I Am The 12th Man

Aggies Defeat Utah State Celebration Thread

2010-03-19T23:06:49Z

The Aggies defeat Utah State, 69-53, as Khris Middleton went 5-6 from beyond the arc, and scored 19 points, David Loubeau had 14, and Donald Sloan added 10 points. The Aggies were able to use their early success from beyond the arc to build a lead, and solid defense afterwards to keep the Utah Aggies at bay.

This win makes the 5th first round win in a row for the Aggies; the only other team to win a first round game in the NCAA Tournament every year for the last 5 years is Pittsburgh.

We will face Purdue on Sunday for the right to go to the Sweet Sixteen.

This is your celebration thread.

GameThread for Utah State Aggies at Texas A&M Aggies

2010-03-19T20:45:09Z

Next Game

Utah State Aggies
@ Texas A&M Aggies

Friday, Mar 19, 2010, 3:55 PM CDT
NCAA Tournament - South Region - First Round - Spokane Memorial Arena - Spokane, WA

March Madness Opening Day Thread

posted by Beergut about 19 hours ago

51 comments | 0 recs

Wednesday Thoughts - The Big Dance Edition

posted by Beergut 1 day ago

4 comments | 0 recs

Aggies Are A 'Junk Team'

posted by Beergut 2 days ago

0 comments | 0 recs

Complete Coverage >

This is your live gamethread.

BEAT THE HELL OUTTA UTAH STATE!!!!!!!!

March Madness First Round Second Day Thread

2010-03-19T16:00:32Z

Here we are on the Friday of the first round of the 2010 version of March Madness.

We have Morgan State/West Virginia, Cornell/Temple, and Minnesota/Xavier as early games to get us on the way.

This is your live gamethread.

March Madness Opening Day Thread

2010-03-18T16:01:09Z

It all begins today; for college basketball junkies, today is better than Christmas.

First game we have is Florida vs. Brigham Young at 11:20 AM, followed by Old Dominion-Notre Dame at 11:25. Games will be shown on CBS, coverage depends on your area.

For the record, I have BYU and Notre Dame winning. My brackets are completely homertastic, with three Big 12 teams making the Final Four (Kansas, Kansas State, A&M, and Kentucky), and Kansas defeating UK to win it all.

This is your opening day gamethread.

Tiny Gallon May Have Taken Money From "Financial Advisor"

2010-03-18T14:02:05Z

Tiny Gallon May Have Taken Money From "Financial Advisor"

This is probably the only time you'll ever see a link on here from TMZ, because I'm not into celebrity gossip. However, this is the first place I saw this reported, hence the link.

Apparently, Keith "Tiny" Gallon, the star center on Oklahoma's basketball team, received a wire transfer of $3,000 last August from Jeffrey Hausinger, a Merrill Lynch financial adviser who represents several pro athletes. This is an obvious NCAA violation, but it'll be interesting to see how they handle this.

Wednesday Thoughts - The Big Dance Edition

2010-03-18T06:59:54Z

If Kansas is indeed the overall #1 seed in the Tournament, why is Duke slated to play Arkansas-Pine Bluff, the winner of the play-in game with Winthrop? If the play-in game features the #64 and #65 teams playing each other, then the winner of that game, as the de facto lowest seed in the Tournament, should play the overall #1 seed, which is Kansas this year. The fact that Duke will play Arkansas-Pine Bluff just adds more evidence to back up the claims that the Selection Committee favors Duke.
Let's see, we have the NIT, the College Basketball Invitational, and now the College Insider Tournament. It looks like basketball is trying to match college football by putting as many teams into the postseason as possible, whether they are truly deserving or not. A better solution would be to allow teams who don't make the Big Dance or NIT to keep practicing until the national championship game is over, and even allow the one scrimmage. Get the freshmen and younger players some more experience, and a jump-start on next season.
While you don't want to read too much into one game, it was entertaining watching Texas Tech, they of the 4-12 record in the Big 12, run Seton Hall, they of the 9-9 Big East record, right off the court in their 87-69 victory. It is a testment to the strength of the Big 12, and it supports an assertion I made earlier this year, which is that they don't know how to play offense in the Big 12. When you have games that are 20-17 at halftime, your team needs to work on putting the ball through the basket.
My only regret is that I'm not in Las Vegas right now. The first week of the NCAA Tournament is the best week to be in Las Vegas, period. With the sports books packed, fans of different college teams everywhere, and people hanging on every shot and every second of every game, it is just an atmosphere that is unmatched.

