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No. 14 Texas A&M statbox Total

3-Ptr

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Player

FG-FGA

FG-FGA

FT-FTA

01 05 03 32 33 15 20 24 34

Courtney Williams Kristi Bellock Kelsey Bone Adrienne Pratcher Courtney Walker Tori Scott Peyton Little Jordan Jones Karla Gilbert Totals

1-3 4-9 11-19 3-6 3-6 2-5 1-6 0-0 1-2 27-58

0-0 0-0 0-0 2-4 0-0 0-1 0-4 0-0 0-0 2-9

0-0 5-5 9-11 4-4 3-4 0-1 0-4 0-0 1-2 22-26

Points Assists

2 13 31 12 9 4 2 0 3 78

0 0 0 5 5 1 2 1 0 15

Blocks

0 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 3

Steals Minutes

0 1 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 4

14 30 36 35 31 18 17 5 10 200

Baskets Continued from page 1

her no matter who we put on her.”

A&M (20-5, 10-1) rushed to a 21-5 lead, finding baskets in its transition offense. Florida would regroup, however, getting back in transition and forcing shots at the end of the shot clock. The Gators (15-10, 4-7) would cut the lead to two at 27-25. Moments later, Pratcher would drill her buzzer-beater.

Mirroring the first half, Florida would threaten once more in the game’s closing moments.

Blair was forced to return to his starters as the lead dipped to seven at 65-58 with just over two minutes to play. Three Svete three-pointers in the final moments kept Florida in reach, but efficiency at the free-throw line — including a career-high nine made free throws from Bone — held off the late rally.

Bone said the blown leads are a symptom of immaturity.

“We got the big momentum swing with [Pratcher’s] shot at the buzzer, but then there was a dropoff,” Bone said. “To me that’s a sign of immaturity and we have to fix it.”

Florida connected on 6-of9 attempts from three-point range in the second half to eat at the gap.

Pratcher (12 points, five rebounds, five assists) and senior forward Kristi Bellock (13 points, eight rebounds, two blocks) turned in utilitarian performances.

Junior guard Jaterra Bonds led Florida with 17 points on 7-of-16 shooting to go with a game-high seven assists and Svete pitched in 15 with five made three-pointers.

A&M out-rebounded Florida by a 39-27 margin, won the battle for second-chance points 19-2 and shot 54.2 percent in the second half to break open the game.

With a showdown against

Photos by Jade Bedell — THE BATTALION

(Left) Senior guard Adrienne Pratcher finishes for two of her 12 points.

(Above) Freshman guard Peyton Little squares for a corner three.

(Below) Senior forward Kristi Bellock gets the inside step to the basket en route to two of her 13 points to go with eight rebounds.

UK visits Reed on Monday w No. 9 Kentucky beat A&M 65-62 in Lexington on Jan. 10. Since then, the Aggies are 8-0. At 10-2, UK sits just behind A&M in the SEC standings. w The 10-1 conference start is best in A&M history.

No. 9 Kentucky on Monday, Blair had spoken prior to Thursday’s game about a possible trap scenario. After securing the win on Valentine’s Day, Blair said he was glad to get out of Reed with the win.

“I gave the coach from Florida a rose before the game and we almost gave her the ballgame at the end,” Blair said.

Medication Continued from page 1

these drugs to children and that they came from a pharmacy,” Wood said. “It contributes to the perception that they’re safe products, even though they might not necessarily be safe for a particular individual.”

Kelsey McDonald, sophomore general studies major, said students take medications such as Ritalin and Codeine because of the pressure to do well academically.

“There’s so much pressure to do well in school and that’s a higher expectation than integrity,” she said. “So consequently, doing well comes first, meaning people feel so pres-

sured to do whatever it takes to get there.”

ADD and ADHD medications such as Vyvanse, Ritalin and Adderall, commonly taken by those with attention deficit disorders, are often used for sleep prevention and “focus” by students with a knack for procrastination and last-minute studying.

Teller said amphetamines can have various detrimental side effects for students without prescriptions to the medications.

