Rachel Saccardi, a sophomore environmental design major, at left, and Alina Pickett-Odom, a sophomore anthropology major, discuss herbalism at a Pagan Student Alliance meeting on Wednesday. (CU Indpendent/Stephanie Davis)

Meditation, energy healing, visualization, spells, archeology, herbalism, mythology, polytheism, atheism and reincarnation…these are all terms that people use to describe paganism.

Emma Lee, a 27-year-old junior psychology major, transferred to CU from Mesa State College where she first created a pagan organization. In fall 2009, she established the Pagan Student Alliance here at CU.

The club meets every Tuesday in the UMC to discuss different aspects of their religion. But what exactly is their religion about? What specifically do they believe?

There is no pinpointing paganism; Lee says it is an umbrella term.

“A textbook definition would say paganism is anything not ‘Abrahamic,’ like Christianity, Judaism or Islam,” Lee said.

Other than that, there are no boundaries. Two people, who identify as pagans, could share many to no common beliefs. There is a vast spectrum of practices including spell casting, worshiping ancient Greek gods and goddesses, or even studying archeology to better understand one’s ancestors.

The Pagan Student Alliance’s mission is to provide a welcoming place where pagans can become part of an open dialogue and share their beliefs for spiritual growth.

Every meeting is dedicated to one member who presents a topic of their choice. Previously, they’ve covered different religious areas such as shamanism, Haitian Voodoo and Asatru.

Tuesday night, Lee led the group in a guided animal meditation, where participants were encouraged to take a walk and explore their mind. Afterwards everyone discussed what they experienced and where their journey had taken them.

Lee explained this was part of something she practiced as a healing technique.

“It’s very personal, your brain is speaking to you through symbolism,” Lee said. “It’s a chance to actually listen to what your brain is saying.”

Lee says sharing their own religious views helps expose each person to different areas of spirituality. Group members have their own practices and say they joined the Pagan Student Alliance for individual reasons.

For some, it’s about self-discovery, like Rhonda Holton, 20-year-old junior physics major, who is also a member of Campus Crusade for Christ.

“I’m exploring my spirituality,” Holton said. “I’m trying out everything.”

This is not uncommon when learning about paganism, those who practice it say. The main concept to understand is that everyone has their own beliefs. Lee says it is a highly personalized religion where everyone follows their own path.

Paganism followers say they search for what speaks to them spiritually. One member of the alliance, 19-year-old sophomore and environmental design major Rachel Saccardi, says she dabbles in herbalism in her own way.

“Many people do spells, I like to make lucky charms to carry around with me, “Saccardi said. “You can make brews to drink or do other things like bury them around your house for protection. It’s whatever works best for you.”

Despite all the differences, club members say they do have one thing in common: they are eccentric and atypical. Self-proclaimed “weirdo,” Lee says they form solidarity from their differences.

And with differences bring false impressions. Being a part of a group people don’t know much about is often met with many misconceptions, group members say.

“We don’t all worship Satan or do ritual animal sacrifices!” Lee said. “Pagans don’t participate in group orgies… well some do, but not everyone. “

Contact President Emily Lee with any questions about the Pagan Student Alliance at paganalliance@hotmail.com.

Contact CU Independent Staff Writer Amanda Moutinho at Amanda.moutinho@colorado.edu.

A game where the score was tied five times and the lead changed 12 times, proved too much for the 11th seeded Colorado Buffaloes women’s basketball team to hold on to in the first round of the Big 12 Championship.

Unlike the Baylor team who was missing star freshman Britney Griner, the Buffaloes had all their star players on the court. Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough to beat the sixth-seeded Bears. The Buffs fell 72-65 to nationally ranked No. 16 Baylor Thursday night at the Municipal Arena in Kansas City, Mo. The loss was CU’s 23rd straight to a ranked opponent.

Colorado’s tournament showing was much more impressive than their last meeting with the Bears. In their February match-up, CU managed only 42 total points and 13 field goals during the game. In this rematch, Colorado put up 39 points and made 14 field goals in the first half alone.

Despite their 39-31 lead at the half, the Buffs began to fall apart in the later part of the second half. Baylor outscored Colorado 41-26 in the final 20 minutes, had four fewer turnovers (eight compared to CU’s 12) and stole the ball six times, twice as many times as the Buffs.

