A&M's valiant performance falls just short as Purdue holds on, 59-53
Seven wasn’t enough this time around.
Severely shorthanded for the second consecutive game, a determined but fatigued Texas A&M team couldn’t hold on late as they fell to Purdue (10-2), 59-53, in their last non-conference matchup of the season on Wednesday at Reed Arena.
Junior guard Kay Kay Green led a gusty final charge, scoring eight of her team-high 14 points in the fourth quarter and playing all 40 minutes. Sydney Bowles poured in 12, while Aaliyah Patty flirted with a double-double with seven points and 11 rebounds.
“We grew a lot in the last 14 days. I’m proud of the seven women that have been available the last couple weeks," A&M head coach Joni Taylor said. "This is the progress we want going into the break. Sometimes measuring success isn’t always in the wins and losses.
“I’m happy with the direction we’re going, and we want to make sure that’s where we continue when we come back. They deserve a break.”
Despite shooting an uninspiring 27 percent from the field in the first quarter, the Aggies managed to only trail by four heading into halftime in what was Purdue’s second lowest-scoring half of the season (26).
A&M’s disciplined effort on defense prevented the Boilermakers from creating much distance as they contained Purdue’s leading scorer, Lasha Petree, to just nine points. The Aggies also controlled the glass, 45-33, and only gave up seven second-chance points.
Patty muscled her way through the inside to open the third quarter on a 5-0 personal run to stake A&M’s first lead since the beginning of the first, 27-26. A back-and-forth battle ensued shortly after as Purdue marched back with three straight 3-pointers.
There were eight lead changes in the third quarter alone, but the Boilermakers headed into the final frame with the upper hand after Jayla Smith’s two baskets underneath the rim spurred a 6-0 run.
With a depleted bench, the Aggies were forced to sub sparingly and paid the price in the fourth as they slowed down on both ends. Another layup by Smith soon extended Purdue’s lead to seven.
Still, Green provided a much-needed boost with back-to-back scores before Jada Malone recovered a crucial offensive rebound to forge a 47-47 tie with 5:06 remaining.
Yet, a three-minute dry spell and late turnovers erased A&M’s hopes for an upset. After going 8-for-10 at the free throw line, they came up empty on two consecutive trips and never recovered.
“We’re still young, figuring everything out, and we just have to execute better coming down the stretch,” Green said. “We had them 49-49, and we made three turnovers or empty possessions, and we couldn’t capitalize on those. Going forward, we just need to capitalize on the small things, and we’ll be fine.”
The Maroon & White (5-5) begin their Southeastern Conference slate next Thursday in Columbia against No. 1 South Carolina. Tip-off is set for 6 p.m. CT.
