Spring Break
Aggie women to play on Tech's turf: 'the hardest places to play'
Blair to coach team against his alma mater in a Big 12 rivalry
By: Michael Teague
Issue date: 2/11/09 Section: Sports
The No. 8 Texas A&M women's basketball team will travel to Texas Tech on Wednesday.
The Aggies (18-4, 6-3) are coming off their largest margin of victory against a Big 12 program after beating Nebraska 86-43 on Sunday. The fourth-place Aggies are one game behind second-place Baylor and 2.5 games behind leader Oklahoma.
Texas Tech (13-9, 3-5) leads the Big 12 in average attendance. The Lady Raiders have averaged 8,591 fans per game in 2008-2009, approximately 1,500 more than the Aggies' largest crowd this season.
"Lubbock is one of the hardest places to play in the Big 12,"
senior Danielle Gant said in a report on the Athletic Department Web site."I expect them to come out on fire, because they are at home and we beat them in the previous game this season. They are going to bring it and so are we. It will be a good game in Lubbock."
Freshman Sydney Carter said her teammates and coaches have been preparing her for the fans in Lubbock and how to tune them out.
The Lady Raiders have dominated A&M in the all-time series, leading 52-14. The Aggies' 63-46 win in Lubbock in 2008 was A&M's third victory at the United Spirit Arena. However, A&M has won the previous six meetings.
Despite the history between A&M and Tech, the schools have a common link in Aggies' Head Coach Gary Blair. Blair graduated from Tech.
Wednesday's game will feature other Tech-A&M ties. Tech Head Coach Kristy Curry served as an assistant coach at A&M from 1994 to 1996. Curry's husband graduated from A&M in 1990.
Seniors Takia Starks and Gant will rely on their experience to pull a win out at Lubbock. When the two teams previously met, A&M finished with four players with double-digit points including Starks with 21 and Gant with 18.
Starks is ranked No. 5 in the Big 12 in points with 15.9 per game. Gant, who is ranked No. 9 in the conference in scoring, is averaging 2.45 steals per game.
Lady Raiders' Kierra Mallard is ranked No. 4 in the Big 12 in rebounds with 8.2 per game. The freshman recorded a double-double at Reed Arena in the previous meeting with 11 points and 10 rebounds. Senior Dominic Seals joins Mallard on the boards, ranking No. 7 in the conference with her 7.6 rebounds a game.
"Tech's [offense] starts with the posts and finishes with the guards," Blair said. "Texas was able to shut down their posts very well on Sunday. Can we do the same? I like our chances, if we can hold Mallard and Seals below their averages."
Seals leads Tech in scoring with 13.8 points per game overall and 13.1 points per game in conference play. Against the Aggies in January,
The Aggies (18-4, 6-3) are coming off their largest margin of victory against a Big 12 program after beating Nebraska 86-43 on Sunday. The fourth-place Aggies are one game behind second-place Baylor and 2.5 games behind leader Oklahoma.
Texas Tech (13-9, 3-5) leads the Big 12 in average attendance. The Lady Raiders have averaged 8,591 fans per game in 2008-2009, approximately 1,500 more than the Aggies' largest crowd this season.
"Lubbock is one of the hardest places to play in the Big 12,"
senior Danielle Gant said in a report on the Athletic Department Web site."I expect them to come out on fire, because they are at home and we beat them in the previous game this season. They are going to bring it and so are we. It will be a good game in Lubbock."
Freshman Sydney Carter said her teammates and coaches have been preparing her for the fans in Lubbock and how to tune them out.
The Lady Raiders have dominated A&M in the all-time series, leading 52-14. The Aggies' 63-46 win in Lubbock in 2008 was A&M's third victory at the United Spirit Arena. However, A&M has won the previous six meetings.
Despite the history between A&M and Tech, the schools have a common link in Aggies' Head Coach Gary Blair. Blair graduated from Tech.
Wednesday's game will feature other Tech-A&M ties. Tech Head Coach Kristy Curry served as an assistant coach at A&M from 1994 to 1996. Curry's husband graduated from A&M in 1990.
Seniors Takia Starks and Gant will rely on their experience to pull a win out at Lubbock. When the two teams previously met, A&M finished with four players with double-digit points including Starks with 21 and Gant with 18.
Starks is ranked No. 5 in the Big 12 in points with 15.9 per game. Gant, who is ranked No. 9 in the conference in scoring, is averaging 2.45 steals per game.
Lady Raiders' Kierra Mallard is ranked No. 4 in the Big 12 in rebounds with 8.2 per game. The freshman recorded a double-double at Reed Arena in the previous meeting with 11 points and 10 rebounds. Senior Dominic Seals joins Mallard on the boards, ranking No. 7 in the conference with her 7.6 rebounds a game.
"Tech's [offense] starts with the posts and finishes with the guards," Blair said. "Texas was able to shut down their posts very well on Sunday. Can we do the same? I like our chances, if we can hold Mallard and Seals below their averages."
Seals leads Tech in scoring with 13.8 points per game overall and 13.1 points per game in conference play. Against the Aggies in January,
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