FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2019 • VOL. 123, ISS. 34
THESUNFLOWER.COM
WICHITA STATE UNIVERSITY’S INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER SINCE 1896.
KEEPING IT IN-HOUSE
Regent’s company corners the marked on student housing
DECEMBER 2018 DECEMBER 2015 JANUARY 2015
WSU announces plans to consider another residence hall that would be built on Innovation Campus
AUGUST 2014
Shocker Hall opens, phasing out Wheatshocker Apartments and Brennan Hall as on-campus housing options
After surveying more than 1,500 WSU students in a university-commissioned study, an independent firm recommends phasing out Fairmount Towers and opening a new housing option on Innovation Campus
JUNE 15, 2015
Murfin’s company, MWCB, LLC, is awarded a universityowned dorm project on Innovation Campus
JUNE 16, 2015
Gov. Sam Brownback appoints David Murfin to the Kansas Board of Regents; The Wichita Eagle reports that WSU is not moving forward with construction on another dorm
FEBRUARY 2017
DECEMBER 2017
WSU officials announce the university will manage The Flats, even though Murfin’s company was originally supposed to; The Flats begins leasing rooms with priority to WSU students
JUNE 25, 2016
The Regents approve a lease that will allow Murfin’s company to develop and operate The Flats private apartment complex on Innovation Campus
KBOR approves WSU proposal to nearly double the amount the university pays to Murfin’s company; KBOR approves The Suites, a lower-priced residence hall to be developed by Murfin’s company
JULY 14, 2017
With The Flats below 20 percent occupancy, WSU announces without KBOR approval that it will close university-owned Fairmount Towers and move the roughly 300 students who signed up to live there to The Flats (relocated students still pay the cheaper Fairmount Towers rate)
KBOR approves rate increases for both Shocker Hall and The Flats, approves rates at The Suites that are comparable to Shocker Hall (which will become a freshman-only facility when The Suites open in fall 2019
AUGUST 2018
Students moving into The Flats pay an increased rate, and students relocated from university housing in 2017 can no longer pay the cheaper Fairmount Towers rate
Since David Murfin became a member of the Kansas Board of Regents in 2015, a company he partially owns has developed two on-campus private housing options BY MATTHEW KELLY
W
ichita State called off plans for more university-owned on-campus housing the same day David Murfin was named a member of the Kansas Board of Regents. Two years later, when Murfin was chairman of the board, WSU decided to lease space at the mostly empty private apartment complex developed by Murfin’s company. Murfin is one of four prominent Wichita businessmen with 25 percent ownership of The Flats of Kansas, LLC, the development company WSU is leasing The Flats private apartment complex from. Starting
next school year, — the same four men WSU will lease who would go on to own another Innovation The Flats of Kansas, LLC. Campus residence In a June 15, 2015 email hall — The to the company’s owners, Suites — from WSU Assistant Director Murfin’s company. of Purchasing Kim Two aging Sowell announced that MURFIN housing facilities a selection committee had were shuttered chosen them to develop when university-owned the residence hall. Sowell cited Shocker Hall opened in 2014. “significant concerns” related By early 2015, WSU was conto the cost of the project, but sidering a residence hall for wrote that “We look forward to Innovation Campus, which working with you as we attempt was still in its infancy. to produce a viable project.” One of four firms to submit The next day, Republican development proposals for the Gov. Sam Brownback project to WSU was MWCB, appointed Murfin, a longtime LLC, a company owned by political ally, to the board of Murfin, Steve Crossland, Nestor regents, which oversees and Weigand Jr., and Steve Barrett regulates state universities.
On the same day, The Eagle reported that WSU would not move forward with plans to construct the Innovation Campus residence hall. That summer, WSU commissioned a private firm to conduct a campus housing study. After surveying more than 1,500 students, the firm concluded that WSU should phase out 50-year-old Fairmount Towers and open a new housing option on Innovation Campus. The study identified cost as the most important factor in determining student interest in additional housing. It also outlined two financing options for a residence hall — a university-owned option and a public-private partnership.