CU head coach Kathy McConnell-Miller saw the changes that both teams made when they returned from the locker rooms. She said she believes the added ball pressure from Baylor caused her team to turn the ball over more and get less open looks. This pressure prevented the Buffs from getting into the same flow they had during their successful first half.

“From an offensive standpoint there was patience, execution, players making the extra pass and that was the difference offensively in the first half from the second half,” McConnell-Miller said after the game. “We didn’t have enough time in the second half to really execute and get into the flow of our offense.”

The Buffs came out strong in the beginning of the game. A 3-point jumper by junior forward Brittany Spears assisted by freshman guard Chucky Jeffery gave Colorado the early lead. Four turnovers by both teams in less than two minutes finally gave way to a three-point-play by Spears to give the Buffs a 6-2 lead, but it didn’t last for long in the back-and-forth game.

With 7:07 remaining in the first half, Baylor had a seven point lead behind the prowess of junior forward Whitney Zachariason, who finished the game with 17 points, with 15 of those coming from beyond the arc.

McConnell-Miller said that the Buffs’ 2-3 zone defense wasn’t putting enough pressure on Zachariason, and Baylor realized early on just how much of an asset she would be off the bench.

“She got a couple early on and gained some confidence, but as soon as they realized that we were staying in the zone they brought her off the bench fast, and they knew they needed somebody to spread the offense,” McConnell-Miller said of Zachariason.

However, the ever-battling Buffs had the answer to Zachariason in sophomore guard Alyssa Fressle. Her two treys helped narrow the margin to 27-26. CU then went on an 18-6 run to end the half.

Spears, who posted her twelfth 20-plus-point game, leading the team with 24 points and tied a career-high five steals, said the team tried to come into the second half battling as much as they did in the first.

“At halftime we were saying we’ve got to stay focused, don’t be happy with the lead and come out strong,” Spears said after the game.

However, the Buffs seemed to do just the opposite. In the first four minutes, Colorado was 1-for-6 from the field, but still held on to a 43-35 lead. Baylor managed to cut the lead down to three, but a long shot from senior guard Bianca Smith assisted by Spears raised the score to 46-40 with 15:25 remaining.

Five free throws from Baylor once again tied up the score, only to be broken by Spears 12 seconds later. With an assist from Jeffery, Spears scored and raised the Buffs 55-52.

The game remained close for the next five minutes, but shots that just wouldn’t fall and Baylor’s full-court press hurt the Buffs, whose only points in the last six minutes came from free throws. Jeffery’s last free throws helped narrow the margin to three, but it wasn’t enough to stop the enlivened Bears.

“I don’t know if it wore us out, some of those shots we just didn’t make,” Fressle said after the game. “I mean a couple rolled around, my layups, a couple by Chucky, she had a great drive and they just didn’t fall. There is not too much else to say.”

Even though their season is over, the Buffaloes remain hopeful for the years to come. Fressle said that freshmen Jeffery and Meagan Malcolm-Peck in combination with the strong core of the returning, more experienced players will make for a better, more improved team next year.

McConnell-Miller summed up the season by pointing out the team’s mistakes in the last few minutes, but by adding that during the off-season the team will get better because everyone will grow.

“It’s my job as a coach to focus on what we’ve done well, what we need to improve on in the off-season and how they’re going to get better,” McConnell-Miller said. “We’ve all got to grow. I’ve got to grow. The staff has to grow. The team’s got to grow and we’ve got to get better as a result of this season.”

Contact CU Independent Staff Writer Marlee Horn at Marlee.horn@colorado.edu.

It’s rare that a university athletic program makes three athletic teams practice and play on a single parquet court. Right now the University of Colorado makes both of its basketball teams and its volleyball team do just that.

Later this month, CU will take the first steps to remedy what volleyball head coach Liz Kritza and women’s basketball head coach Kathy McConnell-Miller call a scheduling nightmare.

“The practice facility will free up our athletes’ schedules and allow them to progress towards their degrees,” Kritza said.

The new building will include two courts that could be used for basketball or volleyball practice, and a volleyball coaches’ office and locker room. In addition, the 42,817-square-foot addition to CU’s athletic facilities will have a new women’s basketball locker room and an improved equipment room.

The project is estimated to cost between $10 million to $12 million.

Brought about by a clause in men’s basketball head coach Jeff Bzdelik’s contract, CU is required to break ground on a practice facility before the start of Bzdelik’s fourth year.

