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THURSDAY, FEB. 22, 2024 VOLUME 98 ISSUE 7
NEWS
LA VIDA
BLACK HISTORY
SPORTS
Scott Hein, an emeritus professor in finance, details inflation and how students can manage their money.
The Daily Toreador dives into the world of fencing. Scan the QR code for a step-by-step look into the sport.
Student organizations put together events in celebration of Black History Month.
Sophomore softball player Kailey Wyckoff comes off a record year and enters the ‘24 season striving for more.
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INDEX NEWS LA VIDA OPINION SPORTS BLACK HISTORY
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MAKING HISTORY
Williams earns national recognition with perfect night By JAMAR BROOKS Staff Writer
Entering the history books of college basketball, Texas Tech men’s basketball forward Darrion Williams has been a key contributor for the Red Raiders as he put the most productive form of his career on display. In addition to getting it done on the stat sheet this season, which assisted him in becoming the Associated Press National Player of the Week, Tech head coach Grant McCasland said Williams has grown into a leader. “You’re seeing a guy that’s playing the game to win. He really is,” McCasland said. “He’s in those timeouts, and this is what I wish people could really see. I’m telling you, I’m on guys, and I’m telling them like, ‘We’re not sprinting back like we’re supposed to,’ and D5 (Williams) is like, ‘It’s all right. We got it.’ There’s an engagement that he’s playing this game with that’s about winning. He’s not trying to figure out he can do this on his own. That’s what I love about him.” I n Te c h ’ s w i n o v e r t h e University of Central Florida on Feb. 10, Williams posted his fifth double-double of the season with 13 points and 13 rebounds with nine of his points coming in the second half, according to Tech Athletics. Following the game, McCasland said Williams’ efforts coming out of halftime were instrumental to the Red Raiders’ victory. “We went to him in the post to start the half, and they went down and scored and got a pretty easy basket. We just weren't engaged enough defensively,” McCasland
said. “And I thought he was the one guy that had an edge to start the second half even though he maybe didn’t have a great offensive first half. His will to win, ability to rebound, handle the ball, and give us another guy to make decisions is really huge for us. Can’t be overstated how important he is.” Williams followed up the UCF game with an encore performance where he etched his name into the history books of college basketball against Kansas on Feb. 13. Against the Jayhawks, Williams went off for 30 points — shattering his previous career-high of 17 points — while becoming the first player in college basketball in the last 25 seasons to have 30 points and 10 rebounds without missing a single shot, according to ESPN. Much to the reflection of his personality, Williams opted to pan the spotlight onto his teammates following the game. “It feels good, but I couldn't have done it without my teammates setting me up for a lot of those shots,” Williams said. “So without them, it wouldn’t have happened.” Williams said his recent performances are a manifestation of his dedication to the game. “It’s all in the work I put in,” he said. “I’m in the gym all the time. Everybody on this team’s in the gym all the time. We all trust our work because it works.” While Williams praised his teammates, McCasland attributed Williams’ resilience and work ethic to the historic showing. “He wasn’t trying to be perfect. He was trying to win,” McCasland said. “And when you play that way, you get rewarded. I honestly believe his hard work, his belief, plus his belief in moving forward
PABLO MENA/The Daily Toreador
Texas Tech sophomore guard Darrion Williams, right, runs after scoring a 3-pointer against No. 6 Kansas at United Supermarkets Arena Feb. 12, 2024. Williams went 12-12 and scored 30 points, marking a historic win for the Red Raiders.
and handling things that don’t work has allowed him to have this night.” Furthermore, McCasland said the manner in which Williams goes about life will allow him to continue to pave his way to success.