University revenue would increase under the public-private option, but student rent would also be 16 percent higher, the study found. The study was released in December 2015. In April 2016, MWCB, LLC drafted a letter of intent to build a private apartment complex that the company would “own and operate.” “As members of this community, we are especially invested in helping Wichita State University thrive as a successful economic driver in the region,” read the letter, signed by Murfin and the other co-owners. SEE IN-HOUSE PAGE 3
Thursday classes cancelled after icy sidewalks lead to injuries — and salty students BY ANDREW LINNABARY
SELENA FAVELA/THE SUNFLOWER
Students walk to class Wednesday. Icy conditions have plagued students this week.
Madalyn Temaat hurried to her 9:30 Moral Issues class Wednesday morning, running behind because of the icy road conditions. Temaat had parked across 17th Street, so she had to cautiously trek toward campus. Then she slipped. It was black ice. It looked just like wet pavement to her. The fall hurt, and she cut up her hand, she said. But she tried to brush off the injury, focusing instead on class. “I didn’t think I had hurt anything [besides my hand],” said Temaat, a pre-nursing sophomore.
But by Wednesday night, she was having trouble sitting, with pain creeping up her lower back, she said. Icy sidewalks led to dozens of falls, slides and other embarrassing moments on campus Tuesday and Wednesday, and with sleet and snow bearing down on campus Wednesday evening, Wichita State cancelled Thursday classes. Two icy injuries were reported to police Tuesday. But there were many more slip ups. Frustrated students used social media to send WSU their thoughts on having to brave the ice on the way to Wednesday classes. And on campus
Wednesday afternoon, students were equally frustrated in person. One student, marketing sophomore Alessandra Salazar, said “WSU never properly handles ice.” “They always just do the main sidewalks,” Salazar said.w Molly Wright, a biological sciences sophomore, said the main issue is WSU “doesn’t salt ramps.” “I’m able-bodied, but people who aren’t — how are they expected to get to class?” But Chloe La Combe, a business sophomore, said WSU handles ice and snow better than her old college — Bethel College.
SEE ICY PAGE 3
INSIDE
COFFEE DONE RIGHT
HIGH EXPECTATIONS
B-BALL SCHOLARSHIP
EP showcases higher recording quality without sacrificing Old News’ sound.
Leslie’s Coffee Company serves up a great cup in a lovely environment.
Shocker Softball kicks off the season as a nationally recognized program.
Walk-on Eli Farrakhan was surprised with a basketball scholarship Monday.
CULTURE • PAGE 3
CULTURE • PAGE 3
SPORTS • PAGE 4
SPORTS • PAGE 4
LOCAL MUSIC
OPINION
2 | FRIDAY, FEB. 8, 2019
Me, you, and the stars between us
www.thesunflower.com
THE STAFF EDITORIAL
Editor in Chief Matthew Kelly Digital Managing Editor Andrew Linnabary Visual Managing Editor Madeline Deabler Culture Editor John Darr Opinion Editor Austin May Sports Editor Evan Pflugradt Photo Editor Selena Favela Sports Photo Editor Joseph Barringhaus
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ADVISING
Faculty Adviser Amy DeVault
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Send letters to the editor to editor@thesunflower.com or submit at thesunflower.com. Please keep letters to 400 words or less. All letters are edited for clarity and length. Please include your name, WSU affiliation and a phone number for verification purposes.
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shocker
street speak
How do you stay warm?
