01 17 2013

VOLUME 102, ISSUE 44

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THURSDAY GO NE ONLI NOW

JANUARY 17, 2013

Waves of inspiration

The Texas State community raised enough money to aid Jones Dining Hall cashier Susie Mullen in her struggle with cataracts.

To learn more, visit UniversityStar.com.

Developers withdraw Buie Tract plans

DECIBEL DISPUTE

Local bar receives new noise complaints

By Natalie Berko News Reporter Plans for a new student housing complex to be built on the controversial Buie Tract have been shelved, though the reasons why are unclear.

Lisa Wheeler, spokeswoman for the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, said the commission received notification Jan. 14 from Ramsey Engineering that the company is withdrawing its construction project for “The Cottages of San Marcos” located on the Buie Tract off Craddock Avenue and Bishop Street. The developers did not return calls for comment on whether the plans were withdrawn for environmental concerns or business reasons.

Dianne Wassenich, program manager for the San Marcos River Foundation, said the 174-acre Buie Tract is a recharge zone for the Edwards Aquifer and has environmentally sensitive features such as faults, crevices and caves.

The original plan for the apartment complex has been withdrawn, but Wassenich said it does not necessarily mean the project was scrapped.

“Developers are quite persistent, and when they find an environmental problem they try to find a way to deal with it and just redesign their project,” Wassenich said.

Wheeler said the developer can resubmit the building plan at any time, but she does not know what the future construction strategies are.

Wassenich said the foundation prompted the commission to inspect the property for a missing cave that has caused controversy in the past. Contentions arose after the building plan for The Cottages of San Marcos came forward, which included a large parking lot surrounding the apparent location of the cave.

Wassenich said a cave was noted on an early geological report of the Buie Tract conducted by the landowner. However, she said the owner filed a second report with the commission failing to recognize the cave.

“The guy in the second report said he couldn’t see it,” Wassenich said. “We don’t know what was wrong with his eyes.”

The San Marcos City Council approved the rezoning and development of the tract in 2010 before the missing cave had been recognized by the commission.

Melissa Derrick, San Marcos resident and former city council candidate, said she had participated in a comment period with the commission and voiced concern for the missing cave.

“My comments were that there had been multiple geological surveys on this land, and it needs to be looked into more closely because one shows more features than the other, and something kind of smells rotten,” Derrick said.

Wassenich said the foundation’s major concern was runoff from the proposed parking lot going into the cave and polluting the aquifer.

“That’s why we have been tracking this

READ cottages, PAGE 2

Austin Humphreys, Photo Editor

By Taylor Tompkins Assistant News Editor The future of a local bar continues to be disputed after concerned neighbors appealed the venue’s recently renewed conditional use permit at the Jan. 15 San Marcos City Council meeting.

Barry James appealed the permit because of concern over the volume of the live music at Zelicks Icehouse. James and his wife Brenda Smith own the Young Building across the street from the bar, where they practice law.

City councilmembers approved James’ appeal with a 6-1 vote, sending the permit back to the Planning and Zoning Commission, upon request of Chairman Bill Taylor.

The permit was unanimously renewed at the Dec. 11, 2012 Planning and Zoning Commission meeting for three years, according to Matthew Lewis, director of Planning and Development Services. The permit allows Zelicks to continue selling mixed beverages at its Hopkins Street venue but was renewed after the Planning and Zoning

commission added a clause stating no live amplified music will be allowed after 11 p.m.

Chase Katz, who owns Zelicks with his brother Seth Katz, said the bar rarely has live music. All parties agree only two instances of live music have occurred. Despite this, James and Smith say their building has been disturbed by the live music at the bar.

“They are not bad neighbors,” James said.

“But once they get so loud, you just can’t hear yourself think. We have residents living above the office, and when we are here working late, it’s frustrating when all you can hear is the music.”

Smith said Hopkins Street is not a good location for a venue like Zelicks.

The Katz brothers have received noise complaints in the past from the ownership of neighboring Crystal River Inn, which led to a short-term renewal of their permit in December 2011, according to a Feb. 8, 2012 University Star article.

The Katzes came to a settlement with the bed and breakfast’s owners, Cathy and

Sonja Burton, Staff Photographer

The recently renewed conditional use permit for Zelicks Icehouse was appealed at the Jan. 15 city council meeting due to complaints about live music noise levels.

