Texas A&M women’s basketball fell to Mississippi State 81-55 in Starkville on Sunday, Feb. 23. Despite a positive start to the game, A&M couldn’t withstand the emotionally charged Bulldogs, who were celebrating their senior night.
The Aggies entered Humphrey Coliseum on a seven-game losing streak. However, recovering from a difficult period of play was not the only difficulty the Maroon and White faced, as coach Joni Taylor’s team began the contest with only eight healthy players.
The first quarter started poorly for A&M, as a combination of poor interior defense and defensive rebounding saw the Aggies trail by as many as eight. However, a flurry of 3-pointers from junior guard Kyndall Hunter ate into the Bulldogs’ lead. At the end of the quarter, Mississippi State led 19-18.
The beginning of the second quarter of play saw the Aggies battle for the lead. Junior forward Lauren Ware provided a much-needed scoring presence and was fouled several times by junior center Madina Okot.
The Fightin’ Farmers had no answer for Okot’s 6-foot-6 frame, so pushing her into foul trouble appeared the only way to slow down the Kenyan native. This period of ascendency for the Maroon and White did not last long, as the home team eventually adapted and returned to their early-game dominance.
A series of Aggie turnovers, poor defensive rebounding and Okot’s power resulted in Mississippi State leading 36-28 after 20 minutes of play.
Like most of this season’s games, the first half was difficult for the Aggies, but it was not without positive signs for the future. Ware was exceptional on offense and battled in both the offensive and defensive paint. Jada Malone, the junior F from Spring, also stood out. While her box score impact did not compare to Ware’s 19 points and six rebounds, she provided an interior presence of offense and hustled on both ends.
In the third quarter, the Bulldogs caught fire from behind the arc and continued to prevent the Aggies from establishing any rhythm on offense, resulting in Mississippi State leading 63-39.
The fourth quarter was no different, as the depleted Aggies completed the final 10 minutes in unremarkable fashion. After 40 minutes of bludgeoning, the Bulldogs defeated them 81-55. A&M drops their eighth straight and moves to 10-16 overall.
The Maroon and White have had a challenging month, with a full month now standing between their last win against Kentucky on Jan. 23. A combination of injuries, poor form and difficult opponents has seen a promising start to the season wasted.
However, the Aggies can get back on track when they take on Vanderbilt in Reed Arena on Thursday, Feb. 27, and Arkansas in Fayetteville on March 2.
Winning the Southeastern Conference Tournament represents the Aggies’ last chance of making the NCAA Tournament, so Taylor’s team must recover physically and emotionally from this poor performance.