KNOWING YOUR ASTROLOGY
I
like to think that everything is connected — the stars, the sky, the planets, the moon, the sun, me, you. We are all primarily composed of the same carbon, oxygen, and hydrogen building blocks. Every living being is made out of the exact same atoms as the planets and stars in the sky. In an essence, we’re created from shuffled stardust. If everything is just a part of one greater whole, it’s safe to assume that we all might have an unseen relationship to one another. That’s where astrology comes in. The beliefs behind astrology have been around since the dawn of humanity and have popped in and out of history ever since. Before the scientific method was developed, humans truly believed that the planets were gods in the sky — wreaking havoc on humans as they pleased. This ideal gradually transitioned into the theory of astrology, which has made a mega comeback in the last year. In modern astrology, there are three main signs you should be concerned about — your sun, moon, and rising sign. The twelve sun signs, based on birthdays, are the most popular and well-known signs (technically there are 13 of them, but everyone pretends Ophiuchus doesn’t exist.) Sun signs represent your most basic identity and core values. If sun signs function as plot
ELLA DOMINGUEZ COLUMNIST
summaries, rising signs function as book covers. They relate to the outer version of the self. They might describe the way you express yourself through style, casual relationships, or day-to-day personality. Moon signs, then, are like an “about the author” section. They represent the emotional self. Moon signs relate to version of yourself you are most likely to show only your loved ones. It’s the voice inside your head. Moon and rising signs are tricky to calculate, so your best bet is to find the exact time and place of your birth and enter it into an online astrology calculator that will give you your whole birth chart. A birth chart is basically a screenshot of the sky at the exact moment you took your first breath on this planet. It accounts for the degrees of every planet in our solar system, the signs those planets fall in, and the houses each planet is in also. It’s a massive amount of
information to decipher. Just like sun, moon, and rising signs, each planet symbolizes something. In some more famous examples, Venus is the planet of love and Mars is the planet of war. Knowing your planetary placements is extremely beneficial. Astrological houses dive into a whole other level on complexity on the spectrum. In the most basic of senses, there are twelve houses and each house represents a different aspect of modern life. In each case, you can draw connections between signs, planetary positions, and houses to discover more and more in-depth reading about your inclinations. Astrology is basically emotional math. Apps such as Costar can help any budding astrology addict understand their chart in a simplified manner, but in reality, astrology charts are soaking with information and it can take months of studying to truly be able to read it. Modern astrology is one huge personality analysis. Similar to a Myers-Briggs test or a Harry Potter Sorting Hat quiz, astrology can tell you things about yourself that you didn’t realize, and give you necessary perspective on aspects of your life you’ve been missing. Pseudoscience or not, there is something so enticing and addictive about believing in a little magic in the sky.
“I drink hot tea and stay in bed when I can.” — AUBRAY DOWNIE, Pre-Nursing, Sophomore
“I try to walk really fast to class.” — KYLE WEED, Finance, Sophomore
“Layer up!”
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— ESMERALDA PINEDA, Pre-Dental Hygene, Sophomore
‘Why do we need a new business school when the grad students teaching our classes are on food stamps?’ Wayne Woolsey has dropped a $50 million dollar business school in our laps and asked if we’ll kindly pay for it. He won’t pay for it with his hoarded wealth — God forbid he pay for it with his taxes. Instead, he wants it paid for with fees that grad students don’t get remission for, that many grants and scholarships don’t cover. He wants it paid for by the WSU Foundation, which has raised $30 million towards it that could go to other improvements around campus. According to The Wichita Eagle, before he went into oil, Wayne Woolsey quit his teaching job. The $127 dollars he received for a month’s work, he says, “wasn’t enough to live on.” Adjusted for inflation, that same paycheck would buy you as much as $1300 would today. That’s more than a full-time minimum wage worker makes, and that’s more than many Wichita State graduate students make.
LETTER TO THE EDITOR Why do we need a new business school when we could improve the buildings we have? Why do we need a new business school when the grad students teaching our classes are on food stamps? Why do we need a new business school when there’s an official food bank on campus for low-income students? We are being held hostage for the sake of an elderly oilman’s legacy, and we’re being told that it’s a hostage-led movement. We’re being shook down so Woolsey can put his name on a shiny new building. But, since that building
is being built anyway, I’d like to leave one final thought for the Woolsey’s as they ponder their legacy, a poem. (I am an English grad student, after all.) “Ozymandias,” by Percy Shelley I met a traveller from an antique land Who said: Two vast and trunkless legs of stone Stand in the desert... near them, on the sand, Half sunk, a shattered visage lies, whose frown, And wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command, Tell that its sculptor well those passions read Which yet survive, stamped on these lifeless things, The hand that mocked them and the heart that fed; ‘My name is Ozymandias, king of kings; Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!’ Nothing beside remains. Round the decay Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare The lone and level sands stretch far away — Dan Arndt English Graduate Student
Abolish ICE
Ice is the most polarizing issue impacting America today. Some support ice wholeheartedly, but many of us hold a grudge against it, remembering a friend or relative who took the fateful trip and had to get back on their feet. The chilling effect it has on families is immeasurable. No matter how you look at it, ice affects every person in this country — even the most cold-hearted. The influence of ice has the potential to spin out of control. Sitting down and looking at the facts is enough to make anyone a little salty. The cold hard
“I put on my favorite scarf and get a big old cup of tea. If I am at home, I have a large quilt that I use to bundle up.” — JUSTIN DOAN’SHEPHARD, Finance, Junior
“I usually just bundle, wear heavier clothing, and make sure that I get to campus quick.” — AARON ROOT, Computer Science, Junior
There’s a lot of new, amazing technology and facilities I have access to as an engineering student. Students before me helped pay for that and it’s my turn to give future students access to new and amazing facilities as well.”