“In life when things don’t go your way you can def lect, you can feel shame, you can be embarrassed, and he’s starting to look at me every time something doesn't go right and he’s like, ‘I got you coach. We’ll fix it,’” McCasland said. “And it’s just a beautiful
picture I think of how we’ve got to live, and he’s living it on the basketball court, which I think has allowed him to keep moving forward in a way that he can make these kind of impacts.” @JamarBrooksDT
EXPLORE
International Affairs details safety while traveling abroad By KAYLA STONE Staff Writer
Texas Tech students have access to both safety and health resources while on their journey studying or interning abroad. The commitment deadline for both summer and maymester programs is March 1. Tech’s Office of International Affairs encourages students to research both the country they are traveling to and what they may need to bring on their trip abroad, said Whitney Longnecker, director of study abroad. Students are provided a pre-departure orientation module on Blackboard. While the university has procedures in place to ensure student safety, Longnecker said students play a pivotal role in their own health and safety while abroad. “Texas Tech has many measures in place to help keep students and our program leaders safe while they are participating in study abroad opportunities,” Longnecker said. “But we do need our students to meet us halfway.” Ways students can practice safety in another country include keeping electronic copies of important documents, such as passports or credit cards, Longnecker said. Ella Petty, a third-year human development and family sciences and Spanish major from Amarillo, said she prepared for her time in Seville, Spain, by making sure she had backup technology. “Before I had left, they kind of
JACOB LUJAN /The Daily Toreador
Texas Tech offers over 200 study abroad programs in 50 locations, with over 1,000 students studying abroad each year.
gave us a rundown of things like pickpocketing and some things that can happen while you’re in Spain,” Petty said. “So one thing that I made sure to do before I left was bring a second phone with me, just in case my phone gets stolen, so that I am not out of a phone and have no way to contact anyone.” Extra adapters and chargers for cell phones also are key to ensuring students are always able to keep in contact while traveling, Petty said. Keeping her phone in good shape also allows her to keep electronic copies of important documents. In terms of health, Tech study abroad requires all students, faculty and staff traveling out of the country to be covered by Tech’s international insurance plan, Longnecker said. “We’re reviewing all of our
programs, making sure that we’re choosing good opportunities and safe opportunities for our students to participate in,” Longnecker said. “We also have mandatory international insurance policy that all of our students, faculty and staff who are traveling with students are all covered by the same policy.” Students are able to contact the university with any concerns they may have while abroad. Longnecker said although she and the Tech Police Department are there to support students, their in-person professors and staff are typically best to go to first in an emergency situation. “We do tell students that if they really are in an emergency situation and they need care immediately, they do have access to on-site support systems as well,” Longnecker said. “If
they’re traveling with a professor, oftentimes notifying that person or getting support from that professor is the better first step than calling back to Lubbock and chatting with me.” While abroad, many students will have the opportunity to legally drink for the first time. Longnecker said although this may be exciting, it is important to remember that any issues that arise while abroad may follow them back to Lubbock. “The Texas Tech Code of Conduct does apply to students as part of a study abroad program. What happens on a study abroad program doesn’t necessarily stay there,” Longnecker said. “If a student does decide to consume alcohol and then gets into some type of trouble, that violation can be applicable even here back on campus.”
The culture of the country students are studying or interning in is crucial for students to understand in order for their study abroad to be successful, Longnecker said. Students should also trust their gut instinct in order to stay safe. “A big part of it is just knowing yourself and knowing what you’re comfortable with,” Longnecker said. “Once you have that knowledge of your host country and the culture that you’re entering as part of your study abroad program, that combined with your situational awareness will really suit a student well as part of their study abroad experience.” Lyombe Eko, professor of journalism and creative media studies, said although his Maymester course at the Texas border is still within the United States, Tech keeps student safety as the number one priority, no matter the location. “Tech is a student-safety first institution, and students are our main priority,” Eko said. “We have to be sure that they’re safe at all times.” Students getting ready to study abroad should feel comfortable while traveling, Longnecker said, as long as they come prepared and have done their research. “I think it’s important to recognize that something that’s unknown does not automatically mean that it’s unsafe,” Longnecker said. “It just requires a little bit more time and research.” @KaylaStoneDT