Aggies To Play Jayhawks on Big Monday in 2010

Guys, start buttering up your signficant other now. Take her to a nice dinner on Feb. 13 or 14, because the Big 12 Conference announced Thursday that Texas A&M and Kansas will square off on ESPN's Big Monday on Feb. 15, the day after Valentine's Day.

The announcement marks the fourth consecutive year A&M will play at least one Big Monday game. This season's game will be a rematch of a Monday night game from this past January, when Kansas cruised to a 20 point victory. The Aggies other appearance on Big Monday last season was a 15 point drubbing of Texas at Reed Arena.

You can view the Big 12's entire Monday schedule by clicking HERE.

On a side note, I'm disappointed in the league's overall Big Monday rundown. ESPN might as well brand themselves the 'worldwide leader in Jayhawks and Longhorns basketball coverage.' Of the eight Big Monday, seven include either Kansas or Texas.

The schedule kicks off on Jan. 11 with the Oklahoma-Oklahoma State Bedlam game, but after that, every week includes either Kansas or Texas. Kansas even gets three in a row at one point (and four out of five weeks). The network must be particularly excited about Feb. 8 when Kansas plays at Texas. Maybe we'll even get to see SportsCenter live from the Erwin Center.

Here is the rundown of Big 12 teams on Big Monday:
Kansas - 4
Texas - 4
Oklahoma - 3
Oklahoma State - 2
Texas A&M - 1
Kansas State - 1

What do you think? Considering the Aggies have won a game in the NCAA Tournament in each of the last four seasons, should they be on Big Monday at least twice?

The Wright Way

Story by Rusty Burson
12th Man Magazine

DALLAS—Inside the Dallas Mavericks’ lavish locker room, shooting guard Antoine Wright leans back in a plush leather chair in front of his spacious locker and playfully begins boasting to teammates and assistant coaches.

It’s shortly after 6 p.m. on March 7—roughly 90 minutes prior to tip-off of the Mavs-Wizards game at American Airlines Center. But the bright-eyed, animated Wright is not yet interested in discussing Washington.

There will be time for that later. Now he’s talking Texas A&M. Loudly and proudly.

He’s announcing the Aggies’ victory earlier that afternoon over Missouri, and he is thoroughly enjoying the fact that A&M has not lost since he returned to College Station to see the Texas game on Feb. 16.

“(The Missouri win makes it) six in a row, baby,” Wright says in the direction of eight-time All-Star Dirk Nowitzki, who smiles and rolls his eyes sarcastically as he passes Wright and heads toward the training room.

“Oh no, here we go again,” says assistant coach Dwane Casey, a former player and graduate of Kentucky. “If Antoine is getting loud, the Aggies must have won today.”

Wright beams and nods smugly. He quickly looks around the “technology toyland” (every locker is equipped with flat screen TVs, DVD players and stereo equipment) for a couple of teammates: LSU graduate Brandon Bass and Arizona alum Jason Terry. Wright is the only former Big 12 player on the Mavericks’ roster, but he owns major bragging rights over Bass and Terry this year because the Aggies beat both LSU and Arizona earlier this season.

To Wright’s chagrin, neither player is at his locker. Wright shakes his head in mock disgust. A smack talk moment has been missed.

“I talk about my school to these guys every day,” Wright says. “These guys know where I’m from. I leave no doubt. The big German (Nowitzki) tries to get under my skin by calling my school Texas Christian. He says, ‘Where’s Texas Christian, Antoine? Isn’t that where you went?’

“I let that slide because he didn’t even go to college, so he doesn’t know any better (laughing). But it is a lot of fun to talk about A&M these days. Going back to the Texas game and seeing the full arena was a lot of fun, too. Knowing where we came from—seeing our own fans in the stands with bags over their heads—and seeing where the program is today is a major source of pride for me. It’s amazing how far we’ve come since my sophomore year.”

Indeed, it is. It’s also amazing to see how far Wright has come since that dreadful 2003-04 season, when the Aggies went 7-21 overall and 0-16 in Big 12 play.

That miserable year ended with a loss to Missouri in the first round of the Big 12 Tournament. Ironically, the loss occurred in the same American Airlines Center that Wright now calls home.

Following that setback, a dejected and frustrated Wright sat in another locker in the underbelly of the arena and pondered whether he would even return to A&M for the following season. The coach who had recruited him, Melvin Watkins, had been fired. The program was in shambles, and Wright’s once-bright future seemed to be in serious doubt.

Coming out of Lawrence Academy in Groveton, Mass, Wright was rated as the top shooting guard in the country by ESPN.com. In choosing Texas A&M, he turned down, among others, UCLA, UConn, Arizona, North Carolina and Tennessee.

The 6-foot-7 Wright may have been the highest-profile recruit in A&M basketball history at the time. By the end of his sophomore season, though, he looked like yet another victim of A&M’s dreadful basketball history.

In a 15-year span from 1990-2004, the Aggies produced 13 losing seasons and just one NIT appearance. The lowest of the low points came in 2004, when the Aggies lost at home to Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, dropped seven of their last 11 conference games by double-digit totals and became the second school in Big 12 history to complete the conference race without a single win.

Wright, the Big 12 Freshman of the Year in 2002-03, had come to A&M intent on turning the program around. But his scoring average decreased to 13.5 points per game as a sophomore. His three-point shooting percentage, rebound numbers, steals and blocks also declined. And the bright, trademark smile that had been so prominent during his freshman season disappeared by the end of his sophomore year.

After the loss to Missouri in the Big 12 Tournament, Wright and freshman Acie Law both made comments about the possibility of not returning to A&M.

“After that 0-16 season, I was seriously depressed,” Wright recalled. “I was thinking, ‘Oh my goodness, did I ruin my chances for the NBA by coming to Texas A&M?’ I was just fortunate that Billy (Gillispie) came in at the right time. He saved my career. I definitely would not be (in the NBA) without him. I tell him that, but he doesn’t want credit for anything. But there’s no telling where I would be without Coach G.”


Likewise, there’s no telling where A&M would be today without Wright’s decision to immediately buy into Gillispie’s relentless, in-your-face defensive style and his grueling workouts.

Now head coach Mark Turgeon leads a program that has made five consecutive postseason appearances, while recruiting to some of the nation’s finest basketball facilities. In about half a decade, A&M has become a national basketball name with a remarkably bright future.

It could be argued that A&M owes everything it is today—its current national reputation, its recruiting reach and its sparkling new facilities—to one extremely important sales job involving Gillispie and Wright.

“If you want to (trace the evolution of the basketball program) back to one point in time, you probably need to go back to when Coach G got Antoine to buy into the program,” Acie Law once told 12th Man Magazine. “Antoine was probably on board before any of the rest of us.”

