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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 31, 2003)
NEWS 5 BATTAL10S ligh 1 widespread 4 .1 this month b Detroit Projeo, s tank juxtapose "Oil money siif ad said."% get?" SUV sales in 2002 - are bem; jas mileage andhigi reenhouse sions. In tons •*•8.3 n*~8.2 •*•8.2 107 11.3 •*7.6 '5.8 tiding pick-up fucks nt dty dnving. dr the ads.whiti me SUV owner : a bauble; it fit e columnist Ton four-wheel-dm lion, and seven i's Suburban ait: . By contrast,tit /ironmentalisii' ■ Hybrid-get 4i Sports The U\i i \i.ion Page 7 • Friday, January 31.2003 Knight vies for 800th victory at Reed Arena A&M men’s basketball team hosts Texas Tech By Kevin Espenlaub THE BATTALION History could be made Saturday at Reed Arena as Texas Tech Head Coach Bobby Knight attempts to become the third coach in NCAA Division 1 men’s basketball history to win his 80()th career game. While Knight is not particularly concerned with the landmark, any win in the Big 12 Conference is hard to come by and the Red Raiders (12-4, 2- 3 Big 12) could use a boost as they currently sit in sixth place in the con ference standings. “When we got fired at Indiana, I had to go down and clean out his locker and I found three balls: 500 wins, 600 wins, 700 wins,” Knight’s son and Tech Assistant Coach Pat Knight told The Associated Press. “They were buried underneath his locker with just tape on them signifying what victory it was — and he could care less. “Coke was spilled on them. Just all kinds of junk were on these balls. I took them back to the house. He just threw them in the closet.” Knight will likely collect another game ball in the near future after recording his 799th victory Wednesday night against Colorado as junior guard Andre Emmett scored 19 points and led a 21-2 run by Tech early in the first half to claim the lead and cruise to a 66-56 win. [All-Time Winningest Coaches - Division I 1. Dean Smith North Carolina 1 2. Adolph Rupp Kentucky 3. Bohhy Knight Texas Tech 799 4. Lefty Driesell Georgia State TRAVIS SWENSON • THE BATTALION “1 think we played a stretch in the first half that was the best we played in the conference season in the games we, played,” Bobby Knight said. “After we got behind 8-2, from that point on, until we went (13) points ahead, I think that was probably the best stretch of basket ball we’ve played in conference.” Standing in the way of a record-set ting night will be Texas A&M (10-6, 2-3 Big 12) and Head Coach Melvin Watkins, fresh off a tight loss to the No. 6 University of Oklahoma Sooners on Tuesday. The Aggie defense kept the team in the game early on, but a 14-point run by OU in the first half and a seven-minute scoring drought by A&M gave the Sooners enough cushion to withstand the upset bid. “We knew coming in it’s always been difficult for anyone to win (in Norman),” Watkins said. “But our kids fought back. I was proud of their effort.” The Aggies rallied throughout the ballgame to stay close in the final min utes, but a three-point attempt by junior Kevin Turner with just more than three minutes in the game rimmed out of the basket and OU’s senior guard Quannas White drove to the other end of the court to put the win away. “It was a shot we wanted (Turner) to See Knight on page 9 JI> BEATO III • THE BATTALION Aggie guard Bernard King is contested by Texas guard Brad Buckman. I to improve i hybrid vehicfe the Union hides prograt. ome the 1 ding. "They itf iv ironmentalisii s to drive smal kers to produs :t far better gt i to express lliei : SUV couldgt lilable technolo- idge - Congress Women’s basketball team seeks revenge against Texas By Troy Miller THE BATTALION N BRIEF Texas A&M women’s basketball Head Coach Peggie Gillom has a headache on her hands that could turn into a migraine if the Aggies don’t do something quickly. . Gillom has already lost senior forward Kjm Moore, the Aggie’s leading scorer and rebounder. Moore left the team for personal reasons earlier teseason. Sophomore forward Sabrina Mitchell tea herniated disk in her back that is limiting taffilutes on the court. On lop of the injuries, Gillom’s squad just lost to the University of Kansas, a team that has not won a Big 12 conference game in almost two full seasons. “In the Big 12 you have to dig with what you can,” Gillom said. “Right now I don’t think our team is down. (Kansas) was a big loss for us. We thought we would win that game.” The injury bug has bitten more than just Mitchell. Senior Lara Classen has an injured knee and junior Lynn Classen is suffering from a hip pointer. Without a mid-week game for the Aggies (8-9, 1- 5 Big 12), the team is trying to heal in time for its rematch with No. 11 University of Texas (12-5,5-1). “That injury bug has hurt us,” Gillom said. “We need that time off.” Texas is coming off a hard-fought 60-54 win over No. 19 Oklahoma. Longhorn Head Coach Jody Conradt is also fresh off her visit to the Texas State Senate where she was recognized for winning 800 career games, only the second coach ever to do so. Conradt won her 800th game by beating No. 7 Texas Tech 69-58 in Austin. “It helped to have Texas Tech at home, a key game in the conference race,” Conradt said. “The 800 wins overshadowed that and we’re done with that now and I think that everyone has moved forward.” For the Aggies to avenge their 74-47 loss to the Longhorns, they must rely on junior guard Toccara