Friday, March 22, 2019   
 
'A nice problem to have': Mississippi State fans grapple with how to enjoy three major sporting events today
A happy confluence of events will certainly challenge the attention, if not the commitment, of MSU sports fans. The Bulldogs will take the court and the field in three important games, all scheduled to start within two hours of each other. Mississippi State's baseball team, ranked No. 2 in the nation, will take on No. 16 Auburn at 6 p.m., in an important early-season SEC showdown at Dudy Noble Field. About 30 minutes later, Mississippi State's men's basketball team will play Liberty in an opening-round game of the NCAA Tournament in San Jose, California -- the Bulldogs' first NCAA Tournament appearance in a decade. At approximately 8:30, the MSU women, a No. 1 seed for the second straight postseason, will take on Southern University at Humphrey Coliseum as they begin their quest to get back to the NCAA championship game for the third straight year. Under normal circumstances, any of these games would command the undivided attention of MSU fans. Today, of course, is not normal.
 
Second annual MSU New Narrative Festival kicks off today
The Mississippi State University Department of Communication is hosting its second annual New Narrative Festival and Conference at The Mill March 22-23. Professor and head of MSU Department of Communication John Forde said the event is a time to celebrate and learn from business leaders, musicians, authors, entrepreneurs, educators, and more who will share their stories. Those who attend will gain professional knowledge in a festival atmosphere. The idea to host the first conference was created by Steve Soltis, MSU communication department advisory board member, principal of MAS Leadership Communication, and former senior director of corporate executive and employee communication for Coca-Cola. "He was so impressed with Mississippi and some of the contributions made by the state to culture and business, politics and music," Forde said. "People don't understand all of the contributions that have been made the state."
 
Willing helper and family man: Friends, colleagues remember MSU PD lieutenant
A longtime area law enforcement officer died Wednesday after a hard-fought battle against cancer. Mississippi State University Police Department Lt. Brad Massey died more than two years after being diagnosed with stage IV colon cancer. He served on the MSU PD for 17 years, spending much of his career in investigations. Colleagues and friends remembered him as a skilled detective and a kind, helpful person. He was 42 years old. Mississippi State University Police Chief Vance Rice said he had the opportunity to work with Massey for approximately two-and-a-half years before he became ill. He remembered Massey's skill as an investigator, recalling a case he was sure was going to be cold. "I just kind of dismissed it and thought, well, this will just be another unsolved crime," Rice said. "A couple of days later, I was walking down the hallway and Lt. Massey says 'Chief, I've got a suspect.' How did you ever come up with that? He solved the case." Rice called Massey a positive person, and said his willingness to help others would be missed on the MSU PD.
 
Farmers looking forward to planting season
A couple weeks ago we took a look at how those rains and floods were impacting farmers. At the time they weren't fully sure what that could be. As March winds down and planting season gets ready to crank up, farmers are getting a better look at where they stand. "At this point, we're a lot better than we were two or three weeks ago. Most of the growers have their burndown herbicides applied on their corn, soybean, and still a little bit left on their cotton, but pretty much this past week we had a really good week of drying. The sun came out the temperatures elevated up little bit. We got a little bit more excitement in the growers," said Dennis Reginelli. Those rising temperatures are good news, but farmers are still facing some possible setbacks. Reginelli says growers are optimistic about this coming season. Last year they were very much in the same position with cold temperatures and wet weather, and they were still able to get a good yield.
 
Two new restaurants open in Starkville
Starkville is gearing up for its grand opening of Chicken Salad Chick, 602 Hwy 12 E., on Tuesday. The chicken salad franchise, which first opened in Auburn, Alabama, offers a variety of southern-style fast food chicken salads made from scratch. The fast food restaurant will be open Monday through Saturday 10:30 a.m.-8 p.m. and will be closed on Sundays. Eric Hallberg is opening the Chicken Salad Chick location in Starkville. Hallberg currently owns and runs The Breakfast Club at 105 Eckford Dr. If you've been downtown recently, you may have noticed a new sign poised on the side of the historic Hotel Chester. A new restaurant, The Library, 101 N. Jackson St., opened inside the hotel earlier this month. Hotel Chester owner, David Mollendor, said he refurbished a former reception room in the hotel to open a small "intimate" restaurant. Mollendor also operates and owns The Beer Garden, a seasonal outdoor restaurant open during warmer months that offers a large selection of beer. The Library offers spirits, steak, seafood, salads and appetizers.
 
Auditor: Starkville has clean FY 18 audit
The city of Starkville has posted clean results for its Fiscal Year 2018 audit, according to a Watkins, Ward and Stafford auditor. Randy Scrivner, a partner with the firm, presented the audit report to the Starkville Board of Aldermen during Tuesday's meeting. The report is in its review stage, and Scrivner said it's scheduled for official release on March 29. Scrivner said the audit found no deficiencies for the second year in a row and is one of the best the city has had in "many years." During his presentation, Scrivner said the city has a fund balance of $3,084,937. That's up from $2,075,000 in 2013. "This is almost 15 percent -- it's 14.98 percent of your general fund expenditures," Scrivner said. "That's an important number to look at because 8 percent is what you try to keep. The city of Starkville has routinely, since 2013, has had a low of 7.8 percent up to a high of 15 percent. You're consistently running in the 12 percent range, which is a very solid fund balance number for operations for the city."
 
