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Miami WBB Stays Undefeated With Win Over NJIT

Luke Sims
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Miami WBB Stays Undefeated With Win Over NJIT

Another game, another win for Miami Hurricanes women’s basketball.

The Hurricanes moved to 7-0 on the season with an 87 to 43 victory over the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) Highlanders Sunday afternoon at the Watsco Center. This win keeps Miami in second place in the ACC.

Miami put forth a team effort, with six players scoring double figures. Jaida Patrick and Jasmyne Roberts led the team with 12 points each. Roberts also led the team with seven rebounds. The Hurricanes also moved the ball well against the Highlanders. Duke transfer Sheyeann Day-Wilson led the team with eight assists, accounting for almost half of Miami’s 19 total assists.

Both teams started strong in a fast-paced first quarter that saw the ‘Canes lead 25-12. Miami’s sharp shooting was a catalyst for much of their first-half success. It was directed by Patrick’s 5-8 shooting from the field. Patrick led the Hurricanes with 12 points in the first half. Kyla Oldacre ran into some foul trouble early, and Lazaria Spearman and Latasha Lattimore filled in admirably. Their combined contribution gave a 26-point lead for the ‘Canes at the half, as they were up on NJIT 48-22 at the end.

Miami lost in the third quarter as NJIT outscored them by one. Miami head coach Katie Meier became more aggressive in the fourth quarter. Miami was able to stifle the NJIT offense in the fourth quarter, only allowing four points to the visiting Highlanders.

“We were getting beat and we were playing sloppy. We needed to play Miami basketball for 40 minutes regardless of the score and we weren’t. So we needed to wake them up.”

And wake up they did. The Hurricanes went on to outscore NJIT 23-4 in the final frame as Miami kept their undefeated season alive.

Alejand Zuniga was the leading scorer for the Highlanders with 15 points. The veteran guard also tied for the team lead in rebounds with four. Trini Williams was the leader in facilitating the ball for the NJIT offense with five assists. This loss drops the Highlanders to 5-4 on the season.

Miami looks to keep its undefeated record alive as it hosts the DePaul Blue Demons next Friday at the Watsco Center. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. and will air on the ACC network.

Ukrainian Diploma Exhibition: Honoring students who have lost their lives in Ukraine

Anya Weller
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Ukrainian Diploma Exhibition: Honoring students who have lost their lives in Ukraine

With blue and yellow lights of the fountain shining behind them, the University of Miami Slavic Culture Club took a moment of silence to honor the students who have lost their lives during the ongoing Ukrainian war.

For ten impactful minutes, the club’s executive board read the names of 20 UM students who fell victim to the conflict in Ukraine since its beginning. The livelihoods of these students were honored, as their aspirations, interests and spirits were shared with the audience this past Wednesday. Their unissued diplomas surrounded the stage upon which the names were read.

The UM Slavic Culture Club found its beginning in a single class after five passionate students realized they all shared Slavic backgrounds. Those same students then created a club that would serve as a support system for over 100 other Slavic students at UM, all looking to find community as a home away from home.

This fall, the club was connected with a non-profit organization called “Unissued Diplomas.” Through this organization, the Slavic Culture Club was able to get the names and faces of UM students in Ukraine who tragically died as war casualties, stopping them from earning their diplomas.

“These are students just like us, freshmen, sophomores, juniors and seniors in college that were unable to complete their degrees because they lost their lives, whether it be to go fight in the war or whether it be as casualties,” said Nic Howell, the treasurer of the Slavic Culture Club.

With the newly emerged Israel-Hamas war, some speakers at the event discussed how the war in Ukraine has been overlooked despite the ongoing tragedies happening in the region.

“The battle is taking a backseat,” said Patricia Whitely, senior vice president of student affairs and alumni engagement. “But the war is still happening every day.”

With a significant Slavic population, UM’s student body has been tremendously affected by the war in Ukraine. Bella Raham, vice president of cultural affairs, feels she will never get to see where her parents grew up or learn more about her own cultural roots as a result of the war.