Williams. Williams leads the nation in steals, averaging 4.94 per game. “Toccara is one of the most consistent player (players) we have,” Gillom said. “She concentrates on playing on defense. She’s Having a good year and a good attitude.” If A&M wants to have a chance against the Longhorns, the Aggies must contain junior forward Stacy Stephens. Stephens averages 14.1 points and 8.2 rebounds per game. The first time the Aggies faced the Longhorns, Stephens scored 18 points and pulled down nine boards in just 21 minutes of playing time. “I was just reading what the defense was giving,” Stephens said after her dominated effort against the Aggies. “I totally just went with what I was feeling on the court.” The Aggies must find a match-up for Stephens despite the injuries to their best post plqyers. The Aggies will take on Texas Sunday, Feb. 2 at the Frank Erwin Center in Austin. i convicted g death 3xas (AP) - lan who alleged over a strange 'ted a ride we prison Thursdf ittle was convic )f murder in Id death of Ke if Pineland. lid Tillery, (I A/ith Little af ing investigate: ter a 20-miletr{ and, the me' s station wte fie car and wi an. ged for 20 to! opped from tl« ge to the road et Ford's oria info SPORTS IN BRIEF Five Aggie tennis players named to preseason All-Big 12 team Texas A&M had five tennis players named presea son All-Big 12 team on Thursday, including three male athletes and two female athletes. Senior Ryan Newport and sophomores Lester Cook and Ante Matijevic were each recognized from the A&M men's team. Newport was an All-American last season following a trip to the NCAA Championships round of 16. Cook and Matijevic were selected as a doubles tandem. Senior Ashley Hedberg and junior Jessica Roland received preseason honors from the women's team. Hedberg is the current Big 12 No. 5 singles champi on in addition to her doubles play. Roland is a two- time All-Big 12 selection in both singles and doubles play for the Aggies. Players were selected by the league's head coaches. Track teams set to compete in Baton Rouge By Marcus White THE BATTALION The Texas A&M men’s and women’s track and field teams take their talents to Baton Rouge Friday to compete at the Bayou Bengal Invitation held by Louisiana State University. The indoor track meet will be A&M’s third this season. Both teams are coming off suc cessful showings in the Houston Indoor Opener earlier this month. The Aggie men, ranked 19th nationally, once again fared well in the field events as Ronny Jimenez took the gold in shot put and Jarrod Matthews took the gold in pole vault. The Aggie men went on to take the top two places in both events. A&M track and field Coach Ted Nelson was not surprised by how well his team placed in the field events. In an interview this week with Jackson Lewis, Nelson identi fied silver medalist Josh Ralston as an Aggie primed to help the team. “Josh Ralston has the potential to make the biggest contribution for us,” Nelson said. “He will be a fac tor for us during the indoor season.” The Aggie women also made a strong statement, defeating some of the nation’s best track and field teams in several field events. Freshman Abby Ruston won the shot put competition with a throw of more than 45 feet, taking her second gold medal, while Robyn Burkhardt was tops among collegiate athletes in the high jump. Aggie pole vaulters Sarah Bollwitt and Stephanie Garcia fin ished sixth and eighth respectively in a field of 18 competitors. A&M looks to continue its suc cessful start in Baton Rouge, La., but will have to face off against perenni al track and field giant LSU to do it. Trackwire currently ranks the LSU Tigers first among NCAA Division 1 schools. Led by junior John Moffit, the Tigers took four gold medals in men’s events. Moffit, whose leap of 25-8 3/4 leads all long jumpers nationally, earned his second NCAA provisional qualifying mark in the long jump. Coach Nelson looks forward to competing against Moffit and will rely on several A&M jumpers that he Teels are among the nation’s strongest. “We have.,.a handful of athletes that have and can jump over 25 feet,” he said. Nelson identified veterans Brandon Evans and Anderson Smith as two of the best long jumpers in the Big 12, saying, “Both have scored in the long jump in virtually every Big 12 meet they’ve competed. Evans competes in a number of different track and field events. When asked which event he prefers, Evans said, “My favorite is probably the 200 meters, because it’s right in between an all-out sprint and a pace. I prefer the 200, but I like the jumps as well.” Evans will get the chance to com pete in both this weekend. The events are scheduled to begin at Carl Maddox Fieldhouse at 3 p.m. Ford Motor (t jrovide theti about the safcf police cars,# Thursday, rd for the into' member, Mi city officer wii Crown Vidoiii ;ht fire. At leaf lied nationwidi ■wn Victorias, Student Car loan Specialists LET LAWRENCE MARSHALL GET YOU INTO A CAR OR TRUCK T00AY! Bad Credit... No Credit... Foreign Students If you’ve been told you don’t qualify for a car loan, call the student loan specialists at Lawrence Marshall. We’ve been putting students on the road for more than 30 years. Let us get you into a car, truck or SUV with no hype and no hassle. Call Bob Griffey, Toll Free 1-866-540-3600 Even if you’ve been turned down by another “Special Finance” Lender. 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