February 10, 2004
GAME #20
Texas A&M Aggies
(7-12, 0-8 Big 12)
vs.
Nebraska Cornhuskers
(12-7, 2-6 Big 12)
7 p.m. (CST)
Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2004
Reed Arena (12,500 cap.)
College Station, Texas
RADIO:
Texas A&M Sports Network
Dave South, play-by-play
Al Pulliam, commentary
Airtime: 6:40 p.m. (CST)
ONLINE: www.AggieAthletics.com
TELEVISION:
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OTHER MEDIA:
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Postgame Highlights Feed
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Trying to end an eight-game losing skid, the Texas A&M Aggies (7-12, 0-8 in
Big 12) will be looking for their first Big 12 win of the season when they
face the Nebraska Cornhuskers (12-7, 2-6 in Big 12) on Wednesday at 7 p.m.
(CST) at Reed Arena (12,500 cap.) in College Station. The Aggies have had
second-half leads in five of their eight conference games and are coming off
a disappointing 72-64 loss to Baylor on Saturday in Waco. Nebraska is coming
off an impressive 78-62 win against Missouri at home on Saturday that ended
a three-game losing streak. The Aggies are 5-5 at home this season, losing
four straight (all to ranked teams) while the Cornhuskers are 1-5 in road
games.
About Nebraska
The Cornhuskers return four starters and a whopping 11 lettermen from last
year's team, which finished 11-19 overall and finished last in the Big 12
with a 3-13 mark. Nebraska is in its fourth season under head coach Barry
Collier. The Cornhuskers started the season 10-1 with their lone loss coming
at Creighton (61-54), but have gone 2-6 in Big 12 play with home victories
against Baylor (76-47) and Missouri (78-62). Nebraska has lost close games
on the road to Texas (63-61) and at home to Oklahoma (52-50). The
Cornhuskers are led by senior guard Nate Johnson (6'1"), who is averaging
12.0 points and ranks third in the league in three-point percentage (.467)
and free throw accuracy (.859). Senior forward Andrew Drevo (6'8") is adding
10.6 points and 4.3 rebounds while junior forward John Turek (6'9") is
averaging 9.0 points and a team-best 5.7 rebounds. Junior guard Jake
Muhleisen (6'4") is contributing 8.4 points and senior forward Brian Conklin
(6'11") adds 7.1 points and leads the nation in three-point accuracy (.563).
Conklin scored 17 points and made 5-of-5 three-pointers in the win against
Missouri. Nebraska leads the Big 12 in scoring defense (58.7) and
three-point percentage (.402), and ranks second in field goal defense
(.386).
SERIES
Nebraska leads the series, 8-3, but the series is tied, 2-2, in games played
in College Station (1-1 at Reed Arena). The series is tied, 2-2, in the last
four meetings overall. Since Big 12 play began in 1997, Nebraska leads the
series, 5-2. A&M won last year in Lincoln, 53-52, but the Cornhuskers won
two years ago in College Station, 82-72. In the first meeting at Reed Arena
in 2000, A&M escaped with an 83-76 overtime victory. A&M beat Nebraska,
66-64, at G. Rollie White Coliseum in 1986-87, but the Cornhuskers posted a
75-58 win at GRW in Big 12 play in 1998.
TEXAS A&M vs. Nebraska
(NU leads, 8-3)
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
1996-97 Nebraska, 74-72 Lincoln
1997-98 Nebraska, 75-58 College Station
1998-99 Nebraska, 87-68 Lincoln
1999-00 A&M, 83-76 (OT) College Station
2000-01 Nebraska, 97-69 Lincoln
2001-02 Nebraska, 82-72 College Station
2002-03 A&M, 53-52 Lincoln
COACHES:
TEXAS A&M
Melvin Watkins (UNC Charlotte '77)
60-103 at A&M (6th year)
102-123 overall (8th year)
2-3 vs. Nebraska
1-2 vs. Barry Collier
NEBRASKA
Barry Collier (Butler '76)
50-57 at Nebraska (4th year)
246-189 overall (15th year)
2-1 vs. Texas A&M
2-1 vs. Melvin Watkins
SIDEBARS
Texas A&M Director of Athletics Bill Byrne served as the athletic director
at Nebraska from 1992-2002 and hired current Nebraska head coach Barry
Collier in 2000...A&M Senior Associate Athletic Director Jeff Schmahl came
to A&M last year after serving 10 years in the Nebraska athletics
department.
