Feb. 10, 2009
Texas Tech Game Notes in PDF Format 
#12/8 TEXAS A&M (18-4, 6-3) vs. TEXAS TECH (13-9, 3-5)
Game #23
February 11, 2009 • 7:00 p.m. (CT)
United Spirit Arena (15,050)
at Lubbock, Texas
Television: None
Radio: Texas A&M Sports Network (KZNE 1150 AM)
Series History: Texas Tech Leads 52-14
Internet: Live Audio and Statistics available on www.AggieAthletics.com
GAME PREVIEW
The eighth-ranked Texas A&M women's basketball team (18-4, 6-3) travels North to Lubbock in what has become a constant battleground in the all-time series with in-state rival Texas Tech (13-9, 3-5) over the last couple of years. The Aggies and Lady Raiders will meet up in both teams' second go-around of the Big 12 Conference regular season on Wednesday, Feb. 11 at 7 p.m. (CT). Tech boasts one of the toughest home courts in the nation drawing an average of 8,591 fans this season at United Spirit Arena. A&M, however, has been successful in its last two road trips to Tech and will see if third times the charm. The Aggies are two victories away from posting their ninth overall and fourth-straight 20-win campaign. A road win could be key, considering that A&M has all five Big 12 South opponents remaining in its last seven games of the season with the intention of remaining a contender in the league race. The Aggies are currently tied for fourth in the league standings, while Texas Tech is tied for seventh. In its last ballgame, A&M fired up its signature defense and forced Nebraska to a season-low 43 points on Feb. 8, to rebound from a 67-50 setback at No. 21 Iowa State on Feb. 4. The Aggies currently rank No. 12 nationally in scoring defense holding opponents to 53.7 per game and have limited their turnovers over the last three-straight league games against Kansas, ISU and NU. They will play three games in a stretch of seven days this week with Colorado up next on Feb. 14.
SCOUTING THE LADY RAIDERS
Texas Tech is coming off back-to-back losses in league play to two Big 12 South opponents in Oklahoma State (60-65) on Jan. 31 and No. 16 Texas (46-77) on Feb. 8. The Lady Raiders enjoyed a bye last week in preparation for their final eight-game stretch of the season. They even snuck in an 80-39 non-conference victory over Savannah State on Feb. 2 to get them ready for the road ahead. Senior forward Dominic Seals, who was named Big 12 Newcomer of the Year in 2007-08, leads Tech in the scoring and rebounding columns at 13.8 ppg and 7.6 rpg. Seals currently ranks seventh in rebounding and ninth in field goal percentage (44.8) among Big 12 stats leaders.
PROBABLE STARTING LINEUPS
TEXAS A&M
No. Name (2008-09 Stats)
#51 Sydney Colson, G, 5-8, So. (5.9 ppg, 3.2 apg)
#3 Takia Starks, G, 5-8, Sr. (15.9 ppg, 4.3 rpg)
#55 Danielle Gant, G/F, 5-11, Sr. (14.0 ppg, 6.9 rpg)
#21 Adaora Elonu, F, 6-1, Fr. (6.0 ppg, 4.0 rpg)
#12 La Toya Micheaux, C, 6-3, Sr. (2.9 ppg, 7.3 rpg)
TEXAS TECH
No. Name (2008-09 Stats)
#3 Maria Moore, G, 5-5, Sr. (9.0 ppg, 3.5 apg)
#13 Jordan Murphree, G, 6-0, Jr. (9.9 ppg, 3.8 rpg)
#31 Ashlee Roberson, F, 5-11, Jr. (5.8 ppg, 5.7 rpg)
#41 Dominic Seals, F, 6-2, Sr. (13.8 ppg, 7.6 rpg)
#20 Kierra Mallard, C, 6-3, Fr. (9.6 ppg, 8.2 rpg)
INSIDE THE RIVALRY
Texas Tech owns a 52-14 advantage in the all-time series, but Texas A&M has won the last six-straight meetings between the two Big 12 South rivals. The Aggies picked up only their third-ever road win in Lubbock in a 63-46 victory at United Spirit Arena on Feb. 2, 2008. Last year's series sweep marked only the second time in Big 12 Conference play in which the Aggies were able to take two against the Lady Raiders. They previously beat Tech twice during the 2006-07 season which including a last-second 49-47 thriller in Lubbock on Jan. 10, 2007. A&M's previous road win prior to the formation of the league was a 66-64 victory on Feb. 4, 1980 under former head coach Cherri Rapp.