“I think at any point when you hear about war and how many people were killed, you sometimes need to gain a better perspective as to who these individuals are and be able to honor them specifically for what they did throughout their lives,” said Raham. “They’re not just another number.“

The event closed with a violin performance, delivered by Kostia Lukyniuk, a master’s student at the Frost School of Music. Lukyniuk was able to escape being drafted to Ukraine because of his letter of admission to UM.

In honoring the students who tragically lost their lives in Ukraine, the students of the UM Slavic Culture Club expressed their more urgent desire to bring back awareness to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine within the UM community. .

“We don’t hope to make this a sad vigil,” said Howell. “We hope to use this to spread awareness and to honor these students who never got the opportunity to be honored at their own graduations.”

Miami to play Rutgers in the Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium

Luke Sims
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Miami to play Rutgers in the Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium

A hard-fought season for Miami will end in a baseball stadium as the ‘Canes travel to New York to square off against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights.

The 7-5 Miami Hurricanes get a Big Ten opponent in Rutgers, who finished the season at 6-6. This is the second time that the ‘Canes find themselves in the Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl. The last time was in 2018, when they played the Wisconsin Badgers, also a Big Ten team.

Rutgers finished the season on a four-game losing streak after starting the season off 6-2. This Scarlet Knights team does not have a very explosive offense but has a sound defense. Its leading rusher, Kyle Monangai, rushed for over 1,000, but its leading receiver failed to break 500 accumulated yards.

The ‘Canes are likely to start sophomore Jaccuri Brown at quarterback. This game would be Brown’s first appearance of the season. With Tyler Van Dyke in the transfer portal and freshman Emory Williams injured, Brown is the only quarterback on the roster with experience.

There is a history with the head coaches of both programs. Mario Cristobal and Rutgers head coach Greg Schiano were both on the Miami staff during the 1999 season, when Schiano was the defensive coordinator and Cristobal worked as a graduate assistant. A season later, when Schiano took over as Rutgers’ head coach, Cristobal worked as tight ends and offensive line coach.

In the past 15 years, Miami has won a single bowl game. The last win the ‘Canes had was a 31-14 victory over then-No. 14 West Virginia in the 2016 Russell Athletic Bowl.

Kick-off for this game is scheduled for 2:15 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 28th at Yankee Stadium in New York. This game will also be televised on ESPN.

Sephardi Voices: A forgotten exodus commemorated at UM

Shelly Gottlieb
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Sephardi Voices: A forgotten exodus commemorated at UM

Through Sephardi Voices, an international NGO founded by Dr. Henry Green, a professor of Religious and Judaic Studies at UM, students were afforded the opportunity to learn about the plight of the Jews displaced from Arab lands.

Every November 30th, Sephardi Jews, Jews from Arab lands gather to observe Yom Plitim, a day to commemorate the expulsion of Jews from Arab lands in the 20th century.

Several notable speakers were in attendance, including Dean Ryan Holmes, Rabbi Jason Cook, Betty Srour, the Vice President of Engagement at UM Hillel, and Moroccan Jew, Jimmy Benaudis, each one contributing greatly to the event.

Junior media management major Eli Weiss is the president of Hillel, the center for Jewish Student life at UM.

“It was a great event to hear the stories of Sephardi Jews. For students who are Sephardi, it allows them to be seen and invites others to learn,” Weiss said.

For an immersive experience, students were offered traditional Sephardi foods, such as bourekas, a savory pastry, much like a pastelito, kibbeh, fried bulgur wheat traditionally filled with meat, and baklava, a dessert that consists of layers of phyllo dough, honey, and pistachios.

“I thought the event was important for students, whether they are Sephardi or not to attend. As someone of both Sephardi and Ashkenazi backgrounds, it is imperative that the voices of my ancestors are honored through events, such as these,” senior international studies majorJesse Fromer said.Inspired by his passion for human rights, Dr. Green created Sephardi Voices, an organization comparable to Steven Spielberg’s USC Shoah (Holocaust) Foundation.

“What is interesting about Spielberg is that he collected about 52,000 interviews of Holocaust survivors and yet, only 100 of the Sephardi. Italy controlled Libya, they were sent to concentration camps in Europe. Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria were under the Vichy government” Dr. Green said.

Dean Ryan Holmes spoke on the limited information of Yom Plitim and the relevance of Sephadi Voices in history.

