With a 33-point cushion between the two teams in the fourth quarter, the No. 22 Texas A&M women’s basketball team was unable to close the score gap and fell to the No. 5 Mississippi State Bulldogs 92-64 on Sunday at Reed Arena.
A&M head coach Gary Blair said every point is crucial in any game and the Aggies were unable to finish what they started in the first quarter.
“Second quarter has been our Achilles’ Heel,” Blair said. “We also caught them after coming back from a home loss and now Tennessee is going to catch us with a home loss. It will just be up to how we respond. Mississippi State responded how they should have. I think they are one of the top four team in the country.”
The Aggies now move down to a 19-6 overall season record and earn its fourth SEC loss. The Bulldogs, who have only one loss in conference play, advance their overall season record to 23-2.
Former forward for A&M, Anriel Howard—who decided to play her senior season with Mississippi State— returned to College Station and contributed 19 points and 13 rebounds to the victory. Howard returned to the game in the second half after being sent to the bench in the first half.
“I had a couple turnovers from trying to force shots. I was trying my counter-moves but I didn’t have my feet right, I kept traveling,” Howard. “So coach took me out, and wanted me to regroup in the second half. And I got together took a breath and just let the game come to me.”
Mississippi State took an early 10-6 lead in the first quarter, but was left four points behind A&M after sophomore guard Chennedy Carter went on a 16-point scoring run, giving the Aggies a 24-20 lead going into the second.
Both teams went back-and-forth in the second, even tying up the game at the 6:29 mark. In third quarter, however, the Bulldogs pulled ahead by 13 points and held the lead throughout the second half. The Bulldogs’ biggest lead came in the fourth quarter after senior center Teaira McCowan shot two free throws and gave her team the 33-point advantage over the Aggies.
Sophomore guard Andra Espinoza-Hunter contributed the most points for Mississippi State with 24. Espinoza-Hunter also dominated the three-point line with seven of the nine three-pointers by Mississippi State, compared to A&M’s two from Carter.
Espinoza-Hunter said she credits her success to her teammates and coaches because of support they provide on the court.
“It definitely goes to my teammates. Like I said at the LSU game, their confidence in myself and coach’s confidence, it helps my confidence a lot,” Espinoza-Hunter said.
Carter led the Aggies with 28 points, two three-pointers and three assists. Carter was followed by fellow sophomore guard Kayla Wells who completed the game with 13 points and five free throws.
Defensively, A&M was led by sophomore forward N’dea Jones who had 10 rebounds and sophomore center Ciera Johnson who had six rebounds and one block.
The Aggies will return to Reed Arena on Thursday to face the Tennessee Volunteers and close out their three-game stand at home. Tipoff is set for 8 p.m. and will be televised on the SEC Network.