TENTATIVE STARTERS:
TEXAS A&M AGGIES (7-12, 0-8)
No. Player P Ht. Cl. PPG RPG
50 Andy Slocum C 7-0 Sr. 9.3 9.9
5 Nick Anderson F 6-6 Sr. 6.3 4.4
21 Antoine Wright F/G 6-7 So. 13.7 4.3
10 Leandro Garcia-Morales G 6-1 Sr. 7.4 2.3a
1 Acie Law G 6-3 Fr. 7.1 3.8a
Off the Bench
No. Player P Ht. Cl. PPG RPG
3 Jesse King F 6-7 Sr. 13.0 5.7
22 Kevin Turner G 6-2 Sr. 6.3 1.6
23 Keith Blanks F 6-5 Fr. 4.4 1.1
30 Bobby Leach G 6-0 Jr. 3.8 3.6a
11 Luis Clemente F 6-8 So. 3.4 1.9
32 Marcus Watkins G 6-4 So. 3.0 2.3
42 Marlon Pompey F 6-8 Fr. 2.2 0.8
12 Dylan Leal G 6-4 Sr. 0.9 0.2
33 Justin Loewe G 6-4 Fr. 0.5 0.3
WATKINS QUOTEBOARD
"We didn't play as hard against Baylor as we have in some of our other games
and I was disappointed with that. We had 23 turnovers and I think about 20
of them were unforced. We've slipped some in our last couple of games, but I
still think this team can win and I think we'll have some opportunities to
do that. There is still a lot of basketball to be played. We just have to
get back to work and keep after it. I don't think our players are ready to
quit on the season by any means. We need to make some adjustments and get
our heads back into what we're trying to do. I know this team is capable of
turning the corner but saying it is one thing and doing it is another.
Nebraska had a big win against Missouri on Saturday and will come in with a
lot of confidence. They are playing good basketball. They really shoot the
ball well from the perimeter and they are a very good defensive team. "
TALE OF THE TAPE
A&M NU
Record 7-12 12-7
Conference 0-8 2-6
Ratings Pct. Index (RPI) 224 104
Streak L8 W1
Field Goal Pct. .427 .467
Opponent FG Pct. .470 .386
3-Pt. Field Goal Pct. .342 .402
Opponent 3-Pt. Pct. .391 .316
3-Pt. Field Goal Avg. 6.6 7.1
3-Pt. FG Attempts Avg. 19.4 17.7
Free Throw Pct. .690 .710
Opponent FT Pct. .690 .713
Rebound Avg. 40.1 36.1
Offensive Reb. Avg. 16.3 11.8
Rebounding Margin +6.2 +5.6
Turnovers Avg. 15.1 13.7
Opp. Turnovers Avg. 13.9 13.7
Assists Avg. 16.6 14.8
Blocks Avg. 1.4 3.9
Steals Avg. 6.3 7.2
Scoring Avg. 76.2 69.1
Opponent Scoring 76.5 58.7
Scoring Margin -0.3 +10.4
Baylor Recap
WACO (AP) -- Harvey Thomas scored 20 points and blocked six shots and Matt
Sayman had 20 points and five assists as Baylor beat Texas A&M 72-64
Saturday. Baylor led by as many as 15 before A&M pulled to within 60-56 on
Jesse King's 3-pointer with 2:12 left. But A&M then committed its 22nd and
23rd turnovers and Baylor hit 12 of 16 free throws in the final two minutes.
Baylor also got 14 points from Carl Marshall. R.T. Guinn's five points were
the Bears' only points off the bench. He was 0-for-3 from the field but
5-of-6 from the foul line. Kevin Turner led the Aggies with 14 points and
Nick Anderson added 11. Baylor held A&M's leading scorer, Antoine Wright,
who had been averaging 14 points per game, to only five points. Baylor led
30-26 at halftime but opened the second half on a 13-4 run, capped by a
3-pointer by Marshall. The Bears built a 56-41 lead with a little over six
minutes left when A&M began its late run. Baylor has beaten Texas A&M five
straight times in Waco. A&M outrebounded Baylor 43-22.
