Texas A&M women’s basketball secured a victory in its season opener against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, 81-43, on the back of elite defensive play and second-chance points. With almost a completely revamped roster, the Aggies showcased a new identity in their dominant showing over the Islanders.
“This was our first impression of the season, so that says a lot,” Senior guard Ny’Ceara Pryor said. “And to put up that numbers and to stop them on defense, I think that we gave a good identity today.”
Junior forward Fatmata Janneh got things started quickly for the Aggies, contributing with a steal and seven points within the first four minutes to put the Aggies up 11-2. However, a late surge by the Islanders cut the Aggies’ lead to four by the end of the first quarter, 17-13.
Both teams struggled with turnovers in the opening 10 minutes, combining for 14, but an efficient offensive effort kept the Maroon and White ahead.
Janneh continued her dominance in the second quarter, grabbing an offensive rebound and securing the putback. A 3-pointer by junior G Janae Kent gave the Aggies a game high 11 point lead. Graduate student G Jordan Webster continued A&M’s offensive surge, eventually leading to an A&M-Corpus Christi timeout.
“I kicked it out, and they were hitting shots, and I loved that,” Pryor said.
The A&M-Corpus Christi timeout only seemed to hurt the Islanders, as the Aggie trio of Kent, Janneh and graduate student forward Lauren Ware exploded for 11 points to close out the first half with a 22 point lead, 42-20.
The Maroon and White played a clean half, only allowing three free throw attempts to the Islanders. While the turnover woes continued for the A&M-Corpus Christi, A&M polished things up, only giving up two in the second quarter.
The Aggies continued to capitalize on Islander turnovers at the start of the third quarter, when senior G Lemyah Hylton took a steal back to the basket. While the A&M offense remained strong, defense was the name of the game in the third quarter.
The Aggies held the Islanders to a mere eight points in the third quarter, which is no small feat as A&M-Corpus Christi scored 100 points in its season opener against the College of Biblical Studies. The Maroon and White also controlled the boards in the third quarter, bringing in 13 offensive rebounds in return for 13 second chance points.
“We want to play fast, but we also want to stop the team from scoring,” Pryor said. “So I think we did a very good job with, you know, playing and transition, but also getting stops on the defensive.”
The fourth quarter saw more of the same dominance from the Aggies. Pryor shined on both sides of the ball, contributing to five points and two steals. Freshman G Chaney Spencer put the finishing touches on the game with a deep 3-pointer to notch her first career points.
The defensive fortitude from the Aggies didn’t waiver, as they gained a lead and never looked back. Pyror led the way for A&M in both points and assists, 16 and 8, respectively, while Janneh cleaned the glass for a team-high 10 rebounds. Kent also made a big impact off the bench, bringing in 11 points.
“I got a long list of things that we need to continue to work on,” coach Joni Taylor said. “But it was a great first start for us to have so many newcomers. I’m proud of what they were able to do, and hopefully we just can continue to take up in the right direction.”
A&M will look to continue its dominance on Thursday, Nov. 13, when it takes on Tarleton State back in Reed Arena at 11 a.m.