THE DECISION OF A LIFETIME
According to many of the so-called media experts, Billy Gillispie is not a good fit at Kentucky. According to many other sources—some credible and some volatile Internet message boards—the Kentucky players have not bought into Gillispie’s brutal workouts, blunt honesty and blue-collar work ethic.

Gillispie’s practices—even on game days—are not for the weak minded or self-righteous superstars. He is intent on breaking all of his players down. Gillispie has absolutely no tolerance for laziness, timidity or apathy. In practices, he’s as driven as a drill sergeant, and he belittles and berates players who fail to give maximum effort.

He typically kicks players off the court for missed assignments and stares daggers that seem capable of piercing the soul. His language isn’t typically foul, but his tone is usually unmercifully harsh. “Pitiful” is one of his favorite practice words; “pathetic” is a close second.

He is so unyielding on his players that the rest of his coaching staff spends much of practice building the players’ confidence back up after Gillispie has told them to “leave my court.”

But his practice strategy, along with his fanatical obsession to play suffocating defense, paved the way for miraculous turnarounds at Texas-El Paso and Texas A&M. So, why isn’t it working at Kentucky?

“Honestly,” Wright says, “they’re probably not desperate enough. I don’t know Kentucky’s program, and I haven’t talked to Coach G much this year. So, I can’t talk about why things aren’t working out. But I know why they worked out for me and Texas A&M. He came in and laid it on the table.

“I dug that about Coach G. We had our little rifts early in the season, but once I started to get a little momentum and see what was happening, I was all about playing his style. As time went by, the rest of the guys bought into the system. I was just the first to buy in because I had no other choice. My (dreams) were slipping away.”

Instead of continuing to slip away, Wright became the physical and emotional leader of a team that won the hearts of A&M basketball fans. The 2004-05 Aggies went 21-10 overall and became just the third team in NCAA history to record a .500 finish in conference play (8-8) after going winless the year before. The Aggies tied San Diego for the most improvement (12 more wins than the previous year) in all of Division I-A basketball.

After helping to resurrect the program, Wright entered the NBA Draft. He was taken by New Jersey with the 15th selection in the first round, becoming the highest pick in A&M history. He was also the first Aggie taken in the NBA Draft since Brooks Thompson in 1994.

CONTROVERSY AND COMING HOME
After playing sparingly as a rookie with the Nets in 2005-06, Wright began to blossom in New Jersey in his second season. Playing alongside Jason Kidd in the backcourt, Wright started 23 games in 2006-07 and earned a prominent role in the Nets’ rotation.

The articulate Wright was also becoming well known in the glare of the New York/New Jersey media spotlight. So, he was not particularly surprised when he was requested to appear on HBO’s “Costas Now” in March of 2007. Wright was told that the show’s host, Bob Costas, wanted to discuss the educational opportunities/difficulties for college basketball players, especially during “March Madness.”

Once the interview was edited and shown on HBO, Wright says he felt blindsided. The interview cast Wright in a controversial light. Here’s a couple of exchanges from the show:

Wright: “Once I got to college, I kind of let my hair down a little bit. I (didn’t) have to write term papers any more—I just had to get a grade and play basketball.”

Costas: “Tell me what it was like in these agriculture classes (at A&M).”

Wright: “In certain classes you’d see a quarterback, me, a running back and then a farmer. So, it definitely was a little bizarre. But, we’re all in poultry science for a reason. We’re in this class because we need to get this grade. We’re not really trying to learn about chickens.”

Wright doesn’t deny saying any of those things. Be he says that he actually elaborated much more. His intent was never to demean Texas A&M or the agricultural classes he took. He was simply explaining that some colleges within the university worked more with student-athletes and their schedule demands than others. And not just at A&M.

“It was really just me addressing my opinion on college sports,” Wright said. “I never wanted to take a shot at my school. I love my school, and I owe so much to all the people at A&M—from the academic advisors to the professors and so forth—who did so much for me. I would never want to take a shot at them. I really didn’t get a chance to rebut that whole deal, and I regret doing that interview.

“But if you look back on that interview, many of the things I said are true across the board in all colleges. At many colleges across the country, the athletes are in the same majors. That’s just a fact. But when I saw the interview, I was really upset because of the sound bites they took and spliced together. I was like, ‘I didn’t say it that way. I didn’t mean it that way.’ Anybody can take a sound bite and twist it the way they want. It’s something I learned from, and I want to apologize to anyone at A&M who took that the wrong way. I would never take a shot at my own school.”


When Wright was traded from New Jersey to Dallas on Feb. 19, 2008 in the Jason Kidd-for-Devin Harris deal, part of his initial concern was that A&M fans in Texas might still be upset with him about that interview. He was also initially disappointed about the trade because he was playing exceptionally well in New Jersey.

“I talked to (Gillispie) after I got traded,” Wright said. “He said, ‘You’re a tough kid. It will work out.’ I was down because I felt like I had momentum in New Jersey. They were the team that drafted me; I was getting to know the area really well; and I was playing a lot. There was some bitterness when they decided to add me in the trade, and then when I got here, it was even worse. I was just a practice guy. I didn’t initially fit into what the Mavericks were doing.

“The best thing about coming here at that time was being close to so many Aggies. They embraced me immediately. I felt appreciated by the A&M fans. There are not many Aggies that come to New Jersey Nets home games. I would occasionally run into Aggies when we were on the road, but coming back down here was great. I remember the first few times I got on the court as a Maverick, I could feel the A&M love in the stands. It was awesome.”

Being in Dallas (he lives in a high-rise apartment near American Airlines Center), also afforded Wright the opportunity to attend a couple of A&M games during the NBA All-Star break. He went to the Baylor game on Feb. 14 in Waco, which proved to be the last loss of the regular season for A&M. He spoke to the team after that loss, and he was introduced to the home crowd at Reed Arena two days later—where he received a loud ovation—during the Aggies’ 81-66 win over Texas.

“I wish I could go back to Reed Arena every night,” Wright joked. “It’s good for my ego. The fans are great. It’s a different type of rivalry now, too. Now, we are beating them regularly at home. That is so awesome to see.

“I am actually starting to become friends with some of the current players. I’ve been talking to B.J. Holmes and instant messaging with (Holmes) and Dash Harris. I’ve just been encouraging them to show that fight and that fire. I went to the Baylor game, and I thought they had it. I just encouraged them to stick together and to keep fighting through those difficult times. Now look what they have done. I’m proud of those guys.”

That is obvious by how much he talks about Texas A&M with his current teammates.

“I’ve never been to A&M, but I’ve heard it’s great,” says back-up point guard Jose Juan Barea. “Of course, most of what I’ve heard is from (Wright).”

Wright is, indeed, a spokesman for the Aggies.

Weekend By The Numbers

1,942 – Career points for Takia Starks, making the senior from Houston the Aggies’ all-time leading scorer. Starks surpassed former All-American Lisa Branch on a three-point play late in the second half of A&M’s win against Evansville on Sunday.