Experts warn of flood risks in U.S.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration issued a spring flood outlook that warns of elevated risks for much of the country because of above average rainfall and melting snow. "This is potentially an unprecedented flood season," said Ed Clark, director of the NOAA Water Center on the University of Alabama campus. "The flooding we have seen in the last two weeks may increase and may become more dire." The Southeast faces a minor risk of flooding due to higher than normal soil moisture and above-normal precipitation, according to the forecast released this week. The forecast for northern Alabama along the Tennessee River is a moderate risk. "Any additional rain in this region could lead to moderate flooding," Clark said. The three-month outlook for the Southeast from the National Weather Service's Climate Prediction Center forecast above normal precipitation and warmer than normal temperatures.
 
Mississippi River expected to drop in early April
The Mississippi River should be dropping below its 43-foot flood stage sometime in early April, a hydrologist for the National Weather Service Office in Jackson said. Hydrologist Marty Pope said projections have the Mississippi falling below flood stage April 11. However, he said, the river is expected to rise by 2-3 feet to 44 or 45 feet by mid-April. The Mississippi is presently at 50.8 feet. Pope said the projection "is a good signs for us, but we're not out of the woods yet. It is a good look for us to eventually get that backwater region opened up again from Steele Bayou, but it shows the river at Vicksburg staying at or near the present level for the next seven days before it begins to recede. Right now, Pope said, extended forecasts are not showing a lot of rainfall, "But if something gins up a little stronger than the early models are showing, that gives us a big deal (problem). We're still early in the (rainy) season; April is our peak season, and can go well into May. Right now, it looks good from where we've been; it's just we're still going to have to keep an eye on things."
 
Governor Bryant issues State of Emergency in response to flooding
Massive flooding and other recent weather related events prompt Governor Phil Bryant to declare a State of Emergency. Backwater flooding began in the Mississippi Delta over a month ago, and the water isn't expected to recede anytime soon. Until it does there is some relief for those impacted. "500,000 acres of land are currently underwater in the Mississippi Delta," Governor Bryant stated. Governor Phil Bryant addressed the media at MEMA headquarters Thursday, announcing a State of Emergency. "Not only is there destruction of property that is ongoing there because of the flooding but an agricultural disaster," he said. The governor said some of the counties most affected by the flooding include Warren, Sharkey, Calhoun and Yazoo.
 
Here's what you need to know about Hal's St. Paddy's Parade 2019
Cheers to one of the most exciting times in Jackson! The 2019 Hal's St. Paddy's Day Parade is approaching, and natives and visitors alike are ready to paint the town green. This year's theme is "A Magical Mystery Tour." Jackson's most iconic parade draws roughly 75,000 people dressed to the nines in their greenery with live music, dancing, beads, and tons of fun. At this year's parade, Her Royal Highness Jill Conner Browne and her bawdy court of Sweet Potato Queens will return to the parade. The event regularly raises $30,000 annually for Batson Children's Hospital. Jackson's 2019 Hal's St. Paddy's Day Parade is on Saturday, March 23. The parade will kick off at 1 p.m., and will begin on the corner of Court Street and South State Street. Before the parade will be Credit Unions for Kids St. Paddy's Day 5K benefiting the Children's of Mississippi Campaign, beginning at 8 a.m. on Pascagoula Street at the Jackson Convention Complex. Who is the grand marshal? Restaurateur and author Robert St. John of Hattiesburg will be headlining Hal's St. Paddy's Parade.
 
Swooning film industry awaits outcome of incentive revival effort
The movie industry in Mississippi has dropped precipitously since a key incentive was allowed to sunset on July 1, 2017. But legislation to restore that incentive -- a cash rebate of 25 percent of the payroll for out-of-state cast and crew members -- has made it to the final stages of approval with strong support in both houses of the Legislature. Passage "looks good. It's the best it's looked in a couple of years," said Ward Emling, former longtime director of the Mississippi Film Office. Emling, who retired two years ago but is still active in the industry, said that he is "cautiously optimistic." The payroll for Mississippians in the industry rose to a high of $6.6 million in 2016, but last year it fell to $1.3 million, Emling said. Work-force numbers fell 32 percent in that period, he said. "A lot of crew members have moved to Atlanta and Louisiana for work," he said. Emling says that with burgeoning technology, the future holds "so many screens to fill with entertainment" and that Mississippi needs to position itself to take advantage of that.
 
