Aggie Basketball Game #11:

Texas A&M (8-2; 0-0 SEC) vs. Southern (4-6; 0-0 SWAC)

December 22, 2012 · 3:00 p.m. (CT)

Reed Arena (12,989)

College Station, Texas

TV: FSN

  Ron Thulin, Play-by-Play

  Jim Haller, Commentary

-Check with your cable provider for channel number/availability in your area

 RADIO: Texas A&M Radio Network

  Dave South, Play-by-Play

  Al Pulliam, Commentary

  Local: WTAW-AM 1620 (College Station/Bryan)

LIVE AUDIO/STATS: AggieAthletics.com

TICKETS: Available at the door or online at tickets.12thManFoundation.com

COLLEGE STATION, Texas - The Texas A&M men's basketball team continues its five-game homestand Saturday when the Aggies welcome Southern to Reed Arena for a 3 p.m. contest.

FSN will televise the match-up with Ron Thulin and Jim Haller calling all the action from Aggieland. Every Texas A&M basketball game this season will be broadcast, marking a first in program history.

The Aggies enter the contest with an 8-2 record on the season and looking to improve on a history of outstanding success against non-conference foes at Reed Arena. A&M is 106-10 (.915) all-time on its home court with a perfect 6-0 record inside the facility this season.

During its most recent outing on Tuesday, Texas A&M defeated Texas A&M-Corpus Christi 66-54 while shooting an impressive 52.9 percent (27-of-51) from the floor, marking the fourth time this season A&M has hit the 50 percent mark or better in field goal percentage.

On the defensive end of the court, A&M held the Islanders to just 19-of-58 shooting for the game (.328). It was the fifth time this season that the Aggies have held an opponent under 40 percent shooting and the third time they've pushed a foe below 35 percent.

Against A&M-Corpus Christi, junior guard Fabyon Harris led the Aggies in scoring for the second time this season, notching 17 points on 6-of-9 shooting from the floor with a 3-of-4 mark from beyond the 3-point arc, while senior forward Ray Turner narrowly missed his second double-double of the season, ending play with 12 points and a game-high nine rebounds.

Southern enters Saturday's contest with a 4-6 overall record after seeing a three-game winning streak snapped during its most recent outing with a 68-57 loss at TCU on Wednesday.

Senior guard Derick Beltran highlights a trio of Jaguars with double-figure scoring averages this season, contributing a team-best 17.3 points per game. Southern is led by second-year head coach Roman Banks, who spent the eight previous seasons as an assistant at the school.

On Nov. 13 of last season, Ray Turner poured in 20 points and the Aggies defeated Southern 83-58 at Reed Arena.

HALF-PRICE HOLIDAY HOOPS

Don't miss your chance to catch a great deal to see all the Aggie basketball action this holiday season with our Half-Price Holiday Hoops promotion.

Included in the promotion are upcoming men's games against Southern (Dec. 22), Army (Dec. 29), Houston Baptist (Jan. 3) and Arkansas (Jan. 9). Additionally, women's games against Prairie View A&M (Dec. 28), Rice (Jan. 1), Alabama (Jan. 3) and Auburn (Jan. 13) are also part of the promotion.

Visit the Reed Arena box office, the 12th Man Foundation's Ticket Center or call 1-(888)-992-4443 to purchase tickets or get more information.

QUICK HITS

• Texas A&M has won three of four all-time meetings with Southern, most recently defeating the Jaguars 83-53 on Nov. 13, 2011, at Reed Arena.
• A&M senior guard Elston Turner enters Saturday's contest second the SEC in 3-point field goal percentage, shooting an impressive .456 from long range ... the Sacramento, Calif., native leads the Aggies and ranks seventh in the league in scoring at 16.1 points per game.
• Turner will be looking to continue a trend of scoring consistency during which he has reach double-digit totals in points each game this season including a pair of career-high setting 26-point performances, most recently on Dec. 1 during a victory at Houston.
• As a team, the Aggies lead the conference with a .402 team 3-point percentage.
• Saturday's game is a part of A&M's "Half-Price Holiday Hoops" promotion and fans can purchase discounted tickets for the contest at the Reed Arena Box Office or by contacting the 12th Man Foundation at (888) 992-4443 or on-line at www.12thmanfoundation.com/ticket-center.

REED ARENA SUCCESS

• A&M is 63-12 at Reed Arena since the start of the 2008-09 season with a 22-11 mark in conference games.
• The Aggies are 97-17 (.851) at home since the start of the 2006-07 season and are 130-22 (.855) since the start of the 2004-05 campaign.
• A&M has won 45 of its last 50 home games against unranked opponents (15 of last 19 in conference play).
• A&M is 171-63 (.731) in 14 seasons at Reed Arena ... the Aggies were 41-41 the first six years at Reed and are 125-22 since.
• Texas A&M are 5-0 in non-conference games at Reed Arena this season ... the Aggies are 106-10 (.914) all-time in non-conference games inside the facility, which hosted its first basketball game in the fall of 1998 ... a loss to Rice on Dec. 22, 2011, snapped A&M's 67-game non-conference home win streak at Reed Arena (which dated back to the start of the 2005-06 season) and 80-game regular-season, non-conference home win streak (which dated back to 2003), both school records.

A FLASHBACK TO LAST SEASON'S MATCH-UP (TEXAS A&M 83, SOUTHERN 58)

Junior forward Ray Turner scored 20 points and No. 20 Texas A&M beat Southern 83-58 Sunday in coach Billy Kennedy's return to the Aggies' sideline.

The 47-year-old Kennedy was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in October of 2011 and had taken a leave of absence from the program under doctor's orders. Associate head coach Glynn Cyprien had led the Aggies in practice and in their season-opening victory over Liberty.

Derick Beltran scored a team-high 19 points for Southern.

A&M raced to a 46-21 halftime lead against the Jaguars, and the contest never was in doubt in the second half. Turner tied his career for the second straight game and the Aggies (2-0) outrebounded the Jaguars 44-21.

A&M outscored the Jaguars 15-0 on second-chance points, and 46-18 in the paint. A&M also outscored Southern 16-8 on fast-break points, and 29-10 off the bench. Forward Kourtney Roberson added 12 points for A&M, while forward David Loubeau and guard Elston Turner had 11 points apiece.