March 22, 2005
After winning their first postseason games in 23 years, the Texas A&M Aggies (21-9, 8-8 in Big 12) play host to the Saint Joseph's Hawks (22-11, 14-2 in Atlantic 10 Conference) in the third round of the National Invitation Tournament on Wednesday at 7:04 p.m. (Central) at Reed Arena (12,500 cap.). The game will be televised nationally on ESPNU.
The winner will advance to the semifinals March 29 at Madison Square Garden in New York City against the winner of Wednesday night's Memphis-Vanderbilt game. The finals will be March 31 in New York. The NIT started in 1938 and is the oldest tournament in college basketball.
A&M's last postseason appearance came in the 1994 NIT, when it lost in the first round in overtime to the University of New Orleans, 79-73, in New Orleans.
The Aggies are coming off a 75-72 second-round win at DePaul on Saturday in Chicago after beating Clemson, 82-74, at home in the first round on March 16, A&M's first postseason win since a 69-65 victory against Washington in the second round of the 1982 NIT.
The Hawks are coming off a 68-60 victory at home against Holy Cross on Monday in Philadelphia. Saint Joseph's beat Hofstra (53-44) and Buffalo (55-50) in the first two rounds, also in Philadelphia.
A&M is 17-2 at home this season while the Hawks are 6-6 in true road games.
Saint Joseph's won the only previous meeting, beating the Aggies by a score of 64-50 in the first round of the 1992 Sugar Bowl Tournament in New Orleans.
The Aggies are playing in their sixth NIT and are making their 12th overall postseason appearance, including six NCAA Tournaments. The Aggies have a 6-5 record in NIT play. A&M made the NIT quarterfinals in 1978 and 1982, but has never advanced to the semifinals.
GAME #31
Texas A&M AGGIES
21-9, 8-8 Big 12 (7th)
VS.
Saint Joseph's HAWKS
22-11, 14-2 A-10 (2nd)
7:04 p.m. (Central)
Wednesday, March 23, 2005
Reed Arena (12,500 cap.)
College Station, Texas
RADIO:
Texas A&M Sports Network
Dave South, play-by-play
Al Pulliam, commentary
Airtime: 6:45 p.m. (Central)
ONLINE: www.AggieAthletics.com
TELEVISION:
ESPNU (national)
Dave Armstrong, play-by-play
Bob Wenzel, commentary
About St. Joe's
The Hawks return 10 lettermen and three starters from last year's team that finished 30-2 and advanced to the Elite Eight in the NCAA Tournament. SJU is in its 10th season under coach Phil Martelli, last year's national coach of the year and this year's Atlantic 10 Conference coach of the year. The Hawks are led by senior guard/forward Pat Carroll (6'5), who is averaging 18.1 points and is making 44 percent from three-point range. Carroll was named conference co-player of the year. Junior center Dwayne Jones (6'11') is adding 10.1 points, 11.6 rebounds and 2.9 blocks and was named the conference's defensive player of the year. SJU averages 63.9 points per game while making 43 percent from the field and 37 percent from three-point range. The Hawks are one of the nation's top defensive teams, allowing just 58.8 points on 40.1 percent shooting.
Who's Hot?
*Junior Antoine Wright has averaged 21.5 points in the last eight games, making 62.1 percent from the field, 57.1 percent (28-of-49) from three-point range and 74.3 percent from the free throw line.
*Freshman Joseph Jones has averaged 19.5 points and 9.0 rebounds in two NIT games, making 56.0 percent from the field. Jones scored a career-high 25 points against Clemson in the first round and had a double-double against DePaul (14 pts/11 reb.).
*Senior Bobby Leach has averaged 17.5 points in the last four games, making 59.4 percent from the field, 50.0 percent from three-point range (7-of-14) and 89.3 percent from the free throiw line.
Quick Notes
*GOING BOTH WAYS: A&M is the only team in the country to rank in the top 18 nationally in field goal percentage (13th, .490), three-point percentage (12th, .395) and field goal percentage defense (18th, .395).
*Junior Antoine Wright has been named first-team All-Big 12 by the Associated Press, A&M's first first-team selection in Big 12 history.
*Head Coach Billy Gillipsie has been named Big 12 Coach of the Year by The Associated Press and the league's coaches. Gillispie is a finalist for the Naismith National Coach of the Year award.
*Freshman Joseph Jones is the top-ranked freshman center in the country by CBS SportsLine.com. Jones has been named honorable mention All-Big 12 and Freshman All-America.
*Sophomore Acie Law has been named honorable mention All-Big 12.
*Senior Bobby Leach has been named to the Big 12 All-Reserve Team. A&M is 13-1 when Leach has four or more assists.
*A&M ranks second the Big 12 in scoring defense (63.7), the best by the Aggies since 1980-81.
*A&M ranks second the Big 12 in field goal pct. defense (.395), second best in school history.
*The Aggies are second in the league and 14th nationally in field goal percentage (.490).
*A&M ranks third in the Big 12 and 16th nationally in three-point percentage (.395), a school record.
