March 03, 2000
Game #27
Texas A&M Aggies (7-19, 3-12 Big 12)
vs.
Nebraska Cornhuskers (11-17, 4-11 Big 12)
12:45 p.m. (Central)
Saturday, March 4, 2000
Reed Arena (12,500 cap.)
College Station, Texas
RADIO: Texas A&M Radio Network
Dave South, play-by-play
Al Pulliam, commentary
Airtime: 12:20 p.m.
TELEVISION: ESPN Plus (regional)
Fred White, play-by-play
Paul Splittorff, commentary
TICKETS: Available ($15, $12, $10, $6)
For tickets, call the Athletic Ticket Office at 888-99AGGIE or 409-845-2311. Tickets are also available at Reed Arena (409-862-7333), MSC Box Office (409-845-1234), Kroger in College Station, Foley's at Post Oak Mall and through TicketMaster (409-268-0414).
1999-2000 TEXAS A&M SCHEDULE/RESULTS
11/27 NORTH CAROLINA A&T L, 94-77
11/29 at North Texas L, 91-88
12/1 STEPHEN F. AUSTIN W, 70-65
12/5 VA. COMMONWEALTH W, 75-59
12/8 at Tulane L, 64-60 (ot)
12/11 *vs. Rice (KTBU) W, 56-53
12/18 at Lamar (KFDM) L, 76-69 (ot)
12/21 at Dayton (WHIO) L, 81-68
12/29 %at Santa Clara L, 60-48
12/30 %La Salle W,70-69
1/5 CENTENARY L, 63-60
1/8 at Oklahoma [19](ESPN+) L, 78-53
1/12 TEXAS [15] (Fox SN) L, 78-51
1/15 at Texas Tech (Fox SN) W, 88-86
1/17 KANSAS [7] (ESPN) L, 78-57
1/22 OKLA. ST. [12] (ES+) W, 64-59
1/26 at Iowa State (ESPN+) L, 65-58
1/29 at Missouri (ESPN+) L, 93-62
2/2 BAYLOR L, 81-75
2/5 at Oklahoma St. [13] L, 87-55
2/12 COLORADO (Fox SN) W, 74-69
2/16 at Baylor L, 63-54
2/19 TEXAS TECH (ESPN+) L, 76-64
2/23 at Kansas State L, 81-76
2/26 at Texas [14] (ESPN+) L, 85-58
3/1 OKLAHOMA [20] L, 77-59
3/4 NEBRASKA (ESPN+) 12:45 p.m.
3/9-12 #Big 12 Tournament TBA
*Compaq Center (Houston, Texas)
%Cable Car Classic (Santa Clara, Calif.)
#Kemper Arena (Kansas City, Mo.)
Listed game times are Central
The Texas A&M Aggies (7-19, 3-12) try to end a five-game losing skid and jockey for position in next week's Big 12 Tournament when they close the regular season against the Nebraska Cornhuskers (11-17, 4-11) on Saturday at 12:45 p.m. at Reed Arena (12,500 cap.) in College Station, Texas. The Aggies are coming off a 77-59 loss to No. 20-ranked Oklahoma at home on Wednesday, while the Cornhuskers are coming off an 86-72 loss at Missouri on Wednesday. The Aggies are 4-7 at home this season while Nebraska is 0-8 in true road games. Nebraska leads the series against A&M, 6-1, with a 1-1 mark in College Station, but is making its first visit to Reed Arena. Saturday's game will be "Senior Day" at A&M, honoring seniors Jerald Brown, Jason Boeker, Aaron Jack and Paul Jacobs.
Scouting Report
The Cornhuskers had lost six straight before a 69-64 upset of Colorado at home on Feb. 26, followed by Wednesday's 86-72 loss at Missouri. In Big 12 play, Nebraska has also beaten Texas Tech, Baylor and Kansas State. The Cornhuskers are led by senior forward Larry Florence (6-5), who is averaging 12.9 points and 5.4 rebounds per game. Junior center Kimani Ffriend (6-11) is adding 12.3 points and 8.9 rebounds, while junior forward Steffon Bradford (6-6) is contributing 11.1 points per contest. Nebraska ranks among the conference leaders in rebounding and blocked shots.
