Second-half rally erases 14-point deficit as Ags down Hogs, 73-67

In a crucial SEC matchup, the Texas A&M Aggies (18-8, 6-7) got the best of the Arkansas Razorbacks (18-10, 6-7) in Thursday’s contest at Reed Arena.

With both teams missing their leading scorers — Endyia Rogers (12.8 ppg) and Taliah Scott (22.1) — the Aggies proved to have more depth with a huge comeback win over the Razorbacks, 73-67.

The Aggies were held scoreless for the first three minutes of the game until Kay Kay Green knocked down the first of A&M’s eight 3-pointers.

“We’ve got capable shooters,“ A&M head coach Joni Taylor said. “We just keep encouraging them to take the right shots and take good shots.”

Arkansas entered the contest leading the SEC in triples per game but started 0-for-7 from behind the arc in the first quarter.

A&M outrebounded Arkansas 18-9, but it amounted to just a two-point lead heading into the second quarter due to multiple turnovers and a lackluster shooting start.

While Arkansas found its groove in the second quarter, the Aggies went cold, forcing up shots, resulting in a scoreless streak of over seven minutes to end the quarter.

When it was all said and done, the disastrous second quarter saw the Aggies get outscored 17-5 and allowed Arkansas to build a 30-20 lead heading into halftime.

But they play four quarters for a reason.

“I don’t think we were mad; we were just trying to figure it out,” Aicha Coulibaly said. “We know this is what we’re still working on. The first and second quarters are not our best. We come out in the third quarter and punch people in the face.”

The Razorbacks started the third by knocking down two 3-pointers in 50 seconds to take a 14-point lead.

However, Janiah Barker and the Aggies would not go quietly. 

“What helped us in the third quarter was we came out and pushed the pace and the tempo,” Taylor said. “Janiah makes good decisions; she gets downhill and comes down and makes a three. It just opens things up and takes some pressure off of us.”

Barker scored six straight points, including an emphatic and-one and a transition 3-pointer, to spark a 12-0 run that brought A&M within two.

“When we see and-ones, we’re screaming,” Sydney Bowles said. “We know we feed off each other’s energy, and you really saw that today.”

As both teams traded the lead back and forth, Solè Williams hit a buzzer-beating triple to give the Aggies a 49-48 lead heading into the final quarter.

After scoring just 20 points in the first half, A&M’s offense exploded for 29 points in the third quarter on 80 percent shooting from the field. 

The Aggies continued their hot shooting into the fourth quarter, knocking down back-to-back 3-pointers.

The Razorbacks battled late and took the lead on a deep 3-pointer to go up 65-64 with under three minutes left.

Sahara Jones immediately took the lead back with a jumper, and the Aggies never looked back.

Chris Swann, TexAgs

Janiah Barker led the Aggies with 16 points in the game. 

Barker had her fingerprints all over the late run, knocking down tough shots and forcing turnovers when the Aggies needed her most. She totaled 16 points and a career-high 15 rebounds for her eighth double-double of the season.

“When she gets in that dominating mode, she has the ability to be one of the best players in the country,” Arkansas head coach Mike Neighbors said of Barker. “When she’s dominant like that, now you’ve got a real problem.”

A&M snapped its two-game losing streak and won their sixth straight game over Arkansas at Reed Arena.

Up next, the Aggies will travel to The Plains for a Sunday meeting with the Auburn Tigers.