 "Photo: Jonny Green")
When the Associated Press ranked the Oklahoma men's basketball team No. 2 in the nation Monday, the Aggies were not worried.
"I didn't even realize they were No. 2, I haven't seen the polls," said senior guard Josh Carter. "We know they're a good team."
The A&M men's basketball team is focusing on team improvements and recovering from a mid-season slump that included a three-game losing streak. Going into Wednesday's game against the Sooners, the Aggies are riding a two-game winning streak with home wins against Texas Tech and Oklahoma State.
A&M beat the Red Raiders 79-70 on Jan. 28 and defeated the Cowboys 76-64 Saturday. The two wins put the Aggies in fifth place in the Big 12 with a 3-4 conference record.
The Big 12 is ranked the fourth best conference in the nation by the NCAA's ratings percentage index and Head Coach Mark Turgeon said it is one of the top conferences.
"We're beating each other up a little more than we did last year," Turgeon said. "Missouri, Nebraska and Oklahoma State are better. Our league had the highest non-conference winning percentage ever. We put together a heck of a nonconference schedule and did well; and now we are all just beating each other up. I'd put our league up there with any of them."
The two home wins have given the Aggies a sense of confidence going into the game against All-American Blake Griffin and the Sooners.
"When you're on a losing streak, it is kind of hard to keep your confidence up a little bit," said junior forward Chinemelu Elonu. "When you get that winning taste again you just have a whole new road ahead of you. Everybody's spirits are high again. We just need to go to Oklahoma and get a win."
Oklahoma is 21-1 and 7-0 in conference play. Arkansas handed the Sooners a loss on Dec. 30, 96-88. The Sooners are second in the Big 12 in rebounding and scoring margin and fourth in scoring offense.
"Oklahoma is a good team and they deserve to be No. 2," Turgeon said. "They are great defensively, good at rebounding and they have weapons around arguably the best player in college basketball this year."
The Sooners defeated A&M in Reed Arena on Jan. 17. The Aggies struggled in the first half against then-No. 5 Oklahoma, but recovered in the second half, losing 69-63.
"We didn't do a lot of things in the first half last time," said junior forward Brian Davis. "We really dug a hole for ourselves that game."
Griffin is first in Big 12 scoring, rebounding and field goal percentage. He also ranks fourth in blocked shots. In the game against A&M he scored 16 points and had six rebounds. Turgeon said Griffin is one of the best players in the nation.
"Blake is a great player," Elonu said. "The guy is just a beast. Every play he goes hard, you just have to be aware and make sure he doesn't go off on you or the team. You just have to play him smart and you cannot give him anything easy. You can't approach him scared."
The Aggies will also deal with Griffin's brother, senior Taylor Griffin. Taylor was key in the first game against A&M with two blocks, three steals and 11 points.
Oklahoma senior Austin Johnson and freshman Willie Warren gave the Aggies problems in the first game. Johnson scored a game-high 19 points against the Aggies with three 3-pointers while Warren scored nine points.
"We are going to have to play at a high level to go on the road and beat them," Carter said. "It is a great opportunity for us."
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