COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS (AP) — Texas A&M coach Gary Blair didn’t spend any time celebrating his 200th win with the Aggies on Wednesday night.
Instead, he was worried about getting his defending national champions to enough wins this season to make sure they get a spot in the opening round of the NCAA tournament, which the school is hosting.
“It doesn’t mean anything,” Blair said of the milestone. “Twenty wins this year will mean something to me because I know that I won’t be selling popcorn up top in the first and second rounds. We don’t want to (not make it.)”
Sydney Carter and Adaora Elonu each scored 16 points and No. 14/13 Texas A&M beat Missouri 78-52 to give Blair the milestone victory.
It is Texas A&M’s eighth straight win over Missouri (10-6, 0-5 Big 12) and leaves the Tigers winless in Big 12 play.
Carter, a senior, applauded Blair’s accomplishment.
“It’s big,” she said. “I’ve been with him four years now and it’s nice to see him reach those milestones that he wants to get to and continue to be successful with what he’s doing. We’re just happy for him and proud to be a part of him and the history he’s making here at A&M.”
The Aggies were up by nine points early in the second half before going on an 8-0 run to extend the lead to 58-41 with about 10 minutes remaining. Missouri’s Morgan Eye hit a 3-pointer before Texas A&M (12-4, 3-2) used a 14-2 spurt, keyed by 3s from Tyra White and Adrienne Pratcher, to push its advantage to 72-46 with about three minutes left.
Missouri was led by Christine Flores, who had 13 points.
White added 15 points for the Aggies and had six rebounds and five assists. Kelsey Bone helped out with nine rebounds, six points and three steals.
Carter said Elonu emerging as another scorer to add to what she and White contribute is important for the team.
“It really helps us out, we need another threat,” she said. “I think with us having balanced scoring and each of us being a threat in each game, it makes us hard to stop. We complement each other because we have such great chemistry.”
BreAnna Brock, who was coming off a career-high 26-point performance in Missouri’s loss to Kansas, added 12 points and had nine rebounds.
The Aggies took advantage of 25 turnovers by Missouri which they converted into 39 points. Freshman Kyley Simmons committed 10 of Missouri’s turnovers.
“They’re known for their tenacious defense,” Missouri coach Robin Pingeton said. “We have a young, inexperienced point guard, and they scored 39 points off of turnovers. You just can’t afford to give up that many points off of turnovers.”
Blair, who took over at A&M in 2003, has won 608 games in his career as a Division I head coach, including 198 at Arkansas and 210 at Stephen F. Austin.
The Tigers got off to a quick start and led 14-7 just more than five minutes into the game. The Aggies answered with a 12-0 run, powered by five points from Carter, to take a 19-14 lead with 11 minutes remaining.
Missouri cut the lead to two points several times in the last 10 minutes of the first half, but never regained the lead and A&M was up 40-33 at halftime.
POSTGAME NOTES
TEAM NOTES
• For the fourth time this season, Texas A&M used the starting lineup of Alexia Standish, Sydney Carter, Tyra White, Adaora Elonu and Kelsey Bone… The Aggies are 3-1 with this starting lineup.
• Texas A&M improves to 11-7 in the all-time series against Missouri and is 7-1 against the Tigers in Aggieland.
• The Aggies’ 40 points at the half marked the fourth time, and the first in Big 12 play, this season A&M has tallied 40 or more points in the first half.
• Texas A&M forced Missouri into a season-high 25 turnovers.
• The Aggies held the Tigers to just a 27.3 field goal percentage in the second half, six field goals and a second-half season-low 19 points.
• The Aggies registered a season-best 17 steals.
• A&M has shot 90 percent (18-20) from the free-throw line in its last two games.
• A&M dished out 19 assists, the second-most all season.
INDIVIDUAL NOTES
• White has now started in 74 straight games, a streak that started on Jan. 4, 2010 against Lamar.
• White dished out the ball a career-best five times against Missouri and Carter matched a season-high with five.
• With six rebounds against Mizzou, White became the 24th A&M player to join the 500-rebound club with 504 career boards.
• Elonu scored in double figures for the 12th time this season, Carter for the 10th time and White has scored in double figures 22 of her last 24 games.