“These medications can cause insomnia, [Gastrointestinal] distress, heart palpitations and chest pains,” Teller said. “They can also lead to a cycle of unhealthy dependence.”

Wood said additional side effects include jitteriness and an inability to focus.

Not knowing how to use medications such as Adderall safely is another risk factor to using

drugs illegally.

Wood said practices such as cutting pills in half for “lesser” effects and crushing them for a more instantaneous effect can lead to severe repercussions.

“I’ve had students come and say that they only took half a pill,” Wood said “This can destroy the time-release mechanism of the pill, so they essentially get the whole dose at once.”

Wood said snorting these medications could lead to serious cartilage and sensory damage.

Opiates, such as Vicodin and Codeine, can also have severe effects on students without prescriptions. Teller said drugs that are part of the narcotic-opioid alkaloid class can lead to allergic reactions, drowsiness, impaired thinking and addiction.

According to Wood, there were more than 30,000 drug overdose fatalities in the U.S. last year.

“I took Vicodin after I had my wisdom teeth removed,” said Joseph Brillon, a senior international studies major. “It definitely helps, and I can see how people could become addicted.”

Wood said students take drugs such as Vyvanse and Vicodin knowing they come with negative side effects — they just see them as a price for the expected outcome.

“There’s a perceived results [that students] think they’re going to get from these drugs,” Wood said. “Many discount the side effects as being worth it for the result they think they’re going to get.”

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opening series A&M opens with a three-game series against UIC: Fri. at 6:35 p.m.

Sat. at 2:05 p.m.

Sun. at 1:05 p.m.

Journeyman at shortstop Senior infielder hops from team to team, lands at Texas A&M Michael Ayo The Battalion

T

he road to College Station is more straightforward for some than for others. Mikey Reynolds required two years and two different schools — not to mention two chances to turn professional — to end up in Aggieland.

The senior shortstop grew up in Glendale, Ariz., far from the city limits of College Station. Despite being recruited by Texas A&M and head coach Rob Childress out of high school, he decided to accept a scholarship to play at St. Mary’s College of California. Childress had a clear role in mind for Reynolds: starting shortstop.

“We targeted [Reynolds] out of high school but he had already decided to go to St. Mary’s,” Childress said. “When you go out of state to recruit, it’s because you have a hole to fill. We wanted him to be our shortstop.”

Reynolds’ path to leadership of the 2013 A&M baseball team was anything but simple.

The important thing for frequenters of Olsen Field, however, is that he’s here now. “[Reynolds] is a champ,” junior catcher Troy Stein said. “He’s always where he’s supposed to be. He tries to do everything the right way and younger guys catch on to that.”

During his one year at St. Mary’s, Reynolds played 44 games, starting 43 of them. He had

a batting average of .256 with 15 runs batted in. At the end of that year, he decided that St. Mary’s was not the school for him. Transferring to another Division I school would mean he would have to sit out a year. He decided instead to enroll at Paradise Valley Community College in Phoenix, Ariz.

“I didn’t like the baseball at St. Mary’s,”

Reynolds said. “I wasn’t having fun there and Paradise was a temporary stop so I didn’t have to sit out a year between Division I schools.

It was also closer to home so that was a plus.”

After his one season at Paradise Valley — during which he had a .389 batting average with 28 doubles and 29 stolen bases — Reynolds was drafted in the 30th round of the 2011 MLB Draft. Reynolds had every intention of going pro, but Childress managed to persuade him to play for A&M instead.

Reynolds had seemingly no problems transitioning to his third school in as many years.

During the 2012 season, he recorded a .306 average with 12 doubles and 23 runs batted

Roger Zhang — THE BATTALION

Mikey Reynolds, one of three seniors, returns to lead A&M in the SEC.

the conference

No. 1 Arkansas

After placing third in the College World Series last season, Arkansas returns five position players and 10 pitchers, owning one of the more experienced league rosters.