kaelee
Biomedical Engineering Junior
AUSTIN MAY
OPINION EDITOR
LEARN MORE BY ATTENDING A TOWN HALL: Monday, Feb. 11 • All Students Town Hall - 1 p.m.
Rhatigan Student Center, Beggs Ballroom
truth is that this topic is simply not hot enough. Even now, ice takes down roughly one million Americans a year. And snow can burn in hell, too.
Wednesday, Feb. 13 • Honors College Town Hall - 5 p.m. Hubbard Hall, Room 209
Monday, Feb. 18 • Greek Life Town Hall - 5:30 p.m. Hubbard Hall, Room 211
visit wichita.edu/shockthefuture voteshockthefuture
shockthefuture_
CULTURE
www.thesunflower.com
Leslie’s Coffee Company soars in historic Delano BY BECCA YENSER
It’s hard to imagine a more glamorous setting to drink a cup of coffee. Honeycomb black and white tiles grace the floor. Huge windows allow for natural sunlight to pour onto the tables adorned with succulents. But mainly, the eye wants to climb upwards to the soaring, turquoise tin ceiling. Since opening its doors last winter, Leslie’s Coffee Company has quickly garnered attention for serving high-quality coffee in a stunning space. On a Wednesday morning, the vibe is casual and cheerful. Bon Iver plays on the sound system. Several students do homework, businessmen hold quiet meetings, and a few souls perch on high stools facing the charming downtown of historic Delano. I’m here for two things — coffee and ‘millennial toast.’ Leslie’s avocado toast, already revered on Yelp reviews, is an elegant single slice of sourdough topped with balsamic pickled mustard seeds, Aleppo pepper, sea salt, and a soft-boiled egg. The sharp tang of the mustard seeds balances the creamy fattiness of the avocado. This is a seriously satisfying and protein-rich breakfast. My latte arrives quickly, topped with a gorgeous design. A velvety microfoam floats on the surface of the espresso. There is a sweet, nutty quality to the coffee that is truly addictive.
“I WANTED TO MAKE THE PLACE WHERE I WOULD WANT TO WORK.”
—SARAH LESLIE, OWNER
I manage to catch up with the owner and namesake, Sarah Leslie, to ask her a few questions. My first one is simple: What was your motivation for opening up a coffeeshop? “I wanted a place where I could be a barista,” Leslie said. “But also, I feel like there’s a need for more coffee shops in Wichita. I’ve worked at so many coffeeshops that I wanted to make the place where I would want to work.” When asked what sets Leslie’s Coffee apart from other Wichita
FRIDAY, FEB. 8, 2019
ICY
FROM PAGE 1 “They just let it all stay [at Bethel],” Al Combe said. “And I don’t think a lot of people are dying here.” Facilities Services workers were out at 5:45 Wednesday morning salting and deicing. But it’s next to impossible to get rid of every patch of ice, Director of News and Media Relations Joe Kleinsasser said. Bob Smith, executive director of Facilities Services, said the university keeps a 40-ton inventory of salt, sand and deicer to combat slippery conditions on campus. Kleinsasser said the decision to
IN-HOUSE
FROM PAGE 1
BECCA YENSER/THE SUNFLOWER
The historically renovated Leslie’s Coffee Company provides a spacious and mellow atmosphere.
