January 23, 2007
A tough three-game stretch in seven days continues as the No. 20/21-ranked Texas A&M women's basketball team (13-4, 3-2) collides with No. 25/25-ranked Nebraska (16-3, 4-1) on Wednesday, Jan. 24 at 7 p.m. Once again, Reed Arena will serve as the backdrop for a top 25 showdown between two of the Big 12 Conference's top teams. The Cornhuskers trail defending league champion Oklahoma in the current league standings with a 4-1 mark in conference play, followed by the Aggies who are situated in a three-way tie for third at 3-2. Looking to protect their home court, the Aggies have strung together 12 consecutive home victories since the end of the 2005-06 season. A&M (10-0) is one of only two league schools who remain undefeated at home along with Kansas State (9-0). The Aggies are coming off a 64-45 loss at No. 22 Texas on Jan. 21, but must regroup and recharge for a challenging schedule that awaits with back-to-back matchups against the No. 1 and 2 teams in the Big 12 in just a few days time. A&M will go head-to-head with No. 6 Oklahoma (16-1, 6-0) and All-American Courtney Paris on Saturday, Jan. 27 at 11 a.m. in Norman, Okla.
| GAME INFO |
| Wednesday, January 24, 7 p.m. (CST) Reed Arena (12,500), College Station Ticket Info: |
| RECORDS |
| Texas A&M: 13-4, 3-2 Big 12 Nebraska: 16-3, 4-1 Big 12 |
| RANKINGS |
| A&M is ranked 20th by ESPN/USA Today and 21st by The Associated Press. Nebraska is ranked 25th in both polls. |
| TELEVISION |
| None |
| LIVE VIDEO |
| Tom Turbiville, play-by-play Tap Bentz, commentary |
| RADIO |
| KZNE-AM 1150 (Local) Tom Turbiville, play-by-play Tap Bentz, commentary (broadcast time 6:45 p.m. CST) |
| INTERNET |
| Live Video (Free): (Aggies All-Access) Live Audio (Free): (Aggies All-Access) Live Stats: (aggieathletics.com) |
| SERIES |
| Nebraska leads, 12-4 Last Meeting: (3/8/06) Last at Reed: (2/16/05) |
| UP NEXT |
| A&M at (#6) Oklahoma Saturday, Jan. 27, 11 a.m. (CST) Lloyd Noble Center, Norman, Okla. TV: FOX Sports Net |
GAME PROMOTIONS
Show your school pride and support the Aggies on Student Appreciation Night at Reed Arena. All Texas A&M students with a valid ID will be admitted free of charge to Wednesday night's women's basketball game against Nebraska.
NEBRASKA AT A GLANCE
Preseason predictions are sometimes not a precursor for things to come. Nebraska could be deemed as the most overlooked team in the Big 12 after being chosen to finish sixth in the league in the preseason coaches poll. The Cornhuskers have been a force to reckon with outside of the conference as well. They have played a pretty hefty schedule with schools who annually make an appearance in the NCAA Tournament. Two of their three losses of the season have come at the hands of top 25 opposition in No. 13 Arizona State (87-60) on Nov. 10 and No. 8 Oklahoma (77-69) on Jan. 6. They also competed against the likes of USC, Minnesota, Michigan and North Carolina State and built a 12-2 record versus non-conference foes. With a lineup comprised of veteran seniors, the Huskers are off to their best start since opening the 1996-97 season at 16-1 overall and 7-1 in league play. Of those veterans, senior guard Kiera Hardy comes into Wednesday's contest averaging a team-leading 16.0 points per game which ranks sixth-best in the Big 12. This will mark the first time since Jan. 31, 2004 in which a ranked Husker squad has played another top 25 opponent at the same time. The Huskers are 2-2 against the top 25 this season including wins over No. 18 New Mexico (66-59) on Nov. 13 and No. 25 Kansas State (70-63) on Jan. 17.
OFFENSE vs. DEFENSE
Two different squads will take to the hardwood on Wednesday night. Nebraska is currently 25th in the nation in scoring offense putting up 74.8 points per game, while A&M is currently third in the nation in scoring defense holding opponents to just 50.0 points per outing. The Aggie defense will look to pressure the Huskers who are averaging 71.4 points per game in conference games only. Nebraska sophomore forward Kelsey Griffin will be the second Big 12 player in three-straight A&M games to rank among the nation's top 10 shooters in the country. She currently ranks 10th nationally hitting on 60.2 percent (115-of-191) of her field-goal shots. The Aggie defense previously held Colorado junior forward Jackie McFarland, No. 2 nationally with a 64.9 percent accuracy, to just 33.3 percent (3-of-9) shooting from the floor on Jan. 18.
