January 12, 2007
Reed Arena will be the setting for a clash between two of the nation?â„¢s top 25 teams as the No. 19 Texas A&M women?â„¢s basketball team (11-3, 1-1) tries to fend off No. 9 Baylor (15-2, 2-1) on Saturday, Jan. 13 at 3:30 p.m. (CT) in the Battle of the Brazos. It will be the first top 25 matchup this season for the Aggies and the fifth for the Lady Bears. A&M has yet to defeat Baylor in the Gary Blair Era (2003-Present). The Aggies enter the game with their first-ever Big 12 Conference win at Texas Tech (49-47) on Jan. 10 and hope to carry that momentum into a more physical contest versus a Lady Bear squad who have won 13-straight in the series dating back to 2001. Both teams come into conference play with high expectations as they were picked to finish among the top four teams in the league with A&M second and BU fourth. The Aggies may be one of only four Big 12 schools who remain undefeated at home, but they must pass their first conference test at Reed Arena with a very athletic Baylor team. The A&M defense has held its last 14 opponents to a league-leading 48.3 points per game which ranks third nationally and 25.0 percent shooting from beyond the arc. They are also tops in the Big 12 in assists (18.9) and turnover margin (+7.9).
ON THE TUBE
The Aggies make their national television debut this season with Kevin Eschenfelder (play-by-play) and Brenda VanLengen (color analyst) calling Saturday?â„¢s game live from Reed Arena on Fox Sports Net. Fans throughout the country can watch the game live on FSN Florida, FSN Midwest, FSN New York, FSN Rocky Mountain, SportsSouth and FSN Southwest (Texas and Oklahoma). Delayed broadcasts will be shown on FSN Arizona (2 a.m.), FSN Bay Area (3 a.m.), FSN Detroit (2 a.m.), FSN New England (2 a.m.), FSN North (2 a.m.), FSN Northwest (2 a.m.), FSN Pittsburgh (2 a.m.), FSN South (2 a.m.), FSN West (3:30 p.m.) and Comcast Chicago (3:30 a.m.). Check your local listings.
DOLLAR DAY AT REED ARENA
Texas A&M will put its undefeated 8-0 record at Reed Arena to the test as the Aggies host Baylor Saturday. Gather up your friends and family and head to Reed Arena for Dollar Day, presented by Campbell Custom Homes. Dollar Day specials will include tickets and concession items such as hot dogs, popcorn, candy and soda priced at $1 while supplies last. Dollar tickets must be purchased in advance at the Reed Arena Box Office or at Kyle Field Ticket Office. The Reed Arena Box Office will open on Saturday at 10 a.m. prior to tipoff. Last season, A&M set a new school record at the venue with 11,088 fans in attendance against the Lady Bears.
LADY BEAR WATCH
Baylor saw a 12-game winning streak come to an end as No. 8 Oklahoma claimed a 76-63 road victory on Jan. 10. It marked only the second loss this season for the Lady Bears next to a 69-55 loss to No. 12 Purdue in the Preseason WNIT championship game on Nov. 19. Only two years removed from its first national championship title in 2005, Baylor is primed to set on that quest again with six newcomers, two New Yorkers, two Californians and one local product out of Waco, tabbed as the nation?â„¢s No. 1 recruiting class. The Lady Bears are currently 2-2 against top 25 opposition with notable wins over No. 9 LSU (64-60) on Nov. 21 and No. 22 BYU (84-58) in the Preseason WNIT semifinals on Nov. 16. Senior forward Bernice Mosby, who sat out last season as a transfer from the University of Florida, recorded her 10th 20-point game of the season with a team-high 28 points and 11 rebounds versus OU. The Big 12 Preseason Newcomer of the Year is averaging a team-leading 18.1 points and 9.0 rebounds per game which ranks fourth-best in both categories in the league. BU has used the same starting lineup of Mosby, Angela Tisdale, Jessica Morrow, Rachel Allison and Jhasmin Player in all but the Central Florida game this season. The Lady Bears currently lead the nation in blocked shots per game (8.0).