20 – Points for Tanisha Smith in her first NCAA Tournament game. Smith’s total against Evansville also marked her career high, eclipsing the 19 points she scored against Baylor on Jan. 21.

7 – Players on the baseball team with a team-high three home runs: Dylan Petrich, Kevin Gonzalez, Brodie Greene, Luke Anders, Adam Smith, Caleb Shofner and Nick Anders.

2 – Top-10 opponents defeated by the men’s tennis team. The Aggies knocked off No. 7 Illinois and No. 10 Southern California in back-to-back matches last week.

119 – Wins in the last five years for the men’s basketball team. The Aggies have won at least 20 games each season. Before the 2004-05 season, A&M had six 20-win seasons in its entire history.

9 – Deficit facing the women’s golf team entering the final round of the Thompson Invitational in Honolulu. However, solid rounds by Lauren Johnson, Sarah Zwartynski and Ashley Freeman helped boost the Aggies to a six shot victory.

101 – Career goals for soccer signee Chelsea Jones of Belton. Jones, just three goals away from setting Belton’s all-time record, has led her school to four consecutive district titles. She already owns Belton records in season scoring, season assists and career assists.

Christmas Come Early

Say what you want about the first fall weekend at Kyle Field or the buzz at Olsen on opening day. More power to you if you get your kicks during a fantastic autumn evening at the Aggie Soccer Stadium, or if you live for catching some rays during a spring softball game or tennis match. It’s all good; no arguments here.

For my money, though, there is nothing like March Madness.

From the bracketologists who start predicting the 64-team field every week during conference play, to the drama of Selection Sunday, to the bonanza of games during the first weekend of the NCAA Tournament, nothing tops the month of March (and the first week of April, if your team makes the Final Four). It’s Christmas come early for a college sports junkie—the most intense, pressure-packed form of college athletics.

No other college sport dominates the headlines with its postseason tournament, and no other spectacle can compete with the emotion of a packed gym during a tight elimination game.

And our Aggies are right there in the middle of it.

The A&M men, a 9-seed, get underway Thursday at 11:30 a.m. against BYU in a rematch game from last year’s tournament. The women earned their second consecutive 2-seed and will open up Sunday against Evansville in South Bend, Ind., at 11 a.m.

(As an aside, if you’ve never been able to experience one of the Aggies’ NCAA Tournament games, please do yourself a favor and put it on your bucket list. There’s simply nothing like it. The suspense and importance of every shot, pass and rebound is immense, with the crowd sitting (and often standing) on edge throughout. It dwarfs the mid-to-late December snooze-a-thon that is football bowl season.)

Fans are usually the ones who get caught up in the drama of it all, but basketball coaches aren’t immune to the excitement this month often brings.

“It’s what March Madness is all about,” said A&M women’s coach Gary Blair, who coached the Aggies to a 25-7 record this year. “I love for people to go, because it’s a great experience. It’s excellent basketball. This is our time. It’s like baseball, when it gets to the playoffs and World Series—that’s baseball’s time.

“But, right now, it’s our time.”

Indeed it is.

And it’s a big deal when your team is playing in it. Just ask men’s coach Mark Turgeon. He played in four straight NCAA Tournaments during his days at Kansas, and he’s successfully guided A&M to its third and fourth straight trips to the Big Dance.

“It’s the music for the Tournament on TV; it’s the smell in the air; it’s how big every game is,” said Turgeon. “If you have any competitive spirit in you at all, it gets your juices flowing. I don’t sleep as much this time of year because I can’t wait for the next day to start. I love it; I always have. It’s a time to be grateful for what we get to be a part of. That’s what I try to tell our guys all the time. We’re so lucky to be doing what we’re doing.”

Many thought the Aggies’ string of three consecutive NCAA bids would come to end after Turgeon’s team sank to 3-7 in Big 12 play. But a magical run of six consecutive wins propelled A&M back into the tournament, making it one of just 16 schools to qualify for the last four NCAA fields.

Prior to this stretch, the Aggies had never made back-to-back appearances. When you consider that the women’s team is also making its fourth straight NCAA trip, these are special times in College Station.

“I hope fans here don’t take this for granted,” Turgeon said. “Just because we’ve been there four years in a row, people should be really excited of their men’s and women’s basketball programs and the things we’ve done. To lose the players we’ve lost over the years and continued to be an NCAA Tournament team says a lot about the kids in our program. I don’t want anyone to take this for granted, because there’s so much hard work to do what this group’s done and get where they are.”

Weekend By The Numbers

6 – Consecutive wins for the men’s basketball team. The Aggies sat at 3-7 after the loss at Baylor on Feb. 14, but the magical run over the last three weeks has A&M in good position for another NCAA Tournament bid.

132 – Games played by Josh Carter, tying Dominique Kirk’s school record. Carter has a career record of 97-35, making him the winningest player in school history.

18-0 – A&M’s record when it scores at least 27 points in the paint. The Aggies had 36 points in the paint against Missouri.

62 percent – Season-high shooting percentage for A&M, achieved Saturday against Missouri. Its previous best was 57.1 percent against Kent State on Nov. 29.

800 – Career wins for softball coach Jo Evans. Evans captured the milestone after the Aggies claimed an 11-0 run rule victory over Louisiana Tech on Sunday.

.444 – Batting average for sophomore Brooks Raley last week. Raley went 8-for-18 at the plate, scored six runs and picked up the win on the mound Friday against Utah.

61 – Strikeouts for A&M pitchers in the five games played last week. The Aggies have now struck out 10 or more batters in seven straight games.

6 – Double-doubles this season for Danielle Gant. Gant scored 16 points and had 13 rebounds in Saturday’s game against Baylor.

4 – Consecutive years of third place or better finishes for the women’s basketball team.

B.J. Holmes Coming Up Big For Aggies

The pages devoted to B.J. Holmes in the Texas A&M men’s basketball media guide this season are filled with the essentials on the sophomore from Houston: his high school accolades, last year’s statistics, previous career highs in points, assists, rebounds and steals, and even a tidbit about his penchant for playing the piano and singing.

Nowhere, however, does it mention what may very well be one of his most unique talents—predicting the future.

The day before the Aggies played Texas Tech at Reed Arena on Jan. 28, Holmes made an ear-catching statement to a reporter.

“I think we are getting ready to explode,” proclaimed a confident Holmes.

The fact that A&M entered the match-up against the Red Raiders on the heels of a brutal 1-4 start to the Big 12 schedule left the reporter questioning Holmes’ prognostication skills.

Sure enough, the following night Holmes more than made good on his words.

With A&M facing an early 13-4 deficit, coach Mark Turgeon substituted Holmes into the game, and he quickly knocked down back-to-back 3-pointers. Later in the half, Holmes entered the game again with the Aggies down by three. Three possessions led to three more 3-pointers, with last giving A&M its first lead of the game. His final bomb of the night came in the second half, and the Aggies never trailed again.