GOP governor signs law that bans abortion before some women even know they're pregnant
Mississippi's governor has signed into law one of the strictest abortion bans in the country, making it even more difficult for women to get abortions in a state where only one clinic still operates. The bill, set to take effect in July, bans abortions after a doctor can detect a fetal heartbeat during an ultrasound, unless the mother's health is at extreme risk. Heartbeats can be found just six weeks into pregnancy -- before some women even know they are pregnant. Mississippi's new restrictions are part of a reinvigorated nationwide effort to limit access to abortion, propelled by Republican-dominated state legislatures and an increasingly conservative Supreme Court. This year alone, at least 11 states have introduced "heartbeat bills," including Texas, Florida, Georgia, Ohio and Missouri --- some of the country's most populous states.
 
After blistering criticism, Reeves pushes legislation for a convention to amend Constitution
Allen West, a retired U.S. Army colonel and former Florida congressman who has gained national popularity among conservatives, traveled to Jackson on Feb. 25 to throw celebrity support behind a resolution that would attempt to amend the U.S. Constitution. West spoke at a news conference at the Capitol in support of Senate Concurrent Resolution 596, which would make Mississippi the 15th state to pass a resolution calling for a convention of the states, granted under Article V of the U.S. Constitution, to pass amendments that would limit the power of the federal government. After the news conference, West slammed Republican Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves at a luncheon near the Capitol attended by conservative supporters of the resolution. But on Thursday, the Reeves-led Senate brought up the resolution for a vote. After a lengthy floor debate with Democrats expressing concerns about the measure, the resolution passed by a vote of 32-17.
 
Baker promises to remake attorney general's office
Stumping for the attorney general's office before a crowd of Lee County Republicans, state Rep. Mark Baker focused heavily on drawing distinctions between himself and the Democratic incumbent vacating the office. "At some point, we have got to have a conservative in the office of attorney general who represents Mississippi values," Baker said Monday. "So I have been on this quest to change the office of attorney general." A Rankin County legislator, Baker is one of three Republicans who hope to replace Jim Hood, who has for years been the only Democrat to hold statewide office in Mississippi. Also in the race as Republicans are incumbent state Treasurer Lynn Fitch and attorney Andy Taggart. Baker criticized Hood for his failure to join onto a number of legal battles, including efforts by some states to fight a federal mandate to expand Medicaid and the individual mandate to purchase health insurance.
 
Huge incentives helped Georgia land battery plant; package one of state's largest
Georgia's biggest jobs deal in a decade came with one of the state's biggest-ever incentive packages. The state and Jackson County combined offered SK Innovation about $300 million in grants, tax breaks and free land to convince the company to build an electric car battery plant along I-85 in Commerce, according to an offer letter obtained Thursday by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution through an open records request. Georgia's offer includes other perks such as sales tax exemptions for equipment and energy as well as research and development tax credits that could generate millions more in benefits to SK Innovation for years to come, letter shows. SK Innovation held a ceremonial groundbreaking Tuesday for the nearly $1.7 billion factory, which the company said will employ 2,000 people and generate batteries to power 250,000 electric vehicles per year at full capacity. In an interview earlier this week, the company's CEO, Jun Kim, said Georgia's offer was similar to packages from other Sun Belt states that courted the company.
 
Ole Miss Will Move Confederate Statue Out of Campus Center After Protests
After weeks of contention, the University of Mississippi announced on Thursday that the Confederate monument at the center of its campus would be relocated. This month Ole Miss's Associated Student Body, Graduate Student Council, Faculty Senate, and Staff Council all voted to relocate the controversial statue to a nearby cemetery that's also on university grounds. On Thursday the interim chancellor, Larry D. Sparks, told students, faculty, and staff that the administration agreed. University leaders have consulted with the Mississippi Department of Archives and History and the staff of the Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning, the state's public universities, on the necessary steps to relocate the statue, according to the statement. Le'Trice Donaldson, a professor of African-American studies and a member of the Faculty Senate, said talks about relocating the monument had been going on for several years. Many people on campus realize that the threat of violence that comes with keeping the statue where it is, she said, is "too much."
 
Ole Miss holds 'Send Silence Packing' event
For the second year in a row, Ole Miss students have brought mental health awareness and the issue of suicide prevention to their campus. The Ole Miss chapter of Active Minds held their second Send Silence Packing exhibition at The Grove on Tuesday. With over 1,000 backpacks displayed across The Grove, the goal is to help start a conversation about mental health. Some of the backpacks had stories about people who have lost their battle with mental health or other issues attached to them for students and others to read as they walked through the exhibit. "We're really thankful and honored that they came back here again. It was a really monumental event last year," Katherine Sistrunk said. "It had a lot of great, positive feedback and we're excited to host it for a second year." Sistrunk is a founding member of Ole Miss' Active Minds chapter and is the chairman of the Send Silence Packing event.
 