PROBABLE STARTING LINEUPS
TEXAS A&M
No. Name (2006-07 Stats)
#10 A'Quonesia Franklin, G, 5-3, Jr. (7.5 ppg, 2.8 rpg)
#3 Takia Starks, G, 5-8, So. (14.5 ppg, 4.8 rpg)
#21 Morenike Atunrase, G/F, 5-10, Jr. (13.1 ppg, 4.5 rpg)
#24 Patrice Reado, F, 6-0, Jr. (8.1 ppg, 3.9 rpg)
#12 La Toya Micheaux, C, 6-3, So. (7.1 ppg, 6.1 rpg)
NEBRASKA
No. Name (2006-07 Stats)
#2 Ashley Ford, G, 5-7, Sr. (2.2 ppg, 1.6 rpg)
#21 Kiera Hardy, G, 5-6, Sr. (16.0 ppg, 2.9 rpg)
#4 Jelena Spiric, F, 6-0, Sr. (6.3 ppg, 4.3 rpg)
#23 Kelsey Griffin, F, 6-2, So. (15.8 ppg, 8.4 rpg)
#45 Chelsea Aubry, F, 6-2, Sr. (8.9 ppg, 4.4 rpg)
SERIES NOTES
Nebraska leads 12-4 in the all-time series against Texas A&M. Three of A&M's four wins in the series have been won in College Station. In fact, the Aggies picked up their first road win in Lincoln last season with a 69-50 victory on Feb. 11, 2006. Eleven of their past meetings have been decided by 10 points or less, while four of the last five have been decided in double digits. The Cornhuskers hold a 7-3 advantage when it comes to Big 12 regular season games. A&M has won the last two meetings between the two schools including a 73-64 win in the quarterfinals of last year's Big 12 Women's Basketball Championship in Dallas. The victory eventually led to A&M's first all-time appearance in the semifinal round. Both wins against the Huskers last season snapped a two-game losing skid in the series.
THREE'S COMPANY
Nebraska will be the second of three top 25 opponents A&M will have faced in a weeks time along with No. 24 Texas and No. 6 Oklahoma. All three schools are rated in the top 30 in the latest CollegeRPI.com index. The Aggies last drew three top 25 opponents in a row during Texas A&M head coach Gary Blair's first season in 2003-04. A&M faced No. 14 Colorado, No. 3 Texas and No. 7 Texas Tech from Jan. 21-28, 2004. They also went up against four ranked opponents in No. 24 Oklahoma, No. 1 Texas, No. 7 Texas Tech and No. 8 Kansas State from Feb. 7-18, 2004.
SHOOTING STARS
Three of the top 10 shooters in the Big 12 will be on hand Wednesday night. Texas A&M's Takia Starks (Houston, Texas) is averaging a team-leading 14.5 points per game which ranks eighth-best in the league, while Nebraska's Kiera Hardy (16.0 ppg) and Kelsey Griffin (15.8 ppg) are No. 6 and No. 7 respectively. Starks is on a career-best 10-game double-digit scoring streak including 14 points at No. 22 Texas on Jan. 21 and 13 points against Colorado on Jan. 18. She currently ranks second in three-point shooting (55.6 percent) in conference games played. Both Starks and Griffin were named to the inaugural Big 12 All-Rookie Team last season along with OU's Courtney Paris, Kansas State's Marlies Gipson and Texas' Erika Arriaran. Hardy is a two-time All-Big 12 First Team selection for the Huskers.
AGAINST THE TOP 25
This will be the ninth time in school history in which a ranked A&M squad will go up against a top 25 opponent. Last season, the Aggies went 0-6 against top 25 competition, but picked up their first top 25 victory in the Gary Blair Era with a 60-52 upset of No. 9 Baylor on Jan. 13 in College Station. They previously went 0-12 in 2003-04 and 0-8 in 2004-05. In all, the Aggies have played eight games against ranked opponents when also ranked in the top 25. The occurrence has happened twice in 2006-07, three times in 2005-06 and three times in 1995-96. A&M is 1-1 against top 25 opponents this season.