UAB QB Trying To Move To WR In NFL

2010-03-17T21:52:05Z

UAB QB Trying To Move To WR In NFL

A guy we had some success shutting down, put up some great numbers. He is a freak athlete.

Thoughts On What The Pro Day Means

2010-03-17T20:46:37Z

Last week A&M held their annual NFL Pro Day. A few seniors and a couple former players performed for the NFL scouts. Jordan Pugh, Jamie McCoy, and Michael Shumard all had standout performances. Pugh ran a 4.4 in the 40 and had a vertical of 40.5 inches. McCoy ran a 4.5 and also had a nice vertical. Shumard showed good athleticism with consecutive 5.0s in the 40. I personally believe that McCoy and Shumard will catch on with NFL teams and stay in the league for a few years. What is most important, is what these results tell us though.

When Mike Clark was the S&C coach at A&M, Aggies regularly lit up the combine especially in the speed drills/tests. Under Fran, we saw a severe decline in this area. We saw out starting LBs run 4.8s and 5.0s for the scouts. Our fastest WRs would run 4.5s. We simply lost the speed and explosiveness that we under under the previous regime. I believe this was due to our inferior strength and conditioning program that emphasized size and brute strength, over speed and explosiveness. You could see the fingerprints of this approach on our defense the first year under Sherman. We simply lacked the speed to match up with other teams. Last season we had the speed in the freshmen, they just did not know where they were supposed to be.

The fact that our seniors performed so well at the Pro Day, tells me that our current S&C program is making us a fast team again. We are once again going to have the kind of speed and quickness that can lead to elite results on the field.

As an Aggie, I have a soft spot for other colleges that practice their traditions. I know the...

2010-03-17T12:15:02Z

As an Aggie, I have a soft spot for other colleges that practice their traditions. I know the "winning team, losing team" chant is nothing new (Ohio University is featured extensively on youtube doing it, as well as Strake Jesuit HS in Houston), but it is still impressive seeing the USU student section getting into it.

What they are saying in the video:

Is that not a scoreboard?
YES THAT IS A SCOREBOARD!
Is that not a 74?
YES THAT IS A 74!
Is that not a 62?
YES THAT IS A 62!
Is that not the winning team?
YES THAT IS THE WINNING TEAM!
Is that not the losing team?
YES THAT IS THE LOSING TEAM!
WINNING TEAM
LOSING TEAM
WINNING TEAM
LOSING TEAM
WINNING TEAM
LOSING TEAM
WINNING TEAM
LOSING TEAM

Hopefully, we won't have to experience this yell on Friday, but it is still an impressive display.

GREAT Article On Ty Warren On ESPN

2010-03-16T23:00:10Z

GREAT Article On Ty Warren On ESPN

Ty Warren is forgoing a $250,000 off-season workout bonus with the New England Patriots to come back to A&M and work on his degree in agriculture leadership and development. Basically, he wants his children to be able to look up at him and see someone who has a college degree.

I can't applaud him enough for being a great example to today's youth.

Baseball Game Tonight Postponed

2010-03-16T22:48:17Z

Baseball Game Tonight Postponed

Inclement weather has caused the postponement of the game against Centenary tonight; it will be played on May 12.

Aggies Are A 'Junk Team'

2010-03-16T22:44:51Z

And that's a compliment.