Appeal denied for man convicted of raping, kidnapping USM student
The Supreme Court of Mississippi has dismissed the appeal of a man convicted of raping and kidnapping a University of Southern Mississippi student in 2010. A Lamar County jury found Howard Payton guilty in January 2016 of rape and kidnapping. According to court documents, prosecutors presented evidence that DNA collected from the victim's rape kit was a definitive match to Howard's DNA. Payton was sentenced as a habitual offender to 30 years for kidnapping and three 40-year sentences for each count of rape to be served consecutively. Payton motioned for a new trial, though the motion was made past the 10-day window for filing the motion. The state did not raise an untimeliness motion. The judge found no merit for the motion and denied it in February 2016. Payton filed a notice of appeal, but he died a few days before his appeal brief was due.
 
East Central Community College president to receive PTK's Prestigious Gordon Award
East Central Community College President Billy Stewart will receive the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society's Shirley B. Gordon Award of Distinction during the society's annual convention Friday, April 5, in Orlando, Fla. The award is presented to college presidents who have shown strong support of student success on their campuses by recognizing academic achievement, leadership, and service among high-achieving students. Stewart was nominated by student members of East Central's Theta Xi Chapter of PTK on the Decatur campus. The Shirley B. Gordon Award is Phi Theta Kappa's most prestigious award for community college presidents and is named in honor of PTK's longest-serving board of directors chair and a founder and longtime president of Highline Community College in Washington. A native of Pearl and the son of Linda Stewart and the late Billy Stewart Sr., Stewart earned his bachelor's degree in history and his master's degree in curriculum and instruction, both from the University of Southern Mississippi, and his doctorate in higher education administration from Mississippi State University.
 
As Trump signs order on free speech on campus, La. leader's presence reignites arguments locally
The chairwoman of the state House Education Committee was at the White House on Thursday when President Donald Trump signed an executive order that he said is aimed at ensuring free speech on college campuses. The order requires federal agencies that provide research grants to make sure schools are complying with federal laws and policies that give students and others the right to speak out. The issue has sparked debate nationwide, including charges that conservative speakers are targeted at campuses an inordinate amount of time, sometimes forcing cancellation of speakers and events. Before the event, House Education Committee Chairwoman Nancy Landry, R-Lafayette, chided Gov. John Bel Edwards for vetoing a bill in 2017 touted as a way to protect campus speech.
 
Alcohol sales set to begin during concerts at Neyland Stadium, Thompson-Boling Arena
Alcohol will likely soon be sold at University of Tennessee concert venues, including Neyland Stadium and Thompson-Boling Arena. The House of Representatives on Thursday passed a bill permitting the sale of alcohol during concerts at UT athletic venues, joining the Senate which passed the legislation earlier this week. The bill, which passed in the house with a 70-21 vote without discussion, will head to the desk of Gov. Bill Lee. The legislation does not change the current alcohol sale policy at the school's athletic games. The Southeastern Conference currently prohibits the sale of alcohol in general admission areas of the venues. House Bill 850 and Senate Bill 598 were filed in response to a previous ban on alcohol sales at the campus sporting venues, an issue that cost the Knoxville area an estimated $2 million in economic impact, officials say.
 
U. of South Carolina withholding public documents and violating transparency law, lawsuit says
A South Carolina man has sued the University of South Carolina for allegedly failing to comply with open records laws. Frank Heindel, of Charleston, alleges USC failed to provide a log of all Freedom of Information Act requests in accordance with state law, according to the suit filed Wednesday in Richland County. "I think there's a general malaise in properly maintaining public records that extends beyond USC," said Desa Ballard, Heindel's attorney. S.C.'s open records law allows the public access to government documents with some exceptions. Access to public records allows citizens to make sure their drinking water is safe, determine the value of their homes and know how much government officials get paid. The public can also request a "log" of those requests, which should show whether the requests are being filled in the time frame required by law. This isn't the first time USC may have illegally delayed the release of public records. In August, The State published an article outlining the multiple public records requests that have been withheld longer than the legally required deadline.
 
What was that demonstration on South Carolina's campus all about? 'No one is in danger'
Dana Al Hassan was just trying to get home. Two men dressed in bright green vests with the words "Israeli Occupation Forces" written on the back stopped her, asked for her identification and demanded she empty her bag. After a few minutes of questioning, they denied her entry and shoved her away. Of course, Al Hassan wasn't actually trying to cross the Israeli-Palestinian border. This was just a demonstration (signs near the demonstration said "This is a demonstration. Nobody is in danger") that was held in front of the University of South Carolina's Russell House Student Union on Wednesday afternoon. USC's Students for Justice in Palestine organized the event to draw attention to the real-life effects of Israeli military checkpoints that Palestinians must pass through, sometimes several times per day, said Al Hassan, the organization's president. Once the demonstration started, a crowd of about 15 stopped to watch. Several students who witnessed the demonstration said they disagreed with it, but declined to be interviewed on the record.
 
