The Texas A&M women’s basketball team saw major changes in the NCAA rulebook before stepping onto the hardwood, including four 10 minute quarters instead of two 20 minute halves.
Nevertheless, the No. 13 Aggies (1-0) topped Texas State (0-1) 87-50 in its season opener in Reed Arena.
The Aggies saw four players in double digits, with Khaalia Hillsman leading the charge with 17 points and Courtney Walker following with 16. Freshman Danni Williams saw her first game in an A&M uniform and tallied 14.
A&M jumped out to a 16-3 lead to start the game and retained it dominance for the majority. The Bobcats regained composure but remained at a large deficit for the remainder of the first quarter. The Aggies dominated the paint with 10 points over the Bobcats two, with the help of eight second chance points for A&M and finished with a 23-11 score to finish out the quarter.
Both teams started off the second quarter rather slow, but the Aggies were able to regain momentum that was rounded out by a freshman Danni Williams three pointer to give the Aggies a 41-15 lead.
“It felt good [to play in my first collegiate game],” Danni Williams said. “The seniors are really good at leading… When I was open, [my teammates] found me the ball so I give them credit… Practice in summer has really helped, it’s a big jump. For the first couple of weeks, I struggled getting my shot off because it’s a much faster pace.
The third quarter weighted a bit more relaxed for the Aggies as they were able to continue to further their lead from the Bobcats. The Aggies were able to gain a field goal percentage of 57.9% to start out the second half with 18 points from the paint, nine points also came off of turnovers. Shlonte Allen and Anriel Howard both finished the quarter at the line, with only Howard claiming a point. A&M retained its large lead, 71-32.
“Texas State played better in the second half,” Texas A&M head coach Gary Blair said. “They shot the three ball extremely well in the second and that’s on us… Jordan Jones did a good job of feeding the post players, where they didn’t have to put it on the floor. Walker was Walker; Williams wasn’t herself until the second half when she stopped taking hard shots and made it easier for herself.”
Both teams let up in the final quarter, with a clear A&M victory set forth. A&M scored on 16 points in the fourth and the Bobcats tallied 18, the most for the night. The final score of 87-50 set the Aggies in the win column heading into their 2015-16 campaign. Texas State head coach Zenarae Antoine said she was glad to have the opportunity to play a team like A&M to test where her team is at.
“This game was evident that we got tested in a lot of different way,” Antoine said. “What I appreciate about the game is that the team was able to step up there towards the end and show poise… One game isn’t going to determine your entire season, for sure this first game won’t; it’s going to help us grow and get better.”
The Aggies will continue non-conference action in Reed Arena Sunday, October 15, against Southern with tip-off scheduled at 4:00 p.m. The match will be broadcast on SEC Network +.
