Texas A&M women’s basketball coach Gary Blair sounds off on Aggies moving to SEC
Texas A&M women’s basketball coach Gary Blair was asked about visiting Gallagher-Iba Arena for the last time before the Aggies move to the SEC following A&M’s 57-53 loss to Oklahoma State Tuesday night.
He had plenty to say about OSU, the Big 12 and his unhappiness about leaving the conference.
I’ll get out of the way.
“I hate not coming back to this place.
“We had always played well here because of the respect that I have for this building, like when I went to Kansas. Y’all got the two best arenas, not just in the Big 12, but maybe in the country. Throw Cameron in there, too (Duke’s Cameron Indoor Stadium).
“Y’all have figured out that you don’t have to just be a football school. You can be a basketball school. You can be a wrestling school. You can be the whole thing. We’re starting to get that way. That’s one of the reasons I was not happy leaving the Big 12. Look where we’ve been in the Sears Cup the last two years—No. 6 and No. 8. We were No. 2 in (the women’s rankings), next to Stanford.
“You get a familiarity with the schools, and your fans get going and it’s just great. Now, we’re going to have to go find new teams and new rivalries. They only have to look at us and Missouri. We’ve got to look at 12 other schools and learn how to play against them and their tendencies. I know a little bit about it, but there’s only three coaches left in the SEC (from) when I was there (as the head coach at Arkansas). Three pretty damn good ones—Pat (Summitt) and Andy (Landers) and Sharon Fanning.
“I’m happy for the Big 12 that it stayed together. It would have been a joke if y’all would have had to go to the (Pac-12). That would have been the demise of Oklahoma State. Now you’re in the Big 12 again, you’re bringing two schools in. Be the best that you can be.
“We’re going to the SEC. I’ll spin it a different way next year. When we were in the SEC, we were the best league in women’s basketball for 10 straight years. Now, the Big 12 has been the best basketball (league) about the last eight out of nine. You have a couple good teams coming in.
“What you have here is you have an atmosphere. That crowd—I’ve never played in front of six, seven, eight thousand here. Thank Goodness. But your 4,000 or 3,500 are very, very loud. They get into it. They’re very knowledgeable about the game.
“We’re getting everybody’s best game. That’s to be expected. Hopefully, it’s going to make us a better team in March.”
Reflecting on the Oklahoma State women’s basketball tragedy
I was inside Gallagher-Iba Arena on Monday for the memorial service for OSU women’s basketball coach Kurt Budke, assistant Miranda Serna and Olin and Paula Branstetter. And today, I was back at GIA as the Cowgirls took the court again for the first time since the plane crash.
I’m not really sure how to describe what it’s been like to be in my position during this tragedy. “Interesting” certainly isn’t the right adjective. Neither is “odd” or “different.” No words feel right.
I remember the plane crash from 10 years ago, but I did not live here then. I had one face-to-face conversation with Budke. I’ve lived in Stillwater for three months. I wasn’t even in town when the news broke about the crash—I was in a hotel room in Kansas City getting ready to head to Ames. In a lot of ways, I am very much an outsider.
I’m not going to try to pretend that I truly understand the emotions the OSU community felt 10 years ago and has felt the past nine days. I don’t.
The only thing I could remotely compare it to is when Pat Tillman was killed in Afghanistan in 2004. Tillman was as beloved as any Sun Devil ever because of what he did on the field and off, and his death really affected the ASU community. And his legacy still lives on in the athletic department and university.
But it’s still not the same as what has happened here twice. Not even close.
As a reporter, my job is to be unbiased. But when everyone stood up at the end of the memorial service and sang the OSU alma mater, I got chills. You aren’t a human being if you don’t feel something in that moment.
The same thing happened at the Cowgirls’ game today. The standing ovation (rather than a moment of silence) before the tip was a great moment. But for some reason, the alma mater is what got me. Then, when the players and coaches found and hugged the Budke family in the stands, I got chills again.
I’ve learned a lot about the school that I cover during the past week. I’ve learned what made Budke and Serna special people, and hearing others talk about them made me wish I had gotten to know them. But I’ve learned more about the Oklahoma State people. I’ve seen what a tight-knit, passionate group it is all throughout football season, but this tragedy has really shown how supportive and loyal Cowboys and Cowgirls are to their school and each other. That is what’s going to get the OSU faithful through yet another extremely difficult time.
You hear the term “family” used way too often when describing a team or group of people. Yet it absolutely applies here at OSU. And this outsider recognizes it.
