The Battalion — March 8, 2023

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 8 | SERVING TEXAS A&M SINCE 1893 | © 2023 STUDENT MEDIA

Opinion: It’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s a Veo!

Aggies win against ranked opponent in 16 innings

VEOS ON PAGE 5

BASEBALL ON PAGE 7

Buzz around basketball: Aggies win All-SEC awards

By Justin Chen @justin_chen Following a historic season by the Texas A&M men’s basketball team, the maroon and white have been rewarded for their efforts by having coach Buzz Williams named as the SEC Co-Coach of the Year and sophomore guard Wade Taylor IV and senior guard Tyrece Radford garnering All-SEC honors.

Williams shared SEC Coach of the Year with Vanderbilt’s coach, Jerry Stackhouse, this is the second time Williams has been awarded this honor, with his first in the 2019-20

season.

After a slow 6-5 start to kick off the season, Williams righted the ship and led the team to a 23-8 record on the season, going 15-3 in conference play. The team’s 15 conference wins are the most in 100 years, and their undefeated conference play at home is the first in over 40 years.

On Tuesday, March 7, Williams was also named SEC Coach of the Year by the Associated Press.

Coming off a career-high 28 points against No. 2 Alabama, sophomore guard Taylor earned a spot on the All-SEC first team. Tay-

lor has been having a career year and was a big part in turning the season around for the maroon and white. He leads the conference in free throws made with 152 as well as freethrow percentage, making 86.9% of his shots from the charity stripe. His 16.3 points-pergame is also good for fifth in the conference and is a career-best.

Taylor was also unanimously selected for the AP all-league first team on March 7.

After a stellar season, Radford also gained recognition in the conference. He made his way into All-SEC second team and played a big role in the Aggies’ historic season. He

Long live the queen

ranks fourth in the conference in free throws made with 134 and fourth in rebounds per game among guards with an average of 5.5 boards per game.

Taylor and Radford also earned the top spot in the SEC as the highest-scoring duo with an average of 29.6 points per game.

The team will look to carry its momentum into the SEC Tournament in Nashville, Tennessee, as they enter as the two-seed. A&M will play its first game on Friday, March 10, at 6 p.m. against the winner of the Arkansas and Auburn matchup.

Abbott visits BCS, discusses parental rights

By Kyle McClenagan @KMcclenagan

Ishika Samant — THE BATTALION

The Reveille statue during its unveiling ceremony in front of Kyle Field on Friday, March 3, 2023.

While two artists, Jimm Scannell and a brighter future for the university.”

Former students commemorate Dawn Agnew-Mundell, were tasked with Eliana Voelkel, Tyson’s daughter and the building the statue, Agnew-Mundell said the youngest to the Reveille statue, said Reveille with on-campus statue design of the Reveille statue was a collabora- Reveille isdonor more to her than just a mascot.

By Jack Lee @JackTheBatt After a nearly eight-year process of planning, deliberation and construction, a statue of Aggieland’s queen has finally been installed in front of Kyle Field.

The statue, placed in front of the gravesite of the past Reveilles, was commissioned by a group of former students and their families.

Neal Adams, Class of 1968, and Sonja Adams led the process. Neal said the purpose of the statue was to honor both the current and former Reveilles and display their likeness to Kyle Field visitors.

“This lady, those gals, need to be represented,” Neal said. “Now, everybody’s gonna come by here and know what’s buried there is here.”

tive process, with artists tailoring the statue’s appearance to the feedback of alumni, donors and administration.

“I think we had about thirty versions, until we finally landed on this one,” Agnew-Mundell said.

The statue, Scannell said, is not supposed to represent a particular Reveille, but is supposed to be a depiction of all Reveilles throughout Texas A&M’s history.

“It’s not supposed to be any specific Rev,” Scannell said. “We based it off a wide range of collies.”

The Reveille statue was supported financially by the A&M Foundation. Tyson Voelkel, president of the foundation, said the foundation promoted a wide variety of programs across A&M. “We’ve got 17,000 scholarships [and] 500 faculty on fellowship,” Tyson said. “We build

Eliana, sixteen, first involved herself with the Reveille statue project at age eleven.

“I love her,” Eliana said. “Reveille’s just like a friend to me. I feel like everyone has a connection with her. I don’t know how to explain it.”

The statue’s unveiling was attended by both Reveille IX and X. Reveille IX’s handler, Caroline Sauter, a civil engineering senior, said the queen and her predecessor are close companions.

“They’re best friends,” Sauter said.

Student Body President Case Harris said he believes the Reveille statue will be a bright spot in students’ days as they walk past it.

“It means the world,” Harris said. “Reveille just brightens students’ day any time they see her, and now we have a statue, so students can walk by any time and remember all the great memories they had with her.”

Gov. Greg Abbott made a visit to the Brazos Christian School in Bryan as part of the Parent Empowerment Tour.

On Tuesday, March 7, parents and locals filed into the Brazos Christian School gym to listen to several speakers promote the newly proposed school choice voucher program, or “education savings accounts” as currently described in Texas Senate bill 176. If passed, the bill would allow families to receive state funding that could be used to attend a private school. According to the bill, the amount each family receives would be based on the average cost of attending a public school.

Before Abbott spoke, Texas House District 14 Rep. John Raney introduced Abbott as a governor who has always fought for children.

“Gov. Abbott understands the value of a good education and the importance of giving parents control over their children’s education,” Raney said. “Under Gov. Abbott’s leadership, public schools and teacher’s salaries have received more funding than any governor in our state.”

Upon reaching the podium, Abbott said parents deserve to choose where their children attend school.

“There are a lot of parents who are rightfully happy with their children being in public school,” Abbott said. “At the same time, there are parents who are angry about experiences they’ve had in school … Parents are angry about the woke agenda that’s being forced on their children in their schools.”

ABBOTT ON PG. 3

PUBLICATION NOTICE The Battalion will not be published in print during spring break, March 13-19. The Battalion will return with regular online content on Monday, March 20, and in print on Thursday, March 23. Have a great spring break!

State bill restricts trans healthcare SB 1029 aims to limit gender-affirming treatment for Texans

By Kenzie Finch @KenzieFinch6 Recently proposed bills in Texas and Florida aim to place restrictions on insurance coverage of reassignment treatment and procedures, and would make hospitals liable for malpractice lawsuits.

Texas Sen. Bob Hall introduced Texas Senate bill 1029 to the state’s 88th Legislative Session on Feb. 17. The bill would inhibit government entities from funding “gender modification surgeries,” as well as make hospitals and private insurance companies liable for any mal-

practice claims or additional expenses incurred post-treatment. The bill includes vasectomies and hysterectomies, but allows exceptions for those with “medically verifiable genetic disorder of sex development,” such as intersex individuals.

