COLLEGE STATION-No. 22 Texas A&M looks to make it five wins in a row on Wednesday when the Aggies (6-1) host Sam Houston State (3-5) at Reed Arena. Tipoff is set for 7:05 p.m. and the game will be televised by FOX Sports Southwest.
Kids get in free with the purchase of an adult ticket to the game (limit four kids per paying adult).
GAME 8:
(#22/25) Texas A&M AGGIES (6-1) vs Sam Houston State BEARKATS (3-5)
Wednesday, December 7, 2011 • 7:05 PM CT • TV: FOX Sports Southwest
Reed Arena (12,989) • College Station, Texas
Media Coverage
TELEVISION: FOX Sports Southwest
Greg Lucas, Play-by-Play
Jim Haller, Commentary
Satellite: DirecTV 676/Dish 416
RADIO: Texas A&M Sports Network
Dave South, Play-by-Play
Al Pulliam, Commentary
Local: WTAW-AM 1620
Satellite Radio: Sirius 138
LIVE AUDIO/STATS: aggieathletics.com
Snapshot: Texas A&M
Record: 6-1, 0-0 Big 12
Ranking: 22nd (AP), 25th (USAT/ESPN)
Streak: Won 4
Last 5 / Last 10: 4-1 / 6-1
Last Game: def. SFA (H), 55-42 (Sat.)
Head Coach: Billy Kennedy (SE Louisiana '86)
Record: 217-180 (14th year)
at Texas A&M: 6-1 (first year)
vs. Sam Houston: 8-5
Texas A&M: Probable Starters (based on previous game)
No. Name Pos. Ht. Wt. Cl. PPG RPG APG GP / Min
5 Dash Harris G 6-1 171 Sr. 3.9 2.6 4.6 7 / 26.0
10 David Loubeau F 6-8 234 Sr. 10.9 5.0 0.4b 7 / 23.4
13 Jordan Green G 6-4 181 Fr. 5.4 2.7 2.3 7 / 18.6
31 Elston Turner G 6-5 211 Jr. 11.9 3.3 2.0 7 / 29.6
35 Ray Turner F 6-9 232 Jr. 14.1 6.3 0.1b 7 / 24.3
Snapshot: Sam Houston State
Record: 3-5, 0-0 SLC
Ranking: NR
Streak: Won 2
Last 5 / Last 10: 2-3 / 3-5
Last Game: def. Paul Quinn (H), 66-54 (Thu.)
Head Coach: Jason Hooten (Tarleton St '93)
Record: 21-18 (second year)
at Sam Houston: 21-18 (second year)
vs. Texas A&M: never faced
Sam Houston State: Probable Starters (based on previous game)
No. Name Pos. Ht. Wt. Cl-Exp. PPG RPG APG GP / Min
1 Darius Gaston G 5-11 175 Jr-TR 7.6 2.9 3.6 8 / 30.4
11 Demarcus Gatlin G 6-4 190 So-TR 7.1 5.4 1.9 8 / 29.1
20 Marcus James F 6-7 195 Sr-1L 9.9 7.0 0.8b 8 / 28.6
35 Michael Holyfield C 6-11 255 Fr-HS 7.8 6.5 0.8b 8 / 26.0
44 Konner Tucker G 6-4 185 Jr-TR 12.4 4.3 1.0 8 / 32.5
Quick Hits
- Texas A&M ranks sixth nationally in field-goal percentage defense (34.1), eighth nationally in scoring defense (53.1 ppg), 10th nationally in rebound margin (+9.6) and 22nd nationally in 3-point FG% defense (25.7).
- The Aggies lead the Big 12 in scoring defense (53.1) and 3-point FG% defense (25.7), rank second in rebounding (40.9) and rebound margin (+9.6), and third in FG% defense (34.1).
- Over the last 3 games, Texas A&M has held foes to 43.0 points per game, 29.8 percent from the floor (48-for-161) and 16.7 percent from 3-point range (7-for-42) ... opponents are averaging 16.6 first-half points this year at Reed Arena and are being held to an average of 22 first-half points overall.
- A&M has held three straight opponents under 50 points per game for the first time since 2006 and only the second time since the 1959-60 season.
- A&M has won nearly 75 percent of its games since the start of the 2006-07 season (130-46, .739) ... the Aggies are 173-64 (.730) since the start of the '04-05 campaign.
