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SO CLOSE Volume 123 / Issue 15
www.HoustonianOnline.com
Tuesday, March 19, 2013
Women’s basketball loses heartbreaker in SLC finals CODY LEWIS Sports Editor
David Barfield, Submitted Photo
ALMOST. After exploding for 19 points and nine rebounds against Lamar in the semifinal, Angela Beadle scored four points and pulled down 11 rebounds in the finals against Oral Roberts, which they lost 72-66.
After winning their first ever Southland Conference championship, the Sam Houston State women’s basketball team flew through the Southland Conference Tournament before falling to Oral Roberts 72-66 in the championship game. They did all of this in their first ever trip to the post-season tournament in the team’s 26 years in the league. Sam Houston and Oral Roberts both won a share of the SLC championship so it only made sense for the two teams to meet in the championship game. Because of finishing as cochampions of the Southland Conference, the Bearkats have earned a bid in the 2013 Women’s National Invitation Tournament (WNIT). The WNIT, much like the NCAA Tournament, is a 64-team tournament with single elimination. “The girls and coaching staff are excited to still be playing,” Kats head coach Brenda Nichols said. “Looking at who some of the bubble teams are for NCAA selection, the WNIT should have an outstanding field this year. It’s a thrill to get to test ourselves against the best.” The first round of the tournament begins on Wednesday and will
conclude with the championship game on April 6 at 2 p.m. that will be aired live on CBS Sports Network. All of the games are hosted by the participating schools. Senior Sequeena Thomas was chosen for the all-tournament team after scoring 18 points and 13 rebounds in the final game for her 53rd career double-double. Sophomore standout Angela Beadle was also selected to the alltournament team. She scored 19 points and had nine rebounds in the semifinal game against Lamar, which they won 67-61. “Angela spends every day trying to get better. She puts in the hard work not only in practice but on her own,” Nichols said. “It is paying off.” She also pulled down 11 rebounds and scored four points in the final. Britni Martin scored 15 points, Chanice Smith scored 13 and Jasmine Johnson dropped 10. Kevi Luper led the Golden Eagles past the Bearkats, scoring 26 points. Jaci Bigham also helped lead the charge as she scored 17. SHSU had better percentages than ORU in field goal shooting, three point shooting and free throws but were unable to contain the Golden Eagles late in the game. “We went out and fought hard,” Nichols said. “Our girls battled and did everything we asked them to do…I think we learned a lot today about how to win in tournament time.”
Molly Waddell | The Houstonian
200,000 bats face eviction if TDCJ building is demolished SOPHIE NELSON Senior Reporter The abandoned building across from the Walls Unit in Huntsville is currently home to more than 200,000 bats, but authorities at the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) have recently announced their intention of tearing down the building and relocating the bats. John Hurt, the director at the TDCJ Public Information Office said their plan was to move them to a roost designed for their presence. “Everyone wants to see the bats relocated before any demolition is started on the building,” Hurt said. “It’s possible that the Texas Department of Transportation could build overpasses specifically designed for bat roosts like the bridges in Austin or the city could
build structures for the bats to move into.” Professor of biology Monte Thies, Ph. D, said the new bat roosts would have to be in place for at least two to three years before the building could be torn down. “Building a series of alternative roosts is the best option should the prison system actually take the building down, but those alternative roosts really need to be in place at least two to three years prior to demolition so the bats have time to find and start using them,” Thies said. “. . . If it was torn down, bats would look for any other structures suitable to roost in, which would include any number of buildings in town such as offices, campus buildings, churches, etc.” David Zeller, the city horticulturist for Huntsville, is
one of the citizens concerned with the bats’ safety and has been monitoring the situation in order to protect the bats. “At this time, we are just trying to get information out to tell people about the situation so they can make an informed decision,” Zeller said. “We have been working with people from Austin and Bat Conservation International so we can make sure the building will not be torn down without any preparations for the bats.” Hurt agreed with the idea of relocating the bats, not only for the bats’ benefit, but also for the health of the people in Huntsville. “The bats eat tons of mosquitos and other insects every night,” Hurt said. “They’re not a nuisance to people, they’re a help. The benefits far outweigh the costs. And the concern over rabies is
Kelsey Pearman, submitted photo
GONE BATTY. More than 200,000 Brazilian free-tailed bats (above) claim home to the to-be demolished TDCJ building near the Walls Unit facility.
unwarranted since there are no more rabies cases for these bats than any other animal.” Thies said that the bats in the abandoned building are Brazilian free-tailed bats that migrate during winter and eats only insects. They eat as much as one-fourth to half their body weight in insects
every night they forage, which isn’t every night, according to Thies. The bats come back in April and depending on weather conditions fly around dusk, according to Thies. The bats have been in the building since 1997.