February 23, 2008
One of the nation?â„¢s most-heated college rivalries continues in the state capital this weekend as the 19th-ranked Texas A&M women?â„¢s basketball team (19-7, 7-5) looks to earn another half point in the second edition of the State Farm Lone Star Showdown with archrival Texas (16-10, 4-8) on Sunday, Feb. 24 at the Frank Erwin Center in Austin, Texas. Opening tip is scheduled for 2 p.m. with the game to be televised nationally on ESPN2. With four games to go in the regular season, the stakes are high as the Aggies and Longhorns make one last push in the final home stretch to keep their postseason dreams alive. A winning record in Big 12 Conference play could make all the difference come Selection Monday when NCAA Tournament bids are handed out. After starting out 1-4 in the league, A&M has turned the corner winning six of their last seven including a 60-46 victory over Iowa State on Feb. 20. However, the Aggies?â„¢ upcoming path is not without obstacles as they close out the regular season on their rival?â„¢s home court followed by a tough road matchup at No. 16 Oklahoma State on Feb. 27 and back-to-back home contests with No. 9 Baylor on March 1 and No. 10 Oklahoma on March 6. The Longhorns are 10-2 at home in the Erwin Center this season, a venue in which A&M has gone 1-10 since the Big 12?â„¢s inception in 1996-97. A win would give the Aggies, not only state bragging rights, but a third-ever series sweep over UT and a third-straight 20-win season.
SCOUTING THE LONGHORNS
Since both team?â„¢s initial meeting on Feb. 9, Texas has gone 1-2 against league foes with a 61-51 upset of eighth-ranked Baylor on Feb. 13. The win snapped a three-game losing streak for UT which included a 66-57 setback to the Aggies. The Longhorns?â„¢ road woes would continue with losses at Colorado (67-52) on Feb. 16 and at No. 16 Oklahoma State (71-66) on Feb. 20 to put them at 0-6 away from Austin this season. First-year head coach Gail Goestenkors is a proven winner as she previously led perennial power Duke to 13 consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances including four NCAA Final Fours. She currently leads one of the youngest squads in the Big 12 that includes sophomore guard Brittainey Raven who is averaging a team-leading 15.2 points per game which ranks sixth-best in the league. With a 4-8 mark against Big 12 competition, the Longhorns will need to win out the remaining balance of their schedule to have a chance at postseason play. UT will face A&M, Kansas, OU and Tech in its final regular-season stretch. The Longhorns currently rank 17th nationally in blocked shots per game (5.1) behind 74 on the season from junior center Ashley Lindsey.
ON THE DEUCE
Texas A&M will appear on national television a school-record eight times during the 2007-08 season including its seventh all-time appearance on ESPN and its sister network ESPN2 on Sunday. Pam Ward (play-by-play) and Basketball Hall of Famer Nancy Lieberman (color analyst) will call the action live from the Frank Erwin Center on ESPN2. The Aggies are 2-3 all-time on the deuce and picked up their second-ever win on the network with a 70-56 victory over Texas Tech on Feb. 17 in College Station.
PROBABLE STARTING LINEUPS
TEXAS A&M
No. Name (2007-08 Stats)
#10 A?â„¢Quonesia Franklin, G, 5-3, Sr. (7.2 ppg, 4.9 apg)
#3 Takia Starks, G, 5-8, Jr. (17.1 ppg, 4.4 rpg)
#55 Danielle Gant, G/F, 5-11, Jr. (14.9 ppg, 7.4 rpg)
#24 Patrice Reado, F, 6-0, Sr. (8.6 ppg, 4.8 rpg)
#12 La Toya Micheaux, C, 6-3, Jr. (3.6 ppg, 5.6 rpg)
TEXAS
No. Name (2007-08 Stats)
#3 Carla Cortijo, G, 5-7, So. (9.6 ppg, 4.8 apg)
#10 Brittainey Raven, G, 6-0, So. (15.2 ppg, 4.7 rpg)
#20 Erneisha Bailey, G, 5-9, Sr. (7.1 ppg, 4.5 rpg)
#00 Earnesia Williams, F, 6-1, So. (8.3 ppg, 3.9 rpg)
#35 Ashley Lindsey, C, 6-4, Jr. (11.8 ppg, 7.1 rpg)
INSIDE THE RIVALRY SERIES
Texas may command a 58-14 lead in the all-time series between the two in-state rivals, but A&M has won the last four out of five contests by an average margin of 12 points. The Aggies are 6-17 all-time versus the Longhorns in Big 12 regular season play meeting twice in the postseason (1-1) since the league?â„¢s formation in 1996-97. Only three of A&M?â„¢s 14 victories in the series have been won on the road in Austin. Two years ago, the Aggies claimed their first-ever win in Austin in the Big 12 era with a 73-53 rout of UT on Feb. 8, 2006. It marked the largest margin of victory (+20) against the Longhorns on their home court as A&M ended Texas?â„¢ 31-game home conference win streak. The Aggies went on to sweep UT that season (2005-06) for only the second time in school history next to the 1994-95 season.
