Aggie men ready to face quick Mizzou offense

  • By RICHARD CROOME

  • Posted: Monday, January 16, 2012 7:00 a.m.
  • Text size: A A A

The Texas A&M men's basketball team didn't get much time to celebrate its first Big 12 win under coach Billy Kennedy.

Almost exactly 48 hours after leaving Reed Arena victors over Texas Tech, the Aggies (10-6, 1-3) will tip off in Columbia, Mo., against the No. 9-ranked Tigers (16-1, 3-1).

The quick turnaround doesn't leave much time for the Aggies to prepare for the Tigers, who play a different style of basketball -- up tempo and pressing -- from most Big 12 teams, especially when at home.

"This league is going to be a grind playing everybody twice," Kennedy said. "You don't get any days off. [Monday] we have to bounce back and play one of the hottest teams in the country."

Missouri's offensive numbers are at the top of the charts.

The Tigers lead the Big 12 in points scored (83.9), field-goal percentage (51), free-throw percentage (77), and own a plus 21-point scoring margin on their opponents.

"We'll enjoy this one today and then get back to work tomorrow," said point guard Dash Harris after the Aggies' 67-54 victory. "It's just locking in game by game. Our goal is to go on the road and get a win, and I'm sure everyone will be ready on Monday."

Harris will have to be ready to be pressured with Missouri's most impressive stats arguably being assist-to-turnover ratio.

The Tigers, first in the Big 12 with nine steals a game, are a plus 5.5 in the turnover margin. The next best in the league is 1.6.

Harris, who has had to man the point for more than 32 minutes a game since the transfer of Jamal Branch, is third in the league individually with an assist-to-turnover ratio of 2.31.

A&M's defense, ranked first in the Big 12 at 57.5 points per game, will be tested again.

The Tigers have three of the league's top 10 scorers in seniors Marcus Denmon (17.9), Kim English (15.0) and Ricardo Ratliffe (13.7). All three lead an individual category in the Big 12. Denmon is shooting 93 percent from the free-throw line and English is making 3-pointers at a 51 percent clip. Most impressive is Ratliffe, who is 106 of 137 from the floor, good for 77 percent -- 17 percentage points better than the next best in the Big 12, Tech's Jordan Tolbert.

A&M does have some numbers in its favor, having won eight straight games against Missouri. The last loss came in Dallas at the 2004 Big 12 Tournament, Melvin Watkins' last game as coach of the Aggies. A&M was also the last team to beat Missouri at Mizzou Arena, winning the final regular-season game there last season.

NOTES -- Missouri has never (0-3) defeated A&M at Mizzou Arena. ... A&M coach Billy Kennedy is 0-2 against Missouri. ... Kennedy was an assistant in 2005-06 to Frank Haith, Missouri's first-year coach, at Miami.

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