Sports
Friday, April 2,1993
The Battalion
Page 5
A&M secondary using spring to fill holes
A&M assistant
knows secrets
to Final Four
N e x t
Monday
night
the supreme
team in college
basketball will
be crowned
king in the New
Orleans Super-
dome.
The fabulous
foursome of
Michigan, Ken
tucky, North
Carolina and
Kentucky will
battle to sit in
Duke's depart
ed throne.
While Cinderella is not dancing at
this year's annual ball, she was eight
years ago.
The Villanova Wildcats stormed
into the Final Four as an underdog.
Not only did they have to deal with
the heavily-favored Georgetown
Hoyas, but also with the media.
A&M assistant basketball coach
Mitch Buonaguro was there for the
crush.
"It was a time when you have to
zero in on preparation," Buonaguro
said Thursday. "It is hard to deal
with fanfare, but we were used to it
because we played in the Big East.
"Rollie (Massimino) did a good
job of keeping our minds focused.
That is difficult to do."
Buonaguro was an assistant for
Massimino in 1985, and after the
Wildcats beat Memphis State in the
national semifinals, they had to pre
pare for a team that had already
beaten them twice in the regular sea
son.
"After we beat the Tigers, every
thing intensified," Buonaguro said.
"But Rollie kept us focused on
Georgetown, and he had us extreme
ly prepared to beat Georgetown."
Which Villariova did by a score of
66-64. The Wildcats' victory was
considered the greatest upset in the
history of the NCAA tournament.
"I had some anxious moments
during that game, especially at the
end," Buonaguro said. "We were up
by two at the end and Gary (Mc
Clain) fell down. I thought they
would call traveling, but they didn't.
"I looked up at Rollie and saw we
were going to win and be national
champions."
Most experts say a team needs to
enter the NCAA's on a hot streak to
claim a national championship. But
Villanova disproved that theory.
See Plumer/Page 8
By MICHAEL PLUMER
The Battalion
Two has been a synonymous number
with the Texas A&M secondary.
Two years ago A&M lost two players,
cornerback Kevin Smith and strong safety
Chris Crooms. This season, the Aggies
will also have to replace two players in
free safety Patrick Bates and cornerback
Derrick Frazier.
A&M, though, has the youthful num
bers to replace the departed stars.
"We have talented players, but they
don't have a lot of experience," A&M sec
ondary coach Trent Walters said. "This
spring, we are in the process of'develop-
ing talent."
Leading the charge from the secondary
will be senior cornerback Aaron Glenn.
After transferring from Navarro Junior
College, Glenn made an immediate
splash.
He had six interceptions last season,
including a 95-yard touchdown return
against the University of Texas that
sealed A&M's 31-14 victory.
Glenn said he knows that the pressure
is on him to provide leadership.
"I am trying to take a leadership role
because I have had some experience,"
Glenn said. "But some of the other guys
have had experience,
so I am not the only
one."
One of the "other
guys" is sophomore
cornerback Ray Mick-
ens, who is involved in
a battle at the right cor
nerback spot with se
nior Billy Mitchell. But
Mickens said the pres
sure is something he
expected when he de- Mickens
cided to attend A&M.
"The competition will always be there
because there are no sorry athletes here,"
Mickens said. "I knew there would be a
lot of pressure coming in.
"There are two kinds of pressure. One
is a pressure to fail, and the other is pres
sure to step your game up. I want to step
it up."
Walters said the struggle between
Mickens and Mitchell will go down to the
wire.
"Ray and Billy are having a fierce com
petition, which is good," Walters said. "It
is a fierce competition that is pretty close.
"It is a long way from being decided."
Mickens has the perfect chance to
showcase his skills, as do the rest of his
teammates, in spring practice. Due to the
youthfulness of the defensive backfield,
this time in pads is an opportunity to
learn the system.
"Our goal this spring was to learn
enough so we can play as well next fall as
we did last year," Walters said. "It is ex
citing to work this group of guys because
they are striving to get better."
That should be bad news to the rest of
the Southwest Conference because, with
the exception of Glenn, most of the pre
sent players will be together for a couple
of years.
Mickens said that that fact excites him.
"This spring things have been going
good," Mickens said. "We are trying to
get our communication lines down while
learning the basics. We have only one se
nior, so we will be with each other for
awhile.
"That gives us a chance to build a
foundation."
Building a strong basis provides the
opportunity for a great future. Walters
pointed out some players preparing to
perform on Kyle Field today and tomor
row.
"I think (junior) strong safety Michael
Hendricks is doing well," Walters said.
"Also, (junior free safety) Junior White is
playing excellent. He has had a solid
spring so far."
Glenn also praised White's efforts
along with the rest of his teammates.
