'Horns hit the road to battle A&M

With no mid-week game, the Longhorns must have used the extra days off to recharge their batteries, to meditate or to become one with the universe before taking on Texas A&M, right?

As it turns out, the leisurely approach isn't Texas coach Gail Goestenkors' style, especially with the team reeling from back-to-back losses and still searching for its first Big 12 road win.

Goestenkors upped the intensity level during the practices with hopes that her team will be prepared when they face Texas A&M at Reed Arena on Saturday.

"I think we don't need any more [week-long] breaks," guard Erneisha Bailey said. "It's been more like a preseason practice than a mid-conference one."

After dropping a heartbreaker to Baylor and getting blown out against Oklahoma, the road isn't getting any easier for the Longhorns (15-7, 3-5 Big 12), who face Baylor at home after taking on A&M.

In a competitive conference, Goestenkors believes there's no margin for error when it comes to earning the top seeds in the Big 12 and NCAA tournaments.

"There's such a logjam," Goestenkors said. "I think the difference between our one, two, three and four teams is going to be one game."

So before they fall too far behind in the standings, Texas needs a win on the road in conference and would like it to come against the Aggies (16-6, 4-4).

"I've never won at A&M in my four years, so this is going to be a big one," Bailey said.

While they won't be facing Oklahoma's towering Paris sisters in College Station, Goestenkors said the team has been working on stopping guard penetration.

The Longhorns will need to be prepared if they want to curb A&M's Takia Starks. The Aggies' guard comes in averaging 17.6 points per game and was named a Naismith Trophy finalist this week.

"She's the one that really makes them go," Goestenkors said. "We can't let her have an All-American night."

Goestenkors said she'll mostly use Bailey and Brittainey Raven to guard Starks.

"It's going to be about guard play," Bailey said. "I'm just going to try to stay on her hip and play the way Coach wants me to."

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