*A&M is 20-0 when any player besides Wright, Jones or Law scores in double figures.
*A&M is only the second Big 12 team to start two freshmen every game, joining the 1999-00 Aggies.
*A&M is 13-0 when its opponents score 64 or fewer points and is 18-1 when its opponents make less than 45 percent from the field. The Aggies are 18-0 when they score at least 70 points.
*A&M is 15-1 when its has 32 or more points in the paint.
TEXAS A&M in the NIT
(6-5 record)
Year Result Site
1979 A&M 79, New Mexico 68 Albuquerque
A&M 67, Nevada 64 Reno
Alabama 72, A&M 68 Houston
1982 A&M 60, Lamar 58 College Station
A&M 69, Washington 65 Seattle
Purdue 86, A&M 68 W .Lafayette, Ind.
1985 New Mexico 80, A&M 67 Albuquerque
1986 Wyoming 79, A&M 70 Laramie, Wy.
1994 New Orleans 79, A&M 73 (OT) N.Orleans
2005 A&M 82, Clemson 74 College Station
A&M 75, DePaul 72 Rosemont, Ill.
A&M NIT Records
Individual
Points 25 by Joseph Jones vs. Clemson, 2005
Rebounds 13, Claude Riley vs. Lamar, 1982
Assists 10, David Edwards vs. New Orleans, 1994
Steals 6, Reggie Roberts vs. Lamar, 1982
Blocks 3, Rynn Wright vs. New Mexico, 1979
3, Rudy Woods vs. Lamar, 1982
3-Point Field Goals 3, Chuck Henderson vs. New Orleans, 1994
3, Antoine Wright vs. DePaul, 2005
3, Bobby Leach vs. DePaul, 2005
Team
Most Points 82 (82-74) vs. Clemson, 2005
Fewest Points 60 (60-58) vs. Lamar, 1982
Field Goal Percentage .620 vs. New Mexico, 1979
Opponent FG Percentage .625 by Purdue, 1982
Defensive FG Percentage .352 vs. Nevada, 1979
3-Point Percentage .438 (7-16) vs. DePaul, 2005
Free Throw Percentage .813 (13-16) vs. Washington, 1982
Rebounds 46 vs. New Mexico, 1985
Rebounding Margin +16 (46-30) vs. New Mexico, 1985
Assists 23 vs. New Mexico, 1979
Steals 14 vs. Clemson, 2005
Blocks 4 vs. New Mexico, 1979
Tentative Starters
TEXAS A&M AGGIES (21-9, 8-8 Big 12)
No. Player Ht. Cl. PPG RPG Other
30 Joseph Jones 6'9" Fr. 12.9 7.3 59% FG
10 Chris Walker 6'5" Jr. 4.7 3.0 79% FT
21 Antoine Wright 6'7" Jr. 17.7 6.1 50% FG
22 Dominique Kirk 6'3" Fr. 6.8 2.3 2.2 ast
1 Acie Law 6'3" So. 12.2 3.6 5.0 ast
Off the Bench
No. Player Ht. Cl. PPG RPG Other
15 Bobby Leach 6'0" Sr. 8.7 3.0 3.1 ast
42 Marlon Pompey 6'8" So. 4.3 3.0 59% FG
4 Edjuan Green 6'7" Jr. 3.4 3.1 52% FG
5 Kenneth White 6'1" Fr. 1.6 0.5 --
11 Luis Clemente 6'8" Jr. 1.7 1.3 --
33 Justin Loewe 6'4" So. 1.0 0.2 --
3 Brian Blackburn 5'8" So. 0.0 0.0 --
25 Matt Koeneke 6'6" So. 0.0 0.0 --
Sidebars
Bobby Leach, A&M's only senior, is from Philadelphia (Bartram HS), where Saint Joseph's is located...A&M freshman Joseph Jones' 25 points against Clemson tied a school record for postseason play (Sonny Benefield also had 25 against Trinity in the 1969 NCAAs)...Jones' effort was the most by an Aggie in NIT play...Jones celebrated his 19th birthday on Monday...A&M's 82 points against Clemson tied the school postseason record (82 in a losing cause against Colorado in the 1969 NCAAs)...A&M head coach Billy Gillispie attended a 1978 NIT game as a senior at Graford (Texas) HS, watching Abe Lemons' Texas team Texas beat Temple, 72-58, in the first round in Austin en route to winning the title...Gillispie is 45-17 his last two seasons as a head coach...A&M is 4-13 against current members of Atlantic 10 Conference, with two wins coming against LaSalle and two against George Washington...the last time A&M faced an A-10 team was in in 2001-02, when the Aggies defeated George Washington, 87-63, in the season opener at Reed Arena...at No. 27, A&M is the highest team in the Sagarin Ratings not to make the NCAAs.
