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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 18, 2015)
4 Meet the candidates for SBP While the monarch butterfly is endangered, researchers remain cautiously optimistic as population numbers increase this year. Migratory monarch population on the rise Alii Bradshaw —THE BATTALION Senior guard Jordan Green shoots over two LSU defenders Tuesday night at Reed Arena. Increase is positive ecological indication By Nikita Redkar After years of plummeting population numbers, there may be a glimmer of hope for the endangered monarch butterfly mi gration. Each year, the monarch but terfly leaves Canada and embarks on a migration spanning thousands of miles through the continental United States into Mexico. Even though their numbers have dwin dled in the past few years, the but terfly’s population posted a modest comeback in 2015. The migratory population re bounded by 69 percent this year after an all-time population low in 2014. An estimated 56.5 million monarchs gathered in Mexico for the winter this year. While the population surge is a positive sign, researchers like Craig Wilson, senior research associate at A&M’s Center for Mathemat ics and Science Education, caution that factors such as poor farming practices and climate change still need to be addressed if one of North America’s longest migra tions is to be preserved. Wilson said celebrating the MONARCH ON PC. 6 PROVIDED The Cobb family is traveling from California to Florida in honor of its late daughter. Family travels nation to raise awareness for pediatric cancer By Victoria Rivas From one Disney theme park to another, the Cobb family is on a philanthropic cross-country walk that will take them through Aggieland Wednesday. In August 2014, Jonathan and Jennifer Cobb, along with their three children—Jonathan, Jemma and Jaxi — began their walk across America from Disneyland in Cali fornia to Disney World in Rorida. Their goal is to raise funds and awareness for pediatric cancer and to honor their daughter Julia, who passed away at 8 years old in 2013 from Ewing’s sarcoma, a form of cancer. The Cobb family will walk Wednesday in honor of Lauren WALK ON PG. 2 TEXAS A&M 68, LSU 62 Eyes on March House's 20 points keys 9th SEC win, pads NCAA Tournament resume By Carter Karels “It doesn’t mean much, we are just trying to finish off ake it nine. Texas A&M won its ninth SEC game and completed its season sweep of LSU Tuesday night with a 68-62 victory led by junior guard Danuel House, who posted 20 points. Head coach Billy Kennedy credited the “great, NCAA tournament-type atmosphere” at Reed Arena that he said made for a strong homecourt advantage. Senior center Kourtney Roberson garnered a 12th career double-double with historic implications, passing Byron Davis to become the ninth-leading rebounder in A&M history and the 34th member of the 1,000-point club at Texas A&M. Timothy Lai — THE BATTALION Senior pitcher Rachel Fox winds up at home during the Aggie Classic last weekend. the year strong,” Roberson said about the milestones. “The points aren’t what matter most to us, we are just trying to go out and win games.” Kennedy said Roberson’s big night comes about as a result of the difference in maturity for the fifth-year senior. Texas A&M (18-7, 9-4 SEC) jumped out to a 21-10 lead behind House, who started the game 3-for-3 from beyond the arc. The third 3-pointer was a heat check from long range that brought the 12th Man to its feet and forced an LSU timeout. Following that timeout the Tigers (18-8, 7-6 SEC) LSU ON PG. 5 No. 2 Oregon top team to visit A&M since 2006 By Milkyas Gashaw The softball team will host the nation’s No. 2 team for the first time in almost a decade. No. 23 Texas A&M will play in its first midweek game of the season against No. 2 Oregon on Wednes day at the Aggie Softball Complex. Oregon is the highest ranked opponent the Aggies has faced at home since No. 2 University of Texas came to town on April 26, 2006. On such a rare occasion, head coach Jo Evans said it is important to play well against a great team like Oregon. “Oregon is probably more talented than UCLA, who we faced a couple of weeks ago, and projected to likely win a national championship,” Evans said. “It’s going to be a great test for us.” The Ducks went a perfect 6-0 in their opening weekend of the 2015 season at the Kajikawa Classic in Tempe, Ariz. Amid a schedule that included No. 25 Texas, North Carolina, Wisconsin and Northwestern SOFTBALL ON PG. 4 an evening jjf TOMORROW NIGHT! UPRIGHT CITIZENS BRIGADE 7:30 PM • Rudder Theatre Student Tickets $15 at MSC Box Office $20 Day of Show • Call 979-845-1234 Ip | MSC OPAS MSCOPAS.org Sponsored by Maroon Weekly