COLLEGE STATION, Texas - The No. 8 Texas A&M women's basketball team rings in the New Year and begins Big 12 Conference play at Kansas State on Wednesday, Jan. 4. Tipoff between the Aggies and the Wildcats is scheduled for 5:30 p.m.
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#9/8 TEXAS A&M (9-2) at KANSAS STATE (9-3) |
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Game 12 |
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Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2012 • 5:30 p.m. (CT) |
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Bramlage Coliseum (12,529) |
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Manhattan, Kan. |
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Television: K-StateHD.TV (Subscription based) |
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Radio: Texas A&M Sports Network (KZNE 1150 AM) |
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Series History: Kansas State leads 12-7 |
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Internet: Free Live Audio and Live Stats at AggieAthletics.com |
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TEXAS A&M |
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Record: 9-2 (0-0 Big 12) |
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Ranking: #9 (AP), #9 (Coaches) |
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Last Result: W, 72-62 vs. McNeese State on 12/30/11 |
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Up Next: vs. Oklahoma on 1/8/12 |
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Head Coach: Gary Blair, Ninth Season |
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Texas A&M Record: 197-81 (.709) |
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Career Record: 605-244 (.713) |
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KANSAS STATE |
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Record: 9-3 (0-0 Big 12) |
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Ranking: NR (AP), NR (Coaches) |
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Last Result: W, 57-56 at Marist on 12/29/11 |
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Up Next: at Kansas on 1/7/12 |
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Head Coach: Deb Patterson, 16th Season |
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K-State Record: 309-178 (.634) |
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Career Record: Same |
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QUICK HITS
- Four Aggies are averaging double figures this season with Preseason All-Big 12 selection Tyra White (13.8 ppg) leading the way. She is followed by Big 12 Preseason Newcomer of the Year Kelsey Bone (12.5 ppg), senior forward Adaora Elonu (11.7 ppg), and senior guard Sydney Carter (10.8 ppg).
- Bone is also leading the team in rebounding (7.4 rpg). Elonu is second with 6.4 rebounds and sophomore Karla Gilbert averages 5.4 rebounds per game.
- The Aggies lead the Big 12 Conference with a turnover margin of +5.5. The team has also forced its opponents into an average of 21.8 turnovers per game and averages 19.3 offensive rebounds per game, both of which are second-best in the Big 12.
- The Aggies have the 16th-best rebounding margin in the nation at +9.3.
- A&M is on a three-game winning streak and in those last three contests, White is averaging 17.0 points per game, while Bone has upped her rebounds to 9.7 per game and Elonu has averaged 8.0 per game. In addition, junior Adrienne Pratcher has tallied 7.0 assists and 3.7 steals per game.
AGGIES IN BIG 12 OPENERS
- Texas A&M is 6-9 all-time in Big 12 Conference openers since the league's inception in 1996-97.
- This marks the ninth time the Aggies have tipped of their Big 12 campaign on the road with a 4-5 record to date. A&M last started league play on the road in 2009-10 with a 91-70 win at No. 15 Texas.
- The Aggies last started the conference season against Kansas State in the 2007-08 season and suffered a 54-67 loss at home. A&M and the Wildcats meet in a Big 12 opener for the third time in league history with K-State coming out victorious on both previous occasions (including a 45-48 loss at K-State in 2006-07).
SCOUTING KANSAS STATE
- Kansas State University is located in Manhattan, Kan., has an enrollment of 23,566 and was founded in 1863.
- The Wildcats return three starters and eight letterwinners from its 2010-11 squad that finished with an overall record of 21-11 and a 10-6 mark (tied for third) in the Big 12.
- K-State made its 12th NCAA Tournament appearance last season before falling to Purdue 45-53 in the first round.
- Kansas State is 5-0 at home this season and is holding its opponents to a shooting percentage of 30.4 at Bramlage Coliseum.
- The Wildcats have two players averaging double figures in 5-foot-8 senior guard Brittany Chambers (15.6 ppg) and 6-2 senior forward Jalana Childs (15.2 ppg). Childs leads the team in rebounding with 6.4 rpg, while Chambers is second with 6.2 rpg.