After the dust had settled on the 79-70 win, Holmes finished his career night with a game-high 24 points on a smoking 6-of-7 from behind the arc. Indeed, Holmes’ fortune-telling ability may be about as exact as his pinpoint shooting accuracy.

In fact, the Aggies wouldn’t be charging toward an NCAA berth without Holmes’ recent contributions. He hit a big three-pointer late against Nebraska to help set up Josh Carter’s last-second bomb, and his seven-points-in-30-seconds in Colorado essentially erased a late eight-point Buffaloes’ lead.

The diminutive Holmes, listed officially as 6-feet but he admits it’s probably more like 5-10, has developed into a legitimate scoring threat for Turgeon’s team. He’s also seen his minutes increase exponentially after being relegated to the bench for most of 2008. Last year, Holmes barely averaged six minutes per game in spot duty. In Big 12 play this year, he’s logging around 20 minutes per night.

While he didn’t gain much playing time in 2008, he certainly took in some valuable lessons from some veteran players.

“Last year was kind of frustrating because of the (lack of) minutes,” said Holmes, who played his high school ball at Hastings High School in Houston. “But, I was able to learn a lot from Dominique (Kirk) and even Joe (Jones) in what it means to be a leader of the team. I took that into this year, knowing that I had to work harder in the offseason so I could get more minutes this year.

“I admired the fight that they had. Whatever was happening, whether we were up or down, they always had the same look in their eyes that they were ready to get even better. Dominique’s leadership—he directed everybody on the team. If somebody didn’t know what they were doing, he’d go over and talk to them. He didn’t yell at them, but he’d go tell them what they needed to do. I learned from Joe’s intensity, whether it was in practice or games, he was always very intense.”

Holmes hobbled out of the gates this year. He missed all six of his shots in the season-opener against Arkansas-Pine Bluff, and that was followed by another 0-fer against Stephen F. Austin. He made his first field goal of the season in the third game before hitting his stride against UNC Wilmington on Nov. 25. Holmes exploded for four 3-pointers against the Seahawks to set a new career high.

While those in the stands at Reed Arena that night might have been surprised to see Holmes get hot, his teammates and coaches certainly expected the shots to fall.

“Last year, he really didn’t get a chance to show what he can do,” said junior guard Donald Sloan. “We all knew he was a great shooter who can make plays, plus he’s a good finisher. Just him getting the opportunity (is the biggest difference this season). I’ve always known he could be a player, but this year, he’s getting that opportunity to make plays, and that’s helped him grow all year.”

As non-conference play progressed, Holmes played a vital role in two of the Aggies’ signature preseason wins. Against Arizona on Dec. 5, the Wildcats threatened to run A&M out of its own gym. But Holmes keyed they Aggies furious second-half comeback with three triples in the final 10 minutes of the game. His two free throws with 1:01 remaining pulled A&M to within two points and set the stage for teammate Nathan Walkup’s game-winning shot in the closing seconds.

Then, in a road game at Alabama, Holmes capped another big Aggie rally. His 3-pointer with two seconds on the clock forced overtime, where A&M escaped with an 86-78 win.


While Holmes has certainly hit some clutch shots this season, it’s his play on other areas on the floor that have drawn solid reviews from the Aggie coaching staff. Holmes is no longer a liability on defense, and his ability to serve as a stopper has helped him earn more minutes in the pressure cooker of conference play. Holmes’ sixth man role is more than just scoring, as he is second on the team in steals.

He’s managed to stay strong on defense against some stiff competition. Holmes was part of the A&M defensive corps that held Longhorn A.J. Abrams to nine points on 3-of-10 shooting earlier this season in Austin, and Oklahoma State guard James Anderson’s 3-point threats were mostly neutralized in the two match-ups between the Aggies and the Cowboys.

“B.J. is really helping us defensively,” said Turgeon. “He’s really playing with intelligence on both ends of the floor and he’s started to make some shots. When he does that, he’s pretty good for us. I’ll say this. All across this staff and all across with his teammates, we know B.J. is going to be in the right spot to do the right thing every time, and that’s good to have.”

Holmes said his defensive presence was improved greatly in the off-season. After weighing in at 180 pounds at the end of last year, Holmes decided to dedicate himself to shedding a few pounds. To accomplish that, he sought out longtime NBA player and coach John Lucas, who also worked with Holmes in his youth days. Holmes played with Lucas’ son, Jai, on the same AAU team in Houston, and the two have worked out together since the eighth grade.

As a result of Lucas’s tough workouts, Holmes checked in before the season at a more respectable 168 pounds. Carrying less weight has led to improved foot speed on defense and been a big factor to his success on that end of the court.

“Last year, (defense) was all new to me,” Holmes said. “I didn’t get the reps that I needed, but the more I’ve played, the better I’ve become. With Dominique graduating, I knew another guard would have to play, so I figured why not me? I’m feeling better about myself, moving faster, having more energy—(losing weight) helped that.”

Two of his quietest contributions to the team have come in other areas.

Holmes, who spent a majority of his time at point guard before coming to A&M, currently has the best assist-to-turnover ratio on the team. While his assist numbers aren’t as high as primary lead guards Donald Sloan or Dash Harris, Holmes has proven to be a good decision maker who can protect the basketball. In his first 505 minutes of play, Holmes had just 15 turnovers—much less than one per game.

He’s also helped the Aggies from the charity stripe. Holmes has made 83 percent of his free throws this season. As opposing defenses wise up to his jump shooting accuracy, A&M coaches want him to be able to drive the lane and try and draw fouls.

“(Other teams) are starting to realize about my shooting ability,” Holmes said. “I think it was in the Baylor game that I was about to get a pass and shoot, but when I turned the guy was right there in my face. I wasn’t used to that because defenses are usually so worried about Josh (Carter) and Sloan.”

Holmes never made it off the bench for the Aggies in last year’s tournament, but there’s little doubt that he would play a large role if the Aggies eventually earn a bid.

Holmes initially committed to A&M after being recruited by former head coach Billy Gillispie. After Turgeon was hired in the spring of 2007, he made one of his first recruiting pitches to Holmes, who was rated one of the top 20 players in Texas by Rivals.com. Other Houston natives Nathan Walkup and DeAndre Jordan were also members of Holmes’ signing class, and Turgeon’s words convinced the trio they had made the right decision in committing to the Aggies.

“The program was rising (when I signed),” Holmes recalled. “When coach Turgeon came, we all had some questions but he came to one of my practices and talked to me and my family. He reassured us all that things were going to be OK, and they have been.

“Me, Nate and DeAndre all talked about it and stuck with our decisions. We were so close, and I think that was a big reason why everybody stayed. I don’t know what (Turgeon) told the other guys, but he told me everyone would have a fair chance. That’s what I wanted to hear, and that nobody was going to be over anybody else.”

