COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS (AP) – Tyra White scored 19 points andKelsey Bone added 19 points and 15 rebounds as No. 10 Texas A&M outlasted scrappy McNeese State on Friday night.
Twin sisters Ashlyn and Caitlyn Baggett combined for 37 points for McNeese State in a rematch of the first round of last year’s NCAA tournament.
A&M (9-2) got a 40-point win in that one on the way to its first national title. But this time the Cowgirls led in the second half and stuck around for most of the game.
The Aggies led by seven points before a 3-pointer by Caitlyn Baggett got McNeese State (9-4) within 58-54 with about three minutes remaining. A 3-point play by Alexia Standish started a 6-1 run by A&M to extend the lead to 64-55 and the Aggies held on for the win.
White had a tough night despite leading the team in scoring. She made just six of her 20 shots, but was helped by hitting seven of 11 at the line.
The Aggies had a clear height advantage, but struggled to deal with McNeese State’s quickness and aggressiveness. It didn’t help that Texas A&M was playing without starting guard Sydney Carter, who is averaging almost 11 points this season. Carter, who normally plays 33 minutes a game, missed the game with a left foot injury.
Ashlyn Baggett led the team with 19 points and Caitlyn Baggett added 18. The sisters made two 3-pointers apiece.
McNeese State opened the second half with a 10-4 run to take a 34-30 lead with about 16 minutes left. Candace LaCombe made a pair of 3-pointers in that span. A third 3 by LaCombe put McNeese on top 37-36 a couple of minutes later.
Texas A&M regained the lead on a pair of free throws by White soon after that and the Cowgirls didn’t lead again.
A turnover by A&M led to a fastbreak layup by Martika Hull that cut A&M’s lead to 3 with about seven minutes left. The Aggies scored five points in a row after that to push the lead to 57-49 two minutes later.
The Aggies outrebounded McNeese 53-31, but the Cowgirls were able to stay in it in because they made seven 3-pointers while A&M didn’t make any. Texas A&M was helped by making 28 free throws.
The Aggies were up by eight in the first half before McNeese State went on a 15-4 run, powered by 3-pointers by both the Baggett twins, to take a 24-21 lead. Texas A&M missed nine shots and had five turnovers in that span.
Karla Gilbert layup with about 1 1/2 left in the first half left A&M ahead 26-24 at halftime.
It was the last nonconference game for Texas A&M, which opens its last season of Big 12 play on Wednesday at Kansas State.
POSTGAME NOTES
TEAM NOTES
- For the first time this season, Texas A&M used the starting lineup of Adrienne Pratcher, Tyra White,Adaora Elonu, Kristi Bellock and Kelsey Bone… It marked the ninth start of Bone’s Aggie career, the first career start for Bellock, the 12th for Pratcher, 82nd for White and 85th for Elonu.
- Texas A&M improved to 8-2 in the all-time series with McNeese State. In addition, the Aggies have won the last eight meetings between the two teams.
- Texas A&M has now won 48 straight non-conference home games. In addition, the Aggies have won 75 of its last 81 home games.
- The Aggies outscored the Cowgirls 36-20 in the paint.
- The Aggie bench outscored the Cowgirls 24-4.
- A&M held McNeese State to just 27.6 percent shooting (8-29) in the first half.
- A&M’s 43 free-throw attempts were the most since attempting 49 vs. Eastern Kentucky on 11/18/00. Its 28 free throws made were the most since making 29 vs. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on 2/8/05.
INDIVIDUAL NOTES
- White has now started in 69 straight games, a streak that started on Jan. 4, 2010 against Lamar.
- White has scored double figures in 17 of her last 18 games.
- Bone tallied her 10th career and second double-double as an Aggie. Her 15 rebounds matched a career high.
- Kelsey Assarian (7) and Bellock (5) both grabbed season-high rebounds.
- Cierra Windham added a season-high 8 points.
POSTGAME QUOTES
A&M HEAD COACH GARY BLAIR
Opening Statement
We deserved to lose today, not because of how we played, but because of the dumb coaches’ decision to give our kids eight days off for Christmas. The four days we’ve been back practicing, we look just like what you saw out there. Nothing has changed from the four practices. It’s my fault completely. I’ve never given a team eight days in my life. It’s nice to be with your family, but you’ve got to get back to work. I think we were struggling before we were off. The last four games, we had not been playing well. It’s pretty simple and we’re making the game hard. We have some deficiencies we have to fix and it starts with the head coach. If we can’t stop dribble penetration out there, what are we going to do when we see the Odyssey Sims and the Brittany Chambers of the Big 12. I’m in charge of the offense and right now the offense is not working. We’ll keep working; we’ll go back to it. Do I sound down? I am down, because that was not entertaining for the fans and I did a poor job of preparation.
On Sydney Carter
We could have used Carter. We can always use Carter, but what are we going to do next year without her? What are we going to do to create the 20 shots Tyra had to take? She had to go the whole 40 because I had no other scoring options. We need her defense, we need her leadership. At least she can stop dribble penetration.
On Kelsey Bone‘s performance
Bone did a pretty good job on offense. She was active. She would have had 25 if she would have used the glass. It’s easy to lay the ball up over 5-11 post players, but in the Big 12, you’re going to have to be a force and be able to pin the ball.
On moving to a zone defense in the first half
When I went to the zone with five minutes to go in the first half, they didn’t score another basket. It’s not that we looked good, but they didn’t score. So sometimes changing the defense might work to at least stop the dribble penetration. Give the Baggett kids a lot of credit. They played outstanding and within themselves.
On the play of A&M’s guards
I’ve always won with guards. Pratcher came in and did a decent job and she has to play well. With (Alexia) Standish, we’re just trying to keep her feet wet. Give (Cierra) Windham some credit, she came in and hit eight big points for us when we had to have it. I’m proud of her because she’s been waiting her time on the bench for an opportunity. She did a better job defensively on the wing than the other players.
On Standish coming through in the clutch down the stretch
We have the confidence to play her there. What you’re seeing from Standish, coming off of her ACL injury, she’s thinks she’s back, but she’s not near what she was with that explosive power. She’s thinking too much. I want her to blow and go. We were playing her at the two-guard some tonight and you might see more of that if Carter stays out.
SENIOR GUARD TYRA WHITE
On her slow start but strong finish in the game
It comes with not having Carter out there as a wing presence and having to move Adaora to the three. Coach Blair wanted me to take 25 shots today, I didn’t quite get it, but that’s what he wanted. Towards the second half, I played pretty well and I think I stepped up to the plate. Kelsey (Bone) did a good job too, getting a lot of offensive rebounds off our misses.
On what the team needs to improve on going into Big 12 play
When we watch film, I think it will show that our fast break needs to get better. If you watched the tournament last year, we had 20-25 points off fast break and transition points. I think that’s the big key and we want to get more points off that. If our defense gets turnovers, then that leads to easy points, so if my shots or Carter’s shots aren’t falling we can get easy points like that.
JUNIOR CENTER KELSEY BONE
On if the team had rust after its time off
Any time a team takes more than one day off there is going to be rust. We had seven-and-a-half days at home. More than just the break affecting this game, we were down four (players) and of those four we were missing Sydney Carter. For us younger ones who are still going to be here next year, that was a good lesson and it was a good time for us to step up and be leaders on the floor. We came out with a W. It wasn’t as pretty as we would have liked, but for this team who’s still trying to find its identity, it was a great win.