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ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-SIX YEARS OF EDITORIAL FREEDOM

Monday, March 27, 2017

Ann Arbor, Michigan

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Yet another chance

The Michigan women’s basketball team has returned to the semifinal of the Women’s National Invitation Tournament for the third consecutive year.

» Page 1B ADMINISTRATION

Bicentennial graduation to celebrate ‘U’ alumni CAROLYN GEARIG/Daily

Hundreds marched from the Federal Building to the Diag in the Immigrant’s March in Ann Arbor on Saturday.

Hundreds gather in Ann Arbor to march for immigrants’ rights

The protest came in light of President Donald Trump’s travel ban on Muslim countries CHETALI JAIN

Daily Staff Reporter

Hundreds of protesters braved the rain on Saturday to gather outside the Federal Building in Ann Arbor and march for immigrants’ rights in light of President Donald

Trump’s latest travel ban, which was blocked by federal judges in Hawaii and Maryland last week. The mission of the Immigrants’ March in Ann Arbor — organized by independent Ann Arbor resident Brad Adam and a direct-action organization called Stop

Trump Ann Arbor— included promoting the message shared on the event page: “No human being is illegal.” The march also aimed to remove Immigration and Customs Enforcement from nearby communities and challenge the Trump administration’s immigration policies, and was a sister march

for a similar one being held in Washington, D.C. in the near future. March volunteer Alexandria Schulz, a University of Michigan alum, joined the efforts partly because of her own cultural background. Schulz’s father is an immigrant from Trinidad See MARCH, Page 3A

2017 Spring Commencement will present awards to pertinent former, current figures MATT HARMON Daily Staff Reporter

In celebration of the University of Michigan’s bicentennial, the 2017 graduating class will be sent off in style with a graduation ceremony at Michigan Stadium featuring University figures from the past and present, musical performances and alumni award presentations. The ceremony will be on April 29 and will break a longstanding tradition of seating the graduates on the stands and instead, seat them on the field, so more tickets can be given to families and friends of the graduates.

In a University press release, University President Mark Schlissel said the event will contribute to the year-long bicentennial festivities and will highlight the extensive history of graduates from the University. “Our bicentennial commencement gives our community the opportunity to honor the graduates of the Class of 2017, along with the amazing 200-year-old legacy of excellence and impact that they are joining,” Schlissel said. The opening bicentennial fanfare, written by Music, Theatre & Dance Prof. Roshanne Etezady, will be followed by Vice Admiral Walter E. Carter Jr., See COMMENCEMENT, Page 3A

Michigan China forum discusses the eMerge Trump’s wins CSG future of relations between the nations SCOTUS

STUDENT GOVERNMENT

POLITICS

executive positions

Over 500 people attended the forum with prominent panel of speakers at Ross

The party defeated their main rival, Movement, by a margin of 4,179 votes

A variety of panelists from Chinese businesses, government and media who aimed to share their insights on the future of economic relations between the United States and China spoke at the 2017 Michigan China Forum, which was held at the Ross School of Business over the weekend as part of the bicentennial of the University of Michigan. The event, which more than 500 people attended, was organized by the Chinese Students & Scholars Association, the University’s chapter of China Entrepreneur Network and the University of Michigan-Shanghai Jiao Tong University Joint Institute. Engineering senior Ziqi Guo, president of the SJTU Student and Alumni Association and one of the organizers of the forum, said he wanted to build a stronger relationship between China and the University by inviting leading thinkers. “(An) area that we really emphasize is the younger generation,” Guo said. “We really want to make this a platform for students from China, the U.S. and all countries to come together and learn with each other and hope to understand each other better.” Sunday, the second day of the event, opened with a keynote address by Hong Lei, the Chinese Consul General in Chicago, who addressed the need to forge a new and stronger Sino-American

RIYAH BASHA & JORDYN BAKER

Daily News Editor and Daily Staff Reporter

LSA junior Anushka Sarkar and Public Policy junior Nadine Jawad will serve as the 2017-18 Central Student Government president and vice president, respectively, according to election results released early Saturday morning. Sarkar and Jawad ran with the eMerge party, and defeated the second-place Movement Party executive candidates Evan Rosen and Dan Sweeney, LSA juniors, by a margin of 4,179 votes — or more than three times Movement’s 1,677 votes. Art & Design senior Keysha Wall and LSA senior Lauren Kay of the Defend Affirmative Action Party came in third with 243 votes, and Better Than the Rest finished fourth with 157 votes. Student turnout measured at 17.9 percent, marking the lowest participation rate since 2014. As no complaints were filed with the University Election Commission, Saturday’s results were deemed official. After a campaign season See EMERGE, Page 3A

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ISHI MORI

Daily Staff Reporter

relationship by overcoming the two countries’ differences and identifying shared interests. “China’s greatest desire is to focus our development of our own, and improve and ensure people’s livelihoods,” Hong said. “To achieve this goal, China needs to stay in harmony with the rest of the world, including the U.S., and achieve win-win results through cooperation.” Hong was joined by Brian

Connors, executive director of the Michigan-China Innovation Center, who chronicled the enormous strides the state of Michigan has made in developing strong economic ties with China, especially in the automotive sector. “I hope the Consul-General would agree that … Michigan is among the most welcoming and the most friendly and certainly the most active in this region among the Midwestern states in

attracting Chinese investment and building relationships with China,” Connors said. The keynote was followed by a series of panels discussing topics like U.S.-China relations, development of new media, entrepreneurship and autonomous vehicle technology. One of the issues widely discussed among the panelists was bilateral relations under the See FORUM, Page 3A

ROBERT BUECHLER/Daily

Hong Lei, the Consul General of China in Chicago, speaks about US-China relations at the Michigan China Forum at the Ross School of Business on Sunday.

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INDEX

pick draws discontent

Students expressed varying degrees of dissatisfaction with Gorsuch selection CALEB CHADWELL Daily Staff Reporter

Last week, as U.S. Senate confirmation hearings ended for Judge Neil Gorsuch, students on both ends of the University of Michigan’s campus political spectrum expressed degrees of satisfaction, but also disapproval of President Donald Trump’s U.S. Supreme Court nominee. LSA Dean Andrew Martin said in an interview on the LSA website he predicts Gorsuch would be the second mostconservative member of the court, according to a model he helped develop with Kevin Quinn from the University of California at Berkeley’s School of Law to measure the ideologies of Supreme Court justices. “Our models suggest that he will be the second mostconservative justice on the court, in between Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas, which is exactly the same position that Scalia took on the court,” Martin said. LSA junior Enrique Zalamea, president of the University’s chapter of College Republicans, See SCOTUS, Page 3A

NEWS.........................2 OPINION.....................4 ARTS......................6

SUDOKU.....................2 CLASSIFIEDS...............6 SP O RT S . . . . . . . . B -SEC TIO N

News

2A — Monday, March 27, 2017

The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

ON THE DAILY: HARBAUGH MOVES TO NEW KHAKIS BRAND There are many reasons why Michigan football coach Jim Harbaugh is famous. His coaching skills, his own football career, his “enthusiasm unknown to mankind.” And of course, his iconic khakis. So it was no surprise that Harbaugh made headlines this weekend for admitting he’d switched from his usual $8 khakis to a new pair of $128 Lululemon pants. ESPN reporter Jeff Darlington broke the news to fans via Twitter on Friday. According to Darlington, Harbaugh has fully committed to his new fashion. “I’ll never wear anything else,” Harbaugh told ESPN. Though he didn’t speak publicly about the switch until this weekend, an investigation from the Washington Post found evidence that Harbaugh has been wearing Lululemon since the latter half of this year’s season. Some perceptive fans became suspicious of the change as early as this past November. “Is it just me or has Jim

Harbaugh made the upgrade to LuluLemon ABC Pants …?” one fan tweeted. Indeed, television reporter Brad Galli gave Harbaugh his first pair as a gift during an interview in September. Harbaugh told GQ Magazine in an interview earlier last week, before he announced the new pants were from Lululemon, that he wears them for everything, and he loves their versatility. “I can work out in my khakis,” Harbaugh said. “And do … They make me feel good, too. Like I have a uniform. I always liked having a uniform.” The new pants are noticeably different from his old khakis. Though the color seems to be the same, Harbaugh has traded out pleats and loose ankles for a tighter fit and a reflective inseam that can be seen when the pant legs are rolled up. Many fans — and even former players — have been receptive to the change, saying he looks great. However, some people have

been critical. Evan Jankens of CBS Detroit thinks the switch is unfair to Nike, who designed special khakis for Harbaugh at the beginning of last season. “If you ask me, it’s kind of a slap in the face to Nike who made special khakis for the coach, but who am I to judge?” Jankens wrote. Nike hasn’t commented on the switch. However, Karl Aaker, Lululemon’s men’s brand director,

confirmed to the Washington Post that the company is thrilled Harbaugh likes its pants — though the coach isn’t an official spokesperson. “We’re pumped,” Aaker said. Harbaugh’s Khakis— an unofficial fan account on Twitter meant to celebrate his iconic pants— also has yet to comment on the change.

Nick Coleman @CMN_Nick Less then 4 hours left at @DMatUM’s Victorthon and dancers just learned the full line dance! It’s getting WILD #Victorthon2017

- MAYA GOLDMAN

B U S I N E S S TA L K

Courtney Harrison @c0urtneyH Great turnout today in Ann Arbor for the Immigrant’s March! Thank you to everyone who came out and participated!

MAX KUANG/Daily Ross School of Business Dean Scott DeRue speaks at the India Business Conference at the Ross School of Business on Friday.

CAMPUS EVENTS & NOTES Slavery and Children’s Stories: Implications for Schooling and Society

Communal Violence in Myanmar: Roundtable Discussion

WHAT: Dr. Ebony Elizabeth Thomas, from the University of Pennsylvania, will talk about slavery in children’s books. WHO: University Library WHEN: 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. WHERE: Hatcher Graduate Library, Gallery

WHAT: This pannel will cover the narratives and types of violence occurring in Myanmar. WHO: Center for Southeast Asian Studies WHEN: Noon to 1:30 p.m. WHERE: School of Social Work Building, Room 1636

Guest Master Class: Paige Morgan, oboe

Public Speaking for the Public Good

WHAT: Dr. Paige Morgan of Ithaca College will hold a free oboe master class. WHO: School of Music, Theatre & Dance WHEN: 4:40 p.m. WHERE: Earl V. Moore Building, Room 2032

WHAT: This workshop will go over the basics of public speaking and allow participants opportunities to practice their skills. WHO: Ginsberg Center WHEN: 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. WHERE: Ginsberg Center for Community Service and Learning

Child Abuse Prevention Month Activites

Social Justice: Equity in Education

WHAT: The Child Welfare Student Associate will kick off Child Abuse Prevention Month a few days early by making pinwheels. WHO: Child Welfare Student Association WHEN: 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. WHERE: School of Social Work, McGregor Commons

WHAT: This conversationstyle event will delve into how to address inequality in the country’s education system. WHO: University Library WHEN: 1 p.m. to 2 :30 p.m. WHERE: Hatcher Graduate Library, Gallery

One Soviet Nation? Capturing Ethnic Diversity in Photography of the 1920s and 1930s WHAT: Anja Burghardt will discuss how photography shaped new Soviet society. WHO: Slavic Languages & Literatures WHEN: 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. WHERE: Modern Languages Building, Room 3308

COLIN BERESFORD & KAELA THEUT Daily Staff Reporters

As “I Got a Feeling” reverberated throughout the Indoor Track Building Saturday afternoon, hundreds of students and families prepared to stand for 24 hours to raise money for local children with disabilities

