Top-seeded Aggies fall to Georgia, 74-68, in SEC Tournament semifinal
Texas A&M’s run in the SEC Tournament came to an end after the Aggies dropped the semifinal game, 74-68, against #4 Georgia Lady Bulldogs. Georgia’s hot start from the field carried them throughout the game as the Bulldogs finished a stellar 8-of-14 (57 percent) from deep.
Throughout the season, the Aggies had a bad habit of starting slow.
Early in Saturday’s contest, Texas A&M could not keep up with Georgia’s extraordinary shooting. The Lady Bulldogs finished the first quarter with 25 points and a 12-point lead while connecting four times from beyond the arc.
“That’s something we need to work on before the tournament,” said Aggie post N’dea Jones regarding their slow starts. “They exposed our slow starts, and we need to take that as a lesson.”
Despite trailing by double-digits, Texas A&M responded with a stellar quarter of their own, out-scoring Georgia 22-7 in the second period.
The Aggies went on a 12-0 run, holding Georgia scoreless halfway through the second. N’dea Jones was efficient in the second, scoring eight points while shooting 3-of-3 from the field and two free throws.
With two one-sided quarters in the first half, the script was flipped in the third quarter. Both teams went back and forth, trading buckets and getting what they wanted offensively.
A&M trailed 41-38 early but responded with an 8-0 run to take momentum. While it seemed like A&M would pull away, Georgia responded with their own run to tighten the game once again.
“We gave them some of the easiest six points ever in the third quarter,” said Texas A&M head coach Gary Blair.
A&M led 50-49 to begin the final stanza, but Georgia caught fire once again. The Bulldogs hit two consecutive threes to extend their lead to eight. The Aggies would never retake the lead.
With the loss, Texas A&M now turns their attention to the NCAA Tournament. Due to COVID-19, all games will be played in the central-Texas area, mainly in San Antonio.
“I’m happy for our fans and parents,” Blair said regarding the location of the tournament. “All games will be considered a home game, and that’s an advantage for us.”
The Aggies now await Selection Monday to learn their seeding for the big dance as the bracket is revealed on March 15. The Maroon & White still project as a No. 1 seed at 23-2 and an SEC regular-season title.
The 2021 NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament begins on March 21.