Eight of the university’s most talented singers will compete in the first Golden Eagle Idol.

SMAC will host the event and award a cash prize to the fi rst-place winner, second and third placeholders and crowd favorite.

In the past, Golden Eagle Idol was known as Southern Miss Got Talent, which consisted of various areas of competition. The former contest lasted for over a decade before being reformed this year into a singing

competition only. Billy Mauldin, a junior

marketing major, will compete in the event this year. He revealed his excitement for the show and just being able to perform on any platform.

“I’m really looking forward to performing at Eagle Idol this year,” Mauldin said. “I love

getting any chance to play and I believe it will be a fun show.”

He added that he admires the diverse nature of the group, which will perform different styles of music that everyone can enjoy.

Briar Jonee will emcee the event alongside senior communications studies major

and president of SMAC Gavin Snyder. Many may have seen Jonee on this season’s “The Voice.” The songbird made it to the top 48 out of more than 60,000 people who auditioned and worked with Universal Studios and other labels in the music industry.

“Having the opportunity to

have done a show such as ‘The Voice’ has definitely boosted my career,” Jonee said. “I’m thankful for the exposure and now I feel like I have a pretty fair start at branding myself as an artist separate from the show.”

The judge’s panel for the show will consist of two members from the student body and two members from the faculty and staff. Providing entertainment for the event is Chaotic Movement and the Stage Monkeys. Admission is $2 with Southern Miss ID and $5 without Southern Miss ID.

Monday, March 30, 2015 Volume 99 Issue 46

www.studentprintz.com

N E W S F E A T U R E O P I N I O N S P O R T STed Cruz Passion of the Pinebelt Study abroad Basketball

Locals help homeless get back on their feet.

Students disagree on impact of international programs.

Lady Eagles’ WNIT run comes to an end.

PAGE THREE PAGE FIVE PAGE SIX PAGE EIGHT

Students do not give Texas senator much of a chance.

University of Tennessee Athletic Director Dave Hart fi red Donnie Tyndall Friday for NCAA violations committed while Tyndall was the head basketball coach of Southern Miss.

“I am extremely saddened by my separation from Tennessee,”

Tyndall said Friday in a statement released by his lawyer. “I apologize to my players, assistant coaches and the entire UT community that past occurrences led to today’s result. I have truly loved my time at Tennessee.”

Tyndall’s contract with Tennessee specifi ed that if he were found in violation of NCAA rules from a previous coaching stint, Tennessee could fi re him without any fi nancial consequence for the university.

Tyndall coached the Volunteers for one season and registered a

record of 16-16 and 7-11 in the SEC. Tennessee will now begin to search for its third coach in three years and fourth in six years.

“One of the things we have strived for is to get stability, and we had hoped when we hired Donnie that we would have that element in our men’s basketball program,” Hart said. “This is not the outcome that we had hoped

for when we stood before you a year ago.”

As a coach, Tyndall has been associated with allegations through the years, even before his time at USM. At Morehead State, booster activity violations were committed under his watch. The allegations at USM stemmed from improper benefi ts being given to ‘Prop 48′ recruits.

A ‘Prop 48’ recruit is a player that comes from high school or junior college without meeting the academic standards set forth by the NCAA in order to participate

in college athletics. Those players must sit out a season while attempting to become academically eligible.

The investigation centered around how tuition, living expenses and other fees were paid for ‘Prop 48’ recruits who enrolled with Southern Miss during the 2012-13 and 2013-14 academic years. Per NCAA rules, ‘Prop 48’ players may not receive any fi nancial benefi ts during the academic year in which they are attempting to become academically eligible.

After self-imposing a postseason ban on itself and dismissing Jeremiah Eason and Rasham Suarez after being ruled ineligible in January, the Golden Eagles crumbled on the court. Southern Miss lost most of its core from the beginning of the season due to penalties from the NCAA.

“During my time at Southern Miss, I believed that our program followed NCAA rules,” Tyndall said. “(We) worked well with the university’s administration to maintain an atmosphere of rules compliance.”

Tyndall’s career now appears to be in serious doubt after facing serious allegations at his fi rst two coaching stints and being fi red from the third for those sanctions. A source close to the situation told ESPN that Tyndall could be suspended by the NCAA for a full season.

