Jan. 16, 2010
Oklahoma Game Notes in PDF Format 
#8/8 TEXAS A&M (14-1, 2-0) vs. #13/13 OKLAHOMA (11-4, 1-1)
Game #16
January 17, 2010 • 4:30 p.m. (CT)
Lloyd Noble Center (12,000)
at Norman, Okla.
Television: Fox Sports Net
Radio: Texas A&M Sports Network (KZNE 1150 AM)
Series History: Oklahoma Leads 25-13
Internet: Free Live Statistics and Live Audio at www.AggieAthletics.com
GAME PREVIEW
The eighth-ranked Texas A&M women's basketball team (14-1, 2-0) will take its seven-game winning streak on the road with its third consecutive top 25 matchup in nine days at No. 13 Oklahoma (11-4, 1-1) on Sunday, Jan. 17 at the Lloyd Noble Center in Norman, Okla. The Aggies are off to a 2-0 start to Big 12 Conference play for only the second time in program history and look to continue their winning ways behind one of the nation and league's most exciting offenses. A&M has a loaded arsenal which includes a nine-player rotation producing 82.8 points per game which ranks fourth nationally behind Oregon, defending national champion Connecticut and Oral Roberts as of Jan. 14. The Aggies have outscored their last three opponents in the New Year by an average margin of +26.0 points including league-opening victories over No. 15 Texas (91-70) on Jan. 9 and No. 20 Iowa State (68-44) on Jan. 13. A&M has been road-tested this season with an impressive 7-1 mark away from the friendly confines of Reed Arena. In fact, they are one of only four teams in the Big 12 to come away with a league win on the road and will try for just their third-ever win in 17 all-time trips to Norman - to complete the top 25 trifecta. Each of A&M's last three away contests in the OU series have been played in front of large crowds over the 9,500+ mark presenting one of the toughest home-court advantages in women's college basketball.
ON THE TUBE
Texas A&M will appear on the tube for the fourth time this season, but the first before a national television audience. Play-by-play announcer Brent Stover and color analyst Brenda VanLengen will call the action live on Fox Sports Net with the game being carried nationally on Fox Sports Detroit (Plus), Fox Sports Florida, Fox Sports Houston, Fox Sports Midwest, FSN Pittsburgh, FSN Rocky Mountain, Fox Sports Southwest, Fox Sports West, Comcast Chicago, The Comcast Network (Philadelphia) and SportSouth.
SCOUTING THE SOONERS
Oklahoma were picked to finish fifth in the preseason Big 12 coaches poll behind Texas A&M. Last year, the defending league champions Sooners reached the NCAA Final Four for the second time in program history behind a trip in 2002. OU's roster was cut down to nine players as 2009 Big 12 Freshman of the Year Whitney Hand suffered a season-ending ACL injury against San Diego State in the Paradise Jam on Nov. 27. However, more than half of their lineup is averaging double figures in scoring paced by junior point guard Danielle Robinson's 15.9 points per game. The Sooners commenced league play with a 73-58 home win over Texas Tech on Jan. 9, but fell to fifth-ranked Baylor on the road (57-47) on Jan. 13. OU will face back-to-back top 10 opponents for the first time this season, before taking on three-straight Big 12 North foes in Missouri, Kansas and Iowa State ahead.
PROBABLE STARTING LINEUPS
TEXAS A&M
No. Name (2009-10 Stats)
#51 Sydney Colson, G, 5-8, Jr. (7.5 ppg, 5.2 apg)
#20 Tyra White, G, 6-0, RS-So. (10.1 ppg, 3.0 rpg)
#22 Tanisha Smith, G/F, 6-0, Sr. (17.3 ppg, 4.7 rpg)
#21 Adaora Elonu, F, 6-1, So. (9.6 ppg, 3.6 rpg)
#2 Damitria Buchanan, F, 6-2, Sr. (3.5 ppg, 4.9 rpg)
OKLAHOMA
No. Name (2009-10 Stats)
#13 Danielle Robinson, G, 5-9, Jr. (15.9 ppg, 5.4 apg)
#1 Nyeshia Stevenson, G, 5-10, Sr. (13.5 ppg, 4.1 rpg)
#10 Carlee Roethlisberger, F, 6-1, So. (9.2 ppg, 5.1 rpg)
#21 Amanda Thompson, F, 6-1, Sr. (11.4 ppg, 9.5 rpg)
#34 Abi Olajuwon, C, 6-3, Sr. (12.3 ppg, 6.1 rpg)
A LOOK INTO THE SERIES
Oklahoma leads 25-13 in the all-time series with Texas A&M. However, the Aggies have won five of the last seven meetings between the two Big 12 South rivals. A&M was the most successful league school versus OU with a 5-4 mark during the Courtney Paris Era and one of only three Big 12 squads to win in Norman in the last four-year period next to Baylor (2007) and Texas (2008). The Lady Bears and Longhorns managed only two overall wins in the Paris Era. Last season, both teams split the regular-season series protecting their home court, while A&M upset the top-seeded Sooners, 74-62, in the Big 12 Tournament semifinals in Oklahoma City on March 14, 2009. The Aggies are 2-14 when playing on the road in Norman.