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MARCH From Page 1A and Tobago, and she believes immigration is a topic that affects all Americans. “Unless you’re Native American, you’re an immigrant or a descendant of immigrants,” she said. U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell (D– Mich.) was in attendance and thanked the spirited marchers for uniting to fight for the rights of all Americans, urging them to not be divided by hate and fear. “We’re in the rain and cold because we’re protecting the constitution,” Dingell exclaimed to the cheering crowd. Dingell promised to advocate for immigrant rights when she returned to Washington, D.C. LSA freshman Lin Wang came to lend his support because he felt it was important for him to stand up for immigrant rights. “I’m the son of immigrants so I feel like we should stand and support them,” Wang said. “With everything that’s going on in politics, it’s not representative of what America stands for.” The crowd consisted of UM students, professors, Ann Arbor residents and students from as far as Albion. Among them was six-year-old Allegra

Monday, March 27, 2017 — 3A Graf, daughter of Art & Design professor Roland Graf. Her father is of Austrian heritage, and her mother, who is from Brazil, gave birth to Allegra in Vienna. Andréia Graf explained she brought Allegra and her other daughter, Vida, who is three years old, to the march to help the girls understand the issues the country is facing. When asked why she joined the march, Allegra — holding up a homemade sign that read “Not nice Mr. Trump” — said, “Because Donald Trump is not letting all the people from different lands live here.” Bystanders stopped to watch the procession march down Liberty Street before turning onto State Street to get to the Diag, some even joining in with the protesters’ chants: “No hate, no fear, immigrants are welcome here” and “No cooperation with Trump’s deportation.” Before and after the march, speakers shared their stories with the marchers. Volunteers from Stop Trump Ann Arbor spoke as well, discussing their efforts to help victims of detentions and deportation. Art & Design senior Keysha Wall spoke on the importance of action in the current political climate. “We’ve won the freedom for Yousef, who’s a father of four in Ann Arbor who was being held in Kalamazoo,” they said. “We’re also working to get bond

for another Ann Arbor resident. We are saying no cooperation with ICE whatsoever. Ann Arbor needs to become a sanctuary city and U of M needs to become a sanctuary campus.” Signs that read “families have no borders” and “without immigrants, Trump couldn’t have as many wives” were on display, including one that read, “immigrants make America great” held by a man wearing a black-and-white prisoner jumpsuit and sporting a papiermâché mask of Trump’s head with a grumpy expression. Other students, however, have met Trump’s ban with mixed reactions. Engineering freshman Lincoln Merrill, publicity chair of the University of Michigan’s chapter of College Republicans, told the Daily in a January interview that while many people have labeled the order a ban on Muslims, the title ignores many Muslim countries that were not affected. “To be clear, President Trump’s immigration order is not a ‘Muslim ban,’ nor is it a ban on anyone or anything,” Merrill said. “If the people calling this order a ‘Muslim ban’ were correct, that would imply that immigration from around 50 Muslim-majority countries would be terminated and that a religious test would be implemented to enter the country.”

Opinion

4A — Monday, March 27, 2017

The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

FARHAD SHIRANI | OP-ED

Edited and managed by students at the University of Michigan since 1890. 420 Maynard St. Ann Arbor, MI 48109 tothedaily@michigandaily.com

EMMA KINERY Editor in Chief

ANNA POLUMBO-LEVY

and REBECCA TARNOPOL Editorial Page Editors

REBECCA LERNER Managing Editor

EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBERS Carolyn Ayaub Megan Burns Samantha Goldstein Caitlin Heenan Ibrahim Ijaz

Jeremy Kaplan Sarah Khan Max Lubell Alexis Megdanoff Madeline Nowicki Anna Polumbo-Levy

Jason Rowland Ali Safawi Kevin Sweitzer Rebecca Tarnopol Stephanie Trierweiler

Unsigned editorials reflect the official position of the Daily’s Editorial Board. All other signed articles and illustrations represent solely the views of their authors.

FROM THE DAILY

Education reform is necessary

t the end of February, the state of Michigan published the findings of the 21st Century Education Commission report. The commission consisted of many education experts, largely appointed by Gov. Rick Snyder (R), with the goal of outlining recommendations for improving Michigan’s education system. This report found that, while implementing some changes will be more difficult than implementing others, change is necessary. Currently, Michigan public school students are egregiously underperforming: Michigan ranks 41st in the nation in fourth-grade reading performance, and eigth-grade math performance is also declining significantly. The report emphasizes increased funding for public education and other related programs as well as universal access to preschool and community college. It also calls for a transition from a voter-elected to a government-appointed Michigan State Board of Education. Therefore, while the commission’s report certainly has its flaws, the Michigan Daily’s Editorial Board believes it is the responsibility of the state to take these findings and institute changes in Michigan’s public school system. As stated in the commission’s report, it is vital that Michigan works to financially invest more in schools for any tangible change in the state’s education system to occur. Since 2000, the United States has increased spending by $1,400 per student, while Michigan has decreased spending on students by $663 each. This figure has been on the rise since Snyder’s initial education cuts in 2011, but still falls short of pre-recession levels of education spending. It is extremely important that the state invests in education for the well-being of students. Various studies have shown that quality education is crucial for the success of children over the course of their entire lives, and that families who cannot afford to send their children to private schools should have equal access to comparable education in public schools. The commission suggests allocating between $110 million and $900 million annually to provide additional resources to disadvantaged students, up to $75 million annually for teacher preparation and professional development programs and $70 million toward putting human services in schools that largely serve students of low socioeconomic status. However, the report doesn’t detail exactly how these funds should be put to use, and an “indeterminate” amount of funds is allocated toward many of the initiatives the commission suggests. The lack of clarity poses the danger of investing money thoughlessly. Further research must be done to ensure appropriate funding is allocated to education reform measures suggested in the report. Making preschool and community colleges free for residents of Michigan is also an important step to help give all children and young adults access to education, regardless of their socioeconomic status. While not easy tasks, these are critical steps to help mitigate the gap in educational attainment between students of low and high socioeconomic status. Preschool, according to the commission, has been shown

to improve school readiness. Eliminating costs for enrolling children in the education system early would benefit every child who would otherwise be unable to attend preschool, and create a better foundation for a child’s learning abilities. Preschool not only fosters social and emotional development, but also language and cognitive skills, which would in turn promote a successful education career. Furthermore, free community college would increase the number of college graduates in the state and significantly decrease the gap between lowand middle-income students’ enrollment. Even though this plan is not concrete policy yet, free post-secondary education can benefit many people and the state should seek to make this plan a reality in the near future. Free schools, especially community colleges, are something that politicians such as Sen. Bernie Sanders (I–Vt) and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton have fought for, belieivng equal access to equitable education is a right that everyone should have. During his time in office, former President Barack Obama created a board that was working to make two-year community colleges free and included people such as former Wyoming Gov. Jim Geringer (R) and Jill Biden. Some states, like Oregon, have programs in place to offer free community college tuition to certain students. States such as California, Wisconsin and Illinois have introduced similar programs. Additionally, an increasing number of community colleges are taking it upon themselves to offer free tuition to in-state students. The commission also endorses establishing meritbased scholarships for Michigan residents to attend public, in-state universities. While these goals are sensible, they are not flawless. First, scholarships based on “merit” can create an unequal playing field depending on the metrics used to define it. For example, standardized testing scores as a marker of merit is more dependent on one’s ability to afford test-prep

courses and tutoring than on sheer effort and intelligence. The commission report suggests using GPA as the main scholastic marker of achievement and requiring students to fill out the FAFSA to become eligible for this award, which would help favor high-performing students who demonstrate financial need. The commission’s report is positive in its insistence that post-secondary education is an absolute necessity, and should thus be a priority and responsibility of the state. Nevertheless, there are some concerning portions of the commission’s report. One example is the commission’s suggestion to replace the elections for State Board of Education and give the state governor the power to appoint the board. The commission report argues a governorappointed board would allow the state to implement education reform policies more efficiently, since the governor would be in charge of the state and the Board of Education. This is concerning as Snyder has not managed to appoint officials who successfully managed other crises in the state, such as the failing of Detroit’s public schools and the Flint water crisis. Detroit public schools are still not performing up to par, and Flint still doesn’t have clean water. Additionally, we are concerned that governorappointed officials lack accountability toward residents of Michigan. Given the dismal state of many of Detroit’s public schools and the continual repercussions of the Flint water crisis, this commission, though imperfect, is an important step in the right direction. Of course, there must be more than simply first steps, and these changes will not happen overnight. But these recomendations will help guide the state of Michigan’s education system in a more positive direction. If Michigan is to prepare children for the “careers, lives, and futures to which they aspire,” as this report indicates, we must take the findings of the commission seriously and work to shape a better path forward.

CONTRIBUTE TO THE CONVERSATION Readers are encouraged to submit letters to the editor and op-eds. Letters should be fewer than 300 words while op-eds should be 550 to 850 words. Send the writer’s full name and University affiliation to tothedaily@michigandaily.com.

The attack on our human dream

or many, today’s America is the pinnacle of the continuous development of humanity toward evergreater freedom. It represents the fruition of the cries of liberty at the gates of Bastille in France, the struggles of the abolitionists and the suffragists and the aspirations of the civil rights movements of the past century. Its values and principles are the culmination of the efforts of generations of social activists and freedom fighters. It is the vehemence of these ideals, the promises of liberty and equality, that draws thousands of immigrants here every year; it is the essence of these ideals that behooves Americans to accept these immigrants with open arms. As the beneficiaries of the progress achieved by the many sacrifices of the previous generations, we are obligated to preserve these hard-fought ideals. This entails the responsibility to study, understand and, if necessary, take action to protect the bedrocks of our civil society. The intrinsic irony in the phrase “nation of immigrants” — first popularized by former President Kennedy — symbolizes human progress. Originating from Latin “natio,” which translates to “race” or “tribe,” the word “nation” has historically referred to people of the same origin. America, the nation of immigrants, is the tribe that is not tribal, the nation whose membership is not restricted to any particular nationality, a human effort to break away from the prejudices ingrained in us by our shared, but divisive, history. The American dream, the human dream, is the ideal that every human being, regardless of race, sex or religious background, should have an equal opportunity to achieve success and prosperity through hard work, determination and initiative. Jean-Jacques Rousseau

famously wrote: “Man is born free, and everywhere he is in chains.” The American dream is an attempt at breaking the invisible chains of the human caste system, which deprives us of our birthright freedoms. The sudden implementation of the executive order banning the entry of immigrants and foreign travelers into the United States based on their places of birth was a pushback against the vision of the American dream. On Jan. 27, a group of Iranian students and I gathered to watch the coverage of the president’s signing of the

The American dream, the human dream, is the ideal that every human being should have an equal opportunity to achieve sucess.

after his release, his innocent eyes desperately searching for answers in his parents’ faces. Fortunately, our friend was allowed into the country with only minor issues at customs. The events of the past few months have been a sobering reminder that our journey toward liberty and equality is not always a smooth and peaceful one. It reminded us of the horrific mistakes of the past. It reminded us of the MS St. Louis and its innocent passengers who were sent back to Europe from the shores of America, many ending up in Nazi concentration camps. It reminded us of the Japanese families who were sent to internment camps during World War II, who were ripped out of their daily lives for crimes they did not commit. It reminded us of the darkest chapters of the history of this nation. This latest onslaught on the immigrant community is not only an attack on the lives and the dignities of the immigrant families, it is also an attack on our human dream. It is an attempt to reduce the role of the leadership of the free world to the chieftainship of a tribe. This is a challenge to the vision that led to the formation of this country, that America is “an asylum to the good, the persecuted, and to the the oppressed.” It is a test of the resolve of the American people in safeguarding their values. However, as an optimist, I believe that our journey toward liberty is unstoppable, that this is the last gasp of age-old prejudices struggling to survive the pace of human progress. I hope and believe that, despite these setbacks, you and I, along with the rest of humanity, will someday realize our great human dream.

executive order. One of our close friends — a University of Michigan Art & Design alum — was on a flight back from Iran. She had traveled to Iran to take part in an art project in Tehran. As we anxiously awaited the news of her arrival, tales of the cruel implementation of the ban demoralized us. I listened in disbelief as I heard the ordeals of the Yale professor who did not know when he would be able to see his wife and newborn child and the story of the elderly, legally blind resident who was denied his medications at the airport while being detained. I could hardly hold back tears as I watched the five-yearFarhad Shirani is a postdoctoral research fellow in Electrical and old boy who was handcuffed for hours in the airport being Computer Engineering at the University showered by his mother’s kisses of Michigan.