TEXAS A&M vs. Saint Joseph's
(SJU leads, 1-0)
Year Result Site
1992-93 SJU 64, A&M 50 New Orleans
Tale of the Tape
(2004-05 stat comparison)
A&M SJU
Record 21-9 22-11
Conference 8-8 14-2
Ratings Pct. Index (RPI) 67 47
Sagarin Rating 27 58
Current Streak W2 W3
Field Goal Pct. .490 .430
Opponent FG Pct. .395 .401
3-Pt. Field Goal Pct. .395 .373
Opponent 3-Pt. Pct. .339 .350
3-Pt. Field Goal Avg. 6.4 7.6
3-Pt. FG Attempts Avg. 16.1 20.3
Free Throw Pct. .683 .652
Opponent FT Pct. .680 .640
Rebound Avg. 35.7 34.5
Offensive Reb. Avg. 11.1 11.0
Rebounding Margin +4.3 +2.6
Turnovers Avg. 14.2 14.0
Opp. Turnovers Avg. 15.3 12.6
Assists Avg. 16.4 14.3
Blocks Avg. 3.4 5.1
Steals Avg. 6.5 5.4
Scoring Avg. 74.4 63.9
Opponent Scoring 63.7 58.8
Scoring Margin +10.6 +5.1
GILLISPIE QUOTEBOARD
What are your thoughts about Saint Joseph's?
"They are a great team and are very well coached. They won their league by three games and they should have been in the NCAA Tournament. They've got a bunch of players back from last year when they won 30 games and went to the Elite Eight. They play outstanding defense. They just know how to play and they don't do anything to beat themselves. We are going to play like we have all year and that's play as hard as we can, play as smart as we can and play together as a team."
How gratifying was the DePaul game?
"Saturday's win was great because it was our last one. But you can't put too much emphasis on it because now we have to focus on the next one. What you have to do in postseason is survive and advance and that's what we did. They were 14-2 at home and you have to give them credit for coming back. We made some mistakes down the stretch, but they are a very talented team."
What did you think when you first saw Bobby Leach?
"I thought he'd be the key to our season. He's a senior and he knows how to play. If we would have looked at anyone's numbers from last year we probably would have had a negative take and formed some opinions that would be unfair to the players."
What does it mean to your team to be able to keep playing?
"We're honored to be playing in the NIT. It's the oldest tournament and has a great amount of tradition. We're awfully happy to be in it. It helps us because we get to keep on practicing. Postseason is designed to honor the teams that have played well all season long and I definitely think we've played well all year long. I know we're excited to play. Everyone wants to be in the big dance but we didn't make it so we're going to try to make this our big dance and try to do as well as we can. You won't see a team unhappy about playing in this tournament. Our guys deserve to play. They've been fantastic all year long and it's an honor to be their coach. I'm really pleased they are getting a chance to taste postseason."
What have been the highlights of the season to you?
"It's been fantastic. There have been a lot of surprises, the biggest being the fans and support we've had. I thought it would eventually happen but I didn't think it would happen this quickly. I can't tell you have fun it's been to be able to coach these guys. They deserve everything they get and more. It's a great start for us. I hope all the teams we have in the future possess the same guts, courage and all the intangibles this team has. If we do and our roster improves, it's going to be pretty special. This is a special group. We'll look back on them and say ' man alive, they were special.' They've done a lot for Texas A&M and basketball at this university. It's really a miracle what they've done. We had to overcome a lot. We're not anywhere yet, but we're going to get there. This group has been something else."
Head Coach
Billy Gillispie
(Texas State '83)
21-9 at A&M (1st year)
51-41 overall (3rd year)
DePaul Recap
CHICAGO (AP) -- Bobby Leach scored 23 points and Texas A&M nearly squandered a 20-point lead before holding on to beat DePaul 75-72 Saturday in the second round of the NIT. Leach gave the Aggies a 73-68 lead with 21.6 seconds left when he made a pair of free throws after a technical foul on DePaul when Blue Demons' guard LeVar Seals called for a timeout when the Blue Demons had none left. But Leach nearly gave it right back, fouling Drake Diener on a 3-point attempt a second later. Diener dropped in all three to cut the lead to 73-71. A&M freshman Dominique Kirk was fouled twice and made two of his four free throws, twice extending the lead to three and giving DePaul a chance to tie. But Diener and Sammy Mejia missed 3-pointers in the closing seconds. Antoine Wright had 19 points and Joseph Jones 14 for the Aggies, while Leach had 13 of his points in the second half. A&M won despite missing five free throws in the final minute. Mejia scored 23, Quemont Greer 20 and Diener 18 for DePaul, which trailed 44-26 at the half. Wright hit three 3-pointers and Leach made two and also a layup in the Aggies' 19-4 first-half run that opened up a 20-point lead. A&M used a tough first-half defense to smother Diener, who had scored a career-high 30 points in a first-round win over Missouri. With Kirk shadowing Diener and denying him the ball, he didn't get off a shot in the first 11 minutes, finishing the half with seven points. DePaul shot just 28 percent in the first half.
