A&M in desperate need of win Aggies' Holloway says SWC race far from over 1 () p e ■&M ' By CHAREAN WILLIAMS Assistant Sports Editor The way Texas A&M guard Todd Holloway sees things, the Southwest Conference race isn’t over. And if the other teams are counting the Ag gies out, they could be in trouble. A&M’s two straight losses dropped it a game and a half behind SWC leaders TCU and Texas. But since TCU still has SMU and Texas on its schedule, the Aggies’ (14-9 overall, 8-3 SWC) game against the Longhorns (15-9, 10-2) Saturday night at 7:30 in Austin’s Frank Er win Center is important. “We’ve been hurt because we lost those two games in a row (to SMU and TCU),” Holloway said. “But I’ve been on this team 2 3 /4 years and I know we’ve always fought back. “We’re not out of it. It might be hard for us to win it, but we’ll try to win the rest of our games and hope someone will help us out.” The 6-foot junior is averaging 10.3 points and 4.5 assists per game. But Holloway would probably rather forget the last two games. “I haven’t been playing as well la tely as I was earlier in the season,” Holloway said. “I think I’m just fa tigued. I want to be out there so much, it’s hurting me rather than helping me.” In the 58-56 loss to the Mustangs, Holloway missed the front end of a “We have to beat Texas to stay in the conference race. If we get our heads together, we’ll be alright. If I know these guys and myself, we’ll make a race out of this thing before it’s over.” — A&M guard Todd Holloway one-and-one that would have tied the game with two seconds left. He followed that with a 0-for-6 shooting night in Wednesday’s 70-53 loss to the Horned Frogs. “I was pleased up until the last two games,” Holloway said. “(Against TCU,) I just wasn’t scoring. We all missed some easy shots we should have made, then we got a few bad calls and got frustrated. Nothing went right.” But two bad games and a few bad calls aren’t all that’s gone wrong for Holloway this season. On Jan. 16, Holloway and teammate Don Mar- bury were arrested for possession of marijuana and will be arraigned in March. “The only thing I’m worried about right now is beating Texas and going to school,” Holloway said. their < hours The heade: Irene “That’s all that’s important to me.” But in order to beat the 'Horns, the Aggies will have to do something they ciidn’t do against TCU — shoot over a zone defense. The Horned Frogs surprised A&M with a zone Wednesday and it had the Aggies running in circles all night. Holloway said the Ags can ex pect to see a zone the rest of the sea son. “In order for us to win, we have to play better against the zone," Hollo way said. “We have to take better shots. I thought (TCU) would play a man (defense) to tell you the truth. I don’t play well against a zone any way. We’ll be prepared for it now though.” Facing mostly man-to-man de fenses, the Aggies zipped through the first half of the SWC schedule with hardly a scratch loss being to Houston. » “We’re happy with the way wt'tt * 3 ’ played for most of the conferene games,” he said. “But all thegini-, , think we can play better. We’re in P 1 ' 1 ing to do the right things, but it'siki K j turning out right. We’ll hangxP alK there and battle to the end.” The battle begins Saturday nig„ „ against the Longnorns in Austin.kH' |' A&M loss would signal a ceasefoIf 1 for the Ags. » nde throw “That’s the next step onourlao Bhich der,” Holloway said. “We have to I beat Texas to stay in the conferee B se ' race. We have to shoot well, rebound ise :is01 well and play smart. If we get out heads together, we’ll be alright." And whether the Aggies win tht conference title or not, they’ll getau other chance in the SWC Postseaso: Tournament March 7-9. Thewinnt: of the tourney will go on to tht NCAA playoffs. I bm looking that fit W jn away said. TiiHlleg going to go out and get the teaiB,, fired up for these next fiveorsulj]; games. B w “When the conference race iL ' over, we’ll get to prove ourselvesaSH^ over in the tournament. ButiflP" know these guys and myself, mI B'" make a race out of this thing befort**' 1 ' it’s over.” “I’m ahead yet. really Holl V" laid I Ru: limit ■art les. ■ fiv Iso w Lady Ags gunning for No. 1 Longhorns Photo by GREG BAILEY A&M’s Don Marbury tries to get the ball up court against SMU last week. A&M will try to break a two-game skid in Austin Saturday. By DOUG HALL Sports Writer Texas A&M Women’s Basketball Coach Lynn Hickey said undefeated and No. 1-ranked Texas is bound to lose sooner or later. The question is, “To who?” The 14-9 Lady Aggies hope to answer that query Saturday at 1:30 p.m. when they travel to Austin’s Frank Erwin Center to play the 22-0 Lady Longhorns. “Our advantage is that they’re going to get beat sometime,” Hickey said. “You just don’t play that many games and not lose. It’s going to happen sometime. Maybe it’s our turn.” However, Hickey knows that beating the top- ranked team in the nation will not be an easy task, especially on their home court. “They (Texas) are going to be much tougher on their home court,” Hickey said. “We have to go in loose, relaxed and ready to challenge them. We have nothing to lose.” The Lady Longhorns, on the other hand, have everything to lose, but plenty of weapons to keep the Aggies from tarnishing their perfect record. Prior to Wednesday’s 77-45 victory over Bay lor, Texas led the SWC in team field-goal accu- ■ l ; o WM 1 Bins Fnm | Jo ■h;n •Bilan racy, defense, rebounding, assists and defensiJingsto turnovers. .ijIlBltli' “They’re so quick, and handle the ball so wd field that there were just too many times where wep:I burned last time (in Texas’ 73-59 victory alt Rollie White Coliseum),” Hickey said. Hickey went on to say that although she hope; the Lady Ags can upset the Lady Longhorns.sht realizes her squad is not yet of the same calibeni| a nationally-ranked team. “We’re still two players away,” Hickey said."Wt need a strong power forward and a shoomf: guard.” MSC Town Hall and KORA Presents the ^ ★ * AMERICAN MUSIC=== TOUR X s ON ONE stage 's? ONE NIGHT ONLY! STARRING (IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER) ★ EXILE * JANIE FRICKE ★ EDDIE RABBITT ★ T.G. SHEPPARD ★ SYLVIA Date: Thursday, February 20, 1986 Time: 8:00 p.m. Place: G. Rollie White Coliseum Tickets: MSC Box Office, 845-1234 and Dillards Ticketron VISA and MasterCard accepted.