Tentative Starters
No. Pos. Player Ht. Wt. Cl. PPG RPG Other
4 G Jamaal Gilchrist 5-10 182 Fr 9.3 3.8 4.0a
32 G Bernard King 6-3 182 Fr 16.8 4.5 4.1a
14 F Tomas Ress 6-9 222 Fr 4.4 2.1 _
52 F Jerald Brown 6-7 224 Sr 5.2 3.2 _
21 C Aaron Jack 6-8 237 Sr 8.4 6.6 64.0% FG
Reserves
10 F/C Jason Boeker 6-8 240 Sr 0.6 1.8 _
22 G Andy Leatherman 6-2 206 So 2.9 1.6 1.8a
24 F Carlton Brown 6-6 208 Jr 7.2 3.5 _
25 F Larry Scott 6-5 206 Fr 7.0 1.9 1.5 3pt.
40 C Paul Jacobs 6-9 220 Sr 1.1 1.7 _
42 F Brian Brookhart 6-9 226 Fr 0.7 0.5 _
44 C Andy Slocum 6-11 255 Fr 5.0 3.2 _
55 C Larry Jackson 6-10 265 Fr 0.0 1.0 _
Head Coach: Melvin Watkins (UNC Charlotte `77)
Assistants: Tom Billeter (Illinois `83), Lew Hill (Wichita State `87),
Bobby Kummer (UNCC `96)
Injury Report
JASON BOEKER, Senior Forward: Left knee cap tendonitis (probable)
JERALD BROWN, Senior Forward: Broken bone in left hand (probable)
TOMAS RESS, Freshman Forward: Sprained right ankle (probable)
ANDY SLOCUM, Freshman Center: Bruised left foot (probable)
A&M-Nebraska Series
NU leads, 6-1
In Lincoln: NU leads, 4-0
At Devaney Center: NU leads, 4-0
In College Station: Series tied, 1-1
At Reed Arena: First meeting
At Neutral Sites: NU leads, 1-0
At Big 12 Tournament: 0-0
Current Win Streak: NU, 5 games
Longest A&M Win Streak: 1 game
Longest NU Win Streak: 5 games
Largest A&M Win: 2 points (66-64, 1986-87)
Largest NU Win: 32 points (92-60, 1987-88)
Melvin Watkins vs. NU: 0-1
Danny Nee vs. A&M: 4-1
A&M-NEBRASKA SERIES
Year Winner Site
1969-70 Nebraska, 78-69 Houston
1986-87 A&M, 66-64 College Station
1987-88 Nebraska, 92-60 Lincoln
1991-92 Nebraska, 91-68 Lincoln (Ameritas Classic)
1996-97 Nebraska, 74-72 Lincoln
1997-98 Nebraska, 75-58 College Station
1998-99 Nebraska, 87-68 Lincoln
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 61-53 record (.535). 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. Watkins is 45 years old.
Danny Nee (St. Mary of the Plains `71) is in his 14th year at Nebraska, where he is 254-188. In his 20th year as a college head coach, Nee is 361-255. Nee has led Nebraska is five NCAA Tournaments and six NITs in the past 13 seasons and captured the NIT title in 1996. Under Nee, Nebraska has posted seven 20-wins seasons. Prior to taking the Nebraska job, Nee was head coach at Ohio for six seasons, leading the team to two NCAA Tournaments, one NIT and four straight 20-win seasons. Nee served four years as an assistant at Notre Dame under Digger Phelps from 1976-80. Nee played at Marquette under Al McGuire as a freshman before tour of duty in Vietnam. Nee was a prep teammate of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar at New York's Power Memorial High School. Nee is 53 years old.
Watkins Says...
"Nebraska is somewhat like we are right now. They've played up and down. At times, they've played some good basketball. For us, every game is a challenge. We expect them to give us all we can handle on Saturday afternoon. It would be nice to get a win heading into the conference tournament. We are getting better in some areas, but we are still very immature."