PROBABLE STARTING LINEUPS
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TEXAS A&M |
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No. |
Name |
2011-12 Stats |
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32 |
Adrienne Pratcher, G, 5-7, Jr. |
8.5 ppg, 5.3 apg |
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04 |
Sydney Carter, G, 5-6, Sr. |
10.8 ppg, 3.3 rpg |
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20 |
Tyra White, G, 6-0, Sr. |
13.8 ppg, 5.2 rpg |
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21 |
Adaora Elonu, F, 6-1, Sr. |
11.7 ppg, 6.4 rpg |
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03 |
Kelsey Bone, C, 6-4, Jr. |
12.5 ppg, 7.4 rpg |
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KANSAS STATE |
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No. |
Name |
2011-12 Stats |
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2 |
Brittany Chambers, G, 5-8, Jr. |
15.6 ppg, 6.2 rpg |
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13 |
Tasha Dickey, G, 5-10, Sr. |
8.7 ppg, 3.8 rpg |
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22 |
Mariah White, G, 5-8, Jr. |
5.0 ppg, 4.3 rpg |
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33 |
Jalana Childs, F, 6-2, Sr. |
15.2 ppg, 6.4 rpg |
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34 |
Branshea Brown, F, 6-2, Sr. |
4.4 ppg, 5.9 rpg |
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STATISTICAL COMPARISON |
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2011-12 Category |
TAMU |
KSU |
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Overall Record |
9-2 |
9-3 |
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Conference Record |
0-0 |
0-0 |
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Points Per Game |
72.1 |
58.9 |
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Scoring Margin |
+12.1 |
+9.8 |
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Rebounds Per Game |
43.6 |
39.9 |
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Rebounding Margin |
+9.3 |
+1.8 |
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Field Goal Percentage |
42.1 |
37.7 |
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Field Goal% Defense |
38.8 |
31.3 |
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3-Point FG% |
26.4 |
27.8 |
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Free Throw Percentage |
62.9 |
63.8 |
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Turnovers Per Game |
16.4 |
15.1 |
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Assists Per Game |
15.4 |
12.0 |
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Blocks Per Game |
4.3 |
3.7 |
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Steals Per Game |
10.4 |
9.8 |
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INSIDE THE SERIES
- Kansas State leads 12-7 in the all-time series with Texas A&M. The Aggies have won three of the last four versus the Wildcats, but K-State was one of just three blemishes on A&M's Big 12 record last season.
- Only two of the Aggies' seven victories in the series have been won on the road in Manhattan including a 71-45 victory in 2009 and a 73-59 win in 1999.
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LAST SEVEN GAMES IN THE SERIES |
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L, 67-71 on March 2, 2011 in Manhattan, Kan. |
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W, 65-63 on March 13, 2009 in Oklahoma City, Okla. |
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W, 71-45 on March 1, 2009 in Manhattan, Kan. |
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L, 54-67 on Jan. 9, 2008 in College Station |
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L, 45-48 on Jan. 6, 2007 in Manhattan, Kan. |
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W, 66-39 on Jan. 11, 2006 in College Station |
AGGIES IN NON-CONFERENCE PLAY
- The Aggies are 94-16 (.855) in non-conference play in the Gary Blair Era (2003-Present) and turned in their eighth consecutive non-conference season with two or less victories in Coach Blair's ninth overall season in Aggieland.
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GARY BLAIR ERA NON-CONFERENCE RECORD |
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2003-04: |
7-4 |
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2004-05: |
9-1 |
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2005-06: |
11-2 |
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2006-07: |
10-2 |
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2007-08: |
12-2 |
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2008-09: |
12-1 |
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2009-10: |
12-1 |
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2010-11: |
12-1 |
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2011-12: |
9-2 |
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Totals: |
94-16 (.855) |
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PRATCHER PERFORMS
- Adrienne Pratcher led the Aggies against USC to their largest come-from-behind victory since stunning Stanford in the Women's Final Four last April. With a career- and game-high 22 points, including 17 in the second half, Pratcher shot a career-high 69.2 percent (9-of-13) from the field and was 2-for-2 from beyond the arc. In fact, she put up career bests in nearly every statistical category including nine assists, five rebounds and five steals.
- In her first season as the starting point guard, Pratcher is fourth in the Big 12 with 5.3 assists per game and a 2.2 assist-to-turnover ratio. She is also seventh-best averaging 2.3 steals per game.
RPI RATING
- In the most recent release of the NCAA RPI and rpiratings.com's women's college basketball RPI on Jan. 3, Texas A&M was ranked seventh. According to the NCAA, Delaware holds the top spot followed by Tennessee, Connecticut, Stanford, Baylor and Maryland. Notre Dame and Michigan round out the top 10.
DEFENDERS OF THE HOME COURT
- Texas A&M has protected its home court well over the last seven seasons with the help of the 12th Man. In fact, the Aggies have compiled an unprecedented 87-8 (.916) overall success rate at Reed Arena in those 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 48 straight non-conference home games, dating back to a 40-46 loss to Houston on 12/30/03. In addition, A&M has won 75 of its last 81 home games.