DAVID SCHAFER AND MICAH GRIGGS | OP-ED

Elevating student voices

tudents are, bar none, the most important resource at the University of Michigan. We are not simply students at the University; we are the University. Because of our importance, it is absolutely essential that we continuously elevate and ensure a diverse cross section of student voices in critical University decisions, especially those that impact the student experience. The University’s highest governing body is the Board of Regents, which is comprised of eight members popularly chosen in a statewide election. The board, whose major responsibilities are to broadly provide “general supervision of (the) institution” and oversee the University’s budget, is distinct among many of its peers, because it does not guarantee student representation of any kind. Last year, during our campaign, and this year, during our administration, we tirelessly advocated for the inclusion of student voices on the Board of Regents — and more generally, for the integration of student representation at the University and city-wide levels. Why is this important? As students, it naturally makes sense for us to have a seat at the table where decisions that impact the future of our University experience are made, from those about the Union renovation project to the yearly setting of the University’s budget and associated tuition rates. Additionally, including students would elevate the discussions by adding a much-needed diversity of backgrounds, viewpoints and experiences. We are proud of the progress that our administration has made in its unending work to institutionalize student voice and participation throughout the University and Ann Arbor communities. In September, after the previous Central Student Government administration had laid an indispensable foundation, we successfully pushed through a new section to the board’s Bylaws, 7.01, which highlights the importance of “student participation in University

decision-making” and guarantees that it will be “sought and encouraged.” This can and should be viewed as an incremental positive step in the long-term goal to establish greater student representation on the Board of Regents — a goal that all future CSG administrations must strive and work toward. Another critical avenue of University decision-making, and thus an area most certainly in need of student voices, is in the hiring of the University’s president and executive officers, including the provost and vice president for student life. When former Provost Martha Pollack was announced as the incoming president of Cornell University, we immediately called on University President Mark Schlissel to include a University student on the search committee for her replacement. We’re thankful he honored our request, ultimately placing a graduate student on the committee. It is essential that students are included on search committees for key University personnel. CSG must continue to be the driving force behind that ideal, always challenging administrators to be responsive to students’ needs. Just recently, to ensure that student participation would be guaranteed in the process of crafting and then recommending student fees, we worked with Student Life administration, including E. Royster Harper, vice president for student life, and Anjali Anturkar, associate vice president for student life, to establish the Student Fee Advisory Committee. The Committee’s central purpose is to “ensure student participation and engagement in advancing student needs through the recommendation of student fees.” We must also establish and maintain strong relationships with city officials to ensure our voices are being heard beyond the peripheries of campus. As is so often the case, local issues become campus issues, while campus issues grow into city-wide issues. In a wide array of areas, from offcampus street lighting and general student safety to policies about

student voter registration and the locations of polling stations, city initiatives invariably impact our lives as college students. For this reason, however fleeting each student’s stay in the city is, we must truly care about what happens in Ann Arbor. With this in mind, since being elected into office, we have worked to institutionalize mechanisms for student participation in the Ann Arbor city government. Our efforts came to fruition on Jan. 17, when the Ann Arbor City Council passed a resolution to establish the Student Advisory Council. This council brings together members of the City Council and students from the University and the Ann Arbor Public School system to more effectively promote dialogue and increase collaboration on policies, programs and actions affecting these different stakeholders. All told, we deeply believe that the strength of any student government rests on the scope of its advocacy, as well as its commitment to empowering the voices of all University students. We strongly recommend that future CSG administrations continue to facilitate the mobilization of students at the University, city and state levels. This will, over time, enable students to accumulate greater staying power, only increasing the seriousness with which their concerns and causes are addressed. We end our administration the same way that we started it: with an undying belief in the importance of student voice. When all of us feel comfortable and are given the opportunity to exercise our voices — to share our lived and learned experiences with others — we can elevate the narratives of every student. Our lasting piece of advice to our fellow students is to never doubt our collective presence as the central stakeholder at the University of Michigan — the beating heart within the complex body that is our Michigan. David Schafer is an LSA senior and CSG President. Micah Griggs is an LSA senior and CSG Vice President.

Arts

The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

FILM REVIEW

Monday, March 27, 2017 — 5A

TV REVIEW

AMAZON

Richard Madden stars in Amazon’s new “Oasis” INDEPENDENT RELEASE Still from “Acts and Intermissions”

‘Intermissions’ uses archives to discuss political disruptors Daily Arts Writers review Ann Arbor’s 55th Film Festival DANIEL HENSEL Daily Arts Writer

The notion of history repeating itself is a well-known adage, but rarely has it been pleaded with as much fervor as by Abigail Child, whose film “Acts and Intermissions” played at the Ann Arbor Film Festival this past Saturday. “Acts and Intermissions” retells the life of Emma Goldman in America. Goldman, a Russian Jew who moved to America at age 16, quickly became a leader of anarchist-communists and later defended other causes. By the time of her death in 1940, she had taken on capitalism in the Industrial Era, militarism during World War I and gender politics during the suffrage movement (though her politics strayed from the suffragettes, for she reviled political participation). Goldman was a radical rebel, giving speaking tours around the country and calling for political assassinations. “Acts and Intermissions” tells Goldman’s story in the United States, from her auspicious rise among her peers, to her rhetorical peak, to, lastly, her retreat back to Europe. The film is a collage of archival film stock from the past century — even the present — and reenactments of Goldman’s life, solitary and with peers, captured in grainy black-and-

white. Snippets from Goldman’s argument isn’t subtle: Those personal diaries and other chanting in the streets, calling contemporary texts are read for a $15 minimum wage or to aloud by a voice actor. The voice, oppose low quality working disembodied and omnipresent, conditions, are her heroes and is defined by its strong Russian model citizens. Child did not accent, with a tone that indicates expressly advocate for radical a sort of weathered smugness, a political killing, her outward jovial disdain for the lesser minds criticism of President Donald of capitalism and statism. Trump and her celebration at Like its subject, the film’s his recent healthcare defeat form is radical, notwithstanding, too. By juxtaposing but the message is “Acts and archival footage clear: don’t trust with present-day Intermissions” elites. cell phone footage The most 55th Annual Ann of protests around jarring shot in the the country, film comes fairly Arbor Film Festival Child’s film invites late. We’ve come March 25, 2017, its audience to to recognize the contemplate how actress playing 12:30 PM we think about Goldman. After Michigan Theater political disruptors all, her face is nowadays. In a occasionally comment before shown before the screening, the director or after an actual image of the explained she hoped to combine historical figure, plus she wears genres in the film. The result a long string of earrings that does not clearly demonstrate this would seem out place a hundred idea — though there are clear years ago. But in one brief elements of film noir and kitchen sequence, we see the actress in sink drama, two disparate genres the staged room, dressed in her — but perhaps that’s the point. regular 21st century pedestrian Life and the struggles contained clothes, seeming to indicate that therein aren’t easily definable; the Emma Goldman was not some films that seek to answer the core anomaly: She’s a role anyone questions of life needn’t be either. could play. Save for a moment in For Child, the correctness of Haskell Wexler’s “Medium Cool,” Goldman’s convictions is beyond another film about protest, it’s a question; the only question pertinent shot that captures the is how Goldman’s ideals are real behind the screened quite translated to the present. Child’s unlike anything I’ve seen before.

BOOK REVIEW

‘Pachinko’ an intimate yet expansive immigrant tale New novel explores the intersections of family and heritage VANESSA WONG Daily Arts Writer

Min Jin Lee’s second novel is a sprawling saga about a Korean family during the Japanese occupation of Korea. Spanning four generations, “Pachinko” explores questions of immigration, discrimination, political unrest and national identity. The family’s mindset is introduced in the opening line: “History has failed us, but no matter.” Their resilience is woven through the rest of the novel, a tale of an ordinary family that tumbles and endures. Lee’s straightforward yet fluid prose contextualizes personal stories within the wider scope of political history. The novel spans from 1910 to 1989, and first introduces readers to Hoonie, a poor countryside boy in Korea. His wife, Yangjin, takes charge of their humble boarding house, toiling long hours to put food on the table of the unofficial family of boarders and maids packed in the small quarters. When Yangjin’s daughter, Sunja, gets pregnant out of wedlock, she enters a marriage of convenience with a visiting Korean minister. The couple migrates to Osaka, where Koreans are treated as second-class citizens. They struggle to make Japan their home, since the Korea they know as “home” eventually splits into North and South Korea, and their

family and friends scatter. The novel’s title, “Pachinko,” Their children Noa and which refers to a Japanese Mozasu, as second-generation gambling machine, is a fitting immigrants, face a different set descriptor of the immigrant of struggles. Born in Japan, but experience. It’s the family’s ethnically Korean, they embody gamble of moving to another an in-between state between country, the questions and cultures that makes them question confusions that come with the their identity. They unknown. It’s grew up attending a gamble with Japanese schools the odds stacked and assimilating against them, to the culture, yet forcing immense Min Jin Lee they are never sacrifice, pain Feb. 7, 2017 fully accepted by and loss. Japanese classmates Yet at the same Grand Central and employers. On time, working at the other hand, they a pachinko parlor Publishing are removed from is the occupation the experience of that eventually growing up in Korea, helps the family so they lack a strong emotional tie establish themselves. It’s a to a single nation. gamble that holds the beaming Meanwhile, political unrest hope that through hard work and continues, changing lives for resilience, families can win the both the Koreans and Japanese opportunity to etch their story in the story. Japan is rumbled permanently into the history and by its involvement in World War community of a new country. II, changing the socioeconomic “Pachinko” is a novel that landscape of the family’s story winds through lifetimes, once again. cycling through new worlds as These political events the political climate evolves. transpire in the backdrop. They But whether the world involves appear indirectly, in the way Korean countrysides, tightly they impact characters’ daily sealed bottles of kimchi, lives, relationships and decision- urban ghettos, police visits or making. What makes Lee’s novel university schooling, one force so rich is the use of national politics remains present throughout: as a foundation upon which a set The fierce loyalty the characters of fully developed characters is have to protect the people they built, molding a unique family love. Through the web of family, identity that blends culture with four generations ultimately find the personal. home.