No. 3 Vanderbilt

No. 13 Mississippi State

The Commodores have been consistent of late, making the postseason seven straight years. Under head coach Tim Corbin, the Vandy ended as runner-ups in the Raleigh Regional and had the highest ranked freshman class by Baseball America for the second straight year.

No. 24 Florida

The Bayou Bengals fill in at second in the SEC after a run in Omaha last year, bringing back three players who have been named to the preseason All-America team including star outfielder Raph Rhymes.

Last year at the College World Series in Omaha, Neb., Florida was knocked out by Kent State 5-4 in the second round. The Gators search for revenge this year but will kick off the season without injured pitcher Karsten Whitson.

No. 26 Texas A&M Returning three seniors, the Aggies look to make a splash in their first season in the SEC. Behind the strategy of head coach Rob Childress, A&M looks to make the postseason for the seventh consecutive season and the College World Series for the second time in four years.

No. 25 Ole Miss

No. 8 Kentucky Led by sophomore center fielder Austin Cousino, named preseason SEC Player of the Year by Baseball America, the Wildcats are poised to topple traditional powers.

Ending last season at Blue Bell Park in the College Station Regional, the Rebels look to find their place in the conference with big-time performances against top opponents this season.

Despite its lowest Earned Run Average in the aluminum bat era (since 1974) and the best fielding percentage in school history (.978), the Bulldogs missed out on postseason play.

They must climb back into contention this season.

After spurning the Chicago Cubs, returning centerfield Taylor Dugas will be taking over the Crimson Tide with hopes of boosting his team deep into the postseason.

Alabama, lacking an experieced pitching staff, however, will have trouble matching wits with strong conference foes.

No. 4 LSU

A year removed from losing in the College World Series finals, the storied SEC program loses key role players and looks to rebuild against tough conference opposition.

No. 29 Georgia

Alabama

Enters the season looking for its 1,000th win at their home stadium since opening on Duly Noble Field in 1967.

Built around a strong pitching staff, the Bulldogs have the potential to be a darkhorse conference champion.

No. 7 South Carolina

in. The only thing he had to adjust to was the size of Olsen Field.

“I took a visit here and it was the biggest stadium I had ever seen,” Reynolds said.

“That was before all the renovations to the field, too.”

At the end of his first season as an Aggie, Reynolds was selected in the MLB draft for the second time, this time in the 20th round by his favorite team growing up, the New York Yankees. Once again, he was set to begin his professional career as a baseball player, but a stroke of bad luck prevented him from making that happen.

“I had agreed to a deal with the Yankees but I failed the physical,” Reynolds said. “I had a fractured bone in my arm. After they found that out they offered me less money, so I decided to stay.”

That may have been bad luck from Reynolds’ perspective, but for the Aggie baseball team it was a blessing to have him stay. Reynolds is one of three returning seniors on a team filled with freshmen and sophomores and he is expected to bat at the top of the order this year. His experience and leadership are going to be a vital part for the team going forward into their inaugural SEC season.

Reynolds was born with baseball in his blood. His father, David, played baseball for two years at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and had him playing ball when he was only four years old. His path to Aggieland has taken him from Arizona to California and back before making his final stop here in Texas. He has passed up the MLB twice and is known for being a catalyst in the Aggie lineup — in 2013, he hopes to be known as a leader.

Tennessee The Volunteers brought in 18 freshmen and a total of 21 new players this season. From Tennessee head coach Dave Serrano’s perspective, though, the final product won’t be seen this until at least next year.

Missouri

Although the Tigers took home the Big 12 Conference Tournament title last season, Mizzou is projected to finish at the bottom in what could be a tough end to a rough athletic year for the struggling program.

Auburn

Despite bringing back some heavy hitters for their line-up, the Tigers are missing strength in their bullpen. Auburn rounds out the SEC standings with one of the youngest and most inexperienced pitching staffs in the conference.

The high ground James Sullivan: A&M matches up well in the SEC — and it’ll only get better

I

t’s been said once, it’s been said a million times — Texas A&M will struggle to compete in the Southeastern Conference. The strength, the size, the speed — it will overpower the Aggies.