Turgeon has certainly proven to be a man of his word. Jordan played significantly last season before being drafted by the Los Angeles Clippers, and Walkup and Holmes have both hit big shots in key situations this year. And if he stays healthy, Holmes will have many more chances to make clutch plays—and maybe even a few more bold predictions.

Weekend By The Numbers

.900 – Batting average this weekend for sophomore Caleb Shofner. Shofner reached base on 15 of his 16 plate appearances, scored 11 runs and tallied five RBIs.

14 – Strikeouts recorded by pitcher Alex Wilson in just 6 2/3 innings Saturday. Wilson allowed only three hits and one baserunner through the first six innings. His 14 Ks were the most by an A&M pitcher since 2004.

9 – Walks allowed by A&M pitchers in 36 innings. The Aggies held Wright State to a .207 batting average to help claim the four-game series sweep.

21 – Career-high in points for Chinemelu Elonu in the Aggies’ 79-73 win over Texas Tech on Saturday. Elonu also pulled down 12 rebounds.

5 – Consecutive victories over Texas for the women’s basketball team. A&M completed the season sweep of the Horns on Saturday with a 76-65 win.

12 – Consecutive games for Takia Starks to score in double figures. Starks, who had 18 points against Texas, has score in double figures in all of the Aggies’ Big 12 contests.

25 – Runs in two Friday games for the softball team in Houston. A&M rolled to a 14-2 win against Northern Illinois and an 11-1 victory over Prairie View A&M. On Saturday, the Aggies knocked off No. 18 Houston on the Cougars’ home field.

16-under – The final-round score for the men’s golf team in Wahiawa, Hawaii, enough to erase an eight shot deficit and claim the team title in the Burns Intercollegiate. Freshman Geoff Shaw led the last-day charge, firing a six-under par 66 in his first college tournament.

16 – Combined number of goals and assists for freshmen Beth West and Jennifer Kmezich in A&M’s annual spring 7v7 tournament. The Aggies finished the weekend with a 3-0 record after convincing wins over Rice, Houston and North Texas.

Containing Abrams

Came across this recently and thought folks might enjoy giving it a look.

Seems like the Aggies have played AJ Abrams as well as anyone over the years. The junior from Round Rock was certainly flustered throughout Monday's game.

Here is a run down of Abrams' last four games against A&M. Keep in mind that Abrams is averaging 17 points per game this year and shooting just shy of 40 percent:

2008: 8, 9 points (combined 5-for-21 from field--23.4 percent)
2009: 9, 7 points (combined 6-for-22 from field--27.2 percent)

Abrams has fared much better against other Big 12 South squads.

vs. OU: 15.7 points per game
vs. OSU: 11.7 ppg
vs. Texas Tech: 13 ppg
vs. Baylor: 17.3 ppg

OSU has defended Abrams pretty consistently, allowing him into double figures only once. Still, no team has kept him in check quite like the Aggies.

High Intensity On Tap For Saturday

A few words of advice to anyone who has a ticket but is considering skipping out on Saturday’s A&M-Baylor basketball game: Don’t. You. Dare.

Sure, this year’s Waco version of the Battle of the Brazos appears to lack the same pizzazz and fanfare that surrounded the 2008 contest, but both teams have no choice but to bring their best games into the Farrell Center this weekend. Take an already emotional series, add in two teams scrambling for their postseason lives, plus two fan bases eager to hold bragging rights over the other until next year, and the stage is set for an all-out dogfight.

Each team certainly brought all the emotions it could muster last year. If someone had lit a fuse anywhere in the vicinity of the Ferrell Center last March, there’s a good chance the building wouldn’t be standing there today.

Last year’s powder keg began brewing during pre-game warm-ups when Baylor students ruthlessly taunted Texas A&M’s players and coaches. The hysteria nearly reached a full-fledged riot after A&M’s Donald Sloan put his emphatic stamp on the Aggie victory during the waning seconds of the game with his one-handed, throw-it-off-the-backboard slam.

In the end, though, the Aggies walked out of Waco with a big 71-57 win and an eventual spot in the NCAA Tournament. This go-round, however, includes two squads mired in a Big 12 funk. The Aggies are 3-6 in conference play while Baylor has lost six straight to fall to 3-7.

A&M claimed the early-season meeting between the two squads with an 84-73 victory—certainly not the five OT affair the two had in College Station last year—and neither fan base appears particularly giddy about Saturday’s 5 p.m. game.

Since 2004, though, A&M and Baylor have waged some classics. Each game in Waco has come down to the final moments, catapulting this into perhaps the most under-rated rivalry in the Big 12.

Indeed, the Ferrell Center will be hopping on Saturday, particularly in the wake of last year’s uber-intense Sloan-dow—err showdown.

“I’m pretty sure they’re going to have something in store for me,” Sloan said on Wednesday. “Whether it be signs, chanting, whatever. Baylor has had a bad stretch, so they’ll (really want to start a good run against us). It’s an important game for us and an important game for them.”

Anyone who expects Saturday’s game to be more pillow fight than slugfest should look no further than January’s meeting at Reed Arena. Baylor entered with a 13-2 record, but A&M took it to the Bears early and often in a game that featured its share of hard fouls and tough play. And, with both squads currently in full-on scramble mode, all signs point to a no-holds-barred showdown on tap Saturday.

Sloan’s dunk from a year ago, after which officials ended the game early as Dr Pepper bottles rained down on the court, remains a hot topic between fans from both schools.

“I’m sure a lot of people didn’t like it.” Sloan said. “I figure (if our fans) had been out there in that atmosphere and going through everything that was going on, they probably would have done the same thing. When you think about it, there’s really nothing else you can do (during a game) that wouldn’t get you in trouble. That was maybe the only thing I could have done that would have made me feel good and my teammates feel good without anybody getting in trouble.”

Hopefully, this year’s contest will be debris-free. It will certainly be worth price of admission.


photo above from Aggieland Illustrated--what a great shot

Weekend By The Numbers

6 – Field goals in the first half of the men’s basketball game against Kansas State, A&M’s lowest offensive output in Big 12 play this year. The Aggies had seven field goals in the first half at Kansas on Jan. 19.

2-8 — The Big 12 South’s record against the Big 12 North in men’s basketball games played since Jan. 31. Oklahoma is the only South squad to win a game against the North, going 2-0 in that span. Texas, meanwhile, is 0-3, with two losses coming at home.

43 – Margin of victory for the women’s basketball team against Nebraska on Sunday. It was A&M’s largest margin of victory ever in a Big 12 game.

28 – Turnovers forced by the Aggie defense against the Huskers, the most turnovers by Nebraska this season.