STATE FARM LONE STAR SHOWDOWN STANDINGS
Texas A&M currently leads five points to 3.5 points in the latest State Farm Lone Star Showdown standings. The Aggies earned full points in women?â„¢s soccer, women?â„¢s cross country, football and women?â„¢s swimming and diving along with a half point from men?â„¢s and women?â„¢s basketball this season. Meanwhile, UT picked up full points in volleyball, men?â„¢s cross country and men?â„¢s swimming and diving along with a half point in men?â„¢s basketball. Sunday?â„¢s winner will receive a half point. For complete results, log onto: www.lonestarshowdown.net.
LAST TIME OUT
In the first edition of the State Farm Lone Star Showdown, No. 20 Texas A&M fended off a late second-half rally by rival Texas to secure its fourth-straight win in Big 12 Conference play, 66-57, before a crowd of 4,910 at Reed Arena on Feb. 9. In the final seconds of regulation, Morenike Atunrase was sent to the free throw line twice where she converted 3-of-4 shots to give A&M a nine-point edge and its second consecutive win over the Longhorns in the 72-game series between the two storied rivals. A&M led by as many as 19 points with 33 seconds left in the first half of play as UT trailed 39-22 at halftime. The Longhorns made their comeback in the second half and cut the lead to as few as four points with 1:45 to go, 59-55. Defensively, the Aggies kept UT on its toes forcing 21 turnovers including 12 in the first half alone. Danielle Gant scored 18 of her game-high 25 points in the first half and combined with teammates Takia Starks and Patrice Reado to account for 48 of the team?â„¢s final 66 points in the ballgame. Gant nearly tripled her career-best performance against the Longhorns in five tries on 8-of-12 shooting from the floor. Starks turned in 13 points, while Reado was short of a double-double with 10 points and a game-high nine rebounds for A&M. Three Texas players scored in double figures including a team-high 12 points from Earnesia Williams. The A&M defense held leading scorers Brittainey Raven and Ashley Lindsey to only 10 points each. Senior A?â„¢Quonesia Franklin contributed a well-rounded game for the Aggies with 10 of the team?â„¢s 17 assists coupled with nine points, five rebounds and two steals versus the Longhorns. It marked her seventh double-digit assist game of her career.
DID YOU KNOW?
?* Head coach Gary Blair is 4-7 all-time versus Texas in his 23 years as a Division I head coach. All four wins have occurred during his five-year A&M career. He and Texas head coach Gail Goestenkors, formerly at Duke, were one of four finalists for the prestigious Naismith Women?â„¢s College Coach of the Year Award last season along with Connecticut?â„¢s Geno Auriemma and Tennessee?â„¢s Pat Summitt.
?* The Lone Star State?â„¢s finest will be on hand as the Texas A&M and Texas rosters are loaded with in-state talent. The Aggies boast 10 players from the state of Texas, while the Longhorns have eight. Additionally, A&M and UT both have a former Gatorade Player of the Year from the state of Missouri on its roster including Texas A&M?â„¢s Tyra White out of Kansas City?â„¢s Hickman Mills High School in 2007 and Texas?â„¢ Erneisha Bailey out of Kansas City?â„¢s Pembroke Hill High School in 2004.
?* A&M has held its last four opponents to an average of 56.8 points per game including the second-lowest scoring output by Iowa State this season (46). In fact, the Aggie defense has held opponents to 55.8 points per game from the floor which ranks 22nd nationally and third-best in the league. They also rank second in the Big 12 in three-point field goal percentage defense (.265).