TEXAS TECH REWIND
Four players scored in double figures as No. 6 Texas A&M defeated Texas Tech, 67-56, for its first-ever 2-0 start in Big 12 Conference play before a crowd of 3,860 at Reed Arena on Jan. 13. Takia Starks registered her third consecutive 20-point outburst against the Lady Raiders with a game-high 21 points for the Aggies. Meanwhile, Danielle Gant turned in her third double-double of the season with 10 rebounds and 18 points, 16 of which were scored in the second half of play. Gant, reigning Big 12 Player of the Week, scored 12 of her total points in the last five-minute stretch of the game versus Tech. Tanisha Smith and a three-pointer by Sydney Carter. The Aggies led 35-28 at halftime, but once again Tech cut it to three with a quick 8-2 run by Seals to open up the second half of play. Both teams shot a meager 35 percent or less from the floor and couldn't find a basket. The Lady Raiders got within two, 53-51, on a three-pointer by Ashlee Roberson at the 5:12 minute mark, but Gant got hot and rattled off eight-straight points to put the Aggies ahead for good.
HOT-SHOOTING AGGIES
Texas A&M shot a season-high 61.0 percent from the floor (36-of-59) and claimed their largest margin of victory (+43) against a Big 12 Conference opponent in school history with an 86-43 rout of Nebraska on Feb. 8. It marked the first time A&M shot better than 60 percent from the field since a 63.8 percent shooting performance against McNeese State on Nov. 21, 2006 in non-conference play. The Aggies have never shot 60 percent or better in a Big 12 game since the league's inception in 1996-97. Their previous high was 54.9 percent against Missouri on Jan. 31, 1998 in regular-season action as well as 57.6 percent versus seventh-seeded Texas in the first round of the Big 12 Tournament in Kansas City on March 3, 1998.
THE TALENTED MISS STARKS
Senior All-America candidate Takia Starks (Houston, Texas) has been consistent in the scoring column throughout Big 12 play. She has reached double figures against all league opponents this season averaging a team-leading 17.9 points per game which is 2.0 more a game than her overall average this season (15.9 ppg). Her biggest game was a season-high 26 points at No. 16 Texas on Jan. 28 and her lowest output during her current nine-game double-digit scoring streak was 13 points versus Nebraska on Feb. 8. Starks always has a flame burning inside her when playing Texas Tech. She has knocked down three consecutive 20-point games versus the Lady Raiders including a career-high 29 at home on Feb. 17, 2008 and 22 on the road on Feb. 2, 2008 during her junior campaign. Starks had a game-high 21 in both team's last meeting on the hardwood on Jan. 13.
AMONG NCAA STATS LEADERS
Texas A&M currently ranks in the top 20 in five NCAA statistical categories as of Feb. 8. The Aggies are No. 4 in three-point field goal percentage defense (24.8), No. 6 in turnover margin (+6.2), No. 12 in steals per game (12.0) and No. 16 in field-goal percentage defense (35.0). Senior All-America candidate Danielle Gant (Oklahoma City, Okla.) ranks 54th nationally with a 50.4 accuracy from the floor which ranks sixth-best in the Big 12.
VALENTINE'S THINK PINK
Texas A&M will host its annual BTHO Breast Cancer awareness women's basketball game against Colorado on Feb. 14 at Reed Arena. Tipoff with the Buffaloes on Valentine's Day is set for 2 p.m. (CT). The athletic department's goal is to raise $35,000 for the Kay Yow Foundation. A 5K Fun Run will kickoff the weekend's festivities at 10 a.m. Tickets to the game are on sale for $10 with $8 going towards the Kay Yow Foundation. Fans can also purchase a commemorative pink BTHO Breast Cancer T-Shirt for $5 with all of the proceeds from the sales benefiting the Kay Yow Foundation. A&M is joined in the breast cancer awareness initiative through corporate partnerships with the College Station Medical Center, Chevron and Kent Moore Cabinets.
AGGIE SIDEBARS
• Texas A&M head coach Gary Blair is 6-5 versus his alma mater in his 24 years as a Division I head coach and since his arrival in Aggieland in 2003-04. Blair earned his bachelor's degree in health and physical education in 1972 and his master's degree in education in 1974 from Texas Tech. He also played a season of baseball for the Red Raiders.