“We are continuing to work collaboratively with the NCAA to review the serious issues raised regarding the men’s basketball

program while under the leadership of the former coaching staff, said Southern Miss Director of Athletics Bill McGillis in a statement.

“In order to maintain the integrity of the investigation, and pursuant to NCAA policy, we cannot comment further regarding any details of the case at this time,” he said.

It is unknown at this point if USM will be further penalized by the NCAA. It is still possible that more members of the team may be ruled ineligible as three former ‘Prop 48’ recruits remain on the roster—Matt Bingaya, Davon Hayes and Shadell Millinghaus.

Printz Sports Editor Josh Campbell contributed to this story.

Julius KizzeeSports Reporter

Courtesy Photo/USA TodayTennessee Volunteers head coach Donnie Tyndall scowls during the game against the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Thompson-Boling Arena.

Tennessee fi res Tyndall after 1 season

Students excited for Golden Eagle IdolSydne’ AutryPrintz Reporter

ON CAMPUS

During my time at Southern Miss, I believed that our pro-

gram followed NCAA rules. (We) worked well with the university’s

administration to maintain an atmosphere of rules compliance.

- Donnie Tyndall

Billy Mauldin April AlfordKimberly Page DeShawn Taylor Hampton Walker

INFORMATIONPage 2 | Monday, March 30, 2015

MEET THE STAFFOF SPRING 2015

Source:www.krazydad.com

EDITORS & STAFF

Contact UsThe Student Printz is on social media. Keep up with the latest news on and off campus at all times!

The Student Printz @studentprintz@studentprintz

Editorial PolicyThe views represented in The Student Printz’s columns and editorials do not necessarily represent those of the faculty, staff, or administration of The University of Southern Mississippi. We welcome letters to the editor representing similar and contrasting opinions. To be eligible for publication, all submissions must include name, class distinction, major, phone number, and email address. Submissions should be emailed to printzeditors@gmail.com by 5 p.m. Friday. Please limit them to 500 words or less. The Student Printz reserves the right to refuse publication or edit any material on the basis of clarity, space, or journalistic ethics.

OpinionsExpressed in The Student Printz are those of the writer and not necessarily those of The Student Printz, its publication manager, USM, the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning or the USM Board of Student Publications.

NEWS Monday, March 30, 2015 | Page 3

Gov. Bryant signs new HIV testing law

USM students criticize Cruz’s candidacy

STATE

NATIONAL

Gov. Phil Bryant signed several bills into law last week. Among them is a law that now makes it legal to run a DNA test of suspects accused of sexually assaulting a child without a conviction.

Dr. Hannah Gay, a pediatric HIV specialist at the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson, told The Clarion-Ledger she supported the bill because it would allow children who are sexually assaulted and possibly exposed to HIV to receive treatment immediately. Prior to this law’s

implementation, Mississippi required a conviction in order to test those accused of sexually assaulting children.

In January, Gay told The Clarion-Ledger the testing would help to prevent the spread of HIV. The new law is largely an attempt to protect the already traumatized children who are sexually assaulted. She also said that in 2014, 34 child sexual assault victims were tested for HIV at UMMC and all tests were found to be negative.

While there is currently no cure for HIV/AIDS, early detection is very important to control the spread of AIDS in the

United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Early detection also allows those who are infected to begin undergoing treatments in order to find the right “cocktail” of drugs in order to increase the strength of the immune system.

One of the concerns about the bill is the fact that it might be difficult to implement the early testing because suspects in child sexual assault cases are often not immediately identified. This newly passed bill is a part of a set of bills introduced requiring DNA testing for suspects in violence-related crimes.

Last week Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) became the first candidate from either party to officially announce a run for the presidency. Considered a dark horse nationally, Cruz launched his campaign first in a, what appears to be successful, bid to gain more attention before other candidates declare.

Standing in front of a full house at Liberty University, Cruz delivered the lines that his three years in Congress are well-known now by friend and foe alike. He thundered about repealing “every word of Obamacare,” about “abolishing the IRS” and about “securing our border.”

Statements like this have helped Cruz present himself as the most conservative candidate in the race, which has also made Cruz one of the more polarizing individuals running for the Oval Office this election cycle. Pundits on the Left and the Right predict that Cruz will struggle mightily in 2016, whether that be because of his role in the government shutdown, his uncompromising rhetoric or his lack of big donor support.

