OKLAHOMA CITY -- Vic Schaefer missed his true calling. He should have been a football coach. That way, Texas A&M fans would truly appreciate what he's created -- the women's basketball version of the Wrecking Crew.

For years, Big 12 coaches have groused about A&M's pushing, shoving, in-your-face defensive style. Now the nation is witnessing what happens when you live in passing lanes, anticipate cuts and trap people from end to no end.

Schaefer said A&M has one goal against No. 1 seed Tennessee (33-2) today in the Oklahoma City Region final. If the second-seeded Aggies (29-7) can accomplish their mission, they'll be headed to their first Final Four in Tampa, Fla.

"Our goal is to make people bleed," said A&M's top assistant and the so-called defensive coordinator under head coach Gary Blair. "They're going to have to go deep into the shot clock, hopefully, to score on us. That's our philosophy."

Make people bleed? That won't look good on one of the NCAA's $25 souvenir shirts. But that's how competitive this Austin-born, Houston-raised son of an Aggie has become after years of working his way up through the coaching ranks.

And to think Blair takes offense when anyone writes that A&M bullies people.

"We're not a bully out there how we play defense," Blair said Monday. "I've seen that in a couple of newspaper columns, and that's called defense! It's called great defense!"

A&M has allowed an average of just 51.3 points in three NCAA Tournament games. Opponents have made just 36.2 percent of their shots. The Aggies have forced 74 turnovers.

"It doesn't matter if we're up by 20 or down by 20, it's going to be the same," A&M's Patrice Reado said. "He wants us in the passing lanes, in front of the post, defending outside the lane and everywhere else."

A&M's players don't necessarily have long arms. But with proper positioning and quick hands, the Aggies can turn simple passes into turnovers that result in fast-break layups.

"It's not so much a Big 12 style of play, because we're the only ones -- besides Texas -- who get out and get in the lanes and create turnovers," A&M senior Morenike Atunrase said. "But it works thanks to Coach Schaefer and his defensive philosophy."

Blair and Schaefer met during their days coaching in the Southland Conference. Blair guided Stephen F. Austin to the NCAAs every year. Schaefer had to build the Sam Houston State women's program almost from scratch during the 1990s.

Schaefer, 47, was a men's assistant coach at Sam Houston from 1987-89. During that time, he scouted men's coaches and watched their styles.

Schaefer learned that making people uncomfortable was a key to defensive success. Most women's teams simply don't play that harassing style.

He eventually joined Blair as an assistant in Arkansas before the 1997-98 season. Schaefer was married, had a set of twins and said he was $25,000 in debt. From a financial standpoint, he had to leave Huntsville.

Blair and Schaefer have been together ever since. Blair handles the offense, Schaefer handles the defense and assistants Kelly Bond and Johnnie Harris work everything in between.

"A lot of people want to play our style," Schaefer said. "It's a fun way to play. Our kids embrace it. But you've got to work harder playing for Texas A&M than you do at some places from the standpoint of how we play."

• Brian Davis' e-mail address is brdavis@dallasnews.com.