Texas A&M
16-5, 7-3Big 12
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Kansas
16-6, 5-5Big 12
Bone Leads No. 16 A&M Over No. 25 Kansas
Feb 04, 2012 | Women's Basketball
COLLEGE STATION, Texas (AP) - With eight Big 12 games remaining, the defending national champion Texas A&M Aggies finally feel as if they're becoming the team they want to be.
"It's nice to finally get chemistry with this team," senior Sydney Carter said. "We've been waiting so long to say we're clicking and we're gelling. It's a transition from last year where we knew each other like the back of our hands. We carried that so long, it was a key reason why we won last year."
Kelsey Bone had a season-high 26 points and eight rebounds and No. 18 Texas A&M won its third straight, 62-51, over Kansas on Saturday night.
The Aggies never trailed, but saw a big second half lead dwindle to four points with less than two minutes remaining. A three-point play by Bone extended the lead to 58-51.
A steal by Tyra White gave the Aggies the ball back after that and Carter added a pair of free throws. A layup by Bone after another turnover by Kansas made it 62-51 with 42 seconds left.
Bone, who is in her first season with the Aggies after transferring from South Carolina and sitting out a year, outdid her previous season-best of 20 points, which came against Mississippi State.
"I wish we had a few more games against Kansas, because her two games against Kansas were her best," Texas A&M coach Gary Blair said. "She's starting to know when to pull it out or make that pass in there. It's taken her a while to realize what a shot is, what a good shot is and what a great shot is."
Bone's performance was a key to Texas A&M outscoring Kansas 34 to 22 inside on Saturday.
Carter added 15 points for Texas A&M (16-5, 7-3).
The Jayhawks (16-6, 5-5), who have lost three straight, got 11 points each from Angel Goodrich and Aishah Sutherland.
Carolyn Davis, who entered the game averaging a team-leading 18.1 points a game, was limited to six points after getting into early foul trouble dealing with Bone.
"She was getting deep catches and at that point any great post player can score," Davis, who had 10 rebounds, said of Bone. "With my defensive pressure, I should have been able to get in front to of her."
Kansas coach Bonnie Henrickson was disappointed that Davis picked up her third foul less than one minute into the second half, which changed the way she could handle Bone.
"She got deep, and Carolyn got in foul trouble and then she's hesitant," Henrickson said. "We've got to get into somebody a little bit harder and make them put the ball on the floor. Bone got right in front of the rim and got high percentage shots."
Texas A&M was up by 17 points early in the second half before Kansas used a 22-10 run to get to 50-45 with about seven minutes remaining. Davis got the run going with two buckets and CeCe Harper capped it with a 3-pointer.
Carter got A&M back on track with a 3-pointer after Kansas cut the lead to five. The Jayhawks responded with a 6-2 run to get to 55-51 before Bone's key 3-point play.
The Aggies used an 8-0 run to open the second half and extend their lead to 40-23 with just under 18 minutes remaining. Bone scored six of the points in that span.
Texas A&M jumped out to an 8-0 lead powered by four points from Bone and was ahead 32-23 at halftime.
POSTGAME NOTES
TEAM NOTES
- For the ninth 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 7-2 with this starting lineup.
- Texas A&M improved to 11-7 in the all-time series with Kansas. The Aggies have won the last 10 straight meetings between the two schools.
- The Aggies are also winners in 11 of the last 12 matchups with Kansas.
- For the first time this season, four Aggie post players (Assarian, Bellock, Bone and Elonu) took charges in the game.
- The Aggies led by as many as 17 points early in the second half.
- Texas A&M women's basketball Reunion Weekend was held with more than 50 former players and coaches in attendance.
INDIVIDUAL NOTES
- White has now started in 79 straight games, a streak that started on Jan. 4, 2010 against Lamar.
- Carter scored in double figures for the 13th time this season, Bone for the 15th
- Bone's 26 points were an Aggie career best.
- Adrienne Pratcher led the team with five assists.
- Blair is now an undefeated 13-0 lifetime versus Kansas in his 27 years as a Division I head coach. The Aggies are 10-0 against the Jayhawks since Blair's first season in Aggieland in 2003-04.
POSTGAME QUOTES
A&M HEAD COACH GARY BLAIR
Opening Statement
We got off to a good start; we ran them 8-0. We wanted to make it as fast as we could, knowing they only like to play seven players at the most. We were able to get into the bench a little deeper by getting (KU's Angel) Goodrich and (Carolyn) Davis into foul trouble. We were able to get into the post and do the things we wanted to do. I was satisfied with the point guard play. When you have young point guards, you make mistakes, but they're getting better. They're going to be so much better when the playoffs start.
On Sydney Carter's play
Look what Carter did, (forced KU guard Angel Goodrich into) seven turnovers. Last time she forced her into 11 turnovers, this time seven. Give that kid a lot of credit for as many minutes as I play her. And give Goodrich a lot of credit because she's the heart and soul of that team.
On building the chemistry of the team
It's coming in practice and it really started once we got our men's practice team back (after Christmas break). I had nine of them back in the shoot around. We get better when we play against them. They're getting better. I got 10 players in today; that's a lot in conference play.
On Kelsey Bone's 3-point play in the first half
I think it was huge because she wants the ball. They made some adjustments on their zone. We tore it up (when we played) at Kansas, but they stopped the sets they wanted to run. But we kept making enough shots to keep us in the ball game.
On A&M's Reunion Weekend
I wish ya'll could have been there to hear some of the stories...they were so appreciative, particularly the kids that played back in the 70s, 80s and 90s. It was fun being with them. Also for their families to see how much they were loved here when they were playing. They were players and they were some pretty good ones. We do this every three years.
JUNIOR CENTER KELSEY BONE
What made you dominant in the post today?
Coach Schaefer and I had a conversation after the Tech game. We played well defensively as a team, and we talked about building on that. We talked about that before the game and I think you're starting to see the chemistry from us. It's a thing where we had to get ready and experience it through games.
On Kansas making a run in the second half
Coach Blair oftentimes talks about with us being the defending national champion, there's a target. While we might get leads on a team, they're always going to fight. You're not going to see us get a lead on a team and then see them lay down. We have to keep that killer instinct that you'll see in the first 15 minutes of the game.
On the momentum shift after her and-1 to cut Kansas' run
I think it was a big momentum shift. A lot of people like to talk about Sydney's low shooting, but we're going to keep giving her the ball. She hit a big shot in the corner and then we got that big three-point play right behind it. Tonight I knew I could attack their post players, and that was our game plan.
On getting Kansas' players in foul trouble
I played against her (KU's Carolyn Davis) in high school, so I know her game a little bit. I know if I attacked first, you don't have to worry about guarding someone if they're sitting on the bench in foul trouble. It was a part of our game plan.
KANSAS HEAD COACH BONNIE HENRICKSON
Opening statement
I'm proud of our group to cut back into their lead. I thought our zone was good, much better than at our place. We defended them a lot better, and defensively we were able to play it miss-and-make a lot more in the second half. I thought when we were aggressive offensively we got to the rim and made some good plays.
