No. 10 Texas A&M women’s basketball extended its win streak to seven on Tuesday, Dec. 15, with a 99-69 win over Sam Houston State.
The Sam Houston Bearkats managed to get the first possession of the ball to start off the game but senior forward N’dea Jones immediately recorded a steal and score to set the tone early.
A&M coach Gary Blair said he is proud of the show the Aggies put on, but looked to the competition ahead and acknowledged areas that need improvement.
“Playing consistently hard every play seems to be a problem for us,” Blair said. “These smaller teams that we’re playing are quicker, they’re showing shot, they’re a driving team, but give [Sam Houston State] credit, they shot the three ball extremely well today and made some tough shots.”
Other than a five-point scoring run early in the first quarter by the Bearkats, the Aggies controlled the game and dominated on both sides of the ball. A&M garnered 10 points after briefly being down by three, then advanced its lead to 15 to end the first quarter with a score of 27-12.
The Bearkats came alive in bursts throughout the second quarter, making 6-of-6 of their three-pointers, 13-of-25 overall, that ultimately kept them in the game. The Aggies took a different approach offensively, attempting zero shots from behind the arc but shooting efficiently and consistently inside the paint, 69 percent from the floor.
“I don’t think this year it will be a question of if we can score and get points on the board, it’s pretty obvious we can do that,” senior guard Aaliyah Wilson said. “I think our main formula for success will be figuring out how to compete and stop other teams, not allowing them to score.”
The maroon and white were also consistent in free throws, as they made 12-of-16 in the first half, 22-of-30 overall. A&M outscored Sam Houston in the second quarter and garnered a 19-point lead heading into the break with a score of 55-36.
The dominance by the Aggies did not slow down in the third quarter. A&M once again outscored the Bearkats in the third quarter, 30-12, with highlights including a three-point shot made by A&M’s leader in points, Wilson, and a reverse layup by sophomore guard Jordan Nixon.
The maroon and white cruised into the final quarter with a 37-point lead with five Aggies putting up double-digit scores: Wilson, Nixon, Jones, senior center Ciera Johnson and senior guard Kayla Wells.
An extensive lead in the fourth quarter allowed the Aggies’ bench to come in and see some action. The maroon and white displayed great effort and battled to the final buzzer.
“This is the time of year you want to play your bench, get some minutes and try to save some legs,” Blair said. “We’re getting ready for an undefeated Rice team coming in here next.”
The Aggies remain undefeated with a 99-69 victory over Sam Houston State, the 13th straight win over the Bearkats.
The maroon and white will be back in action at Reed Arena on Sunday, Dec. 20, as they host Rice. Tip off is scheduled for 2 p.m.