 "Photo: Jon Eilts")
Iowa State is 11-0 at home in 2008-2009. The Cyclones lead the Big 12 in home attendance with an average of 9,133 fans per game. The No. 10 Texas A&M Aggies will travel to Ames, Iowa, Wednesday to take on No. 21 Iowa State's undefeated home record in a key Big 12 matchup.
"It's like playing in the Big 12 South when you go up there and you've got 10,000 fans" said A&M Head Coach Gary Blair. "I've never won up there. I've got to find a way."
Blair is 0-2 when playing at Iowa State with losses in 2005 and 2007. By comparison Blair is 2-1 against the Cyclones at home. In 2008-2009, the Aggies are 9-2 in road and neutral site games.
"We've got to shoot well," Blair said. "We've got to keep them from shooting 3-pointers. Somehow we've got to keep the crowd out of our face because they're very good up there. They've got a veteran ball club."
After winning three consecutive games, A&M is 17-3 overall and 5-2 in conference play. The Aggies are in a three-way tie with Baylor and Kansas State for second place in the conference at the mid-point of the Big 12 schedule. A&M will face both teams on the road in March.
Seniors Takia Starks and Danielle Gant lead the A&M offense with more than 30 points per game combined. Starks is one 3-pointer short of becoming A&M's all-time leader in career 3-pointers made.
"This is like in baseball when you're going after a march to hit 60 home runs, it seems like she's getting one [3-pointer] a game," Blair said. "People are putting a lot of attention on her. I'd like to see her get it up there."
Iowa State will look to beat the Aggies with 3-pointers. Senior Heather Esell leads the Cyclones and the Big 12 with 54 3-pointers in 2008-2009. Esell is also the team's leading-scorer, averaging 12.1 points per game.
The Cyclones will also try to control the game defensively. Iowa State Head Coach Bill Fennelly has his team ranked No. 20 in the nation in personal fouls per game. The Cyclones have recorded 288 fouls in 2008-2009 while A&M has recorded 404.
"He plays a system, they don't foul," Blair said. "If we go to the free throw line ten times I'd be surprised. They're going to go up and play good hard-nosed defense and never put you on the free throw line."
In the all-time series between the two teams, Iowa State leads 13-4. The Feb. 20, 2008 win against the Cyclones was Blair's 500th career victory. The Aggies have never beaten Iowa State on its home court since the Big 12 started play in 1996.
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