Student views at Southern Miss tended to fall in line with the conventional wisdom of national punditry.

“Sen. Cruz doesn’t have a chance, in my opinion, of even taking the GOP primary,” said senior English major Mary Beth Wolverton. “(And even if he did) he won’t appeal to moderates and others on the fence whose vote the Republican Party needs to win an election.”

Other students think that the Texas senator at least has a shot at winning the Republican primary.

“Ted Cruz does have a chance at winning the primary,” said Austin Howell, a senior economics major. “He is charismatic, and his policies can be popular among the Republican base. But, if he were to win the primary, he has no chance of winning the general election (because) his opinions are too far from the center. I compare him to a modern Barry Goldwater.”

For the unaware, Goldwater was a senator from Arizona – considered by many the father of the modern day conservative movement – whose 1964 run for president crashed and burned, in large part due to a perception that he was too right-wing.

Nathan Barron, a freshman political science major, gave an in-depth analysis of Cruz’s chances.

“In order to win the primary, Cruz will have to claim crucial GOP endorsements, which he has failed to do so far,”

Barron said. “Cruz is eighth in every important poll and he isn’t even the clear choice among evangelicals, (one of) his primary demographics. Ted Cruz will lose the GOP primary because he does not energize the base and cannot mobilize the conservatives.”

Barron’s forecast for Cruz’s chances, if he made it out of the primary, was quite grim as well. “Hillary Clinton’s centrist appeal, expansive fundraising base and political infrastructure would devour any chance of a Cruz presidency,” he said.

Students and pundits are in lockstep regarding Ted Cruz’s chances in the elections this upcoming year, and those chances are nil.

All that being said, Cruz has been here before.

“I was at 2 percent in the polls, and the margin of error was 3 percent,” he recently joked when talking about the start of his senate run. He has surprised people before, and maybe he

Chris LeePrintz Reporter

J.D. Rimann Printz Reporter

Courtesy Photo

Gov. Phil Bryant announced March 23 a federal program to get people trained, employed and out of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.

Mississippi is one of 10 states participating in this program. Mississippi will receive $20.5 million over three years for workforce training, transportation, child care and job placement for able-bodied SNAP recipients.

The Clarion-Ledger reported the Mississippi Department of Human Services will lead the program.

“This is a pilot program for 3,600 SNAP recipients,” Bryant said. “If an able-bodied SNAP recipient declines to participate in this program, his or her benefi ts could be discontinued.”

Mississippi Public Broadcasting reported the Mississippi Department of Human Services will identify 3,600 recipients living in one of fi ve community college areas. Career training will target the needs of employers.

“We would be looking at some things in the medical fi eld,” said Richard Berry, executive director of the Department of Human Services. “There’s always a need for welders and maybe some basic computer technology skills. That’s why we brought community colleges in. It’s because they know local markets.”

USM assistant professor of economics Sondra Collins analyzed the story and gave her thoughts on the program.

“If participants did lose funding for failing to participate, the fairness of this approach depends on a few things,” Collins said. “I would say the most important is how much choice the participants will have in what they study at the

community college.” Collins said disciplines such

as welding will be targeted, but does not specify how SNAP participants in certain locations will be limited to welding.

“If welding is the focus, can I get (an) associate degree in accounting and still receive my benefi ts?” she said. “I think the community colleges will decide what local businesses need and only offer those certifi cations or degrees to SNAP participants. If the answer was yes, I think that would add a level of fairness to the program.”

Collins also said education usually helps reduce poverty, and offering degrees or certifi cates to those in poverty is a step in the right direction provided that work eligibility and choice of school and work is managed carefully.

Mark Klinedinst, emeritus professor of economics at USM, also offered his analysis on the project.

“The program looks like it will help a number of people,” Klinedinst said. “It is not clear that there will be any immediate impact on them. In the long run, if more people have jobs, hopefully good paying jobs, the demand for food stamps will go down.”

Klinedinst said this would be part of a larger strategy that would include creating a favorable climate for business growth. Part of said growth depends on the well-educated population that can develop the skills necessary for 21st-century jobs.

“Education funding and jobs programs are building blocks that are often neglected in Mississippi, hence job growth is stagnant, and our ability to keep talented workers and companies has been stunted,” Klinedinst said.

