Aggies Take on No. 1 South Carolina in Gary Blair's Final Home Game


By: Kaitlyn Gallaher, Athletics Communications

• TEXAS A&M NOTES
• SOUTH CAROLINA GAME NOTES

BRYAN-COLLEGE STATION, Texas The Texas A&M women's basketball team prepares for legendary head coach Gary Blair's final home game against the No. 1 South Carolina Gamecocks on Thursday, Feb. 24 inside Reed Arena at 7:30 p.m.

Gary Blair Court
Prior to tip-off, the Reed Arena court will be officially named "Gary Blair Court" in honor of Blair who is the winningest basketball coach in A&M basketball history and won the 2011 National Championship with the Aggies. The A&M great has amassed 250 victories at Reed Arena with an 82.8% winning percentage on his home court and he has won five conference titles in his 19 seasons leading the program. Postgame, the Dallas native will address the crowd along with other speakers. Tickets may be purchased here.

Promotions
The first 600 fans will receive a gray adidas basketball shirt. Additionally, fans will be able to pick up a "Thank you Coach Blair" sign in honor of Blair's final home game and a limited number of 12th Man Centennial Replica Statues will be available. All items may be picked up at the north and south entries.

Last Time Out
The Aggies (14-12, 4-10 SEC) lost to Alabama in a double-overtime thriller, 81-79, on Sunday. Five Aggies scored in the double digits. Qadashah Hoppie played a career-high of 47 minutes, registering a team-high 16 points. Aaliyah Patty put up 11 points and 12 rebounds, producing her fifth double-double of the season. Kayla Wells played 44 minutes, tallying 15 points for the Maroon & White. Sydnee Roby led the Aggies off the bench and played 21 minutes, scoring 11 and bringing down nine rebounds.

Team Leaders
Wells leads the Aggies, averaging 16.7 points per game while leading the conference in 3-point field goal percentage at 49.3%. Hoppie seconds her, averaging 10.8 points per game, while Jordan Nixon is dishing a team-best 4.2 assists per contest. Texas A&M is sixth in the country in 3-point field goal percentage, hitting 38% of its shots from deep.

Series
Thursday's match-up is the 13th all-time meeting between Texas A&M and South Carolina (25-1, 13-1 SEC) with the Gamecocks leading the series with an 8-4 record. South Carolina is led by head coach and Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame inductee, Dawn Staley. The Maroon & White will be seeking its first even win versus the Associated Press No. 1 team.

How to Watch
Thursday's matchup will be televised on SECN with live stats here. Additionally, radio listeners can tune in locally to 1150 AM/93.7 FM or worldwide through the 12th Man Mobile App with Tom Turbiville and Tap Bentz on the call.

Gig'em Aggies, BTHO South Carolina!

This is going to be an emotional day and game for coach Blair. I'm sad my family won't be able to attend. Come on team: let's send our coach out in style. Gig'em Aggies! BTHO gamecocks!

Thanks Coach Blair

I don't really follow women's bb, but I saw this on the front page. Is the season over already? If not, any reason why he's leaving mid season?

Jay Reimenschneider said:

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I don't really follow women's bb, but I saw this on the front page. Is the season over already? If not, any reason why he's leaving mid season?

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Tonight is the last home game. Ladies finish the regular season Sunday at Georgia & then head to Knoxville for the SEC tournament

Because it's almost his turn to sit in the stands and second-guess the coaches.

Vanderbilt just beat Florida. Maybe the Aggies can pull an upset!

Green starting in place of Nixon

Wells scored first.

South Carolina's lineup is so big. We have faced some big players but as a team they probably have a few inches on us at every position.

8-4 USCe. 4:25 in 1st

We still don't move without the ball. We have one person setting the screen while the others stand on the perimeter watching.
At least Green is trying to be aggressive taking the ball to the basket on drives. SC's length just makes you adjust your shots around the basket .

Glad to see a good crowd and I hope the Aggies can continue to hustle on defense and get better on offense.

Pitts with another 2 fouls in the 1st quarter.

19-8 USCe after 1st

I guess I never really thought about it until I just noticed it, but are the refs' whistles sewn into their masks?

Getting ugly fast.

Looks like another real nail biter against a good SEC team. Sure hoped the team would come out with some fire for Blair's sake tonight. Maybe in the 2nd half.

USCe shooting 50% and the Aggies only shooting 33%. The height differential is going to be tough to overcome. I thought when Boston was in and Patty was behind and Pitts in front of her was the Aggies best defense. However you have to be able to slow down the rest of them.

Well we led 4-0.

Since then 19-4 Gamecocks.

So much size. So much depth.

Beating them last year to win the SEC was a bigger accomplishment than I realized at the time.

Poor Nixon has not been able to hit anything after getting three good looks.

I cannot explain the inability of this team to shoot the basket.

Missing to many open looks against a team with so much talent.

Shooting percentage down to 23.5%

Greg Brown needs to be gone for tomorrow

27-11 USCe. 5:54 in 2nd

It was really great and in my opinion SC is ever better this year because of their depth.

Believe Nixon is playing hurt and has been for most of the season.

We can't hit jack. Terrible shot selection. They are just killing us inside getting lay ups. There is no doubt why they are #1. We are light years behind them.

I think you are correct.

Our last FG was at 1:58 of 1Q.

So over 6 minutes since our last one.