Roger Zhang — THE BATTALION

Sophomore pitcher Daniel Mengden is one of A&M’s most experienced underclassmen.

BAT_02-15-13_A3.indd 1

Last fall during football season, national pundits quipped various forms of the aforementioned phrase on a seemingly endless loop. Johnny Heisman proved them dead wrong.

As the spring semester rolls into focus, however, many critics’ attention have turned to the baseball diamond and the preseason condemnations have already begun to arrive in force.

Let’s be straight — it’s getting really old, really fast.

When it comes to America’s pastime, A&M has never been classified as a pushover,

particularly since the hiring of head coach Rob Childress.

Attending eight of the last 10 postseasons, including a 2011 trip to Omaha, Neb. for the College World Series, the Aggies have contended as a perennial Big 12 power. During its tenure in the league, A&M claimed four regular season and three conference tournament titles, second best in each category.

While A&M’s realignment will provide multiple challenges on the diamond, especially against the star-studded SEC,

the Aggies’ new conference provides a certain level of comfort for the program unrecognized in prior leagues.

Similar to football in many respects, Texas A&M baseball has been overshadowed for decades by a powerhouse Longhorn program, one that stands and head and shoulders above the rest of the country in CWS appearances.

In leaving the Big 12, A&M found itself in a league centered around parity.

Accordingly, every SEC program has evolved and

grown to a point where each can contend on a national level, ultimately creating a more well-rounded and competitive league.

Entering the 2013 college baseball season, one thing stands out when analyzing the NCAA Collegiate Baseball preseason Top 25 rankings.

The SEC holds a national-best eight ranked teams, including four of the Top 7. Only three teams in the Big 12 carry national rankings into the season with none earning a spot in the Top 10.

For the Aggies, sliding in at No. 26 on the standings, their season holds high hopes behind the efforts of three seniors and an experienced roster of underclassmen.

James Sullivan is a junior business major and sports desk assistant for The Battalion

2/15/13 12:45 AM

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Disabled cruise ship welcomed home Passengers pulling into an Alabama port Thursday after days aboard a disabled cruise ship shouted “Hello, Mobile” and “Roll Tide” to hundreds of people gathered at the terminal.

Passengers who have described miserable conditions aboard still had hours to wait Thursday and into Friday before walking on solid ground. Carnival Cruise Lines has said once the ship became stationary, it would take up to five hours for all of the 3,000 or so passengers to disembark. Anxious passengers lined the decks Thursday waving, cheering loudly and whistling to those on shore. Passengers had the option of a seven-hour bus ride to the Texas cities of Galveston or Houston or a two-hour trip to New Orleans. Buses stood by to take them to their next stop.

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Aggies present research at 4th annual history conference

The 4th annual Texas A&M History Conference will take place on A&M’s campus Feb. 22 and 23, featuring panels of graduate and undergraduate students who will present their research to peers and subject experts. The two-day conference– sponsored by the Sigma Rho Chapter of Phi Alpha Theta and the Texas A&M History Graduate Student Organization – will happen in the Melbern G. Glasscock Building. According to a press release, Dr. John B. Boles—the William P. Hobby Professor of History at Rice University—will deliver the keynote address on Friday evening titled “Jefferson and Religion.” On Saturday, the planning committee will host a luncheon for conference participants with a talk by Professor Peter Filene – Emeritus Professor at University of North Caroline-Chapel Hill – titled “The Perils of Perfectionism.”

Staff Reporter

2/15/13 1:02 AM

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opening day

BASEBALL

IS BACK

mikey reynolds has played in many ballparks on his journey to olsen field. don’t worry, though — he’s here now. pg.3 Roger Zhang — THE BATTALION

women’s basketball

Bone’s 31, Pratcher’s heave pace eighth straight win Mark Doré

No. 11 Texas A&M 20-5, 10-1, Florida 15-10, 4-7

The Battalion

A

drienne Pratcher said she spent time after practice working on the shot three times last week.