61.0 – Shooting percentage by A&M against Nebraska, the team’s highest of the year. It was the Aggies best shooting night since connecting on 63.8 percent against McNeese State on Nov. 21, 2006.

7 – Home runs by the softball team during its weekend tournament. The Aggies went 3-1 to claim the tourney title, outscoring the opposition 22-4.

1-1 – Weekend record for the women’s tennis team, which played Friday and Saturday matches against SEC schools ranked in the top 25. A&M captured a 5-2 win against No. 25 Auburn on Friday before dropping a tough, 4-3 decision to LSU on Sunday.

Bubble Notes Heading Into The Weekend

It seems like everyone has their own version of an NCAA Tournament Bubble Guide these days, so here’s my stab at one that is centered around what Aggie fans should keep their eyes on in the coming days.

Big 12 Teams We Want To Win
Kansas vs. Oklahoma State, 2:30 p.m. in Lawrence – Both Kansas and Texas can help the Aggies cause by getting home wins in the next few days against the Cowboys, who are currently 3-4 in the Big 12. If OSU drops both games, it’ll have nine total losses, with games against Baylor, Texas, Kansas State and @ Oklahoma remaining.

Texas Tech vs. Baylor, 7 p.m. in Lubbock – Yes, nobody ever wants the Red Raiders to win, but they can do the Aggies a big favor by upending reeling Baylor at home. The Bears have gone from almost a guaranteed lock to a team on the ropes after losing four in a row. Plus, with Tech having an RPI outside the top 100, a loss in Lubbock would give Baylor a black eye on its resume.

Random Team To Root For
Tulsa @ Memphis, 7 p.m. on Wednesday – It’s not a weekend game, but Tulsa currently represents A&M’s poorest loss, according to the RPI rankings. It seems like Memphis, RPI No. 11, hasn’t lost a Conference USA game since Clinton was in office, but Tulsa lost by only one point in the first meeting between the two. A win by the Golden Hurricane on Wednesday would likely give A&M’s computer numbers a nice bump.

Random Team To Root Against
Siena @ Rider, noon on Saturday – Nothing personal against the Siena Saints, but they have a pretty good profile right now (RPI No. 21) and are off to a 12-0 start in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference. If Siena runs the table in the regular season but gets upset in the MAA conference tournament, there’s a pretty good chance it’ll still make the NCAA Tournament. That would mean one less at-large spot to go around. For fans of bubble-residing teams like A&M, seeing Siena get nicked a time or two can’t hurt.

Weekend By The Numbers

165 – Career three-pointers for senior Takia Starks. Starks’ three against Kansas tied her with former All-American Lisa Branch for the all-time A&M lead.

3 – Consecutive games in which the women’s basketball team has allowed seven or less field goals in the second half. The Aggies allowed just four to Oklahoma State on Jan. 24, seven to Texas on Jan. 28 and six to Kansas on Jan. 31.

20 – Games in a row in which B.J. Holmes has made at least one three-pointer. Holmes’ streak is the third longest in school history.

32-4 – A&M’s record under Mark Turgeon when the team makes at least 45 percent from the field.

17 – Points by Josh Carter against Oklahoma State, a big-time turnaround from being held scoreless in Stillwater on Jan. 10.

6.59 – School-record mark in the 60 meters by Gerald Phiri, set in the Gilliam Indoor Track Stadium during the Texas A&M Showdown on Saturday. Phiri also earned the previous school record, clocking 6.64 twice last year.

1 – Porscha Lucas’ place on the world and collegiate list this year in the 200 meters. Lucas clocked a 23.39 over the weekend to take over the world lead by one one-hundredth of a second.

10 – Ranking for the softball team in the ESPN.com/USA Softball preseason poll. The Aggies are one of three Big 12 squads, with No. 6 Oklahoma and No. 19 Missouri also appearing.

Weekend By The Numbers

9 – Combined wins for the men’s and women’s indoor track teams at the Arkansas Invitational. The Aggies opened their indoor season with a solid performance, also tallying seven NCAA provisional marks.

1-2-4-5-6 – Finishes posted by the A&M women in the 200 meters. Jessica Beard set a personal best to win in the event in 23.59 seconds, with Gabby Mayo, Dominique Duncan, Sandy Wooten and Elizabeth Adeoti rounding out the Aggie contingent.

22 – Points for senior Danielle Gant in the women’s basketball teams’ 62-56 victory at Missouri. Gant turned in a perfect 10-for-10 performance from the field and also connected on both her free throw attempts.

2 – Takia Starks is now A&M’s second all-time leading scorer, surpassing former player Lisa Langston. Starks’ 14 point effort at Missouri gives 1,626 career points, trailing only Lisa Branch’s 1,939.

19.9 – The Aggie women currently rank No. 1 in the nation in three-point field goal percentage defense, allowing just 19.9 percent. Saturday, Missouri managed 17.6 percent (3-for-17) from beyond the arc.

0 – Points scored by Josh Carter in the Aggies double-digit loss to Oklahoma State. Carter entered the game as the team’s leading scorer.

11 – Victories recorded in 16 events for the women’s swimming and diving team against SMU on Saturday. The Aggies picked up a 163-137 win over No. 18 SMU, and Triin Aljand and Alia Atkinson both picked up a pair of victories.

Weekend By The Numbers

73 – A&M student-athletes who graduated this semester. Among some of the notables are: Dan Campbell (football), Melissa Garey (soccer), Khalid Ballouli (baseball), Amanda Scarborough (softball), Travis Schneider (football), Misi Tupe (football) and Clora Williams (track and field).

5,395 – Season-high crowd inside Reed Arena for the A&M-TCU women’s basketball game on Sunday. The previous high was 3,602 for the Texas State game on Dec. 13, and the big crowd this weekend went home happy after the No. 3 Aggies scored a 14-point win.

10 – Consecutive wins for the women’s team to begin the season, the best start in school history. It’s also the best start ever for coach Gary Blair, whose previous best was a 9-0 mark with Stephen F. Austin in 1989-90.

14 – Rebounds for La Toya Micheaux against TCU, enough to move her into sixth place on the all-time Aggie list. Micheaux has accumulated 658 career rebounds.

6 – Consecutive games in double figures for Josh Carter. Carter scored 19 points during the Aggies’ win over LSU on Saturday.

50 percent – A&M’s shooting percentage against the Tigers, marking the third time the Aggies have made at least half of their shots.

Avoiding The Upset

It’s already happened several times this season, and it’s bound to take place several more times before the final buzzer sounds in March. Whether it be a buzzer-beating miracle or just a good old fashioned whippin’, college basketball inevitably turns out several unexpected upsets every year.

For coaches, making sure their team doesn’t fall prey to the underdog is often a delicate balance, particularly during the pre-conference schedule.