• A&M is 3-2 against Big 12 South foes this season. Texas Tech and Oklahoma State are the only two Southern counterparts that the Aggies have been able to sweep the home-and-home series from in consecutive seasons during regular-season league play. A&M swept OSU in back-to-back-to-back seasons in 2004-05, 2005-06 and 2006-07 and Tech in back-to-back seasons in 2006-07 and 2007-08.
• Third-year Texas Tech head coach Kristy Curry has Aggie ties. She previously served as an assistant coach under former A&M head coach Candi Harvey from 1994-96, prior to receiving her first head coaching job at Purdue from 1999-2006. She is married to assistant coach Kelly Curry, a Class of `90 graduate of A&M.
NEBRASKA RECAP
Texas A&M 86, Nebraska 43
• For the 12th time this season, Texas A&M used the starting lineup of Takia Starks, Danielle Gant, La Toya Micheaux (10-2).
• Takia Starks continues on her double-digit scoring streak through the Big 12 Conference slate hitting double-digits against nine-straight league opponents. Starks hit 6-of-11 shots from the field for a team-high tying 13 points versus Nebraska.
• With the victory, A&M improves to 9-1 this season at home. The Aggies shot a whopping 61.0 percent from the floor (36-of-59) to mark its highest-shooting percentage of the season. It marked the first time shoot better than 60 percent from the field since a 63.8 percent outing against McNeese State on Nov. 21, 2006.
• A&M also registered its most points scored against a league foe this season with 86 total points and its 40 first-half points were also a season-best in Big 12 play. The Aggies' 43-point margin of victory ranks among the top 25 in school history and its largest win ever against a league opponent since the Big 12's inception in 1996-97. The previous high was a 27-point margin of victory over Kansas State (66-39) on Jan. 11, 2006.
• Sydney Colson tied her career-and season-high with five steals in 12 minutes of play in the first half against the Huskers. She also tied a career-high with one blocked shot. Colson left the game with a bruised neck after falling on to the baseline and hitting a photographers' camera in the opening minutes of the second half.
• Danielle Gant had one blocked shot versus Nebraska to record her 100th of her career and becomes only the fourth player in school history to make 100 stops or more in a career behind all-time leader Morenike Atunrase (176), Kelly Cerny (137) and Lynn Classen (135).
• Tanisha Smith reached double figures for the eighth time this season with 11 points versus Nebraska. She also blocked a career-high tying two shots for the game.
• Sydney Carter turned in her second-highest scoring output of the season with a league career-high 13 points in 20 minutes of action against the Huskers.
• The A&M defense forced Nebraska to commit a season-high 28 turnovers including 15 in the first half of play. The Aggies also held the Huskers to 43 points in the game which marked the fewest points scored by a league opponent this season and the lowest output by Nebraska in the all-time series.
AGGIE NOTABLE QUOTABLES
"When I first came into this league, the old school was (former Texas head coach) Jody Conradt and (former Texas Tech head coach) Marsha Sharp and what they had accomplished over the years particularly in winning, in recruiting, in fan base and what they meant to the growth of women's basketball in the state of Texas. They both had won national championships. When I looked at the new school, I looked at (Oklahoma head coach) Sherri Coale and (Baylor head coach) Kim Mulkey. Both of them were accomplishing it now, in regard to winning and recruiting. Who could I catch first? You had old school and new school. We were still in grammar school as far as tradition, winning and what we needed to do with this program. I had to pick certain battles or levels where we could raise the bar to. When you talk about recruiting and what we had to do against all four schools, Texas Tech and Texas had such a stronghold in this state, while Baylor and Oklahoma had done a very good job out of state. We just went in to try to expand the state of Texas. Give homage to Jody and Marsha. We didn't think we had the name to go out of state, so we had to go in state. We have caught up to those schools and have proven it on the court over the last three years." - Texas A&M head coach Gary Blair on what has changed in the Big 12 South since he first arrived in Aggieland in 2003-04
