December 26, 1999
Texas A&M Aggies (3-5, 0-0 Big 12) at 33rd Cable Car Classic Wed., Dec. 29 (Pacific Times Listed) Texas A&M vs. Santa Clara, 6 p.m. Butler vs. La Salle, 8 p.m. Thu., Dec. 30 Consolation Game, 6 p.m. Championship Game, 8 p.m. Site: Toso Pavilion (5,000 cap.), Santa Clara, Calif. RADIO: Texas A&M Radio Network Dave South, Play-by-play Al Pulliam, commentary Airtime: 25 min. before tipoff
TV: None
The Texas A&M Aggies (3-5) try to end a two-game losing streak on Wednesday and Thursday when they compete in the 33rd Cable Car Classic at Toso Pavilion (5,000 cap.) In Santa Clara, Calif. The Aggies are making their first in-season tournament appearance the 1996 Sierra Medical Center SunClassic in El Paso. In Wednesday's first-round, the Aggies meet the host Santa Clara Broncos at 6 p.m. (Pacific/8 p.m. Central), followed by the Butler Bulldogs vs. the La Salle Explorers at 8 p.m. The losers of those two games will play in the consolation game on Thursday at 6 p.m. (Pacific), followed by the championship game at 8 p.m. (Pacific).
California Dreamin'
The Cable Car Classic marks the 99th in-season tournament appearance in Texas A&M history, but the first since the 1996-97. The Aggies have won 17 in-season tournament titles, but have not captured a first-place trophy since the 1989 Golden Panthers Classic in Miami, Fla. The Aggies have not played in a California tournament since placing fourth at the 1987 All-American Sports Club Classic in Sacramento. A&M does have a history of some success in San Francisco, however, winning the 1978 Golden Gate Invitational with upsets of UNLV (101-99) and San Francisco (68-55). The Aggies also placed third at the 1984 Pacific Classic in Stockton. A&M's last single-game appearance in the state was an 80-68 loss to St. Mary's in Moraga early in the 1994-95 season.
Injury Report
JASON BOEKER, Senior Forward: Left knee cap tendonitis (probable)
JAMAAL GILCHRIST, Freshman Guard: Sprained right ankle (probable)
LARRY JACKSON, Freshman Center: Left thigh inflamation (will not play)
ANDY LEATHERMAN, Sophomore Guard: Right knee tendonitis (will not play)
TOMAS RESS, Freshman Forward: Sprainedright thumb (probable)
ANDY SLOCUM, Freshman Center: Sprained right ankle (probable)
A&M vs. the Field
Vs. Santa Clara Santa Clara leads, 1-0 In Santa Clara: SC leads, 1-0 Melvin Watkins vs. SC: 0-0 Dick Davey vs. A&M: 0-0 Year Winner Site 1959-60 Santa Clara, 66-55 Santa Clara Vs. Butler First Meeting Melvin Watkins vs. Butler: 0-0 Barry Collier vs. A&M: 0-0 Vs. La Salle La Salle leads, 2-1 (all neutral sites) Melvin Watkins vs. LU: 0-0 Speedy Morris vs. A&M: 0-0 Year Winner Site 1975-76 La Salle, 59-57 Lawrence, Kan. 1979-80 La Salle, 73-67 Provo, Utah 1982-83 A&M, 82-74 Huntington, W. Va.
The Coaches
Melvin Watkins (North Carolina Charlotte `77) is in his second year as head coach at Texas A&M. Watkins's first A&M team finished 12-15 last year with a 5-11 mark in Big 12 play, tying for 10th place. In three years as a college head coach, Watkins has built a 57-40 record. Prior to coming to A&M, Watkins compiled a two-year record of 42-20 at his alma mater, UNC Charlotte, leading the 49ers to consecutive 20-win seasons and NCAA Tournament berths. Prior to that, Watkins served as an assistant at UNCC from 1978-96. As a player, Watkins led UNCC to the NCAA Final Four in 1977 as the starting point guard. Behind Watkins, UNCC also advanced to the NIT finals in 1976. Watkins was a fourth-round draft pick of the NBA's Buffalo Braves in 1977.
SANTA CLARA: Dick Davey (Pacific `64) is in his eighth season as a head coach, all at Santa Clara, where he is 126-83. Davey has coached the Broncos to three West Coact Conference titles and three NCAA Tournament appearances. His teams upset No. 5-ranked Arizona in the 1993 NCAAs and dropped Maryland in the 1996 NCAAs.