“Pachinko”

‘Oasis’ is a stunning pilot Technically beautiful, emotional ‘Oasis’ sets strong precedent planet, and they monitor us.” scene in which the camera follows Complementing “Oasis” ’s one of the company’s drones as it powerful narrative is a gorgeous patrols the nearby areas from the original score. Composed by sky. Such a shot allows the show Martin Phipps (“Peaky Blinders”), to slowly introduce viewers to the the soundtrack uses primarily planet, while also hinting at the sweeping organ sounds mixed corporation’s ulterior motives and with low guitar notes to create advancing the storyline. an ominous Led by Madden, atmosphere of the cast of “Oasis” “Oasis” mystique and delivers strong, intrigue. The emotionally Pilot score bears complex Amazon resemblance to that performances. of another similar Madden more space drama, “Interstellar,” in than lives up to his lead billing its reliance on the organ. The and is instantly likeable due to organ sounds used in “Oasis” his staunch commitment to his seem especially fitting for a show values and perpetual optimism. addressing the idea of religion on a Alongside Madden is fellow Game newly colonized planet. The entire of Thrones veteran Mark Addy series benefits from the incredible (“Still Standing”), whose reflective, original score, with its thundering pensive character leaves a lasting crescendos synching up perfectly impression on audiences. While with powerful scenes in the show. his screen time is limited, Michael Along with its beautiful James Shaw (“Limitless”) similarly soundtrack, one of the biggest excels, giving his lines powerfully strengths of “Oasis” is its and adding further emotional cinematography, which features weight to the series. Playing the stunning wide shots of the series’s show’s antagonist, Anil Kapoor desert planet. Displaying the (“Slumdog Millionaire”) does well planet’s mountainous sand dunes to create a complex character with and arid conditions, “Oasis” emotional depth that nearly wins decides to leave most of these over viewers despite his prominent breathtaking shots for the second role in the shady conglomerate. half of the pilot, ostensibly to Kapoor’s character highlights build excitement among viewers. one of the most unique features of The delay is ultimately worth it, “Oasis” ’s cast — each performer is as audiences are rewarded with instantly likable almost regardless outstanding vistas and vibrant of their role. night skies. These scenes highlight It may only be a pilot, but the extent of the planet’s emptiness “Oasis” makes an outstanding and reveal that much of its area first impression with its distinct remains unexplored, adding to the plotline and excellent production overall sense of mystery attached values, and the show appears to the show. In an strong example of primed to be Amazon’s next this type of shot, “Oasis” includes a television success.

CONNOR GRADY Daily Arts Writer

There’s no better feeling than watching a well-executed pilot. It’s invigorating knowing that there’s a new show with endless possibilities — like there’s a vast world just waiting to be explored. I came away with this feeling after watching the premiere episode for Amazon’s latest science-fiction project, “Oasis.” The pilot dazzles with its distinct, compelling storyline and an accompanying soundtrack that perfectly matches the dark tone of the series. Examining the intersection of religion and space travel, “Oasis” follows a devoted chaplain, Peter Leigh (Richard Madden, “Game of Thrones”), as he accepts an invitation to join a conglomerate colonizing a new planet. Serving as the company’s religious resource for its employees, Leigh begins to discover the truth about the corporation and the planet itself. It’s a premise that is as new as it is exciting and provocative. The show’s unique setup prompts thought-provoking questions about the future of space exploration and the role that private companies have in this developing industry. Drawing inspiration from famed works like “28 Days Later” and “1984,” the series’ dystopian undertones are especially intriguing and entertaining to watch. The corporation is often portrayed as a sort of Big Brother, with one of the planet’s scientists claiming about the company: “They monitor the

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RELEASE DATE– Monday, March 27, 2017

Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle

SERVICES

Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Nichols Lewis

ACROSS 1 Ponzi scheme, e.g. 5 Impersonated 9 Your __ Highness 14 Drilled bowling ball feature 15 Artist Magritte 16 Shah of Iran, in 1979-’80 17 Bahrain big shot 18 Writer’s chief work (Latin) 20 Sphere of influence 22 Drinking glass edges 23 Ambulance initials 24 Done deal (French) 28 Farm country skyline highlights 29 Nissan model 33 “Take me for a walk!” 36 Expel from office 38 Amazon’s business 39 With 42-Across, cars like BMWs and Audis ... or 18-, 24-, 53- and 63-Across 42 See 39-Across 44 Rhett’s last words 45 Siamese, now 47 __ dye: foodcoloring compound 48 Live (in) 50 Lover of Euridice, in a Gluck opera 53 English, in many non-English speaking countries (Italian) 58 Word with health or day 61 Oboist’s need 62 Lagoon-enclosing isle 63 Young sensation (German) 67 Sinister 68 Cortés subject 69 Wrinkle, as a brow 70 San __, Italy 71 Suppose for argument’s sake 72 Many van Goghs 73 Killed, as a dragon DOWN 1 Harvest bundle 2 Grammar class subject

3 Legal defense mechanism? 4 Advantages 5 Shortstop’s asset 6 Green soup veggie 7 Thoroughly absorb 8 Jeans fabric 9 Dreaming phase 10 Kitchenware brand 11 Frightened exclamation 12 University fundraising target 13 A smaller amount of 19 Quartet assigned to bases 21 Mai __ 25 Plumber’s challenge 26 Dracula’s title 27 Avid about 30 Skater Lipinski 31 Nabisco cracker 32 “Wait, there’s more ... ” 33 Miles away 34 Traveled by bike 35 Abbey titles 37 Princess’ headpiece 40 Oscar winner Jannings

41 Roundabout, as a route 43 Offend slightly 46 Entertainer who often got tied up in his work? 49 Part of DOE: Abbr. 51 Historic period 52 Many top-rated TV shows of the late ’50s/early ’60s

54 Gordon __, “Wall Street” antagonist 55 James Joyce work 56 Weather, in poems 57 Permit 58 Tit for tat, e.g. 59 “The Godfather” novelist Mario 60 Teeny colonizers 64 Agnus __ 65 Zip, in soccer 66 Wino’s woe

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Arts

6A — Monday, March 27, 2017

The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

CONCERT REVIEW

FILM REVIEW

Alina Baraz captivates R&B artist delivers a dreamy performance at El Club SHIMA SADAGHIYANI Daily Arts Writer

Still from indpendent realeas “The Pink Egg”

INDEPENDENT RELEASE

‘The Pink Egg’ is a confusing, disturbing visual spectacle Daily Arts Writers review Ann Arbor’s 55th Film Festival BECKY PORTMAN Daily Arts Writer

Most of the time I was confused. Then I was kind of grossed out. At the end I was just tired. “The Pink Egg” is a 71-minute film depicting the actions and habits of seven insect species. However, this is not a Discovery Channel kind of documentary on insect behavior; it is acted out by humans in a variety of brightly colored, formfitting bodysuits and a weird collection of sound effects. The film contains no dialogue, no subtitles, no context. The viewer is submerged into director Jim Trainor’s hypothetical peoplebug universe with no clue as to what is actually happening. The director offered some insight before the screening of the film by describing his witnessing of a wasp preying on a grasshopper and the odd behavior it exhibited. Without that disturbing nugget, there is no way the audience would have had any idea what was occurring on the screen. No plot was evident and characters were ambiguously identified by the stripes on their

adult unitards, but nothing was of the most delightful sounds actually defined or clarified came from Caroline Nutley’s throughout the film. The sex (Trainor’s wife) playful scenes between the female and soundtrack. Nutley’s smooth, male wasps — if they even were pleasant vocals contrasted nicely wasps, I honestly don’t know — with the absurdity on the screen. were a memorable recurrence. The set was constructed The female would take a jar into what looked like a poorly out of her purse after the built playground. It consisted male had caressed her face or of brightly painted plywood rubbed her arm, structures and then the male many cardboard “The Pink Egg” cocoons pasted would continue to secrete white together with duct 55th Ann Arbor lotion from a tape. The childish Film Festival bottle. This set paired well exact sequence with the artsMarch 22, 2017, happened about and-crafts nature 9:15 PM ten times. The of the costumes Michigan Theater teletubby look-aand props. While like people-bugs the colors and set also indulged evoked childhood, themselves in yellow martinis, the movie is not meant for perhaps representing pollen, children. Parts of the film include covered in yellow cereal like nudity and graphic cannibalism, Corn Pops and Honeycombs. attempting to capture the Accompanying the yellow natural phenomenon of wasp drinks was a plethora of larvae eating the partially living uncomfortable slurping grasshoppers where their parent noises reminiscent of your laid them to hatch. grandfather loudly inhaling “The Pink Egg” cast boasted 42 soup on Thanksgiving. actors, all playing different roles Most of the sounds in as insect, sex partner and prey, the movie seemed odd and but the theater barely attracted unnatural. Trainor explained that many viewers. Overall, the that all the sound was added film was disturbing, hard to post-production, mostly from sit through and impossible to free internet sources. Some understand.

Even well before Alina Baraz stepped on stage at El Club, the crowd that had gathered was a live wire. Packed from wall to wall, the dim lighting of the venue illuminated bright eyes and ref lected off of animated faces; the energy in the room was palpable, with every person turned expectantly toward center stage in preparation for the main attraction herself. When Alina Baraz finally appeared, yellow jacket and sweet smile subtly commanding attention, the crowd exploded, filling the air with delighted screams and shouts. Baraz smoothly transitioned into her opening song, “Show Me,” to an audience already glowing with vibrancy. It was the perfect beginning. And Baraz did not disappoint. Never faltering throughout the entirety of the show, she executed every song, from dreamy “Pretty Thoughts” to dynamic “Drift,”

with an effortless grace. Baraz looked like she was born to be on that stage, backlit by hazy lights and producing music that f lowed and danced around the crowd. For just under an hour, she held our attention with alluring vocals and layered melodies dripping smooth sensuality like honey. For a relatively up-andcoming artist, Alina Baraz’s absolute confidence and established stage presence was a welcome surprise. She filled the small venue but didn’t overpower it, producing a sense of intimacy that was only further accentuated by dim lighting and minimal extravagancy. An artist of little words, Baraz said little throughout the night, preferring to let her music do most of the talking. Rather than distancing herself from the audience, the lack of repertoire helped build an atmosphere of quiet reverence and familiarity. Even in the very back of the crowd, I felt like Baraz was singing to solely me, making sure I lived through every beat of the song

alongside of her. However, the strongest element of Baraz’s performance, beyond even the music itself, was the dedication and appreciation apparent in every aspect of the show. From the way she handled every note with delicate care to the way she profusely thanked the crowd near the end of the show, Alina Baraz grounded the show in mutual respect and gratitude. It was a transcending experience to be a part of. By the time Baraz and her band members stepped offstage, not one person in the audience wanted to leave the magic behind; we immediately began shouting for an encore, to which Baraz happily complied. Through her music, Alina Baraz made wildflowers grow from the concrete of El Club; beauty and poise intertwined themselves with dazzling harmonies to create a show that was almost fantastical. And if the two new songs Baraz played had anything to say about her future projects, there are only even more enchanting prospects ahead.

