COLLEGE STATION, TX -- The 14th-ranked and third-seeded Texas A&M women’s basketball team heads to Kansas City this week for the Phillips 66 Big 12 Conference Championship. Seeking its third postseason championship title, the Aggies face No. 6 seed Kansas in quarterfinal action on Thursday, March 8. Tipoff between A&M and KU is set for 7:30 p.m. and is televised nationally on FSN.
A&M has played to four straight championship game appearances in the last four years. Tournament victories or the league’s automatic bid can only improve the Aggies’ seeding as the NCAA Tournament field of 64 is announced on Selection Monday, March 12 on ESPN.
#3 Seed TEXAS A&M (20-9) vs. #6 Seed KANSAS (19-11)
Game 30
Thursday, March 8, 2012 • 7:30 p.m. (CT)
Municipal Auditorium (9,308)
at Kansas City, Mo.
Television: FSN
Radio: Texas A&M Sports Network (KZNE 1150 AM)
Series History: Texas A&M leads 11-7
Internet: Free Live Statistics and live postgame video at Big12Sports.com. Free Live Audio at AggieAthletics.com.
TEXAS A&M
Record: 20-9 (11-7 Big 12)
Ranking: #22 (AP), #14 (Coaches)
Last Result: L, 64-79 at Texas on March 4, 2012
Up Next: If win, Big 12 Championship Semifinals on March 9, 2012
Head Coach: Gary Blair, Ninth Season
Texas A&M Record: 208-88 (.703)
Career Record: 616-251 (.711)
KANSAS
Record: 19-11 (7-10 Big 12)
Ranking: NR (AP), NR (Coaches)
Last Result: W, 83-77 at Oklahoma on March 4, 2012
Up Next: If win, Big 12 Championship Semifinals on March 9, 2012
Head Coach: Bonnie Henrickson, Eighth Season
Kansas Record: 136-119 (.533)
Career Record: 294-181 (.619)
BIG 12 CHAMPIONSHIP COVERAGE
• The Big 12 Championship quarterfinals, semifinals and championship game will be aired before a nationally-televised audience exclusively on Fox Sports Net. Play-by-play announcer Ron Thulin, color analyst Brenda VanLengen and reporter Cindy Stein will call Texas A&M’s quarterfinal game against Kansas live from Municipal Auditorium on FSN. Check your local listings.
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 Municipal Auditorium alongside color analyst Steve Miller on KZNE 1150 AM. A live audio feed will also be available on RadioAggieland.com.
THE ROAD TO KANSAS CITY
• For the seventh consecutive season, Texas A&M captured one of the top four seeds and a first-round bye going into postseason tournament play. The team was joined by Big 12 regular season champion Baylor, followed by second-seeded Oklahoma and fourth-seeded Iowa State. The Aggies finished tied for second place in the final regular season standings with an 11-7 record, their seventh straight 10-win campaign under head coach Gary Blair.
AGGIES IN THE BIG 12 TOURNEY
• A&M is the only league school to earn a first-round bye in each of the last seven postseason tournaments.
• Texas A&M may be 13-13 all-time in Big 12 Championship games, but is making up for its previous losses in a short period of time. The Aggies have put together a 10-2 record (.833), the best record and winning percentage in the Big 12 over the last four years in postseason play. The Aggies have won two postseason titles (2008 & 2010) in that time.
• The Aggies (12-4) also have the most Big 12 postseason victories of any team in the league over the last six seasons.
• A&M is 6-1 all-time in the quarterfinals and 1-3 against the No. 6 seed.
• Including Kansas, A&M will have faced nine of the 10 member schools in postseason play. The only team the Aggies have not faced is Texas Tech.
• Last season, A&M became the first school in Big 12 history with four straight Big 12 Championship final appearances (2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011).
• Head Coach Gary Blair boasts the second-best winning percentage (.667, 12-6) in the championship, next to only BU’s Kim Mulkey (.704, 19-8).
QUICK HITS
• The Aggies turned in their seventh consecutive 20-win season and their seventh straight 10-win season in Big 12 Conference play under head coach Gary Blair.
• The Aggies limited Iowa State (33) and Kansas State (36) to their lowest point totals of the season and are the only team in the Big 12 to have held two opponents to less than 40 points in conference play this year.
• Texas A&M finished the regular season tied for second place in the Big 12 standings with Oklahoma.