BUTLER: Barry Collier (Butler `76) is in his 11th season as a head coach, all at Butler, where he is 177-127. Collier has coached the Bulldogs to three straight 20+ win seasons. His teams have advanced to two NCAA Tournaments and three NITs. Last year, Butler advanced to the NIT quarterfinals.
LA SALLE: Speedy Morris is in his 14th season as a head coach, all at La Salle, where he is 221-170.
Cable Car Ties
While Texas A&M is making its first appearance at the Cable Car Classic, head coach Melvin Watkins and one of his assistants, Bobby Kummer, are well acquainted with the event. As an assistant coach at UNC Charlotte, Watkins participated in three Cable Clar Classics. UNCC finished fourth in 1982, second in 1988 (losing the title game to Santa Clara) and won the championship in 1993 (with a victory against Santa Clara). Kummer was a freshman member of that 1993-94 UNCC team. In fact, Kummer was an integral part of the 49ers march to the tournament title as he set a tournament record with five three-pointers in a first-round win against Butler.
Dayton Recap
DAYTON, Ohio (AP) - Mark Ashman scored 17 points to lead five Dayton players in double figures as the Flyers beat Texas A&M 81-68 on Tuesday night for their best start in 18 years. Edwin Young had 14 for Dayton (9-1), David Morris added 13, and Brooks Hall and Tony Stanley had 12 apiece. Bernard King led Texas A&M (3-5) with 19 points, and Larry Scott had 14, making 4-of-7 three pointers. A&M forward Aaron Jack tied his career-high with 11 rebounds for the second straight game. Stanley hit a 3-pointer nine seconds into the game, and Dayton never trailed. The Flyers led 40-25 at halftime, following a 9-0 run in which Hall hit three consecutive 3-pointers. A pair of free throws by Yuanta Holland gave the Flyers their biggest lead at 22 with 6:46 to play. Morris scored the final six points of the game, all on free throws, after the Aggies had pulled within seven with a late 19-4 run. Dayton has not been 9-1 since the 1981-82 season.
The King Rises
Freshman guard Bernard King is living up to his early billing as he leads the team in scoring (16.4), assists (4.5) and free throw percentage (.811), ranks second in three-point field goals (2.4) and steals (1.8) and ranks third in rebounds (4.4). The 1999 Louisiana Mr. Basketball, King has scored in double figures in seven of eight games. Against Lamar on Dec. 18, he scored a career-high 31 points, becoming only the second freshman in school history to score 30 points in a game. Vernon Smith had a pair of 30-point games as a freshman in 1977-78 and went on to become A&M's career scoring and rebounding leader. King made 7-of-15 three-pointers against Lamar, setting a school record for three-point attempts and falling one shy of the record for three pointers made in a game. King's 26 second-half points against Lamar also set a Big 12 Conference record for scoring in a single half. In the last two games, King has averaged 25.0 points.
TEXAS A&M FRESHMAN SCORING Player, Year PPG Bernard King, 1999-00 16.4 Damon Johnson, 1991-92 15.6 Vernon Smith, 1977-78 14.0 Rudy Woods, 1978-79 13.9 Todd Holloway, 1983-84 12.0 Larry Scott, 1999-00 11.4 Jamaal Gilchrist, 1999-00 10.4 Jerald Brown, 1996-97 10.1 Reggie Roberts, 1980-81 9.7 Calvin Davis, 1995-96 8.9
Jamaal Stands Tall
Freshman guard Jamaal Gilchrist scored 21 points against North Carolina A&T on Nov. 27, tying the school record for most points by a freshman in his first game. Winston Crite, who went on to one of the greatest careers in school history, also scored 21 in his freshman debut against Texas Lutheran in 1983-84. Gilchrist has started eight straight games and is averaging 10.4 points, 4.2 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2.9 steals per game and is also making 73.5 percent (25-34) from the free throw line. Gilchrist ranks second in the Big 12, and is tied for 24th nationally, in steals. Among the nation's freshmen, he ranks second in steals.
Great Scott
Freshman swingman Larry Scott may be the biggest surprise of the Aggies' highly-touted freshman class. Scott has started in all eight games, averaging 11.4 points per game, and ranks among the Big 12 leaders with a whopping 2.7 three-point field goals per game. Scott has made a blazing 47.7 percent from three-point range. He has made at least two treys in all but one game and has connected on four in three games. Scott has five double-figure scoring games, including a career-high 17 against North Texas.