“When I looked for information, only 15 entries surfaced, as Google stated that all of the entries were too similar to be displayed,” Holmes said.“While we have the limited power to fix our world as a whole, we have more of an ability to do our part here at the U.”

Jimmy Benaudis, a Moroccan Jew, whose daughter worked for Sephardi Voices, shared his story with the audience.

Although Benaudis and his family lived well in Morocco, he faced antisemitism as a young child and was taught to believe that it was part of life.

“I left Morocco in 1978, I left France in 2002, because antisemitism was starting to pick up in France and I didn’t want my kids to grow up in an antisemitic environment. And now, I don’t know what to think,” Benaudis said.

Betty Srour, whose grandfather fled Lebanon at eight years old to Brazil and eventually moved to Israel, joined the Israel Defense Forces, where he met her grandmother. “Three generations, three different homelands,” Srour said. “Today, I am lucky and privileged to say that I go to the University of Miami, a campus that is so diverse and celebrates each of our differences.”

Srour’s planning of this event marks the first time that Yom Plitim at the University of Miami was spearheaded by a student.

“I didn’t really know what to expect from the event, but I learned so much and would love to learn more about the Sephardic Jews and their stories,” freshman nursing major Alanna Miller said.

If you would like to learn more about Sephardi Jews, Dr. Green is teaching REL 409: Special Projects Religious Issues this coming semester on Mondays from 2:30-5:00 pm. If this conflicts with your schedule, his book, Sepahrdi Voices is a way to learn more.

Miami picks up their first ACC win of the season against Notre Dame

Jayden Gonzalez
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Miami picks up their first ACC win of the season against Notre Dame

Following a blowout defeat to No. 12 Kentucky at the Rupp Arena, the No. 8 Miami Hurricanes (UM) (6-1, 1-0 ACC) looked for a bounceback win in their first ACC game of the year against the University of Notre Dame (UND) (3-4,0-1 ACC). After taking the lead halfway through the 1st half, the Hurricanes never looked back, winning 62-49 at the Watsco Center.

The ‘Canes displayed a team effort from start to finish against the Fighting Irish, with three of their five starters tallying double-digit points. This afternoon, one of the key performances came from Florida State transfer Matthew Cleveland. The junior guard was the team’s leading scorer, finishing with 14 points, five boards, and four steals to help propel the Hurricanes to victory.

From top to bottom, Miami’s defense was a massive part of the ‘Cane win today. While forcing 13 turnovers, the Hurricane defense stifled Notre Dame, shooting a poor 6-31 from beyond the arc and 28% overall. Even more, the Fighting Irish’s leading scorer, Marcus Burton, was held to just six points on 3-11 shooting. Miami head coach Jim Larrañaga attributed their success on Burton to superb defensive play from sophomore guard Bensley Joseph.

“A lot of the credit for our defensive stops goes to Bensley Joseph,” Larrañaga said. “He guarded Marcus Burton and he is the catalyst for everything that they [Miami] do.”

With about 6:50 left in the first half, freshman guard Kyshawn George hit a three-pointer to take a 22-20 Hurricane lead. From that point on, the ‘Canes never lost the lead. They used George’s triple to go on a 12-0 run to take command of the game. Despite the bench scoring only ten total points, coach Larrañaga gave a lot of credit to the second unit for today’s victory.

“I thought the bench really got us the lead,” Larrañaga said. “Kyshawn George and Christian Watson and A.J. Casey, when they were in there, I thought that they won their rounds.”

Despite maintaining the lead for over 30 minutes, Miami was never able to extend their lead past 13, mainly due to the relentlessness of the young Notre Dame roster. The Fighting Irish finished the game rebounding more than the ‘Canes in the offensive glass 15-6 and held UM’s leading scorer, Wooga Poplar, to nine points on 1-4 shooting from deep. Coming into the game, the junior guard was averaging just under 19 points a game on an impressive 55% shooting from three.

One of the biggest positives for the Hurricanes was the fouling, or lack thereof, for Miami big man Norchad Omier. While one of the best centers in the ACC, Omier has struggled with staying out of foul trouble, often racking up two or more fouls in the first half. Today, Omier didn’t pick up his first foul until seven minutes into the second half, which allowed coach Larrañaga to breathe a sigh of relief.