AGAINST THE BIG 12 NORTH
Big 12 North opponents have always posed a challenge for its Southern counterparts even despite only facing each other once a year during conference play. Only three of the past Big 12 Champions in league history have hailed from a North school including Kansas in 1997, Iowa State in 2000 (share) and Kansas State in 2004 (share). Last year, A&M went a program-best 6-0 versus the Big 12 North and previously had not posted more than three victories against North schools except for a 3-3 mark during the 2001-02 season. The Aggies are 19-43 all-time and 1-1 this season against the Big 12 North with a league-opening loss at Kansas State (48-45) on Jan. 6 and a 16-point victory over Colorado (74-58) on Jan. 18. The Huskers are currently the only North school ranked in the national polls with a No. 25 ranking in this week's AP Poll and USA TODAY/Coaches Poll.
THINK PINK
Fans can join in on the Texas A&M athletic department's efforts to "Beat the Hell Outta Breast Cancer" as the nationally-ranked Aggie women host Kansas on Saturday, Feb. 3 at 6 p.m. Tickets are available for $10 with $8 of the ticket sale benefiting the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. In addition, there will be official "BTHO Breast Cancer" shirts available in the concourse. This is a special opportunity to make a difference in the community. Fans are also encouraged to wear pink to the game in support of the cause.
LAST TIME OUT
In both team's last regular season outing, Morenike Atunrase scored 23 points and grabbed a season-high 10 rebounds as No. 24 Texas A&M beat Nebraska, 69-50, to claim its first-ever win in Lincoln on Feb. 11, 2006. Atunrase tallied her first double-double of the season and the second of her career. She scored 19 of her points in the first half of play. Atunrase blocked three shots and had a pair of steals as she shot 8-of-13 from the field while connecting on all three of her three-point attempts. The Aggies jumped out to a 19-4 lead highlighted by a pair of three-pointers by Atunrase. Nebraska never led in the game. The Huskers answered with an 11-4 run to pull within eight points as Kelsey Griffin tallied seven points during that stretch. She finished with 20 points and five rebounds to lead the Huskers. A&M responded with a 12-3 outburst to extend the lead to 35-18 midway through the half. A'Quonesia Franklin capped the run with a three-pointer which was part of her 11 points. She also had six rebounds and five assists. Turnovers in the first half hampered the Aggies as they committed a first-half season-high of 13. The Huskers managed to score 14 points off A&M turnovers which was nearly half of their first-half scoring production. The miscues continued for both teams in the second half. NU finished with 25 turnovers, while A&M tallied a season-high 22 turnovers. Nebraska scored 21 of its points off turnovers, while A&M used 27 points off turnovers to aid in the victory. A&M's defense held the Huskers' leading scorer Kiera Hardy to 10 points which was seven below her average. She was successful on 3-of-13 from the field. The Aggies outrebounded the Huskers, 39-24. A&M's defense further troubled Nebraska as the Huskers became the 10th A&M opponent to be held to double-digits below their normal offensive output.
TEXAS RECAP
Sophomore Takia Starks scored 14 but it wasn't enough as No. 17 Texas A&M suffered a 64-45 loss at No. 22 Texas on Jan. 21 in Austin. Texas' Tiffany Jackson scored 27 points and grabbed 14 rebounds as the Longhorns forced 23 turnovers to roll over the Aggies in the first installment of the State Farm Lone Star Showdown. Texas A&M and Texas met for the 70th all-time in the rivalry series. The Texas defense held the Aggies to their fewest points scored in a half this season with 18 first-half points. A&M committed a season-high 23 turnovers in the game. The Aggies shot a season-low 31.4 percent (16-of-51) from the floor versus the Longhorns. They also made the fewest field goals in a single game (16) this season. Sophomore Danielle Gant (Oklahoma City, Okla.) tied a season-high with 13 rebounds. She has grabbed double-digit boards on four occasions this season. Junior Patrice Reado scored 10 of her 12 points during the second half of play. She fouled out of the game for the fourth time this season and third time in league play. Texas became the only Big 12 team this season to outrebound the Aggies, 41-30. The 19-point margin of victory was the largest by an Aggie opponent this season. Starks and junior A'Quonesia Franklin (Tyler, Texas) logged in 40 minutes against Texas. A&M's 45 total points for the game tied the fewest this season along with a 48-45 loss at Kansas State in its Big 12 opener on Jan. 6.