In an email to The Battalion, Hall’s Chief of Staff Amy Lane sent a statement saying transgender healthcare facilities are “exploding” across the state, and reassignment treatments are increasing, especially among minors. The statement says although initial treatments and procedures are typically covered by insurances, on-going treatments or detransitioning surgeries are not.

“This bill makes private health benefit plans strictly liable for the lifetime care of the patient for consequences of gender modification treatment or procedures covered by the plan,” the state-

ment reads.

Applied mathematical sciences sophomore Mars Hartweg, a transgender man and associate officer for Transcend, a student organization for transgender and nonbinary students, said if the bill is passed, people would be emboldened to disparage the transgender community.

“People are seeing, ‘oh the government says it’s OK to hate trans people, so I’m going to be more violent than I was before,’” Hartweg said.

Proponents of the bill, such as economics senior Rachel Sweeney, president of Texas A&M Young Americans for Freedom, said this proposal was a step in the right direction for Texas by not allowing government funding to go toward these treatments.

BILL ON PG. 3

Kaili Gaston — THE BATTALION

Kinesiology sophomore Matthew Klement stands outside of St. Joseph’s Health Regional Hospital on Feb. 26, 2023.

With 8-Week Courses * Available online Classes begin March 20

www.blinn.edu/spring blinnbound@blinn.edu

L&A

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The Battalion | 03.08.23

Art critic Sameeksha Sharma discusses overlap of AI technology, art

By Sameeksha Sharma @sharma_248

Here’s how to recognize, avoid creeps, according to Bettye

By Bettye Battalion @Batt_Arts Editor’s Note: The pseudonym “Bettye” is used in this column to allow students to write candidly about topics of relationships and sex without backlash.

You’re at Northgate. Some guy is talking to you. You can feel his hot breath on your face.

You’re annoyed. Maybe you’re freaked out. Who actually needs to be standing that close to you? A creep does.

A creep is an individual who is disturbingly ‘eccentric’ and devoid of social graces. Texas A&M has well over 55,000 undergraduate students; how can you identify a creep before you end up writing a post on Reddit?

First, a creep chooses to violate social norms time and time again. For example, let’s say this person is an acquaintance from work.

You do not consider this person a friend at all.

However, they insist on asking you questions about your personal life all the time.

“Do you ever sleep over at your partner’s?”

“What do you wear when you go to sleep?”

“Do you think you’ll break up soon?”

Obviously, that’s creepy. Some people take their creepiness in a different direction, though.

Somehow, they know too much about you.

You’re telling a vague story about your middle school best friend and someone pipes in with “Which one? Megan or Rachel?”

Sure, you may have mentioned her on your Instagram … seven years ago. But your account is set to private, and you never share

it with anyone at work. How could this someone have known her name? Because they’re creepy.

Let’s say you ignore these red flags, or maybe they hide them till you’re in a relationship. But now, all you see are red flags. A creep disrespects boundaries like it’s a 9 to 5. These boundaries may be physical or sexual in nature; however, those people are generally called perverts. Creeps disrespect everyday boundaries. Maybe you don’t like flowers in your bedroom. A creep will buy a vase and put it in the dead center of your desk.

Maybe you’re not comfortable discussing your medical history. A creep will push you to explain or inquire over and over again. Maybe you’re not comfortable with giving this person a key to your place. They’ll whine and moan about how you never loved them. That’s what a creep does. Their reasoning generally revolves around some obscure misogynistic or homophobic reason you don’t want any part of.

Don’t excuse that behavior, and don’t try to fix it. If you need a fun project, foster a kitten that needs to learn to socialize. You know better.

Never be afraid to use your pepper spray.

Love, Bettye If you have questions for or need advice from Bettye, email aggielife@thebatt.com or message @Batt_Arts on Twitter, and your topic may be featured in a future print.

Art is a living, breathing thing. Like most things, art has reinvented itself over the centuries by drawing inspiration from various times and cultures without ever stagnating. In fact, it is this synthesis of stories, forms and muses that has been one of its most celebrated qualities.

The most recent trend has been an advent of artificial intelligence, or AI, in art. Softwares like DALL-E and Midjourney return customized auto-generated novel artworks within minutes by borrowing elements from millions of references. I investigated this line between the old and the new by interviewing sophomore biomedical engineer Landon Dahle, who said he enjoys integrating 3D modeling and AI elements in his artwork. Together, we unpacked what it means to create an original artwork in a changing technological landscape.

While digital and AI generated art have only recently become popular, Dahle said his interest began in his middle school library.

“I learned to use Adobe Photoshop by chance,” Dahle said. “I had recently moved to a new school and had to take an elective course. I chose being a librarian’s aid and ended up shadowing one of the librarians who was working on a children’s animation book at the time.”

That was a pivotal moment because it allowed Dahle to question what he considered art. He said he found his answer in graphic design, digital art and eventually AI generated art and 3D printing.

“Art is about accessibility,” Dahle said.

“There aren’t many middle schoolers, high schoolers or college students that can afford supplies like oil paints which can be fifteen dollars per tube. Thankfully, digital platforms don’t need that.”

This is a fiscal reality that gives digital art an edge over traditional art. While traditional art supplies are exhaustible, Dahle said digital

art tools are inexhaustible, highly customizable and easily erasable.

“Using Blendr to 3D model any reference images gives me the flexibility to create without the fear of mistakes which is important for learning artists,” Dahle said.

Pairing such a customizable art interface with the AI deep learning models like DALL-E and Midjourney that have a growing collection of reference materials is reinventing the face of art. Although incorporating elements of reference art is a fine line to walk, Dahle said he is excited to explore the frontier.

“I understand the controversy but isn’t all art inspired?” Dahle said. “I love mixing and matching assets to design something that is new, which is what traditional artists have been doing for a long time. I can just copy and paste elements more consistently due to digitization. That’s a capability that has simply never existed before and is worth exploring.

I have never tried to monetize these pieces or pass them as my own.”

Dahle raised an interesting point that art can’t truly be devoid of all inspiration. Even traditional artists have a saying that an artwork is as good as its references. The integration of borrowed elements in individual pieces using AI and other digital platforms deserves exploration but it’s important to figure out where the limits lie.