READ zelicks, PAGE 2

University’s tax exemption causes tensions

By Nicole Barrios News Reporter Texas State brings economic benefits and revenue to San Marcos, but the university’s presence causes a strain on the city’s budget because the institution is not subject to property taxes.

The university is a state institution, which means by law it is exempt from property taxes to the city, county or school district. The City of San Marcos receives most of its funding for city improvements from property taxes.

San Marcos is tight on resources from a lack of funds, as are many local and state budgets in the current economic climate. Mayor Daniel Guerrero said the city’s relationship with the university is

not a negative one, but the reality that the institution does not pay property taxes to the city creates challenges.

Steve Parker, assistant city manager and director of finance, said the property value of all buildings on the Texas State property is $1.4 billion. He said the property value is divided by 100 and multiplied by the city’s tax rate to determine the total amount San Marcos would receive in revenue if Texas State did pay property taxes, which is $7.4 million.

“We as a community have to try to find ways to manage our budget and be able to provide regulatory compliances with a smaller amount of funds because we’re not receiving those dollars from the university, and by state law they don’t have

to,” said Mayor Daniel Guerrero.

Guerrero said the majority of the revenue used to pay for improvements such as streets, water pipes, city employees, fire trucks and police cars comes from property taxes.

Guerrero said much of the burden to maintain the city “falls on the shoulders” of the residents who live in San Marcos and pay property taxes. He said students are a part of those residents, because whether someone is paying a mortgage or renting an apartment, a part of their money goes toward property taxes.

Bill Nance, vice president for Finance and Support Services, said though the university does not pay property taxes,

READ tax, PAGE 2

Semester beginning signals busy time for textbook stores

By Amanda Ross Special to the Star

shelves for each item,” Armstrong said.

The beginning of the semester isn’t the only hectic period booksellers face, Armstrong said.

The end of the semester is nearly as busy when finals begin to approach.

“Some people will come in after not needing the book all semester who now want it for finals,” Armstrong said. “Sales are strong on both ends of the semester.”

Some say e-books and e-readers are poised to overtake physical textbooks as technology becomes more commonplace in classrooms. However, Matt Banks, general manager of Textbook Solutions, said that was not the case for this semester. Banks said e-books have not affected the business at all.

“We’ve been around here for about three years now, and every semester we see our sales increase,” Banks said. “E-books are only slightly less expensive than the physical book, but a major reason why students aren’t using them is because you can’t sell them back.”

Resale is important to many students who use

HILLSIDE RANCH HI HILLSIDE RANCH HILLSIDE RA THE COTTAGES TH THE COTTAGES THE COTTAG Bookstore employees across town have braced themselves for the influx of students they see at the beginning of each semester.

Texas State’s enrollment numbers are growing each year. Bookstore employees have had to prepare for bigger crowds of students during the textbook buying rush. Preparation for the new semester rush begins in October after receiving book requests from the different departments across campus, according to Kim Estes, general manager for Colloquium Bookstore on Aquarena Springs Drive. The bookstores then order the textbooks from a publishing house.

“It gets really crazy at the beginning (of the semester),” said Bryanna Armstrong, employee at the Texas State Bookstore. “It only slows down after a few weeks.”

Armstrong said entire stores completely reorganize stock and layout every semester and hire new employees to cope with the mass influx of students to their establishments.

“We have to create, print and label hundreds of

APARTMENTS & COTTAGE HOMES

APARTMENTS & COTTAGE HOMES Madelynne Scales, Staff Photographer

Amanda Holley, psychology junior, shops for her spring semester texbooks Jan. 14 at Colloquium Bookstore. Colloquium prepares for the spring semester as early as October to anticipate the rush of students during the first days of classes.

APA

APARTMENTS & COTTAG READ textbooks, PAGE 2

AT HILLSIDE RANCH

AT HILLSIDE RANCH

855.562.2008 www.hillsidetsu.com

AT HILLSIDE RANC

2 | Thursday January 17, 2013 | The University Star

NEWS

tax

Check out more at UniversityStar.com

cottages

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

there are situations in which Texas State shares certain costs with the city. For example, the university reimburses the city for one half of the city habitat conservation plan manager’s salary because the job deals with environmental issues affecting the river. The work benefits both Texas State and the city.

Guerrero said the most sustainable way for the city to generate funds is through property taxes, but there are many other methods for San Marcos to obtain its finances. He said the city works with organizations such as the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization and the Capital Area Council

textbooks

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

the money from the previous semester’s textbooks to fund their new materials.

