Story by Brandon Collins, Athletics Communications
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Legendary Texas A&M women’s basketball head coach Gary Blair’s career came to a close in the first round of the Southeastern Conference Tournament versus Vanderbilt, 85-69, on Wednesday afternoon at Bridgestone Arena.
Blair ends his hall-of-fame career with an 852-348 record over the course of his 37 years as a collegiate head coach. He won five conference titles during his 19 years at the helm of the A&M women’s basketball program and brought the 2011 National Championship back to Aggieland. The Dallas native won an A&M basketball record 444 victories and the court at Reed Arena will forever bear his name as “Gary Blair Court”.
The Aggies were led by Destiny Pitts who managed a season-high 24 points and four triples. Kayla Wells also carried her share of the workload, pouring in 20 points and going 7-of-11 from the field.
The Vandy offense was lights out throughout the first period. The Commodores went 12-of-16 from the field (75%) and built up a 19-point lead heading into the second, 29-10.
Vanderbilt cooled off in the second quarter, and allowed A&M to get within 14, 33-19, at the 5:53 mark in the period. However, the Commodores would go on a 7-0 run, 41-19, to push the Aggie advance back. The Maroon & White faced an 18-point disadvantage as the new half began, 44-26.
The Aggies chopped away the Commodore lead after forcing seven turnovers and holding Vandy to 26.7% from the field in the quarter. Wells and Pitts combined for 15 points in the third and helped A&M cut Vanderbilt’s lead to 12, 58-46.
Pitts hit two big threes to start the fourth, cutting Vandy’s lead to just six, 60-54, with 8:25 left. However, the Aggies’ fight was unable to cut any further. Texas A&M fell, 85-69.
POSTGAME NOTES
RECORDS & SERIES NOTES
- Texas A&M ends the season with a 14-15 record.
- The Aggies are now 9-5 all-time versus the Commodores.
TEAM NOTES
- Texas A&M utilized a starting lineup of Qadashah Hoppie, Jordan Nixon, Aaliyah Patty, Sydnee Roby and Kayla Wells for the sixth time this season (2-4).
INDIVIDUAL NOTES
- Destiny Pitts scored a season-high 24 points. This was the fifth time this season that Pitts hit four-or-more 3-pointers in a game.
- Pitts finishes her career going 40.9% from beyond the 3-point line during her two seasons at A&M, the best percentage of any Aggie with at least 100 3-pointers made in program history.
- Kayla Wells poured in 1,768 points during her five years at A&M. She finishes No. 5 in points scored in program history.
- Wells finishes with the second best 3-point field goal percentage in program history (38.8%).
- Wells played in more games (153) than any plyer in program history.
- Women’s Basketball Hall-of-Famer Gary Blair finishes his career with an 852-348 record.
- Blair holds the most wins in A&M basketball history, having won 444 during his 19 years in Aggieland.