“We need to answer these questions as a society,” Dahle said. “It shouldn’t be about penalizing artists who like to assemble new pieces with old elements. We need to look at the intent of the artist and whether they wish to create something new or pass someone else’s work as their own. Even when I do borrow a facet from a reference, I never try to pass it as my own and it’s important to hold that line.”

These are questions worth pondering as a society because they expand well beyond the scope of visual arts. As technology becomes more entwined with our work, we can’t evade the question about original work for long. So it’s time to make a judgment call.

“It’s the same discussion with ChatGPT because even though the software creates a whole new response, it can’t be original because it has a large pool of source material,” Dahle said.

From Mexico to Texas: Artisanal market

Bush School program brings material, intangible culture to Aggieland

By Ruben Hernandez @battandmuse

Placed geographically directly above Mexico, Texas is a major hotspot for exchanges in culture, money and immigration. Even though Mexico is 300 miles away, students and faculty at the Texas A&M Bush School have found a way to bring the state of Oaxaca a bit closer to Aggieland.

The Bush School of Government and Public Service’s Master of Public Service and Administration capstone program, or MPSA, will hold its second-year artisan collective with Zapotec artisanal group DAVA on March 21 at the Annenberg Presidential Conference Center. The program plans not only to sell shoes adorned with cultural handmade designs but to share the hidden knowledge of rural and Indigenous groups in our neighboring country.

Bush School professor and project advisor William A. Brown said last year’s project ran as a pilot, testing out different ideas and ways to further the project. As a part of the new direction the capstone is heading, Brown said the students and coordinators took the opportunity to travel to Oaxaca and visit the artisanal group firsthand.

“This is the first time we went abroad,” Brown said. “When we got back, we got more motivated to try to be able to make the market experience beneficial for the artisans. I think we were last year as well.

It just became really apparent that these are really interesting, capable, folks from a different part of the world and we’re really privileged to be able to post them up here.”

Public service and administration graduate student Jaclyn McJunkin said when it came to understanding the rich culture of the Zapotec people, they took considerate measures in cultural exchange, cultural awareness training and in-depth research on cultural sensitivity.

After the application of intensive cultural analysis, McJunkin said she found a new level of appreciation in Zapotec culture.

“We’ve learned that these ancient Indigenous cultures have been around for millennia,” McJunkin said. “They were so well established. They had sociopolitical hierarchies, they had entire cultural makeups and we are honored that these people that we have the privilege of working with now have those bloodlines and should be respected and treated as such.”

In close association with DAVA, cofounders of Tejiendo Alianzas program director Sarahi Garcia and general director Richard Hanson said the program and artisanal shop goes further than just the selling of shoes, but also tells a story. Aside from just money and culture, immigration is one major

factor in the connection between Texas and Mexico, Hanson said.

“Something that links the two sides [of the border] is the question of immigration,” Hanson said. “Texas obviously receives those immigrants and Oaxaca sends immigrants. A lot of people in Texas and the United States in general know immigrants in one way or another and the story [of those immigrants] perhaps are not told. [With DAVA], a lot can be said over the importance of their business as a source of employment in order to reduce the pressure to immigrate.”

Garcia said the shop not only opens up a conversation on what it means to be an immigrant worker, but also an indigenous woman worker from a foreign country who helps sustain her business through her culture and heritage. Coming to the United States has let a new perspective open up when it comes to the introspection of identity and practice, Garcia said.

“It’s always good to enter another space, another place,” Garcia said.

“Sharing our experiences as Indigenous and receiving that amazement that [Americans] have for our own way of life, our worldview. There are people who value what we have very much and sometimes, because it is so abundant, Ruben Hernandez — THE BATTALION we [as Oaxacans] tend to forget [our importance] in a certain way.”

Oaxaca’s church and convent of Santo Domingo De Guzman For more information, visit the Bush on Tuesday, Jan. 11, 2023.

School website.

NEWS

The Battalion | 03.08.23

Kraus wins SBP, 5 for Yell sweeps

Students welcome new SBP, Yell Leaders for 2023-24 academic year

By Ana Renfroe & Caroline Wilburn @aeoenia1 @carolinewilb Results for the 2023-24 Texas A&M student body election were announced at the 12th Man Statue on March 3 at 7 p.m. among hundreds of gathered students, family members and candidates.

Finance junior Hudson Kraus was elected as student body president with 4,900 votes. All members running with the 5 for Yell group won with Jake Carter and Grayson Poage as junior Yell Leaders, and Ethan Davis, Thomas Greve and Trevor Yelton as senior Yell Leaders.

With tears in his eyes, Kraus said he gives all glory to God and credits his campaign team for this win.

“We really just want to unify the student body and implement tangible changes that positively impact students here,” Kraus said.

Kraus’s mom Jamie, Class of 1994, said she is overwhelmed with joy for her son to have this position.

“My husband and I are both Aggies and so just [to] watch this come full circle and have our son represent the student body is indescribable,” Jamie said.

Newly elected Davis won with a total of 6,632 votes. “[I’m] feeling super excited, really blessed that we’re here, really blessed that we got it,” Davis said. “It’s been a long process.”

Newly elected junior Yell Leader Jake Carter won with a total of 8,135 votes.

“It’s just an honor, so blessed to be just to be in this position to serve the university,” Carter said.

BILL CONTINUED FROM PG. 1 “It’s a good bill,” Sweeney said. “I think that it’s definitely something that the government shouldn’t be funding — the state of Texas shouldn’t be funding. I think it’s very detrimental, especially for children.”

Although the bill references minors, there is nothing that says it would apply exclusively to those under 18. Accounting sophomore Jacob Brewer said, even though he agreed with some aspects of the bill, it was overall too restrictive.

“The biggest thing I have a problem with is banning the surgery for adults,” Brewer said.

“If you’re going to ban the trans surgery, you might as well ban a lot of things for adults.”

Although the bill would not completely ban the procedures, it would make it less accessible. Brewer said he agreed with restricting puberty blockers and treatments on being used on minors, citing that it can cause permanent damage to children. The statement sent

by Lane reiterates this idea.

“The sad reality is that the use of hormone blockers, cross-sex, hormone treatments and gender modification surgeries are not without complications,” the statement reads. “The use

Ishika Samant — THE BATTALION

Student Body President elect Hudson Kraus following the annoucement of election results on Friday, March 3, 2023 at the 12th Man Statue.

Carter said he was excited to be elected as a Yell Leader. “[I plan] to just empower the student body and represent what the 12th Man means and make sure every Aggies knows they have a place here in Aggieland,” Carter said.

Election results are uncertified at this time and will be certified following review by the Chief Justice of A&M Student Government Association’s Judicial Court. Election results and vote tallies for every race can be found at vote.tamu.edu.