“Textbooks are so expensive, especially because you only use them once,” said Katie Lipinski, elementary education sophomore. “I rely on being able to sell my books back so I can buy next semester’s books. Basically, I’m recycling my own money.”

Students have turned to renting as an alternative to purchasing textbooks. This option has become a preference for some students because renting is less expensive

It’s delicious!

of Governments to secure grants and additional funding from state and federal agencies.

Parker said the city ultimately does receive economic benefits from the university because of the students it attracts.

“Even though the actual buildings aren’t on the tax roll, people are still going out shopping, keeping restaurants open, keeping people employed who go out and buy stuff at Target and Wal-Mart and so forth,” Parker said.

Guerrero also said the amount of regional attraction the city gets from Texas State in terms of economic development is “tremendous” for San Marcos.

than buying the book new or used.

Some rented books were found to be less than half the cost of their buyable counterparts, according to Colloquium’s supplier, Neebo.com. For example, Organic Chemistry by Janice Smith is available for $193.60 to purchase. The same textbook is available at $71.80 to rent.

“Rentals make up about 50 percent of our sales, actually,” Estes said. “The students get all the benefits of buying the book but have to bring it back by the last day of finals.”

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

case,” Wassenich said.

Additionally, Wassenich said in a foundation newsletter that a sewer line on the building plan for The Cottages of San Marcos would have gone directly through the

zelicks

once-missing, now-found cave.

“Sewer lines always leak, and that sewage is going to go straight to the aquifer, and it will come out of streams,” Wassenich said.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Mike Dillon, in December. The agreement required all music to be turned off by 2 a.m.

The bar relocated its motorcycle parking spaces from the fence shared by the businesses to the North side of the Zelicks property. Its outdoor games, such as horseshoes and bocce ball, were moved away from the inn.

James said he and his wife were not a part of the mediation process between Crystal River Inn and Zelicks.

Cathy Dillon said during the city council meeting that she took the settlement because outside parties told her it was the best possible deal. Additionally, she was still concerned about live music disturbing her patrons.

“City staff thought they were protecting us by not allowing bands from 11 o’clock to two in the morning,” Cathy Dillon said.

“But the unintended consequence of doing this is now making it appear they were per-

mitted to have live bands up until 11 p.m. any night, which is not okay.”

Chase Katz said he and his brother paid for insulation for the inn and Plexiglas for their windows. He said overall they spent an estimated $10,000 for improvements, including moving their fences and games.

“We spent a lot of time and effort mediating between Crystal River Inn, which we’ve come to an agreement (with), which is super important, and that’s what we wanted,” Chase Katz said.

Zelicks’ permit may be on the Planning and Zoning Commission’s agenda for their Feb. 12 meeting. The current three-year permit will be in place until the board reaches a decision.

“It has taken a toll on Seth and I,” Chase Katz said. “I think it’s going to be a while before this is all resolved.”

— Nancy Young contributed to this report

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OPINIONS

For more viewpoints or letters to the editor, e-mail staropinions@txstate.edu

Sensitive areas must be avoided in future development plans

Emmanuel Ramirez, Star Illustrator

T

hough it is unclear if the construction of an apartment complex over a controversial tract of land has been shelved for environmental or business reasons, it is a win for San Marcos either way.

According to a Jan. 17 University Star article, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality received notification on Jan. 14 from Ramsey Engineering that the company had withdrawn its building project for “The Cottages of San Marcos.” The student housing complex would have been built over the Buie Tract, a 174-acre, environmentally sensitive piece of land laced with faults, crevices and caves.

It is not certain whether the developer pulled the plans for the complex because of the environmental consequences it would have on the Buie Tract.

Despite the uncertainty, it is still nice to see a piece of land saved from one of the many new apartment complexes quickly taking over San Marcos.

Unfortunately, some environmentally sensitive pieces of land have not been as lucky as the Buie

Tract. On Jan. 15, the San Marcos City Council voted 5-2 in favor of the development of a 306unit, 1,000-bedroom student apartment complex at Cape’s Camp. More than 75 percent of November voters, however, said they wanted the 45-acre property to be acquired as parkland. It is clear that San Marcos residents are concerned about protecting the river and other natural resources in town. However, whether residents like it or not, development is an issue the city will have to face for many years to come.

