November 01, 2006
The 14th-ranked Texas A&M women?â„¢s basketball team opens exhibition play against Athletes In Action on Friday, Nov. 3 at 6 p.m. at Reed Arena.
The Aggies return all five starters from last year?â„¢s NCAA Tournament squad including junior All-American candidate Morenike Atunrase (Shreveport, La.) who is the team?â„¢s top returning scorer and shot blocker from a year ago averaging 14.0 points and 1.8 blocks per game.
The 14-player roster also includes the supporting cast of junior A?â„¢Quonesia Franklin (Tyler, Texas), sophomore center La Toya Micheaux (Missouri City, Texas), junior Patrice Reado (Houston, Texas), sophomore Takia Starks (Houston, Texas), sophomore Danielle Gant (Oklahoma City, Okla.), senior Lenka Zimova (Partizanske, Slovakia), redshirt freshman Ashlaa Horton (Cedar Hill, Texas), junior LaToya Gulley (Fayetteville, Ark.), senior Katy Pounds (Shallowater, Texas) and senior Jennifer Wilks (Frankston, Texas).
The exhibition game will also mark the unofficial collegiate debuts of freshmen Damitria Buchanan (Houston, Texas), Katrina Limbaha (Riga, Latvia) and Adrian McGowen (Goodrich, Texas).
In the Gary Blair Era, the Aggies have gone an undefeated 2-0 against Athletes In Action in exhibition play. A&M defeated AIA in 2004 (79-66) and 2005 (77-70). This year?â„¢s AIA roster includes former collegiate standouts in Vanderbilt?â„¢s Erica Grimaldi and Wisconsin?â„¢s Katie Voight.
A&M is one of seven NCAA Division I schools Athletes In Action will compete against in the preseason including Central Michigan (Oct. 31), Michigan (Nov. 1), Texas Tech (Nov. 5), Boston College (Nov. 7), Syracuse (Nov. 8) and Wright State (Nov. 13). AIA recently defeated Central Michigan in a high-scoring 92-78 win on Tuesday night. Voight was one of three AIA players to score in double figures with 16 points.
For the first time ever, women?â„¢s exhibition games will be broadcast locally on WTAW-AM (1620) with Tom Turbiville (play-by-play) and Tap Bentz (color analyst) calling the action live from Reed Arena.
The women?â„¢s first exhibition game will be part of a doubleheader with the Texas A&M men?â„¢s basketball team who will take on Lithuanian Academy at 8:30 p.m. Ticket prices range from $10-$24 and can be purchased at The 12th Man Foundation Ticket Center at Kyle Field and at Reed Arena. Tickets will be valid for both the men?â„¢s and women?â„¢s exhibition games on Friday night.
?Aggie Basketball has turned this area into Hoop Hysteria,? said Texas A&M head coach Gary Blair, who enters his fourth season at A&M. ?Reed Arena in years to come will be too small to hold the crowds that will want to see Billy Gillispie and Gary Blair Basketball. We can turn Reed Arena into the Fenway Park or Wrigley Field of basketball.?
Friday?â„¢s matchup will be the first of two exhibition contests in four days for A&M. The Aggies will play their final exhibition game on Monday, Nov. 6 versus the Houston Jaguars at 7 p.m. at Reed Arena. Fans can still purchase season tickets by calling 1-888-99-AGGIE or online at AggieAthletics.com.
Help Those In Need This Winter?...Aggie Athletes Involved is sponsoring a coat drive at all four men?â„¢s and women?â„¢s basketball exhibition games. Coat donors will have a chance to win an autographed basketball by the team. All donated coats and blankets will be donated to Twin City Mission.