For one, it’s difficult for players to ‘get up’ for game after game, particularly when the opponent features a directional-type name. Second (and unlike the normal Wednesday-Saturday Big 12 schedule), games center around preseason tournaments and random clusters where teams can play three or four games in a week (see the A&M men’s Saturday-Monday-Wednesday-Saturday schedule this week).

Already this season on the men’s side, we’ve seen Western Kentucky over No. 3 Louisville, Cleveland State over No. 11 Syracuse, Arizona over No. 4 Gonzaga, Michigan over No. 4 UCLA and Maryland over No. 5 Michigan State, just to name a few.

In the Aggies’ case, a slip-up to Tulsa at the South Padre Invitational is the team’s only blemish, but a few games this week were surprisingly tight coming down the stretch. Wins against Florida A&M and SMU this week have finished as 10 point victories, but both were one possession games late in the second half.

Throw studying for finals into the mix, and December can be a dicey proposition for hoops teams everywhere.

“That’s a tough stretch for you to keep your kids (focused),” said A&M coach Mark Turgeon. “Seven or eight days off in between games (during finals), you see teams that are rusty and don’t play quite as well. Then, we’re cramming four games in eight days, and it’s hard to get up for every game.”

“And there are a lot of really good players out there. There are those elite teams that have the best players, and then the rest of us. There’s a fine line between our talent. You have to be ready to play every night.”

While parity hasn’t taken hold on the women’s side as much as it has for the men, that hasn’t stopped a couple big-time upsets from stealing the headlines so far this year. We’re nowhere near March, but the madness has clearly already begun.

Upsets thus far include TCU over No. 5 Maryland, TCU over No. 3 California, Arkansas-Little Rock over No. 19 Oklahoma State and California-Riverside over No. 16 Vanderbilt.

Those scores should send a shiver down spines across College Station. A&M hosts TCU this Sunday at Reed Arena, when the Aggies will try to avoid becoming TCU’s third top-five casualty.

Thus far, Gary Blair’s squad has taken care of business, picking up road wins at Michigan, Arizona, Pepperdine and Stephen F. Austin. In home games against Mercer, SMU and Texas State, A&M has cruised to an average victory of almost 40 points per game. In those possible upset-type contests, the Aggies have jumped out early and carried a hefty double-digit lead throughout the second half.

“Don’t put yourself in a position to allow a 60-footer or a referees call at the end of the game (to sink you),” Blair said. “You better take care of your home court. Sometimes, you give credit to your opponent. They didn’t just get off the truck; they can be pretty good.”

That’s certainly what Blair is expecting when TCU visits this weekend. A&M players said Tuesday they had already received a scouting report on the Horned Frogs, something that usually doesn’t happen until the day before a game. A&M and TCU have played in each of the last two seasons, with TCU claiming a win in the NCAA Tournament in 2006 and the Aggies returning the favor in Fort Worth last year.

“This will only be our second game against a top 25 team,” Blair said. “It will be good for us.”

That is, as long as A&M doesn’t become another statistic in the early-season upset parade.

Knock On Wood, Aggies Seeing Success At Free Throw Line

Aggie basketball coach Mark Turgeon did his best to avoid too much discussion Tuesday about his team’s recent prowess from the free-throw line. That’s why, after being peppered by reporters with questions about his team’s recent success, he eventually offered a quick quip to change the topic.

“I don’t want to jinx my guys here,” said Turgeon, “with you all writing too much about them.”

His final comment was made only half-jokingly, but it served its purpose of moving the conversation along to a different topic. And for good reason, as the Texas A&M men’s basketball team is on quite a roll from the charity stripe.


Aggie players have shot better than 80 percent in each of the last four games—all wins—and have ascended into one of the best free-throw shooting teams in the Big 12. Monday night’s 20-for-20 performance against Florida A&M kept the contests a two possession game down the stretch and eventually helped the Aggies (8-1) avoid the upset, 67-57.

Free throws have played an important role in the team’s recent winning streak in which the margins of victory have been six, one, eight (in overtime) and 10. While the eight-point margin against Alabama might look comfortable, the Aggies had to overcome a five-point deficit with less than 20 seconds to play to force the extra session.

Even then, it was a missed free throw by Alabama’s Mikhail Torrance with 12 seconds remaining that allowed B. J. Holmes’ long 3-pointer to send the game to an extra period. Turgeon could empathize with Tide coach Mark Gottfried, as Turgeon’s squad often struggled from the line last season.

“I’ve never gone through anything like we did last year,” said Turgeon of last year’s team that finished last in the conference in free-throw percentage. “That was pretty tough for me because we worked so hard on it.”

This year, it appears to be carrying over in games.

Except for the Tulsa loss in which the Aggies shot just 57.1 percent, the Aggies in all other games the Aggies are hitting 75.5 percent of their foul shots. That is a particularly good percentage when you consider Baylor lead the Big 12 last year with a 74.3 mark.

“We’ve been shooting them really well in practice, but it just hadn’t been carrying over to the games,” said senior Josh Carter, who is 39th in the nation with an 87.5 percent success rate. “But it’s starting to work for us. I’m sure we’ll struggle at some point, but you never know with us.”

As for coaching, Turgeon doesn’t believe in messing around too much with anyone’s form. Rather, he wants each player to make sure they follow the same routine, shot after shot.

“I don’t care what (their routine) is as long as it’s the same every time,” Turgeon said. “You have to have a checkpoint, whether it’s finish high, follow through, back rim, or something they say that makes them feel good about themselves. We ask them to do it during practice, because in the game if they’re thinking about their routine and checkpoint, they’re not thinking about the ramifications of the free throw.

“Knock on wood, the last couple of games we’ve shot them pretty well, but we work hard on it.”

Donald Sloan has also upped his percentage, making 33-of-40 (82.5 percent) so far this season after turning in a 67.2 mark during conference play last year. Aggie fans used to cringe when Sloan stepped to the line, but A&M’s players and coaches don’t blink twice these days when Sloan gets fouled.

“I don’t worry about Sloan,” Carter said. “Last year when he had his little funk, it was more mental. As long as he stays in his groove, he’ll be fine.”

Turgeon said the same goes for the rest of the team, as confidence may have as much to do with a player’s success as anything.

“I don’t want to get in their head because shooting is such a delicate thing,” Turgeon said. “I want guys to feel comfortable. It’s very important when you’re sitting over there with two minutes to go in a game for your guys to step up and knock them down.”


OTHER MEN’S BASKETBALL NOTES
Game time tonight against SMU is at 7 p.m….This will be the first time SMU (3-4) has traveled to Reed Arena, as the two teams have not met since the final year of the Southwest Conference (1995-96 season)…The Aggies travel to Houston on Saturday for a neutral site game against LSU at the Toyota Center. The game is part of the H-Town Holiday Shootout, with Texas and Michigan State also playing. Buying a ticket gets you into both games, and there are still seats available at toyotacentertix.com. For you cash-strapped students, $20 seats are still available, so get on it!...Chinemelu Elonu is one of six A&M players from the Houston area, but the 6-foot-10 forward said he won’t have many family members in the stands. His parents are traveling to their native Nigeria this weekend to visit family and friends during the holidays.