coffee shops, Leslie cites her beans. She uses specific beans, responsibly sourced, for specific purposes. For example, the acidic yet sweet “Geometry” bean for espresso. The bean offers the perfect flavor for mixing with milk, she said. Upon mixing, the espresso mellows and smooths out without losing its flavor. Another set of beans, called the “Southern Blend,” has an almost fairytale-esque balance. “The “Southern Blend” is like the three little bears,” Leslie said. “It’s not too dark, it’s not too light, it’s not too acidic — it’s not boring.” Leslie is clearly passionate about Wichita’s potential in coffee culture. She chooses beans from responsible sources and said she
hopes to see Wichita move towards a coffee culture like the one in Kansas City. “I think KC has a really open and collaborative coffee community that I’d like to see happen in Wichita,” Leslie said. Even though a thin sheet of ice coats the morning sidewalks, there’s still an active hum inside and outside the shop. During her interview, Leslie gazed out the window and smiled. “I’m excited we’re on the corner here,” she said. “I wanted to be in a place where people still walk on the sidewalks.” Buzzing from good coffee and the lovely atmosphere, it’s easy to imagine Leslie’s Coffee as the heart of Delano for years to come.
The Regents approved a lease two months later to allow Murfin’s company to develop, own, and operate the private apartments. Murfin abstained from the vote. The Flats of Kansas, LLC, with the same ownership group as MWCB, LLC, broke ground on the project. By February 2017, The Flats began leasing rooms with priority to WSU students. The same month, WSU announced that the university, not the private company, would manage The Flats. On July 14, 2017, just 48 of the Flats’ 280 beds were filled. That’s the day WSU announced that it would close Fairmount Towers and move the roughly 300 students who signed up to live there to The Flats. WSU’s move came six days before seeking proper approval from the board of regents. WSU Director of Government Relations Andy Schlapp, now chief of staff, said WSU Housing and Residence Life made The Flats a third priority behind Shocker Hall and Fairmount towers — accounting in part for The Flats’ low occupancy. “We did not manage probably to the level that the developer expected,” Schlapp said. He said the developers could have easily looked to another developer to fill the apartments, but they wanted WSU students to live there. Schlapp said WSU would pay the company about $7.50 a square foot as part of the lease agreement — less than half of what the developers would need
hold or cancel classes will never make everybody happy. “I always compare these weather decisions to officiating basketball, and that is, no matter what call you make, you won’t please everyone,” Kleinsasser said. One student tweeted Wednesday afternoon, “okay @Wichita State if you cancel school tomorrow we WILL vote YES on the referendum,” referring to the infrastructure student fee hike students will vote on in early March. “Done!” replied Vice President for Strategic Communications Lou Heldman after WSU had called off classes.
to break even. “They’re going to lose their ass in this deal. But they think it’s the right thing to do,” Schlapp said of Murfin’s company. That school year, students relocated from Fairmount Towers paid the lower rate they originally signed up for. In December 2017, the Regents approved a WSU proposal to nearly double the amount of money the university would pay to Murfin’s company. This year, WSU is paying The Flats of Kansas, LLC a base rate of $1.96 million plus 70 percent of gross rental revenue. With student housing at 130 percent occupancy, that means WSU is paying Murfin’s company more than $2.5 million. In December 2018, the Regents approved rate increases for both Shocker Hall and The Flats. They also approved rates at The Suites that are comparable to Shocker Hall, which will become a freshman-only facility when The Suites open in fall 2019. Last month, Murfin and Ivan Crossland — another partial owner of The Flats and The Suites — announced that they will co-chair a 2020 Republican Senate campaign. Murfin is currently in the last year of his four-year Regent term. MWCB, LLC and BGC, LLC, another of Murfin’s companies, have completed a number of other projects on Innovation Campus, including Airbus, Starbucks, Partnership Buildings 1 and 2, and the Law Enforcement Training Center. A Crossland company, Crossland Construction, is the general contractor for many Innovation Campus projects.
SWAP Social Students Who Are Parents
COURTESY Old News is a Wichita-based math-rock/indie band.