“You can’t imagine how much sleep I lose over him [Omier] getting in foul trouble,” Larrañaga said. “When he’s not fouling and when he’s not on the bench, he’s a huge contributor in every facet in the game.”

Omier finished the game with 13 points and 13 rebounds, racking up his third double-double.

Miami looks to extend its win streak against the Long Island University Sharks (LUI) (1-5) on Wednesday, December 6th, at the Watsco Center. Tip-off is set for 7:00 PM on the ACC Network.

Hurricanes advance to second round of NCAA Tournament with 3-1 win over Northern Iowa

Luke Chaney
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Hurricanes advance to second round of NCAA Tournament with 3-1 win over Northern Iowa

Miami volleyball has moved on to the second round of the NCAA Tournament after defeating No. 8-seeded Northern Iowa, 3-1.

Sophomore Flormarie Heredia Colon began set one with an emphatic ace that established a winning tone for Miami for the rest of the match. The Hurricanes then went on a 7-2 run on their way to a 25-23 set victory. Freshman Grace Lopez, who posted a career-high 30 kills for the match, led the way with five kills.

Just like in the first set, UM was on fire to start the second. A 6-1 run that was shouldered by two blocks from graduate student Abby Casiano paved the way for a 25-19 set-two victory for the ‘Canes.

In need of a win to keep its postseason dreams alive, UNI opened set three with a 10-6 lead. Kills from Casiano and Lopez kept the Hurricanes afloat, but the Panthers finished as strong as they started and secured the crucial win, 25-20.

This third-set victory generated momentum for UNI that was quickly retaken by Lopez, who registered three early kills in set four to lead Miami’s 7-4 start. Lopez and veteran outside hitter Angela Grieve spearheaded a match-clinching victory for the ‘Canes, which was capped off by a record-setting assist from Savannah Vach to Janice Leao.

Vach’s assist to Leao was her 5,209th, which now sits atop Miami’s all-time leaderboard.

For the match, the Hurricanes totaled 57 kills, 50 assists, 48 digs and 14 blocks.

Miami will face off against top-seeded Wisconsin on Friday at 5 p.m. with a chance to advance to the third round of the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2003.

Five-star defensive lineman Justin Scott commits to Miami

Luke Sims
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Five-star defensive lineman Justin Scott commits to Miami

On Wednesday night, Miami’s 2024 recruiting class jumped into the top five of 247Sports’ rankings with the commitment of interior defensive lineman Justin Scott. The former Ohio State commit had been committed to Columbus since July. Head coach Mario Cristobal and Miami’s constant and consistent pursuit of the big man eventually was enough to sway the star prospect to the sunny beaches of Miami.

Scott is the highest-rated prospect to flip his commitment in this recruiting cycle. The Illinois native sits at the top of Miami’s 27-player class. The senior is the only five-star prospect in the class and is trailed by a plethora of four-star prospects. Scott’s commitment pushes the Hurricanes into the top five among 2024 recruiting classes, trailing only the likes of Georgia, Ohio State, Florida State and Alabama.

As for Scott himself, not many defenders have the combination of speed and skill that Scott does. He has played both sides of the ball while also playing multiple sports. Scott was named The News-Gazette’s All-State Player of the Year in Illinois last season and was an impactful player on the hardwood. Scott also grew up playing baseball, hockey and soccer in addition to football and basketball.

Playing time as a freshman is hard to come by, but the 6-foot-4, 315-pound Scott may be good enough to see the field right away. If he earns it, it’ll be needed with the losses of Branson Deen and Leanard Taylor III. There are spots open along the interior for Scott to take.

This is a huge addition to the Hurricanes’ recruiting class and a testament to the recruiting process of Cristobal and the rest of the coaching staff. Scott and the rest of Miami’s recruiting class are expected to sign their letters of intent in the coming weeks.

REVIEW: “The Marvels” brings a mixture of humor and disappointment to fans

Alice Reich
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REVIEW: “The Marvels” brings a mixture of humor and disappointment to fans
Photo credit: "Brie Larson at Captain Marvel premiere" by farihajanam is licensed under CC BY 2.0.
Photo credit: "Brie Larson at Captain Marvel premiere" by farihajanam is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

The world has been asking for a comeback for the beloved character of Captain Marvel and the message was received. While “The Marvels” may entertain and amuse fans of the superhero franchise, the movie’s plot is mediocre.

