Photo by Matt Sachs, TexAgs
Texas A&M Women's Basketball
* Tech had 9600 fans at the game last night which is the largest the crowd has been in Lubbock in the past four or five years. Had a chance to see Billy Gillespie after the game and it was good to see him. Tech had a moment of silence before the game for one of his former kinesiology teachers and it was special to be a part of that. It was good to bring back memories and be thankful of his career there as a student. As a team on defense, they caused five charges, nine blocked shots, and 21 turnovers.
* The team played well. Tech played well for 30 minutes of the game but A&M was consistent for all 40 minutes. The staff knew that Tech center Kierra Mallard would play in the game after being out a few games due to injury. She came in early and played 31 minutes, but when you sit out two plus games, you’re going to be rusty. She was very active and did some nice things, but she went 2-11 from the field. Thought A&M had consistency at the five position in getting 17 points and 18 rebounds out of Karla Gilbert and Kelsey Bone. The team always tries to take the high post away, and Bone was able to come up with three steals and took the ball coast to coast. It was good to see the five player knock the high post pass away. The play of the point guards didn’t hurt, Alexia Standish turned the ball over four times and the staff would like to get a few more assists out of her but the team was able to get by. Adrienne Pratcher came in and played well, but the unsung hero is always Adora Elonu. She got in a little bit of foul trouble so Kelsey Assarin and Kristi Bellock had to come in for a bit in the first half, but when Adora is in, she is playing more consistent than any other player on this team right now. She is timing her blocks better and took three charges in the game as well. No doubt that Elonu is this team’s best player right now. She took a charge with three fouls while the girl was driving directly to the basket. It’s hard to get that call when their player is flying in from the top of the key, but she was able to get her feet set, took the hit and went flying about 15 feet on the slide. It was right in front of the Tech bench, and they couldn’t do a thing except sit there because they knew it was a good call. As a team on defense, they caused five charges, nine blocked shots, and 21 turnovers.
* Rachel Mitchell had surgery and she is out for the year and will be redshirted. She has torn her labrum on both sides and the left side was operated on. Hopefully through heeling, the other side won’t have to be operated on. Kristen Grant is still out with a hip flexor and that’s something that takes a lot of pain and a lot of time to come back from. It’s like kicking tires at a car lot. You can kick those new cars because they’re ready to go with no mileage on them, but used cars, like players, have mileage on them and eventually something is going to happen. A lot of kids have a lot of mileage on them, particularly Sydney Carter and Tyra White, so practices will be monitored. The team has the day off today so they will only have one day of preparation for Kansas on Saturday.
* The team played well last night against a balance defense. Tech played a half man, half zone defense similar to what Kansas did last time. Prefers to see a little bit of everything defensive wise as opposed to seeing one defense for the whole game. Certain kids do better against different defenses and that gives a chance to get them going. This team is playing hard again, and when you play hard, good things are going to happen. Didn’t notice the 21 turnovers the team had because they were playing so hard. That’s two games that the turnovers have been way up; hopefully it will get back down in the 9-12 range. This team is undefeated in February and wants to keep it that way for as long as possible.
* Carolyn Davis and Aishah Sutherland have to play better against A&M than they did in the game in Lawrence. Adora was able to do a great job on Sutherland and keep her off of the boards. Davis is the best percentage shooter in the conference over the past three years because she is able to get her shot off in the low post so quick. Kansas has four active Texas players on their team so, they will be looking to play well for their friends and family that are coming in for the game. Kansas is looking to compete with A&M, Kansas State, Oklahoma State and Oklahoma for second in the league. Wrapping up that second place spot is very important when it comes to seeding for the conference tournament and staying away from Baylor on the other side of the draw. Coach Henrickson runs just as many set plays as he does and it should be a good game.
