November 10, 2009
COLLEGE STATION, Texas - The preseason No. 16 nationally-ranked Texas A&M women's basketball team hosts NAIA Division I powerhouse Oklahoma City University in its first and only exhibition game of the 2009-10 season on Thursday, Nov. 12 at 7 p.m. (CT) at Reed Arena.
The Aggies, who return 11 letterwinners from last year's NCAA Sweet 16 squad, were picked to finish fourth in the preseason Big 12 Conference Coaches Poll. They are led by preseason All-Big 12 honorable mention and top returning player Tanisha Smith (Kansas City, Mo.) who averaged 10.6 points per game last season. A&M also boasts the sixth-best and highest-ever rated recruiting class in school history which includes preseason Big 12 Newcomer of the Year and National Junior College Player of the Year Danielle Adams (Kansas City, Mo.).
"This will not be your normal exhibition where it's a name-your-score kind of game," said Texas A&M head coach Gary Blair who enters his seventh season in Aggieland. "Oklahoma City University has a winning basketball tradition on the NAIA level and will be a very well-coached team. Coach (Rob) Edmisson is a good friend of mine and knows how to coach and win at the highest level. They are a very good ball club that knows the style of basketball we play. Hopefully, OCU will get us ready for the No. 6 team in the country in Duke on Sunday."
The Stars return four starters from their NAIA Final Four team including All-American Holly Hardin who averaged 12.8 points and 9.3 rebounds per game a year ago. OCU is coming off a 31-6 overall campaign and has posted the most wins of any women's basketball program in the nation over the past 11 years.
Tickets for the exhibition game are priced at $11 (courtside), $9 (mezzanine), $7 (gallery) and $5 (general admission) and can be purchased online at: www.12thManFoundation.com/tickets, in person at the 12th Man Foundation Ticket Office and Reed Arena Box Office or by calling 1-888-99-AGGIE.
Prior to the game, members of Aggie Athletes Involved will be stationed outside of Reed Arena collecting coats, blankets, and sweaters to benefit Twin City Mission. Fans who make a donation will receive a voucher for a free ticket to the women's basketball exhibition game and can redeem their voucher at the Reed Arena Box Office.
A&M will officially commence the 2009-10 season versus the sixth-ranked Blue Devils in a much-anticipated 2008 NCAA Sweet 16 rematch on Sunday, November 15 at 2 p.m. (CT) at Reed Arena.
Live statistics from the exhibition will be available via www.AggieAthletics.com.
Exhibition Sidebars...Texas A&M associate head coach Tanisha Smith...Texas A&M assistant coach Johnnie Harris previously coached and recruited Smith and Cosby at Arkansas.