PROBABLE STARTING LINEUPS
TEXAS A&M
No. Name (2006-07 Stats)
#10 A?â„¢Quonesia Franklin, G, 5-3, Jr. (6.9 ppg, 2.7 rpg)
#3 Takia Starks, G, 5-8, So. (14.9 ppg, 4.4 rpg)
#55 Danielle Gant, G/F, 5-11, So. (9.9 ppg, 6.7 rpg)
#24 Patrice Reado, F, 6-0, Jr. (7.9 ppg, 3.9 rpg)
#12 La Toya Micheaux, C, 6-3, So. (6.9 ppg, 6.1 rpg)
BAYLOR
No. Name 2006-07 Stats
#20 Angela Tisdale, G, 5-5, Jr. (11.4 ppg, 2.6 rpg)
#15 Jhasmin Player, G, 5-10, So. (6.6 ppg, 3.5 rpg)
#03 Jessica Morrow, G/F, 6-2, So. (10.1 ppg, 3.0 rpg)
#32 Bernice Mosby, F, 6-1, Sr. (18.1 ppg, 9.0 rpg)
#14 Rachel Allison, F/C, 6-1, So. (7.3 ppg, 6.7 rpg)
INSIDE THE SERIES
Baylor went 3-0 versus the Aggies last year to take over the all-time lead in the series, 36-34. Prior to the 2005-06 season, A&M held a one-game advantage in the series, 34-33. Last season, BU swept the regular season series and defeated A&M in the semifinals of the Big 12 Championship (53-52) to extend its win streak versus the Aggies to 13 consecutive games. The Lady Bears have won by an average margin of 20.8 points per game during the streak. A&M?â„¢s one-point loss versus the Lady Bears was the smallest margin of victory in the series since dropping a 60-57 decision on Jan. 10, 2004. In fact, the Aggies have only lost in single digits twice in the last 13 meetings between the two schools. A&M?â„¢s last win (87-81) over Baylor occurred almost six years ago on Jan. 20, 2001 in College Station, Texas. BU owns a commanding 17-3 lead in Big 12 regular season play. Two of the Aggies?â„¢ three victories in the series have been won at home.
AGAINST THE TOP 25
This will be the third-straight meeting in the series in which A&M and Baylor have both been ranked in the top 25 polls at the same time. A&M was ranked No. 22 and Baylor was ranked No. 10 going into the semifinal game of the 2006 Big 12 Championship in Dallas. Both were No. 21 and No. 12 respectively in last year?â„¢s 84-59 loss at Reed Arena in College Station. Last season, the Aggies went 0-6 against top 25 competition and have not beaten a top 25 opponent in the Gary Blair Era. They previously went 0-12 in 2003-04 and 0-8 in 2004-05. The Aggies have played six games against ranked opponents when also ranked in the top 25. Saturday?â„¢s contest will mark their seventh all-time next to three occurrences in 2005-06 and three times in 1995-96.
WE?â„¢VE GOT SOMETHING IN COMMON ?...
Besides their Big 12 counterparts, Texas A&M and Baylor had a pair of common opponents in non-conference play this season. They both handily defeated North Texas and Sam Houston State and surpassed the century mark in a contest. The Lady Bears scored a school-record 117 points in a 67-point blowout of Sam Houston State (117-50) on Dec. 4, while the Aggies claimed a school-record 83-point victory over McNeese State (109-26) on Nov. 21. Each rank No. 1 and 2 for most points scored in a single game this season in the Big 12. Baylor?â„¢s 117-point outing ranks third-most in conference history and A&M?â„¢s 109-points tied for eighth. Both teams start three sophomores and two upperclassmen and have some of the Lone Star State?â„¢s top talent on board. Native Texans makeup 64 percent of A&M?â„¢s roster and 45 percent of Baylor?â„¢s roster. The Aggies (45.1) and Lady Bears (45.3) are among the top five teams in the league who are shooting better than 45 percent from the floor. They also rank No. 1 and No. 2 in the league in steals per game and among the top 10 nationally in scoring margin. Last season, A&M and BU were one of four Big 12 teams to earn an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament along with Missouri and league champion Oklahoma.
