The Aggie women’s basketball team lost to Ole Miss in Oxford on Sunday 62-49 to end the regular season. The Aggies started out slow and could never recover, despite leading at one point in the third quarter. A&M falls to 19-10 and 9-7 in conference, while Ole Miss improves to 17-12 and 6-10 in SEC play with the win.
A&M has now lost four straight after beating then-No. 24 Tennessee on the road, which was the first time Texas A&M head coach Gary Blair has ever beaten the Lady Volunteers in Knoxville. On Sunday, the Aggies were down 19-9 at the end of the first quarter which ended with their lowest scoring output of the year. The game was tied at 32 with 1:37 left in the third quarter before Ole Miss ran away with a 19-5 run burying the Aggie’s hopes of winning.
On Sunday, the Aggies were led by sophomore forward Anriel Howard, junior center Khaalia Hillsman and senior guard Curtyce Knox. Howard scored a team high 14 points and grabbed nine rebounds, Hillsman fouled out in the fourth quarter but still scored 10 points and had five rebounds. Knox scored 8 points and had seven assists.
The Rebels were led by junior guard Shandricka Sessom, senior forward Shequila Joseph, and senior forward Taylor Manuel. Sessom was a stat-stuffer on Sunday as she scored a team leading 13 points and had seven rebounds, six assists, and three steals. Joseph scored 11 points and grabbed seven boards and Manuel had 10 points and three assists. The two seniors, Joseph and Manuel, were playing their last games at The Pavilion at Ole Miss.
The Aggies now head to the SEC Tournament in Greenville, South Carolina. The Aggies will be seeded sixth and will play either the 11 seed Florida or the 14 seed Arkansas on Thursday.