COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS - The No. 6-ranked and defending national champion Texas A&M women's basketball team opens the 2011-12 season Saturday against Lamar at Reed Arena. The Aggies and the Lady Cardinals tipoff at 7 p.m.
#6/6 TEXAS A&M (0-0) vs. LAMAR (1-0)
Game #1
Saturday, Nov. 12, 2011 • 7:00 p.m. (CT)
Reed Arena (12,989)
College Station, Texas
Television: None
Radio: Texas A&M Sports Network (KZNE 1150 AM)
Series History: Texas A&M Leads 14-9
Internet: Free Live Statistics and Live Video at AggieAthletics.com
TEXAS A&M
Record: 0-0 (0-0 Big 12)
Ranking: #6 (AP), #6 (Coaches)
Last Result: W, 84-63 vs. Oklahoma City (exh.) on 11/6/11
Up Next: vs. Louisville on 11/15/11
Head Coach: Gary Blair, Ninth Season
Texas A&M Record: 188-79 (.704)
Career Record: 596-242 (.711)
LAMAR
Record: 1-0 (0-0 Southland)
Ranking: NR (AP), NR (Coaches)
Last Result: W, 82-62 vs. Our Lady of the Lake on 11/11/11
Up Next: vs. Ole Miss on 11/15/11
Head Coach: Larry Tidwell, Fifth season
Lamar Record: 90-40 (.692)
Career Record: 90-40 (.692)
PROMOTIONS
- AAI Coat Drive - Aggie Athletes Involved (AAI) continues with its traditional Coat Drive that benefits the local Twin City Mission in Bryan this weekend. AAI will have locations set up at Reed Arena at the north, east, and main entrances. Any person bringing a new or used coat, blanket or sweater will receive a game ticket for free admission to one of the games. The locations will be manned on Saturday, Nov. 12 from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. and from 6 p.m. to 7:15 p.m. and then on Sunday, Nov. 13 from 2 p.m. until 3:15 p.m.
- Free admission with volleyball ticket - Receive free admission to the Lamar game with your volleyball ticket from Saturday's game.
TICKET INFORMATION
- Tickets are priced at $15 (courtside), $13 (sideline), $9 (baseline) and $7 (general admission) and can be purchased online at: tickets.12thmanfoundation.com, in person at the 12th Man Foundation Ticket Office and Reed Arena Box Office or by calling 1-888-99-AGGIE.
UP NEXT - NO. 9 LOUISVILLE ON NOV. 15
- Texas A&M takes on No. 9 Louisville on Tuesday, Nov.15 ina nationally televised 3 p.m.game as part of ESPN's College Hoops Tip-Off Marathon. The Aggies will receive their national championship rings and drop the national championship banner 20 minutes prior to tipoff. Be sure to be there to be part of the festivities.
AGGIES IN HOME OPENERS
- The Aggies are 18-3 all-time in home openers and have won their last eight consecutive opening day contests at Reed Arena, including an 87-41 victory over UALR last year.
- A&M is 5-0 when commencing the season at home in the Gary Blair Era, which includes a 2010 win against UALR, a 95-77 win against No. 6 Duke in 2009-10, a 73-45 victory over Mercer in 2008-09, a 72-48 win over Pepperdine in 2006-07 and a 77-36 rout of Saint Peter's in 2005-06.
SCOUTING LAMAR
- Lamar University is located in Beaumont, Texas, has an enrollment of 14,388 and was founded in 1923.
- Lamar will play its second game of the 2011-12 season Saturday at Reed Arena after opening the year with an 82-62 victory at home against Our Lady of the Lake Friday.
- The Lady Cardinals return 10 letterwinners and three starters from last year's 25-8 squad that finished second in the Southland Conference East Division...Lamar has been to the NCAA Tournament twice, most recently in 2010...Its last postseason was 2011 when the team lost in the first round of WNIT Tournament against Arkansas.
- Larry Tidwell (Austin College, '76) begins his fifth season at the helm of the Lady Cardinals and holds a 90-40 record at Lamar and for his career.
