Kelsey Assarian at weekly Aggie women's basketball press conference
Kelsey Bone at weekly Aggie women's basketball press conference
Gary Blair at weekly Aggie women's basketball press conference
No. 14 A&M Closes Road Swing at Oklahoma State Tuesday
No. 13 A&M Closes Road Swing at Oklahoma State Tuesday
COLLEGE STATION, Texas – The No. 13 Texas A&M women’s basketball team takes a three-game winning streak on the road to Oklahoma State on Tuesday, Jan. 24. In the second of a two-game road swing, the Aggies and the Cowgirls tip off at 7 p.m. at Gallagher-Iba Arena.
#14/13 TEXAS A&M (13-4, 4-2 Big 12) at OKLAHOMA STATE (11-4, 3-3 Big 12)
Game 18
Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2012 • 7:00 p.m. (CT)
Gallagher-Iba Arena (13,611)
Stillwater, Okla.
Television: None
Radio: Texas A&M Sports Network (KZNE 1150 AM)
Series History: OSU leads 21-20
Internet: Free Live Audio and Live Stats at AggieAthletics.com
TEXAS A&M
Record: 13-4 (4-2 Big 12)
Ranking: #14 (AP), #13 (Coaches)
Last Result: W, 76-65 at Kansas on 1/21/12
Up Next: vs. Iowa State on 1/29/12
Head Coach: Gary Blair, Ninth Season
Texas A&M Record: 201-83 (.708)
Career Record: 609-246 (.712)
OKLHAOMA STATE
Record: 11-4 (3-3 Big 12)
Ranking: NR (AP), NR (Coaches)
Last Result: W, 62-58 at Missouri on 1/21/12
Up Next: vs. Kansas State on 1/28/12
Head Coach: Jim Littell, First Season
OSU Record: 9-4 (.692)
Career Record: 9-4 (.692)
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 Gallagher-Iba Arena alongside color analyst Steve Miller on KZNE 1150 AM. A live audio feed will also be available on RadioAggieland.com.
QUICK HITS
• Four Aggies are averaging double figures this season with Preseason All-Big 12 selection Tyra White (14.4 ppg) leading the way. She is followed by senior guard Sydney Carter (12.4 ppg) and Big 12 Preseason Newcomer of the Year Kelsey Bone (12.1 ppg) and senior forward Adaora Elonu (12.1 ppg).
• Bone leads the team in rebounding (7.2 rpg), followed closely by Elonu (6.9 rpg), and White averages 5.5 rebounds per game.
• The Aggies lead the Big 12 Conference by forcing their opponents into an average of 21.4 turnovers per game, with a turnover margin of +6.1, and with 18.2 offensive rebounds per game. The team also averages 10.5 steals per game, which is second-best in the Big 12.
• The Aggies have the 14th-best turnover margin in the nation at 6.12, the 19th-best assist-to-turnover ratio (1.04) and the 20th-best rebounding margin in the nation (+8.0).
• In Big 12 play, Bone is second-best with a 53.3 field goal percentage, while Alexia Standish also ranks second with a 3.5 assist-to-turnover ratio. White averages 15.3 points per game, fifth-best in the league, and Carter trails her with 15.2 points per game, seventh-best. Elonu’s 8.0 rebounds per conference game rank fifth-best while her and Bone’s 3.5 offensive rebounds per game are fourth-best.
SCOUTING OKLAHOMA STATE
• Oklahoma State University is located in Stillwater, Okla., has an enrollment of 33,464 and was founded in 1890.
• The Cowgirls return two starters and six letterwinners from their 2010-11 squad that finished the season 24-11 overall and 9-7 in the Big 12.
• OSU made it to round two of the WNIT tournament last postseason, before falling to Wyoming, 71-75. They last made the NCAA Tournament in 2010.
• Oklahoma State is 8-1 at home and 2-1 in Big 12 play at home this season. Their loss came in their last home game at the hands of Kansas, 60-65.
• The Cowgirls lead the Big 12 with a free-throw percentage of 73.1 and are holding their opponents to a 31.9 field goal percentage.
• Oklahoma State is led by four-time Big 12 Freshman of the Week Liz Donohoe with 14.2 points per game. She also leads the league with a free-throw percentage of 94.6, only missing two free throws all season. Toni Young (11.9 ppg, 6.9 rpg) and Tiffany Bias (11.4 ppg) also average double figures, while Bias is third in the nation with 7.5 assists per game.