ON THE NATIONAL SCENE
Texas A&M ranks among the top 25 teams in the nation in five NCAA statistical categories including scoring defense (3rd, 50.0) scoring margin (13th, 19.0), three-point field goal percentage (8th, 39.4), assists per game (11th, 17.8) and steals per game (13th, 12.3) as of Jan. 21. Junior point guard A'Quonesia Franklin also ranks 29th nationally in assists per game (5.2 avg) and leads the Big 12 in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.38).
AGGIES IN THE RPI
The Aggies are currently No. 22 in the Jeff Sagarin/CBN Women's College Basketball Ratings as of Jan 21. Ten Big 12 opponents are rated among the top 100 RPI teams including Oklahoma (8), Baylor (17), Kansas State (21), Texas (22), Nebraska (27), Missouri (49), Texas Tech (36), Iowa State (50), Colorado (81) and Oklahoma State (93) according to CollegeRPI.com. With so much strength and depth in one of the nation's premier women's basketball conferences, experts have predicted that seven Big 12 teams could earn an NCAA Tournament berth come Selection Monday in March. A&M also played top 100 non-conference opponents in Washington (30) and West Virginia (63).
LOOKING AT THE BIG 12
A&M is still in good standing in the Big 12 race. The Aggies are tied for third-place with No. 13 Baylor and No. 24 Texas with 3-2 marks in league play. A&M tops the conference in five statistical categories including scoring defense, three-point field goal percentage, assists, steals and turnover margin (+7.35). They are one of seven teams with less than four losses on the season. Nebraska (4-1) is the only Big 12 North school rounding out the top five teams in the league. Oklahoma remains an undefeated 6-0 in league competition.
1. Oklahoma (16-1, 6-0)
2. Nebraska (16-3, 4-1)
3T. Baylor (16-3, 3-2)
3T. Texas A&M (13-4, 3-2)
3T. Texas (14-5, 3-2)
6T. Iowa State (15-4, 3-3)
6T. Texas Tech (12-8, 3-3)
8T. Kansas State (14-4, 2-3)
8T. Oklahoma State (14-4, 2-3)
10. Colorado (8-9, 2-3)
11. Missouri (13-6, 1-5)
12. Kansas (6-12, 0-5)
AGGIES ON THE RADIO
All Texas A&M women'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.
12-STRAIGHT WEEKS IN THE TOP 25
A&M dropped four spots to No. 21 in the latest Associated Press Top 25 Poll released Monday and No. 20 in the latest USA TODAY/ESPN Coaches Top 25 Poll released 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's and women'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 a school-record tying 12-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 which last occurred 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.
2006-07 ASSOCIATED PRESS POLL
1. Duke (19-0)
2. North Carolina (22-0)
3. Maryland (20-1)
4. Tennessee (17-1)
5. Ohio State (17-1)
6. Oklahoma (14-1)
7. Connecticut (16-2)
8. LSU (18-2)
9. Stanford (16-3)
10. Arizona State (18-2)
11. George Washington (16-2)
12. Purdue (18-3)
13. Baylor (15-3)
14. Georgia (16-4)
15. Vanderbilt (17-3)
16. Bowling Green (16-2)
17. Marquette (17-2)
18. Louisville (18-2)
19. Middle Tennessee State (17-3)
20. California (15-4)
21. Texas A&M (13-4)
22. Mississippi (16-4)
23. Michigan State (15-4)
24. Texas (14-5)
25. Nebraska (16-3)
2006-07 USA TODAY/ESPN COACHES POLL
1. Duke (19-0)
2. North Carolina (22-0)
3. Maryland (20-1)
4. Tennessee (17-1)
5. Connecticut (16-2)
6. Oklahoma (15-1)
7. Ohio State (17-1)
8. LSU (18-2)
9. Stanford (16-3)
10. Arizona State (18-2)
11. Baylor (15-3)
12. George Washington (16-2)
13. Purdue (18-3)
14. Vanderbilt (17-3)
15. Georgia (16-4)
16. Bowling Green (16-2)
17. Louisville (18-2)
18. Marquette (17-2)
19. Middle Tennessee State (17-3)
20. Texas A&M (13-4)
21. Michigan State (15-4)
22. California (15-4)
23. Pittsburgh (15-3)
24. Texas (14-5)
25. Mississippi (16-4)
25. Nebraska (16-3)