Kritza said the practice facility is huge for the volleyball program, especially because they are occasionally forced to practice in Carlson Gymnasium when Coors Events Center is scheduled for other practices or events.

“We all want to train our team at the highest level,” Kritza said. “We’re rebuilding. We’re a young team. We need a good consistent block of court time [in order to get better].”

The women’s basketball team feels the same way.

Freshman guard Chucky Jeffery didn’t know about the practice facility when she came to CU, but is excited for the new accomodations.

“It’s definitely good for the program,” Jeffery said.

McConnell-Miller sees the upcoming facilities as conducive to a higher-caliber training environment.

If completed in the scheduled timeline, the three teams will be able to practice in the spring 2011.

“We’re recruiting against the top of the top for high level players,” Kritza said, “[The practice facility] will make us all more competitive.

Contact CU Independent Social Media Editor Zack Shapiro at Zashapiro@colorado.edu

Playing bluegrass songs at Abo's Pizza on the Hill, Peyton Prater, Ryan Ramsay and John Ware are part of a bluegrass jam group that meets on Thursdays. The informal group includes CU students, high school students, Boulderites and anyone who would like to pick up an instrument or sing. (CU Independent/Lauren Walters)

Abo’s Pizza is a local favorite every day of the week. But, when Thursday nights roll around, the homegrown pizza shop receives some help from homegrown bluegrass musicians, turning it into a lively music venue. When the tunes start flowing, a bustling hill crowd migrates to Abo’s to enjoy great pizza, beer and bluegrass.

The session is open to all musicians from all levels and musical backgrounds. A variety of age groups who play a variety of instruments participate in the jam. While Abo’s has hosted the jam session for only a year, it has been an ongoing practice in Boulder for several years, migrating locations and constantly changing players, with the exception of a group of older musicians who provide a basis for the jam.

One of the group’s organizers and players, John Ware, a 59-year-old fiddle and guitar player, said he has been jamming with this session since Abo’s started it eight years ago.

“We welcome all levels and have a great time,” Ware said. “We especially love to welcome beginners. We keep playing because we love bluegrass. Abo’s has been great in hosting this and they have the best pizza in town.”

Ware said the jam session started with a group of CU students who called themselves the Buffalo Grass. They began playing at Masa Grill and moved to Sidney’s Cappuccino coffee shop, before migrating to Borders on Pearl Street and continued to play there after its move to the 29th Street Mall location.

Ware and a few other musicians have kept the session alive as it moved into Abo’s and said they are always looking for new musicians to join in on Thursday nights.

Sarah Walls, a 21-year-old senior environmental studies major, said she is an avid bluegrass fan who enjoys the picking while flipping pizzas in the back. She said the bluegrass has been great for business and the restaurant.

“I have friends who pick all the time and have asked them to come in and join,” Walls said. “It brings good energy to the restaurant and is fun and open. Everyone is welcome from all different ages. It’s been great for business.”

As the evening grew and the picking began, the energy that Walls spoke of was apparent. The crowd was loose and friendly without the usual cares that come with eating at a restaurant. The musicians played a variety of tunes, from upbeat songs with fast paced rhythms to soft ballads.

The musicianship and talent within the group was evident when they sang in harmony and traded improvisations. Yet, the most obvious and important aspect of the music was the sheer joy and fun that the musicians displayed. It was clear that they loved to play with one another and fed off of the laid back appeal provided by Abo’s.

Justin Gurss, a 22-year-old senior political science major, said he enjoyed the atmosphere that comes with a bluegrass session.

“I have seen live music here before, but this is a very homely vibe,” Gurss said. “It’s very authentic.”

Contact CU Independent Staff Writer Davis Brown at brownfd@colorado.edu.

In this file photo, Junior guard Cory Higgins (#11) leaps for the basket during the second period of Saturday's game against Texas Tech. Despite last weekend

After a 9-22 season a year ago, the three straight wins to end the Colorado Buffaloes men’s basketball team’s 2010 season put them on the cusp of a postseason berth.

Then they played like it was 2009 again.

After jumping to an early 18-8 lead, the Buffs were outscored 24-6 over an eight-minute span of the first half and never recovered, falling 82-67 to a Texas Tech Red Raiders team that they romped in Boulder only four days ago.

