Saturday, January 30
College Station
1:00 PM
Texas A&M
vs
Iowa State
Aggies Host Iowa State in Top 25 Showdown
Jan 29, 2016 | Men's Basketball
Aggie Basketball Game #21:
#14/16 Iowa State (16-4; 5-3 Big 12) at #5 Texas A&M (17-3; 7-1 SEC)
Saturday, Jan. 30, 2016 · 1:00 p.m. (CT)
Reed Arena (12,989) · College Station, Texas
TV: ESPN (For more info – 12thMan.com/TV)
Dave Flemming, Play-by-Play
Miles Simon, Commentary
Jeff Goodman, Reporter
RADIO: Texas A&M Radio Network
Dave South, Play-by-Play
AL Pulliam, Commentary
Local: WTAW 1620 AM (College Station/Bryan)
Satellite: Sirius (Ch. 84) / XM (Ch. 84)
LIVE AUDIO/STATS: 12thMan.com
LIVE MOBILE LIVE STATS: tamustats.com
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COLLEGE STATION – For the second time this season a pair of nationally ranked teams will clash on the hardwood inside Reed Arena as No. 5 Texas A&M hosts No. 14 Iowa State Saturday at 1 p.m. during the Big 12-SEC Challenge.
The highly-anticipated top 25 showdown will be televised by ESPN with Dave Flemming calling the play-by-play, Miles Simon providing color commentary and Jeff Goodman reporting. Additionally, radio coverage will be provided on the Aggie Sports Network, which can be heard locally in the Bryan/College Station area on WTAW (1620 AM).
Prior to the game children are invited to in "Kid's Court" inside the men's practice gym beginning one hour prior to tipoff. Kids will have the chance to shoot baskets or participate in poster making, face painting and other activities.
At halftime, fans will be treated to a performance by the Russian Bar Trio as seen on "America's Got Talent", and "The Ellen DeGeneres Show".
Texas A&M (17-3; 7-1 SEC) will be looking to start a new winning streak on Saturday after seeing its 10-game winning run snapped during Wednesday's 74-71 loss at Arkansas. Despite the setback, the Aggies remain atop the SEC standings, owning a one-game lead over both Kentucky and LSU.
While its overall winning streak is no more, Texas A&M still brings an impressive streak into Saturday's contest as the Aggies have won all 12 of their home contests inside Reed Arena this season and own a 134-13 (.912) mark against non-conference foes inside the facility.
Senior Danuel House rediscovered his shooting touch on Wednesday in Fayetteville, converting 7-of-12 field goal attempts, including 4-of-5 from long range, to lead all scorers with 24 points. Meanwhile, classmate Jalen Jones notched his 13th career double-double by pulling down 10 boards to go along with 10 points.
Iowa State (16-4; 5-1 Big 12) comes to Aggieland looking for its third win over a top-five opponent this month after defeating No. 1 Oklahoma, 82-77, in Ames, Iowa, on Jan. 18 and downing No. 4 Kansas, 85-72, at home on Monday.
The Cyclones are led by All-American Georges Niang, a 6-foot-8 forward who averages 19.3 points and 6.4 rebounds, highlighting six ISU players who average double-digit points on the season.
First-year Iowa State head coach Steve Prohm is no stranger to his Aggie counterpart, having served as an assistant for the Aggies' Billy Kennedy for 12 seasons (one at Centenary, six at Southeastern Louisiana, five at Murray State) before taking over at Murray State when Kennedy left for Texas A&M.
OPENING TIPS
• Texas A&M is seeking to start a new winning spree after seeing its 10-game winning streak snapped Wednesday night at Arkansas ... The run of success was the longest since the 2012-13 Aggie ripped off 13 consecutive victories.• A win over Iowa State would give the Aggies their fourth victory against a Big 12 opponent this season, having already defeated Texas, Kansas State and Baylor.
• Additionally, Texas A&M has won both of its meetings with ranked opponents this season, defeating then 10th-ranked Gonzaga 62-61 on Nov. 26 during the Battle4Atlantis and then 16th-ranked Baylor on Dec. 19 in College Station.
• The Aggies' 17-3 record is tied for the best in program history through 20 games, sharing the same ledger as the 2010-11, 2006-07, 1959-60 and 1921-22 squads.
• Texas A&M moved up to No. 5 in both the Associated Press Top 25 and USA Today/Coaches Poll on Monday, marking the highest-ever ranking for the program ... Previously, the program's highest rank came during the 2006-07 campaign when Texas A&M ascended as high as No. 6 in both polls en route to a Sweet 16 appearance under former head coach Billy Gillispie.