TALE OF THE TAPE
Statistic A&M Nebraska
W-L Record 7-19 11-17
Big 12 Record 3-12 4-11
Sagarin Rating 195 150
RPI Rating 191 118
Scoring 65.0 68.5
Opp. Scoring 74.3 74.1
Scoring Margin -9.3 -5.6
FG Pct. .413 .430
Opp. FG Pct. .462 .423
3-Pt. Pct. .324 .339
Opp. 3-Pt. Pct. .390 .338
3-Pt. FG 6.5 4.8
Opp. 3-Pt. FG 7.7 7.4
FT Pct. .665 .612
Opp. FT Pct. .676 .651
Off. Reb. 13.0 14.8
Total Reb. 35.8 40.7
Reb. Margin +0.7 +3.7
Assists 14.0 13.5
Turnovers 17.0 19.6
Blocks 2.0 4.9
Steals 7.1 7.4
Fouls 18.6 18.2
Last Year in Lincoln...
LINCOLN, NEB. (2/27/99) - Venson Hamilton had nine of his 23 points during an 12-3 second-half spurt as Nebraska erased an eight-point halftime deficit with an 87-68 victory over Texas A&M in front of 11,294 fans at the Bob Devaney Sports Center the last time the teams met on Feb. 27, 1999.Trailing 38-30 at halftime, Hamilton scored nine of the Huskers'` first 12 points after intermission, including a three-point play that put Nebraska up 42-41. Hamilton, who was seven-of-nine shooting from the field, also pulled down nine rebounds and had four blocks as the Huskers improved to 18-11 on the season, 10-6 in the Big 12. Later in the half, the Huskers used some long-range shooting to break open the contest. Three-pointers by Cary Cochran and Chad Johnson keyed a 13-4 Huskers run, capped by a pair of Hamilton free throws to give Nebraska a 60-49 lead with 8.53 left. A&M cut the Husker lead to eight, at 64-56, on a Clifton Cook 3-pointer, but the Huskers continued to increase the lead to as many as 22 in the final minutes. Hamilton led four Huskers in double figures, as senior Troy Piatkowski, making his first start of the season, tied his season high with 17 points, while senior Larry Florence and Cookie Belcher added 12 and 11 points, respectively. Clifton Cook and Chris Clayton led Texas A&M (12-14, 5-11) with 21 points apiece. Cook scored 15 of his 21 in the first half, while Clayton connected on seven of 13 from 3-point range for the Aggies.
OU Recap
COLLEGE STATION, Texas (AP) -- Oklahoma (No. 20 ESPN/USA Today, No. 21 AP) didn't let this one get away. Eduardo Najera scored 17 of his 20 points in the first half as the Sooners took charge early in a 77-59 victory over Texas A&M on Wednesday night. The Sooners (23-5, 11-4 Big 12) improved their all-time record against the Aggies (7-19, 3-12) to 13-1. A&M's only victory over Oklahoma was here last season, 74-72, on a last-second shot by Jerald Brown. Oklahoma led 40-21 at halftime but the Aggies started the second half with a 20-11 run and were within 51-41 with 11:55 to play, but that was a close as they got. Bernard King finished with 15 points for Texas A&M and Aaron Jack had 12. Hollis Price added 15 points for the Sooners, while J.R. Raymond had 12. The Sooners were 9-for-20 from 3-point range. The Aggies stayed with the Sooners briefly in the first half but Oklahoma pulled away with a 13-0 run that expanded into a 27-8 run over the rest of the half for the 19-point halftime lead. Najera's jumper near the end of the first half gave him 17 points and the Sooners a 37-17 lead. The Aggies had 13 turnovers at halftime and finished with 20. The Sooners have won nine of their last 11 games and the Aggies have lost nine of their last 10.