So when she sunk her half-court heave to beat the first-half buzzer, A&M head coach Gary Blair said it had nothing to do with luck.

Junior center Kelsey Bone — fresh off a 31-point, 10-rebound night — just rolled her eyes as Pratcher said she knew she made the shot “when it left my hands.”

“Of course she did,” Bone said with a laugh.

Pratcher’s three-pointer at the end of the half threw a wrench in Florida momentum and the Aggies held on down the stretch for a 78-71 home win over the Gators.

A seven-point halftime lead ballooned to 20 by the midway point of the second half, large enough to withstand a hail of three-pointers

inside elections | 4 What is Class Councils?

Along with electing Student Body President and Yell Leaders, spring elections will name this year’s class presidents.

voices | 4 Student diversity Sophomore agronomy major J. Eric Evans says as a white, straight, middle-class and conservative male, he has been under-represented

by Texas A&M’s commitment to create a diverse learning environment in a letter to the editor.

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by Florida — led by junior guard Lily Svete — and No. 11 A&M notched an eighth consecutive conference win to keep pace with conference leaders Tennessee and Kentucky.

Bone asserted herself in what Blair called “the Kelsey Bone show.”

Florida head coach Amanda Butler said Bone deserves the respect she gets.

“She’s the most dominant post player in the nation and I think she deserves that title,” Butler said.

“We didn’t match up well with See Baskets on page 5

Jade Bedell — THE BATTALION

Junior center Kelsey Bone fights for position on her way to securing one of her 10 rebounds to go with 31 points in the 78-71 win.

campus

college station

Bypass of prescriptions illegal and harmful to health, doctor says

Court clears high number of warrants

Elise Brunsvold

The Battalion hether pill popping as an academic shortcut or for undiagnosed pain, students take nonprescribed drugs unaware of the legal and medical consequences, according to A&M medical officials.

Amphetamines and opiates — drugs used both by patients and non-prescribed users — are the substances behind an overdose fatality record that competes with automobile accidents for most claimed lives.

“A lot of students see [medications] as OK to take because they come from the pharmaceutical industry, which we’ve put a halo over,” said senior international studies major Jailene Santana.

While amphetamines such as Vyvanse, Adderall and Ritalin and opiates such as Vicodin and Codeine are used to treat symptoms from attention deficits to severe pain, respectively, they are also taken illegally to curb anxiety and aid studying.

“It’s a serious crime to illegally use prescription drugs,” said associate director of Medical Services at

W

Camryn Ford The Battalion

T

Jenna Rabel — THE BATTALION

Prescription medication overdoses claim tens of thousands of lives each year in the U.S. Beutel Health Center, Dr. David Teller. “Plus, if that person has some underlying medical issue that is not really apparent and they take some prescription medication that’s not designed for them, it could have a really bad outcome.”

Sharing and selling medications are common ways students receive non-prescribed medication. Chief

pharmacist for Student Health Services, Debbie Wood, said students don’t think of the consequences and severe repercussions that come with taking non-prescribed drugs because they’re regularly given out and prescribed by doctors.

“There’s the view that we give See Medication on page 5

he City of College Station continues its three-week warrant amnesty period with a high amount of cleared warrants after the first week.

The amnesty period was created about 10 years ago to allow citizens with outstanding warrants to avoid paying a $50 per case warrant fee if fines are paid in full, according to College Station Municipal Court Judge Edward Spillane III. There are currently several thousand outstanding warrants. Spillane said the first week has already cleared 48 warrants as of Thursday, making it one of the best first weeks of an amnesty period.

The City of College Station accepts cash, cashier’s check, credit cards, money orders and personal checks as forms of payment. Warrants cannot be paid through College Station’s online citation payment system.

Spillane said most student offenses are minors in possession.

Officials will arrest citizens with outstanding warrants during a warrant round-up March 2-10.