Junior guard John Roberson led Tech with 19 points, and senior guard Nick Okorie followed up his 34-point performance at the Coors Event Center, with 18 more as his squad avenged their 101-90 loss last Saturday.

The ninth-seeded Red Raiders (17-14) overcame their seven game losing streak with the victory and dominated in almost every phase of the game, including field goal percentage (49-to-42 percent), rebounds (39-to-29), and bench points (30-to-9).

Colorado (15-16) played uncharacteristically sloppy, turning the ball over 19 times and struggling to maintain any sort of rhythm on offense.

Senior guard Dwight Thorne, who was held to five points in his final game as a Buffalo, put his team’s struggles bluntly.

“We just got complacent,” Thorne said afterwards. “We weren’t making the right passes and weren’t being sure in our passes.”

CU freshman guard Alec Burks’ double-double (24 points and 10 rebounds) might have been the lone bright spot for the team, and he said he felt that the team played too selfish a style of basketball.

“I think everybody started staying in place and the ball started sticking,” Burks said. “We weren’t passing, giving our teammates better looks. We were trying to do it ourselves and be the hero. I feel like that was our downfall.”

With the win, Texas Tech strengthened its shot at an NIT bid, assuring itself of finishing above .500 regardless of the outcome of their quarterfinal matchup with top-ranked Kansas.

Meanwhile Colorado’s season is all but over, its 15-16 record eliminating them from qualifying for the NIT.

CU head coach Jeff Bzdelik said afterwards that, despite the setback, he’s proud of the growth his team showed over the course of the season.

“We’ve taken a step forward this year,” Bzdelik said after the game. “And we need to just keep taking steps forward.

“We need to get stronger. We need to defend better. We need to rebound better. We need to go out and recruit and continue to strengthen this basketball team.”

As for Thorne, though he wasn’t able to reap any postseason benefits from his time in Boulder, said he foresees a bright future ahead for his teammates.

“This team is going to be a good team next year,” Thorne said. “I’m the only guy leaving, to have everything pretty much coming back. So I’ll be excited to see where they’re headed…and it’s going to be up.”

Contact CU Independent Staff Writer David Starcer at david.starcer@colorado.edu.

CU’s Vegard Kjoelhamar and Matt Gelso, from left. Kjoelhamar finished fourth and Gelso won the 10K Classical race. (Courtesy CUBuffs.com)

The second day can be sweeter for skiiers.

The CU ski team moved up from sixth to second place in team standings the second day of NCAA Skiing Championships Thursday, with 351 points. The Buffs trail just the University of Denver, who continues to lead the championships with 420 points.

All six CU competitors in the classic cross-country race finished in the top 20, contributing to the incredible jump the Buffs made in the team standings.

On the men’s side, senior Matt Gelso took the crown as the NCAA classic 10-kilometer champion, with a time of 29 minutes and 25.5 seconds. Senior Vegard Kjoelhamar placed fourth in the race with a time of 29:54.5, and junior Jesper Ostensen finished 20th with a time of 30:49.8.

Gelso is just the second Buff to win the classic race at nationals and earned first-team All-America honors for the first time since his freshman year.

Gelso said he is very pleased that he won this race.

“This was a goal of mine that I made at the end of last year since this is my last year eligible to ski for NCAA,” Gelso said. “I succeeded in that and I have a chance to win another one so I’m pretty excited.”

The women’s side faired just as well in the 5-kilometer classic race. Freshman Joanne Reid took fourth place with a time of 17 minutes and 9.9 seconds while sophomore Eliska Hajkova placed three spots below her at 17:17.4.  Junior Alexa Turzian finished 19th with a time of 18:10.4.

Reid claimed the best finish by a CU freshman in the classic race at the NCAA’s since 2006 and it enables her to earn first-team All-America status.

After the race she said that she wasn’t trying to accomplish anything like she did on Thursday.

“I wasn’t really thinking about place, I just went out there to try my best, and do what I could for my team,” Reid said in a news release.

CU Nordic coach Bruce Cranmer said he was pleasantly surprised by Reid’s feat.

“I always have high expectations,” Cranmer said in a news release. “I knew Joanne had the ability to be there, but in a classic race I was thinking top 10, but top four, I was super psyched about that.”

Gelso said both the men’s and women’s teams did well, even if it wasn’t some of the skiers’ best races.

“Some people didn’t quite have the days that they wanted, but I definitely think they’re staying positive and they can have good races on Saturday,” Gelso said.

