Texas A&M
13-4, 1-2Big 12
Colorado
12-4, 1-2Big 12
Texas A&M 72, Colorado 68
Jan 16, 2008 | Women's Basketball
January 16, 2008
Junior Danielle Gant (Oklahoma City, Okla.) scored 18 of her game-high 24 points in a late second-half rally by the Aggies to lead No. 16 Texas A&M to its first Big 12 Conference victory of the season over No. 25 Colorado, 72-68, Wednesday night at the Coors Events Center.
In the final stretch, senior A?™Quonesia Franklin (Tyler, Texas) calmly made 6-of-6 attempts from the charity stripe with under two and a half minutes left in regulation to give the Aggies (13-4, 1-2) the edge over the Buffaloes (12-4, 1-2). She ended the night with 14 points which included two three-pointers to get A&M within four points of CU at halftime, 32-28.
The momentum shifted late in the second half as junior Takia Starks (Houston, Texas) took advantage of a wide-open look and drained a three-pointer with 4:24 to go to give the Aggies their first lead of the contest, 58-57. On the opposite end of the court, Starks grabbed a missed Colorado field-goal attempt which led to a fastbreak layup to push the lead out to three, 60-57.
The final three minutes would be crucial as the Big 12?™s second-leading scorer Jackie McFarland put away both of her free throw makes to give CU a 61-60 lead. Gant later countered by making both of her charity attempts as she was fouled under the basket to put A&M out front once again, 62-61.
Sophomore Ashlaa Horton (Cedar Hill, Texas) came in relief of A&M?™s three post players who tallied five fouls apiece and knocked down a crucial jumper to give the Aggies a 64-62 edge with 1:35 to go. Starks grabbed the loose ball on a missed CU field-goal attempt to stretch the A&M lead to four points, 66-62. Franklin?™s six free throws later followed to seal A&M?™s fifth-straight win over the Buffaloes in the all-time series and only its second-ever win in Boulder in league play.
Like Gant, Starks turned in a near double-double performance with 18 points and nine rebounds for the Aggies. Gant boarded nine of A&M?™s 39 rebounds, while Franklin dished out four assists with zero turnovers. CU was paced by McFarland?™s 24 points and Brittany Spears?™ double-double of 11 points and 12 rebounds.
A&M rebounded from a stagnant first-half as the Aggies struggled offensively. Colorado opened the game on a 9-2 run with A&M converting only 1-of-6 attempts from the floor. The Buffaloes also got a break as the foul count had A&M in the bonus with 13:32 still remaining on the clock as 14 of their season-high 30 fouls were called in the first half of play. CU converted 9-of-15 from the charity stripe prior to halftime and 23-of-26 for the game.
The Aggies return home and plays host to No. 18/19 Oklahoma State (15-1, 3-0) on Saturday, Jan. 19 in a nationally-televised contest on Fox Sports Net at 1 p.m.
Postgame Notes?...For the third consecutive game, A&M used the veteran lineup of A?™Quonesia Franklin, Takia Starks, Danielle Gant, Patrice Reado and La Toya Micheaux (1-2)?...Twelve players entered the ballgame including freshman Maryann Baker (Dallas, Texas) who made her Big 12 debut and saw action in her 10th game of the season at Colorado?...Only three players did not contribute to the scoring column in the four-point victory?...Six of A&M?™s last seven opponents have gone to the free throw line more than 20 times this season?...Colorado tied an opponent season-high with 36 attempts from the charity stripe next to 36 by SMU in the team?™s season opener on Nov. 9?...Starks registered her 22nd consecutive game in double figures scoring 18 points on her 22nd birthday?...Gant scored a game-high 24 points which marked her eighth 20-point game of her career?...She shot 11-of-17 from the floor and was one rebound short of a double-double with nine boards?...A&M was called for a season-high 30 fouls which was three more than its previous season-high of 27 at SMU?...It marked the second consecutive contest in which A&M was called for more than 20 fouls with 23 at Baylor on Jan. 12?...Post players Micheaux, Reado and sophomore Damitria Buchanan (Houston, Texas) all fouled out of the ballgame?...A&M extends its win streak to five-straight against Colorado in the all-time series?...The Aggies last two Big 12 road contests have now been decided by less than four points including a three-point loss (59-56) at Baylor on Jan. 12?...The victory marked only the second win ever for A&M in Boulder.
POSTGAME QUOTES
TEXAS A&M HEAD COACH GARY BLAIR
On the game ?...
?We were on life support system. Basically, altitude doesn?™t mean a thing when playing at Colorado. You have to be prepared to come in and play your game. In the first half, we came in tired and you could see it in our face. We had no energy to press. We are struggling on offense right now, so we have to press. Right now, we are not playing like Big 12 Champs, but it?™s early and we are going to get it together. We are going to have to go up against Andrea Riley and Oklahoma State next. We are just a hard working team. The game turned when my little freshmen (Sydney Colson) came into the game and we started to force turnovers. All of a sudden, we kept on getting some easy baskets and that?™s what we had to have to make up for all of our mistakes. We made the plays down the stretch that you have to make.?
JUNIOR GUARD TAKIA STARKS
On the team?™s struggles in the first half ...
?We struggled a bit offensively. We had good shots, but they just didn?™t fall down. We didn?™t get it inside as much as we would have liked. It was a total 360 in the second half. The game just came together for us and we got a great win.?