Catching Up, Sort Of, With Kendall Hunter
By John Helsley
follow on twitter @jjhelsley
The revelation that Cowgirls point guard Tiffany Bias and former Cowboys running back Kendall Hunter are an item is nothing short of fascinating.
Not that they don’t make a fine pair; wouldn’t begin to know.
It’s just that they’re so, well, different.
Bias is outgoing and inviting of conversation, while Hunter is as quiet and humble as they come, to the point he avoids interaction as well as he avoids contact in the open field.
So I asked Bias, did you have to approach him?
“A little bit,” she said. “I’m mean, I’m loud and I’ll go talk to anyone. We’re kind of totally opposite, he’s quiet and I’m loud. But once he opens up, he’s actually loud. He will laugh loud and tell jokes. He’s really great.”
The two met at a frozen yogurt shack last fall in Stillwater when Bias, then a freshman, had only been on campus a few months.
“We exchanged numbers and after that we talked,” Bias said. “I was taken right off the market after that.”
Even though Hunter is in San Francisco and Bias is in Stillwater, the romance continues.
“It’s really difficult,” Bias said. “He’s my best friend and now he’s 15,000 miles away.”
She’s been out there and he’s coming home this week, with the 49ers on their bye week in the NFL.
So they manage.
“It’s hard, but at the same time, it’s time management,” Bias said. “I’m really busy. He’s really busy with football. So it kind of works out. We have to keep our main focuses, which is sports right now. It’s good that he understands my time and I understand his.”
Bias reports that Hunter hasn’t gotten the big head with his big job and big paycheck. No trip to the Mercedes lot.
“No, he’s actually really good with his money,” she said. “He hasn’t done anything over the top, gone and bought a huge car or anything like that. He’s very conservative with money. He’s very humble about everything.”
Same old Kendall, although he did allow himself one purchase.
“Well, he loves electronics,” she said. “That big flat screen TV, he went and got something like that. It’s a man thing.”
Something for her, perhaps?
“He always gets me little gifts here and there,” Bias said. “That’s just who he is, he’s always done stuff like that.”
Cowgirls looking to get back on track
Are the Cowgirls and Andrea Riley ready to get back on track?
by Brandon Chatmon
bchatmon@opubco.com
The Oklahoma State women are in the midst of a three-game losing streak but the Cowgirls will look to right the ship against Texas A&M at Gallagher Iba at 7 p.m. on Wednesday.
The vibe around the Cowgirls is surprisingly good. You’d think a team would be down after losing three straight games, and while they are understandably upset, they realize two things:
1) Except for the Nebraska loss which started the streak, it’s not like Oklahoma and Texas Tech just came and ran them off the floor. OSU knows they have themselves to blame for those losses as much as their opponent’s solid play.
2) Even with the losses, if they get it together they can still have a strong finish resulting in a top four seed in the Big 12 tournament. None of the team’s on OSU’s remaining schedule are unbeatable, especially if the Cowgirls stop beating themselves.
“If we continue to practice hard, things will turn,” OSU coach Kurt Budke said. “I don’t have a gym full of people feeling sorry for themselves or pouting. They’re working hard and getting better, it’s going to turn back (around).”
Sadly for the Cowgirls, the Big 12 South is a incredible gauntlet of Top 25 teams. They have No. 15 Texas A&M on Wednesday, travel to No. 18 Baylor on Saturday then host No. 12 Texas on Feb. 24.
Talking Kendall Hunter, James Anderson and Andrea Riley
By John Helsley
Remember Kendall Hunter?
Reigning Big 12 rushing champ.
One-third of the Triplets.
Potential Heisman candidate.
Seems so long ago, doesn’t it?
Well, maybe it’s time for a Hunter resurfacing. We haven’t seen – or heard – from “Spud” since he left the Houston loss with an ankle injury that went from sprain to fracture in the rumor mill that serves as the OSU injury report.
On Monday, Mike Gundy essentially called out Hunter subtly, saying team doctors had ruled him healthy, it was just up to Hunter to decide he could go.
Well, Hunter is on the trip to Waco and will be suited up for Baylor. Will he play? How much will he play? Only Spud knows for sure, but ideally he shakes off the rust, suffers no relapse and returns in full for what looms as a major showdown with Texas next week.
Hunter may return against Baylor.
The OSU basketball program isn’t putting on any fronts when it comes to James Anderson.
If he stays healthy and has another strong season – as expected – he’s off to the NBA after this, his junior season.