Big Turnaround
The Aggies are 21-9 this season after finishing 7-21 last season, the most dramatic turnaround in the country. The 14-win improvement to this point is the best nationally this season. The turnaround is also the best in A&M history. A&M finished 8-8 in Big 12 play after going 0-16 last year, its most wins in nine years of Big 12 play. According to research by the Big 12 Office, only two other teams in NCAA history have finished .500 in any conference after going winless the previous year -- Miami (Fla), 0-18 to 9-9 in Big East in 1994-95 and Louisiana Tech, 0-18 to 9-9 in Sun Belt in 1994-95. A&M's eight-game league turnaround matches the Big 12 record set by Iowa State in 2000 (6-10 to 14-2). A&M also has defeated two nationally ranked teams (No. 9 Texas and No. 25 Texas Tech) in a season for only the third time in school history (twice in 1968-69 and five in 1978-79). Of A&M's six road losses, five were to teams ranked in the top 25 at some point this season. The Aggies took Kansas, Oklahoma State and Oklahoma to the final minute on the road before losing.
NATION'S MOST IMPROVED TEAMS
(Increase in total victories through Monday)
Team 2003-04 2004-05 +/-
Texas A&M 7-21 21-9 +14
New Mexico 14-14 26-7 +12
San Diego 4-26 16-13 +12
Holy Cross 13-15 25-7 +12
Winthrop 16-12 27-6 +11
Old Dominion 17-12 28-6 +11
IMPROVED STATISTICS
STAT 2003-04 2004-05
Overall Record 7-21 21-9
Big 12 Record 0-16 8-8
RPI 246 67
Scoring Offense 71.9 74.4
Scoring Defense 76.4 63.7
Scoring Margin -4.5 +10.6
FG Percentage .415 .490
FG Pct. Defense .488 .395
3-Pt. FG Pct. .325 .395
3-Pt. FG Pct. Defense .390 .339
Rebounding Margin +4.7 +4.3
Blocked Shots 1.3 3.4
Points in the Paint 25.6 31.2
Points off Turnovers 15.3 18.0
Fast Break Points 7.8 10.8
Historic Debut
Billy Gillispie's 21 wins are the most by a first-year coach in A&M history, breaking the record of 18 set by Shelby Metcalf in 1963-64. The 21 wins ties for the third most in school history. The Aggies' 11-0 start was the third best in A&M history and was the best since the 1919-20 team went undefeated (19-0). The 1915-16 team also started 11-0. A&M's 21-9 record is its best after 30 games since the 1979-80 team was 23-7 en route to a school-record 26-8 mark. A&M began the season with an 11-game winning streak, the third longest in school history and the longest since A&M won a record 25 straight over two seasons from 1919-21. The Aggies have beaten two ranked teams for only the third time in school history.
Aggies On a Roll
The Aggies have won six of their last eight games and have put up some impressive statistics in that span. In those eight games, A&M has made 52 percent from the field (to 42 percent by the opponents), 44.0 percent from three-point range, 73 percent from the free throw line and out-scored the opposition by an average of 7.5 points per game. In games that they've won, A&M has been dominant all season, posting an average scoring margin of +20.1 in the 21 wins. Only five of A&M's wins have been decided in single digits, including just one in Big 12 play (84-76 to Baylor in the finale).
All-Big 12 Trio
Three Aggies earned all-conference accolades this season (Antoine Wright, Joseph Jones and Acie Law), tying A&M with Kansas, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State for the most selections. The last time A&M had three players earn all-conference status was in 1980. Wright earned first-team All-Big 12 honors by The Associated Press, making him A&M's first first-team pick in the nine-year history of the league.
Basketball Jones
The top rated freshman center in the country by CBS SportsLine.com (fifth best overall), Joseph Jones has been named honorable mention All-Big 12 and also was named to CollegeInsider.Com's Freshman All-America Team. In addition, Jones was named to the Big 12 All-Freshman Team. He leads the Aggies in rebounding (7.3), ranking seventh in the Big 12, and is second in scoring (12.9). Jones has had seven double-doubles, including three in Big 12 play, most by a Big 12 freshman this season. A&M is 7-1 when Jones has a double-double. He leads all league freshmen in rebounding and blocked shots (1.27). Jones's 38 blocks are the most by an A&M player since Calvin Davis had 38 in 1996-97. He also ranks seventh nationally among freshmen in rebounding and is third in field goal percentage (.586), the best among freshman centers. His percentage ranks third in A&M history and is fourth best by a freshman in Big 12 history. Jones leads the Aggies in three-point plays with 15, more than twice as many as last year's team leader. He scored a career-high 25 points against Clemson in the first round of the NIT, then followed with a 14-point, 11-rebound effort at DePaul. He scored 13 points with 10 boards in the Aggies' upset of No. 9-ranked Texas and followed with 13 points and 11 boards at Texas Tech. After Jones scored a game-high 16 points against Kansas, Jayhawks coach Bill Self said, "Joseph Jones was the best player in the game tonight." Jones also had seven rebounds against KU, including five offensive boards, and had a trio of three-point plays. He scored 21 points and tied his career-best with 13 boards against Baylor in Coillege Station, and scored 17 points with four blocks against Missouri. After getting into early foul trouble and scoring just two points in the first half, Jones finished with 17 points and seven rebounds in the win against Iowa State, then followed with 16 points and seven boards in the victory against Texas Tech. He had an impressive college debut against North Carolina A&T, scoring 10 points with 10 rebounds, only the second time in A&M history that a freshman posted a double-double in his first game. The other was Winston Crite, who had a 24-point, 15-rebound performance against Texas Lutheran in 1983-84. Jones has scored in double figures in 22 games. He added another double-double against Houston, scoring 23 points with 10 rebounds. He also had a double-double against UT-Permian Basin, scoring 12 points with 13 rebounds. Jones is the only Big 12 freshman to average at least 10.0 points and 6.0 rebounds and is one of only eight freshmen in the country to average at least 10.0 points and 7.0 rebounds. Jones has made 105-of-169 free throws, setting an A&M freshman record for free throws made and attempted.
