The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current, March 03, 1998, Image 7

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    The Battalion
•esday • March 3, 1998
ridappy Different styles, same results
riding
Team leadership graduates with Tinder
ei
dor Larry Thompson
erves student respect
3 i lame it on the herd of
chanting students. Blame
it on Brian Skinner’s ca-
woist performance against
Aggies,
blame
El|Niho.
whatever
an, the
s | A&M
’s Basket-
11 Team fig-
1 out how
put one
i y on Sat-
iy.
reshman
. aael
nidi was
hero, but there was a smaller,
e discrete storyline hidden
jUntthe aging walls of G. Rollie
ite Coliseum. Senior Larry
tmpson went out with a win.
,’he Saturday line forThompson
■ unimpressive as he scored four
Uslon two field goals. Once
in he struggled from the foul
missing all three of his at-
ipts and then fouled out with
1 tolgo in the game. But the im-
tant line from Saturday’s contest
mged to Brian Skinner. Skinner
red bnly six points, 12 points un-
his season average, and was a
i-factor because of Thompson’s
ippreciated defensive work,
de had a highlight block on one
ior player, putting the ball in the
d row of the stands. He also did
dirty work down low. Offen-
dy, one of his pair of field goals
s spectacular. L.T. threw down a
mderous, in-your-face dunk on
3 poor defender. Although he
ght not have had the flashiest
ne in the world, he had his mo
ons which he made the most of.
tin his past two years in an Ag-
uniform, L.T. has been called
to guard the premiere big-men
the Big 12, and time after time
puts on a demonstration of grit
d effort that is an example of
iat Coach Tony Barone has
ced of him. Every time a mock
eer rises from the crowd at a
ide free throw, Larry smiles,
ten one of his layups misses the
irk, he doesn’t pout to the offi-
1, he puts his head down and
rinrs to the other end of the
)r, intent on making up for his
stake. And when Thompson
lied his fifth foul with just un-
three minutes to go in the
ie, his teammates surrounded
with hugs. The Twelfth Man
rwed its appreciation with their
mts of “Lar-RY, Lar-RY.”
In that moment, all of the barbs
. critics must have sounded far
ay. Thompson is what college
>ketball needs. He is due to
iduate in August; he hustles on
court; he is polite off the court;
shared his last game with G.
Hie and Coach Barone, and he
both of them proud.
Mrry, I guess we’ll have to miss
>se free throws without you next
ir. Good luck.
—Jeff Webb is a junior
Journalism major.
By Philip W. Peter
Staff writer
From the beginning of collegiate
basketball, teams have looked to
their seniors for leadership. They
can lead by making exceptional
plays or by verbally motivating
their teammates. Sometimes, they
can choose to lead in their own qui
et way. According to Texas A&M
Women’s Basketball Coach Candi
Harvey, that is exactly the case with
senior center Kim Linder.
“Kim has been a lone senior on a
very young team,” Harvey said. “But
in her own way, she has tried to lead
and for Kim that means leading by
example.
She’s not
a big talk
er, but
she has
come
out and
worked
hard and
played
with a
lot of
yWt in .
juries.
Throughout her career, Linder
has been hindered by recurrent
foot injuries. Her freshman year it
was a stress fracture, then her
sophomore year was relatively
healthy. But her junior year she
missed three games because of ill
ness and a broken foot. Her senior
season was going well until the last
week in January when chasing a
loose ball in practice cost her three
games with another foot fracture.
Linder said she is happy that she
will not have to worry about any
more injuries.
“It’s a relief,” Linder said. “Right
now, I’m playing on a fractured foot
and that’s one thing I won’t miss.
Maybe after a month off I’ll heal every
thing back up and be back to normal.
But I’m the type that likes to work out
and I’m afraid that when I’m done
(with basketball), that I won’t have the
same work ethic that I had before.”
Harvey said that Linder’s work
ethic is not something that can be
easily influenced.
“She’s a small kid that has had to
play in the post,” Harvey said. “But
the thing that has stood out
Please see Linder
on Page 8
Sharpshooter Yates takes aim at Texas A&M record books
By Jeff Schmidt
Staff writer
Despite being one of the nicest and most amiable
people off the court, Amy Yates is a predator on it.
The type of predator who shoots first and asks ques
tions later. The type of predator that gets the job
done no matter the cost or the aesthetic beauty of it.
She plays every possession as if it is her last. But ask
Yates what she does well on the court and she tells
you what she needs work on.