‘Hands Like Glaciers’ shines while maintaining a grip on Old News’ signature sound The deep and common fear of a fan watching a band rise is that of seeing a signature sound defanged through increased production value. The raw bite of early recordings bows to convention, and suddenly the band isn’t there in the room, shredding the wallpaper at a local house show. Instead, they’re sending transmissions from a Hi-Fi studio utopia in the clouds. The resulting shift is like seeing friends suddenly appear on the photoshop-treated cover of a magazine: “Who are these people?” you ask. Did I ever know them? Slowly, the memories of the house show and merch table conversations vanish into overproduced dust. Thankfully, “Hands Like Glaciers” showcases an upgrade in Old News’ recording quality that refuses to compromise artistic vision. “Hands Like Glaciers” provides the Wichita band’s cleanest recording thus far. Its guitars boast the shiny edge of your mainstream alt rock band’s latest record. Yet all the hallmarks of the band’s sound remain delightfully intact. Opener “Don’t Bum Me Out” ricochets from syncopated guitar riffs to the punchy stop-and-start, math rock rhythms the band has mastered since their formation. Although thick guitars dominate the recording’s foreground, frenetic riffs add edge and dimension from deep in the mix.
JOHN DARR
CULTURE EDITOR As the song reaches a fever pitch, screamed vocals break through the track’s surface, and we’re left with one of Old News’s most successful takes on crescendoing emo rock to date. The rest of the EP beautifully follows up on the promise of its opener. Jagged rhythms and infectious choruses dual for spotlight on “Floods of Color,” “Tangled Up” dissolves from a math-rocker to a blissed-out instrumental jam, and “Quarter Life Crisis” marries youthful angst to yearning guitar riffs. By the time closer and record highlight “Melatonin Gummy” hits, the band has earned its foray into instrumental lushness. If there was any doubt that Old News would make the most of a studio upgrade, “Melatonin Gummy” offers a resounding affirmation of the band’s raw talent. Here’s to cheering them into the big leagues.
|3
Opportunity for meaningful conversations with fellow Students Who Are Parents at Wichita State. Light refreshments will be served.
Tuesday, Feb. 12 5:30 – 7 p.m. Pike Room (RSC 266) Questions? Contact Anthony Ho at 316-978-6122 or anthony.ho@wichita.edu
SPORTS
4 | FRIDAY, FEB. 8, 2019
www.thesunflower.com
New-look Shockers take the field for 5-game tournament BY MARSHALL SUNNER
Kristi Bredbenner has high expectations for her team this season. Wichita State softball begins its season Friday with a double-header to kick off a three-day tournament. Bredbenner said the team has “all of the ingredients for success,” but this weekend’s tournament will put to the test whether the team can piece those ingredients together correctly. “We bring back a core group,” Bredbenner said, “But whether or not we can put everything together this weekend will be the deciding factor.” WSU is seeking another deep post-season run, having advanced to a NCAA Regional final game last season. WSU brings in a few new faces to the roster this year — including four freshmen and transfers Wiley Glover and Erin McDonald. Bredbenner said she’s happy the new faces are “starting to figure things out.” She’s also looking for returning players to step up and acclimate the team’s four freshmen and two transfers. “The returners are being great leaders — they’re leading by example,” Bredbenner said. “They’re continuing to step up their game as well.” The new-look Shockers are already starting to earn national recognition. The team is ranked No. 17 in the country according to Softball America and No. 33 in NCAA RPI. They’re also receiving votes in both the ESPN and USA Today Polls. “The preseason polls are great
JOSEPH BARRINGHAUS/THE SUNFLOWER
Wichita State’s Bailey Lange pitches during a game against Oklahoma at Marita Hynes Field last April.
buzz to get the season going,” Bredbenner said. “It’s an honor that, based on last year’s success, that we are at that point. But it doesn’t say anything when you haven’t played a game yet.” WSU starts its season off against Central Michigan and Virginia Tech, and will continue play on Saturday with games versus Pittsburgh and College of Charleston before finishing off the weekend with a Pittsburgh rematch Sunday. “We’re all excited to get out there — players, coaches, all of us,” Bredbenner said. “We want to see what we can prove this year.”
SUNFLOWER FILE PHOTO
Wichita State Head Coach Kristi Bredbenner encourages players during their game against Newman University at Wilkins Stadium in September 2017.