PROBABLE STARTING LINEUPS
TEXAS A&M
No.
Name
2011-12 Stats
10
Alexia Standish, G, 5-8, Fr.
2.9 ppg, 2.2 apg
04
Sydney Carter, G, 5-6, Sr.
12.4 ppg, 3.2 rpg
20
Tyra White, G, 6-0, Sr.
14.4 ppg, 5.5 rpg
21
Adaora Elonu, F, 6-1, Sr.
12.1 ppg, 6.9 rpg
03
Kelsey Bone, C, 6-4, Jr.
12.1 ppg, 7.2 rpg
OKLAHOMA STATE
No.
Name
2011-12 Stats
01
Taylor Schippers, G, 5-8, Fr.
4.7 ppg, 1.7 Rpg
03
Tiffany Bias, G, 5-8, So.
11.4 ppg, 7.5 apg
04
Liz Donohoe, F, 6-0, Fr.
14.2 ppg, 6.0 rpg
25
Lindsey Keller, F, 6-2, Jr.
7.3 ppg, 6.6 rpg
31
Kendra Suttles, C, 6-1, So.
9.6 ppg, 5.6 rpg
STATISTICAL COMPARISON
2011-12 Category
TAMU
OSU
Overall Record
13-4
11-4
Conference Record
4-2
3-3
Points Per Game
71.8
70.5
Scoring Margin
+12.1
+14.9
Rebounds Per Game
41.6
44.5
Rebounding Margin
+8.0
+6.6
Field Goal Percentage
42.6
40.5
Field Goal% Defense
40.8
31.9
3-Point FG%
27.1
30.7
Free Throw Percentage
65.4
73.1
Turnovers Per Game
15.2
14.6
Assists Per Game
15.9
16.0
Blocks Per Game
4.8
4.4
Steals Per Game
10.5
9.0
INSIDE THE SERIES
• Oklahoma State leads 21-20 in the all-time series with Texas A&M. The Aggies, however, have really narrowed the gap recently having won seven of the last eight and 14 out of the last 16 meetings between the two Big 12 rivals.
• The Aggies have won the last seven straight when playing on the road in Stillwater, but A&M is 11-9 all-time there.
• There have been many close games in the series with eight of the last 11 contests being decided by 10 points or less.
• Blair is 14-3 against the Cowgirls since his arrival in Aggieland in 2003-04 and 17-6 lifetime against OSU in his 27 years as a Division I head coach.
LAST 11 GAMES IN THE SERIES
W, 76-67, (+9) on Feb. 19, 2011 in College Station
W, 82-57, (+25) on Jan. 12, 2011 in Stillwater, Okla.
W, 69-52 (+17) on Feb. 17, 2010 in Stillwater, Okla.
L, 63-67 (-4) on Jan. 31, 2010 in College Station
W, 79-49 (+30) on March 5, 2009 in College Station
W, 60-50 (+10) on Jan. 24, 2009 in Stillwater, Okla.
W, 64-59 (+5) on March 15, 2008 in Kansas City
W, 63-57 (+6) on Feb. 27, 2008 in Stillwater, Okla.
L, 58-61 (-3) on Jan. 19, 2008 in College Station
W, 62-60 (+2) on Feb. 17, 2007 in Stillwater, Okla.
W, 64-63 (+1) on Jan. 30, 2007 in College Station
OKLAHOMA STATE REWIND
• Danielle Adams scored 24 points and No. 5 Texas A&M outlasted Oklahoma State 76-67. The score was tied 54-all with about 5 minutes remaining before Texas A&M (22-3, 10-2 Big 12) scored 11 straight points. Sydney Colson scored the first five points in that run and Adams capped it with a jump shot with about 2 minutes left. The Aggies were up by as many as 16 points in the first half before Oklahoma State (15-10, 3-9) took the lead midway through the second period. Oklahoma State was led by Toni Young’s 23 points and 17 rebounds. Sydney Carter added a season-high 19 points for Texas A&M and Tyra White had 13. Tiffany Bias scored 20 points and had five assists for Oklahoma State, who had 23 turnovers that led to 27 points by the Aggies. The Aggies led 36-29 at halftime.
