y* Novembei r Ji The Battalion Sports Page 5 Wednesday • November 20, 1 996 Lady Ags look to freshmen to fill void left by departed seniors e Sousi! By Jeremy Furtick The Battalion ^ Youth will be served this sea- r^on on the Texas A&M Women’s “•^vasl^etball Team. After losing five eniors from last year’s squad, the ady Aggies will field a team con- isting of eight underclassmen, ve of which are freshmen. A&M Head Coach Candi Harvey ■ aitl the younger players were a ma- Qpr iconcern going into fall practice, ■ ™ Wlut hey have surprised her thus far dth their level of play. —fAt some point in our first two \- :xhibition games, each of our \ reshman, and all of our players ifflhe bench, have given us pos- tivi results,” Harvey said. “They lave done more good things han bad. At this point, we ex- jP ^ jected the opposite.” ^ !?Even with the unexpected irogress of the underclassmen, — - — .iafvey said one of the main ob- -SH staples the Lady Aggies will face ' s being able to raise the level of heir game as the competition |v jecomes stiffen 1 ZL iWe're going to be playing jreBt basketball teams, some of vhttch are much more experi- meed than we are,” she said. \ ^ We’re trying to simulate as much f 11^ pressure and intensity in practice L is we can so we won’t be in total >hock when the pressure of an ac- ual game hits us. ITH II “This team is going to have T£5®o learn to deal with adversity E. m the court and learn how to :D nake changes on the floor as he game goes along.” Freshman forward Prissy sharpe said the underclassmen lave no choice but to con- The tie that binds As an integral part of talented ’96 team, senior team captain Lana Tucker leads by example By Sara Duesing The Battalion A t first glance, Lana Tucker may not seem like much of a threat to opposing teams. But for Tucker, a guard on the Texas A&M Women’s Basketball Team, looks can be deceiving. Behind her sweet smile and lighthearted laugh is a competitive and dedicated athlete. Standing just 5 feet 7 inch es tall, and in her second year as team captain, Tucker has been a key component to the Lady Aggies’ success through her contagious work ethic. “Lana gives 110 percent every night,” A&M Assistant Coach Dee Gibson said. “She is very unselfish and plays very hard.” Being a leader on the team and making herself available to her team mates is a responsibility Tucker takes very Tim Moog, The Battalion Sophomore guard Kerrie Patterson avoids a defensive attack at Tuesday's practice at G. Rollie White Coliseum. K i :iur tribute to the team. “The underclassmen play a big role on this team,” Sharpe said. “We are going to have to make an imme diate impact in points and minutes if this team is going to be successful.” Sharpe points to the team’s se nior leadership as the key to grooming the freshmen into top- notch college players. “The seniors have done a great job picking us up when we’re hang ing our heads and showing us our role on the team,” Sharpe said. “They expect us to play hard and make contributions now; they’re not just preparing us for next year.” Senior guard Christy Lake said she feels her job as a senior is to keep the freshmen focused. “As seniors, we’ve got to help the younger kids adapt to college ball,” she said. “We need to help them re alize our goals and stay focused on them while we also teach them.” Harvey said she is also looking to the seniors for leadership. “A team is only as strong as its senior leadership,” she said. “They have had a taste of the postseason and hopefully their hunger and desire will point us in that direction again.” Harvey said the Aggies’ depth, along with their leadership, will be their biggest asset this season. “We have tremendous depth, LAST CORPS TRIP even though it’s young depth,” Harvey said. “I think this will pre sent match-up problems for oth er teams. If they stop one of us, we can put someone else out there that gives a little different look and can hurt them.” Lake said quickness and de fense are the team’s strong points. “When we are pushing the ball in an up-tempo game and using our quickness and defen sive strength is when we will be at our best,” Lake said. With such a young team, Harvey said the Aggies will make positive strides throughout the season. “You’re definitely going to see one team in November, a differ ent team in December, and an other in January,” Harvey said. “At the end of the season, we will be a much-improved team. “If we stay healthy, I think we will potentially be a NCAA tour nament team.” Sharpe said the Aggies have similar aspirations and they know what their first steps need to be to reach them. “All of us know that everyone is going to play and we all have to contribute for us to be a good team,” Sharpe said. “Lana gives 110 percent every night. She is very unselfish and plays very hard.” Dee Gibson A&M Assistant Coach when you’re a veteran.” Tucker said she lets nothing get in the way of basketball’s greatest benefit — having a good time. “With all the hype there is, it is just a game,” Tucker said. “If you take the fun out of it, you lose what basketball is all about.” Tucker, who started playing the sport in the third grade, said her in terest was sparked by her friends’ involve ment, and that at first, it was not something she took seriously. “My dad saw the potential in the sport and really encouraged me to play,” Tuck er said. “He pushed me when some times I didn’t seriously. “I try to lead by example, by setting the pace for others to follow,” Tucker said. “I’m try ing to be a more vocal leader, though. That comes along with the game 4, really want to play. “My high school coach, who passed away after my senior year, was also a great influence. I’m inspired to play well for her.” In the Lady Aggies’ two exhibition games last weekend, Tucker averaged 9.5 points in victories over Zala Volan (Hungary) and the Women’s Armed Forces. However, the senior from Dun canville is more recog nized for her stingy defensive ability and a knack for staying calm in pressure situations. “I don’t get too emotional,” TUcker said. “I don’t let bad calls get to me, and I try to stay poised under pressure.” Tucker is also recog nized by her teammates and coaches as being a team player, putting team goals ahead of her own. “Lana is the glue that holds our team to gether,” Gibson said. “She is a hard-nosed winner and she is also committed to giving back to the community.” Before a competi tion, Tucker likes to spend time by herself and just relax. She also prides herself on a super stition she shares with NBA superstar Michael Jordan. “I take a shower before each game just like he does,” Tucker said. “I heard that he did that, so I tried it and it really helps. I feel more awake and ready to play.” Tucker, a business major, plans on pursuing a career in athletic ad ministration following her gradua tion. The senior said she always wants to be involved in sports — but not as a coach. “I admire coaches a lot,” Flicker said. “But it’s just too stressful.” A fiery, intense competitor on the court, but an engaging and approachable personality off it, Tucker proves looks really can be deceiving. New Spring Semester Course Offerings in Mathematics Math 489-504: Mathematics of Finance For mathematics and finance majors. Prerequisite is business calculus (Math 142) or equivalent. Math 489-505: Preparing for the Actuarial Exams For anyone preparing for the first two exams. Prerequisites are calculus (1 st exam) and linear algebra and statistics (2nd exam). Math 414-500: Wavelets For mathematics, engineering and science majors. Prerequisites are calculus and some linear algebra (such as Math 251 and Math 304 or equivalents). For more information, check out our web page at http://www.math.tamu.edu/ and follow the link to schedules, or call 845-3261. Questions, Concerns, Comments? Talk with your Vice President for Student Affairs. If you have any thoughts or concerns regarding student life here at A&M, I'm very interested in hearing them. I am Malon Southerland, your Vice President for Student Affairs and my office is on the 10th floor of Rudder Tower. My door is always open and I encourage you to come by if I can ever be of assistance. Feel free to call me anytime at 845-4728 or contact me through e-mail: malon-southerland@tamu.edu JUS ICT LENS matisN SCHOLARSHIP CAMPAIGN Only 120 Fine Art Prints Left The poem read at Bonfire and Muster. Writen by P.H. 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