TV/NEW MEDIA COLUMN

‘Love’ and the weaponization of grand romantic gestures If you first stumbled upon the Netflix series “Love” and had only seen its title, you might assume it’s something completely different from what it actually is. The title “Love” seems well-suited for an anthology series, an ensemble show surveying different kinds of love and relationships — a TV equivalent of “Love, Actually,” or something like Netflix’s own “Easy.” In reality, though, the title “Love” should be read sarcastically; it should come equipped with a set of quotation marks around it, to emphasize that what we’re seeing isn’t meant to be a romantic tale of soul mates who find each other and live happily ever after. Or maybe the quotes aren’t necessary. Maybe, by leaving the quotes out, creators Judd Apatow (“Crashing”), Lesley Arfin (“Girls”) and Paul Rust (“Comedy Bang! Bang!”) are telling us that this is the reality of love. It might be different from the romantic notions most of us have, but it’s the way it is. The clearest examples of how “Love” subverts traditional rom-com expectations lie in the ending of each season. The first season ends with a confrontation between Mickey and Gus, our two 30-something Los Angelenos trying to make it work. Mickey calmly explains to Gus why they can’t be together, at least right now: She’s a sex and love addict, hopping from relationship to relationship because something inside her believes that they will give her life meaning. How does Gus respond? Does he nod in understanding and drive home to leave her alone? No. He kisses her. Cut to credits. It’s the grand romantic gesture, the explosive, joyful climax to a romance movie — except it isn’t. It’s clear to everyone watching that this isn’t the right choice, for neither Gus nor Mickey. By kissing Mickey, Gus is basically handing a fifth of vodka to an alcoholic, just because he doesn’t want to drink alone. Not even shitty vodka, like Crystal Palace. I’m talking good vodka. Gus is handing Mickey a chilled bottle of Grey Goose. (Let’s be honest: I don’t drink Grey Goose. My idea of ‘good vodka’ is pink lemonade Burnett’s. I’ll make sure to go back and revise this piece in ten years, once I’ve learned what adults actually drink.) Season two similarly ends with a strategic act of manipulation, disguised as a grand romantic gesture. This time, the script is flipped: Gus is, for once, honest with Mickey, and she’s the manipulator. Gus explains early that day that he now realizes how suffocating and impatient he has been with her. It’s a rare moment of genuine growth for the character — and it comes at

precisely the wrong time. Mickey has already fallen back into her ex-boyfriend Dustin’s arms. She tries to frantically fix things, dumping Dustin and running back to Gus, but the damage is done. Instead of being honest with Gus, she abruptly suggests that they be in a committed relationship, dragging him into another room to have sex just so her hiding ex-boyfriend can make a quick escape. Mickey is pulling a page from Gus’s book, weaponizing affection and commitment just to get what she wants. If the show’s creators were looking for a longer sardonic title, they could’ve chosen “Love Conquers All.” Gus and Mickey’s hasty, unwise romantic gestures aren’t just manipulative tools used to cure their loneliness and cover up their secrets. More broadly, their reliance on declarations of love and commitment is a symptom of our “love conquers all” culture.

BEN ROSENSTOCK Countless romantic comedies tell us that all you really need to make a relationship work is love; if you love each other enough, any obstacle can be surmounted. In reality, of course, love isn’t the only factor that determines the success of a relationship. Everyone in “Love” wants to rush to the happy ending. They want to put in motion the narratives they’ve conceived of for themselves that invariably end with happiness. Gus thinks he can ignore the danger of Mickey’s addiction, because he thinks he’s an exception; he constantly plays the hero, imagining Mickey as a puzzle he can solve. Mickey rejects this condescending notion, even though a part of her wants to believe he can fix her. Even Dustin has his own narrative of how things play out. During the second season finale, he repeatedly tries to win Mickey over, telling her, “This is the story we’re going to tell our kids. ‘Your mom was dating a loser, and I chased after her.’” Dustin thinks of himself as the hero of this story the same way Gus does. To Dustin, Gus and even Mickey, the grand romantic gesture is the final move in their hero’s journey; commitment is synonymous with happiness. After that, everything will somehow be better. And if it isn’t, well,

at least there’s the comfort of familiarity. “They say that you go back to painful situations because they’re comfortable and familiar,” Mickey tells her roommate Bertie, reflecting on her dalliance with Dustin. “I hear that,” Bertie agrees, before saying one of the funniest lines of the season: “Sometimes when I’m in pain, I’m like, ‘Hello, old friend.’” What the characters don’t understand, but what “Love” itself understands, is that you can’t really earn those grand romantic gestures until you’ve put in the work and experienced all the little things first. The purest moments of romance in the second season happen in episodes four and five, when practicality and low-key sweetness outweigh romantic ambition. In an episode titled “Shrooms,” while sitting together in bed, Gus tells Mickey she’s beautiful, like a movie star from the ’30s. She tells him he’s beautiful, too, and he scoffs, saying, “No, you don’t have to say that. I know I’m not one of the beautiful people. I’ve got this nose … it’s weird-looking, and big.” Mickey tells him that she loves his nose. It’s a beautiful, understated moment — simpler than a grand romantic gesture, but more sincere. That same vibe pervades the following episode, “A Day.” “A Day” follows the model of other masterful episodes like “Looking for the Future” from “Looking,” or “Nashville” from “Master of None.” Gus and Mickey just hang out for a while, getting to really know each other. For once, they’re able to just exist together, to have good conversations and make each other laugh and learn how much they actually like each other, complicated hero complexes and toxic self-sabotage briefly set aside. It’s unclear how “Love” will end. Maybe next season will end on a real grand romantic gesture, a genuine one, free of ulterior motives. Maybe it’ll be a low-key moment, like one of the many that fill the early episodes of season two. Or maybe “Love” will end with Gus and Mickey realizing that they’re not right for each other, and they’ll break up. Regardless, if Gus and Mickey ever want to be in a happy relationship, they’ll need to stop thinking of love as a solution to all their problems. Love shouldn’t be deployed like a last-resort nuclear option; it should be experienced slowly, patiently. What matters the most isn’t the kiss at the end of the story. It’s the sunny afternoons in the middle, warm days that go on forever and still feel like they’re over too soon.

The Michigan Daily | michigandaily.com | March 27, 2017

BACK AGAIN Michigan 80, Virginia Tech 62

Wolverines advance to the WNIT semifinals for third consecutive season ETHAN WOLFE Daily Sports Writer

Senior point guard Siera Thompson knew how many assists she needed to become the all-time assists leader in Michigan women’s basketball history before Saturday’s WNIT quarterfinal against Virginia Tech (20-14). She made sure to make every pass count. At the 4:42 mark in the fourth quarter, Thompson outletted the ball down low to junior forward Jillian Dunston. She returned the favor, f loating the ball into the basket to give Thompson assist No. 538. When Thompson went to the bench shortly thereafter in what could possibly be her final game in Ann Arbor, her teammates showered her with cheers, accompanied by the roar of the Crisler Center crowd. It was that kind of day for

On two feet

Michigan coach John Beilein has always stressed the importance of the basics, such as landing on two feet.

» SportsMonday Column, Page 2B

the Wolverines (26-9), who used stif ling defense and offensive consistency to topple the Hokies, 80-62, and advance to the WNIT semifinals for the third consecutive season. Junior guard Katelynn Flaherty and sophomore center Hallie Thome led the offensive charge with 29 and 27 points, respectively. “Everytime we step on the f loor, we want to win,” Flaherty said. “I think we’ve realized that we only have a certain amount of games left, and if we’re going to be in this tournament, we might as well win it and prove people wrong. “Just to send out the seniors with a championship and do something that’s never been done is really what we want to do.” The two teams were nearly neck-and-neck after the first period, tying in shooting

percentage at 50, rebounds with nine and turnovers with three. But Virginia Tech was ultimately able to take a 20-19 lead thanks to four 3-pointers versus only one for the Wolverines. With the absence of freshman guard Kysre Gondrezick, who is sitting out indefinitely due to personal reasons, Michigan was forced to balance its scoring, and Thompson, Flaherty and Thome stepped up with at least six points each in the quarter. “Our team is probably playing some of the best basketball it (has) played all season long,” said Michigan coach Kim Barnes Arico. “I think our chemistry has been outstanding and I think people have picked up the slack and picked up the minutes.” The following period showcased a staunch Wolverine defense that allowed just nine

points for a 38-29 halftime lead. At one point, the Hokies went on a 5:11 scoring drought, in which Michigan went on an 11-0 run and forced Virginia Tech to miss 11 consecutive

“Everytime we step on the floor, we want to win.”

field goals. The Wolverines also forced five turnovers and got three blocks off the bench from freshman forward Kayla Robbins. Though the scoring efforts stemmed mainly from

Flaherty and Thome, it was Thompson who did it all in the half with six points, six boards and four assists. It was all Michigan the rest of the way. Virginia Tech scored 13 points in the third period after converting on two treys and two and-one plays, but the Wolverines responded in kind with two and-one plays of their own and four 3-pointers from Flaherty, who had seven on the day. “It’s just kind of how the game panned out,” Flaherty said of her shooting performance. “(Virginia Tech is) a very good 3-point shooting team, so I think our goal was to kind of push in transition and get in long rebounds, but it ended up being that my teammates found me in good spots and I just felt more open than I usually do and came off some good screens.” Up 17 points headed into the

final quarter, the Wolverines continued pouring it on. Thome scored Michigan’s first seven points, and the panicked Hokies were battered in the paint in the final 10 minutes, succumbing to a number of rushed shots and unforced turnovers. “The last few games we’ve locked in defensively,” Thompson said. “We’re not just a scoring team now, we have to lock in on defense. We’ve lost some scoring from the absence of Kysre, so we have to step up in other areas.” With the quarterfinal victory, Michigan will face either Villanova or Big Ten foe Indiana, the latter of whom could present the Wolverines with an opportunity at redemption after the crushing loss in Bloomington that led to Michigan dropping three of the final four games of its regular season.

Time to reload The Michigan football team began spring practice Friday, and will need to replace multiple key contributors on the defensive side of the ball.

» Page 4B

SportsMonday

2B — March 27, 2017

The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

SPORTSMONDAY COLUMN

Under Beilein, Michigan lands on two feet

ith under a minute to go in a Sweet 16 game against

Oregon on Thursday, DJ Wilson set up on the left wing to take a go-ahead 3-pointer JAKE for the LOURIM Michigan men’s basketball team. It wasn’t the shot you’ll remember for years. Before Derrick Walton Jr. missed that shot, Wilson lined up the first one that would have given the Wolverines the lead. It wasn’t as big as the buzzer-beater, but it was critical. Everyone noticed that he missed. Not everyone noticed what he did before that. Maybe John Beilein didn’t, either. Maybe Beilein has coached the same shot so many times over 1,289 games and 38 years that it didn’t cross his mind. But here’s the thing: Before DJ Wilson took that shot, he caught the ball on two feet. This time, it didn’t make a difference. Wilson cocked, fired and missed. Oregon grabbed the rebound, and you know the rest: After an empty possession, Walton had another chance to win the game and missed. The Wolverines took two 3-pointers in the final minute, earned two good looks and missed them both. Back to catching it on two feet, though. Why did Wilson do it? And why does it matter? Well, every fall when Michigan coach John Beilein starts practice, whether he’s coaching local guys at Newfane High School or NBA prospects

ANSAS CITY, Mo. — With less than two seconds left on the clock, Derrick Walton Jr. stepped back and put up a shot. Unlike many times before in the last three weeks, MINH the senior DOAN guard’s shot clanked front iron and rimmed out as the buzzer sounded. Game over. Final score: Oregon 69, Michigan 68. It marked the end of a magical three-week run for the Michigan men’s basketball team which saw the Wolverines win the Big Ten Tournament and advance to the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16. It was a run that saw them win in about every way possible, coming out victorious in a variety of methods including hot shooting, dominant big man play and stifling defense, among others. For how successful Michigan was in March, though, it was a run that was unexpected by many, especially after the inconsistency the Wolverines showed during the year, and few gave them a chance at accomplishing what they did. But even during those low points, all the evidence was there of Michigan’s capability to go on the run that it went on. The Wolverines just happened to put it all together in March. *** Back in November, Michigan traveled to New York City to play in the 2K Classic. The Wolverines shot lights out — over 50 percent in both games — en route to victories over Marquette and Southern Methodist, two teams that would make the NCAA Tournament as No. 10 and No. 6 seeds, respectively, on the way to a 2K Classic title. It was the first piece of evidence that Michigan was capable of being the team it has been the last three weeks.