Seniors Bid Farewell to Reed
Texas A&M's four seniors - Jerald Brown, Jason Boeker, Aaron Jack and Paul Jacobs - will be playing their final home game when the Aggies meet Nebraska on Saturday. The four will be honored during pregame ceremonies as part of "Senior Day." Jack has applied for an additional year of eligibility by as of Thursday the NCAA had not yet approved. Jack has played just 2 .5 years after transferring from Penn State at mid-term in 1996-97. Jack redshirted his first season at Penn State in 1995-96, then missed the first half of 1996-97 after suffering a concussion, his third in a year at PSU. Jack will be playing in his 71st game at A&M while Brown will be appearing in his 101st game. Boeker, a former walk-on, received a scholarship last summer and has played in 30 games while Jacobs has appeared in 39 games in his two-year career. Brown had the best game of his career against Nebraska as a freshman in Lincoln, scoring 24 points and making an A&M record 8-of-10 three pointers in a 74-72 loss.
Who's Hot?
Carlton Brown: Has scored in double figures in two of the last three games...scored 11 points, making 5-of-8 from the field, against Oklahoma.
Jamaal Gilchrist: Has averaged 12.3 points and 5.2 assists in the last six games...has scored in double figures in four of the last six games.
Aaron Jack: Missed a game and a half with a viral infection, but came back to scored 14 points, making 5-of-5 from the field, against Oklahoma...ranks sixth nationally and second in the Big 12 in field goal percentage (.640)...in the six games before Kansas State, when he hospitalized after passing out at halftime, he averaged 10.2 points and 8.2 rebounds while making 25-of-37 (.676) from the field...had posted double-doubles in two of his last four games...posted a career-high 12 rebounds against Texas Tech in CS.
Bernard King: Scored a career-high 34 points against Colorado, setting A&M and Big 12 records for a freshman...in the last six games has averaged 21.5 points and 4.7 assists while making 23-of-55 three-pointers (.418).
King, Jack Honored
Freshman Bernard King and senior Aaron Jack each received an honor this week. King was named second-team All-District 9 by the National Association of Basketball Coach (NABC) while Jack earned first-team Academic All-Big 12 honors for the second straight year.
The King "FISH"
Versatile guard Bernard King is the only Division I freshman in the country to average at least 15.0 points (16.9), 4.0 rebounds (4.7) and 4.0 assists (4.0). King is the only player of any classification to rank in the top 10 in the Big 12 in scoring, assists, steals (1.6) and three-point field goals (2.9). In conference play, King is averaging 17.1 points, more than any other guard in the league. In fact, he is the only non-senior to officially rank among the league's top five scorers.
Quick Notes
The Aggies have made 117 of their last 166 free throw attempts (.705), despite making just 7-of-16 against Oklahoma State on Feb. 5.
The Aggies have out-rebounded or equaled 17 of their last 25 opponents. Only six teams have out-boarded the Aggies by more than four in a game this season.
The Aggies have started four true freshmen in 13 games and have started at least three true freshmen in every game. The five A&M freshman have started at least 12 games each.
The Aggies have trailed at halftime in 21 games and are 3-18 in those games. The team is 4-1 when it leads at halftime.
The Aggies made a school-record 13 three pointers against Baylor in College Station after tying the previous mark with 12 against Lamar.
The Aggies are averaging a school-record 6.6 three-pointers per game. However, A&M is 1-13 when it attempts at least 20 treys and is 6-6 when it attempts fewer than 20 treys.
The Aggies' average attendance this season is 4,962 for 11 home games this season, a 21.5 percent increase over last season. In league play, A&M is averaging 5,999, a 32.6 percent increase.
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.
Dynamic Duo
Jamaal Gilchrist and Bernard King have started every game at the guard positions, marking the first time in school history that true freshmen have started in the backcourt in every game. It marks only the third time in history A&M has started an all-freshman backcourt at all. In 1994-95, Kyle Kessel and Waseem Ali formed the starting backcourt in 15 games as freshmen on a 14-16 team, while in 1976-77, Dave Goff and Steve Sylestine started as an all-freshman backcourt in 15 games for a 14-14 squad. Sylestine is now head coach at San Antonio Jay, where he coached A&M junior Carlton Brown.
BIG 12 FRESHMAN SCORING LEADERS (Through games of March 1)
Player, School Sea.