The sequel to the 2019 film “Captain Marvel,” this recent release hit theaters on Nov. 10 and was directed by Nia DaCosta, who is now the first Black woman to direct a Marvel movie and the youngest ever at 34 years old.

Carol Danvers, aka Captain Marvel (Brie Larson), takes back her identity from the dictatorial blue-skinned militaristic race, the Kree. After retaliating against the Supreme Intelligence, she is faced with the consequences of her actions when the universe is thrown into havoc.

On her mission, she encounters a wormhole directly linked with the Kree revolution that intertwines her powers with two other superheroes, super-fan Kamala Khan aka Ms. Marvel (Iman Vellani) and Captain Marvel’s alienated niece Captain Monica Rambo (Teyonah Parris). They come together to form the Marvels.

The active cheerleaders of “The Marvels” include Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson), Kamala’s father (Mohan Kapoor), her mother (Zenobia Shroff) and her brother (Saagar Shaikh). The leaders of the Kree revolution are Dar-Benn (Zawe Ashton) and her partner-in-crime, Ty-Rone (Daniel Ings).

Embed from Getty Images

The Marvel franchise has taken a turn for the worse in recent years, failing to deliver quality movies that satisfy its die-hard fans.

As a Marvel fan, I go into each new movie with both hope and low expectations. This time, I was less disappointed than I had been in the past. The storyline itself was not exciting, but the spirit of the movie was alive and kicking, and its humor kept me looking forward to the next joke.

The film also conveys a powerful message of the importance and beauty of teamwork as the Marvels learn how to work together and become a sort-of family.

The soundtrack — which included songs like “Double Bubble Trouble” by M.I.A. and “Memory” by Barbra Streisand — mirrored their efforts to become one during pivotal moments like a fight scene, a training montage and an entertaining cat chase.

The music did not just span the pop genre. To my surprise, there were two original songs featured sure to please any theater kid presenting, spoiler alert, yours truly Captain Marvel herself.

“The Marvels,” though not a stimulating superhero movie, illustrates through comedy how we could go higher, further and faster, together.

Rating: 3.5/5

Miami’s undefeated season ends abruptly at Rupp Arena in blowout loss to Kentucky

Luke Sims
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Miami’s undefeated season ends abruptly at Rupp Arena in blowout loss to Kentucky

In a highly anticipated matchup between two top-12 teams in college basketball, the blue blood was able to stomp out the up-and-coming Miami Hurricanes as the Kentucky Wildcats dominated in a 95-73 win on their home court.

The Hurricanes have become accustomed to the sharp shooting ability of Wooga Poplar. The three-point prowess of Poplar is among the best in the country and has bailed Miami’s offense out at times.

Reed Sheppard was a real difference-maker for the Wildcats. The ‘Cats leading scorer had 21 points, went 5-of-9 from beyond the arc and was one of five Kentucky players to score in double figures. Overall, Kentucky shot 60% from the field compared to Miami’s 44%.

Miami entered this game with an undefeated 5-0 record and an eighth-overall ranking among college basketball teams. It was headed into a hostile environment to play a very skilled Kentucky team. This was one of the biggest non-conference games Miami has played in a while and was certainly the biggest game of the year thus far.

Poplar did all he could for the Miami offense early, as he started off 4-of-4 with nine points. The ‘Canes struggled to find offense outside of Poplar and Omier when the forward checked out the game less than four minutes in with an offensive foul.

With Omier out, Kentucky was able to go on a run that gave it the lead before Miami went on an emphatic 18-2 run to retake the lead with just under eight minutes to play. This was very much a game of runs, and the Wildcats responded to that with a run of their own to take the lead by five at halftime, 42-37.

Poplar was elite in the first half, with 13 points to go along with seven rebounds. The Philadelphia native was the team leader in both categories in the first half for the ‘Canes. He was effectively silenced in the second half, as were the rest of the starters.

