The Texas A&M Aggies toppled the Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Islanders ,73-50, to start the 2023-24 season.
The Aggies had only nine wins last season, but made a deep run in the SEC Tournament. They carried that momentum into earning their first win of the season at Gary Blair Court in Reed Arena.
Coach Joni Taylor signed four transfers in the offseason, three of whom got the start in graduate guard Endyia Rogers, senior guard Aicha Coulibaly and junior forward Lauren Ware.
The two returning to the starting lineup for the Aggies were sophomore forward Janiah Barker and senior guard Sahara Jones.
Barker was named to the preseason All-SEC first team, and Coulibaly was selected to the second team.
Missing from the starting lineup was sophomore guard Sydney Bowles who was the only returning player to appear and start in every game last season.
The Aggies went on a 10-0 run to start the game and coach Taylor’s squad ended the first quarter leading the Islanders, 20-13. Rogers had seven of the Aggie’s points, while Bowles also hit a corner 3 to stretch the lead.
During the second quarter, Coulibaly earned her 1,000th career point. Despite struggling from behind the arc, making just two of ten from three-point range, the Aggies carried a 37-23 lead going into the half.
At the end of the third, the Aggies led 53-34 and were on the way to the team’s first win of the season. In the third, Ware led the scoring for the Aggies with 7 points, followed by Couibaly who had 6.
Come the end of the fourth, the Aggies earned the 73-50 win and sent the Islanders back home with a loss.
“That’s not me,” Rogers said. “I normally shoot better. Maybe a little bit of first-game jitters. It’ll get better. That’s not us, that’s not this team.”
All three of the transfer starters for coach Taylor shined , as Ware flirted with a triple-double with 15 points, 12 rebounds and 5 blocks.
Coulibaly led the team in scoring with 17 , andRogers earned herself 12 points, 6 assists and 4 steals.
Sydney Bowles, despite starting every game last season, started today on the bench.
“She looked great, she has a good understanding of what we want to do because of what she did last year as a true freshman, and she wants to do whatever she can to help this team win,” Taylor said.
Taylor said that despite the poor weather and mid-week opener, she was disappointed in the attendance at Reed Arena.
“I have high expectations,” Taylor said. “So I would’ve loved to see more people in the stands than what we saw … I’m grateful for our fans that were there. Our die-hard fans, our loyal fans. Thank you for coming, continue to come, but we’ve got to pack Reed.”
A&M is back in action on Sunday, Nov. 12 to face off against the North Texas Mean Green at Reed Arena at 2 p.m.