Development is not necessarily a bad thing. The student population is growing, and they will need more places to live. The city also relies on development to provide jobs for citizens and students.

Development helps San Marcos become bigger and better. However, development around the river and natural resources is a different story.

Surely there are places in town for apartment complexes to be built away from the San Marcos River, the Edwards Aquifer recharge zone or pieces of land containing underground cave networks. Protecting the environment is more important than constructing yet another student housing complex.

One of the things many citizens and students love about San Marcos is that despite its growing popula-

Oil industry not safe choice, aim for college education

By Ravi Venkataraman Opinions Columnist

A

lthough the lure of the lucrative oil industry may seem enticing for young adults, there is potentially much more job security for those who graduate from college.

Close to a year and a half ago, Gov. Rick Perry made bold statements when he announced his candidacy for the Republican primary election. In an interview for National Public Radio posted Aug. 15, 2011, Perry said, “Since June of 2009, Texas is responsible for more than 40 percent of all of the new jobs created in America. Now think about that. We’re home to less than 10 percent of the population in America, but 40 percent of all the new jobs were created in that state.”

There is no denying the explosive growth of the Texas economy, even if the numbers Perry mentioned might have been somewhat skewed. According to an Aug. 17, 2011 NPR article, the state’s economy is expanding at a rate roughly twice that of the national average.

In particular regard to Texas, the boom in oil and natural gas drilling has built up local economies by attracting young jobseekers and unemployed people from out of state. According to a Dec. 25 article

by The New York Times, certain entrylevel jobs in oilfields can start at $50,000 a year. With the cost of college increasing across the nation, an entry-level job with a competitive salary can seem more appealing to many young adults than a pricey education with relatively unclear future prospects. Some choose to finish high school, forgo college and head to work in the oil fields.

In the same Dec. 25 New York Times article profiling Sidney, Mont., it was reported one-third of the previous senior

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class at Sidney High School went to work right after graduation, rather than going to college or the military. Some young adults such as these may opt to forgo college for many reasons, including being disenchanted with the university experience or wanting to avoid large sums of student loan debt.

But how long will the oil boom last?

The natural resources market is volatile. After crude oil barrel prices fell in 2009, statistics from the Texas Economy website show they have settled at $92.92 last January, which is $52.37 away from the record high in 2008. Now, there are speculations the values will continue to rise for the meantime as trends indicated last year. However, changes in the industry may occur without warning.

Despite the boom of the oil industry, getting a college degree is still very valuable in today’s society. A college degree provides a certain level of reassurance and confidence for young jobseekers and employers, especially since many career fields require a bachelor’s for employment. For many young adults, it may not be the smartest choice to head out into the career force as a high school graduate with a sole hope for a job in the oil industry. Take note that although business may be bustling now, it may not be the most guaranteed source for a salary in the future.

According to a Sept. 19 Kiplinger article, a high school graduate’s median pay is $638 per week while a college graduate with a four-year degree has a median weekly pay of $1,053. As a nation, job prospects are primarily improving for college graduates. According to a Jan. 4 article in The Atlantic, of the 1.84 million jobs created in 2011, 1.676 million went to college graduates in 2012.

Right now, the oil fields in certain rural parts of the state may be the best places to work. As profitable as it may be currently, there is no guaranteed way to speculate the fate of the natural resources job market in the future. With a surge in the need for more employees in careers such as engineering and the medical field, it may be best to stick it out and get that college degree.

—Ravi Venkataraman is a creative writing masters student.

Editor In Chief................................................Beth Brown, stareditor@txstate.edu Managing Editor............................Lee Moran, starmanagingeditor@txstate.edu Letters..................................................................................starletters@txstate.edu News Editor...................................................Caitlin Clark, starnews@txstate.edu Trends Editor............................Hollie O’Connor, starentertainment@txstate.edu Opinions Editor..........................................Liza Winkler, staropinion@txstate.edu Photo Editor.......................................Austin Humphreys, starphoto@txstate.edu Sports Editor..........................................Cameron Irvine, starsports@txstate.edu Copy Desk Chief......................Thomas Glasebrook, starcopychief@txstate.edu Web Editor.............................................Cayla Green, starwebeditor@txstate.edu

tion, the town has been able to maintain a smalltown feel. It would also be difficult for someone to find a college campus surrounded by the unique geographical features Texas State enjoys. However, the aspects numerous people appreciate most about San Marcos have been encroached on by the construction of new student housing complexes every year.