"He has been doing a good job getting
keys and reads," Glenn said. "He has
stepped up his play. Everybody seems to
be playing on a high level, and I don't
think we will have much confusion be
cause of that.
See Secondary/Page 8
FROM STAFF AND WIRE REPORTS
After reaching the 30-victory mile
stone earlier this week against Mary
Hardin-Baylor, the Texas A&M baseball
team has another chance to make some
history.
A sweep this weekend of the Lubbock
Christian Chaparrals would give coach
Mark Johnson the 400th victory of his ca
reer. He would reach that plateau earlier
in his career than the current winningest
active head coach in the nation. Cliff
Gustafson of the University of Texas.
Friday's game starts at 7 p.m. with Sat
urday's douoleheader starting at 2 p.m.
Lubbock Christian brings a four-game
winning streak to College Station and is
currently 21-16 on the season. Earlier this
season, the Chaparrals split a pair of
games with Texas, taking home a 9-7 vic
tory. The last time these two teams met
was in 1988, with A&M leading the series
13-1.
Jeff Granger (7-1) will pitch Friday's
game, followed Saturday by Trey Moore
(7-0) and Kelly Wunsch (4-0). Moore con
tinues performing double duty for the
Aggies, starring as designated hitter and
pitcher. He is currently batting .324, and
had an 11-game hitting streak. Opposing
batters are also having trouble against
him, Moore opened the season with 27
straight innings without allowing an
earned run before Maine touched him for
See Aggies/Page 8
Johnson aims for 400th career win against LCU
Granger, Moore each looking for eighth victory in weekend series at Olsen Field
KYLE BURNETT/The Battalion
A&M's Stephen Claybrook lays down a bunt in a game earlier average to .270, will help lead the Aggies into their series this
this season. Claybrook, whose recent hot streak has raised his weekend against Lubbock Christian
MICHAEL
PLUMER
Assistant Sports
Editor
MSC Committee for the Awareness
of Mexican-American Culture
hosts
FORMER STUDENT
BANQUET
&
AWARDS
CEREMONY
with
GUEST OF HONOR
Melissa C. Cigarroa
Vice-President, Laredo National Bank
April 3, 1993
7:00 pm
Duncan Dining Center
Ticket price $7.00 students
$9.00 non-students
For more information contact
MSCCAMAC at 845-1515
Scuba Lessons
$95 Next Class Starts April 2nd
Paradise Scuba
Your Headquarters For Scuba Equipment
115 College Main (NorthGate)
846-9396
Aggie Ring
Orders*
CLAYTON W. WILLIAMS, JR. ALUMNI CENTER
DEADLINE: APRIL 21, 1993
Procedure to order a ring:
1. You must come to the Ring Office no later than Wednesday,
April 21, 1993 to complete the form for an audit of your
transcript. (One-two days are required to process your
audit.)
2. After your transcript audit is approved, the entire ring price
is paid in cash or by check no later than April 23, 1993.
Undergraduate degree seeking students mav place an order if;
1. 30 credit hours were completed in residence at A&M in the
Fall of ’92 or before if you were a transfer student. (Hours
in progress are not completed.)
2. 95 credit hours are completed/will be completed at the end
of this semester. (Should you be including enrolled hours
for the Spring ’93 semester, only hours in progress at A&M
may be counted.)
3. A 2.00 cumulative grade point average at A&M is reflected on
your transcript (after your most recent final grades).
4. Your transcript does not have any blocks Tot past due fees,
loans, parking tickets, etc.
Graduate degree seeking students mav nlace an order If:
1. You are a May'93 degree candidate. (Your order will be accepted
contingent upon your May '93 degree being conferred.)
2. Your transcript does not have any blocks for past due fees, loans,
parking tickets, etc.
MEN’S RINGS
WOMEN’S RINGS
10KY - 3280.00
10KY - #163.00
14KY - #381.00
14KY - #188.00
*There is an ^8.00 charge for Class of'92 and before.
The approximate date of the ring delivery is August 4, 1993
C & C Crawfish Farm
Live, purged, farm raised
crawfish
Call and order
NOW!
589-2065
Starlit Soiree
Desifiiicr Fonnnhccar liviilttl
A Smart Allrniatirr
Ladies Designer Formalwear and Accessory
RENTAL
Look your best for less
with a selection of over
700 exquisite designer gowns
including matching shoes,
earrings and purses.
Sizes 2-22.
Prices $55-$275
Owner Class of '77
Perfect for Ring Dance
and other Black Tie events.
Proms, Pageants, Mardi Gras,
Weddings and Reunions
River Oaks Center
2005-D West Gray
713-526-7368
Open Morulay-Frklay 10-7, Saturday 10-6