NATION'S BEST FRESHMEN CENTERS
(Rated by CBS SportsLine.com)
Rk Player, School PPG RPG
1. Joseph Jones, Texas A&M (5) 12.9 7.3
2. Darian Townes, Arkansas (14) 10.2 4.6
3. Patrick O'Bryant, Bradley (17) 10.0 7.4
*overall position rank in parentheses
Law and Order
An honorable mention All-Big 12 pick, sophomore Acie Law also was named to the Big 12's All-Improved Team. Law ranks third in the Big 12 in assists with 5.0 per game and is third on the team in scoring (12.2). Law's .500 shooting percentage is the second best by an Big 12 guard. He ranks sixth in assists among the nation's sophomores. A&M is 6-3 when Law leads the team in scoring. Law scored 24 points with six assists in the upset of No. 9 Texas, making 10-of-13 from the field and 3-of-5 three-pointers, and scored 17 in the victory over Kansas State, making 3-of-4 three-pointers. He scored a career-high 25 points in the win against Houston while adding nine assists and making 12-of-12 free throws, the best free throw performance by an A&M player since 1987. He added 19 points (with a career-high eight rebounds) against Penn State, making the winning free throws with 11 seconds left. Law scored 22 points against Baylor, then handed out a career-high 14 assists against Missouri with 11 points, his second double-double of the year. Law scored a team-high 22 points at Oklahoma State. He scored 18 points with a career-high 11 assists against UTPB, his first career double-double. He has scored in double figures in 20 games.
The Wright Stuff
A first-team All-Big 12 pick by The Associated Press and several major daily newspapers, junior Antoine Wright was named National Player of the Week on Feb. 28 by The Sporting News and in recent weeks has been among the nation's hottest players. In the last eight games, Wright has averaged 21.5 points while making 62.1 percent from the field and 57.1 percent from three-point range (28-of-49) and 74.3 percent from the line. He's made 23-of-38 (.605) three-pointers in the last six games, averaging 3.8 three-pointers per game, despite not even attempting a three against Clemson. Wright also has been named first-team all-district by the NABC and the USBWA. Wright leads the team in scoring with an 17.7 average, ranking fifth in the Big 12. He's the only player in the Big 12 to average at least 17.7 points, 6.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists. Wright also is the only player to rank among the league's top 13 in scoring, rebounding (13th, 6.1), field goal percentage (6th, .499), three-point percentage (1st, .444) and three-point field goals (6th, 2.27). Wright has had five double-doubles and missed three more by just a single rebound. A&M is 4-1 when Wright has a double-double. Wright led the Big 12 in three-point accuracy in league play at 44.8 percent, third best in school history and the best since Big 12 play began. Wright is the first A&M player to lead a Big 12 stat category since 1998. His season percentage of .444 is chasing the record of .430 set last season by Kevin Turner (min. 100 att.). After being held to one point in the first half at Kansas, Wright helped the Aggies pull off a near-upset with 13 second-half points, including a trio of three-pointers, one that tied the game in the final minute. He scored 18 points and tied his career-high with 12 rebounds at Texas Tech. Wright tied his career high with 32 points at Colorado. He added 29 against Texas Tech, making 7-of-8 three-pointers (.875) and setting the school record for three-point percentage in a conference game, and tallied 28 points against Kansas State in the Big 12 Tournament. He had 24 points against Oklahoma, 23 points against Grambling and scored 20 points with eight rebounds and six assists against Missouri. Wright also has emerged as one of the Big 12's top defensive players, generally guarding the opponents' top offensive player. In last season's loss to Houston, Wright allowed the Cougars' Andre Owens to score 41 points -- the most against the Aggies since 1977. This year, Wright held Owens to just four points in an impressive 93-80 victory. After earning Big 12 Freshman of the Year honors and being named third-team All-Big 12 in 2002-03, Wright was named honorable mention All-Big 12 last season. He is only the 10th player in school history to earn an all-conference designation three times. Wright is on pace to become only the third A&M player to earn all-conference honors four times, joining Bernard King (1999-03) and Vernon Smith (1977-81), who are the top two scorers in school history. Wright has scored 1,317 career points, ranking him 10th on the A&M chart. He needs 14 points to move into ninth. In addition to his obvious statistical improvements, Wright has been taking the ball to the basket more aggressively this season, reflected in part by his team-high 21 dunks. Wright had 11 dunks in 56 career games entering the season. Wright's 178 three-point field goals are the second most on A&M's career list.