The Three Bambinos
The Aggies' top three scorers are all true freshmen - Bernard King (16.4), Larry Scott (11.4) and Jamaal Gilchrist (10.4). The trio also average the most minutes per game (Gilchrist, 34.1; King, 33.8; Scott, 28.6).
No Razors Needed
In every game this season the Aggies have started at least three true freshmen and in two games, the Aggies started four true freshmen. A&M's lineup against North Texas and Stephen F. Austin marked the only time in school history that the Aggies have started an all-freshman back court and a freshman center. The Aggies started four true freshmen (off guard Bernard King, point guard Jamaal Gilchrist, small forward Larry Scott and center Andy Slocum), along with senior power forward Aaron Jack. The only other time in school history that the Aggies have started four freshmen in a game was in 1991-92, a team that went on to finish 6-22 but came within a game of winning the conference championship two seasons later. That lineup included sophomore point guard David Edwards, a Division I transfer from Georgetown.
Youngest Aggies Ever
With seven freshmen on the roster, not to mention just three returning scholarship players from last season, the 1999-2000 Aggies are the youngest team in school history. The 1978-79 and 1991-92 teams each had six freshmen. The youngest player on the team is guard Bernard King, who turned 18 on July 24. On the other end of the spectrum, the Aggies' four seniors will all be 23 by the start of the season and Paul Jacobs turns 24 on Feb. 15.
Dynamic Duo
Jamaal Gilchrist and Bernard King have started every game at the guard positions, marking only the third time in history A&M has started an all-freshman back court. In 1994-95, Kyle Kessel and Waseem Ali formed the starting backcourt as freshmen on a 14-16 team, while in 1976-77, Dave Goff and Steve Sylestine started as an all-freshman back court for a 14-14 squad. Sylestine is now head coach at San Antonio Jay, where he coached A&M junior forward Carlton Brown.
Leftist Rebels
Three players who have started every game for the Aggies have a common trait -- they are left-handed (Aaron Jack, Bernard King and Jamaal Gilchrist). Another leftie, freshman Andy Slocum, joined the other three in the starting lineup against North Texas and Stephen F. Austin. Every other player on the team is a right-hander.
Never Give Up
The Aggies have shown a propensity for falling behind, then mounting major comebacks this season. A&M rallied from a 25-point deficit with nine minutes left against Lamar to take a one-point lead, but went on to fall in overtime, 76-69. The Aggies rallied from a 17-point first-half deficit (23-6) to beat Virginia Commonwealth, 75-59. On Nov. 29 against North Texas, the Aggies trailed by 18 points with 12 minutes to play and rallied to within two points in the final minute before falling, 91-88. Then, on Dec. 21 against Dayton, the Aggies trailed by 22 points with six minutes left, but went on a 19-4 run to trim the margin to seven with 1:30 left before falling, 81-68. However, against Tulane, that trend reversed itself as A&M led by as many as 11 in the first half and 10 in the second half before losing in overtime, 64-60.
Accepting Charity
Just two seasons ago, Texas A&M set a dubious school record by making just 57.9 percent from the free throw line, ranking last in the Big 12. Last year, the Aggies improved to 68.9 percent, ranking third in the Big 12. Through eight games this season, the Aggies are making a solid 69.2 percent from the line. Solid free throw shooting is a trademark of Melvin Watkins-coached teams as his two squads at UNC Charlotte each led Conference USA in free throw percentage. In the last two minutes of close games (games within 10 points), the Aggies have made 13-of-19 free throws (.684). A&M has also successfully completed 7-of-11 three-point plays (.636). However, the team has struggled in one-and-one situations, making the first free throw just 5-of-13 (.385).
On The Defensive
In the first two games this season, both losses, the Aggies allowed both North Carolina A&T (.507) and North Texas (.500) to shoot better than 50 percent from the field. But in the last six games, including three wins and two overtime losses, the Aggies have held their opponents to a combined 38.5 percent. Rice (.321) and Virginia Commonwealth (.328) each made less than 33 percent from the field against the Aggies. A&M has held three of their last four opponents to less than 40 percent from the field.