• The Aggies lead the Big 12 by forcing their opponents into an average of 20.5 turnovers per game, with a turnover margin of +5.3, and by averaging 16.4 offensive rebounds per game. The team also averages 9.6 steals and has a scoring margin of +8.6 which are both second-best in the Big 12.
• As of March 4, the Aggies had the 15h-best turnover margin in the nation, while Kelsey Bone held the 12th-best field goal percentage in the country at 54.6.
• Big 12 Newcomer of the Year Bone is third-best in the conference with her 54.9 field goal percentage. Senior Adaora Elonu (3.1) and Bone’s (3.1) offensive rebounds per game are fourth- and fifth-best in the league.
SCOUTING KANSAS
• The University of Kansas is located in Lawrence, Kan., has an enrollment of 29,462 and was founded in 1866.
• The Jayhawks return six letterwinners and four starters from their 2010-11 squad that finished the season 21-13 overall and 6-10 (8th) in the Big 12.
• Kansas has had 11 NCAA Tournament appearances and last made the field of 64 in 2000.
• KU went 1-2 in its final three Big 12 games, with its victory coming in its final regular season game, 83-77 at Oklahoma.
• The Jayhawks are led by Aishah Sutherland with 13.9 points and 9.2 rebounds per game, and Angel Goodrich with 7.7 assists per game.
• Similar to the Aggies, Kansas has four players that average double figures – Davis (who will miss the remainder of the season with a torn ACL), Sutherland, Goodrich (12.8 ppg) and Keena Mays (11.0 ppg).
PROBABLE STARTING LINEUPS
TEXAS A&M
No. Name 2011-12 Stats
10 Alexia Standish, G, 5-8, Fr. 4.3 ppg, 2.0 apg
04 Sydney Carter, G, 5-6, Sr. 11.0 ppg, 3.1 rpg
20 Tyra White, G, 6-0, Sr. 13.5 ppg, 5.6 rpg
21 Adaora Elonu, F, 6-1, Sr. 11.9 ppg, 6.3 rpg
03 Kelsey Bone, C, 6-4, Jr. 12.1 ppg, 6.9 rpg
KANSAS
No. Name 2011-12 Stats
03 Angel Goodrich, G, 5-4, Jr. 12.8 ppg, 7.5 apg
11 Aishah Sutherland, F, 6-2, Sr. 13.9 ppg, 9.1 rpg
15 Chelsea Gardner, F, 6-3, Fr. 3.3 ppg, 2.6 rpg
24 Cece Harper, G, 5-8, So. 3.1 ppg, 2.0 rpg
42 Natalie Knight, G, 5-7, Fr. 5.6 ppg, 2.9 rpg
STATISTICAL COMPARISON
2011-12 Category TAMU KU
Overall Record 20-9 19-11
Conference Record 11-7 7-10
Points Per Game 67.7 69.0
Scoring Margin +8.6 +6.4
Rebounds Per Game 39.2 36.5
Rebounding Margin +4.6 +0.9
Field Goal Percentage 42.2 45.6
Field Goal% Defense 40.1 40.6
3-Point FG% 28.5 33.8
Free Throw Percentage 65.2 70.0
Turnovers Per Game 15.1 16.2
Assists Per Game 14.6 14.9
Blocks Per Game 4.6 4.4
Steals Per Game 9.6 8.5
INSIDE THE SERIES
• Texas A&M leads 11-7 in the all-time series with Kansas. The Aggies have won the last 10 straight meetings between the two schools dating back to a 69-63 road victory in Lawrence on Feb. 21, 2004.
• The Aggies are also winners in 11 of the last 12 matchups.
• Kansas is one of only two league teams, the other being Missouri, in which A&M has a winning record against in the all-time series.
• A&M and Kansas will face each other for the first time in the Big 12 Championship.
• Blair is 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.
LAST 10 GAMES IN THE SERIES
W, 69-63 (+6) on Feb. 21, 2004 in Lawrence, Kan.
W, 62-60 (+2) on Jan. 15, 2005 in College Station
W, 78-66 (+12) on Jan. 15, 2006 in Lawrence, Kan.
W, 64-53 (+11) on Feb. 3, 2007 in College Station
W, 58-51 (+7) on Jan. 26, 2008 in Lawrence, Kan.