Andrew DuttonPrintz Reporter

Miss. joins workforce training project

STATECourtesy Photo

Gov. Phil. Bryant

Texas Sen. Ted Cruz

It is no secret that women have typically been at a disadvantage compared to men when it comes to average pay in most professions. A new study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association shows that this common trend has made its way into the field of nursing, a profession in which men only make up about 10 percent of the workforce, according to 2013 census data.

Study author and professor at the University of California Ulrike Muench said that men make an average of about $5,000 more than women each year, which adds up to more than $150,000 over a long career. According to Muench, this pay gap has not changed in more than 20 years.

“We were somewhat surprised to see this gap over the years, given the female-dominated profession where you would think women may have caught up with men,” Muench said.

While the average salaries for both male and female nurses have increased since 1988, the pay gap has remained the same.

The actual theorized reasons behind the study’s pay gap conclusions are varied. Peter McMenamin, a health economist at the American Nurses Association said he is not convinced the gap is actually as large as the study suggests. He said that, for example, the way in which women greatly outnumber men in the study could result in a much more precise collection of data for women.

However, nursing students at The University of Southern Mississippi have their own ideas of why such a wage gap exists in the field.

Junior nursing major Travis Rodgers said while it is unfortunate that a wage gap exists, there are some logical and justifiable reasons that men are paid more.

“One reason that is applicable to almost any profession is that women may take maternity leave,” Rodgers said. “Women take off extensive amounts of time to take care of their children while men do not have this problem.”

Rodgers said that because of this time away from work, men are ultimately able to gain more experience.

“The medical field is always changing, and missing out on over a half of a year or more might affect their performance. This gives men more experience because they are able to work constantly,” Rogers said.

Sophomore nursing major Emily Whigham echoed Rodgers’ opinion.

“In a way, men are seen as higher value in the nursing field because women typically have to take more time off,” Whigham said. “While it is unfortunate, it

makes sense.”Rodgers also added there are

other logical reasons that could possibly attribute to higher average salaries for men.

“I think the increase in pay is an incentive to get more males in the field since they are necessary for the functioning of the hospital,” Rodgers said.

“Males play a huge role when dealing with male patients, lifting overweight individuals and dealing with potentially harmful patients.”

NATIONAL

Nursing students talk gender wagesFEATUREPage 4 | Monday, March 30, 2015

Colin CameronPrintz Reporter

Infographic by Cody Bass

Men only make up about 10

percent of the nursing workforce

according to 2013 census data.

Men make an average of

about $5,000 more than

women each year.

This adds up to more than $150,000 over a long career.

Source: Journal of the American Medical Association by Dr. Ulrike Muench

This pay gap hasn’t changedin more than 20 years.

$150,000$150,000

GENDER PAY GAPIN NURSING

$5,000

$150,000

With over 2,000 people experiencing homelessness in Mississippi, one young man is doing his part to help those in the Hattiesburg area.

“In November of 2013, I created Passion of the Pinebelt as a way of providing food and clothes to the homeless I would meet occasionally throughout town,” said Scott Lees, president and founder of Passion of the Pinebelt, a nonprofi t organization dedicated to improving the quality of life of the homeless citizens of South Mississippi.

Passion of the Pinebelt does not operate as just another shelter or soup kitchen, but instead works toward getting people out of homelessness. The organization offers computer literacy courses, interview etiquette and resumé building classes to educate the homeless for entering the workforce.

“We also provide basic needs such as food, clothing and hygiene products,” Lees said. “Without the struggle to fi nd basic essentials, they can focus their time and energy on improving themselves and identifying the issues that led them to their current situation.”

Having personally experienced homelessness, this is a cause near and dear to Lees.

“I lived out of my truck, too proud to ask for help, for about four months,” Lees said. “My father found himself homeless following his release from prison. An aging, unhealthy man with a criminal record doesn’t have many employment opportunities. I can remember being hungry, thirsty and cold. I recall many mornings waking up covered in frost. I used a candle in my fl oorboard as warmth.”

Everyone who works with Passion of the Pinebelt does so as a volunteer, but Lees has still had no trouble fi nding people to help him with his cause.

Magen Nowell, secretary of Passion of the Pinebelt, has always wanted to help the homeless, and she was happy for the chance to do so in this organization.

“Growing up, I was always taught ‘whatever you do for the least of these, you also do for me,’” Nowell said. “That’s always been my mentality.”