AGAINST THE BIG 12 SOUTH
Every year the league gets stronger and stronger and the Big 12 South becomes a destination no opponent favors in regular season play. Four of the six schools which make up the Big 12 South are currently ranked among the top 25 teams in the country with No. 7 Oklahoma, No. 9 Baylor, No. 19 Texas A&M and No. 23 Texas. Historically, the Aggies have not fared so well with a 22-79 all-time record against their southern counterparts since the league?â„¢s formation. They have only won nine road games in 51 tries including their first-ever Big 12 road win at Texas Tech on Jan. 10. Last season, A&M posted its best record against Big 12 South foes (5-5) sweeping rival Texas and Oklahoma State and taking a series split versus Tech.
LOUISIANA TECH TIES
Four head coaches in the Big 12 have Louisiana Tech roots under Women?â„¢s Basketball Hall of Fame coach Leon Barmore. Texas A&M head coach Gary Blair served as an assistant coach there from 1980-85. During his five seasons in Ruston, Louisiana Tech won two national championships in four NCAA Final Four appearances. Baylor head coach Kim Mulkey starred for the Lady Techsters from 1980-84 and was coached by Barmore and Blair. She later served as an assistant coach at her alma mater from 1985-2000 and helped lead the Lady Techsters to a 430-68 record and seven NCAA Final Fours. Texas Tech head coach Kristi Curry also coached at La. Tech from 1996-99 before landing the head job at Purdue. After Barmore?â„¢s retirement in 2002, Oklahoma State head coach Kurt Budke took over the reins at Louisiana Tech for three seasons. His Lady Techster squads went 80-24 with three-straight NCAA Tournament appearances from 2002-05. Blair (11-3), Mulkey (15-2) and Budke (13-2) led teams have a combined 39 wins and less than three losses this season.
LAST TIME OUT
All-American Sophia Young scored 29 points for No. 10 Baylor as No. 22 Texas A&M dropped a 53-52 decision in the semifinals of the Phillips 66 Big 12 Women?â„¢s Basketball Championship on March 9, 2006 at Reunion Arena. A&M made its first appearance in the semifinals, while Baylor moved on to its second-straight appearance in the championship game. The game featured 11 lead changes and 11 ties. A&M held a five-point lead midway through the first half, while BU had a four-point lead three different times. During the last 10 minutes of the game, neither team led by more than three points. Young outscored her own team as she had 29 and the rest of the Lady Bears tallied 25 points. A&M cut Baylor?â„¢s 51-48 lead in the final 30 seconds to 51-50 when Danielle Gant drove to the right side of the lane against Young for a bucket. Baylor answered with a pair of free throws by Angela Tisdale with 17 seconds left. The final play featured All-Big 12 honorable mention selection A?â„¢Quonesia Franklin searching for a three-pointer. Her attempt fell short and Gant put the ball back as time expired. Gant finished with 10 points and eight rebounds on 5-of-5 shooting. Franklin led the Aggies with 14 points in the contest. A&M outrebounded Baylor, 42-41, marking the first time A&M had lost when outrebounding its opponent in 16 games. Baylor took an early 14-10 lead, but the Aggies answered with a 9-0 run to take a 19-14 advantage midway through the frame. Baylor held a 28-27 lead at the break. Young scored 16 of her 29 points in the first half. A&M used a 10-2 run early in the second half to take a 38-34 lead. Franklin started the run with a pair of three-pointers. Patrice Reado tallied nine points and nine rebounds with a pair of blocked shots. She had a season-best six offensive boards. All-Big 12 First Team selection Morenike Atunrase turned in eight points, six rebounds, four assists and four blocks for A&M.