W, 73-60 (+13) on Jan. 31, 2009 in College Station
W, 78-54 (+24) on March 6, 2010 in Lawrence, Kan.
W, 81-58 (+23) on Feb. 12, 2011 in College Station
W, 76-65 (+11) on Jan. 21, 2011 in Lawrence, Kan.
W, 62-51 (+11) on Feb. 4, 2012 in College Station
KANSAS REWIND
• 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 outdid her previous season-best of 20 points, which came against Mississippi State. 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. Texas A&M jumped out to an 8-0 lead powered by four points from Bone and was ahead 32-23 at halftime.
FIVE AGGIES EARN BIG 12 WOMEN’S BASKETBALL ACCOLADES
• Kelsey Bone was named the Big 12 Newcomer of the Year. Tyra White was selected to the All-Big 12 First Team. Sydney Carter was voted to the All-Big 12 Second Team and the Big 12 All-Defensive Team, and both Bone and Adaora Elonu were named All-Big 12 Honorable Mention. Alexia Standish earned a spot on the Big 12 All-Freshman Team.
SHOW-ME STATE TALENT
• Texas A&M senior Tyra White is a product of in Kansas City and played at Hickman Mills High School.
• The Show-Me State talent of White was one of the nation’s top 20 recruits, averaging 18.5 points, 10 rebounds, four assists, three steals and three blocks a game during her senior season with the Cougars. • White was a McDonald’s High School All-American and the Missouri Gatorade Player of the Year.
A&M’S LAST THREE
• Despite going 1-2 in its last three games, the Aggies have shot nearly 50 percent from the floor and 38 percent from beyond the arc. A&M is led by Karla Gilbert’s 80 percent shooting and Elonu’s 64.3 percent shooting. Standish has been lighting it up from 3-point range shooting 71 percent.
•The one thing that has been hurting the Aggies is their free throw shooting as A&M has shot just 55 percent from the line over the last three games.
BLAIR INDUCTED INTO TSHOF
• Head Coach Gary Blair officially became the 24th TSHOF Inductee from Texas A&M on Wednesday, Feb. 29. He joined the ranks of Aggie inductees like John David Crow, Gene Stallings and R.C Slocum. Also inducted in the Class of 2011 were Aggie Shawn Andaya, Mack Brown, Fred Couples, G.A. Moore, Jr., Dave Parks, Tobin Rote, Bubba Smith, Lovie Smith and Andre Ware.
AGGIE ASSISTS
• Adrienne Pratcher and Sydney Carter are approaching the 100-assist mark for the season. With 91 assists, Pratcher leads the team and is on the verge of her first 100-assist season. Carter is second on the team with 78 and is looking for her third consecutive 100-assist season.
BIG 12 TENDENCIES
• In the first half of Big 12 games, A&M has allowed its opponents a better shooting percentage, 42.0-42.7 (A&M- Opp), but in the second half the Aggies have held their opponents to a much lower field goal percentage while slightly improving their own, 42.5-38.5.
• The Aggies, as well as their opponents have shot better from 3-point range in the first half (32.7-39.8), compared to the second half (25.6-34.9)
AGGIES TO HOST 2013 NCAA FIRST AND SECOND ROUNDS
• In addition to hosting the 2012 NCAA First and Second Rounds, Texas A&M was selected for the second straight year to host the same rounds in 2013. Games at Reed Arena will be played either Saturday, March 23, and Monday, March 25, or Sunday, March 24 and Tuesday, March 26, 2013.
• A&M is one of just four institutions in the nation that will host first and second round games in both 2012 and 2013 and will be one of three Southeastern Conference schools to host next year.
STANDISH STARTING FRESH
• Alexia Standish is only the fifth true freshman to start at point guard in Texas A&M head coach Gary Blair’s nine seasons in Aggieland and she has the second-most starts of that impressive group.
Name Starts Year
Adrienne Pratcher 1 2009-10
Sydney Carter 1 2008-09
Sydney Colson 2 2007-08
Alexia Standish 15 2011-12
A’Quonesia Franklin 28 2004-05
AGGIE ATTENDANCE
• Texas A&M finished its 2111-12 regular season averaging a program-best 6,592 fans at each home game, which ranked fifth-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.
IN THE RECORD BOOKS
White
• White is six field goals away (589) from moving into fourth place on the all-time list.