LAST SEVEN GAMES IN SERIES
W, 54-52 on Jan. 27, 2007 in Norman, Okla.
W, 78-68 on Feb. 10, 2007 in College Station
L, 56-68 on Feb. 12, 2008 in Norman, Okla.
W, 73-59 on March 6, 2008 in College Station
L, 71-59 on Jan. 18, 2009 in Norman, Okla.
W, 57-56 on Feb. 23, 2009 in College Station
W, 74-62 on March 14, 2009 in Oklahoma City
OU ROAD FLASHBACK
Despite a valiant second-half effort, No. 6 Texas A&M fell to No. 3 Oklahoma, 71-59, on Jan. 18, 2009 at the Lloyd Noble Center. Takia Starks scored all of her team-high 19 points in the second half, while Danielle Gant added 18 including 10 on 5-of-7 shooting in a low-scoring first half for the Aggies. Danielle Robinson led the way for the Sooners with 19 points and 10 assists and was one of three OU players to turn in double-doubles. Whitney Hand had a career-high five three-pointers in six attempts and scored 17 points. OU's Courtney Paris had 11 points and 14 rebounds to extend her NCAA-record streak of consecutive double-doubles, but did not reach double digits in points until 1:01 remained. Her twin sister, Ashley Paris, had 16 points and 10 rebounds. About the only negative for the Sooners was 22 turnovers which prevented a lopsided score from being even more so. Oklahoma shot 47 percent from the field and outrebounded the Aggies, 43-27. A&M shot 39 percent from the field and had 17 turnovers. The Aggies cut a 19-point deficit early in the second half to 12 points at 41-29 on a three-point play by Starks with 15:58 left. Hand started a 14-0 Oklahoma run with a put-back, followed by a three-pointer, and another three-pointer by Carlee Roethlisberger gave the Sooners a 55-29 lead with 11:54 left. A&M, rallied within 60-51 on another three-point play by Starks with 3:23 left, but after that, Robinson went 4-of-4 from the free-throw line and assisted on two baskets by Courtney Paris to keep the Sooners comfortably ahead. OU committed 13 first-half turnovers but still led 35-22 at halftime, thanks in part to 4-of-4 three-point shooting by Hand and a 23-11 rebounding advantage. The Aggies missed their first four shots as Oklahoma sprinted to a 7-0 lead, prompting a quick timeout by Texas A&M head coach Gary Blair. The Aggies pulled within 9-7, but Ashley Paris had three baskets in an 11-0 Oklahoma run, including a 19-foot jumper that made it 20-7 and led to another Texas A&M timeout. But despite 10 first-half points by Gant, the Aggies proved unable to significantly cut their deficit, as Oklahoma extended its lead to 35-20 before a layup by Tyra White two seconds before halftime. The Aggies shot 38 percent from the field in the half and had 12 turnovers, four coming on offensive fouls.
OFFENSIVE STATE OF MIND
Known for its signature in-your-face defense, Texas A&M has added offensive facets to its game as of late. The Aggies currently rank fourth in the country in scoring offense (82.8), third in field goal percentage (49.1) and tops in three-point field goal percentage (42.6). Each of the three scoring trends currently rank as the best in the Gary Blair Era. A&M's previous high in the last seven years in scoring offense was 48th nationally in 2005-06 (69.6), 36th in field goal percentage (43.3) in 2008-09 and 34th in three-point percentage (35.4) in 2006-07 - all seasons in which the Aggies reached the NCAA Tournament. Historically, no other A&M squad has averaged more than 79.7 points per game or 47.4 percent from the floor in 36 years of Aggie Basketball.
