Texas A&M sophomore post Kelsey Assarian is averaging 10.4 minutes per game and junior guard Maryann Baker 9.9, but both could see more minutes in the tournament. Head coach Gary Blair wants to keep his frontline players fresh against UT's 6-foot-4 duo of Ashley Gayle and Cokie Reed, while Baker is coming off a solid 12-minute effort against Kansas (3-of-3 shooting, three rebounds). Blair said he has a lot of trust in Baker, freshman guard Adrienne Pratcher and sophomore guard Skylar Collins coming off the bench.
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A&M has never beaten Texas three times in the same season.
The Aggies and Longhorns last met in the Big 12 tournament in 2000 with UT winning 83-72.
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A&M seniors Damitria Buchanan and Katrinia Limbaha have a career record of 103-30 (.774), which is a victory short of last year's senior class' record which also is a program best at 104-32 (.765).
A&M's third senior, Tanisha Smith, transferred in as a junior.
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A&M is the only Big 12 school to earn first-round byes in both the men's and women's tournaments. Both Aggie teams are seeded fourth.
-- Robert Cessna