Jan. 18, 2011
Complete game notes
TEXAS (11-6, 0-3 Big 12) at #6/5 Texas A&M (15-1, 3-0 Big 12)
State Farm Lone Star Showdown
Wednesday, Jan. 19, 2011 • 6:30 p.m. Central
Reed Arena (12,292) • College Station, Texas
GAME DAY QUICK FACTS
TELEVISION: None.
RADIO: KVET-AM 1300 “The Zone” will broadcast Wednesday’s game between Texas and Texas A&M. Jon Madani (pxp) and Carol Ross (analyst) will call the action.
SERIES: Texas leads, 58-20. Last meeting: Texas A&M 77-64 (March 12, 2010; Kansas City, Mo. | Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship Quarterfinals)
NOTABLES
• FRESHMAN EN FUEGO ... Through Texas’ first three Big 12 Conference games, freshman guard Chassidy Fussell has averaged a team-best 20.0 ppg. Additionally, she is pulling down 5.0 rpg while seeing action in 33.7 mpg during the same stretch. Fussell is the leading freshman scorer in the league with 16.6 ppg on the season.
• STREAKIN’ ... Senior guard Kathleen Nash has connected on 22 consecutive free throw attempts dating back to a 6-of-6 performance against USF (Dec. 20). Nash’s Big 12-best 92.4 percent from the charity stripe ranks sixth nationally amongst all NCAA Division I players
• DOUBLE-FIGURE DUO ... Fussell and Nash have each recorded double-figure scoring in all but one game played this season for the Longhorns. Fussell leads Texas with seven 20+ point games this year and has led UT in scoring five times.
• PLENTY OF POINTS ... All but one of Texas’ 11 wins this season have been by double-digit margins. The Longhorns are averaging 91.3 ppg and a +30.6 scoring margin in their victories. In all 17 contests, UT is toppling its opponents by +15.8 ppg and putting up 84.4 ppg for a mark that ranks second nationally.
SERIES VS. TEXAS A&M
Wednesday’s contest marks the 79th meeting between in-state foes Texas and Texas A&M. Texas holds a 58-20 advantage in the all-time series that began on Mar. 23, 1975, with a 63-62 UT win.
Series Quick Facts
Overall Series Record - Texas, 58-20
Most UT points - 108 (Jan. 25, 1984)
Most TAMU points - 98 (Mar. 3, 1998)
Fewest UT points - 43 (Feb. 3, 1976)
Fewest TAMU points - 41 (twice)
Largest UT margin - 46 (96-50; Feb. 10, 1987)
Largest TAMU margin - 24 (98-74; Mar. 3, 1998)
In overtime - N/A
STATE FARM LONE STAR SHOWDOWN
The 2010-11 academic season marks the seventh year of the State Farm Lone Star Showdown, the all-sports athletics competition between Texas and Texas A&M. UT has won four of the first six Showdowns. The Longhorns claimed the inaugural Showdown in 2004-05 by a 14.5-4.5 point margin, recorded a 14.0-5.0 victory in 2005-06 and posted a 10.5-8.5 win in 2006-07. The Aggies registered a 10.5-8.5 victory in 2007-08 and the two schools tied (9.5-9.5) in 2008-09 (A&M retained the trophy based on outright win in 2007-08). UT then recorded a 10.0-9.0 victory last year. Texas holds a 4.0-2.0 lead in points in this year’s Showdown standings heading into Wednesday’s contest in College Station (men’s basketball plays in Austin at 8 p.m on Wednesday as well). The winning school in Wednesday’s game receives 0.5 points. In order to win the Showdown, a school must acquire 10.0 points during the year.
THE LAST MEETING: VS. TEXAS A&M (MARCH 12, 2010)
Tanisha Smith scored 21 points and Danielle Adams and Tyra White added 18 apiece as No. 11 Texas A&M used a big second-half run for a 77-64 victory over No. 15 Texas in a Big 12 tournament quarterfinal. Smith, White and Adams sparked a 20-2 run to build a double-digit lead midway through the second half that put Texas A&M in control. The Aggies shot only 40 percent, but were picked up by timely scoring and efficient guard play. The trio accounted for 35 of the Aggies’ first 40 points, including the final 27 of the first half. After Ashleigh Fontenette’s two free throws gave Texas a 40-38 lead early in the second half, but the Aggies responded with their run to build a 16-point lead with 9 minutes left. Smith, White and Adams combined for 13 of the 20 points. Sydney Colson hit a big 3-pointer during the Aggies’ 20-2 run before getting a steal and converting a layup to give Texas A&M a 62-45 lead with 8:07 left.