"Texas Tech has a junior-senior ballclub. When they played here last, it was almost reminiscent of our Baylor game. Both teams executed well and had trouble stopping each other. Tech is an inside-outside team, whereas, we are an outside-inside team. Our offense starts with the guards and finishes with the posts. Tech's starts with the posts and finishes with the guards. It's too different ways. Texas was able to shut down their posts very well on Sunday. Can we do the same? I like our chances, if we can hold (Kierra) Mallard and (Dominic) Seals below their averages." - Coach Blair on Texas Tech
"They are a good team and we never underestimate our opponent. They have a pretty experienced JUCO post player and a JUCO guard, so you never know what they will bring to their team against us. Lubbock is one of the hardest places to play in the Big 12. I expect them to come out on fire, because they are at home and we beat them in the previous game this season. They are going to bring it and so are we. It will be a good game in Lubbock." - Senior All-America candidate Danielle Gant on Texas Tech and playing on the road
"They said, `Just get ready for the fans.' Coach (Vic) Schaefer has been practicing with me on how to tune out their fans and what they are going to say to me this week. He tries to get into my head a lot on defense, but that's because he knows what kind of effort I can bring and is preparing me to get mentally tough for the challenge ahead." Freshman Sydney Carter on her teammates and coaches' advice on playing in Lubbock
IN THE NATIONAL POLLS
The Aggies dropped two spots to No. 12 in the latest Associated Press Top 25 Poll released on Monday and to No. 8 in the latest USA TODAY/ESPN Coaches Top 25 Poll released on Tuesday. They are 5-3 against nationally-ranked opponents this season which is tied for the second-most by a Big 12 school this season next to league leaders OU (7-2) and Baylor (5-2). A&M is one of six Big 12 schools ranked among the nation's best.
ASSOCIATED PRESS TOP 25 POLL
1. Connecticut (23-0)
2. Oklahoma (20-2)
3. California (20-2)
4. Duke (19-2)
5. Auburn (23-1)
6. Stanford (19-4)
7. Baylor (19-3)
8. North Carolina (20-3)
9. Florida (22-2)
10. Louisville (21-3)
11. Maryland (18-4)
12. Texas A&M (18-4)
13. Texas (17-5)
14. Florida State (20-5)
15. Tennessee (17-6)
16. Iowa State (18-4)
17. Virginia (19-5)
18. Ohio State (19-4)
19. Pittsburgh (17-4)
20. Kansas State (19-3)
21. Xavier (20-4)
22. Notre Dame (17-5)
23. South Dakota State (22-2)
24. Vanderbilt (18-6)
25. DePaul (18-6)
USA TODAY/ESPN COACHES TOP 25 POLL
1. Connecticut (23-0)
2. Oklahoma (20-2)
3. California (20-2)
4. Auburn (23-1)
5. Stanford (19-4)
6. Baylor (19-3)
7. North Carolina (21-3)
8. Texas A&M (18-4)
9. Maryland (19-4)
10. Duke (19-3)
11. Florida (22-2)
12. Louisville (21-3)
13. Ohio State (19-4)
14. Texas (17-5)
15. Virginia (19-5)
16. Kansas State (19-3)
17. Florida State (20-5)
18. Tennessee (17-6)
19. Xavier (20-4)
20. Iowa State (18-4)
21. South Dakota State (23-2)
22. Notre Dame (17-5)
23. Pittsburgh (17-4)
24. Vanderbilt (18-6)
25. DePaul (18-6)
AROUND THE BIG 12
Oklahoma remains an undefeated 8-0 through Big 12 Conference play. Baylor (7-2) and Iowa State (6-2) trail the Sooners in second and third place respectively. Texas A&M is tied for fourth with Kansas State (6-3), while Texas (5-3) rounds out the top half of the latest league standings as of Feb. 8. All but two Big 12 schools are over .500 this season and five teams are closing in on 20-win campaigns showing the strength of the league from top to bottom.
1. Oklahoma (20-2, 8-0)
2. Baylor (19-3, 7-2)
3. Iowa State (18-4, 6-2)
4T. Kansas State (19-3, 6-3)
4T. Texas A&M (18-4, 6-3)
6. Texas (17-5, 5-3)
7T. Oklahoma State (14-7, 3-5)
7T. Texas Tech (13-9, 3-5)
9. Kansas (13-8, 2-6)
10T. Missouri (11-11, 2-7)
10T. Colorado (10-11, 2-7)
12. Nebraska (10-12, 1-8)
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. Play-by-play announcer Mike Wright will call the action live from United Spirit Arena alongside color analyst Steve Miller on KZNE 1150 AM. A live audio feed will also be available on www.AggieAthletics.com.