The No. 8 and defending nation champion A&M women’s basketball team will battle the No. 2 Connecticut Huskies at 6 p.m. Tuesday in Storrs, Connecticut. The game will mark the most difficult test to date for the Aggie women.
A&M is coming off of a tough loss to No. 13 Purdue in which they failed to get into a shooting rhythm en route to a 51-60 final. Now they stare into the teeth of Connecticut’s unrivaled 90-game home winning streak and will try to send a national statement by upending the Huskies on their own court.
The Aggies come into the contest with four players averaging double digits per game. Junior center Kelsey Bone leads the pack with 13.4 points per game with senior forward Adaora Elonu (12.9), senior guard Tyra White (12.4) and senior guard Sydney Carter (12.3) following close behind.
A&M, as is their identity, has also played staunch defense throughout the young 2011 season. The Aggies are forcing their opponents to an average of 24.7 turnovers per game and have allowed only 36.7 percent shooting from the floor.
Never in the history of the program, however, have the Aggies faced a more daunting road trip. No. 13 Purdue and No. 2 Connecticut are the highest ranked opponents played consecutively on the road in A&M history. A&M, meanwhile, is 8-19 all time against top 5 opponents.
The Huskies are led by one of the country’s best guards in sophomore Bria Hartley, averaging 15 points per game. Senior guard Tiffany Hayes and sophomore center Stefanie Dolson add to a prolific offensive attack with 14.4 and 10.9 points per game, respectively. As a team, the Huskies are averaging 84.4 points per game to the Aggies’ 75.9.
Undefeated Connecticut has stifled opposing offenses, too, giving opponents a mere 27.5 shooting percentage. They also average a solid 15.4 steals and 6.3 blocks per game, allowing for dozens of transition points.
The game between the Aggies and the Huskies will be televised nationally on ESPN2.