November 23, 2006
The Texas A&M women?â„¢s basketball team (3-0) spends the Thanksgiving holiday this week in sunny Southern California as the No. 12/13-ranked Aggies take on West Virginia (2-2) in the opening round of the 10th-annual Loyola Marymount Ayres Hotel Thanksgiving Classic on Friday, Nov. 24 at 5 p.m. (CT) in Los Angeles, Calif. It will be a first time meeting between both schools. A&M will face either American (1-3) or host LMU (2-2) in the consolation or championship game on Saturday, Nov. 25 at 4 or 6 p.m. (CT). The four-team tournament has played host to some of the nation?â„¢s top programs in the past including North Carolina, Oklahoma, North Carolina State, Arkansas, UCLA and Georgia. The Aggies are fresh off a school record-setting 83-point victory over McNeese State (109-26) on Tuesday night at Reed Arena. Their No. 12 national ranking in this week?â„¢s Associated Press Poll is the highest-ever in program history.
#12/13 TEXAS A&M (3-0) vs. WEST VIRGINIA (2-2)
LMU AYRES HOTEL THANKSGIVING CLASSIC
Game #4
November 24, 2006 ?* 5:00 p.m. (CT)
Gersten Pavilion (4,156)
at Los Angeles, Calif.
#12/13 TEXAS A&M (3-0) vs. AMERICAN (1-3) or LOYOLA MARYMOUNT (2-2)
LMU AYRES HOTEL THANKSGIVING CLASSIC
Game #5
November 25, 2006 ?* 4:00 or 6:00 p.m. (CT)
Gersten Pavilion (4,156)
at Los Angeles, Calif.
Television: None
Radio: Texas A&M Sports Network (KZNE 1150 AM)
Series History: First Meeting
Internet: Free live video via CSTV All-Access on www.AggieAthletics.com or www.LMULions.com
AGGIES LOVE L.A.!
This is the first road trip to the Golden State for the Aggies since the 1995-96 season where A&M last played at Santa Clara and San Francisco under then head coach Candi Harvey. It is also the first trip to the Southern California area since the 1992-93 season when A&M competed against UC Irvine and San Diego State. A&M is 3-1 in its last two California excursions. Prior to competition on Friday and Saturday, the Aggies will enjoy day trips to Disneyland and scenic Venice Beach. In two weeks, the No. 10-ranked A&M men?â„¢s basketball team will face UCLA in the John R. Wooden Classic on Dec. 9 in Anaheim, Calif. Three A&M players are currently top preseason candidates for the prestigious John R. Wooden Award including junior Morenike Atunrase (Shreveport, La.), Acie Law IV and Joseph Jones. A&M is one of 11 NCAA Division I schools to have both its men?â„¢s and women?â„¢s basketball teams ranked among the top 25 in the nation. They are joined by Maryland, UNC, Tennessee, Duke, Ohio State, Connecticut, LSU, UCLA, Kentucky and Texas.
SCOUTING WEST VIRGINIA
West Virginia rebounded from a season-opening 64-25 loss to then No. 10-ranked LSU with two-straight wins against Howard (84-61) on Nov. 14 and Wofford (78-30) on Nov. 18. A&M is one of three top-25 ranked non-conference opponents WVU will face before opening up its Big East Conference season at home versus UConn on Jan. 2, 2007. They travel to fourth-ranked Tennessee on Dec. 20. Last season, the Mountaineers upset top-seeded Rutgers (56-40) in the semifinals to advance to their first-ever Big East Tournament championship game. The win over the then No. 6-ranked Scarlet Knights is the program?â„¢s highest victory over a ranked opponent to date. Like A&M, WVU returns all five starters from last year?â„¢s Big East title game squad and currently have four players averaging double figures in scoring. Senior guard Britney Davis-White is a Houston native out of M.B. Lamar High School and has started in the last three contests for the Mountaineers. WVU has been without the services of senior All-American guard Meg Bulger, who will miss the entire 2006-07 season after reinjuring her knee in the offseason.
LOOKING AT HOST LMU
Should the Aggies meet host Loyola Marymount in the consolation or championship game on Saturday, it would mark the second time this season A&M has faced a school hailing from the West Coast Conference and the state of California. Both 2006-07 opponent Pepperdine and LMU were tabbed as preseason favorites to win the WCC title. Last year, the Lions posted a 17-12 overall record and finished 10-4 in conference play. LMU is 0-1 this season against ranked opponents after falling 88-61 in its season opener at then-No. 4 Stanford on Nov. 9. They most recently defeated Long Beach State (61-38) on Tuesday night and held the 49ers to just nine second-half points on 10.5 percent shooting (4-38) from the field.