Gary Blair Era Offense
Season - (NR) Scoring Offense - (NR) FG% - (NR) 3PT%
2009-10 - (4) 82.8 - (3) 49.1 - (1) 42.6
2008-09 - (63) 68.2 - (36) 43.3 - (NR) 32.8
2007-08 - (118) 65.8 - (111) 41.4 - (102) 33.3
2006-07 - (137) 65.6 - (96) 41.8 - (34) 35.4
2005-06 - (48) 69.6 - (115) 41.3 - (NR) 31.9
2004-05 - (132) 64.3 - (193) 38.9 - (160) 30.8
2003-04 - (245) 60.2 - (256) 38.1 - (NR) 32.0
ONE AND ONLY
Texas A&M is one of only 11 Division I women's basketball schools in the country and one of two Big 12 squads with one loss or less on the season. The Aggies fell on the road at TCU (54-56) on Dec. 12 which snapped a seven-game win streak to begin the 2009-10 campaign. League foe Nebraska, UConn, Notre Dame and Wisconsin-Green Bay are the remaining unbeatens followed by one-loss squads in A&M, Stanford, Tennessee, Syracuse, West Virginia, Georgia and Ohio State. The Aggies are currently the highest-ranked Big 12 team and are rated No. 6 in the latest Jeff Sagarin/CBN Women's College Basketball Ratings with the nation's 14th toughest schedule.
THIS IS OUR TIME TO SHINE
Good things happen to those who wait especially in the case of Texas A&M senior forward Damitria Buchanan and Oklahoma center Abi Olajuwon who served as back-ups to former four-year starters in Texas A&M center La Toya Micheaux and former Oklahoma All-American center Courtney Paris. Both have played in all 15 of their team's contests this season and have increased their scoring and rebounding contributions in a starting role. Buchanan is averaging a career-best 3.6 points, 4.8 rebounds and 1.5 blocks a game, while Olajuwon is outputting 12.3 points, 6.1 rebounds and 1.1 blocks. Olajuwon, whose famous father Hakeem played alongside Micheaux's father Larry as members of Houston's Phi Slama Jamma in the 80's, is shooting 55.1 percent from the floor which ranks 23rd nationally, while Buchanan is tied for eighth all-time in career blocked shots (77) with former player Prissy Sharpe (1996-00) and made a career-high seven stops against No. 6 Duke to open up the season. Buchanan has made only two career Big 12 starts in 115 career games played as well as Olajuwon in 78 career games played since both post players entered the league as freshmen in 2006-07.
GETTING TO THE POINT
It's no question that some of the best point guards in the nation hail from the Big 12. Texas A&M currently ranks fourth nationally in assists per game (18.9) and seventh nationally in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.16) due to the floor leadership of its "Two Syds" in starting point guard Sydney Colson and back-up point guard Sydney Carter. Both rank third and fourth in the league in assist-to-turnover ratio which places them among the top 25 NCAA leaders in the category - Colson 17th (2.17) and Carter 22nd (2.12). Colson has made fewer than one turnover on five occasions this season and an impressive 16-to-4 ratio against Lamar, Texas and Iowa State combined (4.00). Meanwhile, OU is lead by its floor general Danielle Robinson who is ranked 29th nationally in assists per game (5.3 avg).
FROM THE SIDELINES
• Texas A&M head coach Gary Blair is 7-11 lifetime versus Oklahoma in his 25 years as a Division I head coach. Five of his seven career victories against the Sooners have come during his time in Aggieland and only once on the road in Norman during the 2006-07 campaign in which A&M swept the home-and-home series.
• For the second year in a row, the Aggies will carry an undefeated 2-0 Big 12 start and only one overall loss under their belt (14-1) when traveling to Oklahoma in their first three league contests of the season. Last year, A&M opened its Big 12 slate with wins at Missouri and versus Texas Tech, prior to an unsuccessful visit to Norman.
• The A&M and OU series has developed into a heated rivalry between two Big 12 powerhouses who have laid claim to a combined six Big 12 trophies since 2006 and three of the last four consecutive postseason tournament titles. The Aggies won the regular-season title in 2007 and postseason tournament title in 2008.
IOWA STATE RECAP
Texas A&M 68, Iowa State 44
• For the 10th time this season, Texas A&M used the starting five of Tanisha Smith, Damitria Buchanan (9-1). It marked only White and Buchanan's second career Big 12 Conference start along with the sixth for Elonu, 13th for Smith and 17th for Colson.
