Spring Break
Texas A&M gears up for Lone Star Showdown finale
By: Clif Turner
Issue date: 2/22/08 Section: News
The Aggies are coming off of a 60-46 win over Iowa State Wednesday. The victory improved A&M's record to 19-7 on the season with a 7-5 mark in conference play. The win was also Head Coach Gary Blair's 500th career victory.
"We knew how important it was for him to get this win and we just wanted to come out and get that win for him," said junior Danielle Gant following the game.
Junior Takia Starks leads A&M, averaging 17.1 points and 4.6 rebounds a game.
The Aggies torched the Longhorns, 66-57, Feb. 9 on national television in College Station. Gant had 25 points and six rebounds and senior guard A'Quonesia Franklin dished out 10 assists. A&M also beat the Longhorns on the boards, out rebounding them 39-36.
Texas Head Coach Gail Goestenkors gave credit to the stifling Aggie defense and will have to find a way around it for Texas to have a chance to beat the Aggies.
Texas enters the rivalry meeting with a 16-10 record overall to go along with a 4-8 showing in the Big 12. Sophomore Brittainey Raven has led the Longhorns offense by averaging more than 15 points a game. The Longhorns have lost two straight after dropping a 71-66 decision to Oklahoma State Wednesday.
With its conference record, the Aggies are fifth in the Big 12, one spot shy of getting a bye in the first round of the Big 12 Tournament. After its game against the Longhorns Saturday, the Aggies will travel to Stillwater, Okla., to take on Oklahoma State and return home for games against No. 9 Baylor and the season finally against No. 11 Oklahoma.
"We cannot lose any more home games. 8-8 would probably get us [to the NCAA tournament] because of our strong RPI and strength of schedule, but 8-8 isn't good enough for me," Blair said. "It shouldn't be good enough for Aggies, especially since we were Big 12 champs last year."
Despite the toughness of the schedule, Blair said he is pumped up for his team to get back to playing and continue to the postseason.
"If you can't get excited about that schedule, then something is wrong," he said. "I get excited about practice because I know practice will make us better for that next opponent. We can get there, but it's not going to be easy."
The game is the final basketball game of the 2007-2008 Lone Star Showdown. The Longhorns lead the all-time series 58-14 over A&M.
"We knew how important it was for him to get this win and we just wanted to come out and get that win for him," said junior Danielle Gant following the game.
Junior Takia Starks leads A&M, averaging 17.1 points and 4.6 rebounds a game.
The Aggies torched the Longhorns, 66-57, Feb. 9 on national television in College Station. Gant had 25 points and six rebounds and senior guard A'Quonesia Franklin dished out 10 assists. A&M also beat the Longhorns on the boards, out rebounding them 39-36.
Texas Head Coach Gail Goestenkors gave credit to the stifling Aggie defense and will have to find a way around it for Texas to have a chance to beat the Aggies.
Texas enters the rivalry meeting with a 16-10 record overall to go along with a 4-8 showing in the Big 12. Sophomore Brittainey Raven has led the Longhorns offense by averaging more than 15 points a game. The Longhorns have lost two straight after dropping a 71-66 decision to Oklahoma State Wednesday.
With its conference record, the Aggies are fifth in the Big 12, one spot shy of getting a bye in the first round of the Big 12 Tournament. After its game against the Longhorns Saturday, the Aggies will travel to Stillwater, Okla., to take on Oklahoma State and return home for games against No. 9 Baylor and the season finally against No. 11 Oklahoma.
"We cannot lose any more home games. 8-8 would probably get us [to the NCAA tournament] because of our strong RPI and strength of schedule, but 8-8 isn't good enough for me," Blair said. "It shouldn't be good enough for Aggies, especially since we were Big 12 champs last year."
Despite the toughness of the schedule, Blair said he is pumped up for his team to get back to playing and continue to the postseason.
"If you can't get excited about that schedule, then something is wrong," he said. "I get excited about practice because I know practice will make us better for that next opponent. We can get there, but it's not going to be easy."
The game is the final basketball game of the 2007-2008 Lone Star Showdown. The Longhorns lead the all-time series 58-14 over A&M.
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