- Kalis Loyd and Monique Whittaker are the Lady Cardinals' top returning scorers averaging a combined 28.7 points and 11.7 rebounds per game last year.
PROBABLE STARTING LINEUPS
TEXAS A&M
|
No. |
Name |
2010-11 Stats |
|
32 |
Adrienne Pratcher, G, 5-7, Jr. |
2.4 ppg, 1.7 apg |
|
4 |
Sydney Carter, G, 5-6, Sr. |
10.4 ppg, 3.2 rpg |
|
20 |
Tyra White, G, 6-0, Sr. |
13.8 ppg, 5.1 rpg |
|
21 |
Adaora Elonu, F, 6-1, Sr. |
8.4 ppg, 5.9 rpg |
|
23 |
Kelsey Bone, C, 6-4, Jr. |
N/A |
LAMAR
|
No. |
Name |
2010-11 Stats |
|
5 |
Kalis Loyd, G, 6-2, Jr. |
15.5 ppg, 6.7 rpg |
|
12 |
Brateicka Mock, G, 5-6, Sr. |
2.5 ppg, 1.3 rpg |
|
14 |
Carenn Baylor, G, 5-5, Jr. |
N/A |
|
23 |
Monique Whittaker, G, 5-11.5, So. |
13.2 ppg, 5.0 rpg |
|
40 |
Danielle Heithoff, C, 6-1, Jr. |
2.8 ppg, 3.0 rpg |
STATISTICAL COMPARISON
|
2010-11 Category |
TAMU |
LU |
|
Overall Record |
33-5 |
25-8 |
|
Conference Record |
13-3 |
13-3 |
|
Points Per Game |
77.6 |
73.8 |
|
Scoring Margin |
+20.4 |
+8.4 |
|
Rebounds Per Game |
39.2 |
39.7 |
|
Rebounding Margin |
+6.0 |
-2.2 |
|
Field Goal Percentage |
45.1 |
41.0 |
|
Field Goal% Defense |
38.4 |
37.7 |
|
Three-Point FG% |
33.9 |
32.4 |
|
Free Throw Percentage |
73.5 |
72.2 |
|
Turnovers Per Game |
14.0 |
17.5 |
|
Assists Per Game |
16.3 |
13.8 |
|
Blocks Per Game |
4.2 |
3.2 |
|
Steals Per Game |
10.7 |
10.7 |
SERIES HISTORY
- Texas A&M leads 14-9 in the all-time series versus Lamar, including going 9-1 at home against the Lady Cardinals, with the only loss occurring back in 1979.
- The Aggies have won the last six games of the series dating back to 1982. In their last meeting on Jan. 4, 2010, in College Station, A&M defeated Lamar, 90-57.
DEFENDERS OF THE HOME COURT
- Texas A&M has protected its home court well over the last six seasons with the help of the 12th Man. In fact, the Aggies have compiled an unprecedented 82-8 (.911) overall success rate at Reed Arena in those six years, including a 13-1 mark last season and a perfect 16-0 home stand in 2006-07. The eight tallies in the home loss column have only occurred during Big 12 Conference play against nationally-ranked league foes.
- The Aggies have won 43 straight non-conference home games, dating back to a 40-46 loss to Houston on 12/30/03.
AGGIES' LAST FIVE YEARS AT REED ARENA
2010-11 13-1
2009-10 12-2
2008-09 13-1
2007-08 14-2
2006-07 16-0
2005-06 14-2
AGGIE ATTENDANCE
- Texas A&M finished its 2010-11 regular season averaging a program-best 6,104 fans at each home game, which ranked fourth-best in the Big 12 and 12th-best in the country in attendance. A&M has been in the top 25 in national attendance for the past four seasons.
Home Opener Attendance
6,866 - No. 6 Duke 11/15/09
6,443 - Pepperdine 11/10/06
5,243 - UALR 11/16/10
3,534 - Mercer 11/14/08
2,386 - Saint Peter's 11/21/05
2,243 - Prairie View A&M 11/15/07
2,180 - UTSA 11/30/04
1,802 - UALR 12/3/03
2011 NATIONAL CHAMPIONS
- In April, Texas A&M won its first NCAA National Championship in program history in its first-ever trip to the NCAA Women's Final Four and eighth all-time NCAA Tournament appearance.