Talkin' Hoops with Gary Blair ... post-TTU victory
Notes from Gary Blair Interview
* Always good when you come back from Lubbock with a win. Always has a deal that when the team gets a win in Lubbock, he goes to the Will Rogers statue on campus and gets his picture taken. It might be his last picture in front of that statue, so he wanted to make sure he got the chance to.* Tech had 9600 fans at the game last night which is the largest the crowd has been in Lubbock in the past four or five years. Had a chance to see Billy Gillespie after the game and it was good to see him. Tech had a moment of silence before the game for one of his former kinesiology teachers and it was special to be a part of that. It was good to bring back memories and be thankful of his career there as a student. As a team on defense, they caused five charges, nine blocked shots, and 21 turnovers.
* The team played well. Tech played well for 30 minutes of the game but A&M was consistent for all 40 minutes. The staff knew that Tech center Kierra Mallard would play in the game after being out a few games due to injury. She came in early and played 31 minutes, but when you sit out two plus games, you’re going to be rusty. She was very active and did some nice things, but she went 2-11 from the field. Thought A&M had consistency at the five position in getting 17 points and 18 rebounds out of Karla Gilbert and Kelsey Bone. The team always tries to take the high post away, and Bone was able to come up with three steals and took the ball coast to coast. It was good to see the five player knock the high post pass away. The play of the point guards didn’t hurt, Alexia Standish turned the ball over four times and the staff would like to get a few more assists out of her but the team was able to get by. Adrienne Pratcher came in and played well, but the unsung hero is always Adora Elonu. She got in a little bit of foul trouble so Kelsey Assarin and Kristi Bellock had to come in for a bit in the first half, but when Adora is in, she is playing more consistent than any other player on this team right now. She is timing her blocks better and took three charges in the game as well. No doubt that Elonu is this team’s best player right now. She took a charge with three fouls while the girl was driving directly to the basket. It’s hard to get that call when their player is flying in from the top of the key, but she was able to get her feet set, took the hit and went flying about 15 feet on the slide. It was right in front of the Tech bench, and they couldn’t do a thing except sit there because they knew it was a good call. As a team on defense, they caused five charges, nine blocked shots, and 21 turnovers.
* Rachel Mitchell had surgery and she is out for the year and will be redshirted. She has torn her labrum on both sides and the left side was operated on. Hopefully through heeling, the other side won’t have to be operated on. Kristen Grant is still out with a hip flexor and that’s something that takes a lot of pain and a lot of time to come back from. It’s like kicking tires at a car lot. You can kick those new cars because they’re ready to go with no mileage on them, but used cars, like players, have mileage on them and eventually something is going to happen. A lot of kids have a lot of mileage on them, particularly Sydney Carter and Tyra White, so practices will be monitored. The team has the day off today so they will only have one day of preparation for Kansas on Saturday.
* The team played well last night against a balance defense. Tech played a half man, half zone defense similar to what Kansas did last time. Prefers to see a little bit of everything defensive wise as opposed to seeing one defense for the whole game. Certain kids do better against different defenses and that gives a chance to get them going. This team is playing hard again, and when you play hard, good things are going to happen. Didn’t notice the 21 turnovers the team had because they were playing so hard. That’s two games that the turnovers have been way up; hopefully it will get back down in the 9-12 range. This team is undefeated in February and wants to keep it that way for as long as possible.
* Carolyn Davis and Aishah Sutherland have to play better against A&M than they did in the game in Lawrence. Adora was able to do a great job on Sutherland and keep her off of the boards. Davis is the best percentage shooter in the conference over the past three years because she is able to get her shot off in the low post so quick. Kansas has four active Texas players on their team so, they will be looking to play well for their friends and family that are coming in for the game. Kansas is looking to compete with A&M, Kansas State, Oklahoma State and Oklahoma for second in the league. Wrapping up that second place spot is very important when it comes to seeding for the conference tournament and staying away from Baylor on the other side of the draw. Coach Henrickson runs just as many set plays as he does and it should be a good game.
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