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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 9, 1990)
The Battalion /lijXfie, /icuUzetbaU f990-97 Page 6 Friday, November2,15 Friday, Big East transfers must wait patiently in wings for now • • • By SCOTT WUDEL Of The Battalion Staff Georgetown point guard David Edwards was setting up the play for the Hoya offense. His team was matched up against fellow Big East powerhouse Syracuse. The 5-11 point guard kept the ball low as he was dribbling, and suddenly found himself in a mismatch with 6-8 Orangeman Tony Scott. Scott, a tall, wiry, forward, was forced to guard his quick oppo nent and ac cepted the challenge. Syr acuse coach Jim Boeheim yelled to his player to back off and go back to his own man. Scott finally conceded the short battle and left Ed wards to some one a little more his size. Little did Edwards and Scott know that they would soon end up on the same team to gether. One that was al most 1500 away. Texas head Kermit Davis Jr. couldn’t be more happy to be the bene factor of their decisions to son after transferring, the two will not go unnnoticed at practice. “I’m just going to try to push the team as hard as I can,” Scott said. “And make them bring out the best of their abilities. “Coming from a bigger pro gram and playing against the bet ter competition, then 1 think I could do some things to help them reach some of their talents and at the same time try to reach mine.” miles And A&M coach head south to play basketball.' In the midst of rebuilding the A&M program, Davis has two players that could make the tran sition from mediocrity to great ness a fast process, and put the school on the basketball map with the likes of Nevada-Las Vegas, North Carolina, and Indiana. “I think it helps your reputa tion for whatyou’re trying to do,” Davis said. “They were both guys who wanted to go somewhere else to have more playing time.” Davis says the nature of the players’ experience will benefit the whole A&M team. “Their experience will help next year,” he said. “This year they’ve got to be as competitive as they can be in practice and give us the simulation of the bigger play ers that we’re going to play against. If they can do that then I think they’ve had a good year.” Both Edwards and Scott come from big-time college programs that historically find themselves in the NCAA Tournament year in and year out. Though each has spent only one season with their former schools, the experience they’ve gained in that time will be invaluable to a young A&M team. While having to sit out this sea- Scott trans ferred after his sophomore season at Syra cuse, where he played in 24 games, averag ing almost six points a con test. The for- ward recorded a career-high 12 points in the Big East tournament fi nals last year against Con necticut and also started in all three of the NCAA tour- n a m e n t games. Scott says his new team and its new coach will be a total change from the time he spent un der his former coach Jim Boeheim. “With the athletes we had at Syra cuse it was more or less one-on-one, free-lance, creating your own shot,” Scott e x - plained. “Here it’s more structured, more pick setting and defensive-oriented.” Scott said he will be able to ad just to Davis’ more-attention-to- detail style, and will have to do more than simply spotting up and taking his own shot — unlike at Syracuse, where he was the Orangemen’s top three-point threat. Edwards’ philosophy will be much the same. He says his main objective this season will be help will face now and in the future. “I want to just make the team better by playing hard in practice, really pushing the guys like Isaac (Brown) and Brooks (Thomp son),” Edwards said. “Try to make them better players and get ready for the better guards that are coming up.” Edwards says he has been warning the young players of the frightening sights that exist out in the rough basketball world. He says he told them that when a team like Oklahoma comes to G. Rollie White Coliseum, they will be coming with a purpose — not just to win, but to crush their op- See Transfers/Page 9 A brighter_future Lady Ags hope young team can mature quickly By SCOTT WUDEL Of The Battalion Staff Texas A&M women’s basketball coach Lynn Hickey is hoping a young team has grown up since last season. Hickey’s new roster consists of a wide range of experience she hopes just may have had enough seasoning last year to push A&M up to the likes of perennial Southwest Conference powers Texas and Arkansas. Hickey enters her seventh season with the Lady Aggies