Editor’s note: Winners for the 2023-24 student body election are below. Winners are listed in descending order based on vote count.

Junior class president: Will Rodriguez Sophomore class president: Colton Whisenant RHA President: Arianna Delgadillo

Senator for College of Agriculture and Life Sciences: Cade Conrad, Grant Hockenberry, Jade Williams Senator for College of Architecture: Cade Barringer, one seat unfilled Senator for Lowry Mays School of Business: Susan Liu, Logan Jaure Senator for College of Education and Human Development: Robert Hargrove, one seat unfilled Senator for College of Engineering: Gus Rodriguez, Evan Cox, Ava Blackburn, Sam Chew, Cameron Strapp, Cameron Murdoch, Josh Zwicker, Jake Yackel, Jessica Williams, Mary-Katherine “MK” Ferrell, Marcus Childs, Marcus Glass Senator for College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences: Two seats unfilled

of hormone blockers causes decreased bone density, disrupts normal bone development and increases mental health problems.”

The drugs suppress estrogen and testosterone, which affects not only the reproductive system, but also the bones, brain and other aspects of the body, according to The New York Times. While some doctors said they believe trans patients will recover after stopping blockers, there have been some studies showing they don’t fully rebound and fall behind peers. Some doctors suggest not using them, according to The Times.

“Puberty can help clarify gender, the doctors say — for some adolescents reinforcing their sex at birth, and for others confirming that they are transgender,” the article reads.

The concern regarding bone density for trans youth on puberty blockers is valid, however, puberty blockers aren’t solely used for trans minors, said Mindy Bergman, Ph.D., professor and interim department head for the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences.

“Let’s say a girl develops her adult body at a very young age, like 8, doctors apply puberty blockers because of the mental health strain and body strain of being too young,” Bergman said. “We see that, even very early, for

some people to delay puberty for a few years until they are ready.”

In regard to getting reassignment surgery and transition, Brewer said the age should be raised to 21.

“That’s the age we’ve decided for drinking alcohol,” Brewer said. “We just raised the age to purchase tobacco products. I think with the surgery that as life altering as this, 21 would be an appropriate age for the surgery.”

Preventing or limiting access for reassignment surgery and treatment for adults is difficult for libertarians like Sweeney, who said she sees both sides. If an adult has their own money and doesn’t use government funding, they should be able to have the surgery, Sweeney said.

“But, on the other hand, it’s just — it’s very detrimental, and I think a lot of these are experiments,” Sweeney said. “How much remedy can hospitals really provide after they’ve completed these services? I would be in the camp of, we should ban these procedures altogether.”

However, Hartweg and entomology sophomore Juniper Danielsen, a trans woman, both said they knew from a young age they were trans, despite not having the vocabulary for it at the time.

Senator for College of Arts & Sciences: Grace Williams, Luke Morrison, Allyson Carter, Olive N. Okoro, Dang Pham, Lesley Villafuerte, Hunter Baker, Paige Rollins, Alexander “Ace” Chaiken, Kristen Rivers Senator for College of Visual & Performing Arts: Emilie Valdez-Sangerhausen, one seat unfilled Senator for Bush School of Government & Public Service: Ava Dawson, Samantha Torres Senator for Health Science Center: Eve Anders, one seat unfilled Senator for Corps Residence Halls: Colton Whisenant, Mason Gubser Senator for Off-Campus Residences: Ben Fisher, Hunter Kraus, Will Rodriguez, Audrey Stone, Andrew Applewhite, Isabel Applewhite, Ramón Rodríguez, Josh Day, Ainsley Daugbjerg, Sophie Sayles, Reagan Powers, Riley Bottoms, Andrew Leahy, Nick Hines, Jordan Ott, Tiffany Ufodiama, Corbitt Armstrong, Paulina Gonzalez, Bryce Kowalski, Pablo De La Garza, Hollis Vaughan, Gavin Monk, Angelina Baltazar, Walid Yusuf, Valeria Laya, Brianna Buffalo, Erica Jantz, Ben Prewitt, Jocelyn Goodman, Sarai Robinson, Emmanuel Ogunsanya, Eli Purtell, Eliana Ankomah Senator for On-Campus Residences: Riley James Pritzlaff, Claire Groner, Cindy Onweni, Ashley Gibson, Dennis Herrera Honors Student Council President: Kayley Parten Honors Student Council Executive Vice President: Kloe Jansonius Honors Student Council Vice President of Academics: Axel Hernandez Honors Student Council Vice President of Programming: Zoe Moss Honors Student Council Vice President PR Representative: One seat unfilled Honors Student Council Treasurer: Ananya Pillai

“I realized I was trans when I was about 10 years old,” Danielsen said. “Before that, I was even more feminine for someone who was born male.”

The bill claims clinics and insurance companies promote these treatments for monetary gain rather than the patients best interest, however, Hartweg said it’s in trans patients best interest to have access to these resources.

“Statistics show that supporting transitioning transgender people greatly increases the likelihood that they’ll survive into adulthood or later adult life,” Hartweg said.

This bill is not guaranteed to pass, with thousands of bills proposed each legislative session. Brewer said he doesn’t think it’s likely for the bill to even make it to the voting stage.

However, Danielsen said this bill is just another example of notorious hate toward the transgender community who are just trying to live their lives and not be ostracized.

“Gender dysphoria can just knock you out,” Danielsen said. “You could be all dolled up and pretty if you’re a transgender woman and still be like, ‘I will be noticed as a man.

Someone will call me a man.’ And, it will just ruin your day. It’ll ruin you for a while.”

Kyle McClenagan — THE BATTALION

Gov. Greg Abbott speaks on school vouchers at Brazos Christian School on Tuesday, March 7, 2023.

for Next Generation Texas of the ABBOTT CONTINUED FROM PG. 1 tor Texas Public Policy Foundation, a Texas schools have taken a wrong turn and need to return to their original purpose, Abbott said.

“We must reform our curriculum, get back to the basics of learning and empower parents,” Abbott said. “All parents deserve access to their student’s curriculum, to their student libraries, to what their children are being taught.”

Abbott ended his speech with a call to action, asking all in attendance to call their representatives and tell them to support the education savings account bill.

“The voice of everybody in this room, it matters,” Abbott said. “You have every capability of making a difference in the effort. One simple phone call will show that you have weighed in your voice, which is the most important voice in the state of Texas.”