AGGIES' AT REED ARENA (SINCE 2005-06)
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2011-12 |
5-0 |
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2010-11 |
13-1 |
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2009-10 |
12-2 |
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2008-09 |
13-1 |
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2007-08 |
14-2 |
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2006-07 |
16-0 |
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2005-06 |
14-2 |
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Total |
87-8 |
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.
- After five home games this season, the Aggies are averaging 6,025 fans per game.
TWO TOUGHEST ROAD TESTS
- In the history of Texas A&M women's basketball, #13 Purdue and #2 Connecticut were the highest-ranked opponents the Aggies have ever faced consecutively on the road.
- The Aggies came away with two tough losses, but had not dropped two consecutive games since February 2010.
PRESSURE DEFENSE
- Texas A&M is known for its pressure defense and forced its first six opponents into season high turnovers: Lamar (28), Louisville (27), UALR (24), Mississippi State (18), Temple (27) and Iowa (25).
AGGIES IN THE POLLS
- A&M has been ranked in the AP Poll for 73 consecutive weeks and 54 all-time in the top 10
- A&M has been ranked in the Coaches Poll for 109 consecutive weeks and 59 all-time in the top 10.
TWELVE STRAIGHT
- Prior to their loss at Purdue, the Aggies had won 12 straight games (including six from last season) which matched a school-record 12-game streak that occurred on three other occasions - during the 2010-11, 2008-09 and 2007-08 seasons.
BLAIR GETS 600TH WIN
- With a victory over Mississippi State on Nov. 20, 2011, A&M head coach Gary Blair earned his 600th career win as a Division I head coach. The victories included 192 at A&M (2003-present), 198 at Arkansas (1993-03) and 210 at Stephen F. Austin (1985-93) for 600 total wins.
- Blair became the 25th-fastest all-time coach (in all divisions) to reach 600 victories, the 22nd all-time Division I coach and the 36th all-time coach (in all divisions) to reach 600 victories. He is one of just 13 active Division I coach with 600 victories.
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
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1. |
Baylor (9) |
81 |
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2. |
Texas A&M (1) |
73 |
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3. |
Texas |
60 |
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4. |
Oklahoma |
58 |
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5. |
Iowa State |
43 |
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6. |
Texas Tech |
37 |
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7. |
Kansas |
35 |
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8. |
Oklahoma State |
30 |
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9. |
Kansas State |
23 |
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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.
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 is in his 27th overall season as a Division I head coach. He currently ranks in the top 15 in career victories (605) and in the top 25 by winning percentage (.713) among active Division I coaches in the NCAA women's basketball record books.
- Blair is the all-time winningest coach in program history with 197 wins and a .709 winning percentage (197-81). 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.
MCNEESE STATE RECAP
TEXAS A&M 72, MCNEESE STATE 62
TEAM NOTES
- For the first time this season, Texas A&M used the starting lineup of Adrienne Pratcher, Tyra White, Adaora Elonu, Kristi Bellock and Kelsey Bone. It marked the ninth start of Bone's Aggie career, the first career start for Bellock, the 12th for Pratcher, 82nd for White and 85th for Elonu.
- Texas A&M improved to 8-2 in the all-time series with McNeese State. In addition, the Aggies have won the last eight meetings between the two teams.
- Texas A&M has now won 48 straight non-conference home games. In addition, the Aggies have won 75 of its last 81 home games.
- The Aggies outscored the Cowgirls 36-20 in the paint.
- The Aggie bench outscored the Cowgirls 24-4.
- A&M held McNeese State to just 27.6 percent shooting (8-29) in the first half.
- A&M's 43 free-throw attempts were the most since attempting 49 vs. Eastern Kentucky on 11/18/00. Its 28 free throws made were the most since making 29 vs. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on 2/8/05.
INDIVIDUAL NOTES
- White has now started in 69 straight games, a streak that started on Jan. 4, 2010 against Lamar.
- White has scored double figures in 18 of her last 19 games.
- Bone tallied her 10th career and second double-double as an Aggie. Her 15 rebounds matched a career high.
- Kelsey Assarian (7) and Bellock (5) both grabbed season-high rebounds.
- Cierra Windham added a season-high 8 points.
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 Bramlage Coliseum alongside color analyst Steve Miller on KZNE 1150 AM. A live audio feed will also be available on RadioAggieland.com.