- Texas A&M ended the season with a 33-5 record, the most victories in program history. It was the first 30-win season in 37 all-time season of Aggie Basketball.
- Texas A&M made a school-record sixth straight appearance in the NCAA Tournament. Prior to the streak, the Aggies had never played in consecutive NCAA Tournaments and had not been a part of March Madness since 1996.
- A&M received a program-best No. 1 national ranking in the final ESPN/USA Today Coaches Top 25 Poll, improving on its previous school-best of No. 3 in the Coaches Poll in 2008.
WHAT'S BACK
- The Aggies return three starters and 10 letterwinners from last year's national championship squad, including Preseason All-Big 12 honorable mention Sydney Carter (DeSoto, Texas), senior Adaora Elonu (Houston, Texas), and Preseason All-Big 12 Tyra White (Kansas City, Mo.).
AGGIES PICKED SECOND IN BIG 12
- A&M was selected to finish second in the Big 12 Conference Preseason Poll. The Aggies received one first-place vote and 73 points, listed only behind preseason favorite Baylor (81).
- A&M was picked second for the second consecutive year, which is its highest spot in the preseason poll since the team was chosen as the favorite prior to the 2007-08 season.
- For the sixth consecutive year, the Aggies were selected among the top five teams in the league. A&M was the preseason favorite to win the regular-season title in 2007-08 (Big 12 postseason champion and NCAA Elite Eight), picked second in 2006-07 (Big 12 regular-season co-champion), fifth in 2008-09 (NCAA Sweet 16), fourth in 2009-10 (Big 12 postseason champion) and second in 2010-11 (NCAA National Champions)
2011-12 Big 12 Preseason Poll
|
1. |
Baylor (9) |
81 |
|
2. |
Texas A&M (1) |
73 |
|
3. |
Texas |
60 |
|
4. |
Oklahoma |
58 |
|
5. |
Iowa State |
43 |
|
6. |
Texas Tech |
37 |
|
7. |
Kansas |
35 |
|
8. |
Oklahoma State |
30 |
|
9. |
Kansas State |
23 |
|
10. |
Missouri |
10 |
WHAT'S NEW
- For the third straight year, Texas A&M welcomes one of its highest-ever rated recruiting class with the addition of three freshmen in 6-foot-7 center Rachel Mitchell out of Atascocita High School in Houston, 5-foot-10 guard Tori Scott from John Ehret High School in Marrero, La., and 5-foot-8 guard and Big 12 Preseason Co-Freshman of the Year Alexia Standish out of Colleyville Heritage High School in Colleyville, Texas. This class was ranked as high as No. 3 in the country by The Collegiate Girls Basketball Report.
BONE ON BOARD
- Former McDonald's High School All-American and 2011 Big 12 Preseason Newcomer of the Year Kelsey Bone (Houston, Texas), a 6-foot-4 center out of Dulles High School, transfered from the University of South Carolina and had to sit out the 2010-11 season due to NCAA transfer rules. She is eligible to play for the nationally-ranked Aggies this season and is a redshirt sophomore in athletic eligibility.
- The No. 2 overall prospect in the Class of 2009 by several scouting services, Bone is the fourth McDonald's All-American and highest-rated player to ever sign with A&M. During her freshman season for the Gamecocks, Bone became the first South Carolina player to be tabbed Southeastern Conference Newcomer of the Year by The Associated Press. She also earned Second-Team All-SEC and SEC All-Freshman Team honors by the league's head coaches. In addition, she was recognized as Second-Team All-SEC by the AP and First-Team Freshman All-America by Full Court Press.
PRESEASON ACCOLADES ROLL IN FOR WHITE
- Leading up to the 2011-12 season, White has earned several preseason accolades. She was named to the Preseason All-Big 12 Team in addition to being named to the Wade Trophy Watch List and the John R. Wooden Award Preseason Top 30 List.