able to pick from two seniors, five juniors, three sophomores and two freshmen to fill four open spots in this year’s starting lineup. The Lady Aggies’ season kicks off on Monday, when they host Hickey said she is optimistic about the team’s chances to improve on last year’s 16-12 record and its 8-8 SWC mark. “Overall, I think we’re looking forward to this year,” Hickey said. “Last year we had enough athletic talent to be in the top three in the conference, to win 20 games. Emo tionally, we never came together.” However, she said she hopes the missing ingredient has arrived. “What we’re hoping for this year is that our mental outlook on the game and how mature we are as peo ple will be so much better,” she said. “Even though we’ve lost some key people, we’ll be able to be better than we were last year. “That’s a real possibility.” Possibilities are plentiful with this year’s team. Hickey is looking to ex plore a variety of options with the size and abilities she sees in the Lady Aggie roster. She said the Lady Aggies may sport two different looks this season. The coach may put a group on the court that would average heights of 5-11 to six feet. This group would be mobile enough to use for pressing defense and a passing, motion of fense. Janner/The Battalion Senior guard Yvonne Hill and the Texas A&M Lady Aggie basket ball team are heading into the season with high hopes. This style would enable the team to take advantage of some of its strengths, Hickey said. “When you look at our overall strengths and weaknesses, I feel real comfortable with our outside game,” she said. “We have size as well as some speed and quickness to put out there. “And as far as shooting range, we’ll be much improved from last year. We’ll have more than just Wendy Jennings, and that will help Jennings has lettered three years for A&M and is one of two seniors on the A&M team. She was the team’s most active player from the three-point line last year, hitting over 35 percent of her attempts, and over 41 percent against conference opponents. Jen nings didn’t start a game last year for the Aggies, but may be called upon this year. Yvonne Hill is the other senior and the lone returning starter 12 points-per-gdme average» looked for again. Hickey said thinks Hill will improve even this year. “Yvonne had a great year! year, and she’s going to be; more comfortable with oursysis Hickey said. “I’m looking atkf be a prime leader.” Hickey also will look to5-9Si Dillard and junior college trar Shawn Medlock to be key coni nents in the Lady Aggie backcos The A&M frontline could made up of a 6-6 player and t»{ players. The bigger frontline play a slower, power game. However, Hickey said theii> game will be the biggest quti mark for the Lady Aggies. She said the team needs tocot the boards if it wants to runthel “We have some good athletes, they are either very young, or and inexperienced, or injur Hickey said. A healthy Dena Russo is nn to supply the frontline withsom perience. Russo averaged ovei points a game last season butma slowed by two knees that unden arthroscopic surgery this sumuie Hickey said the junior w trouble tolerating the poundin everyday practice with the unst knees. She said it’s a matter ol mental play as to how well she play. Russo said her legs feel fuu time will tell how well they'll hoi Without her, the Aggies would to rely on inexperiencedjuniorW essa Edwards, sophomore Kf* Janak and a 6-6 freshman. They will have to take up the B at forward after the loss of seniefl ane Decree, who withdrew B school earlier this week. Dt® started 21 games last season, aiM eraged 5.6 points a game. Whatever the ingredients W Hickey said she hopes to imS gether a team that will compete* conference powers Texas and® kansas. She said the team will not MB wins and losses, but on focusing* proving and working on itscoirB itive spirituyj “The objective we have even B is to win the whole thing," He* said. “But it’s realistic that if we* real hard, everything will fallp place.” SWC gears for Arkansas dominance in Razorbacks’ bittersoooiiiet farewell By RICHARD TIJERINA Of The Battalion Staff Arkansas seems poised to make its 1990-91 farewell tour of the Southwest Conference a memorable one. Texas A&M looks like it might make its first-year head coach’s season a forgetta ble one. Then there’s Texas, hoping to compli cate things. Such is the state of the SWC. Offseason moves were numerous for the con ference. Arkansas, a charter member of the SWC, voted to leave for the Southeastern Con ference. Razorbacks coach Nolan Richardson was given a well-deserved