Texas A&M men's basketball coach Mark Turgeon hinted Wednesday at a change for the next game after the Aggies' slow starts in recent games.
However, Turgeon would not elaborate too much about the possible changes with the Aggies going on the road to play Texas on Saturday.
"We're going to try something different Saturday," Turgeon said at his weekly press conference. "I tell you guys everything, but I can't tell you this time."
Turgeon later hinted about going with A&M's five best defenders to start, but inconsistencies in that area make it hard to be certain who would start if he chooses that tactic. If the Aggies stay with two bigs, that approach would mean starting Bryan Davis and Chinemelu Elonu, since freshman David Loubeau is the only other big man and he's still learning on the defensive side.
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Look a lot like us: When Turgeon was asked if Texas reminded him of anybody he's seen this year, his answer was Texas A&M.
However, he gave an edge to Texas in many of the things that both teams do similarly.
"I think they are further along defensively," Turgeon said. "I think they have a few more gifted scorers than we do. UT plays a little bit faster than we've been playing
"They are going to hang their hat on defense every night."
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No break here: The early part of the Big 12 schedule hasn't been kind to A&M and Turgeon. The Aggies had to play their first five games against teams picked to finish in the top half of the standings. Three of those games were over a six-day period, a brutal stretch which meant the Aggies had five days to get ready for arch-rival Texas. Five days to prepare normally would be an advantage, but Texas had a bye in the middle of the week, so the Longhorns will have a week to prepare.
"That was disappointing. I was kind of hoping Texas played Wednesday and then I saw they had the whole week off," Turgeon said. "We're in the South, got to play everybody twice and you've got to play them some time. We just happened to play Kansas, the first team in the north, at their place, which didn't make it any easier."
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Not going to let weekend spoil it: A&M entered last Saturday's Oklahoma game with a 15-2 overall mark and a 1-1 Big 12 record. The Aggies were coming off their first win over a ranked team and headed into arguably their biggest weekend of the regular season. "Going into the Oklahoma game I couldn't have been more proud of this team," Turgeon said. "We had a bad 48 hours, lost to a No. 5 team at home then we go to KU, which is still Kansas, they have good players. I think we were all disappointed we lost the Oklahoma game, it's a home game with just the greatest crowd from start to finish. That could of put us maybe in the Top 25, coming off Baylor and then [No.6 OU], we'd be 16-2."
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Looking at both sides: The 73-53 loss at Kansas didn't look good for the Aggies from any angle, but Turgeon is not discouraged. "We haven't laid many eggs this year. We've competed every game," Turgeon said. "We haven't always played well, but we've played hard.
"I got text messages and e-mails from friends back there [saying] 'that didn't remind me of the way you played' and that really eats at you, but it's just been one time so I don't want to over-react."
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Freshmen improving: Loubeau showed more confidence in his offensive game on Monday against Kansas. Loubeau had four offensive rebounds and got to the line four times. He had seven points in his best Big 12 game offensively of the season.
Turgeon and Loubeau had a talk on Sunday that was basically about how fortunate Loubeau was to be the first guy coming off the bench on a team that was close to cracking the Top 25. Turgeon is still concerned about Loubeau's defense, but said he's vastly improved since stepping on campus.
Dash Harris doesn't have too many defensive worries and is running the team better every game he gets in. Turgeon likes the pace he brings to the game, but is still trying to convince Harris he doesn't have to shoot in order to help the Aggies or to stay on the floor. Two or three shots a game is all Turgeon wants from Harris.
"We run better when Dash is on the floor," Turgeon said. "Sometimes we execute better when he's on the floor."
Richard Croome's e-mail address is richard.croome@theeagle.com.
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Posted by: LE On: 1/22/2009
Comment Title:
Used to love to watch Aggie BB over the past 4 years. You always knew one thing, they came prepared for a battle. Now, they come prepared to fall behind and play catch up all game. No offense, no defense. Gameplan: cross mid court and set a high pick, BEHIND THE 3 POINT LINE. What a gameplan! give davis an oscar, give JC some steroids and tell JR if he wants to play w real ballers....transfer! Turge, the only successful thing you have done in two years is turn a fearless, hard playing team into whining cry baby's that talk more than they play. Get rid of the opening act, if you cannot win/play hard, then do not announce these losers! They all walk out on the court like they are owed something and then they get smacked in the mouth and start running. Look at the cracka kid from UNC-wilmington, that kid ran circles around A&M because he wanted it more. He smoked everyone that turd put on him....now that's a baller! These kids need boot camp, oh yeah, that was a real coach with real gameplans. Get off the playstation 3 turge and come back to reality. Your team is full of overpromising and underdelivering...oh yeah, but you see improvement! Give us a break! The only improvement I have seen is ticket prices. They keep going up! $bill yall!
Posted by: CD On: 1/22/2009
Comment Title: Slow Starts
I enjoy watching great defensive battles on the court but we really need one of the players to step up on the offensive end. Josh C showed some leadership vs Baylor and tried to create shots. Living here in SA, the Spurs have made putting defense first entertaining but the Ags need to develop some flow to the O with the talent we have. Counting on you Coach T to have us over .500 by the end of the year. We just have to make it through this brutal front stretch and it'll get better.
Posted by: tankag On: 1/22/2009
Comment Title: Positive
I will let you know one thing. I am truly an Aggie. Suffering like most through boring game plans in basketball, football, .... well anyway, I am tired of seeing our teams play defensive minded with bad defensive teams, (general statement), and what is up with Davis, does he try to get people to foul him? He locks up with a Kansas player and then does a great job of acting. Also, who thinks running a mid court pick is good bull, not me, man that agrivates me more than anything. Why do we cheer for this? Imagine running into a brick wall not looking, is that good basketball? Come on Coach let these guys run and shoot like the game is meant to be played, couldn't hurt our record.
Posted by: miller58 On: 1/22/2009
Comment Title: A&M Conference Records?
My personal opinions:_____ A&M basketball is now losing 75% of its conference games; will it go to a conference record of losing 80% of its games this SaturdaY?_____miller58