Mandy Drogin, the campaign direc-

non-profit that promotes “liberty, personal responsibility and free enterprise,” was next to take the podium. She said there are four pillars to the foundation’s vision of empowering every parent in Texas: transparency, quality, respect and choice. “[Parents] saw something going on in their child’s classes and said, ‘that’s not right,’” Drogin said. “I don’t know if it was being asked pronouns in kindergarten … I don’t know if it’s dividing kids up by their race or hair color … that’s what we’re seeing with our parents y’all, they’re asking for help, they deserve the respect.”

Julie Harlin, Ph.D., president of the Bryan ISD Board of Trustees, was not at the event but said a school voucher program in Texas would be detrimental to public schools.

“It would be devastating, to be hon-

est,” Harlin said. “Parents already have a choice. Parents can send their children to public schools, to charter schools and to private schools.”

A voucher program would not fulfill some of the vital services public schools currently provide to Texas students, Harlin said.

“Things like transportation and meals and the other kinds of programs that happen in public schools to support those vulnerable populations, those don’t happen in private schools,” Harlin said.

Even though Abbott has promised such a program would not redirect funds from public education, Harlin said any state money given to private schools is money not going to public ones.

“If you start moving that money to places that currently are not receiving money, the pot gets smaller,” Harlin said. “So, there is no way to do a voucher program without undercutting public schools.”

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Michaela Rush, Editor-in-Chief Kyle McClenagan, Managing Editor Emma Moser, Business Manager Caroline Wilburn, News Editor Dan Hung, Business Manager Kenzie Finch, News Editor Caleb Elizondo, Opinion Editor Ana Renfroe, Asst. News Editor Ryan Lindner, Asst. Opinion Editor Ishika Samant, Photo Chief Zoe May, Sports Editor Jonathan Taffet, Asst. Photo Chief Grant Gaspard, Sports Editor Ruben Hernandez, Life & Arts Editor Luke White, Asst. Sports Editor Emma Lawson, Asst. L&A Editor Skylar Cheek, Social Media Editor Megan Williams, Page Designer Evelyn Peterson, Page Designer THE BATTALION is published Thursdays in the 2023 spring semester (except University holidays and exam periods) at Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843. Newsstand locations can be found at tx.ag/battstands. Offices are in Suite L400 of the Memorial Student Center.

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CRITICISM The Battalion | 03.08.23

Blonde with a brain

Via Originalfilmart

“Legally Blonde” Director: Robert Luketic Release Date: July 13, 2001 Runtime: 1 hour 34 minutes

By Rashid Eldoma @rashideldoma The early 2000s now feel like a fever dream. Though “Bush v. Gore” presaged the more partisan politics that accompanied social progress, fourth-wave feminism, with its focus on intersectionality and internet activism, had not yet taken root. Heroin chic was all the rage. Men who bathed and groomed themselves regularly were called “metrosexual” to distinguish them from full-throttle homosexuals — all the while, gay marriage received support from neither political party. #MeToo had not yet become a rallying cry, a reckoning yet to come. Onscreen, rom-coms thrived, and these usually starred a skinny, blonde girl pursued by a tall, dark, handsome and usually caucasian man. “Legally Blonde” was revolutionary because it turned this idea right on its head by portraying the woman in pursuit instead.

Years before “White Lotus” reintroduced us to Jennifer Coolidge, parodying the idle rich as Tanya McQuoid, she played Paulette, a lovelorn manicurist, in Reese Witherspoon’s star-making vehicle “Legally Blonde.”

“Law school is for boring, ugly, serious people,” Elle Woods’s dad warns us in the film, having done much to dispel this preconception of legal education.

For the uninitiated, “Legally Blonde” centers on Elle Woods, a sorority president from Southern California who decides to follow her ex-boyfriend to law

4 school at Harvard University in Boston, Massachusetts, to win his love back. But if the premise sounds dubious, as you will soon see, the film passes the Bechdel Test.

Directed by Robert Luketic in his feature-length debut, it is a lesser-known fact that “Legally Blonde” began as a novel conceived by Amanda Brown. Despite being the sole author listed, according to the U.S. Copyright Office, Brown shares the copyright with Brigid Kerrigan, a childhood friend and controversial figure.

Kerrigan first made headlines for hanging a Confederate flag outside her dorm window at Harvard. Due to a non-disclosure agreement, Brown has not said much about Kerrigan’s involvement in the novel, but Kerrigan did confirm her involvement around the release of the film in 2001.

Elle broke barriers upon the film’s release. She was a bimbo with a brain, a seemingly novel idea at the time. She goes to law school for love and graduates as valedictorian, a “girlboss” blueprint if there ever was one. Elle’s turn from aspiring towards marriage into aspiring towards a career mirrored the cultural expectations now placed on American women, who were told they can and should aspire to have it all: relationship and career, beauty and brains. In pursuit of her own fulfillment beyond romance, love ends up falling into her lap.

Elle undergoes “de-bimbofication” in pursuit of credibility, trading her colorful ensemble for a drab business professional suit after winning a coveted internship only to reverse course near the film’s end.

This happens when the professor Elle is working under hits on her, which she rebuffs and subsequently gets blamed for.

She plans to leave Harvard and go back to California, back to where she “makes sense,” until a female professor gives her a pep talk. Accordingly, in the next scene, Elle triumphantly returns to the court clad in a hot pink skirt suit.

After a rocky start cross-examining Chutney, the daughter of the man who Brooke Windham allegedly shot, Elle senses something isn’t right with her alibi about being in the shower during the crime’s commission. Chutney mentions having gotten a perm earlier that day and Elle’s wheels start turning.

The cardinal rule of perm maintenance, after all, is to avoid moisture for 48 hours at the risk of deactivating the perm’s ammonium thioglycolate. Chutney’s perm was still intact, undermining her testimony and compelling her confession. Elle’s supposed liability — her femininity — becomes her best asset.

“The rules of hair care are simple and fi-

nite,” Elle says to a reporter after the judge dismisses the state’s case against Brooke Windham. “Any Cosmo girl would’ve known.”

This film accomplishes a herculean task in making us sympathize with a rich, blonde bimbo by placing her in a fishout-of-water situation. Away from the low-brow West Coast, where Elle’s money, charm and beauty hold more sway, she must now prove her ability to the New England elite. When looked at through this lens, the movie becomes about the new money underdog vs. the old money establishment. Elle, after all, is not destitute.

Elle does not pull herself up by her own bootstraps, contrary to what our politicians would have us believe; she relies on her community and her not-insignificant privileges in order to emerge victorious.

But reading into this might seem futile because “Legally Blonde” doesn’t attempt to impart a revolutionary message beyond female empowerment. It is a feel-good movie, replete with a bankable star, not “Casablanca.”