- A&M has won 65 straight non-conference games at Reed Arena (dating back to start of 2005-06 season) and 78 consecutive regular-season, non-conference home games (dating back to 2003).
- A&M is 97-9 (.915) all-time in non-conference games at Reed and 117-14 (.893) overall at home since the start of the 2004-05 season.
- Over 55 percent of Texas A&M's points this season have come in the paint (254 of 449) ... by comparison, last season 40 percent of A&M's points came in the paint (973 of 2192, or 40.1%).
- For the first time in league history, Texas A&M has been picked to win the Big 12 Conference men's basketball championship ... the Aggies sat atop the preseason coaches' poll in a tie with Kansas.
- A&M is one of just 12 schools that have made the NCAA Tournament in each of the last 6 seasons (Duke, Gonzaga, Kansas, Marquette, Michigan State, Pittsburgh, Tennessee, Texas, Texas A&M, Villanova, Wisconsin, Xavier).
- Texas A&M is one of only 8 schools in the entire country that have won 24 or more games in each of the last 5 seasons (Butler, BYU, Kansas, Memphis, Pittsburgh, Texas A&M, VCU, Xavier).
- Texas A&M opened the year ranked in the top 20 nationally (19th/USAT, 20th/AP) for just the fifth time in school history, but the third time in the last six years ... the Aggies' previous preseason ranked teams were: 1979-80 (14th/AP); 1980-81 (15th/AP); 2006-07 (13th/USAT, 13th/AP); and 2007-08 (14th/USAT, 16th/AP).
Sam Houston State: A Closer Look
- Sam Houston State is 3-5 on the year and has won two straight entering this week's game with the Aggies ... the Bearkats have only six scholarship players available (due to injuries and eligibility issues), yet battled Texas in Austin (Nov. 26) and followed with two straight victories.
- SHSU, the three-time defending SLC Western Division champions, returns 1 starter and 3 letterwinners off an 18-win team in 2011 ... the Kats are holding foes to just over 60 points per game this year.
- Jason Hooten (Tarleton State '93) is in his second season as the head coach at Sam Houston State.
Series History
- Texas A&M leads the all-time series, 65-17, which dates back to 1945 ... the Aggies have won 16 in a row, but the teams have played just once since 1998 ... SHSU was defeated in its only trip to Reed Arena, a 60-50 setback on Dec. 28, 2008 ... the Bearkats' last win over the Aggies came on Dec. 5, 1956 in Huntsville (59-58).
- Aggie coach Billy Kennedy is 8-5 all-time against SHSU, a conference rival while Kennedy was the head coach at Southeastern Louisiana (1999-05).
Last Time Out: A&M 55, SFA 42
- COLLEGE STATION (Dec. 3)-Elston Turner scored 17 points and Ray Turner added 12 to lead No. 25 Texas A&M to a 55-42 victory over Stephen F. Austin. David Loubeau scored 11 for the Aggies (6-1), who have not topped 60 points in five straight games. A&M overcame a slow start to win its fourth straight overall and its 65th straight nonconference home game. Jereal Scott scored 12 points to lead the Lumberjacks (3-3), and Antonio Bostic had 10. The Aggies led 26-15 at halftime, and managed to keep Stephen F. Austin at bay the rest of the game. A&M shot 42 percent (20 for 48) from the floor while SFA was at 29 percent (15 for 52).
- POSTGAME NOTES: Over the last 3 games, Texas A&M has held opponents to 43 points per game, 29.8 percent from the floor (48-for-161) and 7-for-42 from the 3-point line (16.7 percent) ... A&M has held its last 3 opponents under 45 points per game ... the last time an Aggie team accomplished that was in 2006 (Saint Louis, Idaho State and Arkansas-Little Rock) ... the Aggies' 12 turnovers were a season low ... Texas A&M held SFA to 0-for-7 shooting to start the game and did not allow the Lumberjacks a field goal for the first 8 minutes of play ... A&M's defense held SFA scoreless over a 7:02 stretch of the second half, extending the lead from 8 (30-22) to 17 (39-22) ... Texas A&M now leads the all-time series, 18-3, and has won 14 in a row against SFA ... Elston Turner scored a season-high 17 points and matched a career high with 4 three-pointers.