THE WRIGHT WAY
STAT 2003-04 2004-05
PPG 13.5 17.7
RPG 4.1 6.1
FG Pct. .368 .499
3-Pt. FG Pct. .297 .444
FT Pct. .626 .697
Dunks 5 21
Three Amigos
The trio of Antoine Wright, Acie Law and Joseph Jones have combined to average 42.8 points and 17.0 rebounds per game. That's 57.5 percent of the Aggies' scoring and 51.7 percent of the rebounding. A&M is 11-3 when all three score in double figures, with the only losses coming by a narrow margins at Kansas (65-60) and Oklahoma State (69-63) and at home to Oklahoma State (66-59). Wright and Jones have combined to score 918 points, making them A&M's best 1-2 scoring punch since Joe Wilbert and Tony McGinnis combined for a record 1,143 points in 1994-95.
Super Sub
Senior Bobby Leach, A&M's lone senior, has been named to the Big 12 All-Reserve Team and ranks as one of the top performers off the bench in school history. Leach ranks sixth nationally in three-point percentage (min. 30 FGM) at .508 (31-of-61), best of any Big 12 player under that standard. In Big 12 play, he made a stunning 57.1 percent (20-of-35), best in the league. He ranks third in the conference in assist/turnover ratio (2.13) and is fourth on the team in scoring (8.7). In Big 12 play, he averaged 10.1 points, fourth on the team and second among Big 12 reserves. Leach is second on the team in assists (3.2). In Big 12 play, he led all Big 12 reserves in rebounding (3.5), assists (3.1), field goal percentage (.495), three-point percentage and free throw percentage (.818). Leach has handed out at least three assists in 15 of the last 24 games, including six in wins against No. 9-ranked Texas and Kansas State, and a season-high seven in the win against Texas Tech. A&M is 13-1 when Leach has at least four assists and is 10-0 when he scores in double figures (including 7-0 in Big 12 play). He's scored in all but two games this season and scored a career-high 25 points at Baylor and added 20 against Missouri, making 4-of-5 three-pointers. Leach tallied 23 in the second-round NIT win at DePaul, making 3-of-4 three-pointers. He is averaging 12.3 points in the last 13 games, while making 18-of-34 (.529) from three-point range. Leach has been A&M's top scorer off the bench in 18 straight games.
Captain Kirk
Freshman Dominique Kirk has scored in double figures in eight games, including a Big 12 career-high 15 against Iowa State. A&M is 8-0 when Kirk scores in double digits. Kirk is fifth on the team in scoring with 6.8 per game and is second with 31 three-point field goals. Against Alabama A&M, Kirk scored a career-high 18 points and also posted personal bests in rebounds (7) and steals (4). Kirk added 15 points in the win against Houston and scored nine against Missouri, making his final three three-pointers after an 0-4 start. Kirk scored eight points at Colorado, including a late three to thwart at CU comeback attempt and ice the victory. Kirk scored 10 points in the NIT win at DePaul and played tenacious defense of the Blue Demons' hot-shooting Drake Diener, limiting him to 4-of-11 shooting. Kirk's brother, Ed Kirk, was a third-team Div. II All-American at Alaska-Anchorage in 2001.
Fresh Look
Dominique Kirk and Joseph Jones, both true freshmen, are the only Aggies to start in every game and have started more games than any freshmen tandem in Big 12 history. The only other season when two freshmen started in every game was in 1998-99, when A&M's Bernard King and Jamaal Gilchrist started in all 28 games.
Pompey Pays Off
Sophomore Marlon Pompey played sparingly last year as a freshman because of a nagging leg injury, but he still managed to make 9-of-11 (.818) shots from the field. He's making 58.5 percent from the field this season and connected on 61.5 percent in Big 12 play. Pompey is third on the team with eight dunks, including a highlight-reel slam against Baylor. He scored nine points with five rebounds in the NIT win at DePaul. Against North Carolina A&T in the opener, he scored a career-high 12 points with five boards while making 6-of-6 from the field. Pompey scored a Big 12 career high of 11 points at Colorado, making 5-of-6 from the field. He scored six points and posted a career-high eight rebounds in the win against Houston, then followed with five points and six boards against Penn State. He scored eight points at Texas Tech, and had a seven-point, seven-rebound performance at Oklahoma. A defensive stopper, Pompey has scored at least five points in 15 games this season and has had eight games with five or more rebounds.
Green Machine
Junior Edjuan Green scored a career-high 17 points with nine rebounds against Prairie View A&M, and scored 14 points with a career-high 11 rebounds against Grambling for his first career double-double. He ranks eighth on the team in scoring (3.4) and is fourth in rebounding (3.1) while making 52.4 percent from the field. Green had six rebounds in just eight minutes at Kansas, including four offensive boards. As a senior at Spring High School in 2002, Green ranked second in rebounding in the Greater Houston area, just behind Emeka Okafor (formerly of Connecticut) and just ahead of Lawrence Roberts (Mississippi State). Green ranked second nationally in rebounding (14.2) in the JUCO ranks last season at Temple College.
