Spring Break
Changing the polls
Turgeon, players discuss game at No. 2 ranked Oklahoma
By: Brett Sebastian
Issue date: 2/3/09 Section: Sports
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"I didn't even realize they were No. 2, I haven't seen the polls," said senior guard Josh Carter. "We know they're a good team."
The A&M men's basketball team is focusing on team improvements and recovering from a mid-season slump that included a three-game losing streak. Going into Wednesday's game against the Sooners, the Aggies are riding a two-game winning streak with home wins against Texas Tech and Oklahoma State.
A&M beat the Red Raiders 79-70 on Jan. 28 and defeated the Cowboys 76-64 Saturday. The two wins put the Aggies in fifth place in the Big 12 with a 3-4 conference record.
The Big 12 is ranked the fourth best conference in the nation by the NCAA's ratings percentage index and Head Coach Mark Turgeon said it is one of the top conferences.
"We're beating each other up a little more than we did last year," Turgeon said. "Missouri, Nebraska and Oklahoma State are better. Our league had the highest non-conference winning percentage ever. We put together a heck of a nonconference schedule and did well; and now we are all just beating each other up. I'd put our league up there with any of them."
The two home wins have given the Aggies a sense of confidence going into the game against All-American Blake Griffin and the Sooners.
"When you're on a losing streak, it is kind of hard to keep your confidence up a little bit," said junior forward Chinemelu Elonu. "When you get that winning taste again you just have a whole new road ahead of you. Everybody's spirits are high again. We just need to go to Oklahoma and get a win."
Oklahoma is 21-1 and 7-0 in conference play. Arkansas handed the Sooners a loss on Dec. 30, 96-88. The Sooners are second in the Big 12 in rebounding and scoring margin and fourth in scoring offense.
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