It is exciting that an environmentally sensitive area in San Marcos has escaped the harm of development, but the fact that it was in danger in the first place is upsetting. Students, residents and city officials should keep in mind that one of the qualities that makes San Marcos special, its natural beauty, could be destroyed if development continues relentlessly.

The Main Point is the opinion of the newspaper’s editorial board. Columns are the opinions of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the full staff, Texas State University-San Marcos Student Media, the School of Journalism and Mass Communication or Texas State University-San Marcos.

San Marcos tax revenue must stay competitive

By Jose R. Gonzalez Opinions Columnist

S

an Marcos officials must ensure sales tax revenue numbers continue to increase to better compare with other nearby cities and ultimately provide more profits for the area as a whole.

According to a Dec. 14 city press release, San Marcos sales tax revenues for Oct. 2012 were up 11.56 percent from 2011, the largest sales tax collection for that month in city history. San Marcos is headed in the right direction with economic profits. However, the figures are relatively weak when compared to sales tax revenue numbers recorded by smaller cities in the Central Texas region.

According to statistics in the same press release, some surrounding cities with smaller population sizes had significantly bigger sales tax revenue increases. Six of the seven other cities listed, including Seguin and Kyle, had Oct. 2012 sales tax revenue percentage increases greater than San Marcos, and four of those cities had smaller populations.

Schertz, at 39.82 percent, enjoyed the greatest sales tax revenue increase out of the Central Texas cities highlighted in the press release. According to 2010 U.S. Census data, Schertz has a population of 31,465. U.S. Census 2010 data shows San Marcos has a population of 44,894, which has since been predicted to actually be at least 50,000 in more recent counts. However, Schertz’s sales tax revenue is an astounding 28.26 percent bigger.

Multimedia Editor.........................Alex Peña, starmultimediaeditor@txstate.edu Design Editor................................Michelle Wadsworth, stardesign@txstate.edu Account Executive......................................Catie Brossard, starad3@txstate.edu Account Executive..................................Blakely Knowles, starad4@txstate.edu Account Executive.....................................Hannah Wilson, starad5@txstate.edu Media Specialist.............................................Mary Scheske, ms88@txstate.edu Advertising Coordinator...........................Kelsey Nuckolls, starad1@txstate.edu Publications Coordinator.......................................Linda Allen, la06@txstate.edu Publications Director...........................Bob Bajackson, stardirector@txstate.edu

A city more comparable to San Marcos is the bordering municipality of New Braunfels with a population of 57,740. New Braunfels reaped a 17.23 percent sales tax revenue increase for Oct. 2012 over 2011’s total, which was 5.67 percent greater than what San Marcos garnered.

The success of New Braunfels’ economy can likely be credited to the city’s long-lasting efforts as a tourist lure in the region. New Braunfels knows how to sell itself as a living vignette of Old Germany in the Texas Hill Country.

Although San Marcos has relatively successful events like Riverfest and Sights and Sounds of Christmas, the city should strive to implement efforts on a scale similar to New Braunfels.

The extremely profitable nature of events like Wurstfest and the Schlitterbahn amusement park take revenues to a whole new level and attract business owners, who, in turn, can increase sales tax numbers.

The outlet mall and locations along the San Marcos River are profitable tourism aspects for the city. However, officials need to find other ways to help boost the San Marcos economy and sales tax revenues. For instance, if San Marcos continues to invest money into improving the infrastructure and beautification of the city, developers may feel more inclined to bring their companies here. The city needs to provide more incentives overall to encourage new development that could garner big profits, a flurry of jobs for low-income residents and eventually higher sales tax revenues.

Along these lines, there is still much more that can be done to ensure San Marcos’ economy can compete with neighboring cities. The recent sales tax record collection may well be a shining light on the city’s economic horizon, but the city’s economic prospects can be even brighter with greater development. ­—Jose R. Gonzalez is a mass communication senior.

The University Star is the student newspaper of Texas State University-San Marcos and is published every other Wednesday in the summer semesters. It is distributed on campus and throughout San Marcos at 8 a.m. on publication days with a distribution of 6,000.

Printing and distribution is by the New Braunfels Herald-Zeitung.

Copyright Thursday, January 17, 2013. All copy, photographs and graphics appearing in The University Star are the exclusive property of The University Star and may not be reproduced without the expressed written consent of the editor in chief.