One of Passion of the Pinebelt’s fi rst events was a Ladies’ Night held March 9. The goal was to provide haircuts and makeup to homeless women. The women also received gift bags that included toiletries, clothes, canned food and beauty supplies. This event was when Nowell realized the impact Passion of the Pinebelt had on

the community.“Those women were so

appreciative for those of us that took time out of our busy schedule to give them something that they haven’t really had in a long time,” Nowell said. “Seeing the smiles on their faces was worth it.”

Even students at The University of Southern Mississippi enjoy volunteering with Passion of the Pinebelt. Sarah Rubelowsky, a sophomore marketing major, acts as current president of the National Society of Collegiate Scholars. As an organization, they enjoy working with Passion of the Pinebelt as a way to give back to the Hattiesburg community.

“I had Scott come talk at one of our meetings and give a quick presentation on Passion of the Pinebelt,” Rubelowsky said. “After his presentation, my members began to bring in so many items that could be donated. We had one girl bring fi ve trash bags fi lled with all sorts of items.”

“I interviewed a couple different homeless women (as part of Ladies’ Night), and tears were shed from both me and them because they were so grateful and appreciative that we were doing this for them,” Rubelowsky added. “One woman started to cry and said, ‘When I get back on my feet, I want to volunteer and

do what you guys have done for me for someone else.’”

Passion of the Pinebelt is planning a bowling night for homeless men in the area.

Members of the organization are also planning to participate in the Out of Darkness walk on April 18 at USM.

For more information about

Passion of the Pinebelt and how to get involved, like the Facebook page or visit PassionofthePinebelt.org.

FEATURE Monday, March 30, 2015 | Page 5

LOCAL

Charity uplifts Pinebelt’s homelessYolanda CruzCopy Editor

Courtesy PhotoPassion of the Pinebelt volunteers helping out the homeless community in the Hattiesburg area.

A recent USA Today article written by Michigan State University senior Amanda Chodnicki listed three reasons why studying abroad is not a “must” in college. Chodnicki said she felt there were many other opportunities that were just as benefi cial, but she also admitted she had never studied abroad. How, then, can she give an accurate analysis of its benefi ts?

This past summer I participated in the British Studies Program, and it has been a defi ning moment in my life. I understand that some people cannot study abroad for various reasons, so I do not want to say an education is wasted without the experience in that sense it is not a “must.” What I do want to say, though, is that studying abroad changes the student’s life in a way nothing else at any other time can, so it “must” be experienced if it is possible.

First of all, pragmatically speaking, traveling as a student is far cheaper than traveling on your own later in life. As a student, you are eligible for discounts that radically cut down on costs. Some things are even free for students. The programs offered by universities are often far more economical than if an individual tried to purchase the same provisions. If you want to go or feel travel would benefi t you, as a student is the cheapest time to do so.

Second, other experiences—internships, volunteer work, jobs—cannot change the way

you view the rest of the world as drastically as studying abroad can because these things do not immerse you in another culture. When you suddenly become the outsider, you are forced to see the world through someone else’s eyes.

Moreover, studying abroad is key to letting all your studies come alive. The class you take while abroad is a fantastic discovery in that this class allows you to experience an education beyond your own institution in order to have more developed and well-rounded instruction. You gain insight you never could have had otherwise, be it from your instructor or what you see and do. This insight never leaves you.

Finally, the reason why I needed to study abroad was something I never could have known until after I did it. When I was in London, I could revel in everything around me. I could blend into the bustle of the city or gaze into the quiet of the heath. I could literally climb the highest peak, only to be amazed by the world around me in a romantic state not unlike that of Thoreau. When I studied abroad I found freedom I had never before known, and in that freedom, I found myself.

Other experiences are good. But studying abroad is a once-in-a-lifetime chance to become more than books and a resumé. It is an opportunity to fi nd adventure while gaining inspiration that will affect the rest of your life in how you see yourself, your studies and your world. And isn’t that what college is all about?

Although study abroad adventures are great icebreakers and may impress potential employers, they aren’t mandatory during your college career.

Teachers and administrators repeatedly drill how important and life changing it is to study abroad. Yes, traveling with a group may be more effective than traveling alone because you’re likely to learn more and earning class credits while exploring a new culture seems like a steal, but studying abroad can be expensive and everyone can’t afford to spend thousands of dollars on a month of travels.

