Thoughts: Supporting cast, guards catalyze A&M's 79-66 victory

For the second game in a row, Tyra White did not suit up for the Aggies. And for the second game in a row, Gary Blair's team stepped up to the challenge and won a game. There were no standout performances like last night, when Sydney Carter and Alexia Standish combined for 46 points, 11 assists, seven rebounds and a steal, but the Aggies did have a couple of role players rise to the occasion.

Skylar Collins scored a career-high 15 points, shooting 50 percent from the field and adding two steals, one assist and one rebound to her stat line. Collins was announced as a starter for today's match up with Oklahoma and made the most of her time on the court. She logged 35 minutes of action and looked like a veteran to the starting lineup. Her ability to knock down big shots from behind the arc throughout the game and the effort she showed in the second half to get on the floor after loose balls sparked the Ags to a 7-0 run, extending the A&M lead to 12 points with ten minutes remaining in the game.

Skylar did what an experienced senior should do: Let the game come to her and not force the action. She played within herself and the team and Gary Blair rewarded her with an abundance of playing time.

Another player that hasn't been talked about a lot this season but definitely had an impact against Oklahoma is Kristi Bellock. While only playing 13 minutes — all in the second half — Bellock scored six points and found her way to eight rebounds, five on the offensive end, two assists, one block and one steal. Each offensive rebound gave A&M an extra opportunity to increase their lead and added to the Aggies momentum. It was Bellock's time to shine and she took complete advantage of the situation.

And while the role players were the standout stories of today's game, it was the guard play that continued to learn and grow and lead Blair's team to victory. Sydney Carter and Alexia Standish controlled the tempo of the offense and executed the game plan. Carter has proven her leadership abilities in her four years at College Station, but Standish is starting to show how valuable she is and will be to this team during her career. Last night, the two guards combined to play 78 minutes and followed that performance by logging a combined 69 minutes today.

Every minute with the ball in her hands increases Standish's confidence and her teammates' confidence in what may be their newfound leader.

Consistent guard play has been one of the biggest areas of need for the Ags and, as the postseason has rolled around, Blair and company need to have a consistent player to step up and take the Aggies to the next level of play. If Standish can continue to handle the pressure and direct the team like she has in the last two games, A&M has the chance to peak at just the right time — heading into the championship game of the Big 12 Conference Tournament and March Madness.