• Elonu shot a season-best 6-of-7 (85.7%) from the field.
• Collins had a career-best three steals and three assists.
• Kelsey Assarian contributed season-highs with 5 points, two steals and two blocked shots.
• In just two minutes of action, Cierra Windham contributed 4 points, two rebounds, an assist, a block and a steal.
POSTGAME QUOTES
A&M HEAD COACH GARY BLAIR
Opening Statement
Overall it was a good ball game. (Adrienne) Pratcher came in and really helped us early in the second half. I thought she ran the offense pretty well. (Skylar) Collins, (Kelsey) Assarian and (Cierra) Windham all came in off the bench and were very, very good for us. Cierra’s been playing well in practice. She came in and showed what she’s capable of doing. She’s a pretty good player. Assarian really gave us a big boost in the first half. I told her dad a while ago, I don’t monitor her fouls, I monitor how many times she hits the floor and how many times she knocks the loose ball. People don’t like to play against her. She is physical and that’s the way I like it.
On senior Adaora Elonu’s performance
I had no idea she had 16 points. That was the quietest 16 points, but we have to have her on the court. I’m really going to miss those seniors, and I’m going to miss Collins and Assarian. Adaora just does the little things, she was playing well. Normally, she’s never in foul trouble, but she’s steady, she knows where her game is. She has that mid-range shot that most post players don’t have.
SENIOR GUARD SYDNEY CARTER
On forcing season-high turnovers against Missouri
I think (Missouri’s Kyley) Simmons did a really good job tonight, because I was really pressuring her. Skylar (Collins) came in and got some key steals. I think we held them to 19 points in the second half and so that’s saying a lot about the effort we’re putting forth on the defensive end. That’s our M.O. here that we’re playing hard defense and being aggressive.
On if the team has confidence going to Kansas this weekend
We definitely have confidence and we have to take that confidence into road games. We lost our first game at K-State, but we can’t harp on that and we definitely have to respect Kansas. We need to stick to our fundamentals. We need to be the aggressor. We have to come in there with that punch first attitude and take it to them.
On pressuring freshman opponents
I think I definitely need to kind of have that mindset that I’m a senior, I’ve been doing this four years and she’s a beginner, but I respect each opponent I play against. I take so much passion and pride into playing defense that it doesn’t matter if you’re a freshman or a fifth-year senior, I’m going to do my job, and that’s to be aggressive and play hard for my team on defense. It doesn’t matter what your classification is, I’m going to give everybody the same miserable treatment.
SENIOR FORWARD ADAORA ELONU
On what has gotten into her improved play
Nothing. I don’t know, maybe I’m a little more focused understanding that I need to make a difference. At least score or rebound, do something productive, and not just be in the game.
On what got the team behind early in the game
We weren’t ready to play at all and I think it showed with the way they started. We came out a little too relaxed, and Sydney (Carter) told us pregame that we can’t look at their 0-4 start and think we have nothing to lose. They took advantage of that and started pretty well.
SENIOR GUARD TYRA WHITE
On what helped the team turnaround from being down at the start
I think it’s just us as a team…having all three seniors starting for us and being able to control the ball, calm down and not rush things. We did a good job and got inside a lot with Karla (Gilbert) and Kelsey (Bone). I think it’s us having the leadership we’ve been looking for.
MISSOURI HEAD COACH ROBIN PINGETON
On if turnovers were they the story of the game
Yeah, I mean give A&M a ton of credit; they’re a great team. They’re known for their tenacious defense. I thought we did a good job of breaking that pressure in the full court, but in the half court they’re relentless. We have a young, inexperienced point guard, and they scored what, 39 points off of turnovers? You just can’t afford to give up that many points off of turnovers.
On what caused the team to lose the early lead
I think it’s probably a combination of all of the above. I think that kind of defensive pressure wears on you, and it showed up in the second half. The second half, fatigue was more of a factor. They upped the ante, and I’m sure it was a big factor in the game.
On A&M’s post players
They’re just such big strong athletes. They’re big bodies out there. They’re very good, no doubt about it. A&M is a great team.