October 10, 2006
The Texas A&M men?â„¢s and women?â„¢s basketball teams will tip off the 2006-07 season on Friday night with " Maroon Madness" at Kyle Field, which will be held in conjunction with the school?â„¢s traditional Midnight Yell Practice.
A&M set the national record for such events last season when more than 26,000 fans attended. With both teams getting national attention in the preseason, A&M could break the record again this year. The men are ranked No. 9 by ESPN.com and the women are ranked No. 9 by Street & Smith's College Basketball Yearbook.
A sports-court and basketball goals are being placed on the east sideline of Kyle Field. The A&M women?â„¢s team will take the court at approximately 11:20 p.m. After Yell Practice, which will start at its regular time, the A&M men?â„¢s team will be presented at approximately 12:25 a.m.
Led by Coach Billy Gillispie, the men's team returns four starters and its top six scorers from last year when it finished 22-9 overall and defeated Syracuse in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
Under Coach Gary Blair, the women?â„¢s team returns all five starters from last season's team that finished 23-9 overall and advanced to the NCAA Tournament.