So enjoy him, Cowboys fans, and by all indications, he’ll be a joy to watch.
Check out this from Travis Ford:
“He has had some of the most ridiculous dunks. You won’t believe the energy level and peppiness he is playing with. He dunked over Teeng (Akol) the other day. It’s something I don’t know if he had ever tried and I don’t know if he could even could have done it, and he he caught a rebound and dunked it from outside the paint, just dunked over two guys. It’s just the step you hoped he would take. It’s early and you hope it continues. I don’t hype it up too much because we’ve got a long ways to go.”
Anderson is bigger and stronger and noticeably more comfortable, almost chatty by his standards.
The good news is there won’t be a need for regular questions about his future, whether he’s staying or going, even though we’d all know he’s going. That part is out of the way.
So enjoy, while you can.
On the women’s hoops front, the Cowgirls face their final season with Andrea Riley.
Her career is a mixed bag, as she’s been at the trigger of some of the program’s great recent moments, but also some embarrassments, which is why her one-game NCAA Tournament suspension still hangs over the squad and its chances to do much in March.
Still, Riley has a chance to improve her legacy, if not by leading these Cowgirls to great things, then by bridging things for a promising young core of players who figure to brighten OSU’s long-term future.
Riley is always worth watching.
This season, there’s plenty of reasons to pay close attention.
Conspiciously absent …
from today’s women’s basketball Bedlam is Kurt Budke’s orange sports coat. As the Oklahoma State game notes tell us, Budke is 2-1 when he wears the loud jacket. Budke debuted the jacket in last year’s home Bedlam game. The only time he’s lost in the jacket is in the Big 12 Tournament Championship game last year.
by andrea cohen
Cowgirls lead 37-29 at the half
By Ray Martin
rmartin@oklahoman.com
The OSU Cowgirls are one half away from sweeping Texas A&M and securing that important first round bye in the Big 12 Tournament.
They lead 37-29 in what sophomore Andrea Riley called “the biggest game of the year.”
Riley has 12 points, and Danielle Green has 14.
Riley, Cowgirls on a roll
Don’t let OSU women’s basketball coach Kurt Budke get you on a golf course. Budke is turning into the ultimate sandbagger. Despite a 4-0 start, highlighted by wins over Texas A&M and Oklahoma, last year’s top two teams in the conference, Budke maintains most teams in the Big 12 have more talent than the Cowgirls. He warns the conference is so tough any team could compile a lot of losses in a hurry.
I agree the Big 12 is extremely tough, without question the most competitive conference in America. Last week 10 of the 12 teams were either ranked in the top 25 or were receiving votes. But Budke’s claim that his team isn’t nearly as talented as most conference rivals smells of a golf sandbagger.
Budke claims Texas has more Parade All-Americans and several other teams have players who were listed higher in recruiting rankings. Former OSU men’s coach Eddie Sutton proved time and time again you don’t need McDonald’s All-Americans and four-star recruits to win basketball games.
It’s early in the conference race. Baylor, with a strong, balanced lineup, probably is the team to beat following the Bears win Sunday in Norman. But the Cowgirls, off to a 4-0 league start, should make some noise. Their roster has everything you need to be in most every game the remainder of the season.
Sophomore point guard Andrea Riley currently is one of the top players in America. She leads the conference in scoring, averaging close to 23 points. She’s hitting big shots. She’s so quick she gives opposing coaches headaches trying to figure out how to guard her. Danielle Green is a slash-to-the-goal, create her own shot complement to Riley. Senior Maria Cordero is capable of some big games. Taylor Hardeman is a defensive minded glue player similar to Daniel Bobik on the men’s Final Four team a few years ago. Sophomore transfer Meagan Byford is developing into a rugged inside post player. Kristin Hernandez is a true freshman capable of providing help off the bench. Shanute Smith is a veteran who averages 7.0 points and 7.0 rebounds.
OSU probably isn’t as talented as some teams. But everyone is playing their roles well, which is invaluable. Put all the parts together and the Cowgirls are playing some good basketball. With a star like Riley, the Cowgirls are playing with confidence. They play hard defensively and are hungry which is why they get to a lot of loose balls and rebound well.
Despite Budke’s one-game-at-a-time mantra, OSU realistically could finish 11-5 or 12-4 in league play and earn a relative high NCAA Tournament seed. The Cowgirls might not have highly recruited players like some conference rivals but they’re the real deal.
– Mike Baldwin
