DAILY LOBO new mexico
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March 8, 2012
thursday The Independent Voice of UNM since 1895
Students honor Japan earthquake victims by Gabriel Segovia gsegovia@unm.edu
Courtesy Photo This photo shows a flood in Tohoku, Japan, that resulted from the earthquake and tsunami that hit the island country last year. Japanese students are hosting events in honor of those affected by the March 11, 2011 earthquake and tsunami.
Ayearafteradevastatingearthquake and tsunami struck Japan, leaving thousands dead and tens of thousands homeless, two UNM students from Japan are hoping to make a difference in their home country. UNM students Naoko Yoshida and Sayaka Umei have been fundraising this week, and holding information sessions in commemoration of the March 11, 2011 catastrophe. Since the earthquake, nearly 16,000 people have been killed and more than 3,000 are missing, according to Japanese government reports. Yoshida and Umei, along with the other exchange students from Ritsumeikan University in Kyoto, are holding information sessions at the SUB from 2 to 5 p.m. for anyone interested in learning about the earthquake and tsunami, which destroyed nearly 130,000 buildings. “We are doing this as part of the united effort from Japanese students all over the U.S. and Canada to raise support for Japan,” Yoshida said. “We believe that the people in Tohoku need messages of support from people all over the world to gain the strength they need to overcome their misery.” Today at 6:30 p.m., five exchange students from Japan will set up candles
to form the numbers “311” outside Zimmerman Library to commemorate the first anniversary of the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan. Yoshida said the group is raising money to send to Miyagi, located in Tohoku, an area in the northern part of Japan where the most damage was done. In an interview posted on a bulletin at the group’s display in the SUB, a 17-year-old school girl said she did not know a tsunami was coming after the earthquake because all communication was interrupted during the blackout caused by the earthquake. Like the girl, thousands and were unprepared for the tsunami that followed. “We have a flag of New Mexico that we want to send to Tohoku with messages from people who come by to show their support,” Yoshida said. Umei said the group hopes not only to raise funds for food and water, but also to help students here in New Mexico understand the impact the catastrophe has had on their home county. “We are also doing this project because we don’t want people to forget what happened in Japan,” Umei said. “I feel like people don’t know enough about what happened a year ago or what is the current situation for the people in Tohoku.”
3-pointers lock in win against No. 2 team by Nathan Farmer
sports@dailylobo.com
The No. 7 seed women’s basketball team pulled an improbable second half comeback against No. 2 UNLV in the first round of the MWC tournament at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nev. last night, ending the game 61-58. With 7:10 left in the game, the Lobos were down 5445, but hit four straight 3-pointers in a minute and a half to tie the game, which gave them the momentum they needed to end with a 16-3 run to win the game. “I am so proud of these young ladies,” head coach Yvonne Sanchez said. “You know we’re happy that we won, but we’re not just happy to be here; we want to win.” UNLV was playing on its home court, but a majority of the 4,195 fans were supporting the Lobos. Senior forward Porche Torrance said the pro-Lobo crowd helped them get the win. “It’s a blessing to have the fan support that we have here,” she said. “Without them, with all the adversity we have been through, they have stuck by our side. We feed off their energy and that helped us out a lot.” The Lobos had lost to UNLV twice during conference play, but started the game as the dominant team and held the lead for much of the first half. With 6:33 left in the first half, the score was tied at 16, but UNM went on a 10-3 run to take a 26-19 lead with 3:52 left in the half. UNLV closed the deficit and UNM took a 31-28 lead into half. The second half started with numerous lead changes, but the Rebels began to pull away and took a 49-41 lead with 11:34 left. With less than eight minutes left, UNLV had a ninepoint lead, but in a two-minute span the Lobos hit four 3-pointers and went on a 12-1 run to take a 57-55 lead. Junior guard Caroline Durbin hit the first 3, before senior Nikki Nelson hit back-to-back 3-pointers, before Durbin rounded out the comeback with another 3. “We hit two straight threes and they just felt the energy,” Sanchez said. Durbin came into the game averaging 15.4 points per game, but only had six points in the game before her 3 during that stretch. She finished with 12 points.
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Adria Malcolm / Daily Lobo UNM guard Lauren Taylor beats UNLV guard Kelli Thompson to a rebound Wednesday night in Las Vegas, Nev. The Lobos pulled off an upset over the Runnin’ Rebels to advance to the next round of the Mountain West Conference. UNLV only scored three points in the final 4:55 of the game as the Lobos won. The Lobos shot 40.4 percent for the game compared to UNLV’s 41.8 percent, but UNM shot 8-14 from 3-point range. UNLV head coach Kathy Olivier said UNM’s 3-point shots won them the game. “I just thought New Mexico did a good job,” she said. “They (UNM) hit the 3s. We had a drought in the second half when we were up by nine and they got hot and we got in trouble.”
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The game had 16 lead changes and nine ties. UNM had nine turnovers at halftime but ended the game with just 13. “I think that was the biggest thing we addressed at halftime,” Sanchez said. “We said we needed to take care of the ball and execute.” Torrance finished with a game-high 20 points, 11 rebounds and four blocks. “I told myself, ‘I am a senior and this was my last opportunity,’” she said. “I just had see Basketball PAGE 5
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