Texas A&M, Gary Blair eager to host Drake Bulldogs in opening round

Click here to see full quotes from Friday's press conference and more first and second round information on 12thMan.com

Since 2011, the A&M women's basketball program and head coach Gary Blair have been trying to match the magical run that led to the first national title in program history. Blair knew from the start that if A&M wanted to make a similar run in 2018, it would have to play at home as long as possible.

"I want to bring women's basketball to the highest platform we can," said gary Blair on Thursday afternoon. "Now, if we can win here and take it to that next level, that Aggie bandwagon will start circling and it will start growing and growing."

A key piece to the Aggies' chances this postseason, as it usually is on a Blair coached team, is its top-flight point guard. However, this year's guard is much younger than fans in College Station are used to. For now, and the forseeable future, the ball lies in the hands of a true freshman out of Mansfield, Texas, Chennedy Carter.

In her first season in Aggieland, the A&M point guard has put up impressive numbers in leading the Aggies to a record of 24-9 while making a run to the program's 13th consecutive tournament apperance.

Carter has also made a name for herself on the national stage, leading all freshmen in the country by averaging 21.9 points per game during her campaign. She was named the National Freshman of the Year by USA Today and the espnW National Freshman of the Year, as well as SEC Freshman of the Year.

Margaret Connett, TexAgs

Carter led all freshmen in the country averaging 21.9 points per game in the 2017-18 season.

Some might worry that this stage may be too much for a young freshman. Blair is not one of them.

"Chennedy Carter is just like Shirley Temple as a kid. She was born for the stage," said Blair of his true freshman phenom.

The Aggies don't rely on just Carter, however. A familiar face, Khaalia Hillsman anchors A&M on the inside. Hillsman has continued to improve every year on campus and averaged 14.7 points and 7.5 rebounds per game in her senior season en route to a Second Team All-SEC selection.

If a deep run lies ahead of the Aggies, it'll take more than good performaces from those two All-Conference players. Anriel Howard is the team's leading rebounder and a force in the paint. Junior Danni Williams provides a three-point shooting weapon on the wing and has continued to play better as the season has rolled on.

The journey starts on Friday afternoon at 1:30 p.m. against the Drake Bulldogs, a team that has not lost a game since December 21 and comes into Aggieland riding a 21-game winning-streak. The other round one game in the College Station features DePaul, the champion of the Big East, against the Oklahoma Sooners, one of the last four teams to make the tournament.

A deep run could mean advancing out of College Station this weekend to the Spokane Regional, or making a run to the Final Four in Columbus, Ohio. Either way, it'll be a team effort for Blair and company on both sides of the ball.

"What we've got to do is continue to play good defense. Offense comes and goes, but defense has to be consistent."

Texas A&M (24-9)

• Seed: 4
• Conference: SEC
• Coach: Gary Blair
• Mascot: Aggies
• Bid: SEC At-large
• Last 10 games: 7-3
• Leading scorer: Chennedy Carter (21.9)

Drake (26-7)

• Seed: 13
• Conference: Missouri Valley
• Coach: Jennie Baranczyk
• Mascot: Bulldogs
• Bid: Missouri Valley Conference Champions
• Last 10 games: 10-0
• Leading scorer: Becca Hittner (15.6 ppg)

DePaul (26-7)

• Seed: 5
• Conference: Big East
• Coach: Doug Bruno
• Mascot: Blue Demons
• Bid: Big East Conference Champions
• Last 10 games: 9-1
• Leading Scorer: Mart'e Grays (14.4 ppg)

Oklahoma (16-14)

• Seed: 12
• Conference: Big 12
• Coach: Sherri Coale
• Mascot: Sooners
• Bid: Big 12 At-Large
• Last 10 games: 6-4
• Leading Scorer: Vionise Pierre-Louis (15.7 ppg)

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