By ROBERT CESSNAThe Texas A&M women's basketball team is hopeful that life after Duke will be just as rewarding, even though at times it might not be as glamorous.
The 15th-ranked Aggies, coming off a 95-77 victory over the then-sixth-ranked Blue Devils, return to a more normal nonconference schedule starting with the Rice Owls at 7 p.m. Wednesday at Reed Arena.
A&M head coach Gary Blair said there was much for his team to learn -- even the veterans -- from watching the tape of the program's biggest nonconference victory in his seven seasons.
"We'll go right back to teaching today, and we'll get better through practice," Blair said Tuesday before heading to the courts.
This might be his toughest nonconference schedule at A&M, but the Aggies likely will play four unranked opponents before a possible Top 25 matchup against California at the Colliers International Classic. A&M potentially won't play a Top 10 team until starting Big 12 play at Texas on Jan. 9.
Nontheless, Blair has put together a challenging slate to get the Aggies ready for conference play.
"We'll learn from this," said Blair, who will take his team to tournaments in Las Vegas and California along with road trips to Auburn, Texas Christian and New Mexico. "Early in November, [we] worry about Texas A&M. That's who you worry about first. You get yourself better, and when you look at the other jersey you are playing, you look at the number and not the name. You still do your preparation in order to be ready to play."
Former Southwest Conference rival Rice has won two of the last three meetings against the Aggies, but the Owls this season are rebuilding.
Rice opened the season with an 81-64 loss at Texas-Arlington. The Owls were 7-23 last season, including a last-place 2-14 record in the 12-team Conference USA.
*
NOTES -- A&M will be at Auburn on Sunday. ... A&M moved up eight spots to No. 8 in this week's ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll. ... Rice was led in scoring in its opener by sophomore Jackie Stanley who had 14 points and seven rebounds. Stanley, who played two seasons ago at Kansas State, is from Wylie and was recruited by Blair. ... A&M will return home to play Stephen F. Austin at 6 p.m. Dec. 2.
TEXAS A&M WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
* Wednesday's game: Rice (0-1) at No. 15 Texas A&M (1-0), 7 p.m.
* Radio: KZNE, 1150 AM
* Tickets: $11 (courtside), $9 (mezzanine), $7 (gallery) and $5 (general admission)
RICE-TEXAS A&M LINEUPS
TEXAS A&M (1-0)
NAMEPOS.HT.CL.PPGRPG
Sydney ColsonG5-8Jr. 6.5*3.0
Tanisha SmithF6-0Sr.10.63.6
Tyra WhiteG6-0So.5.22.4
Adaora ElonuF6-1So.4.93.3
Damitria Buchanan F6-2Sr.1.72.3
RICE (0-1)
NAMEPOS.HT.CL.PPGRPG
Jessica GoswitzG5-5Fr.--
Tara WattsG5-9 Sr.6.72.3
D'Frantz SmartG 5-0So.10.83.8
Morgan MayseFJr.6-18.15.0
Jackie StanleyF6-2So.--
*assists per game (statistics from last season)
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