Bernard King, Texas A&M 16.8
Kareem Rush, Missouri 14.8
Drew Gooden, Kansas 10.7
Nick Collison, Kansas 10.3
Jamaal Gilchrist, Texas A&M 9.3
Stephane Pelle, Colorado 8.0
Richard Fox, Colorado 7.4
Larry Scott, Texas A&M 7.0
Hollis Price, Oklahoma 6.4
Andy Slocum, Texas A&M 5.0
BIG 12 FRESHMAN REBOUNDING LEADERS
Player, School RPG
Drew Gooden, Kansas 7.4
Richard Fox, Colorado 6.9
Nick Collison, Kansas 6.8
Stephane Pelle, Colorado 6.4
Bernard King, Texas A&M 4.5
BIG 12 FRESHMAN ASSISTS LEADERS
Player, School APG
Bernard King, Texas A&M 4.1
Jamaal Gilchrist, Texas A&M 4.0
Kirk Hinrich, Kansas 3.5
Hollis Price, Oklahoma 3.3
Wendell Greenleaf, Baylor 1.4
BIG 12 FRESHMAN STEALS LEADERS
Player, School SPG
Jamaal Gilchrist, Texas A&M 1.9
Bernard King, Texas A&M 1.6
Hollis Price, Oklahoma 1.5
Kareem Rush, Missouri 1.3
BIG 12 FRESHMAN PLAYING TIME
Player, School Min. Starts
Bernard King, A&M 33.8 26
Jamaal Gilchrist, A&M 33.1 26
Kareem Rush, MU 26.0 2
Hollis Price, Oklahoma 24.1 16
Nick Collison, Kansas 22.9 28
TEXAS A&M FRESHMEN MINUTES PLAYED
Player, Year Avg.
Bernard King, 1999-00 33.8
Jamaal Gilchrist, 1999-00 33.1
Todd Holloway, 1983-84 31.9
Jimmie Gilbert, 1983-84 31.3
Kyle Kessel, 1994-95 30.8
The King Reigns
Freshman guard Bernard King is a top candidate for Big 12 Freshman and Newcomer of the Year honors, not to mention all-conference laurels as he is the Big 12's second-highest scoring guard in league play. King is the only freshman to rank in the top 10 in the conference in scoring and three-point field goals. King set a Big 12 freshman scoring record with 34 points against Colorado on Feb. 12, earning Big 12 Rookie of the Week honors. King scored 22 points in the last 10 minutes, rallying the Aggies to victory from a 10-point deficit. King's effort also set an A&M freshman record, breaking a 22-year-old standard. In the last six games, King is averaging 21.5 points and 4.7 assists in that span and has made 23-of-55 three-pointers (.418). Against Baylor on Feb. 16, the Aggies trailed by 13 points three minutes into the second half, but came back to take a 53-48 lead with 4:37 left as King scored 12 of his 21 points to lead the run. Then, against Tech on Feb. 19, the Aggies trailed by 19 early in the second half, but King scored 19 points of his 21 points in the second half to pull the Aggies within six points in the final minute. King has lived up to his early billing as one of the nation's top freshmen as he leads the team in scoring (16.8), three-point field goals (2.9), assists (4.1), minutes played (33.8) and blocked shots (0.4) and is second in rebounds (4.7) and steals (1.6). The 1999 Louisiana Mr. Basketball, King has scored in double figures in 23 games and has led the team in scoring in 14 games. Against Lamar on Dec. 18, he scored 31 points, becoming only the second freshman in school history to score 30 points in a game. Vernon Smith also had a pair of 30-point games as a freshman in 1977 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. Then, against La Salle in the consolation game of the Cable Car Classic, King scored 21 points with a career-high 10 rebounds (his first double-double) and nailed the game-winning three-pointer as time expired in a thrilling 70-69 victory. In the upset of Tech in Lubbock, King scored 15 points, all in the second half, including a trio of long three-pointers that held the Red Raiders at bay. King was named ESPN.Com's national Freshman of the Week after scoring 17 points with eight rebounds in the Aggies' upset of No. 12-ranked Oklahoma State on Jan. 22.
NCAA DIVISION I FRESHMAN LEADERS
(Thru games of March 1)
Scoring PPG
Sirvaliant Brown, G. Wash. 24.9
Chris Davis, North Texas 21.5
Troy Bell, Boston College 18.8
Bernard King, Texas A&M 16.8
Jason Kapono, UCLA 16.4
Joseph Forte, North Carolina 16.3
3-Point Field Goals Avg.
