Hoops for the holiday

Coming off consecutive wins against Texas Tech and Baylor, theMustang men’s basketball team (3-1) prepares for theirholiday home stand against 16th-ranked Wake Forest on Monday, Dec.15 and Appalachian State on Thursday, Dec. 18. But after a rigorousfinals week, players know they will have to work much harder to getready for two good teams.

“During exam week we don’t get to practice as much,but we’ll get our work done in the classroom and on thecourt,” sophomore forward Donatas Rackauskas said. Like manystudents who support the team, the 6-foot-11-inch tall forward saidthat with two exams left, he was ready to be done with finals andsee some basketball.

“I’ve watched a few of Wake’s game films, andthey’re obviously a good team. I just hope a lot of peoplecome to support us, hopefully as many as came out to the Texas Techgame,” Rackauskas said.

Junior guard Mike Dement echoed his teammate’ssentiments.

“We know some of the regular student fans won’t bethere after exams, but we’re hoping for a good showing fromother fans,” Dement said. He also said that the team hasmatured since last year.

“We struggled a little on the road last year, after examsand all, but we were younger then, and we learned a lot from thegame,” Dement said.

The women’s basketball team won’t play its holidaygames at Moody Coliseum. Instead it will be on the road with stopsat San Diego State, USC, Maine and New Hampshire. They return homeJan. 8 to play WAC foe Fresno State.