No. 5 Texas A&M Record: 23-9. The junk team - and that’s a compliment. The Aggies don’t stand out in a number of categories, they struggle to put away lesser teams, and yet they win those games, and hang with the big boys, to boot

I actually found this preview of the South region enjoyable to read, mostly because this writer seems to understand what we are; we aren't anything special, just a bunch of kids who play together as a team, play defense, and play hard. Quite frankly, that makes for a really enjoyable team to watch. The fact that we don't blow anyone out on offense means we have to make every possession count, on offense and defense, which makes our games exciting. Offensive and defensive rebounding are what make our team go, so our play on the boards is an integral part of our game. We are a team that is better than the sum of their parts, and those teams are always fun to watch.

He also thinks that Baylor is overseeded at #3, a sentiment I'm sure is shared by many Aggie fans.

In Philadelphia, they seem to think we're ripe for the upset.

Here we have a 5-12 matchup where the 12 seed is ranked three spots higher in Pomeroy than the 5. A lot of people are wary of Utah State because their only really good non-conference win was at home over BYU, and the WAC isn't that great. Texas A&M beat Clemson and Minnesota on neutral floors and Baylor and Texas at home.

But Utah State is ranked an impressive eighth in effective field goal percentage and Texas A&M is 257th in free throw percentage. That signals upset to me.

The problem with that logic is that we've been a terrible free throw shooting team all season, and managed to win despite that. I'm leery of Utah State vbecause I'm leery of all opponents we face, but I still don't think that makes us a good candidate for a first round upset.

Aggie Women A #2 Seed In Seattle

2010-03-15T23:38:19Z

Aggie Women A #2 Seed In Seattle

Coach Blair gets his wish, as our region is headed by #1 seed Stanford. If we do well, it looks like we'll see Xavier in the Sweet Sixteen.

Thoughts On NCAA Tournament Brackets

2010-03-15T21:53:24Z

Although I like our bracket, it appears there is now a rule with the NCAA that the Aggies must play a team from Utah in the first round of the Tournament. After facing BYU in 2008 and again in '09, it is almost comical to be playing Utah State in 2010. The Association just likes watching Texans play Utes, I guess.
A possible matchup with Purdue in the second round doesn't worry me as much when they are without their best player. If we take care of business against Utah State, and then take care of Purdue, we could be headed to Houston.
texas being placed as a #8 seed and possibly facing Kentucky in the second round looks about right. For the up-and-down season they had going through the stretch run, it is about what they deserve.
Whoever said 'cheaters never win, winners never cheat' obviously didn't watch the Baylor Bears. Baylor was rewarded for their disregard of any rules with a #3 seed and a game against Sam Houston State. Yeah, that's punishment.
Oklahoma State is in an interesting bracket; even if they make it past #10 seed Georgia Tech, they will have to deal with Ohio State in the second round. I like State coach Travis Ford, but I don't see them making the Sweet Sixteen this year.
Missouri's matchup with Clemson might be the most intriguing first round game among all Big 12 teams. If the Tigers beat the ACC's version of the Tigers, Missouri may face a tough West Virginia squad in the second round. Missouri's weakness is inside, and neither WVU or Clemson have strong post play, so Mizzou should hopefully make a game of it.
Kansas State has a pretty clear trip to a Sweet Sixteen berth, because North Texas shouldn't be a threat in the first round, and neither Florida nor BYU should give them too much trouble in the second round.
As the overall #1 seed, Kansas has a pretty clear shot to the second weekend and a Sweet Sixteen berth, with Lehigh going down in the first round, and probably UNLV being a decent opponent in the second, but not enough to derail the Jayhawks. Pencil them into the Sweet Sixteen right now.

Gary Wants To Avoid Geno

2010-03-15T21:25:30Z

Gary Wants To Avoid Geno

Good article on ESPN on how Gary Blair is lobbying the NCAA selection committee to send the Aggies somewhere else besides UConn's region, where they would have to face Geno Auriemma's undefeated juggernaut before the Final Four. The past two years, the Aggies have been put in the overall #1 seed's bracket (UConn in '09, Tennessee in '08), so Blair has a legitimate reason for lobbying. The article goes on to talk about the girls on our team, and how they came to A&M, so it makes for a good read.