Kentucky came out hot to start the second half. Kentucky went on a 9-2 scoring run before a Miami timeout. It did not get better from there. Kentucky outscored Miami 39-20 in the first ten minutes of the second half and 53-36 overall.

Omier fouled out with 7:41 to play in the game. Omier finished with 20 points and six rebounds in just 19 minutes of play. The foul trouble for Omier has been a point of emphasis for the ‘Canes all year, and it came back to bite them in this one.

Miami is typically a team that excels in transition and moves the ball well. Neither was true in Lexington. Kentucky outscored the ‘Canes 23-7 in terms of fast break points and was terrific at forcing turnovers with nine steals on the night.

The Wildcats were also able to move the ball incredibly efficiently in the game. Led by Rob Dillingham’s nine assists, the Wildcats had a 26-6 advantage in the assist department. The Wildcats were routinely swinging the rock to find the open look and knocking those shots down.

This was the first big test of the year for Miami in a hostile environment. Kentucky ended up beating Miami at its own game. The ‘Canes played well in the first half and had some impressive runs, but Kentucky came out swinging in the second half, and the ‘Canes were never able to punch back.

Notre Dame comes into town this Saturday in a big-time ACC clash. Miami looks to rebound and make sure this loss does not turn into a losing streak. The tip-off for this matchup is set for noon.

Doja Cat paints Miami red with spectacular show

Osvaldo Espino
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Doja Cat paints Miami red with spectacular show
MIAMI, FLORIDA - NOVEMBER 21: Doja Cat Brings The Scarlet Tour to Miami, FL at the Kaseya Center on November 21, 2023 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by John Parra/Getty Images for Live Nation)
MIAMI, FLORIDA - NOVEMBER 21: Doja Cat brings The Scarlet Tour to the Kaseya Center in Miami on Tuesday, Nov. 21. (Photo by John Parra/Getty Images for Live Nation)

Pop stars like Taylor Swift and country acts like Morgan Wallen have topped the 2023 music charts, a far cry from the past few years where hip-hop tracks have dominated.

The hip-hop community had not achieved a number one song all year until September, when artist Doja Cat dropped her single “Paint the Town Red.”

Following the release, the rapper immediately fell into a pit of criticism and controversy as the song’s accompanying music video had imagery that people called “satanic.” The backlash caused an uproar online from the singer’s fans, who have already feuded with her earlier this year.

Despite the controversy, Doja still sold out the Kaseya Center on the 12th stop of her 24-city Scarlet Tour on Tuesday, Nov 21.

The night was a special occasion as rapper Ice Spice — who hit peak popularity after her song “Munch (Feelin’ U)” went viral — opened up for the first time on Doja’s tour.

Rapper Ice Spice performs at the Kaseya Center on Tuesday, Nov. 21.
Rapper Ice Spice performs at the Kaseya Center in Miami on Tuesday, Nov. 21. Photo credit: Dowan Wilson

Spice’s fans, known as “munches,” were loud and proud as they sang along to her 26-minute long set, which featured hits like “Bikini Bottom,” “In Ha Mood” and “The Boy’s a Liar Pt. 2.”

Then came the main event, as Doja opened what would begin a five-act concert.

In the first act, a satanic-like figure came out behind the curtain and through itself into a hole in the stage. From the hole came out Doja, being lifted up on a chain, and wearing a fierce all leather outfit.

Her band came in swinging as they broke into “WYM Freestyle” to set the stage. The roaring, distorted guitar paired with electric drums felt like a rock concert, with some attendants even headbanging at times.

The track was followed by her single “Demons,” where she performed alongside a giant animatronic spider taken straight off her latest album cover.

Act two contained tracks such as “Attention,” “Often” and “Balut.” The most special part of this setlist was a cover of “Red Room,” originally by the band Hiatus Kaiyote, in which the entire arena lit up as Doja showed off her singing abilities.

Her song “Ain’t S—” filled the arena with a deafening noise as the thousands in attendance screamed the lyrics of the track.

MIAMI, FLORIDA - NOVEMBER 21: Doja Cat Brings The Scarlet Tour to Miami, FL at the Kaseya Center on November 21, 2023 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by John Parra/Getty Images for Live Nation)

Act three was made for those who came for Doja’s multi-platinum hits like “Woman,” “Need to Know” and “Get Into It (Yuh),” all of which featured incredible dance numbers.