“I don’t think my game is complete,” Yates said. “I
could be a better passer and rebounder. However, I
think I shoot the ball well. That’s my best aspect.”
Yates, only a sophomore, is already an A&M legend.
She was recently named to the All-Big 12 Honorable
Mention team. Although hampered by a recent mild
slump, she has shot and made more three-point bas
kets than anyone in A&M his
tory except Lisa Branch
(1991-1995). Yates is cur
rently second in the Big 12 I
Conference in three- %
pointers per game (2.4) and
total three-pointers (63). Yates’
63 three-pointers this season sur
passed her school-record 55 of last
season. She also is second in A&M histo
ry in career free-throw percentage behind Branch.
Yates is among the top free-throw shooters in the con
ference, shooting about 86 percent.
Coach Candi Harvey said she has been impressed
with Yates’ ability.
“Amy is a pure shooter. I think she proved that
she can shoot with anyone in the coun
try,” Harvey said.
Sophomore forward Prissy Sharpe said
she thinks Yates’ outside shooting creates a
balance that A&M can exploit.
f*" “She brings a three-point threat, which
opens up the inside game,” Sharpe said.
Although the Aggies lost to Baylor 91-76 on Sat
urday, Yates is pleased with the team’s effort.
“Our team’s been peaking at the right time. I think
people realize how well we’re
playing. The Big 12 Tourna
ment is up for grabs,” Yates
said. “In practice, we’ve been
so focused. Our energy level
is there. Once you start get
ting a taste of what win
ning’s about you become
more focused.”
Winning only four confer
ence games probably comes
as a shock to Yates. At Cle
burne High School, she
teamed with her cousin,
Kim Lummus,
now
playing at
the University of
Texas, to lead their
team to a 117-26 record
and a state title.
After graduating, Yates came to A&M as part of the Ag
gies’ own “Fab-Five” recruiting class. Yates, Sharpe, Kera
Alexander, Jennifer Burrows and Natalie Tticker (who has
since transferred) made up that recruiting class.
Harvey said she feels that Yates has enhanced her
game in her two years at A&M.
“Amy’s much improved — defensively, offensively
and in all aspects of the game, especially defensively,”
Harvey said. “Obviously she’s a great three-point
shooter, but I think the other areas of her game have
improved too. She’s just going to be a kid that gets bet
ter and better, and I don’t think that’s very good news
for people in the Big 12.”
PHOTOGRAPHY BY JAKE SCHRICKLING
March Madness begins with women’s Big 12 Tournament
Michael
Taglienti
sportswriter
I t is that time of year again, when dreams are realized
and upsets are the norm. It is March Madness, and bas
ketball teams across the country
are preparing for their conference
tournaments. The Big 12 is one of the
most competitive basketball confer
ences in the country and features some
of the nation’s best teams. These teams
will be on display this week in the Big
12 Women’s Basketball Tournament in
Kansas City, Missouri. The tournament
runs today through Saturday and will
determine the Big 12’s automatic qual
ifier to the NCAA Tournament.
The Big 12 can be broken down into
four distinct groups of teams. There are
the in-teams, the bubble teams, the sleepers and the rest.
The Shoe-Ins
Texas Tech (22-4,15-1)
Texas Tech is far and away the best team in the Big 12. Tech
is the favorite to win the Big 12 tournament and has a legiti
mate shot at making the Final Four. Texas Tech has the league’s
best defense, allowing just under 60 points per game, and
leads the Big 12 in margin of victory, beating its opponents by
an average of 18 points per game. Tech is led by All-American
post Alicia Thompson who leads the Big 12 in scoring with
24.3 points per game. Thompson will probably win the Big 12
player of the year award and is one of the most dominant play
ers in the Big 12’s young history. Tech will play the winner of
the Colorado, Oklahoma game in the second round.
Iowa State (23-6,12-4)
Iowa State comes into the tournament following a 68-60
loss to Nebraska, but remains the only Big 12 team to beat
Texas Tech. ISU is led by the long-range shooting of Stacy
Frese who averages 17 points per game and hit an ISU record
seven three-pointers in the win at Texas Tech earlier in the
year: If Frese gets hot again, ISU could upset Tech in the tour
nament. ISU will play the winner of the Texas A&M, Texas
game in the second round.
Nebraska (22-8,11 -5)
Nebraska enters the tournament coming off a big win over
Iowa State Nebraska leads the Big 12 in scoring averaging at just
under 80 points per game. Nebraska’s high-octane offense is
dependent on the guard play of Anna DeForge and Nicole Ku-
bik. DeForge leads the Big 12 in three-point shooting, hitting
43 percent of her attempts, and is third in scoring at 21.3 points
per game. Kubik keys Nebraska’s defense and leads the Big 12
with 3.2 steals per game. The Huskers will play the winner of
the Oklahoma State, Missouri game in the second round.