CU head coach Richard Rokos said both teams gave important performances that have affected the entire team.

“The whole Nordic performance gives the team a second chance,” Rokos said in a news release. “I think we’re in the hunt.”

On Friday, the Alpine skiers will return to the slopes in slalom while the cross-country skiers will hopefully ski for a national championship in freestyle on the final day of competition Saturday.

Contact CU Independent Staff Writer Kayla Cornett at kayla.cornett@colorado.edu.

Visibly exhausted from a long road trip and spending the night in a hotel, the members of Eisley took time to relax before their set, sipping on coffee and tea as they discussed their lives as a family band, the pressures of big record labels, and their upcoming album.

Playing Tuesday night in the Glenn Miller Ballroom, Eisley was one of four musical acts to take the stage as part of the Miramontes Festival, playing with a diverse group of musicians including Paper Bird, Danielia Cotton and DJ Rekha.

Eisley is unique in that the band is made up almost entirely of siblings. They include Sherri, Stacy, Chauntelle and Weston DuPree; their cousin Garron DuPree plays bass, and Boyd DuPree, who acts as the band’s manager and is a father to four of the members.

Although Eisley’s first record, “Room Noises,” was released in 2005, the band said they’ve been playing music together for as long as they can remember.

“It was bound to happen,” said Weston DuPree, a 23-year-old drummer for the band. “We all lived in a tiny house. Three kids lived in one room and three kids lived in another, and there was always a lot of musical influence in our house.”

Stacy DuPree, 21, who plays keyboard and is one of the lead vocalists for the band, said she agreed.

“All we knew was music, all the time,” Stacy DuPree said. “We just started writing together and it just sort of happened. We started getting asked to play at churches and youth groups, so we decided to become a band.”

Becoming a band was easier for Eisley because they were homeschooled, said the band.

“We were total homeschooled dorks, and still are,” Stacy DuPree said.

Sherri DuPree, a 26-year-old guitarist and vocalist for the band, said homeschooling was one factor that helped form the band.

“[Being homeschooled] definitely helped us facilitate what we wanted to do,” Sherri DuPree said. “We were able to go play shows and tour and do school on the road, though we never really did our schoolwork.”

While most successful bands have their share of problems, family bands are often perceived as having the most turmoil simply because the members are also related. Liam and Noel Gallagher of Oasis have carried a long sibling rivalry, while The Jackson 5 dealt with an overbearing father for a manager. Eisley—though certainly no Partridge Family—has seemed to find a balance between work and play as a family band, casting aside unnecessary drama and the pressures of work to do what they said they love together.

“There are never really any problems between us,” said Garron DuPree, 20. “I guess when we get mad we just kind of keep it to ourselves.”

Chauntelle DuPree, a 28-year-old guitarist for the band, said the atmosphere is very lax.

“No one takes anyone else serious enough to have any real drama,” Chauntelle DuPree said.

Although Eisley may not take themselves seriously, one thing the band said they do take seriously is their music. After releasing two full albums through Warner Bros. Records, Eisley recently cut ties with their label, a process which Weston DuPree said would take “about two years to tell.”

“[Warner Bros.] was never going to help us get to the next level, and we were tired of that,” Chauntelle DuPree said.

Weston DuPree said that often, record labels only pay attention to bands that they feel will take off and quickly make the label money.

Despite losing a major label, the members of Eisley said they are optimistic about the future of the band.

“I feel like, if anything, things are picking up for us,” Sherri DuPree said. “We’re doing more shows and we have festivals coming up, so we’re really happy.”

One of those festivals includes South by Southwest, a music event which takes place in Austin, Texas, March 17 through 21.

Because Eisley is currently in transition between labels, the band said there is no set release date for their newest album, but that it is completed and they hope to have it out within the year.

“I think this newest album is a lot more aggressive [lyrically], and it stems from the fact that we all went through really painful relationship issues,” Sherri DuPree said. “I think it’s kind of a snapshot of where we were in our lives at that time. If we wrote another record now, it would be completely different.”

Although relationship problems may have been an issue in the past, the members of Eisley have seemed to bounce back from their relationship woes. While the youngest member, Garron, is currently single, all other members of the band are married or engaged. Weston and Chauntelle DuPree recently married their respective counterparts in a double ceremony, Stacy DuPree is engaged to drummer Darren King of the band Mutemath, and Sherri DuPree is married to Max Bemis, lead singer of the popular pop-punk band Say Anything.