EVAN AARON/Daily

Michigan coach John Beilein teaches his players to catch the ball on two feet, and he has always seemed to know the importance of the fundamentals.

at Michigan, he teaches his players to catch the ball on two feet so that they’re balanced. His players don’t forget it. Two years ago, after the Wolverines ended a disappointing 16-16 season with a loss to Wisconsin in the Big Ten Tournament, thensophomore Sean Lonergan said: “We start off every single year reviewing how to pass and catch a ball. Catch on two feet. Pass with the seams so shooters can shoot. Everybody gets one-on-one instruction with them with their jump shot to make sure that you’re lifting up.” A few weeks before that, Javone Moore — who played for Beilein at Canisius and aided the coach’s first NCAA

Tournament run — said: “I remember every single thing he’s ever taught us. When you’re passing the ball, pass with two hands. When you’re catching the ball, give the guy a target with your outside hand so the guy can’t steal it.” Sean Lonergan and Javone Moore played for John Beilein two decades apart. But they both see the ideas behind Beilein’s practices. Asked again Saturday about his old coach’s tendencies, Moore said, “He understands that you need to have these little things before they become big.” And Lonergan, two years ago: “Regardless of where he’s coaching, you can just tell the minor details — and the thing is, with Coach B, they’re really

not so minor.” When practice would start with such a minor drill, Moore admits he used to wonder: What the hell are we doing this for? Fans often question Beilein, too. He took criticism this season, and some of it was fair. The 2013 Final Four run sure seemed like a long time ago when this year’s Michigan team gave up a 20-point lead against Virginia Tech, and when it started Big Ten play 1-3, and when it lost an ugly home game against Ohio State in early February. But Beilein taught his players to catch the ball on two feet, and he always seemed to know it was going to pay off in the end. Moore said Saturday, recalling his days with Beilein,

“He never has this panic. It’s almost like he sees things before they’re about to happen.” This season, more than ever, that rang true. Whenever this season was about to veer off, Beilein stabilized it. Remember when you say his teams “live by the three, die by the three,” that in the Wolverines’ miraculous Big Ten Tournament run, they shot 6-for-25 from behind the arc and still upset Purdue in overtime, then turned around and hit 10 triples in the title game against Wisconsin. Remember when you say Beilein can’t develop big men that he is coaching two future pros. Remember when you call his teams “soft” that this one survived everything it faced on

its way to the Sweet 16. If the two Big Ten titles, National Championship Game berth and Elite Eight trip in a three-year span weren’t enough, perhaps this season will serve as a reminder that Beilein’s ways still work. The season ended with one last second-guessed decision. With less than 10 seconds left in Thursday’s game and Oregon still up one, Beilein chose not to call timeout. Walton took the ball up, gained separation, stepped back and shot. Some said Beilein should have used the timeout to draw up a better play, but consider this: The Ducks had two fouls to give. Beilein said afterward he thought they would commit one and that he would have another chance to call a play. As it turned out, they didn’t, and Walton got his shot off. If you had asked Beilein when he woke up Thursday morning how he would feel about that night’s game coming down to his senior point guard taking a 3-pointer to win at the buzzer, I’m guessing he would have taken it. Of Beilein’s 1,289 college games, some have ended in shots like that. Some have gone in, and some haven’t. Trey Burke’s four years ago went in. Wilson’s did not. Neither did Walton’s. So the season is over, and the miss will sting for a while. But Beilein’s group will have another run at it next year. Perhaps it will lead somewhere, and perhaps it won’t. Perhaps it’ll even come down to another last-second shot. But rest assured: Whatever happens, it’s going to start with catching the ball on two feet. Lourim can be reached at jlourim@umich.edu and on Twitter @jakelourim.

The evidence was all there

ZOEY HOLMSTROM/Daily

Senior guard Derrick Walton Jr. and the Wolverines showcased that they had the potential for their NCAA Tournament run at multiple points earlier in the season.

Against SMU, Walton put up 23 points on 7-of-12 shooting from behind the arc, and it was on the back of fantastic shooting performances from Walton and Co. that carried the Wolverines to the Sweet 16. But, more importantly, Michigan played fantastic defense, holding both opponents under 40 percent shooting, while shutting down both teams’ big men. Most notably, the American Athletic Conference’s Player of the Year, Mustang forward Semi Oljeleye, who averaged 19 points per game this season, was held to just 13 points on 5-of-16 shooting. The tournament victory was the best evidence of Michigan’s capabilities, and the type of play that coach John Beilein referenced “getting back to” as the season progressed. The next piece of evidence came about a month later, when the Wolverines traveled to California to take on then-No. 2 UCLA.

Michigan shot a blistering 65.5 percent from the field — 75 percent from behind the arc — and kept up with one of the best shooting teams in the country, taking a 50-50 tie into the halftime break. While the Wolverines ran out of gas in the second half, losing 102-84, the game showed that Michigan was capable of sticking with the elite teams in the country, even if just for stretches at the time. It was invaluable experience that helped them, especially against another elite team in No. 10 Louisville in the second round of the NCAA Tournament, when the Wolverines climbed back from an eight-point halftime deficit to win. Michigan’s next piece of evidence came after the New Year, when Nebraska came to town. The Cornhuskers featured two guards in Tai Webster and Glynn Watson Jr., who like to push the pace.

In a game that featured littleto-no defense — Nebraska scored 1.232 points per possession, while the Wolverines scored 1.338 — Michigan prevailed by simply outscoring its opponent. It was a contest similar to the Wolverines’ NCAA Tournament first round game against Oklahoma State, and at home on Jan. 14, Michigan proved that it could win an offensive track meet. Sandwiched between the two big home victories against Indiana and Michigan State, in which the Wolverines showed their offensive prowess, Michigan traveled to East Lansing to take on Michigan State in a game that was the complete opposite. The Wolverines lacked energy and their offense stalled, shooting just 33.9 percent. But one player who didn’t lack energy was Walton, who finished with 24 points while no other Michigan player finished with more than 10. It was the first game that Walton carried the brunt of the

Wolverines’ scoring, while his teammates struggled. The game was the first piece of evidence that Walton could be the team’s primary scorer and kickstarted a two-month period of dominant play from Michigan’s senior point guard. While much of the evidence thus far in the season had been about the Wolverines’ offense, their improved defense was a key aspect of their March run. And on Feb. 16 against Wisconsin, that was on full display. With the Badgers sporting two dominant big men in forwards Nigel Hayes and Ethan Happ, Michigan was up to a tall task in defending the duo. In the first half, the Wolverines looked like they weren’t up to the task as Happ put up 18, looking unstoppable in the post. But in the second half, Michigan double teamed him, with much of the work going to sophomore forward Moritz

Wagner, redshirt sophomore forward DJ Wilson and senior wing Zak Irvin. With a new strategy, the Wolverines excelled, holding Happ to just four points in the second half. Irvin, especially, played great help defense on Happ, and it was the first evidence of what assistant coach Billy Donlon called his “elite defense” over the course of the last two months of the season. The last piece of evidence of Michigan’s capability of a March run came on Senior Day against Purdue. Wagner, going up against an elite big man duo of Big Ten Player of the Year Caleb Swanigan and 7-foot-2 center Isaac Haas, the Berlin, Germany native had himself a game, scoring 20 points in the first half, on his way to what was a career-high 24 points before he broke that record against Louisville. While there had been evidence of Wagner being able to score like he did against the Cardinals all year, it all came to fruition against Purdue. Wagner not only showed his 3-point shooting range, but also worked inside against the Boilermaker big men, as 15 of his 24 points in the paint. *** For much of the season, Michigan’s play has teetered between fantastic and belowaverage. The Wolverines have looked like world beaters against the best teams in the Big Ten, while looking lost against some of the Big Ten’s bottom feeders. And while it’s easy for people to overreact as the season progresses, sometimes the Wolverines just haven’t looked like the team capable of pulling off a March run. But more importantly, there were many times when they did look like a team that could play with the elite teams in the country. And in March, they finally put it all together. Doan can be reached at minhdoan@umich.edu and on Twitter @_minhdoan.

SportsMonday

The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

March 27, 2017 — 3B

Speight embracing new leadership role Wolverines take down WATER POLO

KEVIN SANTO

Managing Sports Editor

Wilton Speight is the guy, and he knows it. It has been a long time since a Michigan quarterback could say the same. For the first time since 2014, the Wolverines know who will be taking their snaps behind center come next fall prior to spring practice. With that certainty has come new confidence for Speight. Last year, the redshirt sophomore quarterback stepped into an offense laden with veterans like senior wide receivers Amara Darboh and Jehu Chesson and senior tight end Jake Butt. They were established playmakers, and that allowed Speight to come along slower than he may have had he stepped into a starting position on a more inexperienced offense. Even beyond that, Speight had the fortune of playing behind an offensive line that featured four returning starters and could easily alleviate the pressure placed on Speights’ shoulders — especially in the opening slate that featured Hawaii and Central Florida. But this year, Speight is the one running the show, expected to contribute on the same level that his veteran teammates once did. No longer is Speight the one benefitting from the experience around him — he’s the man expected to provide that experience. Still, Speight is already embracing the leadership role commonly associated with his position. “I wouldn’t say (he’s) more vocal, you can just tell,” said senior center Mason Cole. “You know, if you watch him last year during practice and watch him this year during practice he’s just got so much more confidence coming into

the huddle. Just watching him as an individual and watching him run on and off the field, he’s got a little swagger to him — I know he doesn’t seem like that — but he’s got a little swagger to him.” The changes have come in dimensions other than his approach to leadership, though. In Michigan’s season-ending 33-32 loss to Florida State in the Orange Bowl, Speight played at 254 pounds. Since then, Speight has lost 20 pounds through conditioning and diet. Cutting weight was a collective decision made between Speight and Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh. “More speed, quicker feet in the pocket, I just feel healthier

— feel like I’ve got a little more pep in my step,” Speight said. “I feel like — I just did a four hour practice — I could probably do another four hour practice right now. That was not the case toward the end of the season.” What’s more, after playing the final two games of the 2015-16 season injured, Speight is feeling 100 percent healthy for the first time since taking the field against Iowa on Nov. 12. Still, there are going to be plenty of obstacles as Speight moves forward through spring practice and into Michigan’s season opener. As Michigan’s quarterback described, toward the end of last year, he constantly knew where Darboh, Chesson

“He’s just got so much more confidence in the huddle.”

or Butt would be on certain routes. Now, with the three biggest contributors of the receiving corps headed to the NFL, Speight is tasked with catalyzing an offense full of fresh faces. He’s not afraid to rely on the veterans that are left to help reduce that learning curve — and he certainly has ample young talent in Donovan Peoples-Jones, Eddie McDoom, Kekoa Crawford and Tarik Black — but Speight’s new desire to lead will be a significant determinant of the Wolverines’ success. “It’s not like a, ‘Oh I hope we can mature and get to the point where we need to be,’ ” Speight said. “It’s more so, ‘OK I’ve got to make sure that we get to the point that we need to be.’ “And lead these guys on the field, and in the classroom, up in (Schembechler Hall), and up on campus — and just doing all the right things to show this is the way we do things.”

AMELIA CACCHIONE/Daily

Redshirt junior quarterback Wilton Speight has adopted a new confidence as a leader in spring practice.