Defense Notables
- A&M has held three straight opponents under 50 points per game for the first time since 2006 and only the second time since the 1959-60 season ... the last time the Aggies held three straight under 50 was the fall of 2006 (Saint Louis, Idaho State, Arkansas-Little Rock) ... before that it was the first four games of the 1959-60 campaign (Centenary, Trinity, Houston, Midwestern State).
- Texas A&M has held foes to 53.1 points per game, best in the Big 12 and eighth nationally (through games of 12/4) ... the Aggies have held six of their opponents to under 60 points and are unbeaten in those games.
- A&M is holding opponents to just 34.1 percent from the floor, ranking third in the Big 12 and sixth nationally (as of 12/4).
- Opponents are struggling from the perimeter, making just 25.7 percent of treys ... that ranks A&M tops in the Big 12 and 10th nationally (through games of 12/4).
- Over the last 3 games, Texas A&M has held foes to 43.0 points per game, 29.8 percent from the floor (48-for-161) and 16.7 percent from 3-point range (7-for-42)
- Opponents are averaging 16.6 first-half points this year at Reed Arena and are being held to an average of 22 first-half points overall.
- A&M held Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (11/26) to 27.8 percent shooting from the floor, the lowest by an A&M opponent since Iowa State in the 2008 Big 12 Tournament (27.4 percent).
- In the 2K Sports Classic semifinal against Mississippi State (11/17), the Bulldogs hit 11 of their first 15 shots (73.3%) through the first 10 minutes of the game, racing out to a 31-9 lead ... A&M's defense held MSU to 28.2 percent shooting (11-of-39) for the rest of the game and to 40.7 percent from the floor overall (22-of-54).
Getting Physical Inside
- Over 55 percent of Texas A&M's points this season have come in the paint (254 of 449) ... by comparison, last season 40 percent of A&M's points came in the paint (973 of 2192, or 40.1%).
- A&M's season average stands at 36.3 through 7 games (averaged 27.5 overall in 2010-11 and 30.4 in non-conference play).
- A&M's 48 points in the paint against Liberty (11/9) were the most by an Aggie team since putting up 48 against Angelo State in 2009 (Nov. 13) ... A&M followed with 46 points in the paint against Southern (11/13).
- Before the first week of the season, the last time A&M scored 45 or more points in the paint in consecutive games was against Louisiana-Monroe (50) and Chicago State (54) in Dec. 2004 ... the Aggies posted back-to-back games with 40 points in the paint just once last year.
On Point
- Senior Dash Harris leads the team in assists (4.57/game) and assist-to-turnover ratio (2.91) ... A&M is 45-10 over Harris' career when he has at least 3 assists (6-1 this year, 14-5 as a junior, 15-3 as a sophomore and 10-1 as a freshman).
- Harris ranks third in the Big 12 and 29th nationally in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.91), and sixth in the Big 12 in assists.
Aggie Hoops Turns 100
- The Aggies are in the midst of the 100th season of basketball at Texas A&M University ... the first team was fielded for the 1912-13 campaign.
- The inaugural team was coached by F.D. Steger and won its first ever game (date unknown) over Marlin (Texas) High School, 78-8 ... the first "collegiate" opponent for the program was later that season with a pair of games against Sam Houston Normal Institute (now Sam Houston State University) ... the Aggies will play SHSU later this winter.
This Week in
History
- DEC. 4, 2006: Texas A&M achieves a No. 6 ranking in both major polls, the highest in school history.
- DEC. 5, 1962: The Aggies play the 1,000th game in program history-a 64-49 win over Houston.
- DEC. 5, 1963: Shelby Metcalf coaches his first-ever game at Texas A&M, a 61-58 win over Houston ... Metcalf would go on to become the winningest coach in Texas A&M and Southwest Conference history.
- DEC. 6, 1975: Texas A&M scores a school-record 127 points against Houston Baptist ... the Aggies scored 72 second-half points en route to a 127-80 win.
- DEC. 8, 1993: UNLV visits G. Rollie White Coliseum ... a crowd of 6,331 watches A&M top the Rebels, 68-62.
Up Next
- Texas A&M will conclude its season-long 5-game homestand on Saturday at 7 p.m. when the Aggies host ULM at Reed Arena ... the game will be broadcast online on a pay-per-view basis by 12th Man TV.