By ROBERT CESSNAIt would be understandable if the Texas A&M women's basketball team got off to a slow start against North Texas in Tuesday's game slated for 7 p.m. at Reed Arena.
The 10th-ranked Aggies didn't land in Houston from the Colliers Classic in Berkeley, Calif., until 6 a.m. Monday and didn't get back to Reed Arena until 8 a.m. The players had to deal with finals before practicing for an hour early that night.
Even a sleepwalking A&M (6-0) will be a heavy favorite over North Texas (3-6), which has lost a trio of games by at least 30 points. The Mean Green's victories have been against Missouri-Kansas City, Texas-Pan American and UAB -- all teams with losing records -- and is coming off blowout losses to Southern Methodist (80-58) and Houston (104-65).
Texas also blasted UNT (96-52) and the Mean Green fell 81-51 to Stephen F. Austin, which lost by 50 to A&M last week.
"The last time we played a team like that, Southern Illinois, hadn't distinguished itself, and they played their best game of the year," A&M head coach Gary Blair said. "Their coach was just extremely pleased and totally prepared for us."
Blair wasn't pleased with a 72-58 victory over winless SIU on Saturday, but felt better after the Aggies rebounded for a 68-61 victory over host California in the title game of the Colliers Classic.
The one thing A&M didn't do well against the then-No. 20 Bears, though, was rebound. Cal had a 49-34 edge. The Aggies have been outrebounded in half of their games and are allowing opponents 15 offensive rebounds per game.
"I was disappointed in how we rebounded, but then again, you gotta give Cal credit," Blair said. "They brought their freshmen in off the bench, particularly their two guards, and they were rebounding fools."
Blair said his inside players are holding their own but his guards need to do a better job of blocking out, "and that's something we have to work on."
A&M also shot poorly in the second half, missing 22 of 29 shots, which allowed the Bears to rally from a seven-point halftime deficit to lead by five before A&M regained control.
Blair would like a less stressful game against North Texas before traveling to TCU for a Saturday night game against the Horned Frogs, who have knocked off Top 25 team Kansas.
A&M scrimmaged North Texas at the start of last season. The Mean Green finished 11-20, including 6-12 record in the Sun Belt West for sixth in the seven-team division. UNT was picked in a fourth-place tie with New Orleans, ahead of Louisiana-Monroe and Louisiana-Lafayette.
"You can't afford to take any team lightly with that bull's-eye on your back," Blair said. "That's especially true for the teams that are struggling or rebuilding, because they need something they can hold their hat on whether they play you close or whether they beat you."
*
NOTES -- UNT junior guard Niqky Hughes (11.6 points per game), who was recruited by A&M, is a transfer from Texas. ... A&M senior guard Tanisha Smith was the Big 12's player of the week. Smith was the tournament MVP at the Colliers International Classic. She averaged 21.3 points per game along with 4 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 steals. She shot 54.3 percent from the floor and 76.9 percent from the free-throw line. She also had a career-high 30 points against SFA.
A&M WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
* Tuesday's game: North Texas (3-6) at No. 10 Texas A&M (6-0), 7 p.m.
* TV/radio: None/KZNE, 1150 AM
TEXAS A&M-NORTH TEXAS LINEUPS
TEXAS A&M (6-0)
NAMEPOS.HT.CL.PPGRPG
Sydney ColsonG5-8Jr. 8.5*5.7
Tanisha SmithF6-0Sr.18.53.8
Tyra WhiteG6-0So.6.72.5
Adaora ElonuF6-1So.11.54.3
Damitria Buchanan F6-2Sr.2.34.7
NORTH TEXAS (3-6)
NAMEPOS.HT.CL.PPGRPG
Brittaney JamesG5-8Sr.13.2*3.2
Jasmine GodboltF6-0 Fr.12.08.3
Niqky HughesG 6-0Jr.11.64.7
Denetra KellumGJr.5-89.74.8
Torrian TimmsP6-0Jr.4.33.8
*assists per game
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