TEXAS TECH RECAP
Junior All-American candidate Morenike Atunrase (Shreveport, La.) hit a jumper with 1:04 left to give Texas A&M a 49-47 victory over Texas Tech on Jan. 10. It marked A&M?â„¢s first win in Lubbock since 1980 and first victory against Texas Tech on the road in Big 12 Conference play. The Aggies picked up only their 10th win in the all-time series versus the Lady Raiders. Texas A&M head coach Gary Blair also claimed his first victory in his 22-year coaching career against his alma mater in seven tries. He is now 1-6 versus the Lady Raiders. The Aggie defense held Tech scoreless for the final three minutes of the game. Down by three and looking to score, junior A?â„¢Quonesia Franklin (Tyler, Texas) drained a long-range three-pointer with 1:57 to go to tie the game up at 47-47. Senior Lenka Zimova (Partizanske, Slovakia) scored a team-and season-high 11 points including nine key baskets in the first half of play. Sophomore Takia Starks (Houston, Texas) added 10. Atunrase, the team?â„¢s leading scorer, had five points and four rebounds in her second game since suffering a foot fracture in early December. Alesha Robertson turned in a double-double with 14 points and 14 rebounds for Texas Tech. The game was tied at 25-25 at halftime and the lead changed nine times. Up by five points, A&M held its largest lead of the contest with 12:40 remaining in the second half. Texas Tech shot 29.3 percent (17-of-58) from the field to 35.7 percent (20-of-56) by the Aggies. The last three contests between the two schools in Lubbock have now been decided by three points or less.
STARKS PROVIDING A SPARK
Sophomore Takia Starks (Houston, Texas) is currently one of the top 10 scoring leaders in the Big 12 averaging a team-leading 14.9 points per game which is eighth-best in the league. She is one of three underclassmen (all of which are sophomores) in the top 10 along with league-leader Courtney Paris of OU (23.4) and Kelsey Griffin of Nebraska (16.1). Starks has scored in double figures in all but two games this season and has led the team in scoring on six occasions. She is one of two Aggies to have played and started in all 14 contests this season along with junior point guard A?â„¢Quonesia Franklin. Both lead the team in minutes played on the court with Starks averaging 31.2 and Franklin averaging 32.4. Starks is currently on a seven-game double-digit scoring streak.
AGGIES IN BIG 12 PLAY
In their last two Big 12 games against Kansas State (lost 48-45) and Texas Tech (won 49-47), A&M has scored 53 percent of their points in the paint and 38 percent of their points off turnovers. They have stripped the ball a combined 22 times averaging 11.0 a game which is tops in league play. Both contests have been decided by three points or less. The Aggies, however, have been held under their normal scoring average of 71 points per game with low scoring affairs at K-State (season-low 45 points) and at Texas Tech (49). It marked only the second time in league history that A&M opened Big 12 play with its first two games on the road since the 2001-02 season. The Aggies halted a three-game losing skid on the road with the win over Tech.
THE SLANT ON GANT
Sophomore Danielle Gant continues to shoot a team-best 57.1 percent from the floor which ranks fourth-best in the Big 12. She has consistently shot 40 percent or better from the floor in 13-of-14 games played this season. Gant has made six starts this year along with four career starts in league play including the last two contests at Kansas State and Texas Tech. She is one of three Aggies hitting on 40 percent of their field goal shots along with junior Patrice Reado (53.2) and freshman Adrian McGowen (56.1). Gant recorded six points in the win at Texas Tech including the first six to the open the game on a 6-0 run.
THE AGGIE DEFENSE
Texas A&M has led the Big 12 in steals the last six consecutive seasons. It?â„¢s no wonder the Aggies are tops in the league with 177 on the season which ranks 12th nationally as of Jan. 11. They recorded a season-high 20 steals against Western Illinois on Jan. 2 and have stripped the ball more than 11 times in 10-of-14 games played this season. The Aggie defense has caused eight opponents this season to turn over the ball more than 24 times in a contest including Pepperdine (34), Mercer (34), McNeese State (28), West Virginia (29), North Texas (26) Sam Houston State (37), Western Illinois (29) and Kansas State (24). Sophomore Danielle Gant ranks fourth in the league in the steals category (2.3 avg), while junior Patrice Reado is seventh-best (2.1 avg) and junior A?â„¢Quonesia Franklin is ninth-best (1.9 avg) through all games played. As a team, they have held opponents to 48.3 points per game which ranks third nationally.