Clay Tucker, Wisc.-Milwaukee 3.0
Brett Blizzard, UNC-Wilm. 3.0
Bernard King, Texas A&M 2.9
Chris Davis, North Texas 2.9
Brian Chase, Virginia Tech 2.6
Minutes Played Avg.
Sirvaliant Brown, G.Wash. 36.4
Chris Davis, North Texas 36.4
Jason Gardner, Arizona 36.4
Brett Blizzard, UNC-Wilm. 34.1
Bernard King, A&M 33.8
Jason Williams, Duke 33.3
Jason Kapono, UCLA 33.2
Jamaal Gilchrist, A&M 33.1
Brian Chase, Virginia Tech 33.0
Julius Jenkins, Georgia So. 32.9
TEXAS A&M FRESHMAN SCORING
Player, Year PPG
Bernard King, 1999-00 16.8
Damon Johnson, 1991-92 15.6
Vernon Smith, 1977-78 14.0
Rudy Woods, 1978-79 13.9
Todd Holloway, 1983-84 12.0
TEXAS A&M'S HIGHEST SCORING GUARDS
Player, Year (Cl.) PPG
Bennie Lenox, 1962-63 (Jr.) 23.7
Bennie Lenox, 1963-64 (Sr.) 20.8
Tony Milton, 1989-90 (Sr.) 20.6
Carroll Broussard, 1959-60 (So.) 17.9
Bernard King, 1999-00 (Fr.) 16.8
Darryl McDonald, 1987-88 (Sr.) 16.0
TEXAS A&M FRESHMAN TOTAL POINTS
Player, Year Pts.
Rudy Woods, 1978-79 459
Bernard King, 1999-2000 438
Vernon Smith, 1977-78 377
Todd Holloway, 1983-84 348
Winston Crite, 1983-84 266
Damon Johnson, 1991-92 266
King Chases Records
Freshman guard Bernard King's scoring average of 16.8 points per game is well ahead of the Big 12 freshman record of 14.7 set by Iowa State's Marcus Fizer (coincidentally, Fizer's and King's hometowns are about eight miles apart in Louisiana). King also is averaging 2.89 three-pointers per game, well ahead of the Big 12 freshman record of 2.43 set by Texas' Luke Axtell in 1997-98. Last year, Kansas' Jeff Boschee made a Big 12 freshman record 79 treys in 33 games, but averaged only 2.39. King's 75 three-pointers this season is an A&M record and is the second most by a freshman in Big 12 history behind Boschee.
BIG 12 FRESHMAN SCORING AVERAGE
Player, Year Pts.-Avg.
Bernard King, A&M, 1999-00 438-16.8
Marcus Fizer, ISU, 1997-98 447-14.7
Luke Axtell, Texas, 1997-98 372-13.3
Chris Mihm, Texas, 1997-98 384-12.4
Jeff Boschee, Kansas, 1998-99 361-10.9
BIG 12 FRESHMAN 3-PT. FG PER GAME
Player, Year 3FG Avg.
Bernard King, A&M, 1999-00 75 2.89
Luke Axtell, Texas, 1997-98 68 2.43
Jeff Boschee, Kansas, 1998-99 79 2.39
Jerald Brown, A&M, 1996-97 54 2.00
BIG 12 FRESHMAN CONFERENCE ONLY TREYS
Player, Year No.
Bernard King, A&M, 2000 44
Jeff Boschee, Kansas, 1999 40
Luke Axtell, Texas, 1998 34
BIG 12 FRESHMAN SEASON THREE-POINTERS
Player, Year No.
Jeff Boschee, Kansas, 1998-99 79
Bernard King, A&M, 1999-00 75
Luke Axtell, Texas, 1997-98 68
Jerald Brown, A&M, 1996-97 54
Larry Scott, A&M, 1999-00 40
TEXAS A&M SEASON THREE-POINTERS
Player, Year No.