Indiana on Senior Day ZACH GAN

Daily Sports Writer

Three years ago, the Michigan water polo team’s future looked bleak. An early exit in the Collegiate Water Polo Association tournament prompted a coaching change, leading some members of the team to transfer and go to a team with better potential. The then-freshmen — who are now seniors — knew it was up to them to steer the team in the right direction. Fast forward to March 25th, 2017, and those seniors were now playing in their last game in Canham Natatorium. On Senior Day, No. 7 Michigan thrashed No. 15 Indiana (0-1 CWPA, 13-7 overall), 11-6, in a game the Wolverines never trailed. Michigan (1-0, 18-8) opened up conference play in dominant fashion, with three players scoring multiple goals. The Wolverines came out firing early Saturday, as sophomore attacker Julia Sellers scored just 51 seconds into the game. Indiana quickly responded following a Michigan exclusion, tying the score at 1-1. But after a lob shot from sophomore defender Kim Johnson landed in the back of the net with five minutes left in the first quarter, Michigan took control for good, scoring six unanswered goals. “I thought we were super explosive,” said Michigan coach Marcelo Leonardi. “The game plan was to attack certain people who defensively weren’t as athletic as us.” Sellers and Johnson were the guiding force behind the Wolverines’ victory, as they each recorded hat-tricks on the day. Freshman utility player Maddy Steere scored twice. In front of friends and family, it was only fitting that senior center Allison Skaggs and senior utility

player Danielle Johnson each scored goals in their final game at Canham. “It felt like we just dominated the entire game,” Johnson said. “There was never a moment where I was afraid we were going to lose.” Added Skaggs: “It’s an incredible feeling. . . . My team did a really nice job of making us feel really special.” Skaggs and Johnson were part of a sophomore class that welcomed Leonardi with open arms upon his arrival three years ago. They were, in essence, his “first class”. “I feel like I’ve grown up with them,” Leonardi said. “I feel like they’ve made me better as a coach, and I’ve helped them forge their pathways as a student athlete.” The Wolverines’ six seniors were the ones who decided to stick it out and stay at Michigan when others transferred their sophomore year. “We had a rough freshman year . . . but I think that’s what makes our senior class so strong,” Skaggs said. “We all stuck together. We wanted to stay at Michigan. “. . . When Marcelo came in it was definitely a culture shock and a change but it was for the better.” Added Leonardi: “This is the group that stayed and still believed in what we were trying to build.” That senior class has accounted for 87 wins and a 19-5 conference record in four years at Michigan. In 2016, the Wolverines took home a CWPA championship and finished fourth at the NCAA championship — the first time a team east of California ever made the semifinals. With one month until the conference championship, the class that stuck together still has work to do. “We’re here,” Johnson noted. “And we’re ready to win.”

Betsa throws fifth career no-hitter Michigan drops Big Ten opener MAX MARCOVITCH Daily Sports Writer

After getting the final Penn State hitter to ground out in Sunday’s 17-0 rout, senior righthander Megan Betsa turned and pointed to her sophomore second baseman Faith Canfield as she trotted off the field. Betsa had just recorded her fifth career no-hitter, but as she high-fived her teammates before shaking hands with the Nittany Lions, she didn’t even crack a smile. As far as no-hitters go, Sunday’s was about as nonchalant as they come. “I actually didn’t know today,” Betsa said. “I actually didn’t feel as good today as I have felt in previous games.” Eight days prior, Betsa no-hit Kent State in the same circle at Alumni Field. In between, she has been as dominant as they come. In that span, including both no-hitters, Betsa hasn’t allowed a run while striking out 59 batters and walking just seven in her 29 innings of work. After Friday night’s 3-0 shutout of the Nittany Lions, Michigan coach Carol Hutchins complimented her ace while

remaining critical of her team’s offensive effort. “We’re fortunate to win the game in my opinion,” Hutchins said on Friday. We win the game because of Megan Betsa.” On Sunday, though, Betsa got her fair share of help. The Wolverines’ offense erupted, plating 17 runs in just four innings at the dish. “We got more patient at the plate,” Hutchins said. “Once you get a couple runs and you get some people get some big RBIs, it frees everyone else up and they don’t feel the pressure. In a 0-0 game, there’s pressure — all perceived pressure.” Katie Alexander got the hit parade going, with a double that snuck inside the left-field line to drive in Canfield for the first run of the game. Junior first baseman Tera Blanco then followed that up, sitting back on a fastball and turning on the pitch to send a no-doubt, three-run shot over the left-field wall. The home run was a positive sign for Blanco, who now has two home runs in her last four games and has generated more solid contact recently. That would do it for Penn State’s short-lived starting

MARINA ROSS/Daily

Senior right-hander Megan Betsa threw her second no-hitter in eight days.

pitcher, Marlaina Laubach, who was removed after recording only one out. The Wolverines would go on to bat around in the inning and score five times, and are now averaging 2.7 runs in the last seven games in the opening frame. Additionally, Michigan has scored in the first inning in five of its last seven games. “Especially when you’re up in the series, they’re just trying to get a game from you, (scoring in the first inning) puts a stake in it,” Hutchins said. “You could feel that Penn State was pretty deflated after the first inning. It was important. There’s nothing like getting your lead-off hitter on base.” After being held scoreless in the second inning, the Wolverines’ offense — which was relentless on the day — put another eight runs on the scoreboard. The inning was highlighted by a bases-loaded bloop double off the bat of Canfield that scored three runs. The double was her sixth hit and accounted for her fifth and sixth RBI of the weekend. The production is nothing new for Canfield, who has enjoyed a breakout campaign atop the Michigan lineup. She has arguably been the most consistent hitter for the Wolverines all season, with her average now sitting at .359 and 22 RBI. And the runs just kept coming. Four more in the fourth inning brought the total to 17 on the day, a new season high for the Wolverines. The blowout was a collective team effort, as 11 players had at least one hit for Michigan and eight contributed at least one RBI. But this day, just as many have recently, belonged to Betsa. In the eight days since the no-hitter against Kent State, Betsa has seemed unbothered by any adversity thrown her way. Midweek back tightness didn’t seem to faze her. Sparce run support on Friday didn’t stop her from throwing a shutout gem. And on Sunday, not even a 30-minute delay and a rainsoaked Alumni Field could slow down the red-hot Betsa.

HUNTER SHARF Daily Sports Writer

Headed into its first Big Ten series of the season against Maryland, the No. 18 Michigan baseball team knew it had a daunting task ahead of it – the Terrapins (2-1 Big Ten, 15-8 overall) were selected to win the Big Ten in the preseason coaches poll. Maryland’s roster has a plethora of talent led by its pitching staff – the Terrapins rank 25th in the NCAA with a 3.02 strikeout-towalk ratio and 30th in the nation with 9.5 strikeouts per nine innings. Michigan coach Erik Bakich – who coached the Terrapins from 2009 to 2012 – was prepared for the tall task Maryland presented on the field, as well as the hostile environment in which the Wolverines would be playing: “It’s College Park,” Bakich said on WTKA before the series. “Terp fans are going to be out, and it’s going to be a good test.” In the first game of the series, Michigan (1-2, 17-6) turned to its ace, junior left-hander Oliver Jaskie. While Jaskie was dominant in some aspects – he struck out 10 batters out of his 19 total outs – the Terrapin batters ultimately got the best of the lefty, recording five runs in his 6.1 innings pitched. After surrendering a firstinning solo home run, Jaskie’s struggles continued in the second. Following a sacrifice fly that increased the lead to 2-0, Maryland blew the game open with a three-run homer by catcher Justin Morris. The Wolverines came on strong in the top of the third, scoring two runs off a double down the left-field line from senior shortstop Michael Brdar. However, Michigan was unable to manufacture any more runs, falling 7-2. Looking for revenge in game two, the Wolverines got on the scoreboard early, scoring a run off an RBI triple by junior third baseman Drew Lugbauer in the top of the first. Nevertheless, Maryland matched Michigan’s run with one of its own in the bottom half of the inning. The Terrapins’ comeback efforts became the theme of the

game. The Wolverines added a run in both the second and fourth innings off of two sac hits by sophomore second basemen Ako Thomas. However, Maryland answered with two runs of its own in the bottom of the fourth, making it 3-3. When Michigan scored a run in the top of the fifth, the Terrapins responded with a run in the bottom of the sixth. Tied at four apiece in the bottom of the eighth, Maryland left fielder Madison Nickens hit a sac fly that produced the eventual game-winning score, 5-4. Despite the loss, the Wolverines’ pitchers were again impressive with 12 strikeouts. In the final game of the series, Michigan’s pitching was again able to blow the ball past the Terrapins – striking out eight batters. Furthermore, the offense was able to provide run support, something that had been limited in the previous two games. Tied at one in the top of the fourth, the Wolverines took their first commanding lead of the series. With the bases loaded, senior centerfielder Johnny Slater scored on a passed ball. Michigan produced another run off an RBI single up the middle from

sophomore left fielder Miles Lewis and recorded a third run coming off of a wild pitch, increasing the lead to 4-1. The Wolverines never surrendered that lead, winning 6-2. Despite the two losses, Michigan struck out an impressive 30 batters throughout the series – an average of 10 per game. For comparison, South Florida – the team that ranks first in the nation in strikes per game – averages 11.3 strikeouts per game. On offense, Lugbauer continued his hot streak. The slugger went 6-for-11 in the series, including his first three-hit game of the year. “We have a lot of guys that invest a lot of time into their swing,” Bakich said. “I don’t know anyone that invests more time, works harder at their game than Drew Lugbauer.” While it was disappointing to lose the series, Bakich quickly pointed out that what really matters is how the team improves from it throughout the rest of the season. “The only rankings that mean anything are the final ones,” Bakich said. “Even the in-season rankings don’t mean jack squat. The only ranking that matters is how you finish at the end.”

AARON BAKER/Daily

Junior third baseman Drew Lugbauer went 6-for-11 against Maryland.

SportsMonday

4B — March 27, 2017

ANSAS CITY, Mo. — Everyone called them a Cinderella team. Everyone except the Wolverines. After the plane accident two weeks ago, the practice uniforms and the Big Ten Tournament BETELHEM title run, the ASHAME Michigan men’s basketball team was living a dream. In those four days, the Wolverines blew out Illinois, knocked off Purdue, escaped from Minnesota and ran past Wisconsin. Just like that, they opened their postseason 4-0 and had a trophy to show for it. But that run started much earlier than Wednesday. It started in New York City. Back in November, Michigan beat Marquette and SMU by a combined 40 points and captured a 2K Classic Championship at Madison Square Garden. Against the Golden Eagles, five Wolverines reached double-digit point tallies, none of whom were named Derrick Walton Jr. or Moritz Wagner. Against the Mustangs, seniors Walton and Zak Irvin scored a combined 51 points. As a team, Michigan held both opponents under 40 percent shooting from the floor and from beyond the arc. Just like that, the Wolverines opened their season 4-0 and had a trophy to show for it. The start of the Big Ten season couldn’t have been any more different. Though Michigan had bright spots in two late wins and two blowouts, the Wolverines lost their other six games. With a 4-6 record after a loss to Ohio State on Feb. 4, Michigan

Just like that officially hit rock bottom. That opening run filled with so much optimism for the upcoming year looked like it had reached its permanent conclusion. But in Ann Arbor three days later, that run began again. Starting with a blowout win over Michigan State and ending with a blowout win over Nebraska, the Wolverines changed the course of their entire season. Ripping off a 6-2 stretch — highlighted by upsets over then-No. 11 Wisconsin and then-No. 14 Purdue — Michigan finished its regular season with a 10-8 record. Its only losses during that span came to Minnesota in overtime and to Northwestern on a buzzerbeater. The Wolverines entered the Big Ten Tournament as a No. 8 seed. They didn’t play like it.

Then they entered the NCAA Tournament as a No. 7 seed. The cycle repeated in Indianapolis. Against No. 10 seed Oklahoma State, Michigan put up some of its highest numbers of the season. Twenty-six points for Walton, 19 for DJ Wilson and 16 for both Irvin and Muhammad-Ali AbdurRahkman. With an 11-for-15 performance from beyond the arc in the second half, the Wolverines pulled off the 92-91 win. Against No. 2 seed Louisville, Michigan received comparable contributions from its key players. Twenty-six points for Wagner, 17 for Wilson, 11 for Irvin and 10 for Walton. Earning the edge in second-half points at 45-33, the Wolverines came back for the 73-69 win. Michigan headed to Kansas

ZOEY HOLMSTROM/Daily

The Michigan men’s basketball team’s dream run ended Thursday.

