But while the Aggies’ offense has been productive in averaging 75.8 points a game, it’s the defense, which has allowed 54.3 points a game, that has bruised the bodies and egos of the opposition.

“This will probably be the best team defensively we’ve played all year,” Kansas University coach Bill Self said, aware A&M held Oklahoma State to 33.3 percent shooting in a 67-49 victory over the Cowboys on Jan. 20 in College Station, Texas.

“They’ve done a great job in making it hard for their opponents to score. These guys are pretty sound all around.”

The 10th-ranked Aggies, who take an 18-3 record, 6-1 in Big 12 play, into today’s 8 p.m. battle at No. 6 KU (19-3, 6-1), are ranked No. 2 in the country and tops in the league in scoring defense (54.3), No. 1 in the country in field-goal percentage defense (34.9) and No. 1 in the league three-point field-goal percentage defense (26.9).

No team has scored more than 70 points versus A&M all season. Texas Tech hit 70 in a two-point victory over A&M on Jan. 24 in Lubbock.

“Its about stealing possessions, loose balls, not letting the other team get easy points,” Self said of the Aggies’ defense. “They take pride in making you make plays as opposed to giving you points. It’s the same way we try to attack defensively.

“They will try to take us out of a few things we do. Hopefully we are versatile enough we can attack them in multiple spots.”

Kansas is ranked third in the league in scoring defense (60 ppg), second in the league and sixth nationally in field-goal percentage defense (37.6) and fifth in the conference in three-point field-goal percentage defense (33.4).

The Jayhawks are second in the league in rebounds per game (39.7), while the Aggies are 10th at 35.3.

“It will be a battle inside,” Self said. “There will be bodies banging, guys laying on guys. It will be a physical game. I’m sure it’s the way they like it to be. I don’t think we’ll shy away from that.”

A&M has an imposing frontline in 6-foot-9, 250-pound junior Joseph Jones and 6-10, 250-pound senior Antanas Kavaliauskas.

“Our big guys aren’t as big,” Self said. “Sasha (Kaun) is; Darnell (Jackson) is, but Julian (Wright) is basically a 3-man playing the 4. Shady (Arthur) is a 31â2. They’ll play two legitimate big guys just about all the minutes of the game.

“I think we’ve shown we can do it and we’ll rise to the occasion. We have to play tough.”

Added guard Russell Robinson: “The game will come to who is tougher. A&M is a tough team. We are as well.”

Of course the Aggies have more than inside players. Senior point guard Acie Law averages 16.6 points and 4.9 assists a game. He’s joined in the backcourt by junior Dominique Kirk (6.6 ppg) and soph swingman Josh Carter (11.7 ppg).

Of Law, Self said: “He is very tough and very fast. I think he has the game to play in the NBA. He can score with either hand. He’s a great off-balance shooter, probably one of the best we’ll play all year.”

The Aggies, who have beaten every Big 12 team except KU, nearly shocked the Jayhawks two seasons ago in Allen Fieldhouse, falling late, 65-60.

“They were a little short handed (without Wayne Simien), and we probably caught them at a pretty good time,” A&M coach Billy Gillispie said. “When you go in there, it’s definitely one of the best home court advantages in the country. But if they didn’t always have a great team, they’d have a hard time like everyone else.

“They’ve got a team this year that’s capable of winning the whole thing. When you go up there, you have plenty to worry about even before you get to the crowd.”

¢Guard Sherron Collins and forward Brandon Rush said it was no big deal waiting all day for an 8 p.m. tip.

“Not really. It’s like a normal game, but it will be a lot louder than other games. It’ll be packed. College GameDay … we’ve got to go in thinking it’s another game,” Collins said.

“I don’t think it changes anything. I think we played some games at night time on Saturday. It’s no difference to us,” Rush said. “I think we’ll keep our heads on the prize trying to get a win over A&M instead of worrying about GameDay.”

Asked who his favorite GameDay announcer (of the group of Jay Bilas, Rece Davis, Hubert Davis and Digger Phelps), Rush grinned: “I like Jay Bilas a lot. He keeps it real. He will tell you things that are facts instead of stuff that’s made up sometimes.”