Bernard King, A&M, 1999-00 75
Derrick Hart, 1995-96 74
Chuck Henderson, 1993-94 67
Brooks Thompson, 1990-91 57
Chris Clayton, 1998-99 54
TEXAS A&M CONFERENCE TREYS
Player, Year No.
Bernard King, A&M, 2000 44
Chuck Henderson, 1994 41
Jerald Brown, 1997 34
Brooks Thompson, 1991 32
Chris Clayton, 1999 32
Jamaal Stands Tall
The team's most improved player during the course of the season may be freshman point guard Jamaal Gilchrist. In the last 13 games, Gilchrist has posted a 1.32 assists-to-turnovers ratio (58 ast/44 to). Through the first 13 games, Gilchrist had committed 20 more turnovers than assists (a 0.70 ratio). A top candidate for the Big 12 All-Freshman Team, Gilchrist is averaging 9.3 points and ranks among the conference leaders in free throw percentage (.750), assists (4.0) and steals (1.9). In Big 12 play, Gilchrist is the only freshman to rank in the top 10 in assists (4.3) and steals (1.8). 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 all 25 games, only the third freshman point guard to start in the first 21 games of his A&M career. Against Lamar, Gilchrist nailed a three-pointer at the buzzer to send the game into overtime (A&M went on to lose, 76-69). Then, against Centenary, he tied the game on a driving lay-up with 11 seconds left, but the Aggies lost on a buzzer-beater. In the upset of Texas Tech in Lubbock, Gilchrist played one of his best overall games, scoring eight points with four rebounds, five assists and no turnovers. Gilchrist had made 17 straight free throws until he missed his last one against Oklahoma State on Jan. 22.
TEXAS A&M FRESHMAN SEASON STEALS
Player, Year No.
Todd Holloway, 1982-83 56
Rudy Woods, 1978-79 55
Jamaal Gilchrist, 1999-00 50
Bernard King, 1999-00 42
Brooks Thompson, 1989-90 39
BIG 12 FRESHMAN SEASON STEALS
Player, Year No.
Cookie Belcher, Neb., 1996-97 87
Jose Winston, Colo., 1998-99 53
Jamaal Gilchrist, A&M, 1999-00 50
Bernard King, A&M, 1999-00 42
Jeff Boschee, Kansas, 1998-99 40
Eduardo Najera, OU, 1996-97 38
Dead-Eye Jack
Senior forward/ center Aaron Jack is averaging 8.4 points and a team-best 6.6 rebounds. Jack also has connected on 64.0 percent from the field to rank sixth nationally and second in the Big 12 in field goal accuracy. In Big 12 play, Jack is averaging 8.9 points and is making a blazing 66.7 percent from the field. Last season, Jack made 56.5 percent from the field and led the team in three-point plays with nine. He again leads the team in three-point plays this season with seven. Against Stephen F. Austin, Jack posted his first career double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds. He also had 11 boards against Lamar and 11 against Dayton. Against Texas Tech in College Station, Jack hauled in a career-high 12 rebounds. In the upset of Oklahoma State, he scored 11 points with seven rebounds and a team-high four offensive boards. He made 3-of-4 free throws in the final 2:36 against the Cowboys to help preserve the 64-59 victory. Against Missouri, Jack equaled his career high with 14 points, making 7-of-8 from the field. Then, against Baylor in College Station, Jack scored a career-best 18 points with 10 rebounds, his second double-double. Against Oklahoma on March 1, Jack came back from missing 1 .5 games to score14 points, making 5-of-5 from the field.
TEXAS A&M SEASON FG PCT.
Player, Year Pct.
Aaron Jack, 1999-00 .640
Rudy Woods, 1978-79 .622
Jimmie Gilbert, 1985-86 .597
Rudy Woods, 1979-80 .588
Damon Johnson, 1992-93 .580
Winston Crite, 1985-86 .580
TEXAS A&M CONFERENCE FG PCT.
Player, Year Pct.
Aaron Jack, 2000 .667
Rudy Woods, 1980 .650
Rudy Woods, 1979 .647
Ronnie Peret, 1969 .607
Joe Wilbert, 1994 .604