February 02, 2006
The Texas A&M Aggies (16-5, 5-3) will host a rematch with the Texas Tech Lady Raiders (10-9, 5-3) Sunday at 3 p.m. at Reed Arena in a game being televised nationally on FSN.
A&M faced the Lady Raiders on Jan. 7 in Lubbock and lost, 56-55.
| GAME INFO |
| Sunday, Feb. 5, 3 p.m. (CST) Reed Arena (12,500), College Station, Texas Tickets: |
| RECORDS |
| Texas Tech: 10-9, 5-3 Big 12 (T-3rd) Texas A&M: 16-5, 5-3 Big 12 (T-3rd) |
| RANKINGS |
| A&M is receiving votes in both the Associated Press and the ESPN/USA Today Top 25 polls. |
| RADIO |
| Tom Turbiville, play-by-play Tap Bentz, commentary (fans can listen in stands on 89.9 FM) |
| TELEVISION |
| Kevin Eschenfelder, play-by-play Brenda VanLengen, commentary |
| INTERNET |
| Live Stats: (aggieathletics.com) Live Audio: (aggieathletics.com-subscription service) |
| SERIES |
| Texas Tech leads, 52-9 In College Station: Tech leads, 23-3 Last Meeting: (1/7/06) |
| UP NEXT |
| A&M at Texas Wednesday, Feb. 8, 8 p.m. (CST) Frank Erwin Center, Austin, Texas TV: FOX Sports Net Southwest |
The Aggies are in third place in the Big 12.
A&M has matched its best overall win total since 1996, which was set last season at 16-15.
The last time the Aggies started 5-3 in league play was in 1996 in the final year of the Southwest Conference. A&M also won five games in 2002.
A&M has won 14 of its last 17 games since returning from Hawaii in November. It included a 10 game winning streak which is the second longest in school history.
A&M has won 13 of its last 14 games at Reed Arena dating to last season's WNIT postseason contests. It includes a 13-game winning streak that was the second longest home winning streak at A&M. The longest was 17 games set in 1994-95.
A&M has five losses, two are by a combined three points and three are to teams ranked in the top 15 (#10 Baylor, and #11 DePaul, #13 Oklahoma).
The Aggies will be seeking to end a 19-game losing streak to Texas Tech dating to A&M's win in the 1996 Southwest Conference Tournament championship game. A&M has dropped nine straight to Texas Tech at home with the last win happening in 1995.
Since Gary Blair has taken the helm at A&M, the Aggies have competed solidly against the Lady Raiders. In fact, three of the last four meetings have been decided by an average of 1.67 points and a total of five points.
Currently, A&M is No. 46 in CollegeRPI.com and No. 27 in the Sagarin Ratings. The Aggies are receiving votes in the Associated Press Top 25 poll and the USA Today Coaches Top 25 poll for the third straight week after an absence since Jan. 2001. A&M has not been ranked in the top 25 since March 11, 1996.
The Aggies are leading the Big 12 Conference in scoring defense. A&M also leads the league in number of steals, and turnover margin at +10.33.
The Aggies have held all but one of its league opponents to double-digits below their normal scoring output.
A&M's defense has been particularly stingy in the first half of games allowing 25.6 points while its offense is averaging 35.9 points.
Last season, the Aggies ranked eighth in the Big 12 in scoring offense averaging 64.3 points a game.
This season, the Aggies are averaging 71.9 points a game ranking third in the league.
A&M ranks in the top three in scoring offense and scoring defense.
Two Aggies are scoring double-digits this season. Sophomore Morenike Atunrase, last year's Big 12 Freshman of the Year, leads the team at 12.5 points while freshman Takia Starks is second at 12.2 points a game. Freshman Danielle Gant is third at 9.0. Sophomore A'Quonesia Franklin is fourth on the team at 8.6 points.
Gant leads the way for the Aggies in shooting at 58 percent. Gant has scored double-digits in seven games. She has started in one game this season and is usually the first player off the bench for the Aggies.
Starks is a two-time Big 12 Rookie of the Week and averages 26 minutes of playing time. Starks has started in 16 of 21 games, including the last 13 straight, and has seen playing time at point guard.
Scales has 523 career rebounds to rank No. 14 all-time at A&M. She is the 16th player in school history to grab 500 or more rebounds
She also leads the team in charges taken with 16.
The Aggies' roster is composed of 73 percent of players in their first or second year in the program. A&M starts two freshmen and three sophomores.
Atunrase has blocked 37 shots this season. She now has 94 career blocks to rank third all-time at A&M. At 5-foot-10, Atunrase is shorter than both players who rank ahead of her.