COLLEGE STATION, Texas – The No. 12 Texas A&M women’s basketball team was unable to get by Alabama, falling 76-63 at Reed Arena Thursday night. Junior guard Chennedy Carter led the Aggies with 16 points in the game, while moving into third-all time on A&M’s all-time scoring list.
A&M (22-6, 10-5 SEC) scored first, but it was all Alabama after that as the Crimson Tide (17-11, 7-8 SEC) scored 10-straight points. The Aggies responded with a 10-2 spree of their own to close out the opening period and tie things up at 12-12.
Alabama took back the momentum in the second quarter, outscoring A&M 27-11 in the period to take a 39-23 lead into the break. The Aggies battled evenly in the third quarter, but Alabama kept its distance, owning a 58-42 lead heading into the final 10 minutes.
A&M was able to get back within 10 when junior forward Ciera Johnson stole the ball at midcourt, leading to junior guard Aaliyah Wilson eventually laying it in with 5:19 to play. However, the Crimson Tide had an answer for everything the Aggies did the rest of the way. Alabama closed out the victory at the free-throw line, 76-63.
TEAM NOTES
- The Aggies limited themselves to just eight turnovers in the game, recording single digits in the category for the fourth time this season.
- A&M used a starting lineup of Shambria Washington, Chennedy Carter, Kayla Wells, N’dea Jones and Ciera Johnson for the 21st time this season.
INDIVIDUAL NOTES
- Junior guard Chennedy Carter extended her double-digit scoring streak to 60 games after going 6-for-9 from the free throw line en-route to a 16-point night.
- Carter moved into third on A&M’s all-time career scoring list, passing Lisa Branch (1992-96, 1,939), as she upped her total to 1,948.
- Junior forward Ciera Johnson finished with 15 points and nine rebounds, scoring in double figures for the 22nd time this season.
- Junior guard Aaliyah Wilson put up 10 points off the bench to reach double figures in back-to-back games for the eighth time this season.
- Senior guard Shambria Washington tallied five-or-more helpers for the 15th game of the year with seven assists on the night. Washington did not commit a turnover in the game, marking the 17th time this season she had had two-or-fewer mishaps.
UP NEXT
Texas A&M will wrap up the regular season on the road as it travels to No. 1 South Carolina on Sunday, March 1 for an 11 a.m. tip.
Texas A&M Quotes
Head Coach Gary Blair
Opening Statement…
“I’d like to give Alabama all the credit in the world. They answered the bell. They played extremely well in all facets of the game. We were lucky to be tied at the end of the first quarter, but we fought back through it. They executed the pick and high ball screen as well as anybody we’ve played this year. We came off of [Jasmine] Walker in the corner and it was a team-wide thing. Whoever was next to her let her have probably 11-out-of-the-12 shots. She was wide open due to us not rotating or having help on the pick and roll.”
On the critical moments in tonight’s game…
“It starts with the head coach, and then it filters on down to your captains and your team. You have to learn how to be accountable in every situation. You cannot tune it up at six o’clock and think that the fans are going to rise to the occasion and get us through. The fans were trying. It was just one of those nights.”
Texas A&M Center Ciera Johnson
On the key factor in tonight’s loss…
“We just didn’t defend. If you don’t defend, then you don’t win. We can’t outscore people that’s not in our favor. We have to defend, and we do that tonight. ”
Texas A&M Forward N’dea Jones
On preparing for #40 Jasmine Walker…
“She’s a really good player. Props to her, we knew that she could shoot. Our goal was to try to not let her get off early and we didn’t accomplish that goal. She ended up hitting two threes at the beginning of the game to start it off. Our goal was to take it away, and it didn’t work.”
Story courtesy of Texas A&M Athletics