Trump's Free-Speech Order Could Have Been Harsher. But Higher-Ed Leaders Still Don't Approve.
The executive order that President Trump signed on Thursday, designed to protect free speech on college campuses, was less harsh than many critics had feared. Still, controversy clung to the measure, with constitutional-law scholars and higher-education leaders calling it unnecessary and potentially dangerous. The order, which also focuses on colleges' transparency and accountability, directs the leaders of 12 federal agencies, in coordination with the director of the Office of Management and Budget, to "take appropriate steps" consistent with the First Amendment and applicable laws to ensure that institutions receiving federal research or education grants "promote free inquiry" in compliance with applicable federal laws, regulations, and policies. There is no mention of specific penalties for institutions that are perceived to fall short, and it excludes funding associated with federal student-aid programs from this oversight. It also does not elaborate on how the agencies, which include the Departments of Defense and of Education, and the National Science Foundation, are expected to determine compliance.
 
White House executive order prods colleges on free speech, program-level data and risk sharing
President Trump on Thursday delivered on his promise of an executive order that would hold colleges that receive federal research funding accountable for protecting free speech. However, his bombastic rhetoric in a White House East Room ceremony wasn't matched by the modest language of the order. "If a college or university does not allow you to speak, we will not give them money. It's that simple," he said Thursday. But the executive order essentially directs federal agencies to ensure colleges are following requirements already in place. And it doesn't spell out how enforcement of the order would work. Peter McPherson, president of the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities, said the executive order is unnecessary. "Public universities are already bound by the First Amendment and work each day to defend and honor it. The commitment to free speech, the vigorous exchange of ideas and academic freedom go to the very core of what public universities are all about. It is inherent to their very identity," he said in a statement. "As institutions of higher learning, public universities are constantly working to identify new ways to educate students on the importance of free expression, provide venues for free speech and advance our world through free academic inquiry. No executive order will change that."
 
The Student Strike That Changed Higher Ed Forever
Today, ethnic studies is an accepted part of academia. Many if not most college students have taken a course or two. But 50 years ago, studying the history and culture of any people who were not white and Western was considered radical. Then came the longest student strike in U.S. history, at San Francisco State College, which changed everything. The groundwork was laid for the strike a couple of years before, when black students organized to press for a black studies department and the admission of more black students. The black consciousness the Black Student Union members achieved began to percolate into students from other ethnicities, many of whom had conservative parents from immigrant backgrounds. For the students who were Latinx and Asian, assimilation had been the goal. At the same time, the anti-war movement had picked up steam. There were weekly demonstrations on many campuses protesting American involvement in Southeast Asia. The Black Panthers were protesting police brutality in the city's communities of color -- it was a turbulent time.
 
Princeton Seminary students are asking for reparations for school's role in slavery
Princeton Theological Seminary last year released a report describing its founders' and early faculty's ties to slavery. Now, some of its students want the school to take it a step further and provide reparations for its role in the slave trade. A group of black seminarians has collected more than 400 signatures in an online petition calling on the institution to "make amends" by setting aside $5.3 million annually -- or 15 percent of what the seminary uses from its endowment for its operating expenses -- to fund tuition grants for black students and establish a Black Church Studies program. The idea of reparations was popularized by Ta-Nehisi Coates's 2014 cover story in the Atlantic, "The Case for Reparations." It has resurfaced in recent months as an issue in the 2020 presidential race, finding support among several candidates, including Sens. Kamala D. Harris (D-Calif.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and former Housing and Urban Development secretary Julian Castro.
 
Mississippi government is shrinking
Mississippi newspaper publisher and columnist Wyatt Emmerich: The legislature is in session and big money is on the line -- $21 billion. This represents 18.3 percent of Mississippi's total GDP of $115 billion. Mississippi citizens need a clear understanding of the budget. In the end, our votes make the difference. The Mississippi Legislative Budget Office has a website with detailed information on the budget. Some of the data is confusing, even contradictory, but I have extracted and summarized the data to the best of my ability. For the 2019 data, I downloaded the report "Budget Summary 2018 Legislative Session." For the 2010 data, I downloaded the report "State of Mississippi Budget Fiscal Year 2010." There are two main ways to observe the state budget: The first way is the "general fund." This is where state taxes go to fund the state budget. This year's general fund is $5.5 billion. Then there is the much larger budget of "total appropriations." This includes not just the general fund but also federal grants and special purpose funds.


SPORTS
 
Third try: Mississippi State aims for title after close calls
Mississippi State has earned a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament for the second straight year and is now trying to embark on a third straight trip to the national championship game. But before that starts, coach Vic Schaefer would like to take just one minute to reflect. "I don't think people realize how hard it is to do what we've done," Schaefer said. Mississippi State's been so good the last few years it's easy to forget this was a fairly mediocre program as recently as 2013, when the Bulldogs finished with a 13-17 record. That was Schaefer's first season in Starkville and since then he's slowly built a powerhouse that's won two straight SEC regular-season titles and the most recent SEC Tournament title. Mississippi State hopes to have another chance at a title in a few weeks. The journey begins on Friday night when Mississippi State (30-2) hosts No. 16 seed Southern (20-12) in what's expected to be a sold out Humphrey Coliseum.
 