- White is coming off a junior campaign in which she was Texas A&M's second-leading scorer with 13.8 points per game and the team's third-leading rebounder with 5.1 rebounds per game. She was a State Farm All-America Honorable Mention along with being selected to the Women's Final Four All-Tournament Team after leading the Aggies to their first national championship in April. White was also an All-Big 12 First Team member and earned a spot on the Big 12 All-Tournament Team.
CARTER TAKES CHARGE
- Texas A&M is known for its signature defense and Sydney Carter is its spokeswoman, regularly given the daunting task of guarding the opponent's best perimeter player. Her play has earned her a spot on the Big 12 All-Defensive team last year and she took home the team's Miss Defense Award the past two seasons. Add to that, the fact that she has led the team in charges taken every year she's been at A&M.
Carter's Charges:
29 - Junior (2010-11)
28 - Sophomore (2009-10)
12 - Freshman (2008-09)
FROM THE SIDELINES
- Texas A&M head coach Gary Blair begins his 27th overall season as a Division I head coach. He currently ranks in the top 15 in career victories (596) and in the top 25 by winning percentage (.711) among active Division I coaches in the NCAA women's basketball record books.
- Blair is the all-time winningest coach in program history with 188 wins and a .704 winning percentage (188-79). He surpassed former head coach Lynn Hickey, who compiled 154 career victories from 1984-1994, with an 84-53 win over Portland State in the NCAA First Round on March 20, 2010 in Seattle, Wash.
- Blair is one of only three all-time NCAA Division I women's basketball coaches to lead two different teams to the NCAA Women's Final Four (Texas A&M and Arkansas) next to C. Vivian Stringer (Rutgers, Iowa and Cheyney) and Marianne Stanley (Stanford and Old Dominion).
- Blair is one of only four active Division I coaches (six all-time) to lead three different programs to the NCAA Tournament next to Stringer of Rutgers, Joanne P. McCallie of Duke and Jim Foster of Ohio State. Blair previously coached at Stephen F. Austin (1985-93) and Arkansas (1993-03).
- Blair and Stringer are the only two coaches to guide three different teams to the NCAA Sweet 16.
- With Veteran's Day taking place last week, it's important to note that Blair is a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps.
HIGHEST PRESEASON RANKING
- The Aggies earned their highest-ever preseason ranking ranked No. 6 in both the USA Today/ESPN Preseason Coaches' Poll and the Associated Press Top 25 Poll.
EXHIBITION RECAP
TEXAS A&M 84, OKLAHOMA CITY 63
- Texas A&M used the starting lineup of Adrienne Pratcher, Sydney Carter, Tyra White, Adaora Elonu and Kelsey Bone
- Elonu scored a team-high 16 points going 6-of-8 from the floor and 4-for-4 from the charity stripe while adding three blocks
- Bone added 11 and grabbed a game-high nine rebounds
- White also scored 11 and swiped a game-high four steals
- A&M forced 20 OCU turnovers and limiting the Stars to just 32 percent shooting
- The Aggies shot 56 percent on the afternoon with 12 blocks, 23 assists and 40 points in the paint
- The Aggie bench combined for 36 of the team's 84 points and outscored OCU's bench 36-12
- A&M converted 20 OCU turnovers into 21 points
- The Aggies shot 61 percent from the floor and committed just three turnovers in the second half
COMING IN 2012-13
Next season, Blair and his coaching staff will welcome A&M's highest-ever rated recruiting class that was ranked as high as No. 2 in the country by ESPN HoopGurlz, The Collegiate Girls Basketball Report, Premier Basketball Report and All-Star Girls Report. The Aggie signees were: 5-foot-10 wing Chelsea Jennings from Fort Worth, Texas, 5-foot-6 point guard Jordan Jones from DeSoto, Texas, 5-foot-7 combo guard Curtyce Knox from Humble, Texas, six-foot wing Peyton Little from Abilene, Texas, 5-foot-8 wing Courtney Walker from Edmond, Okla., and 6-foot-1 forward/guard Courtney Williams from Houston.
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 Reed Arena alongside color analyst Bret Dark on KZNE 1150 AM. A live audio feed will also be available on RadioAggieland.com.