Florida State provides good road test for Ag women

By ROBERT CESSNA

robert.cessna@theeagle.com
Published Monday, January 05, 2009 6:05 AM

A&M women's basketball coach Gary Blair is counting on a quick trip to Florida helping prepare his team for what's expected to be the most hotly contested Big 12 season yet.

The third-ranked Aggies, coming off a 78-59 victory Saturday over George Washington, will play at Florida State at 6 p.m. Monday.

"This is going to get us ready for conference, because of the quick turnaround," Blair said.

A&M will have two quick turnarounds late in the regular season because of national television commitments. The Aggies will play host to Texas on Feb. 21, then welcome Oklahoma two days later. A&M will be home to Oklahoma State on March 5, then end the regular season two days later at Baylor.

Those four games could help decide the regular-season champ of a league that currently has half its teams ranked.

Monday night's game will be a good dress rehearsal for what's ahead for both teams. The Aggies (12-0) are gunning for the school's first unbeaten nonconference season. A&M also is trying for the school's first 13-game winning streak.

FSU (11-4) will open Atlantic Coast Conference play at Virginia Tech on Thursday. The Seminoles returned four starters from last season's 19-14 team that reached the second round of the NCAA Tournament before losing to Oklahoma State in overtime.

FSU has a two-game winning streak that includes a 61-57 victory at LSU. The Seminoles have losses to top-ranked Connecticut and 18th-ranked Florida, but LSU also has loses to Washington (5-6) and Valparaiso (6-5).

FSU and A&M have defeated a common foe in Penn State. FSU grabbed a 73-60 victory at home, while A&M captured a 61-57 victory in the Timeout 4 HIV/Aids Tournament in Malibu, Calif.

TEXAS A&M WOMEN'S BASKETBALL

TEXAS A&M AT FLORIDA STATE

WHEN/WHERE: 6 p.m. Monday at Tucker Center, Tallahassee, Fla.

RADIO: KZNE, 1150 AM

RECORDS: A&M (12-0), FSU (11-4)

A&M-FSU LINEUPS

TEXAS A&M (12-0)

NAMEPOS.HT.CL.PPGRPG

Takia StarksG5-8Sr.15.34.3

Sydney ColsonG5-8So. 4.8*4.2

Tanisha SmithG6-0Jr.8.52.8

Danielle GantF5-11Sr.13.97.2

La Toya MicheauxC6-3Sr. 3.6 6.8

FSU (11-4)

NAMEPOS.HT.CL.PPGRPG

Angel Gray G5-9Jr.5.65.1

Mara FreshourG6-1Sr.8.74.2

Tanae Davis-CainG5-11Sr.11.52.6

Jancinta MonroeF6-4Jr.14.06.9

Cierra BravardC6-4Fr.10.55.0

*assists per game