seven-year contract exten sion. A&M went out with the old and in with the new when it hired 30-year-old Kermit Davis Jr. as its head coach. Houston went from a SWC con tender into a SWC question mark with the loss of a key player. It all adds up to another conference season clouded with mystery. Can the Razorbacks domi nate as expected? Can the Longhorns overcome the loss of two top players now playing in the NBA? How low will the Aggies go, and will any more misfortune strike them? Will the Cougars find a power forward? The SWC will have a hard act to follow, as two conference teams made it to the Final Eight in 1989. Still, some say 1990 will be even better — even though it lost several marquee players. Those who won’t be back include Craig Up church, Travis Mays, Lance Blanks, Tony Mil- ton, Mario Credit and Vernon Purdue. “Arkansas is better than they were last year, we might be by the end of the year, and Houston is strong again,” Texas coach Tom Penders said. “What really makes the league better from top to bottom is the improvement of everybody.” Parity has seeped its way into the SWC, and the conference is stronger because of it, Texas Tech coach Gerald Myers said. “Texas, Arkansas and Houston are all going be strong,” Myers said. “Arkansas is pink stronger than they were last year. Baylor, H| and Rice will be good, better than last year,5-| (the conference) has lost some outstanding: ers, but you look at who’s coming back ami- . of the new guys coming in, and you’d havetol on paper that the conference is stronger." Arkansas (30-5, 14-2 in the SWC). The Rat backs, who lost to Duke in last year’s NCAAFf Four game, should be the team to beat thisvf Center Mario Credit is gone, but practicallyy eryone else returns to give the Razorbacks tak quickness and depth to make them the class the SWC conference. Todd Day, the consensus preseason choice! Player of the Year, and Lee Mayberry retti And Oliver Miller, the rolly-polly big man" the game to match his mouth, will take See SWC'Pac: MEAT SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY CENTER DEPARTMENT OF ANIMAL SCIENCE FRESH (NOT FROZEN) - BEEF RETAIL CUTS!!! ROASTS PRICE/LB. RIB $3.79 CLOD 2.25 EYE OF ROUND 3.29 TOP ROUND 2.90 CHUCK 1.95 RUMP 2.85 TIP 2.85 BRISKET 1.99 STEW MEAT 2.29 STEAKS PRICE/LB. RIBEYE $4.99 STEAKS PRICE/LB. RIB STEAK EYE OF ROUND TOP ROUND BOTTOM ROUND TOP SIRLOIN STRIP BONELESS STRIP BONE IN TENDERLOIN TOP BLADE PORTERHOUSE $3.79 3.29 2.90 2.79 3.69 4.69 4.49 6.49 2.29 4.99 For a limited time, we are featuring fresh (never frozen) beef retail cuts along with our usual variety of vacuum packaged, frozen cuts. It is being made available during an extensive Meats and Muscle Biology Section Project to investigate the time involved in cutting beef wholesale cuts into steaks and roasts, therefore a larger amount of freshly cut retail cuts are generated. The fresh cuts will be available on the following dates: Oct. 11 and 12 Nov. 1 and 2 Oct. 25,26, and 27 Nov. 8 and 9 THE BATTLE AIR f/Af£- % OF THE GLADIATORS Please stop by and shop with us. The Rosenthal Meat Science and Technology Center is open Monday through Friday 9:00 am till 6:00 pm, and open on home football Saturdays from 9:00 am till 1:00 pm. VSSA WHEN: Friday, Nov. 16, 1990 WHERE: Sneakers 7:30 p.m. Compete in competitive games or cheer on your favorite Gladiator Prizes Include: 2 American Airlines tickets to any where in the U.S., A Zenith Data Systems Minisport Com puter, and many, many more! Come by Blocker or the MSC Nov. 13th thru Nov. 16th to sign up, or sign up at the door! By DOUGL Of The Batt; When vis season to w team, reme terboy stalk ing for mor it’s the new With the suit, Kermf coach for T should be p in actuality, basketball. A&M At vid Crow r vested a foi vis and led of a $35-mi ter, which , 1993. Davis, 30 Mississipi Si ings and g would have on March 2: To date seven playe on the team Hardin Tommy Fn Marshall tr was deniec past problei member of Conference Harris and failed out o coming fres Seagoville, San Antoni casualties a Pai is Junioi list, returni was suspeni ding investi galry of a vt So to say has been a : roneous, b head coach year will be “I think < very difficu excited abo our guys ha Davis stai that approa losophies at Davis Sr., \ years and tl hanging ou Davis said h wanted to f steps. “I was on to the gyrr that’s what “But I grad case it tur wasn’t what “Howeve back of mir do for a Ion Becomin thing Davis credits his I the ins and “He nevt vis said. “Hi things abo there’s any coaching, b away from; of stuff. “He was < 4 Ag Ano