Weekend By The Numbers

1.1 – Seconds remaining in regulation when B.J. Holmes sank a 3-pointer to send the A&M-Alabama men’s basketball game to overtime on Saturday. Holmes’ trey capped a frantic comeback in the final 23 seconds of the game.

1 – Point allowed by the Aggies in the final 3 minutes, 15 seconds of overtime in Alabama. A&M didn’t allow a single Crimson Tide field goal in the extra session.

5 – Different swimming events in which Aggie senior Triin Aljand holds or shares the Estonian national record. Over the weekend, Aljand set the 50 freestyle record twice, as well as the 100 butterfly. She also has her name on national records in the 50 backstroke, 50 butterfly, and as a member of the 200 medley relay.

59 – Rebounds by the women’s basketball team against Texas State on Dec. 13. The total matched a Reed Arena record and was the most by the Aggies since they pulled down 50 against McNeese State on Nov. 21, 2006.

23-2 – Run to start the women’s basketball game against Texas State. The hot start set the table for a beating, as the Aggies cruised to a 94-45 victory. Seven players scored in double figures for No. 3 A&M, which is off to a 9-0 start.

0 – Quarterbacks in A&M football history who were more accurate than Stephen McGee. McGee, who won the Aggie Heart Award at last weekend’s year-end banquet, finished his career 485-for-815, a 59.5 completion percentage.

Weekend By The Numbers

1.1 – Seconds remaining in regulation when B.J. Holmes sank a 3-pointer to send the A&M-Alabama men’s basketball game to overtime on Saturday. Holmes’ trey capped a frantic comeback in the final 23 seconds of the game.

1 – Point allowed by the Aggies in the final 3 minutes, 15 seconds of overtime in Alabama. A&M didn’t allow a single Crimson Tide field goal in the extra session.

5 – Different swimming events in which Aggie senior Triin Aljand holds or shares the Estonian national record. Over the weekend, Aljand set the 50 freestyle record twice, as well as the 100 butterfly. She also has her name on national records in the 50 backstroke, 50 butterfly, and as a member of the 200 medley relay.

59 – Rebounds by the women’s basketball team against Texas State on Dec. 13. The total matched a Reed Arena record and was the most by the Aggies since they pulled down 50 against McNeese State on Nov. 21, 2006.

23-2 – Run to start the women’s basketball game against Texas State. The hot start set the table for a beating, as the Aggies cruised to a 94-45 victory. Seven players scored in double figures for No. 3 A&M, which is off to a 9-0 start.

0 – Quarterbacks in A&M football history who were more accurate than Stephen McGee. McGee, who won the Aggie Heart Award at last weekend’s year-end banquet, finished his career 485-for-815, a 59.5 completion percentage.

Weekend By The Numbers

4 – Season-low number of turnovers for the men’s basketball team against Arizona on Friday night. No Aggie player had more than one turnover, while the Wildcats committed 15 turnovers.

20 – Number of seconds in which the Aggies led Arizona. After training by as much as 13 points in the second half, sophomore Nathan Walkup capped the A&M comeback with a 3-pointer with 20 seconds remaining.

1,525 – Career points for senior guard Takia Starks. Starks moved into third place on the A&M career list during her 21 point performance against SMU on Sunday.

3 – Opponents that have been held under 20 points in the first half against the women’s basketball team. SMU scored just 18 points in the opening frame to join SFA (12 points) and Mercer (15 points) as Aggie casualties.

4 – Baseball players named to the 2009 Brooks Wallace Award preseason watch list. First baseman Luke Anders, outfielder Kyle Colligan, and pitchers Travis Starling and Kyle Thebeau made the list. The award is presented annually to the nation’s top collegiate baseball player.

10 – Career Big 12 Diver of the Week or Month honors earned by senior Eric Sehn. Sehn earned the award most recently in late November after his performance in the local Art Adamson Invitational.

0 – Number of A&M sporting events taking place this week. It’s gonna be a long few days until the women’s basketball team hosts Texas State on Dec. 13.

Bryan Davis Q&A

Every week, 12th Man On Campus brings you a Q&A with an Aggie student-athlete or coach. This week, junior hoopster Bryan Davis was kind enough to take a few questions as the Aggies prepared to host Arizona on Friday night in the Big 12-Pac 10 Hardwood series, one of the biggest non-conference home games in recent memory.

Q: Do you feel like the team needs to redeem itself after the way the Arizona game went last year?
BD: Yeah I feel like we do need to redeem ourselves. Last year, we didn’t come out and play as well as we should have in the second half, and we have a good opportunity to come out here and put together 40 minutes on Friday.

Q: The Arizona crowd got into it a lot last year, so are you excited to get them at your place this year?
BD: Actually, I think everybody was looking forward to playing them at their house last year. Just being at home is a plus for us so we can be in front of our fans. Overall as a team, everybody is pretty much looking forward to playing them.

Q: What kind of atmosphere are you guys expecting here on Friday night?
BD: I’m hoping for a pretty good basketball atmosphere. We haven’t had a whole lot of good turnouts lately, but Arizona is a good basketball school. I think our fans will come out and support us.

Q: We’ve seen a couple of times so far this season that you guys have made just about every free throw toward the end of the game. Is that some mental toughness that you’ve improved since last year?
BD: I think it’s mental toughness, and the fact that we’re the type of team that, when it comes down to it and we have to hit those free throws, we’re going to hit them. We have to be more consistent with it throughout the game, though, so we don’t get in those situations. We need to knock our free throws down earlier in the game, because we missed a lot of free throws during the Tulsa game.

Q: Do you feel like you guys learned some things in the South Padre tournament that will be beneficial on down the road?
BD: A loss is never good, but (losing to Tulsa) was definitely a wake-up call for us. It let us know that anybody can be beaten. Everybody in our circle, in our team, we all know that we’re going to be good. So, that was a wake up call telling us we have to be better and more consistent during the whole game and not just during five- and 10-minute spurts. We have to play a full game.

Q: If you could grade yourself thus far, what would your grade be?
BD: Probably about a C+.

Q: How do you get up to B+ or A?
BD: I need to be more consistent and limit my turnovers. I also need to be more of a leader on the court, and off of it, also.

Q: Do you consider yourself a mentor to some of the other big men on the team?
BD: Yeah, I feel like I’m mentor to them. Sometimes you have to be more than vocal with them—you have to lead by example and let them see you doing the things the right way.

Q: Do you see a lot of potential in Denzel Bowles and David Loubeau?
BD: There’s a lot of potential in those guys. Denzel is really showing some good things, and David has really come a long way.