?* Sunday?â„¢s contest will mark only the second time a non Jody Conradt-coached UT squad will face A&M since the 1975-76 season. Only five A&M games in 72 all-time meetings with the Longhorns have not been coached on the opposite sidelines by Conradt.
GOING FOR 20 ?...
A&M will look to become the third team in the Big 12 to reach 20 wins this season next to Baylor (22-3) and Oklahoma State (21-4). The Aggies are one win away from turning in their third consecutive 20-win season and eighth overall in 34 all-time seasons of Aggie Basketball. A&M went 25-7 in 2006-07 and 23-9 in 2005-06. Both campaigns earned the Aggies at-large bids to the NCAA Tournament. Additionally, head coach Gary Blair has compiled 16 20-win seasons over his 23-year coaching career at Stephen F. Austin, Arkansas and A&M combined.
NEAR PERFECTION
Senior point guard A?â„¢Quonesia Franklin (Tyler, Texas) has played near flawless ball in her last five outings against Texas Tech (twice), Texas, Oklahoma and Iowa State. Franklin has dished out 32 assists with just six turnovers in that time frame to improve her assist-to-turnover ratio, a category she has led each of her seasons in the Big 12. The Aggies have turned in team season lows in turnovers in back-to-back games against Texas Tech (8) and Iowa State (4). A&M?â„¢s four turnovers versus the Cyclones may be a single-game school record as research shows A&M had a season-low five turnovers against TCU during the 1993-94 season. Franklin currently leads the league with an impressive 2.10 assist-to-turnover ratio which ranks 17th nationally. She also ranks second-best in the Big 12 in assists per game (4.9).
THE FANTASTIC FOUR
Junior Danielle Gant looks to join teammates Takia Starks (1,264), Morenike Atunrase (1,173) and A?â„¢Quonesia Franklin (1,009) in A&M?â„¢s exclusive 1,000 Point Club. She is eight points shy of the milestone with 992 career points to date. Her 373 overall points scored this year is a career best behind 347 points scored during her sophomore campaign in 2006-07. Gant would become only the 21st player in school history to reach the 1,000 career-point plateau. Starks and Atunrase currently rank sixth and eighth all-time in the A&M record books, while Franklin ranks 19th. Only 13 known teams in NCAA women?â„¢s basketball history have had four 1,000-point scorers on their roster in the same season. The list includes teams with former All-Americans, National Player of the Year standouts and WNBA all-stars in Chamique Holdsclaw, Tamika Catchings, Kara Lawson, Swin Cash, Sue Bird, Nicole Ohlde and Kelly Mazzante. A&M would become only the second team in Big 12 Conference history to do so next to Kansas State in 2003-04 with the Big Four of Ohlde, Kendra Wecker, Laurie Koehn and Megan Mahoney.
Season ?- School ?- Players
1988-89 ?- Northern Illinois ?- Lisa Foss, Gena Stubbs, Carol Owens, Tammy Hinchee
1995-96 ?- UConn ?- Jennifer Rizzotti, Kara Wolters, Jamelle Elliott, Carla Berube
1995-96 ?- Georgia ?- La?â„¢Keshia Frett, Tracy Henderson, Kedra Holland-Corn, Saudia Roundtree
1998-99 ?- Tennessee ?- Kara Lawson, Tamika Catchings, Chamique Holdsclaw, Semeka Randall
1998-99 ?- West Virginia ?- Maria Tchobanova, Christie Lambert, Rebecca Burbridge, Ilse Opstaele
2000-01 ?- UConn ?- Svetlana Abrosimova, Swin Cash, Shea Ralph, Tamika Williams
2001-02 ?- UConn ?- Sue Bird, Swin Cash, Tamika Williams, Asjha Jones
2003-04 ?- Penn State ?- Kelly Mazzante, Tanisha Wright, Jess Brungo, Jess Strom
2003-04 ?- Kansas State ?- Nicole Ohlde, Kendra Wecker, Laurie Koehn, Megan Mahoney
2003-04 ?- St. Joseph?â„¢s ?- Erin Brady, Stephanie Graff, Irina Krasnoshiok, Amra Mehmedic
2004-05 ?- UConn ?- Ann Strother, Barbara Turner, Jessica Moore, Ashley Battle
2004-05 ?- Michigan State ?- Kristin Haynie, Lindsay Bowen, Kelli Roehrig, Liz Shimek
2007-08 ?- Maryland ?- Crystal Langhorne, Kristi Toliver, Marissa Coleman, Laura Harper
COACHING GOLD MINE IN THE BIG 12
The attraction of universities which support the growth of women?â„¢s basketball, packed arenas and tough competition year-in and year-out have lured some of the best coaches in the nation to the Big 12. Texas A&M head coach Gary Blair is one of three current Big 12 coaches to have left a successful program in a top-rated women?â„¢s basketball conference over the last five years. Blair previously led Arkansas to a 198-120 record over 10 campaigns in the SEC which included five NCAA Tournament appearances and a Final Four berth in 1998. Texas head coach Gail Goestenkors previously led ACC powerhouse Duke to 13 consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances including four Final Four appearances and two trips to the national championship game. Texas Tech head coach Kristy Curry previously coached Purdue for seven seasons in the Big Ten and became the first coach in NCAA history to inherit a national championship-winning team. In fact, Goestenkors and Baylor?â„¢s Kim Mulkey are among three coaches in the women?â„¢s game who have a guaranteed annual salary of $1 million.