Let us not forget “Casablanca” was just another film churned out by the studio system, which throughout the years, has risen above the fray. Similarly, William Shakespeare was once considered low-

brow. But times change. It is debatable whether “Legally Blonde” is now part of the American film canon, but the thousands of aspiring law students who apply for admissions each year have undoubtedly heard of, if not watched, the film.

Since 2001, no other film about law school has had such an outsize cultural impact. Elle has become a symbol, but what exactly does that symbol represent?

Despite being a foundational bimbo, in the context of 2023, Elle Woods is the quintessential aspirational girlboss, the intersection of idealized femininity and materialism made manifest.

In a post-#MeToo, post “Roe v.

Wade” world that has grown past #Girlboss feminism, is Elle still the heroine we want her to be? It’s quite jarring to think that Elle enjoyed more reproductive autonomy in 2001 than incoming female law students in 2023. Witherspoon, who is set not only to star but produce the third installment of the “Legally Blonde” trilogy, will soon have to reckon with the cultural shifts since her star-defining turn over two decades ago.

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OPINION

5

The Battalion | 03.08.23

Opinion: Ride on the wild side

Opinion columnist Charis Adkins says, like it or not, Veo shenanigans are also a tradition

Ishika Samant — THE BATTALION

A VeoRide bike dangles from the Instructional Laboratory & Innovative Learning Building on Thursday, Feb. 9, 2023.

Charis Adkins @Charis_Batt Ah, yes, Veo rideshare bikes: the official bird of Texas A&M. Their beautiful turquoise plumage has graced many a tree and building ledge on this great campus.

It’s a common Aggie experience — you’re walking around campus, minding your own business, when you round a corner and see a Veo hanging from an oak limb or sprawled out on a roof.

A couple of weeks ago, several of these little blue birdies were perched atop the Zachry Engineering Building.

This is not altogether surprising; since Veo’s introduction to campus in 2019, students have made it their mission to place the bikes in increasingly difficult and creative locations.

Some notable examples include the tip of the

Academic Building and atop the letters on the side of Kyle Field.

No, what’s surprising about this particular incident is the university’s acknowledgement of it.

Following the removal of the bikes, a university-wide email was dispatched from the desk of A&M’s Vice President For Student Affairs Brigadier General Joe Ramirez, Jr. Ramirez took this Zachry stint personally. Or at least, someone high up did, because Ramirez took it upon himself to notify the entire student body that this behavior is absolutely unacceptable.

“This practice poses a significant risk to those directly involved … the risk of a bike falling and injuring others and the risk of damaging university property,” Ramirez’s email reads.

Thank goodness someone in charge finally spoke out about these Veo hijinks. That was some dangerous stuff!

Can you imagine if someone had gotten

hurt? Speaking of getting hurt, it’s a good thing that Veos are so safe for the average user! Everyone who’s ever ridden one knows they’re in pristine condition, perfectly safe to ride and certainly not placing the rider or passersby in any danger whatsoever.

Yeah, right. Every time I’ve so much as touched a Veo it’s been about as sturdy as an IKEA bookshelf. If you hear a bike coming, you can tell whether it’s a Veo or not based on whether it sounds like it’s about to shake and rattle apart like an episode of “Looney Tunes.”

In fact, one might argue it would be more likely for a student — or, as Ramirez hinted, visiting taxpayer or investor — to injure themselves on these poorly maintained bikes than to be hit by one falling from a tree like a colorful aluminum coconut.

Well, at least we can count on Veo’s customer service to work with us and be responsive to our needs. Or can we?

In fact, throughout the email, Ramirez discusses all the dangers of the “how” of Veo dis-

placement, and what can happen in the aftermath. But my question — and what Ramirez neglects to mention — is why.

The most obvious answer lies in our thriving fraternity population — there have been stranger initiations over the course of history.

But there’s no way frat guys have the necessary coordination. Getting lucky once or twice, sure, I could see it. But as many times as a turquoise gargoyle has stood impossibly on the ledge of a building? No way.

Barring organized tomfoolery, what could the motivation possibly be? Is it a statement against Veo and their high costs? A response to their appalling customer service?

Or is it A&M’s newest tradition to strive for loftier placements, constantly upping the Veo ante?

That’s a question that each proud Veo defiler has to answer for themselves.

Charis Adkins is an English sophomore and opinion columnist for The Battalion.

Opinion: Your life isn’t boring, you are Opinion writer Maddie McMurrough says creativity could be the solution to your seemingly mundane life Maddie McMurrough @MadsMcMurrough “Your life is your fault.”

Whoa, my father traveled 203 miles across Texas and flew out of my mouth just then.

That infamous sentence is one I frequently heard and absolutely hated in my youth. Now that I am an adult, I find myself reluctantly agreeing with my father’s signature tagline.

As an eccentric person, I don’t accept the excuse so commonly tossed around by friends and foes alike; “My life is so boring.” I’m about to shatter that illusion. There’s no such thing as a boring life, only a boring person.

Oftentimes, people simply sit and wait for their life to pick up; however, you can’t depend on lady luck to drop an exciting event into your life when you hit a lull. You have to be the one to bring the excitement to you.

Hobbies help us unwind and destress, Head to Health published an article showing that people with hobbies tend to be less stressed and are less likely to be depressed. Similarly, the Society of Behavioral Medicine conducted a study that examined the relationship between

leisurely hobbies and well-being. The results were found to have a significantly positive correlation between the two.

Wow, look at that, who knew becoming a knitting grandma could save you from being lackluster? Me. I did.

I have been an avid crocheter since I was 13 years old and nothing has gotten me through hard times like my crochet hook and yarn. I crocheted my heart back together during a particularly rough breakup; I win the award for best gifts every year and have increased my hand dexterity tenfold.

I never let myself slip into self-pity or the “My life is boring” dynamic because I’m not boring. So why would I let my life reflect that?

Find a new interest like jewelry making or weight-lifting. Unleash your inner Picasso and take a painting class. Unwind while making collages out of old magazines. Create.

Life can be difficult, but what might seem like small meaningless crafts or a waste of time can be the thing that stitches your life back together.

Teaching yourself something new is opening the door to so many possibilities: you could meet your soulmate in woodworking class or your new best friend at the local Michaels craft store and you can fall in love with yourself

while sewing some new clothes. The possibilities are endless.

College students are quite notorious for having a lack of healthy hobbies. I’m sorry, but I don’t count bar hopping and frequent appearances at the Dixie Chicken as a hobby.

