JimBob
02-27-2008, 09:02 AM
OSU sets sights on Aggies
By LYNN JACOBSEN World Sports Writer
2/27/2008
Oklahoma State faces a must-win situation Wednesday against Texas A&M if the No. 17 Cowgirls hope to remain in fourth place and capture a coveted first-round bye in the Big 12 Conference Tournament.
They will have their hands full with an Aggies squad that has won seven of its last eight conference games and is surging toward the postseason, ranked No. 20.
"Texas A&M and Oklahoma are two of the hottest teams in the league right now," Oklahoma State coach Kurt Budke said.
"They are playing the kind of basketball we (coaches) expected from game one. They're very dangerous heading toward the NCAA. Beating A&M doesn't guarantee us anything but it puts us in a better position. "
The three previous matchups between A&M and Oklahoma State have come down to a total of 7.2 seconds.
The Aggies won both games last year with three-tenths of a second on the clock.
Andrea Riley buried a 3-pointer with 6.6 seconds to go to give the Cowgirls a 61-58 victory in College Station, Texas, last month.
"It's really amazing how close the games have been," Budke said.
Texas A&M (20-7 overall, 8-5 Big 12) boasts four 1,000-point scorers in Morenike Atunrase, Takia Starks, A'Quonesia Franklin and Danielle Gant, a feat accomplished for just the 14th time in NCAA history.
"They have a lot of weapons," Budke said. "They have multiple people who can score and four that can go for 20 on any given night."
Budke said his team is coming off its best game in a four-game stretch despite losing to Oklahoma.
"Dani- elle (Green) and Andrea were outstanding," he said. "We scored enough points to win the game, we just gave up too many offensive rebounds."
The game features two of the league's top scorers in Riley (22.7 points per game) for OSU and Starks (17.3) for A&M.
Riley is closing in on 1,000 points herself.
She needs just 27 to reach the plateau.
Shaunte' Smith, who struggled on the offensive end against Oklahoma, said the Cowgirls are ready for the challenge A&M poses.
"It comes down to us hustling for loose balls, blocking out and rebounding," she said.
"Rebounding and defense is what wins games. We try to limit our opponent's second-chance baskets. That's the ones that really hurt you."
Smith said the Cowgirls have put the OU game behind them and are looking ahead to the remaining games and the Big 12 Tournament.
"This game is real important," she said.
"This is for a bid for the Big 12."
Points are just a bonus for Smith, a tenacious rebounder and defender.
"I just take what comes to me," she said.
"Rebounding and defense get my game going. I could care less about points."
By LYNN JACOBSEN World Sports Writer
2/27/2008
Oklahoma State faces a must-win situation Wednesday against Texas A&M if the No. 17 Cowgirls hope to remain in fourth place and capture a coveted first-round bye in the Big 12 Conference Tournament.
They will have their hands full with an Aggies squad that has won seven of its last eight conference games and is surging toward the postseason, ranked No. 20.
"Texas A&M and Oklahoma are two of the hottest teams in the league right now," Oklahoma State coach Kurt Budke said.
"They are playing the kind of basketball we (coaches) expected from game one. They're very dangerous heading toward the NCAA. Beating A&M doesn't guarantee us anything but it puts us in a better position. "
The three previous matchups between A&M and Oklahoma State have come down to a total of 7.2 seconds.
The Aggies won both games last year with three-tenths of a second on the clock.
Andrea Riley buried a 3-pointer with 6.6 seconds to go to give the Cowgirls a 61-58 victory in College Station, Texas, last month.
"It's really amazing how close the games have been," Budke said.
Texas A&M (20-7 overall, 8-5 Big 12) boasts four 1,000-point scorers in Morenike Atunrase, Takia Starks, A'Quonesia Franklin and Danielle Gant, a feat accomplished for just the 14th time in NCAA history.
"They have a lot of weapons," Budke said. "They have multiple people who can score and four that can go for 20 on any given night."
Budke said his team is coming off its best game in a four-game stretch despite losing to Oklahoma.
"Dani- elle (Green) and Andrea were outstanding," he said. "We scored enough points to win the game, we just gave up too many offensive rebounds."
The game features two of the league's top scorers in Riley (22.7 points per game) for OSU and Starks (17.3) for A&M.
Riley is closing in on 1,000 points herself.
She needs just 27 to reach the plateau.
Shaunte' Smith, who struggled on the offensive end against Oklahoma, said the Cowgirls are ready for the challenge A&M poses.
"It comes down to us hustling for loose balls, blocking out and rebounding," she said.
"Rebounding and defense is what wins games. We try to limit our opponent's second-chance baskets. That's the ones that really hurt you."
Smith said the Cowgirls have put the OU game behind them and are looking ahead to the remaining games and the Big 12 Tournament.
"This game is real important," she said.
"This is for a bid for the Big 12."
Points are just a bonus for Smith, a tenacious rebounder and defender.
"I just take what comes to me," she said.
"Rebounding and defense get my game going. I could care less about points."