• With the win, the Aggies claimed only their fifth victory in the all-time series with Iowa State. A&M's 24-point rout of the Cyclones marked the largest margin of victory in the series between the two schools. ISU's 44 points were its fewest this season and fewest scored in the 19-game series.
• For only the second time in school history, the Aggies are off to a 2-0 Big 12 start since the league's inception in 1996-97. It tied last season's 2-0 start with wins at Missouri and versus Texas Tech, both non-ranked opponents.
• Danielle Adams registered her third 20-point game of her career with a game-high 20 versus the Cyclones. She is currently on a seven-game double-digit scoring streak and has now led the team in scoring on seven occasions this season and in four out of the last five ballgames for the Aggies.
• The A&M defense has now forced back-to-back Big 12 opponents to their worst first-half shooting performance of the season and fewest first-half points. Iowa State shot 26.9 percent (7-of-26) from the floor and managed only 18 points in the first half of play. Then-No. 15 Texas shot 20.8 percent with 19 first-half points in the Aggies' league opener on Jan. 9 in Austin.
• Offensively, the Aggies were able to notch 68 points against a Cyclone defense which was holding opponents to just 51.1 points per game prior to the contest which ranked eighth nationally.
• Not only did A&M shoot 50 percent-or-better from the floor against back-to-back Big 12 opponents, but a pair of top 25 foes. It marked its fifth win this season against a nationally-ranked opponent and first in back-to-back outings. The Aggies have now defeated No. 6 Duke, No. 19 California (NCAA Sweet 16), No. 13 Arizona State (NCAA Elite Eight), No. 15 Texas and No. 20 Iowa State (NCAA Elite Eight).
AGGIE NOTABLE QUOTABLES
"We are a work in progress. We have been injury free and a lot of other teams in our league haven't been injury free. I am very proud of our depth, so that if any injury does occur, we have replaceable parts. There are other teams in the league with short rosters who might not have the quality of depth that we have. That's something that we have really built on and I'll stay with it every year. We can now get our scoring inside and outside, because Adaora (Elonu) and Danielle (Adams) can both score inside and outside and we haven't had that luxury before. It is nice to know we are not known as a jump shooting team, like we have been in the past. When we were good, it was our defense and our jump shooters. Now, it's our defense, our ability to have an inside and outside game and our ability to have a pressing game. We can play a lot of different ways." - Texas A&M head coach Gary Blair on the team's depth and explosive offense
"Our offense is different this year, because we have so many weapons and so many people can be a factor game-in and game-out. We have so many go-to players. If someone wanted to run a box and one and triangle and two when we had T-Kay (Starks) and Danielle (Gant), it was difficult. It will be even more difficult for them now, because we have so many people who can step up if Tanisha (Smith) or Tyra (White) aren't having a great game. We had Danielle (Adams) step up and get 20 points against Iowa State and everybody else had eight or seven. We had scattered numbers, because everyone can go out there and score at any given moment. If we execute Coach Blair's offense correctly, the plays work as long as everyone does their job on the court, we go out there and get the W and we are successful like we have been in the past few games." - Texas A&M junior point guard Sydney Colson on the team's increased offensive numbers
"I would like to say there's not any difference, but it will be different, because we aren't going up there to battle the (Courtney and Ashley) Paris sisters. In practice this week, we were discussing mental and physical toughness. Going on any road game in the Big 12 is difficult. We have to have people who are leading us vocally and in their actions. As long as we can go out there with toughness, everyone is on the same page, we are handling our defensive assignments, we are executing Coach Blair's plays correctly and we are not fouling like we did in the first half against Iowa State, we will be in good shape." - Sydney Colson on playing on the road in Norman in comparison to Austin
"We are a lot alike - how she has waited behind Courtney Paris for three years to play and now she is a factor for the team. Going into the game, we will guard her like we would guard Courtney Paris. It's not a difference at all. We will stick to our principles and to the same techniques we are working on now, so we can stay out of foul trouble. We just go in there and we guard you regardless of what your name is, what player you are on the team, if you are the 10th player off the bench, if you are the first player off the bench or if you are the starting center. It doesn't matter who you are, we are going to guard you the same." - Texas A&M senior forward Damitria Buchanan on Oklahoma center Abi Olajuwon and the same path both have taken in their playing careers
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 the Lloyd Noble Center alongside color analyst and former player A'Quonesia Franklin on KZNE 1150 AM. A live audio feed will also be available on www.AggieAthletics.com.