COLLEGE STATION, Texas — The No. 12 Texas A&M women's basketball team returns to the road Thursday to face No. 11 Kentucky at Memorial Coliseum at 5:30 p.m. The Aggies look to bounce back after a tight battle with LSU a week ago, as they take on their third nationally-ranked opponent of the season. The Wildcats enter the midweek game with a 14-2 record, 3-1 in league play. After falling to then-No. 4 South Carolina to open conference play, they have strung together three straight victories, most recently earning a 65-45 win at Florida.
About the Matchup
• Thursday’s game against Kentucky marks the 11th all-time meeting between the Aggies and Wildcats, with A&M holding a 6-4 advantage in the series.
• The Aggies have claimed each of the last four meetings with Kentucky and hold a 3-1 record in Lexington.
• Five of A&M’s victories in the series have come when the Wildcats have been nationally ranked ... Kentucky is the highest ranked opponent A&M has faced so far this season and the third to be nationally-ranked.
• Last season A&M knocked off a No. 11 Kentucky team for the second time in series history ... The Aggies brought home a 62-55 road win, sparked by a 24-point performance from Chennedy Carter.
• Head coach Gary Blair sits at 16-7 all-time against the Wildcats and boasts a 6-4 record against Kentucky head coach Matthew Mitchell.
Quick Hits
• Junior guard Chennedy Carter was recognized for the outstanding junior season she is having as she was named to the Wooden Award Midseason Top 25 List.
• Carter currently ranks fourth on A&M’s all-time career scoring list as she upped her career total to 1,842 after adding 12 points, despite missing the second half with a sprained ankle, against LSU.
• Carter sits in second in the SEC and ranks seventh in the nation, averaging 21.9 points per game on the season.
• Carter is in the midst of a multi-season double-figure scoring streak that now spans 55 games ... She has scored in double figures in 80 of her 81 career games.
• Senior guard Shambria Washington ranks fourth in the SEC, averaging 4.7 assists per game, and has the third-best assist/turnover ratio in the conference (2.4).
• Junior forward N’dea Jones recorded her fourth straight double-double with 19 and 12 against LSU ... She remains in second in the SEC, averaging 10.6 boards per game.
• Head Coach Gary Blair is three wins away from his 400th at Texas A&M.
• Earlier this season Coach Blair became the fifth active head coach to surpass 800 wins in his head coaching career after a 72-43 win over Houston on Dec. 15.
• The Aggies have forced their opposition to shoot under 40-percent from the field in 11 games this year, most recently keeping the opposition under 30-percent from the field for the fourth time as Ole Miss shot just 27.5-percent.
Doubling Up
• Junior forwards N’dea Jones and Ciera Johnson are on the verge of breaking into the top five all-time at A&M in career double-doubles, and are among the top five of the SEC’s active career double-doubles list.
• Jones has strung together a career-long double-double streak with four straight after putting up 19 points and grabbing 12 rebounds against LSU.
• Jones’ six double-doubles this season put her at 16 for her career, which is good for fifth among current SEC players and ties her for seventh at A&M.
• Johnson has tallied 17 career double-doubles with five coming this season ... She ranks fourth among active SEC players and sits in sixth on A&M’s all-time list.
Watch and Listen to the Aggies
• Thursday's game will air on SEC Network with Courtney Lyle and Carolyn Peck calling the action.
• The radio call of the game will be available in the Bryan-College Station area on 1150 AM and 93.7 FM. Describing the action are Tom Turbiville (play-by-play) and Steve Miller (analyst).
(12) Texas A&M could have to face (11) Kentucky without Chennedy Carter
he Aggies look to bounce back after a tight battle with LSU a week ago.