Stout Defense
A&M ranks second in the Big 12 in scoring defense (63.7), the fourth best in school history and the best since the 1980-81 team allowed 60.4. A&M also ranks second in the Big 12 and 18th nationally in field goal percentage defense (.395), second best in school history. The A&M record is .394 set by the 1961-62 team. The Aggies led the nation in field goal percentage defense before Oklahoma made a 53.2 percent on Jan. 18, the only time this season an opponent has shot better than 48 percent. The Aggies rank 20th nationally in scoring margin (+10.6), third in the Big 12 and third best in school history. The last time A&M had a better average margin was when it set the school record at +12.8 in 1975-76. A&M is 13-0 when its opponent scores 65 points or fewer and is 17-2 when its opponent shoots under 45 percent, with the only losses coming at Kansas and Oklahoma State. UTPB scored just 36 points, the fewest by an opponent since the Aggies beat Texas, 73-29, in 1958-59. UTPB also made just 20.8 percent from the field, the lowest by an opponent in A&M history. Prairie View scored just 15 second-half points, making just 4-of-26 (.154) from the field as A&M broke away from a six-point halftime lead to a 42-point win, allowing just 40 points. The Aggies matched their season-best by allowing 36 points against Louisiana-Monroe, the third lowest total in that school's history. Last season, A&M held just six opponents to under 40 percent field goal accuracy in 28 games. This year, 14 opponents have shot 40 percent or under, including four under 30 percent, the most in school history. In addition, A&M has allowed the fewest field goals made and attempted in the Big 12.
Taking the Lead
A&M has trailed by more than eight points in just six games this season, including falling behind by 17 at Penn State before rallying to win, 62-60. The only game A&M has trailed by more in was the 75-40 loss at Texas. In non-conference play, the Aggies faced just two second-half deficits, briefly trailing Alabama A&M, 47-46, at the 14:04 mark, and trailing Penn State, 45-28, at the 18:11 mark. A&M has led wire-to-wire in six games. The Aggies have led at halftime in 18 games and are 16-2 in those games. The Aggies are 20-0 when they lead with five minutes left.
Getting Offensive
The Aggies rank second in the Big 12 and 13th nationally in field goal percentage (.490), the seventh best in school history and the best since the 1988-89 team made 50.6 percent. A&M ranks third in the league -- and 12th nationally -- in three-point accuracy, making 39.5 percent, breaking the school record of .374 set in 1990-91. A&M made .404 in league play, breaking the school mark of .393 set in 1991. Last year, A&M shot better than 45 percent just six times, including only one game in Big 12 play. This season, the Aggies have shot at least 45 percent 22 times, including 11 Big 12 games. A&M has shot better than 50 percent in 15 games, including both NIT games. A&M has scored 80 or more points in 12 games, including six games with more than 90. Last season, Billy Gillispie's UTEP Miners ranked among the national leaders in scoring offense, scoring margin, field goal percentage, three-point percentage and free throw percentage. Meanwhile, A&M ranked last in the Big 12 in field goal and three-point percentage and was near the bottom in scoring offense and margin. A&M is 18-0 when it scores at least 70 points.
Bombs Away
Of the 11 players on A&M's active roster, 10 have made at least one three-pointer this season. The only exception is Marlon Pompey. Only Pompey and Luis Clemente did not make a three-pointer in Big 12 play this year.A&M's top four scorers each are making better than 49 percent from the field.
Board Stiff
The Aggies have out-rebounded 20 opponents this season and rank fourth in the Big 12 in rebounding margin at +4.3. A&M is 16-4 when out-rebounding its opponents. The Aggies have had a double-figure rebounding margin in eight games, including a whopping 43-22 margin against Baylor. K- State out-boarded A&M, 20-12, in the first half in College Station, but A&M posted a 24-9 margin in the second half. A&M trailed Tech by 12 boards early in the second half in College Station, but came back to out-rebound the Red Raiders, 32-29.
Efficient Aggies
The Aggies rank fourth in the Big 12 and are 23rd nationally in assists with an average of 16.4 per game, despite having just two at Texas. A&M has had just 1,565 field goal attempts, second fewest in the Big 12. For the season, 64.3 percent of A&M's field goals have been assisted, the second best rate in the Big 12 and among the best nationally. Against Missouri, A&M had 28 assists and only 11 turnovers, including an astounding 19 assists and two turnovers in a 57-point second half.
Turnovers Down
The Aggies are committing an average of 14.2 turnovers per game, tied for fourth most in the Big 12. However, the Aggies have averaged just 12.6 turnovers in the last 20 games and set a Big 12 Tournament record with seven against Kansas State. A&M ranks fifth in the league in turnover margin (+1.07) and is fourth in assist/turnover ratio (1.16). A&M averaged just 12.9 turnovers in Big 12 play, fourth fewest in the league.