Her performance of “Kiss Me More,” a duet with R&B artist SZA, was a highlight of the third act. As Doja sang the intro in an acapella fashion before the chorus hit, the lights got brighter and her band joined in for the most pop moment of the night.

Act four featured an intriguing performance of “Paint the Town Red” as Doja came out with a giant eyeball mascot and rapped around the stage.

She followed this with an incredible transition from “Put Your Head on My Shoulder” into “Streets,” where red lights covered the stage and a spotlight followed Doja. Her dance crew came out for a performance of “F— The Girls (FTG)” as flames spouted out from the stage and surrounded Doja as she went all in.

Before the fifth act started, a skit on the titantron showed Doja going on a drive as she skipped through old songs on the radio, including her first viral hit, “Moo.” This final arc was strictly filled with tracks like “97,” “Go Off,” “Ouches” and “Can’t Wait from her most recent studio album, “Scarlet.”

By the end, Doja had performed a whopping 24 songs — including the entirety of her new album — with visuals that projected the essence of her personality and music. The only thing that could’ve made the show remotely better is an even longer setlist.

With no backing tracks, a full band and gracefully-unique choreography, Doja Cat went all in and gave her fans exactly what they wanted and more.

No. 8 Miami faces off against No. 12 Kentucky in the inaugural ACC/SEC Challenge

Benjamin Gerkin
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No. 8 Miami faces off against No. 12 Kentucky in the inaugural ACC/SEC Challenge

Head Coach Jim Larranaga and his Hurricanes will take on John Calipari and his star-studded Wildcats on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. in Lexington, Kentucky. The eighth-ranked Hurricanes enter this game undefeated (5-0) and are coming in hot after winning the Baha Mar Bahamas Championship, downing Georgia and Kansas State.

Kentucky has begun the season strong, currently standing as the 12th-ranked team in the country with a 5-1 record. The Wildcats’ only loss was in a blue-blood battle with top-ranked Kansas.

Kentucky entered the season with the number one recruiting class in the country, adding four five-star recruits to their young roster. Kentucky’s offense is one to look out for, as it ranks fourth nationally, averaging 94.3 points per game and is shooting the three-ball effectively, draining 42.5% of its long-range attempts.

The Hurricanes and Wildcats both feature a fast-paced offense and elite guard play. While Kentucky shoots the three well, the Hurricanes have shot it even better, knocking down 45.8% of their attempts to lead the country. It will be critical for both defenses to close out shooters beyond the arc.

“Ultimately, it will be our defense and our rebounding that will determine our success,” Larrañaga said to reporters.

For the Wildcats, freshman Rob Dillingham and D.J. Wagner are going to be two guards to look out for. Both have played effectively in their first six games with the Wildcats and will continue to improve their NBA draft campaigns.

“Every one of their players pose a challenge because they’re all like NBA-type guys,” Larrañaga told reporters.

The Hurricanes will hope to see a continuation of an exploding offense led by Wooga Poplar, Matthew Cleveland and Nijel Pack.

“I think everybody has seen it, you know he has been hooping, all the work that he’s been putting in is just showing, he just keeps growing more and more and getting better and better,” fourth-year forward Norchad Omier said about Poplar.

Omier will be an x-factor in this one in hopes of grabbing rebounds to limit second-chance points for the Wildcats while also extending Miami’s offensive possessions.

This all-time matchup dates back to 1956, and in the four times that these programs have met, Kentucky has sealed three of the wins.

Tyler Van Dyke, three other Miami players enter transfer portal

Shea Mcdonald
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Tyler Van Dyke, three other Miami players enter transfer portal

With the current state of the transfer portal each year, there is excitement and anxiety for college football fans as they wait in anticipation to see who their team will be welcoming and saying goodbye to. On Monday, four Miami football players announced their decision to enter the portal.

Tyler Van Dyke

As Miami’s starting quarterback for the majority of the year, Van Dyke looked promising in the early parts of the season, but as Miami faltered in the middle of the season, so did he. Van Dyke struggled with interceptions and eventually was benched for Emory Williams going into Miami’s matchup against Florida State.