Simply by deciding to destress with a coloring book rather than a blurry night at Northgate you won’t remember, you’re actively choosing to better your life and yourself.

By picking up a new skill, you’ve given yourself an immediate conversation starter in tricky social situations. We’ve all experienced the dreaded interview “Tell me a little about yourself ” inquisition. A quick answer with your preferred hobby could be a bonding moment you will benefit from in the future.

Employers enjoy seeing the longevity of hobbies because it proves to them that you can stick with something even when it gets tricky and difficult. It’s a great addition to an interview and the especially quirky hobby can get you to stick in someone’s mind for a long time.

Hobbies bring people together and bring you closer to aligning with your true self, and there is absolutely no possibility that being true to oneself makes you boring. How could one be uninspiring when they are shining with authenticity?

This is when fate, the tricky mistress, becomes an active participant in your life. When you take the initiative to make your life fulfilling, you will start to see small particles of happiness sprinkling all around you like confetti; It’s the simple joys of giving a gift you made or eating the brownies you baked.Those small moments and small crafts add up and create a perfectly interesting narrative.

You can’t count on other people to bring spice to your life, but your hobby will never fail you. Hobbies are what make your experiences not only with others but more importantly, with yourself, so enjoyable. When you feel like life has hit a plateau, put down your pride and pick up a hobby.

So the next time you find yourself complaining about your dull, unsatisfying life, take a moment to think about my father’s haunting words. The only person responsible for your “boring” life is you.

Maddie McMurrough is an agricultural communications and journalism sophomore and opinion writer for The Battalion.

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SPORTS

The Battalion | 03.08.23

6

Senior Night success against Tide

Ishika Samant — THE BATTALION

Sophomore guard Wade Taylor IV (4) and senior guard Andre Gordon (20) celebrate after winning 67-61 against Alabama in Reed Arena on Saturday, March 4, 2023.

Aggies advance to No. 18 in AP Poll following final regular season matchup

By Zoe May @MayZoella Ten. The pom-poms of the Aggie Dance Team shimmer in the arena lights.

Nine. Signs wave in the crowds.

Eight. The stands shake with the force of the 12th Man. Seven. Students began pushing their way toward the barriers of the court.

Six. Hands bounce in the air as the arena speakers blare “All I Do Is Win.” Five. Alabama has the ball and makes a move down the court.

Four. Foul.

Three. Senior guard Tyrece Radford steps up to the line, two shots — good.

Two. The ball is back in the hands of the Crimson Tide.

One. It’s too late.

The buzzer rings out in harmony with the yells of both Aggie fans and players: Texas A&M had defeated No. 2 Alabama.

On Saturday, March 4, the maroon and white faced the Tide at home in Reed Arena for Senior Night. Following, Auburn’s overtime loss on March 1, the match between A&M and Alabama no longer decided the fate of the number one spot in the SEC, but that did not keep either team from playing their hardest.

“In truth, I think our guys were

receptive to the plans of the coaches, but I think our guys were wanting to win for one another,” coach Buzz Williams said.

“I think they wanted to win to cap off a 9-0 home record in conference play. I think they were wanting to win their 15th conference win in 100 years.”

After getting the jump ball to start the game, Alabama’s first two attempts to the basket ended with an out-of-bounds pass to put the ball in A&M’s hands. The Aggies took advantage of the opportunity to put the first points on the board with a shot from sophomore guard Wade Taylor IV and a 3-pointer from graduate guard Dexter Dennis to cement a 5-0 run.

Freshman guard Jaden Bradley made a 3-pointer to put the Tide in the game, but as the fouls and turnovers racked up, the maroon and white put their foot on the gas. Bradley made a drive towards the basket but a wild pass put the ball in Radford and, ultimately, junior forward Henry Coleman III for a dunk to put the Aggies up 9-3.

In a strange turn of events, Alabama freshman forward Noah Clowney lost his shoe on the court and was unable to move cross-court, however, not even that could halt A&M’s offensive and defensive momentum. By halftime, the Aggies led 32-22 with their largest lead of the half being up 15 points. Despite holding the Tide back in the first half, the defensive stats did not reflect A&M’s time with the lead. Both teams were tied in defensive rebounds, with 16, and Alabama outnumbering A&M in offensive

rebounds with nine and four, respectively.

Where the difference showed is the 12 Tide turnovers compared to the Aggies’ seven.

“They’ve [Alabama] been down at halftime for the last three games,” Taylor said. “I knew they was gonna come out with a good punch. So, we just wanted to go out with the same mentality and the same energy.”

The second half saw the battle of wills, as the Tide fought for a comeback and the Aggies fought to hold on to their lead.

And hold on they did. Taylor earned his third foul early in the second half but it did not prevent his aggressiveness in the paint and from the arc. Back-to-back 3-pointers from Taylor and Radford put A&M ahead more, but Alabama did not back down, back-to-back 3-pointers of their own to bring the game within 2.

The maroon and white managed to pull away but the Tide rushed in right after them, tying the game up at 45-45. From there, the Tide and the Aggies traded back-and-forth blows with neither able to pull away with four minutes left despite leading efforts by freshman forward Brandon Miller and Taylor for their teams.

“I know we needed to get a bucket and continue to just play our game,” Taylor said. “Brandon is a phenomenal player and he had a wonderful game tonight. [It’s] just a little friendly competition making the game very competitive, as it was. I just know that he would score and I would score but I just know that our team would get a stop and we’d be fine.”

With two minutes left in the game, Miller fouled on and initiated a parade of fouls by the Tide that allowed A&M to run away with the lead. Alabama could not get out of its own way with a turnover or foul almost every time the ball was in its hands for the last minute of play. As the last seconds ticked off the clock, a dunk from Tide sophomore center Charles Bediako was not enough. The Aggies took the win, 67-61.

A&M’s ability to create and take advantage of opportunities got them the win, with 27 of the 67 points coming from the charity stripe and 13 points off turnovers. Taylor and Radford led the Aggies on offense with 28 and 21, respectively. Miller was the front-runner on offense for Alabama with 19 points.

With 43 total rebounds, Alabama beat A&M against the glass but was neckand-neck on steals only one less than the Aggies’ seven.

The matchup ends the regular season for the maroon and white as they finish 23-8 overall and 15-3 in conference.

Their post-season begins with the SEC Tournament on March 8-12 where A&M will play its first game on Friday, March 10 against a to-be-announced opponent.

Following the SEC Tournament, the Aggies will set their sights on the NCAA Tournament but for now, Taylor said the only thing on his, and the team’s, mind is the “SEC Tournament, that’s it.”

