The Texas A&M women’s basketball team will open its regular season Friday against the University of South Florida in the first round of the Miami Jam tournament.
The Lady Bulls, who compete in Conference USA, enter the tournament after going 2-0 in exhibition play and competing in the Preseason Women’s National Invitational Tournament, where they exited after a second-round loss to No. 6 Duke. The Lady Bulls received eight votes in the latest ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll, placing them No. 40 in the nation.
“Any time you can get national recognition, it’s great for the program, but more for the young ladies who have worked so hard,” said South Florida Head Coach Jose Fernandez.
A&M head coach Gary Blair and the Aggies are eager to kick off the 2004-05 campaign, Blair’s second at the helm in Aggieland. A&M dropped its final exhibition game to team Everyone’s Internet last Sunday 59-56 and is looking to rebound heading into the games that count.
“I’m proud of the effort,” Blair said. “It’s going to take time and patience. We played tough exhibition teams because we want to be challenged and get better.”
Also competing in the Miami Jam are Florida International University and Bucknell University, two teams that should provide the Aggies with valuable experience before conference play begins.
A&M is starting the season without the services of four-year letterman Toccara Williams, who started at point guard for the Aggies all four years.
“You can’t replace her,” Blair said. “She was a player that made all of the other positions better. Toccara will be in the Hall of Fame at A&M.”
South Florida is led by All-American candidate Jessica Dickson, who averages 17 points per game.
Just a sophomore, Dickson has compiled an impressive record for the Lady Bulls and was named last year’s Conference USA Freshman of the Year.
The Aggies are looking for a step up in play from leaders Mindy Garrison and Tamea Scales.
Last year as a junior, Garrison put up numbers that earned her a starting role in 12 games. Blair said Garrison might be the team’s best shooter.
“She might be the best pure shooter on the team,” Blair said. “She just needs to take more chances.”
Scales, a junior this season, returns as the Aggies’ leading scorer and rebounder, using her 6-foot frame to dominate opponents in the paint.
“The best move we made was giving her a starting role,” Blair said. “She learned that I believe in her.”
Fernandez and South Florida are enjoying the respect they’ve gained after solid postseason play and are looking forward to taking on the Aggies in Friday’s action in Miami.
“One of our goals in the off-season was to get ready for the WNIT, and through that hard work, we got a good win,” Fernandez said. “I really think that receiving votes gives us some respect after being picked to finish eighth in Conference USA this year in the league’s preseason poll.”