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TRENDS

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Bobcat alumnus makes launch into spotlight career

Photo courtesy of Danny Lutman

Danny Lutman, Southwest Texas State alumnus, is a writer, actor and stage performer who received his first big break starring in a Pepsi commercial.

By Hollie O’Connor Trends Editor Danny Lutman got his first big break with the help of a can of soda and an exercise ball.

The audition was in 2007 for a Pepsi commercial, which started out ordinary enough. The people casting the commercial handed Lutman a can of Pepsi and asked him to act like he was “really enjoying it,” but the situation took a bizarre turn.

“They throw me this exercise ball and are like, ‘ride it,’ and I said ‘okay,’ so I take the ball and I do goofy things with it and make these ridiculous facial expressions,” Lutman said. “As absurd as it sounds, that’s only one-tenth of how absurd it actually was.”

His willingness to go over-the-top paid off. Lutman, Southwest Texas State alumnus, has built a career in show business as an actor and writer since he graduated in 2002. He described the Pepsi commercial as a watershed moment for him that led to bigger projects.

His most recent project, “Mad Men and Bad Women,” will premiere at The Second City in Hollywood Feb. 2 through April 27, Saturdays at 8 p.m.

Mad Men and Bad Women is a compilation of all-time favorite sketches that have come out of The Second City, a collection of comedy venues and training centers which has served as a breeding ground for Saturday Night Live cast members. Many sketches were first performed by comedians who are now household names, such as Stephen Colbert, Steve Carell and Tina Fey—all alumni of The Second City.

“It’s exciting to breathe new life into the characters, but sort of follow in the footsteps of such comic greats,” Lutman said.

Performing on stage is not Lutman’s only talent. He is a writer for The Mystery Hour, a late night talk show based in Missouri. He also held a recurring role as a reporter on ABC’s Make It or Break It, a drama that follows teen gymnasts as they struggle to make it to the Olympics. This performance as a reporter was his first television show, and he impressed the script supervisor with his punctuality and preparedness.

“It’s about who you know and how you work with people, and I ended up charming them and doing a good job on set. So, I ended up having a recurring reporter role on the show,” Lutman said.

“I had a really great opportunity.”

Lutman said part of that drive and work ethic came from his time at Texas State, where he had to hold a job as a resident assistant to pay for college and theatre auditions. He graduated magna cum laude.

He said one professor who influenced him was John Fleming, now Department of Theatre and Dance chair, who taught him theatre history.

“That guy was amazing,” Lutman said. “He helped me understand this ‘bug’ that I have, why I have it, and who had it before me.”

Fleming described Lutman as a hardworking student and a good actor.

“He always had the ability and the creativity, but he also had perseverance,” Fleming said. “It has been 10 years since he graduated, and I’m glad he stuck with it.”

However, no amount of instruction could have prepared Lutman for the real world of the entertainment business. He said it is a tough industry that requires commitment, networking and luck.

“Not every day is sunshine and flowers,” Lutman said. “For every two hundred times I hear ‘no,’ I get one ‘yes.’

It’s not a race. It’s a marathon,” Lutman said. “For me, it’s about waking up and doing what I love to do.”

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SPORTS

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MEN’S BASKETBALL

“Ready for UTSA”, Bobcats try to end nine-game losing streak

By Samuel Rubbelke Sports Reporter The University of Texas-San Antonio and Texas State take to the hardwood for the first time this season with 0-6 WAC records. Texas State has lost nine straight. The Roadrunners have lost 11 of their last 12 contests.

Over the past five seasons, Texas State has won six of the 10 meetings between

Star File Photo

UTSA in the Interstate 35 rivalry game.

The average margin of victory has been 8.8 points per game, with five of the games being decided by six points or fewer. Last year, the series was split 1-1 with Texas State winning the most recent game 66-52.

“It’s going to come down to execution,” said Coach Doug Davalos. “Whoever can execute their offensive and defensive game plan better, and really in a rivalry game, it comes back to those 50-50 balls. Rivalry games come down to the little things, because usually the effort is pretty even on both sides.”

Last year, senior forward Matt Staff ran the Roadrunners out of their own stadium with a thencareer high 28-point scoring effort along with 12 boards and six assists.

Staff shot 11 of 14 from the field.

In the Bobcats’ most recent game against University of Texas-Arlington, Staff struggled shooting, going one for three from the field for two points and gave up two turnovers in 16 minutes of play. Staff is Texas State’s second leading scorer and rebounder at 12.2 points per game and 5.6 rebounds per game.

