March 11, 2010
Kansas City, Mo. - No. 4 Seed Texas A&M faces No. 1 Seed Kansas in the Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship semifinals at 6:00pm on Friday in Kansas City. The game will be televised by the Big 12 Network (check local listings).
#23/24 Texas A&M Aggies (23-8, 11-5 Big 12/T2nd) vs.
#1 Kansas Jayhawks (30-2, 15-1 Big 12/1st)
6 p.m. (CT)
2010 Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship Semifinal Friday, March 12 * Sprint Center * Kansas City, Mo.
TV:
Big 12 Network
Brent Musberger, play-by-play
Bob Knight, analyst
Check local listings
ESPN360.com
ESPN Full Court
RADIO:
Texas A&M Sports Network
Dave South, play-by-play
Al Pulliam, analyst
Sirius Satellite: Channel 125
XM Satellite: Channel 231
A&M vs. No. 1
Friday's game will mark only the sixth time that Texas A&M has played a No. 1 team, but the third time this season. A&M is 0-5 against top-ranked opponents, but the last three games have all been decided in the final minute.
Year :: Score :: Site
1971-72 :: UCLA 117, A&M 53 :: Los Angeles
1996-97 :: Kansas 89, A&M 60 :: Lawrence, Kan.
2006-07 :: UCLA 65, A&M 62 :: Anaheim, Calif. (Wooden Classic)
2009-10 :: Texas 72, A&M 67 (OT) :: Austin, Texas
2009-10 :: Kansas 59, A&M 54 :: College Station, Texas
Tough Schedule
The Aggies played 10 ranked opponents in the regular season, tying for the most in the nation with Ohio State, Georgetown and Illinois. That doesn't include New Mexico, which was unranked when it played the Aggies in December. Friday's game is the fifth for the Aggies against teams that are ranked in the top 10 in this weeks polls. A&M is 4-6 against ranked teams this season and needs one more win to tie the school record for victories against ranked opponents (1978-79 under Coach Shelby Metcalf).
Senior Moment
Thursday's win against Nebraska was the 99th victory for A&M's senior class, making it the winningest class in school history. Last year's class, which was made up entirely of Josh Carter, went 98-37 (.726). This year's class is 99-36 (.733).
3-1 Record at Sprint Center
The Aggies are 3-1 at the Sprint Center. In addition to Thursday's win against Nebraska, the Aggies went 2-1 at the 2008 Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship at the Sprint Center with wins against Iowa State (60-47) and Kansas State (63-60) and a loss to No. 5 Kansas (77-71).
Series vs. Kansas
The Jayhawks lead the series, 15-1, and have won four straight against A&M. The Aggies' lone victory in the series came in 2007, when they left Lawrence with a 69-66 victory. That was Kansas' last loss at Allen Fieldhouse and remains the only victory there for a Big 12 South division team. The only other time the teams have met at the Sprint Center was in the tournament semifinals in 2008, when the No. 5 Jayhawks escaped with a 77-71 victory. The Aggies trailed by just two points in the final minute of that game.
Turgeon in Elite Company
Mark Turgeon's record at A&M is 72-29 (.713), the most wins ever in a three-year span by an A&M coach. Only Turgeon's mentors at Kansas -- Larry Brown (1983-86) and Roy Williams (1988-91) -- won more games in their first three years at a Big 12 school than Turgeon. Turgeon was a point guard on those same teams for Brown and was an assistant coach in Williams' first three years at Kansas. The only Big 12 coaches to match Turgeon's 72 wins in their first three seasons were Bill Self, Kansas (2003-06); Eddie Sutton, Oklahoma State (1990-93); Larry Eustachy, Iowa State (1998-01); and Tom Penders, Texas (1988-91). Turgeon is the only coach in A&M history to win at least 23 games three times.