Administrators make it clear that studying abroad is possible whether you have the cash or not, but many students aren’t willing to add another 10 grand onto their already swelling student debt. With discount travel companies such as Groupon and STA Travel, traveling is becoming affordable for everyone, so traveling with a class isn’t the only option.

It’s almost like professors try to pressure you into studying abroad. There are so many study abroad informationals happening one after the other during spring semester and deadlines are usually the week before spring break. It’s like they’re asking for money from students when they know we’re our happiest.

I’m not in any way trying to turn you against studying abroad. Just make sure that it’s what you truly want. Don’t worry about how it will look

to a potential employer or how studying in a different country may make you more valuable than other job candidates. Going to college alone doesn’t guarantee you a job, so neither will traveling.

Interning can open just as many opportunities as studying abroad will, if not more. Having a successful internship could even guarantee you a position with that company. Do as many internships as you can. The more people you meet within your fi eld, the better.

College is all about networking. Sure, you will meet people and have opportunities for networking while abroad, but it’s better to spend time with a particular company that you are interested in working for.

If you are just in the mood to travel, you don’t have to leave the country. The United States is a beautiful country and is rich in culture. Just think about how different Georgia is from Florida and they’re right next to each other! Spend your vacations indulging in the melting pot that is America.

Traveling should be something you do as a chance to learn more about yourself. If you feel that doing so abroad with your school or organization will be more benefi cial to you, then do so. There’s no time like the present to do what we want and no one knows what tomorrow will bring, but not traveling before the end of your college career does not make you a failure. You have your entire life to live. You don’t have to fi t all of your adventures into four years.

OPINIONPage 6 | Monday, March 30, 2015

LIFE

Study abroad may not be one-size-fi ts-all

Emma ReevesPrintz Reporter

Karyn LewisPrintz Reporter

Submit to: Dr. Jeanne Gillespie, chairjeanne.gillespie@usm.eduDeadline: 4 p.m., Thursday, April 9All materials should be 8 1/2 x 11”No materials can be returnedInterviews: Wednesday, April 15 at 2:00 p.m.Dean’s Conference Room, LAB 209Dean’s Conference Room, LAB 209

All applicants must attend

All applicants for the positions should email a packet that includes:1. A formal letter of application.2. A personal statement of intent which includes: a. A statement of philosophy of goals for the publication b. A plan for carrying out those goals c. An evaluation of the 2014-2015 operation3. A resume3. A resume4. Three letters of recommendation to cover some academic as well as professional credentials.5. A complete transcript of all college-level work (Minimum 2.5 overall GPA is required)6. At least three writing samples by the applicant.

Executive Editor, The Student Printz

Applications are now being accepted for:Academic Year 2015-2016

Benefi ts of studying elsewhere go beyond just education Staying in the states just as valuable to education

Courtesy PhotoThe streets of Great Britain, taken during the British Studies Program 2014 by Kelley Joe Brumfi eld.

Southern Miss traveled to El Paso, Texas, to take on the UTEP Miners this weekend, but lost two of three games. The Lady Eagles dropped to 16-18 overall and 2-10 in

conference play.In game one, USM put the fi rst

runs on the scoreboard in the third inning. With two outs, Kaelyn Christofferson singled to third base, facing a full count. Christofferson stole second base, followed by a Katie Cleary walk.

Mallory Hayden struck out

swinging, but the UTEP catcher mishandled the ball and fi red it to fi rst, overthrowing it and sending Christofferson across home plate. Sarah Evans then crushed a stand up RBI double to left center fi eld to give USM the early 2-0 lead.

UTEP responded with a four-run scoring frenzy in the bottom of the

third inning. Tahla Wade led off with a bunt down the fi rst base line and reached fi rst base safely.

Jade Rodriguez followed with a single to shortstop, advancing Wade to second base. The Miners continued their small ball attack with another bunt for a single down the fi rst base line for Kawehiokalani Netane.

The bases were loaded for the Miners with three hits in a row, none of them leaving the infi eld. Ashley Eldridge then launched a grand slam to center fi eld, giving the Miners a 4-2 lead.

The Southern Miss offense retaliated in the top of the sixth inning. Hayden led off with a walk and was replaced by pinch runner Rachel Johnson. Evans’ bat remained hot, singling through the right side, but Johnson was thrown out at third.