After a strong outing in the ‘Canes blowout over Boston College, Van Dyke will finish the season completing 65.8% of his passes for 2,700 yards and a touchdown-to-interception ratio of 19:12.

Looking forward, Miami will likely look to freshman Emory Williams, who flashed in his limited playing time this year. With just him and Jaccuri Brown being the only two scholarship quarterbacks, Miami will most likely look to bring someone in to give that QB room depth. The Hurricanes have one signal-caller committed to their 2024 class, Judd Anderson.

Fourth-year redshirt sophomore running back Donald Chaney, Jr. evades tacklers during his 20-yard rushing touchdown in the fourth quarter of Miami’s game versus Miami (OH) at Hard Rock Stadium on Sept. 1, 2023.
Fourth-year redshirt sophomore running back Donald Chaney, Jr. evades tacklers during his 20-yard rushing touchdown in the fourth quarter of Miami’s game versus Miami (OH) at Hard Rock Stadium on Sept. 1, 2023. Photo credit: Jared Lennon

Donald Chaney Jr.

Coming back from injuries that held him out for most of the 2021 and 2022 seasons, Chaney was a valuable part of Miami’s stable of running backs. The fourth-year sophomore had a productive year for the ‘Canes.

Chaney was Miami’s second-leading rusher in carries and third in rushing yards, but in all but three games, Chaney received less than 10 carries. He finishes his season with 478 rushing yards and two touchdowns on five yards per carry.

As for the future, Miami’s running back group is very solid, with freshmen Mark Fletcher Jr. and Ajay Allen very involved this year and junior Henry Parrish leading the group. Miami also has a commitment from the fifth-ranked running back recruit in the nation per 247Sports, Kevin Riley, who could eventually step in to join that group.

Fourth-year junior linebacker Corey Flagg, Jr. celebrates a defensive stop in the third quarter of Miami’s game versus Texas A&M at Hard Rock Stadium on Sept. 9, 2023.
Fourth-year junior linebacker Corey Flagg, Jr. celebrates a defensive stop in the third quarter of Miami’s game versus Texas A&M at Hard Rock Stadium on Sept. 9, 2023. Photo credit: Jared Lennon

Corey Flagg Jr.

Flagg has been a consistent staple of the ‘Canes for the past four years, being one of the team’s leading defenders in both tackles and tackles for loss. On a Miami team that has been one of the best in the nation at stopping the run, Flagg has been a consistent piece, registering 48 tackles, including seven for loss. He started two games this year.

Miami will miss the contributions of Flagg but will still have junior Francisco Mauigoa, who led the team in tackles, tackles for loss and tied for the lead in sacks. In terms of youth, Miami has sophomore Wesley Bissainthe, who registered 38 tackles, as well as several freshmen linebackers who could potentially step up in the future.

Fifth-year redshirt junior defensive lineman Jahfari Harvey celebrates a sack in the first quarter of Miami’s game versus Miami (OH) at Hard Rock Stadium on Sept. 1, 2023.
Fifth-year redshirt junior defensive lineman Jahfari Harvey celebrates a sack in the first quarter of Miami’s game versus Miami (OH) at Hard Rock Stadium on Sept. 1, 2023. Photo credit: Jared Lennon

Jahfari Harvey

The fifth-year junior has been granted another year of eligibility and has decided he will be using it at another university. Harvey was another part of Miami’s stout defense in the trenches but has been unable to replicate his production from last year with 5.5 sacks and 7.5 tackles for loss, as he finished this campaign with a sack and 2.5 tackles for loss.

Miami will take a hit in the trenches, losing Harvey and likely Leonard Taylor, who is projected to leave for the 2024 NFL Draft. Miami will likely rely heavily on freshman phenom Rueben Bain Jr., who has 9.5 tackles for loss this season and was tied for the lead in sacks with 7.5.

While these names are notable losses for Miami, there is still plenty of time left in the year for further losses and potential additions to the ‘Canes for next season. Officially, the portal will open on Dec. 4 and close on Jan. 3, 2024. How the team will evolve through the portal is yet to be determined, but these losses will be of note as Miami looks to end the season strong with a bowl victory to close out the year.

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