Texas A&M
13-4, 4-2Big 12
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Kansas
15-3, 4-2Big 12
No. 13 Aggies Win Ninth Straight Against Kansas
Jan 21, 2012 | Women's Basketball
LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) - Kelsey Bone had 18 points to lead four Aggies in double figures, and No. 14 Texas A&M weathered Kansas' second-half rally before pulling away for a 76-65 victory Saturday night.
Adaora Elonu added 17 points, Sydney Carter had 13 and Tyra White 12 for the Aggies (13-4, 4-2 Big 12), who led by as many as 17 in the first half, had the lead trimmed to seven midway through the second, and then went on another scoring binge to reestablish the 17-point cushion.
The Jayhawks (15-3, 4-2), who'd been off to their best start since the 1993-94 season, didn't have enough time to mount yet another comeback.
Angel Goodrich scored a career-high 28 points, but she also contributed 11 of the Jayhawks' 23 turnovers. The Aggies came into the game forcing 21.3 turnovers per game, best in the Big 12.
Monica Engelman finished with 14 points for Kansas. Carolyn Davis had 10.
Texas A&M, the defending national champion, has won three straight overall and the last nine against Kansas. The Aggies' last loss to the Jayhawks was on Jan. 25, 2003, in College Station.
They looked as if they would put things away early Saturday night.
The 6-foot-4 Bone scored their first six points, using her big size advantage inside, before Elonu and White added jumpers to make it 10-2 just 4 1/2 minutes into the game.
The lead swelled to 31-15 with about 6 minutes to go when Bone scored again inside, and it was 35-18 - the biggest lead of the half - when Carter knocked down a jumper with 4:56 left.
It was still 43-28 at the break.
Kansas managed to claw its way back early in the second half, when Goodrich used her speed to get to the basket. She scored six of her team's first eight points, and the lead was trimmed to 51-41 when Aishah Sutherland made a foul shot with 12:28 left - her 1,000th career point.
The Jayhawks made it 53-46 on a 3-pointer by Goodrich, but that was as close as they got.
Bone answered with a basket inside at the other end, and the Aggies put together their game-deciding run over the next 4 minutes. White added a jumper, Carter a pair of free throws and Elonu another jumper. When White knocked down a 15-footer to make it 63-46 with 8:41 left, Texas A&M coach Gary Blair leaped up in front of the bench and pumped his fist.
The energetic Aggies coasted the rest of the way, allowing Blair to improve to 12-0 against the Jayhawks. He's 9-0 against them since taking over at Texas A&M in 2003.
Kansas fell to 2-6 against the Aggies at Allen Fieldhouse.
POSTGAME NOTES
TEAM NOTES
- For the fifth time this season, Texas A&M used the starting lineup of Alexia Standish, Sydney Carter, Tyra White, Adaora Elonu and Kelsey Bone...The Aggies are 4-1 with this starting lineup.
- Texas A&M moves to 10-7 in the all-time series with Kansas. The Aggies have won the last nine straight meetings between the two schools.
- The Aggies' 43 points at the half marked the fifth time, and the second straight in Big 12 play, this season A&M has tallied 40 or more points in the first half.
- A&M's shooting percentage of 50 percent in the first half was its second-highest this season and marked the second straight game the Aggies shot 50 percent in the first half.
- The Aggies' four turnovers at the half matched its lowest first half total this season.
- For the seventh time this season, at least four A&M players scored in double figures.
- For the 12th time this season, the Aggies forced their opponent into 20+ turnovers.
- A&M's 48.4 field goal percentage was its second-best this season.
- For the third straight game and sixth time this season, A&M forced the opposing point guard into double figure turnovers.
- The Aggies' point guards (Standish, Pratcher and Carter) combined to play 71 minutes while committing a season low one turnover.
INDIVIDUAL NOTES
- Carter joined an elite group of players and passed over 1,000 career points tonight. She was the 24th A&M player to do so and has 1,003 career points.
- Standish dished out a career-best six assists without a single turnover and added a career-high three steals.
- White has now started in 75 straight games, a streak that started on Jan. 4, 2010 against Lamar.
- With 1,307 career points, White moved into ninth place on A&M's career points list.
- Elonu scored in double figures for the 13th time this season, Bone for the 12th time, Carter for the 11th time, and White has scored double figures 23 of her last 25 games.
- Elonu hit her seventh career 3-pointer in the second half against Kansas.
- Bone scored a first-half season high 12 points en route to her 18 points.
- Skylar Collins had a career-best four assists and added a pair of steals.
- Head Coach Gary Blair is an undefeated 12-0 lifetime versus the Jayhawks and is 9-0 against KU since his first season in Aggieland in 2003-04.
POSTGAME QUOTES
A&M HEAD COACH GARY BLAIR
Opening Statement
We have a very balanced team. We played very well in the first half, but there's a reason Kansas leads the lead in field goal percentage, because they do a very good job of not panicking and running their offense all the way through the clock. Our team is starting to gel. We haven't played too well this year because we're getting everyone's best game. That's the way it should be when you face a national champion. It's making us a better team because of the competition and the coaching strategy in the Big 12.
On KU's Angel Goodrich
How Angel (Goodrich) had 11 turnovers, is because of the pressure that Carter was putting on her and the wings couldn't get open or the posts were not open. That's how we're able to play that type of defense when I can put that much pressure on the point guard. But when she couldn't get them open she'd take it to the hole and beat Carter a couple of times. I'd rather the point guard beat us than the wings, but she's one of the best in our league.
On playing at Allen Fieldhouse
I love coming to this place. I'm leaving my career undefeated here. I respect this place so much. This is the best arena in America to play in. The best.
SENIOR GUARD TYRA WHITE
On playing near her hometown
It's always good to come back and play in front of my family and friends here. It's the last time, except for the Big 12 Tournament. It felt good to come back and get a "W". It was exciting for me and my teammates.
JUNIOR CENTER KELSEY BONE
On A&M's response to Kansas' run in the second half
We knew this was a good team, a hot team right now. One of our former greats is on the staff, so we knew coming in that this team would never be out of the game against us. They cut our lead down and we got in the huddle, got it together and came back and made our run. That's the maturity that's emerging from our team as we get more experience and chemistry together. We're not folding when teams make runs. We're able to fight back and push, and keep and extend leads.
On shutting down KU's post players
Our program is built on defense. The coaches have been on me all year about defense and I think tonight, I just had to do it. They were coming off a couple of great games and anytime an opposing post player can gather 22 rebounds in a game, you know there is going to be a challenge. Adaora, Karla and all of us stepped up to the challenge tonight to really limit their touches, because we knew if we could shut them down or limit them we would be able to win the game.
On forcing KU's Angel Goodrich into 11 turnovers
Anytime we can turn over a point guard and put them in double digits (in turnovers)...all the credit there goes to Sydney Carter. I wouldn't want her to guard me and I'm six inches taller. She's a menace on the ball and it actually makes it easier for us down low. They are so pressured on the wing that they can't really see the post players to get it to them.