• Against Missouri on Feb. 14, White moved into seventh place on A&M’s career points list and currently has 1,454 career points. She is 52 points away from moving into sixth place.
• Against Missouri on Jan. 18, White became the 24th A&M player to join the 500-rebound club. She is just four rebounds away (578) from moving into A&M’s top 10 list.
Elonu
• Against OU on Feb. 21, Elonu (80 career blocks, including an individual season-best 31 this season) moved into the top 10 in career block shots. She is two blocks away from moving into the ninth place on the all-time list.
• Against K-State on Feb. 8, Elonu moved into seventh place on the career rebounds list. She is just 16 rebounds away (688) from moving into sixth place on the all-time list.
• Against Oklahoma State on Jan. 24, Elonu became 25th A&M player to pass over 1,000 career points and currently has 1,132.
Carter
• Against OU on Feb. 21, Carter moved into the top 10 in career steals. She is just four steals away (195) from moving into ninth place on the all-time list.
• Against Kansas on Jan. 21, Carter became the 24th A&M player to pass over 1,000 career points and currently has 1,112.
• Carter holds the best career free-throw percentage (81.9).
WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE?
• All but three of A&M’s losses have come by just 9 points or less. Two of the three losses were against the No.1 (Baylor) and the No. 2 (UConn) teams in the nation.
• All but three of the Aggies’ wins (USC, Iowa State, and at Missouri) have come by 10 points or more.
• In two of the three wins decided by less than 10 points, Sydney Carter provided the game-winning heroics versus USC (3-pointer) and Iowa State (pair of free throws).
• In all but three of A&M’s losses (at Kansas State, Baylor and at Texas), the team has shot less than 40 percent.
• In all but three of A&M’s wins (McNeese State, at Iowa State and Oklahoma State), the team has shot 40 percent or better.
• The Aggies have trailed at the half 10 times this season, six of which ended in a loss and four of which A&M won.
• In all but one of A&M’s wins (at Kansas), the team has outscored its opponent in the second half.
• In all but one of A&M’s losses (at Oklahoma State), the team has been outscored in the second half.
• Here is a comparison of key statistics in A&M’s wins vs. losses:
Team Stat Wins Losses
Points per game 71.9 58.2
Opp points per game 54.2 69.8
Scoring margin +17.7 -11.6
FG Percentage 45.0 35.9
Opp FG Percentage 37.1 46.3
Free-Throw Percentage 67.2 60.5
Assists 16.1 11.1
Turnovers per game 14.5 16.7
Turnover Margin +7.1 +1.4
Steals per game 10.7 7.1
• Seven of the Aggies’ nine losses have occurred on the road. Here is a comparison of key statistics in A&M’s home vs. away games:
Team Stat Home Away
Points per game 72.7 61.5
Scoring margin +15.5 +0.4
FG Percentage 45.6 38.4
Opp FG Percentage 37.7 42.5
Assists per game 17.4 11.3
RPI RATING
• In the most recent release of the NCAA RPI on March 5, Texas A&M was ranked eighth. The Aggies have the second-best strength of schedule in the nation. Baylor holds the top spot in RPI followed by Stanford, Notre Dame, Tennessee, Connecticut, Maryland and Delaware. Following the Aggies are Kentucky and Duke.
AGGIES IN THE POLLS
• A&M has been ranked in the AP Poll for 82 consecutive weeks and 55 all-time in the top 10
• A&M has been ranked in the Coaches Poll for 118 consecutive weeks and 60 all-time in the top 10.
TEXAS RECAP
TEXAS 79, TEXAS A&M 64
NOTES
• For the 13th time this season, Texas A&M used the starting lineup of Adrienne Pratcher, Sydney Carter, Tyra White, Adaora Elonu and Kelsey Bone…The Aggies are 9-4 with this starting lineup.
• The Aggies are 6-5 on national TV this season.
• A&M moves to 23-60 in the all-times series with Texas. The Aggies have won 11 of the last 13 meetings between the two storied rivals.
• Texas A&M was swept by the Longhorns for the first time since the 2004-05 season.
• White has now started in 87 straight games, a streak that started on Jan. 4, 2010 against Lamar.
• White has scored in double figures in in all but four games this season. Bone scored in double figures for the 21st time this season, Elonu scored for the 19th, and Carter for the 16th.
• The Aggies are 9-2 this season when four or more players score double figures,