Evans advanced to second on the throw and third on a passed ball. Selena Estrada and Bailey Stokes both walked, loading up the bases for USM. Jenifer Gary came in to pinch-hit for Rodgers and cleared the bases with a three-run single to left center fi eld, giving Southern Miss a 5-4 lead.

The Miners were able to tie the game in the top of the sixth inning when Kiki Pepi nailed an RBI single to left center.

USM’s defense had to hold UTEP scoreless in the seventh in order to force extra innings. UTEP’s Eldridge singled up the middle, setting up Courtney Clayton’s walk-off home run to center fi eld to seal the 7-5 victory.

Morgan McKeever led off the fi rst inning in game two with a single up the middle. Estrada sacrifi ce bunted for an out at fi rst, advancing McKeever to second base. McKeever then advanced to third on an illegal pitch, setting up Evans’ RBI groundout to second base. USM quickly took a 1-0 lead over the Miners.

Netane knocked a home run over the right fi eld fence, tying the game at 1-1 in the bottom half of the fi rst. The Miners notched another run in the second inning with a Taylor Sargent RBI triple, giving UTEP a 2-1 edge.

The Southern Miss offense came alive in the fourth inning, scoring three runs on four hits.

Jordan Beck led off with a singled to right center fi eld. Cleary then walked on four pitches and Hayden advanced the runners with a sacrifi ce bunt.

Arielle Pollock then singled through the right side, scoring Garner from third base. Samantha Reynolds followed with a walk, loading up the bases for USM.

Gary was called up to pinch hit again with bases loaded and delivered with an RBI single to score Cleary and gave USM a 3-2 lead. Estrada then singled to right fi eld, scoring Reynolds and increasing the Southern Miss lead to 4-2.

In the bottom of the fourth inning, the Miners added two more runs to tie the game 4-4, but the USM

offense was not settling this game. They retaliated with seven more runs on eight hits in the fi fth inning.

Cleary, Estrada and Evans each had RBI extra-base hits in the rally to increase the lead to 11-4. The offensive explosion marked the 11th time this season the Lady Eagles batted around.

In the sixth inning, slap-hitter Pollock crushed a home run to right center fi eld, adding another run for USM 12-4.

Eldridge led off the sixth inning for the Miners with a home run of her own to avoid being run-ruled by USM. Garcia notched another Miner run with a single to shortstop, cutting the USM lead in half, 12-6.

Southern Miss loaded up the bases in the seventh inning when Hayden was hit by a pitch to score a run, 13-6.

Danielle Block was able to work out of a bases loaded jam in the seventh to secure the win, snapped USM’s 10-game losing streak.

McKeever and Cleary each had three hits while Estrada, Beck, Evans and Pollock all had two hits apiece.

In game three, USM came out hot offensively, scoring three runs in the fi rst. McKeever led off with a single to left fi eld, followed by Evans reaching on an error. Beck then reached fi rst on another Miner fi elding error, loading up the bases for USM.

Cleary then drilled a single up the middle to score McKeever and Evans. Hayden singled to left fi eld to add another run for USM in the opening frame.

UTEP responded by scoring six runs of their own in the bottom of the fi rst inning. Rodriguez bunted to the pitcher who made a wild throw to fi rst, sending a Miner across home plate. The Miners scored two more runs on a couple RBI doubles from Eldridge and Netane. Pepi had an RBI single, giving UTEP a 4-3 lead.

USM went to the bullpen, bringing in Block to relieve Johnson. The Miners scratched two more runs after the pitching change, increasing their lead to 6-3 after the fi rst inning.

In the fi rst inning alone, both teams combined for nine hits, nine runs, fi ve errors, one illegal pitch and both teams batted through their lineups.

UTEP notched another run in the second inning on an RBI single by Eldridge, facing a full count. The Lady Eagles were held hitless and scoreless throughout the second, third and fourth innings.

In the fi fth inning, the Miners increased their lead to 10-3 when Clayton crushed a three-run home run to left fi eld. USM was able to scratch a run across in the seventh, but it would not be nearly enough as the Lady Eagles fell 10-4.

Johnson (2-5) took the loss for the USM pitching staff, giving up fi ve hits and one walk.

The Lady Eagles will travel to Tuscaloosa, Alabama, to face the Crimson Tide Wednesday at 6:30 p.m.

