Third-ranked Texas A&M handled Alabama, 73-67, Thursday night, snapping the Tide’s three-game winning streak to get one step closer to securing the number one seed of the SEC tournament.
Despite already securing a double-bye in next week’s conference tournament, Thursday’s win was important for the Aggies (21-1, 12-1 SEC) as Sunday’s matchup versus No. 5 South Carolina will now determine the SEC regular-season championship and number one seed.
Head Coach Gary Blair stressed the importance of the victory.
“Our kids accepted the challenge that was given to them because we had to win tonight to make Sunday’s game meaningful,” said Coach Blair. “It’s always meaningful anytime you play South Carolina, but we wanted that chance. Sunday afternoon is going to be a treat.”
The Aggies came out the gate explosive and demonstrated their depth as six players registered points in the first quarter. The Maroon and White led at the end of the first, 19-14. Texas A&M’s all-time leader in double-doubles’ N’dea Jones recorded her 13th of the season, grabbing 8 rebounds in quarter one and 13 total, coupled with 12 points for the Aggies.
“...We know how to win games. We make key plays at the end of the game and do the little things when it counts.”
- Senior guard Kayla Wells
The Crimson Tide fought back in the second frame, tying it up twice at 23-23 and 29-29. Jasmine Walker hit her only three of the night to push Alabama to a 26-23 lead. After the second knot at 29-29, the Aggie offense cruised to 13 unanswered points. Jordan Nixon closed out the half with a trey as the buzzer sounded in Coleman Coliseum, giving A&M a 42-29 lead at the break.
Aaliyah Wilson explained the importance of holding Walker, who averages 20.8 points and 9.9 rebounds per game, to just 11 points in tonight’s game.
“Coach [Bob] Starkey always has his defensive schemes,” said Wilson. “We knew if we took her away and kept Lewis off the free-throw line, we’d be in a game where we could get up on them. Jasmine is one of the best players in the league. Keeping her at low points tonight was a huge part of us getting the win.”
After Hannah Barber’s three-pointer opened up the third quarter for the Tide, Alabama suffered a five-minute scoring drought, from which they never recovered. The Aggies led 62-44 heading into the fourth.
Blair highlighted the big runs his team made in the second and third quarters.
“The difference was, we were able to make a run in the second and third quarter. Our bench was very important in both of those runs. Anna [Dreimane] came in and gave us some big-time minutes, so did Zaay [Green], McKinzie [Green] and I just call Destiny [Pitts] a starter.”
Lia Musgrave, TexAgs
Sophomore Jordan Nixon led the team in points, steals and blocks on Thursday.
Alabama gained traction in the final quarter, firing back with 13 points, making it 66-57 with six minutes remaining. Megan Abrams made a crucial three-pointer for the Tide to bring them back within two possessions. After an exchange of points, Bama’s Jordan Lewis knocked down another three, making it a five-point ball game for the Tide with a minute and a half remaining.
A&M’s Destiny Pitts drew a foul and knocked down both from the line for the Aggies, pushing the score to 72-65 with less than a minute on the clock. Texas A&M called a timeout with 11 seconds remaining before Jordan Nixon drew a foul and knocked down a free-throw, adding her 16th and final point of the game.
Alabama’s Destiny Rice made a final layup for the Tide, but it wasn’t enough to handle the Aggies, 73-67.
Nixon and Kayla Wells led the Aggies in scoring, both recording 16 points. Afterward, Wells emphasized the value of A&M’s experience in crucial game situations.
“We have four seniors and one redshirt junior out there and we know how to win games. We make key plays at the end of the game and do the little things when it counts.”
The Aggies will return to Reed Arena on Sunday for the top-five matchup against South Carolina, A&M’s final regular-season home game. The contest will tip at 1:00 p.m. and will be televised on ESPN2 and can be heard on 1620 AM and 94.5 FM.
