said.
!e buzzer-beating shot marked the end of a tightly contested game that saw neither team lead by more than #ve and brought an end to the Jays’ 11-game winning streak.
!e score was 31-30 UNI at the half and with 23 seconds le", the Jays found themselves in a #ve point hole, trailing 56-61. A"er a 3-pointer by sophomore guard Jahenns Manigat and a free throw on the other end by James, the Jays raced the ball up to their half of the court and called time out, trailing by three.
Greg McDermott inserted his best 3-point shooters into the lineup going with Doug
Fundamentals — every successful team, whether it is a local middle school team or a championship NBA team, lives and dies by them.
Case in point: Creighton women’s basketball’s 63-55 loss to Missouri State University on Saturday a"ernoon — or, for that matter, the Bluejays’ entire conference schedule.
When the Bluejays out-rebound their conference opponents, they win. When they don’t, they lose.
Simple as that.Just look at Creighton’s victory on Feb. 2.
!e Bluejays pulled down 25 more rebounds than the Wichita State University Shockers, making Creighton 6-0 in conference games in which they out-rebound their Missouri Valley opponent.
!e loss against Missouri State at D.J. Sokol Arena was an entirely di$erent story.
A"er allowing 43 rebounds — 16 o$ensive — to the Bears, the Bluejays now hold a 0-5 conference record when being out-rebounded by their opponent.
“I thought they kicked our butt on the glass in the #rst half with 10 o$ensive boards, and [Missouri State] converted them into points,” head coach Jim Flanery said.
But blaming the loss on poor rebounding alone is not enough. To Flanery, the biggest disappointment of the game was Creighton’s poor e$ort and focus in the #rst half.
!is lack of focus and e$ort undermined Creighton on both ends of the %oor, resulting in a #rst half highlighted by a 34.5 #eld-goal percentage for the Bluejays and a 14-0 Missouri State run that gave the Bears an 11-point lead they would never surrender.
“!ere’s no excuse for the way we played the #rst half,” sophomore guard Carli Tritz said.
!e second half would show a slight jump in o$ensive numbers, with Tritz and sophomore forward Sarah Nelson combining for nine of the team’s 12 #eld goals in the #nal 20 minutes.
Tritz #nished the game with a team-high 17 points and Nelson picked up her seventh double-double of the season with 16 points and 10 rebounds.
Freshman forward Taylor Johnson was the only other Bluejay to make more than one #eld goal. All of her points came in the #rst half of play.
For the Bears, sophomore guard Karly Buer and senior guard Casey Garrison exploited Creighton’s defensive mistakes. Buer scored a game-high 20 points while Garrison added 13 more.
“!at’s not Creighton basketball, and that’s what Flanery told us in the locker room,” Tritz said.
Simply put, Creighton needs to go back to playing Creighton basketball, where it out-focuses, out-rebounds and out-shoots its opponents.
If only it were that easy to do.
Jays get their wings clipped
Bluejays drop two games in a row
MICHAEL KOTROUSSports Reporter
Bluejays go back to basics
Creightonian SportsNest“Hello, sports fans! Do you need something to listen to for the next hour? Swing on by to the Creightonian.com and check out the SportsNest. It’s the only campus sports podcast complete with an East Coast bias and obscure basketball references. Wow, there is a lot of space in this ad. I need more words. My editor is really lame. She probably won’t even read this.”- Matt Bourgault, SportsNest
ONLINESPORTS
JACK HALEYSports Reporter
TOP LEFT: The fans cheer on the Jays at last years “Gaga for Gregory” night. Courtesy of White and Blue Review.TOP RIGHT: Junior guard Josh Jones fakes out his defender. BOTTOM LEFT: Freshman guard Avery Dingman takes the ball to the hoop. BOTTOM MIDDLE: Junior guard Grant Gibbs takes on an Indiana State player. BOTTOM RIGHT: Senior guard Antoine Young shoots the ball in a crowd of defenders. Photos by Dino Beldia.
McDermott, Grant Gibbs, Ethan Wragge, Manigat and Young. !e Panthers did a good job of denying Wragge, Manigat and Doug McDermott the ball and forced Gibbs to inbound to Young who pulled up from the top of the key.
“We had a couple of di$erent plays and they did a good job of defending them,” Greg McDermott said. “When you’re as good a defensive team as Northern Iowa is, they’re probably going to take away options one, two and three and you’re going to have to go to something else.”
Young #nished with 23 points for Creighton. Doug McDermott added 18 points and 12 rebounds, Wragge and Echenique each added eight points, but no other Bluejay scored more than three as one of the best o$ensive teams in the country struggled to score the ball.
“We weren’t our best o$ensively, but we had some pretty good open shots from the perimeter that we didn’t make. And UNI hit some really big shots at some critical times,” McDermott said.
!e loss dropped the Jays to 21-3 overall and into a tie for #rst place in the conference with Wichita State.