Mississippi State women open NCAA tourney at home tonight
Mississippi State women's coach Vic Schaefer and his team are throwing a party tonight at Humphrey Coliseum for more than 10,000 of their closest family, friends and fans. It's a prime-time celebration of the Bulldogs' back-to-back trips to the championship finals and high hopes for an elusive national title to put a bow on this season. And yes, there will be basketball games. The NCAA women's tournament opens today, and The Hump will play host to a pair of first-round Portland Regional games. Clemson and South Dakota get the party started at 6 p.m., with the MSU-Southern University game to follow at approximately 8:30 p.m. on ESPN2. "Very excited," Schaefer said before Thursday's official practice session. "What a special time of year. And people around the country are going to see what a special place this is to play."
 
Howard, Westbrook Among Growing Trend of Graduate Transfers
Anriel Howard's relentless rebounding and scoring have helped Mississippi State remain among the nation's elite women's programs. Simone Westbrook's savvy, passing and shooting are a major reason Clemson has become one of this year's surprise teams. The two veterans, who will both play in the NCAA Tournament on Friday, are part of a relatively new group of players in women's basketball: graduate transfers. The NCAA rule allows players who have completed their bachelor's degree the opportunity to play immediately. It's an option that caught on quickly in the men's game, with 94 players switching schools in 2017. But just 48 women took advantage of the same provision in 2017, which is the last year that the NCAA has data. That number was more than double the 21 who transferred in 2015. Howard expects the number to continue rising.
 
Difference maker: Where would Mississippi State women's basketball be without Anriel Howard?
Speculation is often pointless in sports. Ifs and buts -- Mississippi State head coach Vic Schaefer doesn't like to use either of those words. "Ifs and buts, you know the saying," Schaefer said. If you don't, it goes like this: "If ifs and buts were candy and nuts, we'd all have a merry Christmas." Former Dallas Cowboys quarterback and eventual Monday Night Football personality Don Meredith gave fame to the saying during a MNF broadcast in 1970. "If Los Angles wins, it's a big one, but San Francisco is still very much in it," Howard Cosell, one of the most famous voices in sports history, said to Meredith. Then Meredith dropped the line. So let's use one of those notorious words right now: Where would Mississippi State be if graduate transfer Anriel Howard had never joined the program? Let Schaefer say it simply. "We probably wouldn't be the team we are today," he said. But it's much more complicated than that.
 
Vic Schaefer Named Naismith Coach of the Year Finalist, Bulldogs Earn All-Region Honors
Mississippi State head women's basketball coach Vic Schaefer has been named a finalist for the 2019 Werner Ladder Naismith Women's Coach of the Year Award, the Atlanta Tipoff Club announced on Thursday. Schaefer is seeking to become just the third coach to win the honor in consecutive seasons. Fans will be able to support Schaefer by voting at NaismithFanVote.com until April 3. Fan votes will account for five percent of the overall total. The winner will be announced on April 6. He has already earned his third SEC Coach of the Year honor and was the ESPNW National Coach of the Year this season. Schaefer earned national recognition from the USBWA and WBCA last season. No. 4 Mississippi State won the SEC regular-season title outright before claiming the program's first SEC Tournament championship. The Bulldogs have played in consecutive National Championship games and will look to advance to a third straight when they open tournament play on Friday.
 
Bulldogs cooking up a historic weekend at home
The Dispatch's Paul D. Bowker writes: The atmosphere tonight at Humphrey Coliseum will be electric. No question about it. And that's if you're lucky enough to have a ticket. As the Mississippi State women's basketball team gets ready to begin its quest for a national championship, the Bulldogs arrive at their home arena with 30 wins, a No. 1 seeding in the Portland Regional, the Southeastern Conference Player of the Year and a senior point guard who is called the best in the country by her coach. The Bulldogs average 86.1 points per game and 6-foot-7 senior center Teaira McCowan, the SEC Player of the Year, has ripped through opposing defenses for double-double games most nights. Senior point guard Jazzmun Holmes broke an SEC record with 12 assists in the championship game. Her defense is smothering.
 
Bulldogs dancing with a sense of urgency
Ben Howland is making his 11th trip to the NCAA Tournament and is one of only 15 coaches ever to lead four different schools to the Big Dance. While Howland may have plenty of March Madness experience, his Mississippi State team does not. The fifth-seeded Bulldogs play in the NCAA Tournament tonight for the first time in a decade, facing No. 12 seed Liberty at 6:27 CT on truTV. "We approach this game how we've approached every game," Howland said. "The sense of urgency is the highest you can have now because if you don't win, you're going home and the season is over." MSU may have had a drought from the Big Dance, but the Bulldogs did gain valuable postseason knowledge in the National Invitation Tournament last year. State won three games in three different locations over a span of six days to advance to the semifinals at Madison Square Garden in New York.
 