Rebounds help Shockers sink Pirates for first road victory of the season BY EVAN PFLUGRADT
After losing their first six road games of the year, Wichita State now owns a road win. The Shockers played far from a perfect game at East Carolina. The difference was East Carolina struggled to get much offense of their own going at any point in the game. WSU had 10 turnovers in the game to ECU’s eight, and struggled to work the ball in the interior in the second half of play. ECU couldn’t respond, as they had just one three-pointer in the first half. Their offense, although improved in the second half, was stagnate for much of the game. Samajae Haynes-Jones won the game for WSU. The senior from Wichita had 18 points. He hit his first seven shots — with two three-pointers — before fizzling out with two missed shots late in the second half. Haynes-Jones made his mark hitting step-back jumpers from eight or 10-feet out. Markis McDuffie also broke double-figures with 14 points. Haynes-Jones said following the game that he and McDuffie’s leadership have both helped with the maturation of the nation’s fifth-youngest team. “Everyone has gotten better,” Haynes-Jones said. “It’s been
JOSEPH BARRINGHAUS/THE SUNFLOWER
Wichita State guard Eli Farrakhan dribbles down the court during their game against Oklahoma at Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City last December.
Walk-on Farrakhan surprised with scholarship BY MARSHALL SUNNER
SELENA FAVELA/THE SUNFLOWER
Wichita State senior Markis McDuffie takes a shot during the game against Tulsa Saturday at Koch Arena.
tough — up and down — everyone goes through it. We’re progressing.” Sure, the Shockers shot well from three-point range at 33 percent, but what put the game — the Shockers’ third win in a row — was the rebounding battle. The Shockers out-rebounded ECU, 46-27. Asbjørn Midtgaard had a career-high 11 rebounds, and Jaime Echenique wasn’t far behind with
his own career-high of 10. Gregg Marshall’s Shockers are moving up the ranks of the American Athletic Conference after the program’s worst conference start in years. With a 4-6 conference record, the Shockers are inching that much closer to the middle of the conference standings. WSU next plays Tulane, who is winless in conference play, on Saturday at Charles Koch Arena.
Sixers send Shamet to Clippers BY EVAN PFLUGRADT
The Philadelphia 76ers have traded rookie Landry Shamet to the Los Angeles Clippers. Shamet, the former Wichita State Shocker, was included in a blockbuster trade to partner Tobias Harris with the Sixers’ front court of Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons, and Jimmy Butler. This comes as the Sixers make a push for the Eastern Conference title. Philadelphia gained Boban Marjanovic and Mike Scott in the deal, while the Sixers gave up Shamet, Wilson Chandler, Mike Muscala, and future draft picks. The deal was finalized ahead of Thursday’s trade deadline. SUNFLOWER FILE PHOTO Shamet had averaged 10 points on 48 percent shooting in his last Landry Shamet celebrates a three-point shot during a Shocker victory over Tulsa last January at Koch Arena. 10 games with Philadelphia. For the season, Shamet averaged 40 percent from three and 44 percent franchise record for a rookie, Kansas City, Missouri, declared from the field. He averaged eight making eight three-pointers in a for the NBA after his sophomore points for Philadelphia, playing game last month. His 29 points in season with the Shockers. The on average 20 minutes per game. that game made for a career-high. 76ers drafted Shamet with the Shamet broke Philadelphia’s The 6-foot-4 guard out of 26th pick in the NBA Draft.
Now former Wichita State walkon Eli Farrakhan was surprised with a basketball scholarship on Monday while the team was watching film. According to a Twitter video posted by the team’s account, coach Gregg Marshall called the junior college transfer to the front of the room and allowed him to read his “numbers.” Farrakhan announced himself that he was officially on scholarship. He was then mobbed
excitedly by his teammates. Farrakhan has stepped up multiple times this year by playing in the first half of three games this season when the team’s main guards were in foul trouble or dealing with injuries. Marshall called him “respectful” and “a leader.” Farrakhan received the scholarship after Chance Moore announced his transfer from the program in the fall. Farrakhan will hold the transfer for the spring semester.