Last Year in Lincoln
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP, Jan. 15, 2003) -- Bernard King scored 18 points as Texas
A&M beat Nebraska 53-52 at the Devaney Center. King drained a pair of free
throws and a connected on a basket in the final 1:55 to lead the Aggies. A&M
trailed 23-19 late in the first half until freshman Antoine Wright connected
on a pair of three-point baskets to give A&M a 25-23 lead that they would
not relinquish until the 2:17 mark to play in the game at 50-49. The Aggies
held Nebraska without a field goal for the first seven minutes of the second
half, outscoring the Cornhuskers 9-1 to build a 40-29 lead. Nebraska then
countered with a 10-1 run, cutting the Aggie lead to 41-39 on Brennon
Clemmons' put back with 8:40 left. But Wright stemmed the Cornhusker run
with back-to-back jumpers, including a 3-pointer. Tomas Ress then hit a
3-pointer to give Texas A&M a 49-39 lead with 6:36 left. Nebraska again
rallied, scoring 11 unanswered points over the next 4:30. The Huskers took a
50-49 lead on Nate Johnson's 10-foot jumper off a spin move in the lane.
Two Years Ago at Reed
COLLEGE STATION (AP, Feb. 20, 2002) -- Junior Brennon Clemmons scored a
career-high 23 points and Nebraska held off a second-half Texas A&M rally to
defeat the Aggies, 82-72. The Huskers took an early 20-6 lead on the
cold-shooting Aggies, but A&M warmed up to trim the lead to 37-34 at
halftime by scoring eight unanswered points to close the half. The teams
traded the lead throughout the second half, with A&M taking a 56-55 lead on
Keith Bean's free throw with 6:47 to play. Then A&M's Bernard King, who
finished with 21 points, was forced to the bench with a sprained ankle after
making a twisting bank shot. Nebraska responded with an 11-0 run and A&M
never recovered. Bean finished with 16 points and eight rebounds while Andy
Slocum posted a double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds.
Quick Notes
*Senior center Andy Slocum has had seven double-doubles, second most in the
Big 12, and leads the league in rebounding in conference play (11.5) andf is
tied for the full season lead (9.9). Slocum ranks 16th nationally.
*Jesse King, A&M's second leading scorer and rebounder, missed the Kansas
game with a bruised toe but has averaged 13.5 points in the last 13 games,
including a 21-point, 11-rebound performance at Iowa State.
*Leandro Garcia-Morales has averaged 9.9 points and made 51 percent from the
field and 49 percent from three-point range in the last 10 games. He has
scored in double figures in seven of eight Big 12 games.
*Nick Anderson has averaged 9.6 points and 6.6 rebounds in the last seven
games, including a season-high 14 points against Texas.
*The Aggies have posted a rebounding margin of +10.4 in the last 10 games.
The Aggies have outrebounded 16 of 19 opponents, including 11 straight, and
have outrebounded their opponents on the offensive boards in all but one
game.
*A&M leads the Big 12 in rebounding in conference play (+7.6), almost triple
the margin of the No. 2-ranked team.
*The Aggies rank sixth nationally in offensive rebounding (16.3), second
most in the Big 12. In Big 12 play, A&M leads the league in offensive boards
(17.1).
*The Aggies rank second in the Big 12 in assists in league play (14.8), but
rank last in turnover margin(-4.5).
*A&M is 1-10 when it commits 15 or more turnovers and it is 2-10 when it
allows 14 or more points off turnovers.
*A&M is the only team in the Big 12 to have all of its conference games to
this point decided by 12 points or fewer. The Aggies have led in the second
half in five games and have been within four points in the final two minutes
of two other games.
*A&M ranks last in the Big 12 in scoring defense (76.5), three-point
percentage defense (.391) and field goal percentage defense (.470).