Aggie Women Seek First SEC Win When They Host Auburn
If the Texas A&M’s women’s basketball team is going to rescue their season, the time is now.
Starting with Sunday’s home game with Auburn at 4 p.m., the Aggies (10-6, 0-4 in SEC) face a schedule that could provide them an opportunity to dig their way out of their worst start in conference action in nearly 20 years under coach Gary Blair.
Before their 64-45 loss to No. 1 South Carolina on Thursday, the Aggies had only started a conference season 0-3 one other time — 2003-04, which was Blair’s first in College Station and when the Aggies were in the Big 12. Those Aggies went 2-14 in league action and started 0-8.
Blair, coaching his final season before retirement, would like to avoid that. And, after a difficult stretch featuring three ranked teams in their first four SEC games, the Aggies finally have a stretch with some potential forgiveness.
The Aggies face Auburn, followed by Ole Miss on Thursday, Missouri on Jan. 23, Mississippi State on Jan. 30 and Arkansas on Feb. 3. Entering this weekend, Ole Miss and Mississippi State have 2-1 records in league play, while Missouri is 2-2, Arkansas is 1-2 and Auburn is 0-4.
The Tigers (8-7, 0-4) are first in line, and Blair should try and get creative once again, as he did with the Gamecocks. Even in that loss, Blair dusted off a matchup zone to try and slow down South Carolina forward Aliyah Boston, and it worked — for a half.
But he also needs reinforcements. The Aggies were without Destiny Pitts for Thursday’s game due to COVID-19 health and safety protocols. She was on the bench in South Carolina, and the hope is that she can play on Sunday.
The Aggies missed Pitts’ 11.4 points per game and her team-leading 32 3-pointers. With Pitts on the floor, the Aggies would have four players that average more than 10 points per game — Kayla Wells with 16.7, Jordan Nixon with 12.4 and Qadashah Hoppie with 10.8.
Like the Aggies, the Tigers had their SEC opener postponed. But, the Tigers’ schedule has been far less imposing, with games against Alabama, Missouri, LSU and Florida. But, the Tigers, like the Aggies, haven’t claimed a league win yet, with the most recent loss a 68-63 loss to Florida.
The Aggies will have to focus on Aicha Coulibaly, who leads the Tigers with 18 points and 8.1 rebounds. Honesty Scott-Grayson averages 12.8 points and Sania Wells averages 10.6 points.
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You can find Matthew Postins on Twitter @PostinsPostcard.