“Matt has to keep playing Matt,” said junior transfer Joel Wright. “He’s been really aggressive during the start of the season, and teams realized that (Staff and I) are a major factor of this team. The double teams started coming, and we had to learn to handle (them). Matt is a big part of our

offense and a big part of our team. I have strong confidence in him that he’ll come around.”

Most often in rivalry games, there is a contrast in style and play. UTSA typically has a four-guard set, while Texas State’s line up is more standard, consisting of two post players. How the guards and posts handle the mismatches defensively will be key.

“They’re really tough to guard,” Davalos said. “If you look at their percentages, they’re all shooting well. They all can put the ball on the floor and penetrate. The question is, ‘Can their guards guard our ‘bigs’ better than our ‘bigs’ can guard their guards?’ It’s going to come down to a contrast of wills.”

Three of the top four scorers and rebounders for the Bobcats are the forwards and center. Wright is averaging 16.4 ppg and 6.7 rpg, leading the team in both categories. In conference play, Wright is currently ranked third in scoring at 18.3 and first in three point percentages by shooting 77.8 percent.

UTSA is led in scoring by senior guards Kannon Burrage, 17.4 ppg, and Michael Hale III, 15.3 ppg. Burrage scored a career high 29 points in UTSA’s loss on Jan. 12 to Louisiana Tech. Junior guard/forward Jeromie Hill didn’t play due to a knee injury suffered in the first half of the Jan. 10 UT-Arlington game. Hill was the third leading scorer for the Roadrunners with 13.3

ppg. In Hill’s absence, junior guards Hyjii Thomas and Jordan Sims filled in combining for 30 points against La Tech.

This past Sunday was the Bobcats’ first day off after a game this season, but the team hit the hardwood Monday and Tuesday for workouts. Wednesday and Thursday practices initiated the main preparation for I-35 rival UTSA. “In practice, lately, we’ve been having (it) pretty tough,” said sophomore guard Wesley Davis. “But today coach gave us kind of an easy practice. He’s trying to get our minds not completely tied to basketball. So, we had some competition and stuff to help us get motivated for the game and to get our confidence level right. I think we’re ready for UTSA.” Despite the nine-game losing streak, players are not reaching for the panic button. The coaching staff and players said they are sticking to the course and staying true to their game plan.

“We’ve just been ourselves,” Wright said after practice. “It’s UTSA. There’s nothing we have to change in what we’re doing. We got great guards that can defend. We got great big men that play hard every night.

I mean, it’s just another game. We can’t change what we’ve been doing the whole year just for UTSA. It’s a dog fight. We both have the same record. It’s just who wants it more.”

Twitter: @SamuelRubbelke

INSIDE THE LINES Ayriel Anderson

By Odus Evbagharu Sports Reporter Freshman point guard Ayriel Anderson may be small, but her energy is big.

“You’ve seen that commercial with the ever-ready batteries in the bunny? That’s Ayriel,” said Suzie Oelschlegel, Anderson’s high school coach. “She was just everywhere and just kept going on and on, like the Energizer Bunny.”

“The Energizer Bunny” is the nickname Anderson earned while playing basketball in Irving, Texas at MacArthur High School.

Listed at just 5 feet and 3 inches, Anderson is the shortest player on the Bobcat team by three inches, but that does not discourage her from playing hard with intensity.

“There is rarely a time where I can have a bad game,” Anderson said. “I have to play to my potential and play with my heart out. Every time I hit the floor, I know I just have to play my hardest and go out there and help my team get a win.”

Winning is what Anderson is accustomed to. In her four years playing at MacArthur High, her team went 144-13, winning the 2010-2011 Texas 5A state championship. Anderson won the 3-point shooting contest at the 2012 Element of Champions All-Star game and was the Offensive Player of the Year in 20102011, earning 5A All-Tournament team honors. The standout freshman was also named to the Top-50 list of the best players in Texas by Premierbasketballreport.com.

“I think Texas State picked up a little gold mine with Ayriel,” Oelschlegel said. “She can run, she’s athletic, she can play defense, she can put pressure on the ball, she can hit the three, she can penetrate and dish. I mean, she can do her, and she does it all.”

Anderson has been asked to step up this season playing under Coach Zenarae Antoine. The freshman guard has started three games this season and is a key reserve for Antoine off the bench.

