Coach Gary Blair and the Aggie women’s basketball team haven’t forgotten comments Arkansas made after their last matchup, which A&M won 52-50 at the final buzzer.
“After the last game, Arkansas said their team was better than ours,” Blair said. “Our team remembers that statement. It’s time to put up or shut up.”
After a tough loss in overtime away to No. 17 Mississippi State, the No. 15 Texas A&M women’s basketball team will look to bounce back Thursday at Reed Arena against Arkansas.
Arkansas (14-8, 4-6 SEC) comes into College Station riding a three-game winning streak with wins against Auburn, Alabama and No. 24 Georgia. The Razorbacks are eighth in the SEC, so they will be looking to move up in the standings and try to secure a spot in the NCAA Tournament.
The Aggies (18-6, 6-4 SEC) are sixth in the SEC. They are one game back of Kentucky and will look to climb back into the SEC’s top five.
The Aggies are led in scoring by junior guard Courtney Walker, who is averaging 14.8 points per game.
Walker is one of many weapons the Aggies have.
Junior guard Jordan Jones leads the SEC and is No. 11 in the country in assists per game with 6.6. Senior forward Achiri Ade is No. 5 in rebounds with 8.3 per game. Walker and junior forward Courtney Williams are No. 3 and No. 4 in field goal percentage, and at 14.8 points per game Walker is No. 5 in scoring.
Blair stressed how important it is to win down the stretch, especially at home.
“We control our own destiny by who we play in the end. Beat Kentucky and LSU on the road and we are in good shape,” Blair said. “We cannot lose at home.”
The Aggies are 12-0 in Reed Arena this season. Their most notable win was against then No. 8 Duke on Nov. 30. The Razorbacks are 4-4 on the road this season with their most notable win being at No. 24 Georgia.
Tip off is scheduled for 8 p.m.