A Foul Figure
The Aggies average a whopping 22.6 personal fouls per game, most in the Big 12 and 12th most nationally. The Aggies have committed at least 18 personal fouls in 27 games, including a season-high 34 in the loss at Nebraska. That number has been off-set somewhat by A&M's opponents averaging 21.0 fouls per contest, second most in the league. Consequently, the Aggies are averaging 24.7 free throw attempts per game, most in the Big 12.
Walking the Walk
A member of the Big 12 All-Defense Team (Daily Oklahoman), junior Chris Walker, a walk-on from Dallas, has played in all 30 games and started in the last 24. Walker has made 45.2 percent from the field and nailed 13-of-33 three-pointers (.394), including one to open the game at Kansas. He made a pair of treys in the win against Texas Tech. Walker leads the team in free throw percentage at 78.5 percent (51-of-65). Walker made 27-of-30 free throws (.900) in Big 12 play, including all six in the win against Texas. He scored 12 points against UTPB and added nine points and a team-high four assists against Alabama A&M. He posted a career-high nine rebounds against Houston. Prior to this season, Walker had not played organized basketball since 2001-02, when he earned freshman All-America honors at UT-Dallas, an NCAA Div. III school. Walker transferred to A&M for academic reasons and is an academic All-America candidate. His high school coach, Darryn Shearmire, is an old friend of Billy Gillispie's and contacted the new coach about Walker during the summer. Walker also made the Big 12 All-Academic Team.
On the Line
A&M has improved considerably from the free throw line since Big 12 play began. The Aggies made just 63.3 percent in non-conference play, but made 72.0 percent in Big 12 games, fourth best in the league. A&M ranks eighth overall in the Big 12 in free throw shooting (.683), enhanced somewhat by averaging 24.7 attempts per game. A&M has made 73.1 percent in the last 11 games (190-of-260). Three Aggies have had perfect free throw shooting games with at least 10 attempts -- Ace Law (12-of-12 vs. Houston), Antoine Wright (11-of-11 at Colorado), and Bobby Leach, (10-of-10 at Baylor) -- another first in A&M history.
Young & Restless
With an average age of 19.8, A&M's starting lineup is the youngest in the Big 12 while Oklahoma State's is the oldest at 22.0, an average of more than full years per player. A&M's overall average of 20.4 is the second youngest in the league behind Baylor's 20.2.
BIG 12 AVERAGE AGES
Team Starters Roster
Texas A&M 19.8 20.4
Texas Tech 20.0 20.4
Colorado 20.0 20.5
Kansas State 20.2 20.5
Baylor 20.6 20.2
Oklahoma 20.6 20.4
Missouri 20.8 20.4
Kansas 21.0 20.5
Nebraska 21.4 21.1
Texas 21.6 20.4
Iowa State 21.8 20.9
Oklahoma State 22.0 22.3
Source: Big 12 team media guides and websites.
Lone Star Roster
When he began looking for a head basketball coach last March, Texas A&M Director of Athletics Bill Byrne said he wanted someone with Texas ties to help the Aggies attract some of the state's homegrown talent. Last year, only four players on the roster were from Texas, including a pair of non-scholarship players. This season, 12 of the 17 players on Billy Gillispie's roster are products of Texas High Schools, the most in school history. Only twice in the previous 26 seasons has A&M had as many as 11 Texas players - in 1996-97 under Tony Barone, and in 1978-79 under Shelby Metcalf. Billy Gillispie is the first native Texan (Graford) to serve as A&M's head basketball coach since J.B. Reid (1929-35), not including John Thornton (San Antonio), who was interim head coach for just 12 games in 1989-90. In addition, Gillispie hired two Texas natives as assistant coaches - Alvin Brooks (Houston) and Buzz Williams (Van Alystyne).
Random Notes
A&M is 20-0 when any player besides Antoine Wright, Joseph Jones or Acie Law scores in double figures. ...the Aggies are 16-0 when any reserve scores in double figures...A&M is 14-0 when it has four players score in double figures...the Aggies are 15-1 when they score at least 32 points in the paint...A&M posted a +10.1 scoring margin in Big 12 home games...Billy Gillispie has chosen not to list player positions on the roster. "Our players play so many positions that it's really not accurate to designate someone as a guard or forward anymore," Gillispie said...the Aggies already have posted 103 blocked shots this season -- eighth most in school history -- after having just 35 all of last year....the Aggies have started the same lineup in 23 straight games.
Record Crowds
A crowd of 13,136 attended the Texas Tech game, the third time this season A&M broke its attendance record. A&M has drawn eight of the 16 largest crowds in A&M annals since Dec. 29. The crowd of 11,200 that attended the Houston game on Dec. 29 was the school's largest for a non-conference opponent. The North Carolina A&T game attracted an attendance of 6,929, the best for a home opener in school history. A&M averaged 5,338 for the 10 non-conference home games, a school record for non-conference attendance. A&M set school records for season attendance, averaging 7,885 per game, and for conference season attendance, averaging 10,988 per game. The Aggies enjoyed a 29 percent increase in overall attendance and a 50 percent increase in conference attendance. Last year under Billy Gillispie, UTEP enjoyed the largest attendance increase in college basketball, averaging 10,282 per game.