“I feel like Ayriel has done well for us so far this season,” Antoine

said. “She’s been around good mentorship and good players in high school where the adjustment for her has been pretty smooth. She’s a bit of an Energizer Bunny. She brings a lot of energy which comes from her playing with a lot of emotion out there, and she has fun doing it.”

Anderson may not have eye-popping numbers—she averages nine points and three assists per contest in conference play this season—but she brings unmatched energy and speed to the team. Her aggressive way of attacking the game of basketball is what made her coach and her fans in high school appreciate the type of player she was at MacArthur.

“She never lets up,” Oelschlegel said. “Her passion, her love, her desire for the game motivated me as well.

She made our press go and would make our team go. She was everyone’s favorite, and everybody talks about how fun she was to watch.”

Her coaches said the passion, desire and the emotion she plays with as well as the talent she has makes up for what she lacks in size.

Fans can expect Anderson to be the player with energy that just keeps going and going and going.

BY THE NUMBERS

16

Collegiate high in points in a loss to Utah State. Anderson hit five of her six three pointers in the game, corralled five rebounds, five assists and two steals in 27 minutes.

25

Ayriel has been relied on more lately, notching at least 25 minutes of game time in five of the last six games. She played 25 or more minutes in two of the team’s first nine games.

Twitter: @Odus_outputs

John Casares, Staff Photographer

Ayriel Anderson, freshman guard, helped lead her high school team to the Texas 5A state championship during the 2010-2011 season.

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

Roadrunners invade San Marcos Saturday

By Odus Evbagharu Sports Reporter Coming off their first WAC win this season, the Texas State women’s basketball team will look to ride that momentum into a matchup with Interstate 35 rival University of Texas-San Antonio.

“We know it’s a big game,” said junior guard Jasmine Baugus. “We know we have to get this win because we need to start winning and keep winning because it’s a big win against a big rival that we need to get.”

The Roadrunners (98, 3-3) come into Strahan Coliseum looking to build on the two-game win streak they currently have in conference play. UTSA will be led by sophomore guard Kamra King, who leads the Roadrunners with 10.5 points and 2.1 steals per game.

When both teams meet on Saturday, something will have to give. Texas State (7-9, 1-5) currently has the second best scoring offense in the conference averaging 73.1 points a game. UTSA has the best scoring defense in the WAC giving up 54.8 points per contest. Coach Zenarae Antoine thinks playing different teams all year should help them a little bit.

“We’ve played a variety of teams playing in the WAC,” Antoine said on playing a bigger team like UTSA. “Also, in the preseason we’ve seen a lot of different looks.

Scoring-wise for us, I’m not as stressed out as I am about our ability to keep them off the boards, protect the paint, limit points in the paint. I’m pretty comfortable with the match-up.”

The ball club will get the conference’s leading rebounder back in junior forward Ashley Ezeh. Ezeh missed the last contest against University of TexasArlington because the coaches wanted to give her rest.

Antoine expects her to pick up right where she left off.

“She’s obviously an anchor in the center,” Antoine said. “She opens up quite a bit when we feed her the ball. She’s going to demand, on occasion, some double teams and even at times triple teams. Her ability to score versus the double teams or just find the open woman is going to be important. On the defensive side of the ball, she averages a double-double so she can rebound and it lightens the load a little bit for some of our fours and fives coming into play.”

The Bobcats currently

rank eighth out of 10 teams in defense, giving up 72.1 points per contest. They rank last in rebounds, letting their opponents come away with 49.3 boards per game. UTSA is ranked third, grabbing 40.4 rebounds per game and lets their opposition come away with only 38.2 boards per contest – second best in the WAC. Baugus knows rebounding and defense has been a weakness of the team, and they have emphasized getting better at both ends this week.

“If we can keep our defense up, we can win any game,” Baugus said.

“Coach has been preaching to us about defense and rebounds. All she tells us every day is that those two things win games and not points.”

Last year Texas State and UTSA split the season series, 1-1. Each team won at home, and this year the Bobcats are looking to get a leg up on their I-35 rivals on Saturday, two games behind the Roadrunners in the early conference season.

The women’s basketball program will be honoring the 2002-2003 Southland Conference

championship team on Saturday. That championship unit defeated UTSA in the championship game 68-56.

The team was led by Tori Talbert’s 22 points and 11 rebounds.

Twitter: @Odus_outputs

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