IOWA STATE RECAP
Danielle Gant scored 22 points to lead No. 19 Texas A&M to a 60-46 victory over Iowa State to give head coach Gary Blair his 500th career victory on Feb. 20 at Reed Arena. The Aggies took a commanding lead midway through the first half and led by double-digits through most of the game. Iowa State cut the lead to 10 points on a layup by Heather Ezell with about nine minutes left. A&M went on an 8-2 run sparked by a pair of 3-pointers by Morenike Atunrase to push the lead to 54-38 with less than five minutes to go. Iowa State did not threaten again. The Aggies led by 17 points with about 17 minutes left before Iowa State got consecutive three-pointers from Ezell and Kelsey Bolte to cut the lead to 38-27. Gant hit a jump shot for A&M before Iowa State scored four quick points to cut the lead to single digits for the first time since midway through the first half. Texas A&M scored the next four points to stretch its lead back to 44-31 with about 12 minutes left. Ezell led Iowa State with 14 points and Alison Lacey had 11. The Cyclones were ahead 5-4 early before the Aggies scored 26 of the next 30 points to take a 30-9 lead with three minutes to go before halftime. Freshman Sydney Colson (Houston, Texas) made two three-pointers in that span for the Aggies. The Cyclones went on a 10-4 run to close out the half and cut A&M?â„¢s lead to 34-19 at halftime. The Cyclones shot poorly in the first half and didn?â„¢t get any offensive rebounds. They finished with six offensive rebounds. A&M had a season-low four turnovers while Iowa State had 12.
AROUND THE LEAGUE
The Big 12 Conference race tightens up with Baylor and Kansas State fighting for sole ownership of the top spot in the league standings. One slip up in the final four games of the regular season will cost the Lady Bears and Wildcats a chance at the regular season title. Both are tied for first with 10-2 records, while Oklahoma State and Oklahoma will give them a run for their money with identical 9-3 records. Texas A&M and Nebraska are not far behind tied for fifth with 7-5 marks in league play. The Aggies and Huskers are followed by Iowa State (5-7), Texas (4-8), Kansas (4-8), Texas Tech (3-9), Colorado (3-9) and Missouri (1-11). Eleven out of 12 teams have compiled over .500 records this season with two over the 20-win mark.
BIG 12 CONFERENCE STANDINGS
1T. Baylor (22-3, 10-2)
1T. Kansas State (18-7, 10-2)
3T. Oklahoma State (21-4, 9-3)
3T. Oklahoma (19-5, 9-3)
5T. Texas A&M (19-7, 7-5)
5T. Nebraska (18-8, 7-5)
7. Iowa State (16-9, 5-7)
8T. Texas (16-10, 4-8)
8T. Kansas (15-10, 4-8)
10T. Texas Tech (15-11, 3-9)
10T. Colorado (14-11, 3-9)
12. Missouri (8-17, 1-11)
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. Play-by-play announcer Tom Turbiville will call the action live from the Frank Erwin Center alongside Katy Pounds on KZNE 1150 AM. A live audio feed will also be available on www.AggieAthletics.com.