July 24, 2008
COLLEGE STATION, Texas - Coming off a record-setting season which included the program's first-ever NCAA Elite Eight appearance, the Texas A&M women's basketball team prepares for yet another challenging schedule against some of the nation's top teams during the upcoming 2008-09 campaign.
In fact, 18 of the Aggies' 24 opponents advanced to postseason play a year ago including 12 teams that reached the NCAA Tournament and six teams that participated in the Postseason WNIT.
"This is the strongest and most-balanced schedule we've ever assembled," said Texas A&M head coach Gary Blair who enters his sixth season in Aggieland. "We are traveling from coast-to-coast to play some of the top teams in the country including those from the Big Ten, ACC, Pac-10 and Big East Conferences. To be able to continue to be an elite team, we have to play other elite teams. We've earned the right to play them."
A&M will celebrate the 35th anniversary of the program by hosting Mercer in its season opener scheduled for Nov. 14 at Reed Arena. The Aggies will then travel to the Pelican State to take part in the prestigious State Farm Women's Tip-Off Classic hosted by NCAA Final Four participant LSU on Nov. 16 in Baton Rouge, La. A&M will face NCAA Sweet 16 participant Pittsburgh, while LSU takes on Notre Dame. Both games will be televised on ESPN2.
"We have to be very good early," said Blair against likely top 25 competition. "It is such an honor to be selected to play in the State Farm Tip-Off Classic. It will help us gain national exposure in the early part of the season."
Coast-to-coast travel follows with road dates at Postseason WNIT participant Michigan on Nov. 20 in Ann Arbor, Mich., and Arizona on Nov. 25 at Tucson, Ariz. A&M will take on Penn State and host Pepperdine in a Thanksgiving tournament held on Nov. 28 and 29 in Malibu, Calif. The Aggies will close out a six-game road swing with a reunion stop at Stephen F. Austin on Dec. 2 in Nacogdoches, Texas. Blair previously led SFA to six NCAA Tournament appearances and four trips to the Sweet 16 from 1985-93.
A&M's 14-game home slate will feature non-conference tilts with defending Conference USA champion and NCAA participant SMU on Dec. 7, Postseason WNIT participant Texas State on Dec. 13 and defending Mountain West Conference champion New Mexico on Dec. 30. The Aggies will have three doubleheaders with the A&M men including a Dec. 20 matchup with Postseason WNIT participant TCU, NCAA Sweet 16 participant George Washington on Jan. 3 and Postseason WNIT participant Kansas on Jan. 31.
A&M will wrap-up non-conference play at NCAA participant Florida State on Jan. 5 in Tallahassee, Fla. Five days later, the Aggies open the Big 12 Conference slate at Missouri on Jan. 10 in Columbia, Mo. Last season, A&M posted an 11-5 record against league foes and captured its first-ever postseason conference title with a 64-59 victory over Oklahoma State in the Big 12 Championship game in Kansas City.
The Aggies will later host Texas Tech in its league home opener on Jan. 13 with additional home dates against Baylor on Jan. 21, Nebraska on Feb. 8, Colorado on Feb. 14, Texas on Feb. 21, Oklahoma for an ESPN2 Big Monday game on Feb. 23 and Oklahoma State on March 4 for Senior Day. Road contests will be played at Oklahoma (Jan. 17), at Oklahoma State (Jan. 24), at Texas (Jan. 28), at Iowa State (Feb. 4), at Texas Tech (Feb. 11), at Kansas State (March 1) and at Baylor (March 7).
"This will be another conference and program first to play in a Big Monday game (against OU)," Blair said. "To be able to host such a contest is a tremendous opportunity for our program. A lot of people have seen us play on the road, but not a lot of people get to see us play at home. We are excited to be a part of it and hope to pack Reed Arena with a sellout crowd."
The 2009 Phillips 66 Big 12 Women's Basketball Championship will be held on March 12-15 at the Cox Convention Center in Oklahoma City, while the 2009 NCAA Women's Final Four will be held on April 5 & 7 in St. Louis, Mo. Additional televised games, exhibition games and game times will be announced at a later date.