THE BOOK ON AMERICAN
American is on a three-game losing skid with losses to Longwood (66-59) on Nov. 12, Delaware (71-54) on Nov. 17 and Towson (69-57) on Nov. 19. Last season, the Eagles went 7-21 overall and 4-9 in conference play. They are currently led in scoring by junior guard Liz Hayes who is averaging 14.8 points per game. Junior college transfer Stephanie N?â„¢Garsanet (Adibjan, Ivory Coast) is the sister of former Missouri and All-Big 12 Conference standout Christelle N?â„¢Garsanet. Second-year head coach Melissa McFerrin also has Big 12 ties as she was a four-year letterwinner and starting point guard at Mizzou from 1979-83. She led the Tigers to an 88-37 record and a trip to the NCAA Sweet 16 as a senior. AU is looking for its second win of the season and will face host LMU in the opening round Friday.
PROBABLE STARTING LINEUPS
TEXAS A&M
No. Name (2006-07 Stats)
#10 A?â„¢Quonesia Franklin, G, 5-3, Jr. (2.7 ppg, 7.7 apg)
#3 Takia Starks, G, 5-8, So. (14.0 ppg, 5.7 rpg)
#21 Morenike Atunrase, G/F, 5-10, Jr. (17.3 ppg, 3.0 rpg)
#24 Patrice Reado, F, 6-0, Jr. (8.7 ppg, 3.7 rpg)
#12 La Toya Micheaux, C, 6-3, So. (8.0 ppg, 5.3 rpg)
WEST VIRGINIA
No. Name (2006-07 Stats)
#23 Ashley Powell, G, 5-6, So. (4.3 ppg, 3.8 rpg)
#02 Sparkle Davis, G, 5-9, So. (10.8 ppg, 2.5 rpg)
#01 LaQuita Owens, G, 5-9, Jr. (12.0 ppg, 5.5 rpg)
#22 Chakhia Cole, F, 5-10, Jr. (10.3 ppg, 5.3 rpg)
#45 Olayinka Sanni, C, 6-2, Jr. (10.3 ppg, 7.5 rpg)
LOYOLA MARYMOUNT
No. Name (2006-07 Stats)
#11 Cassidy Moore, G, 5-7, So. (6.0 ppg, 2.5 rpg)
#13 Amanda DeCoud, G, 5-7, Jr. (11.3 ppg, 3.0 rpg)
#22 Amanda Patton, G, 5-9, Sr. (13.3 ppg, 4.3 rpg)
#34 Valerie Ogoke, F, 6-2, Jr. (4.5 ppg, 4.3 rpg)
#35 Ashlee Dunlap, F, 6-1, Sr. (5.8 ppg, 6.8 rpg)
AMERICAN
No. Name (2006-07 Stats)
2 Talicia Jackson, G, 5-8, So. (6.0 ppg, 4.0 rpg)
24 Liz Hayes, G, 5-7, Jr. (14.8 ppg, 1.3 rpg)
10 Nicole Ryan, G, 6-2, So. (8.5 ppg, 0.8 rpg)
23 Maggie Smith-Davidson, F, 5-10, Jr. (3.8 ppg, 2.5 rpg)
34 Letitia Curry, F, 6-0, So. (9.0 ppg, 12.0 rpg)
NOT A NEW KID ON THE BLOCK
Junior All-American candidate Morenike Atunrase is closing in on the school record for career blocked shots. She is currently averaging 2.0 blocks per game having swatted a season-high four shots in the team?â„¢s season opener against Pepperdine on Nov. 10. A&M?â„¢s single-season record holder in the category (58 as a sophomore in 2005-06), Atunrase has blocked 121 shots to date and ranks third all-time behind former players Kelly Cerny (137) and Lynn Classen (135). She has blocked a shot in 43 of her last 47 contests dating back to her freshman season.
LEADER OF THE PACK
Texas A&M leads the Big 12 Conference in 11 of 19 statistical categories including scoring offense (92.0), scoring margin (+53.7), field goal percentage (56.0), scoring defense (30.7), three-point percentage (57.6), three-point percentage defense (20.0), rebounding defense (26.7), assists (28.0), steals (14.7), turnover margin (+14.7) and assist-to-turnover ratio (1.62).
AGGIES REACH THE CENTURY MARK
For only the 10th time in school history, the Aggies reached the century mark with their 109-26 blowout of McNeese State on Nov. 21. It marked the first 100-point game in the Gary Blair Era. The Aggies were two points shy of the school single-game record set against Lamar (111 points) on Nov. 15, 1995. The McNeese State game currently ranks third all-time for most points scored in a single game.
