Nov. 24, 2010
Complete Release in PDF Format 
#8/8 TEXAS A&M (3-0) vs. Arizona (4-0)
Game #4
November 26, 2010 • 8:30 p.m. (CT)
Kuchil Baxal Gymnasium
Cancun, Mexico
#8/8 TEXAS A&M (3-0) vs. Michigan (2-2)
Game #5
November 27, 2010 • 8:30 p.m. (CT)
Kuchil Baxal Gymnasium
Cancun, Mexico
Television: None
Radio: Texas A&M Sports Network (KZNE 1150 AM)
Series History: Texas A&M and Arizona are even, 2-2; Texas A&M leads Michigan, 2-0
Internet: Free Live Statistics and Live Audio at www.AggieAthletics.com and Live Video (All Classic games for $10) at www.deportesquintanaroo.tv
TOURNAMENT PREVIEW
The eighth-ranked Texas A&M women's basketball team (3-0) hits the road for the second time this season, traveling to the Cancun Thanksgiving Classic Nov. 26-27 in Cancun, Mexico. The Aggies will face Arizona (4-0) on Friday, Nov. 26 at 8:30 p.m. and Michigan (2-2) on Saturday, Nov. 27 at 8:30 p.m. A&M is coming off of an 81-49 rout of 2010 NCAA Tournament team Liberty, which marked the first time in program history that the Aggies have tallied 80 points or more in its first three games of the season. A&M is known for its signature defense and it has not disappointed fans by forcing an average of 26.7 turnovers and limiting opponents to a 31.9 field goal percentage and a 20.0 three-point field goal percentage. The Aggies journey to Cancun for the first time in program history and will enjoy five days in Mexico's most popular tourist destination.
SCOUTING ARIZONA
After ending the 2009-10 season with a 14-17 overall record, the Wildcats are off to a 4-0 start for the first time in over a decade. Arizona last picked up an easy 93-54 victory over Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Monday. Led by sophomore guard Davellyn Whyte with 14.0 points per game, Arizona is averaging 79.2 points and outscoring its opponents by 18.0 points per game. Six-foot-two senior forward Ify Ibekwe is also averaging double figures with 11.5 points and 10.8 rebounds per game. Head coach Niya Butts is in her third year at the helm of the Wildcat program with a 26-36 career record.
SCOUTING MICHIGAN
The Wolverines enter the tournament with a 2-2 record last picked up a 63-58 road win at Indiana State on Monday. Michigan has already faced a ranked opponent this season in No. 5 Xavier. U-M kept the contest close, but fell 85-76 on Nov. 15. The Wolverine are led by three players in double figures – senior guard Veronica Hicks (11.8 ppg, 5.3 rpg), sophomore guard Sam Arnold (10.0 ppg) and sophomore guard Kate Thompson (10.0 ppg). Sophomore Jenny Ryan is the team's leading rebounder averaging 6.0 per game. The Wolverines are coached by Kevin Borseth who is in his fourth season and who led U-M to the WNIT Semifinals a year ago.
PROBABLE STARTING LINEUPS
TEXAS A&M
No. Name (2010-11 Stats)
4 Danielle Gant turned in her first double-double of the season with a game-high 12 points and 10 rebounds as No. 5 Texas A&M held off Arizona, 54-44, Tuesday night at Lute and Bobbi Olson Court at the McKale Center. Gant's double-double was the 13th of her career, while A&M set a program milestone with its first-ever road victory in the all-time series versus Arizona (3-2) in Tucson. The win also catapulted the Aggies to one of their best starts in school history with an unblemished 4-0 record which includes three consecutive victories on the road. After a 9-4 run by Arizona in the opening minutes of the game, A&M stepped up its defensive pressure and took the Wildcats deep into the shot clock on their possessions. Freshman reserve Danielle Gant led all Aggie scorers with 16 points including six of the team's points in the final stretch. She had a near double-double night with eight rebounds, two steals and two assists versus the Wolverines. Senior Talkie Starks registered 13 points, while White had 12 and freshman forward Adaora Elonu added a career-high 10.
LEADING THE BIG 12
2010-11 Preseason All-Big 12 selection Danielle Adams is leading the Big 12 Conference in scoring with 23.3 point per game, while 2010 All-Big 12 Honorable Mention selection Sydney Carter is tops in the league with an astounding 7.5 assist-to-turnover ratio (15-2). Maryann Baker sits fourth in the same category with a 3.3 assist-to-turnover ration (10-3).
LIBERTY RECAP
• For the third straight game, Texas A&M used the starting lineup of Sydney Carter, Maryann Baker, Tyra White, Adaora Elonu and Danielle Adams…every Aggie saw action in the contest.
• With the victory, A&M won the first all-time meeting between the two teams.
• The Aggies have now won 39 straight non-conference home games, dating back to a 40-46 loss to Houston on 12/30/03. In addition, A&M has won 71 of its last 78 home games.
• The Aggies' high-pressure defense continued to shine as A&M forced a season-high 32 turnovers by Liberty including 21 in the first half. In addition, the Aggies forced the Flames to shoot a season-low 28.6 percent in the first half.
• Senior Sydney Colson came off the bench and saw her first action of the season. The Houston, Texas, native scored two points, swiped two steals and contributed an assist in just four minutes of play.
• Senior Danielle Adams' 20 points extended her double-digit scoring streak to 12 games. The Kansas City, Mo., native shot a season-best 70.0 percent from the floor (7-of-10).
• Senior guard Maryann Baker dished out a game- and career-high six assists and matched her career best with a game-high four steals.
BLAIR NOTABLE QUOTABLES
On upcoming competition…
“We'll run into some good division one athletes on a neutral floor (in Cancun). What I want to do is to be able to play better for longer. I want to be able to stay in the flow and not necessarily make a 15-0 run like we did at Rice, but to be able to play the game and enjoy it instead of always having to score and steal the ball. There's a lot of things you can do on the basketball court to be an efficient basketball team and we have to do a little bit better job with that.”
“We finished a two-game series with Arizona and Michigan two years ago, but both times we played those teams, the coaches were young and just starting their programs. At home we handled them both pretty easy, but on the road we struggled with both. Now we're going to a neutral court and let the best team win. Hopefully we'll see more from Colson, but we'll have to wait and see how she responds (to playing four minutes against Liberty).”
UP NEXT
The Aggies return home for a game against California on Saturday, Dec. 4. The Bears are receiving votes in the ESPN/USA Today Top 25 Poll. The contest tips off at 11 a.m. at Reed Arena and is televised nationally by FSN.
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 Steve Miller will call the action live from Cancun on KZNE 1150 AM. A live audio feed will also be available on AggieAthletics.com.