Aggie Basketball Game #16:
Texas A&M (10-5, 1-2 SEC) at LSU (13-3, 2-1 SEC)
Saturday, Jan. 17, 2015 · 11 a.m. (CT)
Pete Maravich Assembly Center (13,215) · Baton Rouge, La.
TV: ESPN2 (For more info – 12thMan.com/TV)
Rich Hollenberg, Play-by-Play
Darrin Horn, Commentary
RADIO: Texas A&M Radio Network
Dave South, Play-by-Play
Mike Caruso, Commentary
Local: WTAW 1620 AM (College Station/Bryan)
Satellite Radio (LSU Broadcast): Sirius Ch. 93 / XM Ch. 190
LIVE AUDIO/STATS: 12thMan.com
LIVE MOBILE LIVE STATS: tamustats.com
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COLLEGE STATION – The Aggies cross the Sabine River this weekend to renew rivalries with a familiar foe in a series that dates back to the 1916-17 season as the Texas A&M men’s basketball team faces LSU at 11 a.m. Saturday inside the Pete Maravich Assembly Center.
The meeting will be the 30th all-time between the border competitors and just the fifth since the Aggies joined the Bayou Bengals in the SEC for the 2012-13 campaign.
Both teams enter the weekend jockeying for position during the early leg of the SEC race as with Texas A&M (10-5, 2-1) coming off a 74-70 win over Mississippi State on Tuesday at Reed Arena and LSU (13-3, 2-1) riding the strength of two consecutive league wins.
Saturday’s contest will be nationally televised on ESPN2 with Rich Hollenberg calling the play-by-play and Darrin Horn providing color commentary. 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).
Junior guard Alex Caruso continues to spur on the Aggie attack at both ends of the court as he owns the SEC’s pole position in both assists (89) and assists per games (5.9), while ranking second in steals per game (2.2).
The College Station native has raced to the top of the team’s list of rebounding during conference play, pulling down 21 boards through three league games to share the team-lead with a resurgent Tavario Miller.
Miller, who saw limited playing during the season’s first two months, has now worked his way into a much bigger role on the court for the Aggies. In addition to averaging 7.0 rebounds per contest in his last three games, Miller has seen his playing time jump to 19.3 minutes a game during league play.
Another rising performer in the A&M lineup is Danuel House, as the junior guard is averaging 22.0 points and 6.5 rebounds during his last two games.
The Tigers have won 10 of their last 11 contests, with the lone setback a 74-67 overtime loss at Missouri on Jan. 8 to kick off SEC play.
LSU is led by forwards Jarell Martin, who ranks second in the SEC in scoring (16.9 points per game) and third in rebounding (8.9), and Jordan Mickey, who averages a double-double on the year (15.5 points and 10.6 rebounds per contest).
Last season, Texas A&M and LSU split a pair of meetings with each squad winning on its home court. The Tigers will make a return trip to College Station on Feb. 17.
QUICK HITS
• The Aggies hit the road this weekend for a mid-day contest at LSU inside the Pete Maravich Center … a win inside the venue has eluded Texas A&M as the Aggies will be searching for their first win inside the facility … the Tigers will make a return trip to College Station on Feb. 17.
• While known more distributing the ball and helping teammates score, junior Alex Caruso has shown the ability to fill up the bucket when needed and Tuesday’s win over Mississippi State proved to be one of those times … the third-year Aggie guard reached the 20-point plateau for the third time in his career by contributing a game-high 21 points vs. the Bulldogs while leading all rebounders with nine boards … Caruso also continues to stand out as the SEC’s leading assist man with a total of 89 on the year (5.9 assists per game).
• After not playing during the month of December, sophomore forward Tavario Miller has worked his way back into the Aggies’ big-man rotation and has pulled down a team-leading 21 rebounds during the team’s first three SEC games (Caruso also has 21 boards in league play).
• After struggling during the Aggies’ SEC opener at Alabama, junior guard Danuel House has bounced back in a big way during his last two games when the Fresno, Texas, product is averaging 22 points and 6.5 rebounds per contest.
• Junior forward Jalen Jones returned to the A&M lineup for Tuesday’s contest vs. Mississippi State … the Dallas native, who leads the Aggies with a 13.5 point-per-game scoring average, contributed 16 points against the Bulldogs with a 6-of-7 mark from the free throw line.
SERIES HISTORY VS. LSU (LSU LEADS 17-12)
• Saturday’s contest will be the 30th meeting between the Aggies and the Tigers on the hardwood and the fifth as members of the SEC.
• Last season, the two squads split a pair of meeting with each team winning on its home court … A&M earned a 83-73 victory at Reed Arena on Feb. 12, before LSU evened the season series with a 68-49 win in Baton Rouge on Feb. 26.
• The series dates back to the 1916-17 season during the early days of each school’s men’s basketball program … LSU earned a 24-15 victory.
• Before the Aggies joined the SEC for the 2012-13 campaign, the last meeting between the schools came on Dec. 20, 2008, when the Aggies defeated LSU 72-61 at Houston’s Toyota Center.
• A&M head coach Billy Kennedy is 1-5 against LSU, having faced the Tigers once while at Centenary and once as the head coach at Southeastern Louisiana before coming to Texas A&M.
• The series has been dominated by the home team with the Aggies holding a 7-2 record in College Station and the Tigers owning a 12-1 mark in Baton Rouge … the last A&M win in Baton Rouge came on Dec. 14, 1941.
UP NEXT
The Aggies return home to College Station for their next contest, which will take place on Jan. 21 when they host Missouri in a 6 p.m. contest inside Reed Arena … The game will see Texas A&M attempt to avenge a pair of losses to the Tigers last season, including a 91-83 double-overtime thriller that ended the Aggies’ run at the 2014 SEC Tournament.
TAVARIO’S INCREASED ROLE ON THE COURT
Since turning heads with a 15-point, six-rebound effort on the season’s opening night on Nov. 14, Texas A&M fans did not hear Tavario Miller’s name mentioned much but that has changed in recent weeks.
After not seeing action in the month of December, Miller is back in A&M’s post player rotation and playing a big role as the Aggies take on SEC competition. Praised by coaches for his relentless effort on the court, Miller is averaging almost 20 minutes of playing time and pacing the squad with a 7.0 rebound per game average during the Aggies’ first three games of SEC play.
BALANCED SCORING
Rather than relying on just one or two primary scoring options on the offensive end, Texas A&M has taken a committee approach to scoring this season. In five games already this season, A&M has finished with at least four players in double-digit scoring.
Overall, the Aggies’ roster features 10 players on this year’s roster who have scored 10 point or more points in a game this season, up from nine total players all of last season and just seven during the 2012-13 campaign.
CARUSO MOVING UP ALL-TIME CAREER STEALS & ASSISTS LIST
With steal against Kentucky on Jan. 10, junior Alex Caruso passed Reggie Roberts (1980-83) to move into fifth place on Aggie basketball’s list of all-time steals. Up next is Darryl McDonald (1986-88), who sits in fourth place with 173 steals.
Additionally, Caruso enters the LSU game with 371 career assists, which ranks him eighth in program history.
ROBERSON ASCENDING AGGIE REBOUNDING LIST
Senior Kourtney Roberson joined the prestigious 500-Rebound Club last season and has continued into his senior season, moving up the list of the most prolific rebounders in school history. The Arcadia, La., native climbed three spots into 12th place on the all-time rebounding list with a six-board performance at Alabama on Jan. 6. Roberson enters the LSU game with 696 career boards.
Story courtesy of Texas A&M Athletics