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SPORTS

7

The Battalion | 03.08.23

Robert O’Brien — THE BATTALION

A&M baseball travelled to Minute Maid Park from March 3-5, 2023 to face Louisville, Rice and Texas Tech in the three-day Shriners Children’s College Classic.

Tournament ends in 16-inning battle

A&M baseball goes 2-1 on the weekend at Minute Maid

By Grant Gaspard, Hunter Mitchell & Luke White @grant_gaspard, @HunterM1001, @ LukeWhite03 From the first pitch to the final out, 10,704 attendees were forced to watch two completely different baseball teams on Friday, March 3.

From the batter’s box, one team accumulated a .342 batting average for the game, a .400 average with runners on and hit an immaculate 9-9 when they had runners on third base with 0 outs.

The opposing team was only able to connect six out of the 30 opportunities they were given to hit the ball, had a .222 batting average when runners were on and failed to capitalize on the one opportunity they had to score with the bases loaded.

“This is the first game of the season where we played for the most part poorly

in every phase of the game,” coach Jim Schlossnagle said.

Texas A&M flipped the script the next day, with the offense coming alive early and racking up 13 runs in a run-rule victory.

After only scoring five runs, all in the seventh inning, on six hits Friday night, the Aggies more than doubled their offensive production. A&M scored 13 runs on 14 hits against the Owls, scoring at least two runs in each of the first four innings.

“Most of our hits were the opposite field,” Schlossnagle said. “Jack using the whole field, Hunter Haas, right-center field. Anybody who has been around our program in the last couple weeks, that’s who we are. As soon as we start seeing balls hooked into dugouts and pulled ground balls, that’s not who we are.”

The Aggies’ starting lineup on March 4 differed from Friday’s matchup, as A&M started freshman Kaeden Kent at third base, sophomore Tab Tracy in centerfield, junior Hank Bard at catcher, junior Ryan Targac at first and junior Jack Moss as the

designated hitter.

“Bard, he’s earned the right to get in there and have some good at bats,” Schlossnagle said. “Tab Tracy has had a lot of really good at bats as well. There’s depth to this team; it doesn’t mean anybody has lost a job; the depth of our club allows us to play different lineups when we face a certain pitcher or certain team.”

In Game 3, as “Courage” was displayed on the back of several of the team’s Corps of Cadets-themed jerseys, No. 15 A&M baseball never backed down from a fight as it outlasted No. 24 Texas Tech 4-2 in a 16-inning, 5.5 hour affair that began on Sunday, March 5, and ended on Monday, March 6.

Down 2-1 in the 9th inning, bases loaded and down to the final out, junior third baseman Trevor Werner drew a four-pitch walk that scored the tying run and elicited a passionate “Ball 5” chant from those that made the hour-and-a-half drive from College Station.

Sophomore RHP Brad Rudis and junior LHP Evan Aschenbeck combined for six

scoreless frames, 4.2 of which came off the arm of the latter. Aschenbeck, credited with the win, retired all 14 batters he faced, including eight strikeouts.

“I just sat in the [bull]pen, waiting for my name to be called,” the Blinn College transfer said. “I got it called, and I came out here, threw strikes and competed.”

In the top of the 16th inning, Werner added an insurance RBI with a sacrifice fly to shallow right field. Sophomore catcher Hudson White couldn’t handle the throw home just before Moss collided with him, touching the plate safely.

Freshman closer Justin Lamkin earned the save with two punchouts in a 1-23 16th, sealing the A&M triumph and earning applause from the few loyal fans that remained of the 9,534 in attendance.

“Maybe this is the tipping point that gives us some confidence to keep moving forward,” Schlossnagle said.

Familiar foes inbound at SEC Tournament

By Brad Bennett @Brad_Bennett13 Next on No. 18 Texas A&M men’s basketball’s agenda, following an impressive victory in its season finale against No. 4 Alabama, is a trip to Nashville to compete in the SEC Tournament at the Bridgestone Arena. The maroon and white enter the tournament as the No. 2 seed.

A byproduct of the Aggies’ strong conference play is that they will not play until Friday, March 10, against the winner of Arkansas and Auburn on March 9.

The maroon and white will only need to win three games to win the conference championship — putting A&M in a much better position than last season.

The Aggies entered the 2022 SEC tournament as the eighth seed, meaning A&M had to battle through a gauntlet of opponents, such as then-No. 1 Auburn and then-No. 4 Arkansas, to reach the

championship game against eventual tournament winner Tennessee. The run was impressive, but it still resulted in A&M not making the NCAA Tournament.

This season, A&M is the hunted and will have to take every opponent’s best punch to accomplish what they couldn’t last season. A good thing for the Aggies is they have beaten all of the top teams in the tournament outside of Kentucky, so they’re sure to enter the tournament with confidence.

Unlike last season, the Aggies do not enter the conference tournament outside of the NCAA Tournament. A&M looks sure to comfortably make the NCAA Tournament, with only seeding at stake depending on how it performs.

One of the most interesting things to look for will be how the maroon and white’s recent strong run will travel. Most of A&M’s most impressive wins have occurred while playing at Reed Arena.

Despite playing great throughout its conference slate, all three of the Aggies’ losses occurred on the road.

The maroon and white have shown the ability to win on the road but have also looked vulnerable at times. Take, for example, A&M’s road losses against Kentucky and Mississippi State. In both matchups, offensive struggles from the field and perimeter played a major role in the Aggies being on the losing side.

A&M’s success will come from leaning on what has gotten them to this point: defense and guard play.

All-conference guards sophomore Wade Taylor IV and senior Tyrece Radford have carried much of the offensive burden throughout this season. It isn’t a surprise that A&M’s losses have come when one or both struggle. Both will need to play well for A&M to win the tournament.

The Aggies’ defense has been suffocating throughout much of their conference

slate. A lot of A&M’s success on the defensive end can be attributed to coach Buzz Williams and pure effort from their players. The co-SEC Coach of the Year and AP SEC Coach of the Year has made a habit out of making in-game adjustments to give A&M an advantage on defense.

The favorite to win the tournament remains No. 1 seed Alabama. The Tide are led by freshman forward Brandon Miller.

Miller recently won the SEC player of the year award and is seemingly a lock to end up as a top-ten pick in the upcoming NBA draft.

For A&M to win the conference tournament, they will probably have to beat Alabama for the second time this season. This time, the Aggies will not have the luxury of battling the Crimson Tide in front of a packed Reed Arena.

All in all, the Aggies look set for an eventful month of March.