By ROBERT CESSNAJust talking about which teams might make the NCAA Tournament gets as much attention as the games that actually determine the field, maybe more so.
Texas A&M women's basketball coach Gary Blair loves it. He reads several newspapers to start the day, then watches or listens to as many basketball-related TV and radio shows as possible. He eventually will have his own mock bracket. He wants to do better than last season, when he got only 61 of the 64 teams right.
Aggie men's basketball coach Mark Turgeon is just the opposite. He keeps up with the world by reading USA Today, but that's it. His wife saved Tuesday's edition of The Eagle which recapped Monday night's 81-66 victory over Texas, and he promptly recycled it when returning from recruiting without giving it a second glance. When he's on the road, he has his radio tuned into CNN to avoid 20-minute updates about the last four in the field, the last four out and the 12 on the bubble.
"I don't think people realize how isolated I make myself," Turgeon said.
All of Turgeon's focus is on winning at Texas Tech on Saturday, as well it should be. The Aggies are 0-5 on the road in Big 12, which is a big reason A&M isn't considered a bubble team.
"What you try to do with your team with meetings and each practice is keep them focused on what you're trying to do," Turgeon said.
Turgeon realizes some of his players are just like Blair. They soak up as much information as possible because they have such a short window to make the NCAA Tournament.
The men need several more efforts like they had against Texas to make their fourth straight NCAA Tournament. The women are almost a lock to make their fourth straight Big Dance, but they need a strong finish if they want a good seed.
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A&M men's forward Josh Carter said he was so frustrated after the Baylor loss that he lost it momentarily in the locker room.
"I'm just glad we came out and played hard against Texas," said Carter, who is trying to become part of the first class at A&M to play in four straight NCAA Tournaments.
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Blair was among four coaches at the NCAA's mock selection committee that met in Indianapolis earlier this month joining Oklahoma's Sherri Coale, DePaul's Doug Bruno and Notre Dame's Muffet McGraw.
It was the second straight year the NCAA did a women's mock selection. The media was invited last year, but this was the first time coaches also were included.
Blair said the selection committee has more information than ever at its disposal. There will be approximately 900 women's games televised this season. There were only 275 on TV three years ago.
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Blair is calling this the biggest weekend in the history of A&M women's basketball with No. 12 Texas at Reed Arena at 11 a.m. Saturday, then No. 2 OU here at 6:30 p.m. Monday in a pair of nationally televised games.
The A&M-OU game is part of Big Monday on ESPN2. A&M is offering $1 admission for the OU game in an attempt to get a sellout.
"ESPN isn't coming back if we have 4-5,000, even if we win the conference," Blair said. "We need people in the stands."
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The seniors on A&M's women's team -- Danielle Gant, La Toya Micheaux and Takia Starks -- will be gunning for their fourth straight home victory over UT on Saturday, something that's never been done.
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A&M's "Dollar Day" on Monday also will include concession items such as hot dogs, soft drinks and popcorn priced at $1 each while supplies last. Fans are encouraged to wear white to the game.
Dollar Day tickets must be purchased in person at the Kyle Field ticket office or Reed Arena box office. Both ticket offices are open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. The Reed Arena box office will open up at 9 a.m. Saturday before the Texas game. Tickets also can be purchased at all Aggie sporting events.
Dollar tickets will not be available by phone or online. Tickets purchased online or by phone will remain at regular prices ranging from $5-$11.
Robert Cessna's e-mail address is robert.cessna@theeagle.com.
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Posted by: On: 2/20/2009
Comment Title: Tounrament Talk?
This story was to compare BOTH basketball programs. Thanks for reading there doc!
Posted by: theDoctor On: 2/20/2009
Comment Title: Tournament Talk???
Could you please finish the conference strong before you even mention the NCAA tournament?!!! The way you ags are playing now you may not even make the freaking tournament. If you do you may get a low seeding and end up playing North Carolina or somebody with a real basketball program.