Lady Eagles snap losing streak, but drop series to UTEP

SPORTS Monday, March 30, 2015 | Page 7

SOFTBALL

Ashley HickmanSports Reporter

Courtesy Photo/Joe HarperMorgan McKeever led off the fi rst inning in game two with a single up the middle against the UTEP Miners this weekend. The team traveled to El Paso, Texas, and lost two out of the three games.

The Michigan Wolverines ended the Lady Eagles’ magical run Sunday at Reed Green Coliseum, 69-60. Second-half comebacks had become a theme for the Lady Eagles, but things just did not go their way in the Elite Eight matchup.

Michigan raced out to a 32-13 lead and shot 60 percent during that stretch. Then, the Lady Eagles went on a 9-0 run of their own and cut the lead to just 10 on a fantastic buzzer-beater by Voche Martin heading into halftime.

The Lady Eagles opened the

second half how they ended the fi rst with a Voche Martin mid-range jumper. Michigan missed the ensuing layup, which led to a Jerontay Clemons layup. After being down 19, the Lady Eagles were only down six early in the

second half.However, the Wolverines

caught fi re once again. They hit big shot after big shot when the Lady Eagles attempted to gather momentum. They fi nished shooting an unreal 53 percent from the fi eld.

“We had that rally at the end of the fi rst half and the start of the second half and we threw a half court trap at them and got some turnovers,” said head coach Joye Lee-McNelis. “But they answered it.

“Most teams have taken ill advised shots, but (Michigan) played with such poise and they were able to answer every run we threw at them. Every time the

crowd got into it, someone would hit a big shot for them.”

In each of their comeback wins, the Lady Eagles upped the pressure on defense and each team crumbled, became fatigued and failed to hit shots

late. The Wolverines answered the bell and were led by Katelynn Flaherty who went 4-of-6 from the fi eld in the second half.

Each time USM would make a run to get the crowd at Reed Green back in the game, Flaherty would hit a dagger, one after the other. Michigan head coach Kim Arico said she was huge for them late in the second half.

“We made an adjustment at halftime as to where to get her the ball when we faced their pressure,” Arico said. “She is arguably one of the best shooters in the country hands down.”

Besides the huge shots by

Flaherty, the Michigan defense frustrated the Lady Eagles and especially Tamara Jones. Jones, the leading scorer for Southern Miss, was denied the ball and could not get her game going and it hindered the Southern

Miss offense. She fi nished with just six points and 10 rebounds.

Lee-McNelis said they were the best defensive team they had played all year.

“We have been able to hit three balls during this run, but they were running with us during screens and left us no space,” Lee-McNelis said. “They are probably truly, the best defensive team we have played all year. Not just with their press, but their half-court defense too.”

Despite the loss, nobody can deny how magical the Lady Eagles run has been. The offi cial attendance at the game was 5,480, a new record for Lady Eagles basketball and

left Lee-McNelis speechless and thankful.

“I think this was a launching pad for us for the future. The crowd that was here will hopefully be back to support us in the future because we have players

that are great role models for little girls in our community.”

Voche Martin, Brooke Rhodes and Tamara Jones were the three seniors and while they were disappointed, they were appreciative of their experience as part of such a special team.

“We reached 5,480 fans some odd fans. We made it to the Elite Eight and had a 25-win season,” Martin said. “If that isn’t going out with a bang as a senior I don’t know what is.”

There is a ton to look forward to in regards to Lady Eagle basketball. USM has an excellent core returning for next season in Clemons, Alex Coyne, Brittany Dinkins and Kierra

Jordan, among others.Lee-McNelis certainly has

the program trending upward and this historical run could be what catapults the Lady Eagles into the forefront of Conference USA.

SPORTSPage 8 | Monday, March 30, 2015

BASKETBALL

Historic season ends in Elite EightJacob KempSports Reporter

Susan Broadbridge/PrintzThe Southern Miss women’s basketball team waves goodbye to the fans and students in the Reed Green Coliseum Sunday after-noon as it closes its season in the WNIT Elite Eight game against Michigan.

Susan Broadbridge/PrintzSenior Brooke Rhodes scrambles for the ball with a Michigan player in the Reed Green Coliseum Sunday afternoon as the Lady Eagles took on Michigan in the WNIT Elite Eight. Southern Miss ended its season 25-11.