April 1, 2011
Complete Release in PDF Format 
#2 TEXAS A&M (31-5) vs. #1 STANFORD (33-2)
NCAA Division I Women's Basketball National Semifinal
Game #37
April 3, 2011 • 6:06 p.m. (CT)
Conseco Fieldhouse (18,345)
at Indianapolis, Ind.
Television: ESPN & ESPN HD
Radio: Texas A&M Sports Network (KZNE 1150 AM)
Series History: Stanford leads 1-0
Internet: ESPN3.com, Free Live Statistics and Live Audio at www.AggieAthletics.com
FINAL FOUR PREVIEW
The second-seeded and seventh-ranked Texas A&M women's basketball team (31-5) makes its first trip to the NCAA Final Four this weekend as it travels to Indianapolis, Ind. The Aggies face second-ranked Stanford (33-2), their second straight No. 1 seed, in the national semifinals slated for Sunday, April 3 at Conseco Fieldhouse. The game tips off at 6:06 p.m. (CT) and is televised nationally on ESPN. A&M's stifling defense has led it to a historical run in the NCAA Division I Championship as the Aggies are among the best in the tournament field holding their opponents to just 44.8 points per game with a defensive field goal percentage of only 30.9 and a scoring margin of +28.8. A&M looks for its first win against Stanford in just its second all-time meeting.
ON THE TUBE
Texas A&M will appear on the ESPN family of networks for the eighth time this season. Play-by-play announcer Dave O'Brien, analyst Doris Burke and sideline reporters Rebecca Lobo and Holly Rowe will call the Final Four action live from Conseco Fieldhouse. All women's NCAA Tournament games are also available on ESPN3.com.
THE FINAL FOUR FIELD
A&M is the only team in this year's Final Four field making its first appearance as top seeds Stanford and Connecticut both clinched their fourth straight trips and 10th and 12th overall, respectively. Second-seeded Notre Dame is making its first trip since 2001.
DEFENSE, DEFENSE, DEFENSE
Texas A&M reached the Final Four after a tremendous job defensively of holding each of its four opponents under 50 points and are the only No. 2 seed to ever accomplish that feat. Only one other time since the NCAA Championships have been instituted has a women's basketball team advanced to the Final Four by this means and it was top-seeded LSU in 2005.
LSU in 2005
LSU beat Stetson, 70, 36
LSU beat Arizona, 76-43
LSU beat Liberty, 90-48
LSU beat Duke, 59-49, to advance to the Final Four
Texas A&M in 2011
Texas A&M beat McNeese State, 87-47
Texas A&M beat Rutgers, 70-48
Texas A&M beat Georgia, 79-38
Texas A&M beat Baylor, 58-46, to advance to the Final Four
UP NEXT
Should the Aggies win their NCAA National Semifinal game they will have a date with either top-seeded Connecticut (36-1) or second-seeded Notre Dame (30-7) in the national championship game on Tuesday, April 5 in Indianapolis.
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SCOUTING STANFORD
Stanford has won 27 straight games, last falling to Tennessee on Dec. 19, 2010. The Cardinal was the Pac-10 Regular Season and Tournament Champion and went 18-0 in league play. As the top seed in the Spokane Regional, Stanford reached the Final Four with wins over UC Davis (86-59), St. John's (75-49), North Carolina (72-65) and Gonzaga (83-60). WBCA Division I Coach of the Year Tara VanDerveer is in her 25th season at Stanford and holds a 674-146 (.823) record. This season the Cardinal is led by All-American Nnemkadi Ogwumike with 17 points per game (7.6 rpg), but four players are scoring in double figures including All-American Jeanette Pohlen (14.6 ppg), senior Kayla Pedersen (12.8 ppg, 7.9 rpg) and freshman Chiney Ogwumike (11.9 ppg, 8.1 rpg). Stanford ranks in the top seven nationally in eight statistical categories – scoring margin, field goal percentage, win loss percentage, field goal percentage defense, scoring offense, assist-to-turnover ratio, rebound margin and assists per game.
PROBABLE STARTING LINEUPS
TEXAS A&M
No. Name (2010-11 Stats)
51 Takia Starks and A'Quonesia Franklin are the only two-time selections.
AGGIES IN NCAA TOURNAMENT PLAY
The Aggies are 13-7 all-time in postseason play and are making their eighth all-time NCAA Tournament appearance ('94, '96, '06, '07, '08, '09 '10, '11) and first in the Final Four. Texas A&M head coach Takia Starks (2006-09), Danielle Gant (2006-09), Danielle Gant with 19 from 2005-09. Adams was also the first player since Prissy Sharpe in 2000 to register a double-double in a single half (first or second) in a Big 12 Conference game. Danielle Gant was the last to accomplish the feat against a non-conference opponent and posted two double-double half performances in her career (3/17/07 vs. UT-Arlington and 11/21/06 vs. McNeese State).
HEAD OF THE CLASS
The 2011 seniors of Maryann Baker and Sydney Colson have been a part of four-straight NCAA Tournament squads, including A&M's first Final Four, an Elite Eight appearance in 2008 and a Sweet 16 appearance in 2009. They also compiled a 113-29 (.796) winning record since their arrival in Aggieland which is the best record of any senior class in school history. These Aggie seniors have also taken part in three Big 12 Conference Championship titles.
FROM THE SIDELINES
• Texas A&M head coach Gary Blair is 1-0 lifetime against Stanford in his 26 years as a Division I head coach. He kicked off the 1998-99 season at Arkansas with a 76-71 win over the Cardinal.
NCAA ELITE EIGHT RECAP
Texas A&M 58, Baylor 46
TEAM NOTES
• For the 26th time this season, Texas A&M used the starting lineup of Sydney Colson, Sydney Carter, Tyra White, Adaora Elonu and Danielle Adams. The Aggies are 21-5 with this starting lineup.
• The Aggies improved to 31-5, the most victories in school history.
• The Aggies improved to 13-7 all-time in NCAA postseason play in their eighth all-time NCAA Tournament appearance. A&M improved to 1-1 all-time in Elite Eight games.
• Texas A&M head coach Gary Blair is now 11-5 at A&M and 25-16 in his career in NCAA Tournament games. It is his second trip to the Final Four next to leading Arkansas in 1998.
• A&M improved the all-time series with Baylor to 36-47 and broke a streak of eight straight Baylor wins.
• A&M held Baylor to its second-lowest shooting percentage (34.4%) and second lowest total points (46) of the season.
• The Aggies held the Lady Bears to just seven field goals in the first half which was a season low.
INDIVIDUAL NOTES
• Sydney Carter had a first half career-high 15 points en route to a season-high 22 points. She added the most rebounds she has had in an NCAA Tournament game (six).
• Tyra White matched her first half career-high with seven rebounds and tallied her career best in an NCAA Tournament game with nine. White has now scored double figures in the last seven games and 28 contests this season.
• Sydney Colson swiped an NCAA Tournament game career-best five steals, which also matches her season best.
• Adaora Elonu grabbed a season-best 10 rebounds for the sixth time this year.
• Danielle Adams was named an AP All-American and Sydney Colson was voted an AP All-American Honorable Mention on Tuesday. Adams became the first A&M player all-time to make the first team.
• NCAA Dallas Regional All-Tournament Team: Most Outstanding Player Sydney Carter (Texas A&M), Brittney Griner (Baylor), Kayla Teteschlag (Green Bay), Danielle Adams (Texas A&M) and Melissa Jones (Baylor).
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 Conseco Fieldhouse alongside color analyst Steve Miller on KZNE 1150 AM. A live audio feed will also be available on AggieAthletics.com and RadioAggieland.com.