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Class presidents to preserve tradition

s e c voi ge

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2.1

5.2

Spring elections to name three class presidents as part of Class Councils

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Letter to the editor: From J. Eric Evans, sophomore agronomy major The Texas A&M Continuing Student Scholarship application asks for “ways you contribute to the commitment that the University has made to create an institution with a diverse learning environment.” How do I contribute to your exceptionally diverse learning environment? I am a white, straight, middle-class, conservative male. Although I could be a minority in certain settings, there is no student club to specifically support people of my race or orientation; the University has not created (or funded, much less) an initiative to increase awareness of my unique demographic; yet the majority of student clubs and initiatives promoted work to

benefit an opposite demographic than mine — those perceived as minorities. Therefore, Texas A&M is either prejudiced against my demographic, or I am so under-represented that they are unaware of my existence.

Additionally, I am a student in a small department within the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. Just 10 years ago, I would be in the great majority.

Today, I am a minority. So thanks, Texas A&M, for creating this environment in which I am a minority, since University-funded clubs to promote my presence and advancement must only be mere keystrokes away from creation.

I will be waiting patiently for my check.

EDITOR’SNOTE The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the various authors and forum participants in this paper do not necessarily reflect those of Texas A&M University, The Battalion or its staff.

MAILCALL GUESTCOLUMNS Make your opinion known by submitting Mail Call or guest columns to The Battalion. Mail call must be fewer than 200 words and include the author’s name, classification, major and phone number. Staff and faculty must include title. Guest columns must be fewer than 700 words. All submissions should focus on issues

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3/3,3/2 Houses, Townhouses &Apartments, 1250-1400sqft.

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The Battalion lass Councils was founded at Texas A&M University in 1880, but some students have never heard of the councils that represent them.

Students thought of Class Councils after realizing a need for members of each class to unite the campus. Class Councils currently consists of 150200 undergraduate students, including four class presidents.

“I haven’t heard about them, but I think it would be nice to know more about them and what they do around campus,” said Britney Ramos, freshman bilingual education major.

Class Councils works behind the scenes to make sure traditions such as Maroon Out and Ring Dance go smoothly.

“More students should definitely know about Class Councils,” said Trent Segers, senior industrial distribution major and Class of 2013 president. “It is a fantastic organization that does many of the things that

C

A&M is known for. For example, without Class Councils, Maroon Out would not exist and the 12th Man might not be what it is today.”

Class Councils “strives to serve and unite Texas A&M University and to enhance traditions for the continual improvement of the Aggie community,” according to the mission statement. During spring elections, members of the sophomore, junior and senior classes elect a president, whereas members of the freshman class elect a president to Fish Council in the fall. Students of any classification wanting to run for class representatives can apply for positions in the fall.

“My favorite part about being in Class Councils is the opportunity to truly impact Texas A&M through facilitating traditions such as Elephant Walk, Ring Dance and Maroon Out,” Segers said. “I have had a chance to lead Class Councils through being the 2013 class president the last three years and this organization is unlike any other on our campus.”

These representatives make up the four class councils, each headed by their respective class president.

The Fish Council hosts Fish Fest, a

free food and live bands event only for members of the freshmen class.

The sophomore council organizes a mass “pull-out” day in the late spring, where sophomores can officially “whoop.” The junior council and senior council work together to put on E-Walk and Junior E-Walk.

The juniors walk around campus and celebrate becoming seniors. Seniors take a different walking route as they remember their time at A&M. Beginning freshman year, each class raises money to help fund a class gift to benefit the University. Members of each class vote on the gift during spring elections of their junior year. The class gift is revealed at EWalk the fall of their senior year. In previous years, class gifts have ranged from scholarships, building renovations or campus art.

Together, Class Councils also hosts events such as Maroon Out, Ring Dance, 11/11 Day, Class Stars and Silver Taps Remembrance.

“Class Councils are very important to this campus,” said Alex Gaines, freshman mathematics major.

“I just wish they were more visible around campus.”

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not personalities, become property of The Battalion and are subject to editing for style, clarity and space concerns. Anonymous letters will be read, but not printed. The Battalion will print only one letter per author per month. No mail call will appear in The Battalion’s print or online editions before it is verified.

Sarah Gibson

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