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WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

City for the Sweet 16 on a sixgame winning streak. Beating No. 3 seed Oregon would be no easy task, but neither was the run that brought them there. Everyone called them a Cinderella team. Everyone except the Wolverines. “Our team is doing a great job with limiting distractions,” Irvin said. “Because I think it’s so easy right now to get off track and just lose focus, and I think our leadership and our seniors have done a great job with that. “It’s been a heck of a run that we’re on, and we’re playing really well right now. We just don’t want it to end.” But Thursday night, the magic came to an end. So too did Michigan’s season. Against the Ducks, Walton and Irvin combined for 39 points. Irvin hit a 3-pointer to take a 64-63 lead with 3:35 remaining, and Walton hit another to take a 68-65 lead with just 2:02 left. The Wolverines scored 35 points in the second half to Oregon’s 34. But Wagner, Wilson and Abdur-Rahkman scored just 21 points. Michigan’s defense allowed four Ducks to hit double figures. In the end, the 3-pointers didn’t come in time, and the second-half surge never came. Walton’s shot at the buzzer fell short, and the Wolverines walked away losing 69-68. “The kids fought their hearts out this whole season, but particularly this last six weeks to be more than a story,” said Michigan coach John Beilein. “It was a great team.” But Thursday night, the story came to an end. So too did Michigan’s season. Just like that. Ashame can be reached at ashabete@umich.edu or on Twitter @betelhem_ ashame. Please be kind.

Thompson takes top spot as assists leader LANEY BYLER

Daily Sports Editor

The aftermath was pretty laid-back. There were few reporters in the press room following the Michigan women’s basketball team’s win over Virginia Tech on Saturday. The Wolverines had just stomped the Hokies in the quarterfinal round of the Women’s National Invitation Tournament, 80-62, at Crisler Center. The win earned Michigan a spot in the semifinals against either Villanova or Indiana, the latter of whom it split a Big Ten series with earlier this year. Multiple Wolverines played a starring role in helping Michigan achieve the feat. But the spotlight belonged to senior point guard Siera Thompson. During the second half of the game, Thompson was recognized as the all-time assists leader in program history. The arena was drowned in applause while celebratory nudges and pats on the back were given to the senior as she sat on the bench with a smile on her face. “I knew how many I needed, but I tried not to focus on that and focus on the game,” Thompson said. “It’s still on the back of your mind and something you think about and something I wanted to accomplish. All my teammates are just so encouraging and happy for me. Without them I wouldn’t get assists, so it’s really them. They’re always pumping me up and so happy for me, and I’m so happy I was able to do it here at Crisler in front of the fans.” The moment ended almost as quickly as it had started, though, as the arena focused

its attention back on the Wolverines, who pulled farther and farther away from Virginia Tech. Thompson finished the game with five assists, putting her career total at 540 for the top spot in Michigan history. She also recorded eight points, eight boards and two steals. “My past three years here, I’ve always looked up to Siera,” Flaherty said. “She’s such a great scorer but puts the team first and distributes the ball so well. I mean, I’ve said so many times that I would be nowhere without her on the court. “I really appreciate everything she’s done for this team, and I think she’s the main reason why we are as good as we are.” The previous best had been in the hands of Anne Thorius, who had 537 at the end of the 1997-98 season. Thompson has already surpassed that total by three, and still has the remainder of the Wolverines’ run in the tournament to record more. As a senior, Thompson has made her mark on the program that will go down in statistical history. But for her teammates and coaches, the impact was more personal. “She was pretty incredible today, on the verge of a tripledouble, not too far away,” said Michigan coach Kim Barnes Arico. “But just, what she has meant to our program and what she has meant to me, personally, has just been really, really, really special. She came in four years ago and the ball was put in her hand, and she has just led our team to places it (has) never been before. “She’s had bumps in the road and continues to persevere and continues to fight through, and she’s just one of the most incredible kids I know. I’m glad to be her coach.”

Hurst poised for breakout year Brown looks for starter at VIPER BETELHEM ASHAME Managing Sports Editor

Nineteen Wolverines took center stage at Oosterbaan Field House in front of representatives from all 32 NFL teams. Despite such a high turnout for the Michigan football team’s Pro Day, there was one notable absence. Fifth-year senior defensive tackle Maurice Hurst decided to return to the Wolverines for the 2017-18 season though he had generated interest from NFL scouts. Still, he showed up Friday to watch his teammates work out for a chance to chase their dreams at the next level. He could have been one of them. For a moment, he wished he was. “It was kind of tough watching all of the guys work out without being there, just from all the stuff we’ve been through for the past four years,” Hurst said. “I wish I could have been out there with them working, but I was really excited to watch them and watch them do well and excel and just hear all of the good things the coaches had to say about them. “I’m so happy about my decision and I’m looking forward to the season.” With the loss of fifth-year seniors Chris Wormley, Ryan Glasgow and Matt Godin and senior Taco Charlton, Hurst will be relied upon to anchor Michigan’s defensive line this year. Backing up that quartet last season — alongside rising sophomore defensive end Rashan Gary, rising senior defensive end Chase Winovich and rising senior defensive tackle Bryan Mone — Hurst accumulated 34 tackles (including 11.5 for loss), 4.5 sacks, one pass breakup, one fumble recovery and one forced fumble. When speaking with NFL representatives Friday, Hurst learned that he still had room to grow. “Just consistency and production is mainly the two

things that were sort of brought mentor to Michigan’s relatively up,” Hurst said. “(I) definitely inexperienced defensive corps. ORION SANG have a big year ahead, just Though he admitted that he is Daily Sports Editor make the most of it.” typically a quiet individual who This season, Hurst will have prefers to lead by example, he Youth. That is the first thing that comes his first taste of the starting understands the significance lineup, and an opportunity to of stepping up as a more vocal to mind when describing this make a difference on every leader. year’s Michigan football team, and especially so when it comes to the single snap. Though he will “Just making sure the young have to adjust to playing more guys get it and make sure they defensive side of the ball. minutes, he won’t have to adjust understand how the work is The Wolverines return just one starter — fifth-year senior to a new defensive system. supposed to be done and make After turning the Wolverines sure that they do it the right linebacker Mike McCray — from into the top-ranked defense way,” Hurst said. “… It means last year’s No. 1 defense. After being one of the most experienced teams in the country, defensive a lot to me to be able to lead coordinator Don Brown earned them and have an inf luence in all of college football last year, a new five-year contract for on them and make sure they’re it will be amongst the youngest this year — although that isn’t a $1.4 million per season. With doing everything that they’re problem for defensive coordinator his return, Michigan can focus supposed to.” on continuing its growth from While watching on the Don Brown. last year as opposed to learning sidelines Friday as his Entering his second year at Michigan, Brown took some time a new scheme. teammates made their mark “I don’t think people at Pro Day could have made to reminisce, one day before the understand how much of him feel like he missed out on official start of spring practice. a difference that makes,” a golden opportunity, Hurst “I went back and watched practice No. 3 of spring last year,” Hurst said. “Just the same realizes that same opportunity terminology, the same faces, might still lie before him. Brown. “I was like, ‘Holy moly! What was that?’ We’re just so the same people coaching you, As Hurst put it: “Decision’s different.” it makes such a big difference made, so now it’s just make the for us. It really helps a lot of best of the situation that I’m in Speaking with the media Friday night shortly after the conclusion of people. I’m able to look at a lot and just continue to work and the first spring practice, Brown was of stuff that the linebackers play well.” do in the secondary and able to learn the defense more holistically.” As good as the Wolverines’ secondary — led by redshirt sophomore Jabrill Peppers and senior Jourdan Lewis — was last season, the defensive line was considered “the focal point”, as Hurst attested. He will be expected to help maintain that trend, especially with the abundance of youth that populates the front seven. While Brown will certainly rely on his front four to establish the run of play, he also wants them to be able to take risks and trust that the secondary will have them covered. Hurst, who is comfortable in the playmaker role, was excited to learn that his coach wants him to take more chances. “That’s something that I love to do,” Hurst said. “I love to make plays. That’s something that I look forward to.” On top of his performances on the field, Hurst’s most important AMELIA CACCHIONE/Daily role next season could be as a Michigan defensive coordinator Don Brown has a young but talented defense.

clearly enthused about the potential of his young defense. He singled out players from every defensive unit, from freshman defensive end Donovan Jeter, to senior linebacker Mike Wroblewski, to sophomore defensive backs Khaleke Hudson and Josh Metellus. The latter two, along with junior Jordan Glasgow, figure to play important roles in replacing one of the main cogs of Michigan’s defense last year: Jabrill Peppers. Peppers was the starter at the VIPER position last season — a hybrid linebacker-safety role of sorts that involved attacking the line of scrimmage while occasionally taking on coverage responsibilities. He enjoyed a breakout season at the position, racking up 72 total tackles, 16 tackles for loss and four sacks while earning a trip to New York for the Heisman Trophy ceremony. Replacing Peppers will be a two-fold problem for Brown and Michigan. On one hand, Peppers happened to be one of the “brightest” players Brown has ever been around. “I’d see the hand go up, and I’d know, ‘Hey, you better have your stuff together because this question’s gonna have some substance to it,’ ” Brown said. “So he’d have his couple questions and when you told him once, it was over, it was done and it was handled. We really asked a lot of him mentally.” Brown also praised the athleticism of Peppers — who wowed evaluators with his testing numbers at the NFL Draft Combine earlier this month. Brown specifically cited head coach Jim Harbaugh’s description of Peppers as the “best tackler in the country” as one of the traits that made him so special to his defense. “You know how many calls I’ve gotten this winter?” Brown said. “ ‘I’m the next Jabrill Peppers!’ No, you’re not. … He’s a unique talent, and I thought we did as good a job as possible trying to use him as much as we could. Like I told you before, we just gave him a bunch of jobs, moved him around and tried to complicate people’s worlds, and I thought that was fairly effective for us.” While Brown acknowledged

there would be “tweaking” to the VIPER position as he compensates for the lack of Peppers’ physical and mental acumen, he was clear in stating the importance of the position in his scheme. Brown pointed out that Michigan’s schedule next year is laden with teams that employ spread offenses, and in his defense, the VIPER plays a large role in slowing down such attacks. In Hudson, Metellus and Glasgow, Brown has a trio of young but talented players who may fit the bill at Peppers’ vacated spot. According to Brown, Hudson played at the VIPER during the first practice Friday, while Glasgow had some time at the spot as well. And Metellus, who started in place of an injured Peppers against Florida State in the Orange Bowl, may yet receive his shot at earning this year’s starting job. “I’m going to let (Metellus) look at it, and we’re going to rotate through it,” Brown said. “... When Khaleke is there at the VIPER, we leave Josh at the strong safety position and Jaylen (Kelly-Powell is) with him. I’ve even toyed with the idea of giving Jaylen some work there (at VIPER) but his world right now, things are happening so fast, let’s get him comfortable and settled at the ROVER position. But I can rotate those guys and feel pretty comfortable with it.” Similar to last year’s third practice, there will undoubtedly be rougher moments in the future that cause consternation. But Brown is pleased with the combination of talent and youth that he has seen so far — such as in players like Hudson, who he described as having an arrow pointing up — as he continues to look for replacements for Peppers and the other vacated spots left by graduating seniors. “We’ll be settled and we’ll have our packages down and we’ll have a very, very solid group that’ll be able to compete at a high level despite the age,” Brown said. “I’m not worried about that at all. I’d rather be talented and young than the alternative — have a bunch of veterans and you’re going, ‘Oh my god, what am I going to do?’ So I’ll take the alternative and be happy with it.”