A CHECK OF THE POLLS
UT is receiving votes in The Associated Press Poll (Jan. 17) in rankings for the 10th week of the season. UT is scheduled to meet five additional foes that are currently ranked in the polls during Big 12 Conference action: No. 1/1 Baylor (Feb. 12 in Waco), No. 7/5 Texas A&M (Jan. 19 in College Station, Feb. 27 in Austin), No. 15/14 Oklahoma (Feb. 19 in Norman), No. 17/16 Iowa State (Feb. 21 in Ames) and No. RV/25 Texas Tech (Jan. 26 in Lubbock, March 2 in Austin).
LAST TIME OUT: VS. NO. 15/14 OKLAHOMA (JAN. 16)
Danielle Robinson scored 30 points, including five in overtime, as No. 15 Oklahoma beat Texas 71-67 on Sunday. Texas had none of its 23 turnovers in the final 10 minutes of regulation as it rallied from a 49-38 deficit. Kathleen Nash scored 20 for the Longhorns. Chassidy Fussell, who scored 10 points in the final six minutes of regulation, forced overtime with her tough layup with 27 seconds left that tied it at 59-59. The Sooners had to play overtime without centers Joanna McFarland and Jelena Cerina, who both fouled out. Oklahoma opened the extra period with an Aaryn Ellenberg 3-pointer. Whitney Hand and Robinson made four free throws to quickly push Oklahoma to a 66-59 lead. Texas got back within three on Fussell’s jumper before Oklahoma’s Carlee Roethlisberger got an easy put-back layup and Robinson followed it with a floating jumper to make it 70-63.
IN THE BIG 12
In the most recent edition of the Big 12 Conference standings (Jan. 16), senior guard Kathleen Nash is tied for the lead in league-only games with 10.3 rpg and her 7-of-7 mark from the free throw line is also tied for the top spot. Junior post Ashley Gayle ranks second in blocks (3.7 bpg), while freshman guard Chassidy Fussell is the leading freshman scorer in the conference with 16.6 ppg, an average that stands fourth-best overall in conference contests.
QUARTET IN DOUBLE DIGITS
Four Longhorns continue to average double-digit scoring: Chassidy Fussell (16.6 ppg), Kathleen Nash (15.6 ppg), Ashleigh Fontenette (14.1 ppg) and Yvonne Anderson (11.8 ppg). Texas is the only team in the Big 12 Conference with three Top 20 scorers in Fussell (seventh), Nash (10th) and Fontenette (17th).
THIEVERY
Texas has recorded at least 10 or more steals in eight games. Junior guard Ashleigh Fontenette leads the Longhorns with 38 steals and ranks eighth in the Big 12 Conference (through Jan. 16) with 2.2 spg.
STINGY DEFENSE
Texas’ defense held Sam Houston State to just 17 points in the first half on Jan. 2, marking a season-low for a UT opponent. The Longhorns held San Diego to 18 points in the first half in the previous game on Dec. 30.
TURNOVER TURNAROUND
Despite averaging 17.1 turnovers per game, Texas has continued to trim its mistakes over the last several games. UT committed a season-low eight turnovers against Baylor. Previously, the Longhorns turned the ball over just nine time at UNLV (Dec. 19), 10 against Cincinnati (Dec. 28) and 14 in games against SMU (Dec. 18) and USF (Dec. 20).
BATTLE OF THE BOARDS
Texas’ +20 rebound advantage over Sam Houston State (59-39) marked the second time this season it has out-rebounded its opponent by 20 or more boards. UT’s 59 boards tied its season high originally set against Boston University on Nov. 21. Texas has out-rebounded seven of its opponents by double-digit margins, including a +11 advantage over Oklahoma (Jan. 16, 56-45) most recently. The Longhorns are averaging 46.3 rpg and hold a +6.1 edge over all opponents.
WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE?
The big statistical difference in Texas’ 11 wins and six losses this season can be traced to the defensive end of the court. In its victories, Texas has held opponents to an average of 60.6 points per contest and a combined .343 percent FG shooting, while outrebounding the opponent by +10.6.
The Importance of Defense
11 Wins - Stat - 6 Losses
60.6 - Points per game allowed - 83.2
.343 (248-723) - Opponent FG% (FG-A) - .426 (188-441)
+10.2 - Rebound margin - -1.5