TEXAS A&M 100-POINT GAMES
1. 111-83 vs. Lamar on Nov. 15, 1995
2. 110-50 vs. UT-Pan American on Nov. 30, 1987
3. 109-26 vs. McNeese State on Nov. 21, 2006
4. 105-81 vs. Rice on Jan. 8, 1983
5. 103-52 vs. UT-Pan American on Nov. 27, 1999
6. 103-85 vs. SMU on Feb. 26, 1994
7. 101-95 vs. St. Mary?â„¢s (4OT) on Dec. 17, 1984
8. 101-80 vs. Oklahoma on Dec. 5, 1990
9. 101-47 vs. TCU on Jan. 28, 1995
10. 100-39 vs. UT-Pan American on Dec. 8, 1988
McNEESE STATE RECAP
The Aggies turned in a record-setting game versus McNeese State on Nov. 21. A&M?â„¢s 83-point margin of victory was its largest defeat of an opponent since beating Rice (99-16) by 83 points on Jan. 21, 1975. It was the second fewest points scored by an opponent (26) in school history behind 16 scored in the 1975 Rice contest. A&M reset the Reed Arena record for most points scored in a single-game with 109 points. The previous record was 103 against UT-Pan American on Dec. 8, 1988. All 14 players on the A&M roster contributed to the scoring column.
SEEING DOUBLE
Sophomore Danielle Gant (Oklahoma City, Okla.) recorded her first career double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds against McNeese State on Nov. 21. She reached the milestone in just the first half of play. It marked the fourth time of her career to grab double-digit boards. She was one of six players to end the night in double figures including 19 by Morenike Atunrase and a career-high 17 by freshman Adrian McGowen (Goodrich, Texas). Gant and sophomore Takia Starks (Houston, Texas). Gant and Starks are the only two A&M players to record a double-double this season. Starks had an 11 point and a career-high 11 rebound outing against Pepperdine on Nov. 10.
70 AND RISING ?...
The Aggies shot a scorching 77.8 percent from beyond the three-point arc (7-9) versus McNeese State on Nov. 21. It marked the second consecutive game in which A&M shot over 70 percent from downtown. They previously shot the lights out against Mercer draining 11 of 15 shots from three-point land on Nov. 16. The team?â„¢s 11 three-pointers was one shy of the school single-game record of 12 set at Brown on Feb. 8, 1996. It?â„¢s no wonder the Aggies currently lead the Big 12 in three-point field goal percentage (57.6) behind the three-point marksmanship of conference leader Adrian McGowen who is shooting 83.3 percent. Teammate Morenike Atunrase has made her last six-straight three-pointers to tie for second-best in the league with a 66.7 accuracy.
NO NEED FOR WINDEX
A&M cleared the glass a season-best 50 times in its 83-point win over McNeese State. Nearly every Aggie on the roster contributed to the team rebound total including 10 by Danielle Gant and six from A?â„¢Quonesia Franklin. Last season, A&M grabbed 50-or-more rebounds three times including a season-best 59 in last year?â„¢s season home opener against Saint Peter?â„¢s on Nov. 21, 2005. Gant and teammate Takia Starks are both averaging a team-leading 5.7 boards per game.
DISHING THE ROCK
A&M dished out a season-high 33 assists against McNeese State on Nov. 21. Junior point guard A?â„¢Quonesia Franklin (Tyler, Texas) turned in her fourth career double-assist game with 10 versus the Cowgirls. She currently leads the Big 12 with an impressive 3.83 assist-to-turnover ratio. Meanwhile, the unselfish Aggies are averaging a conference-leading 28.0 assists per game.
ARIZONA ON THE HORIZON
A much-anticipated matchup against perennial Pac-10 Conference power Arizona (2-2) looms ahead for the Aggies. A&M returns home next week and will host the Wildcats on Tuesday, Nov. 28 at 7 p.m. at Reed Arena. Last December, the Aggies upset Pac-10 rival Washington (79-65) on their home court. A&M will face UA and Washington in one week?â„¢s time this season with a return contest at UW scheduled for Dec. 6 in Seattle.
AGGIES ON THE RADIO
This weekend?â„¢s Texas A&M women?â„¢s basketball road games can be heard via a live radio broadcast on the Texas A&M Sports Network with Tom Turbiville (play-by-play) and Leanne South (color analyst) calling the action live from Gersten Pavilion on KZNE 1150 AM.
WATCH AGGIE BASKETBALL LIVE
Throughout the 2006-07 season, Texas A&M women?â„¢s basketball non-televised home games will be available via a live video and audio feed on Aggies All-Access free of charge on www.AggieAthletics.com. CSTV Aggies All-Access, which debuted in September, is the most watched channel on the CSTV network. Fans can access live and archived audio and video of football, basketball, baseball, soccer, volleyball, softball, swimming, tennis and more.