Credit to Brandon Collins | Associate Director, Athletics Communications – 12thman.com
ATHENS, Ga. – The Texas A&M women’s basketball team is set to take on Georgia inside Stegeman Coliseum at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 4 to open SEC play.
The Aggies (12-1) ended non-conference play on a 10-game winning streak and boast one of the nation’s top defenses, ranking No. 2 in in field goal percentage defense (31.1%) and No. 2 in scoring defense (48.8). Texas A&M also ranks No. 3 in the nation in rebounds per game (49.6) and grabbed the second-most rebounds in a game in program history (71) versus A&M-Commerce on New Year’s Eve.
The Aggie frontcourt has played a major role in the team’s success on both sides of the ball. Lauren Ware is ranked No. 11 in the nation in blocks with 33 and is averaging 10.5 points and 9.5 rebounds per game. Janiah Barker leads the team in scoring with 13.3 points per contest and is also grabbing 8.9 boards a game. Both are ranked in the top-25 in the nation in double-doubles – Ware has eight and Barker is right behind her with six.
The Maroon & White entered the conference slate at 5-5 last season and ended 2-14 in league play but became the only No. 13 seed to advance to the quarterfinals of the SEC Tournament. Georgia (9-4) is entering the bout at 9-4 with a 5-2 ledger at home. Aggie head coach spent the first seven years of her head coaching career at UGA before coming to A&M and boasts a 1-0 record against the Lady Bulldogs.