NCAA Tournament Selection Show Live Thread

2010-03-14T21:45:10Z

Time to find out when and where we're going to be next week as we begin play in the Big Dance. The NCAA Tournament Selection Show is on CBS at 5 PM Texas Time.

This is your selection show live thread. Post any and all comments here.

Aggie Still A #6 Seed, As Of This Morning

2010-03-14T21:15:44Z

Aggie Still A #6 Seed, As Of This Morning

We'll get final confirmation in an hour or so, but according to the SBNation blog, Blogging The Bracket, A&M projects as a #6 seed in the NCAA Tournament.

I'm just hoping that we are placed somewhere geographically close, so fans are able to travel to the game.

Aggie Women Win 2010 Big 12 Basketball Tournament Championship

2010-03-14T21:01:57Z

The #11 Texas A&M women's basketball team defeated the #12 Oklahoma Sooners women's basketball team, 74-67, on Sunday afternoon. Tara White scored 16, Danielle Adams had 19, and Adaora Elonu added 10 as the Aggies won the rubber match between the two programs; the teams had split the regular season series, with each team winning at home.

This victory may be enough to garner A&M a #2 seed when the NCAA Tournament brackets are announced tomorrow. Of bigger concern right now is the play of A&M's defense the last two games; usually the Aggies' strong suit, the defense has given up over 50% shooting to both Nebraska and Oklahoma in consecutive games. The Aggies have won both games with some an offensive explosion themselves, but I hope we aren't forgetting the fundamental strength that brought us to where we are under Gary Blair, and that is relentless defensive pressure. We'll worry about the hows and whys we won at a later time, though. Right now, the Aggie women are the 2010 Big 12 Women's Basketball Tournament Champions, and for that they deserve congratulations and a big Whoop!!!

Aggie Women Defeat Unbeaten Nebraska, 80-70

2010-03-13T23:23:46Z

The Texas A&M women's basketball team defeated previously unbeaten Nebraska, 80-70, in a game that quickly became no-contest for the distaff Aggies. A&M led by as many as 18 points in the second half, as Nebraska star Kelsey Griffin was stuck on the bench for much of the game, saddled with foul trouble. Nebraska was unable to stop the Aggie offense, with the team shooting 51% in the first half, 54% in the second half, and 53% from the floor for the game. The Aggie defense held Nebraska to just 37% shooting from the floor for the game. The Aggies had three players in double-figures, led by Danielle Adams' 22 points. The Aggies dominated Nebraska on the boards, snagging 46 rebounds to Nebraska's 32. Nebraska was just simply unable to stop A&M's offense, while the Aggies were able to clamp down on defense, and that was the story of the game.

To put this win in persepctive, it is a big win for the team, a win that would be on par of the men beating Kansas this year. Congratulations are in order for the women's team, but they now need to get ready for the Big 12 Tournament Championship, a game in which they will face the winner of the Oklahoma-Oklahoma State game. It is always nice to beat a top 5 team, though (Nebraska was ranked #3 in the nation), so congratulations, ladies.

Aggies Lose To Kansas, 79-66

2010-03-13T11:08:38Z

An eight minute scoring drought in the second half doomed the Aggies, while a 21-2 run helped Kansas come from behind and overtake the A&M. Donald Sloan, who had 24 points in the game, scored at the 8:52 mark of the second half, and he and the rest of the team didn't have a bucket again until there was under 50 seconds left in the game. Khris Middleton (14) and B.J. Holmes (12) were the only other Aggies to score in double-figures. Kansas did a good job inside, holding Bryan Davis to 0 points for the game.

The Aggies shot 50% from the floor in the first half as the took a 38-35 lead into the locker room at halftime, but were able to hit only 36% of their shots in the second half, including a miserable 15% from beyond the arc. Credit has to be given to Kansas for playing well and taking advatange of our cold spell; they hit 55% fo their shots in the second half, and 56% of their shots from the field for the whole game. That is how you win games.

The Aggies are now left to wait until Sunday, where they will see where they will be seeded and where they will be headed for their first round game in the NCAA Tournament.