• Senior Jalen Jones earned a spot on Oscar Robertson Trophy midseason watch list this week ... The Dallas native leads the Aggies and ranks sixth in the SEC with a 17.5 point-per-game average that has seen him hit the 20-point mark in eight of 15 games played ... For the season, he is shooting 47.7 percent from the field (91-of-192).
• During SEC play, Jones has been particularly impressive, scoring 20 or more points in five of eight league games while ranking fourth in the league for scoring at 19.3 points per game, sixth in field goal percentage (49.0) and 10th in rebounding (7.6 boards per game).
SERIES HISTORY VS. IOWA STATE (A&M LEADS 10-9)
• Former Big 12 rivals square off at Reed Arena Saturday afternoon when Texas A&M host Iowa State.• The Aggies own a slim 10-9 edge in the series, which featured an eight-game Texas A&M winning streak from 2005-2011.
• Despite dropping the last two meeting with the Cyclones, Texas A&M has won eight of the last 10 meetings in the series.
• The schools had never met on the hardwood prior to the formation of the Big 12 in 1997.
• Texas A&M head coach Billy Kennedy in 0-2 vs. Iowa State with both meetings coming in 2011-12.
• ISU head coach Steve Prohm, meanwhile, served as an assistant coach for Texas A&M coach Billy Kennedy for 12 seasons (one at Centenary, six at Southeastern Louisiana, five at Murray State) before taking over at Murray State when Kennedy left for Texas A&M.
UP NEXT
Texas A&M jumps back into SEC play next week with a road trip to Nashville when the Aggies will face Vanderbilt inside Memorial Gym … Tipoff is slated for 6 p.m. on ESPN2.TEXAS A&M-IOWA STATE CONNECTIONS
• A&M's Billy Kennedy & Iowa State's Steve Prohm - Prohm was an assistant coach for Kennedy for 12 seasons (one at Centenary, six at Southeastern Louisiana, five at Murray State) before taking over at Murray State when Kennedy left for Texas A&M.• A&M's Amir Abdur-Rahim - Coached alongside both Kennedy & Prohm during their time at Murray State and played for the duo at SE Louisiana.
A&M GUNNING FOR FOURTH BIG 12 WIN THIS SEASON
This weekend the Big 12-SEC Challenge will see 10 games between the schools, including Iowa State's visit to College Station. However, the Aggies are no stranger to their old league, having already defeated three Big 12 schools on the hardwood this season.WINS VS. THE BIG 12 THIS SEASON
Date Opponent Score Leading Scorer
Nov. 25 Texas (Bahamas) W, 84-73 House (19)
Dec. 12 Kansas State W, 78-68 Jones (25)
Dec. 19 Baylor W, 80-61 House, Jones (17)
KENNEDY LOOKS FOR CAREER WIN NO. 300
Aggie floor general Billy Kennedy has enjoyed successful coaching stops at Centenary (1997-99), Southeastern Louisiana (1999-05), Murray State (2006-11) and now Texas A&M (2011-) and stands on the precipice of a career milestone.Kennedy enters the Iowa State game with a career record of 299-243, needing just one victory to reach 300 as a collegiate head coach.
JONES EARNS SPOT ON OSCAR ROBERTSON TROPHY MIDSEASON WATCH LIST
Texas A&M senior Jalen Jones was honored Jan. 25 as one of just 20 players nationally with a spot on the midseason watch list for the Oscar Robertson Trophy, which is presented annually to men's college basketball's National Player of the Year by the U.S. Basketball Writers Association.The Oscar Robertson Trophy will be presented at the College Basketball Awards gala in Oklahoma City on April 11, 2016, at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum. Access Sports, a non-profit organization committed to supporting various charitable causes, will serve as host for the gala. Funds from the gala are used to support youth basketball programs in Oklahoma that allow disadvantaged youth the opportunity to participate in leagues and training.
A&M CLIMBS TO NO. 5; HIGHEST RANKING IN PROGRAM HISTORY
Entering the season with high aspirations, Texas A&M got off to a hot start and raced out to a 4-0 record allowing it to climb back into the Nov. 23rd edition of the Associated Press rankings at No. 25.It marked the first time the Aggies have appeared in the rankings since they were No. 22 in the AP rankings on Dec. 12, 2011.
Texas A&M is currently ranked No. 5 in both the Associated Press Top 25 & USA Today/Coaches Poll. It stands out as highest ranking in school history, breaking the previous high of No. 6 set on several occasions during the 2006-07 campaign.
Players Mentioned
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/ Men's Basketball
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