Mississippi State ready for March Madness melee against Liberty
Ben Howland remembers it clearly. There he was, sitting with his Mississippi State Bulldogs in the recruiting lounge at Davis Wade Stadium in what was supposed to be a celebratory moment during Sunday's selection show on CBS. Mississippi State flashed onto the screen as a No. 5 seed, and the Bulldogs erupted. Then the mood was dampened when No. 12 seed Liberty popped up right below Mississippi State. The Athletic's Seth Davis, who was a co-host of CBS' show, immediately picked the Flames to beat the Bulldogs. "I mean it was like, 'Boom,'" Howland said. "He said it right away. Made my job really easy. Our guys, it got their attention right away. I mean, first thing, right out of his mouth is boom, that's an upset special. I'm choosing Liberty." The Bulldogs have had a few days to brush Davis' comment off their shoulders, but Davis wasn't alone in his thinking. A multitude of prominent analysts and college basketball personalities have picked Liberty to win Friday's game.
 
Robert Woodard II carves solid path from Columbus to NCAAs
Mississippi State freshman guard Robert Woodard II has been on the big stage before. As a standout at Columbus High School, the 6-foot-7 guard helped the Falcons to Cass 6A state championships in 2016 and 2018. Woodard also spent time on the prestigious Nike Elite Youth Basketball League circuit as a part of MEBO Elite. During the 2017 EYBL season he averaged 14.4 points and 10.2 rebounds in 16 games. He was also a member of the USA Basketball under-16 National Team that took home a gold medal in the 2015 FIBA Americas U16 Championships in Bahia Blanca, Argentina. Though for the grandest stage of all, Woodard didn't don a sleeveless jersey and gym shorts. Rather, he bore a cap and gown. Standing on stage at Humphrey Coliseum last spring, the towering superstar delivered an address to his assembled classmates as the valedictorian of the Columbus High School class of 2018. Friday night, Woodard will be on center stage once more as No. 5 seed MSU takes on No. 12 seed Liberty in the first round of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at the SAP Center in San Jose, California.
 
Q Weatherspoon, Aric Holman lead Mississippi State to promised land
The first practice of Mississippi State senior forward Aric Holman and senior guard Quinndary Weatherspoon's college career was a two-a-day -- one practice in the morning, another in the afternoon. For a freshman player still learning the ins-and-outs of college life, let alone a complex new basketball system, the day was exhausting. "A high school kid, me and Q were like, 'Man, I'm so tired after the first practice,'" Holman said. "So seeing all the determination that goes into all of this was a culture shock from the jump." Nearly four years since that initial practice, Holman and Weatherspoon will leave the MSU program in a far different spot than when they arrived. When head coach Ben Howland was hired in March 2015, previous bench boss Rick Ray had compiled an abysmal 37-60 record in his three years at the helm. Further, the Bulldogs hadn't made the NCAA tournament since 2009 -- a six-year drought to that point. Friday night, Holman and Weatherspoon will lead MSU into its first NCAA tournament game in almost a decade against No. 12 seed Liberty at the SAP Center in San Jose.
 
Liberty's nonconference schedule paved way for NCAA Tournament appearance
Liberty wing player Caleb Homesley pointed to the Flames' victory at UCLA before the calendar turned to 2019 as one game that helped build the squad's confidence away from the Vines Center. Forward Myo Baxter-Bell had a different response. He said the loss to Alabama in a neutral setting -- the Crimson Tide posed a physical challenge for the smaller Flames -- proved to be a strong learning experience. That was the purpose behind the type of power conference programs Liberty played this season. Ritchie McKay wanted this bunch to be tested through a myriad of styles, from Alabama's physicality to the athleticism of Georgetown and Vanderbilt and finally with the NCAA Tournament pedigree of Georgia State. Those challenges are a reason the Flames are confident heading into Friday's NCAA Tournament first-round matchup against Mississippi State at the SAP Center.
 
State seeks strong starts against No. 12 Auburn
Mississippi State has received nothing but quality starts on the mound from Ethan Small and JT Ginn this season. The second-ranked Bulldogs will certainly need that to continue as they host No. 12 Auburn for a three-game series starting tonight. MSU (20-2, 2-1 SEC) burned through nine relief pitchers in midweek wins over Little Rock and Samford and will need Small and Ginn to continue their trend of dominant outings. "You always want to go deep with Ethan and JT," said MSU coach Chris Lemonis. "But believe it or not, we're actually pretty rested in our bullpen ... but I would always hope for those long starts." mall will get the nod in tonight's 6:00 contest. The junior left-hander is 2-0 with a 1.50 ERA, 51 strikeouts and five walks over 30 innings of work with opposing batters hitting just .157 against him.
 
