Credit to Brandon Collins | Associate Director, Athletics Communications – 12thman.com
BRYAN-COLLEGE STATION – The Texas A&M women’s basketball team was unable to overcome an early deficit in Monday’s 81-58 loss against the No. 13 LSU Tigers inside Reed Arena.
Texas A&M (17-8, 5-7 SEC) found themselves facing a 21-10 disadvantage after the first quarter and 36-14 at halftime. The Maroon & White outscored the Tigers in the third quarter and shot 57.1% (8-of-14) in the fourth frame but were unable to make enough stops on the defensive end.
Janiah Barker led Texas A&M with her third 20-point effort of the season. She came up just shy of a double-double with 21 points and nine rebounds.
Aicha Coulibaly shot 6-of-9 from the field in the second half to score 14 of her 16 points. She added six rebounds and two steals. Sahara Jones logged 10 points, three rebounds and two steals.
The Aggies were playing without the services of starting guard Endyia Rogers, who averages 12.8 points, 4.2 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game, and key reserve Solé Williams.
Both squads made just 1-of-5 to start the contest, but LSU (22-4, 9-3 SEC) made six consecutive buckets to build a 15-4 advantage at the 4:13 mark of the first quarter. Texas A&M went on a 6-0 run to get back in the fray. LSU closed out the period with a 6-0 surge of its own to take a 21-10 lead into the first intermission.
Trailing 33-12, the Aggies held LSU without a field goal for the last five minutes of the second quarter but were unable to take advantage on the offensive end. The Bayou Bengals went into halftime up by 22.
Texas A&M’s biggest deficit in the third quarter was 31 points on three different occasions, but Lauren Ware sank a pair of free throws at the 2:47 mark to start a 12-2 run to close out the period. Jones scored eight points in the final 1:24, shaving LSU’s advantage to 57-36 at the last break. The Aggies outscored the Tigers 22-21 in the quarter.
The Maroon & White shaved the margin to 18 points on two separate occasions in the fourth quarter but were unable to draw closer down the stretch.
Up Next
The Aggies will return to the hardwood on Thursday, Feb. 22 to play Arkansas inside Reed Arena.
POSTGAME NOTES
RECORDS & SERIES NOTES
Texas A&M is now 16-22 against LSU all-time.
Joni Taylor’s career record falls to 166-103 all-time and to 26-28 in her two seasons with the Aggies.
TEAM NOTES
Texas A&M is the only team this season to out-rebound the Tigers on the offensive glass. The Aggies hauled in 18 offensive boards compared to just 10 from LSU.
Texas A&M began with a starting lineup of Kay Kay Green, Aicha Coulibaly, Sahara Jones, Janiah Barker and Lauren Ware. (0-2).
INDIVIDUAL NOTES
Janiah Barker
Matched her season-high in scoring with a 21-point effort on 9-16 (56.3%) from the field.
Led the team in rebounding with nine boards.
Aicha Coulibaly
Scored in double-digits for the 17th time this season with 16 points while also adding six rebounds.
POSTGAME QUOTES
Head Coach Joni Taylor
On the offense in the first half …
“We were really bad. That’s the only word for it. In the first and second quarter, we were 7-35. So, the possessions weren’t the problem. We were getting attempts, but we have to slow down. We have make sure we’re set and on the same page in terms of what it is. It’s going take some time for us to figure out how to play without our point guard. Credit to LSU for how they came out, but I also think we came out in the third and fourth quarters and had a better feel for the offense.”
On scheming against LSU …
“Well, I think for us a lot of the things are marks that we wanted to hit. I think it was 14 turnovers or less, we hit that mark. We wanted to be within eight on the boards, we were within three and got 18 offensive rebounds. We wanted to make sure we limited their touches at the free throw line because they got there 32 times the last time, we played them. There are marks that we hit, but we’ve got to figure out the offensive end.”
Sophomore Forward Janiah Barker
On the impact that Endiya Rogers brings …
“It’s been two games without her, but I don’t blame that first loss being without Endiya at all. But in a game like this, we definitely need her to win this game. We need her to control the game and shoot the shots that she takes. She produces so much, and we’ve just been trying to figure it out and that’s what’s going on right now. We’re fine, but I’m still proud of the fight that this team had tonight.”
Senior Guard Aicha Coulibaly
On getting good looks on offense …
“I know the shots that I usually take weren’t falling in the first half, but in the second half they started to fall. I feel like we just have to come out and set the tone. LSU came out and punched us first and we were at home. But we can’t let that happen again. We just need to be ready for the next game.”