“The clouds just sort of opened up, and everything got good all at once,” Chauntelle DuPree said.

Eisley described their music-making process, and what went in to making their latest EP, “Fire Kite,” released in Oct. 2009.

“It starts out in Apple’s GarageBand and filters out to the rest of the band,” Garron DuPree said.

“Sherri and Stacy are the main songwriters,” Chauntelle DuPree said. “Sometimes they collaborate and sometimes they write separately.”

Sherri DuPree elaborated on the songwriting process.

“Generally, [Stacy and I] write separately and then bring a song to the band if we think it’s good enough,” Sherri DuPree said. “Everyone sort of writes their own part, so everyone helps shape the song in the end.”

Eisley said their musical influences include Radiohead, Bjork, Mew and The Beatles.

“We all grew up listening to The Beatles,” Weston DuPree said. “They’ve always been a pretty big foundation for us.”

Part of the fan appeal to Eisley is their constant connection with their fans. Eisley has a Facebook, a Twitter and a blog, which are all frequently updated.

“I’m the one that’s online the most,” Sherri DuPree said. “I get made fun of for it, but it’s so fun to me. I can get on my phone right now and ask a question to all these cool fans, all over the world, and they’ll answer. I think it’s the coolest thing ever.”

While Weston and Garron DuPree were quick to point out that they avoid the social networking tools all together, Sherri DuPree said she is dedicated to her unofficial job.

“I’ve built lasting friendships just through meeting people online,” Sherri DuPree said.

When Eisley finally took to the stage, opening for DJ Rekha, young and old students alike gathered to hear the indie-pop band’s unique brand of emotional storytelling.

Songs like “Invasion,” “Golly Sandra,” and “I Wasn’t Prepared,” were the most well-received songs of the night, with students singing along in unison to Stacy and Sherri DuPree. Stacy and Sherri DuPree’s uncanny ability to hit near-perfect pitches in unison contributed to a powerful, unabashed live presence.

Clever, smooth-flowing instrumentation and ironically radiant singing to sometimes somber lyrics are what sets Eisley apart from other predominate indie “chick bands.” While Emily Haines has a hauntingly beautiful voice and Jenny Lewis sings about her drug use with authority, the female vocalists of Eisley have taken a different approach, serious songs often disguised in sweet melodies or relaxing lullabies.

Despite brief feedback from Sherri DuPree’s microphone, the majority of college-aged hipsters seemed to enjoy the performance, including 21-year-old Ina Smith, who said she had come to Boulder to visit her friends and see Eisley.

“It was my first time seeing them, but I was really impressed,” Smith said. “I loved how personable they were onstage.”

After the show Eisley took time to chat with fans and sign posters before hitting the road once again, heading back home to Tyler, Texas.

Recently, Stacy DuPree covered the Fleetwood Mac song, “Silverspring,” with fiancé Darren King on guitar. In the past, Eisley has contributed vocals to Bright Eyes’ Cassadaga and Say Anything’s newest self-titled album.

When asked what prompts these often random collaborations, Stacy DuPree said simply; “It comes from our family nature, helping people out.”

Contact CU Independent Entertainment Editor Sebastian Murdock at Sebastian.murdock@colorado.edu.

(CU Independent graphic/Adam Milner)

A towering giant who blocks every shot she can. A 6-foot-8 player who can dunk the ball. A woman who gets triple-doubles in her freshman season.

This Goliath of the basketball court stood as a huge obstacle for a road win at Baylor for the Colorado woman’s basketball team.

But now, Brittney Griner isn’t playing because of a different type of shot she took at Texas Tech guard Jordan Barncastle.

The media is calling it the punch heard round the world. After being swung around in the paint by Barncastle, Griner had a flagrant response—a clothesline-like punch straight to Barncastle’s face.

NCAA handed down a one game suspension, after speculation by teams, media and fans alike over what Griner’s punishment would be. Baylor added its own one game suspension for good measure.

Two games might not seem that significant to most viewers at home, but it has a much deeper impact to the Buffaloes. The second game is the first round of the 2010 Big 12 Women’s Basketball Tournament, and as it just so happens, the second meeting for Colorado and Baylor.