ON THE NATIONAL FRONT
Not only does Texas A&M rank among the top 25 teams in the nation in steals and scoring defense, but also in four other NCAA statistical categories including scoring margin (7th, 22.7), three-point field goal percentage (15th, 39.0), assists per game (7th, 18.9) and blocked shots per game (25th, 5.3) as of Jan. 11. Junior point guard A?â„¢Quonesia Franklin ranks 23rd nationally in assists per game (5.6 avg). Meanwhile, Baylor ranks 11th in won-loss percentage (88.2) and ninth in scoring margin (21.9). Baylor freshman center Danielle Wilson ranks ninth nationally in blocks per game (3.2).
AGGIES IN THE RPI
The Aggies are currently No. 29 in the Jeff Sagarin/CBN Women?â„¢s College Basketball Ratings as of Jan 11. Nine Big 12 opponents are rated among the top 100 RPI teams including Oklahoma (9), Baylor (19), Kansas State (25), Texas (29), Iowa State (38), Missouri (30), Nebraska (45), Texas Tech (58) and Colorado (72) according to CollegeRPI.com. A&M also played top 100 non-conference opponents in Washington (22) and Arizona (71). The first official NCAA RPI index will be released on Jan. 16.
A LOOK AT THE BIG 12
Preseason favorite Oklahoma leads the Big 12 with an undefeated 3-0 record in league play. The Sooners survived their recent trip to Waco with a 76-63 victory at Baylor on Jan. 10. The team making the most waves is Colorado. The Buffaloes are in second place with a 2-0 record after claiming convincing wins over Missouri (71-59) on Jan. 3 and Iowa State (81-67) on Jan. 10. Texas A&M will host red hot CU next on Jan. 17 in College Station. The Aggies are currently situated in a five-way tie for fourth with a 1-1 record in Big 12 action. Baylor is third followed by Kansas State, Oklahoma State, Nebraska, A&M and Texas.
1. Oklahoma (13-1, 3-0)
2. Colorado (8-6, 2-0)
3. Baylor (15-2, 2-1)
4T. Kansas State (13-2, 1-1)
4T. Oklahoma State (13-2, 1-1)
4T. Nebraska (13-3, 1-1)
4T. Texas A&M (11-3, 1-1)
4T. Texas (12-4, 1-1)
9T. Iowa State (13-3, 1-2)
9T. Missouri (13-3, 1-2)
9T. Texas Tech (10-7, 1-2)
12. Kansas (5-10, 0-3)
AGGIES IN THE TOP 25
A&M dropped two spots to No. 19 in the latest Associated Press Top 25 Poll released Monday and No. 19 in the latest USA TODAY/ESPN Coaches Top 25 Poll release Tuesday. Their previous No. 10-ranking during Week 3 in both the AP and Coaches Polls marked the highest-ever national ranking in school history. A&M is one of only eight schools including Ohio State, North Carolina, LSU, Connecticut, Michigan State, Duke and Tennessee with both its men?â„¢s and women?â„¢s basketball teams ranked among the top 25 teams in the country. The Aggies are also one of only two Big 12 schools to hold that distinction along with Texas. A&M has appeared in the national polls for 10-straight weeks since the preseason polls came out on Nov. 1 and 8. The school record for consecutive weeks in the AP Top 25 Poll is 12-straight weeks during the 1994-95 campaign under former head coach Candi Harvey. A&M went on to win the NWIT that season. The Aggies also appeared in the AP Poll for seven-straight weeks in 1995-96.
AGGIES ON THE RADIO
All Texas A&M women?â„¢s basketball games can be heard via a radio broadcast on the Texas A&M Sports Network. Tom Turbiville (play-by-play) and Tap Bentz (color analyst) will call the action live from Reed Arena on KZNE 1150 AM.