thebattalion ● thursday,
february 2, 2012
● serving
texas a&m since 1893
● first paper free – additional copies $1 ● © 2012 student media
sports
Bears escape Reed, 63-60 Aggies fail to capitalize in game’s final seconds Austin Meek The Battalion The excitement of senior forward David Loubeau’s jump hook with 27 seconds to go quickly dissipated when Baylor’s Pierre Jackson drilled a threepointer on the next possession, giving the Bears a lead they would not relinquish as they went on to beat the Aggies 63-60.
“I’m really proud of our team, our fans, our students and the effort we gave today,” Texas A&M head basketball coach Billy Kennedy said. “I thought we outplayed Baylor in a lot of ways, but they’re a very good team.” Junior forward Ray Turner recorded a double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds against one of the most talented front courts in the nation, featuring potential NBA lottery draft picks like Perry Jones III and Quincy Miller. “Our bigs did a fantastic job of just taking it at them,” said freshman forward
Danny Alexander. “Loubeau, Keith, and Ray did an awesome job there. We stretched their defense out. Once you make them guard you out on the perimeter then that opens up a one-on-one game for our posts.” Alexander got his first career start for the injury depleted Aggies and came through in the clutch multiple times for his team as he scored 12 points in the game. With two minutes left, Alexander connected on a long ball that tied the See Baylor on page 2
Jay Kapadia — THE BATTALION
Emotions ran high as the Aggies trailed the Bears in a 63-60 loss.
Jay Kapadia — THE BATTALION
Kevin Sumlin spoke to the media and answered questions regarding his new recruiting class for the Fall 2012 football season.
Sign on the dotted line A&M recruiting class provides hope for success in SEC Chandler Smith The Battalion A few surprises awaited A&M head football coach Kevin Sumlin Wednesday as the 2012 recruiting prospects signed and processed their letters of intent to play football at Texas A&M. It is a class said to be one of the best in recent years, ranked No. 14 by Rivals.com; the Aggies landed their share of playmakers on both sides of the ball. The Aggies acquired a total of 19 players including, according to Rivals.com, six fourstar (out of five stars) prospects and Dekaney running back Trey Williams, the lone fivestar. Though highly-touted wide receiver Bralon Addison, a joint founder of the famous “Aggswagg” movement, committed to Ore-
online A&M BYX supports Vanderbilt chapter BYX is banding together to fight for religious freedom for their fellow brothers across the country. Check out thebatt. com for the full story.
Primetime blog Check out thebatt.com for a primetime blog on this season’s television hits and misses.
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gon in the waning days before deadline, A&M landed one of Texas’ best receiver prospects in Dallas: wide out Thomas Johnson. Likewise, after losing a top cornerback to LSU at the last minute, the Aggies punched right back, taking former OU blue-chip and Mesquite Horn defensive back DeVante Harris. Such was the drama of the days and hours before Wednesday’s signing deadline. As the end of the process neared, Coach Sumlin expressed excitement for the integration of his newest members. For a new staff arriving dangerously late in the recruiting process, Sumlin was pleased at what his staff maintained and built after a quick coaching transition. “When you look at those 19 commitments, eight of them are guys who this staff actively went and sought. For those guys to come in
with only a couple weeks for our guys to do that, that’s a testament to our staff,” Sumlin said. “From my standpoint, it’s a very successful day and we’re looking forward to getting on now with installation and spring football.” As the Aggies head to the rugged SEC, questions abound regarding A&M’s depth on defense — primarily on the defensive line. The SEC separates itself from other conferences through its depth along the line of scrimmage. Additionally, if the Aggies are to successfully transition to a 4-3 defense under defensive coordinator Mark Snyder, requiring more down-linemen than Tim DeRuyter’s 3-4 scheme, the Aggies must build depth on the defensive front. Sumlin feels his class, which includes five defensive linemen, is a step in the
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◗Texas A&M is the 14th-ranked Football Recruiting Class of 2012 ◗Texas A&M has 19 Commits total, 5 ESPNU Top 150 Commits. ◗ Of the ESPNU Top 150 prospects, 53 percent are coming out of four states: Texas, Florida, California and Georgia.
See Signing Day on page 2
voices
Plaza plans mean prime student housing
Make college affordable Naila Dhanani: Keep federal funds, stop raising tuition
Amber Jaura The Battalion After years of being vacant, plans are being revealed for the Plaza Hotel and Suites at Texas Avenue and University Drive. Woodridge Capital Partners LLC will rezone the 11.66-acre site by transforming the hotel into student housing and the surrounding area into retail and commercial spaces. The 17-story building at one of College Station’s busiest intersections was once a dormitory called University Tower, before it became the Plaza Hotel in 2004. The building was abandoned after bankruptcy in August 2010, and Woodridge Capital Partners acquired the property in June as of last year. Barbara Casey, public relations consultant for Woodridge Capital Partners, said the company planned a design to revive the property and utilize the close proximity to
Recruiting class quick facts
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Jay Kapadia — THE BATTALION
The Plaza Hotel and Suites on University Drive and Texas Avenue will become student housing. campus. She said construction is set to begin this summer and will last 28 months. “The hotel will no longer be a hotel; it will be converted to student housing,” Casey said. “The surrounding areas will have retail and more student housing. There See Plaza on page 3
igher education is the most effective tool to ensure financial stability for today’s youth. But with costs spiraling out of control, its value is quickly diminishing. A degree from Texas A&M may not be worthwhile if students can’t find a job postgraduation in a shaky economy and have tens of thousands of dollars in student debt to pay off. Instead of the promise of a hopeful future, our diplomas will quickly become a reminder of our desperate fight to stay
afloat in the face of staggering student loan debt. President Barack Obama has a plan, which he outlined during his recent State of the Union address. “When kids do graduate, the most daunting challenge can be the cost of college … Americans owe more in See Education on page 4
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