Colorado enters the tournament as the No. 11 seed, while nationally ranked No. 16 Bears enter at the sixth seed. Tip-off is at 6:30 p.m. Thursday at the Municipal Center in Kansas City, MO.

The last time the teams met, the outcome wasn’t in CU’s favor. The Buffs lost 76-42. In the 34 minutes she played, Griner made 24 points, ten rebounds and 11 blocks.

Griner’s impact on the Bears is as huge as her stature, and the Buffs are hoping that that missing star will be their chance to make it past the first round.

“She kind of gave of us a lot of problems because we couldn’t penetrate,” freshman guard Chucky Jeffery said about the teams’ first match-up. “They kept getting the ball into the middle. So without her there, that’s a big loss for them, but for us, it’ll open up a lot of things. We’re just going to attack, and attack as much as possible.”

The Buffaloes are hoping to attack, and with Griner out, not face another Bear attack. Senior guard Bianca Smith knows that in their last meeting, the team felt worn out from Griner’s smooth skills.

“I think her presence, whether it was blocking shots or getting rebounds or just her emotions, the way she fueled her team, I think was very intimidating, especially for the younger players and even for myself,” Smith said. “We’re so used to being able to get back doors and get layups and get fouls called. When you have a player of her size and her stature in the paint just blocking shots, it’s very difficult to try to stick to doing that and not fall to going outside of your game or fading away or taking bad shots. I think it was hard for us to stick to what we do best at Baylor.”

Head coach Kathy McConnell-Miller noted that at Baylor, her team was mentally affected by Griner’s presence, and in turn, settled for perimeter shots, with the anticipation that they were going to get blocked if they drove into the paint.

But even with her dominant presence, Smith said Griner is no titan.

“I watched her games in high school on television and I knew what she was capable of, but I also saw her lose in the state championship game, so I did know that she’s not Goliath,” Smith said.

Nonetheless, a Griner-less Baylor means more open looks for Colorado. Smith believes that CU will be able to do what they do best on the court and that their offense will be more open for drives and backdoors.

The Bears may be a completely different team without Griner, but that doesn’t mean they have suddenly lost their balance or aren’t one of the nation’s best.

“They’ve all stepped it up, and they know that they’re very different on the floor without her and everybody’s role has changed,” McConnell-Miller said. “They’re a great team with Griner and they’re a great team without her—just a very different team.”

After watching Baylor’s 70-54 loss to No. 18 Texas, McConnell-Miller has noticed where these differences are occurring.

She said Baylor was effective and intense offensively, driving to the basket and making it to the free throw line. However, she said that although their defense was playing smaller and more aggressively, they weren’t playing to their strengths.

Colorado, on the other hand, is trying to play to their strengths and treat the tournament as something brand new.

“I think as a team we look at it as a whole new game, like a whole new season,” Jeffery said. “Whoever wins, wins. Whoever loses, loses. We’re just trying to come out with a good focus.”

In Jeffery’s first tournament appearance, she hopes to be consistent and play the best basketball she’s played all year. At the other end of the spectrum, senior Smith hopes to play her best, as she knows that these games will be her last in a CU jersey.

“I think it means a lot because it could be my last in my Colorado uniform,” Smith said. “So I’m kind of looking forward to winning as many as we can out there and staying as long as we can so that I can keep playing.”

Even with the thought of her final games as a Buffalo in the back of her head, she isn’t going to let emotions take over her focus on the game.

“I think that I’m just trying to stay focused on the task and trying to win the game, not necessarily worrying about my individual issues,” Smith added. “I’m just trying to stay positive and focus on the scout and get as many victories as we can, maybe winning the championship.”

McConnell-Miller is hoping that adjustments the team has made and the strengths of their guards, such as Jeffery and Smith, can take them all the way to the championship round.

“Offensively I think we’re just a little more cohesive,” McConnell-Miller said. “I think we’re driving more. We’re getting more open looks on the perimeter, as opposed to the quick hits or the two guard hits that we run. On the defensive end, we know what our limitations are. We realize that our strength is in our guard. For us to score, we need to have four guards on the floor.”

Most importantly, the Buffs need to play for the full 40 minutes. If they keep their focus during the game, Smith believes their chances are good.

“We have to play hard for 40 minutes,” Smith said. “We have to stick to what we do best and execute our offense and then not have any lulls in games where we have four or five minutes where we fall apart and stop executing. I think if we can execute for 40 minutes and play hard for 40 minutes we can hang with any team in the tournament.”