On The Bubble
Kansas (19-7,11-5)
At 19-7, KU is probably in the NCAAs, but a win in the con
ference tournament would ensure it. KU is led by the inside
scoring of Nikki White who averages 14 points per game and
ranks third in the Big 12 in blocks with 1.1 per game. White
and forward Lynn Pride helped KU lead tire Big 12 in blocks
with 4.5 per game. KU will play the winner of the Baylor,
Kansas State game in the second round.
Oklahoma State (17-9,10-6)
Oklahoma State enters the tournament coming off of a
blowout 69-52 win over rival Oklahoma. OSU beats teams
with its stifling defense, allowing its opposition just under 60
points per game on 37-percent shooting. OSU, like Baylor,
needs to do well in the tournament if they want a shot at the
NCAAs. If they do not win a tournament game, they will like
ly be invited to the NWIT. Fifth-seeded OSU will play 12th-
seeded Missouri in the first round.
Baylor (17-9,10-6)
Baylor is coming off a 91 -76 victory over Texas A&M. Bay
lor features one of the most balanced offenses in the Big 12
and is led by the inside-outside combination of Lara Webb
and Kacie Moffitt. Webb averages 18.3 points and 4.5 assists
per game and Moffitt averages 15.7 points per game, using her
6-foot-4-inch frame to pull down 6.9 rebounds and block 1.1
shots per game. Baylor is a disciplined team that leads the
conference in turnover margin, forcing almost six more
turnovers than its opponent per game. Baylor needs to win
at least one tournament game if it wants to go to the NCAAs.
It has shown steady improvement throughout the season and
could make a run at Texas Tech. Sixth-seeded Baylor will play
1 Ith-seeded Kansas State in the first round.
The Sleeper
Texas (12-14, 7-9)
Although only 12-14, Texas remains a dangerous team. The
Longhorns are led by 6-foot-4-inch center Angela Jackson
who averages 18.7 points per game and leads the Big 12 in
field-goal percentage, hitting 63 percent of her shots. Jackson
has shown the ability to score on anyone she faces. The ques
tion for the Longhorns is whether anyone else will step up and
help out Jackson. If Texas gets hot from the outside, it could
win the tournament. Seventh-seeded Texas will play 10th-
seeded Texas A&M in the first round.
Because They Have To Play
Colorado (11-15,5-11)
Colorado lost its two leading scorers from last year’s NCAA
Tournament team and has never recovered. It is hard to win
If the Aggies play their game and
utilize their quickness at the guard
position, they can win a few games
in the tournament.
games when you cannot score and CU has had trouble scor
ing all year long. Colorado ranks second to last in the Big 12
in scoring, averaging just over 58 points per game, and sec
ond to last in field-goal percentage, hitting 38 percent of their
attempts. CU has a young team and will use this experience
to improve for next year. Eighth-seeded Colorado will play
ninth-seeded Oklahoma in the first round.
Kansas State (10-16,4-12)
Kansas State is the only team that CU fans can point to and
smile. KSU is last in the conference in scoring, averaging 56
points per game while hitting 37 percent of its attempts from I
the floor. KSU is led by center Angie Finkes’ 14 points per )
game. Eleventh-seeded KSU will play sixth-seeded Baylor in !
the first round.
Please see Taglienti on Page 8.
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CONTRACT RENEWAL
For Fall 1998 - Spring 1999
ON THE WORLD-WIDE WEB
February 28 (12:00 a.m.) -- March 3 (11:59 p.m.)
(@ http://reslife.tamu.edu/
ALL current on-campus residents are required to either
renew or cancel their housing for the Fall 1998-Spring
1999 academic year.
Options for Fall 1998-Sprina 1999 academic year:
• Reserve current space
> Request hall change
• Request room change
• Transfer to Corps, Cain, or Residence Life
• Cancel housing contract
■ Future housing reservations for Co-op, Student Teaching,
Study Abroad, & Internships (must be approved by
TAMU)
Proposed (Maximum! Rental Rates for Fall 1998-Spring 1999:
Modular
Commons
Balcony
Corridor, Legett
$1536
Hotard
$ 927
$1416
Non-Air
$ 578
$1052
$ 985
Corps of Cadets
$ 985
full meal plan and tax of $1065)
$2481