Better Boards
The Aggies have also improved their rebounding since the start of the year. After being out-rebounded by 16 boards (43-27) in the opener against North Carolina A&T, the Aggies have out-rebounded six of their last seven opponents. Against A&T, A&M managed just five offensive boards but in the last seven games has averaged 15.0. In addition, the Aggies have posted an average rebounding margin of +5.3 in the last seven contests.
Sudden Impact
Through eight games, the Aggies' top four scorers are all newcomers, including three true freshmen. The last time a freshman led the team in scoring was forward Damon Johnson in 1991-92, when he set the A&M freshman record with a 15.6 average. The only other freshman in school history to lead the team in scoring was guard Todd Holloway with a 12.0 average in 1983-84.
J. B. Returns
After missing the first three games with a broken bone near his right eye, senior forward Jerald Brown returned to action against Virginia Commonwealth and responded with seven points and five rebounds. More importantly, he provided heady leadership to his young teammates. Brown has played in 85 career games, starting in 71, to rank among the most experienced players in the Big 12.
Dead-Eye Jack
Through eight games, senior forward/center Aaron Jack had averaged 8.4 points and a team-best 7.2 rebounds. Jack also has connected on .625 percent from the field to lead the team in field goal accuracy. Last season, Jack made 56.5 percent from the field and led the team in three-point plays with nine. Against Stephen F. Austin, Jack posted his first career double-double with 11 points and a career-high 11 rebounds. He matched his career-best rebounding total with 11 against Lamar and 11 against Dayton.
C. Brown Impresses
Junior forward Carlton Brown posted his first career double-double against Virginia Commonwealth, scoring 12 points with a career-high 14 rebounds. Brown has scored in double figures in three games, including a career-high 24 points against North Texas. Brown played at about 80 percent against Tulane after coming down with a stomach virus. He scored just seven points against the Green Wave but hauled in a team-high eight rebounds.
Impressive Recruiter
When freshman forward Larry Scott made his official recruiting visit to the Texas A&M campus last April, he expected to meet the usual people - academic advisors, professors, coaches, etc. Instead, he met the former leader of the free world, President George Bush. The A&M coaches took Scott to lunch at a restaurant near campus and in walked the former President and his wife, Barbara. "It was totally by coincidence because he walked in and everyone was like 'What?'" Scott said. "The president just walked in. I just thought, 'Wow." Then, Bush came over to meet Scott. "He came over, shook my hand, patted me on the back and told me I should be an Aggie," Scott said,adding that Bush was not the reason he signed with A&M, but it sure didn't hurt. The George Bush Presidential Library and Museum is located on the Texas A&M campus and the Bushes are frequent visitors.
Fizer And The King
Iowa State standout Marcus Fizer is from Arcadia, La., which is located just eight miles from Bernard King's home in Gibsland. "When I was home from spring break in March, Bernard totally amazed me at how complete a player he has become," Fizer told Mike Jones of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. "I've told him he's going to have to get a lot stronger physically, but I've seen him grow from someone who was just happy to be out there playing into someone who can totally dominate a game.
From Far and Wide
Texas A&M's roster includes 14 players from eight states or countries, equaling the most states represented on a roster in a school history. The 1990-91, 1991-92 and 1994-95 teams also included players from eight states or countries.
Ress Assured
Freshman forward Tomas Ress, a native of Italy, speaks four languages - Italian, German, English and Spanish. He learned English and Spanish last year while attending high school in Florida. As a native of the tiny village of Pochi in the Italian province of Bolanzo, located near the border of Austria, Ress is fluent in German and Italian.
Sizing 'Em Up
The 1999-2000 Aggies may be the largest in school history in terms of both height and weight. Five players are at least 6-9 and eight are at least 6-8. In addition, three players weight in excess of 250 pounds and five tip the scales at more than 240 pounds. Freshmen Andy Slocum and Tomas Ress each wear a size 18 shoe. The only other player in recent history to wear a size 18 was Brad Stricker (1995-97). Freshman Larry Jackson (265) and sophomore Keith Bean (273) are the two heaviest players in school history. Shedrick Anderson (1990-92) also weighed in at 265. Of the veterans, Paul Jacobs put on the most muscle in the off-season, gaining 13 pounds to tip the scales at 225. Aaron Jack weighs in at 243, eight pounds above his weight last season.
Looking Ahead
After playing in the Cable Car Classic Dec. 29-30 in Santa Clara, Calif.,the Aggies will return home for the first time in a month to play their final non-conference game against Centenary on Jan. 5.