Contact CU Staff Writer Marlee Horn at Marlee.horn@colorado.edu.

(CU Independent illustration/Adam Milner)

Continuing tradition, Libby and Baker residence halls are undergoing a three-week competition for energy-saving dominance.

The competition, known as the 2010 Power Smackdown, began March 1 and will end March 19, according to CU Environmental Center’s Web site.

Scot Woolley, a 23-year-old junior environmental policy and Mandarin Chinese major, serves as the student coordinator for the event. Woolley said the theme focuses on competition.

“The theme is Mexican wrestling,” Woolley said. “We changed the name from the Power Showdown to the Power Smackdown. And in doing that, we’re trying to emphasize the competition part of it: you’re trying to lay the smackdown on the other dorm.”

Woolley said the theme makes the competition more fun while poking fun at today’s culture.

“I would say this year we’re really trying to make it fun,” Woolley said. “Pop culture’s getting so outlandish. We’re going to dress up as Mexican wrestlers and go with RAs on their walk-through to hand out CFLs [compact fluorescent light bulbs] and promote energy education.“

Woolley said the rivalry between Libby and Baker helps get students involved in the Power Smackdown.

“Originally, one was a guys’ dorm and one was a girls’ dorm and historically they’ve had a rivalry,” Wooley said. “In this context, the competition is the best because the students have so much pride. They identify with their dorm, and if they hear another dorm is doing better, they want to step it up.”

Baker resident Lauren Kuhn, an 18-year-old freshman chemistry major, said she hasn’t noticed a rivalry between Libby and Baker.

“I don’t think there’s a rivalry,” Kuhn said. “I think mine [Baker] is better, but they [Libby] do have a dining hall.”

Rob Hall, energy program manager at the Environmental Center, said the Environmental Center originally chose Libby and Baker for the project based on location and funds.

“The equipment was too expensive for every residence hall, so we bought enough for two to see if having a competition would reduce energy usage,” Hall said. “We’ve kept it in those two halls since they’re right next to each other and have a rivalry going.”

Hall said the equipment used shows how much energy is flowing through the building and compares to the amount used last year. The system uses sensors to record data, as shown on the competition Web site.

On the Web site, students can compare energy savings in terms of dollars or fuel sources and see which dorm is ahead. Positive percentages with an upward arrow show that students are using more energy as compared with this time last year and downward arrows indicate less energy use. Ultimately, Libby and Baker strive for the highest percentage change.

Kuhn said she has not changed her habits for the competition.

“I haven’t consciously been doing anything different,” Kuhn said. “I try to save water and turn off the lights, but I haven’t changed anything.”

Libby resident Rachael Garcia, a 19-year-old freshman sociology major, said Libby residents could benefit from the program.

“A lot of people in the hall leave their lights on when they leave the room,” Garcia said. “They never turn off the sinks in the bathroom either. They’re always dripping.”

Woolley said the Environmental Center plans to sponsor events to increase student interest in the Power Smackdown.

“We’re trying to work with the hall councils, but running into a funding issue,” Woolley said. “We want to have a lights-out glowstick party. Hopefully, we’ll have an incentive for students to be there. The data from the Web site will be projected on one of the walls, and we’ll try to get the students to run around and turn off as many lights as possible and physically watch the bar drop on the Web site.“

Woolley said students can easily participate to help their dorm win.

“There are easy things like turn the lights off when you leave, only use the lights that you need, and put your computer to sleep,” Woolley said. “Another concern is chargers. Cell phone chargers that have the capacitors on them are constantly drawing electricity.”

Hall said he thinks students should turn down their refrigerators.

“Turn down the temperature on your refrigerator from a five to a two or three,” Hall said. “25 percent of energy use in residence halls comes from the refrigerators.”

After registering online, Libby and Baker residents have the opportunity to win a $600 gift card for University Bicycles or one of 10 iPod shuffles. Hall said the students from the winning hall will be chosen at random.

Kuhn said she thinks targeting the residence halls will have a larger effect on campus.

“If you want to establish energy saving with the students, the dorms is the best place to start,” Kuhn said. “People are often careless and more energy is probably wasted in the dorms than anywhere else.”

Contact CU Independent Staff Writer Jennifer Retter at Jennifer.retter@colorado.edu.