IN THE RECORD BOOKS
• Elonu is 6 points away (994) from joining an elite group of players in the 1,000-point club at A&M. She will be just the 25th Aggie player to reach 1,000 points.
• Carter is two 3-pointers away (116) from moving into fifth place in career 3-point field goals made.
• White is 10 points away (1,307) from moving into eighth place in A&M’s career points list.
• Carter is 17 steals away (173) from moving into the top 10 all-time at A&M.
• Carter passed over 1,000 career points against Kansas on Jan. 21. She was the 24th A&M player to do so and has 1,003 career points.
• With six rebounds against Missouri on Jan. 18, White became the 24th A&M player to join the 500-rebound club and now has 509 career boards.
BLAIR REACHES 200-WIN MILESTONE
• Gary Blair recently reached his 600th career win as a Division I head coach and on Jan. 18, he achieved another coaching milestone with his 200th victory as head coach of the Fightin’ Texas Aggies.
• Blair is already the all-time winningest coach in program history with 201 wins and a .708 winning percentage (201-83). 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.
THE LAST THREE
A&M’s last three games have proved a few of the best this season. The Aggies have forced their opponents into an average of 22.0 turnovers, while just committing 11.0 per game for a turnover margin of +11.0. Texas A&M has also averaged 13.7 steals, 17.0 assists and shot nearly 45 percent (84-188) from the field and 81.6 (31-38) from the charity stripe.
WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE?
Here is a comparison of key statistics in A&M’s wins vs. losses:
Team Stat
Wins
Losses
Points per game
75.3
60.5
Opp points per game
55.9
72.0
Scoring margin
+19.4
-11.5
FG Percentage
44.8
35.4
Opp FG Percentage
38.4
48.0
Free-Throw Percentage
67.8
57.3
Turnover Margin
+8.1
-0.2
Steals per game
11.5
7.3
AGGIES’ BIG 12 START
• The Aggies are off to a 4-2 start in Big 12 play. Texas A&M also began its conference slate with a 4-2 record in 2008-09, 2006-07 and 2005-06.
PRESSURE DEFENSE
• Texas A&M is known for its pressure defense has forced seven of its opponents into season high turnovers: Lamar (28), Louisville (27), UALR (24), Mississippi State (18), Temple (27), Iowa (25) and Missouri (25).
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:
14 – Senior (2011-12)
29 – Junior (2010-11)
28 – Sophomore (2009-10)
12 – Freshman (2008-09)
RPI RATING
• In the most recent release of the NCAA RPI on Jan. 23, Texas A&M was ranked seventh. The Aggies have the third-best strength of schedule in the nation. Baylor holds the top spot in RPI followed by Tennessee, Connecticut, Stanford and Notre Dame. Maryland is sixth, while Delaware, Duke and Kentucky are 8, 9, 10.
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 eight home games this season, the Aggies are averaging 6,255 fans per game, fourth-best in the Big 12 and against 12th-best in the country.
AGGIES IN THE POLLS
• A&M has been ranked in the AP Poll for 76 consecutive weeks and 55 all-time in the top 10
• A&M has been ranked in the Coaches Poll for 112 consecutive weeks and 60 all-time in the top 10.
DEFENDERS OF THE HOME COURT
• Despite a recent loss to Texas at home, 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 89-9 (.908) 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 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 76 of its last 82 home games.
AGGIES’ AT REED ARENA (SINCE 2005-06)
2011-12
7-1
2010-11
13-1
2009-10
12-2
2008-09
13-1
2007-08
14-2
2006-07
16-0
2005-06
14-2
Total
87-8
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 just two or less losses in Coach Blair’s ninth overall season in Aggieland.
GARY BLAIR ERA NON-CONFERENCE RECORD
2003-04:
7-4
2004-05:
9-1
2005-06:
11-2
2006-07:
10-2
2007-08:
12-2
2008-09:
12-1
2009-10:
12-1
2010-11:
12-1
2011-12:
9-2
Totals:
94-16 (.855)
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.
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
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.
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 (609) and in the top 25 by winning percentage (.712) among active Division I coaches in the NCAA women’s basketball record books.
• 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.
KANSAS RECAP
TEXAS A&M 76, KANSAS 65
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 and Carter for the 12th 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.
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.