Vanderbilt fires basketball coach Bryce Drew after first winless SEC record in 65 years
Vanderbilt basketball coach Bryce Drew will not return next season, the university announced Friday. Drew reportedly had three years remaining on his six-year contract, but the Commodores just finished their worst season in program history. Vanderbilt went 9-23 overall with an active 20-game losing streak, the longest in program history. Its 0-19 conference record made the Commodores the SEC's first winless team in league play in 65 years, and they posted the first losing home record in Memorial Gym's 67 seasons. "Vanderbilt is committed to competing at the highest levels on and off the court," Vanderbilt athletics director Malcolm Turner said in a statement. "After careful consideration, we've decided to make a change to the leadership of our men's basketball program. Bryce has represented Vanderbilt in exceptional fashion in his time here. I appreciate all of the contributions Bryce has made over the past three seasons to Vanderbilt, and we wish him all the best." The firing is a major move for Turner, who became athletics director at Feb. 1.
 
Avery Johnson, Alabama negotiating buyout
The Avery Johnson era appears to be nearing an end at the University of Alabama. The school and Johnson are currently negotiating a buyout for what would be a mutually agreed upon parting of ways, AL.com reported first Thursday night. The discussions remain active a day after the Crimson Tide season ended in the NIT. Johnson said on Wednesday he had met with Alabama athletics director Greg Byrne on Saturday and discussed the future of the program. That was before losing 80-79 to Norfolk State after which an opposing player noted a lack of energy in Alabama's warmups. Johnson's contract was extended in August 2017 to run through the 2022-23 season. It included an $8 million buyout if Johnson was dismissed before April 15, 2019. It drops to $6 million after that.
 
Mizzou's South End Zone Project exemplifies SEC's unrelenting arms race
When Missouri opened its 2018 football season against UT Martin on Sept. 1, it did so in the shadow of a nearly 200-foot-tall crane, a symbolic reminder of the athletic department's most ambitious capital venture yet. Nearly seven months later, a steel and concrete skeleton covered in yellow protective wrap stands in the stadium's south end zone. The $98 million project, expected to be fully operational by the time Missouri hosts West Virginia in its 2019 home opener on Sept. 7, stands as a monument to life in the Southeastern Conference, where stagnation can mean disaster. It represents the "keeping up with the Joneses" mentality that the school understood when it joined the league in 2012, yet has failed to fully embrace because of the financial commitment it requires. Of the 12 public universities in the SEC that responded to the Missourian's records requests -- as a private school, Vanderbilt isn't required to disclose its financial records -- Missouri ranked in the bottom third in both ticket sales and athletic donations in fiscal year 2018, and its $1.23 million in revenue from licensing, advertisement and sponsorship was at least $10 million less than six of its conference counterparts.
 
March Madness tips off with sports betting at Coast casinos
It's the first year in the 80-year history of the NCAA tournament that fans legally can bet on March Madness games outside Nevada, and Coast casinos and sports bars are getting into the game. Unlike the Super Bowl that is a two-team, one-day event, March Madness is 67 games stretching over nearly three weeks. One in five Americans will wager during March Madness, said Bill Miller, president and CEO of the American Gaming Association, which is more than twice as many people than bet on the Super Bowl. Nearly 18 million people will wager $3.9 billion, the AGA said, but most of the bets are still expected to be placed illegally with a bookie or at illegal offshore sites. Mississippi is one of eight states where sports betting is legal. Miller said fans placed nearly $1 billion in wagers just in January.
 
Obama reveals his March Madness bracket
Former President Obama marked the first day of March Madness by picking a pair of perennial powerhouses to win this year's men's and women's NCAA basketball tournaments. Obama revealed his picks on Thursday, the first day of the men's tournament. The former president, an avid basketball fan, is picking Duke University, the number one overall seed, to win it all. He also picked the University of Connecticut to win the women's tournament. Obama, who has annually released his March Madness predictions since 2009, has Duke, the University of North Carolina, the University of Michigan and the University of Tennessee reaching the men's Final Four. Baylor University, Mississippi State University, Connecticut and the University of Notre Dame will make up the women's Final Four, he predicted.
 
As college basketball fans pack Columbia, sex traffickers see financial opportunity
Beneath the crowds of rowdy fans roaming Columbia in their school colors, the packed hotels and the fun and fanfare associated with March Madness, lurks a darker -- and mostly unseen -- side to large sporting events like NCAA tournaments. Instances of human trafficking, particularly sex trafficking and its associated acts like prostitution, typically increase around large sporting events like the Super Bowl, the World Series and NCAA playoff events and tournaments, according to law enforcement and human rights agencies. "It's common with all big events," said Capt. Heidi Jackson of the Richland County Sheriff's Department's victim services unit. "We have tourists, we have people who normally wouldn't be here, (they're) maybe not with their families. It's a market. Where there's gonna be the money, there's gonna be the problem." Columbia is hosting the first and second rounds of the NCAA men's basketball tournament this week, and the Capital City stands ready to welcome some 25,000 people to the area.



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