Last Month in College Station
COLLEGE STATION (AP/Feb. 15) - Xavier Henry scored 12 points, including several free throws down the stretch, to help top-ranked Kansas escape with a 59-54 win over No. 24 Texas A&M. It was the 11th consecutive victory for Kansas and broke a 16-game home winning streak for A&M). Kansas trailed for much of the second half and was behind by four before going on a 7-2 run, capped by a free throw by Henry, to take a 55-54 lead with 3 1/2 minutes remaining. The Jayhawks pushed the lead to 57-54 moments later when Bryan Davis was called for goaltending on a shot by Cole Aldrich. Henry hit two more free throws with about 30 seconds remaining to seal the win. Marcus Morris and Aldrich added 12 points apiece for Kansas. A&M was led by Donald Sloan had 15. The Jayhawks' 59 points were a season-low for them in Big 12 play.
Sloan Ties A&M Record for Games Played
Senior guard Josh Carter (2005-09) for the most in A&M history. Senior forward Bryan Davis has played in 132 games, third on the chart.
More on Sloan
Sloan, a first-team All-Big 12 pick by the league's coaches and several media outlets, has scored in double figures in 15 straight games. He scored a game-high 23 on Thursday against Nebraska, his 11th 20-point game of the season, and added 4 assists. A&M is 50-10 when Sloan has at least 3 assists in his career (including a 27-5 mark in the last two seasons) and is 54-20 when he scores in double figures.
Holmes Rolls On
Junior guard B.J. Holmes scored 11 points (3-of-7 three-pointers) and tied his career-high with 4 assists vs. Nebraska. In the last 10 games, Holmes has averaged 10.0 points and made 48.1 percent (25-of-52) from three-point range. Holmes was named to the Big 12 All-Reserve Team for the second straight year by a panel of Big 12 media.
Middleton Ties Career High
Freshman forward Khris Middleton tied his career high with 17 points on Thursday vs. Nebraska, making 3-of-6 three-pointers and 6-of-6 from the free throw line. He also added a career-high 5 steals. Middleton had 17 earlier this season vs. Prairie View A&M. His trio of three-pointers were the second most he's had in a game behind his 4-of-8 performance against Prairie View.
Offensive Notes
A&M is 14-1 this season when its scores at least 70 points. The only loss was to New Mexico (84-81)...A&M is 20-4 when leading at halftime this season...A&M is 22-1 when it leads with 5:00 remaining...A&M is 11-0 when it has at least 8 fast break points...A&M is 20-4 when at least three players score in double figures...after struggling from three-point range through most of the Big 12 season, A&M has made 46.2 percent (31-of-67) from beyond the arc in the last four games...A&M is 16-4 this season when it makes at least 40 percent from the field...A&M is 14-1 when it has a positive assist/turnover ratio. The only loss was at No. 1 Texas (72-67) in overtime...A&M is 15-1 when it has at least 13 assists...A&M is 15-3 when it outscores its opponent in points off turnovers...A&M is 21-2 when it has more free throw attempts than its opponent...the Aggies have been out-scored from the line in seven of their eight losses, including all five losses in Big 12 play.
Rebounding
A&M beat Nebraska despite losing the rebounding battle, 29-25. Going into that game, A&M was just 3-6 when being beaten on the boards. The Aggies are 19-2 when they out-rebound their opponents.
Defensive Notes
A&M led the Big 12 in scoring defense in league play (65.8)...A&M held No. 1 Kansas to a Big 12 season-low 59 points last month in College Station...Texas scored a season-low 58 points against the Aggies in College Station...A&M is 20-1 when its opponent scores under 70 points, losing only the Kansas game...A&M is 61-10 under Turgeon when its opponent scores fewer than 70.
Aggies' Ride Four-Game Winning Streak
A&M's four-game winning streak matches its longest of the season. A&M has won four straight three other times this season.
Point Guard Harris Remains Questionable
Sophomore guard Dash Harris did not play in Thursday's game against Nebraska, the first time he's missed a game in his college career. Harris, who battled tendonitis in his right wrist much of the Big 12 season, suffered a bruised bone in the same wrist in the season finale at Oklahoma last Saturday. He is still listed as day-to-day. But in his absence, guards Donald Sloan each had 4 assists with 0 turnovers vs. the Cornhuskers. As a team, A&M had 15 assists and only 7 turnovers against Nebraska.